Summer in the City

 As blistering hot as it can sometimes be, there is just something about summer. The warm evenings are perfect for chilling with my sharemates or for walks in the friendly darkness, punctuated by the bon odori drums. People seem more relaxed, even those of us who continue to work... although I must say business distinctly peters out in July and August.

The utter bliss of stretching out in the breeze, windows wide open and curtains billowing, occasionally setting off the little furin (wind chime) with its supposedly cooling sound. Hidden amongst the rooftops of Tokyo's skyline there are terrace cafes and bars, where for the price of a mojito and a small dish of olives you can spend a few hours watching the sunset, while listening (in the case of the rather un-imaginitively named The Bar in Daikanyama) to running water and live music coming from the stage inside.

The chance to wear bright, billowy dresses which dance in the early evening breeze, and watch as the boys stare in awe as I float by (a tangerine dress and deep neckline will get you attention anywhere). All my hard work at the gym and running are now really apparent, and I want to show off a bit, darn it!

Yukata all around, and a seeming increase in the number of men wearing them (yay!). I really want to go hang out at a festival or fireworks display, get all dressed up in my own yukata and eat far too many takoyaki! Somehow, despite being in Ningyocho on the same evening, I managed to completely miss out on the Sumidagawa fireworks... It wasn't until we went into a great, organic tempura place (it is just around the corner from the station's A4 exit) that we were informed we had missed the big event, which also explained why so many people were running around in yukata!

Don't you just love summer evenings? 

Toyoko Line Love: Daikanyama and Nakameguro

Busy, busy, busy. The end of the end (?) of the fiscal year, along with friends and kouhai starting new jobs in Tokyo, means that even my weekends have to be carefully scheduled.

On a rainy Saturday I met Nuts-chan for a wander around Daikanyama, on the search for spring clothes and tasty food. She had more luck on the first count, but lunch was a double success. Hidden beside and somehow within an old traditional house, Bombay Bazaar has a strange Alice in Wonderland feel (perhaps enhanced by the vaguely Burtonesque bunny near the staiwell) and surprisingly cheap prices, despite the oshare location. 700 yen got us both a half-portion of the delicious, properly spicy curry and one of their famous blueberry okurayaki. I must admit, the unsweetened homemade blueberry filling was much better than anko!

Sunday, before my epic search for shoes (an enterprise never to be underestimated in any country) I met with Matcha-kun for a short date in Nakameguro, where he wanted to introduce me to a rather odd patisserie, Potager. All of their creations are vegetable based. We tried the burdock and grape tart (a tasty, earthy combination), the carrot and mango pudding (light and fluffy), a pumpkin chiffon cake (lovely and moist) and the Brussels sprout St. Honore' (hmmm... not quite). Indeed you can see the weird sprouty creation above.

(Yes, I am female and thus I take pictures of feet, and lovely feet they are indeed... plus I like the balance I got here)

After that feast of sweets (which however did not give that heavy, fluttery feeling one usually gets after having a lot of sugar) we meandered down the little shoutengai, and finally by the Meguro river, which is once again walkable, thanks to the end of sakura season. Personally, I think that the falling petals have a charm of their own, a carpet of of pink and white. Nakameguro really does have a lot going for it (which is why I have written about it so many times), and I have yet to even start on all the recycle-shops and second-hand stores hidden within the side streets. Another post perhaps?