(written by Holly Lee) Sushi Grass in Paradise (a story)
(47) The Museum of Wandering
“Couldn’t be more true about our consuming culture,” Mrs. Bento agreed, “I don’t see myself not buying anything with every single trip out, there’s always something I want to get,...
(47) The Museum of Wandering
“Couldn’t be more true about our consuming culture,” Mrs. Bento agreed, “I don’t see myself not buying anything with every single trip out, there’s always something I want to get,...

(46) The Initial Anatomy of Photo Museums
Mr. Bento did not have the idea of bringing up news of Robert Frank’s death would create another diversion, dragging the HOSOP team further away from studying what photo museums...
(46) The Initial Anatomy of Photo Museums
Mr. Bento did not have the idea of bringing up news of Robert Frank’s death would create another diversion, dragging the HOSOP team further away from studying what photo museums...

(45) Borderlines
Without saying much Mrs. Bento felt the sadness in Chai’s heart. Their city was burning. No news was good since June and the whole situation has gone completely out of...
(45) Borderlines
Without saying much Mrs. Bento felt the sadness in Chai’s heart. Their city was burning. No news was good since June and the whole situation has gone completely out of...

(44) Halloween
A few weeks ago, Ginger and Mrs. Bento had to make a quick trip to Home Depot to get a new bathroom fan. The fan in one of the guest...
(44) Halloween
A few weeks ago, Ginger and Mrs. Bento had to make a quick trip to Home Depot to get a new bathroom fan. The fan in one of the guest...

(43) A Stela incised with the Keepers of Light
From The Family of Man catalogue, Chai gathered the names of 257 photographers, shy of 16 from the 273 people claimed in the collection at Clervaux Castle. When Chai further...
(43) A Stela incised with the Keepers of Light
From The Family of Man catalogue, Chai gathered the names of 257 photographers, shy of 16 from the 273 people claimed in the collection at Clervaux Castle. When Chai further...

(42) A Brief History of mid-20th Century Photog...
In the Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century Photography, it has been recorded that all the black and white images of The Family of Man catalogue were printed by regular rotogravure. The catalogue...
(42) A Brief History of mid-20th Century Photog...
In the Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century Photography, it has been recorded that all the black and white images of The Family of Man catalogue were printed by regular rotogravure. The catalogue...
(41) The Family of Man
(41) The Family of ManDespite its size, a good 8¼ in x 10 in, this sad, long neglected book not more than 200 pages suddenly came to live, touched gently...
(41) The Family of Man
(41) The Family of ManDespite its size, a good 8¼ in x 10 in, this sad, long neglected book not more than 200 pages suddenly came to live, touched gently...
(40) The American Fifties
“Today’s HOSOP meeting starts with news of Robert Frank’s death.” Mr. Bento said with a low voice, lifting up his spectacles and gently soothing his eyes with two fingers, he...
(40) The American Fifties
“Today’s HOSOP meeting starts with news of Robert Frank’s death.” Mr. Bento said with a low voice, lifting up his spectacles and gently soothing his eyes with two fingers, he...

(39) Street Mapping
The first building opposite the library on Gladstone Avenue is Hakim Optical shop. Sharing this rather long and rectangular three-stories red brick complex is WWCC, Working Women Community Centre, a...
(39) Street Mapping
The first building opposite the library on Gladstone Avenue is Hakim Optical shop. Sharing this rather long and rectangular three-stories red brick complex is WWCC, Working Women Community Centre, a...

(38) The Church
Chai and Mrs. Bento failed to recognize St. Wenceslaus Church on Gladstone Avenue possibly because of their stereotypical impression of what a Catholic church should look like - always grand...
(38) The Church
Chai and Mrs. Bento failed to recognize St. Wenceslaus Church on Gladstone Avenue possibly because of their stereotypical impression of what a Catholic church should look like - always grand...

(37) The Library
A fine September morning. On Dufferin and Alma Street, from the bus stop opposite a massive construction site, Mrs. Bento and Chai took the number 29A northbound bus to Bloor...
(37) The Library
A fine September morning. On Dufferin and Alma Street, from the bus stop opposite a massive construction site, Mrs. Bento and Chai took the number 29A northbound bus to Bloor...

