because it meant I got to stay an extra day in the US, and mom and I got to hit up the National Gallery in downtown DC for a day of art appreciation.
this is an awesome, awesome town.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
temple, tower
Akabanebashi has the Tokyo American Club, a Beemer dealer, the Russian Embassy, a couple of shrines/temples and, everywhere you look, Tokyo Tower.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
If you can't sleep, count sheep. Don't count endangered animals, because you will run out.
Mitch Hedberg, possibly the funniest man I have ever seen.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
possessed at the piano
Olga Kern competing at the 11th Van Cliburn International piano competition in 2001.
Amazing.
Amazing.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Last Sunday in Five Senses
Sleet gray sky downpour, later brilliant sunshine. Round, flat, smooth, shiny black stones.
Wind chimes.
Iced tea with licorice and peppermint.
Cedar, sage, sweet grass and sandalwood.
Heated stones resting in my palms and back. Circulation pumping. Expert hands easing out all the pressure lodged in my muscles. Drifting in and out of semi-consciousness, completely relaxed.
This was my Sunday afternoon at Aveda salon in Aoyama, enjoying the gift certificate from miss Ai that I got for Christmas. Highly, highly recommend their hot stone massage, and also having a sister who gets you Aveda gift certificates.
Wind chimes.
Iced tea with licorice and peppermint.
Cedar, sage, sweet grass and sandalwood.
Heated stones resting in my palms and back. Circulation pumping. Expert hands easing out all the pressure lodged in my muscles. Drifting in and out of semi-consciousness, completely relaxed.
This was my Sunday afternoon at Aveda salon in Aoyama, enjoying the gift certificate from miss Ai that I got for Christmas. Highly, highly recommend their hot stone massage, and also having a sister who gets you Aveda gift certificates.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Radiohead Night
Radiohead inspires a lot of passion from their fans. Not surprising since they *rock*.
SuperDeluxe hosted the fifth Radiohead Night, which I mentioned in thorough detail in a previous post. In addition to interviews, live video footage and a short documentary, a five-piece band called OAS played some covers.
WOW. I love Radiohead because their songs are so textured and moody and have amazing beats, and didn't think that a cover band could do them justice. But these dudes were channeling Radiohead. They were right on.
Setlist was Knives Out, Airbag, Paranoid Android, Wolf at the Door, Creep, and a bit from a new song.
Can't wait to see the real thing in concert some day.
SuperDeluxe hosted the fifth Radiohead Night, which I mentioned in thorough detail in a previous post. In addition to interviews, live video footage and a short documentary, a five-piece band called OAS played some covers.
WOW. I love Radiohead because their songs are so textured and moody and have amazing beats, and didn't think that a cover band could do them justice. But these dudes were channeling Radiohead. They were right on.
Setlist was Knives Out, Airbag, Paranoid Android, Wolf at the Door, Creep, and a bit from a new song.
Can't wait to see the real thing in concert some day.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Sunday, February 04, 2007
MetPods
Good chemistry is hard to find. The three Metropolis podpeople have certainly got it; just listen to the weekly Metpod.
The MetPod trio, Jordon, Suzy and Kong, along with guest Ninapod, met for a Higashi Shinjuku yakiniku dinner at Kouei, a longtime Uchida family favorite. Tonchan was where we really wanted to go, for the BEST samgyeopsal with endless sunny lettuce, goma leaves, garlic cloves, kimchi, sliced onions and red pepper to go with it (yes, you will stink afterwards, but you will be stinky and happy), but the line of people waiting out the back door was around 20 people too long, so we headed next door to Kouei. And you can do a lot worse than Kouei.
It was a really fun evening, with lots of smoky grilling and rounds of beer and shochu, and we ended by toasting with a bottle of Makkoli.
The MetPod trio, Jordon, Suzy and Kong, along with guest Ninapod, met for a Higashi Shinjuku yakiniku dinner at Kouei, a longtime Uchida family favorite. Tonchan was where we really wanted to go, for the BEST samgyeopsal with endless sunny lettuce, goma leaves, garlic cloves, kimchi, sliced onions and red pepper to go with it (yes, you will stink afterwards, but you will be stinky and happy), but the line of people waiting out the back door was around 20 people too long, so we headed next door to Kouei. And you can do a lot worse than Kouei.
