Clay's Birthday

Reading: ?
Listening: "Date With a Night," Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Saturday, September 29
First mention goes to my latest donut love.

Super rich!

Chris and I lunched at Osteria Dell ‘Arancio, which we hadn’t visited all summer. Chris chose the “Pasta Lunch” and I ordered the “Arancio Lunch.” (Each set changes by the day.)

Fresh veggies. "What's the gray crap?", you ask? It's grilled eggplant mousse.

Minestrone. It includes kabocha (pumpkin).

Chris had the pasta made with Tajima chicken, cabbage, and ample garlic.

My roast chicken was ohmygod good. Served with pearl onions, potatoes, and squash, the meat was tender, with the herb-crusted skin cooked to a crisp. The dish included a slice of pickle topped with whole-grain mustard. I will marry the chef who created this meal, if only to eat like this every day. Gomen, Chris.

My tiramisu.

Chris ate a melon pudding which was, in fact, as smooth and crisp as a melon.

In the afternoon, we daydreamed over travel books before having dinner and drinks with the Kasai crew to celebrate Clay’s birthday! Dinner was delish at a small restaurant called “クロネコ” (Black Cat). We closed with drinks at Matt and Jen’s house, where Clay played bartender.

Robyn and me with a "Gin Daisy."

Though the Munozes offered their place for the night, we all returned home, with Chris (designated driver) and I dropping off the Ono Girls along the way to Miki.

Sunday, September 30
In the late afternoon, we returned to Kasai for the Kasai Sai Sai Matsuri. We arrived too late to witness Clay as Darth Vader in the haunted house, but we wandered through the event grounds, meeting up with Matt, Jen, Sarah, and Curtis, and taking in the festival sights, sounds, and tastes. The weather was slightly chilly, marking a true end to summer. Chris and I ooh-ed over the fire dancing, stuffed ourselves on chicken karaage, and took turns walking a toy dog that I won in a game. Festivals in Japan run along similar lines, but I never tire of them!