So here is where the evening began... at 103rd and 1st Ave. El Barrio (Spanish Harlem) is the area. I made sure we were early so we wouldn't lose our reservations!














My friend Damien was a good sport and came along for this crazy dinner. He was quite pleased with the trashy NASCAR valentine I got him for the occasion!



Here is the table setting. Very festive. We asked to light the candle to get into the spirit, but we didn't know if this would violate a fire code. We did it anyway. On a high note, our waiter said I could keep the bears. How nice. Let's just say I didn't take him up on that.














Hmmmm... what is a girl to order? Not the most expensive thing on the menu! Our waiter was very nice and polite. Next thing you know he'll be movin' on up to a TGI Fridays!















Here comes our food!!! Delicious, delicious Valentine's dinner (all under $20!)
We ordered slyders, chicken rings, onion rings, and cheese fries. oh my!














Here is the show stopper, bloggers. They made us sign waivers so they can post our pictures on the white castle v-day website. All the other people posing in the restaurant were so boring, so we staged a whole scene. The official picture will show up online within two weeks, but we took this one to show you. Damien, down on bended knee, bestowing me with a chicken ring! We had the place laughing and drying their tears.



















For all photos, go to www.flickr.com/photos/kr8z83
I'll let you know when we show up on the official WC website!
But you can check for yourself here: http://www.whitecastle.com/ValentinesDay/photo.aspx?id=372

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

The long awaited pictures are downloaded, but it's too late to post them now. Here's a preview of coming attractions! What lovely decor with the public restrooms behind me.

America needs a new slogan!

Enter the contest here.

The winner gets some Freakonimics stuff! I have already entered my slogan:

"USA: You can't polish a turd."

Good luck all!

So here's the first year in a while I have Valentine's Day plans worth blogging about!

I am going with my old friend Damien for a candlelight dinner at.....WHITE CASTLE! (the one in Spanish Harlem to be exact)

Click on the link for the page that will let you make reservations at the nearest "cassuws" near you. I really can't wait and will definitely take a lot of pictures. I've seen people blog about the V-day dinner at White Castle, complete with table side service, candles, menus, and a flowers. I can think of no better way to celebrate V-day than clogging my arteries with a sack of ten.

Big "Build a Bear" Brother?

Here's a funny article making its way around the internet pointing out that Build-a-Bear is essentially "harvesting" personal information from small children with parent's not giving it a second thought.

In Build a Bear's defense, I understand the value of demographic information and direct mail database building, but I find this backlash against the company just funny. The company's privacy policy is a bit creepy when you read it, so I urge anyone who has filled out these bogus birth certificates to contact BAB and get your information taken off their records.

Happy Birthday!

"To whom?" you may ask. Well, my blog of course! Well, technically it turns four years old on the 5th, but I could not believe how long it's been running. 4 years of international travel, moving from city to city, various jobs, etc.

Happy Birthday, blog!

Here is the Shibuya Cross- Nothing in comparison to how packed it can be on the weekends. Complete bedlam on the surface, but really very orderly throughout. If this was New York, there'd be stabbings and gun fire every time the walk signal appeared.

Here is the sushi chef making sushi in a flash at the place in Shibuya.



Here's my plane coming in. It's coming straight at me! I have no idea how to turn it clockwise, but you get the idea.

Here is me eating the crispy duck. Chopsticks backwards when taking from a common plate. I hadn't eaten with a fork for 7 days! I hope to post some youtube videos soon. Jet lag kicking in...

Here is the way awesome sushi place Mattias and I went to in Shibuya (shi - BOO- YA!) I found it quite necessary to give the peace sign in every single picture possible.















We stopped into an arcade of sorts. Anyone want to win a tub of dried squid?
My last night we ordered dim sum and crispy duck. Woo!

I am back and suffering from some serious jetlag. By now I have my second wind, so I can't go to sleep. I'll upload some pics in the mean time.

Here's the hotel. It was really small, but really all I needed.















Here's the robe that comes with the room. Boy do I look jet lagged.



















Now that I look at my pics, I didn't take that many. I found I loved the fake food displays found outside of many restaurants. Even though it is clearly plastic, looks good to me!

Here's a funny clip from the movie "Lost in Translation," the only movie I could think about while in Japan.

This scene is very reminiscent of how I felt in the presentation working with translators and upon looking it up on youtube, made me laugh into hysterics. I have to admit that this experience gives me the utmost respect for translators as they have to be just as on the ball as I was but then maintaining the gist of the message to boot! But Bill Murray is genius in this clip with his mannerism and face when listening to the translations given to him. enjoy!

Phew. So I finally got some free time to post! We've done a lot of work since I got here and tomorrow is the big presentation to the President of TopValu on Green and Sustainability. Tonight I seriously needed comfort food so we went for burgers and fries. It was actually pretty good. We had proper sushi for lunch today, though I would say it was pretty average. On the whole, the food has been great, but I think I can find something really comparable in NY, truly a testament to NYC.

