oregon?

i have this student that is in love with me, and in turn, i have fallen for her. i think i've mentioned this before, but she's taken my class every week since july. and every week, she brings me some gift. its usually something sweet, or a loaf of bread, or a coach purse (oh man), or little mini bottles of assorted chocolate liquers from russia, or some pink food because she LOVES the color pink (she wears pink head-to-toe DAILY)...

a while ago, she told me about this place called the Oregon Grill (she knows i lived in portland before). today, she took me there. it's on the 42nd floor of this enormous building in Shimbashi, overlooking all of tokyo. i always forget how gigantic tokyo is until i'm overlooking it in some super tall building. and of course, there was a view of the Tokyo Tower all lit up.

this place was really fancy. we went up this elevator (these japanese elevators, man. they are crazy sometimes...the lights become brighter the closer you get to the floor you're going to. unless that's a normal fancy place elevator thing? i don't know! i don't know fanciness!) and my ears popped because we were so high. and then, the first thing you see is this mock Governor of Oregon office (???) because DUH, WE'RE AT THE OREGON GRILL! 

haha, man...i can't explain this whole theme thing that japan is obsessed with. but, its not like you can just name a restaurant the Oregon Grill WITHOUT having some weird theme with it (i.e. the mock governor office) EVEN IF this is a super fancy four star restaurant. its just so hilarious to me because the japanese are SO GOOD at imitating other cultures even if its completely unnecessary.

and at one point, my student told the waitress "she's from oregon!" (about me) and i'm just laughing because that probably means NOTHING to the waitress. haha.

ANYWAY, i never thought that when i moved to tokyo i would get to go on super fancy dinners on a semi-frequent basis for FREE SUCKA. man, this whole english-teacher-foreigner-american-rosy cheeked-white toothed-young lady card isn't so bad sometimes. i shouldn't ever bitch about anything anymore.