happy birthday!
Originally uploaded by renfield.
Big G + Maneaterz = Hawaii 5-0 Birthday Celebration. Much debauchery was had.
happy birthday!
happy birthday!
Originally uploaded by renfield.
red red wine
I had forgotten how good la Bisboccia is. After work we headed across the street for a pre-dinner pint and I remembered again how much I dislike beer.
Then we headed out for dinner. The private room was half occupied by a bunch of MS bankers and Simon soon discovered that they lifted a whole case of the wrongly priced (aka cheap) 2004 wine. We had to settle for bottles of the 2003, and then made up for it by lifting several more bottles including some dessert wine and a bottle of jet fuel grappa.
Red wine makes me sleepy, yup. Managed to stumble home midnight-ish though.
Then we headed out for dinner. The private room was half occupied by a bunch of MS bankers and Simon soon discovered that they lifted a whole case of the wrongly priced (aka cheap) 2004 wine. We had to settle for bottles of the 2003, and then made up for it by lifting several more bottles including some dessert wine and a bottle of jet fuel grappa.
Red wine makes me sleepy, yup. Managed to stumble home midnight-ish though.
baba's new cut
baba's new cut
Originally uploaded by renfield.
P stayed home to rest so Tonchan and I took mama to UR in Harajuku to do something decent with her crazy hair. Mama get the quadruple wash, shoulder massage, multiple colorings, cut, and blowdry treatment whilst Ton and I wandered to backstreets of Urahara and checked out all the cool people.
chie has dessert
chie has dessert
Originally uploaded by renfield.
After zazen I got home just in time to help mama make a mountain of potato pancakes and cook a spiral ham. Chie came by and started cooking up a storm, too so again Newman ate well. Mama wasn't feeling great either and neither was P (this stomach virus is going around!) and Newman was sniffling all night, but we still ate well!
rei & tonchan
rei & tonchan
Originally uploaded by renfield.
Went to Suji's for brunch and dragged Rei and Newman along. I left early to get to zazen and P took Tonchan home early because she was grumping (still a bit sick) but mama and Newman and Rei hung out and had some eats.
the police @ tokyo dome
the police @ tokyo dome
Originally uploaded by renfield.
Just got back from Tokyo Dome. I love seeing concerts in Japan. Tickets say the show starts at 7:30, the show starts at 7:30. Encore, second encore, bow, 9:30 -- lights come up. Then they announce section by section and everyone leaves in an orderly fashion.
Oh yeah and The Police ABSOLUTELY. ROCKED. God damn that was a fine concert. And double oh yeah, we were arena floor, center, 7th row.
Also, we had The World's Most Awesome Babysitter. We left and Tonchan was crying for mom. We come home and Tonchan's asleep on the sofa, babysitter watching TV. I ask: "How was she?" Her reply: "After the bath she fell asleep, about 7:30."
Huh?! No fits of screaming? No tantrums and clothing tossing and crawling away and pillow kicking? She just FELL ASLEEP?! I need this woman to come babysit some night when I'm here so that I can see what she's doing and take notes!
fever
Tonchan had a gnarly fever yesterday; coughing, sniffling, body fluids coming out from all over the place. She was not very happy. P stayed home with her and mostly slept.
This morning the ladies woke up and were in much better spirits. Fever is basically gone, Tonchan ate some breakfast and was her generally bubbly, giggly, goofy self.
She's not 100% but she's much, much better.
This morning the ladies woke up and were in much better spirits. Fever is basically gone, Tonchan ate some breakfast and was her generally bubbly, giggly, goofy self.
She's not 100% but she's much, much better.
sayonara spike
Our little boy is all grown up! Seems just yesterday he was a new graddie with too much hair gel. Now his girl is almost 3 and he's off to Hong Kong. I was supposed to be in HK today but at the last minute my trip got cancelled so we headed out to Odaiba to say farewell. Amy and Maya and various others from the old gang were there so Tonchan had some fun with the older kids. I love taking the Yurikamome monorail at night across Rainbow Bridge; very slick view of the Tokyo skyline!
clap clap
R1010520.JPG
Originally uploaded by renfield.
Mama came back from Shanghai (best comment: "Chinese new year is...loud. All they do is light firecrackers 'til 3am!") and needed some eats. P and Tonchan and I were out in Shinjuku (Takashima Times Square) the day before checking out all the fools lined up for 3 hours in the cold rain for Krispy Kremes.
I ended up ordering a suit; nice Italian wool and it will be hand sewn by some old Japanese dude, so we'll see what happens.
Today we took a long walk and ended up at Mitsukoshi in Yebisu Garden Place. Finally (FINALLY!) found some decent shoes at Ecco; plain black seamless round-toes, nothing funky or pointy or capped or stitched. Just plain. black. shoes. Then we bought some munchies in the basement and headed home.
abe lunch
abe lunch
Originally uploaded by renfield.
Wow, this is a seriously excellent lunch for only ¥1365 -- and it's a One Star Michelin restaurant!
Japanese hi tek anti-leak
Japanese hi tek anti-leak
Originally uploaded by renfield.
The top of a plastic drink bottle taped to the ceiling and attached to hose. The labeled safety cone is a nice touch to ensure no one trips over the bucket.
measuring the train stop
measuring the train stop
Originally uploaded by renfield.
A mm ruler on the platform is used to verify how accurately the train is stopped in reference to the designated stopping mark. Every time the train stops the distance +/- the mark is checked and recorded by a man with a clipboard. Now that is what you call quality control!
smash hits
smash hits
Originally uploaded by renfield.
Everyone knows I only drink once a year, right around this time (bonus time.) This year I have made an exception; I will drink twice this year. I suspect it will the last time I make such an exception because I seriously doubt I will get promoted again for a long, long time.
The best part about the day wasn't the debauchery and beers at Ginza Lion, nor the atrocious singing and vodka fizzies (or whatever they're called) at Smash Hits. It wasn't even the unending stream of problems I am called upon to solve, nor the depth and breadth of interesting work I am challenged with on a daily basis. It wasn't the hand shakes and back-pats and "well done"s, nor even the minor torture at the hands of my bosses who basically had me convinced I did not get promoted until the end of the chat whereby I was informed that, due to a gross oversight on the part of senior management, I managed to slip in under the radar.
No actually, the best part is the fact that I have the privilege to work for and with the absolute best goddamn Credit team on the street, bar none, hands down, full stop. And all the capable and impressive folks on my team appreciate me and my wee attempts at being useful enough to want to see me promoted. The fact that I can command even the slightest respectful acknowledgment from these fine professionals is the real gift. Oh, and the chance to sing Sweet Home Alabama with a bunch of Brits. That's pretty keen, too.
And now I'm off to bed. I have an early Compliance meeting in which I am sure to be totally useless, assuming I even make it at all!
Added more photos.
under cover @ akiba
under cover @ akiba
Originally uploaded by renfield.
Piles of slush and driving snow could not deter us from the requisite pilgrimage to Akiba! A little Chinese food recharge and we were as good as new, though perhaps a bit moistened.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)