颶風紀 Mighty 19

本來該寫六月京都遊記, 然十月東京蒙難, 先插播滿腹牢騷, 今年是否沖撞掌管航運神祇?  東方應是媽祖默娘, 西方大抵為飛靴長翅的Hermes, 請受小的奉上空也紅豆最中兩枚, 保祐敝人消災除噩, 平安到家.

June, strained in Taipei due to cabin crew union strike.  July, strained in Chicago after a cancelled connecting flight on my way to Firenze.  October, strained in Tokyo in clearance of Typhoon Hagibis.  That's my luck and stocking up on any kind of food was all I could do for my hideout...

颱風夜滂沱大雨, 銀座旅館房間位23高樓被吹得搖搖晃晃, 早先備下乾糧雜誌和浦東機場買的"十里春風, 不如你", 馮唐文字頗有情趣, 那篇以天婦羅之神早乙女哲哉為靈感的類武俠讀來哲思泉湧.  另一本雜誌說茶道, 封面是氣質美女石田百合子, 若我是男性, 套馮唐的話, 這類女子最能讓我心內底片感光, 曾觀賞(又是飛機上看的...)曼谷東方文華飯店背景的電影"再見, 總有一天", 中山美穗飾美艷小三, 石田為端麗正室, 兩位美女並排坐過渡昭柏耶河的檜木船尾, 石田眼觀鼻, 鼻觀心, 紋風不動, 眉間有劍氣, 風情萬種的中山一敗塗地.

After the storm passed, out on the street of Ginza and a close encounter with Godzilla, king of the monsters. 

Yellow Submarine

滯留東京數日, 晨昏定省與公司旅行社軟磨硬泡, 求回灣區機票一張… 累極氣極, 人定既勝不了天, 更輸給人類共有冷漠不干己事劣根性.  剩餘時間便是回郵件和閑逛, 沒小V和LK先生圍繞, 有些寂寞, 但多了許多自省空間.  無厘頭人做無厘頭事, 上鳩居堂對文房四寶毛手毛腳, 站在和光百貨巨窗前自拍神獸哥吉拉張口吞噬, 混至筷箸老店樓上的陶器舖細覽生活器皿, 店裏播放披頭四, 忍不住隨樂輕哼:

We all live in a yellow submarine 

Yellow submarine, yellow submarine

Very inspired by the bento culture, every ingredient has its reason for being and place!  While going through the tedious negotiation with the travel agency for a reroute, instead of getting frustrated, I tried enjoying the best the season offers… dessert, please!

店主是兩位白晰的日本女生, 親切多禮, 滿坑滿谷的杯盤碟碗, 這店亦是與世隔絕陶瓷理想國的諾亞方舟.  白聽著披頭四 不留買路財過意不去, 選了對巴掌大心型陶板, 一只繪緋色裙裝女子, 另一只是穿綠色格子西裝男子…完全非LK路數, 陰雨的夢遊午后, 黃色潛水艇催眠, 無面目的牛郎織女於我左右手隔鵲橋相望.

When I finally was rebooked flying home to the Bay Area, I also packed myself an in-flight bento of persimmon leaf wrapped sushi and  red bean paste filled monaka.  Education - Application - Transformation :)

旬菜便當方框風景

中菜圓盤圓碗大圓轉桌, 務必團團圓圓好采頭; 日系菜餚則重正方長方盒中山水, 托盤上筷箸和箸架直角, 與飯菜盒器平放, 極在乎眉角秩序, 不正不食.  直角控如我, 便當分外療癒, 五色旬菜乃古禮, 與和靜清寂同源, 敬天惜物愛人, 連嚐幾天 總算擠得上班機時, 也替自己張羅盒飛航便當, 四切柿葉握壽司加兩枚最中. 

There was a serendipity in the few days of 'mandatory vacation'.  I visited the newly opened MUJI flagship.  It's a market, retail shop, tea parlor, beauty bar, restaurant, hotel, library and museum all in one.

銀座媽媽桑

泡沫經濟過後, 貨真價實的媽媽桑應已絕跡, 若有, 唯貨真價實大腕負擔得起.  於久兵衛晚膳, 用畢十貫魚生, 大啖細卷漬茄玉子燒時, 一對彷彿山崎豐子文章中的人物入座, 男人高鼻大眼, 濃眉極長, 年青時想必甚英俊, 說話有迴聲, 空山靈雨. 和服熟女眸光流轉眉聚遠黛, 雲髻低綰, 夕顏花藍紫色和服領口襯纖長頸項, 真真好風景.  男人從不自己取物, 咫尺的熱茶毛巾皆由女子遞入手心, 這是大男人的美夢亦或每個男人的心中都住了隻大媽寶?

Meandering through the maze of Ginza led me to the hidden treasure trove of Fugetsudo.  The discovery felt more like a rendezvous.

魔魘

東京候機多日, 雖能吃能睡, 卻頻作惡夢, 一時夢見深夜搭車誤站, 漆黑山野暴徒不懷好意追趕; 一時夢見家園核子試爆,  烈焰燃天幕; 又一時夢見排隊上交通車, 車箱低窄, 得弓身爬行, 每號車位塞滿病嬰… 荒誕不經其實透露思維深處的焦慮無助, 書寫安我神, 繪畫定我魂, 只得日間振筆疾書驅魔.

Never a dull moment for tea lovers like me in a city that celebrates amour vert.  Every meal was a delightful ceremony.

A Different Corner

金春通交叉七丁目的路口最常光顧, Toriba佰元咖啡, 椿屋咖哩牛肉燴飯, 和月光莊畫具明信片共組金三角.  夜幕初降, Toriba便點起盞盞茶燭, 播放爵士樂, 酗咖啡當夜酒, 光影間, 曾經不可自拔的沈溺, 以為不懈的無堅不摧, 我們所追求的從不存在, 該戒的是身不由己的思慕... If I could, I would, I swear.

The coffee scene just as charming.  I stopped by Toriba at least twice a day.  The morning coffee was must and when the night fell, the boutique coffee shop transformed into a candlelit jazz club where weary travelers sipped and relaxed into a slow dream.

Until next time!