Summer Recap

It was the First Day of Autumn and I know I'm not alone when I say.....WHAT??!!!@#
Seriously, what the heck happened to summer? Every year, when June comes around, I get that 3rd grade feel of joy. WWWAAHOOOOO! SUMMERTIME!!!! But then I remember I don't have summer vacation. I have a 9-5 job.

With the nation's financial debacle on the horizon, taking one of those "Oh I summer'd in the Maldives" sort of vacation seemed frivolous. So I grabbed summer whenever I could. And now that Autumn is just around the corner, I can't help but reflect on all thats happened.

First Up. Skinny Dipping at the top of Horsetail Falls. Well, the skinny dipping came after my panic attack on the way up.

And you just can't talk about summer without mentioning the Olympics. Sake loved watching the ceremonies! She did I tell you! She did!

Then, what would a Northern Californian summer be without a little Overcasty Goodness at the Beach?
I also got to revisit the 80's, if only for 1 night...
Mid-August the planets lined up and the 2nd generation of Ips/Yips/Yehs reunited from east/west. Could I FIT more people in my place?
Oh hey! PIDGEON!!!

The Dog Day of Summer game at AT&T Park was definitely a highlight. Check out Sake on the Jumbotron!


I had a brush with Slo Food Nation.
D took me out for my first time surfing!(I forgot to tell D I'm not that strong in the water. But thats a story for another post. And this pic is merely a dramatic re-enactment..)

I developed a new obsession: Spring Awakening. But then again, sitting on stage watching these adorable kids sing and dance can do that to you!

Finally? The Brisbane Family Singers!! Ok. The Brisbane Fireplugs.

WOW! I had a great summer! How about you?

#1 With a Bullet

It usually takes a little time for someone to usurp the #1 stronghold on my Bitch Slap List but I have to say Sarah "Pit Bull" Palin has got talent.

Ladies and Gentlemen (and Republicans too)... here is Pit Bull Palin doing the ol' Skirt the Issue in a major way. I see she has been fully prepped in the proper hand gesturing to imply sincerity.




If you'd like to see part of what Charlie Gibson's referring to.. Hmmm... Separation of Church and State anyone??

Palin is just Wa"silly"

I do have a sense of shock and outrage. I shouldn't.  I shouldn't put anything past the Grand Old Party.

I have said in the past, if ever there was a republican I would vote for, McCain would be The One. I am even OK with the graceful and gracious Cindy. But now, he's gone and chucked my respect for his possible presidency all out the window with this bulldonkey, I mean Elephant, bit of decision-making.

I won't say anymore, because I think his own Spin Doctors  can say it better...   

BARACK THE VOTE!!!

BaRACK the Vote!

Did we think we'd be alive for this day?
My joy at seeing Barack and his family on stage as the possible First Family of this country filled me with such joy and hope. I can't imagine what an emotional wreck I'll be once he wins the White House. (Not to mention what an emotional wreck I'll be if he doesn't win the White House.)

"The change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American people demand it—because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time. America, this is one of those moments."—
Four years ago Barack gave me hope for a UNITED States... and he did it again tonight. Yes. We. Can.

Footnote: Thank you Hilary. Thank you for an amazing speech. I understand the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pantsuit thing, but tangerine?

Olympic Fevah Ends

Well its over. Two amazing weeks of international competition. I'm an Olympics geek. I cry. And watching the Closing Ceremonies tonight was no exception. I sobbed.

Many pooh-pooh the commercialism of the Olympics. NBC always gets grief for poor coverage. And this year, China got much criticism for the exorbitant amount of money spent (43 Billion dollars!!), its politics, and for giving a cherubic gap-toothed young girl the Milli Vanilli treatment. I've even read some articles playing down the monumental accomplishment of Michael Phelps' 8 gold medals. Are you KIDDING me??! You try having 17 swims, in a variety of 4 different strokes, against the best swimmers in the world. I normally enjoy rooting for the underdog, sometimes the inevitable wins by the United States can make me cringe... but he swam and won with such sincerity and humility, you just had to root for him.

