Kimono Gallery in Wabasha, MN

My mother-in-law introduced this interesting gallery that displays Japanese vintage kimono (kee-mo-no). The Wind Whisper West gallery is in a little town of Wabasha, 2-hour drive away from the Twin Cities along Mississippi river. Who would imagine you could find over 3,000 antique kimono from Japan. Richard, the owner, was stationed in Japan during WWII. He then became an art dealer, and in the last five years he's been collecting old kimono from Japan. Why in Washaba? Because his wife (who by the way is not from Japan) and her family are from this town. He was very interesting and told me lots of stories to the unusual Japanese visitor.

I was unable to take many photos due to the gallery's policy. But Richard let me take a few of my favorite piece. Most of the pieces displayed here are wedding kimono. Some with a very rare design and print, some are the work of famous Japanese designers like Hanae Mori and Yoji Yamamoto.



This kimono uses the color palette inspired by Shintoism. Bright yet subtle color scheme is marvelously placed in such charming details.

On the way home, we had a lunch at the Harbor View Cafe in the town of Pepin, WI. They were very nice and welcoming even though it was just the time they were closing.

A charming interior.

I ordered the catfish with hot salsa. It was really good. But a bit too much flavor in sauce—against my expectation for a light fish meal.

Braised Pork Shank was excellent.

Wind Whipser West - Kimono Gallery
http://www.windwhisperwest.com/Home.html

Maui, Hawaii

A week after the trip to the D.R. Now I'm off to Maui. I've been to Maui, which is my favorite Hawaian island. The trip was frustrating already on the way out there; some technical troubles and delay. Already exhausted from the 13-hour trip. A baby was crying the whole time. It was already dark when I arrived.

Westin Hotel has an artificial lake in the lobby with swans, actually black swan. It's really strangely beautiful...

As usual, it was not until the last day that I got to enjoy the beach. Some young folks were jumping off the cliff. It's not allowed, but it's deep enough and safe, I guess. As long as someone jumps and kicks a snorkeler, it's ok. The snorkeling around this cliff is amazing. I was floating with a turtle for an hour.

And the sunset and rainbow was just so memorable.


On the last day morning, my boss treated us for a whale watching. It was already pass the high season and most whales were back on the journey to Alaska. We still saw quite a number of whales. One whale came really close to the boast. The staff told that they had a special censor that would let him avoid touching a boat even if it came an inch away. Smart. Clever. Nature is amazing... I was particularly impressed with the turquoise water that male whales make when they breath. I literary saw a spot of turquoise water in the ocean. Being mesmerized by the wonder of whale life, I was half sick from the boat ride.

Dominican Republic

I stayed in the Dominican Republic for a week for work. Honestly, I wish I didn't have to stay in a huge resort, a concrete compound, but I have to admit I had a good time down there. Luckily, I got to stay in one of the Casitos (individual villa) right in front of the beach and away from everyone else. This lobster was one of the biggest and best I ever had.


One of the evenings, we had a dinner followed by local Dominican dancers. Sad news: the driver who was carrying the costumes got in an accident and couldn't deliver them. We almost thought of canceling the evening event. However, someone somehow managed to deliver the costume and the entertainment started. We danced. They danced. Everybody danced to the merenge (if you want to learn, I can dance a bit...).


I didn't have a chance myself but my co-worker walked through a trail and he saw huge iganas.

Every morning, I tried to supplement my vitamin C with this local fruit: passion fruit. You just suck the seeds covered by this slimy thing. I loved it for the first day. But it was too acidic and it got smaller ad smaller the remaining mornings.


One thing I liked very much was the bed making. I guess every room maker does their own way, but this particular day, she/he made a little heart with a bath towel and local flower on my bed. How sweet!!!

Japan 2007 - Monkeys

Japanese monkeys have red butt. Until I moved to the States, I didn't know they were indeginous to Japan. First ones are monkeys in Tokyo Ueno Zoo. Below is wild monkeys enjoying the sun in Nikko, northern Kanto. My boyfriend calls me Monkey. Don't know why. I don't think I look like monkey. But he loves monkeys so I probably should be happy about it.

