Tokyo Tales...

I figure since I can't call anybody at home because
it's 4 a.m. (Cali time) I might as well get to bloggin'!
I usually wait until I get home to get my blog on-
but I have free high speed internet in my room and
all the stories are still fresh in my head.
Plus, when I get home I won't feel like talking about it...
AND SUPA SISTA (the Gemini Genius)
told me to write somethin' :)

I am staying at Hotel Okura
which according to my friend Mayumi-
is one of the 2 best hotels in Tokyo,
(I mean the President stays here-
NOT that he's so great- but if it's good enough for
Ol' W then who am I to hate?)
When I was here last year I stayed
at the other one. ( whole 'nutha trip and story...)
Just one more reason that I'm a balla' shot calla'...
um... KIDDING!
On the for real-for real - the hotel is VERY nice.
EVERYTHING is embroidered.
I have thick fluffy American bathrobes AND Japanese ones
just in case I feel froggy :)
There are phones in EVERY part of the room-
AND bathroom so that I don't have to get up-
'cause I'm lazy like that...
There's a computerized scale, fax machine with my own private #,
a HUGE desk, 2 kinds of slippers-(a terry cloth set and a japanese set)
embroidered once again-with the name of the hotel-
a DVD player, and MP3 hook up so I can play my I-pod,
wireless web AND ethernet in the room
a humidifier(!!!) so that I don't dry my voice and throat out-
because THAT'S how I roll :) (they don't call me a diva for nothin'!)
A hot water thinga-ma-bob that always has fresh HOT
water in it so I can have tea at any time...
Lounge chairs and mirrors everywhere :)
EVERYDAY I get new toothbrushes w/paste and
fizzing bath salts for my bath
(they smell delicious and turn the water pretty colors.)
There's so much stuff up in here up in here...
they have thought of every creature comfort.
I ain't braggin'- just showin' you how GOOD God is.
This is how I asked him to see the world...

Anyway- I'm playing at the Cotton Club Tokyo.
It's a fairly new club. Only been open 3 months.
It's owned by the Blue Note, so the atmosphere is
pretty much the same.
(Musicians who have done the Blue Note circuit will know
what I mean)...
VERY upscale, about 100 yen/dollars to get in.
Not including dinner and drinks.
Japan is known for supper clubs. They like intimate settings.

Here I am the first night right before going on stage.


And then after the show in the green room chillin'



The next night I was starting to get into the swing of thangs-
I was used to the time difference by then
(1 day and 5 hours ahead) and was feelin' aiight :)



That night some of my friends came.
It was soo cool. I was glad to see my crew :)
Maru insisted on the peace sign-
She said Shannon- YOU HAVE TO DO IT-
IT'S THE JAPANESE WAY!!! um... ok *shrug*


(Shota in green, Me, Maru in front, Olivia the Canadian Jap :) and Pochi)
Maru and Olivia are both singers and Shota & Pochi
are GREAT keyboard players!
They also invited me to a Jam session the next day-
(more on that later)

More Green room chillin'...





The next day I hopped on the train and went to Ginza.







They have a luxury district that rivals Beverly Hills...
I was in heaven! :)
I don't normally bring back souvenirs anymore-
especially since this is my 3rd time to Japan-
But for you ISHA ...I was thinking BLUE. :)

One thing I ALWAYS do is find a stationary shop
and buy beautiful paper and envelopes.
The Japanese LOVE writing and they make beautiful paper.
You have to feel it before you buy it because some of it
can be really thick and is used for calligraphy.
I would show a picture but they (gift) WRAP everything!!
so it's wrapped up... *Oh, well...* (Kia!!!)

One thing I love about Japan is how clean and safe it is.
I mean, for real, you could leave your purse sitting on the street,
come back 2 days later and it's right where you left it- NO JOKE.

So, as I'm walking down the nooks, crannys and alleys-
known as streets in Ginza I stumbled upon a public restroom.


This is significant because they DON'T look ANYTHING like ours.
FIRST of all they are CLEAN. I mean REALLY clean.


Second... the toilets are kinda like hole in the ground.


Now, what you are SUPPOSED to do is squat down over it like so...

now I guess that works for a little Japanese person-
But a 6 foot(without my shoes) sista like me??
That would NOT have happened for a WHOLE lot of reasons!!
(oh and you need to be skinny by the way because it's SUPER narrow)

Then you wipe and flush...


And throw away any trash (electronically mind you)...


All while standing, I mean, SQUATTING in a shower sized box :)
I mean these folks got a system!! hahaha!
I hate to sound like the Diva I am...
but Thank GOD I didn't have to use it!!!

In my hotel room as well as the club-
and ALL of the shops I went to...
They have computerized toilets with a bidet.

A bidet (Beh-DAY) is found mostly in rich folks' homes
or high end establishments overseas.
It is bascially a shower for your a**.

When you sit on the toilet there are 2 nozzles-
one points to the womans...uh..private area,
and one points to your...uh...hole :)
you can adjust water the pressure
(which I suggest you do- ahaha!)
and warm water comes out to wash yo' a**
after doin' ya biz-nass-
or gives you a womanly "spray"
after you tinkle :)
I love it actually :) heh heh heh...



As I was walking around I met a Kimono seamstress.


She was so excited to talk to me!
In our limited english/japanese exchange
she told me she had visited Los Angeles about 10
years ago and that some of the material she uses
to make Kimonos are 40 years old.
Her daughter took the photo of us together.



Alright I'm tired.
I will have to tell you the rest later
And I need to get dressed :)
Stay tuned for part 2...

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Sangindiva~