To break up the monotony of my usually boring weekday evenings, I decided to join a friend from work for dinner and a movie this week. Thursdays are Ladies Day at the theater, and the tickets cost only $11, instead of the usual $22.
First, we had dinner at a Chinese restaurant. My co-worker, Okada, also invited several of her friends from English class because they LOVE talking to a native English speaker!
Okada, Ko, Kerri, Akemi, and Mayumi at dinner.
(You may recall the 2 on the left from my first trip to Kyoto in June).
Here's a nice plate of jellyfish. I have mentioned before that it's pretty much like eating boiled rubber bands, but I thought you might like the visual affect this time, too!
Here's another wacky dish popular in Chinese restaurants... boiled duck eggs.
Don't ask me why they are shiny black and rubbery with a runny yolk. This was like Fear Factor food... barf!
Although I was full (from many other yummy dishes and wontons I did not feature--seriously I love Chinese food these days!), they still ordered dessert for all of us to share.
It was this steaming hot pastry filled with green paste. I assumed it was green tea flavor, but no... this is smashed up edaname (green beans served in a pod). Seriously?! I've had some people (even in America) try to sneak fruit, like strawberries and pineapple, to me as a dessert, but vegetables are a first!! Apparently, nothing says "sweet endings" of a meal in China like green veggies...
Now on to the main event! We're gonna go see Toy Story 3...
... in 3D!! Woohoo!
Japan likes to be neat and tidy, even at the movie theaters. Although the floors will never be sticky from buttery popcorn or gooey candy (because they don't serve those things), every seat has a hook to hang your belongings!! There is also an umbrella holder down below, which is hard to see in this dark pic.
(BTW - Ko is eating popcorn in the above pic, but sadly it has no drippy, liquid butter.)
Quite possibly the coolest gadget I have found in all of Japan is in the movie theater... bathroom?!
This sink has automatic soap dispenser on the left, water on the right, and the bottom edge you hover your hands for the automatic dryer!! No need to move... everything is in one spot!!
It took me 3 trips to the movies before someone pointed out the dryer feature to me. I just assumed it was a giant sink, and they didn't provide hand dryers or paper towels!
It looks like The Hangover is finally making its way to Japan! (It's about darn time!)
Maybe I will go see it for the fourth time in the theater. Thank goodness everyone else reads the Japanese subtitles because they may not actually HEAR the punchlines over all of my hysterical laughing!!
