Getting Ready for Company

Things are buzzing around here as we prepare for our FIRST VISITORS! We are both really excited. This weekend we went out and bought futons for our guests and this evening we cleaned the apartment. Of course, it won't stay clean for three whole days until they arrive - but at least it will take less time to clean on Tuesday. I don't understand how this apartment gets so messy so quickly - I blame the fact that everything is white.

Buying guest futons turned out to be quite an ordeal. We wanted something that would stow easily, but we also wanted something that would be comfortable. Futons can be super comfy - but usually those futons cost an arm and a leg and are super fluffy - thus consuming a large amount of space. Our first plan was to buy a double futon (like the one we have) so two people could sleep on it at once and we would only need a home for one futon. It turns out double futons are hard to find, though, and not as cheap as two single futons. We went back and forth - looked at thicker foam futons as compared to the more standard cotton ones... Finally we went with two bed-in-a-bag basic futons. After all, they will only be used rarely, they seemed to stack okay and they didn't cost TOO much. Plus, they come with the bottom and top futon and a pillow - can't beat that. Of course, storing two futons pretty much take our entire closet - as you can see from the picture - but now we are fully prepared for guests!

So come one, come all (in groups of two or less at a time). We are ready!

In other news, I find we stop in at Starbucks far more often in Japan than we ever did in Oregon. This is not for lack of other coffee shops (we still go weekly to Cafe Kei, for example), it is also not for any particular love of the coffee, but somehow we keep going back. I think this is the result of two things. First, right when we arrived, Starbucks remodeled one of the old victorian houses up on the hill and, well, it feels like home to be drinking coffee in an old, freshly painted, but not totally remodeled victorian home. While seats are a scarcity on weekends, it is one of my favorite hang-outs during off hours. The second Starbucks draw is Jelly Coffee Frappaccino. This is something I know you can't find back in the States, and I am pretty sure it isn't anywhere else outside of Japan either. The drink has three layers: cubes of a jello-like substance made out of espresso, next, coffee, milk, sugar and ice blended and poured over the top of the jelly and finally topped off with whipped cream. Delicious. The picture doesn't do it justice. (It is also minus whipped cream). I'm growing thoroughly addicted to them. Unfortunately, this addiction is only encouraged by the fact that this is a seasonal offering and will disappear some day in the near future. I have to load up now!