Recording Studio

Yesterday I went to the recording studio in East Village.

I've met a producer (I shouldn't even say just a producer. He is a recording artist himself, GRAMMY award winning producer, composer, engineer, and a song writer) here in NY, and he kindly offered me to see his studio.

I've been to a couple of recording studios before, and his studio didn't look like any other studios. Well none of the studios look the same and has unique treatments and structures, but I felt so comfortable being there immediately.

He is unbelievably an humble person, and he even let me help doing his work! (FYI I have no tech knowledge, but he made me feel like I'm doing something!) He was working on a track for an upcoming major label artist and showed me how he's working on.

I had such an amazing time just to be with him in his studio. It could be intimidating, but I tried not to think who he is and tried not to freak out. lol

Since I start doing my internship, I've met so many artists not just singer songwriters like producers for example. They are so friendly and humble, and it really amazed me all the times. I know that the producers need to be excel at communications since that's what they do with artists now matter how famous he is. I do appreciate their attitude. BIG UP MUSIC!

The mistery of the libraries

OK, Whenever I go to a library or a bookstore, I'd have a stomach problem. I heard that my body is reacted by the chemicals in the link. So believe it or not, I have some bookstores that I can't possibly stay any longer than 5 minutes.

Yesterday, I went to two of the NY public libraries; Stephen A Schwarzman and Mid-Manhattan library. I couldn't tell when I started feeling SICK, but by the time I got home I was dead from a heavy headache and body-ache. I even had a trouble sleeping! I didn't have a stomach issue however, I really don't know why I felt sick like that. So weird.

Anyways, spending time in the library by myself on Sunday afternoon was awesome.
I love Stephen A Schwarzman building where Carrie from the Sex and the City was supposed to get married with Mr. Big. That building is almost like a museum or a castle. It is very historical and gorgeous, so you can even feel like you are in the Harry Potter movie!


So I borrowed one old Japanese film (Crazed Fruit. 1956) and Scott Fitzgerald book, and I start wondering about people who touched and read this book before. The book is so old, and it must be read by countless people in the past. Isn't it kind of strange and mysterious just thinking about that fact?

Healthy Mind+Body+LIfe

It has been a wonderful weekend, and I feel just simply great.

I woke up around noon on Saturday morning and made a big fat breakfast (as always).

It was beautiful outside, so I decided to go to the mall close by my place. Downtown on a weekend is way too busy and crowded, so I'd rather stay in Queens.

I bought a nice stress relief massage oil and a scrub from Bath and Bodyworks. I like Aveda products as well, but I'm in love with those stress relief series from Bath and Bodyworks. They have body lotions, hand soap, pillow mist....and other series as well.

After I came back home, I cleaned the bathroom and took a nice long bath.

Since I left Japan, one of the things that I really miss is this part: take a bath everyday.

I literally took a bath everyday back home. It's quite usual for us, and we have a deeper bath tub, so I could completely soak my body into a nice hot water.

My body and mind was all refreshed, and here was a big surprise....one of my roommates gave me a foot massage!! What a nice hospitality!! I was in heaven for a while and drooled a little bit. lol

Obviously I didn't wanna do anything after this relaxation, I turned on the TV thinking nothing would interest me...but I saw Sinatra on the TV! ...what? I doubted my eyes and paid attention this time....they were showing a good OLD film "High Society"!

So I thought this would be a great night for me...I haven't had time just to sit and watch a good movie. Well I should probably say I didn't even wanna do it since I don't have a company to do it here. (How much I miss Ms. Kitty and all my friends who snuggled with me and watched movies together!!)

The movie was very classy and jazzy, and watching Luis Armstrong automatically made me smile.

They showed another film right after. It was an indie film directed by UK director, Shane Meadows; "Somers Town". All black and while, artistic, foreign, and simple yet smart.

I immediately drew into this film due to the beautiful opening sound track. I didn't know the song, but it was freaking good, so I decided to watch it.

After watching those films, I was thinking about all the fancy CG, 3D movies that Americans are freaking out. Is that really necessary? How about the story itself?

I'd prefer to be an old school.

