Thursday, March 25, 2010

New York Pizza Report by Clint on Facebook

L&B Spumoni Grdns_Bensonhurst:Hands down, the best Sicilian.

Lucoli's_Carrol Grdns: Closed

Totonno's_Coney Island: Perfect. Expensive Italian tomatoes.

Motorino's_Williamsburg:Amazing. The best dough/crust of all.

Patsy's_E.Harlem:Fantastic. Coal oven, sauce less sweet. Sinatra's favorite.

DiFara's_Midwood:Disappointing.$5.00 slice; coated in olive oil & Parmesan; Too rich

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Sunday, March 07, 2010

Shoe box cover

Finally the bush will hide the window of shoe boxes!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

International Financer Robert Crozier



Bob is back to Internet financiing deals. We had lunch at the St Regis pool in Singapore recently.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

My host family roommate, Ham Young Woo

We were outside Taejeon in the summer of 1973.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Monday, January 25, 2010

Saturday, January 16, 2010

The Indian Kokopeli


In the hotels in Mumbai there is art everywhere. The halls of the first floor of the ITC Marathra had folk art posters with scenes of village life. In the middle of many of them is a person playing a flute that looks remarkably like the Pied Piper of the Southwest United States - Kokopeli. Coincidence?

The instrument is called a sha'nai. I searched for one on this trip, but couldn't find the time to get into a music store to buy one. Next trip. It'll be a good addition to my Izu musical instrument collection.

The typical sha'nai band has two flutes, cymbals players and a drummer playing a dullard (sic). A bit like a Japanese Chindonya; they play at parties and celebrations. We'll need to get one for the launch of our new indices.

Indian Friends


I had spent three days talking to fund managers and investment banks in Mumbai with staff from MCX-SX. Ranjan C. is head of research and dead keen to get the indices up and running.

Saturday, January 02, 2010

Giacometti, Rothko, some woman


This is one of the best photos I have taken with my NEC mobile phone. A couple of my favorite artists and some woman...

I won't win any photo contest, but I sure am happy about it.

I wonder what Joel would say?

New Year's Blessing at Sensoji in Asakusa





This year, despite being My Year - the Tiger, is actually a "yaku" year for me. So when we went to Asakusa for the annual blessing, I paid extra to have a ceremony to bless me to prevent any bad things happening. I hope it works. I also picked up an amulet for good travel. Even though I have $1,000,000 worth of insurance with IAPA, you never know if an extra Buddhist blessing won't prevent a disaster! Anton and Thor like getting their fortune told. They are both Kichi. Figure it out!

Monday, December 28, 2009

Warhol, Hoff, Monroe


Not a bad combination in Izu...

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Saturday, December 26, 2009

He ain't heavy, he's my brother.


Anton showing off his muscularity and dominating his brother with a show of prowess on Christmas in Izu.

My Shadow


My shadow popped up on a Gaudi door at the Ikeda 20th Century Art Museum. Cute cowboy hart!

Let's go bowling, Dude!




The Hoffs went bowling at the DHC Bowl for Boxing Day fun. Anton was hot. Thor gave Anton a final challenge. There were quite a few gutter balls. When the Tokyo American Club reopens with a new bowling facility we'll all have to go there and practice.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Boeuf Bourguignon for Christmas



I made beef bourguignon for our Xmas dinner. I could have gone with a turkey, but wanted to try my hand at proper French cooking like Julie Childs or her blogging cook Julie. Other than our oven's tendency to only produce a 375 degree temperature, it turned out fine. Slightly different than Julie Powell's, but a winner nonetheless as I made it on my first try. No vodka tonics for me.

Guests were the Ownes, Chureis, Hoshis and Tsunaoshis. We drank a dark Barossa blend called Maverick with it, and later swam in the chocolate Christmas cake the Owens brought. Delish!

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Christmas Eve Hoodies


Not exactly Santa's elves...