Photos: All Seasons

2012-01-28T14:38:00.001-08:00

Great Falls, MD. Heavenly rays are natural

2012-01-24T22:03:00.000-08:00

Claypot with a side of green beans

2012-01-21T22:09:00.000-08:00

Stab at Eggs Florentine. Handmade hollandaise sauce is harder than it looks. That's Abby in the background for scale (sort of)

2012-01-19T18:57:00.000-08:00

Afternoon tea at my window. That duck is supposed to be there as it is a tea infuser Sara gave me. By the nice brown color of the water the duck is sitting in, it's doing a nice job. Thanks, Sara!

2012-01-13T10:00:00.000-08:00

Union Station during the holidays

2012-01-08T20:46:00.001-08:00

Christmas late leftovers lunch

2012-01-07T21:36:00.001-08:00

Sonya waiting for people to open presents

2012-01-02T22:26:00.000-08:00

Back in America, things are largely unchanged. Christine is toting a rifle, getting in trouble, and hanging out with her usual thuggish friends, Zach and Christina (right)

2012-01-02T22:22:00.001-08:00

Goodbye, Japan. Your delicious food and timely transportation options will be missed

2011-12-31T16:21:00.000-08:00

On my way back to Tokyo, I did something I rarely did in Japan: I returned to a restaurant I'd had already been to. This one is outside of the Tokyo fish market and serves the amazing chirashi bowl. Actually, this one is next door to the one I went to a week before so I didn't double dip after all. I can't decide which one was better though. Might need a tie breaker. Darn

2011-12-29T14:17:00.001-08:00

Top of Tokyo from the Metropolitan building

2011-12-29T14:16:00.001-08:00

Bridge in Nikko

2011-12-27T21:54:00.002-08:00

Warm head. Just one

2011-12-27T21:54:00.000-08:00

Asians love swan paddle boats. This is in the Japan's hot springs country but could be almost anywhere in Asia. It's funny because Asians generally don't like boats or birds that much but the combination of the two are incredibly alluring

2011-12-27T21:51:00.001-08:00

Gangster ramen

2011-12-19T19:39:00.001-08:00

Night time garden in Tokyo. Zen where the sun isn't shining

2011-12-09T09:13:00.001-08:00

Unfurling

2011-12-09T09:12:00.001-08:00

Near Shibuya Crossing. Remarkably, no people were seen struck by cars in this shot

2011-12-05T19:58:00.001-08:00

They look like piles of squid but they're actually okonomayaki, Hiroshima-style. Yet another Japanese cuisine not seen outside of Japan, it is a multi-layered concoction of yakisoba, vegetables, seafood, sauce, sauce, and yakisoba. Jonathan is holding the paddle in which we slice it like a pizza

2011-12-03T18:20:00.001-08:00

Okonomayaki, Hiroshima-style. Cooked largely by the chef and brought to our table grill for the finishing touches that include Japanese mayo and a raw egg. Awesome

2011-12-03T18:18:00.001-08:00

Chef at work. The towel on the head is common amongst Japanese cooks and is to catch sweat, I think

2011-11-30T21:56:00.001-08:00

Shibuya restaurant counter

2011-11-30T21:55:00.003-08:00

The Tat brothers as anime characters at a Dragon Ball Z exhibit

2011-11-30T21:55:00.001-08:00

POW

2011-11-29T19:34:00.001-08:00

OMG. That's sea urchin in the lower right quadrant, which according to Jonathan is advanced sushi

2011-11-29T19:31:00.001-08:00

Contemplating his fish at Tokyo fish market

2011-11-26T12:43:00.003-08:00

Ice at the Tokyo fish market

2011-11-26T12:43:00.001-08:00

Dock of the bay

2011-11-24T18:51:00.001-08:00

Lake near Kegon Falls

2011-11-24T18:50:00.001-08:00

Kegon Falls outside of Nikko. There was too much going on with fog, mist, light, and fall leaves. This is my best attempt at capture

