While visiting the SF Asian Art Museum this weekend, I stopped at the Japanese collection to inspect the five-plate Yukinoshita samurai armor. I've been watching the new Shogun series on Hulu and it's fantastic that we can see the real armor at the AAM.
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| Five-plate Yukinoshita armor, 1615 to 1700 |
It's a combination of craftsmanship and combat.
CoWaBunGA
My Dad took me to Grand Central Market in downtown LA when I was a kid. Back then, the stalls were filled with produce and meats that we bought for my parent's cafe in downtown LA. Now, there are plenty of tasty specialty food stalls and restaurants. But, China Cafe has not changed much since I was last at the Grand Central Market.
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| China Cafe, Grand Central Market, LA - 03/2024 |
CoWABunGA!
After a long day at the Park, it's so relaxing to sit down in a comfy lounger and order your Mai Tai. The perfect place for doing so is at Tangaroa Terrace inside the Disneyland Hotel complex.
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| Tangaroa Terrace, Disneyland, 2/2024 |
When it's raining outside, you can't ride the motorbike or surf, it's always fun to catch up on sketching at the local art museum. It was a nice indoor day at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco:
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| "GuanYin 1600 to 1700", China |
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| In progress... |
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| Whoa...that's a lot of arms. |
In the outer Sunset District of San Francisco, you can find a classic Japanese dining experience at Noriega Teriyaki House. As you enter, a large display of Japanese maple and miniature temples greet you along with the host.
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| Noriega Teriyaki House, San Francisco, 01/2024 |
CoWaBunGA!
On the last days of 2023, while waiting for some adventurous shoppers, I stopped into Equator Coffees on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles. I found a peaceful cafe, modesty decorated, with a very good mocha. What was striking to me was how the bright orange-red chairs and red coffee bags on display popped through the dark brown (almost black) cabinetry.
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| Equator Coffees, Fairfax Ave, LA, 12/2023 |
CoWaBunGA
For Christmas Eve, we decided to venture out to San Francisco and add to the festivities of this great City. There are many stories of the fall of SF, but one restaurant at the end of Market Street has survived and thrived for decades: One Market!
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| One Market, San Francisco, 12/2023 |
One Market was decked out in Christmas attire and the holiday menu was delicious.
Happy New Year everyone!
CoWaBunGA!