Japan 2007 - Food

After taking hundreds of pictures from our trip to my sweet-home Japan, I was a bit shocked that 80% is pics of food. Hope you can enjoy the taste through this blog... Vegetarians, please bare with my country.

How many times did we eat Ramen? My boyfriend loves ramen and he actually wanted to have ramen once a day. This picture is a place in Shibuya called Ichiran. It was good and you can customize the level of richness, spices, noodle texture and etc. In here, you sit on the count with each seat devided with a sparation and a bamboo curtain between customers and kitchen. Completely privacy. Perfect Ramen spot for salary men and ladies who don't like people to see her slurp.

Monja-yaki is a typical Tokyo food, particularly popular in Shitamachi area (old downtown Tokyo). You eat and cook yourself - that's the fun of it. On the iron pan, scoop all ingredients except the soup and cook a little. Then make a small bank in the middle of ingredients. Slowly pour soup from the bowl. Without letting the soup run over the bank, mix from inside slowly. When the soup starts to get thicken and browned, you scoop directly from the cooking pan with a little spatula. It's not visually appealing but the taste is GoooooD!

We had tons of yakitori at different places and this join in Kichijoji was arguably the best. Although, it's not really yaki-tori but yaki-buta. They serve pork organs. They are so fresh and liver sashimi is superb. It's not fancy but always get packed early in the evening. No server. You just tell the guy behind the counter what you want. I'd love to go back there. In new york, decent yaki-tori restaurants are way too expensive. This dish is supposed to be reasonable, casulal snack or quick bite.

Squid ichiya-boshi is a good snack with sake, beer and shochu. Usually, we broil the semi-dried squid lightly and have it with mayo. Though it's not raw, overnight drying process keeps the squid tender inside. My boyfriend finished thie whole squid by himself.

FDR Library

The 32nd United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He's been one of the most successful Democratic President and arguably the most influential person in the US history. At the end of Hadson River Valley trip was his library and home in Hyde Park. Once you drive in this town, you see FDR's flag alongside the roads. We started the visit to the library. The part of this building is FDR's actual office. Furnitures and books remain the way he left before he passed away. One item that took my attention is his hand-writing revision of the famous speech he made in response to the Pearl Harbor attack. I do not neglect the fact many Japanese American had to go through terrible time in the camp due to his decision. It was a political decision and I still respect FDR as a President. All the items tell his personality and what a great writer and speaker he was. It's sad that most of recent Presidents and politicians do not know how to use words effectivelly. Unfortunatelly, we got there a little too late to see inside of his house. The rose garden, in which FDR and his wife sleep, got me emotional.


FDR LIbrary and Hometown
Hyde Park, NY
website

Mantauk Trip

Our friend couple invited us to stpend a weekend in Montauk this summer. As excited as we were to see them, we were looking forward to this trip, the first and eventually the last leasure trip we took this summer. They offered a room in the town house they were staying. All we needed was to jump on the LIRR. The water was too cold as expected. But we tried "skin board." You waite the wave to start fading at the shore. Then you put the board and step on it. You basically slide on the sand with a think layer of water. This sport is not for kids. 2 out of our 4 adults got injured hitting their knees with the board. It's a slim plastic board. But the shallow wave could push it hard enough to have the knees bleeding and huge bruise. I tried twice.

To eat good seafood was one of our primary aims. We went to seafood restaurant for every meal. The first place was a few minute from the station. Forgot the name but they had super fresh lobster. Somehow there are lots of Russian ladies working at these seafood joints. We had oysters of course. But my biggest surprise and favorite was the grilled fish sandwich. The charcol flavor was so good and just perfectly fatty fish on the buns blew my mind. My words are too poor to express this experience.

Our cultural and intellectual part of this trip was a visit to Pollock's house and studio. We were not allowed to take any photo inside the studio, which is actually a small house. Its floor has all the paintings he splashed around each canvas. Their living house is also very minimal and modest.

China - Forbidden City

The Forbidden City and Great Wall were the two places I wanted to visit. With a limited time scheudle, I only got to see the Forbidden City.

