Longing

Apart from Japan, another place which just captures me is Taiwan. And it's a very primitive emotional response. There are lots of little reasons why the place appeals to me but am not wholly convinced that any one of them is THE defining reason. But the emotions worth most having are usually the ones which cannot be scrutnized, no?

These photos make me feel that youth is but a distant dream. Why.

(Photos from here)

common platform

Much has been made of how the new social media creates boundless opportunities and networking possibilities. And it is true that even for those of us born in generations before (ie. not Y or Z) the notion of life without connectivity is like a very distant blurry old dream. As though life in all its present clarity did not exist then. Whether that is a good or sad state is debatable. But sites like (not) common people which presents a platform for budding photographers to reach out to all potential audience are a great example of how to use such connectivity to express creativity and seek opportunity.

Photos by Adam Kremer

"I love nights of long exposures, but bad things always happen to me when I go taking photos at night."

Photos by Eugene Suo - me

Photos by Liana Fides Frappa

"I'm a dreamer, I'm influenced by the moon!"

The Eye that Sees

Honour the miraculousness of the ordinary

-- Andrew Motion

Beautiful blog by a Tokyo inhabitant. The loveliness of Tokyo captured through the eyes of one who looks upon the world with wonder.

(All pictures from Jollygoo)

men with sticks

we wandered around in our dreamscape, trying to find the secret passage to our next fantasy.

(Laurence Winram Portfolio. More here)

slow and steady

"Today, we rush ­everything, but architecture is slow, and the landscapes it sits in even slower. It needs the time our political systems won't allow."

-- IM Pei

Believe in the strength of one's vision and the absolute necessity of getting it right; slowly and painstakingly.

(Read rest of IM Pei interview here)

the pages between my fingers

Say what you may about the kindle and the marvelous ease of technology. How does one ever get over the simple pleasure of a page rustling, the feel of printed words between the fingers and the art and history that can be book covers?

Pelican Books, former division of Penguin Books, had some great book covers from the 1930s to the 1980s. See them at Things Magazine.

tender is the night

I don't like things to look too precious. The best kind of homes and furnishing are the ones that make you wish you knew the occupier owner and all their stories too.

The incredible home of the owners of Nightwood. Talk about being one's own best advertisment. Be inspired by the design and creation process here.

free play

"I call that man rich who can satisfy the requirements of his imagination."

-- Henry James, Portrait of a Lady

The incredible work of Tim Walker.