Mr Loverman and Shabu (Shabu)

Karen and I shabu-shabued in Shinkuku last night. I do like to dunk fresh meat in boiling water, but last night, not being able to read the menu, we ordered the spiced cauldron and so some of the slightly over-done vegetables were inedibly spicy. Of course, Karen patronisingly nodded as I choked on a fiery green leaf, then got her comeuppance in the form of a cabbage leaf. However, the briefest dunk was more than enough to get the beef cooked and smothering it with the sweet sesame sauce took the edge off the heat. It really is a brilliant way to eat, but incredibly filling. My stomach felt like a medicine ball on the way out.

We strolled around Shinjuku for a little while, but kept finding empty roads and ugly gaijins clinging on to overly pretty girls. The bright lights dazzled us only briefly before we headed back to Omiya for speed-dating at the George (spectating only). Sadly, we must have spent too long ogling the Palace Karaoke (complete with resplendent faux palace on the roof) and the speed-dating had just finished as we arrived.

Still, the night was quite a productive one. Some random Californian with an incredibly cute, but young-looking Japanese friend, took my phone number. It was all rather odd. and not at all dateish. He left the pub, then came back 20 minutes later wearing ear muffs and one glove and then decided to ask for my number. We had barely spoken - I hadn`t even had time to point out that his name is the same as my teddy bear`s (Jeremy), though if he calls it will come up. Karen left after one, but I stayed round. A friend of Cherry Boy`s, Akiko came into the George so I went and said hello.

While I was chatting to Akiko and laughing at her brother`s dancing, Ryu-san strolled in. We had a really nice evening chatting together. More of his mates came in and I was introduced as though they would all know me (I guess the gaijin he was seeing would have been discussed, but most people disguise such things). They were all really, really drunk and did this weird and terrible Japanese `funny` dance from a 20 year-old comedy programme (and eventually made me do it - it is incredible what you can find yourself doing just because it is harder to explain why you shouldn`t). Ryu-san was far more relaxed than I`d seen him before, and not taking himself anywhere near as seriously. So relaxed that he passed out on one of the benches - first being shoved out of his friend`s lap for dribbling. I`ve since emailed him saying it was nice to see him and requesting some assistance with my Japanese (in Japanese, though my spelling is appaling apparently). Hopefully I can rope him into helping me find a laptop. He seems like someone who would be good at that.