where the eastern seas so blue

D, I was thinking of you last Sunday. I thought of you there, in a tropical paradise, perfecting that tan, practicing your sailing moves in the open water, maybe windsurfing. And here I was/am, stuck in the winter wonderland that was/is New York City (it was snowing on Sunday night). And "wonderland" being a euphamism for grey, slushy, and daydreaming of El Nido. I guess I'll have to wait until my trip home in the fall. You're going back with me, right?

But the fall is so far away! So I had my own little vacation in New York today - although I couldn't conjure the tropics, I did a little Japan-in-New York trip.

I went to the gym during lunch. I keep trying to be a gym bunny, as you know. Having kept up with a Broadway-worthy routine in step class, I deserved a tony, but was willing to settle for some pastry. And it's a lovely thing when Minamoto Kitchoan is close by for some wagashi. I always get two pieces of the Hakuun-no-Hotori, a pastry made from milk-flavored bean paste encased in a thin delicate cake.

I still had a few more minutes, so I swung by Kinokuniya and grabbed a few magazines.

Photo from a 2005 Japan-in-New York trip. Craft book and Nippon Vogue from Kinokuniya and green tea wagashi from Kitchoan.

After work, I walked all over the village in search of a gift for my goddaughter. Tired from the search and wanting to avoid the Prince St. mall, I turned south on Thompson - and that's when I discovered Makie Clothier. Created by Japanese designer Yuji Ogata for Makie Yahagi's lovely tiny shop, the clothes show an abundance of beauty, style, and whimsy. And can I tell you how meticulously sewn and well-made these pieces are?

Photos from and collection available at: Mooi Shop.

And then it was time to grocery shop. Where else was I going to get tiny plastic containers of syrup, a tin of macha, Hello Kitty candy, and a box of red bean ice cream? That would be Sunshine Mart. I go to the one above St. Mark's Books.

And so I got home, tired from work and the all the running around town. But I still couldn't shake this image from my mind:

I'm going to learn to knit...

When the knitting craze hit about ten years ago, I wasn't moved. With the exception of some pieces from a few Japanese designers, I never liked big chunky knits, which was and still is the only kind I can somewhat do. And Yohji and Rei's asymmetrical hems and displaced sleeves/muffler were too meta-advanced to use as inspiration for the fumbling novice that I was/am. But then a few pieces from the recent fall shows have completely made me rethink my appreciation for the chunky, its wearability, and my ability to utilize it in making something for myself. Do you think my knitting circle at work will think I'm nuts when I show them the pictures from Proenza Schouler (jazz-age-inspired coat) and Diane von Furstenberg (oversized cardigan) as inspiration for project one?

Photos by Marcio Madeira from style.com.

Weird, I googled "Fashion" AND "Politics"

I guess everyone was wondering what I was wondering today....

New York Times' article "Speaking Chic to Power", published yesterday, asked basically, what does Pelosi wear to the House?

"Fashion authorities say Mrs. Pelosi should be applauded for her color choice (burgundy on Jan. 4, the day she was sworn in), her playfulness with jewelry (chunky, but tasteful, including signature Tahitian pearls) and her suit selection (from velvet to tweed), all of which can be imitated at a more affordable price by women who are not wealthy. Women are already taking note of her style; orders of Tahitian pearls have skyrocketed."

New York Magazine asked "How Chic is our Power", opening up the floor to some discourse on political style.

(Above, Pelosi in her Armani power suits; underneath: Christine Quinn, Amanda Burden, Diana Taylor, Helen Marshall, Iris Weinshall). These are all local (NYC) political powerhouses, and their style is identified by NY neighborhood.

Of Diana Taylor, State Banking Commissioner, Bloomberg's Girlfriend, "Taylor is the city politic's one true glamazon. It helps that she's tall and wears clothes well, but she also seems uniquely clued in to Fashion, capital F."

GLAMAZON. Should I try that next week? I love it.

LG Prada Phone vs. The Apple iPhone

Coolest new toys on the market, the web is abuzz today.

