pinku

SAKAGUCHI Tomoyuki

Wow, Darin found this Japanese photography site and sent me the link. Glad he did. If you have ever wanted to experience what a Japanese hood is REALLY like - check these photos out. They are sweet. Although this is not where I live I bet I could take some really similar photos (meaning content rather than quality!!). It is truly amazing how interesting Mr SAKAGUCHI makes ordinary, ugly, modern Japan look. Big Japanese cities are generally ugly, but these photos make me feel privileged to have experienced living here - it truly is like nowhere else in the world.

Also check out the 'MADO' (meaning window) photos in Mr SAKAGUCHI's portfolio - they are my favourite and tell the full story of what it is like to ride a Japanese train during rush hour.

SUH-WEET....

Auctions = dangerous!

Golly - I have discovered Yahoo Auctions Japan!! Ebay never took off in Japan, so it's all about Yahoo auctions. Anyway, I was lurking for yarn and.....anything really, and I ended up bidding on some Japanese crochet books from the 70s - they are so cute. I won the auction last night for 600 yen and this baby is on the way to me!!

Oh, by the way - do you like sushi? I love sushi and want some for lunch today!!! Sometimes living in Japan rules.

Inaugural Tokyo SNB pics

Trista and Pinn

Amanda

Jen and Rae

Pinn's hands in action making the cutest little woolen pants!!

The cutest baby bootie EVER - Jen's handiwork!

Hanjiro Sale!!

So, one of my favourite stores is having a moving/opening sale. Hanjiro is a massive second-hand clothing store in Harajuku. They also have a few other branches with one in Daikanyama. They are moving from their old location above the now 'dead' Aux Bacchanales cafe across the road to the 3rd and 4th floor of the YM Square Building next door to the big Harajuku GAP. Sale begins Jan 31 and is on until Feb 8. Check it out!!!

Cold crafty nights!

Thanks to everyone that came out last night for Tokyo's Inaugural S+B. It is always great to see what everyone is making - very inspiring!

Jen's baby booties were the hit of the night! Pics to follow! Next S+B will be on Feb 17 - same time, same place - see you there!!!

It's a tape thing!!

Here a just a few images from the upcoming Rowan books, 'It's a Tape Thing', and 'Denim People'. I absolutely L.O.V.E the cotton tape crochet patterns. They're hot!! Check them out here.

Crafty Update 3

In crafting news - although I haven't posted any photos recently my hands have been busy. For a couple of weekends the weather was all cold and dark, which means it is PERFECT for staying indoors, rugging up and knitting your little heart out.

I am starting to amass a true yarn stash, and I keep meaning to organizing everything but most of it remains in Yuzawaya paper bags. Everyday I stare lovingly at these knitting needle cases - I really want to buy one - mainly because they are soooo cute and also because I am too lazy to make my own (I don't have a sewing machine ok). I also love the knitting needle case pattern by Midnight Knitter. Anyway, usually one day a week I put all the bags back in the cupboard and then I start a project and out it all comes - it's everywhere!!! I love coming into a room with all these exciting crafting ingredients lying around.

So, lately I have finished a cute net crochet scarf made out of some leftover Hamanaka superfine merino wool, a cute crochet cap using Noro Mosaic, a red hat made in the round with cables using some BRIGHT red Filatura di Crossa wool, and I am currently knitting the Tank Girl top out of Debbie Stoller's Stitch 'n Bitch book. Everything except for my current project, of course, was completed following Japanese patterns - I'm learning more everyday.

It is so much fun starting a new project. I get really excited about trying out new techniques etc. Also Maggie Righetti's Knitting in Plain English arrived yesterday and I LOVE it! It is filled with so many great tricks. It's like she's in the room with me letting me in on all these little knitting tricks. I love how she writes, 'I give you permission to use.......'. It would be have been so much fun to attend one of Maggie's knitting classes.

LAST but not least, tonight will be Tokyo's very first stitch + bitch gathering. I am really excited. Will let you all know how it goes.

THE photos of F.U.N.

Matt and Kim going at it!

Martine karaoke-ing - you go girl!

Enjoying the show!

Tyler and Daz

You belt it out girl!

On the way home....

Happy 'to be an Australian' Day!

