Peace to Kanazawa

I met up with my auntie and uncle in Kanazawa last weekend. They greeted me with a big sign that read, WELCOME NNCOOLJ! KANAZAWA YOU! Boy, did I feel VIP! I got to take a sneak peak into my uncle's father's Maki-e studio. The intricate details were a sight to behold! This craft takes serious prowess.

Lunch at "Grill Otsuka" which is serves up a huh-uge! hanton rice. A Kanazawa speicalty, hanton rice is basically omurice with fried fish scattered on top, then covered with tar-tar sauce. That's some Japanese soul food; it stays in your gut alll day. But ooo it was tasty.

Next, hopped on our bicycles to the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, which was host to the first Ron Mueck exhibit in Japan. HOLY MOLY. I can't (and won't) explain it in words. The show ends in a few days, but keep an eye out for upcoming awesome shows! I especially like what the director has to say.

The next day, we awoke at dawn to hit Wajima's morning market. Here, i smelled a very strong fishy odor not much unlike Thai fish sauce wafting from the stalls, heard the incessant soliciting of the vendor ladies, bought some furry sunflowers, ate dried squid, and petted a 3-pawed dog. We then drove to the water's edge to see the threatening waves of the Sea of Japan, and finished off our morning with a spin on foam mats down the longest slide in Ishikawa.

Oh, I can go on and on about this lovely city. About 13,000 yen round trip on the Thunderbird express, which takes just about 2 hours from Kyoto. Don't miss it.

tacos are one of the most delicious things in the world

Aw man. I miss me some real… Californian Mexican food. My co-worker was taking a vacation to the U.S and did I want anything? Yes! Some fish tacos from La Familia, or a few greasy 2am Oakland taco-truck tacos wrapped in foil and thrown in a brown paper bag, or a nice juicy burrito from El Farolito please. Too bad she was going to Texas.

But still, my sweet friend came through with a box of Taco Bell shells and meat spice. And in a Wal-Mart plastic bag to boot.

It being Sunday Funday, I called up a few friends. Made some guacamole, salsa (minus the cilantro-where do I get that?), opened up the sour cream, and whipped up our own little taco feast. There’s no comparing these suckers to the tacos so near and dear to my heart. Apples and oranges.

So that and some beers, good convo, good friends on a hot summer night. A plus in my book.

Yokoo Tadanori Doesn't Sleep

My mother and I went to the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art in Kobe to see the Tadanori Yokoo exhibit entitled Be Adventurous!

Yes. I came out of there completely satisfied and fulfilled. There’s a lot to digest both for your eyes and brain. Serious and humorous; graphic precise lines and quick brush strokes; small works on paper and huge canvases- the push and pull between these different qualities keeps you engaged throughout.

Mr. Yokoo started out as a graphic designer, and later in the 80s started to make paintings. At 73 years old, he’s still working. The show features an insane-o variety of work from his early advertisement work and designs for magazines in the 60’s to new paintings dated this year. The man doesn’t sleep!

The museum itself is designed by Tadao Ando, one of Japan’s esteemed modern architects. It is beautiful and mazelike, and like many of his buildings, makes wonderful use of natural light. Amid the flat planes of cool concrete and lofty ceilings, you feel protected from the sweltering pavement and bright summer heat outside.

This show runs til August 24th. I think it’s perfect for a date

Shing02 Waikyoku Tour

The Shing02 show at Metro was wall to wall. I’d never seen it so densely packed. Having very little choice in where to be situated, we squatted like adolescent hoodlums next to the lockers until the show started. When Shing02 finally took the stage, my stealthy and agile companion maneuvered us through the sea of people, up to a place where we could get a halfway decent view.

Shing02’s stage presence was intense, addressing the audience head on, leaning into us holding onto the pipe overhead. His delivery was at once solid like a well-built house and supple-ready to fly in all directions. He had a DJ, as well as live musicians- violinist, keyboardist, and drummer-all proficient and skilled at their craft. It was so sweaty! Thank god we got that bottle of water before heading into the crowd! We yelled and raised our hands in the air. Despite being compressed on all sides, we moved with the beat, and didn’t resist to the swaying of the wave of bodies.

This was no ordinary hip-hop show. It was the real deal-musicianship with integrity, sincerity, and class.