Wednesday, September 23, 2009

$25 Dirty Martinis and a George Clooney Sighting...



A few weeks ago, I promised you a story about our EXPENSIVE drinks at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Tokyo. The hotel's claim to fame is the movie "Lost in Translation" where Bill Murray and Scarlett Johanssen share a drink.

Highly recommended for the first-class views and the expertly prepared dirty martinis, we made our way through a labyrynth of marble corridors, velvet-lined elevators, and well-dressed patrons to the 52nd floor of the hotel.

The views certainly did not disappoint. We arrived right before sunset and watched as the city slowly turned ashen and then dark as neon emerged in full force.

The prices were outrageous of course, but how often do we get to sit in such a fabulous setting?

Dirty Martini and Apple Ginger and Pear Grey Goose Cocktail ($25 each)

Besides, I spotted George Clooney in the bar. My husband denies vehemently that it was him, but I'm certain. Okay, 75% certain. In any case, celebrities often look underwhelming in real life, though in my opinion, he was STILL handsome despite being shorter, paler, and scrawnier than on film.

We decided to splurge for a snack. We ordered the duck fat crispy fries ($17), which I will always consistently order from now on if I ever see them on a menu. I don't really need to describe them, do I? They were greasy and crispy and salty and perfect. We also ordered a cheese platter ($32), which was tasty, but come on, look at it. There were four small bricks of cheese on the plate. And yes, you read the price correctly.

After imbibing and looking at all the pretty people in the bar, we walked back to our hotel. The sky was swirly and eery and we experienced a sudden mild wind storm, but nonetheless, we were pleased with our swanky high rise nighttime excursion.

7 comments:

aviva5271 said...

i'd bet it WAS George. and i'd so totally pay $25 for martinis...especially at the Lost in Translation bar - but not $32 for 4 dinky slices of cheese. fries? absolutely.

Jason and Amy said...

I believe you Mary...it was George!!! The view looks awesome in your picture. I bet sunset was beautiful. That drink better have tasted better than any other drink on earth at those prices. But, we'll probably go there too...just to see George Clooney though. :)

My Hotel Life said...

Thanks for sharing Mary. No question on the high prices - the duck fat fries is probably worth it, the cocktail is the price for the view, but the cheese plate was beyond comprehension.

mina said...

i love 'maybe' celeb sightings. when alex and i were in tokyo we decided to forego the 'lost in translation experience' - maybe we'll hit it up next time... just for the fries!

mathewvlasak said...

I recently watched Lost in Translation. Was the band Sausalito performing? or at least I think that was the name of the band in the bar. I recently met Tom Skerritt at the "Attic" here in Seattle. I believe the phrase, "celebrities do seem smaller in real life" after meeting him...I think He's now in his late 70's. There is something amazing about a good french fry. My new "favorite" french fry dish introduced to me by my Canadian friends is Poutine, fries smothered in beef gravy and topped with fresh cheese curds...To Die For!

Claire said...

i would likely only pay $25 for a martini if i was in tokyo or some other such exotic location and ONLY if there was a promised potential sighting of George or another acceptable hot celebrity (pitt, damon, will smith, etc). it makes the $25 go down a little sweeter :) jury is still out on the duck fries, although they DO sound entertaining!
thanks for sharing, following you now!

Reese said...

I believe you too Mary about seeing George Clooney.I saw many celebrities while living in Vancouver, London and visiting L.A. They are usually shorter and smaller in stature. The only actor I've seen that looks exactly the same is Minnie Driver, Tom Selleck and Patrick Duffy from the T.V. show Dallas.

The martinis look delicious. Were they worth it? :-)

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin