The One about Ernst Lubitsch’s “Design for a Living”

Today’s selection for my cinema blog post goes to Ernst Lubitsch’s “Design for a Living”. Bold, stylish and a pre-code non-musical film by Ernst Lubitsch, “Design for Living” receives new life with the Criterion Collection’s Blu-ray release of a film which showcases radicalism but a Read More …

The One about the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum at Ueno Park

In 1926, the first public music in Japan opened.  Known as the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum and it is the go to museum for masterpieces from abroad and contemporary art are introduced. It’s current location is not the original museum, as the Tokyo Prefectural Museum Read More …

The One about Discovering Japanese Music: Every Little Thing’s “Every Best Single -Complete-“

I can easily remember when I first heard of Every Little Thing (ELT), then a trio which featured vocalist Kaori Mochida, guitarist Ichiro Ito and keyboardist Mitsuru Igarashi.  The song was “Feel My Heart” and discovered the group while watching CDTV (a top 40 video Read More …

The One About Discovering Japanese Music: AKB48’s “Kaze wa Fuiteiru (Type-B)”

AKB48, the idol group that took Japan by storm and has been one of the few music groups in Japan that continuously reaches over a million in sales thanks to their dedicated fanbase. Back in 2011, AKB48 released their 23rd CD single “Kaze wa Fuiteiru” Read More …

The One about Discovering Japanese Music: Hitomi Shimatani’s “Otoko Uta – Cover Song Collection”

Sometimes you just want to go back to your music collection and find music you just are in the mood for. And you know that you start to feel old when artists you enjoyed immensely start to receive the cover treatment. But fortunately, in this Read More …

The One about Shimochari Bicycle Service in Shimokitazawa

Shimokitazwa is known for its shops and restaurants but for those looking for a bike or need bike service should stroll by Shimochari Bicycle Service owned by Hajime. When going inside the shop,  you’ll notice that there are is a lot of love for California, Read More …

The One about Stanley Kubrick’s “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb”

It was a time of turmoil in the world. There was the threat of a nuclear war between the United States and Russia, how fatalistic Americans were during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the US involvement in the military conflict in Vietnam was starting to heighten Read More …

The One about Discovering Japanese Music: Perfume – Spending All My Time

Perfume is a group which consists of members Ayano Omoto, Yuka Kashino and Ayaka Nishiwaki from Hiroshima, Japan debuted back in 2001 and is produced by Capsule and Meg producer Yasutaka Nakata. Featured in an Apple iTunes commercial worldwide to their music being featured in Read More …

The One about Discovering Japanese Music: SMAP’s “Yozora no Mukou”

For decades, the boy band SMAP had entertained audiences. Gracing magazine covers, TV commercials, having multiple television shows featuring a member or all members, they were Japan’s most popular group until friction developed and the group calling it quits on December 31, 2016. But still, Read More …

The One about Richard Sandomir’s “The Pride of the Yankees: Lou Gehrig, Gary Cooper, and the Making of a Classic”

I’m a huge Yankees fan, literally have a shrine in one room with autographs from famous Yankees from past to present. And I also have a few items honoring the legendary Lou Gehrig. And I am a huge fan of the film “The Pride of Read More …