Not quite lost in translation...just lost in Tokyo!

I have been quite remiss with my posts of late...not posting but certainly not missing.  Fortune and a heavy workload has meant a long but rewarding foray into the bowels of Tokyo.  It only seems like yesterday that I was previously lost in the streets of Tokyo but the time lapse can be translated in years and not I am afraid, days.  But here I am once again, but this time, I have arrived during the hottest summer on record...hot enough to fry the proverbial egg on the 'yakitori grill' of a pavement.  Nevertheless, I have found the energy and inclination to wander the streets, tempt the tastebuds and appreciate a great deal of what this wonderful city has to offer.

The delicate cuisine of Japan has featured quite prominently on this trip and I was fortunate last evening, to share my table with Japanese colleagues and partake in a rather sumptuous feast comprising among other delicacies; impossibly red octopus, ridiculously fresh sashimi, lovingly prepared anchovies and...hideously slimy calf bowel!  Best not to ask really, though unfortunately, I did.  It was however, a marvellous experience and one not usually available to the odd, vague westerner with a touch of heat exhaustion!

The beautiful gardens of Tokyo have also played an important role in my attempts to find a shady spot and a cool breeze in the burning midday heat and nowhere in the world does gardens quite like the Japanese.  Every glade and rippling pond brings delight as well as a chance to mop the perspiration from the eyes.

It is with the aim of replenishing lost fluids that I have found a comfortable, and air-conditioned table at Goodbeer Faucets, a sleek and modern establishment in the heart of Shibuya.  With more than 40 micro beers on offer, one can not complain of being short of choice. It would seem more than a little churlish not to drink beer in such an establishment so, selecting the bar's own Nide Beer, I can start to relax and contemplate just how many 440ml glass of this nectar I will need to down in order to feel human again!

Little library...big idea!!!

Much to my chagrin, I had need today to duck into a rather large shopping centre in central Melbourne in search of an emergency umbrella.  Normally I would avoid such places like a heavy cold...a malady that shopping centres seem to have in abundance...but today it was something I just had to do if I was not to find myself fighting pneumonia instead of a runny nose. 

Much to my more than pleasant surprise however, I stumbled into something of which I wholeheartedly approve and applaud.  A "Little Library" for city workers and shoppers who find themselves short of something to read. Yes!  A free, mini library that invites all and sundry to "borrow" a book and return it on completion or replace it with a book of their own for which they no longer have use.  The "Little Library works on an honesty system, and might I say, seems to be working very well indeed.

Feeling good about the surprises my city often presents me and armed with new umbrella and some James Ellroy crime fiction (yes, I will brave the centre once more to return it...and drop off a few shelf fillers of my own) I found my way to a well panelled, cosy and warm bar down the western end of Little Bourke street to enjoy an ample dram of Cragganmore, a wonderful  single Malt Whisky, the perfect drop with which to begin a bit of James Ellroy crime and to fight off that cold I can feel coming on!

Melbourne through the eyes of The Potter...

We have enjoyed so much glorious warm summer weather in Melbourne of late that it came as a considerable surprise when confronted by grey, somewhat seeping skies...the sort of day that is perfect to pursue activities of the indoor, cultural variety.

It is easy to forget when one lives in a relatively modern city such as Melbourne with so many outdoor activities on offer, that public galleries and museums are not just places to visit when travelling, but should be taken advantage of and visited often in one's own city. 

Melbourne is fortunate to have at its disposal, one of the finest collections of Australian art in the world, with The Ian Potter Centre dedicated exclusively to Australian art.  Part of the National Gallery Victoria (NGV), the Potter proudly showcases to its many visitors, the full gamut of Australian art from the colonial era through to contemporary art and everything in between and includes photographs, textiles, sculpture and a number of galleries dedicated to a remarkable collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. 

