It's Official - I Really Do Live Here

For the past year I've been pretending at living here.  Actually for the first six months I was just going back and forth between L.A. and Tokyo, racking up the frequent flyer miles while stewarding Ranger the Wonder Dog, aka Menace to Society, through quarantine.  Then when quarantine was up, and we finally came over for real, the earthquake hit and sent me back to square one.  It's like Monopoly - only I do not pass GO and don't get to collect $200. Damn.

But this weekend it became official.  I actually live here.  Why you ask?  Sure I've been doing laundry, cleaning the house and going grocery shopping - all habitation activities.  But this weekend I hosted my first dinner party in Tokyo.  In L.A. I hosted dinner parties all the time.  It's what I do.   I've always wanted to be described as an "exulted hostess" or a "celebrated beauty" the same way they describe the heroines in romantic novels.  I know, I'm weird.

Russell wanted to invite his entire team over to show his appreciation for all the hard work they've been doing.  Originally we were going to have sixteen people.  His employees, their significant other, friend or spouse (they had to choose one of the three) and us.   Russell wanted to have an "Americana" meal.  I refused to make hamburgers and hot dogs, plus it's still the rainy season, so we could not assume it would be grilling weather.   I decided to make Jack Daniel ribs. Nothing says American like giant slabs of meat and JD.  We'd serve salad accompanied by a baked potato bar with all the usual suspects (bacon bits, chives, sour cream and butter).  And for dessert there would be my special brownies (not that kind of special) with ice cream.  But first I had to figure out if I could get all the ingredients.

Thank goodness for Costco or as they say in Japan: Cost-ti-co! They had the ribs and the potatoes and the most important ingredient - the Jack Daniel's. "A little for me, a little for the recipe".  Why do you think I chose this?  I had to go to two other grocery stores for the rest of the ingredients.

In L.A. I have sets of dishes and serving trays.  I can serve up to twenty people.   But in Tokyo I have service for six and that's it!  I didn't think I'd ever be hosting more than can sit at our dinette table (6).  I wasn't going to go out and buy ten new plates so we settled on paper plates.  I'm not really a paper plate kind of girl but it seemed the only way.  Sigh.

Admittedly I have a tendency to go over the top when it comes to parties.  But I just want it to be, well, perfect.  I like to create themes and build my parties around them.  It's my creative outlet.  I want people to have a sublime experience when they come over - beginning with the decorations, to the food and wine, and especially to the fact they're not allowed to help.  This is probably because that's what I want when I go over someone else's house.  To be a guest.  To be charmed.  Sure I always offer to help when I do go to a party.  But I don't want my guests helping, unless the theme is a cooking party.  I just want my guests to enjoy.

Since allegedly it's Summer here (even though it's either raining or overcast everyday), I chose a garden theme.   We found these lime colored flower buckets at Ikea which gave me the idea.

Honestly I was a little intimidated about having everyone over.  I was afraid I was going to offend someone inadvertently because I'm not aware of Japanese party customs. Like perhaps it's a no no to serve pork on the last Saturday of the month, or eating off paper plates is a sign of disrespect or worse.  I know they like to drink a lot. At least that's what I'd heard from several, non-Japanese sources.

Russell thought I was being silly.  Even so, I made a point to ask one of my Japanese/American neighbors a few questions just to be sure.  She looked at me like I had two heads when I posed the question. "Are there any Japanese customs I should be aware of, so as not to offend my guests?  I'd read once you're not supposed to give gifts in sets of six because it's bad luck."    She politely explained pork is fine and there's really nothing for me to worry about.   I got the distinct impression she thought it was dubious the spouses would come.  She said if they did I should recognize what a big deal it is for them.  "It's one thing to go over a peer or subordinate's house, it's quite another to go to your boss's house."  When I commented that it's a big deal in America too; she just gave me a look that said I don't get it.  Ah ignorance is bliss.

But she was right.  From the time Russell invited them (three weeks in advance) to three days prior to show time, the number dwindled from 16 to 3.  Three!!!!!    A lot of them had bonafide reasons but still.  Thank God I waited until a week prior to buy the food.  I'd be eating pork for months!  As it is I'll be eating pork for a week.  But the good news is - we could all eat at the table and no paper plates!

The party was intimate but lively.  The guests were all women.  No boyfriends or husbands.  So it was four women and Russell.  He's used to it.  He's always surrounded by women.  It's a gift.   He was great.  He served while the women chatted.  Now there's a change.  They probably don't see that in Japanese homes.   

Two of the women had gone to school in the U.S. so they had interesting perspective.  The discussion was intriguing.  They asked me questions about my experiences since living here.  I shared my impressions of and assumptions about Japanese culture.  They shared their point of view on the like.  It was great.  We had a lot of fun.  I hope they did.  And I didn't even have a hangover in the morning.

I'm ready to host another.  God knows I have enough leftovers!

Chinatown Otherwise Known As "Chowtown"

So of course we can't live in Tokyo and not go to Chinatown.  What?  I know.  That doesn't make any sense.   Well, the plan was to go to Yokohama which is the second largest city in Japan.  Yokohama is where Russell spends half his time because that's where his client's offices are located.  It's also the origination point of his five hour trek home after the earthquake.  I'm surprised I got him to go there on the weekend.

