Last night, I thought I was losing my mind. Literally, I thought, “it’s official. I have gone crazy!” I have an active imagination, but this was something else.
It was my “baby” brother’s birthday. His choice for dinner was Katsuya in Brentwood. I was already exhausted from a full day of work and stress and to be honest, had not had a very healthy eating day. In fact, with exception to half an apple and a handful of nuts, this was my first meal of the day.
After a delicious dinner — Creamy Popcorn Shrimp, Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice, Albacore Sashimi with Crispy Onions, Baked Crab Handrolls, and more traditional sushi and sashimi, all of which were superb — I went to use the ladies room. I washed my hands, looked up at the mirror, and BOOM! There was a geisha in the mirror looking me straight in the eyes.
Needless to say I was startled. But as I looked more closely, she was gone. My heart pounding, I looked around. What the… No one around, just me in the dark-lit bathroom, surrounded by mirrors. I honestly began to panic and thought, “it’s a trick, it’s almost Halloween, maybe I’m on camera and this is some kind of joke.”
I go back to the sink, repeat what I had just done, as if to “trigger” the woman in the mirror to reappear, but to no avail. She was gone. I look around for hidden cameras, waiting for Ashton Kutcher to pop out of a corner and say I was Punk’d. No such luck. Feeling literally INSANE, I go back to the table.
Not wanting to upset the birthday festivities with my potential need to be checked into an asylum or worse, take attention away from my brother, I whisper to my mom and tell her to please go to the ladies room and look at the mirrors, explaining to her that I just saw a Geisha in the mirror looking back at me and I think I might be losing my mind. She obliges.
My mom returns to the table a few minutes later, shaking her head. “Nope, sorry honey. You’re losing it.” Birthday molten lava cake and profiteroles later, with still no appearance from Ashton, I decide that A) I must get better about my sleeping and eating habits, and B) I need to get my vision checked.
Today, still perplexed over what happened, I decided to Google it. Thank you, dear Google! I am NOT in fact crazy! Turns out Brentwood is not the only location with holograms in the mirror. Glendale and LA Live have them too. It’s not a Halloween prank but an ongoing “cool” feature to intrigue guests. I just happen to have never heard of or witnessed it before. Some called the mirrors “scary as hell.” Others attempted to take photos of it to prove, like me, that they were not hallucinating.
So, there you have it. I got my Halloween freak on a little early this year. Well done, Katsuya. You got me! And I’ll be back for more…
About Katsuya
Featuring the dynamic pairing of Master Sushi Chef Katsuya Uechi and design impresario Philippe Starck, Katsuya by Starck is truly a feast for the senses. With specialty cocktails, unique rolls and spectacular sushi and sashimi platters, Chef Uechi skillfully translates Japanese flavors to the American palate. Signature dishes include Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna, Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño and Miso-Marinated Black Cod. With superb talent and exacting precision, Katsuya by Starck is changing the face of Japanese cuisine.
**This story also ran on Pacific-Punch.com here.**
Tags: brentwood, design, halloween, katsuya, Pacific Punch, restaurants, sushi
Posted in Food & Wine, Pacific Punch |
my daughter, cousin and I decided to eat at Katsuya in Glendale this afternoon. We went to the bathroom and the bathroom was dark which was odd. My cousin and I decided to take pictures for the fun of it. Later that evening I looked at my picture and I got spooked because there it was a picture of a geisha in my camera. i called my cousin up and asked if she had seen a picture in the bathroom. She said no! so i sent her the picture and she was speechless… both she and i were scared to death!! my daughter decided to google the restaurant and there it was a report about the hologram in the bathroom!! omg!!i’ve never been this scared in my life!! i told her that i was going to erase it because i didn’t want any spirit haunting me… she said “no so we have a proof to show the restaurant that something is going on in their restaurant”. I’m glad i wasn’t losing my mind!! it was just a spooked!!…