Lately, I've been reuniting with old friends, occasionally quite by accident. For instance, yesterday I forgot my phone in the office and when I came back for it, discovered I'd missed a call. I didn't recognize the number on the all display and curiosity got the best of me, so I called back. "Hi,"I said…
December 16, 2009: A Quickie Update
I'll admit to being a little bummed since my return to cold, rainy, overcast Vancouver. I must now come to terms with the fact that the excitement of those two weeks in Tokyo are, sadly, behind me, along with the infectious energy of the city itself, its fine restaurants, and the many wonderful friends I…
December 15, 2009: A Day of Surprises.
Right. So I'm in the office today, pacing about as I'm talking on my cell phone, when I notice that one of the Spiderman Supervillain busts sitting by the window isn't facing forward. For some reason, The Lizard has been turned away to face the wall. What gives? I turn turn it around to face…
December 14, 2009: The Misenchanted Sword, by Lawrence Watt-Evans. And, oh yeah, we were picked up for a second season. Also, some mailbag.
Valder is a scout for the Esthshar army in its centuries old war with dark forces of the Northern Empire and, when we are first introduced to our hero, it is clear he isn't having the best of days. Having stumbled upon a bold enemy assault force, he is determined to return to his comrades…
December 13, 2009: Celebrity Skinflints! Pooch Pictures! The Mailbag!
So, I've been following this whole Tiger Woods debacle and, despite all of the increasingly sordid details that have emerged, I've remained unfazed. Until today,that is, when I read something truly shocking about the guy and, if true, will forever tarnish him in my eyes. According to one of the gals he dated, Tiger NEVER…
December 12, 2009: The Return of The Weird Food Purchase of the Day, Stefan Checks In, and The Yuutai.
Let's kick things off with a brand new Weird Food Purchase of the Day video installment... That wasn't so bad. In retrospect, I also should've picked up that bottle of Aloe Vera juice. Hey, I heard from my Tokyo travel buddy Stefan today. He dropped me an email in which he related his late-night visit…
December 11, 2009: Contemplating a Change of Residence! Vote Felix! And Hotel Room Porn!
While it's certainly nice to be back enjoying the comforts of home, I really feel that not enough can be said about the relative comforts of a truly great hotel with its mini-bar, complimentary fruits, and pointless but nevertheless much-appreciated turn-down service. In fact, were money not an issue, I wouldn't hesitate to switch my…
December 10, 2009: 15 Days. 29 Restaurants. 34 Michelin Stars. Only One Survivor.
So, following weeks of high-end lunches AND dinners, multi-course chef menus that included everything from foie gras to fatty tuna to fancy desserts, macaron binges, and chocolate snacks, all counter-balanced by all five in-room workouts, I finally weighed myself last night. The result? A grand total of -5 pounds. That's -5! I actually lost weight!…
December 9, 2009, Part II: Final Feasts and Fond Farewells
When last we left off, I was on my way to my third sushi meal in a row, this time at famed Sushi Saito located across the street from the American embassy in Tokyo. Tucked away in a back corridor of a non-descript office building, it's a tiny, modest-looking place that nevertheless serves some great…
December 9, 2009: Tokyo Travel Day #15 – Tsukiji, How Not to Approach the Locals, Flying Out
I'm usually not one for flying but I am looking forward to the flight back to Vancouver in that it will allow me ten glorious hours of uninterrupted sleep. Truth is, following a fitful post-sake night's sleep followed by a late 3:00 a.m. turn-in the following night followed by an early 7:30 a.m. wake-up the…
December 8, 2009: Tokyo Travel Day #14 – Il Ghiottone, Sushi Tsubaki, and the Sidney Greenstreet of Tokyo.
I'm in the home stretch. Tomorrow night, I'll be boarding a flight back to Vancouver and the departure will be bittersweet. While I'll be glad to set aside the fine dining for the foreseeable future (I am so looking forward to a simple bowl of Steelcut Irish Oatmeal), there are many, many things I'll miss: …
December 7, 2009: Tokyo Travel Day #13 – Sawada, The Tapas Molecular Bar, a Maid Cafe AND a Cosplay Lounge!
It was an atypically warm, sunny, beautiful day today so I ditched my jacket and coat in favor of my leather jacket and headed out. I was on my way to Sawada, a Michelin two star sushi restaurant within walking distance of my hotel. Despite the fact that I was armed with a map and…
December 6, 2009: Tokyo Travel Day #12 – Yonemura, Ryugin, and Soused on Sake.
Holy crap it's cold in Tokyo! I don't remember it being this cool or rainy the last time I was here. Of course, my memory aint what it used to be. Still, I can't recall wearing my coat out so often. Like today, for instance, when I headed out under overcast skies to meet my…
December 5, 2009: Tokyo Travel Day #11 – Miravile, Ristorante Aso, Avoiding the Anal Colica.
So while I was uploading blog pics last night, I received an email from my friend Akemi asking me if it would be alright if she dropped by in the morning. I told her sure. Well, this morning, at around 10:45 a.m., there was a knock at the door. It was Akemi - and she…
December 4, 2009: Tokyo Travel Day #10 – Quintessence, Monnalisa Marunouchi, I hit the wall – and I’ve still got 11 restaurants to go!
Some restaurants in Tokyo require a reservation be made three months in advance. Others won't accept reservations until a week before the requested seating. This year, just to be on the safe side, I forwarded the concierge at The Peninsula my list three months prior to my trip. When he sent me my finalized schedule…