Taking Obsession To The Next Level

Taking the Japaneses obsession with noodles to the next step the Tokyo Noodle website features a blog, pictures and even a DVD of various Japanese women eating noodles in random places.

How To Enjoy Suhi

Guerilla Flowerpots in Tokyo’s Public Spaces

Tokyo Wall Scene, originally uploaded by cjw333.

Guerrilla flowerpots in Tokyo are a quiet, beautiful form of urban rebellion—unexpected bursts of nature tucked into the city’s dense, concrete sprawl. These aren't part of official beautification projects, but rather the work of anonymous individuals or small groups who plant flowers, herbs, and even tiny gardens in public spaces where greenery isn’t typically found. You'll spot them in cracks in sidewalks, at the base of utility poles, on forgotten stairwells, or nestled beside vending machines—little acts of defiance against urban monotony.

In a city as meticulously organized as Tokyo, these humble pots and planters stand out not because they’re loud, but because they’re so gentle. They reflect a quiet love for the city and a desire to humanize the landscape, adding warmth and life where there was none. Some are playful—brightly painted or accompanied by tiny figurines—while others are simple and serene. They're part public art, part protest, and part care-taking, reminding everyone who walks by that even the smallest acts can shift the feeling of a place.

PingMag provides an overview of guerilla flowerpots in Tokyo, Japan

Can you find the BNE sticker?

Tokyo-Ga - Pachinko & Mu

Palo Alto Smoke Shop Indian

indian, originally uploaded by cjw333.

The "Indian smoke shop statue" is a familiar and often controversial figure seen outside tobacco shops, particularly in the United States. This one was outside a Smoke Shop on UNiversity Ave. in Palo Alto, CA.

These statues are typically carved from wood and depict a Native American man—often in a feathered headdress or traditional attire—standing tall and holding cigars, pipes, or simply posed as a sentinel. Historically, they served as advertising figures for tobacconists, especially in the 19th and early 20th centuries, when literacy was less common and shopkeepers relied on visual symbols to represent their trade.

While some view these statues as nostalgic Americana or folk art, others criticize them for perpetuating stereotypes and reducing Indigenous identity to a commercial mascot. Today, they exist in a gray space—part kitsch, part cultural artifact, and part painful reminder of how Indigenous cultures have been misrepresented and commodified. Whether seen as collectibles or as outdated symbols, these statues invite deeper conversations about representation, respect, and the evolution of cultural imagery in public spaces.

OPEN AIR from knox on Vimeo.

In 2006, a documentary was created for the School of Public Art at the University of Southern California (USC). This documentary explored the studios and methods of six of the top street artists in America: Faile, Skewville, Mike De Feo, Dan Witz, Espo and Tiki Jay One.

Official selection of the Coney Island Film Festival and the Freewaves International Film Festival.

Riff on the Ikea 19" Rast Rack

22112007027, originally uploaded by weight_d.

This is weight_d's version of my Ikea 19" Rast Rack. Mr D did a bit of a mod shifting the bottom shelf down to gain an extra U of rack space for a total of 7U. A Nice job and it's used to house a switch, 500Gb NAS, router, 2 computers, oscilloscope, signal generator and three power supplies.


original project

damon soule dunny

damon soule dunny, originally uploaded by cjw333.

dunny - series 3
3" (2006)
damon soule

more info at damonsoule.com

San Francisco Bay Area Music Resources

General Resources

Upcoming.org - A decent site for events around the bay although most are in SF. You might still find some stuff in SJ and Palo Alto, etc…

Yelp – A good resource for restaurant reviews in the Bay Area


Music Resources

Jazz Links For the Bay Area


CD/Record Shops

Amoeba - Upper Haight - One of the biggest and the best in the Bay Area with several locations. This one has taken over an old bowling alley. If you can't find it here it probably doesn't exist.

Aquarius Records - Mission - Great indie shop with lots of psych, experimental, indie world and metal among others.


Instruments

Lark In The Morning - located in The Cannery at Del Monte Square (map) 2801 Leavenworth and Beach at Fisherman's Wharf - a great place for all kinds of strange and unique ethnic instruments.

Haight Ashbury Music Center - Upper Haight - Specializing in guitars and percussions with some electronics.

Guitar Center - Van Ness near Market - Massive chain store for all your needs.


Venues

Audium - Space music in an interesting space

Bottom of the Hill - Portrero - excellent, small club with tons of great indie acts of all kinds.

The Fillmore - Fillmore - an SF institution and a great place to see a show

Great American Music Hall - Tenderloin - my favorite medium sized club in the city. It's like a mini Fillmore of sorts.

Slim's - SoMA - another good medium-small venue featuring all kinds of indie acts.

Stanford University Events

Yoshi's – Jazz club in Oakland


Festivals

Fillmore Street Jazz Festival
June, 30 – July 1 2007


Radio Stations

KCSM – Jazz radio station and might have some good jazz resources on the site

KFJC (89.7 FM) - The wave of the west, broadcasting from Foothill College in Los Altos Hills. Everything you've always wanted from a college radio station and more

KZSU (90.1) - Stanford college station with a good mix of just about everything

Vietnamese Coffee

photo by Evil Jungle Prince


Vietnamese Coffe or Cà phê sữa đá as it's known in Vietnamese is a coffee drink that really packs a punch. Sweetened with condensed milk I prefer it poured over ice to mellow the taste and cut some of the sweetness. The folks at Gadling do a good job of explaining the details. And if that's not enough, check out the Wikipedia entry.