by the way...

...i have no idea how to change my settings on this blog...so i am still posting on tokyo time...please minus 8 hours until i investigate!!!

liverpool city centre street cuisine!!!

oh no!!!

lacking in attention to detail...

...a very nice latte in a very nice place
(FACT cafe)
...but we laughed at the short spoon!!!

minimal or clutter

i would like to be able to say i am a minimalist...but i am not...as much as i try to de-clutter i always find something new to fill the space!!!

my kitchen in liverpool

back in the uk on sunday...

...the flight on BA was good...but at narita it was so windy that take-off was delayed and we were sitting on the plane for half-an-hour...the captain warned us that take-off and ascent would be bumpy...and it was!!!
on the runway the plane was shaking and veering...and ascent was pretty bad too...it was the worst take-off i have ever experienced...but after about 20 minutes the `unfasten seat-belt` sign came on and i breathed a sigh of relief...but not for long cos we encountered more turbulence and the cabin crew had to stop serving drinks and sit down themselves!!!

but all was well after that and the 11.5 hours passed ok with the help of films, music, comedy and food!!!

london heathrow terminal 5

this terminal is quite new and dedicated to BA...when it opened it had serious teething problems...but now it is quite nice...tho (i am ashamed to say) a little grubby

my plane from tokyo

unfortunately i had to wait 5 hours in heathrow (terrible timing BA!!!) for my plane to manchester...but it was a quite nice space

a japanese restaurant...regrettably i was not hungry...but never mind cos there is a wagamama in liverpool!!!
wagamama is a chain...i like the name...it means selfish

bye bye tokyo!!!

it`s raining in gotanda today...but i think it`s good for the azaleas

school`s out!!!

amazing-looking boys and girls!!!
shimo-shinmei station...oimachi line
thursday

more hello kitty bottles a la gaultier

reflections...

...of ???, i land tower and ???
(help me someone!!!)
in the shinjuku NS building yesterday

this building in tameike-sanno is coming on nicely...

03/feb/2009

just over 2 months later

it is scheduled to be finished in august/2009
and of course it WILL be finished on time...
...like most projects here!!!

it`s a very nice day today and the park next to my flat is full of activity!!!

it`s hard to believe i was like that once upon a time!!!

tokyo twinkle horse race

i don`t like horse-racing at all...but i have to say i like this ad for the tokyo twinkle night racing...the name and image almost make it sound and look romantic!!!
(underpass from shimbashi to shiodome)

hello kitty water in the style of jean paul gaultier perfume bottle

today i met mu-mu...

he was very friendly and so was his owner...mu-mu`s breed is a french one called bichon frise..i had never heard of that before...his owner said mu-mu is 4 years old and 1.5 kilos overweight...he should be 6.5 kilos but is 8!!!

a japanese artist that i like is...

...toko shinoda...my photo does not do her work justice but i hope you can see the balance and space that is so important in the japanese painting style called sumi-e (black ink and brush painting)...i came across this painting in a hotel corridor (the shangri-la) and i have to say it took my breath away...her work always does...i hope she continues to paint for a long long time...now she is 96 years old!!!

tokyo city hall...shinjuku

from below

from below

from the 52nd floor of the park hyatt hotel

a pretty impressive building designed by kenzo tange and opened in 1981...full of civil servants working for the tokyo metropolitan government..and we can go to the top for free!!!

a coffee lounge with a view!!!

28th floor of the conrad hotel in shiodome
not a clear day...but you can still see
hama rikyu park below and tokyo bay

a very nice way to spend friday afternoon

police box...udagawacho...shibuya

you can call this post-modern junk if you want...but as a police box right in the middle of busy shibuya it is quite amusing...the architect edward suzuki is not really well-known here tho everyone knows this box...please note the police officers` bikes...yes they really do ride around on bikes!!!

i love the trains in tokyo...

...they come on time, are clean and the staff bow...quite a novelty for someone from england!!! my favourite line is the yamanote line...it takes about an hour to do all the 29 stations circling inner tokyo...and i live on it between gotanda and osaki stations

getting on and off at osaki station

neat and tidy in gunma

i think someone had been out with the scissors!!

curled tails

this is the classic japanese dog
there are variations on shape, size and colour
but they all have the curled tail!!!
lovely, isn`t it!!!
japanese dog breeds

takedera...a zen temple with bamboo garden...kamakura

this temple has a magnificent bamboo garden for strolling in or gazing at while drinking japanese green tea...see next posting for more!!!

the tea house, rock garden and ...

the tea house is open-fronted
with a superb view of the bamboo garden

the view of the garden from inside the tea house

tea is served!!!
matcha...whisked bitter green tea in a bowl
with 2 small sweets
on a carved tray

the zen rock garden

and even the loo is amazing!!!

zen moment of the day

courtesy of radio inter-fm

whatever you do
wherever you go
go with all your heart

cafe on wheels...kamakura

selling melon bread
a favourite here!!!

today is nice...so i decided to go to kamakura...and so did everyone else!!!

kamakura is the old capital of japan...

and full of history and charm

...it was also full of people today!!!

tokyo crows...

...might not seem like an interesting topic...but i have never seen birds behaving like this!!!
for a start they are big, black, intimidating, huge-beaked, noisy and early-risers!!! they start their cawing very early every morning...presumably communicating where the best rubbish is for feasting

rubbish is a big problem in such a densely-populated consumerist city like tokyo...in fact the bin men (and i have never seen a bin woman) come 3 or 4 times a week!!! the crows are delighted and they have a constant source of food at their disposal...and they are good at removing the specially-designed blue anti-crow nets to get to the scraps...in fact crows are such a big problem that a new plastic bag has been developed for rubbish...it is yellow...apparently more crow-proof...but i doubt it will make the crows go away!!!
personally i quite like them...they can survive on our trash so are pretty clever!!!

it`s all over...

for another year...the petals have fallen, new recruits have started their jobs, new budgets have begun, new sales targets have been announced, entrance ceremonies for schools and universities have been held...and we are left with a pretty pink carpet until the wind or rain arrive!!!

kiosk

noun:

a small open-fronted hut or cubicle from which newspapers, refreshments, tickets, etc are sold

origin:
Turkish

www.askoxford.com

kiosk...yamanote line platform...shinagawa station

this concludes kiosks on yamanote line platforms...only 8 out of the 29 stations had kiosks...what a shame there are so few jewels!!!