And so I went to New-York City.

Before I show you the skyscrapers, the yellow cabs, the green face of the Statue of Liberty and the lights of Time Square, here is the project that Sonyan and myself have been working on while visiting the city... One day a fan, always a fan.

When in NYC, you can't help but remembering all these movies, all these TV series taking place there, and it's so inspiring. You are Marilyn. You are Holly Golightly. So let's start the show with a the classics !

This is the actual subway grate where Marilyn's white dress made history. There's nothing there to indicate the place, but Google knows everything. So exciting to stand there...

The huge Tiffany shop was easier to spot. I'm afraid Audrey Hepburn was not sipping on her coffee with a straw, but this is the Starbuck way...

But Braodway means "musicals". And the greatest of all is...

If you want even more badass references, let's go Gangster style.

This post is getting too dark. Let's add a pinch of punk... Do you remember Giselle singing her lungs out in Central Park?

But the sky is not always blue in Manhattan. A girl also has to struggle with modern life. For example, when your boss is a bitch...

... or when love sucks. Fortunately, good cupcakes can solve everything.

OK, but what if an ugly, giant, stupid monster was trying AGAIN to destroy the city??...

I guess we would have to call this guy again.

9 days in NYC through 9 movies! And weabsolutely have to go again for a TV series shooting: Friends, Gossip Girls, How I met your mother and many more are waiting for us!

YES. Exactly. We're in March, sweet sunshine and fresh rain clouds are competing for the sky, and this girl wants to enjoy her WEEK-ENDS at the park in Tokyo. With pure strings, swallows, daffodils and these cute leopard print glasses by My Little Box Japan.

My Little Box Japan in March : Week-end spirit

Keep calm, week-end is coming soon.

Made in Taiwan. This is written everywhere on your clothes, your shoes, your batteries, your toaster. Half of your world comes from the other side of Earth. But Taiwan is nothing like an open-sky workshop sending cheap stuff to the Western countries. Taiwan is smart and cool. Taiwan offers similar living conditions with Europe and the USA. Taiwan has a fascinating history, beautiful landscapes, great cultural heritage and fantastic people. Polite and respectful like the Japanese, relax and smiling like South-East Asian, hard-working like the Chinese, curious like the Westerners. I guess that on the long-term, they also reveal the bad sides of all these people together, but for a visitor like me, the attitude of Taiwanese people is really beyond compare. You can't be more welcome anywhere than in Taiwan. These people make you immediatly feel at home and comfortable. I am genuinely amazed.

I have seen extremely few Caucasian tourists during my stay; Taiwan is still pretty unknown from the West. We certainly have the image of "a little piece of China, producing cheap". But the ancient island of Formosa really deserves better than opinion that. Follow me !

Taipei !

Here is the legendary Tapei 101, the main landmark of the Taiwanese capital, which has been the highest tower in the world for a long time. As skyscrappers are quite rare in Taipei, you can't miss it. From anywhere around, you can see it standing like a giant bambooo cane in the skyline. Personnally, I found it is the prettiest high modern landmark I have ever seen.

And from its top, you can admire Taiwan, lost in the mist. Blue hills in the background, regular rows of small buildings, and green oasis everywhere.

You wouldn't sware it when you see it from high, but Taipei is a real human-scale city, not a giant megalopolis like Tokyo or a busy bee hive like Hong-Kong. There is only a few subway lines, confortable distances, and you can reach any spot quite easily. Imagine wide streets like in Bangkok, but as clean as in Japan, busy like in Hong-Kong during open hours and calm like France on Sunday mornings.

(Oh yeah, and yellow cabs like in New-York city.)

By the way, Taiwan's official name is ROC : Republic of China. Not to take for the People's Republic of China, of course. Yes, it's confusing. In the past, Taiwan has been ruled by China, then by Japan, and finally became the shelter of the last supporters of the old Republic of China, while mainland China was taken over by the commmunists. So tiny Taiwan still considers itself as the true legitimate "Republic of China", though the big Chinese neighbour claims it belongs to the People's Republic of China. Complicated, uh.