The art is truly amazing and well worth a lingering visit but what particularly struck me on today's visit was the way the Potter provides the astute visitor with a striking array of views of Melbourne...through its own eyes to the world outside.  Many of Melbourne's landmarks are visible...just not from the usual, street level perspective. 

One thing I should point out is that The Potter is a component of a larger architectural vision and is part of the city's Federation Square.  The components of Federation Square are interconnected by a fractal facade comprising three cladding materials: sandstone, zinc (perforated and solid) and glass all used within a triangular pinwheel grid.  Before you fall into the trap of thinking I know what I am talking about here, it would be best to direct those of you keen to understand a fractal facade, to the Federation Square official design pages. Those of you happy to proceed with only a vague appreciation of the architecture and its beauty, can peruse Melbourne through a different lens; through the eyes of The Potter.

It certainly isn't common place to be "looking out" while in a gallery, but it was too difficult to resist and well worth the stares and aside glances that other visitors gave me as I was taking photos.

In many respects, Federation Square has become the focal centre for many of the city's visitors...with The Potter and other galleries, restaurants, bars, public spaces and visitor centre it has much to offer.  And it is to one of its riverside bars, almost discernible through the last window, that I repose for this evening's heart starter.  Completely out of character for me, but perfect to combat the chilly breeze coming off the Yarra River beside me, I have selected a Rusty Nail, that wonderful combination of Scotch Whisky and Drambuie that, despite being chilled over ice, is easy to drink, soothing and does a bloody marvellous job of warming the extremities!

"Pop Up" stores, stalls, concepts...and wineries!

Just when one is feeling little foot sore, weary and somewhat liverish from the never-ending round of festivals, concerts, and events Melbourne throws at its residents and visitors alike at this time of year, up pops a "Pop Up" with a brew that is guaranteed to put a bit of a spring in even the most fallen of arches.  Melbourne's love affair with the perfect coffee has received a shot in the arm so to speak, with a "Pop Up" coffee experience right in the heart of the city.  Installed as part of the Melbourne Wine and Food Festival, the Urban Coffee Farm & Brew Bar at Southbank, takes coffee lovers of all creeds on a journey into the wonderful world of coffee in all its many manifestations.   

Conceived as a showcase for Melbourne many cafes, this "Pop Up" introduces even the most hardened and experienced of coffee fanciers to the many varietals, coffee-based foods and even coffee liqueurs that are now available.  With a tasting station and mini-cafe staffed by coffee professionals, the installation not only concentrates on exotic blends and new concoctions but also showcases the skills and techniques of some of the best coffee conjurers from around the city. One can even learn how to make delicious coffee at home with only basic kitchen equipment! 

 Much to my delight, "Pop Ups" seem to be everywhere at the moment and I must say, I was more than a little pleased to come across this delightful and innovative "Pop Up" in Greville Street Prahran. More of a stall than a store (it doesn't have a roof as the proprietor pointed out), Kelly Cube is a stall that sells a cleverly designed package, the Kelly Cube, containing all of the fresh ingredients (packaged that morning) one requires to cook a complete meal. The concept was developed primarily to support Australian farmers, local industries and local retailers.  

I love the idea of being able to get everything I need for an interesting meal, quickly and on my way home from a days work, and all in one convenient package without having to go anywhere near a supermarket.  And if that isn't enough,  the “Pop Up” comes complete with comfortable seating and friendly owners who are more than willing to share their ideas about the concept, good food and healthy living.

But of course, no day is complete without the evening tipple...and I am please to be able to bring to you, the river-side "Pop Up" Rosemount Estate winery or at least, its cellar door; a cleverly disguised, but well fitted out shipping container.  Imagine my delight at discovering this "Pop Up"...and all on my proverbial doorstep!  This evening, as the weariness of the day fades, it is to be a 2008 Rosemount Balmoral Syrah, a complex peppery drop balanced by fine acidity and firm tannin structure from 18 months in new American and French oak and enjoyed el fresco. Here's cheers to the "Pop Up" before it disappears!