Knock, Knock. "Sumimasen!" Knock, Knock.

It is now 10:15pm, Japan time, and I am typing this blog while trying to not make as much noise as possible. Why?

There is this man walking around my building, knocking on doors and saying, "Sumimasen! :::knock knock::: Sumimasen!" (It means "Excuse me").

I have have people come and knock on my doors. Except for the apartment buildings that are right proper "manshons" and have some sort of security, most studio apartment buildings like mine in quite, safe residential neighborhoods have their front doors open (or not even front doors at all, most just have the apartment open to the outside directly. I am lucky in that respect). Only really new ones have high-tech security, but even remodeled one's (like Chen's - beautiful!) don't have security. The only security that I have is the lock to my door and the chain lock thing.

The previous two times that people knocked on my door, it was in the middle of the day and it was just for newspapers. Quite harmless, but now I know better to not respond because frankly I don't want to deal with solicitors. People solicit here. And it's totally legal. And I don't know if the person is the occasional freak, either.

So I am getting ready for bed and I hear the knocking. I thought maybe it was at the apartment building next door, since I have been hearing it for quite awhile and just brushed it off thinking, "I wonder what the hell this guy is thinking or wanting, knocking on doors at 10 o'clock at night." I glanced at my door, making sure that it was locked and the chain was on. It was. No problem, just a cursory glance and minor check before I go to bed.

Knock, knock.

"Sumimasen!"

I literally froze and all the alarm bells began to ring in my head - "WTF does he want? I am NOT going to answer that door no matter what, go away, what are you thinking knocking on doors in the middle of the night!" You just never really know these days, even though Japan is quite harmless. I still get suspicious at times (New Yorkers usually tend to be wary or so the stereotype goes, I just always try to watch my back and my surroundings like everyone else does, New Yorker or no).

During my first month in London I was practically terrified, but that was due to many other things as well, chiefly relating to the fact that I was alone, in a country and a city unfamiliar to me, and I was living away for the first time. By now, Kyoto is pretty familiar to me, and I am totally fine with living away, but the former fact is still very present. Like I mentioned to a male classmate of mine who stayed in a train station overnight because there were no hotels in Tokyo during Golden week, "It's harder for the girls" and he agreed. I was a little nervous during my first month or so in Japan, but like London I adapted and got accustomed to the surroundings. But still, I am alone and you do not know what will be on the other side of the door.

Knock, knock.

"Sumimasen!"

Knock, knock.

Silence. Then footsteps. My pounding heart slowed down. I may have overreacted but it was a reflex. I putter about quietly, then change the garbage bag in my bathroom since tomorrow (Thursday) is garbage day. As the bag rustles while I place it in the trash can -

Knock, knock.

"Sumimasen!"

Knock, Knock.

HELL NO I am not going to answer that door, even if the man on the other side thinks that someone is definitely in here. Not even if you paid me.

Why the heck would someone go knocking on doors of apartment buildings at 10 o'clock at night? I'll never know, but I never want to know either.

Now THIS, Ladies is a Wedding Dress

Well, what do you think? VERY suitable, eh? (^_~) Come on, you KNOW that this is every girl's dream dress!

The Art of the Lunch Box

In Japan, anything can be considered a work of art. Take flower arranging for example. There is a special word for it: ikebana. I have not done it myself, but there is a particular way how to arrange flowers. There are a lot of aesthetic elements to pay attention to in Japan and it can be quite overwhelming.

One type of "art" you can say that I sort of take part of on a mundane, daily basis is making a "bento" or boxed lunch. Stay-at-home moms make it int an art form, sometimes making Mozart's face out of vegetables on a bed of rice. Me? I am a bit more basic. though I do want those special molds that make rice into the shape of a heart, star and teddy bear head.

Bento box lunches are 4 parts rice, 3 parts veggies and 2 parts meat. I really don't pay attention to the rules, but I always have rice, veggies and meat. It beats a sandwhich and its way healthier. And because of the rice, I am happily full.

The boxes themselves come in all different shapes and sizes. I myself got a more traditional looking one that is very nice for about 1000yen - some of them can get quite fancy, even with airlock seals to bring soup. I once tried to bring tofu with kimchi and ended up with kimchi juice all over my Jack Spade messenger bag. Luckily for me, the interior of the bag is bright orange as well. So here is a bunch of photos with the bento that I have made.

This was my first bento - the small pink bottle has soy sauce in it. Usually I boil frozen veggies in the morning since it's quicker - they cook while I get ready - and sprinkle oregano on it. Once I put basil on my fish and it was delicious. I always grill my fish in my oven, no oil.

Most of the time, I just shove my rice into the top container that has a tupperware like lid. But if I have time, I use this rice mold to make small rice balls, and on occasion I wrap each one with nori (seaweed). Since plain rice with soy sauce is messy, I usually flavor my rice with furikake, which is flavored seaweed and spices for the rice.

And this is how the rice balls come out - 1/2 cup rice gives me 5 rice balls. I always make my rice the night before since I make one cup and divide it - half for dinner and half for lunch. Also saves time in the morning. Like the fish, I put my shumai in the grill, so like the boiling vegetables, everything is cooking while I get ready.

Bento boxes have an elastic that holds all the pieces together so that it doesn't fall apart in transit. I have my chopsticks (which are traditional looking, a small cherry carved into the top of each chopstick) in a Hello Kitty case.

Finally, you wrap the whole thing in a furoshiki - a large handkerchief. I once used my silk Burberry neck scarf, but after I got some soy sauce on it (which actually disappeared on its own) I just use this old headscarf that I brought with me.

And then - you put the whole thing in its own bag, just like a lunch box. Luckily for me, I have a very stylish one - my mini Herve handbag. Now I use it as my lunch bag - hold my bento, a bottle of water and maybe a piece of fruit. Sure beats using one of those small handled shopping bags, like from Bath and Body Works.

Yum!

Making these things are a lot of fun. When I get back home and have access to a bigger, better kitchen and more types of food (its just tricky for my here since I have something that barely qualifies as a kitchen) I can use my box to bring leftovers or make really good stuff. Just like Japanese umbrellas, I am going to come back home with a bunch of bento box sets.

Dorothy, We Are Not in NYC Anymore

Oh, my god.

I had a momentary freak out.

I was thinking about how to say "What time is it?" In Spanish. I took Spanish for 2 years in junior high school and growing up in NYC and with the high school that I went to, you had some basic Spanish in your everyday English. When my friends would speak in Spanish, I couldn't reply but I understood what was going on.

So EVERYTIME I kept thinking "What time is it?" my brain kept saying, "Nan-ji desu ka?" which is the same thing in Japanese. I even got "Ti ora einai?" which is Greek 1 time out of five.

FINALLY I got "Que hora es?" in my mind. Seriously, I thought I had been gone from NYC for so long I forgot that simple phrase. Heck even in my family we say "Que hora es?"

I know, I know it's very trivial but in a way quite revealing in terms of how language in working in my head - even Japanese is trumping my Greek because I have been gone for so long. By the time I come back home in August, I would have not set foot in the United States for 7 months, which is the longest I have been away from home.

Not a Strand of Orange Hair to be Found.

"Manly men" are a rarity in Japan. You know the sort, like Jeffrey Dean Morgan - buff, broad shouldered and muscular, but not in an Ah-nold sort of way. Just Jeffrey Dean Morgan (yeah, you know he was hot in that episode when Meredith was dead with the puppy dog look on his face). Or even the tall, lean and muscular types.

Instead of broad shoulders, you usually see skinny little twigs that look like I can break them in half. And I am a weakling. Or, you get blah "sarari-men" in their suits. Eh. Or, the most popular of all are the peacocks. Male peacocks are rather showy sort of bird - they pull out all the stops to get attention and show off all their plumage. Well, the male Japanese peacock has orange hair, orange skin, too much gel, maybe plucked brows, ripped jeans, strange t-shirts, the man purse hanging off the belt, chuncky chains, pointy shoes made out of "interesting" leather, and on and on and on. Seriously. Their girl counterparts are just as bad. And just like normal peacocks, they stick out.

