A foundation of meaningful pleasure is contrast. I mean if you drink Champagne all the time, it becomes mundane. In the last two days I have had meaningful eating.

Arisa’s birthday – we go to a tiny restaurant that has seven seats. The owner does the cooking, the serving the chat, the drinks and I imagine the washing up. Wonderful man. It is a set meal and crikey it is so Japanese and so good!

We have the best time. A guy sitting close to us understands that it is a birthday party and buys us high quality Shochu. “I am a Shochu sommelier!” he proclaims. The set meal is 2500 yen or, as friend Greta points out, the price of a sandwich in Geneva.

The next night Ichiro san, Tomomi san and I get together for the first time since the wedding of the century. https://thequietripple.com/2023/07/07/fairytale/

About seven years ago I meet a young couple hanging around the OIST entrance. Evan is American, Maki is Japanese and she is finishing her degree in Marine Science at the University of the Ryukyus. I encourage her to apply for a doctorate position at OIST.

Maki got her doctorate earlier this year – yay! She has also had a child – yay! Evan studied the art of charcuterie and has won several prizes for his produce. They opened The Bacon Bar Japan, which has become one of the most successful restaurants in Okinawa. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bacon+Bar+Japan/@26.387351,127.8256247,17z/data=!3m2!4b1!5s0x34e50fca3b2f8629:0x1e4af3f159917673!4m6!3m5!1s0x34e50f04ba150bc9:0xdbfbc6e1d957e09b!8m2!3d26.3873462!4d127.8281996!16s%2Fg%2F11h5k_xv1v?entry=ttu

I am so pleased for them.

It is an excellent restaurant, go there!

Two great nights out – so different but both so much fun.