*March Maddness in Japan*

March brought many fun times! I feel like I always say this! But I really am always having fun - no matter where I am!!

The first weekend there was a dinner party and clubbing in Tokyo! My friend Andrew who lives in the town next to Itako told many of us about a dinner party one of his Japanese friends was hosting in Ebisu. Ebisu is a really nice part of Tokyo. There is a huge French influence here and is a very lovely place to have an afternoon coffee, shop, or eat dinner! So we started the night there with an all you can eat and drink special for 2 hours :) We ate, drank, and mingled!

After dinner, we all met back up at ALIFE. Alife is a club near Roppongi Hills that caters to foreigners but is not limited to foreigners! We enjoyed an evening of laughing, dancing, and having a really fun time! Alife has a really good vibe and an awesome environment giving you three options because of the three floors it offers! About 5:00AM we left the club and got something to eat. However, Josh and I managed to loose our crowd :( We ran into Lawson's convinence store to buy an umbrella to stay dry and when we came out no one was to be found :( After our long night out we got a snack at a fast food restaurant - big mistake...my tummy hurt!! Hence why I do not eat fast food any more! We crashed at the New Sanno and enjoyed a lazy Sunday in Yokosuka and baked a cake! :)

The next weekend, Emily and I made an adventure up north to Mito (the capitol of Ibaraki) to view even MORE plum blossoms! We met at the facility where we usually have our JET meetings. There is a neat little family owned cafe around the corner where we usually eat during the meetings. We decided to go there because lunch is delicious and for a set it is only 1000 yen (about $10). After our yummy salad, baked chicken, rice, and apple crisp lunch we headed over to the park! We viewed SOOO many trees. It was raining and that put a little damper on things but didn't stop us from enjoying walking around, eating ice cream and crepes, and shopping in the gift store!

After our meeting in Mito, we went back to our cities, got ready, and headed south into Tokyo for a night of fun!

The third weekend in March was a very special weekend. I was invited by Josh to attend the US Navy Supply Corps. Ball in Tokyo. The ball took place on Saturday at the New Sanno Hotel in Tokyo. The New Sanno is in the neighborhood of Hiro-o. It is a really nice area full of foreigners. Josh and I checked in and enjoyed a late lunch at Cicada restaurant. We had a wonderful lunch set and coffee. We had great conversation and then walked around Hiro-o. I wanted about an hour and a half to get ready for the ball so soon after lunch we headed back to the hotel so I could turn into a princess! I wore my senior year prom dress and Josh was in his uniform! He looked so handsome!

The ball started about 6:00 with a social hour. We met some of Josh's friends down in the ball room and enjoyed wine and beer with them. We tried to get in line for professional pictures but it was too long so we waited until after dinner.

Our table was really neat! It was all Japanese people for a while. I was sitting between the oldest and youngest officers at the ball. The oldest officer was a Japanese man. He was really sweet. They were happy I could speak Japanese which put them at ease. We could speak both English and Japanese so it was a very good experience for all of us! There was a cake cutting ceremony to start off the evening. Josh, along with a few other officers, went to cut the cake. They all joined hands around a sword and cut the cake. It was a really neat experience. I honestly can say, I never thought in my life time I would have ANY ties to the military in anyway. I understand I've had family members in the military but for me in my person life - never saw it coming!

We enjoyed salad, a steak dinner, and the strawberry short cake that the officers had cut. Josh and I took pictures after dinner before the tea and sake ceremonies! We took really fun pictures! The one we chose is a really cute pic of him dipping me :) - you'll see them soon! After we took pictures we enjoyed a tea ceremony performance. Since I live her as a "Japanese resident" I get to experience these sorts of things first hand. However, I think it was neat for everyone who doesn't get to enjoy this to take part and see how it is done!

After the tea ceremony, we had a sake ceremony. We were all given towels with American and Japanese flags on them. We were to wrap them around our heads! So we did! The pictures turned out so well! The little towels were in little wooden boxes. We used the wooden boxes as a sake cup. They passed out jars of sake for every table. We toasted to everything. From the Supply Corps., friends and family, the dead, the missing, - everything! It was a neat toast since I'd never experienced this.

This was ALL followed by door prizes and dancing :) Josh and I danced for a little while and then went to the hotel bar for a beer :) We were going to go out with friends but by the time it was all said and done, we were tired and happy and didn't go out :)

The next week, Josh and I enjoyed dinner at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel as it was our last evening together before he went to see and I flew home to America. We had dinner overlooking downtown. It was beautiful - check out the pics! We did a wine tasting where we tasted 4 wines and chose one for a full glass. We shared a set menu meal and finished the evening at the Mandarin Oriental bar with live music and a glass of Veuve Clicquot champagne! It was a nice send off and I am still waiting for him to come back from his 5 week journey!

Then it was home sweet home America for me! I will post March pictures in my next entry! <3