Tuesday, 15 January: A little shinnnennkai (a new year's party) with Natsumi. Finely sliced Karasumi (pressed, dried mullet roe from Nagasaki), amaebi, pak-choi with miso sauce to accompany Tenzan Hotarugawa, a dry sake, also from Kyushu.

These are followed by oden (Japanese hot pot), fruit, green tea, ice cream, etc. etc...

Thursday, 17 January: Coffee, fags & chats at Bettina's - with "limited edition" milka chocolates & some biscuits too.

What looks like a mobile phone in the left photo is in fact Bettina's lighter.
Friday, 18 January: Dave H arrives from Amsterdam. His little case is full of nibbles of varioius kinds. And he's bought a bottle of Veuve at the airport too :-))

UsaKousa getting thier minds boggled by the intricate origami napkins, at our friendly Thai local.

I'm not the only one photographing...
Saturday, 19 Janunary: Pre-dinner frozen Strawyberry Margarita at the tacky American cafe at Nollendorfplatz. You can still smoke here too :-)

Later at Yoshioka, I get a very generous portion of Kubota Senju :-)

Some bunnies discovered, after nibbling sashimi from this plate for a while.

Thursday, 24 January (is it really?): Gavin comes around to pick up my HDV camera, and to discuss his project for Bergen.

We have everything we need: sketchbook, Japanese dried sardines (very peppery), Icelandic Harðfiskur with butter (mmm), the hardware and tech litelature, fags, and bunnies for inspiration.
Friday, 25 January: Dave H is back, and this time we hit Sasaya, an extremely popular izakaya in Prezlauer Berg. Shown here: anglerfish liver tofu, with natto, seaweed & mushroom sauce (very slimy and delicious - Fast will love this); fried mustard leaf; salad of crisp organic veg with a lovely dip made of unrefined miso & yuzu. All very yummy and reasonably priced.

Saturday, 26 January: In Tiergarten, someone has engraved the lyrics to "Stand By Me" on a tree (left)
Below: the USB bunnies are in stock at KaDeWe!

At Green Door: Kousa hugging my glass of champagne cocktail.

And Usako holding onto Dave's Pina Colada.

Sunday, 27 January: Sitting down for coffee and a marron cake in the cafe at Hamburger Bahnhof.

From the other side.
© D. Hodgkinson