I just was not motivated to stay inside the house today. I decided to cruise past the beach and see if anyone was parasailing because I thought it might be fun to attempt to shoot some pictures. No parasailers.
On a whim I headed further down Central Avenue than usual and spotted a used book store I hadn't known about. Small, cozy and cluttered, with a dusty wooden Hotei-sama wearing gift ribbon on his head on the counter in front of the register, Wilmot's Books was heavy on fiction and old art books in mostly black and white, but still worth poking around in, even if it's no Moe's. I did pick up a copy of The Island of the Day Before and the useful looking Historical and Geographical Dictionary of Japan. I also found the high school where the Mythbusters damaged the goal posts by trying to use them as a giant slingshot a little further down Central.
Stopped at the Michael's in Emeryville because I cannot count on Beverly Crapts and Fabric to charge reasonable prices. Paint brushes, brush cleaner and more metal pillar candle plates were acquired, then it was over to the Caning Shop in Berkeley, because one of my planned projects this winter is a couple more kaga chochin. This time I opted for a less fancy pre-woven cane so things don't end up being too matchy moo. I may also experiment with some slightly smaller lanterns as well.
Having noticed interesting fog formations over the bay on the drive over, I made a detour to the Berkeley Marina on yet another whim and took these. This one makes up for the missing Alameda parasailers.
I also discovered that while kites are photogenic, they're extremely difficult to shoot. On the other hand, this completely makes up for the fact that one cannot get NEAR the place during the annual kite festival, which is why I've never managed to attend.
Oh, and I walked all the way up that hill, thank you very much, without so much as breathing hard.
On a whim I headed further down Central Avenue than usual and spotted a used book store I hadn't known about. Small, cozy and cluttered, with a dusty wooden Hotei-sama wearing gift ribbon on his head on the counter in front of the register, Wilmot's Books was heavy on fiction and old art books in mostly black and white, but still worth poking around in, even if it's no Moe's. I did pick up a copy of The Island of the Day Before and the useful looking Historical and Geographical Dictionary of Japan. I also found the high school where the Mythbusters damaged the goal posts by trying to use them as a giant slingshot a little further down Central.
Stopped at the Michael's in Emeryville because I cannot count on Beverly Crapts and Fabric to charge reasonable prices. Paint brushes, brush cleaner and more metal pillar candle plates were acquired, then it was over to the Caning Shop in Berkeley, because one of my planned projects this winter is a couple more kaga chochin. This time I opted for a less fancy pre-woven cane so things don't end up being too matchy moo. I may also experiment with some slightly smaller lanterns as well.
Having noticed interesting fog formations over the bay on the drive over, I made a detour to the Berkeley Marina on yet another whim and took these. This one makes up for the missing Alameda parasailers.

I also discovered that while kites are photogenic, they're extremely difficult to shoot. On the other hand, this completely makes up for the fact that one cannot get NEAR the place during the annual kite festival, which is why I've never managed to attend.

Oh, and I walked all the way up that hill, thank you very much, without so much as breathing hard.