In and around Itako/Kashima =D

After all the Tokyo adventures, it was time to relax just a bit! So Kathryn, John, a new friend Danny, and I went to see "Body of Lies". The new flick with Leonardo DiCaprio and Russel Crow. It was great to go see a movie; however, it is almost $20 to see a movie in Japan. It is ridiculous! Hence why I have now only seen 3 movies in 6 months of living here. Its way too expensive!! We had enjoyed ramen for lunch and then decided to go see this movie! We then came home and watched "A Good Year" and I did not fall asleep this time!! It was a great movie! We curled under my Kotatsu and watched the movie! The next day, we ate lunch with John and then went to Kashima Jingu to enjoy the New Year festivities. We enjoyed yaki soba and choco bananas :) We walked around in the cold and returned home to get ready for an all nighter in Tokyo! Ha ha. I thought we would be done with Tokyo for a bit but WRONG! This picture below is Kathryn and I standing in the great masses in front of the main temple gate!Kathryn and John by the famous deer park in Kashima Jingu =D
Kathryn and I standing at the back shrine. Last weekend, I went to see friends preform a traditional Japanese cleansing of the body ceremony. They literally are down to pretty much nothing and pray in the water behind Kathryn and I. I will post pictures soon of that. I went to support my friend Nobuko and her mother :) Sorry its a blurry picture!
Awwww, our one and only "famous" jumping pictures!!! Yay, how fun?!

After the shrine, it was home to get ready for a night out in Shibuya, Tokyo!! WOMB and Red Bar, here we come!!

If you have seen "Lost in Translation" this is the famous Shibuya crossing. When the light turns green for pedestrians, it is PACKED! Can you see all the little people?!
Kathryn and I with the 2 johns :) This picture was taken at WOMB! Hilarious name for a club, eh? We had a fun time making fun of the club scene of Tokyo! We were there for a little while but then it was off to discover Red Bar!! Red Bar is a little hole in the wall, super chic, artsy lounge.

ITAKO BUDS!! =D
John and I looking WAY too cool for this place! Its because we are WAY too cool for this club =D
John and Kathryn =D

YAY! We left WOMB and were back outside in the freezing cold of Tokyo! So below is the ever so cool Red Bar. Kathryn and I ended up not leaving this bar until about 6:30 AM - haha. It was then back to Itako for a day of rest! We met some really cool people =D I enjoyed making attempts at using my Japanese :) It was very difficult but I did as best as I could!

After this fantastic night, we went home to sleep all the next day and watch movies. On Monday, we had a really fun experience of dressing in Kimonos. Pictures to come! The principal from one of the elementary schools I go to devised a plan :) He is friends with one of the teachers at Itako 2nd. That teacher's wife is a Kimono dressing instructor. We spent the afternoon playing dress up! It was incredible to have such an experience :) The week continued with seeing a Kabuki at the famous Kabuki-za theater, another all nighter in Tokyo, movies, school, and Kathryn leaving :( More pictures and adventures to come!!

Day 5 ~ Ginza ~ New Years Eve Bash! 12.31.2008!!

Well, Kathryn and I made great attempts at waking up at 4:45 AM to go see the fish market. We put on our clothing and we were off. We thankfully stopped by the front desk on our way out the door. The concierge unfortunately said it was closed on New Years Eve. So Kathryn and I went back upstairs to sleep for a few more hours. Once we re-woke up, we went to see the famous Kabuki-za theater along with the fish market! It was an extremely good adventure out! You will be able to see by the pictures below! :)

These pictures were taken in front of the Kabuki-za theater. Isn't it just beautiful. For those of you who do not know what Kabuki is it is a traditional Japanese art form. It is a type of theater that can last all day (8 hours). It is very long and sometimes rather boring. But the costumes are beautiful and it is a fantastic art to go see for 2 hours.
We then went to Tsukiji Fish Market! This is the world's largest fish market. Kathryn and I braved the streets of all the crowds. The website lied that they were closed because indeed they were open for business!! We had so much fun dodging in and out of all the streets. We enjoyed the market for about half an hour and then walked to the Mitsuya Garden Hotel for tea and parfaits! I highly recommend both of these famous and historic places especially since they are in very close proximity to each other. We were able to walk from our hotel in Ginza! It took about 15 minutes.

Here is Kathryn in the fish market! As you can see, it was packed!!
Ha Ha Ha!

This is Kathryn's one shot for the trip! She took my camera held it up and snapped a pic! She claims it could be seen in National Geographic! How fantastic is she?! hee hee.
bargaining at the market

Buying at the market. I love this picture because Kathryn and I truly were the only foreigners there. It was so much fun. I literally felt I had walked onto the scene of some movie!

Ebi - Oishii!!! Shrimp - delicious!
It was then off for our tea and parfaits. Then lunch, napping, and getting ready for the evening! The doors opened at 7:30 and dinner began at 8:00. We enjoyed an amazing 6 course meal, cocktails, and free champagne at midnight! We also indulged in some entertainment! We had so much fun! We had wished others had been able to join us but of course we had so much fun just the 2 of us!!!
Here is their vault of wines! Everything was 30% off but we chose to have cocktails!

