Singlebarrel

Today marks the last day of Singlebarrel, my favorite bar in the San Francisco bay area. Located in downtown San Jose, Singlebarrel is a speakeasy-themed cocktail bar that takes you back to the old days of prohibition. At the door, you see no sign of the bar except a lone barrel, mounted to the brick wall above the entrance. At the front of the line, you are greeted by the doorman, dressed in a long pea coat and herringbone duckbill cap. He briefs the newcomers and rewelcomes the oldcomers.

Forge Ahead

The road of life is fraught with peril, full of dips and bumps and twists and turns. You never know what lies ahead without the courage to round the corner and see. Though you can’t control what’s beyond that corner, you can choose the manner of your approach and your reaction. And that is your power.

The (Not So) Long Drive

Lots of things seem uninteresting until you learn to look more closely and appreciate the simple things around you.

This long 6-hour drive on I-5 was, and usually is, super tedious and dull. With nothing but straight road and dirt, it’s a killer for both locals and tourists. This time, though, the weather provided a nice distraction.

Meiji

Red Parasol

Meiji Jingu is my favorite shrine in Tokyo. Located in Shibuya, right across the street from Harajuku, it offers 0.7 square kilometers (170 acres) of tranquil forest sanctuary in the middle of Tokyo’s dense urban metropolis.

Weekends are a popular time to visit for both tourists and locals, as the temple grounds provide a beautiful backdrop for traditional Shinto weddings. At frequent intervals, ceremonious marriage processions take place within the main courtyard, and interested visitors quickly swarm in for a gander.

Among the sea of people, a simple, red parasol becomes a diamond in the rough.

Eikando in the Smoky Trees

A brilliantly colored Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Eikando (永観堂) Zenrinji is known for its bright, vibrant silk banners that cover its awnings and passageways. Its famed Tahoto pagoda stands tall among the twilit, smoky trees of the forest.

There Was a Dragonfly in Maokong

And I took a photo of it.

It was nice seeing the wildlife thrive outside of the city. Outside of any city, really. I enjoyed getting away from the noise. The traffic, the people, the commotion. All of these merge into a loud and continuous white noise. I don’t realize how displeasing it is until I’m away from it, when I’m in the woods and I realize that I just feel…better. I feel free.

In the tranquility of Maokong, there was a dragonfly. And amidst the soft rustling of the wind through the trees, there was only the sound of my breath. And then my shutter. Nothing else.

The Finer Details

Ornate designs of a hostess’ kimono worn during chado (茶道), the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. The muted colors express a modest and humble attitude toward the guest, but profound beauty can still be found within the folds, the textures, and the finer details.

Kyoto Capsule

In my solo travels through Japan, I happened upon a delightfully unique accommodation, the 9h (nine hours) capsule hotel in Kyoto. If you’re unfamiliar with Japan’s capsule hotels, they were originally created to provide cheap, one-night stays, presumably for businessmen (not women) who were too drunk to make it all the way home. “Rooms” are tiny capsules large enough to house a bed and nothing else. Fancier capsules will have limited shelving and even small TV’s. Patrons would pay the nightly rate, hop in for a snooze, and leave in the morning. Because to Japan’s recent recession, unemployment rates, and progressive accommodations for women, capsule hotels have become quite popular.

Perching Colors

Beautiful butterflies fluttering about in the small village of Shirakawa, feeding on the cool nectar of the flowers. It’s always magical to see a large ones delicately flapping their wings, bouncing from flower to flower around you. Unless you live in an area infested with butterflies flapping all over your face, day in and day out. Then you’re like, “COME ON GUYS, GTFO!”