red_swirl

Ah, dear, should've remembered what it's called again.

Obviously, it's wrapped in seaweed, which is good, I like seaweed. And it's covered in a thin layer of savoury sauce - if you like soy sauce or teriyaki sauce, you'll probably like this one...

Inside is a white glutinous substance, maybe very smoothly ground rice. A bit stretchy, but not as stretchy as cheese on pizza. And kinda tasteless, not in a bad way, but the only taste comes from the seaweed and the thin brown sauce ... which is ok, just kinda not what I was expecting (I thought the sauce would go the whole way through, or there'd be something different inside).

From Tokyu department store, the one that's integrated into Shibuya station (there are a number of Tokyu stores in Shibuya).

Posted by red swirl at 16:00 | Permalink | Comments (1)

I made these on the last day of Golden Week at Tokyu Hands, Shinjuku. I'd walked past late the day before, seen people making their own shoes, and made sure to come back.

Apparently Tokyu Hands has been doing this in Golden Week for 25 years (although they had a 4 year break). They have people who come back each year to make new shoes for the holidays. I know why, it was really fun!

They said next time they might consider having extra-large size wooden soles ... the largest size fit me, but was to small for my husband. There were Japanese men making shoes for their female partners (I suspect their feet were too big, too). It was also nice to see an elderly man with rather swollen feet carefully making shoes to fit (I often wonder whether less-able-bodied people get left behind in the Tokyo rush). Oh, and we weren't the only Westerners making shoes, either.

It wasn't difficult, at all. First you cut the 3cm (I think) wide strips of leather, sticky tape the strip in place whilst trying the shoe on, and then duplicate it for the other side/other foot. Then you hammer the studs in place, voilà, shoes. They smell lovely, because of the wood.

The sticky tape was the only problem, I think I was too thorough and it made a mark when I tried t remove it. Oh, and the test drive. It's hard to go down stairs, but doable. I walked a block to the local shop, which was fine. But after a 10 minute walk I needed bandaids on both feet! In retrospect, I think the Tokyu Hands guy might have tried to tell me they were a bit tight, but I didn't want them to slip off, you

Posted by red swirl at 15:12 | Permalink | Comments (1)

These were bought at Takashimaya, Shinjuku, I should've asked what they're called. They were quite heavy, but distort ever so easily, I messed up the pretty flower shape just picking one up... guess that's why the assistant warned me to carry them carefully, not bump them around.

They were sweet, not sickly sweet, but getting there... certainly not good on an empty stomach. Kinda slightly grainy, I don't mean that in a bad way, but otherwise I can't really describe the taste - just sweet, no real other flavour. There was, what I assume to be red bean paste inside, but it didn't taste any different to the outside really, and it all got smooshed together as soon as I put it in my mouth.

I guess the main thing about them is they look so pretty.

Oh, and the colours didn't have different tastes, either. Anyone else living where they go past interesting food but never try them? Want to join in?

Posted by red swirl at 15:53 | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm kinda serious actually, I've even looked at towel fabric to see what the colour range is ;) Seen in Seibu Loft, Shibuya.

Posted by red swirl at 20:03 | Permalink | Comments (0)

But I'm not talking my body type, I'm talking what I'd need to wear here in Tokyo to fit in. Which I don't, I'm reminded everyday - the guys in the sewing machine shop knew immediately which machine I'd come to pay for, even though I've never seen them before ... wonder what the description of me was? ... foreign, obviously. And I agree with L you can see a foreign face in most big crowds, true, but just the one.

Anyway, in Tokyo I should restrict myself to black, beige, white and navy. Perhaps some grey or pink.

There's a lot of colours I'd wear without thinking that I don't see much here, like red, green, purple ... and a number of fashion colours I was surprised not to see more of, like yellow, cobalt and purple (again).

And I should have:
- a beige or white trench, maybe with bows on the cuffs;
- a jeans jacket, with fancy top stitching;
- suits, boring ones, no extreme burda-style cuts;
- jeans, several;
- lots of tops for layering;
- leggings, preferably with lace edging;
- funky lacy sockettes to wear in my sandals;
- fluttery tunic/short dresses in coordinating small floral prints with off-white lace (see photo from CanCam).

I'd like to make the last item for myself, in a shape appropriate to my body type. But I probably can't use my carefully collected and much-thumbed burdas for it - there are also no plunging necklines in Tokyo, indeed necklines I felt were modest work-wear in Sydney look positively scandalous here. And no knits, most, like 90% , of clothes are wovens ... and not close-fit.

So even if I'd sewed what I wanted before I got here, I'd have to re-sew it again anyhow.

Posted by red swirl at 13:28 | Permalink | Comments (0)

I chose this picture as I've always wanted to live in another country for an extended time, to see what everyday life really looks like, not just the pretty/fake touristy stuff ...
Now's my chance. Oh, and my chance to get a look at heaps of Japanese craft books, tools, fabrics ;)

Posted by red swirl at 16:15 | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Where you been? Haven't seen you in ages."

"Sewing-land" (sighs heavily, hand tremors)

"Bad, was it?"

(nods) "Bad like you wouldn't believe" (drinks deeply) "Ah, that's better!" "Yeah, real bad, but I survived!!! I made it through the dark forest of topstiching, the swamps of non-stick interfacing and finally I fought the dreaded zipper-toothed dragon".

Yes, I've really and truly completed my first sewn garment. Burda 7947, view C, I think I should have chosen something easier ... not a 3 out of 4 dot effort. Also, I made it needlessly difficult for myself deciding to do mock flat-fell seams. Yes, of course, I see all the imperfections ... the interfacing is too stiff (but firmly stuck!). There's some problem or other across the front at hip level, same issue I often have with RTW clothes. And it's really too big for me, who knew tape measures were so subjective?

Out of interest, I scrolled back to when I first got interested in sewing, it's about a year of reading, thinking, dreaming ...

Posted by red swirl at 09:41 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Big Sis has been making some interesting comparisons recently - Little Sis "zoomed to Mum like a helicopter" ie. was passed to me across a dinner table.

Posted by red swirl at 23:40 | Permalink | Comments (0)