Cheating

As most of you probably know, I've been in a committed relationship with a wonderful man for almost seven years.  While he continues to see other people, I have remained faithful to him.  I've even followed him around from place to place.  I consider what we have to be really special, and other people think so too.  Today I did the unthinkable- I saw someone else.

I never thought I would be that kind of girl but just like that- it happened.  I was so nervous!  It had been a long time since I did this with anyone else.  Would he like me?  Would I like him?  At first I was shy, but he was very warm and gentle.  He was tender at the right moments but rough when he needed to be.  I've never let anyone else touch me like that!  I started to relax, and then I even enjoyed myself.  Most of the time, my eyes were shut- I was afraid I wouldn't like what I saw!  But in the end it was great.  I have bangs for the first time in years.

You did know I was talking about a haircut, right?  Japanese stylists give you long massages before they chop your hair.  It's a nice touch.   

If my wonderful hair stylist is reading this- today was...different.  Not better, not worse, just different.  You will always be the one for me though.  I can't wait to see you again.    

Chinatown

Gong xi fa cai!  Chinese New Year was February 3rd this year.  Sorry I'm a little late, but I knew this post would be detailed.  When I visited Tokyo in 2003, we tried to find Chinatown.  Chinatown is actually outside of Tokyo in nearby Yokohama.  Last time we took the train to Yokohama and wandered around assuming we'd find it, but we never did.  This time we were prepared.  As it turns out, Yokohama is pretty big and there are several subway stops.  After some research, we decided it that it would be festive to go to Chinatown around the New Year.

One of Chinatown's four surrounding gates

I have to admit, I was skeptical.  With the possible exception of San Francisco, most of the Chinatowns I'd visited had been kind of a let down.  Sure New York's is pretty good for some fake bags or dim sum, but Flushing is really where all the real Chinese action is at.  Don't even get me started on DC.  Okay, too late- now I have to talk about it.  I remember the days when going to Chinatown in DC was an experience.  We actually got dressed up and went down there for special occasions.  Li Ho Food was an institution for my family.  Oh the memories!  Succulent shrimp (with heads on of course),  amazing Peking duck (fresh from the window), juicy pork chops in that sticky red sauce...  Sure I never drank anything so as to avoid having to use that awful bathroom.  And yes, there was the occasional cockroach that made its way across the wall.  But it was the best food!  Chinatown was a destination back then.  It's a miracle I worked so close to the "new" Chinatown for six years and never decided to go out on a soap box screaming, "where are the Chinese people?  Bring back the Chinese people!"  Chipotle and Clydes with cute little Chinese characters above their names make me sick.  Damn you MCI Center Verizon Center!

But we're not talking about Chinatown DC.  The point is, I was skeptical.  Chinese food in Tokyo has been mediocre at best.  I thought Americanized Chinese food was bad, but I'd take General Tso's chicken over some of this bland stuff any day.  I expected one street of fried rice, red fans, and maybe some soggy dumplings.  Thank goodness I was wrong!  It was huge, and the food- for the most part- was great.

Roasted chestnuts from a street vendor

We should have known to stick with street food, but we really had a hankering for dim sum.  We got suckered in to one of many all-you-can-eat places.  The menu had all our usual favorites, and we were getting hungry.  Big mistake.  All-you-can-eat is almost always a bad idea.  The quality just isn't going to be good.  We were really disappointed but ate a lot anyway.

Shopping on the other hand, was a nice surprise.  Most of the shops were filled with cheesy souvenirs (there are those red fans I mentioned), but some were really special.  We spent hours browsing stores, and we still didn't see everything there was to offer. 

All the panda merchandise you could dream of

An adorable Japanese show with beautiful textiles and kitchen goods

A funky shop with imports from Thailand and India

Standard Chinese souvenirs- cell phone charms, red tassel things, etc. 

But the nice thing about this Chinatown was that there actually seemed to be there there.  After passing the tenth store that sold the same Bruce Lee t-shirt, you came across a beautiful and peaceful temple.  Again I found myself not really understanding what it was all about, but there was something there to be respected.  I recognized the smell of incense immediately, and I was transported to my Grandfather's basement.  That smell instantly made me feel a sense of seriousness.  Chinese people don't burn incense the way hippies do.  It's to honor the dead.  I almost didn't want to enter the temple, but how could I not?  It was gorgeous.

Temple entrance

Extra large incense sticks

The amazing interior of the temple

It was really nice to see.  I enjoyed watching people light their incense and take a moment to go inside.  But I can only handle so much seriousness before I have to balance it all out with something easier- more food!  Sure, we stuffed ourselves with bad dim sum, but we had to cancel out that bad food with what was surely the real stuff.  Every corner was full of people standing around (or squatting) slurping soup dumplings out of styrofoam containers, greedily biting into their steaming pork buns, or crunching on some shrimp chips (which strangely, resemble styrofoam, but that's another blog post).  We must eat!

Fighting over the last bite of a wonderful steamed bun

Mooncake!

Okay, before you yell at me, let me clarify something.  I know you don't eat mooncake on Chinese New Year.  I know it's for the Mid-Autumn Festival, but when else am I going to get mooncake in Tokyo?  Okay- just so we understand each other.    

So in conclusion, Chinatown was a winner.  I could have easily spent more than a day there.  There was supposedly a museum that was set up to look like Shanghai in the 1920s and 30s, but we didn't find it.  Next time.  Until then, go eat some Chinese dumplings! 
 

