This evening's entry opens with two photos: "Tweety Birds", and "Bicycle girl"

http://www.tamegoeswild.com/thedailymumble/uploaded_images/birds001-769572.JPG
http://www.tamegoeswild.com/thedailymumble/uploaded_images/little_bicycle_girl002-706590.jpg
This evening *Twinkle* and I attended the grand house-warming party of my dear friend Stu and his lovely wife Mariko. Wow. What a place. What a location. 17 floors up on the banks of the Ara Kawa (it is the Ara Kawa isn't it?). Incredible views, including Fuji san, the skyscrapers of Shinjuku and the mountains beyond, the fireworks of Disneyland, and Tokyo Tower. Just stunning.

http://www.tamegoeswild.com/thedailymumble/uploaded_images/twinkle_park_001-752735.JPG *Twinkle* in the park

http://www.tamegoeswild.com/thedailymumble/uploaded_images/joseph_park001-769594.JPG An attempt to not pose goes badly wrong.

And what a lovely crowd was there too. There were a few people we knew from the hanami in Shinjuku Gyouen a couple of months back, but a lot of new faces too. Great to get to know folks, although that woman who constantly took the mickey out of my gaijin-Japanese was sailing close to the wind at times, what with it being the 17th floor and all.

http://www.tamegoeswild.com/thedailymumble/uploaded_images/stu_mariko_party_012-700768.JPG Don't look down!

http://www.tamegoeswild.com/thedailymumble/uploaded_images/mariko_friends_001-764675.JPG cheeky girl

The food was absolutely fantastic, really delicious - although with Stu being a chef what else would one expect? My 10-minute chocolate banana cake went down well too, I even had two people ask me for the recipe!

http://www.tamegoeswild.com/thedailymumble/uploaded_images/stu_balcony_002-764693.JPG Stu san on his balcony

And my camera ...oh, I just love it. I took photos today I would never have been able to take with my old Sony T30. That zoom lens is something else. I could clearly make out the volcano at Disneyland, Sunshine City in Ikebukuro, the DoCoMo biru in Shinjuku. And check out the sunsets too - these have not been photoshopped in the slightest.

http://www.tamegoeswild.com/thedailymumble/uploaded_images/tokyo_sunset_003-729888.JPG Sunset over Ikebukuro

http://www.tamegoeswild.com/thedailymumble/uploaded_images/tokyo_sunset_001-729870.JPG Sunset over Kanto

http://www.tamegoeswild.com/thedailymumble/uploaded_images/joseph_swiss_guy002-706563.jpg Me, speaking with a new Swiss aquaintance. Nice chap.

http://www.tamegoeswild.com/thedailymumble/uploaded_images/tokyo_by_night_002-700794.JPG Tokyo Tower shines bright above the skyscrapers

http://www.tamegoeswild.com/thedailymumble/uploaded_images/stu_mariko_dance_004-767513.JPG
Stu and Mariko get jiggy wid it!

Thank you both for a great evening - look forward to seeing you soon on the 17th floor!