Monday, December 20, 2004
Envious of the Homosexual
My title has a point. Really. What's more, I will get to it, but first, Friday night:
Friday night was a good night. Anne, Toni, Belinda and myself were going to hit some bars in Roppongi and have a good time.
I must confess that I dislike Roppongi. It is the party district where a large proportion of the foreign community goes. It has western-style bars and clubs, complete with the type of clientele one usually finds at aforementioned bars/clubs. Stupid Americans who cannot hold their piss, skanky girls and the ubiquitious creepy foreign guys who seem so prevalent over here. (NB. I am NOT one of those.) Of course there are a few Japanese at these places as well, but normally those who come to see the skanky white girls or pick up a drunken American, or get hit on by one of the creepy guys. The average age of these people is probably 30, which is another reason why the entire district is not particularly appealing to me. Not to mention the fact that most of the clubs play shitty pop and/or equally deplorable rap/hip-hop. Give me Shibuya any time. Anyway, Roppongi-related ranting aside, that's where we were headed.
Anne and Toni weren't going to meet us until 9-ish, so Belinda and I went into Shibuya for a while first. We needed to pay a deposit to keep our reservation at Sonoma on Christmas Day, and we needed dinner. After scoping a few places, all of which seemed to be full (it was, after all, Shibuya on a Friday night) we found a slightly less-crowded izakaya (ie. there were two empty seats) and had dinner. The menu was entirely in kanji, and while our Japanese is OK (Belinda's is considerably better than mine), we struggled a little, and generally just picked random things we could half-translate. It was interesting, a little suprising at times, but overall (and most importantly) tasty. I'd like to go back, but next time I am taking a Japanese person with me.
After dinner, we headed into Roppongi - as usual Anne was late. I believe it is a Thai custom to never show up on time, but it is something I have become accustomed to. Eventually, she arrived and we went to Heartland - a bar named after Kirin Heartland beer, situated at the bottom of the Roppongi Hills complex (which incidentally, houses a few companies that I wouldn't mind working for). The beer itself is quite good, and because of the location, was reasonably cheap. Toni and another of Anne's mates, Abi (a Sri Lankan Canadian guy) rocked up and we proceeded to eat, drink and be merry. The occasional creepy guy hitting on the girls provided ample entertainment for the evening.
After a while, it was decided that we should go somewhere else and chill out. I was pretty comfortable myself, but whatever, I went along with it. We ended up at Muse, a lounge bar/club for thirty-somethings which Anne likes, but I am a little indifferent to. On the plus side, we had a couple couches to ourselves, so I was able to relax and enjoy my beer while the girls went and danced.
Sometime in the wee hours of the morning. I can't exactly remember when, we headed back into the freezing night air and caught a cab to Song's place. Song is a friend of Anne's who is working for the Thai National Bank. He has expat status in Japan, and all the perks that go with it. He is also a relatively stereotypical homosexual guy. Onto my envy.
As part of his expat job, his company has furnished him with a fully, uh, furnished house in Hiroo (a nice suburb near Roppongi - with rent rates that look like phone numbers). I didn't say flat though, did I? I said HOUSE. 3 fucking bedrooms, two goddamn bathrooms, a living room about 150% the size of my entire apartment and a kitchen and laundry to match. Yes, he lives there by himself and the nice Crown Royal Saloon he drives, they gave him that too. Although it will probably be traded in for an SLK next year. Petrol, electricity and other utilities? All included in the deal. In short, he has the kind of setup I would happily kill for. Bastard.
Anyway, after a brief tour of the house, we crashed. The next morning we got up late, lounged around a bit, displayed sickening envy at Song's setup and eventually went out for some ramen for lunch. After lunch, I headed back up to Ootsuka to pick up Kat's Christmas pressie and have another look at rentals up there. I have pretty much decided that when I move, it will be one of the first places I look at for a new place to live.
After all that excitement, I went home and had a nap.
Sunday was spent largely bumming around the flat, watching movies and chilling out - as I am prone to do on Sundays. The afternoon saw me heading into Yokohama to do my Christmas shopping however. Let me lay it down simply: I hate, loathe and despise Christmas shopping. The fact that they don't even CELEBRATE the holiday in this heathen place doesn't deter the Japanese from decorating everything up to the nines, piping Christmas carols through every available audio device and generally engaging in the same ridiculous mass consumerism that you see in the West. Sunday afternoon was probably not the best time to do this shopping, as Yokohama was packed with people, but I was there, and I was going to get that damn shopping done.
Two hours later, having successfully avoided bloodshed (by the narrowest of margins) I made it home and dumped the shopping on my floor. Where it will likely stay until I pack it and bring it back to Australia.
