Been trying to get into a fly tying groove. Working on my basic skills, especially doing my whip finishes by hand. Using a whip finishing tool seems to make things more difficult. So I keep it simple, minimalist and quick. 100 Yen sewing thread, some simple hackles, and that’s it! A little peacock herl […]
Another one of those foody surprises crept up on me today here in Sapporo. Snyder’s of Hanover apparently sees Japan as such a lucrative market that it is making a wasabi flavored version of its hard pretzel snacks, sold only in Nippon! The taste was as advertised, a bit strong, but interesting. The power of […]
It’s been more than two years since I made the move north to Sapporo. Though much has changed, the climate and size of the population in particular, Japan is still a place prone to miniaturization. Apartments will always be small so space needs to be optimized. My Micro Man Cave had to be relocated from […]
Level: 2 blocks – busted this one out before 8 AM. Really ties the room together.
Muji always manages to keep me entertained. This paper samurai model took up a good chunk of an evening, but I was pleased with the results. Along with the Muji paper Himeji Castle, this towering statue really ties the micro-man cave together. […]
There is no end to the amount of projects I have lined up this year. Big or small, artsy, mechanical, physical – There is something creative ready to be made any day of the this year. I started small with some Nanoblock projects and Micro Man Cave scaping. Projects like this often kickstart other parts […]
It may seem surprising, but yogurt is very popular in Japan. Since Hokkaido is famous for its dairy industry, there is no shortage of yogurt based products to choose from. I was able to sample some great yogurt drinks from the island’s northern region at a recent farmer’s market held at Hokkaido University. Of course, […]
I like camping. It is something I have done since I was a child and young adult in the Boy Scouts and continued to do while on hiatus back in Pennsylvania and the Northeast U.S. The solitude is great, food tastes better after a day spent in the woods, and the nature is always inspiring. […]
The Zen of Fish: The Story of Sushi, from Samurai to Supermarket by Trevor Corson My rating: 2 of 5 stars At times fascinating and insightful, other times annoyingly shallow in its presentation of the sushi phenomenon. Much of the science and history of sushi is spot on and a joy to read about, but […]
It’s been awhile. Not that I haven’t been writing, reading, sketching, and exploring my new town of Sapporo. Now that I am back in the swing to some degree, and I have a routine of sorts in place, I feel it is important to reveal one element of that routine – public parks. Usually, here […]