And here it is, are we so defiantly jaded that we cannot enjoy these Olympics? Are we so vehemently so opposed to the thought of the unifying power of the Olympics? Is there possibly a dry eye in the house when you see Iran and Iraq athletes marching in the parade of nations back to back? How about when you see the female athletes marching in for Afghanistan?

I normally love the Olympics anyway. I love seeing the one athlete arriving, proud to compete on behalf of their country. I share the heartbreaking joy when an athlete has their dreams come alive. I cry when I see the agony of a dream dashed in a mere second of a mistake. And this year, I was even more touched watching China stake its claim in history.


As a Chinese-American, I was so absolutely proud to see my countrymen produce such a jaw-dropping spectacle. I teared when I heard Yao-Ming say "I've waited for this day my whole life. Not just me, the whole country." And I can say my entire family was glued to the competition, well into the morning light. For 2 weeks straight I finally saw Asian people, Chinese people on TV. I saw them being competitive, strong, full of life and grace. The Today Show actually highlighted Chinese without accents speaking of fashion, cuisine, culture. I saw small pieces of me finally reflected back, and yes it felt great.

The Beijing Olympics meant so much to its Country and its People. It was opportunity to show the world what The People are all about. And here, on the other side of the world, I think the Chinese community waited with bated breath, hoping we would be proud of what we saw. And, underage gymnasts aside, by no means do I think we were disappointed.

First Detox Weekend

Finishing up the 4th day of my Quantum Wellness Detox and its been easier than I thought, but still a challenge.

The headiest withdrawal were the first 2 days without coffee, dear sweet nectar of the gods! I was groggy, slow, headachey and just altogether not myself. Sunday, with some solid z's under my belt, was much smoother. But as I was back in the office today with the usual lack of sleep mojo, I needed something and broke down with a decaf soy latte.

Lucky for me, I'm a big soy/tofu fan so the food has been manageable. Which doesn't mean, I couldn't do without a big honkin' burger right now! But I'm experimenting with alternatives and I reckon that's part of this whole experience. Tonight, I made a quesidilla made with teff tortillas, avocado, and vegan cheese. For grilling purposes the teff turned out just fine, but as it is gluten-free, I wouldn't advise eating without heating up. I imagine a $5 bill tasting better. And the vegan cheese? Well, it served its melting purposes but thats about all I can say thats fit to print.

Some thought the weekends would be more difficult than the weekdays but I'm not so sure. A full workweek ahead and far too much munchie time spent in front of the computer monitor. Eeeshk!

The Google

My favorite Olympic Google so far...

Food Issues

I don't think I have food issues. I love food. What's the issue??

I guess I just love it too much. Although, I do keep an eye on what I eat, I certainly do not deny myself. How can I with all the amazing food available to us here in San Francisco?

But tomorrow I embark on a 10-day test. I will be plunging myself into the Quantum Wellness detox: refrain from sugar, caffeine, alcohol, gluten and animal products. It is an experiement to see how much my body is actually addicted to these substances. While the author of this detox, Kathy Freston, says that I should do as much as I can do, giving up the five substances is admittedly ambitious. For many folks, it hard enough to just stop sugar by itself; and I'm not even shooting for 21 days as prescribed. I am being realistic with a 10-day goal. Each day beyond that I will take slowly.

Clear tummy, clear mind. Ohmmmm... Ooohh, is that a cupcake??!

Making History

Seems my Olympic Fever is keeping me up at nights. I'm starting to get a nice set of Louis Vuitton luggage under my eyes. But it happens only once every two years, and with Beijing hosting, well, its once in a lifetime. History is being made and I'll stay up for that. And oh yeah, I'll stay up for Mike Phelps and his D'Angelo muscles making history too.

