pinku

Crafty update!!

So far I have completed a couple of wristbands, my crochet blanket, one madonna glove (aka Voodoo wristwarmer), a hat for darin and have just about completed my first scarf.

Here is the madonna glove. It was my first circular project. I really enjoyed working with double-pointed needles. I used 3mm needles and 100% merino wool from Nikke Victor Yarn called DLM. One glove took less than one 40g ball (60m). I am a bit disappointed that it has already started balling. Had a few problems with the buttonhole, but I have practiced a few times since and I think I have mastered it for the second glove...

Here is the crochet blanket. The pattern was taken from the book, Simple Crochet, therefore it is REALLY simple. I never thought I would get it finished and I can't believe that I chose a blanket as my first project. I was very excited once it was all stitched together though...

Here is a photo of Darin modeling his new hat. I knitted it using the hot head pattern out of the stitch and bitch book. I think I'll be knitting hats in the round from now coz I suck at knitting up seams!!

Currently I am knitting my first scarf. It is a present for a friend and I love the wool. It is called Polar Color from Lang Yarns in Switzerland. It is 100% new wool and I decided to knit the whole thing in seed stitch. I really want to finish it today as I am getting kind of bored of the monotonous knitting.

I have a billion new projects that I want to get started. I think I will knit a scarf for myself next out of some lovely blue alpaca that I bought at a sale. It came with a Japanese pattern which is just basic ribbing...I think I am going to branch out and attempt some cable knitting. I think I will also knit on circular needles this time and I prefer not getting the needles stuck in my clothes and other places??!!!

Another project that I am eager to start is to crochet a bag out of some hemp that Darin bought me for Christmas...

Until next time....

Nogawa and Musashino Park

To make the most of this beautiful weather, Darin and I hired bikes (a necessity after mine was stolen...) and headed towards Nogawa and Musashino Park (two big parks side by side) yesterday. The parks are about a 30 minute bike ride from Kichijoji and Musashino Park is were the Harappa Matsuri is held every year. Of course, we love our local park, Inokashira, but these parks are different - being pretty far from any station they are pretty empty, they are BIG and the river that runs through the parks is NOT concreted!!! Yes, it's true. Well, there are a couple of concreted spots but it is hard to believe that you can sit on a green grassy riverbed right here in Tokyo.

We had a lovely picnic, then I knitted and Darin skated in the sunshine. We plan to have a skateboard/bbq day here next spring or summer - YEAH!!

Here are some pics:

Happy Boxing Day!!

It is hard to believe that Chirstmas has been and gone. Our festive period began on Tuesday at the 5678s/Mad3 show, then continued at our friend, Amanda's xmas eve party - we enjoyed some xmas champagne, listened to some xmas carols, and ate some delicious traditional Japanese xmas cake (??!!). On xmas day we ate lunch at a beautiful restaurant in Nishi-Azabu, and then we went home and opened all our xmas presents - my favourite part of xmas!!!

On holidays now until the 5th of January!!!

daz and myself on xmas day

first course appetizer

xmas pheasant

xmas dessert - hot ginger bread

5678s

mad3

Japanese xmas pie!!

more Japanese xmas pie!!

I can't help it...

...the spirit of Christmas has hit (even though I am in Japan where xmas means a work day and sharing a sponge cake with your family later that night). It has truly set in. We have been building up to this day - setting up the tree, burning a xmas cd with some of my family's favourite xmas songs by the likes of boney m, roger whittaker, etc...

I guess it really hit though when I spoke to every one of my family members today on the phone (everyone but my little brother). They crack me up, and they are the ones with whom I share all of my Christmas memories. Very vivid and special memories. I won't be at home this year to celebrate xmas, but I am really happy that I can share a day that means a lot to me with someone very special - that's you, darin.

There is a great op-ed article by Zadie Smith, the author of White Teeth among other books in today's New York Times. I loved her piece about xmas and has been a great way to end my last day at work for this year.

Pinku sends much love to her family and wishes everyone a Merry Christmas!!!

Happy Birthday Mr Emperor!

Yesterday we celebrated the Emperor's birthday (public holiday in Japan) by listening to some good ol' rock 'n roll. I love nothing better than to see girls (especially Japanese girls) knocking down some songs with an electric guitar. We saw the 5678s and MAD 3 play at the Shimokitazawa Shelter. The 5678s have been around for quite a while but have gained a little bit more recognition having recently appeared in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill. The three girls came out on stage in 50s style sexy dresses and matching hairstyles, and put on a good warm-up show for MAD3. The girls I feel rolled a little more than rocked, but they rocked too. They had some really fun songs and having recently seen the Wedding Singer again (TWICE) I thought that they would be a great band to have at a wedding.....

Clearly the headlining act were MAD3. I had never really listened to any of their stuff before, but they were TIGHT. All of them (except the drummer - he wore a shirt that just said 'fuck') were in tight black leather. I had been expecting rockabilly but these guys just ROCKED. I had heard that a lot of there stuff was instrumental, which is true, but they are just tooooo busy playing to sing. There was a lot of energy on stage. They used a lot of 80s metal riffs (i picked up on the acca dacca...) I liked that they played the crowd - it was a SHOW! The lead guitar player by the end of the show ended up with no shirt on, but I loved it when he did the 'back to the crowd, comb my hair really slow 50s style' move - N.I.C.E!! Their xmas present to the audience was an original song called 'I hate christmas'....

WE WANT MAD!

Kyoto Report Number TWO

by Jitka Zelenkova

Woke up this morning and opened my windows - to the sight of neighbour's roofs covered in a thick layer of snow!! My landlady was poking her head out at the same time and we both exchanged gasps of appreciation at the sight! Having lived in Kyoto for almost 5 years, this is the most snow I have ever seen in the city centre. Therefore as soon as my private lesson finished at 11:30am, I rushed off to Nanzen-ji Temple and the Philosopher's Path to try and get some temple snow pics. Unfortunately I was a little too late and by lunchtime, much of the snow had melted. Nevertheless it was still most picturesque and some remaining red leaves made for striking contrasts against white snow-covered roofs. Next time I'll try to get up earlier!!

Some photos

Pink Fix for the week - cute little corner shop in Shibuya

Beijing from the sky

House made out of milk cartons at the Edo Tatemono Museum

Beer fairy at the Beer Museum in Ebisu

Chuo train line at night

Happy Birthday, brother!!!

Oh what a beautiful morning! Oh what a beautiful day! The sky is blue in Tokyo this morning - it is chilly (WIND.SO.COLD)but the sun is warm. Today is my brother, Stephen's birthday, so I want to send out some warm, sunny happy birthday vibes towards the southern hemisphere. Um, 'bout your present....it's gonna be in the mail tomorrow!!!

Tokyo Walker - December 16 - 23 edition

Since I bought the latest Tokyo Walker to read on the train this morning - thought I would share some of the information found within its shiny 300 yen pages. For those unfamiliar with the Tokyo Walker - it is another weekly Tokyo magazine that includes various events, restaurants, interviews and the all important tv guide.

Things you might be interested in knowing:

* Animation character exhibition 2004 is on at Spiral garden in Omotesando. Features Dollymode (Blythe), Chara-Depa (which includes my favourite, Monchichi), and Wallace and Grommit among others.

Date: 12/17 til 12/28
Time: 11 am to 8:30 pm
Fee: Free, but entrance to the small animation theatre costs 500 yen
For more information: Character Expo 2004 Official website

* Yahoo Auction Fleamarket is on at Odaiba (Big Sight) this weekend.
Touted as being the largets fleamarket in all of Japan (twice as big as the yoyogi fleamarket). There will be about 1000 stalls on each day.

Date: 12/20 and 12/21
Time: 10 am to 5 pm
Fee: 600 yen, free for elementary students and younger (100 yen off for each person that shows a copy of Tokyo Walker)
For more information: Weekly Fleamarket Information website (Japanese only)

* Nathan's the Hot Dog chain opens its first store in Harajuku

The first store opens today in Harajuku on Meiji-dori just down from the GAP store on the 1F/B1F of YM Square. They will offer four types of hot dogs:

hot dog - 270 yen
chilli or cheese hot dog - 340 yen
chilli AND cheese hot dog - 400 yen

* Win a private night viewing of Tokyo for two on either the roof of Roppongi Hills or Tokyo Tower

Tokyo Tower private viewing for five couples on Dec 23 between 11pm and 11:15pm
Roppongi Hills private viewing for five couples on Dec 24 between 8pm and 9pm

I'm going for the Roppongi Hills private viewing.

How to enter:

Send in one of those official postcard things listing the following 13 items:

1. which draw you want to enter
2. post code
3. address
4. name
5. occupation (or school year)
6. age
7. sex
8. phone number (or mobile phone number)
9. who are you going to spend christmas with?
10. what are you going to give that person for christmas?
11. what do you want for christmas?
12. where are you going to spend new year's eve?
13. who are you going to spend new year's eve with?

Address to send completed postcard to:

kakugawa-shoten TW49, TW Private night-viewing present, 102-8077

Postcards must be sent on or before dec 19 - that's tomorrow. Winners will be notified directly by Dec 22.

Don't know if you can enter in English, but why not try??!! I can't post in Japanese so......oh well.

Other features in the mag

* Onsen and snowboard day trip special section - interesting, but if you don't have a car forget it.
* Mitaka city (that's where I live) special on cafes where you can read childrens book while sipping a coffee
* Christmas lights special - where to go and see the prettiest xmas lights....this was kinda boring.

Do you like Japanese cute??

ok. sometimes it is annoying and sometimes it is too much, but if you like some Japanese cute stuff sometimes, then visit Tricoteur. It is a site run by a 27-year old Japanese girl, Miyuki, that makes and sells very cute little knitted animals. There are also a bunch of links to similar sites, I particularly liked one where a 74-year old grandmother makes and sells cute little knitted animals. I am not a big fan BUT hell, they're cute....

Couldn't you fall in love with this little bear??!!

More Japanese knitting sites

If you can't get to one of the FEW stores that stock Rowan or Jaeger yarn, then buy it online at Rowan and Jaeger - an online Japanese distributor.

If you spend over 5000yen (which you probably will) then shipping is free, otherwise it costs 525 yen, which is great when compared to overseas shipping. You can also order Rowan magazines for 2000 yen. They also have a bunch of english knitting books BUT they are way overpriced - my advice is to buy any books here in Japan on Amazon Japan.

You pay after the goods have arrived at the post office - totemo benri ne!!!

Other sites

Puppy - a great site with some cute crochet and knitting patterns (however, only in Japanese), you can also buy yarn on-line and some items that have already been knit up! Including a pattern for the crochet caps pictured below! Shipping is also free on this site if you spend over 5000 yen, otherwise shipping in Japan costs 525 yen.

Noro yarn - terriby designed homepage for Japan's Noro yarn - very multicoloured! Kind of reminds me of bright coloured Ken Done designs in the 80s as well as those really expensive technicolour woolen jumpers avaiable in Australia (can't remember the brand). Think it would make a nice pair of Voodoo wristwarmers.

Finger knitting - you heard right!! Can't be bothered buying needles and all that other stuff then knit with your fingers - gotta try this one!! (Japanese only BUT does have nice pictures)

Tezukuri Town - here is a link to Tezukuri Town's knitting page. Tezukuri means 'handmade' in Japanese and this site covers most handcrafts (Japanese only).