Tokyo - day 7
Well, we’re winding down our last few days here in Tokyo. Today, we actually get a free day and are spending it with David’s good friend Hiroko, a Tokyo native and her Finnish fiance, Juha.
The past couple of days have been busy at the Big Sight convention center at Tokyo Bay. We were presenting at TAF 2008, or Tokyo International Anime Fair.
Here are a few videos:
Tokyo Anime Fair - 2008 from Leyla Tirgari on Vimeo. weirdness at TAF from Leyla Tirgari on Vimeo.David played for a prize and won. Later he returned it because we can’t read Japanese. Playing with Pea Pod critters from Leyla Tirgari on Vimeo.Hiroco the artist, at the Creator’s World exhibit. Amazing work by award winning Japanese artist. She’s one of my favorites, and she loves birds. Hiroco the artist from Leyla Tirgari on Vimeo.Today I’m going shopping FINALLY in Harajuku, and later we’re having a Haname party at Hiroko’s and attending a Saonara party at a very unique fish restaurant. Details to come :).Domo!
Tokyo - day 6
I know, I know. I skipped a day. But come on, I gotta leave a little mystery. Otherwise you’d never call.
So I’m way too exhausted to do any real writing or thinking. But here’s a video of me playing Rock Paper Scissors , or Jan Ken Po as they call it here, with our usergroup tonight in order to give out prizes.
That’s just how we roll.
PS: Tonight, my clothes and hair smell like shabu-shabu.
Jan Ken Po! from Leyla Tirgari on Vimeo.
Tokyo - day 4
It’s pretty late right now, and frankly, it’s a little too tiring to write a full blog. Instead, I will just post this video from visiting Tokyo Hands store today. Let’s just say everything you ever wanted is in this store, you just don’t know it yet. How I spent almost $30 just in pens and stationary, I have no clue. But the health and beauty floor was just too cool not to video record.
PS: Every night I’ve come home, my hair smells like meat and soy sauce.
Tokyo Hands - Health & Beauty Section from Leyla Tirgari on Vimeo.
Tokyo - day 3
It’s been 3 steady days of chaos so far. Yesterday, David and I had our meeting with Sega …which lasted 3 hours. One thing about Japanese meetings, apparently you never wear your shoes. Thank God I got a pedicure. Also, thank God they replenish your green tea midway, because you get the slow sense of exhaustion from jet lag even faster when you’re watching a 3 hour presentation on 3d graphics.
After another meeting, we ran late to a dinner date with Hiroko, David’s good Japanese friend and fashion writer native to here and her Finnish husband. They took us to dinner, and what a dinner it was.
The place was called “Alcatraz ER” … and yes, it was a medical prison themed restaurant. Weaving through the streets of Shibuya, Hiroko even had to use her cell phone GPS to locate the place. You know Tokyo is confusing when even the locals need maps. I especially find it difficult, since there are no street names, but rather the blocks are numbered.
We find the place, near an especially quaint part of the city, located deep in a cluster of “love motels” on the 5th floor of a building.
The entrance is dark, and to enter, you have to press one of five buttons indicating your blood type. When the doors open, you are in a prison ward, with cute servers dressed like nurses and men as doctors. After handcuffing David, and pretend injecting me with a giant syringe, we get guided to our table, which is actually a jail cell. Menus are given, and in order to summon the server, we need to make noise by hitting the pipe against the jail bars. Ahh the joys of themed eating in Japan.
Alcatraz ER Medical Restaurant from Leyla Tirgari on Vimeo.
Tokyo - day 2
What can I say, it’s been a really interesting trip thus far. Yesterday, David and I had to meet with our resellers to do some work for our upcoming meetings this week, but from about 5pm on we had the night to ourselves.
In trying to get to them, we learned a few “fun facts” about Japan.
- No where really takes American credit cards
- This includes anywhere that sells a Suica Card, which is a multi-ride card for easy transportation in Tokyo
- Suica means melon. Why this cards is named this, I have no clue.
- The only places which does allow you to withdraw American money from your inferior American ATM card are bank machines located a the post office. The post office is CLOSED on Sundays. Wooo!
- Jet lag is hidden until about 6pm, then it hits you like a bulldozer.
- It’s rude to have your chop sticks face someone at the table when you rest them.
Well that’s about it. Today we have meetings and we’re still trying to confirm travel for Kyoto this weekend. Though it’s looking less and less likely as the Japanese have their Spring break now, and it’s such a popular place hotels are all booked.
Here’s a video from our dinner last night. It’s Teppan, and it tooks us 40 minutes to find. Remind me to brush up on the Hirigana and Kanji.
Teppan Meal in Shibuya at Ten Restaurant from Leyla Tirgari on Vimeo.domo arigato miss roboto
Ok, taking off for Japan tomorrow to visit the clients we have there and participate in a few things. Mainly, I’ll be attending TAF 2008. Never been to an anime festival in my life, but hey … first time for everything.
Sorry for the scattered and rare postings. It’s been naturally chaotic pulling together the right combination of clothes, books, adapters, electronics, heels, jewelry and toiletries to take across the Pacific for my 10 day whirlwind trip to Tokyo and Kyoto (for fun).
Apparently it’s cherry blossom season, so I expect there will be lots of tourists. Of course, I’m used to this. I only pray I will have energy and sanity to enjoy everything. Also, that I will overcome my fear of weird foods that are raw to enjoy more sushi than my current capabilities allow.
Oh, and before I forget. Happy Noruz everyone!
separate or perish
Ok, so I try to be environmental. And yes, try is the operative word here. Here’s the deal though, I live in Santa Monica. This means no matter what I do with all my bottles, some bum or Mexican couple is going to go through our large trash bin in the alley and sift through my garbage bags filled with empty Lean Pockets packaging and junk mail to find the Arrowhead bottles and Diet Coke cans. So really, by NOT separating, I provide someone with not only money, but recreational activity as well.
Even when I walk Oliver, I go enviro. I overpay to purchase these blue recyclable bags that can be thrown into one of Santa Monica’s large blue tubs. Yes, that’s right, you can recycle a bag with dog poop in it. Really, this phased me too.
So in all my years of quasi-recycling, I never thought I was doing something virtuous. I figured, hey, our kids’ kids will be still paying for this war and social security, why not give ‘em some decent air to breathe? .
And now I realize, I am God loving.
According to Roman Catholic doctrine, mortal sins are a “grave violation of God’s law” and bring about “eternal death” if unrepented by the act of confession.
They are far more serious than venial sins, which impede a soul’s progress in the exercise of virtue and moral good.
link time
Because I’m lazy, but also because it’s so god damn funny.
Enjoy.
Thanks Sarah and Jaymie for forwarding me the link.
