Archive for July, 2006

Vampires beware!

July 30, 2006 at 2:39 pm · Filed under Current Affairs

We went to the Gilroy Garlic Festival yesterday for the first time! This family-wholesome event takes place about 1 hour south from our home and is filled with fun and food (the second part is what we went for). After what I thought getting out late, arriving at 10am or the opening of the festival doors was actually the right thing to do. We drove right into an ushered parking space and hopped on a festival-provided bus to Christmas Hill Park of Gilroy.  The entrance fee was 12$ per adult, and extra for food. Since it was only around 11am, no one was at the food vendors and darling and I had the ease of shopping around for the foods we want to try out.

The options were tremendous. Darling took a nap on the way so he was hungry like a wolf but still couldn’t decide on what part of the food-fest-taco to bite into first. I settled on the garlic fries with garlic aioli and a healthy handful of dungeoness crab meat and darling took the BBQ plate sampler, with a piece of chicken, two ribs, hot sausage, and potato salad.  The fries took the prize on this one. Actually, I think we can both agree that the fries were the most flavorful that we’ve ever had.  Tossed in garlic oil and spices these perfectly fried potatoes were then glooped with aioli on top – BAM! Instant heart attack!

The rest of the days’ menu contained a wine tasting (meh), corn on the cob w. garlic butter (all corn is good), garlic ice cream (surprisingly flavorful and sweet), and the SMOKED TURKEY LEG – one of my darlings all time favorite. 

My car dealer George says that it’s one of the best food fests California has to offer. I think there is always room for improvement, but it’s pretty darn good for this novice!

Next fest will be the Reno BBQ on Labor day weekend! Atkins will be so proud!

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Genie in a bottle with scissors

July 28, 2006 at 7:09 pm · Filed under Beauty

I ventured into SF again for some business and some pleasure. I won’t bore with the business but the personal event I will. My adventure started in Hayes Valley where I made an appointment with Gene for a haircut. It was a horrible area, filled with oddities and bad food. I sure that the people were all “good-at-heart” but to a NYC-princess, it was worse than the Lower East side. I came to the salon 30 minutes early and the very nice receptionist told me to come back even though the person before me was to come 15 minutes later. I went back out in search for some lunch and found a small sandwich shop on the corner. The caesar chicken salad was made of the stuff they put on McD’s hamburgers and reconstituted grilled chicken – complete with grill marks! I *should* have stuck to the sandwiches.

At that point I felt rejected and underfed, but not ill-treated; it was what it was and there was no shame in it. I left the deli and stepped into the salon. First thing I noticed was that it had beautiful curtains – I’ll fill in who, what and where later. It was transparent green and maroon floral with rich maroon velvet, held by silver rounded rods. I know this because I had to wait another 20 minutes for Gene to finish with his 10 minute late patron, the one that was coming in 15 minutes after I arrived 30 minutes ago. Then Ron came into my life and washed my hair as if I was his own daughter. I woed a bit to him about the betrayal of my previous hairdresser who after 6 years of loyalty and advertising, left me with a green girl to do my highlights (I will always be sore about that).

Then Gene finished with the tardy girl and came to me. I told him about my change in area and all that jazz. He calmed me by saying out of the blue, “… at least there are no men out here.”. I said that i had no idea what he was talking about and he clarified with wide eyes and a smile, “There are no men here to impress because they are all gay. LIKE ME, I’M GAY.”

I’m thinking …
wholly sh*t, I had no idea you were! I mean I lived in Chelsea, NYC for only 4 years, drank and frolicked at The Big Cup, and I cannot tell that your entire crew while very patient and sympathetic that they were a bit effeminate. Ok, you’re not flaming and rather well built and kind of beautiful, but your surroundings don’t lie either. I’m not dressed in Prada but I wasn’t born yesterday.

So I answered naively, “Oh no. I have a husband!”. At least I can return their frankness with dignity (and I may never leave home forgetting my ring again).

So the haircut went well, and the color corrected. All was right again and we must remind ourselves that for others to love us, we must love ourselves – it never hurts to give a great tip as well.

comment for the place i went to.

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Subconscious Mapping Part1

July 27, 2006 at 3:12 pm · Filed under Me

It’s funny how the brain always wants to associate itself with what it already knows. I was talking to my girlfriend about her recent trip to Hawaii, and how she thinks that her boyfriend does such an excellent job on planning the trip she never had to worry about anything. I said to her that she and I would be great vacation partners together since I’m always the one that plans meticulously and gets the best deals by planning VERY early on. I bragged a little bit about my darlings 30 surprise birthday party and how much I loved to run around talking to vendors and getting prepared for the event. Without thinking I said that if I could plan events all day I would! Then we both came up with the conclusion that it’s probably really tough to make money that way and maybe in another life.

After I stopped talking to her and continuing my journey home, I thought, “goodness! I’m going to be doing just that with a twist! I’m going to be making software that does planning!? to make people like my friend PLAN BETTER, and efficientize (is that even a word?) the alpha-planners like myself so they can plan more without going nuts!”.

Then I thought am I just saying that to justify the ends?

