Daaaaaancing!

My favorite on the Japanese music scene, Shinichi Osawa, was playing at WOMB in Shibuya on Saturday night for the release of his new album. So obviously we had to go! It was super fantastic, although there was a moment of, "Will we ever find the place in this maze of love hotels?" Seriously, it's the most difficult place in the world to find, and we'd been there before! Once we got there though, it was good times. It had been too long since I'd been dancing!

Had a massive lie-in on Sunday, followed by a bit of purse-buying and bubble tea-drinking and food-eating and then meeting up with friends later at our favorite bar (Orange County American Bar!). Today I'm all about staying cool. And probably getting Korean for dinner.

Less than two weeks until Tokyo Cousin Extravaganza! EPIC EXCITEMENT AND ANTICIPATION!

a lovely weekend!

This weekend has been lovely! Exhausting, but really lovely regardless. On Saturday night C-chan and I went to Hikarigaoka Park to check out a festival going on there . We were a bit late, but we could have a bit of a wander through the stalls before things completely shut down. Then we played with fireworks for a while (sparkler type not, like, rocket type). Fun! Then to Ekoda where we met friends for drinks and karaoke (this ended up lasting all night).

After about two and a half hours of sleep on Sunday morning, I got up and went to a BBQ. It was fantastic! Good friends and good food and good conversation! It was such a relaxing time. We were there for aaaaages; it was fantastic. We had a second party at an izakaya, and it was also good times. Managed to get home before midnight. Immediately crashed after returning to home port.

On Monday I set a course for Shinjuku to meet up with The Crew x A Mommy. There was a delicious pizza adventure! And it was so nice to meet Andrew's mother! She was just lovely. After we parted, I stayed in Shinjuku for a bit to enjoy air conditioning and then headed to Hikarigaoka to check out the festival (see picture) for a while and do a bit of shopping in preparation for Tokyo Cousin Extravaganza 2010!

Anyway, it's just been a really nice weekend. I kept thinking how lucky I am to be here in this place with these friends and this happy life!

totally not sick of it yet

I spent my 4th of July at Disneyland! It was not very American though; the Tanabata festival was on July 7th, and that was being celebrated. We wrote our wishes and tied them to "bamboo" (less like bamboo, more like metal poles). It was lovely! I like when Tokyo Disneyland has an overlay that is appropriate for Japan instead of something like, say, Easter Wonderland.

Anyway, it was a fun day! The weather was kind of horrible - freakishly hot and humid and then rainy - but I think that kept the crowds down. We were able to enjoy every mountain twice (Splash, Space, and Thunder)! And Pirates twice. And AstroBlasters, Pinocchio, teacups, carousel, Small World, Star Tours, and Haunted Mansion once. And I did not enjoy Snow White's (TERRIFYING) Adventures (I might have screamed). Super productive day!

I ate a honey lemon churro and a salad and french fries and passion fruit shaved ice (in a souvenir cup) and an orange popsicle and crab and mozzarella pizza and cream puffs. Delish.

Probably this was the last Disney trip until August during Tokyo Cousin Extravaganza. I've gone so often lately! Can I survive a Disneyless month? I had a hard enough time this weekend! Sunday came and I was, like, "WHAT DO I DO?!" I ended up wandering around Tokyo aimlessly and eventually buying a Spanish textbook. Today was a bit less random; I saw Toy Story 3. And bawled. Which is apparently an issue when combined with 3D glasses. They got all steamed up! And filled with water as they collected my tears! It was kind of a mess. Loved the movie though!