Kotori Kawashima-Photographer

I was lucky enough to stumble upon a book by Kotori Kawashima, Mirai-Chan(published 4/2011) that I wanted since reading about it in Jollygoo's blog before I went to Japan in March, at Kinokuniya today. The book is shots of her daughter Mirai-chan in her daily life, probably one of the cutest toddlers you'll ever see in pics. The photographs are raw and beautiful, high-contrast explosion of color, photography. A lot of the photography takes place in rural Japan on Sado Island, Nigata prefecture. Kawashima was born in Tokyo in 1980 and graduated from Waseda University in Japan. Her second book is a collection called Baby, Baby, recently published in March 2011. Kawashima will be showing from September 1, 2011-September 13, 2011 at Fukuoka PARCO









getting there:

Kuko Line Subway Station "Tenjin" direct exit 7
大牟田線 Nishitetsu Tenjin "Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station 'north entrance gates immediately
Now go towards the bus stop each Nishitetsu

11-1, Tenjin 2-chome, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka
Phone 092-235-7000 (main)
Opening Hours
10:00 to 20:30
B1F · Oichika 11:00 to 23:00
7:30 to 21:00 Burezzu 神戸屋 B1F ·

Mogu Takahashi

I recently fell in love with Mogu Takahashi's blog, a wonderful Japanese artist. I love Takahashi's whimiscal work, especially when she uses materials like cookies and clothes pins to express herself. Here are few pics from her blog you should take a look. I wish I was in Japan to see one of her exhibitions, she's showing her solo show "Kawaii Ugly San" at Cafe Drole in Nakameguro. Watch her video below it's super cute!










Getting there:
Cafe Drole
1-23-4,1F, Nakameguro, Meguro-ku
03-5722-6083
Take the Tokoyu Toyoko line to the Nakameguro station.

The Creative life of Jim Henson, Pre-Hurricane

This weekend was full of scary moments, but before we battened down the hatches for hurricane Irene we had a lovely lunch at Ashbox and then went over to the Museum of the Moving Image for Jim Henson's Fantastic World exhibition First of All, I haven't been to this museum since the mid-90's and it's changed so much, it's beautiful, the lobby, cafe, and stairways are all very futuristic feeling, with it's ultra white smooth surfaces and gleaming fluorescent blue lights. I felt like a was in a scene of sci-fi film. The exhibition was amazing, it's really about Jim Henson's life and not necessarily about the Muppets. How he started his career in television, how he developed the Muppets, and all the advertisements he worked on before ever getting to Sesame Street or the Muppets.One of my favorite things was a movie he made called Time Piece, very avante gard for the time and a little risqué. I highly recommend seeing this show, it's up until January 2012. Pics below from the exhibition are form the NY Times since no photography is allowed of the works, other pics of Museum interior are my own.

The Dutch and the Danes- Vandaag

Today a few friends and I met up to have lunch at Vandaag in the East Village. Vandaag serves Northern European cuisine focusing on Dutch and Danish foods. The space is amazing, large and open, with massive window panes for perfect people watching. The seating is both booths and tables and very spacious. When you walk in you see a pretty kinderbakfiet bicycle with flowers sitting in the front carriage. Service was a bit slow but the food was good. We started with the bread basket filled with fresh baked breads, baked in the restaurant, that came with two spreads, juniper butter and eggplant lemon spread, yum! D and I ordered the Orchard Sour, which is a non-alcoholic concoction of ginger, lemon and sparkling apple cider, so tasty. Each of us order a smørrbrød (open faced sandwich) except for Michelle. I got the hen confit with radish, string beans, preserved lemon, and espelette(pepper). Debra and a friend got the shrimp remoulade with kohlrabi, lemon, and herbs. Then Michelle ordered the smoked pickled sausage and the Gravlax, which is what I wanted to order originally but I figured I should try something different. My sandwich was delicious, the shrimp ones were good except the kohlrabi seemed like it might be turning, and the gravlax and sausage got a thumbs up. They have an extensive drink menu both alcoholic and non, from teas to infused akavit and wonderful concoctions like the Orchard Sour. The staff was super nice, I think our waitress was little overwhelmed since she was working by herself. Overall good experience, I'd go back. OH! and I super loved the cutest little KLM Bols Blue Delf houses display over our table, I want one, eep!













Super sad walking to the train from Vandaag, Mars bar is officially closed as a couple of weeks but I hadn't seen it all closed up, bummer. SO long dirty old friend.

The good and the bad- Robataya and Chuko

Yesterday I went for my long overdue haircut after a long period of grow out from my pixie haircut only to have it cut into a pixie, again. I like it the best.

Anywho, afterwards I was struggling on where to eat so I went to Robataya on 9th street. This a wonderful Japanese restaurant made to look like a Machiya from the outside and like a Japanese foodstall market inside in the first room then a garden-like dining room. At night it's super lively and the sake is flowing and the meats and veggies are grilling in front of the customers. BY day, they serve lovely lunch sets at reasonable prices. I had a grill fish set, Hokko, that came with rice, soup, salad, and pickled side dish and root veggies. It was super filling and tasty. Also while you wait there's a barrel of pickles and a basket of hard boiled eggs that are free self-serve unlimited. The pickles were really good. If you are in the East Village definitely try this place out.







Next up, Chuko in Prospect Heights. So many of us have been waiting with baited breath for this place to open. It's a ramen place by from Morimoto alums Jamison Blankenship and David Koon. Apparently one of the chefs went to Japan for 3 months to study the art of Ramen, and they import the scallion from Japan. The pork is antibiotic and hormone free, also. With that said, I have to be honest I didn't like the ramen, and I love ramen. It was the saltiest miso ramen I've ever had, and I also love salty. Ippudo still reigns number one in ramen and Takumi a close second. The service was very good, they were every attentive and very apologetic for the long wait to be seated and served. Unfortunately the toilet broke around 8:30pm and people kept having to use the restroom at a nearby bar. These folks have a long way to go to get it right, but I know it was opening night and all restaurants need a chance to get their bearings, so I'll be back in maybe 6 months when it's chilly out and I don't feel like trekking into the city.




(bottom two pics by Jessica Loudis)

Peek at my hair



getting there:
Robataya
231 East 9th St. New York, NY 10003
take the 6 train to Astor place

Chuko
552 Vanderbilt Avenue
(between Atlantic Ave & Pacific St)
Brooklyn, NY 11238
Trains take the A/C to Clinton - Washington Avs, or the B or Q to 7th ave, or the 2/3 to Bergen St.

Stationery Sets in my shop

Finally! I put my stationery sets up for sale in my shop. They are all made with my hand carved stamps. Check them out.