Dear Beauties...

Well this one's really for the girls... but what the heck! I understand I have male fans as well. tee hee!



Happy Countdown my lovely, beautiful friends and family (and stalkers)!
I wish for your dreams to come true in 2009. Except if you are a stalker and have weird dreams. But if you have good dreams I wish them to come true for you, too.

Full OF LOVE,
xoxo Miss Ai

2008

Things I am grateful for, for 2008.

March 15th
The day I got my butt out onto the slopes of Myogo Suginohara and rekindled the love of mountains in the winter. And well, just getting out of the house.

Okinawa
Best. Massage. Ever. (Two days in a row!) Teppanyaki. Aquamarine waters. Drives in a rental car. J-Britney. Sister Trips Rock.

December
Working together with dad with Nina. Weekends spent cooking new dishes. Interviewing weirdos. Training hopefuls. Eating udon four meals a day. Not wearing make-up anym.... Oops did I just say that out loud??

Boys (and their Dad for keeping them alive and well) (...sort of, but not because of dad...)
Well, Poppo is never really well, but he is surviving, thanks in prettybiglarge part to his dad. I'm certainly not doing much for them especially in the last two months when he's gotten worse. It kills me... Chu Chu is a miracle baby and is never, ever, ever sick. Chu Chu really saves the day with his big brotherly heart and never getting sick. Thanks.

My House
Home sweet home. And a place that dad and friends come to relax. If the boys could live with me it would be perfect, no argument.

Money
I am always thankful for money, but this year more so, because I felt like I was chasing after it, not being chased by it. Big diff.

GNO
Because now I know... Impossible Is Nothing!!

Singing
Wait, I get to sing, and get paid? Yes, please! BTW I am singing the theme song for an
NHK drama January 2nd from 9pm.みてね！！

Delicious Food
I appreciate delicious food and am lucky I got to eat so many great meals this year.
And it wasn't only about what I was eating, but with who and why and how.
... OK except foie gras--then it's basically if you're eating the good $hit or not!

Family, friends, their health, my health, yah yah... I'm thankful for all that too :)

I might add more later.

そっちの方が絶対美味しいですよー！！

今日の父イズム。。。


女性：すみません、「カレーうどん」を「もちチーズカレーうどん」に変更したいんですけど。
父（カレーうどんを食べている男性３名の目の前で、大きな声で）：
『そっち（もちチーズ）の方が絶対美味しいですよー！！』・・・


本当に、お見事（笑）。

笑ってくれた三人組さん、ありがとう．．．
またもちチーズも食べに来て下さいね(;^_^)カレーも十分おいしいよねっ！

ところでここ１ヶ月F&Bの勉強も兼ねて、父の店へお手伝いにきてます。ランチに来れたら、dear friends, 来て！来て！

混むから１３：３０以降がおすすめ＆その間は甘味サービスするよん♪♪

また来月からは・・・ノットHKで(笑)

写真は、定番のカレーうどん。カレーうどんだけで毎日35杯出てるの！

ポッポ？

タリーズで見つけたポッポ

ニナ作

クリスマシー

OR...

ピーナッツを食べる象 像　象？！

ヤバい、才能あるかも(笑)

Or...

白熊？

うどんの生地で

つくってみたよ。なんだろう、白いカバ？

The Big Issue

300 yen and half of it goes to the homeless man or woman selling it. Good stuff inside too.

Thank U

I heart snail mail.

Men I Can't Live Without

Well, you saw this coming (^_^)

And they make my life *difficult*... there's a catch 22 for ya!

Vegetables. Santa.

Perhap it isn't who you think you can live well with, it's who you cannot live without.

Can you be out of love and be happy?? You can be in it and be unhappy.

絶品

本当〜に絶品。ハンバーガー好きは是非お試しあれ！

*GASP!* Beautiful!

Looks like a Christmas tree.

Mickey and Co.

A Mickey Sharpee, and cute Italian chocolates.

Luke, I am...

...in Ebisu.

A bruised, heart-shaped tomato :(

Paaarty!

If you need a party catered/bartendered in Tokyo, I'm your gal.

Cutie pies!

うちの子じゃなくてもかわいい子はいるのね(笑)

simple & clean

I'm lovin' it!

