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A.E. Graves' old-school blog. iPhone13 photos; previously: iPhone 7 or 5 photos, topical posts, migrated Google+ posts (2011 to 2019); iPhone 1 photos (Jan 2008 - Sept 2012). My photos copyright A.E.Graves; reviewed/other content copyright remains with their respective creators!
Saturday, April 5, 2025
Golden State's Own Poppies
Clusters of California poppies are appearing nearly everywhere after recent rains: they are so vividly cheerful!
Sunday, March 30, 2025
2025 Tokyo Highlights: Returning Home
I took some photos to celebrate my trip home on a very long Sunday. I had a full Sunday in Tokyo, with my flight leaving at nearly 10pm, but crossed the date line on the way home, and arrived at Sunday mid-afternoon in San Francisco.
I'm still not fully healthy (and long flights don't help!), and will manage my return to work as carefully as I can.
2025 Tokyo Highlights: Camellias and More
There were signs of spring beyond the cherry blossoms! Great camellias abounded. Plus whatever this gorgeous white flowering shrub is (spotted in the Imperial Palace East Gardens).
2025 Tokyo Highlights: Hie Shrine
This was my first visit to the Hie Shrine. I had already bought all the charms that exist (at Meiji Jingu), so I didn't shop here, but enjoyed this shrine complex atop a hill, surrounded by highrises.
2025 Tokyo Highlights: Food
I lost my appetite during this trip, and came back with looser jeans, so that's something. Eating in Tokyo is hard for me as a vegetarian with gluten intolerance: most Tokyo restaurants are filled with deep fried meats and breaded everything. But I did well for myself on the one meal out I enjoyed daily.
2025 Tokyo Highlights: MOT
The sound show at MOT was sold out, but I enjoyed this contemporary MOT Annual 2024 "on the imagined terrain" show very much. Artists include Yuki Shimizu, Satoshi Kawata, Ryohei Usui, and Asami Shoji.
2025 Tokyo Highlights: Senso-ji
I spent much of my time at quiet shrines and temples with relatively few people at them. Visiting Senso-ji was... not like that. MOB SCENE more than anything. But I can see why it is popular - look at the size of those lanterns!
2025 Tokyo Highlights: Hilma af Klimt (!)
Hilma af Klimt was an amazing, ahead-of-her-time painter from Sweden, and the touring show happened to be at the National Museum of Modern Art! I enjoyed it (and the gift shop - too much).
2025 Tokyo Highlights: Sakura
This was my fourth visit to Japan, but my first time during cherry blossom season. The famous viewing spots weren't yet in bloom when I visited, but I found flowering trees in my long walks around town. The trees that attracted me drew CROWDS.
2025 Tokyo Highlights: Bold Architecture
Tokyo has wild combinations of old, new, charming, and anti-charming. I enjoyed bold buildings during this trip, and three are included here: a Palantir/WeWork building with an elaborate glass facade; a government building; and a ventilation structure for the underground trains. All interesting in different ways!
2025 Tokyo Highlights: Nezu Shrine
I was out sick, and then it was time for my vacation... and the long flight to Tokyo made me MUCH SICKER. I recovered (mostly), and went out to see Tokyo a little every day, so I'll post my greatest hits here.
These are scenes from the Nezu Shrine, which has many Important Cultural Properties within the complex. The Inari Shrine on the hill beside, plus its koi pond (lower right) are also charming. I'd love to visit during the Azealea festival, to see the large azalea garden in bloom.
Sunday, March 9, 2025
Botanical Garden at Camellia Time
Collage 1: Top: Peach colored vireya rhododendron; red camellia
Middle: pink camellia detail, white camellia with red stripe; magnolia detail
Bottom row: red camellia, pink camellia
Middle: pink camellia detail, white camellia with red stripe; magnolia detail
Bottom row: red camellia, pink camellia
The camellias in my neighborhood have been blooming, and I finally got out to the San Francisco Botanical Garden (formerly known as the Arboretum, which it still also is!) to appreciate them. While I was there, I was able to appreciate other plants as well!
Collage 2: Top: Agave (probably), red camellia, magnolia (tulip style)
Center: white camellia
Bottom: pink furry protea, euphorbia, two enormous tulips in pale and medium pink
Center: white camellia
Bottom: pink furry protea, euphorbia, two enormous tulips in pale and medium pink
Collage 3: Top: white rhododendron with hot pink markings, white camellia
Bottom: pink magnolia, yellow center detail of a protea shrub, pink spray of holly
Sunday, March 2, 2025
You know I love giant echium (28 February 2025)
These remind me of walks I would take with friends along the bay shore at a prior employer... Good friends, good colleagues, good conversations... Also: walking meetings are GREAT.
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