Welcome Baby Greyson!

Today we take a break from all things food and travel to share some great news.

After waiting 8 days past his due date, Greyson David has finally arrived! He was born on Jan. 21 in the wee hours (he chose to come at 4:01AM, just as I had predicted). He weighed in at 7 lbs 1 oz and 19" long. Mom is doing well, and his big sister Elisabeth is "soooo excited!" to meet him (and feed him, and hold him, and help change him...). He is quite a handsome fellow, and has already captured our hearts.

So life with 2 kids officially begins. We are managing okay so far. It's definitely an adjustment, but not quite the same as going from none to one. Anyways, let's get to the photos!

Just a few minutes old here. He was alert, looking all around right from the start.

Mom gives a well deserved kiss to her little man.

What a good looking guy!

Time for another nap.

Wow - I'm sure not in Kansas anymore!

Elisabeth couldn't wait to meet her little brother. She held him, fed him, and gave him lots of kisses and hugs.

Ready to go home. Mom sure looks great, doesn't she!

Kyoto in Photos: Random Photos While Out and About

Part 10 of 10

Finally finishing up this series, I have a collection of random bits and bobs, stuff I thought would be fun to share but just didn't warrant an individual post. Enjoy!

Shops line the street heading up the hill towards Kiyomizu Temple (can be seen in the distance). The shops were full of souveneirs, snacks and treats. Unfortunately, many were closed as I went first thing in the morning.

Another picturesque shop-lined street. This one was somewhere along the walk north from Kiyomizu to the subway station.

A small temple along the road. I passed by countless places like this one while walking around.

This restaurant front is representative of the typical street level architecture style in Kyoto. Notice the sliding wooden doors, the tile roof, and the paper lantern. This place was along Pontocho St.

Gion - famous entertainment district in Japan. There are still two Geisha houses operating here.

Gion is still a popular nightlife destination with many restaurants and clubs. Here is a typical view of the street after dark.

An array of paper lanterns at the Teramachi Shopping Arcade

KFC's Colonel Sanders as his Japanese alter ego - Samurai Sandozu

At least they're not afraid to call a pig a pig

The snack section at a Kyoto convenience store. If dried squid just isn't your thing, maybe some Pista - chios (seen in lower left) would be a better choice.

Sign seen in the window of an ice cream shop at Kinkakuji. Seems the welcome isn't quite as warm as intended.

Fountain Drink Machine - Equally adept at pouring cold fountain sodas or making a hot coffee.

Pocari Sweat Machine - What trip to Japan would be complete without partaking of a nice cold bottle of Sweat? Not a one, I think.

Alien Noodle Machine - Hot noodles is fairly straightforward (in Japan, anyways)... But what's with the aliens?

Necktie Machine - How convenient! I mean, seriously, how many times have you been on your way to work when you realize that you forgot your necktie? You can also stock up on SD cards, disposable cameras, and lithium batteries here. You know, just in case.

Kyoto in Photos: The Imperial Palace

Part 9 of 10

Place: Kyoto Imperial Palace (Kyoto Gosho)

Getting there: Take the subway to Imadegawa Station (this stop is closest to the office where you need to register). Allow a solid 10 minutes for the walk.

Essential Information: The Imperial Palace in Kyoto was home to the royal family from the early 1300's until the capital was moved to Tokyo in 1868. Like many other places in Kyoto, fires have struck periodically over the years, requiring repeated reconstructions. The current main hall was built in 1855, and is representative of Heian style architecture. The Palace grounds are open to visitors, however, without advance tour reservations, entrance to the palace is not permitted. Fortunately, the tour is free and it is easy to register online.

My Take: I almost missed out on seeing the Palace. The walk from the subway station took a bit longer than I was expecting (even halfway running the entire way), so I was late and missed the tour group at the office. When I finally got there, I realized that I had forgotten to print out my reservation paper. Security would not let me through, and there were some miscommunications due to the language barrier. I was finally able to convey that I had, in fact, preregistered and received permission for the visit, but simply did not have the document handy. This realization seemed to shock the man into action, so he brought me over to another guard post and looked up my passport. Soon after, the guards were all smiles, letting me in and bowing profusely. All's well that ends well!

One of the side gates of the Palace. This one would typically be used by the servants.

One of the minor buildings in the complex, the Shunkoden. It was actually built in 1915 for the coronation ceremony of Emperor Taisho. It was the first such ceremony that foreign dignitaries were allowed to attend. With some type of mossy/algae growth all over the wooden roof, it looks like it needs a little maintainance.