My new friend Emi doesn't like these sorts of guys - the peacocks and the twigs. She likes "manly men" (many of which I think she had the opportunity to see back when she was in Cali studying abroad). This begs the question: in what sense can you find "manly men" in Japan?

The college rugby team. Or any sort of hardcore sport - American football (yes, they actually have "Ame-futo"), soccer, etc. etc. Even the traditional Japanese sports like kendo. But this Sunday it was rugby. When we first met, she told me about the game between her school (Kyoto Sangyo, aka Kyosan) and Doshisha Uni - well 2 of Doshisha Uni's rugby players were arrested in an abduction attempt, so the team was changed to Ryugoku Uni. It was the 36th Annual Kyoto Rugby Festival, with a match at the elementary, junior high, high school and college level.

Prior to that, I got my parasol. And thank got I got it that day because it was damn hot. So, the teams walk out in single file, each guy holding a little kids hand also in rugby uniform. I have seen this at professional rugby matches - the little kids with the players - on tv or on YouTube and I always wondered whats up with the little kids and rugby players. No matter, little kids are cute.

I know two facts about rugby: the scrum and a try. A "try" is the equivalent of "GOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLL" (to imitate the famous South American sportscaster) in soccer. The scrum is when the two teams sort of gang up on one anther, the ball is tossed in underneath and then the free-for-all for the ball begins. Mel explained it to me - he used to play rugby back when he was in PNG/Australia. And has a scar on his forehead from a rugby cleat to prove it. "It" being that rugby is downright dangerous, especially since the only sort of protection that the players wear is the standard stuff, the very sturdy rugby jersey (I love them, I want one in my size for myself) and tight shorts that they wear under their short-shorts. But like I was chatting with Emi's friend about "manly man" scars have character. Buff. And tough. Manly men. And not a strand of orange hair to be found. Thank god, no peacocks at least for 80 minutes.

Before the match began, the players on the two teams tossed rugby balls with their signatures into the stands. I protected myself with my parasol, but if I had known what they were going to do, I would have certainly tried to catch one, since one fell less than three feet away from me. Oh well.

The results? Kyoto Sangyo Daigaku kicked Ryugoku Daigaku's bum: 77 to 23. And a very enjoyable first rugby match; I told my classmate who is Australian that I went to a rugby match yesterday and he practically jumped for joy.

Pretty!

Yesterday, I went to a rugby game with my new friend Emi, more of which I will speak in detail later. But first, the events of before the game warrant a separate post.

I finally got a parasol. Not as frilly as I had expected but it is BEAUTIFUL. Bamboo handle with cream fabric printed with blue tulips, and a navy blue crochet trim. Bring on the Japanese umbrellas! Now I have two, since Emi pointed out that if the parasol has a particular label (which the one I got did) I can use it for both sun and rain. Which is good because like I mentioned before, people back in NYC don't use parasols, but I think I will start using one.

I ran into Colleen on my bike along Kawabata-dori, the street that runs parallel to the Kamo River. She was going to Kyoto Station to take the train to Lake Biwa; I was going to Shijo to meet Emi and her friend for lunch before the rugby match. It was hot and the sun was blaring; Colleen asked if I was wearing sunscreen and I said no because I have the greasy feel of Japanese sunscreen, and quickly asked if today is a good day for a parasol and she agreed. I had some time before I met up with Emi so I headed quickly to Inobun to check out the parasols. They also have parasols at Loft and of course at Tsujikura which is JUST an umbrella store (where I got my first umbrella, and they sell the traditional Japanese ones too) but I have a point card for Inobun and that store is just damn pretty. I can walk around there for hours, even though it is quite small.

I saw polka dots, eyelet, crochet and flowers. One caught my eye: it was black with a espresso handle and even had a matching cover. There was about 2 inches of green and white striped fabric around the edge with a cream crochet trim. I did say frilly but to be quite honest I am not the frilly type. So I overlooked the umbrellas with lots of flowers and even some of the larger parasols, because I didn't want a really big parasol. However, most of the handles are extendable so they were quite deceiving.

Then I saw it. It was the cream with blue tulips - not overdone with flowers and not frilly. The price was 4000yen; expensive, but I rationalized - 4000yen, or a sunburn that could lead to skin cancer? (Thanks to Bad Aunt, I finally confirmed my suspicions that Japanese suncreen does not work period). I couldn't make a decision so I made a mental note and went to meet up with Emi and her friend. We ended up at sushi-on-a-conveyor-belt for lunch, but a different one than Kappa Sushi . Even though it was more old school - no booths and just a small room with the conveyor belt and stools around it - the quality of the sushi was much much better. I told Emi and her friend I wanted a parasol and if we had time could we go to Inobun? The train was right there and it only took us 5 minutes to get to the sports ground regardless. I showed the both of them the cream and the black one and after some discussion - one point being that lighter colors are better because they reflect the sun - I got the cream one. I think it is very Kate Spade-ish. I have it pictured here with my first umbrella, so you can finally see what that one (sort of) looks like.

Pretty!

Vintage Finds

I REALLY need to go to flea markets more. You always find great stuff.

Case in point: today I went to a cafe to do some studying over by Kyoto University. I wanted a change of space, though I think I wouldn't go to that particular cafe again, the food isn't that great. Rue Ergo is a bit pricier, but the food is way better and there is more coffee selection. And the chairs are more comfortable.

After some studying, I was riding my bike past Chionji-Dera, the Buddhist temple across the street from Kyodai and where the monthly temple fairs are held. I saw groups of people inside and bikes outside; I first thought that today wasn't a temple fair day, but when I looked at the sign, I realized that it was a charity flea market. So, I parked my bike and walked on in.

I wandered around for a bit, as I usually do at the temple fair - I get a lay of the land, then I make my purchases. Most of the stuff there were cast-offs or used items a la Salvation Army, but there was a lot of bonafide, antique/vintage stuff. So, I went to those stalls with more gusto. The first one I approached had a bunch of stuff, but I was really interested in the fans. Japanese fans are very well made and quite expensive unless you get the cheap ones from the university co-op shop. A good one runs for about $30. I wanted one so that when it was hot I would obviously fan myself. So I kneeled on the ground, or tried to squat Asian-style (seriously, how do they do that with such ease) and looked at the fans. I had a hard time opening one in particular, until the stall owner came up to me and showed me the trick. I liked it so I put it off to the side. We chatted for a bit; I wanted to know particularly if these were old fans, or just used ones. There is a difference in my opinion. Used is something that is made a few years ago and just cast off; old or vintage means that yeah its used but much more older and thus if its in good condition has quite a character. I pored through the box opening and closing fans and found one in particular that I liked: it was royal blue paper with silver script and still closed very tightly. Wasn't all floppy so it was in great condition. I got it for 300yen.

Next, I returned to a stall that I passed by because I saw a box of interest. It was small, obviously really old and had a large and small drawer and kanji stamped on the side. I picked it up and asked from what period it was from. It was from the Taisho Era (1911-1926) made of kiri, or paulownia which is indigenous to Japan. I then asked the price: 1000yen. I was sold.

Finally I walked around for a bit more, maybe seeing if I can get a vintage parasol. I saw umbrellas, but no parasols, or rather the one I did find was dirty and the folding type. I then saw a stack of purses and thought maybe I can get a small clutch or something. There was this dark kelly green rectangle peeping out; I picked it up and saw that it was a clutch about a foot long and can actually hold stuff. I asked if it was old (I didn't know the word for "vintage") and then what period it was from; again Taisho. Very interesting. I pored through the other bags and actually saw an old Louis Vuitton Epi Leather bucket bag in royal blue. I was extremely tempted but I saw the condition - it was very warped and dirty and just rather worn everywhere. I wasn't really too thrilled by it, even though it was Louis Vuitton. I never asked the price for it. Plus it was a drawstring bag, and I don't like those. So I then asked the lady how much the green Taisho clutch was and she said 200yen. Amazing.