(36) New Wound, Old Wound
Never has Mrs. Bento so affected by thunders before. Between the scientific and mythical world there is every reason she can find to be afraid of the dragon’s roar. She...
(36) New Wound, Old Wound
Never has Mrs. Bento so affected by thunders before. Between the scientific and mythical world there is every reason she can find to be afraid of the dragon’s roar. She...

(35) An Apple is not an Apple
“It makes me want to look at those photographs!” said George, referring to A Conversation of Five Photographs. By this time, they had gone through some length of the disc...
(35) An Apple is not an Apple
“It makes me want to look at those photographs!” said George, referring to A Conversation of Five Photographs. By this time, they had gone through some length of the disc...

(34) Photography and History
"Photography and history." Yoji lifted his head, eyes fixed on Mr. Bento, "Since the invention of photography, any civilized cities or countries must have a photo archive of their own....
(34) Photography and History
"Photography and history." Yoji lifted his head, eyes fixed on Mr. Bento, "Since the invention of photography, any civilized cities or countries must have a photo archive of their own....

(33) A General Survey of Photo Museums of the W...
Another month has gone by since the HOSOP team met. HOSOP - an acronym for "House of Something on Photography" they've started to use, is a shorter form to remember,...
(33) A General Survey of Photo Museums of the W...
Another month has gone by since the HOSOP team met. HOSOP - an acronym for "House of Something on Photography" they've started to use, is a shorter form to remember,...

(32) A Rose is not A Rose
In her bedroom, Mrs. Bento put the audio cd A Conversation of Five Photographs into her Wave and sat in front of the desk. Mr. Bento entered the room, closed...
(32) A Rose is not A Rose
In her bedroom, Mrs. Bento put the audio cd A Conversation of Five Photographs into her Wave and sat in front of the desk. Mr. Bento entered the room, closed...

(31) Disco Nation
It was a gloomy rainy day when Violet dropped by to pick up something from the library. She forgot to bring the room key so Mrs. Bento walked her up...
(31) Disco Nation
It was a gloomy rainy day when Violet dropped by to pick up something from the library. She forgot to bring the room key so Mrs. Bento walked her up...

(30) The Anatomy of A Street
Chai was born in early November, under the zodiac sign of Sagittarius. People born under this sign revere freedom, free-spirited, they are eager to travel, explore the world and learn...
(30) The Anatomy of A Street
Chai was born in early November, under the zodiac sign of Sagittarius. People born under this sign revere freedom, free-spirited, they are eager to travel, explore the world and learn...

(29) Chai
At the door is a young woman, dark brown eyes and short wavy layered bob haircut. She carries a travel backpack on her shoulders, a Samsonite spinner in the colour...
(29) Chai
At the door is a young woman, dark brown eyes and short wavy layered bob haircut. She carries a travel backpack on her shoulders, a Samsonite spinner in the colour...

(28) Photographs in the Bedroom
"Haven't checked emails for weeks, will make it brief. Just to let you know, from the Thar Desert I'm jumping in Paul Salopek's epic walk. We've just arrived at Kalibangan,...
(28) Photographs in the Bedroom
"Haven't checked emails for weeks, will make it brief. Just to let you know, from the Thar Desert I'm jumping in Paul Salopek's epic walk. We've just arrived at Kalibangan,...

(27) The Great Discovery
Mrs. Bento hasn't done housekeeping for the upstairs library for almost three weeks, busy helping Ginger with her school project, and spending time with the photo museum team in the...
(27) The Great Discovery
Mrs. Bento hasn't done housekeeping for the upstairs library for almost three weeks, busy helping Ginger with her school project, and spending time with the photo museum team in the...

(26) Hand in H/// with Gr//t Bo/ks
Then came a minute of silence in the café. The three friends sat and watched the evening sun casting shadows from the vinyl lettering adhered to the store-front window, creating...
(26) Hand in H/// with Gr//t Bo/ks
Then came a minute of silence in the café. The three friends sat and watched the evening sun casting shadows from the vinyl lettering adhered to the store-front window, creating...

(25) Comparing Café Decor
Yoji is less busy these days. He has finished editing the video he shot for the Japanese Cultural Centre a week ago. He called up George and Mr. Bento to...
(25) Comparing Café Decor
Yoji is less busy these days. He has finished editing the video he shot for the Japanese Cultural Centre a week ago. He called up George and Mr. Bento to...