Under the Covers

Contrary to the rumors, I haven't just been fiddling with my iPhone and ignoring my writing(well, maybe a little). Things have taken on a more introspective turn, I've been nesting, and also, I'm wondering about the Next Big Thing.

Because aren't we all looking for our Next Big Thing? A new idea, a new event? A new job?
Its daunting enough to put me under the covers.... And truth be told I've found being under the covers ain't so bad. Granted, I've got a lovely Brocade Home duvet cover but I digress...

Its been hard to find the right topic. I've been an uninpsired blogger. I have always been challenged in the discipline of writing as an art form. Blogging has been a way to write daily without the pressure of being the master of words. But now I feel the pressure of being prolific. The pressure of being clever, incisive, snarky on a daily, nay, hourly basis. It drives a girl to want and just curl up under the covers with her iPhone...

iPhone Therefore I am

Mission completed. My iPhone 3G was procured on Day 1.

In the time I waited in line I could've also:

• Played in a Texas Hold'Em Tournament
• Knitted a Sweater (and I don't know how to knit!)
• Flown to Miami
• Watched Juno 4 times.
• Cooked a turkey.
• Repainted my closet doors.
• Run a marathon (This being theoritical, of course.)
  

I'm such a lemming.

Don't Make Me Angry, You Won't Like Me When I'm Angry

I resorted to a Yelper review of the DPT(Department of Parking & Traffic) the other day. I was so absolutely enraged I wish I were the Incredible Hulk.

Situation: I live in a permit parking area in the Mission area. Who doesn't? Well actually one block up the 75 Degree hill I live on actually has no permit parking. But I digress.

A car has been parked for over a week on my block, taking up 2 car spaces. Highly coveted car spaces. My neighbor left a passive/aggressive note which I'm sure made THEM feel better; but really had no effect.

The car proceeds to sit through the weekend and well into the week. Never mind, it doesn't get marked ONCE for parking without a permit! And never mind that I, WITH a permit, have gotten a parking ticket for which the DPT is STILL reviewing after 3 months!. Car has now gotten a street cleaning ticket, but essentially has paid for over 9 days of parking for the price of one ticket.

By now I'm thinking perhaps the car has been abandoned (It doesn't LOOK abandoned, but whatever.)

I call DPT to report abandoned vehicle. This is how it went.

"Thank you for calling DPT. blah blah blah. Press 1 for English" *1*
"To report or call about abandoned vehicle press 4." *4*
"To report a abandoned vehicle, press 1." *1*
"Please say the license plate number of vehicle after the tone." *I wait for tone.*
"Please say the license plate number of vehicle after the tone." No tone, but I say *3XXX5XX*
"Please say the license plate number of vehicle after the tone." Still no tone but I repeat *3XXX5XX*
"Please hold while we transfer your call." *CALL ENDED*

WTF!!@$%%#$^%^&%^&$%^#$%

I am so dumbfounded, that I stupidly I tried one more time. With the same results!!! WHAT THE F&CK!!! Seriously, at this point, will anyone blame me for turning into an angry green monster with shredded pants?

Footnote: Police came to tow away car. It was stolen....

And the Oscar Goes To....

I am aware that my blog is starting to look like a food blog.. and I reckon I should try to be more varied with posts or else just start a food blog altogether. But who wants another Machead prattling on about the iPhone 3G today? You will need to read me wax rhapsodic about my neighborhood once more.

The James Beard Foundation awards were handed out last night in New York. The awards, given annually, are basically the Oscars of the food world. And 2 of the top awards were not only given to San Francisco chefs, but to chefs that work their culinary magic in my hood, just 5 blocks away! Can I get a *whut whut*??!

Craig Stoll, chef and co-owner of Delfina in San Francisco, was named the best chef in California and Hawaii, one of 10 such regional awards. Stoll and his wife, Annie, also operate the adjoining Pizzeria Delfina which is delish but kind of a pain to eat at because of the neverending crowd. The New Yorkers took a lot of the big awards so I feel like it was sort of a gimme for Craig to go up against other Bay Area chefs in this regionalized award.