We had the great pleasure of celebrating being Australian yesterday with a bunch of great Aussies and one great American. Daz and I finally got to meet Kim,Matt, and Martine. They were all 'great' value.

I have some really 'special' pics from karaoke that I will put up tonight, but here's one to give you a hint of the great night we had.

French toast in Japan

Lately I have been making french toast for breakfast on the weekend, and it is so delicious. I make it at home, because the get-up-late-on-a-Sunday-morning (usually hungover) -and-go-to-a-cafe-and-eat-a-scrumptious-breakfast culture doesn't exist in Japan. I lament this. Sure there may be places to eat a cafe/diner breakfast in Tokyo, BUT I am not gonna travel an hour to get there.

So anyway, I have been making french toast with either a baguette or wholemeal English muffins - both are really delicious. I let the bread soak for quite a while in the mix (eggs, milk, coconut milk, yoghurt, vanilla essence - whatever sounds yummy really and is lying around), cook it in a pan with real butter and then top it off with cinnamon and maple syrup!!!! Fresh fruit and yoghurt makes this dish complete. I think I like it better than pancakes, but not better than crepes. Not convoluted Japanese crepes by the way, but homemade crepes with a simple topping of lemon and sugar.

One thing that Japan does have is a lot of TV programs about food - I find myself sitting in front of the tv mesmerized making those "heeeeeh" sounds and exclamations of "oishisoo".

The last food-related comment for today - we all know eating McDonalds everyday will make us sick.... one guy decided to prove this statement....read what happened!!

Various stuff!

So, first off. It looks like they have fixed the problem with my domain name, so if you type in pinkurocks.com, it WILL direct you to this site!! NO MORE BLOGGER (although I must say they were very nice to me - upgraded me for free when their site wouldn't work - shame I suck at html/css etc.) Might do the domain mapping that typepad offer later on, but right now domain framing/forwarding seems fine with me.

So, I know that there are a couple of keen photographers out there, who occasionally look at Pinku! - she needs all the love she can get!! Anyway, there is a new bilingual art magazine out called ARTiT - I checked out their first issue in the book store, but was too cheap to fork out 1000 yen so I could own it. Their 2nd issue is out now and they have a website, so check it out. So, what I really want to pass on is this request for photos with the theme of "Art without Heart" - a great theme I think. So get your cameras out and shoot away, maybe we'll get to see your photo in print. Oh by the way, I think you should all take up knitting or crocheting too, so you can come to the SNB - you can never have too many skills.

Call for entries: "Art without Heart" in your neighborhood!

We invite readers to send us photos of art to exclude the homeless or "art without heart" you find on the street. Please send submissions by email or post to the address below, along with your name, address, phone number, email address, age, and profession, Don't forget to attach a photograph (print/data), and please be aware that we cannot return prints. Entries may be discussed in the above-mentioned talk show, and/or introduced in the next volume of ART iT. We're looking forward to your contribution!

5-11-20-603 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032
ART iT Editorial Office, "Art without Heart"
artit@realtokyo.co.jp

Beer buddies

Everyone needs a beer buddy!! Darin has updated his site and it's hot, so check it out! There's a new section called 'Wassup' and some new animation of our favourite friend, the Tokyo crow!!!

Also, Pinku's Kyoto correspondent, Jitka has put all her pages on to one, so check it out!! She has vast knowledge of Kyoto, and is a great cook. Her recipes for kimchi rice and marinated beef stew sound dee-licious.

Inaugural Tokyo Stitch + Bitch

As you can see, we have set a date for the first ever Tokyo Stitch + Bitch. Come, come, come! It's gonna be fun and it'll be a great way to meet people with similar interests. So, pop round to the Pink Cow any time between 6:30 pm and 9:30 pm next Tuesday, January 27!!!

Golly - wasn't it cold on Saturday!! We pretty much didn't leave the house, so it was a great opportunity for me to craft. Crocheted a pretty brown net scarf from a Japanese pattern and then knitted a hat with cables. I was pretty stoked as I knitted the hat from a Japanese pattern with all the symbols and kanji and everything - I love the graphical representation of the pattern - it makes it so easy to visualize. This will also open up the doors to a whole world of Japanese patterns. Will put up some photos tonight.

We did manage to get out of the house Sunday though, and went and saw some kabuki in ginza at kabuki-za. The current program runs to next Sunday. We watched only the final act in the matinee program, called 'The Leather Purse', but I would recommend going to watch Bando Tamasaburo dance in the evening program - it is the second act and it is called 'Two Women at Dojoji Temple'. I have seen Tamasaburo dance before and it is very beautiful and extremely elegant!!! It is great that they give you the option to watch only one act - cheaper and you won't have to be there for 3 to 4 hours. Anyway, 'Two Women at Dojoji Temple' is on every day from 6:20 to 7:25 pm - you can buy tickets at the box office at the theater from 6pm and the ticket costs 900 yen!

Go and get some culture already!

Grease lightning!!

If you haven't watched Grease in a while, I highly recommend that you should rent it. It rocks. We also recently rented 'Pretty in Pink', and I kind of hate to say it, but it was pretty lame AND I always thought I loved Pretty in Pink. The characters were so sad in that movie - I mean...poor duckie.

So, anyway back to Grease. It is such a fun movie to sing along to and John Travolta is such a classic - the dance scenes were just as great as ever. I love a movie that doesn't age. It's also really cool that there's an Aussie in it too. The one and only Olivia Newton-John.

Winter wonderland

Finally we have been rewarded for suffering through these cold winter days here in Tokyo. If it is gonna be this cold, it might as well snow. This morning it was snowing....but barely. Tonight - it is a different story. We went down to the park at around midnight to capture the moment!

Living in Tokyo!

If it wasn't bad enough already living in one of the most earthquake prone cities in the world, I also work on the 20th floor of a 22-storey building. We have had emergency evacuation practices via the stairs and I have only one thing to say - I'm not gonna make it! The stairs get horribly clogged up with the people from the lower floors. I guess that's the price you pay when you have an amazing view of Tokyo and Fuji-san from your desk!!!

You know - I always want Pinku to be positive, but this is a reality that we (Tokyo residents) all need to face. Just realize it exists, not freak out about it everyday, coz if it happens, it happens...simple as that.

Currently I am reading Underground by MURAKAMI Haruki - in which he interviews many people involved with the Tokyo subway gas attacks in 1995. It's terribly absorbing and terribly frightening at the same time.

This is a passage that I read this morning while on the subway.....

The biggest lesson we learned from the Tokyo gas attack and the Matsumoto incident was that when something major strikes, the local units may be extremely swift to respond, but the overall picture is hopeless. There is no prompt and efficient system in Japan for dealing with a major catastrophe. There's no clear-cut chain of command. It was exactly the same with the Kobe earthquake.

Quote from Dr Nobuo Yanagisawa, Head, School of Medicine, Shinshu University, Nagano Prefecture.

No more to be said.

Happy news to follow - dates for the first Tokyo SNB have been SET!!!

Low-carb THICK burgers

Man, darin pointed this out last night and I just had to share it. Hilarious.

Carl's Jr and Hardee's (US fast food hamburger joints) have released $6 THICK low carb burgers. The picture on the Carl's Jr homepage is way better, but I couldn't download it. A burger wrapped in lettuce with no bun??!! Are these people crazy - don't they realize that if they want to become healthier then maybe they should skip the $6 burger altogether - it still contains 32 grams of fat!!! It seems popular with the cycling community though after some forum boards came up in a google search - they did mention that when they ordered this healthy low-carb burger, that the person taking their order offered them an apple pie as well!!

I kinda surfed a couple of fast food websites to do some 'research' and I gradually began to feel sick....ugh. I must point out that I don't mind a McDonald's junior burger every six months or so. Actually I think my six months is nearly up.

Crafty update 2

Finished my hemp/string bag tonight. The pattern was from erika knight's simple crochet, but I decided to use some hemp that darin bought me for xmas. Umm, the hemp was quite difficult to manipulate and the third finger on my left hand is hurting as the hemp is so rough. Am really happy with the result though.

I finished these legwarmers on New Year's Day. Picked up the free Hamanaka pattern at Yuzawaya and bought some pretty pinky/purple Hamanaka Fair Lady yarn for the project. Not as warm as knitted ones but oh so cute!!

This is the Noro yarn I bought today! Think I'm gonna make a hat with it.