A view of the Shishinden, the main hall of the Imperial Palace. Much of the ceremony surrounding the Emperor and his official business was conducted here. The Emperor's throne is also inside. Tour visitors are not allowed inside the courtyard, so I had to take this photo through an opening in a gate.

The brilliant vermillion of the courtyard gate contrasts with the silver-grey roof tiles. And for once, the sky was actually blue!

Strolling around the Palace grounds, I was struck by how much wood is used in the construction of these buildings. The craftsmanship is absolutely superb. But it's no wonder that fire has been a brutal enemy over the centuries.

The Seiryouden, or refreshing hall, was the earliest living quarters for the Emperor while at the Palace. Quarters for visiting dignitaries were also located here.

A closeup of the magnificent cedar roof, used throughout the complex on most of the main structures.

A cutaway model shows how many many thin strips of cedar bark are layered to create a thick roof surface. I read somewhere that these roofs can last for 70 years before needing replacement.

These steps lead up to the Kogosho, another of the Palace's halls.

The side platform of one of the verandas. The brass(?) plate is adorned with a chrysanthemum, the flower of the Imperial Seal of Japan.

In this hallway, you can see the floor is covered with tatami mats. Again, the beauty of the natural wood is evident.

Most of these are sliding doors, and are also removable, typically done during warmer months. The inner doors are covered with rice paper (shoji), which allows light in, but provides privacy.

A last view of the inner Palace grounds through one of the exit gates

A bridge in the Oikeniwa Garden

A view of the moss garden

The pond and pebble beach are the distinguishing characteristics of the Oikeniwa Garden

Kyoto in Photos: Nishiki Food Market

Part 8 of 9

Place: Nishiki Food Market

Location: Near the city center. Nishiki Market runs parallel to Shijo Dori, one block to the north. Nishiki's eastern end is perpendicular to Teramachi Shopping Arcade, also worth a visit. Take the subway to Shijo for easiest access.

Essential Information: Nishiki is a huge food market in the center of Kyoto. Just about any food item can be found here, from raw fish, to bean curd, Kyoto style pickled veg, grilled meats & fish, fruit, sweets, etc. Its location makes it the ideal place to stop for lunch while out sightseeing. The history of the market extends back some 400 years, with many shops still owned and operated by their founding families.

My Take: I absolutely loved this place! All imaginable manner of edible items are on full display, some already prepared, and some for bringing home to cook with. Honestly, Nishiki was fairly overwhelming, considering I had budgeted only enough time to stop in and grab a bite to eat. I was manic as I ran from shop to shop, taking in the sights and smells, trying to choose something to have for lunch, not wanting to miss a single thing. Looking at my photos afterwards, I was disappointed that I wasn't able to capture the essence of the market as well as I would have liked. I took too many closeups and not enough wide angle shots (well, not any, really :( ). I was like my 2-year old on Christmas, running from booth to booth, pausing just long enough to gorge my eyes and catch my breath before darting off to the next shop. I mean seriously, this place is several city blocks long (about a quarter of a mile!). How can anyone hope to take it all in in such a short time?

One of many shops offering both raw materials (I believe fish, in this case) and prepared foods. This one in particular had the luxury of a seating area, which was pretty rare in the market area.

Although these look and feel like wood, they are actually blocks of katsuobushi, or fermented dried bonito (skipjack tuna) fish. This was the first time I had seen dried bonito in its whole form.

The blocks of katsuobushi are shaved into micro-thin flakes (looks kind of like fish food) which are then used, typically with dried konbu (a type of seaweed) to make dashi soup stock - a basic building block of Japanese cuisine.

The quality and variety of fresh sea creatures available was astounding. I liked the propensity of the fishmongers to splay the fish open, like these great looking eels.

Of course, in my euphoric stupor, I took two photos of eels, neglecting scores of other items I could have snapped. But hey, eels are underused, in my opinion, and are quite tasty.

I did manage to capture these beautiful squid though...

Lots and lots of fish, grilled on skewers

Loose tea for sale

Chestnuts, fresh off the tree and still in their cupules

Kyoto is known for its variety of vegetable pickles. The ones here are preserved with salt and miso.

These are pickles too, but look quite different. Whole cucumbers are packed in a much wetter miso paste in this type.

With this huge array of choices, I picked teriyaki chicken??? I was starving, as you can tell by the bite mark I made before taking this picture. And this semi-boneless chicken leg was seriously off the hook good. And cheap too.