More of the same.....

Smoked Mackerrel + Veg Rice "Takikomi Gohan"

2011-03-13T15:51:00.000-07:00

After the chicken battle in our modern diet and trade concerns, it's the turn on fishing industry discussed heatedly in media. (though this has been the issue for decades).As a Japanese national, I can't live without fish.. I've spent 1.5 years being Pescatorian but couldn't live without seafood, even after some stomach problems with shellfish..

My beloved mackerel is safe, still I hope, and this is one of the rare fish (along with salmon) that can tastes better in Europe (Northern) than in my native Japan.
So here it is, my recipe for the year,

Japanese "Takikomi Gohan" Smoked Mackerrel and vegetables

Takikomi means "Steamed" or "Stewed" and Gohan means "Rice" or in general, meals.
It's like Risotto, you can cook with variety of different ingredients.
If you have a rice cooker, it's super easy. If you don't, you can cook in a thick sauce pan but make sure you follow the stage of the flame, full to begin then shimmer once boiled with a lid on tightly as possible throughout the shimmer. (very important! don't peek in to check often, or at all!)

Ingredients:
1 packet of Smoked Mackerrel

Bamboo shoots diced/sliced

Carrot diced

Spring onion chopped (to garnish)

Rice (Sushi rice)

Water 1.5 times of rice

Sesame oil 1 tbl spoon

Soy sauce 2 tbl spoon

Dashi powder 1tbl spoon (if liquid 2 tbl spoon)

(Rice Cooker version)

1: Put all ingredients except spring onion into the rice cooker, switch on, that's it, just wait till it's cooked, and stir well. (pic 1)

2: Garnish with chopped spring onion when serving.

pic 1

(Pan version)

1: Put all ingredients except spring onion into the pan.

2: Bring to boil for 5 min

3: Turn the flame to shimmer and put a lid on, leave to gently shimmer for further 20 min.

4: Check if the water has all evaporated, then stir well.

5: Garnish with chopped spring onion when serving.

KRAAK FESTIVAL 2011

2011-03-13T15:44:00.000-07:00

So finally I made it to Kraak Festival in Belgium this year, 5th March 2011 in Aalst.
It was small scale than I expected, of about 200-300 people in a modern art gallery building Netwerk, of 3 storeys 5 rooms, 12 acts all-dayer festival.
We got there just on time at 2pm to catch my most-expected-to-see band, France from well..France (why!!) I could not catch their unofficial second "drunken" session as we had to leave to catch a train back to Kortjik, but they completely caught my full attention and blasted away in 40 minutes set of Psych-drone piece, very very hypnotic. I'd never seen a Hurdy-Gurdy before, but apparently they way they play isn't what it normally is expected to(!) but I loved the sound and action so much. Photos are the day-time "sober" session, then video is their "drunken" session, added powerful noise, I wish I could've seen this too.. I can't wait to catch them again, very bright hidden gem of my taste at the moment.

France

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I missed Bryce Beverlin while I was carried away with €1.5 Hoegaarden beers in the bar..so can't say anything about him.. Thomas Bloch's performance was more of a cultural lecture on strange instruments, those we all hear in films, special effect sound, it was very interesting to see how the sound was made and everyone was like keen student to his seminar. A very lovely show in between experimental gigs to relax and ponder.
Arthur Doyle and Steve Noble had a special improv session in the studio space. Doyle himself had such an aura round him that people were so keen to follow every voice/sound/move he made, while Noble's drumming was very powerful/stable to improv Doyle's sound. Later on we saw Doyle smoking away in a bar alone and noone had a gut to tell him off the smoking! but this is Belgium, in a very modern liberal place, this was a lovely scene to catch and be a small part to symbolize the festival's atmosphere.

Arthur Doyle and Steve Noble

Bridget Hayden's set was very dreamy and intimate. I saw her play as a part of Vibracathedral Orchestra before, and now she's signed to Kraak, she's pursuing more into the droney soundscape. It reminded me of Grouper, haunting echo of delayed pedal and guitar which captivates my mind while listening visually.

Mother of Fire was a band from USA, amongst my friends, we had split opinion about their music, I liked them though the singing had some strange/uneasy effect in their rather industrial/a bit goth sound. I haven't seen many bands I can't quite decide what I think or categorize or compare to, which I took it as a good thing. They will be a bit of talk of the topic soon enough if not already for some people in music, so I have to keep my eyes to catch them again.

Mother of Fire

Twinsistermoon was a lofi folk duo on 2 guitars and pedals, bowed bass from France. very sweet folk music. Singer Mehdi Amaziane (probably Iranian blood?) has very sweet girly voice and as much as I'd love to watch them play, I would really want to close my eyes and have my mind drawn in the music they take me to. He's part of Natural Snow Buildings, which is more psych-folk/post rock that I am getting into. Very very beautiful!

The venue is such a great building with many rooms within for so much potentials (I'd like a party there!) festival friendly and greatly organized with lovely audience I had very great time.
While I wasn't keen on Call Back The Giants, I explored the exhibition space on the top floor where I found myself in pitch dark exhibition room of gradual limited light being projected, a smell of weed, some naughty voice filled the darkest room, it reminded me of James Turell's light installation I experienced in Naoshima Japan. I used this tranquil dark opportunity to breathe in all this festival experiences.
I shall come back next year also! It was such a (almost hidden gem) festival for music lovers to find good artists to dig into.

Whitey "Canned Laughter" (2010) and before

2011-02-13T10:57:00.000-08:00

After a while I am really digging some new-ish music and through Facebook fan page, I got hold of a Whitey's new album (released 2010).
I have first encountered Whitey aka Nathan J Whitey supporting Oneida in 2004 March at ICA and I was blown away by the performance. It was dark, I could hardly see what was happening on stage, but the rhythm and the obscure projection had such impact that I had to find out who it was the next day.
His "The light at the end of the tunnel is a train" album released on 1234 Records in 2005 is an album I absolutely love to this day, especially the ending album title tune is so special that I normally put this on my mixtape for the last track. It has dreamy/nostalgic quality of sound that makes me feel like I am dreaming and hearing this harp/record's needle sound as if I'm half awake/dreaming.
Personally, Whitey himself and this particular song is so under-rated (or non-rated!), but it is and will stay as one of my favourite tune of ALL TIMES.

Also "Non Stop" if I remember correctly, was used in a major TV commercial of Barclay Card. (A guy is running across the globe taking off his clothes) and another track used for VO5 hair products commercial on TV.

So when I found out, rather late, that he made another album in 2010 called "Canned Laughter", I was eager to get hold of it and although it has more electronica feel than lo-fi/pop that I love, I am completely hooked by it. Listening to one album constantly doesn't quite happen to me, only maybe 2-5 albums a year, so this is one of the rare ones.
Most tunes are electronica with some what I call a 'crying-riff" melody attached to it that it will play in my head from the moment I wake up and comfortably stay while I cycle humming the tunes.
He seem to DJ around London, but I hadn't seen him play as Whitey since the time at ICA in 2004..I passionately hope that he would play to showcase this album (as he's not signed to any label to promote shows/albums) soon.
You can listen to most of his wonderful tracks on his myspace page, and available from iTunes. Better buy than download so he can get fund to release more!
And this "Canned Laughter" available here.
There will be a v.2 version soon apparently he recorded/is recording? I can't wait!

Dream: 15.11.10

2010-11-15T04:45:00.000-08:00

Haven't kept my dreams here in a while..
This is a short one yet very dramatic, so it ought to be remembered..
In my dream, I was freelancing for Guinness World Records like I do in reality, my friend Kay whom I cover for when she's away/busy and who organizes my job, called up and said I needed to be in the office to work.
The "office" is ....in outer SPACE!

I along with some employees who are going there (commuting?) lined up in a circle of a rocket with all space costume in white, I just follow other people's doings, hold a bar steady..
5-6 of us are on top of the rocket, either transparent or no outer shell at all as I can see well where we are going above us. There was a count down, proper NASA style, then shoot! It is so fast I can't move or feel scared. Although I cant move or too scared to look down or up, I can feel that we're going through the earth's atmosphere, so while-blue, and in the speed of a rocket, we are traveling good 10-30 seconds, I knew we reached the area we could burst anytime with such intense pressure (is this theory right here? just like in extreme underwater scenario).
I could feel (and still remember) the very tight feeling, almost like being squeezed like a toothpaste tube, just as I thought I couldn't take it anymore, I see a spacecraft above us opening for us to land there, then we regained the normal "habitable" air environment.
There we arrived at a base "office" where people are working in costume like in Star Trek.
That was it! I have no idea why I had this dream (I was watching "Nowhere boy" beginning of the film before I went to bed, before that I attended Acid Mother's Temple etc New Japanese Music Festival at Cafe Oto, before that I was walking on muddy heath..I see no element to contribute to this sci-fi dream) yet the sense of pressure and the speed I experienced was unbelievable for a dream I enjoyed going to the outer space once in my life :)

Directorsound and Plinth Music

2010-11-13T07:04:00.000-08:00

On a winter day where we tend to stay in and watch the small piece of the world framed by our window, our imagination flow into some far away nature, seaside, woods, fairground, fantasy world etc easily.

Here are my friends from old times who make music perfect to accompany those fantasy-driven minds. It really is so magical how these music can change the settings we are in, and the moods.

Directorsound is Nick Palmer, Dorset resident who creates magical fairy music with various instruments, accordion, glockenspiel, banjo, guitar, piano, drums and what's not! Some may feel its Silent film music, Gyspy films, old French imagery, Victorian fun fair etc.
To me, listening to his music make what I do, what I see, things around me wherever I am, turn into something with sparks, with gentle and warm feeling to otherwise-not-cared-for objects and any smallest movements such as trees moving by wind, door opening, birds flying so special... It even gives me a wicked imagination that my small rabbits, dogs ornaments would start moving to the music, as if they were centre of the unknown films!

You can listen to his albums on myspace, and see what kind of world you can be drawn into.

And here is a very beautiful video shot in Lapland for his tune, out from latest album Oct.2010 "Two Years Today" (Tona Serenad label)

Michael Tanner is another old friend, a close pal to Nick, also Dorset resident makes music under the name Plinth, sometimes Cloisters, also plays in United Bible Studies and Agitated Radio Pilot, Irish folk bands with various members.

He is also a multi-instrumentalist with the strong affinity to old things (as supposed to technology and modern world), crafts and nature, which reflect greatly in his music in which he undertakes a lengthy and painstaking recording and edit process, something we all used to do, but now easily done in minutes e.g. film printing photography, compose music on computer etc.
You can see it in his releases, he binds photos, old book pages, old wallpapers, to make limited books, CDs making every listener a special treatment of sharing his passion and inspirations.
His music is like a soundtrack to my mental imagery world. Slow motioned dreams, long shot nature scenery like tides moving, leaves falling, stars shooting etc
No wonder he picked "Decasea" film by Bill Morrison, a film consists of old found film strips (so old and decayed, we see some illusions made by its natural decay) bind together.
Originally this film is accompanied with Michael Gordon's music "Light Is Calling" in which Michael Gordon scored its "decay" process in music with his orchestra.
I had a chat with Mike (Tanner) about Decasea and he said, "I love the film but I have a problem with the music, it's too uneasy. To go with the beautiful imagery, it doesn't have to be that.. scary!"
True, so this is his take on the film music

I would normally just use the music stream, but you'd gotta enjoy the imagery also for his music.

Directorsound and Plinth's (Cloisters) music both have a strong sentiment for long-forgotten, good ol' times, is that our way of trying to slow down this ever so rapid modernization in which we come to live in?
Aren't we all nostalgic and love to embrace memories with these beautiful music? even those memories not being our own, but our ancestors' or sheer strangers', just like flipping through old photo albums of those brown faded photo papers..

Recipe: Bang Bang Ji Chicken with Sesame dressing

2010-11-03T17:19:00.000-07:00

This is extremely healthy and easy dish I love.

And you can eat lots of salad, takes 15min or so to prepare, and believe me, it's addictive!

I got home late tonight, hungry, want to cook, but no time/ingredients, so I easily and happily settled on this.

If you like it spicy, just add chili oil or marinade chicken with chili before cooking.

Traditionally with chicken breast, but I prefer thigh.

Ingredients: (* if you have)

Chicken breast or thigh any amount but this recipe is 500gm

Sake (if not, White wine)

1 small ginger

Cucumber half

Lettuce

(Dressing)

Ground sesame (from roasted white sesame preferably) 4 tbl spoons

Soy sauce 2 tbl spoons

Sesame oil (olive oil is ok too) 1tbl spoon

Vinegar 2 tbl spoons

Mayonnaise 1-2 tbl spoons

*Dashi stock (powdered) 0.5 tbl spoon

Steaming (of course, put the lid on!)

1: Marinade the chicken in Sake and put sliced ginger then cool in fridge prior to cooking 1~3 hours

2: Steam the chicken still with ginger thoroughly until cooked, about 20 minutes

3: Slice the cucumber and lettuce thinly and prepare on a dish

4: mix all (Dressing) ingredients, taste to your liking

5: Cool down the chicken and slice into strips

6: Arrange in the bed of vegetables and pour the dressing

You can actually skip the marinade (I did today) or if you can't get/make ground sesame, use pasted sesame such as Tahini (but try to sprinkle some sesame for topping).

You can also boil the chicken instead of steaming (still with ginger and sake)

This dressing is already a versatile dressing great for anything, especially broccoli, BBQ, grilled aubergine, grilled fish or omelet.

Enjoy!

Avocado, Fig and Pomegranate salad recipe

2010-10-11T16:11:00.000-07:00

Ah how I love Salad...
It started off from trying to eat as much vegetables a day, trying different kinds and I ended up becoming obsessed with dressings and seasonal veges. I even throw in some crushed crisps when I have it for crunchy flavour.
Fried onion bits comes in a plastic tub for £0.90 ish is one of my all time salad topping I always stock as well.
Today I made a salad using fig, avocado, salad onion, cress, pine nuts, gem lettuce.
The combination is up to you, but I like to throw normally 2 special things apart from usual lettuce and onion.
Recommended combination
Avocado, sun dried tomato and pine nuts
Mozzarella, basil and sundried tomato
Avocado, tomato and pine nuts
Fig and cress or Fig and goat cheese
Grilled courgettes, onion
Roasted aubergine, roasted parsnip or carrot
Sundried tomato, mozzarella with Penne pasta
Prawns and avocado
Broccoli, carrot and crispy bacon
etc list can go on..

Ok, Fig and Avocado salad that is today...
To make one big portion/or 2 as side

Salad
Gem lettuce small 2
1-2 spring onion chopped
some pomegranate (I used less than 1/4 of one)
1 medium ripe avocado
Half of salad cress from a package
1 ripe fig skinned and slighted thinly
some roasted pine nuts

dressing
1.5 tbl spoon mild vinegar (I used sushi vinegar)
1 tbl balsamicvinegar
1 tea spoon mild Dijon mustard
1 tea spoon honey
2-3 tbl spoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tea spoon lemon juice

To make the spring onion mild, I marinade in vinegar and honey first before any other things, then followed by mustard then all other dressing ingredients. Toss all the salad in. Don't mix salad with dressing until just before you eat it, otherwise it can get very soggy.