Once you pass the Tienamin square, where the big picture of Chairman Mao looks out the city, you see the City covered by tall red brown walls.The outside of the square is surrouned by water. In winter, the fog/pollution creates an exotic feel. Sadly, Beijing is renovating many parts of the city for the Olympic, including many buildings inside the Forbidden City.

This is a gigantic square in which the last emperor spend his most of life in. To him, this was the whole world. If you haven't seen the movie, Last Emperor, I strongly recommend it. My vivid memory from some scenes of the movie gave me further excitement and appreciation.

Besides the recommendation of the movie, a guide will help learn the history and trivias you would never know. I had a student with me who visited the City many times with a personal guide. He was full of knowledge and it totally helped me enjoy the tour.

One of the buildings is a treasure library full of lurxious ornaments and objects made with jade, crystal, diamond, coral, pearl, gold... What's surprise more than those visually stunning pieces is the way they're exhibited. Guards are sitting by the entrance but they don't really seem to care what people do. I guess nobody would try do anything crazy.

If you visit in the winter, it's harshly cold. I had a quick 2-hour tour but this place can entertain you for at least 4 hours.

China - Food

It requires a bit of courage and a tough stomach to enjoy real Chinese food. Especially since the local water is not drinkable yet people use the tap water to make soup, my boss and western travel-mates avoided any liquid dish. Luckily, I had both the courage/curiousity and a tough stomach. I tried authentic to internationally-famous dishes like Bejing duck. I rarely have Bejing duck in NY so I cannot exactly claim the local one is better. But the price was definitely cheap. The whole course with appetizer (soup, fried-beancurd, duck's leg skin that was not my favorite) comes with the roasted duck. The crepe had a perfect softness and thickness. All for 6 people came under 40 dollars, with beer!

Off the famous shopping street in Bejing, local street snack shacks line up. Over 20 vendars sell same stuff but a few had something unique: scorpions, crawfish, grasshopper, warm-looking species. Even my Chinese friend gave a disgusting look and I saw no one eating it. It's supposed to be eaten deep-fried.

The weirdest thing I ate during the trip was duck's tongue. It was steamed, still with the throat bone like a deer's scull attached. I could see the bumps. I knew it wouldn't taste good. But since it was an official dinner hosted by the school we worked with and none of my Western travelmates seemed to try, I did it. I kissed the tongue and bit it. As imagined, no taste but just an uncanny texture. Maybe, musturd could have helped.

So far, it was mostly 'fancy' dinners and I was unsatisfied. I wanted authentic, local food. With local students as my guides, we stepped into a very small restaurant—just a few small tables and stools and absolutely no foreign customers. Even the Chinese students asked me if I would want to try, worrying that I might get sick. At that point, I had to fight with my dillenma: 'Try local food nobody else would try' vs. 'I don't want to kill my stomach (it's almost impossible to find a clean bathroom in case of emergency).' I said 'Yes' for just a bite. This was the last place I'd have any soup, like instestin-extravaganza stew, or a sour plum tea. The severly cold weater, however, had me drink up the tea while the intestin soup didn't entertain my palette. My stomach was tougher than I thought. I was content that I at least tried very authentic Beijing food (i.e. lots of intestines and peanut paste dipping sauce). Coutinued walking on the street, we ran into a hot-skewer stand. Skewers with meat, blood jelly, veggies, fish cakes are cooked in a spicy hot sauce. You get a steel plate covered by plastic bag (so that no need to clean the plate) and pick whatever you want. This was my favorite dish and experience. I didn't see this type of vendar anywhere else. It was a night of super local food marathon.

In Shanghai, you must try Shao-long-bao, a steamed dumpling with soup inside. I went to a famous place with my local friend's recommendation. It was good. But honestly, Joe's Shanghai in NYC does a really good job. If I must compare, real Shanghai ones are lighter. What we don't have in NY is a deep-fried soup dumpling. My Shanghainese friend took me to a famous place whose storefront is full of local people. They were so good—crispy bottom and lots of juice inside. This dumplings are huge and the dough is much thicker than Shao-long-bao. I was hungry but 5 pieces was the max.