2011-11-24T18:49:00.003-08:00

It's not possible to look more like you're going to sell something to someone

2011-11-24T18:49:00.001-08:00

Big hats on little heads

2011-11-24T18:48:00.001-08:00

One of the floats in the procession. I like how the dragon head is wearing a Rolex

2011-11-24T18:47:00.001-08:00

In Nikko, I came across a procession of people. I don't call it a parade because I associate parades with pirates, cotton candy, and multiple drill teams. This did not have that

2011-11-21T21:45:00.001-08:00

Streaming live

2011-11-18T10:51:00.001-08:00

This dog may seem a little evil but I would want him on my side. He also wants to either play catch or place a bomb

2011-11-18T10:50:00.001-08:00

The face that Aerosmith would make if it were an Asian lion statue

2011-11-15T21:56:00.003-08:00

Some of the buddhas' heads have come off and it seems to make Japanese people nervous. Here the heads are well replaced by appropriately shaped stones. It continues to seem peaceful

2011-11-15T21:56:00.001-08:00

Buddha in Nikko along trail

2011-11-15T21:52:00.001-08:00

First meal in Nikko: All tofu, which is a specialty of the area. That stuff in the upper right corner is some sort of tofu sashimi jelly thing. I don't know how they came up with it but it was tasty

2011-11-15T08:30:00.001-08:00

Tako Yaki stand outside of Shinjuku train station at night. Impressive the apparent love that goes into making octopus dough balls

2011-11-15T08:29:00.001-08:00

Jonathan loves ramen. This is him at his favorite place, perhaps visit #12

2011-11-09T21:10:00.000-08:00

This is on a small highway about 30 minutes outside of Fukui, where Jonathan lives. I was clearly not as inconspicuous as I had hoped

2011-11-09T21:08:00.000-08:00

At a reservoir about 45 minute from Fukui by bike

2011-11-08T21:20:00.001-08:00

Agedashi

2011-11-08T21:19:00.000-08:00

Jonathan between Taro (our cooking instructor) and a fellow cooker in Kyoto. I can't capture what Jonathan was thinking here

2011-11-06T21:25:00.000-08:00

On pond

2011-11-06T21:24:00.000-08:00

Jonathan balancing and holding up zen traffic

2011-11-06T21:23:00.003-08:00

Green pond in Kyoto

2011-11-06T21:23:00.001-08:00

Paper tree at temple in Kyoto

2011-11-05T11:02:00.001-07:00

Coins in a pond: The international symbol of good luck

2011-11-02T20:38:00.000-07:00

Green hills in Kyoto

2011-11-02T20:37:00.001-07:00

Rope and gong

2011-11-01T21:07:00.002-07:00

Magical deer with magical child

2011-11-01T21:07:00.000-07:00

Magical deer are not just for kids

2011-11-01T21:06:00.000-07:00

I feel I didn't do our Giro Giro meal justice earlier. This is an example of happy faces made at Giro Giro in Kyoto

2011-10-25T19:35:00.000-07:00

Raw, unspecified meat, at an izakaya in Shinjuku in Tokyo. Deliciousness was a given at this place

2011-10-25T19:33:00.001-07:00

In front of the Ginza Apple store on iPhone 4s day

2011-10-25T19:32:00.001-07:00

Katsu at Mai Sen in Tokyo. Besides the wonderfully breaded cutlet, it cannot be understated that there is no such thing as bad miso soup in Japan

2011-10-22T18:09:00.000-07:00

If you were blindfolded and dropped into a city, there a few places where you could figure out where you were without asking. Boston is one because people there wear Red Sox and Patriots gear excessively. Tokyo is another one of those places for different reasons

2011-10-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

In Tokyo, we stayed at one of those famed capsule hotels. This is Jonathan in his capsule. He's wearing the hotel-issue robe, verifying that he's capsule approved. The capsules are stacked on each other and extend all the way down multiple hallways. Fascinating