Then I thought I’m thinking too much and got some breakfast. :)

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Passions: wanting to act

July 27, 2006 at 2:54 pm · Filed under Television

I took a late lunch break today and flipped on the TV. It was on channel 3 because I’m a sucker for the Today show, and some corny ass soap opera was on. This one was way worse than I remember Days of Our Lives or All My Children was so I looked at the TV Guide and found out that this piece of C-grade actors? with lame sets crap is called “Passions”. It is described under the info button as “New, Perhaps the wildest soap since ‘ Dark Shadows ‘ takes place in the seldom harmonious Harmony”.

I want to say that every scene looks like it could possibly end with the porn music playing and someone taking off their shirt or calling for a repair person in daisy-dukes but the acting in this is way worse; I’d watch Jenna any day compared to these dreamers.

Maybe that is the point of Passions – to get people to stop watching with its unbelievable acting and minimal set directing, and get into something that isn’t so lame.

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Best Bar Ever

July 17, 2006 at 11:27 am · Filed under Food and Drink

I took a visit to the local Whole Foods in Palo Alto yesterday afternoon to look for some decent non-rocket fuel and a snack and found the ULTIMATE baked goods bar! It’s name is Carolyns Carmelita and I would like to hug the chef! I didn’t have the bar until right now so I’ll describe to you at first-time (vs. remembering and associated with first-hand perceptions) what it is composed of and the mouth feel:

1. when you look at it, it’s like a fruit cobbler bar with oatmeal bottom and an oatmeal crumble top. A healthy choice indeed.

2. turn to the side and you see that it’s separated by a layer of chocolate & nuts and some substance that keeps the chocolate from melting – presumably the caramel.

3. after nuking it for 15 seconds (I didn’t eat it right away so it got a little hard) the middle wasn’t completely melted but gave out nicely underneath my fork

4. opening up the monster, I found whole PECANS, a warm chocolate layer, and finally a smooth caramel layer right before the bottom oatmeal bed

5. the mouth feel was incredible. Oatmeal cookies + warm chocolate chip cookies + nuts + a hint of caramel.  it combined the best of the cookie worlds which is the gooey-ness of the chocochip cookie and the chewiness of the oatmeal cookies (without raisins, BLECH!). 

What a wonderful treat for a darn Monday morning! I searched online for the recipe but it is nowhere to be found. If anyone has it please email me!

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HOT in The City

July 13, 2006 at 12:56 pm · Filed under Travel

When I mention "The City" it will always mean New York City, Manhattan, Big Apple, Gotham, Metropolis etc.

NYC is 99% awesome and 1% suck during the summer time. That 1% is the humidity that happens in the majority of the July and August days, and it is BRUTAL. I literally took an average of three showers a day just by walking outside for 3 hours (vs. the two showers in CA)! My four days in NYC started with a quick shower and a bouncy girl coming out of the room and walking down the block.  Half a block later I have a bit of trouble continuing to bounce because the rubber on the bottom of my shoes are melted onto the pavement and my feet are sweaty and slipping out of the sandals. Three blocks later my chest feels like it has a 25lb cat on top and I need a lemonade bad.  The air is so thick and dead that I smell the trail of the homeless person five blocks away as easily as looking at snail slime tracks in the early mornings.

Some of the great things about summer in the city is that there are less people in the streets, less people in the stores, less people in the restaurants (inside seating of course), and to summerize LESS PEOPLE! NYC is usually so packed with bodies with questionable hygiene that it is a pleasure not to HAVE to stand ear to ear with one.  The heat also can do wonders with dieting. You can go a day without eating because you’re so full from the gallon of lemonade you drank while walking to and from the subway.  I saw one of the wonderful ladies working at Memorial Sloan Kettering after not seeing her for a month and she was tanned and skinny! I complimented her, she thanked me and said "…summer agrees with me.".  She’s so cute. Speaking of food…

My darling and I were running around like chickens without heads this past 4 days doing errands. Though we didn’t get to go to any new restaurants, I introduced him to some oldies but goodies in the West Village/NYU area. The one we enjoyed the most was a diner (of course) called Joe Jr’s on 6th and 12th.  It is a staple of NYU students and open 24/7. We went there after my friend Mitzi’s LI wedding at midnight and it was booming. Cheap and unhealthily large portions is the name of the game here.  Another place we visited was Sammy’s Noodle Shop on 6th and 11th.  Sammy’s is also another cheap and well portioned place, but we tried some of the dimsum on a Saturday morning and it couldn’t beat Chinatown’s Jing Fong by a long shot. Sammy lunch boxes are worth every 595 penny; you could even get a huge plate of scallops with garlic sauce and brown rice for that price! We had the best omelette at French Roast (6th and 10th) – no curds and lots of butter with extra yummy choice of fillings for $7.  We also visited our mutual friends Shake Shack and Grey’s Papaya  for the usual burgers and hotdogs. Life is complete.

I didn’t get to have any fun on this trip, but hopefully I’ll be able to make it up with a trip to Vancouver soon.

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Independence!

