Tokyo Day 1: Exploring / Fancy PhotoParty

Long overdue Tokyo post time!

I seriously heart Tokyo.

Even though it is the hardest place to navigate as a tourist, people are SO friendly and helpful.

Upon arrival in the city, my first task was to make my way to AlyParker's apartment in Minato-ku.

I managed to get myself into the general vicinity, but after frustratingly wandering around her hood for an hour and a half (there are no street signs in English, and very few English-speaking street-randoms) I had to go into a little dental office where three lovely Japanese dental assistants, dressed in cute little dental assistant dress-costumes, helped me call Aly (my cell phone and GPS don't work internationally and she was still at work), figured out where she lived in Japanese (they did not speak a word of English), and then proceeded to walk me the 5 blocks from the dental office to her apartment themselves. (All three of them seemed to have nothing to do and were very excited to escort me there, giggling excitedly amongst themselves the entire way.)

Once I unloaded my bags, I decided to brave the big city again and explore.

I headed straight over to nearby Shibuya.

Got a snack at a place called "Rice People, Nice People"

And then hit up the world-famous Shibuya Crossing, one of the busiest intersections in the world.

I also explored Harajuku (I think)...where the streets are filled with aggressive African hustlers trying to grab you to bring you to their respective strip clubs or random shady businesses. After getting grabbed a few too many times, (I attract a lot of attention in Asia generally) I finally turned to the next guy who grabbed me and roared, "DON'T FUCKING TOUCH ME!!!"

The look of unexpected terror on the guy's face was priceless. I don't think the average Japanese local is particularly assertive with these guys.

If you've been anywhere in Asia, you know that "Engrish" is quite common. Tokyo is no exception.

Things in Japan also are quite small. This is how I look walking through most doorways. Luckily I had my fellow giant AlyParker with me who understands my pain. (In heels she is 6'3" I think.)

Aly happens to be living in Tokyo for two years for her job. (She is a lawyer working for a Japanese client.) As soon as she got off work, we headed to a Photo Exhibition sponsored by Louis Vuitton. (We were invited by her fabulous fashion photographer friend Nicci.)

We LOVES a fancy Louis Vuitton Party!

We SUPERLOVES being GIANTS among tiny Japanese people who gawk and gasp in wonder and amazement as we walk by!

And we loves some vintage LV luggages!

Thanks to the fabulous Aly for hosting me.

Next up I will tell you about Halloween in Tokyo.

Back in NYC!

I made it back with very little trouble.

My car was fine.

There's no gas anywhere. I'm crashing with Megoon and DK2 in Bklyn because we have no electricity or water until maybe Saturday or Sunday.

Sorry to get all cheesy and reflective in my last post. I sometimes re-read stuff like that and cringe. I tend to get all gooey when I'm hungover after a really epic week/weekend.

This last week in Asia was so amazing. I can't wait to finish editing pictures and posting them.

Did I really spend last night dressed in a banana costume in a city of people who for the most part don't celebrate Halloween?

Why yes, yes I did.

Tokyo to JFK!

I'm back in the Delta Sky Club at Tokyo Narita Airport.

It is a beautiful place. Peaceful. Free booze. Free beer. Free soda. Free sushi. Free noodles.

The best.

I'm not writing this to brag.

I'm writing this because in a few minutes I'm boarding my flight back to New York City, where, from the second we touch down (if we touch down), I'm probably going to be dealing with a long, frustrating, maybe even hellish journey back to my apartment on the Lower East Side, one of the more damaged areas of the city due to Superstorm Sandy. My car is parked at the airport. And there's a high chance that it's underwater. I hear that traffic is a nightmare, gas is impossible to find (and you have to wait in line for hours) and the bridges are only open to cars containing three or more people.

People think I'm nutters for even attempting to go back now. Dad keeps telling me not to. And with the flexibility of my job, I could just not go back and keep traveling or stay in Tokyo.

But my dear friend and #1 blog reader DannyHong is getting married this weekend. I'm the photographer, the wedding is in Central Park, and as of now all systems are go.

If this were another wedding - of some rando or some friend-of-a-friend, I would totally just bail. I have backup photographers in place and it would all be just fine.

But DannyHong is a special one. He's one of the good ones. One of the REALLY good ones. He's always ready to greet you with a giant hug and a goofy smile. He's the kind of person who is so upbeat and positive and just filled with LIGHT, and he brings that light with him to any situation he enters. And that's the kind of person I aspire to be or hope that I am.

In order to shoot Teresa's wedding in Phuket last weekend I had to bail on a bride who had actually already booked me for her wedding on the same day. I gave her plenty of notice (6 months), but it was a decision that I slept on for over a week. It was not at all good business practice and I will probably never ever do it again. But I just knew that if I didn't do it, I would have regretted it for a long long time.

