I'd been thinking about it since my last trip here and, finally, yesterday, I finally got a chance to pay a return visit to Pizza Seirinkan. Joining me this time were Akemi and her friend Yukina... After lunch, we headed over to Electric Town, Akihabara, so I could track down a new Evangelion iPhone case…
November 2, 2012: Tokyo Day #5! Actually, Yokohama Day #1!
Yesterday, I ended up going to Yokohama for the day. It was my first visit to the area and I was wowed. It's absolutely beautiful, alternately reminding me of New York in parts, Paris in others, and even San Diego at times. My friend, Moro-san, was my tour guide for the day, taking me absolutely…
November 1, 2012: Tokyo Day #4! Pierre Gagnaire!
Okay, I said late blog entry but I've got a window of opportunity here so it'll be an early blog post instead. Last night, I got together with my friend, Sachi, for dinner at Pierre Gagnaire in the ANA Continental Hotel. We spent much of the meal catching up on our respective lives. Sachi is…
October 31, 2012: Tokyo Day #3! Sawada! Shinjuku! Butagumi!
Last night, Akemi and I returned to our favorite sushi restaurant in Tokyo: Sawada. It's always more than dinner, it's a show, with Master Sawada-san presenting a feast of varied sushis and sashimis, from sweet Hokkaido uni to grilled sea eel, all expertly prepared and utterly delicious. The restaurant itself is small, seating six at…
October 29, 2012: Tokyo Day #2! Roppongi! Faro! Yasai-ya Me!
Akemi is so adorable. She's apparently been in Canada so long that she's forgotten what it's like to live in Tokyo. "Tell me when you see a garbage can,"she said, waving the empty can she was holding. A garbage can? On the streets of Ginza? You're more likely to come across Godzilla. The plan was…
October 28, 2012 (here in Tokyo): Arrival! Applause! Soba at Akatsukian! And Mitsukoshi desserts!
One of the things I'm reminded about Tokyo every time I catch the shuttle bus from Narita airport into the city are the highways and how truly high they are. So high, in fact, that one will occasionally find oneself eye-level with the top floor of some extremely tall buildings. Not a great ride for…
October 27, 2012: Travel Day! The Top 11 Things I’ve Been Eating in Vancouver!
Planning a visit to Vancouver and looking forward to sampling some of the city's finest - but not looking forward to playing hit and miss? Well, relax and allow me to guide you through some of the city's tastiest treats. Here are the Top 11 Things I've Been Eating in Vancouver: PEACEFUL BEEF ROLL AT…
October 25, 2012: Double Birthday(ish) Dinner!
The other night, Akemi and I went out for burgers with a couple of our very favorite Vancouver friends: Steve, Jodi, and their daughter, Gemma. Per Akemi's request, we ended up going to Romer's Burger Bar for their varied menu offerings and those silly iceberg lettuce buns the ladies seem to enjoy. Steve and Jodi…
October 21, 2012: Football, Roast Rib-Eye, Ice Cream, and Anguish!
Every damn weekend it's the same damn thing! My Snow Monkey put up enough points to beat at least 10 of the 13 other teams in my league. Only problem is, we happen to be playing one of the 3 OTHER teams. Well, they haven't lost yet but it doesn't look good. Our opponents, the…
October 18, 2012: Oh, covering just about everything!
Well, whaddya know: Hallmark Channel Reaffirms Series Order To ‘Cedar Cove’ Starring Andie MacDowell. Our old friend, Carl Binder, takes the reins of a new series, Cedar Grove, for the Hallmark Channel. According to the interweb: "Production will take place in Vancouver". And we all know what that means. Yes! I'll finally get the opportunity to…
October 17, 2012: Birthday festivities and feast!
My Birthday Week festivities continue! How are YOU celebrating? Today, I received a little something from Sis (and by "I", I mean "we" since the contents of the package were for both Akemi and me, and by "a little" I mean a lot). Mexican chocolate, chocolate-covered licorice, multi-flavored chocolate bars (including peanut butter and banana,…
October 16, 2012: Baby, Birthday, and Chili Verde!
I was taking Jelly for a walk yesterday when I ran into my neighbor on her way to work. It had been a while since we'd crossed paths. "You've lost weight!"she marveled. I was about to tell her that I'd been working out, morning and night, in preparation for my annual Tokyo food tour. But,…
October 14, 2012: Ice Cream Football Sunday! Birthday Cupcakes! And some winners!
Before you ask - no. Sadly, my Snow Monkeys did not win this weekend. Ah, what might have been... If Trent Richardson hadn't left the game with a rib injury. If Brady Quinn had done a better job of looking for Dwayne Bowe. If Dolphins wide receiver Brian Hartline hadn't, apparently, missed the team bus…
October 12, 2012: The Perfect Pork Chop!
I'm a big fan of pork chops, but usually only when I make them. Like fireworks, dry ice, and raw milk cheese, the proper care and preparation of pork chops cannot be entrusted to just anyone. Many high-end restaurants seem to know what they're doing, while my buddy Rob, an avowed pork aficionado, certainly knows…
September 28, 2012: Make your own home made chicken heart tacos! I show you how! Days of Stargate Atlantis past! The Kindred II!
Since Akemi was attending a party for her ESL (English as a Second Language) class tonight, I thought I'd take advantage of her absence to make something a little atypical for dinner, something she probably wouldn't enjoy (until she tried it of course) if she was home. I wanted to make duck hearts. Now, last…