It was a really fun evening, with lots of smoky grilling and rounds of beer and shochu, and we ended by toasting with a bottle of Makkoli.
walking home
What's the point of making the last train if you are going to fall asleep and miss your stop?
Thank goodness I was only one stop away from home when I came to my senses. Still, I had to backtrack 20 minutes at one am on Sunday morning in the cold.
But it was actually a really nice stroll. It felt good to walk off the makkoli, while cars and trucks zoomed by on the highway, and the wind made crazy patterns on the bay. A couple of midnight joggers passed by. It cleared my head and I slept like a baby!
Thank goodness I was only one stop away from home when I came to my senses. Still, I had to backtrack 20 minutes at one am on Sunday morning in the cold.
But it was actually a really nice stroll. It felt good to walk off the makkoli, while cars and trucks zoomed by on the highway, and the wind made crazy patterns on the bay. A couple of midnight joggers passed by. It cleared my head and I slept like a baby!
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Julian Opie in orange
Julian Opie seems to be pretty popular in Japan. He's had a few shows here, and has a few installments at businesses around town. When I walk by the Dentsu building in Shiodome on my way to a midday Starbucks, I like to look into the lobby at the digitized humans strolling in place. The same figures are more colorful over at Omotesando Hills.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
love in New York
My new favorite site: the "Vows" section of the New York Times.
Of course the NYT is only going to pick unions that are interesting, otherwise people wouldn't read them; with brides and bridegrooms who by themselves would make good profiles. I know not all marriages and the courtships leading up to them are as magical and destined-to-be as these sound. And I would like to see how the marriages actually turn out, after the wedding.
Still. Each story gets to me. I'm surprised how so many of the guys in the profiles are just as sweet and shy and silly about crushes and romance as the woman. And most have gone through failed relationships and disappointing one-sided crushes, and feel like they'll never find the real thing. But then gloriously, they do! And then I get teary and start daydreaming about wedding dresses and china patterns. I'm such a girl.
Of course the NYT is only going to pick unions that are interesting, otherwise people wouldn't read them; with brides and bridegrooms who by themselves would make good profiles. I know not all marriages and the courtships leading up to them are as magical and destined-to-be as these sound. And I would like to see how the marriages actually turn out, after the wedding.
Still. Each story gets to me. I'm surprised how so many of the guys in the profiles are just as sweet and shy and silly about crushes and romance as the woman. And most have gone through failed relationships and disappointing one-sided crushes, and feel like they'll never find the real thing. But then gloriously, they do! And then I get teary and start daydreaming about wedding dresses and china patterns. I'm such a girl.
hall of wood and metal
Within the labyrinth of Roppongi Hills this wood-and-metal hallway led from one of the lower shopping levels to the parking lot.
The planners at Mori Building are certainly good at creating textures in their developments. There's the cobbly sandstone that makes up the main structure of RH; the blue lights that, over the course of a minute, trickles down the side of Mori Tower like a huge timer; digitized Julian Opie pedestrians figurines striding across the facade of Omotesando Hills. And my favorite, that I just discovered yesterday: from one of the upper balconies inside Omotesando Hills, look down at the wide flight of stairs on the ground level and the steps appear to be moving in waves, a trick of the lights. It was mesmerizing.
The planners at Mori Building are certainly good at creating textures in their developments. There's the cobbly sandstone that makes up the main structure of RH; the blue lights that, over the course of a minute, trickles down the side of Mori Tower like a huge timer; digitized Julian Opie pedestrians figurines striding across the facade of Omotesando Hills. And my favorite, that I just discovered yesterday: from one of the upper balconies inside Omotesando Hills, look down at the wide flight of stairs on the ground level and the steps appear to be moving in waves, a trick of the lights. It was mesmerizing.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Saturday, January 06, 2007
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