*Nahoko Morimoto is a Tokyo-based photographer. Her work has been featured in Brutus and Vogue Japan magazines.

Dear Anders,

Umamimart misses you.
I  mean, it just ain’t the same out here without The Skank Master.
Come back soon.

Love,

Kayoko

PS: I’m totally taking you to this bakery when you visit. You are going to DIE.

Yes, I’m still in Oaxaca– it has been an incredibly special trip. The city smells like cucumbers and fresh cut flowers. It is glorious here.

Just took this at the market this morning. Ya’ll know I’m obsessed with Jesus & Co. Even moreso when he is watching over dangling meat on hooks.

xxk

Mercado Democracia (de la Merced)
Oaxaca. MX

Thought you might like this.

Gonna stay away from the Comida China and dousing myself daily in mole y mezcal. Can’t get enough. Of course, will give a full report soon.

Mucho love, Martians!

xxk

Gold Star’s a little dive bar in Wicker Park, Chicago. The bartender was a gracious, round lady, who bought her regulars rounds of drinks. She’s the daughter of the owner, meaning this bar has been around for decades. How old do you think this Bud Light wall clock is?

The tamale guy came through the Gold Star Bar at around this time, selling his supply for $5 a pop. Just like there’s the Tamale Lady in SF, there’s a dude in CHI. Isn’t that uncanny? The guys next to us said it’s the best meal in town for the money.

Fugazi blasted through the speakers, and they sold $2 cans of Hamm’s beer. I adored this place– @totallymatt even bought a shirt.

Everyone in Chicago– from the bouncers, restaurant servers, and locals on the street– are so ridiculously friendly here. Save the fact that they have horrible senses of direction: THREE people, all locals, gave me wrong directions yesterday. Or maybe people just like to fuck with me?

Four words as I depart this great city today: TALK DERBY TO ME.

I’m frolicking around Chicago at the moment with @totallymatt, eating and drinking my way through this magnificent town. Just yesterday we went to Hot Doug’s for lunch, Kuma’s Corner for a beer, Blackbird for an incredible fancypants dinner, then The Green Mill for a jazz nightcap.

At a certain point late in the night, we got wasted. So wasted, that at 2am, we stumbled into the McDonald’s Super Center down the street from our hotel and ordered some chicken nuggets. And look at this, they had a BBQ sauce dispenser! Genius! Do they do this everywhere now, or is it a CHI thing? I remember when they used to be hella stingy about their sauces and wouldn’t give them out unless there was begging involved.

We ate our nuggets on leather Barcelona chairs. For real. This was by far the creepiest, yet classiest Micky D’s I’ve ever been in.

It’s been a blast here in CHI, and we still have a whole day left. Yay! Get real time updates on Twitter and Facebook. Chicago is such an awesome eating city!

On Frenchmen Street, NOLA. Check out all Mardi Gras Mayhem here.