Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Lots of drinks, Greasy Chinese food and movies

What a weekend. I'm sure I've gained at least 10 pounds. I joined Steven and Roberto for Happy Hour at Halo on Friday. I wore my new Manolo. Yey. Did I tell you this Manolo appeared in an episode of Sex and the City? Yes, it's Carrie's "urban myth" mary jane. Anyways, I had Dirty Martini with Ketel One (Steven's suggestion) and Cosmo with the same vodka, one each. Then we headed to Luna Cafe for a dinner where I had a pasta and salad, and 1 1/2 beer. Steven and Roberto introduced me to a new place (for me), Omega. I was the only girl there. I found one woman, but Steven and Roberto said she/he was a man. Hmmm.

I had a slight hangover next morning. I and my husband had a lunch at Pho 75, a Vietnamese noodle restaurant in Rockville. I prepared some dumplings and appetizers and headed for a farewell party for a Japanese banker at 5:00pm. I stayed there until 8:00pm, and then picked up my husband to go to Mike and his roommates' party. It was lots of fun. I met many interesting people. Around 1:00am, I dragged my husband out to go home.

On Sunday, I went to see the movie "Pan's Labyrinth" with Steven. It was a beautiful but sad movie. I was cold-hearted enough to make fun of sobbing Steven. The movie reminded me another Spanish movie "Devil's Backbone." It turns out the both movies were created by the same director. (Don't read the next sentence if you are planning to see Pan's Labyrinth) "This director kills kids in his movies." It may sound cruel, but well, you know, thousands of kids get killed everyday in the real world. They often are the first ones to get killed in wars, famines and abuses at home. After the movie, we met Roberto for some drinks and then strolled around the China town. We had a dinner and Margarita at Austin Grill, then got tired and decided to go home.

On Monday (MLK Day), I and husband had a lunch at all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet. OMG, we were about to explode after eating, eating, and eating lots of greasy Chinese food. And we went to see the movie "Letters from Iojima." It was much better than I expected. My husband kept weeping. I wonder why we couldn't make this movie in Japan. I was discussing about this movie with my co-worker this morning. We agreed the movie was very good. He has been to Iojima once. He said the the movie failed to describe the harsh condition of the island and the hardships those Japanese soldiers (and maybe the Americans) really experienced. They fought 40 days with no water, no food. When he visited the island, he and others brought water and poured it on the memorial for those Japanese soldiers who died crying for water. My late grandfather who went to the war in China once told me he had never seen any soldier who shouted "Long Live the Emperor!" before dying like in the movie. Most of them said "I miss you, mother!" I think that's the reality. The thing is, Japan fought the war where they had absolutely no chance to win....The stupid leaders of the Imperial Japan dragged people to the hopeless war.

2 comments:

em nadim said...

I didn't see Letters from Iojima, but in general I find Eastwood very cheesy and I was ESPECIALLY bitter at him last year when he took the Oscar from Scorsese-- who is a much better director in my un-expert opinion.

Tomokito said...

i agree that Eastwood movies are cheesy. i've never liked his movies (like million dollar baby). letters from iojima is not an exception. but i thought it was good as a japanese war movie. japanese war movies are far more cheesy and f&*%ing nationalistic!