still-sound 179. Cheesecake

I recently watched an episode of At Home with Venetia in Kyoto in which Venetia visits with her old friend Charles.  She befriended him shortly after arriving in Japan some forty years ago.  He convinced her to move to Kyoto rather than to stay in Tokyo.

When she arrived at his home on the episode they greeted each other in English (Charles is American) then continued the rest of their conversation exclusively in Japanese.  She explained how the move to Kyoto had proved to be essential in her development as a person.  That Kyoto was the 'true Japan' - the Japan that intrigued her.  She told her friend, "Charles, your name is now synonymous in Kyoto with cheesecake."

What?!

Apparently Charles introduced the magic that is New York cheesecake (he's originally from New York) to the people of Kyoto, making it and serving it in his cafe.  He, Venetia and Venetia's grandson Joe made a cheesecake together.  I desired cheesecake as I watched the episode.  Desired it.  I thought about it all week.

Today on my way to work I stopped by Trader Joe's and bought a frozen New York style cheesecake.  It defrosted through the day and at 4 pm Laura suggested we start eating it.  We agreed that it was perhaps the most delicious thing we'd ever eaten.

still-sound 178. Blimp

Today was funny.  I wore at least three different fragrances.  Dream by Gap in the morning.  There was something about the fruitiness of my new hair product that made me think that Dream would be a good idea.   In the afternoon I misted myself with Neroli 36 by Le Labo.  It smells like suntan lotion.  The last fragrance, and my favorite of the day was Champaca by Comme des Garcons.

When I got home from work I went for a run in Elysian Park and watched blimps float over Dodgers Stadium.  I listened to several songs while running including We Belong by Pat Benatar.  I recently added it to my playlist.  I remember liking the video when I was a kid.  Pat wore a large emerald ring in it.  It's all you noticed when she clapped her hands in time to the music.*  

I kept hoping that I would see the moon looming over the horizon.  Yesterday it was the closest to Earth that it will be all year - but the sky was somewhat cloudy and the effect wasn't as spectacular as I anticipated.  Tonight I couldn't find it anywhere.  As though it decided to not rise at all.

*I rewatched the video to We Belong just after writing this and found that my memory took a few liberties with the details.  There was no emerald ring.  There were emerald-like earrings.  And green gloves.  And a childrens choir.  And a waterfall.  I did remember the waterfall and the childrens choir accurately however.

still-sound 177. Flower district

You might think these are real fruits.  They're not.  They're made of plastic.  I bought them today in the flower district downtown.  I'll display them in the perfume store where I work to encourage people to think about summer and fruity smells.

A young woman rung me up at the cashier.  She spoke to her colleague the entire time she scanned the items.  I didn't mind.  My purchase reminded her of a recent incident where a young boy thought the fruits were real and attempted to bite into one.  

Her story didn't ring true to me.  I figured that the boy probably knew very well that the fruit was not real but pretended to be fooled for comedic effect.   Why would a young boy pick up any fruit in any store and just start eating it?  

I didn't react to the story.  I pretended to be lost in my thoughts.  Her colleague didn't seem to have much of a reaction either.  When I thanked her at the end of the sale I was surprised by the gravelly, deep sound of my voice. It didn't sound like me.  I liked it.

Here's another picture of the fruits.

On my way back to the car I walked through the Flower Mall.  I saw multicolored hydrangea.  They were real flowers but I suspected that their color was achieved through artificial methods.

still-sound 176. Prism

The morning sun sometimes hits the glass pyramid I have on a table near the window in such a way to refract light. Little rainbows appear on the walls and ceiling as a result.  I then come out of my dark bedroom to find this little kaleidoscopic effect in my living room.  I always like these mornings.

still-sound 175. Meowsic

I went to Target today to look for colorful things. I was on a mission to decorate the perfume shop where I work in a summery way.  I found a few suitable objects.  Target is good for things like this.  Seasonal things.  As I walked to the checkout my eye got stuck in the toy section.  I was in colorful-plastic-object mode so I thought I might see something in that particular aisle that would capture my imagination.

I did.

It was a piano in the shape of a cat.  It was called Meowsic.  I wanted one.  I wondered what it would sound like.  It cost $26.99.  I didn't know if this was a good price for a Meowsic or a bad price.  I didn't buy it.

I like visiting Target.  Everywhere smells like buttered popcorn.

still-sound 174. Baker's twine

I bought a big spool of baker's twine online.  I have big plans for it.  So far I've used it to string together the birthday cards that my friends gave me last month.  I don't want to throw them away but I don't want to have them out any longer either. 

still-sound 173. Mirror

Someone stole the piece of plastic that covers the back of my side view mirror.  I noticed that it was missing when I drove home from the swimming pool last week.  There was no sign of damage, no apparent grazes or cracks.  Someone deliberately and cleanly removed it.  I guessed that it had happened the night before when I was enjoying a drink at 1642.  I returned to the scene of the crime to look for clues.

I thought that maybe a drunk dude with a great sense of humor removed the mirror cap and perhaps threw it on to the sidewalk a few paces later when the plastic no longer amused him.  This did not seem to be the case in the light of the bright Southern California daytime however.  There was no glossy black shell on the sidewalk.  I crossed the street and continued my inspection.

There was another black Mini Cooper very similar to mine, parked in front of a house.  I had noticed it in the past.  My eyes wandered to the side view mirror to remind myself of the glossy plastic cap that was so abruptly taken from me.  Only this car didn't appear to have the cap either.  The wires controlling the automatic mirrors were as naked as mine.  "What a weird coincidence.  Perhaps someone on this street has a Mini Cooper passenger-side-rearview-mirror-cap fetish" I thought.

I know that my Mini Cooper brother stole the cap.  It's hard to understand why he would think to do that rather than to order another one.  It was probably easier to take my cap than to arrange for a $153.78 replacement.  For a second I considered stealing it back (if it, in fact, appears on his car.  I haven't returned to that street since last week). Or maybe scratch the pristine surface with my key.  Or leave a note asking him for $153.78.  I won't do any of these though.  I'll just not park on that street again.

This morning I picked up the replacement mirror cap.  My car looked so complete.  Even more complete than back before I realized that such a thing could even be missing.  I drove directly to the carwash and scrubbed off the entire incident.  But before washing I walked over to Ms Donuts to get change.  And to eat a doughnut.