In this context, you will understand that the General Tchang Kai-check, the former President of this Republic, is venerated like a god. A god with a big house in center town, lucky him.

Tchang Kai-chek Memorial

Taipei has space! Space for memorials, for parks, for emptiness. And it feels great. Don't you think we could record a movie here ?

Retro Taipei

I was taking about human-scale distances. And I prove it. There are hot springs in the North of the city, and you can get access to it with the subway. Yes. Welcome to Xinbeitou hot hot hot springs, with its smelly sulfur smokes and its milky boiling waters...

Xinbeitou hot springs

Even if I was amazingly luck to find myself in Taipei under a perfect sun, let's do not forget Taiwan is most of the time under the sky's waters. The rainy season is long and heavy, and then typhoons are coming regularly to remind everyone it's a tropical zone, b*tch. So no wonder nature is constantly taking over concrete.

Nature in the city

Free and natural hot foot bath downtown, friends ! Yes, we can! Feeling tired after shopping? Let's relax your legs in hot water!

To complete your feet treat, why don't you walk on massage stones? Yeah, I know, it's excrutiating. But God you feel relax and light after that.

Go further to the North with the metro red line, and contemplate the sunset on Tamsui river. Holidays atmosphere guaranteed !

Tamsui sunset

Ok, now let's get a bite of culture. In the beating heart of Taipei, there is a Chinese mansion surrounded by pure gardens that belonged before to a powerful merchants' family, the Lin. Now you can visit this jewel of architecture for free. For free ! All this beauty, for free !

Lin Family House & Gardens

Of course, after this, I felt more a princess than ever. Imagine me walking in these delicate gardens, composing a poem under one of these moon-gates, looking for the reflexion of my lover in the pond's water... In this dress...

Yes, because Taiwan also offers one of the greatest Chinese service : costumed photo shooting. In this kind of photo studio, you can get make-up, hairstyling and dressing up before being photo-shooted like a star. That's just an appetizer. Wait a bit for the professional shots to be delivered at my place! It's going to be spectacular!!

But we still have many things to see in town. For example, temples. Of course the Taiwanese, like the Chinese, don't miss a chance to go to the temple and pray ancestors or gods for success and protection. They light up candles or incense sticks, bring food to the spirits and also have meals there. So Taipei's temples are busy night and day...

Longshan Temple

Tai Hou Temple

But the Chinese roots are not the only reference here. Actually, during the Japanese period, Taiwan has been entirely reorganized, modernized and equipped with infrastructure. The Taiwanese are maybe the only people in Asia who are thinking positively of Japan and the former Japanese "influence". They litterally adore the Japanese culture, food, fashion and way of life, feeling way closer from the archipelago than from mainland China. The Japanese heritage is praised and maintained with great care. I could easily communicate in Japanese with people when they couldn't speak English. And they all said how lucky I was to live in Tokyo. Coming from "Chinese" people, trust me, it's surprising.

Maybe because it's an island too, we could also find a piece of British architecture in this Tudor style house. It has been built by a Chinese businessman in 1913, to entertain his clients. Unexpected, and beautiful.

Taipei Story House

On the other side of the road, that's another piece of cake.

Taipei Grand Hotel

Bang. A very chinese-style palace, absolutely huge, defying the city from the hill. Impressive...

After this Titan house, it's a relief to appreciate little details... Delicate flowers... light soap bubbles... aerian lanterns... a flying bicycle...

Enchanted street life

Maybe you though I would politely decline the opportunity to eat like a cow ? Nope. Taiwan is so full of delicious food and drinks that it is a pity there is only three meals in a day. Honestly, you need more than a long week-end to try everything Taipei has to offer. Here is a few samples of what I could try, but trust me, walking on the street in Taiwan is a permanent frustration. Yummy stuff everywhere. Everywhere. EVERYWHERE.

Rose and lychee bread

Wonton noodles

Benedict eggs and salmon baggels

Chinese dumplings dim-sum

Kumquat juice

As I said, Taipei has something of Tokyo, right. Including the what-the-f*ck theme restaurants culture. We refrained on trying the toilet-theme one (no thanks) but we couldn't resist for the Barbie Cafe. The Barbie Cafe !!