To be quite honest, I wasn't so sure of the bag is really from the Taisho era; it is in such good condition - there are no frays in the thread of the fabric, although there is just a small stain on the front. However, I opened it and saw that it was stuffed with a roll of newspaper to keep its shape. I opened it up and saw that the newspaper was from 1961. Well, that ensures that the bag is at least from the 1950s, which is pretty good to me.

I just stuck my nose inside the bag to get a better look inside or to see if there was a stamp or a label. Instead, I got a whiff of incense, like that in a Buddhist Temple.

So Instead of Doing My Homework...

...I planned my bridal shower. A year in advance. Talk about being anal-retentive. But, a "bride" does have a right to what she would like in her bridal shower, no? I even asked my mom that and she gave me the go ahead to dream of a "Kate Spade Inspired" bridal shower with DIY fixin's (because there is no way in hell I will justify a $75 polka dot vase for a bridal shower centerpiece. However, I will register for that polka-dot vase, because I like it very much.)

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery; since the wedding is more a collaborative affair and I can have every single say for the bridal shower, I made a storyboard like they do over at The Preppy Wedding. It is such a great idea (I wonder what they would think of mine?) and alot of fun. But this is the only storyboard that I will be doing, since doing it for the wedding is too much at the moment, as we do not know where the wedding reception will be.

Comments, suggestions and criticisms are greatly appreciated! I want this one to be PERFECT, and I am having trouble reconciling toile with the Kate Spade "aesthetic" if you will, but I like my polka dots and toile.

Oh, The Japanese Appliances You'll Use

Anyone who has studied Japan or Japanese for an extended period of time knows of one sure thing:

they have very interesting appliances.

Take the toilet. Or rather, the toilet seat. They are either called "washlets" or "warmlets" and for good reason: a warmlet is a heated toilet seat. A washlet, well to put it bluntly, is a toilet seat that sprays or jets heated water to clean your bum. And has a heated toilet seat. It's a toilet seat on steroids.

While a warmlet only has either maybe one button (the switch to turn the heat on or off) or none, the washlet has an array of buttons on a control panel along the side of the seat. The only washlets that I have come across on a regular basis are the ones at school - the newer the building, the newer and nicer the bathrooms and the more chances of me coming across a washlet (in addition to the evil and ubiquitous Asian squat toilet). There are even buttons that control the water pressure. At first, I could not make heads or tails of all the buttons but lets just say now is that I want a washlet for my future house.

Toto (think Kohler in the States as a brand for plumbing stuff) actually has a showroom in NYC now but compared to the Japanese prices of washlet, they are pretty expensive; not so many people use them, though there is an increasing demand. Hideki Matsui requested that he have one installed in his apartment in the Trump Tower by the UN.

It's a complicated setup. You need to have an electrical outlet near the toilet so you can actually plug the toilet seat in - it sounds totally absurd, but these toilet seats actually have miniature computers in them. Its like having a butler for your bum: "Would you like the water warmer? How is the water pressure, mum?" Then you have to connect the toilet seat to a water source. So electricity + water + bum makes for a precarious setup unless you have people who know what they are doing, can lead to some interesting occurrences during installation. I wonder how well equipped Toto's lawyers are for sue-happy Americans.

My opinion is that the more buttons, bells and whistle a Japanese appliance has the better it is. It's not like the States where the more buttons you have the more complicated it is. That is very much not the case here. Take my next Japanese appliance: the unassuming rice cooker.

You can get a $30 rice cooker or even cook rice in a pot. But the Japanese take it up a notch and as Emeril Lagasse says, "BAM!" I myself have a very simple rice cooker that I actually got for free (it's pretty old but I got it for free and it makes my rice); Colleen has a newer one with several buttons and settings. One is "O-kayu" which makes Japanese rice porridge, which is aptly called "O-kayu" as well. It is their version of chicken noodle soup for when you are sick.

Then you have the regular ol' "make rice" button. And I think two or three more other ones that I didn't really pay attention to. But here is where it gets REALLY nifty: there is also a button labeled "Keki" in katakana. In Japanese (and in bastardized Greek-English, and for this I highly find amusing), "keki" means "cake." So not only do you have a rice cooker to make rice, you have a rice cooker to make cake. As such, Colleen has make banana bread in her rice cooker. We plan to go to Meidi-Ya (the foreign food store) to get Sara Lee brownie mix and try to make brownies in a rice cooker. Only in Japan kids, only in Japan.

Which leads to the question: why have a rice cooker than can make cake? Well the answer I think is pretty simple: due to the lack of space, (small houses = small kitchens), the nature of Japanese cuisine and the fact that Japan is earthquake prone, full-on ovens are not that popular or that common (they do exist here, however just not in a typical Japanese house). There are mostly stove top burner sets with a small grill in between the two burners (imagine a rectangular box with two burners then inside the box a grill). I myself just have one electric burner, but I got a small grill that I use as an oven which is electric. Some of these burner-boxes are electric and some are gas; if it's gas you hook it up to the pipeline, but when you are not using the burner-box there is a switch to totally turn of the gas. I have that for my hot water; it's all because of the earthquakes.

So I have seen many takes on the Japanese appliances. My friend Alisa has a microwave oven that can make brownies, grill fish and toast bread. I was going to get the same microwave, but opted for the smaller and cheaper grill. Her microwave is the classic case of having a million buttons, yet you actually use every single one of them.

But I think the one that tops them all for the moment is the one I least expected: the blackboard eraser cleaner. Yesterday, during my graduate seminar, my sensei was writing on the board - using chalk and an eraser of course. (The only whiteboards that I seen are portable ones). All of a sudden, he pulls out a small shelf under the chalkboard that contains a yellow and green box. I never really noticed it before, but what I have noticed is that all the blackboards at Rits have a small drawer underneath the ledge for the chalk that holds more chalk.

To the green and yellow box. It was plastic and had a plug that led to a socket right underneath the chalkboard. But what got me was the NOISE that emanated from it: like a loud vacuum cleaner. I was sitting in the back, and totally surprised to see my sensei running the eraser across the top of this screaming box and voiced a very audible "Eeeh? Nan desu ka?!?" ("Huh? What is that!?!") The Japanese kids started to chuckle - there are three foreign kids in my class but they are Mongolian and Korean so I am the most visible "foreigner" - and explained to me that that is a machine that cleans the blackboard erasers by vacuuming all the chalk dust out, so that way you don't have to clap the erasers to clean them (or scrape them along the edge of the chalk holder ledge). I asked the Mongolian girl near me if she has seen that and she said it was her first time as well. Even my sensei was chuckling at my surprised reaction; I literally jumped in my chair from the noise because I wasn't expecting that. (I am assuming, since from my own experience Korea is pretty similar to Japan, that Korea might have these things as well.)

Now THAT is a nifty appliance. Even better, there weren't millions of buttons, but I'll bet that one day the upgraded model will have a button to control the volume of the vacuum, the speed of the vacuum, maybe squirt out some cleaner...

Imagine Little Post-Its Everywhere...

Such is the state of my blogging mind.

I am glad most of you like my new banner! I think it goes quite nicely with the title of the blog and except for the Tunis and France posters and the one with the suitcase, I have a connection in one way or another to all of the countries above.

So, in all seriousness, imagine little post-its stuck on my laptop screen. Of course, Macs have the Stickies program, but I tend to write things down in my organizer. I have so many little topics and missives and reminders for my blog that if I put them all separately since I am more of a topical blogger than a diary blogger it would just lead to alot of clutter. So I begin my first "Post-It" blog entry.

