perfect day for BBQ

祝日だけど午前中ちょろっと仕事してその後うちから近所に住む知り合いの庭で今年初のBBQ。

なんて素晴らしい庭だったことか。

ちゃりんこをこいで暑い中訪ねたかいあり。

大きな犬にべろべろなめられ

ワインを飲んで三歳児と消防士ごっこして遊びまくり自家製アイスクリーム（いちごとブルーベリーとダークチョコチップが一緒にはいっていた！）をいただき。

大好きな友達にここへ連れて来てもらってうんと幸せな午後でした。

帰り際、三歳児のぼっちゃんに

じゃあな、おばちゃんは帰るよ。と言うと

なんで帰るの。。。と半べそになられ

男の人の常套手段はこんなに早くからしっかり遺伝子に刻まれています！

と心のなかで大笑い。かわいすぎるわ。

またおばちゃんと遊んでおくれ。おちびちゃん。

I went to work in the morning and joined the BBQ at a friend's house in my neighborhood.

What a marvelous backyard they have!

I rode my bike in this heat to shake off some calories before BBQ but it was worth it.

I was playing with a girl golden retriever and 3 year-old boy whole time.

The best part was homemade Icecream(strawberry and blueberry and chocolate chip!)

Such a great time to share with my bestie. 

By the way, when I was leaving the house and told so to the little baby, he got teary all of sudden, which was super cute. That is a bit sneaky.  

I guess boys do that since they are little and until they grow up ha?

Cute.

past 12? Me, Tommy Hartman (percussion), Shogo Samata (Keys, Arrangement)

I can't remember when I had a solid dayoff.
I am not complaining. I am just stating a fact.
I guess we have to make some effort to relax. So I did.
I was very happy to catch up with my soul sister after work today. There is nothing compared to wise girlfriends. Seriously.

Anyway, we had a tracking for the band for this recording project.
Boys did a fabulous job! And many thanks to Hiro and Kumi for the hardwrork. Recording for Vocal part will be in a few weeks...Hmm.

最近、丸一日やすみって日がないです。
文句ないけど。事実を言ってみたまでだけど。
こうなってくると、無理矢理にでも休むって決めないとなかなかのんびりできないね。いっつもせかせかしてしまって。
そんなわけで今日は仕事のあと久々に大好きな女友達にあって来た。
この賢く強くうんと可愛い女友達が、さっと気持を軽くしてくれる時間って、ほんとにかけがえのないものだと思う。

先週はレコーディング。バンドの皆さんの部分はだいたい終わり、アレンジをしたあとはボーカルのトラッキング。私の出番はもうちょっと先ね。くみちゃん、ひろさん本当にありがとう。
トミー君、さまたさんもお疲れ様。
うんと、忙しくても自分の愛する事をやり続けられる幸せよ。
ありがたや。

Thanks．And recording, here I come

From the window of Cocoa Bar in April

Many thanks for coming out today's gig at Cocoa Bar.
I was really happy to see new and old faces in the audience today.
My friend Kumi, who is gonna help us tracking at the Strike Studio came by.
I have known here since I was in 2 year-college 8 years ago. This will be first time for us to work together for my own project.
We have grown up, haven't we?
I am also grateful to have Tommy Hartman on percussion.
Dreamy Tommy is like my foodie brother. I think we talk about foods more than about music. He is dreamy but just killing when he sits on his cajon. I think we will have good time next week.


So my show with Shogo in NY is all done. It has been fun 6 months since last December.
He has been my mentor.  It is probably what it was.
We mostly talk about silly things that 12 year old boys would talk. He probably never realized I am a female. Ha.
I have been here in NY for 8 years. People come and go.
I have been jokingly telling this friend not to leave but hell no. I just have to wish him well now.
When I know so well that other people can't tell you what to do when you really know what you wanna do,what am I supposed to do?
Good luck, Mr. S!  Let us rock in studio next week.
By the way, for people in Japan. You will get to hear us live and hopefully on recording when I go home in August, I think. So please stay tuned.