This calls "Natto"(Fermented soybeans!ha!).
Ridiculously healthy and makes you smart. (don't ask me why)
I eat it with "Genmai"(Japanese brown rice), and it's so good.
I am trying to start Macrobiotic diet as much as I can. I still love meats (CHICKEN!) and can't live without them, but I am limiting the intake of meats!

Breakfast Perfection

I love breakfast.

I love it enough so I sometime make it for my lunch and even supper.

My favorite thing is to make a BIG breakfast on Sunday morning. I usually play some happy bossa nova music while making buttermilk pancakes and omelets with veggies, and a cup of hazelnuts coffee. I love this process so much, so I don't mind waking up early even if I have nothing to do for a day.

I can't go anywhere without having a breakfast. It's that important to my day.

I don't know who started to eat toasts and eggs in a morning, but I admired someone who started. I also have a big thank to someone who invented French toasts! Ahhhhh sooo good. I cannot be tired of eating French toasts!

I also make really yummy breakfast potatoes...I use baby red potatoes (diced), garlic, sea salt, pepper, paprika, rosemary....yum. Garlic makes everything yummy like Rachel Ray always says....I have to agree on that opinion. Garlic makes everything yummy!

Ohh breakfast. I Love you.

Bits of New York City Scenes

Brooklyn Bridge

Statue of Liberty and Water Taxi

Wall Street Sign and The Trinity Church

Inside of the Trinity Church

Central Park

春の訪れ。

久しぶりに更新。

ずっと書きたいことが山ほどあったんだけど、ありすぎて書くのが面倒になっていたり、家のネット接続が悪くて写真のアップロードができなかったりで期間があいてしまった。

いろいろあるときだからこそきちんと書き留めておきたいといつも思うのに、そうゆうときってやはりものぐさの自分には難しい。

何はともあれ、毎日いろいろ刺激を受けながら、こんな自分で大丈夫？と疑問に思いつつ、春の陽気に誘われていい感じに毎日過ごしてる。

朝の太陽に嬉しくなったり、床を磨いてみたり、マーケットの安売りのイチゴを見て興奮したり、本当に自分って幸せだと思う。何をやっているんだか。こんなに浮かれているからダメなんだよなあ。幸せでいることはいいけれど、そのことによって他人を不幸にしている気もしなくはない。今はとにかく世界を見たい病がいつにも増していて、ビザの関係でしばらくはアメリカを離れられない身としては苦痛の日々。

仕方がないから世界地図を眺めてはどうやって一周するのが効率がいいのかだとか、自分は世界を廻ることで何をしたいのかを妄想中。各国で中途半端なボランティアをして、自己満足するようなことはしたくない。もっと何か意義のあることをしたいし、そのためにはお金も必要だけどまだまだ教養が足りないし、第一お金もない。

夢を見ることはいいことだけど、そこから現実に持って行かないと何も意味がない。

少しずつでも現実になるように計画中。

何をするにも時間はかかる。

ちりも積もれば山となる。

あれ、やっぱり写真アップロードできないな。

また次回ってことで。

My Favorite Things

The weather is getting nicer here. People seems happier than ever.

I hope this weather will continue....can't wait for summer.

Summer is my absolute favorite season.

(Pic: clear blue ocean by Ocho Rios in Jamaica)

I love things that have nice smells; candles, incenses, aroma oil, body lotion, well and food of course. lol

I tend to be "chop chop chop" in my daily life. What it means that I tend to be too busy or too tense. My body always tell me "hey you need to stop. you need your yuki time!"

So whenever my body tells me, I try to have good 1 or 2 hours of relaxation.

Can't sleep after all

It's midnight.

I am so awake, and I don't know how to sleep.

Well...I'm here with my precious girl in my room, in New York.

She felt asleep a while ago.

I didn't expect this guest tonight at all.

I missed her more than anybody since I left my apartment in MN.

She just came back from Italy, and she missed the connecting flight due to the weather.

I somehow knew something would happen, so I sent her a text this moring; "Call me when you get to the U.S.".