Yellow Note on Upper Left Hand Corner of Screen:
I finally did the "100 Things" list; see the sidebar. But I made it into an "old post," so that it doesn't clutter the blog.

Pink Note, Upper Right Hand Corner:
I am going to begin some more "Things in Japan"-like posts. Topics include: bento, weird appliances (Toilets that wash your butt? You bet!), the garbage, and keitai storappu. Consider this a sneak peak.

Blue Note, Left Palm Rest:
I am going back home from August 3 to September 3. That means another series will begin called "Wedding Bonanza." 7 Bridal Salons, 3 Reception Sites, and a church in a pear tree. Consider yourself WARNED. You got a sneak peak with the previous two posts recently on wedding dresses. I told you I am not looking forward to this.

Hot Pink Star Note, Right Palm Rest:
MUST. BLOG. ON. SHIRAHAMA.

Purple Heart Note, Lower Right Screen:
Campbell (the Aussie classmate) does more than say "Irasshaimase, mate!" at the sento. He also cleans the tubs. Considering that back in the day gaijin were considered dirty barbarians, the image is rather medieval and samurai-ish in a snarky sort of way. But still quite funny in a good way, since he is really good-humored about it.

Green Note, Lower Left Screen:
It is BLOODY HOT. I have my A/C on right now because I have no air circulating in my teeny apartment and I am thinking of just getting a floor fan to use less electricity (my last bill was only 12 dollars). Today I wore my new Uniqlo t-shirt and finally did not sweat like a pig. I am going to get more 1000yen Unqilo t-shirts, the quality is great.

And so ends the digitizing of my figurative post-its. I have figuratively taken them off my computer, thrown them away and my blogging mind is at ease, for now all the little notes have their own place. Tomorrow: Rice cookers that can make banana bread, and in the Academy blog, I finally get through Classical Japanese.

G`Day! I Mean...Irasshaimase!

Japanese Lesson #16 (Hisashiburi!):

1) Hisashiburi: Long time no see
2) Sento: Public bath
3) O-furo: Bath
4) Onsen: Hot spring
5) Irasshaimase! - Welcome!
6) Arubaito: Part-time job

The Japanese like their baths. Unlike Americans, who mostly take showers in the morning, the Japanese take baths at night. The scrub first, then soak in a steaming hot bath for like 20 minutes. Sometimes the family gets in all together, or friends go chill out in the sento for the evening which every neighborhood has. I have seen the entrance to the sento in my `hood. I am usually oblivious of my surroundings, but when I realized that there was a sento in my `hood, I knew that I was becoming more aware of what was around me, which means I can read the signs on the doors. All in all a pretty good thing.

Personally, I am not down for the sento and bathing with other people, especially the neighbors. It`s a culture thing - some people are used to it, but it is one of the things in Japan that I put my foot down on. I will try natto, I will eat whatever is put in front of me, I will willingly sleep on the floor on a thin mattress. But do not expect me to go to the sento. At least for now. I still would like to go to an onsen, because usuallly you can wear your bathing suit to the outdoor ones.

When I was in Shirahama, Mayuko`s parent`s apartment building had female, male and family o-furo; no one took their bath in their apartments, apparently. Luckily for me, the family o-furo had a lock since it was designated for families and I never set foot in the female bath because I was self-conscious. But let me tell you, that nice steaming hot o-furo was NICE. I want a bath like that in my house, but I prefer bubble baths.

The point is, imagine yourself as a regular ol`Japanese person and you are ready to go to the sento for your evening bath. I dished out all the sento/onsen/o-furo stuff for some context. You go and part the curtains right outside the door and hear the usual `Irasshaimase!` (One day I should make a tally of how many times I hear that in one shopping trip, it is so ubiquitous).

But something is off. The accent on the `Irasshaimase!` is vaguely...Australian.

I just found out today that Campbell, my Australian classmate, just got an arubaito working at the local SENTO. He is the person greeting the people as they come in for their baths. It is so odd because the sento is one of the most `typical` and `Japanese` thing in Japan and a foriegner would never even consider getting a job there. Well, he was at a bar chatting with a guy and the guy offered him a job. So imagine an Australian saying `Irasshaimase!` with the upmost Japanese gusto. I can only imagine the looks on some of the people`s faces when they go into the sento - I told Campbell this and he laughed because this is so odd and hilarious because it is totally unexpected on all counts and in all respects. I requested that he regale me with some of his tales, so that I can put them here because I will bet you my last yen that it is going to be funny. I will find out how his first day (today) was tomorrow.

Ugh...Must...Keep...Defining...Words...

5 hours and counting.

I am ALMOST done with all of the classical readings for Thursday. Will get to more fun posts (bento, peonies and my thoughts on the garbage system in Japan) when done.

Brain...must...stay...awake...need...coffee...

(Mind you I am typing this missive quickly during my dinner break. I am eating fish, which is supposed to be good for your brain.)

Taking a Break

So I asked my sensei last week about studying some Classical Japanese on my own, when I met up with him for a little catch up on what I should be doing and other academic-y stuff. I end up with spending A WHOLE DAY yesterday on something that is less than a paragraph (ok, and one whole other selection besides) from 1883 - please gravitate to the library for further musings on dealing with Iwakura Tomomi and his letter to the emperor about Kyoto.

Today (Sunday) I puttered about and did laundry, cleaned my apartment, grocery shopped, fixed my bike (got a new basket for 1050yen and free tire pumping) and met a new person today, a Japanese girl named Emi. We actually met on Facebook - she messaged me, I responded and we were chatting for a bit. We had lunch at a cafe by the Kamogawa - the same one that I went to at Easter, called Rue Ergo. It is a great cafe, and all the more amazing that I live right by it. She is really nice and it seemed like we have alot in common (we both like to go to cafes, like Inobun and watch Grey's Anatomy) so it was all cool. I even had LOX with CREAM CHEESE. With the coffee and the fact that it was a Sunday, it was a very "New York" vibe, and I told Emi so - she have been to NYC and even has a friend in Astoria. I might be going to her school's rugby game next Sunday, and I hope we do hang out again. Next time, I think I will try to speak in Japanese more.

I did my grocery shopping after lunch - I desperately needed rice for my bento box lunches; at the same time, I treated myself to some muesli. I normally get the 100yen a box cereal, but that is all the way downtown, and I know muesli is pretty good for me so I might as well spend a bit more for the good stuff. Though next time, I am going to check out the $6 for 500g muesli. I mix it with plain Danone (Dannon) yogurt that I get a 4pack for 100yen and it is a quite tasty breakfast. And the expensive muesli, offset by the cheap (but still delicious and not poor quality) yogurt make a good breakfast, and the muesli lasts longer that way.

When I got home, I continued my puttering; my next door neighbor all of a sudden has his friends over (including squealing Japanese girls) so I decided to not continue with Iwakura's 1883 letter. Besides, I needed a day off before I begin the week because to tell you the truth i felt very mentally tired.

Ga-SHAN! Or, A Quick Lesson in Japanese Onomatopoeia

One can speak entirely in onomatopoeia in Japanese. Maybe that's why I don't understand the kids my own age (or younger) sometimes; it's because they use "Onomatope." Almost all the time.

Well, tonight I lived out the word "Gashan" which means "crash."

I crashed on my bike.

I drew blood in two places, my basket (which is metal) on my bike has a HOLE in it and looks like it suffered a fender bender. I am lucky for a few things:

1) I was wearing my Citizens jeans and although I had a minor scraping in the knees (but no blood) there were no holes. Another reason why spending $150 on jeans is totally legitimate.

2) Only my basket is totaled. That can be replaced, or repaired.

3) It happened right by my apartment so I was able to walk the rest of the way.

