Out on the Town, Outrageous, Outstanding!!

We have been here since the beginning of July, and have almost settled into a "normal" routine.

I went to sleep last night thinking I wouldn't try to write today.  I drifted off trying to "get my muse". My last tangible thought was that nothing really new had happened you would want to hear about....but NO...I can't quit on you now!!

I woke up realizing even though I might be getting a little more used to the strangeness, there is STILL not a single day that I don't have a "Wow, I am really over here!" moment at some point.  Just waking up in this big foreign city is still an adventure to me.  So I repeat, I can't quit on you now!!

Out on the Town
Dinner and Auction
Friday night, we attended our first formal event, held at the Grand Hyatt in Roppongi.  By the way, we stayed there when looking for our Tokyo home and I'm still looking for an excuse to go back.  FABULOUS!!
The fancy event was hosted by the Tyler Foundation (now Shine On! Kids), a charitable organization funding programs to support children hospitalized with cancer in Japan.

Entertainment during dinner included a clown on stilts, a juggling unicyclist, and impressive acrobatics.

Dinner Menu
Our delicious dinner started with a bread basket of soft pretzels (sorry...they were devoured before I could get out my camera!) and a rainbow confetti salad.

Imagine fabulous soft buttery pretzels here....

Appetizers were sea bream ceviche, beef sliders, and spicy Taraba crab corndogs with a lemongrass sauce followed by a basil-tomato-parmesan cheese cream soup.  

 Our entree was roasted beef tenderloin with a shallot herb sauce, served with potato gratin and an asparagus bouquet. 

The desserts were little bites of creamy confections dipped in a candies, chocolate or nuts.

After the very successful silent and live auctions ended, we were further entertained by a live band and a lobby full of carnival games....a lot of fun and all for a VERY good cause!!!


Outrageous
Grocery prices. Period.
Back to my regular routine now...finding groceries...choking on prices...laughing at how I used to only buy our milk at Costco because it was 5 or 6 cents cheaper than milk from Publix!

I'm sorry Publix...I really miss you now!!!! 

Milk is $2.29/quart...yes, $9.16/gallon!!!!

No gallons of milk sold here.  They package it like it is perfume!!!  At that price, why not?
We go through about three quarts of day, and that is with me snatching it away from the kids if they try for seconds....
I labeled it "Anti-Freeze" when E was visiting....we do what we must to survive...

A single cantaloupe is almost $12.

Beef is $80/pound...or more!!!
Seriously!!!!!!!!!!!!

A single skinny ear of corn...$2.29!!!

4 anemic pencil-thin bananas...$2.55

No more 99 cent boxes for us...we pay $3.84

Four piece sushi = $4.38

10 eggs (dozen is not used in Japanese) = $2.51....and, yes, we still manage to go through 25-30/week.

Hell...I'm not sure what yamatoimo is, but it might serve four...and what a steal at $1.20!!!  I'm buying one!

1 1/2 quart bottle of Downy = $16.50
So we don't care about soft anymore.

I think you get the idea by now.....we are all losing weight and can sand wood with our clothing if necessary.

Ohh and I must give credit to my ever present, always helpful and quite stylish little shopping partner...

I could not survive without JE!!!!

My girl showing her style!!!

Outstanding!!!!
Speaking of what I can't live without, I have to tell you about a few items that I LOVE!!!!!

One new purchase was this Cuisinart Coffee Plus.
It takes up the same counter space as any coffee maker...yet does so much more!!
With two children here becoming more and more independent, the Hot Water system on the right is THEIR new favorite thing!!
Anything they can do safely, without me, is a great thing!!!
Gives me more time to BLOG...:-)

When the kids want ramen, or oatmeal, or hot chocolate, or green tea (Ewww...we still have not aquired that taste!) the dispenser on the right has a reservoir of water at the perfect EXTREMELY HOT temperature and they push one button to get the amount they want.

Naturally, the coffee side is ALL mine, and I love it.  Easy to program, side window showing how much water is inside, a carafe warmer, and "brew pause" feature so you can pour before brewing is finished!!!
Not that I have ever been known to be so impatient....

My other LOVE LOVE LOVE is my Tumi Carry On!

I can't tell you all the features as well as they can, so click the picture to see what this bag can do!

I have ALWAYS pooh-poohed what I called "fancy luggage," telling myself it could not really be that much better, (yes, really I was just jealous)

and in this case (good word, huh?)...I could not have been more wrong.  I am traveling alone more often, and I am amazed not only at how much this will hold, but with how EASY it is to roll, how LIGHT it feels, and how it always fits into the overhead bin!!!    And it is a TUMI...a company known for their commitment to quality and customer satisfaction...this beautiful thing is built to last forever!!!

Last but not least...G has a favorite to share...so if you were looking for a great gift for the hardest group for me to please (13-year old boys!) this athletic shoe from Nike is his hot pick:

I can't tell you why....guess it is a guy thing.

With G's birthday weekend coming up, on a 4-day holiday from school, we should have a trip to Kyoto or Osaka to share with you very soon!!!

Thanks for reading!!!!!!