When it comes to olive oil, I am always in search of good ones as far as my budget can catch up with that is.., any recommend?
My favourite so far is, Carluccio's Lemon Olive Oil I was given for my birthday gift from Christina (thanks for introducing!!) It is purely, heavenly, perfectly FANTASTICO! I recommend this super highly. (on salad, seafood.. anything)

Autumn day wander: Hampstead Heath and mushrooms

2010-10-11T15:48:00.000-07:00

After many rainy days in London, it has been lovely sunny days are upon us.

No wonder I found so many different kinds of mushrooms today on Hampstead Heath when I just popped out for a walk. Within 30 minutes of looking around casually, I found and collected at least 10 kinds. I wish I was with a mushroom specialist so I know which one to pick and cook and which ones to avoid, and which ones could take me to a special place ;)

I picked this much today (I didn't dare to touch some others..)

The most amazing discovery was not the fairytale/Snow White world's red with white spots mushroom on heath (see image), but this weird white egg jelly mushroom I found.

Fly Agaric

The most weirdest and bizzare kind.. I didn't dare touch it with my bare hand, but with a wooden stick, the egg like mushroom, looks like a big normal kind we eat commonly but without any visible stem, looks like a big round pouched egg. This egg like mushroom is very soft (like, again pouched egg) as it has this jelly inside this outer shell, then a hard white core. This, seems to grow a long asparagas looking white mushroom which is airy light and in fact looks like Aero choc bar for its bubbly texture. (See image, broken egg like base with the long mushroom take apart next to each other)

Does anyone have any slightest idea what this mushroom is?! I'm very curious..

jelly like inside

long mushroom stems from this egg like base

I absolutely adore the heath, and it is the top 1 reason why I love my area, walking in 20 minutes through amazing shops and the feel of English country is priceless.

Brough house was closed so I had yummy coffee and chocolate carrot cake (total yum) in Ginger and White, then went for a walk on heath for an hour or so to enjoy the quiet autumn day.

perfection latte at Ginger and White

The days are getting shorter, so before I complain and moan whole winter, it is a good reason to get up early and get out to get as much sun/light as possible.

Music to check out: Paul Metzger/Bo Ningen

2010-10-07T12:02:00.000-07:00

Paul Metzger

I just found his music online, Paul Metzger is his name.
He's an experimentalist in string instruments for truly the experimental sake.
I will sadly miss his show on Cafe Oto on 22nd October, but if anyone's around, it should blow your mind. Go!
Here are some extracts of his music. (from 2008 Locust release "Deliverance")

Bo Ningen

Also what I'm interested in music now, a new band called Bo Ningen, a Japanese band formed and based in London. They're living Can-like band and sounds very crazy, eye/mind grabbing noise/psych. They are playing in UK a lot, and I will finally catch them this Satday at Cafe Oto, only £3, don't miss out!
My beloved Ricoh camera is broken and has just started his journey to Japan to be hopefully repaired there, so I may not be able to take any photos but may write a review here soon.
They are going to be (sadly for me to use this phrase..) "the next thing" after following the same/similar footsteps of Melt Bananas, Acid Mothers Temple, Boris etc, I will check with my own eyes/feels, but I felt it when I saw a few seconds clip of their introduction on French cultural golden time TV show this Sep in Paris.

Dreams: 03.10.2010

2010-10-03T15:41:00.000-07:00

I must have been having temperature when I dreamt this.. (I've been having mild fever and sore throat)
It was very vivid, scary and at the same time strangely beautiful. (just like dreams on nicotine patches!)

catfish (in Japanese old drawing) we say they can predict earthquakes, but here this picture shows in Edo period had a folklore a giant catfish is causing an earthquake so people are trying to calm it.

I was somehow staying in a very expensive hotel in London, right next to Westminster abbey, I woke from the bed and noticed that there were some people next door chatting and moving about, it turns out there was no door to divide the rooms, so I could see this posh family packing up in the next room.
They were middle aged couple with 2 young sons, they spoke very British and were like from middle class family.
As I was in the rare opportunity to be staying in a nice hotel, I thought about taking a good bath before leaving, but the bathrooms were shared with this next room and some more maybe, I could only see 4 shower rooms with white curtains, no much privacy more like a gym shower room, so I gave up the plan and go back to my room.
It was still night time, very dark, and I could see a huge Big Ben from the window. "How London!" I gasped, this was the closest you could get to view the Big Ben.. I try to stare at the scene.
The Big Ben was illuminated in the night lake/pond underneath it, and it was so beautiful I took my camera to take some shots, knowing this would be a masterpiece images.
One of the sons from next room comes into my room and I tell him how beautiful it is the scenery from the window. He agrees and watches with me while I get ready to shoot some pictures.
There was even a illuminated cherry blossom tree by the lake/pond which made the scene extraordinary like in a dream cinematography. I could still picture this scene by heart, it was stunning night scene.
I look at the camera screen and notice something is moving there, I noticed I was not looking at the image I took but the actual scene through the finder. I look at the water surface and there were many massive cat-fish like creatures slowly moving around. Sometimes this slimy creature would come out from the water with sharp threatening movements. When my eyes get used to the dark, I see the water was full of them moving around in a circle like a sinister ritual.
end of this dream...

Is that because of my temperature? or is that because I am reading Kenji Miyazawa's stories before bedtime? He was a country literal who loved the nature and wrote many stories for kids but often quite dark with folklore involving animals. I strongly recommend his literatures/poems if you're interested in nature and folklore. His style is very romantic yet embraces harsh reality of incomprehensible relationship between nature and human.
Amazon has some good valued books in English here.
I a watching "Grizzly Man" by Herzog now and then will be continuing to read Kenji's short stories, so I'll see what dreams I will be watching :)
(hopefully not get eaten by a bear..)

Autumn day: Alfie's Antique market

2010-09-30T12:25:00.000-07:00

Sun was shining after a few days of depressing wintery dark days where I was trying to get used to having to turn on the light even before 7pm. So I dragged myself for a refreshing Autumn walk (well, cycle that was) via Regent's canal to visit Alfie's Antique market on Church Street NW8 (near Edgeware Road/St John's Wood). http://www.alfiesantiques.com/index.php

Regent's canal

This is the route I cycle to evening classes (AAT accounting) and I love the canal cycling, I have to try hard not to fall into the canal though as it has this mirroring effect to pull me there!
Off the topic, but I have a series of photos called "Kage-e" (means shadow-pictures in Japanese) here, I'm interested in perspectives in reflections.

Kage-e

Alfie's Antique Market was somewhere I wanted to go but hadn't, and it turned out so pretty and great place to snoop around. It's a little like how Camden market (Antique bits at the Stables) used to be until they built concrete buildings and in compensate the "mood" they just left many iron horses (well, this is because it used to be a horse hospital, but I'm not a bit pleased with how they developed and kicked out many good old dealers)

It has 4 floors full of antique clothes, lights, furniture, collectibles, even has a kitsch and cool hairdresser, if you're going out on a vintage themed nights or swing dance for a hair-do, visit them!
They have a nice terrace cafe also (this is an important point = I love places with good cafes I can daydream).
I also found a leather brown bag I was looking for for ages here, and yes I did bargained it.
One thing I missed was to visit one of the Time Out voted best coffee places here on Church Street, Indie Coffee, I couldn't find it plus it was after 3pm when they close. Church Street has many other antique shops and markets, so I'll keep this a reason to visit again soon.
Some trees are producing bright red leaves and I love this season where I walk crunching on the variety of coloured leaves under my feet.
Back home, writing this, while I wait for Nigel Slater's recipe of Blueberry and Peach cake gets baked.
Have a wonderful Autumn!

Fuyuko Matsui's Nihonga 松井冬子の日本画

2010-09-26T17:18:00.000-07:00

As I was just clicking away from someone's blog to another via some good findings on music, I bumped into Fuyuko Matsui's drawings and I just couldn't breathe!
I had seen her works before (on computer screen) and it left me with some owe, but unfortunately I forgot how to search anymore until it came back to me today, that I HAD TO put it up here.
She seems almost a cult art beauty figure (she really...is stunningly beautiful) in Japan appearing on fashion magazines and TV documentaries, yet reading her interview, she is very firm about who she is, what she does, not caring what people think (some people are trying to make her a model, celebrity etc).
I feel so gutted about not making to her Paris solo exhibition I could have gone since I was there!! Arrghh...
I totally love her world of, sinister, grotesque, dark, yet beautifully seductive, enticing drawings. I am not a big fan of modern pop art with computer-made/like pieces (modern in terms of "now" than Warhol time) like Takashi Murakami, maybe I'm old?! more like because I consider art to be something appealing to our bare human senses to feel something presented in some shapes (sound, vision, experiences) by someone's mind.
In that sense, I know very well why I am attracted to Fuyuko Matsui's world for many reasons.
Firstly, her technique of drawing is heavily influenced by Old Japanese drawings called Nihon-ga (history of it as old as 500-1000 AC) we could still see in temples and shrines, often only black ink (called Suiboku-ga) drawn on Fusuma (paper doors which divides rooms in traditional Japanese houses), this must appeal to my Japanese identity and Japanese appreciation of "delicate, simple, natural, refined" art. Secondly, I love people challenging the boundaries, some of her works depict guts, deaths and it makes us uneasy and scared. Juxtapositions of what's commonly beautiful and ugly, peace and war, fresh and decay are all done for centuries, but I love the uneasy feeling "there is something out there, watching you, but you can't see it" way of haunting piece of art like a ghost.
It's not about finding out answers, making senses, but about knowing there is incomprehensible world just beyond the square (pictures, screens, cards, heads) and knowing the existence of it and the curiosity to know/peek are the beauty of some artists can take us.
http://matsuifuyuko.com/

Pear tart recipe (lazy and easy version)

2010-09-26T10:29:00.000-07:00

I had very ripe pears, so decided to bake a pear tart.
I used bought sweet tart base (usually baking section, sold for £1 or less) so not having to roll and bake the base, this recipe is super easy and preparation time is only 10 minutes.
I think this can be with blueberries, apples or plums, but pear and almond combination is the best?!
Pear cut in half would make it pretty, but mine were small, so I sliced thinly.

Ingredients:
Butter 60 grams
Ground almond 70 grams
Sugar 60 grams
One medium egg
Corn starch 10 grams
2 pears
One table spoon liquor (I used cognac)
(for grazing)
15 ml water
15ml apricot or marmalade jam

1: Soften butter in room temparature
2: Mix sugar in 1 until white
3: Beat an egg and beat well
4: Mix in Ground almond
5: Mix in liquor then corn starch
6: Put this mixture cream into the pastry base evenly
7: Spread pealed and sliced pear on top of the cream and bake for 40 minutes in 175 degree oven
7: Boil the water and jam until thick and brush this on the cake surface when baked (I did it in microwave, easy!)

All about Coffee Coffee Coffee

2010-09-20T16:16:00.000-07:00

When did I fisrt really like coffee?!

We in Japan since we were all kids, we would drink what we called "Milk coffee" comes in a glass bottle with a paper cap. I used to love having it after visiting a public bath where they sell milk coffees and ice creams. So maybe my roots in coffee is there.

Coffee Milk aka "Ko-hi milku"

But I never liked black coffee, can I call myself a coffee lover even when I can't drink it in black (the purest coffee form in..coffee)?

Anyhow, I am always in search of good coffees and cafes where they serve good coffees, latte, that is as that's what I call coffee personally.

I encountered Monmouth Coffee few years ago, and since I got my small lovely coffee machine about 3 years go, I always buy freshly ground coffee every month from them.

My friend got me a coffee grinder from Krups, now I even grind it myself from freshly roasted coffee every few days, what a way of waking up to every morning, surrounded in coffee smell and the process I never compromise even when I'm in a hurry. (Grinding, steaming the milk, brewing espresso)

Here I want to list great coffees I love and great places where they serve quality coffees.

Monmouth Espresso

http://www.monmouthcoffee.co.uk/

Very mild and irresistible smell. I always buy espresso (Colombian beans), so I should try different kinds more..

Square Mile Summer Espresso:

http://shop.squaremilecoffee.com/

My new favourite, they make seasonal roast, this is my first, 2010 Summer espresso, I bought from my local cafe, Ginger and White in Hampstead.

You can also buy from Milkbar in Soho

Sacred Coffee Espresso: New Zealand's coffee company

I bought a bag of espresso (ground) but it was ground a bit too coarse, so I couldn't get the taste I normally get from the cafes, next I shall buy the beans to test again.

These 3 are my favourite coffee to buy, then if I can't get hold of any, I would go for Illy, it won't betray you and available in most supermarkets!

Here are the list of cafes I know they do great coffees (this list should be updated regularly!) for the ones I can think of for now, that is.. (in UK/London)

-Milkbar, Soho *Good to meet up or daydream in soho

-Monmouth Coffee, Covent Garden and Borough market *Cool, busy and cosy cafe

-Sacred Coffee, off Carnaby Street and Long Acre (Covent Garden) *Reliably good quality

-Ginger and White, Hampstead *Cute/at-home cafe

-Partisserie Macaron, Clapham Common *Cute and unique cafe

-Cafe Oto, Dalston *Best music venue and cafe!

-Scandinavian Kitchen, Fitzrovia (Oxford St/Goodge St) *Cute grocer (Scandinavian) and good service/atmosphere

-Fernandez & Wells, Soho *busy but reliable service!

-Macondo, Hoxton *Reasonable dish and cakes!

-Gail's Bakery, Hampstead, Portbello *Great selection of breads and cakes

-Lanka, Primrose Hill *Great Japanese-French cakes!

-Ottolenghi, Angel, Kensington, Belgravia, Notting Hill *Sheer genius cookery!!

-Ray's Jazz Cafe, Soho (inside Foyle's book shop) *Great for meeting point and atmosphere

-Sweet, Exmouth Market (Clerkenwell) *Great selection of cakes and salads

-Brill cafe and records, Exmouth Market (Clerkenwell) *Great Iced Coffee!

-Whole Foods Ltd. Across London *Simply great selected organic food retailer

This should continue with my search! Let me know if your favourite places :)

I have to admit, that of all chain cafes, you know when you can't always go for independent cafes, (when running for trains, motorways, high streets etc) I love Pret a Manger the most, they make the closet coffee I make my own out of any other chain cafes and Soya milk option is free which is lovely.

Costa and EAT come next, but the quality of coffees are varied depending on branches and who make it, so I can't quite count.

Coffee, I can drink right before going to bed and I have no problem sleeping!

Finish with the song about "Coffee Milk" by Flipper's Guitar (Keigo Oyamada of Cornelius's former pop band in 80's Japan, great music!)

	Flippers Guitar - Coffee-Milk Crazy

	Found at Coffee-Milk Crazy on KOhit.net

Takeshi Kitano Exhibition in Paris

2010-09-18T17:53:00.000-07:00

Takeshi Kitano Exhibition at Fondation Cartier Paris
10th September 2010
(unfortunately this has just ended last week)

Exterior of the exhibition

inside

Anneke in front of the gallery

I went to Paris prior to my trip to Belgium specially for this exhibition.

