Monthly Archives: October 2015

Cool It! Shopping Made Too Easy in Tokyo

Posted on October 30, 2015 by findingfoodfluency

Let’s say you pay a visit to one of the brilliant デパ地下 (depachika; department store basement food halls) in Japan but then realize that you also wanted to do some non-edible shopping. Well then, it sounds like you’re not me…but … Continue reading →

Posted in East & Southeast Asia, Food & Drink, Human Nature, Japan, Languages | Tagged coin locker, department store, Japan, Mitsukoshi, Nihombashi, refrigerator, shopping, storage, Tokyo | 4 Comments

Flight Review: ViaAir from Farmingdale, NY (FRG) to Niagara Falls, NY (IAG)

Posted on October 25, 2015 by findingfoodfluency

Disclaimer: In exchange for writing a review for the airline ViaAir, I was offered a recent round-trip flight between Farmingdale and Niagara Falls, NY. Although I don’t recall how I learned about ViaAir serving the above-mentioned Farmingdale (FRG) to Niagara Falls (IAG) seasonal … Continue reading →

Posted in Aviation, Flight Review, New York City, North America (non-NYC), Reviews | Tagged airline, aviation, Canadian, Farmingdale, flight, Flight Review, Manhattan, Niagara Falls, NY, passport stamps, propeller, review, tourism, ViaAir, waterfall | 2 Comments

Kolo, the Quintessential Ethiopian Snack

Posted on October 22, 2015 by findingfoodfluency

When you think of Ethiopian cuisine – be nice – what first comes to mind? Coffee, probably, and yes, that’s a cuppa on the right. I seldom drink the stuff, but since Ethiopia is the purported home of buna (the … Continue reading →

Posted in Food & Drink, Sub-Saharan Africa | Tagged Addis Ababa, barley, coffee, drink, Ethiopia, Ethiopian cuisine, food, kolo, snack | 3 Comments

Quirky Japanese Kōban, or Police Boxes

Posted on October 19, 2015 by findingfoodfluency

I have a lot of photos from Japan, but this owl-shaped building in Chiba city may be the token entry for kōban (交番) neighborhood police stations. On second thought, that might be too generous – and incorrect – a term … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, East & Southeast Asia, Japan, Languages | Tagged building, Chiba, Japan, kōban, police station, Prussia, Tokyo, tourist | 3 Comments

Throwback Thursday: The Sofitel in Ueno, Tokyo

Posted on October 15, 2015 by findingfoodfluency

The Sofitel Ueno, overlooking Ueno Park’s Shinobazu Pond, was one of my favorite (weird) buildings in Tokyo…until it was demolished in between late 2006 and mid-2008. Heck, the Sofitel wasn’t around that long to begin with, opening only in 1994. … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, East & Southeast Asia, Hotels, Japan, Languages | Tagged Architecture, belief, buildings, design, hotel, Japan, japanese, Shinto, Sofitel, Tokyo, tree, Ueno, weird, Where is Ueno? | 5 Comments

Elevators in China: Double-Edged Forks in the Road

Posted on October 13, 2015 by findingfoodfluency

It was a homecoming of sorts. Oh no, not for me…but for all of those from Fuzhou (福州 Fúzhōu), China returning to their roots. Erring on the obvious, aren’t we? Let’s put it another way. To the average New York … Continue reading →

Posted in China & Hong Kong, East & Southeast Asia, Human Nature, Languages, Non-Aviation Transit | Tagged Asia, China, elevator, Fuzhou, New York City, people, weird | 3 Comments

(Un)Welcome!

Posted on October 9, 2015 by findingfoodfluency

At the southwest corner of Chrystie St. and Broome St. in Manhattan‘s Chinatown, I never felt less welcome in my life. Well, there was that time I drove right into a building. That’s more of a hyperbole than reality, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Nature, New York City | Tagged Chinatown, lumber store, Manhattan, New York, sign, store | Leave a comment

Look Down on Us: Japanese Sewer Covers (Many Photos)

Posted on October 3, 2015 by findingfoodfluency

If memory serves, my first unusual encounter with a Japanese person was at Yellowstone National Park in 1995. He came up to my family, asked to take a picture with us, and then proceeded to photograph a garbage bin. Not … Continue reading →