tokyo.midtown.ramblings

ohayo gozaimasu!!

i start my day with asa-gohan (朝食) at the 42nd floor lounge, a generous serving of green salad with with sesame sauce and apple ginger sauce.  i am addicted to this now especially the sauce...  i am not accustomed to have salad as breakfast but given that this is my only free source of green and veg, i enjoy them with delight...

view from 42nd floor again, from a different angle... winter in tokyo is sunny, eventhough the temperature is around the same as the lowland but the sunshine factor makes a lot of difference, at least i feel energetic and wanting to go out, whilst back home the sky is usually grey and cloudy...   i went for a swim this morning, my only portion of work out this week, i hope to pop up for a swim or gym tomorrow as well...

 

after my vitality portion, i check out the neighbourhood, a bit of ramblings around, go to another local groceries store called hanamasa to buy some local produces, a look back of my apartment block and the office tower next to it.

i was thinking about where should i go for a visit this afternoon, the first place that pop up is shibamata, but the journey takes almost an hour with two metro changes and a train ride. feeling a little tired after the swim and with the jet lag still in effect, i opt for somewhere nearby - roppongi 六本木.  roppongi is not new to me but i don't mind going there again...

tokyo midtown revisited.  i was here in 2009 but didn't have the time to browse through and this trip time is on my side, i have no other plan after this, so i took my time to explore the tokyo midtown slowly...

there is this exhibition on japanese arts and some obachans wearing kimono. it was so crowded at one point that i suspect a celebrity or famous politician or artist was there.  a middle age man but i don't recognize him, all i know is the cameras and flashes were focus on him only... the craft displays worth the ramblings with the crowd though.  i like the otopus interpretaion of art.

outside, there is this ice ring, isn't it very new york?

i then decided to check on some art scenes, santori art museum is there, 21_21 design site and another art museum nearby, i just didn't have the energy to pay and take in the full art scene, so i opt for a free arts exhibition at tokyo midtown design hub...





tokyo midtown design hub with exhibition on 'design for human happiness'

the set up.  not a bad idea to set the stage by these carton boxes... cost efficient at least.

but most of the art works are rather lame.  most of them are the compilation of junks which is common in my modern art but this exhibition is rather how can i put it better than the word 'lame'...

i laughed when i saw this two kettles masterpiece.  it makes a lot of noise when i push it down.  it's hilarious! it made me laugh, perhaps it did achieve the objective as 'design for human happiness' only if laughter means happiness.

 

tokyo tower again on my way back to my apartment and when i take this photo it suddenly reminded me of paris eiffel tower. perhaps tokyo, new york, paris do share some commonalities?  i do find tokyo tower enchanting though as comparable when i see eiffel tower....

back home, i unpacked some goodies that i bought from tokyo midtown.  my crave for japanese wagashi.  i wanted to do a sit down at toraya but the queue is just too long, so i gave up and picked up some seasonal wagashi (not from toraya of course)....

spring wagashi, always associated with sakura, sakura mochi (桜餅 ) tokyo style a bit elegant than the kansai style (below)

sakura mochi - kansai style.

i like both of them, although the mochi texture is different but the saltiness of the sakura leave gives the same distinct flavor.

macarons from sadaharu aoki (青木定治) - salted caramel, matcha, earl grey and other flavors.  i picked up six pieces from the outlet at tokyo midtown.

it's almost the end of the day for me here, still tired from jet lag i guess....
tomorrow i am heading to church, i found a g12 in tokyo when i search on the internet, i have also linked up with the senior pastor through facebook, so i will be at shinjuku tomorrow. can't wait for that!