On Friday I received a call from Atsuko. She is having an exhibit of her dog photos at a local petshop and wanted to know if I could help her hang the pictures. I met Atsuko about two and a half years ago, shortly after moving into our apt. I kept running into her at Arisugawa Park while I was walking Taffy. Everytime I saw her she was walking a different dog. We struck up a conversation one day and I discovered she is a dog walker. She also takes dog portraits which she produces in calendar form each year. I designed calendars for her two years in a row. This latest experience with Atsuko reminded me of why, despite the fact that she's a very nice person, I do not like working with her.

She pleaded with me on the phone Friday to help her. She asked if I could meet her at the pet shop on Saturday at 10 a.m. The shop (and her exhibit) would open at 11:30 that day. Well, I really didn't have any plans on Saturday, Brad was scheduled to go golfing, so I said sure I'd help her. The pet shop is tucked away in a little corner of Nishi Azabu. It's got a typical Japanese name: Pet & Pet, Natural and Health. It's a cute little shop that apparently sells health food for dogs and cats. They also have an impressive array of pet accessories and toys. In one corner they even have a little cafe where they serve coffee, tea and cakes. You can even order milk and a biscuit for your dog.

Atsuko's photos were to go on the two walls of the cafe area. She had arrived with three huge shopping bags full of framed prints. Once the shopowner arrived and let us in we removed the prints from the bags and I began planning where to hang the prints. It was going to be a tight squeeze, but Atsuko was adamant that every print should be hung. I lined the prints up against the walls where I suggested they should hang, alternating vertical and horizontal formats, large and small prints, etc. Almost all of the prints were very dark and underexposed (or poorly processed). They were in black frames with black or dark gray mats. Some of the photos were engaging but overall I am still not that impressed with her skills as a photographer. The frames were a bit on the cheap side -- some of them were actually falling apart. And the main print (according to Atsuko) was not even covered with glass. Atsuko had not brung a ruler or level to help in hanging the prints. She had a package of push pins on which we hung the prints in a haphazard manner. I kept trying to express my ideas about the arrangement of the prints and she kept shaking her head in bewilderment. She can barely speak any proper English and my Japanese is much worse.

I was beginning to think the whole thing was an ill-conceived disaster, but lo and behold, when we were done and I stepped back to look, the prints were quite impressive. The arrangement looked neat and balanced. Atsuko fussed abit about the lighting and then we sat down for some tea and slices of chocolate cake that she had brought for the occasion. She insisted that I pick out a cat toy to bring home for Ginger. I chose a cute little purple elephant with dangly legs. I warned Atsuko that Ginger doesn't seem to care much for store-bought toys and true to form he is ignoring the purple elephant, even though it is stuffed with catnip!

I spoke to JL this morning and he was giving me the play-by-play account of the big snowstorm that hit Maryland. Sounds like they are in for about 2 feet of snow!!! Meanwhile in Tokyo it was nice enough for Brad to play golf (he has the day off for President's Day). KC and I met Michiko today who introduced us to a wonderful little fashion design museum in Shinjuku. The museum is run by Bunka Gakuen -- Tokyo's Fashion Design School. The school was founded in the early 1900's and they have an impressive collection of costumes from a wide variety of countries over a range of time periods. They don't have enough room to display their entire collection, so they rotate exhibitions. The theme of this exhibit was "From Nature". It featured clothing with fur, feathers, sea shells, fish scales, etc. Very fascinating.

Brad and I had a wonderful Valentine's dinner at an Italian restaurant last night. According to the Italian embassy, Riva degli Etruschi is one of the top five Italian restaurants in Tokyo. I was doing a search for restaurants on the Internet and ran across a rave review of Riva by TokyoQ. (Note: The TokyoQ site requires registration, but it's real easy to register.)

The restaurant is situated in Omotesando, a very trendy chic neighborhood. As the review states, you feel as if you have entered a Tuscan villa when you walk through the door. All the decor, even the floor tiles, come straight from Italy. We sat in the "garden" area, which was enclosed in glass and kept warm by electric heaters. As we sat down we were presented with a complimentary glass of delicious prosecco wine. We ordered the least expensive fixed price menu (this place ain't cheap, but we felt we got what we paid for). For ¥7,500 (about $62) we got an appetizer, two pasta dishes, a choice between meat or fish, dessert and a choice of coffee, or black/herb tea. All the selections were decided by the chef, but we were pleased with everything on the fixed menu.

