taiyaki
Originally uploaded by renfield
fries
fries
Originally uploaded by renfield
Went to Ginza, which was PACKED with people. Three day weekend and the opening of the first H&M in Japan (line around the block, why I have no idea.)
Hit Azabu Tailor to get the cuffs on my shirts adjusted, and ended up ordering a new suit.
Then we chec ed out Muji before walking back to Shinbashi Station. Stopped in at MosBurger for a snack. Tonchan inhaled all the whipped cream off of a pumpkin pudding, calling it "icecream" the whole time.
Then her assault on the french fries began.
Silently she consumed fry after fry, barely stopping to sip ice tea or even breath.
nooooooooo!!!!!!!!!
nooooooooo!!!!!!!!!
Originally uploaded by renfield
Tonchan gives us a preview of what the terrible two's will be like. Here she masters the English word "no" with all it's subtle nuance and overtones.
more cowbell
This is what the internet is meant for:
MP3 + Cowbell + Christopher Walken = Absolute. Magic.
MP3 + Cowbell + Christopher Walken = Absolute. Magic.
| Make your own at MoreCowbell.dj | ||
mizugaeshi
mizugaeshi
Originally uploaded by renfield
My new favorite cut to do from the draw.
This video was from the LA seminars we did a few weeks ago at Senpokan. Good cutting, good times.
roseola
Her Highness the Tonchaness has been one pissy-ass grumpy little punk for a few days. Her fever has gone down though, and now she has a delightful red rash. P took her to the doctor and it turns out she has roseola, a non-serious condition caused by the type-6 herpes virus (not the STD type, thanks.)
Being a virus there's nothing to do but wait. And since her fever's down she should be fine soon.
Good to know that her grumpiness was temporary and not her permanent condition Terrible Twos disposition...we hope...
sunglasses
sunglasses
Originally uploaded by renfield
Attempting to distract her from breaking my sunglasses in half.
ny brekkie
ny brekkie
Originally uploaded by renfield
Got the cheap First Class upgrade on the red-eye SF -> NY so almost got some semblance of sleep...but not really. First order of business after checking in at the Hotel Guzofski was breakfast. Local diner supplied a fine bagel, eggs, hashbrowns, and turkey sausage with perfectly mediocre coffee and expectedly crappy service. Ah, New York.
NL = Nobel prize required
NL = Nobel prize required
Originally uploaded by renfield
I have always loved the fact the best parking spaces in the middle of campus are reserved for Nobel Laureates. And isn't brilliant that Cal has SO MANY NLs -- parking spaces and Nobel Prize recipients.
intermezzo salad
intermezzo salad
Originally uploaded by renfield
With strawberry lemonade: 800 yen.
After a successful chat with some Japanese students at UCLA and some final Mexican food with The Jake, I jetted up to SF and caught Jorge on his way back from San Diego. We cruised back to his place and got some sleep. Following day I got breakfast burritos and Peet's with Jenn and Peter, then headed to Berkeley to talk with some students at my alma mater. Had the above killer salad for lunch. Discussion went well methinks. Then headed back west bay to get some Chinese food and gourmet soy icecream before taking the red-eye to NY.
el chato vatos
el chato vatos
Originally uploaded by renfield
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.
photographer tonchan
Ton is absolutely mad for mom's digital camera, and has taken some wicked cool shots.
Check it out:
Check it out:
take a break
take a break
Originally uploaded by renfield
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.
"explosions, overpowering...
...over the competition I am towering..."*
Not really. But when something blows up, things certainly get interesting. Not fun, but interesting.
(In Japanese that'd be tanoshikunai ga omoshiro.)
So on Wednesday, a hand grenade turned into a bunker buster and may end up being the trigger pop to a thermonuclear chain reaction.
Needless to say I did not join my coworkers last night to watch the Chiba Lotte Marines crush the Softbank Hawks from the comfort and privilege of the newly renovated stadium box seats.
I did however learn a whole lot about legal procedures, unsecured debt obligor precedence, and ISDA standards language.
Luckily P and the Tonchabeast are back at the Ibaraki farm homestead hanging chill for summer holiday obon.
I managed to get out of the office at a decent hour, given the weeks events and the fact that it's friday, so I treated myself to some rotator sushi before heading to my regular table at 'bucks for some late-night studying (this month's text is kashikingyomu shuninsha shikaku shiken: money lending business responsible person qualification exam).
