the intersection of life

I saw an old friend of mine at the Tokyo Photo preview party the other night.
Wow, over a decade ago.. we used to work together at a cafe in Ebisu; he was a chef and I was a waitress. Well, one confession, I had a dream about owning my own cafe back then. Moved into a new apartment in Ebisu, I was walking around, found a nice cafe, went in and asked if I could work. Then it turned out that we both were from sort of the same circuit in Tokyo by chance.

Once upon a time, there was a cafe called LAS CHICAS, a legend place, in Omotesando. It still exists, but its bought out and commercialized now.
Anyways, back then, 90% of people there, were foreigners--either as customers, waiters, waitresses or bartenders. Its like a cosmopolitan in a smaller scale--funky bohemians, super duper funky crazy gays, very conventional business men, designers in all black outfit, girls and boys, in various type of skin colors. Needless to say, it was my favorite place to hung out.
So, that's where we came from: him as a bar manager and me as a customer, but we never crossed each other.
So, ding ding ding--BOF.
We started working together. Its a place where my BF, his GF, my friends and his friends all hanged out.

Actually, I don't remember as its really a long time ago, but somehow the cafe was closed or bought up. For some reason, I quit and he left.

After some more and more years later, I moved into NYC. He was at Idee as a chef. So, for the first 2 years, I could find him at Idee cafe in Aoyama, but then again, Idee was bought up by Mujirushi. Since then, I'd lost in touch.

Funny enough, that night, I actually called another old friend of mine, a commercial photographer, whom I've known over a decade and curated his show once. I asked him to come out for this event. Then, he goes, "oh I knew about this, because of this chef friend." "all right then, great." I forgot that they were friends. I was so disconnected that I could not keep up with info like who is who's friend and etc.
So we went and I was reconnected to this chef friend. Life is funny.
Now, He does his own catering business that is really related to contemporary art scene in Tokyo and he works as a commercial photographer.
Somehow, he is involved with the Tokyo Photo. All sounds good.

After the preview event, we stayed with his friend at a bar and talked and talked.
It seemed that he was involved with many different things, as a catering chef, which I could say he is a food artist, a photographer, a traveler, a organizer for a club event.
He did a catering for Damian Hirst's reception at Mori Museum and made a big cow using coffee jello.
"Oh, yes, as business goes, I need to make profit, but at the same time I take a risk and sometimes, it ends up breaking even. well, the important theory is to do things that makes myself excited and happy. " he said.
"Ride on!"
We finished up with a ramen place at 2 am.


I like the intersection of life. You never know who will be in and out of your life.
I felt somehow, home, meaning I could be myself. Or I'll say, with a bit of feeling of reminiscent, I just re realized that there was indeed the history in my life, reminding me of what I was and am.
Yes, I love art and music, but all them aside, I just love people- interacting with people beyond sex, age, nationalities and professions. That's why I'd traveled so much in the world and met so many different types of people from hippies to millionaires.
Especially interacting with like minded or open minded people like him gives me energy and true happiness. Inspiring.
Even in a 5 min talk with a stranger at a bus station, when I feel connected to the person, that's like a WOW experience that I would never forget.
Sadly, it doesn't happen too often. Sometimes, I feel cold in my heart when I am in a situation where there is nothing to share with despite efforts.
Like viewing art, when you see the real, you will know. But its hard to encounter the real. Then, when you see the real finally, you are in the utmost happiness.
Its similar when it comes to people.

I have to say, its been hard here in Japan for me to adjust. I feel as if I were in a cage with restrictions and rules. But still, I just want to be myself and being reunited to my old friend, to me, is like a message--- you will be fine as the way you are.

Taking a cab back home, feeling the winds with the smell of rain, I really appreciated life and what life offers me.
loves life? oh yes.