4) My mom made my buy a small first aid kit when I left for Japan. Now it has come into use, though the Neosporin that I have is expired by a year. Bah. I saw that after I slathered it on, but that means it is not as effective right?

5) I was wearing long sleeves so although I drew blood on my upper arm and my inner elbow, I did have some protection which prevented more dirt from the street to go in.

6) The area around my wounds is not pink or red. It just stings a bit.

7) I had orange juice in the fridge. The dancing lights in front of my eyes were promptly taken care of.

8) I can go to the pharmacy in the Kyodai co-op tomorrow and ask for some ointment, because a person is actually there to help. God bless the Japanese uni co-op system.

9) Nothing is broken. It's just mostly shock.

10) The guy that I crashed with made sure that I was ok (because I took the brunt of the crash) and even tried to fix my basket.

What happened was what happens most of the time when you ride bikes and try to avoid people: you see the person, the person sees you and you try to go in the other direction to avoid crashing. However, what happens most of the time and in my case especially, was that I went left, and he went right. Since we were facing one another, it was the same direction.

The shock didn't hit me till I got back to my place; however, one morbid thing that I am grateful for is that I KNOW when I am going to pass out because I have "almost" passed out on about 5 or 6 separate occasions (standing in line at Disney World - 2 or 3 times, getting cartilage pierced when I was about 15, getting tragus in London at 19, oh, when they drew blood at the emergency room when I had the abscess on my tonsil: I wasn't able to swallow hence I didn't eat so down to the floor I almost went, then promptly put on a sodium drip). So, I know exactly what to do: OJ, head between knees, breathe deeply and lie down. When I got my tragus pierced, I even brought OJ with me because I knew that was going to happen, and it did.

It's not that I am squeamish at the sight of blood (bah, I used to watch open heart surgeries when I was 5 on PBS with my dad) it was the shock, coupled with the fact that I had not eaten dinner yet, because Thursday is my 9-6 day and I was coming home. It was a good thing that I did have that can of apple juice while I was waiting for the bus; my stomach was growling and I wanted something to hold me over till I got home.

Maybe it is time to get a new Shinto charm for my bike - you ARE supposed to get new ones every year. That or it still protected me, since I have no bruises, no bumps, no broken bones, no broken bike (sans basket) and my sanity still somewhat intact. Although it is a little hard to do things because of the Band-Aids; my scrapes were on my left arm, and I am a lefty.

Of Rainboots, Parasols,Socks and Japanese Sunscreen

I have a feeling rainy season is going to start any minute now. All last night and until about 9am, it POURED. As in right proper rain that you can see in the dark, the sort that when it falls into puddles, makes little bubbles. (Hey that rhymed! But you get my point. Oh-ame. Big rain).

I had class this morning at 9am which meant that if I wanted to catch the express bus, get to Kitano-Hakubai-cho (on the western side of the city) and have enough time to get my breakfast from Lawson (as I have run out of Seria cereal) and do the 15-20 minute uphill walk to campus without losing my insanity, breaking into a severe sweat and pant, I had to leave the house by 8. It was pissing rain - London rain pales to it. So, I did what everyone else back home does - put on my rain boots. I have gone through several pairs of rain boots, problem being that the cute ones from J.Crew crack along the inner part of the shoe where the toes bend as you walk. Pity. Between my sister and I we had a cheetah print and navy blue with hot pink umbrellas. So when I was back home over Christmas, I got army green mid-calf lace ups from Tretorn (Swedish company) via Century 21 for $30. So far they haven`t cracked. Yet. But rain boots are not as common in Kyoto, so I sorta feel stupid now, especially that at 9am, the rain stopped and the skies cleared. Sure, everyone is carrying around their 2-foot long umbrellas (mine has polka dots) but I am the only one in rain boots, and it can get hot in there.

Seriously, Japanese girls have wierd senses of fashion - when its boiling hot outisde they still wear turtlenecks and another shirt on top so that their arms are covered. Its so that they keep their skin as pale as possible, but then you have the other extreme - girls that tan or color themselves to the point of being orange. Then when it is pouring outside, girls still wear sandals that are open toe with the frilly not-socks (the sorts you wear with loafers to prevent blisters but don`t show; in Japan the point is that they do show) or stockings. My biggest pet peeve is when I see girls in peep-toe shoes, with the black lacy not-socks that LACE UP THE ANKLE as well or if they are in other atrocious colors. Same scratching-of-the-head action goes for the turtlenecks in 80-degree weather. Here I am, getting short-sleeve, V-neck tshirts from Uniqlo and trying not to move around so much, and the girl next to me in class is wearing a long sleeved turtleneck, frilly tunic and open-toed shoes with those damn socks. I really need to get pictures of these socks. I will admit, they are useful (my pinky toes already have blisters from my ballet flats) but when they are to the point that they have their own bow, frills pop out of the shoe and straps tie around the ankle, it borders on ridiculous.

One does NOT wear open toed sandals or shoes of any sort. Elderly women are the exception.

One thing that I actually do like in Japan is the parasol. Since spring has sprung, all the girls (ones wearing turtlenecks, bucket hats and gloves included) are carrying parasols. Now THAT is a good idea. I don`t like the feel of sunscreen on my skin on a daily basis (because my skin is oily and I have enough crap on it to keep it nice and clean) and since I did not bring any good ol` fashioned COppertone or good oil-free stuff, I had to get Japanese sunscreen when I recently went to Shirahama, just in case. I have light skin, burn easily and thus am at a slight risk for skin cancer. I use SPF 50 and I still get red.

But Japanese sunscreen is not a well kept together lotion like Copperton or Avon`s Skin So Soft - it is this greasy `milk` crap. My friend had the same problem when she wanted to use lotion for her skin in the winter - it was all `body milk` and very messy to put on. Don`t ask me how the Japanese women do it. All I know is I know what works for my skin and it is not here. I could go to Clinique, like I did for the lipstick, but alas, that 2800yen lipstick was only $14 in the States. So I am not buying makeup here in Japan again. Plus, even though it is on the label, I do not think that Japan gets the concept of UVA, UVB and SPF that well - I told my Japanese friend about SPF and she was like `What is that?`

I am considering getting myself the frilliest parasol that I can find, unless I find a really cool one. Frilly because parasols are meant to be frilly and in an uncomprehensive way it`s me making a statment on the whole parasol thing. And when I get back home, I have a pretty sweet umbrella since no one uses parasols. However, one can consider a parasol as a portable awning - we are always trying to walk in the shade, no? However, I am leaning more towards whatever design I find amazing. I did mention that I want a Japanese umbrella collection. To parasol, or not to parasol? That is the question.

Wonk, Snarf

Not much to blog about.

It was 82 degrees today and I got to use my Yojiya oil blotting paper twice. Thank god there is an outlet in Torrance, CA and I can order from them - but that wont stop me getting about 100 little booklets of the stuff (x20=2000 sheets, hmm three year supply?) since my income is in the yen anyway.

Tomorrow I am going to wear my new cropped jacket, with my pearls, navy blue t-shirt, Citizens jeans and pink flats.

Went to the gym today after a long hiatus and have more reinvigoration to get back on the points watch for the diet, and making bento boxes for lunch is fun and healthy. Powerwalked for 2km, rode the bike for 7km = 9km = 5.6 miles. OoOoO. Now multiply that by 4 (since that is the number of times a week I intend to go to the gym) = 22.4 miles per week. My goal is about 20 miles a week either by powerwalking/stationary bike (I can keep it at above 90rpm so I do the 7km in 20 minutes) so that is about...32km divided by 4...at least 8km per session needs to be reached.

My peonies are blooming, but the last two aren't open enough yet - trust me they warrant their own post, as I have been taking photos of their progress.

Wonk, snarfle.