At the end of your life it's the relationships and experiences you have with the people you care about that matter most. Cashmoney, fancy cars, pretty clothes, big houses, all that stuff is just STUFF. (Not that I'm not obsessed with all of those things.) But they're definitely not priority #1. I love shooting weddings because a wedding, like a 30th birthday party in Vegas, is the absolute best day of two peoples lives up until that point. It's a day when all the people they care about come together to laugh and dance and celebrate. And I get to capture all these moments and all that happiness that these people are going to treasure forever.

Danny & Tevia's wedding is going to be a blast. No matter where or how it happens and no matter what goes wrong. And while I'm not excited about this journey ahead. I'm super excited to reach the destination.

Pencils of Promise

I want to take a moment to give a shoutout to Pencils of Promise.

It's a non-profit started by fellow Brown grad AdamBraun.



They build schools in under-developed countries like Laos, Guatemala, and Ghana, and are currently on track to break ground on their 100th school.

I suppose it doesn't hurt that the Biebs is one of their global ambassadors...



Click below to donate to Adam's 29th birthday campaign to build their 100th school, I already did:
http://adams29th.stayclassy.org/fundraise/pop?fcid=215237

(And yes, I am hoping my donation generates good karma for later next month when Justin Bieber performs at my birthday party I attend the Justin Bieber concert.)

TL got hitched

Teresa Lin has changed the way I look at weddings. Forever.

This weekend was nuts. I have thousands of photos to edit through, and I just got back to HK from Bangkok and Phuket, but TimLoh and I are heading downstairs to get massages so I will leave you with a couple of teasers.

Boom.

Boom.

BOOM!

Will post more soon. Off to Tokyo tomorrow!

20 hours in Hong Kong

I landed in HK late Wednesday night.

The first thing we did on Thursday was wake up and go to the market.

After that, it was off to the Jockey Club for brunch with Uncle Bill, Auntie Pearl, and MaMa.

Mmmmmm Mmmmmm. MaMa loooves her waffles.

After brunch we went to the cemetery to pay respects to my Gramps.

MaMa, feeling a surge of energy, decided to attempt the 5 flights of stairs to the top of the cemetery where my grandfather's grave is. Something she hasn't done in about 7 or 8 years!

It was kind of amazing. A 90-year-old lady with two metal legs!

Of course, she needed a breather or two. But we were very proud of her.

And I'm sure gramps was happy to see her.

The way down was kind of scary.

But we made it. Whew!

After a quick dinner, I headed to the airport and hopped on my flight to Phuket, where I'm now sitting poolside looking out on the ocean. Wooo!

A great quote I came across...

“I wish my moderate Republican friends would simply be honest. They all say they’re voting for Romney because of his economic policies (tenuous and ill-formed as they are), and that they disagree with him on gay rights. Fine. Then look me in the eye, speak with a level clear voice, and say,” My taxes and take-home pay mean more than your fundamental civil rights, the sanctity of your marriage, your right to visit an ailing spouse in the hospital, your dignity as a citizen of this country, your healthcare, your right to inherit, the mental welfare and emotional well-being of your youth, and your very personhood.” It’s like voting for George Wallace during the Civil Rights movements, and apologizing for his racism. You’re still complicit. You’re still perpetuating anti-gay legislation and cultural homophobia. You don’t get to walk away clean, because you say you “disagree” with your candidate on these issues.” 

— Doug Wright, Pulitzer and Tony Award winning playwright

Layover in Tokyo!

Can't wait to come here to visit for realz exactly one week from now!

Double-header weekend

I had two wedding this past weekend.

One for Alana, who got married at Highlands Country Club, same as Irene a couple weeks ago.

And then I had Vicky and Michael's Wedding in Hamburg, NJ.

Vicky is one of my favorite brides this year. She is just so sweet and SO beautiful. She looked like a bride-model out of a wedding magazine. And she actually wore the same Vera Wang stunner dress as Connie!

The venue was absolutely stunning.

And the party was SUPER fun too!

And now I'm off to Thailand for TL's wedding finally!!!!! I've been counting down the days (and weddings) for months!!!! SQUEAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best Day EVERRRR

I was going through old emails yesterday and realized that I had an old paypal account that I had completely forgotten about.

I logged in...and found $6176 sitting in it!

It basically feels like I "found" all that money in my couch or something, because I had long-forgotten that it even existed.

BEST DAY EVER!!!



The funny thing is, just minutes before all this happened I had been driving by the Bellagio fountains and they had created a beautiful rainbow and I had been thinking to myself, "Gosh, rainbows are like the coolest thing EVER." Wrong!