Author Archives: Lynda Philippsen

Winter Colours

Walking along the shaded avenues, looking across the expanses and views of Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden on a crisp afternoon, I suddenly longed to paint rooms. I imagined a serene home designed in the varied and wondrous winter tones spread … Continue reading

Posted in Japan, Travel & Culture, This & That | Tagged | Leave a comment

Getting Back to Sogetsu Ikebana School

Getting back into ikebana after a 20-day hiatus wasn’t easy. Like any skill-development abandoned for a significant period of time—exercise, music practice, that golf swing, whatever—there’s a certain muscle tone and mindset which deteriorates in the interval.

Posted in Japan, Travel & Culture, This & That | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Serendipity and a Haircut at Gold Salon Tokyo

How serendipity strikes: After a party of three left the restaurant where I was waiting at the counter to place my order, one of them turned around and dashed back in to give me his card. “In case you might … Continue reading

Posted in Japan, Travel & Culture, This & That | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Afternoon Interlude at Alain Ducasse Beige, Tokyo

Beige, the Alain Ducasse restaurant in the top floor of the Chanel building in Ginza is where I spent most of yesterday afternoon. I’ve never enjoyed a Michelin star restaurant before and prefer to supply a link the Beige website … Continue reading

Posted in Food, Wine & Restaurants, Japan, Travel & Culture, This & That | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Fashion Duds

Though it wasn’t on the trip “To Do List” I was open to being tempted by Tokyo fashion. I’ve bought beloved and timeless clothing in Japan that is still going strong more than a decade later. However, on some previous … Continue reading

Posted in Japan, Travel & Culture, Reviews, This & That | Tagged | Leave a comment

Happy New Year from Tokyo: Welcome 2018

Today I picked up my order of Osechi-ryori, boxes of celebratory New Year’s foods. These are freighted with auspicious symbolism and beautifully packaged inside boxes called jūbako.

Posted in Food, Wine & Restaurants, Japan, Travel & Culture, This & That | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Reviewing My Progress in Sogetsu Ikebana

Levels one and two of the Sogetsu School of Ikebana are devoted to basics, basics, basics. Everything depends on the basics. One set of branches with one set of flowers and variations of three primary lines (Shin, Soe and Hikae) … Continue reading

Posted in Japan, Travel & Culture, This & That | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Thoughts on Food & Love on Christmas Day

Christmas, in my view, is more intimate than other occasions on the calendar. At least it is in the Pacific Northwest where I have experienced the majority of my Christmas celebrations. Inside the home trees, lights, fires and candles glow. … Continue reading

Posted in Food, Wine & Restaurants, Japan, Travel & Culture, This & That | Tagged | Leave a comment

Christmas Eve in Yokohama and Tokyo

Last weekend I hopped the train to Yokohama—about an hour out of Tokyo—to join friends for the Christmas Market in a former warehouse district now  converted to event and boutique space. On Christmas Eve Sunday I’d been invited back for … Continue reading

Posted in Food, Wine & Restaurants, Japan, Travel & Culture, This & That | Tagged | Leave a comment

Getting into the Spirit

Twenty-two minutes before the Solstice sunset I was seated on the 41st floor of the Park Hyatt Tokyo in Shinjuku with a glass of champagne. Looking west through semi-sheer blinds diffusing the view, a large orange ball hung over the … Continue reading

Posted in Japan, Travel & Culture, This & That | Tagged , | Leave a comment