Last night, I turned in at a nice and early 10:00 p.m. As a result, I woke up this morning at a less nice and early 3:50 a.m. I dozed on and off, cobbling together about another hour in catnaps, before sitting bolt upright at 8:15 a.m. with the realization we had a tea ceremony to…
September 12, 2014: Tokyo Day #2 – More eating, and I take a ride on the shinkansen!
There are three "can't miss" restaurants I HAVE to visit every time I come to Tokyo. The first is Sawada sushi - which, sadly, is closed during this two week stay. The second is Esquisse, a brilliant French restaurant headed by Chef Lionel Beccat - which we'll be visiting in the coming days. And the…
September 12, 2014: Tokyo Day #1 – Guts, Grub, and Garb!
It's a ten hour flight from Vancouver to Tokyo and I had hoped to sleep through part of it, but just as I was nodding off, about seven hours, I was awakened by one of the entertainment systems malfunctioning, emitting a sound akin to a spoke card's rat-tat-at. For about a half an hour. That's…
September 10, 2014: Travel Day for Tokyo Joe!
Off to Japan today and one of the things I'm especially looking forward to - besides the sushi, pastries, and robot toilets - is the sake. To be honest, I'm not a big drinker. I don't do wine and rarely drink beer. I will have the occasional glass of bourbon - but it's not some…
September 9, 2014: Ranty rant rant!
I was planning to rant today about news I received on another project, but I'm not going to do that. Nope, I'm going to keep things positive and won't even bother expressing my irritation, anger, and general disappointment with a potential scenario that has presented itself today - despite the fact that the individual who…
September 8, 2014: News of note!
As it turns out, it wasn't Prince Albert Victor or Queen Victoria's obstetrician or author Lewis Caroll. It was...some crazy guy:http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/09/08/author-claims-to-have-identified-jack-the-ripper-via-dna-testing-of-a-shawl/His parents aren't kicking him out of the house! And the poor kid's only 29!https://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-buzz/29-year-old-man-baby-sues-parents-for-not-financially-145831060.htmlBananas prevent strokes! Eat more bananas!http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-133083/How-banana-day-strokes-bay.htmlApple cider vinegar helps you lose weight and ward of heart disease! Drink more apple cider…
September 7, 2014: The Lodger!
Pictured above - Petunia, our lodger, who has been with us since Friday but went home tonight. She's been a wonderful guest, very polite with the other dogs and has only had two accidents. Having an extra dog does make a world of difference, however, especially at night. And even on a king-size bed. I…
September 5, 2014: Miscellaneous photos!
Yep. Just as the title implies. Miscellaneous photos of miscellaneous things... Drove by this car emblazoned with an unfortunate company name. Sure, P.O.S. can stand for Point of Sale. Or Positively Outstanding Service. But, if you happen to spend any time on the internet, another turn of phrase will probably come to mind. Not a…
September 2, 2012: Draft Day! Snow Monkeys on the clock!
As it turns out, today was Draft Day for my fantasy football league! Following a season in which I dedicated most, if not ALL of my free time to researching the NFL, only to miss the playoffs, I decided to take a more laid-back approach to the process this year. I waited until the last…
September 1, 2014: Talking to Strangers!
"Never in my life have I seen someone so chitchat with cashier staff."- Akemi today on my propensity for engaging retail staff in conversation.It happens a lot at Whole Foods whenever the cashier gives us the option of getting ten cents off our total or making a contribution to charity (for bringing in our own…
August 31, 2014: Another rainy day, another rainy food festival!
This time, it was Taiwan Fest where Akemi and I enjoyed grilled spicy squid, even spicier lamb skewers, and more inclement weather! Akemi keeping her spirits up... No food festivals tomorrow. It's Draft Day! Time to set aside my script and start some intensive fantasy football research!
August 28, 2014: Akemi’s reflections on Bubba and lobster!
Akemi this morning on her love for Bubba:"Bubba is best thing that happened to me this lifetime. I'm so glad I met you."The other day, she made a little something for Bubba:And a little something for me as well:Also, yesterday, Akemi experienced an allergic reaction to something - and we suspect it might be...uh oh...lobster!…
August 27, 2014: My gals – so photogenic!
My girlfriend enjoys cooking, studying Italian, internet shopping, and posing for photographs behind those placards with the cut-out faces... She just can't help herself. Lulu, meanwhile, loves any opportunity for a photo session... And check out these gorgeous shots taken by our friend, Nicole: I have a big Skype video conference tomorrow morning to nail…
August 26, 2014: My Top 10 Most Shocking T.V. Deaths!
I say "My Top 10" because "Your Top 10" will no doubt vary. Having read the Ice & Fire series before sitting down to watch Game of Thrones, I was prepared for moments like Ned Stark's execution, The Red Wedding, and the duel between The Mountain and The Red Viper. Similarly, behind-the-scenes developments on other shows…
August 24, 2014: The best laid plans of mice and men and french bulldogs!
Well, I had a lot I wanted to get done to day and, although I didn't accomplish everything, it was a nice, full day... 1) The Running of the Bulldogs Akemi and I headed down to Yaletown early this morning to register our french bulldog, Lulu, for "the running of the bulldogs", part of a…