What better time or place to throw a party than in the spring at our apartment in Kyoto? We had friends CA friends visiting Kyoto for a few days, my more-than-able-son-in-law visiting and several Kyoto friends we were eager to see again. At the suggestion of a friend, we easily decided on a party. We…
More and More and Even More Stuff!
I’ll admit it. Once upon a time, I enjoyed shopping. I mean REALLY enjoyed shopping. I liked to look at what was out there in the market place. It was more an aesthetic experience than a consumer one. Truthfully, I couldn’t afford to buy much, but I very much enjoyed looking. Today, we’re hearing about…
The Way Things Were
Father’s Day becomes bittersweet once your father has passed away. Sweet memories are combined with the ache of deep loss. This morning I watched a CBS Sunday Morning segment with the ever-smiling Jane Pauly about a young father who’s committed to splitting half the parenting time of his two-year old daughter with his wife. That…
When was that Line Crossed?
Some shifts in life happen almost imperceptibly. Styles and places that were almost second nature in terms of my likes and dislikes have shifted past the point of no return. When and why and how did that happen? For example: I no longer drool over clothing with ruffles. I stopped lusting after the peasant look….
What’s so “Funny?”
As far as I can tell, Japanese possess a keen sense of humor. It’s even evident in the anthropomorphic paintings by master artists on paneled screens painted hundreds of years ago. A dragon who’s lost his spark or maybe his viagra? A tiger looking sheepish. An ancient scroll reveals frogs and rabbits frolicking, for what…
The Weary Non-Traveler
I’ve been travelling a lot recently. Many arrivals and many departures. Departures require a bit more thought and preparation. The return direction doesn’t require much more than throwing everything you’ve brought with you in a suitcase, and if you’ve bought anything, hoping your suitcase will expand just a bit more. I woke up early this morning to catch…
Caught in the Crosshairs
As Mother’s Day approached this year, I began to recall the long-ago “words to live by” that were oft quoted by my Mom. I half-listened to her warnings and guidelines because they never quite fit. I have since realised that she was the product of a post-Victorian upbringing, passing through the “liberation” of the 1920’s and…
Bali Hai Redux
Do you know the song Bali -Hai from the musical South Pacific? I loved every musical I saw growing up and knew the lyrics to all of them. When I first saw the Florida Keys in 1958, I immediately began to sing Bali-Hai. Not a perfect fit for the occasion, but close enough to satisfy my attraction…
The Foodie’s Heaven
Almost from the moment we set foot in Kyoto, my foodie husband is scouting for new restaurants in our neighborhood that have opened in our absence. As hyped as I am to be sure to see the most intriguing gardens, sublime temples, cool museums and Japanese design shops, he’s on the edge of his seat…
Amen.
Who’s to say why I feel such a deep connection to Japanese places of worship, be they temples or shrines? Is it the setting? The architecture? The gardens? The rituals? The air of mystery surrounding something I don’t understand very well? I can’t say for sure, but what I can say is that I am consistently…
Uh,oh. Computer DOWN
Just as I was reaching full speed on my Kyoto blog, my computer began behaving erratically, until within a short period of time, it became impossible to use. Any of my well -intentioned but largely uninformed attempts to resurrect it, met with nought. The old fail safe of shut down and restart, made no difference,…
Blissed out
Being here produces an almost constant high for me. It’s allowed me to appreciate the drizzly days and foggy nights happening recently in Kyoto as being as beautiful and welcome as the sunny bright days. It’s admiring the magnificence of a huge polished wood counter when out for dinner at a neighborhood restaurant and the…
My ( Granddaughter’s )Obsession with 7-Eleven!
I thought it would be interesting to get a different take on Japan than mine from my 12 year old granddaughter. When she agreed to blog, I thought she was just being accomodating, but sure enough, she wrote as a guest blogger. My Obsession With 7-Eleven By Lulu Marsetti, Age 12 My name is Lulu…
