Tokyo Flashbacks

I love living in California, I really do. But sometimes I have flashbacks to life in Tokyo and I get a little nostalgic. There are many things that are special about that city that San Francisco just can't match. Sometimes I miss it pretty profoundly.

I miss wearing a suit and walking between skyscrapers. It made me feel like a somebody.

I miss slurping down a bowl of noodles for lunch when I was in a rush. It's amazing how something so simple and quick can be so satisfying.

I miss making my way out of crowded subway stations. It made me feel like I was part of the hustle and bustle.

I miss looking out across Tokyo through floor-to-ceiling windows from my desk on the 32nd floor. It made me feel powerful.

I miss knocking back Asahis over izakaya food and talking with friends. Those were some of my most relaxed moments.

I miss getting lost in the city's back streets. It made me feel like I was always on an adventure and discovering new things.

I miss walking out onto neon-lined streets at night. It made me feel like I was surrounded by the city's energy.

And that's just the start of it.

Last weekend, I had one of those moments of nostalgia. With nasty weather limiting my options for going out, I decided to do my best to recreate bits of Tokyo in my own house.

There was a little soba place right by my office that made awesome soba. It was a little hole-in-the-wall shop in the basement of a building with nothing else nearby, but people would still line up for it every day. My favorite thing to get their was tanuki soba. I made my own tsuyu from scratch and took a shot at recreating it. My version wasn't nearly as good, but it still put a smile on my face.

I drank a lot of beer when I lived over there. I really mean a lot. I don't really like beer that much, but Asahi Super Dry has a taste that I love. I could drink it like water. Even though Trader Joe's carries it, I still don't have it very often here but every time I do it brings back a wave of memories and emotions. I picked up one of their large bottles and knocked it back. It was somehow very comforting and made me think I should have it more.

I don't regret my decision to leave Tokyo - it was what I needed to do at that moment in time. It's easy to only remember the good parts and overlook the bad (of which their were plenty). I think San Francisco is the right place for me to be and I'm happy with my choice to come here, but Tokyo will always hold a special place in my heart. I wouldn't trade that experience for anything. I just need to sort out the right way to keep it a part of my life back here.

Adventures Close to Home

Just thought I'd share a few shots from a quick hike up Twin Peaks for sunset and a weekend trip up the coast to Westport. California really is a magical place....

Twin Peaks

Westport, CA

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Week Fifty-Two: Just For A Moment

Finally, the last picture of my 52 Weeks Project! I think there is something about the impermanence of a snowflake that makes it a great closing shot. All I try to do with my pictures is capture something special in a moment. This snowflake didn't last long after this shot, but in that moment it was beautiful.

I'm really proud of this project and the work I've done for it. Some weeks were harder than others, some pictures more inspired, but for an entire year I captured a piece of my world every single week and I am a  better photographer for it. I learned how much I love color. I discovered macro shots. I found out how long of a way to go I have when it comes to portraits, but also that I am able to make really powerful ones when I get it right. I took pictures of things I'd never shot (or even thought to shoot) before. I learned how to see beauty in the world around me.

I've decided not to do the project again in 2014 however. I want to see if I can continue to find the drive to capture beautiful shots without the requirement of the project. I want to challenge myself to see if I can internalize what I've learned over the past year without the external burden of a weekly deadline. My goal is to continue posting pictures from my life to this blog as I take them instead of on a set timeline. I'm excited to see what it yields.

For those who follow my posts, I hope I've created something that you enjoyed. I hope something I shot made you feel something. I hope I inspired you to pick up your own camera.

The complete collection of photos from the project can be found here on my flickr page.

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Week Fifty-One: A Sleepy Old Man

I know this is my second cat picture for this project, but it's special enough that I'm ok with it. You see, today is the 18th birthday of Peaches, the family cat, and I feel like he deserves a shout out. Purina's website says that is the equivalent of turning 88 in human years, which makes him quite the old man. I love the little guy like crazy and he is every bit as much a part of the family as my sister and I.

I took this picture while I was back home for the holidays. He isn't the high-energy troublemaker he used to be and spends a lot more of his time napping around the house these days. That doesn't mean he won't give you an earful if he wants something, of course!

Happy birthday, little guy. I hope you'll be around for many more years to come.

Argentina - Iguazu

Paid a premium to stay at the Sheraton, which gives far better access to the park, definitely the right call. Very impressive waterfalls, though not quite on the same level as Patagonia for me. Didn't go to the Brazil side, but the Argentine side clearly had the better up-close views. Wouldn't sacrifice other destinations to see it, but still very cool if you've got the time for it.

