Hamburger Shangri-La

This past weekend we went to a new (for us) restaurant that was recommended to us by some fellow American expats (thanks Mick & Linda!).   It was one of the most unusual restaurants I have ever eaten at.  The place was only about 10 minutes from our house but we would've never found it by ourselves.  It is a tiny shack, in the middle of a rice paddy, that is decorated like a fifties diner and serves the most incredibly authentic hamburgers and fries.  The food was amazing.  Seriously, it was like Fuddrucker's but better.

outside

The name of the place is 18Diners (this is just a blog, and it's all in Japanese).  My theory on the name is that the place can only hold about 18 diners.... as you can see, there are only four tables inside, and two outside.  They also do catering and take out though.  The Japanese guy who waited on us seemed to be a one-man operation---we were able to talk to him just a little bit (he spoke no English) but unfortunately my Japanese isn't strong enough to say "Where on earth did you learn to make burgers like this and how did you end up doing it in a shack in an Ashikaga rice paddy?"  So the place is kind of a mystery.....

inside

We fell on the burgers below like a pack of starving wolves.  Even the baby was excited---he/she bounced around while I ate. (Yes, I can feel the baby.  Yes, 17 weeks is a little early for that.  No, it's not gas.)  I didn't even feel that guilty about eating it (like I do when I have the occasional McDonald's burger) because everything was so fresh and obviously not over-processed.  The 100% beef patties, buns and fries are homemade.  The little bowl you see on my plate below is the "homemade pickles" side that I couldn't resist trying out.  They turned out to be sweet pickles, which aren't my favorite, but they were good sweet pickles, if you like that sort of thing.  Next time I'm going to try out the "homemade coleslaw salad".

drooooool

the parking lot---it really is in the middle of a rice paddy

Baby Plans

Since I know a few of you are wondering where I'm planning to have the baby and what I'm doing about doctors and such here goes.....I am planning to have him/her here in Japan, but in Tokyo rather than here in Ota.  This is mainly because the doctor's offices and birthing clinics here in Ota very rarely have any English-speaking staff.  It's not too uncommon for doctors to speak some English, but nurses, receptionists etc. will not.  There are many tasks that I don't mind performing in Japanese but giving birth for the first time is not one of them.

Also, the small-town traditional "Japanese" clinics do tend to have a few quirks that I don't want to deal with including but not limited to: not letting me have Western food, not letting Chad in the delivery room, possibly (God forbid) not being able to give me an epidural on demand and not letting the baby stay in my room with me.  For the record, I have no concerns about the overall quality of medical care, even here in Ota.  If you want to read more about birthing babies Japanese-style you can go here and start reading the stories of another American expat (the blogger of the site Surviving in Japan) who recently had her baby in a birthing clinic-type situation.  It very much informed my decision.

I am seeing the OBGYN at the Tokyo Medical and Surgical Clinic which I first mentioned here.  My doctor is Japanese but speaks English like an American.  We're pretty sure he delivers every foreign baby in the city---his waiting room is always a United Nations of pregnant ladies.   So far I'm pleased with how my checkups are going, it seems to be standard here to do an ultrasound every time which is nice.  It makes all the trips worthwhile because I always get to see the baby.  I do have to take the trains/subways to go to my appointments but it's been good practice---I'm pretty good and getting into, out of, and around the city now.  In August, we'll move to a company apartment in the city for my last month of weekly appointments and we'll stay there for about a month after the baby is born.  Chad will commute back here for work.  After that the plan is to come back here.

Later, I'll post about the hospital we've (probably) chosen and soon we'll know whether we're having a boy or a girl!  Stay tuned!

Primping

Two interesting things you can find in a Japanese drug store....
(click the photos to enlarge them)

neck & face rollers, used to reduce neck & face wrinkles
(apparently very popular in many Asian countries)

electric eyelash curlers--I think they heat up, but I'm not sure.  I'm not about
to poke one of these things in my eye....even to have "glamorous Barbie lashes"

Plus, a truly, truly astonishing array of false eyelashes.....I'm wondering what happens if you try to use an electric curler on false lashes?  Do they melt?  Curl glamorously?  Inquiring minds want to know.....

they go all the way down the aisle