Pre-appetizer: We were a little worried when they brought out an espresso cup filled with itty bitty dried salted shrimp. Still in the shell. What looked like specks of black pepper were really itty bitty shrimp eyes. I said to Brad: "I don't think I can eat this." He bravely tried one and said, "They're not that bad. Just don't think about what you are eating." So I screwed up my courage and tried one. "Hmmm. Not that bad after all." They were not fishy tasting, but they were a little crunchy.

Appetizer: Two large battered fried mushrooms served with a delicate cream sauce and a portion of what I can only describe as a vegetable paté. It was quite good.

First Pasta: Gnocchi served with a meat sauce. The meat sauce had only a slight hint of tomato and it was more like a gravy than a sauce. We both loved it and wished we had the recipe.

Second Pasta: Ravioli filled with ricotta cheese and prosciutto and served with a very interesting and quite tasty sauce based on cinnamon.

Main Course: For this we could choose between quail (all their meat dishes on the ala carte menu were game) or a white fish (can't remember the name, it's one I never heard of before). Brad got the quail and I got the fish. Brad really enjoyed his quail -- I took a taste and it was very good, much like chicken and not gamey tasting at all. Brad's quail came with a serving of wild rice and spinach (I think). My fish was excellent -- very light and perfectly done. It was served on a bed of chick peas, which unfortunately were underdone (the only negative factor of the whole meal).

Dessert: A scrumptious slice of chocolate mousse cake layered with hazelnut flavored whipped cream. This was elegantly presented on a plate on which the chef had outlined a heart with chocolate cream and filled the heart with a delicate strawberry sauce. It was magnificent.
And, as if that weren't enough, they also brought out a plate with four chocolates and a tray of cookies. We were so full that we couldn't possibly eat all the sweets laid out before us, but everything we did sample was delicious.

The staff was extremely attentive, without being obsequious. Whenever they saw that our bread plate was empty we were offered an assortment of bread, rolls and breadsticks from a basket. The breadsticks were our favorite. Our water glasses were constantly kept full with sparkling Italian mineral water.

We had dinner in the first floor formal restaurant. Upstairs is a casual trattoria. We would love to go back some day and try out the trattoria. This is one of the wonderful things I will so miss about Tokyo: there is such a fabulous selection of restaurants here.

Brad and I returned from Hawaii last night. I had hoped to update my blog during our vacation, but on the island of Kauai, where we spent most of our time, there was a surprising scarcity of Internet cafes. Consequently, I was not able to update my blog for a whole week. I'll try to make up for that now.

Kauai is a beautiful island, geologically the oldest of the Hawaiian islands. The mountain in the center of Kauai is known as the wettest spot on earth -- it's peak is perpetually shrouded in clouds and it rains there every day. Having read that before we arrived, I was expecting a lush tropical landscape, almost like a rain forest. Surprisingly, Kauai actually reminded me more of Northern California than the Amazon. Much of the vegetation was shrubs and pines and there were long stretchs of parched red dirt. (Kauai's famous for its red dirt.) Highways run along the coast line almost encircling the island, except for the Na Pali coast in the north which is made up of sheer cliffs that are totally impassible. The only way to see the Na Pali coast is by air or sea. Lots of cute little towns are found off the highway near the coast line. The interior is made up of rugged mountains carved almost razor sharp by the winds, all of them covered in vegetation. At one end of the island there is a canyon ten miles long, one mile wide and 3,600 feet deep. Kauai is popular with eco-tourists and those looking for adventure: Surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, wind surfing, hiking, river kayaking are all very popular activities. There are a few museums, miles and miles of beaches. All beaches are public property and we never saw a crowded beach. We managed to find a few good restaurants among the fast food joints and local dives. The island is ideal for growing sugar cane, but now there is only one sugar mill in operation. Apparently sugar is not as profitable as it used to be. They also grow coffee on Kauai, but surprisingly we were never served a decent cup of coffee -- it was always too strong and bitter for our taste, and we usually love strong coffee. So that's Kauai in a (coco)nutshell. Read on for a detailed account of our adventures there.

Monday, Feb. 3
I arrived at Honolulu airport early in the morning and took a taxi to our hotel. Brad had already been there a couple of days on business. Luckily, I managed to catch Brad in our room a few minutes before he headed out to work. I was on my own for the day. I went shopping in a nearby mall (desperately seeking sandals), took a bus into downtown Honolulu hoping to tour the Iolani Palace only to find out it was closed, strolled along Waikiki Beach, stopped in at the Bishop Museum (history and culture of Hawaii), found an Internet cafe where I checked email and chatted with JoAnn but failed to make an entry in my blog (arrrgh). In the evening, I went out to dinner with Brad and his co-workers and their spouses. We went to a fancy Italian restaurant on the top floor of our hotel, the Ilikai. Had a great view of Waikiki, but the food was rather lackluster.