Takeshi Kitano is one of the most famous celebrity comedians in Japan, more known as a film director outside Japan, my Belgian friend Anneke has been a huge Takeshi fan but didn't know that he was a comedian until she met me few years ago (she was quite shocked in fact).
I have grown up watching his funny TV shows such as Takeshi's castle (now known widely outside Japan, a TV show public people compete to fight with Takeshi via lots of his traps, what? never seen it? you should watch some clips here!) and Oretachi Hyokin-zoku (80's TV series of comedy sitcom, you can watch some clips also on the link), so if I wasn't living abroad where he is regarded more as a cult film director/artist, I would be quite surprised to hear that Fondation Cartier Paris has dedicated all their lovely space entirely to his artistic dispose. It must have cost them a lot to have this happen.
French people love Japanese culture and I can see why, as we both like subtle/poetic arts/literature/films, but the scale of this exhibition shows how French adore him so much.
The gallery itself is so lovely with lots of open outdoor space and open-spaced bright gallery.
The humour sense of Takeshi is surprisingly suitable for kids audience as Takeshi himself is a big child with massive mischievous mind (see Takeshi's TV shows in Japan is good examples where he wanted to "play" with lots of people just like we did some tricks to each other as kids, but in his case, the scale is big using tanks and buses to explode, making poor comedians bungee jump with stupid costumes on, pouring hot water in a bath tub as punishment from games, using Alligator or Scorpions to scare off participants of games etc)

Here are some images from the exhibition.

The arrangements of the exhibition was impressive! Audience can participate in it, sound pieces are there to listen then you're invited to draw pictures inspired by the sounds, you can see how instant and spontaneous art can be by looking at balls running around by the electric vibration with inks spread all over to create rather Damien Hirst-esque painting in the process, and the piece where Takeshi himself visited the gallery and made some paintings by shooting ink in a gun like a painter-guerrilla (just like a shooting practice) to animal cut-outs canvases.

My favourites are the drawings from "Hana-bi" film he made during the time he was hospitalized with serious injury he had from a bike accident (when he had his face/skull severely injured that influenced these face-less paintings), these are very special and most vulnerable pieces for him I think, here he doesn't quite "hide" his pure and innocent artistic value behind his usual black humour/sense. They are so painfully pure.

I think, to be really funny and be the one who can really laugh or have child-like imagination, it takes guts and Takeshi's take on life shows that what appears plain stupid are stone serious as well as pure silly, just like a flip side of a coin, ultimately being inseparable things. He can deliver such simple but transcendental sphere and I call it a sheer artistic talent.

Belgium Beers in Belgium

2010-09-18T15:47:00.000-07:00

The Belgium Beer Festival

Thanks to my friends Neil and Kay?! I am getting more and more into Belgian beers now.

It suits me good as I like to sip than gulp, I like to enjoy the aroma and flavour than just gassy alcohol lagers. Mind you, if you're one of 6pints a night lager drinker, take it easy on Belgian beers, most (except lagers/pils like Crystal, Jupiler, Stella Artois etc) have 6% to mighty 13% alcohol in it, think it as wine to sip slowly.

No wonder in Belgium, people snack on cheese with beer like with wines. (with mustard!)

My beloved IV saison with cheese board at Moeder Lambic bar in Brussels, one of only places they have IV on the tap

This year on 11-12th September, we went to the annual Belgian Beer festival in Bruge. This was my second time there, same lovely city hall on Bruge's most beautiful Markt De Bruge.

Last year was in November, so this year, everyone was enjoying the summer feel in the courtyard sitting space to enjoy the dark/amber/blonde/fruits/pale beers in their hand.

Only pity thing for me is that, beers are served in a small wine glass (BAB brewery logo glass seen in the photos) so I easily forget which one was that I liked when it comes to buying it in a shop.

Courtyard of the festival

How it works here at the festival is that we buy tokens and a glass and a info leaflet about the beers, then go visit each brewery booth to try out, a portion is small and they offer plain bread to wipe off the taste and they wash the glass for you to pour the new beer, so you can go around and try as many as you want.

It's not like Oktoberfest in Munich where people just drink and rave (!), Belgian Beer festival is more like a emporium for beer connoisseurs from all over the world. (I was interviewed by Belgian TV company last year as a representative of a Japanese national!)

As a pale ale/blonde beer lover, I go for 6-7% beers which seem to be the perfect alcohol amount to enjoy the refreshing aroma without leaving strong taste in my mouth.

Slaapmutke Blond

Bos Keun

Bloemen Bier

My favourites so far are
Valeir Extra (Pale Ale, 6.5%, Very smooth and naturally sweet hop with hint of citrus, very similar to Sierra Nevada, American Pale Ale which is getting more and more available in London)
IV Saison (6.5% Blonde Ale, also similarly fruity/citrusy flavour as Valeir Extra but more depth)
Saison Dupont (6.5% Ale, slightly more spicier than other of my favourite listed here, very crisp and moderate hop)
Moinette,(8.5% Blonde, fermented beer, despite the strong alcohol rate, this is very easy to drink and refreshingly sophisticated blond beer)
XX bitter, (6.2% IPA, mild and bitter at the same time, very earthy smell and taste), Slaapmutke Blond.(6.4% Pale Ale, the design of the bottle has this sleeping moon, apparently it means "night cap/hat", I like it with little more form on top yet smooth and fruity)
Bloemen Bier (7% Ale, literally means "Flower beer" and it certainly smells and taste like flowers-not that I eat flowers!- very sweet and tender. I love it but when it's warm, it gets too sweet for my liking)

I have tried some weird beers from pure curiosity such as Mustard, Banana (not yet to taste Chocolate!) but I always settle in Blonde/Pale Ale or IPA style.

In 3 days of Belgium stay, I had (or tried off my friends) 15 kinds of beers. Did you know that Belgium produces the biggest amount of beers in the whole world, over 8700 of them! (of which over 800 is standard, others are on-off beers such as Christmas beers and seasonal/event beers) If you take the fact that Belgian population is about 10.7 million compared to 2000 beers for the population of 58 millions in the UK.

Islaja + Family Elan live at Cafe Oto

2010-09-18T06:13:00.000-07:00

Family Elan


Islaja

15th September 2010

Barbican Centre produced A night of electronic and acoustic music influenced by the shamanic traditions of Northern Europe.

This event was at my favourite venue/cafe Cafe Oto in Dalston.

Nowadays, being in London with vast amount of choices of events, I don't normally go to gigs which cost over £10 (I'm broke too) but having missed A Hawk and a hacksaw show few weeks back at Oto, I had to catch what Chris Hladowski has been up to. I absolutely love his multi-instrumental talent and the music he gets his hands into.

Along with his other projects, Nalle, The One Ensemble and A Hawk and a Hacksaw, Family Elan seems to be becoming more transcendent as members change around. Today, Chris employs his sister Stephanie along with his friend Mark.

Not sure if it was only me thinking FE music was more to do with Eastern Europe than Northern as curated for this event. Anyway, I was so happy to hear Les Mogol's "Toroslar" (1970's Turkish song) played, what a short and great tune. (I couldn't find mp3 to upload here but 30 second play can be done on the link here)

I personally enjoy instrumental pieces of them but Stephanie's voice certainly gives them a credit for some Irish songs they performed and the sentimental feel regardless of what background in music we all have.

I love their new album (Alt.Vinyl) download here

Islaja is a Finnish woman on Fonal Records, who sings in Finnish and performs in keyboard samples with some make-shift sounds from anything from balloons to wooden pieces.

I am yet to visit Finland, but certainly her music and all other Fonal releases offer some insight into this semi-hidden corner of Northern Europe where they speak strange language with no strong connection in Latin. (apparently Korean language went up north via Hungary then Finland, they all have some connection in their languages)

Her voice for me is something else than simply put "Female singer", her voice is a sound itself along with her employed instruments. I greatly enjoyed the show and it made me want to find out this "Finnish" treasure awaiting to be in the cold Northern air of the tranquil some day.

Patisserie Macaron (Clapham Common) review

2010-09-18T05:07:00.000-07:00

lovely cafe by the common

Patisserie Macaron

22 The Pavement
London

SW4 0HY

0207 498 2636

http://www.patisserie-macaron.co.uk/

How can I ignore this lovely French cafe called my favourite sweets Macaron?

Few yards from Clapham Common tube and facing the common, this French cafe exists rather discreetly.

The good way of finding is to spot the huge ice cream sculpture outside the shop.

They bake breads, cakes and serve great coffee/teas in classy flowery cups and saucers.

You can get a lot of sunshine through their huge glass windows or sit outside looking into the park.

Today, I had big sized blueberry macaron and a latte.

The coffee was perfect brew for me (I'm a huge fan of Monmouth and Square Mile), I should have asked which coffee they used.

And the macaron!

It was heavenly! So blueberry with a slight hint of some liquor? (rum or cognac? I didn't ask..)

Teas are served in pots. They serve sandwiches and other mouth-watery cakes to make it difficult for you to make a final decision.

I just came back from a trip to Paris and Belgium. and I can't help noticing this time that London has so much good places to go and cheaper. I used to think UK is the most expensive (except some Northern Europe such as Iceland, Finland etc) in Europe, but now I guess because I somehow know where to go around London, it can be so good and cheap. (Most of the very French Bistros/Cafes I went in central Paris charge €4 for a latte (Cafe Creme).

Anyhow, Patisserie Macaron sells home-baked macaron 100g for £7 as well as serving each for £1 (£1.20 eat-in) and they have about 5-10 different flavours such as strawberry, coffee, blackberry, pistachio, caramel etc, the big one I had in the photo here is £3.4 eat in. How can anyone just have 1 small macaron?

I am planning a challenge of making my macarons soon, but if I fail...I may be going back there straight away!

Verdict (5 star being best ☆is half a star)

Food quality: ★★★★

Price:★★★★

Service:★★★★

Interior/Decor:★★★★

Menu:★★★★

Overall points:★★★★(4)

Here We Go Magic at Hoxton Bar and Grill 7th Sep 2010

2010-09-07T17:13:00.000-07:00

Last year's Here We Go Magic album "Here We Go Magic" (Western Vinyl) was one of my top 10 best 2009 album of the year.
I remember we listened to this timelessly driving on the way to Green Man Festival from London to Wales, the magic of the music somehow fitted into the twilight of the highways, nature resort country roads etc. I was simply amazed by the pure variety of pop they could squeeze in one album. Not only the favourite tune from the first album, but the song "Everything is big" went straight into one of my favourite tunes in a long time straight away.

So when I obtained their follow up second album "Pigeons" (Secretly Canadian) didn't forget to bring more sweet candy to my ear.
This time they gave me a tune which I added to my "dance like a crazy" playlist!

"collector"

The live was half full Hoxton Bar and Grill, without knowing much about the band in advance except the music (shame on me..) I somehow spotted Luke Temple (Vo) sitting next to me, he had some strangely good existence. (because of his summer straw hat?)
They pretty much played most of the 2 albums in just over 60 minute set, all my favourites (most importantly!) Very unforgettable melody "Fangela" was played without its signiture percussion rhythm but very neat and candypop. Song after song they would melt into this crazy synth-noise you just comfortably feel lost in, then Bang! emerge the next song like a party cracker. Excellent show.
I actually ended up going to this show alone (my friends didn't turn up) which is quite rare for me, but I knew they are not one of the bands I can't miss it, and knew that I'd be smiling and dancing alone. It had been a long time actually I was so into live music (indie/melody) I didn't give a damn about my surroundings a while, which I believe is one of the magics music can bring about (especially in a place like London where people are so used to "going to shows"=not attending 100%)
Here are some photos of the night.

Luke Temple (vo)

Great bands: A Hawk and Hacksaw and Family Elan

2010-09-07T05:08:00.000-07:00

Lots of people now know Beirut.
In my case, I found Beirut simply because he was produced/found by my all time favourite band called Neutral Milk Hotel's Jeremy Barnes.
Now apart from Jeff Mangum randomly appears to play his solo and NMH tunes in USA, the youngest/newest member Jeremy Barnes is the man behind this magnificent band A Hawk and Hacksaw.
I was them twice, and both are such blast experiences!
This is one of the best videos of them performing with Serbian musicians in Wales.

If you like this Eastern gypsy music, don't forget to check out my friend Chris Hladowski who is a young talented British multi-instrument player.

His band Family Elan is supporting Islaja, Finnish female musician (a great pop/experimental label Fonal records) for Barbican music project on 15th Sep at Cafe Oto.

This is Family Elan's latest (from lovely Altvinyl label in Newcastle)

After leaving music industry, I am not buying music nowadays but I need to buy this!

I love this music so much..

Enjoy!

Some tunes which make me smile :) 5th Sep 2010

2010-09-05T06:24:00.000-07:00

Oh, Daniel! Daniel Johnston...
Ever since I heard his album "Artistic Vice" in 1995, I was touched his innocent voice and tunes. I so wanted to see him, just see him and say hi and how much I love his music and art back in Japan, I thought I'd have to go all the way to Texas to do so, but luckily I saw him many times in London and even had some chat with him.
This video of Casper the friendly ghost surely put anyone's face a warm smile :)

Chocolate cake with Butter cream recipe

2010-09-04T16:45:00.000-07:00

with the touch of marshmallow to decorate

It is my flatmate Elin's birthday today, Happy Birthday, or rather, Grattis på födelsedagen!
So this is another opportunity to bake a cake for me :)
I don't normally like chocolate or chocolate cakes (strange girl huh?), but it's her favourite, so I thought I'd have a go. And writing now in my room, a floor up from our kitchen, I'm already wrapped in the sweet smell of the chocolate.
By the way, some people don't know how to pronounce my name right, I'm a bit embarrassed but I always say, it's like "chocolate" in French, but this normally sort things out.
Also, I was just going to write about "chocolate cheesecake", I love cheesecakes and I've tried many kinds for years, but chocolate cheesecakes.. or toffee cheesecakes, I just don't understand it... WHY?
It's like mixing Sushi and Pizza together.. I enjoy both, but not together. The flavours crash inside the mouth in my opinion. As supposed to New York cheesecake, I'd name chocolate cheesecake a "British cheesecake".
Having said all these, I am mixing cream cheese in the chocolate cake for it produces even more dense creamy inside/crunchy outside effect.

This recipe is very basic, you can do with or without flour. (great news for wheat allergy sufferers!)
The cake itself actually turns out not sweet enough.. so I made butter cream in the last minute which made it so nice!

Ingredients:
plain/milk chocolate 150gm
butter 30gm
30 gm cocoa powder (increase to 50 if you're not using flour)
flour 20gm
cream cheese 200gm
3 eggs

(for Butter cream)
butter 70gm
sugar 50 gm
1 egg
60ml milk
(optional) 1 tbl spoon of cognac or brandy or grand manier

1: On low heat hob, boil water and melt butter, chocolate and cream cheese in a bowl over the pan, mix well
2: when creamy, take 1 out from the heat and shift in cocoa and flour and put egg yolks
3: in a separate bowl, whisk the egg white with sugar until hard enough to stand
4: slowly put 3 into 2 and mix well carefully not to destroy the fluffiness of the mix.
5: bake in 180 degree oven for 30 min

(Butter cream)
1: boil the milk and sugar in the hob until about 115degrees
2: whisk the egg white until hard merange
3: add 1 slowly into 2 continuously mixing (never stop!)
4: soften the butter until white then mix in egg yolk and spirit
5: slowly mix 3 into 4 and beat into cream form
(don't worry if it curdles, just beat and beat! if necessary, drain out the liquid)

Slice the cake into 2 and spread the cream and chill in the fridge before surving

Bon apetit!

