arigatou 2011

Friday, 30 December 2011

Getting ready for welcoming the New Year to arrive, which is the most important event in Japan, I feel so grateful that I can do all these things like I have always done (even the crazy part like doing the exhausting last minute New Year shopping!). 2011 has been the most difficult year for us in Japan, and when looking back the past year it can never be done without thinking about what happened in and since March 11. I can not say how grateful I am for many of you who kindly sent me the warmest wishes and words of encouragements through this blog and emails which meant A LOT to me, and for all the tremendous support we received from all over the world for Japan. I thank you so very much and hope that you will all have a wonderful start to the 2012, that happy warm light will keep coming through the window of each of your heart and to the world :)

みなさま今年も本当にありがとう。
どうぞよいお年をお迎えください。
Comments: 11

Casa Gilardi

Wednesday, 28 December 2011

Another house, the last house Luis Barragán designed "Casa Gilardi" is also in Mexico City and although the Gilardi family are actually living in this house they let you see inside (partially) by appointments. The famous dining room with an indoor pool was quite amazing finally seeing in real life. There is a huge jacaranda tree in the courtyard where one of the walls is painted in the exact same colour of the jacaranda flowers. I imagined how beautiful it would be when jacaranda is all in full bloom. I must go back to see this city for the jacaranda season, all the streets lined with jacaranda trees must be so dreamy just like our sakura!
Comments: 6

Casa Luis Barragán

Monday, 26 December 2011

I'm continuing posts from my trip to Mexico wanting to finish up soon but I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas if you celebrate it. Here in Japan it's not really what it must be like in the rest of the world, generally it's not so important but just very commercial once you have grown up....

*

Well, the biggest reason I had always wanted to go to Mexico is Luis Barragán, a Pritzker-prize winning architect and one of my very favourite architects in the world. Casa Barragán, designated a world heritage site by UNESCO, was designed by Barragán for himself in Mexico City in 1948 and is where he spent the last part of his life. I had seen so many photos of his house from a couple of exhibitions held in Tokyo and from books that I knew what each room would look like, it had long been my dream to go visit his house to see and feel the space, light and what is all there, so when I stepped into this house, into each room, my heart went fast with excitements! I would highly recommend visiting Casa Luis Barragán if you ever go to Mexico City. Seriously, I do.

Unfortunately no photographs were allowed inside so I could only take of the exterior which is kept very simple that it is hard to imagine what is like inside, so here are the images of the interior all cortesey of Luis Barragan Foundation via Casa Luis Barragán.
All above 8 images are from www.casaluisbarragan.org.


This last amazing image is by xoio.
Comments: 2

La Casa Azul - Museo Frida Kahlo

Friday, 23 December 2011

Coyoacan is where Frida Kahlo was born and spent most of her life in, and yes that is where Museo Frida Kahlo is. This is where Frida grew up and is also called la casa azul (blue house) and I had dreamed of going there one day for a long time so it was another of my dream come true!

**

Well, I would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

:)
Comments: 10

Coyoacan - Mexico City

Monday, 19 December 2011

From San Angel we walked to Coyoacan, a lovely neighbourhood with so many beautiful old houses with lots of amazing colours. It was really hard to just keep walking without stopping to photograph every few metres. Every single sight that came into my eyes was mesmerising. Ah Mexico City, I love you so much!!
Comments: 14
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Instagram