After the presentation tomorrow, we are spending all day Thursday in Tokyo seeing the sights and getting some presents. I have my heart set on buying an affordable kimono though I think it will have to be made of polyester.

I have gotten good enough to go into shops by myself and purchase items without being afraid of a complete language breakdown. Tomorrow when I present, I will have two real time translators and the meeting is for 3 hours so I think we will all collapse afterwards. They are really treating me well and I hope I don't get too used to it. I am sure things will go fine tomorrow!

Here is a pic of me in Tokyo, Ginza to be exact. I can't wait to take more pics! Home will be nice, but I can't say I miss the cockroaches!

I made it to Japan safe and sound! (though I almost lost it on the plane it was such a long ride).

Tonight I am going into Tokyo to Ginza to do some shopping and get some dinner with a coworker.

So Japan is way cool except when I hit a bidet button on my super techy hotel toilet and water started spraying everywhere. I worked until 6 on this saturday- these people are slave drivers.

Will write more soon as I have no internet access in my hotel and am sneaking this in. Jet lag has definitely set in at this point. I can't wait to go to bed tonight. We are getting a "late" start for work on Sunday- we'll start at 10. ICK! I've sold my soul to these people to come here!

But all in all it's fun. I seem to blend in well and people just expect me to speak Japanese. They must think I'm slow cause I just smile and nod. My Swedish coworker does all the translating, as he is fluent in Japanese so we just confuse the heck out of people.

I got a new digital camera yesterday for my big trip to Japan. Thanks mom for the Christmas present!

So it's been a while I know, but without a digital camera there has been little to report....until NOW!

Kim is going to JAPAN!!!!

I am going out to present my presentation on Sustainable products and help them reduce the carbon footprint of their products. Should be cool! Specifically, I'll be in Tokyo and I can't wait. In fact, I think I should go out and buy a digital camera just in time for my trip. Coolest trip ever! Stand by for more.

Funny clip about Mr. Met going through hard times!

Now the cool parts:

Here is the bridal party coming into the chapel. I love the beefeater coordinating the whole procession:



Here is the Bridal party coming into the Reception hall by bagpipe:



Dawn and Mark stop for a glass of champagne.

My last day in Scotland was walking around Glasgow. Such a clean city! This is George's Sq.

Staurt and me in the People's Palace museum in Glasgow.

This was taken in Inverary, I was way to happy to be there.

Look at that background! We just stopped the car and took this random pic.

This is what I call my "manifest destiny" pic taken on the boat ride around Loch Lomond.

Here's another great pic of boats on Loch Lomond, the place where Stuart's mom lives. We stayed in her house. Such a good hostess!

This is quite possibly my favorite picture as I stare into nothing and I'm so far away from civilization!

Then we climbed up to Dumbarton castle. So many stairs but it was well worth it for the view!

After my driving lesson, we walked on the beach near Ayrshire, the birthplace of the poet Robert Burns.

And then he let me really drive!! (Safely in a parking lot of course, far away from small Scottish children)

It was a fun Mini Cooper, and I got to pretend like I was driving sitting on the left side of the car.

So Monday night I took the sleeper train to Glasgow Central. I absolutely loved this train with my little bed. You all would probably hate it cause it was so enclosed, but I slept like a log and arrived in Scotland at 7:17 am where my friend Stuart was waiting for me with our getaway car!

Tourists look on as the wedding procession goes on. They think it's a royal wedding!

A raven joins us on the grass as we wait to get escorted into the reception hall.

Even though James hates this picture, my hair looks great and we are waiting for food!

Here's the back of my hair! Look at that hair accessory!

Dawn and Mark pose for pics after the ceremony.

Beefeaters stand at the front of the wedding with their pikes.


Beefeaters line up to escort in the bride.

Hello! I made it to London safe and sound and the wedding yesterday was the coolest ever! Here are some pics to tide you over before i get home. There were so many silly english hats that I fit right in!

Also, the 7-Eleven on 42nd street transformed itself into a Kwik E Mart as a marketing campaign for the Simpsons Movie. Chad and I went, took pics, and bought Squichees, and Buzz COLA!

Hi All! Finally some pics of my studio apartment. These are a bit old, and things have been scrubbed down. So be on the look out for the after pictures!

Good news everyone! I am in my studio apartment and have cleaned until bleach sweat from my pores. I am slowly getting used to my non luxury apartment, but it is mine all mine and I have to slowly start buying stuff for it like curtains, and more cleaning supplies. It's not very glamorous, but it will feel like home in no time. I never cleaned so much in my life! First thing I needed was a shower curtain, next will be curtains! Good thing my windows look onto a brick wall.

Pics to come soon!