:: Out of Spite, Out of Mind ::

:: Thursday, June 12, 2003 ::

I am writing this from a Webcafe in Hakodate, Japan. I am blown away by this harbor town in the northern most island, where my father grew up. So beautiful in every way. The food here is Godly... the seafood is ridiculously fresh.

So far I have:

Found the Hakodate Beer brewery... sampled some of their brews (bruise)...their Hefeweizen wheat beer and Dunkles is almost identical to the one we are brewing in SF. The brewer at this Japanese brewery went to a brewing school in Germany- I wonder if it`s the same one our brewer went to.

Eaten the best damn Tonkatsu ever.

Eaten the best son of bitchin` uni ever.

Rode a ropeway tram up Hakodate mountain giving us a panoramic view of the city and bay at night... speechlessly beautiful.

I`ve got a gig booked! Our family friend is a celebrity in the cofee world, having opened the Tully`s coffee chains in Japan... I will perform at one of these next week... not sure when. Hoepfully I can get some practice playing on the streets.

Some funny quotes:
setting: at a tiny restaurant (4 tables and a bar)
(after seeing a delicious melon in the market- fruit is very expensive here...)

Naomi: I want to get a melon!
Dad: (loudly) I will KILL YOU!

Aya and me: What the hell??? That`s a little harsh, isn`t it?

Dad: (laughing) I guess so...

Quote 2:

Naomi after seeing Clinton on tv w. Monica L.

`yeah- he got sexual flavors from her`

Till next time,

Goh

:: Ol Man Factory 6/12/2003 09:16:00 PM [+] ::
...

I am writing this from the 39th floor of the Keio Plaza hotel in the Shinjuku prefecture of Japan.
I arrived here yesterday late afternoon with my family... it's been 14 years since I've been here!

I was suprised at how green and lush everything looked on the busride to the hotel was. At night, we met up with Makiko and Ken Miura and her charming beer-loving mom. It was an intense shabu shabu and udon session- two live shrimp lost their lives and many slices of beef were consumed. I managed to insert the term "homo-seat" in conversation much to my mother's dismay. (she asked why I didn't sprawl out on the plane, because there was an empty seat between me and the next passenger)

Overall, I am experiencing sensory overload. Everything seems so vivid here in Shinjuku- like New York on steroids. The people watching is intense- I saw a girl dressed up kind of like snow white, then right after her two dudes who looked like 50's greasers. I was thinking that today, I'd dress up as a unicorn or leprechaun and see what happens.

Beautiful women everywhere! I am smitten everywhere I look!

Speaking of smitten, on the plane ride over here I listened to Ron Sexsmith's album Cobblestone Runway all the way over. I have to admit that it took me awhile to get into this album because I am so taken with his last four albums. This was the first time I could focus on it and really take it in. Man, I was in tears for a few songs... my eyes were closed so no one could see me tear up.

I will be seeing Ron perform here- my sister, who is now a fervent fan, emails him quite regularly. We recently saw him open for Coldplay in California and got to talk to him after his set by the merchandise booth. He recognized Naomi as the girl who always emails him, and he remembered me from a show I met him at in Santa Barbara (I got him to leave a voice message on my phone). We told him that we'd be in Japan at the same time as his show and he kindly put me and my sister on the guest list! Amazing!!!!! Tickets for shows here are like $60 on average- (small club!)

Before I left for Japan, I stayed up all night and finished/pressed my first album w/the help of Ben Lee and Aya! I was getting really sick of my songs, but I have to say that after hearing them all together in order, I am quite pleased with the results. Thanks to Ben for helping me clean it up! I pressed about 50 discs and hopefully can sell some here in Japan. Email me if you're interested in a copy.

I brought my acoustic guitar here, so hopefully I can find some places to play here.

So much to write, I think the maid is waiting to clean the room though.

Next time I will write about the Rolex watch...

till then,
Goh

:: Ol Man Factory 6/10/2003 06:11:00 PM [+] ::
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