JWBP 2008

I just returned from JWBP 2008. Yes, Avid Reader, you may not realize just what JWBP 2008 is, but know the soundtracks will be in stores soon!

I keeeed! I keeeed! I just got back from Whidbey Island and John Weaver's Bachelor Party! Had a great weekend altogether with great guys including John, Jesse Paulson, Matt Weaver, Kirk Barney, Dave Hoadley, and one Mr. Ryan G. Nickols. Small group, but big enough to obliterate the keg of Coors Light we took up with us!

We enjoyed a Guy Weekend altogether, complete with Kubb, Bocce Ball, Screw Your Neighbor and 18 holes at Holmes Harbor Golf Course. Oh, and lots of BBQing and two killer soundtracks -- one for the softer side of our friend JW; one for the side of JW that will kick your @$*!

The wedding is in a mere three weeks -- one that we're all getting excited for. And as of tomorrow, I'm off on another exciting adventure -- this time, two weeks in Sydney, Australia!! I just spent the weekend with some of my favorite blokes on the planet. It was in the high 80's all weekend and so I'm tan. And so I'm happy.

More adventures from APAC to come -- stay tuned!

Objects In Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear

I'm just home from an awesome weekend in San Jose with my friend Charles Newton to see our friend Tim Grieb. Should you not know Tim Grieb, Avid Reader, he's the kind of person I've always considered myself lucky to call my friend.

Tim underwent his second open-heart surgery 5/28 -- this time for a complete aorta replacement. This weekend was a chance to get to see Tim three-weeks out of surgery and just to hang out. The weekend was a 10 altogether!

Charles and I arrived to 100+ degree temperatures Friday night that didn't let up until Sunday morning. In the meantime, however, we enjoyed walks through air-conditioned malls, drives in our air-conditioned convertible (too hot to put the top down!), and states of not moving in front of the television. We also got to go to Tim's brother's final regular season Arena Football game. With the game (which the SaberCats won), we were treated to The Real World: Grieb-style.

With the temperatures dropping to the mid-90s, we took the top down afterall, and ventured to the SaberCats Fan Fest for season ticket holders. We were treated to some awesome BBQ, time with the SaberKittens, and a one-mile therapy walk around the nearby track. In addition, we hijacked Tim's Dad Rich for Guy Night on the town with The Incredible Hulk. Rich nearly got his butt whipped by the Kung-Fu Panda, but the three of us youngins interceded.

Today, the three of us ran errands and hiked a trail nearby Tim's house -- one that he grew up mountain biking. YES! We hiked! It was a short one altogether, but an additional treat along with seeing where he grew up, hearing the echoes of the stories in the Grieb home, and seeing Tim doing SO well altogether!

From recollecting old stories to watching 'Entourage' to talking new music (OK, less me than them, but I was still there afterall!), it was just the weekend needed with my dear friend Tim. I have been following his blog religiously... and emotionally... since its first post.

Life seemed as it should be for the weekend. No, that's a lie. Avid Reader, life seemed precious. And Tim a treasure. As he has been to me since that day I was lucky enough to meet him.

I love you, Tim Grieb.

GONPACHI & ICE BAR

My last night in Tokyo was a SUPER one! First, we enjoyed GONPACHI -- a local favorite turned tourist magnet as the restaurant inspired the Crazy 8s fight scene setting in Kill Bill.

I had wanted to get to this yakitori and "Japanese Dish" restaurant since I've started coming to Tokyo... and it happened! We enjoyed a smorgasbord of Japanese dishes as well as a fount of biru and sake and had a great time altogether. Ryan also had his first opportunity to enjoy foie gras of all things!

After, we made our way to ICE BAR, an ABSOLUT blast of a bar made completely of ice! Given that the temperature in the room is -5 degrees Celsius, we could only be in the bar for 45 minutes, but the parkas kept us warm throughout our adventure!

We tried to hit another bar close to ICE BAR after with June and Mari, but were told it was a 5,000 Yen cover charge for the gents. Avid Reader, they wanted $50 for us to sit in an empty bar. SHIN-GE-LA-DA-NIGH! Of course, we went next door and were welcomed with open arms by The Captain -- ever my faithful friend in spite of country!

So, Tokyo Trip Three concludes as a roaring success. I'm sitting in the airport lounge now, having just heard the boarding announcement for my flight. I will wake up in Seattle, then head to San Jose for the weekend! Good times and more travel adventures to come (though not in APAC in the short term)! Thanks for joining me, Avid Reader! Here's to you:

PRINT CLUB!

Meagan, I did it! PRINT CLUB! Yes, indeed, I can now officially say I braved that which every 12-16 year old Japanese girl -- and boy -- enjoys in Tokyo: PRINT CLUB!

After a long day of work (9-7:30), Ryan, Stephen and I ventured to his hotel in Ebisu where we enjoyed drinks and sushi dinner. After which, Ryan and I cabbed to Shibuya such that he could see the craziest intersection in the world. Sadly, it wasn't as crazy at 11PM as it was that crazy weekend in May. However, it was still crazy -- and better, we were able to hit a few of the open stores, including a number of arcades with PRINT CLUB. Or Jewella, as the one we were in was called!

Of course, after we took the photos, we waited around for 10 minutes for the photos to come out before we realized (and when I say we realized, I asked a non-english speaking teen what to do and we then played charades for every step of the process)that we were supposed to step into a different booth to customize out prints with fun pens and crazy messages!

I'm not going to lie, Avid Reader, I may just be hooked! Ryan and I then found several other Print Club establishments and had to check them out to see what machines they had! Print Club, I love you so much!

All to familiar...

Well hello there, Tokyo!

yes, Avid Reader, as promised, I am back in Japan! And although on a completely different floor and a completely different room, this place is all too familiar! And interestingly, it seems like I've already been here for two weeks and it's merely been two hours! Such is the comfort I feel having unpacked, having donned my tiger-stripe yucata, and having reached out to you via the blog.

Adventures to come!

What's To Come...

Hello Avid Reader!

It's been a while since my last post, I realize. I have had a number of adventures, but none so much in Asia. As such, I haven't thought to post on my APAC blog! That will soon change, however, as I'm off to Tokyo yet again for a week (6/14-20). I am travelling with the legacy aQuantive APAC General Manager as well as one of the Advertising Operations Managers from DRIVE US. I have a couple of fun things planned and look forward to having colleagues in Tokyo with whom to create and share adventures!

All this is to say, "MORE TO COME!". Stay tuned for new blog posts (and maybe that bloody Disneyland Tokyo update that I *still* haven't completed!)!

What's that photo, you ask? It's a shot of scenery from Splash Mountain Tokyo!