If baseball is the common link between so many sons and fathers, than food truly is the medium of my relationship with mom.  She a chef, me a devout foodie, so what do I do when I am visiting foreign cities?  Head to market of course.  

In India, peanuts sell for mere rupees on the street Hyderabad , while in London pain de chocolat comes in a different shape and size Yum.

Eggs remain a staple whether found in brilliant colors and design in China, Eggs, or simply hearty stock from Kent, London Egg 1, London Egg 2.

And while no one accuses the Brits of moving the world of culinary arts forward  (short of Gordon Ramsay) they will never let an opportunity pass to put the American tourist in his place as evidenced by the only two staples that can be found in the U.S. section of a London supermarket:  Fluff and Coke

On a recent business trip, between boring meetings, bad coffee and poor translations, I got myself out in a cold drizzling rain to walk around a garden at Japan's Imperial Palace in Tokyo.  

An amazing estate with lush greenery, ponds, and sculpture (Tokyo fish, Obelisk)I was struck most of all by a little, rickety bamboo gate.  So basic in form and function, yet beautiful too.  The gate served as a pass through (to authorized personnel only) to a magnificent garden and imperial structure.  It struck me as odd, this little beautiful gate, protecting or announcing such compelling architecture, form and design.  

At any rate, I took many, many shots of this little gate trying to capture some of what I was feeling when I saw it. Here are 3 of them (gate, gate 2, and gate 3).  I wonder if any of them evoke what I was trying to capture.  

Please provide feedback on style, composition or if these evoke any emotion whatsoever.  I welcome all coments even if they are critical in nature!

I hope these are better than my first ever Photographica posting earlier today.  I am very much the amateur without a great eye, but I try.

Upon visiting Asia this summer (Singapore, Japan, China, and Hong Kong) I was struck by the juxtaposition of ancient and modern, organic and manmade.

The world is flat. . .
Hidden treasures
earth and water
Japanese tree
Japanese tree study 2
japanese tree study 1
japanese tree study 3

My youngest son, in a moment of introspection or exhaustion, on Christmas morning.  

I know it is not a well framed shot and you may just call it very basic dreck, but there is something wonderful about a 3 year old boy that can love Dora and the NY Rangers hockey team all at once!

A long Christmas morning.