Eight and a half days, and counting.
Friday night was a good night. Anne, Toni, Belinda and myself were going to hit some bars in Roppongi and have a good time.
I must confess that I dislike Roppongi. It is the party district where a large proportion of the foreign community goes. It has western-style bars and clubs, complete with the type of clientele one usually finds at aforementioned bars/clubs. Stupid Americans who cannot hold their piss, skanky girls and the ubiquitious creepy foreign guys who seem so prevalent over here. (NB. I am NOT one of those.) Of course there are a few Japanese at these places as well, but normally those who come to see the skanky white girls or pick up a drunken American, or get hit on by one of the creepy guys. The average age of these people is probably 30, which is another reason why the entire district is not particularly appealing to me. Not to mention the fact that most of the clubs play shitty pop and/or equally deplorable rap/hip-hop. Give me Shibuya any time. Anyway, Roppongi-related ranting aside, that's where we were headed.
Anne and Toni weren't going to meet us until 9-ish, so Belinda and I went into Shibuya for a while first. We needed to pay a deposit to keep our reservation at Sonoma on Christmas Day, and we needed dinner. After scoping a few places, all of which seemed to be full (it was, after all, Shibuya on a Friday night) we found a slightly less-crowded izakaya (ie. there were two empty seats) and had dinner. The menu was entirely in kanji, and while our Japanese is OK (Belinda's is considerably better than mine), we struggled a little, and generally just picked random things we could half-translate. It was interesting, a little suprising at times, but overall (and most importantly) tasty. I'd like to go back, but next time I am taking a Japanese person with me.
After dinner, we headed into Roppongi - as usual Anne was late. I believe it is a Thai custom to never show up on time, but it is something I have become accustomed to. Eventually, she arrived and we went to Heartland - a bar named after Kirin Heartland beer, situated at the bottom of the Roppongi Hills complex (which incidentally, houses a few companies that I wouldn't mind working for). The beer itself is quite good, and because of the location, was reasonably cheap. Toni and another of Anne's mates, Abi (a Sri Lankan Canadian guy) rocked up and we proceeded to eat, drink and be merry. The occasional creepy guy hitting on the girls provided ample entertainment for the evening.
After a while, it was decided that we should go somewhere else and chill out. I was pretty comfortable myself, but whatever, I went along with it. We ended up at Muse, a lounge bar/club for thirty-somethings which Anne likes, but I am a little indifferent to. On the plus side, we had a couple couches to ourselves, so I was able to relax and enjoy my beer while the girls went and danced.
Sometime in the wee hours of the morning. I can't exactly remember when, we headed back into the freezing night air and caught a cab to Song's place. Song is a friend of Anne's who is working for the Thai National Bank. He has expat status in Japan, and all the perks that go with it. He is also a relatively stereotypical homosexual guy. Onto my envy.
As part of his expat job, his company has furnished him with a fully, uh, furnished house in Hiroo (a nice suburb near Roppongi - with rent rates that look like phone numbers). I didn't say flat though, did I? I said HOUSE. 3 fucking bedrooms, two goddamn bathrooms, a living room about 150% the size of my entire apartment and a kitchen and laundry to match. Yes, he lives there by himself and the nice Crown Royal Saloon he drives, they gave him that too. Although it will probably be traded in for an SLK next year. Petrol, electricity and other utilities? All included in the deal. In short, he has the kind of setup I would happily kill for. Bastard.
Anyway, after a brief tour of the house, we crashed. The next morning we got up late, lounged around a bit, displayed sickening envy at Song's setup and eventually went out for some ramen for lunch. After lunch, I headed back up to Ootsuka to pick up Kat's Christmas pressie and have another look at rentals up there. I have pretty much decided that when I move, it will be one of the first places I look at for a new place to live.
After all that excitement, I went home and had a nap.
Sunday was spent largely bumming around the flat, watching movies and chilling out - as I am prone to do on Sundays. The afternoon saw me heading into Yokohama to do my Christmas shopping however. Let me lay it down simply: I hate, loathe and despise Christmas shopping. The fact that they don't even CELEBRATE the holiday in this heathen place doesn't deter the Japanese from decorating everything up to the nines, piping Christmas carols through every available audio device and generally engaging in the same ridiculous mass consumerism that you see in the West. Sunday afternoon was probably not the best time to do this shopping, as Yokohama was packed with people, but I was there, and I was going to get that damn shopping done.
Two hours later, having successfully avoided bloodshed (by the narrowest of margins) I made it home and dumped the shopping on my floor. Where it will likely stay until I pack it and bring it back to Australia.
Eight and a half days, and counting.
# posted by Nils @ 9:16 AM 