But according to Frommer's it's a recommended side trip from Tokyo and boasts the tallest building in Japan (the Landmark Tower which has the fasted elevator in the world).  We gotta see that!  Not only that, but Yokohama has the largest Chinatown in Japan with over 100 Chinese restaurants.  I had the whole day planned....We would take the train to Kannai station, walk to Chinatown for lunch, then check out Landmark Tower, the silk museum and Yamashita Sea Side park.  And finally we'd take the Sea Bass shuttle boat back to the main Yokohama train station for a scenic view of the harbor.  As usual, Russell had his own plan.  He wanted to hit Costco.  Or as the Japanese pronounce it, "Cost-o-co".  It took up half the day. 

After our little Costco shopping spree, (we bought a BBQ, well actually a Smokey Joe), it was already 2pm and we hadn't eaten lunch so we went to Chinatown.  It was a veritable feast of sights and sounds, even in the rain!  I know they said there were over a hundred restaurants but I didn't realize they were all in one tiny compartmentalized section.  It was like squeezing every restaurant in L.A. onto Olvera street.  Yeah, that small.   

It was crazy, a cacophony, sensory overload.  I can only imagine what it must be like at night when everything is lit up in neon and glowing lanterns - magical I'm sure.  We'll have to come back here for dinner some time.

The streets were teeming with brightly colored umbrellas and pandering street vendors.  Every few feet someone was thrusting a freshly roasted chestnut in your hand with a smile.  Yes, chestnuts.  It almost felt like Christmas.  I'd never had a freshly roasted chestnut before.  They smell awesome.  They're surprising sweet, not just nutty, and pleasantly warm. 

Everywhere else vendors were selling freshly steamed buns or "Bau" with any filling you could imagine, sweet or savory or both.  I chose duck.  It was wonderful.  The bun was so soft, so fresh, the duck meat succulent and savory.  Oh, I'm salivating just remembering it.  And every so often we passed a bakery with still more scents to tempt us.  Of course we had to stop and buy a few pleasures.  I had the almond cookie which was deliciously fragile, crispy and nutty.  Russell bought some paste filled cookies - equally tantalizing.

Which restaurant to choose?  It was impossible so we walked into the very first place.  They didn't speak any English.  No matter -  the menu's had pictures.  

Before I go any further let me just confess right here I am a bona fide Chinese food snob.  Yes, me.   My first um, "love", was Chinese.  His name was Peter (think Keeanu Reeves) and he lived across the street from my grandparents.   His father was a professional chef for a famous Chinese restaurant in Santa Monica,  called Madame Wu's.  They ate dinner an hour earlier than my grandparents did.  So many nights I'd eat at his house first, then come home and eat dinner at mine.  It's true what they say - you're always hungry an hour later after Chinese food.   Suffice it to say, I was spoiled for life.  I've had the best Chinese food made by a professional Chinese chef - home made, fresh, not like the crap you get at your local Chinese restaurant in L.A., made with MSG and frozen vegetables. 

The restaurant we went to was nondescript, except for the patina photo of it from the 1950's hanging in the foyer.  It had been around for a while - a good sign.  We ordered mostly dim sum and some fried rice.  Russell ordered egg rolls - he's so American.  The food was good but not as good as Peter's dad's.  At least there were no frozen carrots or peas in the fried rice.  To me this is the quintessential example of Americanized Chinese food, that and "chow mein" with noodles thickened by a gelatinous sauce made with corn starch - yuck!  If you want to try a great example of Chinese food, especially fried rice and dim sum, I highly recommend Din Tai Fung anywhere.  There's only one location in America.  It's in Arcadia, California.  There's always a line but it is worth the drive and the time.  We actually came across one in Tokyo - we recognized it by the line.

Anyway the food was good but later, after walking around more, I realized we probably picked one of the lessor quality restaurants judging by the decor and offerings.  They didn't even have dumbwaiters - otherwise known as "lazy susans".  You know, those turntables in the center of the table at every respectable Chinese restaurant.  And you thought I meant something else!  The menu offered mostly chicken or pork, not seafood.  Peter taught me, in the Chinese culture, the more seafood the higher the quality.  This was relayed to me at a Chinese wedding he took me to.  They must have served 15 courses.  The final course was an entire fish for each table and there were twenty tables!!!  The most distinguished guest at each table gets the honor of eating the fish eyes.  Thankfully I was not the most distinguished guest at our table. Apparently this holds true for Chinese restaurants too.  We found restaurants whose windows were adorned with "lobster trees".  I'm going back for that place!

As we were walking back to the train station, we came across guests leaving a Chinese wedding.  It was raining again so everyone was carrying an umbrella.  Everyone except these three very important looking gentlemen who had matching black suits and their very own umbrella valet guy.  Where do I get one of those?  While compatible in so many ways - Russell and I are not umbrella compatible.  He's too tall and I'm too short.   When he holds the umbrella I get wet and when I hold the umbrella he gets crushed.  This is a sore point for him as he insists we are absolutely umbrella compatible.  We're not; I have the soaked pants to prove it.

I was curious.  Why are those guys carrying umbrella's for those men?  Why not the women?  And then I realized - they were Yakuza - Japanese mafia.  I'd heard about them.  I saw the movies "Rising Sun" and "Black Rain".  I was excited.  I looked for the tell tale sign and sure enough they were missing a part of their pinky finger.  Scary!!! I didn't think it would be a good idea to take pictures but I wanted to.  I love danger....

Archway to Chinatown from the train station.

To my knowledge none of these are dog.

A glimpse of the cacophony.

A pretty little gazebo in Chinatown.