So she did, and she said "I'm stuck in the airport until tomorrow....."

I was doing my laundry when I got a phone call, but I immediately went back home and grabbed my metro card and off I went.

I was damn ON TIME. Holy cow it was amazing! The bus arrived at the bus stop right after I got there. My girl was the first person who got off the bus, and I screamed her name; "Meeeeeeeeghaaaaaaaaaan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

We hugged and kissed and hugged and kissed, and the bus driver was cheering us as well.lol

It was an unfortunate situation for her, but after all we were so glad to meet again.

I'm so glad I can always be there for someone. I literally thought I could die for her for a second. Well I wouldn't kill myself, but I know I do care about someone like her. It's not easy to meet the right people from millions of choices, but I am very lucky to have such beautiful people in my life, and I cannot say enough thank to them. Thanks to my family, thanks to my friends in Japan, thanks to my Cameroonian and Brazilian brother and sister, thanks to my American mom and dad.....

Things that interest me

- Using a subway after 2am is always interesting.
I know it's not very safe, but I do pretty much everyday since I work late.
Almost everyday, I see something extraordinary on the subway. People are NUTS!!!!!
Some guy thinks the subway after 2am is his bedroom, so he takes off his shoes and lays on the seat and snores.
The other time the subway door didn't open for a long time when I was about to get off, and I was wondering why. I saw more than 10 cops running towards the subway, and they went in the train right next to mine. Apparently there was a wasted guy with a gun or some sorts, and they caught him. I could have been sitting right next to him! scary.

- People actually throw eggs at people.
Yes. I would never known that would be me until now.
Now even one egg. Some assholes threw more than 50 eggs from 9th floor across the street, and think about it. It could cause serious injures, and cops didn't take it serious since nobody needed an ambulance! What the fuck is going on, people? Eat your fucking eggs!

- Only word my landlord knows is "money".
I thought this is freaking hilarious. I like him.

- There are guys who pretend to be a gay.
I can't never tell if he's a real gay or "pretend to be" a gay. There are so many out here. I kissed him since I thought he was a gay, but he wasn't! Whaaat!? Take it back dude!

- People like my forehead.
I didn't know I have a decent forehead. I got this compliment so many times since I moved here. So weird.

Passion for Food

99.9% of people would say "yeah I like food!". They should be since our appetite is our basic nature as a human being.

But I know myself, I LOVE FOOD. This love is bigger than wanting a man.

I love to smell, cook, eat, feel, everything. I just can't say enough how much I love food.

I have to appreciate my parents who forced me to cook when I was little, especially my dad always told my mom that I needed to be in a kitchen and let me do as much as I could. By the time I was in a middle school, I cooked dinners for my family at least one a week. I didn't hate it much, but only thing I hated was to come home for making "dashi" for a miso soup and preparing a rice every single day. Whenever I was at my friend's place I had to say "oh it's time to go home and make "dashi" for dinner. See you tomorrow!". Seriously who does that? I was fucking 13 or 14!lol

Anyways...I cook pretty much everyday. My dishes are not fancy since I'm broke!lol I try to make something out of low budgets...but use as much fresh ingredients as possible.

When I was taking a yoga class, my teacher told us about the impact of what we eat.

Your body reflects what you put in your body 6 years ago. (10 yours maybe? I'm sorry I can't remember...)

A lot of people care about what they eat just because they want to lose some pounds for a date next week or whatever the reason. Moreover, many girls go to a gym and say "yea I need to run since I ate too much last night." We need to think about long term perspectives rather than losing pounds just for a date. Because what you eat now is what you will be in 6 years.

The more the food is alive/fresh, the more you get energy out of it, she said. For instance, you get more energy from tomatoes that have just picked from the garden than buying a canned whole tomatoes. I'm not talking about nutrition, but the energy you get from something alive. It's not something you don't know, but it's such a good feeling just to be conscious then you will make a better decision of what you put in your body. You don't wanna eat something "dead" do you?

So I had rice and beans, chicken curry, and plantains (agian!?) tonight. Oh men is there any better food than plantains? seriously! I get anxious when I don't have plantains at home!