Bellissimo

For the very first time this year I volunteered at a charity lunch on Christmas Day. It was unexpectedly a fun and heartwarming experience. I tend to get a bit narky over the commercialisation of Christmas. The meaning and religious significance gets lost between Santa and trees and lights and tinsel. Sometimes you need to see a bit more clearly.

Although perhaps my tradition of stirring up Christmas cocktails blurs this a little.

The perfect (and easiest) cocktail - The Bellini.

1 Poached peach - pushed through a sieve to get a smooth puree

Sparkling wine - I used Jacob's Creek Chardonnay Pinot Noir

Cheers!

Christmas in NYC

Perth isn't as Christmassy as say New York City. Sure you find decorations in the CBD streets (which this year thanks to Mayor Lisa Scaffidi seems to have taken on a distinctly traditional Nativity theme), tinsel hanging in Coles and tacky santas and reindeer in shopping centres but nothing that comes as close as to how NYC celebrates Christmas.

In Dec '06 I was engulfed in the Christmas spirit in NYC. There were Christmas markets in every park we passed through. In Bryant Park we warmed up by eating cinnamon waffles and drank hot cider whilst watching skaters glide across the ice rink. On my 21st birthday I watched the NYC ballet perform the Nutcracker at the Lincoln Center, complete with falling snow on stage.

At Grand Central Station a very special holiday hologram display lit up the walls causing even the most rushed commuter to stop to take it all in. 

And then there's Madison Square Garden. Home of the biggest outdoor Christmas tree I had ever seen. There was a strange lull surrounding the space, everyone is smiling and you forget that its cold because...well it's Christmas.

This year at home it doesn't feel so Christmassy. We aren't hosting lunch and without visitors the mammoth task of putting up the tree and its hundreds of decorations has fallen by the wayside. But I can still reminisce on my perfect NYC Christmas visit.

Summer in Perth is

Summer in Perth is...

• drinking Fifth Leg White at the Raffles

• eating fish and chips at Fisherman's Wharf in Freo

• trying not to melt in your car during a 38 degree day

• drinking bubble tea (and discovering the wonders of mango pudding in a drink!)

• having afternoon tea at the Leaf Cafe in Cottesloe

• chasing after your dog as he decides to run around suburbia

• wearing strappy tops, shorts and sandals

• feeling like you have sunburnt feet

• writing lists of things that remind you why you stay in Perth in summer
  

Summer Concerts Calendar

Last year I saw this little indie movie called Once that absolutely gutted me. Its a melancholic, unrequited love story between a busker and a flower seller set on the streets of Dublin. The actors are part of the duo known as The Swell Season and sing (and wrote) each of the beautiful songs in the movie.

All their concerts at the Sydney Opera House are already sold out (!) and I can only imagine how awesome it would be to see them perform there. I'll be heading to the gig at Fremantle Arts Centre on the 25th of Jan. I cannot wait for this lovely little concert.

The next three I've booked tickets for are:

• Coldplay at the Dome on 28th Feb
  

Been playing Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love on repeat in my car each morning just so I can sing "dreaming of the Osaka sun...." whilst driving through the CBD

• The V Festival at Melbourne Showgrounds on 4th April
  

Hello The Killers, Snow Patrol, Kaiser Chiefs...I have a feeling that this may turn out to be one rowdy trip to Melby.

• PCD at the Dome on 30th May. Don't cha?
  

Just another twentysomething birthday?

I turned 23 yesterday and quite frankly before the event it was feeling like just another birthday. Perhaps I'm getting jaded and cynical. Or I'm dreading turning 25 and getting closer to that quarter life crisis.

I think most twentysomethings have a list of things that they just have to accomplish. When you're a Gen Y'er you usually cop a lot of flack, but I think that most of us are incredibly driven and know what we want out of life. I don't think this is a bad thing. 

We usually aspire to:

1. Having a challenging career
   
2. Being in a successful relationship
   
3. Being an adult (aka getting your shit together)
   

I believe that I've got 1.5 out of the 3 so I'm getting closer. 