Somebody said pink?

But the final objective of this Taiwan trip was of course to enjoy time with a great friend. And to say hello to another old one.

After a mint and tea-tree Taiwan shampoo with skull massage... 

Already thinking of the next step of my Asian tour! Will it be the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos?... Suspense!

Every year in Japan, this is the same story : after the magic of blossoming sakura in April/May, we are slowly slipping into the hot season. And before the sweaty summer, there is the grey, the wet, the uncomfortable rainy season. Grey sky, heavy rain, first mosquitos and other disgusting insects, and you can't even wish it's over, because you know that after that, Tokyo will turn into a giant hammam. But let's see the good sides of tuyu, the Japanese rainy season, too.

ADVANTAGE n°1

This is Singing in the Rain every night. Just stop playing with your smartphone for a while, and look around you. The ballet of umbrellas. The artistic combination of rainy boots and open shoes (two different strategies to walk into the puddles, pick up your side). The reflection of lights in the shining watercourses. By night, rainy Tokyo is even more beautiful.

ADVANTAGE n°2

Fireflies. Hotaru, in Japanese. If you can afford a week-end in the countryside, you may have a glimpse of these elegant insects who are mating during in early June for genjibotaru, and early July for heikebotaru. Remember this awfully sad movie by studio Ghibli. And bless Mother Nature to give us something so beautiful.
If you're stuck in Tokyo, well... use your imagination, and/or try your chance at the Four Seasons Hotel's park, close to Waseda.

ADVANTAGE n°3

That's the best moment in the year to go to the museum. Today, I have visited the Mori Tower and it's great exhibition about... LOVE, yeah! "All you need is Love", from April to September 2013, at Roppongi Hills ! From Chagall to Yayoi, feel the power of Love! I got lost in the tentacular labyrinth of Kusama Yayoi, and it was just delightful...

Don't forget to enjoy the rain! Water = Life, baby!

Dear readers, today, I need you to open not only your eyes and minds, but also your ears!

Here is my first single with the Japanese label Pretty Pop, which promotes synth music for your entertainment. The music and edition are signed by Ken K, and I added my lyrics and vocal.

Please listen to it on your sleepless nights!

COUNTING SHEEP

Noemi by Pretty Pop

A Tokyo, à moins de débarquer dans des conditions d'expats, ce qui n'est pas le cas de tout le monde, se loger est une aventure intéressante. Pour ceux qui sont arrivés déjà allergiques à la banlieue, à ses temps de transport et au manque de flexibilité horaire qui en découle, il est hors de question d'aller se nicher à la périphérie du déjà vaste coeur de la capitale nippone ; le problème, c'est qu'à l'intérieur de la ligne Yamanote ou à proximité, on paye une fortune des placards équipés d'une douche. Pour avoir un minimum d'espace vital sans y laisser un rein, il faut malheureusement s'éloigner - ce qu'acceptent en général de bon coeur de faire les étrangers de province, plutôt ravis de s'éloigner de la cohue tokyoïte ; en somme, ceux qui comme moi s'accrochent comme des sangsues à l'idée de "centre" sont bien souvent des banlieusards traumatisés par toute une vie de RER. En un mot, vivre un peu loin pour un rapport surface/loyer convenable (on ne dira pas "avantageux", ce serait mentir), ou vivre au coeur de Tokyo dans un clapier à poules hors de prix, il faut choisir. Et puis il y a la dernière option: la colocation. Là, c'est sa royale intimité qu'on sacrifie à l'autel du dieu Logement; mais pour peu que vous tombiez sur la bonne coloc', votre bonheur est fait.

L'été dernier, j'ai décidé de tenter l'expérience, en m'apprêtant à devoir un peu serrer les dents. Je me suis installée avec trois Japonaises à la suite d'un Français qui quittait sa chambrette. Je ne connaissais aucune de mes roomies, lesquelles travaillaient toutes dans la même entreprise, et j'appréhendais de ne jamais me sentir chez moi dans cette grande maison déjà toute imprgnée de leurs petites habitudes. Naturellement, mon nouveau foyer comportait bien des avantages : salle de bain immense, grande cuisine toute équipée, factures mensuelles collectées et divisées par les soins de la fille de la maison, tours de ménage permettant d'en faire le minimum tout en évoluant dans un espace toujours correctement rangé et propre... et possibilité de claquer la porte à tout moment, sans tous les frais et la paperasse qui accompagnent normalement le fait d'habiter quelque part au Japon. Liberté, liberté chérie.

