[Ponte Alto] April 17th 'Flower Viewing': 5pm (Directions Below)

[Ii Saburou]

Thank you to everyone who replied and plans to come to our house this 
Saturday, April 17th, for our 'flower viewing'.  We will make sure to have 
go boards and flowers for ikebana ready.  I'm afraid we will be having 
something of a Sen no Rikyu flower viewing*, due to the late date, but I 
still welcome anyone who would want to come!

We are busy preparing the food for that evening: please let us know if you 
have any allergies ahead of time!

It was often the case that people would bring their own chopsticks to eat 
with, and we encourage this, although we have plenty of them to go around, 
also.  Due to the nature of Japanese food (many small, individual dishes) 
we are asking that anyone who can bring about 5 small bowls, fit for 
various sauces and side dishes.  We will prepare them in the kitchen to be 
brought out.

Japanese clothing is recommended: we have some available, but please let 
us know if you need it ahead of time!

Sake and plum wine is accepted for later in the evening, of course.  Crash 
space can be made available.

Directions to our house are as follows:

Take Rt. 28 to Bradenton Rd.  If you are coming from Rt. 29/I-66, take Rt. 
28 south past the light for Green Trails/Old Mill Rd., and Bradenton is 
the next left.  If you are coming from Manassas, in the south, it is the 
first right after the light for Compton Rd.

Bradenton ends in a T.  Turn left onto Compton Village Rd.  Follow this 
past the community center and turn right onto Compton Village Ct.  Follow 
this to the end and turn right onto Ridge Water Ct.  Follow this to the 
end and look for the yellow-green banner with a fox at 6899 Ridge Water 
Ct.  There are Visitor spots marked, or you can park in the spaces marked 
'73'.  There is an ASCII map of the street with Visitor spots marked 
below.

Our phone number is 703-815-0310.  Food will probably begin around 6pm~7pm 
and we will go as long as people wish.

-Ii

*Toyotomi Hideyoshi, late 16th century ruler of Japan, once heard that the 
morning glories in Sen no Rikyu's gardens had bloomed and were at their 
peak.  So impressed was he by the descriptions, he immediately scheduled 
tea with the master in Rikyu's garden.  When he arrived, he saw that all 
of the plants were bare--nothing but green leaves.  He was incensed by the 
lies he had heard, and was filled with anger as he stooped to enter the 
tea house.

And as he crossed over the threshold he looked in the tokonoma and saw a 
plain pot in which stood a single morning glory, and he understood.

PARKING:
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