shanghai - bright lights, busy streets

Shanghai is a busy, bright, shiny new city that has been dragged into the modern world.

It is trying desperately to be a European kind of cosmopolitan and it is, up to a point, in certain linited areas.

Go beyond the bright city centre, and the lovely 'Bund' , full of classic buildings, and that's where the gloss rubs off. In time it may change but, as they say, 'it's a nice place to visit but...'

It ain't no Tokyo!

we love this style of room

I saw a picture on flickr thought the style was just beautiful so I let Yumi know about it. She agrees and we're going to have the decorators do something very similar in the new apartment.

The title on flickr is "cafe_Chiitsu-an"

cafe_Chiitsu-an
Originally uploaded by ku_ma.

where the girls are

A fascinating blog that showcases the online presences of women from all over this world.

Justine or devifemme, her online name, writes with wit and insight about the women she 'collects'.

There is so much to look at on this site that one look-in is just not enough. You'll find yourself going back again and again.

Check out 'where the girls are'

Great job Justine!!

great opportunity for artists

The Saatchi Gallery is an online gallery.

It's a continuous exhibition allowing artists and aspiring artists to display up to 8 pieces of their art on the website, on their own page. I saw this on flickr's Art & Artists group and from what I've seen it's quite an opportunity for exposure.

If you're an artist or if you aspire to be one but need a space online, this could be great for you.

say it every day

You read things and see movies about people who find someone who changes their life in unexpected ways.

It really does happen.

To Yumi, who came along at a time when pressures of business were threatening to see me falling back into old ways and making some very, very bad decisions; I want to thank you for stopping the decline and letting me see what can be achieved with a partner who's just perfect.

I love YU(MI).

beautiful artistry

The style and artistry of Audrey*Kawasaki is simply awesome (and I mean that in the proper sense - her talent is immense).

The expressions of her 'models' bear so much feeling and the figures are, at once, cheeky and sensual.

Thanks so much to my cute friend Sadie for introducing these wonderful images to me.

Ms Kawasaki's picture shown here is titled Oasobi and can be found on her website.

missing my Yumi

The few days my Yumi is away seem like an eternity.

a style we love

When talking about the kind of style we'd like for our new place, Yumi and I decided that we'd furnish different areas in different ways to keep things fresh.

So, we'll have two bedrooms we can use according to our mood. One will be Western style (no, I don't mean cowboys) and one will be traditional Japanese style, perfectly authentic.

It's going to be absolutely delicious!!

isn't she lovely

I found this picture on the net. Even before I met Yumi I'd been aware of Ai Otsuka and loved her songs. I don't understand Japanese, yet, but her voice is so cute and she's awfully pretty.

When Yumi sings to herself in the kitchen or in the bathroom, her voice has a similar quality.

we've found a new place

Yumi and I have set the wheels in motion to buy the new flat she spotted on Thursday.

We've been looking around a little today at furniture and decorations; things for the new place. This is the style of bed we like.

Welcome to the fresh

For those of you who have known me, or of me, for a while this new blog will be a very different experience from what you're used to seeing from me.

Do I still party? Yes, of course, when I have time, but the masses of debauchery I knew in the past are gone. Sensuality has replaced raw sexuality. On some occasions though, I will indulge in the lushness of a beautiful girl or several, with or without my girlfriend. She is free to do the same but at the end of the day, we alone share love as a couple, in every way. It's time for me to grow up and this new blog will reflect that.

I've discovered the joy of love, the challenge of rewarding work, and a fresh view of the world as one of endless possibilities. No, I haven't found religion, and it's nothing like becoming boring and old. There simply comes a time in most peoples' lives when they see what is really important in the core of themselves.

This time has come and I embrace it with all my heart.