Local Pampering

We all need a little pampering.  Months ago, I was searching out a good massage therapist, and a place (off base) to get a pedicure.  I've found a few local places that have given me professional, friendly service.  Here are some suggestions that I think are worth checking out:

A friend and I got pedicures on a snowy day!

Nails

I've been really happy with Sakura Beauty Salon.  They are located outside main base, and making an appointment is easy.  The owner is an Amerika-jin, and the nail technicians do a thorough job.  If you're looking for a deluxe pedicure, the chance to watch a movie, and drink a complimentary beverage, then this is the place for you.  They are not that cheap, but the service I've received at Sakura, was far better than I had at the NEX.  Here is their website for additional information: http://www.theroom806.com

Massage

Purdy Gym on main base has a variety of massage therapists.  I asked friends about who they use, and many gave rave reviews about Mayumi.  So far, I've had 2 different types of massages from her: Thai Oil Massage, and Aromatherapy Massage.  To schedule a massage, you go to the main desk at Purdy and pay for the type of massage you want.  For a complete listing of massages and their cost, click on the following link:  http://mwryokosuka.wordpress.com/mwr-massage-services/

Hair

There are many options for getting your hair done in Yokosuka.  I know people who go to the NEX, go to in-home salons, to Tokyo, etc.  I originally started going to someone in The Honch who I liked and who was cheap, but have since changed to a friend's hairdresser named Takumi at Kenje Hair Designs in Mikasa Mall.  He gave me a great cut, and loves short hair.  This is good since it will be getting really hot here, and I need to stay cool.  The salon hours are from 10:00-6:00pm (they may take after-hour appointments) daily.  Their number is: 046-820-6021.  Look for their coupons.  A stylist is usually in the mall, or on Blue Street handing out coupons.  What a great way to try someone new, plus save some money while you're at it!

Summer Changes and Plans

Changes

After a busy spring with work, school, out-of-town visitors, and other activities, I am welcoming some of the quiet in this first week of summer.  While this is one of my favorite times of the year, living on a military installation means that it is also a time for change.  Our neighborhood has become a bit of a ghost town and our house has become less Grand Central Station.  Once school is out on base, many families and teachers return Stateside for part, or all of the summer.

This is also PCS, or moving season for many Navy families.  Everyday I see moving trucks and read about friends who are packing out soon.  I work at the base thrift store where I am constantly receiving donations from people on-their-way-out.  For the past month I have been in denial.  I don't want people to go onto their next duty station.  Sometimes I even kick myself for not forming certain friendships sooner.  While some of the circumstances are beyond my control, the one thing I am grateful for is the people I have met here.  I know just like anywhere else I've lived, that I am committed to staying in touch with people I care about.  The convenience of Facebook and email makes staying in contact easier and softens the blow to those of us left behind.

My neighbor writes a very fun and witty blog about her family's experience in Japan.  Although she will be moving soon, here's the link if you want to check it out: http://clearykazoku.blogspot.jp/

 

Summer Plans

We are planning on having a typical summer with a lot of sunshine, beach time, going to the outdoor pool, socializing, BBQ's and relaxing.  My oldest will be working, my middle son going away to 4 sleep-away camps, and my youngest will be dog-sitting, cat-sitting and performing trampoline patrol for our neighbors.  Justin is at Boy Scout camp this week, will be doing Aikido as much as he can, and be busy working.  I have a month-long break in the summer from my job, so I will be catching up with friends, hoping to get onto a Space A flight (alone) to Guam, plan to conquer climbing Mt. Fuji on an overnight tour, and dance in my Yukata during Bon Odori....no matter how hot it will be.  I am the most excited about our 10 day family vacation to Thailand and Cambodia.  I've always wanted to go to Thailand, and am especially glad to have my brother joining us.  I can't wait to see the sights, eat some delicious food, expose the kids to new cultures, ride a Tuk Tuk and be doing all this with my family.

Disney Sea (Tōkyō Dizunīshī)

On Memorial Day we went to Disney Sea up in Tokyo.  It is a theme park near Tokyo Disney where the kids and I went last June.  You can get there by train, but this time we decided to drive.  It only took 1 hour to get there, and was by far cheaper to drive (even with all the toll fees), than for all of us to take the train. Parking was convenient and only a short distance from the main entrance.

Just inside the park.  It was hot and crowded.

We were hoping that by going on a Monday it would be less crowded.  Unfortunately, it was still quite busy.  It wasn't until after the fact that I found out that The City of Yokohama had a holiday on Memorial Day.  We still had a good time even though we had to wait in some really long lines.  I was just grateful that the weather was nice a majority of the day, and that it wasn't humid.

Great European theme.  You can see Tower of Terror to the right.

I liked the ambiance of Disney Sea.  I have heard many people rave about it, and say how fun it is. It reminded me a little of Universal Studios, Knott's Berry Farm, and Las Vegas combined into one.  It had nice walking areas, some shopping, a lot of food vendors, yummy popcorn (Milk Tea, Strawberry, etc) a welcoming breeze from the water and a variety of rides for the thrill-seekers and non-thrill-seekers.   

The photo from the Indiana Jones ride.  Too funny!

We decided against the Fast Pass because the return times were late in the day.  The shortest wait we had was about 20 minutes, while the longest wait was 1 1/2 hours.  At least in the longest line, I ran into 2 different sets of friends from Yokosuka.  Some of our favorite rides from the day were:  Tower of Terror,  Indiana Jones, and Journey to the Center of the Earth.  We were sorry we didn't get a chance to ride on the upside down roller coaster because it was closed.  We'll have to try to catch that ride the next time we go.