The Purge

In the spirit of the fact that this is the VERY FIRST May in four years that "finals" have not even crossed my mind (with due apology to the grad bloggers, Kristiface, Midge and Lilly - good luck! Although a bit late I think) and that this is the completion of my first year out of college, I thought I would do something sort of drastic.

Given the fact that Facebook has turned into a popularity contest, I remember back in my senior year of college - as Fordham got on the network in my junior year - everyone asking everyone else if they were on Facebook and can I add you as my friend? Regardless of the fact that sometimes we knew one another for less than 5 minutes, at times it does prove to be useful, especially when the two people were in the same class; most us us checked out Facebook more than our email accounts, frankly.

One way you could easily tell who was a commuter and who was a resident was the number of Facebook friends you had. The divide was about 50/50 but the down-low was that residents usually had more friends since they lived on campus, and the commuters (like myself) still lived at home or had lives that included pre-college and not Fordham. That is the case simply put; there are exceptions to the rule (like those who joined a million clubs, but that was always the same group of people, the 408 clique) and of course this is not the hard-and-fast one but more a general perception. It also depended on the person and more the age; I was a junior when Facebook came so the freshman who had it from the summer before (like my sister once she got her Fordham email) had 100 friends even before orientation.

But tonight I decided to take stock. It has been a year since I graduated college and do I still speak to all 87 of my Fordham people? More specifically, who do I really speak with? Most people were "facebooked" by association or mild acquaintaince - really it is a popularity contest. So I trimmed down to now 35 people: those who I speak with, hang out with and have strong acquaintances with. as for my "Other networks" I kept the kids I grew up with, the kids from high school that I still speak with on occasion/SOAS friends and people outside all that that I still have strong associations with. Everyone else, out. No harm intentions - just that I barely spoke to you in high school/college and not that I am going to speak with you now via Facebook.

Facebook is still pretty useful, now that those within my college circle either got real jobs in the NYC area that track internet time or in another country (within my group, 3 of us ended up in different countries - Korea, Japan and Argentina - long term, one is in the Army and another in California). It enables us to have conversation on our walls - which are public but only used for regular stuff. Case in point: one of my Fordham friends is coming to Japan and she is going to visit me and we pretty much arranged everything via Facebook since it is one of the most convenient ways for us to communicate. She is coming the weekend of June 2/3 and I am really excited.

COPYCATS!

Ok did anyone see the trailer for the season finale of Grey's Anatomy?

Did anyone notice that towards the end, when Meredith opens the doors at the church to reveal herself, Callie and Izzie as bridesmaids for a brief moment?

Did ANYONE notice that they were wearing CHOCOLATE BROWN BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES in DIFFERENT STYLES to suit their different figures?

Not that I am flipping out - but it is sort of funny in a twisted way to see the idea that I have for my own bridesmaids practically brought to life in my favorite tv show.

Thats said - COPYCATS! I thought of it first!

(Though I know that other brides have the same idea, but I just had to act like a brat for a moment there. :::chuckle:::)

We're Dressing Japanese, We're Dressing Japanese, at Least it Looks So...

Today, I finally went shopping. As in right proper shopping that does not involve just groceries or 100yen. It was a beautiful day; after my koto lesson I started to ride my bike back uptown. I had noticed teeny little bulbs in a flower shop.

Turns out, they were saku-saku, or peonies. I had loved peonies ever since I was 15 and discovered Kate Spade and J.Crew; the Kate Spade store down in SoHo always had peonies in small bulb vases or large round bowls, and I loved the way it looks. In fact, I am definitely going to register for both shapes of the posy vases and the Round Dot, Library Stripe and Larabee Dot rose bowls in various sizes. I am obsessed with Kate Spade. I love the fact that it's classy yet with just a dash of whimsy to keep it fun.

But I will stop before I get to crazy. So peonies. For 2, they were 350yen (about $3) and there were ones that were in full bloom and they were huge. However, I picked up two sets - dark and light pink - and whose bulbs were still tightly shut. So long as I don't kill them before they bloom, they should look glorious. I very much want peonies for my wedding, but that is highly doubtful as it will be in September.

So I got flowers. I need a vase. I stopped at this little shop still in the neighborhood of my koto teacher and found a cute jar with a lid. I also got a towel, since I forgot mine back in Shirahama (yes, I know I still haven't regaled that tale yet, will do by the end of this weekend). Then I sped off and headed for Shijo. There was this shop that I was always curious about, called Yojiya and there was a big shop right in Gion, across from the Ichiriki Teahouse (yes, the same one that is Sayuri's main teahouse in "Memoirs of a Geisha"). I have always seen women carrying shopping bags with the ubiquitous face logo on it and never really got it till I finally walked in.

Yojiya - as I discovered through the internet and its website - is famous for selling face blotting paper. You know the kind that Neutrogena, Biore etc. sell at the drugstore, claiming that it will take the oil off your face. Well I have the Clean and Clear ones and unless I literally scrub my face, I can't get the oil off. I tried a sample piece and Yojiya and voila! There was oil on the paper and not on my face. I was sold. I got a 3-pack with 20 tissues in each, so if I use one a day that is a two month supply. Not bad for 1020yen. With Spring here (and evil summer looming in the distance) this is a good idea. I also got lipstick blotting paper, since I have become a red lipstick sort of person these days. I also got a case for the face blotting paper.

After Yojiya - with my arms now filled with the peonies, and shopping bags, together with my bike and it's basket I felt like one of those girls in French movies, all that was missing was the baguette! - I headed to the 100yen shop. I figured since I was down here, I might as well get what I needed (I was originally planning to go on Sunday). Got cereal, a new storage drawer for my school supplies and straws, since I have now started to make the Greek frappes (yes, I found a shaker, and the regular instant coffee is just as good, but the do sell Nescafe here so I will get that next time). It is hard to drink a Greek frappe without a straw, since it has all the foam on top.

The 100yen shop that I always go to on Shijo is called Seria. Before I came to Japan, I did crazy internet searching to find out what was what and where. I found the location of Seria through their website and since it has good cereal (and all 100yen shops pretty much look the same) I always go there. On top of Seria is a shop called Right-On that sells clothing for men and women. I sort of liken the women's section to a mild version of American Eagle and the men's sort of like Diesel, though they do sell various brands. They even sell 7 for all Mankind Jeans - however, their largest size is a 29/30 and I am a 31 (and sadly gained a bit of weight back since I just got over a mild binge-fest as of late due to some mild issues. But I got over it, have my motivation back - see my other blog for my research plan and meeting with advisor).

Buying clothes here sort of sucks. The department stores only have like two articles of the same item on the floor and you have to ask the salesperson for more. Plus, I am too big for this damn country. I am a size 10-ish in J.Crew/BR/Gap/Everywhere Else and a 9/9.5 shoe (depends on the design of the shoe). NOTHING BLOODY FITS. Except for Uniqlo which is a good godsend. I just got two tshirts there today and it was Pima Cotton for 1000yen a pop.

Point being, I really can't buy clothes here. There is a J.Crew in Osaka but the prices are probably even more through the roof. Zara is ok, but the lower end stuff I am not that big a fan of, because I care (a bit) about the quality of the clothing especially when I fork out god knows how much money. The Kyoto branch of the Gap by Kyoto Station just closed.

But I have been to Right-On once before; after cursing at the Japanese Import Gods for not bringing in 7's larger than a 29, I figured why not give the tops a shot. The first time I was there, I found some that fit but decided to come back later. Some of the girls dress in these tunic things that just cover their whole bodies and make them look like shapeless tents. It's a conservative thing in Kyoto; that and the desire for pale skin so they cover their arms down to the wrist even in summer and carry parasols. I do like the parasols, since I am pale myself and want to protect myself from skin cancer and hate the greasy feeling of the "Sunscreen Milk" that they have here. I am seriously considering getting myself a frilly parasol, so long as it can double as an umbrella - I don't think anyone in NYC would use a parasol, though it is a portable sunscreen to give you shade I think. As for the tunic-tent tops, I figured if they are that big to engulf the girls, I would just fit into them so it would look nice on me.

