w00t w00t booyah

Catch up time.

I knew from reading amizadai's journal that she had taken a trip to Mexico and was thinking she would be travelling back home to Singapore through LAX - but that suddenly turned into three days in Los Angeles, and I made sure she had contact information for me.

Lo and behold, I got the call Friday - and dinner was arranged. Oddly enough, since they were going to be staying in Azusa, it made sense to draw on my experience with places in Arcadia and we went to the Noda. If you look here, you'll see we could have eaten just about any cuisine, but they preferred Japanese and this was an old favorite. (Matter of fact, this is where I was taken on my first date with Cliff and spent our 10th anniversary.) We got the big boat meal - it was great.

However, I noted that they were going to have three days in Tokyo after leaving Los Angeles - and hadn't confirmed their accomodations, and wanted to see the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka. This isn't easy - but they were in luck, being near one of the two places on the west coast they could get passes and make reservations. On accomodations, they were trying for a ryokan - but I began to have some concerns. With such short notice, it wasn't a sure thing that they would find either space or something affordable. As it turned out, we had Asian turnabout (we treated them to dinner Friday, they would treat us on Saturday) - we went to JTB at the Mitsuwa center (after they had spent the day at Universal Studios), got them their passes and after a very nice steak dinner (gotta have that American food, doncha know) we got on the computer at home and discovered NWIH on ryokans, and bailed to Travelocity to find something reasonable. Then went back to the maps and books I'd used, made sure we could all find the rail stations needed and where the hotel was - and luckily, I had spare copies to send with them.

In the midst of all this? nytshaed pinged me Friday and told me she was going to the Volks store on Saturday - and I was able to beg a ride over there with her and Cheryl. Lela ordered herself a very nice custom Dolfie, which took about three hours to do - me? I got a new doll, clothes for two of them, painting supplies and stands - and walked out of there having spent less than $150. Anyone wanna touch me? (The secret? I had a Kana from the WTG line, and buying the catalog for this year got me the second one. The line is a nice compromise if you want a customizable doll, but don't have the means or the space for the really much bigger Dolfies.)

When we got back from the Volks store? I found caitlin waiting there - and it was all good! nytshaed is also a big hockey fan - REALLY GOOD.

Lela and Cheryl beat feet shortly thereafter, having evening plans, but Caitlin hung on through out the dinner and got Ami back to her friends (they were near her neighborhood, how funny is that that worked out?) last night.

I'm feeling really stoked. That was an amazing 48 hours.

Today? The kitten turned both my arms into hamburger after holding her this morning. Something is going to have to be done -

Catch up time.

I knew from reading amizadai's journal that she had taken a trip to Mexico and was thinking she would be travelling back home to Singapore through LAX - but that suddenly turned into three days in Los Angeles, and I made sure she had contact information for me.

Lo and behold, I got the call Friday - and dinner was arranged. Oddly enough, since they were going to be staying in Azusa, it made sense to draw on my experience with places in Arcadia and we went to the Noda. If you look here, you'll see we could have eaten just about any cuisine, but they preferred Japanese and this was an old favorite. (Matter of fact, this is where I was taken on my first date with Cliff and spent our 10th anniversary.) We got the big boat meal - it was great.

However, I noted that they were going to have three days in Tokyo after leaving Los Angeles - and hadn't confirmed their accomodations, and wanted to see the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka. This isn't easy - but they were in luck, being near one of the two places on the west coast they could get passes and make reservations. On accomodations, they were trying for a ryokan - but I began to have some concerns. With such short notice, it wasn't a sure thing that they would find either space or something affordable. As it turned out, we had Asian turnabout (we treated them to dinner Friday, they would treat us on Saturday) - we went to JTB at the Mitsuwa center (after they had spent the day at Universal Studios), got them their passes and after a very nice steak dinner (gotta have that American food, doncha know) we got on the computer at home and discovered NWIH on ryokans, and bailed to Travelocity to find something reasonable. Then went back to the maps and books I'd used, made sure we could all find the rail stations needed and where the hotel was - and luckily, I had spare copies to send with them.

In the midst of all this? nytshaed pinged me Friday and told me she was going to the Volks store on Saturday - and I was able to beg a ride over there with her and Cheryl. Lela ordered herself a very nice custom Dolfie, which took about three hours to do - me? I got a new doll, clothes for two of them, painting supplies and stands - and walked out of there having spent less than $150. Anyone wanna touch me? (The secret? I had a Kana from the WTG line, and buying the catalog for this year got me the second one. The line is a nice compromise if you want a customizable doll, but don't have the means or the space for the really much bigger Dolfies.)

When we got back from the Volks store? I found caitlin waiting there - and it was all good! nytshaed is also a big hockey fan - REALLY GOOD.

Lela and Cheryl beat feet shortly thereafter, having evening plans, but Caitlin hung on through out the dinner and got Ami back to her friends (they were near her neighborhood, how funny is that that worked out?) last night.

I'm feeling really stoked. That was an amazing 48 hours.

Today? The kitten turned both my arms into hamburger after holding her this morning. Something is going to have to be done -