New Years Eve

This year, New Years eve was at Toshi's again. We put together a Prime-rib dinner with all the fixins... Cream corn, spinach, is this Laurey's? Noooo Even better!

Dinner at Norio and Ayako's

Takashi and Kenji's kids....

Taka and Chika

Its almost New Years so Norio and Ayako hosted a pre-new years party at their place. Was able to catch up with old friends and make some new ones.

Golf at Mesa Verde

Had a double header weekend of golf at Mesa Verde and Shady Canyon! California weather is the greatest!

Kickin it at Toshi's

Arrived in to LA and after some grub and drinks, I headed over to Toshi's place to chill and hang out with Phil who was in town from SF and Asami who flew in from Tokyo as well. Eric and Nate and Chie were there as well.

Bristol

Hmm I wounder what this place is about.....?

New Camera

My old Casio finally died on me so it was time to invest in a new one. Casio's EX-S770 Simple point and shoot camera is about all I can handle. Only good thing is that its slim enough to keep in my pocket and use for instant on and shoot.

Devi Fusion

I went to have lunch with some people from Elpida today at a restaurant in Roppongi that I haven't been to in a while. Devi Fusion (I have no idea why its called that). Its a indian curry restaurant that doesn't have any fusion in it. Its probably as authentic as your gonna get without going to India. Guess the only part thats fusion about it, is that it doesn't have any cheezy Indian decorations and stuff that try and make it up to look like an Indina restaurant. Its just all about the food. I had the 2 curry lunch with Tandori chicken today. Sooo grubbin. Just so happens that a friend owns this restaurant so he hooked us up with a bunch of appetizers. Strange guy, he is a semiconductor broker by day, and runs an Indian restaurant as a hobby. His exact quote," hey Jeff, Japanese people are crazy about curry, I never thought this place would do so well." Lucky guy. He installs a few plasma TVs in the place, and during soccer season there was enough people to come and eat and drink to pay off the TVs in 1 season.

All the ingredients other than vegetables and meats are pretty much brought in from India. All the chefs are from India. He said he provide housing for them in Japan and they come to work for 1 year at a time from India. They make enoug money to live wealthy back in India after 1 year of work, so they are happy, and he's happy cuz he gets authentic chefs cheaper than hiring in Japan. If your ever in the area try them out. It right up the street from the IBM building in Roppongi.

Drinks at AMRTA バー アムリタ

Went to meet up with Moris, Kazu, and friends at Bar AMRTA in Nishi-Azabu. There was an art display event for Moris' friend Kazuko Yamazaki. This bar displays on a monthly basis various artists pieces, so this time was Kazuko's month so we went there to chill and drink for a bit while gazing at her pieces. I've been to this bar before, but don't have very good memories of it cuz I got picked up on by a gay guy the last time I was there.....Yukk!

Ikaho Onsen 伊香保温泉

I went to a place called Ikaho Onsen for a year end golf outing with some people I work with in the industry. Mr. Aizawa, Nakamura, and Yoshida joined in the festivities of good food, onsen and golf. Aizawa set up the trip and his terms were, somewhere not too far from Tokyo, Onsen hotel that has an outdoor bath (Rotenburo)

Food was great, good liquor, after a relaxing bath we changed into Yukata (traditional casual Kimono).

Golf at Ikaho Kokusai Country Club

After a relaxing night at the Onsen, and one too many drinks. It was a day of golf at Ikaho Kokusai Country Club. Shot a 45 on the front, and a 41 on the back for a 86. Not bad I guess but could have been better.

Kazu and Moris

My friend from Hawaii was in town for this sisters wedding so we all hung out at a Izakaya near Moris' house. Then cruised over to a billards bar in Akasaka for a few drinks and to shoot pool. I didn't realize how drunk I was until I noticed that I couldn't focus on the ball anymore, ha haa.

Jet Lagged/Insomnia?

Ever threw off your own clock per say. What I mean, is for the past few days I haven't been able to sleep at normal hours. I think one night I couldn't sleep and so I stayed up just watching TV until I felt sleepy, and realized it was 5:30am before I think I fell asleep. I forgot to set the alarm and overslept to realize it was 10:30am, argg...because of that the next night I couldn't sleep again until who knows what AM it was. So this is the 5th night now, where I can't sleep. I've been pounding wine and whiskey to try and get myself smashed so I could fall sleep, but its about 2:30am right now, and still not sleepy.... Arggg....Help!!

Ebihara Yuri 蛯原友里

Today's Babe. Ebihara Yuri they call here "Ebi-chan" (little shrimp) not that she is super short or anything, just that people in Japan like giving nick names or truncating names to make them easier to remember or identify with.

Udon Kurosawa くろさわ

A delicacy that is often enjoyed in Japan is Udon noodles. Traditionally its a thick noodle in hot broth soup made from shaved bonita and konbu. I went to a restaurant called Kurosawa in Azabujyuban tonight. I usually don't do noodles at night, but I went with my friend Eric and his pregnant wife, so I couldn't do my usual grub and drink thing with them. So noodles it was. I ordered the Kurobuta Curry Nanban Udon (careful, need to wear a splash guard cuz it gets messy) after a beer and some Oden (assorted vegetables and fish cake in broth, yumm). The noodles were great! Felt as if my body was being nursed by the complex flavors of the broth and the perfectly boiled noobles being what Japanese would consider Al dente. Along with that the warmth of the broth, acting like a blanket on a cold winter night. Haven't felt this way about noodles in a while, but serious this place was grubbin!

Dinner with an old friend

I met up with an old friend that I met in LA. Saori moved back to Japan a few years back, but because she lives in Shizuoka, we haven't had to chance to meet up since she's been back so we decided to meet up for some dinner and drinks this weekend. Since she needed to take the bullet train back home we decided to meet up in Shinagawa. Turns out Japan is in Christmas mode at this time and the entire area was lit up and decorated like Christmas. Bunch of couples holdin hands and walkin around...felt awkward..

Tokyo Tower

There are a couple of attractions in Japan that have been around for a while but seldom think of. One of them is Tokyo tower. I'd say less than 50% of the people in Tokyo have ever been to Tokyo tower, and about half of those that have been there haven't been up to the observation deck (I'm one of them, ha haa) But its been a symbol of Tokyo for almost 50 years now. Because of the expansion of digital broadcasting(Japan is going 100% digital in 2011) they are going to build a new one which is supposed to be built sometime around 2008. The other thing that the Tokyo tower symbolizes is midnight. In general the lights that light up the tower go out at 12 midnight so its kinda a sign to tell everyone (well most people) its late enough to head home.

Another Day of Golf

People in Japan are nuts! They make golf reservations to play way way way in advance. Months in advance at times. So when it comes to the day of playing, they are all excited about going. Doesn't matter what the weather is.... Geeez.... So when your playing with customers that are crazy about going, you can't cancel, even if its frickin 9 degrees and raining....So frickin cold. For an ex-Californian its almost unthinkable to play in such weather.