2011-10-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

Waiting for the bus in a Kimono. Apparently, many in Japan like to wear traditional dress while on vacation as a way to relax. I think it's a great tradition. What kind of dress that would translate to in America, I don't know. Perhaps overalls? Sweats? Seems less classy

2011-10-19T11:10:00.000-07:00

Kinkakaji temple in Kyoto. Despite what it seems, this is real and not a scale model. The gold makes it seem like a James Bond villian hangout

2011-10-18T02:32:00.000-07:00

Then we moved on to Fukui, the town my brother lives in. It`s in central Honshu. This is a reservoir I found on bike 30 minutes outside of town. The guy in the umbrella is fishing for carp. Actually, I have no idea what he's fishing for because I don't speak Japanese. Besides, the blue and white umbrella tells me, "I want to be alone"

2011-10-18T02:30:00.000-07:00

Best ramen I had in Japan. Jonathan will debate this but this is what I pictured a ramen shop to be like: overheated, cramped, and on the street. They make only one thing:

Oh dear.

2011-10-18T02:28:00.000-07:00

Streets of Kyoto at night. Handheld shot, meaning I would have been a good surgeon

2011-10-18T02:26:00.000-07:00

Jonathan and I took a cooking class, which I think is a nice way experience two things I like: local people and the kitchen. In this version, we went to this dude`s house and he showed us how to make stuff like agedashi tofu, miso, and even Kobe beef. The top picture is his wife, who seemed to actually run the show, the middle is our product, and the bottom is me and Jonathan. Jonathan is wearing a San Francisco shirt, not a shirt dedicated to me--although it was my birthday so it would have been appropriate.

2011-10-14T00:30:00.000-07:00

View from the Starbucks in Kyoto

2011-10-14T00:29:00.000-07:00

Lanterns at Todaiji

2011-10-12T22:26:00.001-07:00

Stone lanterns at Nara

2011-10-12T22:25:00.003-07:00

Deer hanging out. Totally normal

2011-10-12T22:25:00.001-07:00

Looking for more trouble with tourist unawares

2011-10-12T22:24:00.000-07:00

Here are two magical deer magically going at it with no one but me seeming to notice. Moments later, an 8 year-old would walk up to these two in order to given them a deer wafer, perhaps as an encouragement for peace. Unfortunately, that 8 year-old got butted in the chest. He was unharmed

2011-10-12T22:22:00.001-07:00

They are not all harmless Bambis. Yikes

2011-10-12T16:50:00.000-07:00

I don't know what this is but it was wooden and sat to the right of the main gate of Todaiji Temple. I think he looks like Optimus Prime. The orange hoodie/cape is probably concealing "THE CUBE IN MY CHEST"

2011-10-12T16:49:00.000-07:00

Did I mention that this is a culturally significant building meant to inspire awe? I feel that if they can have magical deer eating wafers here, I can try to see if I can touch the roof. Yup, still got it at nearly 33. For those of you who haven't heard me say it in the last few weeks: 2nd highest vertical at high school basketball tryouts

2011-10-12T16:45:00.000-07:00

This is the structural attraction in Nara, the Todaiji temple. It's is enormous, apparently one of the largest wooden structures in Japan. They apparently still do national ceremonies here such as royal ceremonies and watching World Cup

2011-10-12T16:43:00.001-07:00

Some people will photograph anything

2011-10-12T16:42:00.000-07:00

The other cool thing that the deer in Nara do (besides butt people occasionally) is they have learned to bow. I've seen it and it's very culturally appropriate

2011-10-12T04:34:00.000-07:00

In Nara, people buy these wafer cookies to feed the deer. It's probably for good luck, I don't know. This is the calmest this child was the entire time. Immediately after and immediately before, he was running circles around the this deer screaming in honest fear