Many thanks and love,
Yuki

ココアバーでのギグが無事終了しました。
むか〜し来てくれたお客さんや、最近であった色々な顔がみれて嬉しかった。お店もいっぱいになって安心しました。来週レコーディングを手伝ってくれるくみちゃんも来てビデオに撮って予習を真面目にしてたし。
八年前に二年制大に行ってたときの友達で、今回初めて自分のプロジェクトで一緒に仕事する。
まあ私たちって大人になったのね！って感じ。
カホンのトミー君も、素晴らしいし。食べるの好きでちょっと天然だけど。演奏はぱりっと決めてくれます！来週のレコーディングも楽しくやれるといいな。ぴしり。

そんなわけでさまた君を交えてのNYでのギグは全部おしまい。
昨年、俺はもうすぐ帰るとの事を聞いて、じゃあ最後に一緒にやってくださいます？とお誘いして昨年末の冬からの半年間、いや〜楽しかった。
メンターを持つというのはこう言う感じなんじゃなかろうか。
普段はひどい下品な話をしてる二人ですが。きっとあたくし男だと間違われてるんだと思いますよ。
八年もこういう人間の入れ替わりの激しい街に住んでると、本当に色んな出会いと別れがあって。
人擦れというか別れずれしてくる。
逆に遠くても好きな友達にはまめに連絡しようと心がけるようになるんだなあ。文明のおかげで簡単だしね。
彼にはかえんなよ〜っと冗談で言ってましたが、たとえどんなに近しくても他の人が腹から決めたことで覆せるものなんかほんとはないと思うんだなあ。覆せたとしても一瞬だと思うよ。皆ほんとに自分のしたいことをするのが最後は幸せだと思うし。
日本でのご活躍お祈りしておりますよ〜さまた！
（これをこっそり読んでいることはばれている。来週もスタジオでしっかりがんばりましょう。）
日本の皆さん、ちなみに夏にはそんなさまた氏とのライブそして来週レコーディングしたものを皆さんの前におだし出来るはず、です。まだ、はずですが。
そのへんはまたお知らせします。
ではではまた。

ラブ
ゆき

Upcoming gigs for May/June, recording. etc

Hello Hello.

I have been very busy. Quite a bit tired.

Hope all is well with you readers.

I just wanted to announce last minute gig for this weekend.

The pianist/composer/arranger I have been working for this past month is leaving NY for good.

So this is gonna be our last gig in NY. 

I know I will see him in Japan in summer but for those who haven't see us playing together, it is going to be last chance.

I have a lot of inspiration from him and it has been very fruitful time for me.

Also, the percussionist Tommy Hartman is just brilliant.

Hope you get to see us this weekend:)

I am also singing as a part of Make Music New York in June. 

My performance will take place at Fort Tryon Park, which also has The Cloisters and is absolutely one of my favorite parks in NY!.

They will place an upright outside. How cool is that!

I will write the reminder for it but I am posting that info as well here.

So many things are up.

I am recording a few songs the next week.

And Mondays is now something to look forward to for a very particular reason.

That is what I have been up to.

 I will write again soon.

Ciao.

May 14th  Sat 4PM 

Yuki an Cuties

@Cocoa Bar

21 Clinton Street 

New York, NY 10002 

No Cover 

All ages

www.cocoabarnyc.com

Take F,J,Z to Essex St.

 or D to Grand Street

Yuki Ishiwata-vocal

Shogo Samata-keyboard

Tommy Hartmann-Cajon

-------------------

June 21st Tue  2-4PM 

Make Music NY

@Fort Tryon Park

Riverside Dr and Dyckman St, Manhattan, NY

Open to public, all ages

Take the A to 190st or Dyckman St 

http://makemusicny.org

By the way,  I think I now have more than 100 pictures of Prospect park. I love you more each day, P.P!