The other major prize, the Outstanding Pastry Chef award, went to Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson, owners of Tartine Bakery in San Francisco, as the best pastry chefs or bakers in America. The award designates a chef or baker who serves as a national standard-bearer of excellence. NATIONAL. AMERICA. Got that? The ham & cheese croissants? The savory bread pudding? They serve as a national standard-bearer of excellence. Warms my heart I tell ya. And my tummy too.

Two-fer

I've heard of buy one, get one free....
But this is just getting out of hand! .... I'd be more excited if Jamba Juice were doing two-fers.

Big Apple Bites

No trip to New York City would be complete without a thorough partaking of local eateries. Its the only other city that could rival the Foodie Paradise that is San Francisco.

Here now some highlights (in no particular order):
Lever House. Located on the ground floor of the mid-century jewel of the same name. I was excited enough to just walk by and marvel at the architecture of the building; so eating there too was a real treat. From the NY Times, "In a reckless gamble, Marc Newson, the designer, more or less thumbs his nose at the severely elegant architecture around him, leading diners down a glowing enclosed walkway into a tubelike dining room decorated with a hexagon pattern on the floor and walls, like an Op Art painting." With the repeated hexagon motif, I felt like a bee cocooned in the hive; but in a good way. For lunch, the place filled up mainly with Power Players in Suits; I decided to forgoe the Power Martini and opted for the fresh lime soda($8). My seared arctic char came with a riesling foam, which I found really intriguing. (That damn Top Chef piqued my curiosity.) This place was uber pricey and at $100 a person(lunch!), it certainly is not a place I could ever afford without an expense account. But the ingredients were fresh and the flavors subtle, if not necessarily memorable.

Perilla. Yes. Cheesy. But I decided to throw caution to the wind and try Harold Dieterle's restaurant in the Village. (I always had a soft spot for the no-nonsense approach that led to his ultimate win on the first season of Top Chef. I know, 2nd reference.) Turns out his place carries out his no-nonsense approach. Small, unassuming, and reasonably priced, I had a great dinner. The highlight here was his signature appetizer, the duck meatballs. OMG. I could've eaten a whole BOWL of this! Spicy duck meatballs on a small bed of spinach and cavatelli pasta(infused with mint!); topped with a quail egg that you break open and mix in. Truly, this dish is a standout that I will remember for a long time.


Rare Bar and Grill. New York is a great city for burgers. I have already been to hall of famer Burger Joint(at the Parker Meridian hotel) and so decided to try something new at R.A.R.E Bar & Gril's 2nd location in Greenwich Village. I had the M&M Burger which was flambeed in whiskey. Nice. I thought it was delicious and juicy and flavorful. But the real deal of the night was the $10 trough of fried goodies: shoestring fries, waffle fries, and sweet potato fries. Said trough was also accompanied by 5 dippings sauces: basic BBQ , chile ketchup(bland), garlic mayo, chipotle aioli, and a honey maple syrup mayo dippy thing. To my surprise, and chagrin, I could not stop eating the sweet potato fries with the maple syrup dip. It was just so weird that my taste buds couldn't get enough. Try at your own risk.

Gizmodo sighting

In other news, I guess my bro is on gizmodo via valleywag. And no, his job did not actually make Tech's 10 worst. Although it just looks like it.

Onward New York

Being a cosmetics buyer is not all fun and glamour. But so far on this market trip to NYC, it has been at the very least, Fun. A definite respite from the daily grind that occurs while stuck in the Office. One of the highlights today was meeting with this guy. I've been using his products for years and to actually sit in a room and discuss retail strategies with him, wow. Its sort of mind boggling..