* I don't do much karaoke, and even less in English, but when the stars align and I bust my rhyme, suckas go "oooh!" at my meaty groove.**
** Yeah OK that sucked.
Not really. But when something blows up, things certainly get interesting. Not fun, but interesting.
(In Japanese that'd be tanoshikunai ga omoshiro.)
So on Wednesday, a hand grenade turned into a bunker buster and may end up being the trigger pop to a thermonuclear chain reaction.
Needless to say I did not join my coworkers last night to watch the Chiba Lotte Marines crush the Softbank Hawks from the comfort and privilege of the newly renovated stadium box seats.
I did however learn a whole lot about legal procedures, unsecured debt obligor precedence, and ISDA standards language.
Luckily P and the Tonchabeast are back at the Ibaraki farm homestead hanging chill for summer holiday obon.
I managed to get out of the office at a decent hour, given the weeks events and the fact that it's friday, so I treated myself to some rotator sushi before heading to my regular table at 'bucks for some late-night studying (this month's text is kashikingyomu shuninsha shikaku shiken: money lending business responsible person qualification exam).
* I don't do much karaoke, and even less in English, but when the stars align and I bust my rhyme, suckas go "oooh!" at my meaty groove.**
** Yeah OK that sucked.
movies
I rarely see movies but recently I've been on a real bender. Here's what I've inhaled recently.
Indy Jones' Crystal Skull -- a fun romp, well done...but, dude, ALIENS?
Kung-fu Panda -- totally ninjabuttkicking excellent. Will be a favorite of Tonchan's as soon as she's old enough to sit still and watch for more than 7 minutes.
TMNT -- my fault for expecting it to be more than awesome CGI and a plot written for and by a 12 year-old.
Hancock -- a) Like Will Smith, b) LOVE Charlize Theron. A damn fine movie, thanks.
Forbidden Kingdom -- FINALLY Jet Li and Jackie Chan together, with mad wire-work crazy kung-fu ancient China and magic. The annoying white kid was more than outshin'd by my new favorite: OMFG BingBing Li. She is most. excellent. seriously.
Dark Knight -- Yup dark. Joker: excellent. Batman: excellent. Two-Face: excellent. Believe the hype; a blockbuster movie actually worth all the great things said about it.
Oh yeah, did I mention how awesome is BingBing Li?
Indy Jones' Crystal Skull -- a fun romp, well done...but, dude, ALIENS?
Kung-fu Panda -- totally ninjabuttkicking excellent. Will be a favorite of Tonchan's as soon as she's old enough to sit still and watch for more than 7 minutes.
TMNT -- my fault for expecting it to be more than awesome CGI and a plot written for and by a 12 year-old.
Hancock -- a) Like Will Smith, b) LOVE Charlize Theron. A damn fine movie, thanks.
Forbidden Kingdom -- FINALLY Jet Li and Jackie Chan together, with mad wire-work crazy kung-fu ancient China and magic. The annoying white kid was more than outshin'd by my new favorite: OMFG BingBing Li. She is most. excellent. seriously.
Dark Knight -- Yup dark. Joker: excellent. Batman: excellent. Two-Face: excellent. Believe the hype; a blockbuster movie actually worth all the great things said about it.
Oh yeah, did I mention how awesome is BingBing Li?
waterworld
waterworld
Originally uploaded by renfield
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.
slow smooth fast
Can't remember where I first heard it: slow is smooth and smooth is fast.
Maybe it's the heat. And summer holidays so no one is around. Or eating too much BBQ.
Only one dude showed up for class, and it was hot and humid something nasty.
The air-con in the dojo was already running, so I just left it on, making temperature a mildly tolerable 32 degrees or so.
I felt like I didn't have much energy, which probably helped. Moved like molasses, barely any energy in my fingers or arms, and I moved...fluidly. Felt really good; smooth, no jutting corners or edges to catch.
Also spent a long time -- nearly an hour -- on just tsukate. How to put the hands on the sword for the initial draw. Bend boths elbows and move both hands at the same time, but of course the left elbow has to bend more to get the hand on the saya, and the right hand has to move faster to cover more distance in a straight line. Making it one smooth movement, keeping everything still but the lower arms, is key. Staying on the centerline is also key.
Now if I could just figure out what to do after that...
Maybe it's the heat. And summer holidays so no one is around. Or eating too much BBQ.
