Tonight felt like some nice wine. Took out the Leeuwin Art Series that I bought almost a year ago in Perth, Australia. The 2004 and 2005 Art Series Chardonnay. One of the best wines to come out of Australia. Perhaps I was tired from all the walking and felt parched, perhaps its just melancholy.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Leeuwin Art Series
Tonight felt like some nice wine. Took out the Leeuwin Art Series that I bought almost a year ago in Perth, Australia. The 2004 and 2005 Art Series Chardonnay. One of the best wines to come out of Australia. Perhaps I was tired from all the walking and felt parched, perhaps its just melancholy.
Meiji Jingu (明治神宮)
Some historical outing today. After Chinese Yam Cha at a nice Hong Kong Dim Sum in Ebisu, it was foot trekking and train to Harajuku. The first visit to Meiji Jingu near Harajuku. Meiji Jingu is a Japanese Shinto shrine, dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife Empress Shouken. Emperoro Meiji, who dies in 1912, from the Meiji restoration fame. He supposedly put Japan on the modernisation path.
Meiji literally means "enlightened". So Meiji era means enlightened era. After the emperor's death in 1912, the Japanese diet passed a resolution to commemorate his role in the Meiji Restoration. Upon his death a new tradition of giving the late emperor the name of the era coinciding with his reign was established. Following Meiji, it was Showa and now Heisei. An iris garden in an area of Tokyo where Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken had been known to visit was chosen as the building's location.
Personally, I am unsure if all the Japanese people are revered by the Meiji Restoration, but that is just my personal opinion. Perhaps, just perhaps, they existed more meaningfully or were happier as a civilisation without the influence of American capitalism. After all, Cmdr. Perry did pressure Japan to open itself up with his armada of black ships, something which the Americans are still perpetuating in the world today, until recently.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Alpine PDX 4.150
Although built in China, it exhudes quality and seems to be very well built. Cost me $350 plus shipping $100. In Japan it is retailing for JPY105,000 or $1,200, more than triple the price I paid.
In bridged mode it will put out 300W per channel into 4ohms.
Installation will have to wait till 2009, as most businesses in Japan are closed to 4Jan2009.Thursday, December 25, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
河豚 (fugu) or Blowfish
Tonight at fugu restaurant. One of the 慕年会 (bohnenkai) or year end parties. This restaurant is in Ningyocho (人形町)and they use famous Fugu from Shimonoseki (下関)in Yamaguchi (山口県) prefecture。
The whole course is fugu, from sashimi, to the skin, to deep fried fugu and nabe. The taste was great. The dish was accompanied by ひれ酒 (hirezake), where a hot cup of sake comes with an immersed roasted fin of the fugu. Interesting. It gives it a smoky, fishy tinge to the sake. Last dish was josui, a congee like dish.
The restaurant was fully packed and enjoys turnover of up to 3 times daily...We had to sit at the counter, even with reservations. But in such Japanese restaurants, e.g. sushi, teppanyaki, it is better to be seated at the counter so that you can also watch and experience all the action going on at the kitchen behind the counter. Plus you also get the attention of the chef himself.
With such brisk business, no wonder the owner seems to be always smiling.
ww.tc (Girard Perregaux)
Today collected the ww.tc (worldwide time control) from Sowind k.k. Japan. This is the BMW Oracle limited edition of 750pcs worldwide. It runs on GP's Movement GP033C0 Caliber 13.
The movement sports 63 jewels and runs at 28,800vph. Power reserve is an amazing 46hours ! There are very few of these limited edition watches left in the market, new. You're advised to buy it before it disappears, if you like it. You won't regret it.