He's one of those ADD geniuses at work. A wonderful spokesperson for his company and absolutely passionate about his business. While I discussed some details with the VP of sales, he kept saying, "is it ok if I interrupt for a second?". No Peter. You can't. Its only your name on all the product. "I'm making this up here, but..." No problem. Always happy to hear a genius at work. All in all, quite a character. Can't wait to make his business a success for us all.... Bonus baby.. bonus.

After two days of meetings, the pile of goodies to take home is building up. I convinced these people to just ship their generous samples to the office because I can't deal with 70lbs to lug to/from airport. Ladies, go check out the Quinc3 Body Butt3r. YUMMALICIOUS. I usually don't like to request anything specific from my vendors.. but I had to get my hands on this!

Today I have to say, my Product Whoriness served me well...
Onward....

West 55th, Midtown

NYC.
"Business" Hotel. Free Wifi! w00t! A coffeemaker, microwave, and room in mini-fridge for leftovers! Double w00t!

Fat mirror in the bathroom. This place sucks.

Four Barrels, One Dog

After months of seeming hibernation, I got the chance recently to step out and explore my neighborhood again. And My Beloved City did not disappoint.

Down a quiet little alley in the Mission there was rumored to be an amazing cup of joe to be had. So the intrepid Sake and I ventured forth to find the mythical Four Barrel Coffee.

Background: The cofounders of Ritual Coffee Roasters are trying a new concept with Four Barrel. Its more coffee bar than café, with some seating, but it will mainly be a space to showcase their coffee to wholesale clients. So no syrups, no nonfat milk, no chai. (They WILL have soymilk, however. *whew*) There will be two La Marzocco Mistral machines and they will be sourcing single origin coffees(bye bye brokers), and doing their own espresso blend. Such dedication!

Could it be? Are we at the right place?

Maybe that guy can tell us something...
And lo,
here we are! Two guys, a dog, and a soy latte!
Seems until their front coffee bar is completed, the Four Barrel guys are serving steaming cups of coffee love out the back door.
I love My City....

They're Bringing Sex Back

Ever since the Puppy Mill episode I've been avoiding Oprah the past week or so. Too traumatic. But imagine my absolute DELIGHT to find today's episode featured the Sex and the City Reunion! I literally cheered and my heart swelled when I saw the 4 ladies strut across the stage and sit on the couch together. (And lets not forget Mr. Big!)

Its been 4 years and 8 months.. and oh how I have missed them so!
Silly, right? They're actors. Its just a tv show.

But ask any devotee of the show out there. These ladies are our friends. Our fabulous, Christian Louboutin'd friends. I've cried with them, I've nodded along in agreement with them, gotten angry with them, felt their pain, and their joy(Elisabeth Taylor GoldenBlatt!). I reckon its a testament to the superb writing and production; but above all else, its a testament to the sublime acting and chemistry of SJP, Kim, Cynthia, and Kristen (and their lovable men! Let's not forget the men!). Sure the gossip mags have had their say about behind-the-scene tensions, but the electricity is there. Sitting there on the couch, I see the love between them and I know thats what the rest of the world has fallen in love with too. They are beautiful, strong, feminine, smart, sassy, (seemingly) sincere women that I have welcomed into my home for almost 10 years(syndication...).

*sigh* And it floods my heart and mind with all the memories of my girls. The sex talks over brunch. The Friday Champagne toasts. The heart to hearts while painting toe nails. Freeflowing tears. Perfectly chilled cocktails. Ridiculous laughter. REVERTIGO! Shopping excursions. Dessert breaks. Road trips. With all of us spread throughout the far-reaches of the United States(the world1), I've missed them dearly and think of them often. It makes me appreciate the girls I have around me in the Bay Area right now.

And in 29 days, 4 of my best friends will be back in town. I can't wait to grab a Mandarin Cosmo with all the girls and have the most fabulous reunion EVER. (Barring any last minute trips to the Far East.. gulp)