Pippi's Prize

This afternoon I was walking with my mom and Pippi, our yellow labrador. Pippi is quite obsessed with playing fetch. So much so that we can't even say word ball around the house without attracting her attention. Her ears perk up and she goes looking for one of her numerous tennis balls. Instead of voicing the word, we often resort to spelling it out so as not to get Pippi excited for nothing. This afternoon, we were walking past some bush on the edge of the park when Pippi stopped, sniffed for a few seconds, and scrambled as quickly as she could under the fence. She was hunting around in there for a little bit before popping out triumphantly, a ball clutched tightly in her jaws. This dog can smell a ball from practically a mile away. She carried her prize all the way home and we were hard pressed to get it away from her to wash the mud off of it.

In the photo above, Pippi seems to be thinking, maybe if I stare at it for long enough, it'll move...

SENSEWARE Exposed

On Friday, I went to an exhibit at 21_21 Design Site, a small museum on the grassy area behind Midtown. The exhibit was called SENSEWARE and was a relatively small array of new textile designs that utilize nanotechnology. Unfortunately, I could not take any photos within the museum, but I can still describe to you some of my favorite displays. One of the materials in the exhibit was concrete imbedded with optic fibers. If light was shone on one side of the wall, it was visible on the other side. A dot pattern of light appeared on the wall where the fibers ended and the shadows of people walking on the other side could be seen. The wall practically appeared to be translucent. It was awe-inspiring. Another material I found interesting was made of a type of plastic that came from plant residue. Because of this, grass could be grown on it indoors without making any sort of mess. The material, a sort of layered grid shape, served as a replacement for soil. The way that this section of the exhibit was designed also appealed to me. There were little pockets of grass spread out around a perfectly white floor. Finally, towards the end of the exhibition, there were robotic little floor-cleaners that moved around the floor like caterpillars. The fabric that they were made out of absorbed the dirt on the floor. They had lights on their front that blinked almost affectionately.

They Come in All Shapes and Sizes

On Friday, I was at Midtown with Katherine. We were walking around on the basement floor of the building looking for a bakery so that Katherine could buy bread. When we found one, we went in and Katherine picked out her bread. I went around the small store looking at various different types of pastries and trying samples. Most of the food was fairly mainstream, the kind of thing you could find almost anywhere. Then, I noticed a tray of what the bakery called 'mini-muffins'. True to their name, they were about the size of Y500 pieces but looked exactly like normal muffins. Naturally, I couldn't resist and had to try one. There were two flavors that appealed to me: vanilla and chocolate. Of course, I bought one of each. Unfortunately, as appetizing as they appeared, they were not particularly sublime. It wasn't that the flavor was bad. Quite the contrary, in fact, the flavor was the best part. It was the texture that was problematic: much too dry.

Following the bakery, we went on to the supermarket. In front of the supermarket, there was a massive loaf of bread on display. It was unbelievably huge! When I touched it, it definitely felt real. I was amazed. How could anyone bake bread that size? Then, when I went back later, I noticed a little detail on the side of the bread that I had overlooked before. There was a long crack with little holes all down it along the side. Barely peeking out of one of these holes, I saw a piece of bubble-wrap. How appalling! Well, I guess somethings are just too good to be true.

The Domino Effect

Yesterday was a such a beautiful day that even the ugliest buildings in Tokyo were made to look attractive. Walking home from school with Katherine, I could not help but notice that the three tall skyscrapers that make up Roppongi Hills actually, for once did not strike me as hard on the eyes. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and sun was still shining brightly as it inched its way down towards the treetops.

Later that evening, the same phenomenon occurred at Tokyo Midtown. I have to admit that I do like this building a bit better than the ones I discussed above. However, with that clear, deep, dark blue sky and a dazzlingly luminescent moon, this structure too, was stunningly appealing.

Isn't it amazing how when the sky and the quality of the light are nice, everything else follows suit. It's almost like the domino effect.

Two Spectacular Views

A few weeks back, I climbed Mt. Fuji with my class at school. We started up it on a Saturday afternoon and finished the ascent before dawn on Sunday morning, after staying over at a little rest-house right on the side of the mountain. When climbing on Sunday morning, the line to get to the top was horrendous. As frustrating as it was to have to move at the pace of a three-toed sloth, the slow rate of the procession gave me a chance to peer down the mountainside. A trail of tiny lights snaked its way down the slope. The sheer length of it was impressive. Then, I turned my gaze up a little and out towards the horizon. What I saw at that moment will be forever etched into my memory. The sleeping town of Fujiyoshida lay spread out before me, its street lights glittering in the darkness. The faintest hint of dawn was visible just over the horizon. In the cloudless sky, I could clearly make out constellations like Orion and the Big Dipper. It was truly a spectacular view. When the sun rose, the scene from the peak was beautiful, but it just couldn't compete with what I had seen earlier.

Last weekend, my family and I went up to our country house by Yamanaka-ko (one of the Fuji Go Ko, the five lakes surrounding Mt. Fuji). For the first time since my hike, I had a chance to admire the mountain. I'm sure I've seen Mt. Fuji a thousand times, in person and in pictures, but this time felt different. Having climbed the mountain and having stood at its summit really seemed to have changed my perception of it. Every time I looked out the window of our house and at Mt. Fuji I thought to my self, 'Hey, I climbed that!' This in itself was extremely satisfying.

A Little Bit of France Tucked Away in Shibuya

Yesterday Mom and I went out to lunch at what would probably qualify as one of my favorite restaurants. I have loved this place ever since I first ate there, a few years back. Everytime I visit this little restaurant, a French creperie slipped into the back streets of Shibuya, I am almost transported to another place, another time. It would be difficult for someone to stumble upon Au Temps Jadis without meaning to. Not only is this shop hidden down a narrow side street but, the entrance is not right on street level. Customers first encounter a gate leading from the road to a brick staircase. At the base of the stairs is the doorway to the restaurant. Standing in the entryway, I always feel like I'm looking into another world. The small wooden tables are covered in red checked cotton cloth. The furnishings are rustic and picturesque. The kitchen is hardly separated from the dining area and a woman can be seen making crepes in a giant fry pan above a half height wall.

Upon entering, Mom and I sit down at right up against the window, where we can peer outside at the adjoining courtyard. We hardly glance over our menus before ordering. Having been here so many times, we know exactly what we want. I order my usual savory crepe filled with scrambled eggs, cheese, and tomatoes. Mom sticks to a salad, saving her appetite for the dessert crepes to come. Personally, I think I can handle both.

When it comes time to order my desert crepe, I am really in a dilemma. My usual choice is a crepe filled and dressed with chocolate and hazelnut and almond paste. This is topped off with a scoop of caramel ice cream. However, today another incredibly appetizing selection jumps out at me: a crepe with caramel and salty butter. Mom is in the same pickle. In the end, we decide to get both and split them evenly.

When our food came, we knew that we had made the right decision.