February 1997
- I just returned from Hockey Road Trip '97. This year the Faught brothers and I journeyed to
the new Centre Molson in Montreal to see the Montreal Canadiens
vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs. Although both teams are struggling this season, this game had been sold out
for months beforehand. Our hotel, the Novotel, just steps from the arena, was full of Torontonians
who like us had come to see this time-honoured traditional match-up. The boisterous Leaf fans, if they didn't outnumber
the Habs fans at the game, certainly outcheered them! Uncharacteristically, the Buds gave their fans a reason
to cheer, trouncing the home team 5-1. We celebrated the victory with a late-night smoked meat sandwich
at Ben's
and discussed plans for Hockey Road Trip '98-- Nagano?
(23 Feb 97) - This evening I went to the CJST Sake Tasting Party at Masa Restaurant.
About six different brands/types of sake were tried, including Daiginjyo and a special variety from Sado Island.
A couple of CJST members educated and entertained those in attendance with short talks about how and where sake is made and drunk.
Prior to this, I had never tasted more than one kind of sake at a time.
I'm happy to report that: (a) there is an appreciable difference between types
(I'm partial to the karakuchi style), and (b) I was still standing at the end of the event!
(20 Feb 97) - This evening I went to The Japan Foundation to hear lectures on German architect Bruno Taut by
Dr. Akira Hasegawa from the Tokyo University of Art and Design and Dr. Manfred Speidel from the University of Aachen in Germany.
A packed house heard them tell the fascinating story of how Taut, a city planner in Germany, went to Japan in the early 1930's partly out of interest and
partly for economic and political reasons. He only had one architecture project during his time in Japan, and spent most of his stay trying to reconcile
and meld Western and Japanese design as applied to household objects.
(19 Feb 97) - I attended a U of T CME course on "Small Group Teaching"
(19 Feb 97) - Today was my second cross-country skiing outing of the year, this time to the
Albion Hills Conservation Area, a little under a one-hour drive north of Toronto on Highway 50.
There are 27 km of trails for different ability levels. The terrain was very similar to
Mansfield (see earlier). The spacious lodge has a rental shop and a snack bar.
A one-day trail pass is only $8. They have a website to inform you about the snow conditions.
(16 Feb 97)
- Tonight I forgot to wear my contact lenses to my weekly recreational hockey game.
Out on the ice, I was almost blind and felt a bit like Luke Skywalker learning to use the Force in
the newly re-released movie "Star Wars"!
(07 Feb 97)
- This evening I went to the Japan Foundation Toronto
to hear a lecture by a remarkable woman. Many people here probably remember
Yoshiko Shimada's installation "Past Imperfect", featured in the
"Fuan no jidai (Age of Anxiety)" exhibit as part of the
"Today's Japan" series at
the Harbourfront Centre in 1995. That work was inspired by what she feels was the complicity of
Japanese women, unwitting or otherwise, in the plight of Korean and other Asian
"comfort women" during World War II. Seeing her in person, I could tell how passionate
her feelings are on this subject. Her new work
"Divide and Rule", showing until 15 March at
A Space, expands on this theme,
suggesting that the rampant blind consumerism of women undermines their potential strength
in contemporary Japanese society. A typical feminist she is not!
(05 Feb 97) -
Though jetlagged, I attended the TJLS Benefit Dance Party.
Decorations transformed the JCCC auditorium into a ballroom,
and I finally got to see that disco mirror ball in action! The place was full,
and there were many expert dance couples, old and young.
Personally, I thought the best part was the halftime bento. ;)
My sensei told me not only should I study kanji more,
but I might also benefit from taking up ballroom dancing :p !
(01 Feb 97) -
Peru's President Fujimori and Japan's
Prime Minister Hashimoto
arrived in Toronto yesterday to try to solve the Peruvian hostage crisis.
I'm searching for Japanese-Peruvian Internet links, but without much success . . .
(01 Feb 97) - I just got back from my annual ski trip with the Belleville Bombers (Campy, Nick and Joanne).
Our destination this year was Lake Tahoe, USA.
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