We ushered in the New Year as is the tradition in our household - by being asleep when midnight rolls around. Then, today, we celebrated New Year's day in the Japanese way - with TWO types of ossechi compliments of Dr. Blackjack: The menus... The ossechi... With special guest star...bottarga! The desserts were Italian-style: pistachio…

Waiting for the bus. "Okay, guess I'm walking"... Coffee outings... New glasses... Sharky got a little sharky with the other dogs and had to be separated... He doesn't like other dogs (especially bigger dogs) getting all up in his grill.  He did, however, get along with mom's dog, Caramel. Relaxing with dad. The trip home...…

Crime (2021 - ) When an Edinburgh schoolgirl is abducted, DI Ray Lennox investigates her disappearance whilst confronting his own past trauma. My thoughts: Predictable,  Overwrought.  The social justice narrative elements really feel like pandering. DNF The Staircase (2022) Tells the story of Michael Peterson, a crime novelist accused of killing his wife Kathleen after…

Last night, we went out for our one and only restaurant dinner on this trip - and it was a great one: Montreal Plaza.  To be honest, after our Tokyo trip, Akemi and I were somewhat dubious, but this place really delivered. Akemi peruses the menu Sis peruses Cheers! Beneath the endives = beef tartare…

Mom and Sharky Sis and green beans Akemi and bear-with-antlers sweater Yesterday, we went shopping at the local C&T Chinese supermarket where Akemi was thrilled to pick up some natto and Andria was equally thrilled to pick up 6 jugs of corn oil (on special!) that my mother uses to cook.  Well, I should say…

Seasons Greetings from us (except my sister who is snapping this pic)! Sis's dogs - Ralphie and Kona - who Sharky doesn't exactly get along with. Years ago, my mother special-ordered a glass top for her kitchen table.  Something nice and thick that wouldn't chip and would allow her to make pasta.  She insisted it…

Last night, we did Christmas Eve dinner at my sister's place.  As is the Mallozzi tradition, the meal skewed heavily seafood: oven-roasted shrimp, baked rainbow trout with sautéed onions, pan-fried octopus and some vegetables. Sis prepping the octopus Mom and Sharky on standby Mom in her garlic-peeling outfit Akemi in her penguin sweater Kona making…

And we're back on schedule with our first Sharky Sunday post in weeks! Joining mom for her morning stretches. He really loves his box. He prefers it to his bed! In his taxi and ready to fly. Sharky's first winter boots... This California dog is winter-ready! Merry Christmas Eve!  

Evidently I still haven't quite shaken off my jet lag.  We went to bed at 9:00 p.m. last night.  I woke up early, believing it was around 6:00 a.m.  It was actually 2:50 a.m.  Went back to sleep and woke up again closer to 8:00 a.m.  We packed up Sharky and headed to Victor Rose,…

I never sleep well the night before I fly and last night was no exception.  It was a night of tossing and turning and weird dreams.  One particularly disturbing one I remember involves me walking onto the set of a new Dark Matter episode.  But because the production didn't have any money, it was being…

Braquo (2019 - 2016) Season 1   A dark realistic cop series follows a squad of Paris cops who exist in the blurred boundaries at the very edge of the law, often using violence and intimidation to get the job done. My thoughts: France's answer to The Shield.  Gritty and fast-paced.  Terrific. 4.5/5 The Stranger…

We flew out of Tokyo over an hour late.  Twenty minutes in, I felt a sharp and sustained pain in my ear.  I figured it had something to do with my blocked sinuses and feared I'd have to sit through the entire 12 hour flight in pain.  But fortunately, the pain subsided after another fifteen…

I fell out of bed early this morning trying to catch an errant pass.  In my dream.  To be fair, she claimed she'd played quarterback so I was expecting a much further throw and ended up having to compensate and make a play on the ball. Anyway, that was about par for my sleeping experience…

Major Motoko Kusanagi is on the case. Good morning, Ginza! Akemi and I headed to Tokyo Station today to do some Christmas shopping (snacks for sis). After which we hit Sanshuya, a shokudo that offered a host of rustic dishes like fried oysters and yellowtail teriyaki - I've always hated teriyaki and always assumed it…