21 June 2008
I checked out the Greek Festival in Glendale. It was a dollar admission. Kind of took me by surprise as this was the first fair which charged admission. I wasn't hungry so I didn't try any of the foods. I took in some of the dancing and checked out the booths. What a hot day it was. It was a good day to just hang out.
Janene, co-owner of Pillow Toast, invited me to see photos she and her husband took when they were in Japan last month. She and her husband, Andrew, have real jobs plus manage their very own store filled with wacky items from the Orient. They had the viewing in a coffee shop a few blocks away from where I live. The coffee shop closed at four but was reopened at seven just for Janene and Andrew’s family and friends (I felt honored to be invited when I realized that.). There were a couple of girls in gothic Lolita costumes. One was a Nisei (I think). She and her friend (Caucasian) could read Japanese and knew about the Japanese culture (deduced from their comments on the fighting beetles and a Jekyll and Hyde band among other things. Apparently there’s a band which performs one way then they have another persona as another kind of band; both are not mainstream! I can’t imagine either on a prime time singing program.). I was amazed by everything – food (deep fried sushi! Shades of deep fried twinkies!), architecture, cosplay culture, technology museum, Toei movie studio… – and reassured how some things are still the same. Andrew mentioned the bellhops are generally these petite women who opened the cab doors and insist upon carrying the big heavy suitcases right up into the rooms without any expectation of tips. Janene, Andrew and their friends went to Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo and squeezed in visits to a couple of onsens. From photos of a circular escalator to the fancy public restroom sensor pad (I made out a massage button among other things.) to the technology museum (only brainy people need enter! Janene mentioned no American museum would have the stuff the Japanese museum have and I agree; things there are just so advanced.) to the vending machines (like the KitKat drink which is not a drink but KitKats in a soda shaped container sold in a soda machine!) to the restaurant (like the Alcatraz ER! Wow!). They stayed at Akasaka Prince and Hilton and a couple of other expensive places. Well, what place in Japan is cheap? I couldn’t recognize most places. One place I did was Hachiko in Shibuya station. Good ole Hachiko. Janene’s mother mentioned Australia has something similar. A statute of a faithful dog waiting for his master. Yoyogi park changed from the kids in either 50’s or rock n roll garb to the cosplay or gothic Lolita ones. Andrew mentioned some would not let him take their picture but in the next breath granted permission to another photographer! Janene and Andrew loved eating at the Japanese restaurants but they did go to McDonalds every now and then. McDonald’s in Japan has their supersize version of the egg mcmuffin and the big mac!!! What a riot. In Kyoto, there’s a Sanrio building which has 8 floors of Hello Kitty stuff! I remember a Sanrio store in Ginza which was two floors, may be three. They took a photo in a porn store of used panties! Janene said she wanted to make a documentary of what she imagined was a factory staffed with old ladies who would put on the panties then take them off and package them with the photos of young school girls! I felt envious of the participants in Design Festa. Creativity and the determination to produce art. One was a band who gave away cds if you filled out a questionnaire on how you felt about their music. Since Andrew had no opinion, he didn’t fill it out. Andrew said it was quite surprising when he and Janene visited some of the designers whose creations they saw in major Japanese magazines. It was great their work was highlighted by these big time magazines. When you flipped through the magazine pages and saw those clothes, you would think big time designers in fancy buildings. In reality, a designer with a very small store and filled with simply made but dazzling clothes. I don’t know what their real jobs are but it’s absolutely wonderful that they can open Pillow Toast on the side. Pillow Toast used to be a multi-joint venture. Janene and Andrew shared duties in managing the store with others who created stuff – paintings, T-shirts, toys - to sell.
By the way, Kristina and I went to the Mile High church on Friday night for Alan Arkin’s talk. I was flipping through Natural Awakening’s event calendar when I saw he was the scheduled speaker. I’ve never been to Mile High church but Kristina’s mother goes there to attend speaker events and workshops through EWI (executive women something; her mother is an executive secretary to a president of a Fortune 500 company as are all the other women in the group). It was mostly a Q & A session but he did talk a bit – apparently, he was there three years ago – about his acting career and spirituality. I like Alan Arkin but really don’t know much about him except that I do enjoy all his movies and his son Adam is also an actor. I found out through his talk that he has two other kids and they are also actors. I was a bit disappointed he didn’t have a meet and greet session. Kristina was urging me to use her mother’s camera to go up and take pictures while he was giving his talk. I should have listened to her. At one point, there was this photographer who left his seat (he just took an open seat as he was in my seat when we walked in) which was in the center area fourth row aisle seat with no on right in front of him. I should have taken his seat and taken pictures.
22 June 2008
When I was on the elliptical machine, I caught part of the history channel’s program on the Mayan codex. The Mayan had a solar calendar, 260 day calendar and a 5125 year calendar. Their prophesies for the cycles are mind boggling as the researchers looked at what was going on elsewhere in the world. The comparison proved the Mayan prophesies rang true for events that took place outside their world. The Civil War, Lincoln’s assassination, famine in Africa, 9/11… I want a dvd player! I think I will purchase the dvd of the program. According to the Mayan calendar, we are in cycle 13 which started in 1993 and will end on December 20, 2012. Some who are predicting the end of the world per literal translation while one researcher pointed out there is a cycle 14 so life goes on. It really is amazing how the Mayan were able to predict an astronomical event over 2,000 years from their time. On December 2012, planets will be aligned and I can’t recall what else is going to happen. Must purchase the dvd!
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