Jonelle Patrick's Blog, page 3

Mommy, when I grow up, can I be a cat lady?

In Japan, it’s never to early to practice going to the animal shelter and agonizing over which adorable pet to save. And when you give in to all their doomed little faces begging not to be left behind, that’s okay. Because Barbie says it’s perfectly okay to become a cat lady. • If you loveContinue reading "Mommy, when I grow up, can I be a cat lady?"

The most outrageous car show in Japan is back!

Tokyo Auto Salon: The latest, greatest car mods for 2025 This year’s show lacked some of my favorite kitchy offerings of years past, but if you’re a dude whose burning desire is to turn his car into a babe-magnet, Tokyo Auto Salon is the show for you. Manly, eye-popping paint job? Check. The latest inContinue reading "The most outrageous car show in Japan is back!"

Xmas Gifts I Do Not Want To Find Under My Tree

The world’s most dreaded procedure play set When flossing looks like the most fun activity on offer, you know you’re in trouble. • The fermented soybean puzzle The only thing that would make this puzzle featuring clumps of Japan’s most notoriously unfriendly food less fun would be if it were real nattō, which is oneContinue reading "Xmas Gifts I Do Not Want To Find Under My Tree"

Xmas Gifts I Do Not Want To Find Under My Tree

The world’s most-dreaded procedure play set When flossing looks like the most fun activity on offer, you know you’re in trouble. • The fermented soybean puzzle The only thing that would make this puzzle featuring clumps of Japan’s most notoriously unfriendly food less fun would be if it were real nattō, which is one ofContinue reading "Xmas Gifts I Do Not Want To Find Under My Tree"

Bonsai that have seen some stuff

Recently I was boggled by the beautiful bonsai collection at the Happoen garden, because they’re not just exquisite—dang, these trees are OLD! For example, when this bonsai started growing, the Mona Lisa had not yet been painted, surgery was still being performed by barbers, and Spanish ships had just landed in the New World. WhenContinue reading "Bonsai that have seen some stuff"

Donuts filled with crazy Japanese flavors

Japan is obviously not the birthplace of fried dough, but like so many “foreign” foods that make their way to these shores, the J-take on donuts is both foreign and completely Japanese at the very same time. And these cream-filled beauties from Abebe Bakery’s Tokyo outpost come through not just one alien land, but two,Continue reading "Donuts filled with crazy Japanese flavors"

Nobuyuki Fujiwara’s explosive glass art retrospective

Glass artist Nobuyuki Fujiwara’s delightfully organic pieces explode and bloom with energy, and a selection of his recent works is being featured in this lovely retirement retrospective at the University Art Museum’s exhibition hall right now. His willingness to push glass techniques and technology in whole new directions results in some surprising pieces… and hisContinue reading "Nobuyuki Fujiwara’s explosive glass art retrospective"

Nobuyuki Fujiwara’s ethereal glass art retrospective

Glass artist Nobuyuki Fujiwara’s delightfully organic pieces explode and bloom with energy, and a selection of his recent works is being featured in this lovely retirement retrospective at the University Art Museum’s exhibition hall right now. His willingness to push glass techniques and technology in whole new directions results in some surprising pieces… and hisContinue reading "Nobuyuki Fujiwara’s ethereal glass art retrospective"

I did not expect what’s beneath this strangely huge pop top…

Lemon Sours are the most classic of the fruity canned cocktails most Japanese have less-than-fond teenage memories of overindulging in, so I didn’t expect innovation to strike at the very training wheels of alcohol prowess. What stopped me at the splashy grocery store display wasn’t the snappy new package design, it was the weirdly hugeContinue reading "I did not expect what’s beneath this strangely huge pop top…"

Roppongi Art Night: Banana peels, bondage & bubbles

Strange sights are a dime a dozen on the streets of Roppongi at night, but this is the first time I’ve encountered a giant inflatable banana skin. Welcome to the 2024 version of Roppongi Art Night, which was smaller than in years past, but featured some choice pieces that were worth braving a rainy nightContinue reading "Roppongi Art Night: Banana peels, bondage & bubbles"