It's summer, which means, I have plans every weekend until September!

And in September, my friends and I are trying to throw an end of summer DJ event! A big one... No details yet...

So 2 weeks ago saw Sayaka and I going bowling and out to eat. We both had amazing scores and a lot of fun!

Last weekend, we went out to eat after I got off of work, and had a GREAT carbonara pasta, salad, and dessert dinner set at Marino's! The pasta is prepared in this HUGE block of aged parmesan cheese, and it looked, smelled, and tasted GREAT! After this Sayaka and I were both horribly sick! Maybe it was too rich for us!

The next day we travelled to Kurokawa (literally Black River), to go eat ramen that Sayaka claimed was the best ever. We waited in line, in the hot sun for over an hour, and I was expecting the second coming of Christ in this ramen, but for me, the taste was too weak. The line was so long because they can only fit 8 people inside of the place. I told her we may not need to come back here again, at least I don't need to!

We headed to the city to do some window shopping and stuff before I had to meet up with my friends for the Shinichi Osawa show. When the time came, we parted ways and I contacted my friends after grabbing something to drink from Starbucks (it was SUPER hot this day). They wanted to go do karaoke, and I didn't feel like it, so I called up my friend Ryan who was also going to the show, and met him and his friend at Outback. We shortly left to the British Pub we always go to called, The Hub. We drank about 2 beers, and headed to go look for our friends who should have been finishing karaoke, and we saw them about halfway there and headed to the venue.

Did I mention we didn't know where the venue REALLY was? Luckily Sayaka found a map online with navitime I think, and I took a pic with my cell phone. We got to the place, and everyone else wanted to go eat. My stomach has horrible side effects if I eat when it is hot, so I passed, and Ryan and I went into the club (JMAX).

We were the only people, and first people there, so we stepped in front of the DJ booth and talked to the DJs. One of the DJs was Canadian (DJ Ether!) and he let us take some swigs from his bottle of tequila, good man that he is! When he got off of the decks we talked a bit and exchanged info. This is one of 4 DJs I would exchange info with at jmax, then 2 more later randomly.

Time passed, our friends joined us, and the music began to pick up into more hype music! But the place was still relatively empty. That is what happens when events start at 6PM! Around 9 or 10, the place was packed and it was crazy. Ryan and I stayed in front of the DJ booth all night, unless we went to grab drinks, go to the bathroom, or go see our friends. There was a point when the DJ who was spinning's equipment went silent, and Ryan and I started hyping the crowd up by clapping and chanting in Japanese. Everyone started getting hyper, and I got some great shots of everyone at this time!

When Shinichi came on, the place went mental! His set was so high energy, people looked tired, were covered in sweat, but had huge smiles and bounced and danced all over the place! I shook his hand so many times as he kept seeing I had the biggest smile on my face, so he kept reaching out to shake my hand, or vice versa. He went on for an hour longer than scheduled, which no one cared about. When he eventually ended, we met up top, and HAD to get some water. We met with a few friends we see at other club events and exchanged info for whatever event may come up in the future (2 will be going to Summer Sonic the same day Ryan and I go!).

It was now 2:50AM or so.

We all walked to Sakae with our heads ringing, going over how awesome the whole night had been. We walked to JBs, and it sounded exciting, but they wanted 3000 yen, and we all felt tired, and sleepy! So 4 of us walked to Denny's to eat and sleep, while 2 went into the club. Before leaving I saw and exchanged info with a DJ crew who we saw before Gildas and Masaya, who were REALLY good!

We got to Denny's and like usual, it was filled with people who had been clubbing all night. People dressed for clubbing, who look like zombies, eating at one of few places still open! The plan was to sleep there, but I wanted a bed and announced I would take a taxi to get home. No one complained and actually did the same thing. I hailed a cab for 2 friends and got them on their way home, and Ryan and I shared a cab back, since we live close to each other.

I made it home, and went straight to sleep!

The next day, Sayaka and I went to eat ramen near Chikusa (much better, and cheaper, and COOLER, then the place in kurokawa!), then went bowling! My first game was average, but shortly into the second game, I forgot how to approach the lane! I could not bowl at all! I eventually just started standing at the front and throwing it, no approach at all! I must have been sooo exhausted! After our 3 games, we walked to Shin Sakae Machi to go to Starbucks!

We drank, ate, and talked for a while, then I eventually fell asleep there, since I was so tired. It was only 5 minutes or so (I dunno, how long was it Sayaka?), but when I woke up, I was ready to go! We looked for an Italian food place between Shin Sakae and Sakae, but couldn't find anything with lasagna (she was craving lasagna, I wanted something with a lot of cheese!). Our search led us to a walk to Fushimi station, where we found Pizza Salvatore!

The food here was great! We ordered a lot:

A chicken and spicy salami pizza, with mozzarella and red pepper.
Lasagna
Tomato, onion, and garlic pasta.
Lemoncello
Sambuco (too strong of a taste for me!)
Gelato
Cappuccino

Everything was around 6000 yen and it was a perfect dinner. The place was BEAUTIFUL on the inside and played a lot of nostalgic old r&b and rap music that was big when I was in college. Too funny! Made me miss my mom a bit as they played songs I know she used to like!

After dinner we headed home and I think we played Puzzle Fighter on Xbox360 Arcade, and she beat me. MAYBE I fell asleep shortly after? I don't remember...

Now I am back to the work week, but this weekend, we will go to the beach early in the morning and go body board and swim (I hope no jelly fish this time!), then after that go to an onsen to relax, clean off, and MAYBE eat, then go to Toyota city (where Sayaka and ALL of her friends are from), and dress into our yukata and go enjoy Oiden Matsuri!

The week after that, the Dex Pistols (GREAT JAPANESE DJs, who opened up for Daft Punk last December when they came to Japan!) will be at Club JBs in Sakae, and I will see them after work! The day after that, my school will have a BBQ at Aichi Bokujo!

The week after that, I head to Tokyo to go to Summer Sonic and see Justice, MGMT, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, HADOUKEN!, and Crystal Castles!!! A DAY of great music!

When I head back to Nagoya (not sure when yet) Sayaka and I will celebrate her birthday, and possibly go on a trip somewhere.(if we don't go on August 4th...)

The following weekend I think we have been invited to go to a BBQ on the beach. If it isn't this weekend, it is the next weekend!

I always say I am busy, but here is my schedule, PROOF!

In September, Ryan and I will try to get this big DJ event planned, so keep an eye out if you are in Nagoya, to check it out and hear some great house music!

As usual, please browse the pics HERE!