Onion Pie recipe

2010-08-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

This is a little improvised recipe from a Moomin Finnish Cook Book I received for my birthday present from Judith (thanks!).
As a Japanese, any recipe book without photos are strange.. but somehow feeling like in the Moomin world in the book, and experiencing Nordic simplicity before inspire me and I picked this super easy pie recipe.
It's like a quiche, great for side dish or snack or lunchbox.
I was lazy to use the shortcrust pastry today.. but you can make it using oats and grated carrots into the base for adding more flavour.
I can see many variations of this recipe with bacon, peppers and tomatoes etc

Ingredients:
Pie/short crust pasty (frozen or chilled)
2 large or 3 medium onions
oil
100ml cream
1 beaten egg
salt and pepper
120g grated cheese (Cheddar or Emmental)

photo 1


photo 2


photo 3

1: roll the pasty and put on the oven-proof dish (photo 1)
2: bake this for 5-8 min in oven 200 degrees, then take out (leave the oven at 200c)
3: slice the onion in strips and fry until transparant soft (just before it gets brown!) (photo 2)
4: mix cream, egg and cheese and season with salt and pepper
5: put softened onion in 2
6: pour this into pre-baked pasty dish and oven cook for 15-20 min until golden on top (photo 3)

Family Tree shop cute and ethical goods that make you smile

2010-08-28T06:24:00.000-07:00

Family Tree

53 Exmouth Market,
London,
EC1R 4QL

0207-278 1084

http://www.familytreeshop.co.uk/

A Japanese/English couple Takako and Matthew started this shop over 6 years ago.

I used to go to college very near but the shop opened right after I graduated and despite that fact that I love the area, I hadn't been there at all until my friend introduced me to temporarily work there when they need help (couple now have a cute little baby).

The shop is in Exmouth Market, off Farringdon or Kings Cross station, close to Angel also, and it has such a nice community feeling throughout the street with all catering putting up authentic Indian/Spanish/Italian/English dishes for lunch time, everyone saying hello to each other. It smells yummy this time :)

The shop sells interior, baby stuff from their signature Washi (Japanese craft-made paper) lamp shades, indie designers' handmade accessaries, porcelain, cushions to baby clothes, books, cards etc. It's one of these places your eyes shine and you smile as if you're suddenly on holiday in Paris or Tokyo within the shop.

Perfect to find some original gift for your special friends wedding, baby births, new homes, birthday as it's sometimes hard to be "original" when we see same things all over from Ikea, Paperchase, Habitat, Gap or Accessarize.

They change the goods all the time, so you better grab what you love from your visit quick!

For the stocked goods, they even do postal service for those who are too far/busy.

Sundried Tomato in oven recipe

2010-08-27T10:25:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love Sundried Tomato!

Yet, I find most of them "too dry" to my likeness.

My favourite one is from Sainsbury's Take The Difference range, Sun Blushed Tomatoes which is not as "dried" as Sundried, but half fresh. This range doesn't come cheap and the oil for this isn't olive oil, so I decided to make my own.

Every time I see ripened cherry/mini or normal tomatoes on reduction, I have a couples of packages and I always stock a good quality extra virgin Olive oil with me.

I have tried this recipe in one scorching hot day in June on my balcony, which took about a day and half sun light, but in this country, we are not lucky with strong sun to make this possible option..unfortunately, so stick to the oven option!

It's super easy.

Ingredients:

Tomatoes cut into slices or half if it's mini/cherry tomatoes

Italian herb mix (dried) 1 tbl spoon

1 clove of garlic crushed or sliced

Plenty of olive oil (Extra virgin if you can) to cover

A jar

Pinch of sea salt

photo 1 (after 30 min)

1: Cut/slive the tomatoes onto a oven tray

2: sprinkle sea salt and oil over it

3: Leave in 80-100 degree oven middle shelf for 3-4 hours (photo 1) until dried as you like

4: Take out from the oven and cool down

5: Put in a jar with herbs and garlic, finally pour olive oil until the tomatoes are all covered

Done! (photo 2)

This should last a good month or so, great in salad, pasta, nibbles etc

photo 2 (after 3 1/2 hours) *bit over-done as I was out!

Kara-age (Japanese Chicken Fritters) recipe

2010-08-25T12:53:00.000-07:00

photo 3

This is one of the most popular nibbles for beer/sake dish, also for picnic.
You would stop going to KFC if you can make this at home.
You can add so many different things for different results, but here I will introduce pretty basic one with some personal touch :) (shiso this time)
Onion and Sake make the chicken so succulent and tender, it's almost a magic!
When grating onion, I have to wear a swimming goggle not to weep(!), but in this way, onion gives lots of juice which softens the chicken as well as seasoning.
Shiso is very Japanese herb we all love, but if you can't get it, chopped basil would do or seaweed powder or Nori pieces to wrap the chicken before frying would make very Japanese flavour. If you like it spicy, you can sprinkle some chili powder in the mix.

Ingredients: (serves 4 people)

Chicken Thighs (skinned) cut into bite size about 500-800g
Flour & Cornflour mix 5 tbl spoons each or enough to coat the chicken
little Salt and white pepper
Soy sauce 4 tbl spoons
Sake (or vodka or white wine) 3 tbl spoons
small piece of ginger grated
one medium onion grated
1-2 garlic cloves crushed
3-5 Shiso leaves (basil would do)
one medium beaten egg (optional)
Sauces for dip (Ponzu or Mayonnaise or salt/pepper)


Photo 1

photo 2

1: Cut the chicken thigh into bite sizes and season with salt and pepper
2: Grate onion, ginger and garlic into the chicken in a bowl (photo 1)
3: Add all sauce (soy, sake and beaten egg) into the bowl to coat the chicken
4: Cut Shiso leaves into small pieces and put in chicken mix
5: Leave to season in the fridge for at least an hour to overnight (photo 2)
6: In a small plastic bag, put flour and corn flour (this will be the coating for frying) *you can do in a bowl but plastic bag is easy not to make mess*
7: Put plenty of oil in a small pan or frying pan (plenty enough to cover the chicken when frying)
8: Dip the chicken pieces into this flour bag to coat the chicken thoroughly *only right before frying (otherwise it gets soggy)
9: Fry the chicken pieces into the pan until golden (about 3-5 min)
10: To take the excess oil from chicken, put chicken onto newspaper
11: Serve! Eat while hot. (photo 3)

It's good with on its own as it has plenty flavour already, but I recommend some side dip sauces such as Ponzu (STRONGLY recommended!!!), Citrus salt, Mayonnaise, Yuzu pepper.

*Ponzu is Japanese sauce with citrus elements such as yuzu orange, you can make this by simply mixing 1 part soya sauce preferably Dashi Shoyu (dashi in soy sauce already), 1 part squeezed citrus juice, some Dashi powder (if not with Dashi Shoyu) melted into soy sauce by heating the sauce slightly (then cool down before serving)

The Hinds Head pub meal review (Bray, Berkshire)

2010-08-25T10:29:00.000-07:00

The Hind's Head

High St, Bray, Berkshire

SL6 2AB

01628 626151

http://www.thehindsheadhotel.com

I was curious as everyone is about Heston's Fat Duck restaurant.
I think you still need to book in advance for over 6 months.. and the course menu is £150 per head with service charge, oh well.. when I'm rich sometimes..
My friend Haruka took me to Heston's pub The Hind's Head which is opposite Fat Duck in a small village Bray for a nice lunch one afternoon as my birthday present (how sweet!) few weeks back.
There is no singing puddings or bleeding deer meat or edible snow or stone etc here, it's rather quintessential British gastro pub menu.

I had 3 course set for £30, fish cakes for a starter, then moved onto Sausage and Mash, then I had legendary Quaking pudding (very old recipe that only available here) which is actually shaky and wobbles like what Heston did in his Medieval banquet on TV.
Fish cakes were delicate and with good homemade tartar sauce, Sausage and Mash was, well, pretty normal to my taste but mash was gorgeous, I can tell they use only good potatoes and good butter and maybe some cheese? then Quaking pudding was something to "experience". Served warm and the introduction of its history was shown before on a nice piece of paper and lovely waitresses would tell you the history. It's like Panna Cotta with chai flavour (Cinnamon and Cardamon etc).


fish cakes

Quaking Pudding

I personally couldn't eat all of it, it was too milky and flavoury. (No photo on Sausage sorry, I was busy eating!)
The pub has very lovely atmosphere, very old wooden interior throughout with its own history (built in 15th century).

Bray village was so small with merely 2 pubs and a church, 1 hospital and 2 shops, we were expecting to leisuring around whole day in a country but we were done after an hour walk after the lunch.

To burn the lunch out, we walked back to the Maidenhead station (30min walk).

Thanks Haruka!

Verdict (5 star being best ☆is half a star)
Food quality: ★★★☆
Price:★★★☆
Service:★★★★
Interior/Decor:★★★★
Menu:★★★★
Overall points:★★★★(3.8)

Burgh House Buttery Cafe review (Hampstead)

2010-08-25T04:02:00.000-07:00

Burgh House/Hampstead Museum

New End Square
Hampstead
London NW3 1LT

House / Museum	020 7431 0144
The Buttery Cafe	020 7794 2905

http://www.burghhouse.org.uk/visit/buttery.aspx

I visit this very "English village garden experience" cafe everytime I receive some guests at mine. I always wonder how Hampstead is slightly neglected by people who live in London..

It's 15min on tube and you can enjoy the English countryside, very cute one with the gift of Hampstead Heath being easy reach where you can wonder for ages, picnic, dog walking, even swimming in a pond.

This tea house is little hidden yet 4 min walk from high street/tube station on the way to the heath, in front of where John Constable (19th century English painter) used to live. (Along with many novelists, painters, artists all preferred to live near the heath, e.g. George Orwell, Syd Barret, Keats, T.S. Eliot, A.A. Milne, Lucien Freud, Sigmund Freud, Lee Miller etc.. )

They cater proper lunch dishes, but I always settle on tea and scone, of course served with homemade jam and clotted cream. fruit scone with jam/cream £2.75, pot of tea £1.75 and I have it in the garden looking out for seasonable flowers there. At this moment, I already feel being in the countryside :) merely 20min walk from home..

If you need some fresh air of countryside and can't afford it? then visit Hampstead.

Verdict (5 star being best ☆is half a star)

Food quality: ★★★★
Price:★★★★
Service:★★★☆
Interior/Decor:★★★★☆
Menu:★★★★
Overall points:★★★★ (4.2)

Oliver's Fish and Chips review

2010-08-24T14:06:00.000-07:00

Oliver's

95 Haverstock Hill, London NW3 4RL

0207 586 9945

http://www.oliversfishandchips.com

This is my very local new celebrated place, good old fish'n'chips diner.

Very cute (bit too posh to be called a "chippy") decor and fresh fish made by people who cares about food.

I call this particular block of street a "dead spot" (except for ever so great Sir Richard Steel's pub next door-one of my favourite pubs-), because it's 10 min up from all the attraction of Camden and 20min to Hampstead, very residential otherwise, anyone passing by would be local people only. This used to be one of the only kebab houses in NW3 and it was bad business then, it was all empty all the time and it closed after less than a year. Posh people don't need to stuff their mouths with deep fried unknown objects after drinking? There are so many Sushi places than Chips or Chicken places in NW3.

Then there came Oliver's Fish & Chips.

I was excited to go and try from the day they were still furnishing the place as soon as I could manage to read with my tilted neck through half covered glass "Fish and Chips" sign.

As well as traditional Chippy menu of Cod, Haddock (£5.50), Mushy peas (£1), Curry sauce (£1), they even have Northern speciality Deep fried Mars bar (£1.50) !! and they have little cosmopolitan menu as Open Ciabbata Specials (Grilled fish, Salad, Chips and a piece of toasted Ciabbata £6.95-8.95) and Cod bites in corn etc.

I had the traditional Cod and regular chips with curry sauce today.

I can tell that Cod was fresh and very good quality, battered in thick golden crust and chips as it should be. I was probably served a fish which was fried 30~60 min ago, and this crucial time left some marks.. It wasn't as freshly fried crunchy as I expected and I needed to put a lot of Tartar sauce and vinegar. Curry sauce was pretty spicy, so I was surprised since my love of chip shop curry to be very stewy mild like Japanese curry. Mushy peas are good and sweet, but lacked salt, I guess this all means all are fresh and served without much seasoning to enjoy the wholesomeness of the food.

I can easily become obsessed with food, so I have to say my expectation was too high.

Yet, for the price, quality, service,decor, menu, it's totally a celebration of "Good Old Fish'n'Chips" with impressive effort and attention.

I will definitely go back and try the Ciabbata special next, I can see myself going back not too long from now already!

Verdict (5 star being best ☆is half a star)
Food quality: ★★★★
Price:★★★★
Service:★★★★
Interior/Decor:★★★★☆
Menu:★★★★☆
Overall points:★★★★(4.1)

Green Pesto recipe

2010-08-22T08:54:00.000-07:00

I started growing some vegetables and herbs in my balcony this summer.
Thanks for the "proper" summer sun in this June/July, they all grew really well (then stopped growing or extremely slow since August..), so far I have Sweet Basil, Red and Yellow peppers, Cherry tomatoes, Japanese basil family Shiso (my favourite herb! which I'm determined to contribute some recipe/idea here soon), Chili and Mint.
Having seen a easy recipe on my friend's recipe book (Italian recipe by Harumi Kurihara), I stripped naked my basils and made my own green pesto.

To be honest, I made it without any precise recipe, but roughly to make a small amount (about 4 servings)
1-2 package of basil or medium whole basil plant
8-12grams of pine nuts
5-8 table spoons of extra virgin oil
1 clove of garlic
sprinkle of sea salt

grind all ingredients in a food processor or grinder until smooth.
Voila! that's it, all in 2 min.
You can add Parmesan cheese if you like, but I prefer vegan version simply it last longer and I can sprinkle it when I eat.


looks like this

It's SO good that you will never have to/want to buy one from supermarkets.
I personally like to have it with some seafood in Fussili pasta.

Today's lunch :)

with Japanese soy-marinated scallops and mozzarella cheese

Bon Appetit!

