Disneyland

For those of you who know me well, you know that I'm a big Disneyland fan. That said, I'm strictly a Disney park fan. I don't own or wear Disney t-shirts, hats, and jackets, and don't have a Mickey Mouse paraphernalia or DVD collection. I mean, I can barely muster the patience to sit through a full length animation film.

Google "Disneyland fan" and see how whacky it gets. Many of us Disney fans in our later 30's share a common bond. We didn't grow up with the internet and CDs. When we needed information for a book report, we went to libraries studied the dewey decimal system. We can recall the A-E paper tickets and the dire difficulty of deciding which E ticket ride to go on: Pirates of the Caribbean or the Jungle Cruise. Tarzan's Treehouse was the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse. By the way, this was my favorite attraction as a child, as well as the now defunct Submarine. Thankfully, it will re-submerge in the summer of 2007!

In this picture below, you can see my younger brother and I enjoying a chocolate Sees lollipop We're at the Disneyland hotel. It must have been around 1974; I was four and my brother was two. We were on our first trip to Disneyland with our parents and grandparents. I can still actually remember some things about that trip...

I am lucky to have such wonderful memories of family trips to Disneyland. My grandparents and parents spoiled us rotten. We were lucky to have the full Disney experience many times before we became cynical teenagers.

Since this picture was taken, we returned as a family to the park in 1976 (Anaheim) and 1985 (Tokyo). Over the years, I visited Disneyland with high school friends, college friends, girlfriends, and with my brother after college. In 1995, and against the wishes of my then girlfriend, I visited Paris Disney. As a French person, she couldn't understand that I'd take a whole day out to run around in a place she called "a kingdom made of bubblegum" (rough translation). Whatever. Needless to say, it did not have the "Disney" feel to it, but I enjoyed it just the same.

My dream job when I was younger was to join the Imagineer team. My dream was to design and conceptualize new rides. I even had an idea for a whole new "land" to add to the park. Unfortunately, I quickly learned in junior high school and high school that math and science was not my thing.

Well, maybe I don't necessarily need to be an Imagineer. All I want to know is what the overall architecture of Pirates of the Caribbean looks like. How is that building built? How many levels does it house? Are there backlot breakrooms behind the big scenes?

All of this Disney nostalgia has come about because Cappy and I have made plans to take my niece and nephew to Disneyland later this Spring. They have both been to Tokyo Disneyland (and the accompanying Disney Sea) a few times, but they both haven't been to the Anaheim Disneyland for a long while--I'm talking pre-Winnie the Pooh and the new Autopia. And this is the first time we're traveling with the kids.

This upcoming trip is nearly exciting to me as the first time I ascended the escalator at Châtelet-Les-Halles in 1994. I guess this says a lot about where I am in my life. Does that mean I'm finally turning the corner on the kid bit? Perhaps...

The best thing now is that both kids are taller than 40" which means they can ride on almost anything. Also, if you could see all the emails flying back with my brother and sister-in-law, you wouldn't be able to tell who is more excited--the aunties or the kids?

I Love Sushi

Feast your eyes on chirashi sushi, agedashi tofu, and garlic calamari from Bellevue, Washington's, "I Love Sushi." We all shared the calamari and tofu. My parents had tempura and my niece and nephew shared a "Caterpillar Roll." My brother had an amazing tofu steak and my sister-in-law enjoyed....I can't remember. Some kind of sushi roll maybe?

You'd think there'd be an abundance of quality Japanese restaurants where I'm currently living. Sadly, there is not. A co-worker told me that near authentic restaurants can be found in San Mateo, but I have yet to explore that area...

Seattle, or I should say the Eastside (Bellevue/Redmond), is becoming decidedly similar to many other American urban cities. The live/work lofts are invading towns; Walgreens, Jamba Juice, and Crate and Barrels are following you everywhere you go. Rather than Pacific NW restaurants, there are Ruth's Chris Steakhouses (what does this name even mean??), PF Changs, and the overrated Cheesecake Factory's all over. Ugh.

Needless to say, I did re-realise how much I love the Pacific Northwest. I love the cool crisp air and the lovely shades of green everywhere. And the great Japanese restaurants!

I've just re-read this entry (about 30 min. after having written the top bit) and have noticed a quirky habit of mine. Ever since I was able to write, I've recorded nearly everything in my life. Weird unimportant things and big things. I was apparently an early follower of Joan Didion's claim, "We write to experience life twice. Once in the moment and once more in retrospect." This is not verbatim, but you get the picture.

Also, and perhaps neurotically--from my earliest diaries to every travel journal I've ever written, I recorded what everyone has eaten. From family trips to Japan, to summers in Hilo, I had nearly every dinner recorded. Maybe not everyday, but at least 3 out of any given week.

Typical journal entry from 4th grade: "Today I saw Brad playing kickball. In class, we watched a movie about colonial life. I went home and practiced piano. We ate meatloaf and rice and salad. I helped mom do the dishes." (Brad = my big crush of 4th grade)

I'm not sure why I did this. I still do it, to an extent. There has to be some comfort in knowing what I ate in Paris on New Years Eve 2005? Maybe. Why do I feel compelled to record meals? Well, not every meal. Just certain ones during certain times in my life.

I once imagined what it would be like to record your entire being. Say, if you had amnesia and "forgot" your entire life. How much could one record to recall their former life, personality, habits, hobbies, etc. ? My "life recording" would have weird entries that I'd ponder in my post-amnesiac state. "You never eat pork but you enjoy the occasional hot dog or prosciutto. You have a pathological fear of holes and you prefer dog people to actual dogs." What the hell?? Would i like the one I've recorded, would I be able to relate to myself or even make sense of the "old" me? I often think of this on my drive in to work. I have no idea why.