Something I learned about going to Disney in or around June, is that you should bring both an umbrella and/or a poncho.  The lovely day we were having quickly turned stormy and we found ourselves in a downpour.  Luckily, we were close to Mermaids Lagoon where we were able to seek refuge....and buy new ponchos (at 500 yen a piece) and an umbrella. 

New poncho and umbrella.

After a fun-filled day, we watched an amazing Disney water show.  It was perhaps the highlight of the day.  A lot of music, dancing, lights and fireworks.  It was really impressive.  Overall, we had a really great day.

Water show and fireworks!

Kitty-chan

Hello Kitty is an icon in Japan and around the globe.   Founded in the early 1970's by the Japanese company San Rio, she made her way to The United States back in the mid-1970's.  As a child growing up in the 1970's I remember admiring many of the Hello Kitty things in the mall.  There were cute erasers, pencils, stickers, purses.....I wanted it all.

Since all of my children are boys, I hadn't given Hello Kitty much thought until I moved to Japan.  She is everywhere, and you simply cannot ignore her!  Not that I mind, because she is so "kawaii" (cute in Japanese)!  I don't currently own anything that has Hello Kitty on it, but do enjoy buying memorabilia for people living Stateside.  Not only are the products targeted towards young girls, but many adult women love her as well.   For adults, you can find an abundance of Hello Kitty products such as: clothing, jewelry, trinkets, dishes, bedding, cooking utensils, and purses to name a few.

Hello Kitty fans can also go to theme parks and hotels with HK decor, and see her face emblazoned on airplanes, cars, motorcycles, and buses.  It is nice to see this character on so many things.  Hello Kitty is innocent and sweet and makes me smile.  Again, just another reason for me to love being in Japan. 

Hello Kitty Airplane

Hello Kitty Hotel

Military Spouses

I mostly write about our Japanese Cultural experiences, but my sentimental side is in full-swing at the moment, so I'd like to dedicate this blog entry to military spouses.  Although we are civilians,  I am not completely immune from being a part of a military community. Previous to coming to Japan, we lived in a Navy town for many years. I have had many co-workers and friends whose spouses were deployed at one time or another.

Back in 2003, my friend's husband was on a 9 month deployment on the U.S.S. Carl Vinson.  She had 3 young children ages 3-8 to contend with and I watched her as she held down the fort, dealt with all the emotional issues with the kids not having their dad around, connected with her friends in her spouses group, and utilized some of her civilian friends for additional support.  I was amazed at how she handled everything, even though it was a daily challenge.

This was my first real taste of being around a military spouse.  Now, on a daily basis, I'm surrounded by these amazingly strong women (and some men too).  They are the most flexible and independent people I have ever met.  Having to deal with everyday issues, regular moves, changes in orders and often doing these things with a deployed spouse is commendable.  Many of the Navy spouses here have "deployment wives", playgroups, social groups, sports teams, their jobs, Command spouses groups, and do volunteering for support, personal enrichment, or stress relief.  

As a civilian, I can't completely relate to having a spouse who is deployed because my spouse's job is here. The one area I can help is to offer my support.  I can help with carpooling, babysitting, shopping and to be a good listening ear.  My offers are sincere, and I am more than willing to help.  

Curry カレー karē

Never in a million years did I expect to come to Japan and find curry. Justin and I have been fans of Indian Curry and yes, even "Golden Curry" in the box for over a decade. One of our date nights, especially when we lived in Seattle, included going to our favorite Indian restaurant by Northgate. The kids also love curry. Having the entire family like the same type of food is a bonus.

Popular Curry Restaurants in Japan.

Come to find out, curry is one of the most popular dishes in Japan. It was first introduced to the country back in the 1800's from India. So, this dish is anything but new to Japan. There are tons of Coco Ichibanya (Coco's Curry House) restaurants. They are hard to miss with their bright yellow signs. I have been once. They sell curry over rice, and you can order varying degrees of spiciness. While I thought it was good, I have found other restaurants that serve a better tasting curry ( so to all the Coco's fans). You can order Japanese curry with a variety meat and vegetables. They have curry with sausages, fried pork cutlet, curry with an egg on top, cheese curry, and the common beef and chicken curries. Also, depending on which region you are in Japan, can determine the type of curry you will get. So far, the absolute best curry I've eaten was in a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Hiroshima. I had beef curry in a slightly sweet curry sauce. Oishikatta.

Katsu kare (pork cutlet).

While we do enjoy Japanese curry, we have also been to numerous Indian restaurants in Yokosuka that we like. I am veering away from my usual Tikka Masala, and am enjoying the Butter Chicken...thanks to my friend Rylynn. We tried "Nirvana" On Blue Street last night. I found it especially good, and not too expensive. Yokosuka also has a yearly Curry Festival at Mikasa Park where you can try many different types of curries. We've missed it both times, but hopefully next year we will be able to go.

Lady Gaga in Japan

One of her many costumes.

We found out a couple months ago that Lady Gaga was going to be in Tokyo for her Asian tour.  She had 3 dates, so we were lucky enough to get tickets for Mother's Day.  I went with a friend and my oldest son.  We made the trek up to Saitama Super Arena and the place was bustling both inside and out.  We bought  standing tickets on the floor of the arena. It was jam-packed compared to the Linkin Park tickets I went to last September.

Standing tickets were not cheap.  

Gaga put on a great concert.  She had multiple costume changes, and had the most energy-filled show I have ever seen.  The crowd was pretty calm, but maybe it was the genre of music, or the lack of space to jump around.  Gaga had a real connection with the crowd, and has a huge fan base in Japan.  She calls her fans her "Little Monsters".

I loved seeing everyone dressed up at the concert.  So many wigs, a lot of makeup, sparkles, etc.  It was a great place to people-watch and a fun-filled night.

These girls were so cute!

Crazier costumes.