Argentina - Mendoza

The city I hopes BA would be. Laid back pace, good food, great wine tours. Definitely recommended.

 

Argentina - Bariloche

Pretty place, but not a knock out for me. Downtown is a giant tourist trap best avoided. We stayed in a beautiful airbnb about 15 miles out of town. Didn't do the bike ride myself, but others thought it was great. Good destination if you're look for some peace and quiet, but not a must in my books.

Know Yourself. Live Better.

Today marks exactly one year from when I started wearing my Jawbone Up.

In that time, I have taken more than 3 million steps over nearly 1,600 miles. It doesn't matter weather I'm wearing jeans or a suit, it is always on my wrist. I have tan lines from wearing it all summer. I wouldn't want to go another day without it.

When people ask me about my wristband, I usually start by telling them flat out "It will change your life" and I absolutely mean it. Everyone should be wearing something like it, be it a Jawbone or a Fitbit or a Basis. Just having a quantified expression to make you more aware about your activity and your sleep is unbelievably powerful and will change you. The knowledge alone will improve your life - as Jawbone's slogan for the Up says, "Know Yourself. Live Better." There are few things you can own that will have as great an impact on how you live.

Buy one. Wear it everyday. Become aware. Improve your life. Never look back.

Argentina - El Chalten

Go here. Seriously, this is a must for a trip to Argentina. Phenomenal hikes surrounded by unbelievable natural beauty. Best stop on the trip, hands down.

Argentina - El Calafate

Seeing the Moreno Glacier was something truly special, one of the highlights of the trip for me. Not much going on in the city (super touristy), but it's a good jumping-off point for other places in Patagonia.

 

Argentina - Buenos Aires

Worth a couple of days at most unless you have local friends to show you around. Lovely tree-lined streets, European architecture. No real "must-see"s, though Recoleta Cemetery is cool and there is an awesome graffiti tour. Unbearably hot and humid in the summer months.

Argentina 2014 - The Plan

"Photography is my memory. I have chosen photography to prove that I exist"

I found this quote from a photographer a while back and it really resonated with me. I had considered writing lengthy posts about each place that I went during my three-week trip to Argentina, but decided I would rather let my photos tell the story instead.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but I think that is a gross underestimation. Truthfully, I don't think I have the words to do justice to some of the sights I have seen. Though my pictures are not comprehensive enough or of high enough quality to truly encapsulate then whole experience, they certainly do a much better job than I could do in writing.

The plan is to create a post of pictures with minimal captions for each place I went. It might take a while for me to work through all of the shots I've taken to find and process the best ones, but I'll try to get it done as quickly as possible.

A Loss

My grandma fast passed away last night. She was just a couple weeks away from turning 89. From what I understand, the end came quickly and wasn't painful.

She liked to wear broaches pinned to her jacket and to drink tea. I often thought she fancied herself similar to the queen of england.

She was the first person I travelled overseas with. We spent two weeks touring England and Wales back when I was in high school.

She always made sure ribs were on the menu at least one night whenever I was around. She knew they were my favorite and hers were particularly delicious.

She once cleaned and cooked live fish the we caught off the pier. She had said she would and kept her word, though she clearly expected that they'd show up dead like fish from the supermarket.

She would use words that nobody else knew when we played scrabble or quiddler. We regularly protested, but the dictionary always proved her right.

She was my friend on Facebook and once scolded me for dropping an f-bomb in my status. She also continued to send me handwritten letters despite knowing how to email.

Her life had more wonderful snippets and stories than I could possibly write down. She will be greatly missed.

I haven't seen my grandma in over five years and was planning on going to the cottage next summer just to see how she was doing. I wish I hadn't waited so long. Don't forget to tell the people who matter to you how much you love them every chance that you get.

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Week Fifty: In That Moment

I stepped out of a reception for student leaders to take this shot. The view just got better and better every time I caught a glimpse out the window as the sunset until it reached the point where I had to excuse myself, grab my camera, and step outside.

I love love love sunsets, but they are tricky to shoot. It's always hard to know when they're at their best and, once the moment passes, they can drop off so quickly. I invariably find myself with a ton of shots and have to dig through them to find the very best of the bunch. This was the last of the series I took and I wonder if I wouldn't have been better off giving it a minute or two more, just long enough for the blues to darken up a bit without losing the boldness of the oranges at the bottom. I probably could have messed around with the colors in Lightroom to get the effect, but I like trying to keep my photos true to what my eyes really saw.

