An Interesting Conversation

 

Wakae is a really wonderful young woman from Nagoya Japan. She studies film at USC. The focus of her Dissertation is on “Japanese experimental film and documentaries.” The exhibit we discussed at lunch the other day was something she helped work on. It is at the Academy of Motion Pictures (Oscars) museum on Wilshire blvd. The exhibit is Cyperpunk Cinema. I am absolutely clueless about what Cyberpunk is but apparently it’s quite a thing among many young people. Wakae is working on so many interesting aspects of women and diversity in film. She has curated several women’s film discussions and I love to listen to her stories about her family in Japan and her ideas on film. She is creative and full of life and fun. Her sweet joy and enthusiasm is contagious.

She also happens to be my nephews girlfriend which makes me a very fortunate family member.

Meet Up in Little Tokyo Friday January 31, 2025

 Mike’s brother Tony and his wife Linda are in town for a couple of days. They are staying at the Miyako hotel in Little Tokyo visiting their son Trace who is a business owner in Little Tokyo.

Took the metro Train line A to Little Tokyo from LongBeach

Breakfast at the Miyako

 

 

 We had a fun morning showing them around my old childhood stomping grounds (my church, Fugetsudo a historic confectionery, the museum Go For Broke, the Far East Cafe and the spot that once was a Japanese book store at the entrance of Village plaza that I worked at wrapping Xmas purchases. The book store was owned by the uncle of one of my friends. They were very precise on how they wrapped gifts. I used too much paper. It was my first job! I only lasted a day! I was 11 years old. I probably still use too much paper when I wrap gifts! We visited a few spots in downtown “The Last Book store” 

 

 

and “The Bradbury Bldg”. 

 

 

There’s so much more of downtown that we want to show them . These are some things we saw as we walked around DTLA.

 

We returned to Trace's store "L.A. Wargames"and met up with Trace and Wakae.

We had a nice leisure lunch and had fun catching up.

 

Soon Linda, Tony and Wakae   were off to see "Wakae’s” work on a current Japanese film project currently at the Museum of Motion Pictures” on Wilshire blvd. we headed home. 

 

 

 

 

 

 So happy we could spend some time with family. A quick ride home on the metro line A train to Long Beach.