Saturday Morning Scene: Glitzy Ginza

I'm linking up with Katie at Loves of Life for this week's Saturday Morning Scene. 

Technically, this post will feature our Saturday afternoon, but since afternoon Tokyo time is actually early morning in the US, I think I can cheat just this once!

We were invited to an art exhibit featuring landscapes by Yoshio, our new friend Yuko's uncle.

Some members of our small group decided to meet for lunch and then go to the gallery to show our support.  Philip and I have been sick this week, but we felt we had recovered enough this morning to venture out.  We took the subway to Ginza, one of the most luxurious shopping and entertainment areas in Tokyo.  Many upscale western brands, such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel, as well as more accessible ones, like H&M, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Gap, are concentrated there.   Ginza is also known for its emphasis on the arts.

Our group got a private room at a Japanese restaurant known for their oyakodon, or chicken, egg, and rice bowl.  I ate my oyakodon VERY quickly and did not get photos at the restaurant, because Matthias loudly refused to sit on our laps, so Philip and I took turns eating, while the other walked circles around the restaurant.  As my parents always say, the boy needs to move it, move it.  Philip's quote of the day was "you know, I used to chew before I was a parent."  Sad, but true.  (And we wouldn't trade it for the world!)

After lunch, we walked to the gallery, and admired Yoshio's gorgeous European and Japanese landscapes rendered in watercolors, charcoal, oils, and mixed media.  We also met Yoshio and his wife, who doted on Matthias. The exhibit was small, perfect for the attention span of a six-month-old.  We didn't take pictures of the art, because we were concerned it would be impolite, but we did get a shot of Matthias and his buddy S, the same sweetie that accompanied us on last week's infamous mommy date.

Non-chewing aside, it was a great afternoon!