LG Electronics and Prada announced yesterday their collaboration to distribute a sleek, black new PRADA PHONE, to be distributed in Europe in February. Here is some of the press release's comments:

“We at LG are exceptionally proud of the PRADA Phone by LG” says Dr. Scott Ahn, President & CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. He continues, “The two companies have worked together seamlessly towards a truly shared vision, to develop one of the most beautifully stylish handsets the market has ever seen.”

Visiting LG Headquarters in Seoul, Korea, Mr. Patrizio Bertelli, President and CEO of PRADA, said: "As we do with ready-to-wear and accessories, we were looking at a break-through. Consistent with our approach, we are not branding an existing product; rather, Miuccia and I have been working with LG to give this new phone a very strong character and unique style, both in its contents and in its design. We, just like our partners at LG, are known for the attention to detail and uncompromising quality of our products. And we find these characteristics in the new mobile phone."

Macworld reports, "The Prada LG phone will go on sale first in late February through Prada shops in the U.K., France, Germany and Italy. It will cost around €600 (US$775). In March it will begin appearing in stores in Asia including Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, said LG. A version for the Korean market is due out in the second quarter. LG has no plans to put it on sale in the U.S., said Judy Pae, a spokeswoman for the company in Seoul."

There's been some great commentary comparing the two phones, which are touchscreen, sleek black, have cameras, can play music, store and display pictures....fancy.

My favorite blurb yet was from Technology News: "Like the iPhone, the Prada phone has a touch screen and a camera. Like the iPhone, it plays music and videos and it can show documents. Yet unlike the iPhone, the Prada phone doesn't allow use with a full-featured Web browser through common WiFi networks....[F]or all its smoothness and flatness, the Prada phone is an orange and the iPhone is -- you guessed it -- an Apple."

Which came first, the Chicken or the Egg?

In Praise of Ina Garten

What I love about Ina Garten, the Food Network's Barefoot Contessa, is that each recipe she shares with us is guaranteed to be delicious. My sister is convinced of my prowess as a cook and a baker, and I owe this to Ina's very precise instructions. I repeatedly make the popular Barefoot Contessa coconut cupcakes because a cupcake run to East Hampton is never a practical option for me. The cake is always moist and delicately flavored. And the icing - ohhhh that creamy icing - fluffy, cloudy, and deceptively light. As light as cream cheese and butter will allow. Perfection.

I missed Ina's October and December book signings in New York in support of her new book, Barefoot Contessa at Home: Everyday Recipes You'll Make Over and Over Again. D, you lucky you, there's still a chance to meet her on January 22nd at Draegers in San Mateo. Tell her I love her?

Mika Kato

If you are lucky enough to be in Tokyo on Saturday, January 20, be sure to catch the last day of Mika Kato's exhibition at The Tomio Koyama Gallery.

The gallery's press release promises a few new paintings, charcoals, and a doll. A doll!

I first encountered Mika Kato's work at 2004's Roppongi Crossing: New Visions in Japanese Art. At once attractive and disturbing, Soda from 2000, is shown on the left.

Cora Kemperman

I'm looking forward to the late spring when one of my oldest and dearest friends ties the knot. In Amsterdam. Yay. Aside from being able to spend such a special time with Gen and her family, I will also have the chance to explore the city for the very first time. First on my list: Dutch designer Cora Kemperman's shop. Known for clothing that is timeless yet innovative, fluid, architectural, and, well, simply beautiful. Kemperman's creations are statements, though made quietly and discretely. In an interview with Hermelijn van der Meijden of Eigen Huis & Interieur, Kemperman describes her collection as "feminine and elegant, has ethnic elements, is comfortable and has been produced responsibly." She describes her customers as "creative women who do not follow the mainstream trends."

In addition to being a design original, Kemperman's company is a model of corporate social responsibility. A percentage of the company's profits are channeled to fund programs that improve the lives of the people who work in their factories in India. To read more about Kemperman and her company, and to see more images from past and current collections, click here.