6 mois plus tard, il est limpide que je suis une sacrée petite veinarde. Non seulement je me sens parfaitement chez moi parmi mes colocataires, mais en plus, j'y ai largement gagné en sérénité, en chaleur humaine et en amusement au quotidien. Les fêtes et les dîners entre amis se succèdent dans notre grand salon, permettant de voir en permanence de nouvelles têtes et de voir se déployer toute une gamme de talents culinaires. Un jeu de chaises musicales plus tard, et un roomate en a remplacé une, apportant dans ses bagages la touche finale pour faire de la maison partagée une colocation d'exception: un piano. C'est ce qui s'appelle une intégration réussie, mes amis.

Dimanche par ci, Samedi par là

Le tout cuisiné maison. Ouais, ouais.

Welcome to Ichihara Hiroko's free exhibit in Roppongi - Tokyo Midtown!

The concept is simple : funny, serious, light, deep, sometimes strange messages painted on the wall, black on white, big and short enough to make an impact... and to have a lot of fun with your friend Miss A. who had the nice idea to bring me there!

Istuninaku Shiawase - Especially Happy.

Kimi Ga Suki Degozaru - I Love You (in archaic, polite samourai language)

Itsudemo, Dokodemo, Dare To Demo - Anytime, Anywhere, with Anyone.

Watashi Ni Wa Hana Ga Aru - I'm Sexy (and I know it)

Bijutsu O Nichijou Suru - I Am an Artist Everyday!

In many aspects, the Japanese poetry is based on the art of striking your mind with a short, powerful, breath-taking sensorial shock. Most of the haiku are like this : a dazzking glimpe of something - a vision, a smell, a sound - that blows your mind. The "distance" with the text is created by the architecture of the kanji : the parallelisms, the graphism, the consistency in the combination of the characters leads you to a second level of reading, more intellectual, less emotional. It is very different from the French poetry (and probably European poetry in general, but I am not a specialist), where poetry is mainly based on metaphores, that is to say the undirect reference to things and concepts - words that stands for something else. And the gap between what is written and what is meant stimulates your imagination : poetry is born. In the French poetry, you are immediatly on distance with things, whereas in the Japanese poetry, you're so close to them that you take it like a fist in your face. Both experiences are so gret that it is really a pity that most of the French people will never get the chance to approach Japanese poetry; and very few Japanese will understand the French one.

I feel so lucky to navigate on both seas. (French way)

The detonation of the haiku and the echo of the alexandrin are ringing in my ear. (Japanese way)

イチハラヒロコ展「期待して当たり前なんだし。」

2013年1月15日（火）～3月24日（日）
11:00～21:00

GREAT SCOTT, IT'S MY BIRTHDAY !

Ok everyone : despite appearances, you must know that it is NOT my 28th brithday.

It's just my fourth 25th birthday.

Yes, I have decided to stick at the blessed age when I started my life in Japan, three years ago. At that time, I had a great birthday party with my European mates - only a few survivors are still in Tokyo, but since, I have made fantastic new friends, and I want you all to be there to celebrate my back-to-the-future special day in a nice place, with nice drinks, nice food, nice music, and the nicest people EVER. There will be laughs, there will be tears... and there will be music because I have very talented friends. So come on, let the time freeze!!

PARTY DINNER + 2h ALL-YOU-CAN-DRINK + PIANO, GUITAR AND KARAOKE !

Saturday, November 17th, from 8pm, there

See you Saturday!!

It's a pretty cool kitchen & bar close to Meguro, with a unique design and surprisingly surprising food - have you ever tried a cabbage ceasar salad ? Interesting... But the main interest is definitely the decoration. Well done Mr. Yusaku Kaneshiro...