I had a lot of (unexpected) fun this year, some of which is a little blurry, but I shall always remember being sung Happy Birthday to by a group of new and old friends whilst standing on a Northbridge corner at midnight.

On my actual birthday I perused Bazaar, pre-Christmas markets at Fremantle Arts Centre. It was very crowded at 11am and had a lot of lovely stuff, but nothing overtly said "buy me". 

Instead I stumbled through East Fremantle to discover the cutest cafe called Hubbles Yard on George Street. It's a quaint corner cafe that's a pretty rare find in Perth, with country-style cakes (big and the kind "Nanna" would make) and fresh and healthy lunches. I had a latte and a slice of the very nutty walnut cake.

Nearby was a specialist wine shop which also sold gourmet foodstuffs, wine paraphernalia, homewares and Christmas decorations (!). I'm guessing tables settings replace the Christmassy items during the rest of the year. I picked up a gingerbread angel for my Kris Kringle from The Wine Store which made me pretty happy...

Later in the evening I went to watch WASO's free performance on the Esplanade. There were a number of songs/sets from Aida (figures) but my favourite was Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. I was surrounded my picnickers and children happily waving their arms pretending to be conducters. Apart from it being a little windy it was a nice way for my 23rd birthday to come to an end.

Mt Fuji - All aboard to the fifth station.

Going on a day trip on a JTB Mt Fuji/Hakone tour was a mix of pure touristy goodness and the finite moments that hold your breath.

JTB is a well oiled tour company that runs ever so smoothly. Our friendly guide for the day explained the A-Z of Japan throughout the tour, complete with texta drawn pictures and a few bad jokes thrown in for good measure. He was very helpful and even showed everyone how to get back to their hotel from the drop off at Shinjuku station.

Seeing the summit of Mt Fuji is pretty awesome. The only other mountain I've seen is Mt Pilatus in Switzerland which is only 2732m compared to Mt Fuji's height of 3776m.

As the bus drove up past the third station, we caught a glimpse of the snow capped peak and everyone simultaneously gasped.



When we got to the fifth station, it was a bit of a tourist trap. There were all sorts of strange souvenirs, like Mt Fuji air in a can. Outside there were also donkeys waiting to give someone a ride, hopefully not all the way up the mountain though.

We took our guide's advice and went to look at the shrine where trekkers prayed for a safe journey before their departure.





Red leaves outside the shrine.

My only advice is that if you're in a hurry to get back to Tokyo city after the tour take the Shinkasen back. The traffic along the expressway is awful and we got stuck for over an hour.

Myths About Japanese Food

Japan has an amazing variety of food. However, its not always everyone's cup of tea. Wei and I met an young American couple during our Mt Fuji/Hakone day tour who couldn't stomach the local cuisine.

"I don't eat cold meat," the girl claimed. They picked their way through lunch whilst Wei and I happily ate deep fried lotus, salted chicken, grilled fish and the side salad.

They were missing out big time. Not only on lunch but of experiencing a big part of Japan's culture. On a daily basis we would eat onigiri, drink miso, have numerous cups of matcha and eat dessert pocky.

My favourite meal in Tokyo was at a place called Toringen in Akasaka. The restaurant didn't have an English menu so we ordered with a bit of help from an English-speaking waiter.

We wanted to try yakitori so we ordered chicken and beef sticks. The waiter asked how many and I said four, but really I should've said eight. Four meant four sticks in total, not four of each...Oops. The yakitori came out with a dipping sauce and was divine!


The chef at work

We also ordered a Japanese style salad with bonito flakes. I didn't realise what the flakes were - dried fish shaved ever so thinly that it was almost like the skin of an onion.

Wei and I were considering dessert when we were delivered a plate of beef. Surprise dish! This was the most succulent, melt in your mouth wagyu beef. Fatty? Yes. But it was absolutely amazing.



All up it was only 3400 yen, not bad to escape a rainy Tuesday night in Tokyo.

No such thing as too much Picasso

The National Art Center, Tokyo is the newest addition to Tokyo's art scene, so much so that some guidebooks fail to give it a mention. The postmodern building opened in Jan '07. Its futuristic-looking with glass paneled walls snaking around the building in a continuous wave. The UFO like main entrance welcomes you inside.