Ottolenghi review (Islington branch)

2010-08-21T12:59:00.000-07:00

Ottolenghi

287 Upper Street, London N1 2TZ
0207-288-1454
http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/

Ottolenghi deserves all praises and compliments they ever received over the years from Guardian times to their little cafe/bistro branches.
I love the fact that it's not quite called a "restaurant" but more of a cafe feel where you can have a full dinner or a naughty cake and coffee anytime of the day.
I had their pear cake (baked in a square tin) and cafe latte (£8 with tip) while my friend Christina had their Beef with coriander mayo and Marinated Aubergine grill served with selection of breads and olive oil.
Their breads are out of this world especially the cornbread with chili. That was so good I spent some time searching the recipe and baking anything close to theirs became a bit of my recent obsession. Off course the olive oil quality is very very good.
The cake is just perfect.. wordlessly perfect. All the food as you can see when you choose over the counter instead of looking at any pictures on a menu or imagining are so loyal and even better than how it deliciously look.
Their branches are all located in well-desired posh areas and I just hope the quality of their food spread all over the country soon.

Verdict (5 star being best ☆is half a star)
Food quality: ★★★★★
Price:★★★
Service:★★★★
Interior/Decor:★★★★
Menu:★★★☆
Overall points:★★★★ (4.2)

Necco Japanese canteen/Japas review

2010-08-21T12:10:00.000-07:00

Ok, after all this time, I realized that I am very picky/fussy and very Foody person I can't stop talking about food topics both cooking and dining out.
So I decided to dedicate the topics here.
I will review the food I ate and I post photos and recipe on those I cook.
Welcome to the first blog!

Necco
(Japanese Cafe Bar)
52-54 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QE
0207-713-8575
www.necco.co.uk

Necco is a new Japanese canteen/cafe/Japas in Exmouth Market.
I popped in as I was helping my friend's shop Family Tree opposite the bar and I can't ignore any new Japanese restaurant/Sushi bar.. Mind you, being Japanese especially from Osaka (the kitchen of Japan) I can be very critical about food.
The decor is all done in Pink! very pink indeed from menu to chairs to walls and signs etc.
Necco (neko) is "cat" in Japanese.
The staff are friendly, I'm impressed with the ideas on menu. Japas (small size dishes to nibble to accompany the drinks or when you're little hungry) and Japanese cakes (Matcha Green tea cakes) and Sake/Shochu wines and lunch boxes and Sushi selection.
I love the idea in general of a place where you can have just tea, coffee and cake, lunch, nibble or full dinner.
I had California roll sushi take away. Made to order. Very reasonable £2.50 for 6 pieces.
I also tried their lunch bento box you can pick one small dish, one main dish comes with portion of rice (white or brown) and pickles for £5. The main/side dish changes daily and they all cook on site, it's like having your mom behind the kitchen, very homey food we tend to cook.
Down side of for me is that, the quality of the food I had (Chicken Teriyaki, Curry, chilli spiced Aubergine) were all something I could cook at home maybe better.. Curry especially was very blunt and tasteless stew.
So my verdict is, good for lunches when you want choices of home cooking Japanese and tea/coffee with home made cakes, but not a praised restaurant quality. The shop decor is a bit too much mish-mush tastes all thrown together too which I didn't like well.

Verdict (5 star being best ☆is half a star)
Food quality: ★★☆
Price:★★★
Service:★★★☆
Interior/Decor:★★
Menu:★★★
Overall points:★★★ (3)

Dreams: 17.02.2010

2010-02-17T00:22:00.000-08:00

Last night I went to see the tribute to Jack Rose in Cafe Oto.
It was very touching and gentle night I enjoyed greatly. I loved to see some friends (Voice of Seven Thunders, Hush Arbors) play after a long time and meet some old faces.
Probably because I bumped into a friend who was with an elder couple of 50-6oyo, and I had a good chat with the woman, this may have affected in my dream I had after I climbed into my bed.

I was in Kure Hiroshima, a house on the street where my grandparents lived.
Somehow I was staying at this woman's house, very modernly refurbished flat, just arrived from London. The woman goes out. Being tired or lazy or jetlagged, I woke up late alone, make my way to the kitchen to make tea. Someone opens a door and there was a Japanese girl with shopping bag full of groceries. She greets me and comes into the house putting things in fridge. I understand she is a house helper and we start chatting.
She shows me a big bag of pickled cabbage proudly saying that was a bargain. This makes me think about the Japanese food shopping/prices I do in London and think London isn't bad.
This is in Hiroshima, yet, somehow being dream, it's not in Japan..
There was a knock on the door and some people come in and tell me they want "smoothies".
I realized this place is a house-cafe where people from word of a month come in to have some drinks, light snacks though it is completely normal kitchen space.
I automatically start "working in a cafe".
I ask the girl how I can make smoothie and open the fridge there I see 2 bottles of ready made smoothie, but she says "I'll show you how to make it" then she put a dry Udon noodle into a glass and put a bowl to onto it so it won't float and the noodle will get soft, then she carries on preparing some vegetables.
I wonder if she has mistaken me saying "smoothie" but I let her do what she's doing and decided not to voice my confusion.
More people start coming into a cafe and they all look like regulars, some with foreigners, some couples etc. I get busy taking orders but not sure how to prepare what I was ordered.
Despite the confusion, I like the idea of this make-shift cafe and the fact that these people come here to relax and feel the privilege to know this cool place where there is no sign, no menu but cool people's hangout in this very countryside.
Some people are ready to leave and I ask how much was what they had, the girl tells me
"noodle and a juice.. it'd be 1000 yen. Most of the light meal/snacks would be 500yen"
I am impressed with the price being so low and reasonable.

That was my dream.
I kinda see why I dreamt.. I saw some Japanese girls in Oto, Keiko san who works/owns the palce, Midori san who works there, then Alex's friend, Japanese girl was around too last night.
So great cafe with Japanese ideas/twist + Foreign-ness in both Europe and Japan = why countries were mixed up in my dream and the fact I love to run a cafe where I cook/serve good food and want people to enjoy + the woman was whom I was chatting to last night.
So why Hiroshima? I don't know.. but the locations in my dreams are quite often in Japan, especially places I have old memories of.
I should think I am lucky to experience being those places, doing stuff while I sleep away.

Outsider's Art: Museum of Everything

2010-02-14T14:41:00.000-08:00

This was my 7th time of visiting my favourite gallery in London.
Museum of Everything.
I love the space, I love the art, I love the people who comes and works there.
I love the tearoom where there is no price but pay your donation on receiving a lovely cuppa in cute cup and saucer, sometimes with finger biscuits.
I found out so many great artists I came to love and dig here.
One of my favourite being
Hiroyuki Doi's detailed endless circle drawing. (This is a different version of the one from the gallery)He seems still active in Tokyo, though his website stopped updating since 2007, if so, I want to visit his gallery/studio in Tokyo when I'm over in April.

Also I loved is when I went to see one of the film night on Sunday there about the French painter Seraphine Louis, a film released in 2009 which won many awards.
I was one lucky soul to view this there prior to the UK release and even though we were sitting on a hard small bench for 2 hours, I was completely intrigued by its genuine and innocent woman's pure soul and passion. I think I cried a little.

Also, a Swiss artist called Aloïse Corbaz is a total surreal candy for your eyes experience, the link here gives you what I mean on Google Image.
So imaginary, fantasy yet somehting is so dangerously disturbing and not real. This "can only be in a dream" feel.
I would really like to see a film about her made in 1974 but I have not had the luck to find it yet.

These artists, so-called Outsider's art, can't stop grabbing my sense because, untrained, isolated from society (for mostly being naive) they hold the power to behold what's inside the unspoiled mind, so purely so painfully. Something we all forgotten to feel "this" and "that" controlled by what we are supposed to feel/view/think in modern moral world.

Dreams: 30.01.2010

2010-01-30T07:28:00.000-08:00

I dreamt..
I was in my own room, right by where I sleep on.
The room was exactly the same as it really is, except that I had a new black electric guitar I bought (in my dream) still in a package, somehow weirdly in a hard plastic package like for batteries etc.
I was cleaning the CD towers area where I find a guitar I clearly forgotten I had bought it, so I take it and start to play a tune, I think it was a Brit pop song, but realize that one string was broken.
I see some food crumb in the neck of the guitar so I started cleaning with a hoover.
What looked like some bean shell or old corns were slowly wiggling and turned out to be some worms. I find these things around CD shelves area, so I clean like a mad woman.
I had to use the sharp edge head to vacuum around the guitar neck because of the strings still attached there, and I remember the "feeling" of vacuuming those soft wiggling creatures into the vacuum.. it was very grouse..

Forest Scene 16

2009-11-02T07:44:00.001-08:00

Forest Scene 16, originally uploaded by shokographic.

from my current photo project "Forest Series"
which may or may not merge with my other project "Ghost"
Any feedback will be warmly appreciated

Also, I'm thinking of compiling into a large format book someday, so any tips on places of printing/publishing will be a massive help!

Thanks,
S h o k o

Dreams 11.10.2009

2009-10-12T07:01:00.000-07:00

Vivid dreams

I am in Italy or somewhere with some friends, this some friend (I don't know or remember) knew a film director, a very rich and high profile guy, and we were lucky enough that he was around when we passed by his gorgeous building he lives.

He had one amazing place to live, a high suite room in a building, so high when we get invited briefly into his place that we could see outer space!

There I saw what I all wanted to see in space, a huge and clear milky way so close, and a giant Noah's ark ship.

It was as if he had the best view of space possible from his window. and this legendary ship like Titanic was almost a myth lots of people argued if this really existed at all.

Though kind enough to invite me to this view the film director had no much time for us, he is a world acclaimed popular celebrity in the end, so we had to leave there soon, but he promised to show me more when I "happen" to be around next saying "come back in 2 weeks or so, you can stay and I'll show you around", to this, I seriously expected happen, but knew it'd be hard to be lucky enough again to see him and I had to come back to Italy for that rare chance.

Another vivid dreams.

I was on a train supposedly my commuting train back home from work, I'm standing in front of Viktor and Adam who were sitting and talking, at a stop we had to change the train opposite side of the platform, Wojtek was there too and we ran for the other train, which departed right after we got on.

I was wearing a pair of men's shoes which sole needed mending because they had fabric base I stepped on chewing gum so the fabric part was coming off. I and Wojtek were walking at a point and I was looking for a shoe repair shop, some shops were selling bras (that I thought were cute but didn't pay attention much then) and vintage sun glasses etc. The shop assistant was looking for what I needed for me.

The place changes, I was now walking in sand and some parts started to crack as we walk, so I had to be extra careful with my shoes and where I walk.

Through a dark tunnel, I was flying like a time capsule travel with other people who all had to hide their faces with hood, masks and covers for some reason I didn't understand but something to do with hiding their identity while traveling this tunnel, but I hide my face so some people were making remarks about me flying with my face uncovered.

I arrived in what I knew was a "Utopia". (or like heaven as we imagine..)

Very vast green field with many people randomly having picnics and running around having fun.

I have a walk around, al is peaceful, there is no sign of worries or anything negative there, everything was happiness.

I feel peaceful and walk around with my camera in my hand.

I come to the hill side of green where I spot something burning which was odd in the Utopia, "Red" wasn't what was meant "peaceful" there let alone "burning" element.

I get close to that scene and I see some camera crew filming the burning scene and I understand that it was a conceptual or advertizement going on.

I like the contrast of the burning red against vivid green field I frame some images with my camera.

I think I've been to this green place before in my dreams...

Dreams: 29.09.2009

2009-09-29T02:20:00.000-07:00

The first day after a long time I wear Nic patch (step2) during my sleep.
I love the effect when I see an amazing sky with full of stars, which happened this morning.

I was visiting cafe Oto though the place in my dream was different to the real place, more hippy with hammocks and wooden benches, I love the place all the same.
I was talking to Keiko (the owner) in the sunny part of the venue, I say "I'd bake a green tea cake with red bean curd" and she goes "Oh yes! we'd work on that for cafe and I'd even take a day off for it, let's do it!" I am happy because I can contributing something I love for somewhere/people I love. We talk passionately about the place.
Now we are watching the earth with some astronomical movement, not burning but like a mini big ban, very copper red and atmosphere with surrounding stars are all swelling up and down (like in the pic above), beside this phenomenon we can spot many many shooting stars.
We watch this in owe.

Next, I was visiting family friends of Matsubara in Brazil.
I am holding a baby girl of about 8 months old wearing baby pink clothes, presumably of Marcelo and Lucia's baby. (that they just found out they're having) and another baby is held by someone else (Lucia or my mom, I don't remember). The baby seems to find it comfortable and sleeping in my arms. We are on the move to somewhere, walking in group of 5-6 of us in subarban city with some ran down buildings and squares. At one point we have to gp through the fenced area we find a hole to pass but I decide it's barely a size of a baby and not worth risking, I didn't want the baby to wake from her peaceful mind. We have bonded very well and the baby smiles at me time to time and we could talk in our heads to communicate.
Somehow we arrive at where we should, home of Matsubara I think where Mrs Matsubara welcomes us back and the babies are wiped well.
I could see the semi-bubbled smooth skin of the babies. The older one (that I wasn't holding) gets wind blown to dry by someone with a paper fan, seeing that, the baby I ws with comes to me and whispers to my ear "I want the wind too" I was pleased with her opening up to me and happily give her some wind to dry, she looks happy.

Dreams: 26.09.2009

2009-09-26T05:43:00.000-07:00

I had a dream of fire, it was scary and even felt a bit of heat.

I was having a meal with Mariko in a restaurant but looked more of market food stall.

We were sharing a big plate of pizza like food, a taster of different flavor (some being very Japanese flavour like Yuzu and Daikon).

I was sitting so far from her we couldn't talk, so I moved my s

eating to next to her.

When we were still eating, a Chinese guy came in running and shouting in Chinese, he tells me something in upsetting state, he sensed I don't understand the language, so went to tell other people, but at this time I saw a fire blaze coming our way from Mariko's side of the building.

We panicked, and I took her hand and started running towards window which leads to outside.

At this point, the fire was so close we needed immediate evacuation.

We noticed that the way we were going to escape from the fire was also in blaze and found ourselves sandwiched in fire.

The ground got very hot and I was in bare feet.

Mariko was couching and sat down almost losing to fight, I tried

to take her but she wouldn't come, so I make a move more towards the open field where this happened to be the playground near my home in Japan.

I felt like I abandoned her, but somehow she made it where I was where f

inally was safe from the fire.

Another dream was full of bees.

They were flying everywhere and were more than 100's in group.

I blush around to avoid contact, but at some point they seemed to be sleeping/resting and they all had shells over their body which all had various illustrations, like those in London cabs, some advert designs on them.

I spot some had helmet illustrations on and some similar ones and so on.

Mosaic portfolio 1: in my eyes

2009-09-06T10:34:00.001-07:00

Dreams: 06.09.2009

2009-09-06T06:39:00.000-07:00

I had a dream, greatly influenced by the book I'm reading now, "Black Rain" by Masuji Ibuse, a fiction about Hiroshima Bomb based on historical accord of the nu-clear bomb attack in Hiroshima.

I was first having a peaceful picnic in a big forest and there were many people and family having a nice picnic day. I am with a friend I don't remember who now, walking around the field and find some military people patrolling and I suddenly feel uneasy about the air.

When I come back to where we were sitting, there are bits of many things left from people's picnic stuff, a cardigan, a sitting blanket, a bottle of wine, water, sandwiches, fruits etc abandoned so suddenly and everyone had vanished, it was very ghosty scene.

