

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/100 sec, f/2.5, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
I've been wanting to post this for the last three months, and was finally prompted to do so today. This past spring, Fumie's mom celebrated her kanreki, her sixtieth birthday. It's a big deal in Japanese culture (much more so than, say, 50 or 70), a cultural milestone not quite on the level of wedding, but up there.
義母の還暦のパーチー。
We had a ritzy lunch at Beaux Sejours, the French restaurant at the Grand Prince Hotel Kyoto (which I've always known as the Takaragaike Prince Hotel, so they must have changed their name somewhere along the way).

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 40mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1250 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Nao-chan
Anthony's youngest cousin
Nao-chan was about 9½ months at the time.

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/320 sec, f/2.8, ISO 2000 — map & image data — nearby photos
We asked the waiter to snap a photo with my camera. He had clearly never touched such a big camera before (I had the D700 + vertical grip, with the 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom), but he took a great shot...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 29mm — 1/250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Family Portrait
Fumie's mom is seated and Fumie's dad is behind her to the right. At left are Fumie's brother Shogo and his wife Namiko and their daughter Nao.

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Knowing I would want to post about it, I tried to remember to snap shots of the food, but I think I forgot a course or three...

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1100 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1800 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1800 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/250 sec, f/2.5, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Lashes

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/160 sec, f/2.5, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Cousins

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/160 sec, f/2.5, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/125 sec, f/2.5, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Five Dozen Roses
60 roses on her 60th birthday
present from Shogo and Namiko

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/250 sec, f/2.5, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Hamming it up when asked to hold the roses

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Birthday Card
from Anthony
We don't eat at such ritzy/pricey places often, but did again this evening to celebrate Anthony getting the pins taken out of his broken finger, the last major step to returning to normal. We had the dinner buffet at the Westin Miyako's AquaBlue Cafe. Anthony picked it because he wanted a buffet of some sort, and it turns out that they had a great selection for kids, including all kinds of candies and other junkie stuff that's as delightful for the kid as it is bad for them, but it was a special celebration so we let him pig out.
But frankly, I have never liked the pretentious arrogance that seems to pervade every nuance of hotel restaurants, and this experience reminded me why. The price is advertised as ¥5,000 per person, high by any standard but not as ridiculous as the translated US$63 price sounds, but they sneak in a 10% “service charge” on top of that, and drinks are not included. I paid ¥670 for a Coke-Cola, which after the 10% bonus translates to $9.30. They brought a normal can, just like you'd get from a vending machine for ¥100. $9.30 for one can of Coke. At least it was an “Official Sponsor of the London 2012 Olympics” can. Sigh.
But like I said, the food was good and we all had a good time, and most importantly, the weight of a month's worry about how painful the pin-extraction procedure would be has been lifted.
Love the picture of the roses and Anthony with his cousin. I wonder what is the meaning of the 60th birthday in japanese culture. nice pictures as always!
Griselda
Arlington, TX