(24) Things Birthday
As Mrs. Bento hurried out from No Frills to the mall every clothing store she passed by stood a discount sign board that ranged from 30% to 50% off. It...
(24) Things Birthday
As Mrs. Bento hurried out from No Frills to the mall every clothing store she passed by stood a discount sign board that ranged from 30% to 50% off. It...

(23) The Little House of Something on Photography
"I love the name!" Yoji says, as he sips a small mouthful of warm water from the glass marked TIME'S CHANGED. "Everything has becoming so big these days that nothing...
(23) The Little House of Something on Photography
"I love the name!" Yoji says, as he sips a small mouthful of warm water from the glass marked TIME'S CHANGED. "Everything has becoming so big these days that nothing...

(22) A Party In The Room
It was pouring outside. Mrs. Bento always worries when it rains this hard. It is about the building, especially the second floor - the east facing room. The exterior bricks...
(22) A Party In The Room
It was pouring outside. Mrs. Bento always worries when it rains this hard. It is about the building, especially the second floor - the east facing room. The exterior bricks...

(21) Flying to the Moon
Now that George and Wandy have twenty-three million to spend on building a photo museum, got Bento to assist lining up a team of so called professionals, nevertheless, after the...
(21) Flying to the Moon
Now that George and Wandy have twenty-three million to spend on building a photo museum, got Bento to assist lining up a team of so called professionals, nevertheless, after the...

(20) Photo Museum YTT
Unable to find an appropriate name for the museum, they resolve to use the originally idea of Photo Museum, but adding the acronym YTT, which stands for "Yesterday Today Tomorrow"....
(20) Photo Museum YTT
Unable to find an appropriate name for the museum, they resolve to use the originally idea of Photo Museum, but adding the acronym YTT, which stands for "Yesterday Today Tomorrow"....

(19) The Pockmarked Wife
A panoramic lake and city view. George and Wandy's apartment overlooks east, sweeping a wide, nearly 270 degrees to the south-west of Lake Ontario, which guarantees spectacular scenes of sunrise...
(19) The Pockmarked Wife
A panoramic lake and city view. George and Wandy's apartment overlooks east, sweeping a wide, nearly 270 degrees to the south-west of Lake Ontario, which guarantees spectacular scenes of sunrise...

(18) A better handyman
Ginger was still wiping her sweat as she climbed out of bed. Still disturbed by the terrible dream and the fate of her parents, and within the next minute, she...
(18) A better handyman
Ginger was still wiping her sweat as she climbed out of bed. Still disturbed by the terrible dream and the fate of her parents, and within the next minute, she...

(17) Ginger's Dream
Ginger's heart was still pounding when she woke from the dream - so real that she thought she was in another dream as she struggled to open her half-closed eyes....
(17) Ginger's Dream
Ginger's heart was still pounding when she woke from the dream - so real that she thought she was in another dream as she struggled to open her half-closed eyes....

(16) Grazing ground
It was still an Ice and Fire trip, though Mrs. Bento and Ginger missed visiting any volcanoes in Iceland for fire, and any glaciers for ice in the must see...
(16) Grazing ground
It was still an Ice and Fire trip, though Mrs. Bento and Ginger missed visiting any volcanoes in Iceland for fire, and any glaciers for ice in the must see...

(15) Paprika Plains
"Sorry Vio, I got cut off from this phone call selling me more speed and bandwidth which I DON'T NEED. Let us get back to Paprika Plains. If it's too...
(15) Paprika Plains
"Sorry Vio, I got cut off from this phone call selling me more speed and bandwidth which I DON'T NEED. Let us get back to Paprika Plains. If it's too...

(14) A Letter to Vio
The letter came from papers tucked inside a sketch book in the upstairs library. It was addressing to Violet but now landed on the hands of Mrs. Bento, which are...
(14) A Letter to Vio
The letter came from papers tucked inside a sketch book in the upstairs library. It was addressing to Violet but now landed on the hands of Mrs. Bento, which are...

(13) The Windfall: Good Fortune Bad Fortune
Mr. Bento, "You're back. George and Wandy just left. Incredible news! They've won a lottery!" Mrs. Bento hardly has time to put her grocery down when Mr. Bento shoots her...
(13) The Windfall: Good Fortune Bad Fortune
Mr. Bento, "You're back. George and Wandy just left. Incredible news! They've won a lottery!" Mrs. Bento hardly has time to put her grocery down when Mr. Bento shoots her...