Anyway, back to the recording food bit. A few months ago, Cappy and I stopped into Cody's Bookstore in the city. I found a book published by a guy who photographed everything he ate for one year. Everything. Every snack, breakfast, and hungover late night meal. Now that's taking it a bit too far. Then I realised there are copious blogs on this same topic. To do this for myself would be not only uninteresting, but absolutely frightening.

In my mind, recording things I've eaten in writing is not the same as a photo journal of everything. Maybe it's a bit OCD. I don't think so.

I'm a nut.

Renegade

Can you guess what is going on in this picture?

You're looking at an animal escape simulation drill at a Tokyo zoo.

The mini can (car + van) is attempting to head off the "renegade ape." Now here's an important question: would the zebra stripes actually confuse or amuse a real ape? In any case, you know a lot of thought went into that paint job. The vehicle probably bears a special mark, "To be used expressly for animal escape drills."

Not to worry though--the ape was successfully apprehended by a lethal, yet virtual shot from a tranquilizer gun.

I am certain that this drill warranted an opening and closing ceremony with appropriate aisatsus. Was the renegade ape sent off with hearty "banzai" cheers? And how about the selection process for the ape... Surely it was deemed too "dangerous" for a woman. I'm certain that the "ape" had to go through some semi-rigorous warm up drills, both before and after his "escape."

What is even funnier is that this ape apparently frightened the hell out of a few children. I've since lost the article, but the look on the children's faces was priceless. It was not a look of horror--for the ape was clearly nothing like a live mammal. Rather, the look of horror was probably due to the horrific face that was created.

It was constructed with what looked like felt in various earth tones. The eyebrows were heavy and severe. The mouth was drawn from a disfigured clown with a demonic grin. Spooky. Definitely spookier than a real ape.

Poor children.

School

It's official. I am now a doctoral candidate student. The road from, "I'm thinking of applying to graduate school, " to "All of my application materials have been submitted," to "I've been accepted" has been pretty fierce. Months of waiting, doubt, and despair. It hasn't sunken in quite yet, but the celebration began last night. I'll be whittling away my free time and embarking on 3-5 years of slog starting Fall 2007.

Why? Why now? For all the cons, there are a million pros.

Specifically, the sentiment from this quote:
"Is the life I'm living the life that wants to live in me?" -Parker Palmer

Cubicles are not normal environments for humans. And technology is like fruit--gorgeous but unreliable. You never know if that gleeming apple is going to be crunchy, mushy, or housing a worm. It's just not my passion.

I want to live.

GD

Laurent Manrique of Aqua is an international playboy with extra flair when it comes to inventive French/Asian cuisine. Each dish arrives spectacularly dressed with white gold cufflinks and Manolo Blahnik slingbacks. One leaves an Aqua dining experienced refreshed, inspired, and enchanted.

Gary Danko however, is your quiet unassuming uncle who once made a mini art deco table/chair out of a soda bottle cap and wire. The ambiance of his restaurant recalls the comfortable feeling of watching Little House on the Prairie DVDs--you're awashed with a feeling of indulging yourself with a tried and true classic, unpretentious, and wholesome. Sitting in the mirrored dining room, images of the homes of nearby patrons flashed into my mind: their dark wooden staircases, beds with 2000 thread-count sheets, with lighting and decor comparable to the dining room itself.

The service was impeccable as one would expect from a restaurant listed as a Relais au Chateaux establishment. The feeling was very adult Disneyland--from the clean cut staff with their polished and rehearsed repartee, and as many smiles that one encounters at the floating market in Thailand. Or in Thailand in general. The atmosphere is festive--about 6 people were celebrating birthdays in our area of the dining room, including yours truly. I half-expected a banner to float along the ceiling "Welcome to the Happiest Dining Room on Earth!"

Typical dialogue:

Customer: "I'd like to try four courses"

Note:
Gary Danko allows patrons to select 3-5 courses. You can mix and match to allow for 1 appetizer and 3 main dishes, 3 appetizers and one dessert, etc.

GD waiter: Excellent!

Customer: "I'll go with the trio of créme brulée with cookies, blueberry French toast with maple syrup emulsion and salted almond ice cream, pineapple upside down milk cake with walnut streusel and burnt caramel ice cream, and baked chocolate soufflé with two sauces. And I'd like them all at the same time. And also, the a.c. is quite strong in this corner..."

GD waiter: Absolutely! Most excellent choices, just brilliant! I'll bring over a pashmina shawl to drape over your shoulders. (said in a rapturous yet controlled tizzy)

Before I list the dishes we enjoyed, I'd like to state that Mr. Danko has the best pastry chef in town, if not North America.

Cappy:
Seared Ahi Tuna with Avocado, Nori, Enoki Mushrooms and Lemon Soy
Roast Maine Lobster with Abalone Mushrooms, Edamame Beans
Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Spaghetti Squash, Cipollini Onions, Sour Cherries and Almonds
Trio of Créme Brulée with Cookies

Me: (Winter Tasting Menu)
Glazed Oysters with Osetra Caviar, Salsify and Lettuce Cream
Horseradish Crusted Salmon Medallion with Dilled Cucumbers
Guinea Hen Breast and Confit Leg with Cornbread Pudding, Brussels Sprouts and Quince
A Selection of Farmhouse and Artisanal Cheeses Presented Tableside
Baked Chocolate Soufflé with Two Sauces

It was a phenomenal experience. We left with hearty greetings, a morning muffin (pineapple upside down cake), and a signed copy of the menu.

Hats off to Cappy for this wonderful birthday dinner!