Only one dude showed up for class, and it was hot and humid something nasty.
The air-con in the dojo was already running, so I just left it on, making temperature a mildly tolerable 32 degrees or so.
I felt like I didn't have much energy, which probably helped. Moved like molasses, barely any energy in my fingers or arms, and I moved...fluidly. Felt really good; smooth, no jutting corners or edges to catch.
Also spent a long time -- nearly an hour -- on just tsukate. How to put the hands on the sword for the initial draw. Bend boths elbows and move both hands at the same time, but of course the left elbow has to bend more to get the hand on the saya, and the right hand has to move faster to cover more distance in a straight line. Making it one smooth movement, keeping everything still but the lower arms, is key. Staying on the centerline is also key.
Now if I could just figure out what to do after that...
36th
Birthday celebration started a bit early. It's The Big Boss' birthday on July 31, and we had a sales guy visiting from Hong Kong so went to dinner in Higashi Yama with sales and trading. Figuring The Big Boss and Posse would end up there, we went to Muse in Nishi Azabu (man eaterz night, always fun) and ended up not getting home until 3:30.
So on my birthday morning, just like on any other morning, at 6am Tonchan jabbed her fingers in my nose and shouted "PAPAPAPAPAPAPA!" to wake me up so that I could make her some cheese toast for breakfast.
Then I piled her into the stroller (with spray bottle of course) and we went to summer school.
Had a reasonably productive day at work prepping for London management updates, then sent the summer interns to get 50 chocolate croissants and 120 Krispy Kremes.
Popped over to the pub to say farewell to our soon-to-be new Sydney COO, and then checked out Indy Jones Crystal Skull late show...dude, aliens? Whatever.
So on my birthday morning, just like on any other morning, at 6am Tonchan jabbed her fingers in my nose and shouted "PAPAPAPAPAPAPA!" to wake me up so that I could make her some cheese toast for breakfast.
Then I piled her into the stroller (with spray bottle of course) and we went to summer school.
Had a reasonably productive day at work prepping for London management updates, then sent the summer interns to get 50 chocolate croissants and 120 Krispy Kremes.
Popped over to the pub to say farewell to our soon-to-be new Sydney COO, and then checked out Indy Jones Crystal Skull late show...dude, aliens? Whatever.
spray bottle attack!
spray bottle attack!
Originally uploaded by renfield
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.
votoms robot
votoms robot
Originally uploaded by renfield
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.
lime green caddie
lime green caddie
Originally uploaded by renfield
Because if you're going to drive a Caddilac, it might as well be LIME. GREEN.
big turkey!
big turkey!
Originally uploaded by renfield
Tried the Big Turkey from a new sandwich shop near the office. Yes, that is in fact alot of turkey.
boxing
Couldn't get to the dojo at lunch, so I signed up for the evening boxing class. Taught by Asia Pacific Cruiser Weight Champion Ryosuke Takahashi. Besides being a really nice guy whom I've met several times via the dojo, he is the fastest big guy I have ever seen. Or maybe he's the biggest fast guy...
egg bacon burger @ baker bounce in midtown
egg bacon burger @ baker bounce in midtown
Originally uploaded by renfield Went over to the Midtown Clinic to get my nose zit checked (diagnosis: confirmed; it is a big nasty nose zit) and then hit Baker Bounce for a soul-replenishing / artery hardening double-egg bacon red-eye (lean patty) burger. With pink lemonade.
sparta weekend
Three-day weekend thanks to Ocean Day, so we went down to a beach town on the coast of Chiba and...trained for three days. We call it the Sparta Gasshuku. Here's the schedule. It certainly was ot fun, but it was well worth it.
Think I pulled my hamstring, though. Thoroughly not a pleasant feeling, but I'll live.
Think I pulled my hamstring, though. Thoroughly not a pleasant feeling, but I'll live.
how many nuggets can you eat?
how many nuggets can you eat?
Originally uploaded by renfield
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.
@ bornelund
@ bornelund
Originally uploaded by renfield
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.
krispy kreme
krispy kreme
Originally uploaded by renfield
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.
good samaritan
Managed to leave the office at 7:30 (wow, only a 12-hour work day!) and the weather was awesome; not too hot, low humidity, so I walked to Roppongi Hills.
Passed a couple of obviously lost kids and asked them if they needed help. They were trying to go to Roppongi Hills too so I told them to follow me.
