0 comments on my sanity Listening to: Middlemarch on BBC7
Mood: Demoralised
On Saturday, Annie and I rented a car and went on a jolly jaunt to Arita near Nagasaki. Arita is a town famous for its pottery fair in May, but when we went it was virtually deserted, being too cold and rainy for Japanese tourists I think! We spent the morning looking at the little pottery shops on the main arcade, before visiting the pottery equivalent of an outlet mall. We were both looking for a dinner set to take home as a souvenir, and we certainly didn't lack choice.
I didn't get a dinner set, but I did make a few little (and slightly random) purchases which I shall now glee about below.
First, on the dinner set front, I found the perfect one, a grey clay with a white crackle glaze. Unfortunately it turned out that the man only had one place setting left, and I wanted 6 or 8. Still, I bought those because they were so nice.
Annie bought her dinner set there, and since both of us had spent money in his shop, the man offered us a free gift: a natto bowl. Just what I've always wanted. You can't see in that photo but it has little bobbles on the bottome which apparently help whip the natto goo up into a nice frothy mixture.
My next purchase was one of these. I really like the dribbly bits, but the more I look at it, the less I like the metallic glaze on the bottom. They are very cuddly teacups, with little thumb dents.
To add to the beaker collection, I also bought a very rustic looking teacup. It's amazing. It almost looks like cast iron, and it's satisfyingly chunky.
In a fit of whimsy, I bought a set of soya bean shaped chopstick rests. These things are so unbelievably awesome.
In an interesting branch out from plates and things, some of the shops were also selling jewellery and brooches. I couldn't resist.
Purchase of the day: This adorable plate. (Katy, under no circumstances should you click on the link to this one.)
February 04, 2008 at 9:25 p.m.
