I have been back

I came back from Japan on Dec. 3. It has been a little hectic to deal with a pile of work and to adjust to my DC life again....

Last Friday, I went for Happy Hour at Halo with Steven, Roberto, Darryl and his friend from NYC. Yeah, I really felt like being back in DC! As a result, I got a little drunk...yes, I never learn lessons. I thought I had two Cosmos, but according to others, it was at least three. Then we met Mike and had a dinner at Thaitanic. Yummy! It was my first time to go to the restaurant. I still believe that 4912 on Wisconsin Ave. is the best Thai restaurant in DC, but well, I'm not sure now...I was too drunk to remember the taste of Drunken noodle and Papaya salad....maybe I should go there again.

On Saturday, I had a little hangover in the morning. I had lots of Ukon tea, a miracle Japanese tea which eases hangover.....at least my hangover. Then I met Roberto, Mike and Atul at Alero Dupont Circle. We had margaritas and liquid cheese....I felt like being back in DC, again. Then we headed for a Christmas party at the apartment of Mike's friend's. The place was packed with Italian guys....actually I was the only woman there. I have always had something for Italian guys. So it was heaven...even though none of them were available.

Sunday night, I and my husband had the second Nabe, a Japanese hot-pot, of this year. Yummy, yummy. I cooked curry and Oden...a kind of Japanese stew?....to store for this week. My husband was in a festive mood after learning Pinochet's death. Well, he was a bastard, but it's not Japanese culture to cerebrate someone's death even if he/she was a devil.

I'm reading this book "Why the Japanese have no religion." The author said the Japanese DO have religion, but it's just not institutionalized religion like Christianity. We do have beliefs and rituals to honor ancestors and awe for power of nature and spirit. I agree. I'll continue reading.

Oh, one news. I'll start taking Tango lessons in January. Finally! I'm so excited.