I find a woman who was sitting only in her underwear, she can't find a dress she was wearing, looking very vacant and perplexed.

Next thing I know, I was injured all my skin, burned so it was swollen and red with fresh water blisters, and along with many other people (from the picnic scene) I was forced to walk through a big building from room to room. I was forced to dip in a hot bath which only worsen my skin wound and I get scared but I am more scared by the guards who watch over us to make sure we all obey the orders. I come across my old friend Kano, who had just come out from the bath, all her skin so red and inflamed, she said hi to me but she had this vacant sad look in her eyes, surrendering to the situation she had been placed. (no defense but accept and obey)

I try to watch what's going on here and see if there is a chance I could escape, but no hope there, I'm just too scared so I try not to stand out and follow the sad crowd.

(end)

I feel a strong gut that tells me I miss and love Hiroshima where my mother is from and most of her side relatives all experienced the bomb. I spent my childhood summer holiday there listening to the temple's bells on the 6th of August at 8:15AM (the time the bomb struck) annually when everyone gives a minute silent pray and everything becomes stand-still for it. I spent the hot summer days in my little room in my grand parents house reading "Hadashi no Gen"("Barefoot Gen" now translated in English and I greatly recommend a read and was made into Anime TV series too here is a part-*warning:pretty shocking content-) cartoon about a boy who survived the bomb but witness so many agony in people who were left in a burning Hiroshima where lots of blackened bodies lay and people barely alive with their skin all hanging wander unconsciously.

All those people who survived and had so many stories are now dying after 64 years on now, strange it may be but not just an accord of the Hiroshima bomb but purely for the meaning of being one Japanese national I feel I have to know more about the history and the roots of myself.

Dreams: 29.08.2009

2009-08-29T04:02:00.000-07:00

I am in the car, driving lesson.

My friend Shane is behind the wheel and Aya and one more girl (I don't remember, Haruka?) are in the back seat as well, me next to Shane. And somehow a driving coach is on board and supervising the driving skills.

We are in a small town with some deserted countryside so the roads and situation are varied.

Shane was very good, but in the very narrow steep down hill he had to pull off to the side because he couldn't pull the brake well, we were all scared if we are falling from the narrow road into the hedge.

A place change:

I am now on the back seat and someone is driving (a lady) I just enjoy the scenery we pass.

It's by the sea and endless field by the sea.

Somehow the scene from the window is very high as if I'm on the up deck of a double decker bus. I spot some wild horses running around, very hairy ones.

The driver tries to U-turn and I say "oh, please stop by if you can so I can take photos of them"

The lady says Ok, so I took my camera out, and find out they are unicorns! I can see the single horn sticking out from their head.

A place change:

I am now walking with my mom in the countryside of Hiroshima, somehow connected from the field I spotted the unicorns.

We walk by the water channel which leads to the sea towards where we are walking.

This is Kure, Hirohsima, where my mom was brought up and I spent some summers here, I was born here too.

My mom walks with confidence as she knows the place so well, I follow her and started to recognize and feel "Ah this is good old Kure" and feel nostalgia. We could smell the salty sea.

A place change:

Now I am at my grand parents house in Kure, my mom prepared dinner and gone out.

There are, Haruka, Aya, my cousin Asako, my grandma from Kure and my other grandma from Osaka (my dad's mom) in the room.

Haruka and Aya are wearing school uniform so my grandmas can see, but I'm not, so I say thanks to them. Haruka's one are from high school in China, Aya's ones are the same I had in my high school.

I put the dishes together so we can all eat at a table.

We start eating, grandma had some special dishes just for them prepared, some beautiful looking fish dishes. I serve them and they enjoy.

I noticed a cooker, a fire, was left on, so I stood and switch off.

Kure grandma is eating "Saba no Nikomi"(stewed mackerel in soya sauce) and she doesn't notice she is spilling the juice on her shoulder as she bites. I took some tissue out and wipe for her discreetly, thinking and knowing she wouldn't like to be treated like a baby or an old woman. She says "oh no I didn't know.. thanks" and keeps eating.

End:

She loved fish and always used to get the freshest fish caught on the same day when we visited her. She could just walk and find a fisherman in the neighborhood. It was such a small town where we used to walk to the sea after dinner and stare at the stars, we could hear the neighboring TV sound of baseball matches, Tofu selling people in bicycle.

I've never lived anywhere what we can call a "countryside" or a "village", so my summer time spent in Kure was so precious and memorable.

I love dreaming and seeing my Kure grandma in my dreams, she passed 12 years ago just after I moved to UK, and ever since that she appears in my dream so much I have to one day present "best supporting actress" award. :)

Dream: 19.08.2009

2009-08-21T02:17:00.000-07:00

It's been almost 3 days since I saw this dream, and it's very hazy or I've forgotten! but thought it ought to be written here because it's..... just funny!

I was eating a bowl of stirfry or some sort which is unusual for me to dream about food (things we are content with are not major subjects in dreams in my experiences).
And I see something is moving inside the bowl.
It was a miniature spiderman, size of a key and it climbs out from the bowl and starts climbing onto the wall of the kitchen.
I stare at him and not even surprised, and understand "right, he's a spiderman, so he's ought to ...er..climb, let him."

Portsmouth 15.08.2009

2009-08-16T15:10:00.000-07:00

South West trains are doing the £10 day trip deal on their entire lines, so my colleague Zsuzsa tells me, so I booked my friend Judith who can be so spontaneous too and our tickets straight away on friday.

I seem to need to do spontaneous adventures very often and though I love London, I am under my own control in London for what to do and where to go, so I needed to go somewhere I have no control or feeling whatever, so Portsmouth is a random choice.

I even took my swimsuit but had no luck with the sun, it was windy and not warm enough for a dip. so we just sat on pebble beach and drank a nice bottle of Cava.

And as with almost ANY British coast, there's a pier, and amusement place, where we only went in to use the toilet, but of course the toilet is out of service, but we ended up stuck with a 2p coin machine.

I love coin games like good old times, some kids were keen to use the machine we were in, but we don't care, we spent good 50 minutes and £5 on it.

I couldn't believe Judith never has played this game.

I think it is a great fun and when can any 2p gives you this much pleasure and entertainment!? (we were stingy to play 10p version of this game)

Off we walk on Castle Road where we found a blue plate of Peter Sellers who lived here.

Then on Great Southsea Street, I found a pub Dan was recommending me to go, just by chance!

and how grateful I was, it's such a lovely pub! (Hall in the Wall is the name)

At first, people drinking outside were curious about us coming in, it's the air I tend to get when I am outside London and I get looked at and "who are you?! this is our local pub not for lousy tourists, not for foreigners!" kind of atmosphere.

But all was fine. The landlord was very nice, gave us some samples of ales before we sat happily with our Ales in our hands, admiring their wonderful ceiling works of all the ales they served, over 100. (see the pic)

We got tipsy on our way home on the train, but friendly guy at the station insists on giving us a can of beer to enjoy onboard.

Great time to spend outside London sometimes when we just need some new air, I am happy being a tourist in London too, I still remember the buzz of this city of creativity, arts, beautiful shambles, grey cold sky, milky tea, etc from 18 years ago when I decided to live here.

By the way, British coasts are so beautiful you can stare for ages.

This one particularly resembles a bunch of tree patterns.

Dreams: 08.08.2009

2009-08-08T06:03:00.000-07:00

I was with my mom traveling.We come to cross the border to enter Georgia, we are little bit scared not to know what to expect and could already feel the air being very different to anywhere we've been to, very grey and heavy air.

We say hi to the border control women officers who were dressed in thick uniform and looked stern. One of the women says "Genki desuka?" (Japanese meaning "How are you?") to us as we passed by, to this my mom went more scared whispering to me "No..they will be spying on us and will get us!" and started walking very fast.

I whisper back "No, lots of people speak a bit of Japanese nowadays and nothing unusual, especially immigration people.." but she didn't listen and her walking turned into running grabbing my arm in her arm so we are now running fast.

There was no one in the sight but dim dark twilight and fields and fields of nothingness.

The only small road we were on became a steep downhill and at this point our speed was so fast I was very scared but couldn't stop like a broken bicycle.

At the top of the speed, we spot a group of wild horses coming towards us running furiously, we would crush, so I hold my mom tight and forced to come off the road before we crush.

We rolled over a few time into the side of the road and feel some parts of my mom breaking like a plastic doll in my arms.

Dreams: 27.07.2009

2009-07-30T15:05:00.001-07:00

It took me 4 days to actually write this blog since I dreamt, so it's faint now, but it was pretty amazing I had to put down here.

It must be actually boring to just "read" dreams (someone else's too!) here, and I always feel quite ashamed that I can't express enough the amazing visionaries.

This is no exception..

I was at home in Japan (as always in my dreams), and in the evening, our house somehow had this massive glass windows where we are watching the stars move.

They were moving in time lapse, the sky is moving so fast like 100 times faster that we can experience the whole night clear sky/stars movement in an hour.

I was dazzled with its beauty and completely tranced out with this while other people around me were rather not touched as if they see this every night. There were shooting stars too every few seconds.

I am filming this with my iPhone and other camera.

It looked almost exactly like this, (totally amazing clip I was introduced by my friend Manjeev, thanks!)

Some point, I am watching what I shot, somehow this was commissioned to broadcast in Japan, but all I see was shots of some Japanese band members (Diamond Yukai, The Privates were there) and I'm wondering what happened to the film and at the same time I'm professionally ashamed of my technique and quality of film I produced and worrying about the reaction of viewers and clients.

That was that. I have once seen a sky like this, full milky way and many shooting stars, in Tokushima, Japan 15 years ago, me and friends were lying on the road and counting shooting stars and we didn't know what we were watching, milky way! because we couldn't believe they were all stars together which made up to make such a big strip of line and such bright thing! I thought it was a thick cloud. But the one I saw in my dream was more beautiful especially it was time lapsed.

I like "visions" that we can "see" wether in photography or dreams, films because it can portray little bit beyond what human bare eye can capture. (Although I have to note that our eyes are superior to camera lens in a literal sense.)

Dreams: 26.07.2009

2009-07-26T04:33:00.000-07:00

I love dreaming with nicotine patch vivid affect so much, but sometimes this is very tiring and need to shut down when I sleep (on a weekday normally) so I started to take off before going to bed (I'm on 24 hour patch) but I was wearing one this morning since I was drunk last night and wasn't aware..

Hence I had amazing vivid, scary dreams again, 2nd one is almost like a proper prologue of a horror film (a bit cheap kind though to my liking like "Hostel" style)

First dream;

I was back in Japan, and as we normally do, my mom and I were in a shopping centre, she wants to spoil me and buy something I like. We are buying a bag or scarf (I don't remember) and at the till, she is greeting with a saleswoman and says "This is my daughter, lives in London" and she adds some remark which is her worry, so for myself too "She's not married yet.." or something like that, then I took it too personal and got very angry. We were talking in Japanese, but I started shouting in English to her half-conscious that she would understand (she understands English pretty well) "what does that mean?! Just because I'm not married and have no kids or house, I'm not intentionally doing it, so don't make it sound like I'm incomplete as a human!!"

Then I ran off into shopping centre's backdoor.

Place changes and now I have just arrived in Japan, but at the goods loading area of the big shopping centre Takashimaya, we have our exclusive storage and VIP customer service, there is a door with our name Ishikawa. We are taking my big suitcase but my mom asks me to take all the stuff inside into some bag to take home but not the suitcase. I say "no I need the suitcase at home so I know how much stuff I can pack to go home-London- when I go".

I was opening the suitcase, at this time my usual big normal suitcase turned into a big hard shell white guitar case which I thought was cool.

Place changes again, me and my mom are half running because my dad has come to pick us up from the airport, this time he came to different junction (like motorway junction) and waiting for us.

It's late at night and only light was from the moon, there is the sea on the left side, and right side was forest-like nature with a motorway running across.

We were running on a wet asphalt but because of the darkness and moonlight, it looks like an ice shone in blue, very beautiful.

I say this to my mom and we slow down to see the scenery a little bit.

My dad joins us and suddenly it was daytime and other people around too.

We stopped by the shore and I see, yellowy white fat snake coiled up on a piece of wood, my dad says "Look, it's swallowing something" we see something has just been eaten by it, a rather big belly part was moving downward, I imagine the prey being a rascal or a beaver...

The I see yellow tropical fish almost walking on the shore, followed by shiny blue hairtail fish "running" after it. I go to the other side towards the dry field where I see some other animals.

I take my camera and shoot away. The way I take photos is exactly how I do and sometimes struggle with flash being on and off, frame size and macro settings, weird.. this was very realistic!

Second dream:

I and my mom are on holiday somewhere and in a massive complex of shopping/restaurants/amusement, we are in a food court and queueing to pay. It's very busy.

My mom couldn't wait long and went for "Men" section of till exit and found a table where she wasn't allowed to enter from that side. She doesn't care but happy to find a table, I follow her and do the same, so did 2 other women. A waitress finds us and get very angry and told us off, but we ignore her.

As we started eating, some security with the waitress came and took the numbers we somehow wore on our shirts, and told us to come to see the manager later.

We discuss this and still think it's not a bog deal since other people are sitting in the area with no problem.

But we (me, my mom, skinny bubbly blonde girl and cute pale smiley girl) decided to go as told and walking out from the food court, but my mom had just bought us drinks on a tray, so I grab one to drink now whole one of the girls is buying a cake by the entrance/exit door, the cakes look amazing and I think I should come back here later.

The drink I took was milkshake with some Oreo crunches and was very nice. I let my mom try.

We go outside the complex.

The cute girl has disappeared or coming later. We are 3 now, as we walk following the skinny girl as she seems to know the area very well.

We were talking about how ridiculous to be called on such a small thing and I say "They can't blame us on going through "Men"s exit, if that's what we are blamed for, it's totally sexist!", as we walk I ask her name and she says her name which sounded like Polish, and I thought she was Polish, but she mumbled and seemed to decided now and says her name was Julia, English version of her name to make it easier to pronounce.

We pass by a row of many stalls in market square and she goes into one opening the shutter of the stall "This is what I do". It was a shop selling guitars and all over the wall was wooden number plates for cars lots of them were in Japanese. We go into the stall and look at those hand carved plates. I find one which bears the area where my friend lives, Shimizu city, Shizuoka plate.

We go out and onto the big square where I started to recognize the area, thought it was near London Bridge. There is a street with old fashioned very European style houses/buildings.

Julia points that street and tells us "that red building is the head office of the complex".

We walk on the street, it was very ghetto and see many various people walking, some beggers, some dressed in weird clothes like a folk parade.

I, also notice that was dressed in traditional German warrior costume with a sword and a long bread knife in my hand. (!)

I notice 2 German old guys in striped (prisoner style) ragged clothes were behind my mom and as I was going to warn her of them, she notices too and says "go away!" to them, they were laughing and took her wallet from her jacket pocket.

I made sure it was hers, a pink nylon one I know she has quite a lot of cash inside when being on holiday, I somewhat feel ashamed of her lack of security scare (*Japan is a safe country!), and I took 2 knives into a cross and took a fighting fit towards them.