Tuesday, Feb. 4
Flew into Lihue, Kauai and arrived at our hotel, Islander on the Beach, around 11 a.m. We were informed our room would not be ready till 3 p.m. So we took a drive to have a look see. We made our way up the east coast to the Kilaue Lighthouse where we took in our first views of the stunning coastline of Kauai. We also saw lots of redfooted boobies (that's a bird!) and Nene (Hawaiian geese). We drove back and finally checked into our hotel. Our room was on the first floor with a patio just steps away from the beach, where we lingered for awhile before heading out for a delicious Thai dinner at a restaurant called The King and I.

Wednesday, Feb. 5
We took a drive to the west coast and after breakfast at the Kalaheo Coffee Co. and Cafe, a cozy little restaurant in none other than Kalaheo, we took the twisting turning Waimea Canyon Drive up to the Canyon Overlook. Waimea Canyon was quite striking and, though it is smaller, is often compared to the Grand Canyon. I've never seen the Grand Canyon, but now I feel I've gotten a sneak preview. We continued on the twisting turning road stopping off at several overlooks to view the canyon from different perspectives. Sometimes the gorge appeared as a ragged gash, striated with reds, oranges and browns. Other times our view was green with lush vegetation. At one point we parked the car and hiked for a bit. Our effort was rewarded with one of the most beautiful views of the canyon yet -- plus we spotted the Apapane, a sweet little red bird that is endemic to Hawaii. Even though it is the most common native bird of Hawaii, we were real happy to add it to our list. After our hike we dug into a tasty lunch at the Ko'kee Lodge. Following lunch we continued our exploration of the west coast, driving as far as one can on a paved road, passing the Pacific Missile Range Facility, where Star Wars missile tests are carried out. From the west coast of Kauai you get a good view of the island Ni'hau. Ni'ihau is privately owned by the Robinson family who made their millions in processing sugar cane. Now, aside from the Robinson family heirs, only Hawaiians live there. The island is closed to tourists, the residents have no telephones, only one paved road, and no cable TV. Power comes from a generator and solar panels. Once we drove as far as you can on the west coast we turned around and drove back, stopping off in Waimea for a Hawaiian delicacy: Shave Ice. No that's not a typo. It's not Shaved Ice, but Shave Ice. But shaved it is, very finely, and covered with sweet syrup, all served on top of a scoop of ice cream. Dinner that night was at Coconuts, a pricey Pacific Rim restaurant. We were beginning to find, however, that many restaurants in Kauai were rather pricey.

Thursday, Feb. 6
It rained on Thursday morning, spoiling Brad's plans to go golfing and my plans to just lounge at the beach near our hotel. It looked as if the rain would not let up all day, but we were pleasantly surprised when the sun peaked out around 10 a.m. We rented some snorkel gear and headed to Lydgate Park, said to be the best place for beginning snorkelers. We were amazed at how many fish we saw as soon as we peered into the water. Dozens and dozens of varieties of fish. We must have snorkeled for an hour. Then we rested for a bit and went back in the water. Amazingly enough we saw several varieties of fish we hadn't seen the first time.
Lunch that day was at La Plata Azul, a Mexican restaurant that came highly rated by our guide book but was really just a greasy spoon. After that lovely repast we decided to explore the North Shore of Kauai. As you travel up north you pass a mountain that is known as King Kong's profile, it really does look just like him. And right next to him is a hole in the mountain, known fondly as Hole-in-the-Mountain. The road to the North Shore was extremely curvy and quite narrow at times, with many one lane bridges and at one point we even had to drive through a stream. The North Shore is where Princeville is, a hoity-toity area where the rich and famous hang out. I guess that's where all the movie stars hang out when they are filming movies on Kauai. We learned that because of its raw beauty, Kauai has been the shooting location of many films: all three Jurassic Park movies, Raiders of the Lost Ark, George of the Jungle, Lord of the Flies, Body Heat, King Kong (the remake) to name but a few. The beaches on the North Shore are said to be the roughest during the winter months, but we were headed to Tunnels Beach. Tunnels Beach is protected by a long reef, so we were hoping we could indulge in some more snorkeling. Alas, even with the protection of the reef the water was too rough for us amateur snorkelers so we headed back to our hotel. While lounging at the beach near our hotel we spotted our first whales off on the horizon. Dinner that night was at Kauai Hula Girl -- despite the goofy name it was a very good restaurant.