Did I ever tell you that the Actress' husband is a Rockstar? Talk about being written in the stars!!

今日のおばんざい

左）枝豆、お豆腐、柚子醤油の大豆三昧
右）トマトの胡麻風味

GNO

Brunch @ the G. Hyatt, free flowing Piper throughout, imported Pashminas as souveniers, and amazing&talented--and according to one spectator "intimidating"--girls in attendance.

What a great Saturday!

お酒とカレーとパスタと料理の店

要するに、レストラン??

My Nails, A Fascinating Topic

Ever since I started working at The Ministry of Truth I have gotten my nails done professionally with gel--I don't have to worry about them for 4 weeks and they always look polished. But I had to cancel my appointment this week due to work, so I did them myself last night (with regular polish). Those ribbons are stickers which make art nails a cinch at home.

Thanksgiving

I am thankful for the loves of my life.



And this.



Oh it so makes my day month!

Happy Thanksgiving! Whether you celebrate it or not, today is a lovely excuse to be happy for things.

Thank YOU.

SUN （actually TUES）

It's supposed to rain today? Really??

BOYS' TV DEBUT

Check it out!! It's on re-runs in Japan (BS) as well as abroad if you get NHK World on your cable.
I'll post the video when I get a copy! The boys were amazing!! Natural stars!!

www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/tv/tokyoeye

Ahh, the holidays have begun

Happy Halloween Bitches!
(Nina is TOTALLY the girl on the left)

INCREDIBLE

The smell of sage and Indian fry bread

We are at our destination, DESERT IN OREGON!

We're gonna go play tennis.



It gets pitch black here at night.

Seattle Synergy

I'm in Seattle for a few days catching up with friends and the city. It is absolutely beautiful here--the air is crisp and chill, the sun warm, the leaves turning yellow, orange and red. The microbrews are good, the NW wines are juicy and seafood just right. Friends are preggers (congratulations Cat!!), have gorgeous houses (Dave & Yuko--I'm jealous of your life!), have found their soul mates (so happy for you De) and run successful businesses (Ryan and his cafe). Tomorrow we are on to a Snoqualmie excursion (I think) and then, I'll be heading south to meet up with Mom and Nina in Oregon.

Here's a picture from the Pizza & Wine party the other day at Javasti. I got it off of my friend who posted it on facebook as I can't download my photos. But soon as I get home I'll be able to show you more.

明日はオレゴンの車窓から。。。（♪♪♪〜）（well not really because, you know, I can't download my photos...)

Broken Poppo

This morning I got to the office and the little one was broken... BROKEN I TELL YOU!!!




"Hey dude, you cool?"
No no... not that kind of broken, but he was a mess. Actually he was in such a mess that these photos aren't even from this morning, but another time when he was that other kind of broken. Ninapod does it too sometimes so it must run in the family.

Why was Poppo a mess? He was shampoo'd with just water and not his usual disinfectant shampoo (¥1,500 per 350 ml bottle, FYI)... This causes him to become bright pink and feverish all over. He was itching all over and had bloody scratch marks on his head, back, and chin areas.

I immediately made a bath and dunked him in it, and lathered him up twice in the special disinfectant shampoo (appx ¥250 a lather). Now he's got the Bathtime Blues but at least he's back to being a whitey and not in pain. Emotional pain, yes maybe (he'll get over it), but not the physical kind.

I once heard from someone that it's really hard for parents when their kids have persistent skin problems. I have no idea who I heard this from, but I AGREE.

Poor Poppo. I try to be your Mom, Dad, Godparent, Grandparent, best friend etc... but I don't think I'm ever doing enough for you.

MOM?

I babysat for three cutie pies near the office last week. Two of them are twins and the youngest one, four years old, is already officially the Family Princess. Anyway, the littlest one said to me... "Miss Ai, my mom says you are her substitute while she is gone today. So, while you are substituting for her, can I call you Mom?"

.....OKAY! (melting heart sound)

Can we call you Mom too?



OK :)

Next GNO

...Will on a private cruise around Tokyo Bay.



Join us!

Lightening over east Tokyo

Bringing in the autumn rain.