Seems they are three exchange students studying in Nagasaki, up in Tokyo on summer break. Asked what was cool to do in Tokyo so gave them some suggests (Asakusa, Sunday afternoon in Harajuku, sushi brunch in Tsukiji) and led them to their destination.
Then I camped out at the 'bucks and got my read on. Plowed through another chapter of my credit derivs book
, wrote bunches of emailage on the Crackberry, and walked home. A most productive evening.
Passed a couple of obviously lost kids and asked them if they needed help. They were trying to go to Roppongi Hills too so I told them to follow me.
Seems they are three exchange students studying in Nagasaki, up in Tokyo on summer break. Asked what was cool to do in Tokyo so gave them some suggests (Asakusa, Sunday afternoon in Harajuku, sushi brunch in Tsukiji) and led them to their destination.
Then I camped out at the 'bucks and got my read on. Plowed through another chapter of my credit derivs book
, wrote bunches of emailage on the Crackberry, and walked home. A most productive evening.
i put on cat
ruths chris lunch
ruths chris lunch
Originally uploaded by renfield
Island Mama took me to lunch. She had the cheese steak sammy, I had the steak and 'sparagus salad. With fries.
Quality.
cold
Head is stuffy and throat hurts. P has a cough. Tonchan's pink eye seems to have cleared up. Like everything in life, there is balance; one week in Hawaii vs. sick family upon return to reality!
hawaii
Spent a week in Hawaii, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.
Hawaii does not suck:
Bought matching aloha clothing.
Went to Haruka & Todd's wedding in Waimea near the North Shore.
Checked out the farmers' market at Kapiolani Community College.
Did some rakugaki with a pen.
Played with Sana and Nanako and Yokkun.
Went shopping at Ala Moana and had lunch at Panda Express and Mariposa.
Ate at the diner a bunch of times.
Took a surfing lesson.
Consumed massive amounts of chocolate fudge brownies.
Chilled at the beach and the pool.
Hung out with a penguin.
Had dinner at Cafe Miro.
Upgraded to first class on the way home.
And caught a cold.
Hawaii does not suck:
Bought matching aloha clothing.
Went to Haruka & Todd's wedding in Waimea near the North Shore.
Checked out the farmers' market at Kapiolani Community College.
Did some rakugaki with a pen.
Played with Sana and Nanako and Yokkun.
Went shopping at Ala Moana and had lunch at Panda Express and Mariposa.
Ate at the diner a bunch of times.
Took a surfing lesson.
Consumed massive amounts of chocolate fudge brownies.
Chilled at the beach and the pool.
Hung out with a penguin.
Had dinner at Cafe Miro.
Upgraded to first class on the way home.
And caught a cold.
maserati gransport v8
maserati gransport v8
Originally uploaded by renfield
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.)
arisugawa park
arisugawa park
Originally uploaded by renfield
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.
muji tricycle
muji tricycle
Originally uploaded by renfield
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.
shrimp shumai
shrimp shumai
Originally uploaded by renfield
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.
bucks break
bucks break
Originally uploaded by renfield
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.
english breakfast dinner
english breakfast dinner
Originally uploaded by renfield
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.
pizza
Various new hires in the so-called support areas on my team, so I took the posse out for beers and pizza at Pizzakaya. Actually quite the bargain and damn fine eats, too. Much reveling and silliness and eating and drinking. I suspect a good time was had by all. Which is key because I am unforgiving bastard who demands absolute perfection at work, so at the very least I can buy everyone the occasional pie.
breakfast grumpy
breakfast grumpy
Originally uploaded by renfield
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!
killings in akiba
Every now and then someone goes wacko in Japan. This weekend, a guy drove is truck into a crowd and started stabbing people in Akihabara. I guess we can be thankful that it wasn't the USA, in which case he would have had a machine gun and instead of seven people dead it would be more like 70.
taikai
Ah the taikai. Well, as expected I got my ass handed to me first round. Luckily I was utterly defeated by the H-Bomb, who went on to win all of the next 3 rounds and then dominated the final 5-0. Last time I won a couple years ago I beat her, so fair is fair.
After the taikai we did the typical eating and drinking and general rabble-rousing thing. Some photos here. And a bunch more photos here and here.
After the taikai we did the typical eating and drinking and general rabble-rousing thing. Some photos here. And a bunch more photos here and here.
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