(12) George and Wandy
It is already early March. As one steps into the much anticipated March break, the weather in Toronto also starts to loosen its freezing grid. A succession of snowstorms created...
(12) George and Wandy
It is already early March. As one steps into the much anticipated March break, the weather in Toronto also starts to loosen its freezing grid. A succession of snowstorms created...

(11) A Dedicated Fan (or Two)
Mrs. Bento continued to read the Blue Journal, which she found MM's attachment to JM quite intriguing, and was wondering what would happen next. "In fact, I did not forget...
(11) A Dedicated Fan (or Two)
Mrs. Bento continued to read the Blue Journal, which she found MM's attachment to JM quite intriguing, and was wondering what would happen next. "In fact, I did not forget...

(10) A Blue Journal
This is no ordinary notebook, so thought Mrs. Bento. Every once in a while she'd like to spend more time on the third floor library, touching this and that and...
(10) A Blue Journal
This is no ordinary notebook, so thought Mrs. Bento. Every once in a while she'd like to spend more time on the third floor library, touching this and that and...

(9) A Breakfast Conversation and An Amateur Car...
"They are saying food in Japan have gone so wildly mutated that a new classification of food should enter the 21st century encyclopedia. Look at this one, a fish with...
(9) A Breakfast Conversation and An Amateur Car...
"They are saying food in Japan have gone so wildly mutated that a new classification of food should enter the 21st century encyclopedia. Look at this one, a fish with...

(8) Phoenixes Rising
As if it was some magical encounter, while turning the pages in the 2010 diary, Mrs. Bento discovered the mentioning of volcanic eruption at Eyjafjallajökull, located in the south coast...
(8) Phoenixes Rising
As if it was some magical encounter, while turning the pages in the 2010 diary, Mrs. Bento discovered the mentioning of volcanic eruption at Eyjafjallajökull, located in the south coast...

(7) Should we go?
Mrs. Bento and Ginger usually take their vacation every year in early or deep Winter. A time when they have fewer guests and can afford to take a week or...
(7) Should we go?
Mrs. Bento and Ginger usually take their vacation every year in early or deep Winter. A time when they have fewer guests and can afford to take a week or...

(6) Canada Post on strike. Again.
Mrs. Bento's room guest Yoshiko was expecting a letter she wrote to herself - just to prove the B&B's address was correct, and that the Canadian postal service could really...
(6) Canada Post on strike. Again.
Mrs. Bento's room guest Yoshiko was expecting a letter she wrote to herself - just to prove the B&B's address was correct, and that the Canadian postal service could really...

(5) A Page in a Diary and an Image from a Funeral
The diaries in the library are not uniform in size, in fact they vary from B5 size to big and small notebooks. They are also not put in an orderly...
(5) A Page in a Diary and an Image from a Funeral
The diaries in the library are not uniform in size, in fact they vary from B5 size to big and small notebooks. They are also not put in an orderly...

(4) The Library Holds More (Than Books)
The third floor library has one long and narrow window. On a sunny day, like today, Mrs. Bento is delighted to see a bank of definite light pours in, brightening...
(4) The Library Holds More (Than Books)
The third floor library has one long and narrow window. On a sunny day, like today, Mrs. Bento is delighted to see a bank of definite light pours in, brightening...

(3) The Skill of Playing Dead
It is almost the second Anniversary of our Bed and Breakfast! For the past year we came across so many interesting people that we wouldn't have met if it wasn't...
(3) The Skill of Playing Dead
It is almost the second Anniversary of our Bed and Breakfast! For the past year we came across so many interesting people that we wouldn't have met if it wasn't...

(2) The Third Floor Library
Mrs. Bento has a key to a special room on the third floor. It is a small library lined not only with books, but personal archive and memorabilia. Violet, the...
(2) The Third Floor Library
Mrs. Bento has a key to a special room on the third floor. It is a small library lined not only with books, but personal archive and memorabilia. Violet, the...

(1) Bento Family
Saturday morning, cloudy with occasional showers. Mrs. Bento woke up with a headache the minute she thought about changing the clock to Standard Time. That meant she had to deal...
(1) Bento Family
Saturday morning, cloudy with occasional showers. Mrs. Bento woke up with a headache the minute she thought about changing the clock to Standard Time. That meant she had to deal...