Notes from the last GNO

1. Eat a full meal before beginning.

2. Christian LaCroix heels are good during the event, but for before and after: Pumas.

3. Get a boy assistant who can take photos.

It took me a full week to recover from this last GNO. My position was Event Organizer and organizing the venue, the caterer, the Vodka university, and the girls got a little crazy. By some stroke of luck I received a half dozen "last night was so fun" mails from girls the following day so it seemed to be just crazy on my end, not theirs (I hope). I was lucky because nothing horrible happened, but next time I'll have to be more available in case things get even crazier.

BLESSIN' YOU~

Bless me in glory! Infinitely lovely...

Brill lyrics & voice by yours truly.



And just in case you want to watch it again, in better quality (you know you want to).

A weekend of par-tays

What did you do last weekend? I went to parties! And I even went on a date! Did I ever tell you about my total sum of 1.5 dates over 2 years of post-breakup rehab?! One was a real date and the remaining "1/2" refers to the evening I *thought* was a date¹ until he started talking about the girl he was interested in over dessert. And yes we split the bill. That sucked.

Anyway Sunday was a real date (and yes the person who does the asking out pays on dates. The invitee can offer to pay for coffee afterwards. In my case, it was taiyaki. Bariuma dattashi.) and though it's not going to go anywhere with the guy I just thought I'd let you know that I'm not the social recluse you think I am. Also, isn't it interesting how people say when you meet the right person "you know"? Well I have a tendency to "know" more often than I care to admit (haha. working on it!) but I also "KNOW" right away when he's *not* the one. You know when you know, right? At least I guess about whether you're into him or you not. So... I knew he wasn't it and so I told him we can only be friends, unless he wants to be an intern. Spoken/written Arabic a plus.

Last weekend I also went to a SATC party and an Azabu Juban Matsuri party. Coming up I also have... a Champagne party (involving Krug. The things Champagne does to my skin borders miraculous), a wedding party, a b-day party (Monica is organizing it), a Hurray For Work party, and finally another wedding party involving a duet of A Whole New World with Peabo. Monica, Jasmine, man! I'm all over the place.

So you see I am actually a social butterfly. Twitter twitter. Bye~



Miss Ai living it up at partay over weekend.

¹ He kept asking me out to dinner, I kept declining (graciously), he kept asking. One time I said yes because he offered to meet me after work. A date--Yes? No? Ladies? Gents?? Oh alllllright here you go....

Back by Popular Demand! The Miss Ai Poll! Was It Or Wasn't It?! A date but he changed his mind over appetizers. Sorry dude. Miss Ai, it's 2008 and it's called going Dutch. Date. A victim of the modern times, a retarded little youthling who knows nothing of gentlemenly suaveness. He was in dire need of your pleasant (not to mention HOTT) company for dinner. Wasn't a date but I can see why you thought it was. You're hott. I think he just wanted to go out to dinner as friends. view results

I Had a Dream...

...that I zoned out during tomorrow's Girls Night Out (it's a Vodka U and we'll learn how to make 5 new cocktails! Squeeeel!) and fell hours behind schedule on getting the par-tay started. We were at the bar, idling--the girls were all waiting for my command to get Vodka U going and before I knew it, it was 2 hours into the evening. By then, Vodka U Prof was unfocused, the girls were hungry and bored and.... HOLY CRAP NIGHTMARE!!!

This GNO has been more intensive in its planning as it's more than just a dinner. I organized the venue to allow us the bar to ourselves for a few hours, the "professor" to help us out of the kindness of his heart, the caterer to bring us gourmet sandwiches at a discount, and--OMG I can't believe it really happened!--I asked all the girls to pay in advance. And they did!!! Their actions make me believe there is good in the world. Hallelujah!

Contrary to my (hopefully non-ominous) dream, things have been going smoothly to this point. I'll let you know how it goes after tomorrow.

Chotto Kowaiyo!!!!

Nina, Sweet 16 + 12

The Pod welcomed her 28th year on Earth.



The day was all about cute dogs...





... and presents...



... and a misunderstanding about the film No Country for Old Men. Apparently the motive behind Javier Bardem's rampage was not that he felt America was a country exclusively for young people.



ウケるニナポッド。