I love candle light what can I say. Here is Kathryn looking beautiful at dinner! And my glamorous self! Hee hee. Yes we had 3 forks and 3 knives! It was fun! I had to take a picture of that! :)

Kathryn and I enjoying our cocktails and the chef's special appetizer. They called it his amuse. It was a scallop pudding soup. Sounds disgusting but it was absolutely delicious. Those truffles on top were fantastic! The jazz singers from Chicago and New York! It was really fun listening to them and talking to them afterwards.
After the singers there was a charity auction. All the proceeds went to an environmental foundation. Then to top it off there was a belly dancer! :) She was alright considering I am spoiled and have seen the real deal in the UAE!
Then the desert of a lifetime. White chocolate caramel goodness with earl grey ice cream. It sounds too rich and sweet but let me tell you it is one of the best deserts I have ever eaten. Self-portrait! Sissy and I!

Kathryn with her champagne and poppers right before the strike of midnight! Champagne and poppers!
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009!!! The band came back out and everyone started dancing it was so much fun! The auction continued and so did the belly dancing! It is definitely a memorable evening!!!

Kathryn ringing in the new year in style!!

At about 1AM we went back to the hotel. Kathryn wanted to change dresses and I didn't mind staying in the dress I was already in! So it was then off to Omoto Sando to go to Velours night club. The club was very chic and trendy. Various D.J.s were playing and we met many cool people. We partied the night away until we decided to get back on the train and go home at about 5:45 AM. We walked into our hotel about 10 after 6 just as the first sunrise was coming up. It is very lucky to watch the first sunrise of the year. We did not watch it but rather were walking as it was happening. It was then sleep for a bit and back to Itako to enjoy New Years Day evening with new friends. The principal from Hinode Elementary school invited Kathryn and I to enjoy NYD with him and his family.

Our new designer friend, hee hee, Haru. He was hilarious! It was definitely an awesome New Years BASH!

Day 4 ~ 12.30.2008 ~ Ginza! Lunch & Coffee on Aunt Cyd & Uncle D!

Here Kathryn and I are at Henry Charpenters in Ginza, Tokyo. Aunt Cyd & Uncle D gave us a bit-o-cash for Christmas. We chose to eat lunch on them and get coffee! This restaurant is a very trendy and surprisingly cheap find! Their lunch specials are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Our hotel was wrapped around the corner from this doll of a place! We enjoyed tea, pumpkin soup, a sandwich with salmon and tuna, and a delicious baked pasta with ham and mushrooms! We enjoyed every morsel!! It was then off for shopping in trendy, crazy expensive Ginza and tea, coffee, and chocolates at Gucci cafe :)

Thank you for this fantastic meal!!! :) It was so OISHII! ~ Delicious =D

Kathryn enjoying her sandwich. She was craving western style food soo soon into her trip! She kept saying, "All I want is a sandwich" and so she was able to get one :)

I was unsure of what I was ordering but it ended up being fantastic!
This is us after lunch at the Gucci Cafe in Ginza :) Their new collection is the tattoo collection. Therefore a few of their drinks are inspired by the collection. I ordered the white tattoo cappuccino! How cute is that? "Love Gucci" Ha Ha. Kathryn ordered tea and we shared 2 chocolates. These chocolates are literally the best chocolates I have ever had! Unfortunately, I must travel Tokyo or Milan for these delectable goodness :)

Kathryn enjoying her tea with the glimmering streets of Tokyo below! :)

Me enjoying my coffee. This picture is so proper of me - its funny.
Kathryn and I certainly enjoyed our day of eating and shopping together! We love Ginza. However, word of advise if you go - leave your money at home. You will go home with nothing. Well, you won't go home with nothing. You will go home with all the fantastic designer things but had no cash!

Kathryn at the passport check because she made some major purchases!! :) Yay, Sissy!

Me pretending to have bought all of these wonderful things but indeed they are Kathryn's. Actually, the Chanel bag is mine. However, do not be fooled - its only lip gloss. Also, the Gucci bag is filled with chocolates! :)

After all the shopping and eating, it was actually time for us to get something to eat. I wanted to take Kathryn to this adorable French restaurant that I had found back in August. The restaurant is called Cafe Del Sol. We found it and enjoyed a nice dinner before a night of searching where we would go for New Years! We enjoyed salad, pizza, and wine! It was delicious and then a short walk back to our hotel to get ready for the evening.

Once we were ready to go out we went to Dazzle and tried to find the other club that we wished to go to. Kathryn and I walked around and around and around for the longest time to try to find this little trendy hole in a wall. Well, it literally was a hole in the wall and they really want to remain exclusive because they are absolutely impossible to find. But finally with a tiny stroke of luck we found it and it was closed :( So we went back to were we were staying and went to sleep so we could wake up and go to Tsukiji fish market early in the morning to see the first of the fish!