http://daviding.com/blog David Ing, at large ... Sometimes, my mind wanders Sun, 07 Sep 2008 20:11:49 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Many people go to China to see ancient classics, but I would rather see the works produced by contemporary Chinese artists. As the major leisure activity on this trip to Beijing, Eric and I went to the 798 Art Zone. We took a taxi cross town that dropped ... http://daviding.com/blog/index.php/archive/798-art-zone-beijing/ Continuing on my round-the-world trip from Tokyo, my next stop was Beijing. Beijing Capital International Airport is modern, with long walks and grand halls (like most airports). One signal of being in China was a display of temple bells. Eric met me at the airport, and got us ... http://daviding.com/blog/index.php/archive/dumplings-in-beijing-westernized-apartment-hotel/ When I left Tokyo in August, I took the bus from Shinagawa to Narita airport. On this trip in, I came from the airport on the Japan Rail Narita Express train. This Saturday afternoon departure had an easy schedule out and I felt adventurous, so I tried the third ... http://daviding.com/blog/index.php/archive/tamachi-nippori-keisei-skyliner-to-narita/ With all of our official duties for the week done (and the symposium continuing in Japanese), Jennifer, Marja, Gary and I went for a leisurely sightseeing trip through Shinjuku. As we changed trains at Shinjuku station, I noticed a farmers market operating in an underground space. A short ride on ... http://daviding.com/blog/index.php/archive/tokyo-opera-city-ntt-icc-tokyo-metropolitan-government-building-shinjuku/ After a full date in a workshop at TiTech, the group walked out together to the metro station and took the trains to Jiyugaoka. We wended our way through some shopping streets, and Jim led us to the entrance to an upstairs restaurant. We were seated around a long table. ... http://daviding.com/blog/index.php/archive/seafood-feast-jiyugaoka/ In advance of a formal workshop on services at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, we took an opportunity to have some informal meetings on systems science. Jennifer had flown in from the UK, Gary flew in from Kentucky, and I flew direct from Toronto. The trees on campus were barer ... http://daviding.com/blog/index.php/archive/informal-meetings-at-tokyo-institute-of-technology-ookayama/ After a morning visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, I rode the metro west one stop back over the Sumida River to Suitengumae. While I was looking for the office for a business meeting in Hakozaki, I found a mom-and-pop beef bowl restaurant for lunch. I ... http://daviding.com/blog/index.php/archive/hakozaki-park-and-offices-tokyo/ With an open morning to beat jet lag, I decided to do some sightseeing. Last August, we didn't have enough time to make the trek east across the river. I took the metro out to Kiyosumi-Shirakawa. Coming out of the subway station, I was impressed by the ... http://daviding.com/blog/index.php/archive/kiyosumi-shirakawa-museum-of-contemporary-art-tokyo/ As a first -- with meetings at universities in Tokyo and Helsinki less than a week apart -- the best way for me to travel was to book a round-the-world ticket, with a stopover in Beijing to see Eric. The first leg of trip brought me to Narita. ... http://daviding.com/blog/index.php/archive/narita-express-tokyo-station-tamachi-shibaura/ I don't know as much about Chinese history as I should, so live theatre is a great opportunity (and excuse) to learn more. For both cultural and educational reasons, I was curious about A Nanking Winter. This production at Factory Theatre, based on Iris Chang's study of ... http://daviding.com/blog/index.php/archive/a-nanking-winter-factory-theatre/ Brian was in town, visiting from California, so we invited him over for dinner with the family. As a change of pace, I suggested that we go over to The Drake Hotel to hear David Occhipinti (on guitar) and Mike Murley (on saxophone). Brian has a legacy as a professional ... http://daviding.com/blog/index.php/archive/david-occhipinti-and-mike-murley-at-the-drake/ Over on Rachel and Jeff's farm, Rafu and Rulle went into the barn to see the tractors. The boys were a bit shy about climbing up into the cab of the tractor. I went outside the barn to look at the cows ... and be looked it. I moved slowly towards ... http://daviding.com/blog/index.php/archive/on-the-farm-fairfield-iowa/ While part of our research team's learning was formal meetings at the University of Iowa, there was also much to see just in the rural setting. DLH took us for a drive around the farm. The terrain around Fairfield isn't completely flat, and there are hills and streams. There ... http://daviding.com/blog/index.php/archive/farms-and-town-fairfield-iowa/ I spend most of my time in big cities. To give us a different perspective on our research project into innovation, DLH invited us out to his farm near Fairfield, Iowa. It's a working farm. DLH's career is in New Jersey, so he has been leasing the land to ... http://daviding.com/blog/index.php/archive/the-rural-perspective-fairfield-iowa/ It's now becoming a tradition for us to go to Rosaline and Tom's house for Chinese New Year. When we arrive, we always find Rosaline in the kitchen cooking. Since she always has the dinner well under control, we have time to socialize. Ariel is comfortable with her grandfather ... http://daviding.com/blog/index.php/archive/2008-chinese-new-year-dinner/ I claim that the best live concert performance of my life has been Steps Ahead in 1986, at the Bottom Line in New York. I think that I've seen the band play once in Toronto in the 1990s. Whenever I'm scheduled to be in New York, I check ... http://daviding.com/blog/index.php/archive/steps-ahead-special-edition-iridium-jazz-club-new-york/ It's become an annual event, with Rollie and Teresa hosting the Superbowl party. The one variable is how cold the weather is outside. After dinner, the spectators gather around the large screen tv. I'm not much of watcher, myself. For a change of pace this year, I was in another ... http://daviding.com/blog/index.php/archive/superbowl-party-mississauga/ My colleague Antonio lives in New York, but despite his personal passion for guitar, he doesn't take full advantage of the entertainment in town. The New York Guitar Festival had some special events to add to the local talent. From Austria, Wolfgang Muthspiel was scheduled for two nights ... http://daviding.com/blog/index.php/archive/wolfgang-muthspiel-the-jazz-standard-new-york/ I had heard an audio interview by Jason Crane on The Jazz Session about Donny McCaslin. I liked the way he plays sax, and noted that he lives in New York City. Thus, with a business trip down to the area, I tracked down Donny playing in a ... http://daviding.com/blog/index.php/archive/donny-mccaslin-louis-649-new-york/ Diana suggested that we go to see an exhibit of industrial design called From 15 minutes into the future by Karim Rashid at OCAD. The pieces were lined up in rows, and even the the ceiling was covered. Diana and I have toured industrial design collections around the world. ... http://daviding.com/blog/index.php/archive/karim-rashid-and-student-exhibits-at-ocad/