This week I've been trying to wrap up some of my ongoing projects. I'm editing one final newsletter for DigitalEve Japan and finalizing details on an ordering process for some t-shirts I designed, plus getting ready to send some postcards to the printer. In addition, even though a replacement has been chosen, I'm still making updates on the CWAJ website. I hope to clear my agenda by the end of this month, so I can begin organizing for our big move.
We've cancelled our trip to New Zealand :-( :-( :-(
We'll probably do daytrips in Japan instead. Though I regret getting the chance to see NZ, I look forward to further explorations in Japan.
This week I also managed to engage in some more of those experiences that are unique to Tokyo. We went to a fantabulous shrine sale on Sunday. It was held at Takahatafudo, which is about an hour by special rapid train out of Shinjuku station. It was well worth the extra effort to get there. The grounds of Takahfudo are quite beautiful. There are several buildings including a five-storied pagoda and extensive gardens with pathways that wind up some steep hills. It's one of the biggest shrine sales I've been to also -- there must have been hundreds of vendors. I found a few bargains: two kimono jackets that make excellent and very stylish additions to a westerner's wardrobe, a silk obi that can be used as a table runner and a gorgeous blue and white bowl with a design of a dragon on it (the vendor claims the bowl is over 100 years old). After the shrine sale we ducked into a cozy little Indian restaurant for a delicious meal.
Yesterday I headed out to Kappabashi, a section of town with a profusion of stores selling housewares. On my way to Kappabashi I was hungry and tried to find a place to eat. I passed by the usual Japanese eateries and smoky coffee shops till I came to a place called Cafe de Flamingo. The door was made of frosted glass and the curtain in the window prevented a peek inside. The menu indicated that they serve an afternoon tea, so I thought I'd check it out. I entered the cafe and it was as if I had stepped through a time and space warp. Gone was the gaudiness and noise from the outside world. Instead I found myself in a cafe that looked as if it belonged in Vienna during the early 1900s. The walls were forest green and the wood was a rich mahogany color. Aside from the waiter, there was not a soul in the place, adding to the surreal quality of the setting. I sat down and ordered the afternoon tea. The waiter was gracious and friendly. Soon he had placed a pot of tea and a two-tiered tray in front of me. On the tray were one ham and cheese sandwich (prepared with one of those sandwich grilling machines,
four Pringles potato chips, fresh fruit and cakes and cookies. As I ate, mellow jazz music played in the background. A thoroughly delightful repast. I left the cafe and headed back in to the blare and glare of Tokyo and continue to head towards Kappabashi.
I love shopping in Kappabashi. There a stores that specialize in nothing but plastic food. Others specialize in porcelain, knives, lacquerware, aprons and chef's hats. It's the restaurant supply district of Tokyo, but there is plenty there to satisfy the average consumer. I even discovered a couple of wonderful craft/antique stores there.
Today is a Japanese national holiday -- Spring Equinox Day. Spring festivals have sprung up all over town including Azabu-Juban, a neighborhood near us. Think I'll head out there to see what's on offer.
God, I will really miss living in Tokyo!
We've cancelled our trip to New Zealand :-( :-( :-(
We'll probably do daytrips in Japan instead. Though I regret getting the chance to see NZ, I look forward to further explorations in Japan.
This week I also managed to engage in some more of those experiences that are unique to Tokyo. We went to a fantabulous shrine sale on Sunday. It was held at Takahatafudo, which is about an hour by special rapid train out of Shinjuku station. It was well worth the extra effort to get there. The grounds of Takahfudo are quite beautiful. There are several buildings including a five-storied pagoda and extensive gardens with pathways that wind up some steep hills. It's one of the biggest shrine sales I've been to also -- there must have been hundreds of vendors. I found a few bargains: two kimono jackets that make excellent and very stylish additions to a westerner's wardrobe, a silk obi that can be used as a table runner and a gorgeous blue and white bowl with a design of a dragon on it (the vendor claims the bowl is over 100 years old). After the shrine sale we ducked into a cozy little Indian restaurant for a delicious meal.
Yesterday I headed out to Kappabashi, a section of town with a profusion of stores selling housewares. On my way to Kappabashi I was hungry and tried to find a place to eat. I passed by the usual Japanese eateries and smoky coffee shops till I came to a place called Cafe de Flamingo. The door was made of frosted glass and the curtain in the window prevented a peek inside. The menu indicated that they serve an afternoon tea, so I thought I'd check it out. I entered the cafe and it was as if I had stepped through a time and space warp. Gone was the gaudiness and noise from the outside world. Instead I found myself in a cafe that looked as if it belonged in Vienna during the early 1900s. The walls were forest green and the wood was a rich mahogany color. Aside from the waiter, there was not a soul in the place, adding to the surreal quality of the setting. I sat down and ordered the afternoon tea. The waiter was gracious and friendly. Soon he had placed a pot of tea and a two-tiered tray in front of me. On the tray were one ham and cheese sandwich (prepared with one of those sandwich grilling machines,
four Pringles potato chips, fresh fruit and cakes and cookies. As I ate, mellow jazz music played in the background. A thoroughly delightful repast. I left the cafe and headed back in to the blare and glare of Tokyo and continue to head towards Kappabashi.
I love shopping in Kappabashi. There a stores that specialize in nothing but plastic food. Others specialize in porcelain, knives, lacquerware, aprons and chef's hats. It's the restaurant supply district of Tokyo, but there is plenty there to satisfy the average consumer. I even discovered a couple of wonderful craft/antique stores there.
Today is a Japanese national holiday -- Spring Equinox Day. Spring festivals have sprung up all over town including Azabu-Juban, a neighborhood near us. Think I'll head out there to see what's on offer.
God, I will really miss living in Tokyo!
posted by lenora at 10:39 PM
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