Knowing them somehow that they are German, I worried a bit that I look so ridiculous in German warrior costume, this may anger them, but I managed to pick that wallet off them and throw it towards my mom and Julia, who picked up safely and are watching me worriedly.

They started running after me, so I ran. now I am very scared, I don't feel safe at all with lots of people around in the broad day light because it's such a ghetto anything can happen and can't trust any random people here.

I run into one red building where Julia said was the head office of the complex, there were few doors and didn't knownwhich one but having no time, I pick one where it had a sign "Strange Air Group" in Japanese(!). I go through several doors until I find one room I decided to hide. The room was like a hotel room with clean bedroom, I try to lock the door, but struggle to do it since the locking system was strange. I think about going down the window to escape if they find my way soon.

A bit of a gap here, when I realized, I'm trying to enter different red door this time.

This one had a high gap between the building entrance to the main door, I suspect this is because of the flood scare, there was a canal by it to make me think of Amsterdam.

I climb up with no effort and go up the staircase, several random doors after, I ran into a room where about 10 women all in the middle of making their hair/make-up supervised by one lady like a hair dressing class. I say ti this lady "I'm very sorry to bother you this way, but someone is trying to attack me and I need to...hide! please!" and I run inside one of the women's white long cape feeling terrified..

Few seconds pass, and it's hot inside the cape. The teacher lady touches me and tells me there is noone to find me here, so I come out little bit sheepishly, and I walk towards the window to see if I can see the guys are there.

All the women are looking with curiosity in silence, they were harmless but belong to completely different world that I can't relate, ask for help or trust.

The scene I saw from the window.., there was a courtyard there and many people are walking about, chatting etc, no sight of those 2 guys chasing me, but there are 2 big old oil drums under the fire, and inside the drums seem like a manure from animals or human.. and I can see few people were thrown inside and floundering and suffering. (a bit like the final scene from "Salo -120 dys of sodom-" by Pasolini, my most feared film ever).

When I noticed, I was greeted with an old scruffy grey haired guy next to me while all the women look on, he came from the next door I didn't noticed when I entered, contrary to the clean white room with women dressing up, this door and the room I could see was all dirty and dark, cold toolbox kind of place. He was wearing a dirt/metal stained thick apron and smiling at me in a pure friendly way but had one eye completely broken and wounded in a bad way.

He says "I was expecting you"

I somehow don't feel so scared, and somewhat felt he wasn't evil or harmful despite the look and what I saw outside the window.

That when I woke up...

*note

Images are not mine but from google image, I had such clear imagery of dream scenery and people, objects that I want to visualize so I tried to add what's closest to what I saw here..

I guess, I do photography because I am forever trying to recapture my mental images.

And mental images that we all have are such a deep mystery treasure of the self (with or without the "meaning" of dreams, I don't anylize it but purely to enjoy and be amazed) these dreams I am having really made me think the depthless infinity visions one of us own!

It's truly amazing to be able to "see" and "experience" the unknown films your own head is showing while sleep..

It's an ultimate film pleasure of the most unique and original kind.

Square photos: Footsteps

2009-07-24T05:47:00.000-07:00

Like many people, I am more often taking my compact camera with me than too "pro"-looking big SLR cameras nowadays. It's simply an easy way not to miss an opportunity to capture what I see casually, let alone the quality of the compact cameras getting so great.
I have purchased my new compact camera which I tend to upgrade/change every year, my latest one is a Ricoh's CX-1. It's a great camera for its auto-compensation light adjustment system and the lens etc, but my personal favourite is its square format option.
I have a lovely Hasselbrad (If you're not familiar with camera brand, this is like a Gibson for guitars, Alfa Romeo for cars) which is decorating my room but not bee out for a while (I feel guilty but can't simply have time/money to shoot films so much nowadays), so this option is perfect for me, I love 6x6!
Here are some shots I took and currently expanding the project called "Footsteps"

When I feel "English"

2009-07-19T15:46:00.000-07:00

There are some occasions that I feel like an English person than Japanese..

I thought it'd be funny to list these up when I had one of those moments today,

I was crossing a road, off course my side of traffic light was red, I was waiting for the cars to pass so I can cross when one of them was sooo slow I had to actually stop than keep walking snail-speed which was annoying then my mind was saying "Go on, go! are you slow-motion or something?!"

which wasn't nice of me even only in my head... this is more of a Londoner I guess for being hasty (also my home town Osaka has the same reputation for being the fastest walking people in Japan) always in a hurry and short-tempered.

This is why I need to take some time off from my "city" and "robot-commuter" mode and feel more relaxed and happier.

There are moments I feel "English"

1; When I'm commenting ("tsukkomi" in Japanese comedy term )unconsciously in English, especially in jokes. (like above case) and when I swear.

2; When abroad, I expect others to speak English in order to communicate (well, but I have to add, I try to speak native languages also)

3; Loving Japanese foods too much and actually accept the quality of some street sushi chains those otherwise not quite accepted as authentic/good Japanese foods by real Japanese people.

4: Dreaming in English

5; When I come home from being away, first thing to think is to put the kettle on and have a cuppa tea (and sigh)

6; When English speaker friends ask me for English grammar or spelling.

7; When I open conversation with people who aren't too close friends, I can't avoid talking about the weather.

8; I've never needed an umbrella just for a drizzle.

9: I feel suddenly hungry when I smell the vinegar on chips on streets.

10; When I pronounce Japanese words with English accent. (feel bit embarrassed though)

11; When I feel embarrassed to see silly groups of British hen/stag people abroad.

12; When I notice I am unconsciously supporting Brits for big international sports events.

13; When I put crisps (potato chips) inside sandwiches. And sandwich has to be accompanied by crisps.

14; I can have cuppa tea with dinner of any sorts. (I don't do this anymore though)

15; When I say "innit". (I say as a joke though)

16; When I can type in English about 25 times faster than in Japanese. (always)

The list can go on, so I will edit this again, I should write about the reversed version too ("When I feel I'm Japanese" etc)

shoko

Dreams: 11.07.2009

2009-07-11T03:30:00.001-07:00

It's saturday, and I slept for long time after such a busy time I had for over a month.

I'm sure I deserved this long deep sleep, and hence my dreams were amazing..

Yes. I'm still on Nic patches :)

First I remember:

I was in a sushi bar with Hiromi finishing our dinner, I had one piece left to eat when Hiromi went to the toilet and I asked for the bill to the waiter that I wanted to pay before she comes back. As I turned my head I saw my relative, Akibo there sitting and having sushi at the counter, he greets me and offers me a nice looking eel and cucumber roll.

Below the other side of the counter, there was a old wet and dirty wooden pallet and I can see a mice or two running in such a speed towards under the counter where the food was kept and I thought disgusting..

Second I remember:

I had a big argument with my family (dad, mom and brother) at home and my brother said something outrageous to me, so my head boiled over it and snapped, I took a jar or a glass in from of me on the table and with a hint of hesitation, I threw it to him and ran outside.

I was angry but knew if I was going to run away, I needed some stuff like mobile phone, wear shoes etc, so I went quickly back to my room to grab a bag and ran outside.

I somehow fear but expect my mom to try to get me, so I look back many times but can't see anyone following me. I feel relieved because I really wanted to be alone and don't want to lose my own game. (hide and seek?)

I run down to the market centre which really exists in my hometown only 5 min walk, but from there the place was new and it's now like a massive shopping centre.

I walked in to find somewhere I can hide and chill. I really wanted to be alone since I know and expect my family is in the search of me by now.

I pass a big chinese restaurant where lots of people are having post wedding dinner and is noisy. I went in to go to the toilet there, I knew the toilets are downstairs. The waiter looked at me but didn't care about me so I went down.

There is a toilet but 2 girls are queueing and chatting that I didn't want to go there, so I keep walking deeper inside and there I see a part of gym and pool complex. I don't see anyone in there and it's very dimly lit. A guy turns up but I tell him I only want to use the toilet over there and he didn't care, so I cross a small river of pool (I was bare foot then) and walk on thinking this is the perfect place to chill and be alone.

there are many different settings of pools and saunas all quite dark. I actually find a few people hanging around like a membership only weird gay bar. (as in a Lynch film or "Donnie Darko" style)

When I notice, I was in the shopping centre and was with Natasha window shopping.

We go into a Sony interior shop, it's very cute and I adore so many things there, pop and chic colouful goods and furniture.

There appears this tall smiley guy called Andy, and he joined me for window shopping.

We chat, and before I know my family was there to take me home. Andy was a friend or relative of my family. He joins the gang of his family, a small child etc and we all walk back to home.

But I was still angry and I think I was pissed off about being found and had to go home, so I try not to walk close to my family or meet their eyes.

Place changes:

I am in London and it's very late at night and dark.

I'm on my own and on the way home (home is mixed here with London home and Japan home).

First, I ride on a open air flying object (like a ski lift) which flies so high and fast I get very scared. It flies over very dark misty forest, it's mysteriously beautiful but I'm more scared to enjoy it.

Then I am on the taxi queue (this is in Japan, real station taxi rack) and I find Marc Brown queueing too. I say hi and he says "wow we always bump into somewhere weird in weird hours!" and asks me how much it's going to cost to get home, I say about £7 but later I rethink it should be less.

He was with a friend and they decided to talk to the taxi/bus centre in search of an alternative way of getting transport.

I see 2-3 people waiting for a last bus at my bus stop, but I decide to wait for a taxi.

Different place now, in london:

I am somewhere north London in Muswell hill. I am waiting for a night bus.

It is drizzling and there are quite a few people waiting for busses too.

in front of us was some part construction piece of wood divider and beyond that there is a small stall where 2 Japanese guys selling their own branded clothes.

Some people waiting for a bus have a look and one old tall guy in his 60's buys a hunting cap in blue linen, same as one of the shop guys wearing.

The shop sells quite cool styled clothing range, casual sporty and chic. (Ralph Lauren style?)

I see a bus coming and it is number 55.

I ask the driver if he is going to Finchley Road station and he says yes. so I try to find the oyster card reader, then I noticed that this bus was different to any other London busses.

Behind the driver there're some people making teas and coffees to sell, I can see the ready made ones with marker penned prices, 80p, 120p, 95p etc.

I got on and find even more weird things onboard.

It's massive inside and has such a room, like a hotel lobby. I get my iPhone out and take some photos of inside the bus. I walk around and I even find a big kitchen where catering can be offered for the passengers. The kitchen was closed and I see its metallic cold blue air.

the bus number 55 was running on Finchley Road but takes a detour into a small town with lots of green surroundings. It's almost like a forgotten small village, but the green part was so big just like a peaceful drawing of Jehovah's witness leaflets.

It was actually a cemetery and the green was wet with rain, and was shone with somehow so many street lights in white.

I quickly think this IS the place I want to do the photoshoots. A perfect green and setting. So I remember the way to get here and think "I don't have to go up to Scotland or outside London for the shoot!" (because I am planning to go on a shoot trip with Natasha in a car)

I even had a temptation of getting off right there to shoot but I didn't have my camera.

the bus now joins back to the big Finchley road to take me home.

The cemetery green world was another world's away compared to the usual weekend late night scene in London and it made me think it was a beautiful dream just for 5 minutes before reality hit back.

I had one more dream before waking, about my parents.

I completely understand most of the parts why I dream.

I am away from "home" in Japan and think and worry about my family so much they are always in my dreams. for this last one I was trying to make my newly retired dad who seems lost and depressed about his new life, feel good by making changes in their bedroom, cooking and walking. I had just emailed them how I would enjoy every single new thing my dad could never do if he was working.

And more scarilly, I see now my dreams reflect what and how I am to my family and what I am doing in my real life in general.

I am always trying to "get away" in search of more comfortable place and not facing the real life problems and things to tackle. That's why I am always running away from something or something is after me and I am always feeling uneasy and worried, but I enjoy something I encounter during my "running away" like I was staring at the wet green shiny cemetery from a bus window.

I think I am a passenger in my own life watching the scenery go by.

Dreams: 26.06.2009

2009-06-26T02:36:00.000-07:00

Right-O!
Nicotine patch nightmare/vivid dreams theory is right.
It's over 2 weeks on now since I quit smoking and on nic patches that I grow more love than smoking now because of this dream effect.
Not sure though if this is something to do with the fact I am deadly tired and sleepy at work (this being my work at desk with papers/phones,..boring) for the past whole month. Or am I just getting old? Surely I should have more energy now than smoking days. My skin is getting better again except the aging thing I can't quite avoid(!)
I'm eating healthy, lots of vegetables, fruits, water, fish in my main diet with vitamine/minerals supplements.
Anyhow! I was talking about dreams.. yet here again before I forget.
I have a way of "recording dreams" in my own way, I shall write about that soon too since lots of people can't and forget it when they wake.

Dream I had this morning was so funny, I'm sure I was laughing in my sleep, this rarely ever happen to me because my dreams are always scary and uneasy.

I was living in a top floor apartment of 3 storey-building with some friends.
Maria (from Sweden that was really visiting me very recently) was visiting me and Wojtek was around visiting too. I ask Maria what she wants to drink "Just water is fine" "Are you sure, we have tons of drinks in the kitchen" "yes really, just water for me" Maria replies.
Me and Wojtek go to the kitchen through a narrow corridor stairs where Wojtek parked his bicycle with other bikes there making it narrower for us to pass. A green chunky second-hand bicycle it was.
We came to the kitchen and I grab 2 glasses and start making 2 gin and tonics while Wojtek take some beer cans.
There's a huge party going on downstairs, so we go down to peek.
Many people are there as if it was a night club with banging rock music. Some are already very drunk.
As we make our way back to my apartment, a girl in blue dress who looks a little like Pixie Geldof comes to me and asks me if there is anotehr party upstairs.
I don't want her coming to my party (room), so I say "no, we're just having drinks before going to bed" but she follows us to the stairs.
There's a second floor apartment, and we find people there are preparing for a party there with 2 big DJ decks and lightings. I tried to get her attention there and say "Look, they're having party soon too, it looks cool" but she didn't seem interested in but still follows us to the top apartment.
We kind of ignore her and keep going upstairs but when she's really trying to sneak into my apartment, I stop at one corner stairs so she can't follow and get my gesture 'you are not welcome'.

Changes over to another dream (funny one):
Somewhere, someone's house? Manjeev comes with his friend chasing me in a friendly jokey way. He is tickling me and trying to find out if I touch my belly button like they do too. I run around to avoid the tickling. They conclude that I don't since I'm covered in shirts and jeans(?!).
I say "Why don't you just play with your own belly button fluffs?!"
With this, Katy who was there sharply pointed out that she has something to show us all.
There's Bradly with her too. She brought forward a piece she made.., a small image of some hand-made fabric portraying monkey or some sort.
As we look closer, you can see the face of a monkey is made out from a big chunk of belly buttom fluff that Katy must have collected into a big ball off Brad's.
The image moves into a short video clips and it was so funny we laugh our heads off.
It was funny both that she made all this effort with belly button fluff and the video image of this mini monkey moving around.
I woke up from laughing..

I know it's not funny reading this.
I'm wondering whether or not to tell this to any of the people came into my dreams today, they may think I'm a weirdo.