Tonight I also picked up this free Kanebo pattern pamphlett at Yuzawaya. The layout is oh so Japanese cute!

Also created a new crafty photo album - check it out!

Yarn sale in Tokyo!

Popped down to my LYS near work here in Tokyo during lunch and found out that they'll be having a fall/winter yarn sale from January 19 to the end of February.

All fall/winter yarns will be 20% off. Mitsubaya (the name of the shop) is one of the few places in Tokyo where you can buy import yarns such as Rowan and Jaeger yarn. It is a small store, but sufficient to satisfy my need to search out new yarns during lunch. They also carry Filatura Di Crosa and Noro among many others.

All Rowan yarns seemed to be about 980 yen or above. Their range is limited. You can also buy Rowan magazines and books for between 1200 yen and 2500 yen (for their latest magazine).

I bought some Filatura Di Crosa Primo Antartic wool which was on sale for 290 yen and a skein of Noro wool which was on sale for 590 yen. All Noro wool seemed to be on sale for this price.

Mitsubaya
Shin-Aoyama Building
West Wing 1F
1-1-1 Minami-Aoyama
ph: 03-3404-1677
(right above Aoyama 1-chome station on the ginza and oedo subway lines)

Unfortunately they don't seem to have a webpage.

Film delay!!

Even in Tokyo, Japan - one of the world's largest cities, you sometimes have to wait months to see major films. Every now and again a movie will be released at the same time as overseas, but this happens rarely. They also sometimes change the names of movies, which can cause havoc when looking for particular movies at the video store.

There is a great interview with Toni Collette the Aussie actress about her role in Japanese Story (an Australian movie) in Salon. This is one of the movies that I want to see when I am back in Australia. I also want to see Lost in Translation. So many people have raved about this movie AND I WANT to see it ALREADY!

Will also finally get to see the final installment of Lord of the Rings!!

Top ten places to eat in Kichijoji!

I was lying in bed this morning thinking about all of the delicious places to eat around Kichijoji and thought that I would share some of our favourites.

1. La Befana - delicious Italian restaurant with outdoor terrace, highlights are the cozy atmosphere, the friendly staff and the mouthwatering wood-fired oven pizzas

2. Toriyoshi - this restaurant has I think four locations in Kichijoji alone and so far we have been to three of those four. Toriyoshi is at its absolute best right next to Inokashira Park. Greeted by a big wooden gate, dim lighting and a Japanese garden you would think that this place is very expensive BUT its actually very reasonable. Highlights include the chicken wings (tebasaki), seafood/kimchee salad, free drink coupons, actually pretty much all of their food is delicious.

3. Iseya - a well-known and well-loved yakitori izakaya with two locations. It is loud, noisy, cheery, old, and very welcoming. Highlights include the yakitori, of course, the cheap prices, the dim sum, hot sake, and the happy rowdy crowds.

4. Peppermint Cafe in Inokashira Park - an outdoor cafe in the park with delcious Thai/Asian food. A tad expensive (we're pretty cheap...) to go regularly. Highlights include THE PARK LOCATION, can take your dog (not that we have a dog....but we'd like one), authentic and relaxed atmosphere, and the curries are GOOD!

5. Oh India! - a sweet, little curry restaurant run by a complete crew of girls. Located on Nanaibashi-dori on the way to the park. I have to walk past here EVERYDAY and on the way home I am tempted to stop and eat there all the time. It's torture. They also sell freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. Highlights include: the cozy atmosphere, the quick service, the ten (I think) vegetable curry and the dim lighting.

6. Village Vanguard Diner - this is a new hamburger diner run by a quirky book/miscellaneous goods store. I was really impressed by this place. The interior is really authentic - a lot of wood, little booths and a lot of paraphernalia from overseas including English language children's books which you are free to read. Highlights include the booths, the burgers, the cheap price. A lunch burger set with drink, salad and fries will set you back around 700 yen.

7. Mississippi - our local Izakaya. This tiny place will burn to the ground in an earthquake, but you can't live your life thinking about that, now can we. Located in one of the little alleys opposite the Baskin Robbins side of the station (known as Harmonica yoko-cho), this place is really hard to find. There is a tiny sign and a set of stairs leading to the first floor which can accomodate around six people and then there's a second floor where another ten people can sit. There is a big hole in the middle of the table on the second floor and this is where you order your food and drinks and they also just pass the food up from the first floor. Highlights include the CHEAP prices, the yakiudon or yakisoba, the ethnic gohan, cheese-filled fried meatballs (my personal fav), the cool atmosphere. You can also bring your own cds and listen to them if you want!!