Friday, Feb. 7
During the previous days we had explored the island's coasts. On Friday we ventured inland from the east coast to see two waterfalls. I guess you need to see them during the rainy summer months -- they simply were not that impressive as waterfalls go. Near the waterfalls we stopped off at the ruins of a Hawaiian temple, called a Heiau. From there we headed to Poipu Beach on the South Shore, again in search of good snorkeling. Poipu Beach was quite pretty and thankfully calm, but as soon as you hit the water there were lots of rocks underneath, making getting in and out of the water a little tricky. We saw some beautiful fish again, but not nearly as many as we had seen at Lydgate. While drying off on the beach we saw some more whales frolicking in the distance. After the beach we drove over to see the Spouting Horn. It's a place along the beach where there is a lava shelf with a hole in it. As the waves crash in, water is forced through the "blowhole" spouting straight up in the air.
Lunch that day was at Dali Deli in the town of Koloa. After some delicious sandwiches and Macadamia-chocolate chip cookies we drove north in search of more snorkeling. We had heard that Anini Beach would be a nice place, also protected by a long reef. The water was calm close to the shore, but further out near the reef the waves and current were quite strong. We didn't see any fish this time (what a disappointment) -- if we had been brave enough to swim further out we may have been rewarded.
Dinner this night was at the Lihue Barbecue Inn. This place really surprised me. It had received a moderately good review in our guide book. When we walked in it reminded me of a typical diner you find along an interstate, no atmosphere, tacky decor. The menu was overflowing with specials, mostly seafood. I ordered Ahi (tuna) and Brad got Ono (wahoo). Our dinners arrived perfectly and artistically arranged on our plates. Mine came with delicious garlic mashed potatoes and perfectly done vegetables. The fish was tender and scrumptious. What a delicious pleasant surprise.

Saturday, Feb. 8
For Saturday we booked one of the sailing excursions that go to the Na Pali coast. We were lucky. They told us it was only the fifth time in five months the weather was calm enough to allow them to go to Na Pali. At least we thought we were lucky. The ride was rather rough, several folks got sick and were hanging their head over the side of the boat. I managed to maintain control but after we were halfway through our journey, could not wait to walk on solid ground again. Even so, we had a great time. Early on, before the water got rough they anchored the boat (a 34-foot catamaran) in quiet water and we went snorkeling. This was a fabulous site -- the underwater landscape was breathtaking. We saw several green sea turtles and many other tropical fish, but still not as many as at Lydgate. As we made our way to Na Pali coast we passed several schools of spinner dolphins. They came very close to the boat and were leaping and spinning in the air. We saw baby calves swimming close to mama. It was delightful. We were also rewarded with some views of humpback whales. We saw one big guy leaping out of the water and doing what the captain of the boat called "chin slaps". What a treat! Oh and I can't forget to mention the Na Pali coastline. It was stunning. Huge cliffs carved out by the wind. It looked prehistoric. By the time we got back from the five-hour long excursion we were exhausted -- I guess from all the sun and the wind. We drove back to our hotel and collapsed in our room. After resting a bit we sat out near the beach to catch the last few rays of Hawaiian sun. We were treated again by another sight: a monk seal had come ashore to rest. They do that do rest up after a heavy meal (we know the feeling) or to escape a predator. We crept up as close as we could without disturbing the little critter.
Dinner that night was at Mema Thai. Delicious and made me feel like a monk seal.

Sunday, Feb. 9
Our day of departure. We got up at an ungodly hour to catch our 7 a.m. flight from Lihue to Honolulu. From there we caught our connection to Tokyo, an eight and a half hour flight. We really enjoyed our trip to Kauai. We were worried we'd run out of things to do, but that certainly wasn't the case. There were many things left undone. If we ever have the chance, I wouldn't mind going back to Kauai.

I leave for Hawaii today. It's been a long dreary week. The weather has been bitter cold, my cough has been lingering and it's been so lonely without Taffy ... and of course without Brad. When I began to lay out my summer clothes for the trip my mood began to brighten.

My flight departs Tokyo tonight, Monday at 7:30 p.m. I arrive in Honolulu at 6:00 a.m. Monday morning. How's that for a mindbender? I'll spend one day in Honolulu on my own as Brad wraps up his business duties. Then the two of us take off for five nights on the island of Kauai. Kauai is supposed to be a lot quieter and less touristy than Oahu. It's said to be the wettest spot on earth and is supposed to be full of lush green landscapes. It's where they filmed Jurassic Park and parts of Raiders of the Lost Ark. There is also a canyon there that is supposed to be as spectacular as the Grand Canyon. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I'll find out soon enough what Kauai has to offer. And if it's only just some pleasant warm days of relaxation then I will be content.