Geneva and Japanese Dinner (1/30/1982)

Saturday, January 30, 1982

Met Jan & Kirby at their car at 8:30 and was given the front seat. We were disappointed in the rainy weather, but it was a great view from the front seat! Stopped at the bank and gas station before heading around Lake Biel towards Geneva. Passed the vineyards where the vines were being pruned back. It stopped raining past Neuchâtel, and when we reached Lac Léman, we could see bits of blue sky. We entered Geneva on Rue Lausanne where one of our Japanese restaurant choices was located. We found the Kyoto Restaurant, but it was closed. Jan asked at a nearby gas station, and apparently they have closed permanently. When we passed the train station we heard a public address system announce “Mimosa Day,” and a flower painted yellow car went by announcing the same thing. We drove to the pedestrian shopping district and found a parking space around the block from Rue de Chantepoulet where another of the restaurants was located at No. 6. The Azma was closed for lunch, but would be open for dinner. Another restaurant was located around the corner at Rue Berne No. 1, but it turned out to be the same restaurant! Back at the car, we drove across the Mont Blanc bridge to the commercial district to get a metered parking spot. These meters are timed, and they also measure how long you stay past your paid time! We perused English books at the bookstore on Rue de Rive, then stopped at a kitchenware shop and a stationery store. Long explanations were needed to find graph paper. Jan used her French to help an Englishman get plain brown wrapping paper. After putting more money in the meter, we explored Rue du Rhône, with all its boutiques of furniture and tableware. We had lunch at a crowded McDonald’s where we had to “reserve” seats by leaving our jackets at a table that just emptied. I had my usual Big Mac, fries and a chocolate shake. Jan and Kirby shared a Big Mac, two fish sandwiches, fries, a chocolate shake, a Coke and a Sprite, followed by a coffee and hot chocolate!

We put more money in the meter and went window shopping. We kept hearing and seeing the public-address cars announcing “Mimosa Day!” We started seeing people selling or wearing little bunches of pink Mimosa flowers, in their lapels, in their hair, or just carrying them. Jan asked a vendor what this was all about, and learned they were raising money to sponsor the French inner city children who come to Switzerland for a summer holiday. We went into Grand Passage, a large department store, where men with portable public address systems announced sales or demonstrated products like frying pans or French fry slicers. In the food section, they were giving samples, including a watery cheese that tasted like cream cheese. They had many imported foods for sale, and many fruits we could not identify at the fruit stand. We found a Baskin-Robbins counter where I had a scoop of Rocky Road. The last bite held the only nut. Outside we listened to an organ grinder being “grinded” by a kid. People-watching was interesting with one of the more outstanding weirdos being seen in McDonald’s who talked to everyone in line to order and whooped at the cooks. Many Asians.

We stopped in a shoe museum, with shoes from mostly the 1920s and 30s. Button-up boots, spiraled heels, fish-shaped, flowered, etc. Then the Weber toy store, before going to put more money in the meter! Kirby and I jaywalked, or jay-ran across a square to the lakeside, while Jan legally walked around three sides of the square to reach the same bench to sit and people-watch. A black man’s first time on roller skates, men wearing wigs, women in high heels with pronated ankles. Jan pointed out the landmarks.

We returned to the car and this time drove off to find a gallery offering a Picasso exhibit. We patiently waited for a fellow to pull out of his parking place, when a woman cut right in front of Kirby trying to claim the spot. She would not back down, but Kirby stuck it out and she finally backed away. We were near the Reformation Monument and had to walk uphill to the old town. We walked up Grand Rue, past all the boutiques and antique shops. Peeked into the tiny Greenwich Village type galleries. We found the Galerie Arta which was on the first (i.e., second floor). To get there we had to walk from the street through old wooden doors into a simple modern foyer. Out into a tiny courtyard and up some steps. The door to the Galerie was wider than usual, and hinged both at the width of a regular door and the wider one. But this door wasn’t opening at all, even though the indicated hours said it should. We continued up Grand Rue and Kirby saw a Chagall inside another gallery. There were also a lot of paintings by a Jacques Deperthes. I really liked his spidery, million-branched trees, but other items in his pictures almost had a childish perspective. Jan asked the price of the Chagall: 1800 CHF/$900 or 1600 CHF/$800 without the frame. The man explained that this was a serigraph, where Chagall made the original stencils in 1959, and in 1979 he made an agreement to have the stencils used to make 700 limited prints. This print was Les Amoureux de la Tour Eiffel/Lovers of the Eiffel Tower. The shop clerk showed us other Marc Chagall items including a portrait done by another artist over a sketch done by Chagall, with a mirror image of his signature. She also showed us an unframed serigraph of the Lovers that seemed somehow brighter and with cleaner lines. She said that the artworks would soon double in price, since Chagall is in his 90s and when he passes his paintings will become more valuable. (NB. Marc Chagall died in 1985.)

We went to the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire/Art and History Museum and even though it was to close soon, we went ahead and entered through the heavy wrought-iron doors. I went to an exhibit of young peoples’ photographs with some strange but interesting items. Soon we were ushered out. We returned to the gallery with the Chagall, and learned that the signature was serigraphed as well. Continued back along Grand Rue, detoured to the L'ancien arsenal/Old Arsenal to see the mosaics guarded by cannons. We saw an unusual sunset with bright colors through bulky grey clouds.

We returned to the car and drove back across the Mont Blanc bridge to be closer to the restaurant. We thought about going to see the movie “Ragtime,” but it was being shown in French. We were the first customers at the Azma Restaurant, and were given our choice of table by the window. While Kirby sipped his Kirin beer (Jan and I had water), and we looked at the menu, an Asian couple came in, ate, and left! We started with gyoza/pan fried dumplings dipped in a ginger sauce. They were so good we ordered a second helping so that we had four each! Next yakitori/skewered grilled chicken with soy sauce (a couple pieces each). Sashimi/thin slices of raw meat or fish (we asked for tuna and had to pay a surcharge) to be dipped in a mustard sauce. Dark red with a delicate taste; no Charlie tuna here! Again a couple slices each. The entrees came with a coffee cup size bowl of rice. We shared a grilled salmon which was the size of a deck of cards and we had a couple dainty bites each, along with slices of pickled ginger. We each received two finger-sized strips of chicken teriyaki, and then we shared a tempura plate. There we got a giant shrimp, a bite of eggplant, a bite of red pepper, and a bite of white fish tempura. Other Asian groups came and went. We were left with the waiters waiting on us, so to speak. We decided to eat dessert elsewhere and got the bill for 98.80 CHF/$50. An expensive meal for about 20 bites and rice and drinks! Since I had never had raw fish, I was glad for the experience and it wasn’t bad at all; in fact, quite good!

Japanese restaurant l'addition/bill

Kirby has been to Japan and so is familiar with the Japanese dishes. Now I am jealous of him!
We went to a Mövenpick Restaurant, sort of the Howard Johnson’s of Switzerland, known for their ice cream. You had to order a meal if you sat at a table, and the counter-service tables were all filled. Waited 30 minutes for a spot and then learned you had to go to the cashier to order and pay, and then go pick up your order at the window. So Kirby went to get his Swiss Chocolate Doodle (three scoops of chocolate ice cream, meringue, a cookie, and whipped cream), and we all had Café HAG/decaffeinated coffee. We started for home at 20:30. Kirby drove to Geneva in just under 2 hours, and Jan made good time on the way back. A really nice day, because of the company!