Patosan in Pusan restin' at the Westin...

This time next month, I will be packing my digital socks and hauling my cookies to...



staying here...



waking to this...



walking here...



and coming back to eat this...



this...



and this...(how can I not, they serve it with every meal!)

Eyeballs, Triffids and Celine Dion's claw - let's call this a stream of consciousness.

I've been away on business in the mountains of Iwate. It was an intensive and tiring training course. But I can't lie - the resort location did kind of make it feel like a bit of a holiday. The owner of the lodge we were staying at took us on a walk in a beech forest after work one of the days. As you all know, I'm a cement-loving city boy, but it was great being with someone who really knows the natural environment. I was most taken by this plant:



In Japanese it's called Ginryosou (ギンリョウソウ or 銀竜草　－ silver dragon grass）or yureitake (ユウレイタケ - ghostly fungus). I don't know what the proper English name - maybe Indian Pipe - but the Latin name is Monotropastrum humile. Imagine these comical eyeballs glowing silver in the fading daylight and you get where the Japanese names come from.

I did have some serious "Day of the Triffids" post-traumatic-stress disorder on seeing these plans. Anyone remember that BBC program? It used to scare the bejeysus out of me as a kid. It was all about these carnivorous killer plants out to feast on humankind and take over the earth. Here's a clip to refresh your memories. Even if you're not interested in the program, keep watching till 2:11 just to be reminded of the clunky cultural stereotypes we thought nothing of as kids.



Another interesting thing I learned on the nature trail is that my hand is the same size as a bear claw. In the first picture, you can see the tracks of where the bear has climbed his/her way up the tree, and in the second picture you can see my claw-to-paw comparison.






And with that I will segue from bear claws into "the claw".

"The claw" (at 0:40 in the clip) comes from a video of Celine Dion I found on bwe.tv ages and ages ago. I never tire of watching it and am always left asking myself why this woman doesn't have her own reality show yet.

Helsinki's cool!

I went to a very impressive photography exhibition yesterday. The collection was termed 'The Helsinki School' which seems to refer to a group of artists out of the University of Art and Design in Helsinki. The work of four photographers was shown and each had a unique style. Here are some of my favourites.




Tiina Itkonen, Icescape II 2005 (top) Kullorsuaq I 2006 (bottom)
The natural blues of the ice flows are easily as vibrant as the human-made colours on the houses.



Anni Leppala, Orange Tree 2008
This artist seemed to play a lot with hiding people's expressions. I think you were supposed to take hints at their feelings from the surrounding cues.



Sandra Kantanen, Untitled (Sakura 2) 2009
This cherry blossom subject was very appropriate for an exhibition in Japan. I would like this on my wall.

Then last night, I went out to a restaurant that R's friend just opened a month ago. It seats only ten people at a counter and her friend is chef, dish washer, order taker, cashier... the lot. But he made amazing, fresh, simple Italian food with a bit of an Asian twist. He even did all the carpentry and decor himself (except the loo). R mocked me for gawking - the Cadwell open-mouthed stare - but I couldn't help it. It was really fascinating to watch someone at the top of their game, running like a well-oiled machine and staying completely calm in the process. I know that if I were in the chef's place, the stress would lead me to throw the scalding hot pasta water over half the customers by the first sitting and stab the remainder with chopsticks before dessert. Never come to my restaurant if I ever dream to open one!

And today I got in complete summer holiday mode. I dropped by the beach in Odaiba and, even though it's only a little inner city seaside, with the cool kids out playing beach volley ball, and jet skiers out, and people drinking in seaside cafes and that it really gave me the summer vibe. I hope to get down to a resort on Iriomote in Okinawa at the end of August. I spent a good part of yesterday and today looking at photos and reviews on the net. I've figured out exactly where I'd love to go. Now the only challenge is asking my boss for the time off. That's tomorrow's worry.

I want this bed

I love this video and I want this bed. My dumb bed sucks. Sorry I have nothing more to say - not much but work going on for me at the moment. I'm not feeling down or complaining or anything. It's just quiet, mostly in a good way.



(Her Morning Elegance by Oren Lavie)

Another weird Japanese ad

I don't know about you, but apartment hunting certainly gets me so excited that my privates create a vacuum suction effect, too.