my new partner

my new dahon folding bike from bike stop, a great cycling shop in astoria.

isn't he a beauty?

a week in tokyo

my parents lived overseas for years, and didn't visit home for the first five. my grandparents came to see us several times, but other than that, my family didn't have much contact with japan. the main reason was probably cost, but they also had a strong sense of immersing themselves wherever they went, embracing life in a new country rather than dwelling on things they're missing.

while i admire that attitude, travel is so much easier these days, and i've discovered that going back to japan helps me stay emotionally healthy. there's something reassuring in knowing that i can see my parents whenever i want, and that a perfect bowl of soba is just a flight away, albeit a very long one.

that and 6 weeks of a graveyard shift are my excuses for going home to tokyo so soon after my september visit.

my parents like to spend weekends out of the city, and they took me to hatsushima, a tiny island off atami.
i wasn't really expecting much, but there were some amazing sights. the beaches were lined with japanese pine trees, and i enjoyed some early cherry blossom viewing. and we were blessed with gorgeous weather, as you can see.

and as usual, it was great to go out with friends. i even got to catch up with a classmate i hadn't seen in nearly 20 years! and how lucky am i that it was the perfect season for oden?
hanpen and other stewed goodies at konakara:

february finds...

1) not a find, exactly, but i'm into stephen merchant's radio show on BBC6.

i've been downloading the shows off beebs' website, listening to them on the way to work and before bed. it's been ages since i listened regularly to a radio show and now i'm really enjoying this medium. for a while i used the online services that tell you, based on what music you already listen to, what other artists you might like. but i got bored after a while. there's something more comforting and even occasionally inspiring in random music selections than a track list prescribed by a computer.

and to be honest, i really, really like stephen merchant. i confess i've always had a weakness for the lanky, dorky type. of course nothing beats the ricky gervais-stephen merchant-karl pilkington team for laughs, but the "smerch" is pretty funny on his own, too. and he has great taste in music.

2) ola podrida
i saw them live at union hall in park slope, brooklyn, last night. i think they've got some beautiful guitar sounds... their songs might lack a bit in variety, but i enjoyed the whole show. click on the arrow in the lower left corner to play the slightly creepy music video.


Ola Podrida - Eastbound (HD version) from David Lowery on Vimeo.