Halloween in Tokyo

What do Jon Voight, an iPod Nano, popcorn and Tokyo have in common? Yours truly!

Okay, so this wasn't really Halloween in Tokyo, but we did go to a costume contest and brunch in Tokyo on Sunday. Julie called a couple of weeks ago asking if I wanted to go to the Sunday brunch at the New Sanno (military hotel in Tokyo), and said they were having a costume contest for kids too. I haven't been before but she has and raved about it. I didn't have to do much thinking, and when I said sure, she said, "Good, I already made reservations for five."

Keanna wanted to dress up as popcorn for Halloween, so I Googled it and saw a few examples. I took what I found, embellished it and added a few things to come up with her bucket of popcorn costume. Sydney was going to go as a movie ticket, but Keanna's took so much time that I passed on Sydney's and put her in what she wore last year, a poopie suit. Well, us submarine people call them that, but they're commonly known as "coveralls" in the surface community. When Julie and her son asked what Sydney was dressed as she said, "Bob, I'm dressed like Bob!"

When we got up into the lobby of the New Sanno there was a small crowd gathered and some flash bulbs going off. Julie said, "He's famous!" So I looked left and immediately thought, "That's Nicholas Cage's dad from 'National Treasure' and Angelina Jolie's father!'" Sure enough, Jon Voight was standing there taking pictures with people. We were able to walk right up to him, and he immediately picked up Sydney and started swinging her. He was very gracious and asked the girls what their names were. We had maybe 45-60 seconds with him, then headed off to get our tickets for brunch and get the kids checked in for the costume contest. Come to find out he was in Tokyo for a film festival, but it was very nice of him to come by and take pictures with U.S. military service members and their families.

Everything was so delicious and beautifully decorated! Service was excellent and we had a really good time. About 30 minutes after we started eating they announced the contest would be starting in a few minutes. I got the girls dressed and we headed up to the stage waiting for their numbers (50 and 52) to be called. I left Sydney's number at the table, and when I went back to get it apparently a woman came up to Julie and asked in Japanese, "Taberu?" which means "Is it real food?" Julie nodded, and then the woman picked a piece of popcorn off Keanna's costume and ate it! I couldn't believe it when she told me, and couldn't help but wonder if she tasted any of the hot glue I used!

Long story short, and I realize I'm not good at that. There were five judges, and each judge chose a girl and boy winner. Sydney was chosen by the first judge who happens to be a photographer in Tokyo. She won a photo session with him and a $20 gift card to AAFES (the store on Army and Air Force bases). I walked Sydney up to the stage, she walked up, waved, got her envelopes and came back down the stairs. The second judge announced his picks, and the third judge said, "My choice is, and as long as no one has eaten her, the popcorn girl!" Keanna and I walked up to the stage and again she needed help getting up the stairs. I heard something about an iPod as we were walking, but between the clapping and Keanna talking to me I couldn't understand what was said. When she came off the stage she showed me her prize, and sure enough it was an iPod Nano...a green one. And it's a new one, the kind that you can shake to shuffle the songs and turn on its side to rotate the image on screen.

As we were walking out Julie said in a sarcastic and joking tone, "Wow, aren't you glad I invited you along today? You met a celebrity, had a great breakfast and won two out of five prizes." Sure as heck I am! She told me about this party she went to in college...she asked a friend to go, the friend didn't want to but ended up going and winning a trip to Disney World. So if anyone wants to buy lotto tickets I strongly suggest you ask Julie to buy them for you! On a serious note, thank you Julie!!! We had fun and enjoyed your company as usual.

Yesterday Keanna asked me about the green thing she won. I told her what the man on stage gave her is something she trades in to me for a bag of candy. So as far as she's concerned she won some Kit Kats. When I emailed Bob and told him about it he couldn't believe it...then yesterday I got an email from him telling me Keanna promised him the iPod. Hmmm, was he the one that burned his finger on the glue gun making it? Nope, didn't think so!!!