No tent-tunics, but what caught my eye at Right-On was the sale reack right outside the store and the sign "1000yen." 10 bucks for a shirt? Might as well give it a try.

At the end, I walked out of the store with two long sleeved (and long) shirts that are V-neck (gray and black; the black one has this tuxedo-satin panel on the back across the shoulders), a black-and-white gingham button down shirt with ruffles, and those cropped, 60s-ish elbow-sleeve length jackets in black. Now, the jacket is a wee bit snug if I close it, but I only close the top button for the intended retro look. It is a great jacket, since all I have to do is pop over to Uniqlo for basic t-shirts to wear underneath. I got it for 3000yen - it was originally 7000. The black and gray shirts were 1000yen each and the gingham shirt was 2500yen from 4000. Said gingham shirt was the shirt I tried on my first time at Right-On but I decided to come back the following week; good thing I didn't! I ended up saving 1500yen.

My pearl necklace - don't worry it was fake - broke while I was in the dressing room. I got it back when I was in London; it was a double strand, but one strand broke so then it became a single strand. I quickly rectifed the pearl-less situation; I went to an accessories store right across from Right-On and got a new - fake - necklace for 630yen.

I have not done shopping like this in a LONG while. I think it is a bit psychological to some extent; now I feel quite happy. When I was in London I did not get any article of clothing for a year because I had no money and things were expensive and I didn't like London fashion that much (TopShop? Blech - though I got a cool coat from there but that was it). So when I got back from New York I felt like I had to "make up for it" which sort of sounds stupid. But now I am happy, and very satisfied - I barely have any summer clothes besides, because I am a winter/fall sort of person. I reorganized my clothes closet/cabinet (its over my bed so it's a cabinet thing) and discovered that I have more sweaters than actual t-shirts that are not undershirts for sweaters. And it's hot here already. Furthermore, this little unexpected excursion has contributed partly in my quest to spice up my wardrobe a bit with a bit of Japanese pizazz and won't have to wait till I come home.

On my way back to my apartment I noticed Japanese men in their early 20s who looked like pretty boys (way to skinny, way to tanned, overly distressed jeans, tight shirts, big puffy vests, dress shoes and bleached, spiky hair) accosting pretty women - probably for hostess jobs - at the main intersection of Shijo and Kawaramachi. They were just standing on the corner, and if a girl caught their eye they would go up to them. One woman just kept walking and the man still walked with her - keeping the fast pace - trying to talk to her. As I was riding my bike, two old geezers tried to talk to me and stop me but I had my iPod on and sped by. When the first one tried to talk to me, I stopped to get my sweater out of my bag - it was a sunny day but a cold wind - but when I saw him approaching me and opening his mouth, I stopped opening my bag and sped off on my bike. The second guy was as I was unlocking my bike after getting milk at the 100yen supermarket.

So, the pretty Japanese girls get accosted by young (sometimes cute/handsome but idiotic and asshole-ish nonetheless) Japanese men. I get the old geezers.

Selfish Noodles

In class a few weeks ago, we were going over some words in our tango ("word", not to be confused with "dango" the mochi on a stick of 3 mochi balls flavored with egg, matcha and anko), and our teacher wrote a word on the board:

"wagamama."

One of my classmates, Campbell alongside myself burst out laughing. Campbell is from Sydney, and our teacher turned to us and asked why we were cracking up.

Campbell said that there is a noodle restaurant chain in Australia called "Wagamama" and I concurred - in London there was a shopping center near my dorm in the Angel part of Islington/King's Cross and there was a "Wagamama" branch. It was extremely overpriced and very crowded, so my friends and I always went for the Chinese buffet next door.

"Wagamama" means selfish. So any Japanese person or Japanese speaker who sees a Wagamama restaurant has very good cause to laugh.

No wonder their prices are so expensive - it's all in the name.

BEWARE! The Deer Poop

Golden Week has come and gone. There has not been a peep from me for the past week or so because I was very much AFK, and in another prefecture to boot. But first, Nara and the deer.

Two Mondays ago, Colleen and I FINALLY got our bums over to Nara. We had been meaning to go to Nara together ever since we first met; other things came up so we never got the chance to go over the March vacation.

Nara is famous for its deer; in pre-Buddhist times, deer were sacred. In Nara Koen (which was made from a wasteland in 1880) there are abut 1200 deer that roam freely. There are very much at home and Zen-ish with their surroundings; there were people going up tot he deer and touching their antlers, or even large families gathering around a lounging deer and taking a photo. It was a nice day, and the first day of Golden Week that was officially an "off day" ("Greenery Day") so there were tourists about, and the usual school groups. It never fails; no matter what time of day, no matter what day of the week, one is always guaranteed to see at least 5 kids in school uniform - neatly pressed if it was morning, skirts rolled up and pants around the butt in the afternoon or evening. It gets better - not only will you see at least 5 schoolkids, they are always in groups. This is especially true of junior-high and high-schoolers.

Before getting to Nara, Colleen and I had to find the train station in Kyoto. It wasn't the basic JR station, but rather a private one - the Kintetsu line. Easier and cheaper to get to Nara from there, and both Kintetsu/JR start at Kyoto Station so we still had to take the bus down (Keihan line is right by us so we can always walk it if we want to go to Osaka). It took us about 45 minutes to find the damn station, as the signs were all wrong. What was funny was that Colleen was asking be about a particular dirty word "eroi" and what it's meaning was; obviously I had no clue what it was so instead of hushed tones, I said "Eroi?" in a normal voice, and right before I hushed up quickly, I saw a troupe of teenage boys look at me in surprise. Turns out "eroi" (I think at least) is a pretty harmless word for anything to do with "erotic" but the Japanese have such wierd views of pornography (One can freely get pornographic manga and read it publicly on the train, yet I can't say "eroi" in public) that it is a bit taboo.

Back to the deer. One had to be very much aware of the deer poop, obviously. I was wearing sandals too because it was such a nice day, I had to be careful of my feet too. But the deer were very placid. And very spoiled. There is a special sembei cracker for the deer (though I saw some parents feeding them to their kids) and people feed the deer. Some deer actually REFUSED, as if saying "No thanks, I am quite full and content right now." If the noise was getting to them they didn't let on. However, if there was food near them, they midly pounced. One kid was eating ice cream and wasn't paying attention to the deer right behind him; before you knew it the deer knocked the ice cream out of the kids hand and even though it fell into the dirt, the deer happily licked it up. Talk about sneaky. Everyone around, myself included, started laughing.

There were two main stops on our trip: Todaiji and Kasuga Taisha. Both are World Heitage Sites; Todaiji is the largest wooden building in the world (and the one right now is only 2/3 the original size) and inside is the largest Buddha in all of Japan - the Daibutsu. The building and the Buddha are big. Really, really big. I actually said "Whoa" when I saw first the building, then the Buddha. Before Colleen and I walked inside, I went and lit an incense stick for my grandfather, since I couldn't light a candle for him back at Easter, since the church was closed.
After Big Buddha, we then headed to Kasuga Taisha, built in the 8th century, just as the city was found in 794. There are other shrines as well surrounding the area and at one point, Colleen and I just sat down on a bench and listened to the chanting Shinto priests. We were the only ones there and it was dead quiet, sans priests. IT was very peaceful and rather soporific, yet relaxing - sort of like those Gregorian Monk Cds that you find in the New Age section of the music store.

Something in a small nook that was easily visible from our seats caught our eye:Trust me, you want to click on it for a better look. And yes, that is what you think they are. Colleen and I put our heads together and after a Eureka! moment, I recognized the characters for pregnancy.

Those particular wooden placards were a few feet away from musubi placards in the shape of hearts, where people pray and wish for love.