Do Chinese people eat anything? Pretty much. Some are so dlicately cooked with very intricated flavor. Some are not flavorful, rather bland or a bit stinky with the ingredients' original smell. A suggestion: the information from websites tend to change rapidly, so it's better to make sure that place does exist. I tried to find couple restaurants that were already closed.

China - Beijing

Ni-hao, China! Many people think I'm Chinese. But I am 100% pure Japanese. In fact, I've never been to China. With some good and bad pre-conceptions about this country, I began my 2-week trip in Beijing. Honestly, I was surprised how wide and clean the streets are. NY's one block is nothing compared to the one in Beijing. And guess what keeps these big streets so clean; the cleaning people who literary pick up trash with a large pinset, driving a tricycle from corner to corner. Hats off!

As the city is getting ready to welcome people from overseas for the Olympic and becoming more and more modernized, many old buildings are getting turned down. Most of the old Beijing scenes is now covered by construction walls. Like many other cities, it's a sad development. Even the local people don't necessarily appreciate this modernization. I wish the city tried to keep the exteriors old and renovate interiors. In a long-run, this modernization may keep the travelors away.

Did I get to go to Great Wall? No. It's my plan for the next visit, if ever.

Pacific Coast Highway

Driving could be really fun. Last summer, we had a great time driving rough, curvy roads through trees in Vieques island, Puertorico. This summer, the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) got us one of the most memorable driving experience. SF to LA. 3 days on the road. We could have spent extra days easily.

I didn't think the West Coast ocean scenery could be that beautiful. Part of the scenes even reminded me of the sea in Japan. The waves are high and rough. Huge splash against the coast. Along with many scenic spots, there were some places you could drop by. Local breweries and farmers shop.

Drawn to the sign 'Fresh Strawberry,' we tried a basket of organic strawberries and a cup of strawberry cyder. That was one of the best strawberries I ever had.

In Monterey, we took a detour through the 37-mile drive. It's a reserved residential erea where non-residence pay and drive through. All the houses were like castles! It was so much fun to just see those houses by the sea shore. Another memorable spot is Big Sur, the most exciting and magnificent sceneries along the curvy narrow roads. It leads into the forrest in the mountain. The inns by the river put chairs right in the water. People can read or have beer with their foot dipping in the clear water.

Cannes Ad Fest

In June, most of the ad people gather in Cannes, France, to attend the festival. And this was my first trip to Europe.

Ad freaks do care about the industry. But, more than anything else, they love to parté. Throughout the one-week festival, they party every night, and after party until 4, 5 am. I guess that's how they sustain their 'creativity.' I work in the advertising, sort of. But I don't care about this industry. Design folks are much cooler, by far.

Of course, parties serve as networking opportunities for a few people like those from small agencies. But for the majority of ad dorks, 'Cannes' is a vacation. For me, it wasn't. Staying with my bosses in a tiny apartment and sleeping on a couch was totally worse than working in the office without them. 7 am, my bosses unintentionally but loudly woke me up and left for a jog. An hour later, they woke me up again to take me to a farmers market. As much as I appreciated their hospitality, I couldn't enjoy this early morning tour after a late night of partying.

French people know how to eat. Fresh and colorful seasonal vegetables, flowers, olive, fish (not stinky), and cheese are neatly piled and you don't see rotten tomatoes or slimy greens like in American supermarkets. I was convinced this trip would satisfy my dining enthusiasm. Still, it's a tourist town. You have to choose the right place to eat. Key points in choosing a restaurant: waiter/waitresses, atmosphere, menu, price, customers. Between one that looked somewhat fancy "safety" place and a smaller, more quiet restaurant with old waiters, I chose the latter, with my support for a local and unpopular restaurant. Their food was absolutely fantastic. A dish like fluke meunié that tends to be simply blank and boring was carefully seasoned with herb and salt. They seem to use some north African spices down there as an accent. The sea bass with fresh tomato salsa was indescribably good. And the best part is, the portions are just right. I was fully satisfied in taste and volume at the end of the meal. Bravo.