PICASSO: From the Collection of the Musee National Picasso, Paris is being exhibited until Dec 14th. I spotted adverts for the exhibition whilst on the JR Yamanote Line and tracked down the museum in Roppongi.

The exhibition showcases 200 Picasso works from his early works to his career-defining pieces. It contains charcoal drawings of Greek mythology, abstract sculptures, mixed media and of course classic Picasso Cubist oil on canvas work with their heavy lines and stilted shapes.

I have seen my share of Picasso's having visited the Guggenheim Museum's Spanish Paintings from El Greco to Picasso exhibition in Dec '06. But never this many in one exhibition!

It was fascinating to see the development of his style and the variety of mediums that he worked with. I loved Picasso's portraits and landscapes. Some of the artworks though were fairly hard hitting. In particular, Massacre in Korea, 1951, and Reading a letter, 1921.


A nice little Picasso quotation:

"Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth."

— Pablo Picasso


If you're in Tokyo before Dec 14th, go see the exhibition!

One thing that we noticed though is that a lot of retirees visit museums. I think its great that art is appreciated by young and old. At the National Art Center there was a group of 3 adults resting on the awesome chairs they have. They offered to move over so I could sit down and thought we were hilarious ('cause we're Asian and speak English). Anyway one of the ladies found an air vent on the floor and pretended she was Marilyn Monroe. So kawaii! Only in Tokyo.

Murals in the Roppongi Tunnel enroute to the Art Center





Relaxing on the chairs




To get there on the Metro: Get on the Chiyoda Line to Noga-zaki station - its just outside!

Finding peace in Hiroshima

Still continuing on the Japan trip theme, in chrono order of course, we went on some amazing day trips from Osaka.

The first was to Hiroshima. We got atrociously lost in Hiroshima but we eventually found the Peace Park, the Memorial Museum and the Atomic Dome. This is something that you have to see for yourself in Japan. I think as a traveller its easy to get lost in your itinerary and forget about why we travel in the first place. To push ourselves out of our comfort zones.
To learn about history. To understand how events like the bombing of Hiroshima changed the world.

This week was of course a historic week with President-elect Obama taking centre stage. Change is something that everyone wants to believe in. Peace is another.

I love Kyoto

It's easy to see why you can fall in love with Kyoto...and never want to leave. We re-arranged our travel plans to spend all four full days in Kyoto. Originally we were going to head to Hiroshima from Kyoto but we decided to go from Osaka instead to maximise our time.

We covered heaps of ground! In one day we went to Nijo Castle, Kyoto Imperial Gardens, Ryoanji temple and the Golden Pavilion! The downside to packing it all in is that by the end of the day you end up being absolutely knackered with sore feet and a zillion photos to pour over. That's half the fun though.

I recommend going on Johnnie's Walking Tour, Johnnie explained a lot about the history of Kyoto, the strange but tolerant mix of Shintoism and Buddhism and how the art of Geisha is slowly fading. It's a 5 hour walk though with no lunch break, so bring snacks!

But my favourite place of all in Kyoto was the Heian Shrine and its gardens. The shrine looks like its in a desert with all the white gravel surrounding it, but behind it is a beautiful, luscious garden. It's so peaceful and tranquil. Plus you can stop for a tea break at a little cafe where we met the loveliest waitress who offered to take photos for us happily.

I would also recommend staying at Kyoto Travellers' Inn, especially in the Japanese-style rooms with Tatami mats. Very good base for sight seeing - we walked to the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, Heian Shrine and the Philosopher's Walk from the hotel. However the 100 Rakuten Sightseeing bus is a great option for getting directly to major tourist sights as well for only 220 yen, it took us back from the Silver Pavilion to the hotel.

I vouch to one day return...



Zen garden on the grounds of the Silver Pavilion or Ginkakuji Temple (currently undergoing restoration work)



Moss!



