Getting The Best tacos in LA @ El Chato, the Mexican food trailer only open from 8pm to midnight in the parking lot of the car upholstery and sheepskin seat cover specialty shop.
Had the killer Labor Day BBQ at Uncle Larry's with the whole LA/Bev Hills/Hollywood posse after crashing at Daboo & N3i's place after the mad late nite Rock Band session.
Did some shopping in Harajuku and Shibuya, gathering random toys, bits, and bobs for the kids back in the states as bribes for letting me crash on a loaned couch, driving my carless butt around LA, etc.
Reasonably nice weather; kind of cool (compared to the sweaty scorchers to-date) and misty kind of rain. Here the girls take a wee break as I ran off to buy funny stickers and check out the latest label-free coolness from Muji.
Mad fun toys spread out at Roppongi Hills! Check out this amazing water track with boats and pumps and waterlocks and paddles...hours of fun splashing and driving boats around.
Lately the Tonchabeast's favorite accessory has been this lovely spray bottle, filled with water. With a devilish grin she tears around the house moistening everything in sight, particularly me. I think she especially likes the way I jump and flail like a monkey when she sprays me back as I eat breakfast.
She likes this spray bottle so much she carries it with her in the stroller on our way to school. On the train she cleverly eyes the salarymen and OLs standing around her, just waiting for the chance to blast them with a cool and refreshing spray of ice cold water...actually given this summer heat it would probably be a welcome refresher.
Tonchan is getting over a virus and her fever is down, but now P is feeling sick, so Ton went out to give mom a break. She and I were on our walkabout in the Hills when we spied the "150 Anniversary of Steel" festival. Yeah, I don't know what that is either. But it doesn't matter because they had this 5 meter tall robot specially built just for the occasion. Totally. Excellent.
Because if you're going to drive a Caddilac, it might as well be LIME. GREEN.
Tried the Big Turkey from a new sandwich shop near the office. Yes, that is in fact alot of turkey.
The challenge: how many chicken nuggets can you eat in 15 minutes?
The answer: OMFG that is disgusting.
Sent the intern out to get some nuggets. 500 of them.
HOT. Like, really really really hot. Summer sucks, man, too hot!
Spent the morning in the kiddie pool on the deck (got a nice sunburn for it, too thanks) then did some walkabout to Roppongi Hills. Randomly bumped into the Smallwoods, had lunch at Bairan newly opened at the hills, met Newman briefly, did some more goofing off, then went to evening practice with a bunch of folks I hadn't seen in a while.
And it was too damn hot all day.
It's Friday, and for lack of anything better to do, we sent the intern over to Shinjuku with an order to come back with as many doughnuts as she could carry.
She returned with ten dozen.
Excellent effort, well done.
, wrote bunches of emailage on the Crackberry, and walked home. A most productive evening.
Island Mama took me to lunch. She had the cheese steak sammy, I had the steak and 'sparagus salad. With fries.
Quality.
Simon showing off his latest wheels. And no I'm not in the driver's seat; it's a right-hand drive car (this is Japan.)
Hung out in the park with Conan of the Small Woods, playing badminton and other park-like activities. Tonchan did her running about and falling down alot thing, as well as goofing on the slide, in the sand box (dirt pit), etc.
She hasn't quite got the pedaling concept down but she is loving the trike. Methinks it has serious birthday present potential. Comes in red, yellow, and white. Love the parental handle, too.
Hooked up with P and headed over to Roppongi Hills for some dim sum. Tonchan was sleeping and woke up just in time to inhale some shrimp shumai.
She can drink a whole tall ice soy chai latte, so I have to get a grande just to make sure there's some left for me to drink.
Net net massively crappy: political turmoil, economic crisis, friendly fire and beheadings...typical day in the middle east? Or in the office?
After the last nail in the coffin, headed with some of the lads to the pub for a right proper dinner: The Full English Breakfast. Baked beans and buttered toast and sausage and bacon and fried eggs and fried tomato and fried mushrooms.
Absolutely. Brilliant.
Tonchan, sweet and dear love of my heart, when you grow up and read this, don't think ill of me. I really do love you. Really. But god DAMN you can be a grumpy little punk in the morning!
The old toilet in the master bedroom died. Long live the new toilet! Tonchan certainly likes it, and is always flushing. Here she poses majestically with her new friend, after the evening bath.
Hosted this year's graddies for some eats and drinks. The restaurant made us this lovely cake...and then a waiter proceeded to break a wine glass all over it, so the cake was replaced with lots of little puff-pastry balls filled with cream. Anyway the cake says "Congrats on Joining the Company!" and probably would have been delicious if it weren't liberally springled with shards of broken glass.
Luckily an orange bandaid saved him from hemorrhaging to death.
Did two nights at Sekitei in Hiroshima.
Flew down, took the bus to the station, train to Oonoura, and then the ryokan van. As expected, most excellent room. First floor had two rooms off of each side of the entrance, plus a little lounge and access to the main garden. Upstairs was another room with a big wooden bathtub in the middle. Totally. Awesome.
They also have a new private bath; a two story affair with a big bath in the middle of the downstairs and a shower in the ceiling, and then a lounge upstairs with a small bath on the balcony. This one is all modern and clean design, different from the one we used last time which was all old school and homey.
Perfect weather for two days too so we wandered around Miyajima in a sunny but breezy way.
Tonchan was a trooper; only broke two glasses and hated the band-aid on her hand more than the minor cut. She also inhaled momiji-manju (red bean paste sweets) and was generally eating the whole time. She ran around during the day so much she slept soundly all night the whole time.
Met Chiepon for lunch -- Happy Birthday! -- at Eat More Greens. We walked up to Roppongi Hills and played at Børnelund, then walked up to Midtown and got some bevvies. Took a taxi to National Azabu and stocked up on groceries (mostly animal crackers and apple juice) before heading home and ordering pizza. Tomorrow: Hiroshima!
Had lunch at Toyoda with the assorted grandparentals. P's parents were surprised as they weren't expecting the USA contingent. Masa had a wee too much drink and took a nice nap.
Afterwards we checked out the Mitsui Museum and had a 'bucks break before heading home and catching the start of the rain.
From: hiroko.kurodaAnd that's pretty much all you need to know about the Kuroda Family.
Sent: 05/22/2008 08:54 AM ZE9
To: Renfield Kuroda
Subject: mouth wash
She drunk it some this morning, and her face became red. I guess ethanol in it worked, so she’s pretty drunk. We have to hide it or stop using it, otherwise she’ll be alcoholic.
