Alice is in Central Park

On our family adventure in New York this past summer, we spent many hours walking through the fabulous Central Park. The family all marveled at the wonder located in this huge park in the center of the massive city. What an amazing place with so much to see and do!

We visited many of the monuments and statues throughout the park, but I especially liked the Alice in Wonderland sculpture. A truly amazing piece of are inspired by amazing literature!

Nikon D600 with Nikon 24mm f/2.0 Nikkor AI @ f4.0, ISO 100, 1/100 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 24mm f/2.0 Nikkor AI @ f4.0, ISO 100, 1/60 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 24mm f/2.0 Nikkor AI @ f4.0, ISO 100, 1/80 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 24mm f/2.0 Nikkor AI @ f4.0, ISO 100, 1/125 sec.

Evening Stroll down Takeshita Dori

Last week my wife and I took a quick stroll from our house to Takeshita Dori in Harajuku. Even on a Sunday evening the street is full of life... At least until about 8 pm when most of the shops start closing.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f4.0, ISO 400, 1/50 sec.

Tarō Okamoto's L'Homme Végétal at the Hakone Open Air Museum

At the end of July, my sister came to Tokyo for several weeks to enjoy the end of her summer holidays before returning to Syracuse (and spend quality time with her nephew and niece). One of the first things we together was spend the day in Hakone. After summer vacation visits to some amazing museums in New York and Cleveland, you may have thought incorrectly that I must be tired of visiting museums. The fact is a visit Hakone without a visit to the Hakone Open Air Museum would be incomplete.

It's hard for any attraction in the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park (富士箱根伊豆国立公園) area to compete with the natural beauty of the area. However, the amazing surroundings combined with amazing art is always a winning combination. There is plenty to see in the museum, and the gardens don't hold back with the amazing world class sculptures. After passing through the entrance, L'Homme Végétal by Tarō Okamoto is one of the first of many amazing sculptures you will encounter. I'll post a more of my photos from this visit, perhaps a sculpture from Henry Moore, Picasso, Alexander Calder, or Giuliano Vangi.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 24mm f/2.0 Nikkor AI @ f8, ISO 100, 1/250 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 24mm f/2.0 Nikkor AI @ f8, ISO 100, 1/320 sec.

Totoro is Delicious

I've got a few more posts of our recent trip to NYC planned, but in the meantime here's another from my late summer walk through Nakano. Not exactly sure where in the Nakano Broadway area my sister and I found this treat, but there was a bakery that sold delicious cream filled Totoro shaped pan! An awesome anime themed snack perfectly suited for Nakano.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 35 mm, f5.6, ISO 100, 1/160 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 35 mm, f5.6, ISO 100, 1/200 sec.

On the Highline

After a delicious and farm fresh breakfast at the Chelsea Creamline, we took a short walk and met friends on The Highline. Although it was crowded, it lived up to all the hype. What a magnificent use of urban space! The gardens were in full summer bloom and the art installations were whimsical, fun and modern. It was an amazing beautiful space.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f8, ISO 100, 1/80 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f8, ISO 100, 1/160 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f8, ISO 100, 1/250 sec.

Summer Break Breakfast at the Chelsea Market

On our summer vacation stop in New York, we took a quick trip from Midtown to the eclectic Chelsea Market and had an awesome breakfast at the Chelsea Creamline.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f4, ISO 200, 1/10 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f4, ISO 200, 1/6 sec.

Summer Break in New York

The family had a busy summer break. We visited relatives in Cleveland, had a quick escape to Orlando and several more days in New York City. Our children especially enjoined the American Museum of Natural History and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The elephants on display in the Akeley Hall of African Mammals were particularly amazing!

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 17 mm, f5.6, ISO 400, 1/2 sec.

Expensive Toys in Nakano Broadway

If you are interested in collectibles, especially with a more otaku (geeky or nerdy) flavor, such as toys, action figures, books, manga, posters, media (DVDs & CDs), animation cells and other pop culture artifacts, you would probably be interested in visiting the Nakano Broadway. For some odd reason, if you obsession also extends to expensive mechanical watches (Rolex, Omega, Patek Philippe, Panerai and others) there are several large shops here that can cater to your needs.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f5.0, ISO 400, 1/60 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f5.6, ISO 400, 1/25 sec.

2016 Azabu Juban Banner

I haven't been spending as much time Azabu Juban lately, and haven't had the chance to collect photos of the interesting banners that get changes with the seasons and matsuris. Since I work on a US holiday schedule, I had the US Labor Day holiday off. My first stop was Azabu Juban, and I spotted this latest banner.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f5.6, ISO 100, 1/1250 sec.

Sumida River Hanabi 2016 or Sensō-ji's Kaminarimon

In July 2016, my sister and I attempted to see the Sumida River Hanabi (Fireworks). We left a little late from the house and didn't arrive at Asakusa Station until the fireworks were starting. As expected, the crowds were large and it was impossible for those arriving late to get to the riverside to see the Hanabi. Oh well, we did make it to the Kaminarimon ("Thunder Gate"), and had a wander through crowded streets trying to find a good position. We caught glimpses of the fireworks through the builds and in reflections in glass windows. However, in the end we mostly enjoyed seeing all the revelers dressed in their summer yukata.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f5.6, ISO 400, 1/6 sec.