Tokyo Tidbits

With my brother (in-law)

Quite amazing. I had just been thinking of catching up with my brother-in-law when he called me. It was such perfect timing that I thought I already had called him and thanked him for 'calling me back.'

Last time I took him to my favorite bar so this time he took me to his in Nakameguro. He has his own bottle there (ボトル　キープ, bottle keep) where you pay for a whole bottle of your favorite liquor but leave it there to enjoy over time. Usually you write your name on the bottle but Steve has various nicknacks dangling from it to make his mark.

It was a tiny bar but fully equipped. When I said I liked vodka, the bartender got on a stool and reached way up in the corner for a French rose-infused vodka bottle. Yes, it was fantastic. Steve's coworker later joined us and we had lively discussions on what it meant to be まじめ (serious). Steve thinks I'm a serious gal while I resisted that label with all my might. We also discussed the war. Regardless of what we all feel personally, Steve, who owns a company, admitted that the war meant more profits for his company. What the war means to us individually and to companies is very different. Perhaps that's why Japan is quite OK with supporting Bush; companies need the boost and we know how buddy buddy some powerful private companies are with politicians.

On a brighter note, Steve gave me a white tulip. I've never seen one and found it quite beautiful.