Dreams: 24.06.2009

2009-06-24T09:52:00.000-07:00

I had another dream of someone trying to break into our house (in Japan) this morning..
I have recently noticed that I have this recurring dreams of similar sorts: either I'm hiding inside the house not to be seen from any windows, locking all the doors and windows, or trying to get help (police I guess) for intruders/burglars.
And 80% of my dreams are set in my home in Japan or nearby neighbourhood.

In this dream,
I was on my own in the house, just came back but am going out for a little shopping, I have a eco bag on my shoulder and ready to leave, when I just left the door into the garden, I witness a car accident whereby 2 bikes and a car are involved. I see the moment when a biker fell on the ground.
A car door in the middle of 2 bikes opens and there're 3 guys in it. 2 of them come out and ask me what I've seen, I think they need an eye witness so I say what I saw, "I just saw the biker fell on the ground but couldn't see anything else"
For some reason, I have a bad air form these guys and the whole thing, so I try not to talk anymore, and I remember to lock all the doors of the house, the back door wasn't locked.
As I tried to go back to the house to lock the door, one of the guys asked me if I have some pain killers, "yes, no problem, I have ibuprofen, I'll bring some, can you wait around here?" I say.
But on the contrary to my intention of trying to get them away from me and the house, they follow me to the front door. I shut the door as I walk in to get the pain killers which I actually had in my bag but pretended I have in the house so I can go back and lock the door.
I walk in and lock the front door where they wait. I dashed to the back door and lock it too, then go back to the front door just to slip 2 tablets out to them before I shut again to lock it.

Right, it's been 2 days and I already forgot the rest of the story.
It was uneasy feeling..
My reading is that I have some unfinished business and worries in my house back in Japan.
Mostly about my parents I worry as they get older and I still find it hard to grasp that I am not a little girl raised, supported, loved, taught etc anymore and should be supporting my parents in return from now on..

YO LA TENGO: My Favourite band

2009-06-16T04:40:00.001-07:00

Thanks to mister James McNew (Bass) who always arranges guestlist for me and my friend Dale. We went to see them last night play as a part of Ornette Coleman's Meltdown festival at Southbabk.

We last saw them do a "Sound of the sound of Science" (soundtracks to an old documentary of undersea creatures made by Jean Painleve (french Avan-garde film maker) at the festival hall in 2007.
James got us aftershow passes so we were excited to meet and chat to say thanks! but despite the fact passes which clearly written "aftershow" and "AAA" (All Access Area), there wasn't any party... though we asked several people and they all said the different places to go and some took us backstage area to find the party..
It was reminiscent to that for being the same Southbank, but this time there WAS an aftershow and we could have a good chat with James, though I again.. failed to say hi to Ira and Georgia who were right next to us... I'm shy..

This is where the party was held (before) it had this David Lynch air and loved it!

The show was intimate one with Q&A style with random audience questions and they answer and play songs (from simplified set of one acoustic guitar, bass, and drums, them sitting down) .
I was little disappointed first when I saw the set, for I love their electric set where Ira goes mental with his guitar like a little guitar kid. but it was really interacting cosy evening with YLT and they were funny and friendly. I personally loved the acoustic version of "Tom Couteney" and "Sugar Cubes", "Nowhere near", they also did covers for The Velvet Underground and The Fugs.

They are back in Novermber after the new album out in September (Matador).
James saud they'll be playing one day in London's Roundhouse in the beginning of November followed by 7-8 European countries.
I saw them (one of the best YLT show!!! I was dancing) in Spain at Primavera Sound Festival in end May, the last night, and I get to see them again this year, only makes my year happier :)))
I and Dale (who is also a great artist and musician) are thinking of (was my never-talked-about dream) putting a show for James to play a small solo show as Dump as his project as Dump is one of my favourite music around for a long time for me but he's never played shows as dump in UK (except one brief occasion in Glasgow with The Pastels 1998).
If this happens, it's be my day....
He seems to be into underground Japanese music and Dale is a friends with Tenniscoats etc and ahs a good network in Japanese music scene, and the perfect venue for this would be our friends' venue lovely Cafe Oto!

I'll keep posted if anything new happens.. but I just wanted to show some lovely images here and say thanks to the world's sweetest band Yo La Tengo again :)

Dreams: 15.06.2009

2009-06-15T05:36:00.000-07:00

Another epic drama dreams this morning (I started loving this nicotine patch effect I will be more addictive!)
This one was me being behind the drama..
There're 2 types of dreams, one is where you are yourself and actively in the dreams, and the other is like "watching" a film/TV youre not really in it but sometimes your role is someone else..
This was the latter one, I was a middle aged Japanese male (who looked/seemed like our family friend in Brazil or the main charactor in my recent read book-Japanese SF-"Pigs of Cadara")

(SHORT VERSION now since I forgot ..)
I (middle aged male) am in mission of finding a lost wife and the kids in ancient Greek lookalike places where all warriors are fighting in heavy iron cast armours and speak unknown languages.
As many as few hundreds musculine men are cultivating a new found land chanting pulling tons of heavy stones and they look scary but I ask one of them where I could find my wife and kids. A guy spoke in ancient language someone around me translated. He looked angry for purely being strong and keen at work, he showed me his one hand which only had 4 fingers. I asked what happened to his lost finger and he laughed loud and said "I lost it over there" pointing to the deep cliff behind us.
Suddenly soft earth starts colapsing and many men fell into the cliff (nothing to do with this guy with 4 fingers) like a sudden earthquake.
I somehow struggle to cling to the earth and managed to climb up and up and up until I have no sense in my bofy anymore.
I find myself in a shack so quiet and somewhat peaceful.
I know now that my wife and kids are safely looked after here. 2 girls aged about 4 and 6 and thre is one girl aged under 2 who is a daughter of mine but I had not seen for being part before she was born.
I don't say a word but take out some dishes I brought all the way to give to them in front of them. some berry jellycake for the eldest and smaller cakes to the other 2 on plates were kept as they were in my rucksack surprisingly in the chaos I had to go through.
My wife recognizes me but stays cool and quiet for the kids to recognize me first naturally.
We have this amazing bonding reunion including this never-met my new daughter around us and happy ending (well I woke up)...........

Dreams: 11.06.2009

2009-06-11T01:49:00.000-07:00

Nicotine patch affect? (I'm on quiting smoking second time since a few days)
I am enjoying the ever so vivid and weird dreams recently and thought I have to make a record of it sicne my dream diary notebook has been neglected for awhile now..
I was told I'd have nightmaes by a nurse if I'm on 24 hour patch which I was very excited about, I love nightmares, the kind of zombies, the end of the world, cliff, running, etc not the kind like work, numbers..

First I remember..
I was waiting for a friend (old friend I haven't seen for 10 years) who was going on a trip with me and some others in a station-like place, I was holding coffee and cup of water and struggling to hold all and text/call her to check where she is, the departure time is approaching and need to board.
The time came so I departed without her but later found her with my other friends in the big stadium (concert of ancient building?) and she came to greet me kissing on cheeks and apologized for her lateness and benig unable to be contacted. She says she "in in a deep shit something relating with some guys and a pistol"
I get pissed off and frustrated because I was worried for her arrival and trying to make sure the trip goes ok for us all but I was the last person to see her and others already appeared to know the situation about her.
I think, "Ok she's been chased by mafia guys and is on the run."
We arrive at a stunningly beautiful shore, a tropical island, clean blue water and lots of beautiful fish amaze me (one jellyfish meets prawn like creature in the shallow water and some colourful fish).

Second part..
I am at home in Japan with mom and brother. I need to go to the toilet, so I go there but find out whole toilet or the house is filled with water, so I can't flush the loo but it mixes with the water inside. I feel floating in it.
When I come out I see 2 guys are trying to break into out house, mom's gone somewhere, I hid myself by the door (wooden big one with glass window by it-in real life too-) and check the chain is down on the door. I gesture my brother that they're burglers. they're now by the other side of the door talking and checking how to break in.
I think about calling the police immediately, my brother comes on the other side of the door from me to hide, he brings a gun (toy gun but can be fatal..with wooden bullets) and aims at them through the door. I panic.
And as he shoots them, I run amock and grab a phone (cordless luckily!) and run into the next door neighbour's garden as I dial 199 (not sure why 199, not 999) and the line reaches a woman in (police officer) a too relaxed tone. I tell her the address and ask for an amburance and police right now. She asks about the situation and I get frustrated for her slow tone. I want to hide until the police comes in case I get killed before but worry about my brother and feel coward for running off.
I can't seem to find a perfect place to hide and wait, so I go as far as to the medic centre (200m away) and as I make my way back to the house to check what's going on now and bump into the 2 burglers who are looking sheepish both in bandaged arms (they were shot by my brother with wooden bullets) and almost apologize me for coming back to our house to burgle (they burgled before!), and my brother defends them. I am still angry, so I try to remember their stupid faces so I can sue them.

Third part.. complete crystal crisp beauty dream
Our home in Japan moved to some urban house, only in a very high altitude place, almost like heaven, things are white, clean, floating feeling..
We are having a dinner party, my mom cooked so beautiful, refined food, there are several guests all around the garden. I want to take some good photos of the food and the party, already imagining the images of it as pictures in my head and I run to the old house to grab my camera kit.
I have to walk through small town, all this place is such a transparent, clean, crisp, afresh, white world (as I imagine heaven would be) the old house is on the top of a building (open plan roof top apartment) and some guys are working to repair a lift, for a minute I panic thinking I can't reach there without it, but soon I find out I could use the staircase. I run up to the top and find my camera bag. I see some people are hanging about but I know the stuff we left in the old house is safe somehow.. I see Alfonso there noticing me but I have no time so go back to the new house.
The journey is lovely, this is a crisp crystal frozen world and as I walk, I took some frozen leaves off the road, little triangle-ish pale purple leaves coated in thin ice snaps in my hands (still remember this feel now!) almost like a mini electric shock and I enjoy this.
I see frozen water reed/grass growing from a pond I pass by. Beautiful pale green with round pointy frozen ice on top of each grass.
Place changes, and I am on the way to somewhere I have to go. It's like Alps here, beautiful huge mountains, very BIG and clear air. There is a big cable car going between mountains surprisingly so many people like a commuting train. I try to get on with a woman who is also on her way hurriedly. I find my space on the very back of the car, it's full of people, about 40-50 of them.

I don't remember the rest...

I do my own analysist on my dreams and I often see the fragment of reality parts which happened to me recently or things I saw/thought.. but I don't believe in connecting too general keywords in trying to read the meaning, in fact, I don't quite believe in having meanings in dreams.
For this dream,
I was holding drinks and struggling: maybe because I had a nice dinner with a friend the night before and our table was full, and one point I was worried about empty glasses staying by the edge of the table.
being frustrated: I had been sometime recently for having to organize schedules with lots of people but some didn't go so smooth and I got very tired.
Tropical island: my recent trip to Spain? fish: my recent fish eating in Spain?
leaves/grass: maybe I had to sit on the grass by a tree for a bit the night before for being a bit ill?
cable car: maybe a reflection of London tube strike happening right now, for having to change my route to work. (but greatly enjoying this different journey to my usual :)

Who knows?
I love dreaming, dreaming is like being in a cinema, dreaming is like letting all my soul free and watch some stories, dreams are like finding my little pieces that is stored in my millions of mind drawers, I cherish every one of them.

x
shoko

night swimming for night howks

2008-09-19T17:25:00.000-07:00

*sleepless night

Luckily, I don't suffer from insomnia but I occasionally have late night wonderings.(in my head that is normally)

How do you spend the night with?

What music do you play? (soundtracks to your midnight pondering)

What book/magazine/web site do you spend more on if you're online?

For me, if I'm drunk, I'd be watching crappy telly programmes (thanks to freeview!) if any B-class horror film is on, it'd be best.

when I'm not drunk, I play nighty music, quite often YumeBitsu, Yo La Tengo, Surface of Eceon, James Blackshaw, Slowdive etc.

(now listening to Victorola Favorite-Collected folk recordings from all over the world-)

I love letting my mind flow.

If coming out into the amazingly white heavenly world from thick clouds on a airplane is floating on sky, my mind at these sleepless nights is swimming into a deep dark ocean.

It can be scary since it's dark and I have no clue where I would find myself, I encounter some deep sadness,

blueprints for the new photo project

2008-09-11T07:24:00.000-07:00

hello!

Here's my new project named currently "ghosts", no, not real ghosts, but as a metaphor for something that can't be placed but emerges in the shape of light, shadow etc, to be remembered, to tell us it's something out there..

Hard to explain..

I embrace the daily life little encounters and little mind adventures, so I'm trying to recreate the mystical air by putting a fresh breath to it in photographs.

The shots here are from my holiday in north of Sweden.

Any feedback would be passionately welcomed :)

More of the same.....

Smoked Mackerrel + Veg Rice "Takikomi Gohan"

KRAAK FESTIVAL 2011

Whitey "Canned Laughter" (2010) and before

Dream: 15.11.10

Directorsound and Plinth Music

Recipe: Bang Bang Ji Chicken with Sesame dressing

Avocado, Fig and Pomegranate salad recipe

Autumn day wander: Hampstead Heath and mushrooms

Music to check out: Paul Metzger/Bo Ningen

Dreams: 03.10.2010

Autumn day: Alfie's Antique market

Fuyuko Matsui's Nihonga 松井冬子の日本画

Pear tart recipe (lazy and easy version)

All about Coffee Coffee Coffee

Takeshi Kitano Exhibition in Paris

Belgium Beers in Belgium

Islaja + Family Elan live at Cafe Oto

Patisserie Macaron (Clapham Common) review

Here We Go Magic at Hoxton Bar and Grill 7th Sep 2010

Great bands: A Hawk and Hacksaw and Family Elan

Some tunes which make me smile :) 5th Sep 2010

Chocolate cake with Butter cream recipe

Onion Pie recipe

Family Tree shop *cute and ethical goods that make you smile*

Sundried Tomato in oven recipe

Kara-age (Japanese Chicken Fritters) recipe

The Hinds Head pub meal review (Bray, Berkshire)

Burgh House Buttery Cafe review (Hampstead)

Oliver's Fish and Chips review

Green Pesto recipe

Ottolenghi review (Islington branch)

Necco Japanese canteen/Japas review

Dreams: 17.02.2010

Outsider's Art: Museum of Everything

Dreams: 30.01.2010

Forest Scene 16

Dreams 11.10.2009

Dreams: 29.09.2009

Dreams: 26.09.2009

Mosaic portfolio 1: in my eyes

Dreams: 06.09.2009

Dreams: 29.08.2009

Dream: 19.08.2009

Portsmouth 15.08.2009

Dreams: 08.08.2009

Dreams: 27.07.2009

Dreams: 26.07.2009

Square photos: Footsteps

When I feel "English"

Dreams: 11.07.2009

Dreams: 26.06.2009

Dreams: 24.06.2009

YO LA TENGO: My Favourite band

Dreams: 15.06.2009

Dreams: 11.06.2009

night swimming for night howks

blueprints for the new photo project

Family Tree shop cute and ethical goods that make you smile