2011-10-12T04:32:00.001-07:00

Being butted, in detail. Looks pretty malicious for magical deer

2011-10-12T04:31:00.000-07:00

My brother and I took a day trip to Nara, a town known for magical deer that roam the park. Since they are so used to humans, these are the things that can happen to you if you're not careful. Jonathan's favorite thing to avoid was being butted

2011-10-12T04:29:00.000-07:00

Pond with waterfall and Japanese maple trees. I don't even know where it was, possibly on the side of the road. In the US, you might see a dumpster. In Kyoto, you might see this

2011-10-12T04:27:00.002-07:00

More pond, same shrine. Impressive

2011-10-12T04:27:00.000-07:00

Pond at Heian Shrine

2011-10-12T01:59:00.001-07:00

Even Zen has it's limits

2011-10-12T01:58:00.002-07:00

I like how the grey makes it look like I took out all of the color except for the splashes of green. In fact, this is what it looks like in real life

2011-10-12T01:58:00.000-07:00

A great pond in a great garden at Heinan Temple

2011-10-12T01:57:00.000-07:00

So back to the culture. Here is a temple down a cool, winding street. I need to go get a snack

2011-10-12T01:56:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of other ridiculous dishes. Those are toasted rice kernels that were a delicious compliment to the Japanese potato salad in the cup. This is also proof that I wasn't the only one there taking pictures. Actually, we were seated next to one of Jonathan's JET friends who coincidentally had made a reservation at Giro Giro for her and her dad at the exact same time on the same day. She was hilarious because she was the one who kept reminding us to take pictures. She was a better Asian than us that night despite not being Asian at all. Thanks for the dinner company, Lizzie and Luke. Without you, my brother and I may have just eaten in silence, Tat-style

2011-10-12T01:52:00.000-07:00

Sonya, being the food snob she is, found this place when she came to Kyoto a few months ago. Called Giro Giro (reminding me of Little Caesars' "Pizza Pizza" commercials). It was a ten course tasting menu that was ridiculous. This is an egg custard with shrimp sauce next to apple with some sort of mush room and agadashi tofu. I'll leave it to you to figure out what is what, mostly since I don't remember

2011-10-12T01:49:00.000-07:00

Oh, and this is a dessert that we waited in line for about 20 minutes to order. It is green tea whipped cream on top of green tea pound cake, some mochi, green tea ice cream with other unnamed deliciousness. And the green tea was serious, with people whipping up the tea in house. And if you don't like green tea-infused food, that just means more for me

2011-10-12T01:47:00.000-07:00

This is Jonathan displaying some Tako Yaki, which is octopus in some sort of deliciousness with a side of sauce. It is a specialty of Osaka, which isn't that far from Kyoto. Close enough for this gai-jin (by gai-jin, I mean me since my brother is way Japanese now)

2011-10-12T01:44:00.000-07:00

Before we get too far with the cultural stuff, it should be emphasized that the food in Japan is fantasmo. Jonathan says he hasn't had a bad meal in the 2.5 months he's been here and I tend to believe him. For example, this is a street side spot serving karaage and fresh beer. Karaage is fried chicken pieces that is very oiishi

2011-10-12T01:34:00.001-07:00

Lanterns at the Nara market

2011-10-12T01:33:00.000-07:00

"Leo came to Japan to promote 'Inception Movie' at at the same time bought an ice pop here." Is there ANYTHING Leo won't stoop down to endorsing. Those are pictures of ice pops to the left, in case you were wondering

2011-10-12T01:32:00.000-07:00

Forest at Silver Temple. Not enchanted but close

2011-10-12T01:31:00.000-07:00

Garden at the Silver Temple in Kyoto. I will refrain from calling it a Zen Garden because it's not like they have a ton of other types here. It's just a matter of degree of Zen-ness

2011-10-11T18:00:00.001-07:00

No idea what this says. It is pleasing to look at, however

2011-10-11T17:59:00.000-07:00

Jonathan examining the air for spiderwebs, which were abundant and occupied by large-bodied striped spiders. However, to me it looks like he's doing his Street Fighter II impression