umbrella pot.

rainwater makes the plant grow.

oh no.

ugly betty.

shoes.

modern 'jikatabi' ("split-toe canvas shoes with rubber soles that are favored by construction workers")...designed by kyoto-based sou sou (http://sousounetshop.jp/).


via jeansnow.net

people.

the latest pics from japan.

food.

probably my favorite dish. cold udon with eggplant.


delicate and simple "appetizers."


i forget what this dish was, but it was beautiful to look at.


green onion.


sushi rolls ready to be cut and served.



donuts.


this was at a restaurant called honmura-an (there used to be one in nyc). they are known for their soba (a type of noodle) and they make it from scratch every day. the process is a sight to see. painstakingly slow, unbelievable patience, beautiful to witness.


amazing knife, amazing precision.


the result: the freshest, best noodles you'll ever find.

fam.

night.

this is what japan looks like for a local.


this is what japan looks like for a foreigner.

randoms.

appreciate.

while i wasn't able to find any pepsi ice cucumber, or some delicious f-cup cookies, i did manage to buy an array of toys, clothing, snacks and an assortment of oddities. japan, as mentioned in many previous posts, is amazing. every time i come here, i am impressed, intrigued and wide-eyed. the attention to detail. the randomness. the fashion. the simplicity. the elegance. there is so much to take in and so much to appreciate:

the hand towels given at restaurants before you eat. when they are hot, you feel as though your hands are being cleansed of all the dirt and germs you've collected from the day. when they are cold, you feel fantastically refreshed and rejuvenated, both your hands and your face.

the vending machines at virtually every corner offering everything from ice cold bottled water to an assortment of ice coffees, cafe au laits and milk teas to juices and sodas alike. pineapple juice? sure. grape juice? of course. apple? duh. grapefruit? yes. orange? uh-huh. coke? yep. pepsi? check. the point is, in japan, you will never die of thirst.

the welcome greetings you get when you walk into a restaurant or store may go unnoticed by most, but i hear it every time and appreciate it every time. what i appreciate even more are the thank you's you get when you leave. at a store, even if you haven't bought anything, they thank you for coming in. such nice manners.

speaking of manners, there's a general sense of friendliness all around. people are polite, kind and willing to help. i've read on many blogs about experiences with japanese people being cold and unwilling. my experience has always been the opposite. i'm always treated well and with constant smiles.

the transportation, from subways to trains, to buses and taxis, is seemingly flawless. the trains are on time. the taxi's are everywhere. the buses run like clockwork. it is so easy to get around. the array of public transportation allows for endless hours of exploration and fun.

the hidden streets that you stumble upon make tokyo exciting and mysterious. stores you'd never expect to find pop up on the most random streets. so many of the stores that i wanted to visit ended up being on tiny little streets, often hidden, seemingly purposefully to create a sense of mystery and intrigue. 1 week in tokyo is hardly enough if you expect to find the gems sprinkled throughout the sprawling metropolis.

lastly, for now, the fact that there are toilets EVERYWHERE, makes for a pleasant and mind-easing trip. having peace of mind, knowing you are seconds away from an often times state-of-the-art public restroom, is an awesome feeling. can i get an amen?

we fly out tomorrow, ready to get back to the real world and ready for some jet lag. again. pictures to come soon.

sayonara, for now.

it's a scorcher.

i am not down with this heat.

as you can read from the above article, yesterday was the hottest it's ever been. average august temperatures are usually in the high 80's. everyday that we've been here thus far has been between 101 and 105.

humid=sticky=tired=backaches=hungry=queasy=footaches=prolif=thirsty.

yet, despite the weather, we are having a wonderful time. how can you not when you are in such an amazing place.

hot hot heat.

record heat (104 degrees) and 5.3 earthquakes at 4 in the morning. oh my.

underground.

the last thing you might want to do when traveling to tokyo is visit the city's sewer system. but there's something surprisingly elegant, beautiful and science fiction-y about tokyo's underground as illustrated by the pictures below. and yes, if you want to actually take a tour of the world beneath the bustling streets, you can. just be sure to hold your breath.

greetings and more.

greetings from tokyo. a bit sleepy, but feeling okay. starting to get used to the 18 hour travel days (laxairport+airplane+tokyoairport+bus+taxi). considering the heat here (101 and humid), much of the trip may be spent trying to find the nearest air-conditioned shop/restaurant/taxi. looking forward, as always, to taking lots of pictures...

below, a cool dual music player that supports cd and mp3 files. use the mp3 player as you normally would, hang it around your neck, clip it on your jeans or place it in your pocket. otherwise open both sides and insert your favorite cd and you've got yourself a cd player. i don't know many people who still use cd players, but it's still blogworthy because of its design...

plug light.