Chuckling, we headed back to the train station and stopped at Daiso, a 100yen shop. Ingram told us that we had to go to this particular 100yen shop, more than any other World Heritage Site. "Deer? Big Buddha? Forget that, go to DAISO." TWO whole FLOORS of 100yen (or max 800 for larger things) stuff! I spent like $40 and got alot of crap, but really useful crap. God bless 100yen stores.

Another Option

I post another option to my loyal readers on the wedding dress issue.

But first, the big reveal.

The dress in the last post has a relation to Disney, hence the title. It is made by Kirstie Kelly for DISNEY FAIRYTALE WEDDINGS. That dress is from the "Snow White Collection." Go on an laugh, or bitch about how capitalist Disney is. Doesn't matter to me. It's a nice dress and I don't care where it's from. I was laughing from here to high heaven; I saw the article about it in the Daily News and if it weren't for the fact that there were photos of the dresses in the article I would have brushed them off. I was very pleasantly suprised - and the hilarity ensues when my mom, Mel (I told him about the site but didn't show the specific dress), Leah all said, "I wonder if your Uncle can get discount" - since he does work for Disney and all.

However, the price ($1100-$3500) is a bit squeamish. When I first got engaged, I dreamed of Vera Wang, Melissa Sweet and of peonies; now is the time to be practical. I am a bit of a cynic - there is a social construct to this whole wedding business and the damn industry makes too much money from marketing this idea of "THE perfect dress," "the DREAM dress," "the most EXPENSIVE dress in your whole life." Frankly, f--k that. I would rather take the $3000, go to Carolina Herrera or some other classy designer and get a couture cocktail dress in black that I can wear, and pass down to my daughter/granddaughter. I am a practical person; I buy clothes that I dress up and down. Which is why I like J.Crew; for all the expensive stuff, I buy on sale (or the very occasional splurge) and it LASTS. And I wear it all the time.

And also, I am going to be 23/24 (wedding might now be postponed till 2009); I feel that most of the dresses will make me look too old, for all the niceness that they have. I like the Snow White dress alot, but I am not sure if I can really see myself in it. But I do not want to look like a flower girl either. I just want to be different.

Which leads me to the other option, which is still, mercifully "anti-cupcake." Did I mention that I dislike salespeople? Bugger off. The ONLY salesperson that I will actually willingly talk to is Michael from J.Crew @ Columbus Circle. Apparently, he is the best salesperson out of all the J.Crew stores in the States. He is fun, he doesn't overly pester and makes me feel like a pampered brat but in a good way.

But I have insecurities (acne for one) and I do not need a saleslady in need of a commission to point them out when I am very much fully aware of them, and I do not want people to tell me what I want. I know what I want, dammit. If I need advice, I go to my mother and for fashion advice, my father and my grandmother. They actually worked in the Garment District so who better? Might I add, I go to my dad for approval of my clothing purchases, or ask his opinion of what is online.

Ann Taylor just came out with two wedding dresses. One has beading which is a mild no-no for me (frankly I prefer lace) and the other is a plain, simple strapless dress. And the price is very nice - $600 - AND I can go to the store on Madison Avenue to check it out myself.

Bit boring, but I have other ideas. Consider the plain, basic, strapless dress as a canvas. One idea branches out into ideas A, B, and C. The main idea is a cardigan, specifically 3/4 sleeves (sorta fuddy duddy with full length sleeves especially for a wedding). Idea A is a basic white one, from J.Crew (as always). There are three different fabrics, but the cheapest is $68:

Idea B is same cardigan, BUT in espresso/chocolate brown/bark/what have you to match the bridesmaid's dresses:



Idea C is this cardigan, which I think is an amazing design. Extremely retro, very 50's/Audrey Hepburn. Paired with pearls, sigh:



So those are my options that I have decided on with the strapless dress/cardigan option. I can either make it as a cover-up, or an integral part to the outfit, as Ideas B & C purport. Cardigans might not be original, but if I go with either Idea B or C it is quite interesting I think, and B would look cool with the bridesmaids. C goes very much for a classic, simple elegance. I DESPISE poof, pouf, frou-frou and fluff.

The price is not ridiculous (10% off via my sister on the cardigans!) AND I can order them online or get my sister to do it for me and try them on when I get home, since the last one is a particular design and not a basic, so it won't be around for awhile. Returns within 60 days with receipt get full refund; after 60 days with receipt is store credit. Either option is a classic, preppy-ish look which is the style I feel comfortable in, and won't break the bank. And I can wear the cardigans again - even with the last one which is $130, I wouldn't feel too guilty, since it would look great with skinny jeans, flats, and a long-ish, slim-fitting t-shirt.

And pearls. I have been wanting these
for a real long time.

I Always Said I Preferred Disney...

As I have mentioned before, I have an uncle that works for Disney and I get in for free. Walt Disney World that is, since he lives in Florida. Last I heard, he is working on getting me a ticket to Tokyo Disney since it isn't directly owned by the company, they just licensed the name. So I grew up with alot of Disney in the house, since the late 80s-early 90s were quite the prime period for Disney movies. When I was a kid, my mom would pop in a video for my sister and I to watch so we can go to sleep. Worked like a charm.

So, I have looked, and looked and looked for wedding dresses (Don't worry I'll get to Golden Week in a few days, I just have to post this now). Call me anal, but the internet is quite a godsend.

Most of the dresses are strapless, overly sexy and if they aren't strapless they are fuddy-duddy. The NICE non-strapless dresses cost an arm and a freaking leg. The Knot helps with getting sticker shock even before you enter the bridal salon. I very much dread getting a wedding dress this summer, as I have acne on my shoulders. Bah.

However, that can be somewhat amended with makeup and dermatology treatments. Still doesn't mean that I want a strapless dress - do I want to pick up the thing all night? Plus, 99.9999999% of the strapless dresses are EXACTLY th bloody same. I call them "cupcake dresses" and the girls in them "cupcake brides" - same exact hairstyle too: big puff of hair on top of the head.

I already know that my hair will be in a loose-ish chignon at the nape - I have thin hair so I can't do puff and poof. Good.

But alas, the point of my post. Like the dress?



I like it. My mom likes it. My sister likes it. In astrological terms, the three of us make two Leos and Sagittarius so there is always problems and disagreement especially with big stuff. I have an opinion - I AM the bride dammit and the one going to wear the dress. Of course, my mother has an opinion - she is my mother and there to help. And my sister (who is younger than me and the maid-of-honor) has not only an opinion, but a very loud mouth. You can imagine the arguments over Skype which are very few and far between since I have learned to "Handle Wedding Dress Shopping With Care" but like I said I dread the thought of getting a dress simply because I am picky (but honestly, what "bride" wouldn't be?) and I don't have much money to get THE Vera Wang or Priscilla of Boston or Melissa Sweet dress that I have seen on the internet (some of which do fit my criteria, namely not being strapless, but alas, not the budget. And I like to think myself as practical - not like I am going to wear a $5000+ piece of white puff again).

The bridesmaids dresses were solved very early in the whole planning: so long as it is brown and from J.Crew (yes they are pricey but since they choose and it's in a "functional color" they can wear it again, plus my sister is still going to be in college so 10% discount) whatever you want as long as they are all different (4 girls, 4 different dresses). My sister, Leah will choose whichever dress she wants in pink. So the colors are chocolate brown, pink (of one shade or another, preferably a dark one) and maybe a third color. I am going to make them wear gold shoes; matchy-matchy dyed shoes is sooo early 1990s (however, no offense to anyone who had that in the mid-late 1990s and 2000s, it is my opinion, and I was in a wedding in the early 1990s where everything right down to the usher's cumberbunds was matchy-matchy emerald green taffeta). Blech.

So you like it?

You will NEVER guess who the designer is. The clue is in this post - trust me, there is a connection.