Valentine's Day

I've been living in Tokyo for almost four months now.  At times, I feel lost about everything.  Things are quite different from what I'm used to.  People walk and drive on the left.  Everyone is skinny and yet I don't ever see anyone eating vegetables.  The cheese-flavored snacks are too sweet!  So many things are different, but different is not always bad.  Case in point- Japanese Valentine's Day. 

Like in other parts of the world, February 14th is just an excuse for businesses to sell chocolate.  Red hearts are everywhere- from the high-end department stores all the way down to the corner convenience stores.  Unlike elsewhere however, Japanese WOMEN buy chocolate for men on this day.  In fact, men often feel sad if they don't receive any chocolate at all.  There are different levels of chocolate too.  You have obligation chocolate that you give to your male coworkers, and love chocolate that you give to your special valentine.  But no matter the level, it is always women giving chocolate to men.  In the days leading up to the 14th, the stores are packed with giggling gangs of teen girls buying fancy imported chocolate.  Department stores have special expos with chocolate from Belgium, France, and Switzerland.  It's impossible not to find chocolate for the men in your life.

So, since we are living in Japan, we decided to follow their traditions.  So what did my lucky valentine request?  Fancy Swiss chocolate with hazelnuts?  Delicate Belgian truffles dusted in cocoa powder?  Not even close.  "Find me some Reeses," he said.  Music to a poor girl's ears!  I'm so lucky to have such an easy-going guy in my life.  Of course, finding Reeses- or any peanut butter chocolate in Japan is like looking for a needle in a haystack.  It didn't exist.  Or at least, I didn't find it anywhere.  Maybe our future trip to Costco outside Tokyo will prove lucky.  In the meantime, he had to settle for Ferrero Rocher and Hershey's kisses with almonds.  Of course, since tend to want more savory than sweet, I also found some Combos, Nacho Cheese Doritios, and microwave popcorn.  Who wouldn't love all that for Valentine's Day?

No fancy five-course dinners.  No bouquets of red roses or huge helium balloons.  Just a bunch of American junk food on this Valentine's day!  So, you may be asking why a red-blooded American girl would so easily give in to this Japanese tradition?  Why should I let HIM have all the fun?  Great question.  Luckily, the Japanese have truly mastered the art of getting people to spend money.  They have White Day on March 14th.  All men who received gifts on Valentine's Day must give that woman a gift on White Day.  And guess what?  It has to be more expensive than what she got him!  I love it!

More Engrish

As promised, here are a few more fun signs from around Tokyo.

A store selling fancy suitcases

Cute monkey, but what is he talking about?

These are small packages of tissues (very popular in Japan).  The yellow one reads "Let's play and some fun with B Mong.  then you'll get mighty!"  B. Mong sounds cool.

Who wouldn't want to eat at a place called Garlic Jo's?  Unfortunately, we didn't want to be geated.

So...many...issues

Everyone's favorite holiday!

I saved this seasonal sign for last.  As it turns out, Valentine's Day is celebrated quite differently here in Japan.  Check back for a post about it soon.  Until then, happy English!

Ippudo

Ramen sits very high on the list of foods I was looking forward to eating in Japan.  I requested it for my first night's dinner here, actually.  For those of you who are imagining a package of fried noodles and a packet of MSG, let me enlighten you.  The ramen you have been eating out of a Styrofoam cup is a disgrace.  The real thing is full of complex flavors and textures.  The noodles have bite to them (I might even go as far as to say "al dente").  The broth has layers of soy sauce, miso, salt, pork or seafood, depending on your choice.  And the toppings- the toppings!  Soft-boiled egg, seaweed strips, perfectly cooked slices of pork, mushrooms, bamboo, scallions, bean sprouts- the choices are endless.  You thought pho was the perfect food in a bowl?  You haven't had good ramen.

There are a few places to get ramen in the DC area.  Temari in Rockville has a few kinds- but they are just okay.  There was a place in Bethesda called Ren's, but I think they closed.  I heard there is an even newer more ramen-centered place coming to DC proper soon.  Check it out- it looks like it will be good.

If you want the REAL stuff, you aren't as far away as you think.  A quick visit to the East Village in New York will get you what you crave.  I was fortunate enough to try Ippudo less than a year ago.  I had heard it was a popular Japanese chain.  Normally, I'm turned off by chains, but in Japan they are really common.  They don't have the same feeling as your typical Ruby Tuesday (by the way, nothing wrong with visiting the salad bar at RT from time to time!).  Anyway, Ippudo in New York is amazing.  You know what is even more amazing?  Ippudo in Tokyo.  Behold:

My untouched bowl of ramen awaits.

Maybe to you, this isn't a think of beauty.  But to me, the bits of glistening fat, the darkness of the different flavored sauces, the bright orange of that runny yolk, and the mystery of not seeing my noodles gives me chills.  I have chills right now!  That could be the crappy heater, but still.  You get this huge steaming bowl in front of you, and the smell intoxicates you.  All you need is a quick stir and you can eat it right away.  But at Ippudo in Tokyo, you can customize your ramen even more.  Every table has mills of fresh black and white pepper, jars of garlic with garlic press to mash, tubs of spicy sauce, fresh sesame seeds, you name it and you can add it to your bowl.

The extra toppings in their cute bowls

It was the perfect meal for a cold night.  All around you are the sounds of happy slurping.  This is considered a polite way to say you are enjoying the meal.  You get so full halfway through your bowl, but you don't stop eating.  You slurp and slurp until you are groaning with discomfort.  Why did I eat the whole thing?  Because it's so damn good.  Ippudo is the king of ramens...so far anyway.

My stirred ramen with added black pepper