LAM FACIAL PLASTICS

We're going on vacation tomorrow--bet you can guess where! Anyway, I came across this term while studying up and I thought it suits YOU very well. I think I'm more wabi, not so much fully shibui.

One more time, THANKS for giving me back my good face. (It is one year today.)

I had not heard of those Japanese terms so I looked them up on wikipedia. I am glad that I can apply shibui (simple, unobtrusive beauty) to limit the wabi-sabi (transient beauty). Happy Anniversary on your one year fat transfer and plasma! Light a candle for me. Where are you going? I have no idea?
best,
sml

We're going to Tokyo and Kyoto. Last night I was trying to pack, fretting over what to take and glanced up at my reflection and actually was just tickled by my own smiling face. In the words of my mentor Forrest Gump, it's one less thing to worry about. (Sorry if immodest-probably NOT shibui...)

I'm really excited-we're taking bullet train to Kyoto and will only be allowed one small bag-each. Good thing I don't "require" as much any more. We're staying at Imperial and then Westin. (a nod to your office manager as I recall she maybe likes those...)

Hmm. If I want to be shibui, I probably should be sleeping under a lovely or austere tree. Guess I can't do it.

Hi,
I spent 6 weeks training in Japan and traveled the entire country (minus Hokkaido and Shikoku) but went the length of Honshu and into Kyushu (Fukuoka/Nagasaki). I even stayed in a capsule hotel. I loved the Tokugawa history and was taught that by this older nice white professor who spoke fluent Japanese at Princeton.

I basically did a tour of Japan from the vantage of the Tokugawa period. What I really loved was the recreated Dutch village of Deshima, the only port that the Japanese traded with the rest of the world between 1600 to 1850 since Japan was officially closed to the outside during this time (a policy known as sakoku). If you are in the Kansei region (i.e., Kyoto) and have time to make it to Osaka (a bit industrial so may not be the flavor you are looking for) be sure to see the world famous aquarium where they have 6 foot tall crabs from the Sea of Japan (maybe a bit exaggerating on the size), big jelly fish displays, and I believe the world's largest fish tank that is several stories tall with whale sharks in there.

One thing that I really love in Tokyo is going to a specialized soba house where the buckwheat is pressed fresh and served cold. You should not order this at a regular Japanese restaurant. You need to eat it at a specialty house. I love the taste of cold soba and the authentic houses serve the water that the soba was cooked in called soba-yu (spelling?) which has the rich minerals to help your health. I used to love going to the New York Soba House, Honomura-An, which also flew the butterfly shrimp fresh from Japan's Tsukiji market. Okay, enough about soba. When you are done eating your food, make sure you say, "Goh-Chee-So-Sa-Ma", which means "the food was delicious and you are paying your respect to the establishment and the chef."

You may not have time, but I enjoyed going to the sulfur intensive hot springs near Tokyo on the Itsu-Hanto peninsula. I remember vividly coming back in the evening in the train ride looking at the purple sunset where the entire seascape was gray and purple. It looked like a painting by Turner. Amazing! I think you read Murakami's [i]Wind-Up Bird Chronicle[/i] (great book) that I suggested to you. I read that when I was there in Japan among other Japanese literature. I love Mishima (not the politics just the writing). One of the most amazing non-fiction pieces is Herbert Bix's biography of Hirohito (obviously a dark time for Japan). Okay, my Japanophilia obviously has shown through in this text and in the new logo and design of my spa. One more piece of advice (that maybe outdated) is any foreigner going to Japan should buy rail tickets in the U.S. before leaving. Tourist railpasses are SO MUCH CHEAPER when acquired abroad than those purchased domestically in Japan. I don't mean by a little either. Safe travels!
best,
sml

You are absolutely something else. THANKS for those suggestions. I will copy that text. Bless you for remembering that I read Murakami's book. I LOVED it...more than anything it made me feel, in yet a new way, that our differences are not always so great as we may imagine. I don't mean politics, either--just something else more esoteric and (for me) nearly indefinable.

I didn't get to travel-or I should say, didn't make an effort! to travel until I was in my 30's (out of USA, that is). Our hope is our 11 yr. old will feel very natural about and compelled to see the world. I think I recall one of YOUR earliest important experiences was going to Malaysia? with relatives and how you loved it so. I also recall your mom telling me that when you were little you told her you wanted to "learn about everything" (not an exact quote:).

I believe you still do!!! Bravo to you and you can't know how much of an influence you are--if that seems strange, too bad.

Now I'm even more excited about going!! Thanks for the tips.

Yes, I was actually 11 years old when I travelled to Malaysia with my Uncle Alex and Aunt Amy. That was amazing and a lot of fun. Also a lot of growing up. Sometimes I truly believe that my aesthetic has been defined and refined through world travel and exposing myself to as many cultures out there as possible. I am sure that your child will greatly appreciate it. Perhaps not today but in the years to come. Opening a child's eyes to another culture will break down xenophobia and ethnocentricity and begin to stimulate the brain in creative ways.

One more small piece of etiquette, if any Japanese should hand you a business card, please accept it with both hands outstretched and your head bowed downward, preferably lower than his/hers. Take the greeting/business card and mull it over, i.e., look at it both sides in detail before putting it away. NEVER write on the card. It is a sign of disrespect to that person. Before putting it away, comment on the beauty of the card or whatever you liked about it. When you hand your card over to a Japanese person as a way of greeting them (it would be nice if you carried some greeting cards or Gary should), always do so with both hands. One hand is considered disrespectful.

Okay, just thought of another cultural pearl. When you eat noodles, make sure you make as much noise as possible. When you go into a noodle shop, like a ramen store, you will hear a lot of unfathomable sounds that would be offensive to a Western ear. If you eat your noodles quietly, you are insulting the chef. Okay, another thing, when you sit down at the table, make sure that you always pour your companion's drink and keep it full. NEVER pour your own drink. That is considered selfish and rude. You must only pour the other's drink, and it is your responsibility to keep it full unless they say no thank you.

Another thing that is hilarious is when you go into a restaurant or store, you will hear every person who sees you scream out, "irasshaimase". you will wonder what the heck are they saying? this just means "welcome". you will hear them scream this at you in a friendly smile all the time. after a while, you will probably start to laugh, as i did. now, when you go to japanese restaurants, you will know what they are screaming at you.

oh, another thing that i found hilarious. my japanese surgeon i trained with kept waving "bye" to me. i was wondering what the heck is going on? i found out that when you close and open your hand with your palm down that does not mean good bye but come here. when i did the traditional american way of saying come here with the palm up and the hand opening and closing he thought that was rude. that means give me money. that is why when you see the porcelain cat in the stores with the hand palm down and palm up i was told that means come here and give me money. That I don't know if I am full of you know what or not. Just what I was told.

okay, that is all i can think of right now. i'm jealous you are going. you will love it and so will your family. let me know how your travels go!

As far as cards go, I'm just going to take all the LFP cards I've collected and hand those out. Or maybe hurry up and iron on LamFacialPlastics.com on a t-shirts for each of us. JK!!!!!!!!!

If I remember nothing else I won't forget to slurp. DH and DD already slurp so we're set!

I wish you were going, too. Maybe you need to plan a trip that doesn't involve WORK sometime in your life.

Now, no more (even though it's hugely appreciated and useful) because I recall something about a book you're trying to finish writing.

See you when we return and I look forward to it, as always.

yes, i am working on it right now!
best,
sml