The Philosopher's Walk



The gardens of Heian Shrine









Korean War Memorial



Shinto Shrine



Higashi Honganji Temple



Buddha statues on the grounds of the Golden Pavilion



The Golden Pavilion



Nijo Castle

Sweet Sapporo

Sapporo is a surprising little city. The warmth of the locals is amazing. When we got off the train it was raining and I couldn't be bothered fishing around in my mammoth backpack to find my little brolly. We got a tad lost and were standing on a street corner holding a soggy map.

A very kind lady offered to help us and not only walked us to our hotel but also shared her umbrella with us! I asked her name in Japanese and introduced myself and Wei Yi San. This apparently highly impressed Wei.

Sapporo is...

Sapporo Station and funky underground malls




Ishiya Chocolate Factory - a strange Charlie in the Chocolate Factory experience with lots of kitsch statues, corny songs and random exhibits







Odori Park, with the TV Tower in the background




Sapporo Beer Museum - beiru kudosai?




Only a 90 minute train ride to Lake Toya which is famous for hosting this year's G8 Summit and onsen!




Hand and foot springs around Lake Toya

Lost in Japan - welcome to Tokyo

Upon stepping off the plane into Narita Airport with our 8 kilogram backpacks, the biggest challenge seemed to be finding the platform of the Narita Express. With seconds to spare till the train left us, we ran along the platform with several Japanese station attendants in their meticulous uniforms coming to our rescue. Each one ushered us, indicating the correct carriage and helped to save the doors from sliding shut in front of our jet-lagged faces.

This was my first introduction to Japan. It was also my first train ride in a long time.

The Narita Express makes for a calm journey easing you into the complexities of Japanese culture. During the 60 minute ride to Shinjuku, Wei Yi San and I saw a shrine nestled in a hilltop forest, plastic-looking houses with classic Japanese style roof tiling and patches of semi-rural farming. Once on the JR Yamanote line, however, we were bombarded with huge billboards for Asahi beer, 10 storey shopping malls and cube-shaped cars parked along the railway tracks.




For the first night in Japan we stayed at the Shinjuku New City Hotel. Functional and basic, the hotel offers clean rooms, yukata robes and slippers and a small bathroom. The hotel staff all speak English, but best of all is the free shuttle service to and from Shinjuku station. It makes it easy to get to the pulsating heart of Shinjuku.


View from our hotel window.

Shinjuku is gaudy, modern, edgy, neon, consumerist Tokyo at its best. Without leaving the station you're surrounded by department stores, cafes and food kiosks and a non-stopping mass of people. Venturing onto the streets, there are restaurants, shops and karaoke all with hawkers outside hoping to catch your attention.

Enjoying the sunshine before the rain

Kombanwa!

There's 2 more sleeps till my long-awaited Japan trip. It's the point of no return where by this stage you've booked everything, researched extensively and trying to justify each item you pack. Packing is such a hassle. Do I bring 4 or 5 t-shirts? Will the weather be mild enough for light jackets or will I need that winter coat that's destined to be worn once and hauled around for the rest of the 18 day-long trip?

Apart from that I'm relatively calm considering I spent yesterday running around trying to find an Ipod Touch for $318 as advertised in the Big W catalogue. No one matches prices on Ipods. It is also apparent that good customer service is a myth. I finally hunted one down, it was the last one. Hurrah! I'm slowly becoming an addict. After all its pretty much the iPhone without the phone component and less memory since I have the 8GB one.

Also I have a new camera - a Nikon Coolpix S710. Okaasun bought it for me in Singapore and it came with a case, a mini tripod, a mem card for about $490 and without tax (due to a duty free claim) it worked out so much cheaper. I love the big screen and that it's lightweight. My old camera had four AA batteries that weighed it down.

I'm all gadgeted up, now if only I had a Australia to Japan power adaptor instead of a Singapore to Japan one...

Today I went to Freo for fish and chips and over to gaze down at the view from Monument Hill.



Me:
Mink Pink ruffle top
Rock and Republic denim skirt
Charles and Keith sandals
Charles and Keith handbag
Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses

Okaasun:
Big W ra ra top
French Connection capri pants
Bulga handbag
Chanel sunglasses



The best photos are taken when you're not posing, but I was trying not to laugh here!!!

Je mata. I might do my next post from Japan if wifi works from my Ipod Touch...