Japan Recording Day 2!

It was break day after Day 1 of recording, 

and since I missed out on sakura season,

I made up for it by visiting wisteria, 

since I was just in time for it!

But first, RECORDING!

THOSE KITTY SOCKS!!!

I was beyond touched when I went to my workstation.

From my sweet pianist Mika-san

who spent one full day of recording with me on 5 songs!

Today we had to go at another few more!

She prepared a little gift and card for me,

and I stood there in the recording studio,

ready to sing,

feeling blessed and most lucky.

My AKG C24 vintage microphone that costs about SGD$15000  

It didn't need much tweaking at all,  

and I loved that it captured every single breath and saliva noise that it possibly could. 

Everyone from S2S spent the entire day with me in the studio!

With my producer and sound engineer!

This part was unexpected, and most fun!

We had my pianist, producer and 2 colleagues in to sing backing vocals with me!

I dragged my manager Dean in!!

First time my manager is in the recording studio with me!!

Photo-taking of the session after a looooooong day......

Sweet Mika-san!

 As we knocked off, it was the percussionist's turn to record...

My producer and sound engineer!

My boss gave me a thank you dinner, 

and it was at GONPACHI the KILL BILL restaurant!!!!

I was super excited!!!

It was a 4 hour dinner again but the best one I had.

It wasn't the food,

it was the incredible feeling of completing my recording sessions,

of this entire experience of recording in Japan, with the Japanese team,

and having this dream of mine come true.

I'm not someone who often celebrates,

maybe because I'm not easily contented with what I have achieved,

I always feel that there is more to be done.

But this dinner, I really felt that was a milestone for me.

It was the end of a dream trip for me.

Whenever someone asked me what was my dream for singing,

I said it was to travel the world, and to go where my music takes me.

I always preferred to travel for work than for pure leisure,

it was much more fulfilling for me.

My work is my play anyway :)

We had yakitori sticks of chicken,

amazing chunks of steak

my newly discovered favourite is the chewy ginnan (ginkgo nuts)

almost creamy negi (leek)

as well as fresh pickles that were sooo gooood.

it's amazing how the most usual stuff would taste so different

i didn't even need to pick any gimmicky stuff off the menu.

My boss was so happy that we loved all the food that he picked for us,

he ordered more!!!

But before that, sake!!

These were the 2 we picked -

八海山 (hakkaisan) and 獺祭 (dassai) -

Dassai is the one Obama had when he was at Jiro's Sushi Restaurant!

I'm not much of a drinker but it was really easy to drink

and I loved it!

As the buzz kicked in we were served 

the tamago (egg) and gindara (codfish) 

that really topped off the meal with a bang.

I CANNOT.

what would i do if i cannot eat this again when back in singapore.........

The best thing I learned from this meal:

You always have another stomach for soba,

said the boss.

Singaporeans usually eat the soba as part of the meal,

but traditionally,

you start with a variety of yakitori,

to go with the beer.

After which the sake is served and everyone is happy.

Then perhaps some dishes like codfish, egg, etc.

Lastly the soba arrives and everyone slurps it up.

At this point the fresh cold soba literally sobers you up.

The soba sauce is later diluted with warm water and drank as soup.

This was the perfect ending to the warm fuzzy post-alcohol feeling...

And then the dessert.

The mochi was sold out! So we opted for creme brulee instead :)

I'll always remember this perfect celebration for this trip :)

On to flower watching 花見！!

Wisteria blooms mid April to mid May, 

and if you can afford the time (4 hours there and back from to Ashikaga Flower Park),

please go!!!

I chickened out and opted to go somewhere else in Tokyo,

which was the Kameido Tenjin Shrine.

I trekked there alone as my manager wanted to go to

KIDDY PALACE

to fulfil his fatherly duties hehe

When I saw these flags I knew I was on the right track!

So lovely! They were swaying and rustling lightly in the wind..

I took one but I have no idea what it says

Right next to Kameido Tenjin Shrine, 

a queue was forming for some desserts,

so I decided on some matcha shiratama jelly takeaway,

and walked back to the park and children's playground.

It was super yummy with 

azuki red beans, sugar syrup

and most surprisingly savoury chestnuts!

Back to Shibuya...

I think it's more beautiful at night :)

Could not resist these candy- coloured North Face backpacks!!!

Guess which one I bought? :)

Ended the day with omakase sushi again,

this time round we managed to find a place by randomly googling,

that wasn't too crowded!

This plate cost less than SGD$40!

旭鮨総本店 渋谷東急東横9F店  (ASAHIZUSHI SOUHONTEN SHIBUYA TOKYU TOUYOKO)

Obsessed with the road signs.

Enroute to Freedom Studio in Higashi-Shinjuku

More about Japan soon...  ^_^