Viva CalleSJ Sunday April 21, 2024

 

 

1938 Schwinn Auto Cycle

BMX Freestyle daredevils

A family participating in Viva Calle

Classic Sting Ray owner

Tandem Rider

 

 

On a warm and sunny day, tens of thousands of bicycle riders rode through the streets of central and south San Jose on Sunday April 21, 2024. Viva CalleSJ is a family friendly recreation program on the streets of San Jose bringing diverse communities together to walk, bike, skate, and having fun in the city.

Shimokitazawa Mural

Shimokitazawa, Setagaya, Tokyo 2023

Cherokee Rose

 

 

Cherokee Rose Rose leavigata

 

 

Cherokee Rose also called Rosa laevigata is native to China, Taiwan, and Korea. According to legend, the Cherokee Rose origin started from the tears shed by Native American mothers during the forced removal of indigenous tribes in the 19^th century in America. The flower is associated resilience and hope for many communities. Cherokee Rose is a climber plant that can grow to 20 feet. They are found in shrubs, farms, and low altitude mountains. They enjoy a mild climate and are seen in the early spring.

 

 

Le Bage Bagel Shop Yanaka Tokyo 2023

 

 

Owner of Le bage bagel shop is Hisashi Akita

 

 

The Le Bage Bagel Shop is an excellent bagel shop in Yanaka Tokyo which opened in 2017. The business is committed to quality without preservatives by using 100% Hokkaido domestic wheat blended with raw sugar from Kagoshima Prefecture and salt from Brittany, France. The bagel has rich honey flavor which is quite delicious. Bagel are said to have originated in Poland in the 17^th century. And bagels are bread that has been boiled before baking and are crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. The unique flavors of Le Bage Bagel Shop make it stand out like: black sesame, walnut raisin, fig, cranberry, double cheese, curry, tomato basil cheese, mugwort anko (red bean paste), cinnamon roll, and lemon tea. The drink menu includes drip coffee, espresso, americano, cafe latte, earl grey tea, and apple juice among others.

If you are visiting the Yanaka area in Tokyo please visit. It is a 5 minute walk from Sendagi Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line.

2-5-13 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo BAGLE SHOP Le bage
TEL 03-6874-2538
HP http://lebage.com

 

 

San Jose Japantown Pinoytown Mural

 

 

Pinoytown mural finished February 13, 2024

Analyn (Ana) Bones & Jordan Gabriel

Picture of Jordan, Analyn, and Abraham Menor using slow shutter & rear curtain synch

Jordan Gabriel close up

Analyn & Jordan posing in front of mural with their painting tools

Mural outline on the 2nd day of mural project

 

 

The beginnings on Pinoytown started from a 1887 Chinese immigrant settlement in San Jose that was also burned down in 1887 due to racial discrimination. Because of those reasons John Heinlein formed Heinlenville Chinatown on North 6^th Street between Jackson and Taylor Streets in San Jose as a means of protection against hostility. Later on the first wave of Filipinos immigrants came to America in 1920s to the 1930s. Then during 1942 the Japanese-Americans were shipped to internment camps so some buildings and vacant buildings were filled by Filipinos and became Pinoytown. During the height of Pinoytown there were Filipino businesses and residences on both sides of 6^th Street from restaurants, pool halls, barber shops, grocery stores, laundries, a church, barangay organizations, and a Filipino Youth Club. But Pinoytown declined in the 1960s due to demographic changes.

 

 The Pinoytown mural artists are Jordan Gabriel and Analyn (Ana) Bones. They were supported and assisted by Rene Munoz, Abraham Menor, and Robert Ragsac. The mural is located in San Jose Japantown on the corner of 6th & Jackson in San Jose Japantown (Kogura’s). Assistance of the mural came from Empire Seven Studios & Kogura Company and sponsored by Filipino American National Historical Society Santa Clara Valley.

 

 

https://www.fanhs-scv.org/

 

Shinobazu Pond

 

 

Shinobazu Pond in Ueno Park Taito-ku Tokyo

 

 

 

Shinobazu Pond is a picturesque pond in Ueno Park in Taito-ku Tokyo. It is a popular place where the sight of thousands of lotus blossoms attracts many people. Within the pond grounds is a building called the Shinobazu-no-ike Bentendo, a Buddhist temple dedicated to the goddess Benzaiten. Lotus plants are a symbol of Buddhist purity. Unfortunately the original Bentendo Temple are destroyed from bombings during World War II.

 

 

 

American Advocet

American Advocet at Alviso Slough in San Jose

 

The American Advocet is a shorebird with a long, a curved bill, a long neck, and round head. Breeding Advocet’s have a rusty head and neck that turns grayish white after breeding. It walks through shallow water looking for aquatic animals. Their habitat are fresh and saltwater wetlands, salt ponds, and evaporation ponds. During winter it uses inter-tidal mudflats, tidal lagoons, rice fields, and flooded pastures.

 

 

 

Morning Walk

06:00 Morning walk on Kyu-Nikko-Kaido Street in Soka, Saitama October 2023

Snowy Egret

 

 

 

 

 

Snowy Egrets are medium-sized herons with long, thin legs, and long slender bills. The adults have black bills, black legs, and yellow feet. Juveniles have duller, greenish legs. Egrets are generally 22.1-26 in or (56-66 cm) in length, weight about 13.1 or (370 g), and wingspan 39.4 (100 cm). The feed by wading in shallow water to spear fish and other small aquatic animals. They are common along the coast, mudflats, beaches, and inland wetlands.

 

 

Chichibu in the Fall

Chichibu-Tama-Kai Nishizawa Ravine

Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park in Saitama Prefecture is a park with mountains and clear streams. It’s highest mountain is Mt. Kita-okusenjo as the highest peak at 2,601 meters. It is characterized by V-shaped valleys with varied landscapes of mountains and valleys. It is popular for hiking, mount climbing, camping, fishing, and river trekking.