I like it Kelsey, I like it Jed

Ariana's big brother and sister have been visiting - Kelsey's vacation is coming to an end, while Jed has another week. Ariana has decided she likes them both and has been spending most of the last week being curious to the ways of the big people..............sharing a snack at the Ghibli Museum. Too bad photos were not allowed inside as it is a most magical place.
Ok, so I had to take this one outside - translation - Don't eat in the lower patio!!

On Sunday, we started out early for a bamboo sword demonstration and some Zen exercise in Yogogi Park....

After a lovely walk to a dojo in the neighborhood for some silent meditation (ok, so that didn't go over that well with Kelsey and Jed, but baba san actually enjoyed it) we headed down to Yokosuka to visit with cousins Chris, Keiko and Ryushin and to see their new house. It's right on the water and the views from upstairs are beautiful. The little cousins, after working out some sharing issues, finally decided to play nice and ended up chasing each other around the living room.

We had some snacks and then ventured into the center of Yokosuka for some Thai food. Jed was teaching Ariana a bunch of hand greetings - high fiving and low fiving and a bunch of other signals I really hope aren't some secret gang prompt to start fighting, because we are planning a trip to L.A. to visit Kelsey next year and I would hope that Ariana doesn't greet someone with the improper signal and start a gang war.

Should I Call?

St. Patrick's Day Japan Style

getting the appropriate seat to watch the parade is very important
yes, in Japan even the dogs get dressed in green..
a more traditional interpretation.......
go Ireland go!!!!
I have no idea.......

A, B, C, D........

The Cave - GNO #3

Slowly we made our way through the dimly lit passageways, holding on to the walls for support and listening for sounds of others around us. Finally, with the ceiling so low we had to get down on our hands and knees,
wondering if our initial plan was really such a good idea, we reached our destination. Gingerly, we sat, arranging ourselves carefully as our eyes got adjusted to the dim lighting. "God, I hope there isn't an earthquake" someone said as we laughed nervously.

The waiter arrived, crawling down the short hallway as he balanced the tray with some very welcome "welcome" champagne and we settled down. You see, we were not in some cave in Afghanistan but instead a bizarre little wine bar in Shibuya. Each table was, in fact, a small room where you sat on seat cushions on the floor and enjoyed your meal, getting less claustrophobic with each sip of wine from their impressive (for Japan) wine list.

The walls were covered in washi (Japanese paper). I know this because I reached up to the ceiling, which was only a few inches from my head and touched it.

The food, carried in by our crawling waiters, was quite good and by the end of the night, I was thinking that I should bring Arny here.

I don't think he would fit though.