Saturday, September 12, 2009

Veggies in Roppongi, Yum!


I visited a new restaurant/bar in Roppongi called "Soul Village STATION - Roppongi Nouen (Garden)" that my friend successfully renovated his entire house into.
Most of the core staff members are the sons and daughters of farmers who live in other places in Japan. Fresh and good veggies they serve are carefully grown by the farmers or the ones my friend or the staff know personally, while other selections of wines, other food and drinks seem to have been chosen in the same fashion. Yum!
Also, the walls, floors and ceilings in the restaurant, bars, entrance and stairways were carefully designed and handmade with natural clay which were brought from some places in the country.
He took me to the bar in the basement, and with his affable and mischievous smile he uncovered his old piano he hid in the wall-cabinet there. I improvised several pieces and hopefully contributed to that organic and comfortable atmosphere.
It was full house even though it was Thursday, and my friend told me it was booked up until October. If interested, give it a call and take a chance...

友人が自宅を改装して六本木に出現した「SoulVillageSTATION 六本木農園」に行ってきた。
主なスタッフはみんな地方の農家の息子や娘たち。出されている新鮮な野菜は、その農家またはオーナーや彼らが直接知っている生産者から仕入れているようだ。そのほかのワインやドリンク、料理も同様のようだ。おいしい。
レストラン、バー、入り口、階段など、全ての壁、床、天井は国内数カ所から運んできた「土」を使って、丁寧に手作りされている。
彼は私をバーに連れて行くと、こっそりと壁の中にしまってあった古いピアノをニコニコしながら出してきた。即興で数曲弾かせていただき、(願わくば)お店のオーガニックで心地よい空気に貢献してきたかも。
木曜というのに満席。10月まで予約でいっぱいとのこと。ご興味の方はダメもとで電話をしてみて。

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Down in Shinjuku

Until this weekend I am working and staying at JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) Tokyo International Center near Shinjuku, fortunately on the 10th floor!
It's quite a view, but ironically I have heard Bosozoku (motorcycle gang) roaring up and down the Koshu-Kaido street some 300 meters away.
However, I am pretty happy that I could buy a new super-thin filter for my camera at one of those camera shops in crowded Shinjuku today.
I can hardly find both such an noisy Bosozoku and the same filter in my hometown.
今週末までJICA東京国際センターへ出張滞在中。なんと10階の部屋。
なかなかの眺めだけれど、300 mほど離れた甲州街道で轟音をうならせる暴走族一軍が...。
でも今日は、混雑する新宿の某カメラショップで念願のカメラ用薄型フィルターを手に入れて、とりあえずはよしとしよう。
帯広では、こんなににぎやかな暴走族も同じフィルターもお目にかかれないし。