July 4, 2006 at 10:32 pm · Filed under Current Affairs

July 4th, aka Independence Day for America is the day we told our English landlords and ladies to take a hike. Independence is usually won through a war or some sort of conflict, and then resulting in physically and mentally wounded teams for a period of time and recovery. 

It’s a lot like growing up isn’t it?  America is the 17 year old living at home and after a huge fight with mommy/daddy screams "I’m moving out!". Rather alienating for the family, but the kid’s got friends that are either still living w. mom and dad who can lend them resources (bags of potato chips and the lot) or friends living by themselves who usually house the kid for awhile until they can get a place of their own. Anyfoo, you force it to work out because the thought of bringing home a friendly f-k living with mommy and daddy is really inconvenient – and we never want to look bad! OR you can grovel back home because you really don’t have skills to get the mcd’s job and your friends have kicked you off their couch, multiple times.

So the roles of 17 y.o. and mommy/daddy are interchangeable with just about any symbiotic and host parties: student/teacher, spouse/spouse, employer/employee. So instead of getting a divorce (such an ugly word!), you can tell your friends that you changed your phone number and address because you undergone independence from your spouse. Instead of getting fired, you performed independence at work and now you’re living in someone’s pool house. At school you persuaded the prof that you’re an independent thinker and now you’re off the Dean’s list because you got a 2.0 for the semester.

"Independence" looks more like a process more than a noun – don’t you think?

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Superman is a bad father!

July 2, 2006 at 11:14 pm · Filed under Movie

Krypton must be renowned for their bad paternal parenting skills.  They either abandon them to another (crappier) planet or if they’re just stuck on one planet, they don’t even pay child support or even help raise the product of that "special night".

Yeah, yeah so maybe your "job" is all consuming and it’s too hard a kid in your life. Who’s life isn’t busy?  This isn’t the 1950’s anymore! Lois, I mean women have careers too! Bringing a new life to be is the easy part. Nurturing and teaching them to contribute to human kind is actually 99% of the work. I bet if Lex Luther was a father he’d be passing on whatever real estate values to his kid just like Austin Powers!

P.S. If anyone knows an "Pai Son (Andy) Lee" married to a woman named Carol with at least one daughter in the LA area, contact me and tell him that when I find him we need a heart to heart talk.

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NYTimes, humanity’s hope, and me

July 2, 2006 at 2:20 pm · Filed under Current Affairs

article: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/02/weekinreview/02fountain.html

The beginning was grim, the middle was enlightening and in the end there is hope waiting to be discovered – a perfect story.  Let me summarize: 

people in general are doing less with each other; less participation in group activities due to work, commitments or apathy

we have less friends than they used to and so they’ll die sooner – UGH! Bummer!

studies are skewed because it didn’t take nature into the nature vs nurture equation, i.e. the effect of politics, economy, and outside forces on people.

THE INTERNET *play divine organ music* is here to SAVE us, maybe even from CRIME

I love that. I must be completely buying into the social network hooha wave to be honing in on such travesties.  Maybe I’m the lonely person here; one that needs the help because I am an outsider.

(Here’s where I’m different from the socio-challenged kids:)
Even video games allow you to take your earnings/powers/weapons achieved from prior levels into the new level where the mechanical boss waits for you.  I have friends that are all real (and reachable online) in NY but none here! It took me to the verge of insanity (and drug-use) to have built a set of dynamic, different and beautiful friends and now there is none. The "it’s better to have played and lost than have never never played before" is SO WRONG HERE. I know the grass is always greener on the other side but the bookworm, geek, never’ve seen sunlight or other human contact people seem to be better off now. I know what I’m missing and I only have all the internet as a tool to rebuild my real-life buddylist.

(I’m not giving myself enough credit here:)
Maybe I have a little more powers than I thought… you know I blog, so I’m not sitting at home waiting for my mother to call me to bitch, and even though education doesn’t mean shit I do have a higher degree in CS and understand the classic theories for whatever they’re worth now, I am living, loving, and have at my disposal THE pioneer of online social networking, health and health potions through a very expensive gym membership, and have reached travel form with my druid (!! :D !!).

So all that plus I’ve had social interactions with various cliques and social groups (including technophiles) makes me, well kinda flexible and worldly – but that makes me different, and isolated, and lonely here. Oh for fudge sakes, this deduction problem sucks!

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Constructive Criticism and Pain Management: Two tastes and getting better.

July 1, 2006 at 8:07 pm · Filed under Me

Everyone interprets communication differently, and that is probably why constructive criticism or plain criticism comes out more spitable than shallowable. Apparently when I ask if I had answered someone correctly, my darling almost 95% of the time says no. I admit it is sometimes an uphill battle talking about certain things when sober and on an alien planet (called SV) ! I am actively trying not to take things personally (since I’m the one
that asked for it!), and am improving on the giving and receiving sides of the battle.

IMHO.MassageData(Listener) == GOAL!!

The good facts are that everyone will graduate to a comfortable party college – whether they pass or someone makes the tests easier. So hopefully I’m in my junior and not freshman year around here, and I will find a purposeful job that will bring me through the gawky stage.

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