8. Ramen shops - Kichijoji has an inordinate number of ramen shops. I can't pick one as they all taste really yummy. Most shops are located in the little streets/alleys that fan out from the Park exit at the train station. Some of these stores often have lines of people waiting to get in. We waited once just to see what all the fuss was about - it was delicious but so were all the other places without lines.

9. Indian Curry - now I can't remember the name of this place but at night it has an 890 yen two-curry, all-you-can-eat naan and rice set. It is AWESOME! The place is completely run by non-Japanese and the NAAN (hot, fluffy and massive) is the highlight. Located somewhere along Sun Road on the left - it is a basement restaurant.

10. San Marco Cafe - now this is a national chain store I think and not limited to Kichijoji, but I love it. I never really sit down and eat there or drink coffee there, but they are famous for the freshly baked, hot out of the oven bread delights. No loaves of bread, but mouth-watering flaky hot chocolate croissants (130 yen), delicious raisin bread (110 yen) and Darin likes the beef stew bread!!! Yum! Highlights: hot and cheap!!!

When I get around to it, I'll include the addresses and other contact details.

More photo albums

Typepad is just so nice and easy to use. I kind of miss having full control of a website, but you know i didn't know what to do with that freedom anyway. So, one of the features that I like most is the gallery-building function. Tonight I added a gallery of random Tokyo photos - these are not in order AT ALL, but they are all shots that I have taken over the last year and they were all taken in Tokyo.

Have also created a new pink fix album, which I really LOVE. It's fun.

Click on the photo or the thumbnail in the top right-hand corner to go straight to the album.

Pinku! - are you a birthday girl today??!!

Pinku!: Why yes I am!
Other person: Happy Birthday! How's your day been so far?
Pinku!: Fantastic, it has been really pink and happy! Celebrations started last night with a bottle of red and a delicious dinner prepared by Pinku!s biggest supporter, darin. I also opened some presents from my best friend, Julie this morning - she's a really amazing woman and a great present buyer. My family sent me some scratch-its from Australia, so I spent the morning scratching some of those - I won $12 I think!!!
Other person: Lucky you. Where are you now?
Pinku!: I'm at work and although I can't see Fuji-san (sometimes I can) and the fact that no-one here knows it's my birthday, the birthday vibe is strong. I have my new pink birthday cup on my desk along with my boxing kangaroo birthday pen and I am wearing a new pink stripy shirt and my pretty birthday necklace.
Other person: Wow, so spending your birthday at work won't be so bad after all....that's great. What are your other birthday plans?
Pinku!: Well, I have a special birthday lunch date with darin and then I'll probably have some birthday beers tonight and then I am going to have a special birthday dinner with a bunch of friends at my FAVOURITE Italian restaurant in Kichijoji on Saturday.
Other person: So, how does it feel to be a year older?
Pinku!: Fine...so far. I definitely want this year to be the best of my life and I totally want to enjoy the final year of my twenties. Ten years fly by so fast!
Other person: Why yes they do. That's why we have to make the most of every minute and always focus on the good things in our lives.
Pinku!: So wise you are other person! I just want to shout out to everyone that loves the colour pink and my mum and thank her for going through so much pain to have me on this day 29 years ago!!!! You're a star!

akemashite omedeto gozaimasu!!

Hard to believe it is now 2004! 2003 ended with a bang...the bang of Akebono's head hitting the floor of the K1 ring. I think he did a great job and I'm really glad he lived through the experience. After downing a copious amount of new year's eve alcoholic beverages with some buddies, we headed down to the shrine in the park to pay our respects and get some free sake!!

Bring it on 2004!!! I'm ready for you.

bringing in the new year!!

crazy Japanese new year's tv

bernie ready to celebrate

the boys doing the new year's eve phone call thing

me praying for good things at the shrine in Inokashira park

at the shrine

first pink fix of 2004 - a cute little ring I bought just for new years!!!