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Week Forty-Nine: Ol' Blue Eyes

North Berkeley is home to a lot of cats. It's hard to tell how many of them are strays and how many are just being let run around by their owners. In any case, my roommates Andrew and Shawna have started naming their favorite ones. They dubbed this little fellow Frank because he was like Ol' Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra. On top of being a long hair, he's also a chubby little guy and has no collar or tags. He was munching on some grass when I came across him, so it's hard to tell if someone is keeping him well fed or if he's just doing a great job manicuring people's lawns. Either way, he was super friendly and just chilled out while I fired off a bunch of shots. I look forward to the next time our paths cross.

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Week Forty-Eight: A Splash of Red

The Vintners Market is a wonderful event that happens at Fort Mason in San Francisco twice a year where winemakers from all over California come to show off their stuff. Though a ticket will run you $50-ish, all of the winemakers offer free tastings, which makes for a boozy four hours. You hop from table to table, chatting up the people and trying all kinds of wines. Most of the wines are solid (as long as you aren't a fancy pants wine snob) and everyone is more than happy to sell you a bottle on the spot if you really like something you try.

This particular wine was an impulse (read: intoxicated?) purchase that I'm quite pleased with. It wasn't cheap but it will be a wonderful bottle to bust out when a special occasion comes up. It's also a lovely bottle, so I'm more than happy to have it sitting in my room in the meantime!

[ 47 /52 ]

Week Forty-Seven: Some Things Last Longer

Right around the time I first started actually thinking about what I wore, my grandma starting giving away a lot of my grandpa's old clothes to the grandchildren. He had Parkinson's, which caused him to lose a lot of weight, so most of them didn't fit him anymore.

My grandpa was a doctor back in the days when doctors wore suits and was always a well dressed man, so there were a lot of great pieces in his closet. Many of them were the first truly high quality clothes I ever owned and I remember wearing his old Hugo Boss shirts and silk socks, feeling like I was dressed to the nines. I loved that feeling and I think my experience with his clothes was really influential to the relationship I have with clothing today.

One of my favorite items that came from my grandpa was a red jacket from Ralph Lauren. Nearly ten years later, I still wear it fairly regularly in the colder months. I can only imagine how long he owned it before me, but that it is still in great shape and doesn't look at all dated is a testament to both its quality and timelessness. It has been more than six years since my grandpa passed away, but it still reminds me of him. I hope it will be around to continue reminding me for many more years to come.

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Week Forty-Six: Up above the static, up above the racket

I have a favorite secret place here in Berkeley. It's usually very quite there with few people passing by and it offers an amazing view of the city and the bay. On one of the rare days where the fog isn't too thick and there are actually a few clouds in the sky, it's a spectacular vantage point to watch the sunset from.

It's also a great place to slip away to and escape life for a little bit. Sometimes that's even more important: a place away from it all where the sounds of every day life fade away and I can just be alone with my thoughts. Life can feel a little overwhelming at times and having a place to step back and take a deep breath is really wonderful

Lost Cause?

My dearest family and friends,

In a time honored Berkeley MBA tradition, I have once again been taking part in No Shave November. We raise money for some terrific causes, including Special Olympics and Reading Partners. And so, I've been skipping my morning shave for nearly a month now, leaving me with the magnificent beard you see below.

The normal practice is to lose the beard once the month is over and revert back to a proper state of clean shaven-ness. But I've started getting more and more compliments on it lately. People tell me that it makes me look like a manly man, like a lumberjack, or at least like the kind of man who likes to chop firewood for fun.

A few people have commented that I'm starting to resemble Jaime Lannister from Game of Thrones.

Personally, I think it shares more of a resemblance to Charlton Heston a la Ben Hur

Except for the days when I look like a crazy person.

In any case, it has now crossed my mind that maybe I will keep this thing. Seriously. I know that I would almost certainly look much better clean shaven but it's still very tempting and I just can't help myself.

By now you are probably convinced that I am entirely delusional, that I've completely lost the plot. Surely he must have more sense than this, I can hear you thinking. Perhaps, perhaps not. Fortunately for you, there is way for you to stop this madness.

You see, the reason I even have the option to bail on the shaving part of this is because I haven't actually raised any money yet (horrible, I know). So, technically, I'm not actually at all beholden to the rules of No Shave November. But if you good people were to donate money to this fine cause on our campaign page (https://www.crowdtilt.com/campaigns/c4c-noshave-november-blue), I wouldn't really have any say in the matter.

So here is your chance to save me from myself. Make a donation, even just $10 or $20, and add "that Peter is going to shave that ridiculous beard" to the list of things you are thankful for this Thanksgiving. If that's not enough, you can also add "thankful for the good work these organizations are doing" and "thankful that charitable donations are tax write-offs" (we're doing this through Challenge 4 Charity, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit) to that list while you're at it.

Thank you all in advance for your generosity and support.

Love,
Peter