I watch a lot of food t.v., partly because I love food and partly because the Food Network is the channel of choice to keep my dogs company when I'm out and about (For what it's worth, Bubba really seems to really enjoy Iron Chef America). As a result, over the years, I've come to form some…
December 30, 2010: Comment of the month! Foodly matters! And gratuitous pug pic!
As you all know, I make it a point to read every comment posted by readers to this blog (unless they start off something along the lines of "You ruined my precious Stargate, you Stargate ruiner!" or are written by someone name Mel in which case I hit the trash button immediately), partly out of…
December 21, 2010 (again): Back home! Tokyo Travel Day #16!
We made the most of our final day in Tokyo, sleeping in late and lounging about the hotel until early afternoon before finally heading out. We headed over to Roppongi where we enjoyed a double lunch. Ramen - Thumbs up from both us. Not as great as Hokkaido Ramen Toro in Shinjuku, but still pretty…
December 21, 2010: Tokyo Travel Day #15! More Ginza sights! A double disastrous dinner! And Seven Eleven chocolate eclairs!
So after our rather disappointing visit to the Ueno Zoo, we returned to Ginza for a little stroll and what turned out to be not one but TWO disappointing dinners... Back at the hotel, we enjoy our pre-dinnner snacks - Rather than rely on the suggestions of the concierge, we headed out determined to find…
December 20, 2010: Tokyo Travel Day #14! Bangkok Kitchen! Our day at the Ueno Zoo!
With our 100 000 yen dinners behind us, Ivon and I decided to shift focus to more casual eats, simpler drinks, and putting a little something aside for retirement. And so, rather than have the concierge recommend something for us (the last "casual" lunch spot they suggested ended up costing us about $150 a head),…
December 18, 2010: Tokyo Travel Day #12! Muroi! Sort of Spanish! Desserts!
Whew! Two more nights like the last one and I should be right back on Vancouver time. So, late post today. Hell, late everything. Thanks to everyone who has offered up their thoughts, comments, and words of support re: SGU. If this truly is the end, here's hoping that you - the best fans in fandom -…
December 17, 2010: Tokyo Travel Day #11! Ishikawa! Kobe Beef Kawamura! Tokyo Signs! Oh, and Stargate!
Well, damn. Here I'd uploaded a blog entry last night, prepared to make some minor additions and post it this morning only to discover the breaking news of SGU's cancellation. The first thing to tip me off something was up? The 50+ comments awaiting moderation on yesterday's blog entry. My initial thought was "Wow! They really must've enjoyed…
December 16, 2010: Tokyo Travel Day #10! Hirosaku! Nodaiwa! Terrifying Tokyo Tower!
The other night, we continued our tour of varying Japanese cuisines by hitting Hirosaku in Shimbashi. It's a family-owned and operated restaurant focusing on traditional dishes and high quality ingredients. "Is this a typical Japanese meal?"Ivon asked at one point. "Yes,"my friend Jon replied - "for very wealthy Japanese families." "This is how they ate in…
December 15, 2010: Tokyo Travel Day #9! Jelly update! Kondo! Shibuya!
While here in Tokyo, I've been checking in with my dogsitter, Christine, who has been taking care of the pooches while I've been away. Today, I received the following update on the gang and a post-operative Jelly in particular: "We are doing great. Jelly is recovering very well, today she was very happy to go…
December 14, 2010: Tokyo Travel Day #8! The Molecular Tapas Bar! Hokkaido Ramen Toro! Some so-so desserts! And work follows me halfway across the globe!
Back in Vancouver when I was organizing this trip (a.k.a. = our eating schedule) I asked Ivon if there was any particular food or restaurant he wanted to try. To his credit, he wanted to try everything - but there was one place in particular place he wanted to visit while in town: The Molecular…
December 13, 2010: Tokyo Travel Day #7! Pachon! Great Burger! Harajuku!
Having subsisted on nothing but fat, sugar, and alcohol for the past twenty-four hours, I was feeling a little light-headed as dinner time rolled in last night. Under normal circumstances, I might have called it an early night but, of course, these were not normal circumstances. I was in Tokyo and headed to Pachon, a restaurant…
December 12, 2010: Tokyo Travel Day #6! Sawada! More Star Bar! We eat a half pound of fat for lunch! Strolling down Ginza Dori!
First, the Jelly update. She's on her way home today! So last night, I paid a return visit to one of my favorite sushi restaurants in Tokyo: Sawada. I figured that since this was Ivon's first visit to the city, he should be treated to a true sushi feast. And Sawada did not disappoint... Then, we moved…
December 11, 2010: Tokyo Day #5! Tofuro! Star Bar! Pizza Salvatore Cuomo! Akihabara!
Last night was one of those reservationless evenings designed to allow us to play things by ear, get some local input on our eating schedule. And so it was that, following a recommendation from the hotel concierge, we found ourselves at Tofuro izakaya. Now, the first thing that struck us was the ancient Chinese prison-like…
December 10, 2010: Tokyo Trip Day #4! Butagumi pork-out! Omotesando dessert run! Izakaya Tofuro!
My feet hurt. I figured this trip would be a great opportunity to break in those new shoes but, instead, they seem to be breaking me. We've been doing a fair amount of walking these past couple of days and if it weren't for the endless array of desserts that have given me the much-needed…
December 9, 2010: Tokyo Trip Day #3 – Jelly Update! Ivon is finally reunited with a long lost love! Roppongi! Birdland!
Jelly's doctor emailed me this morning to tell me that the surgery went like clockwork and the disc came away nicely. My gal is waking up and, hopefully, on the road to a speedy recovery. Last night, the airport called to inform Ivon his luggage had finally completed its long and eventful journey from Canada…