Archive for January, 2009

I was making my through the Toronto airport security on my way back home after a few days of work and training a few days ago.  I stood in line and dutifully took off my shoes and unloaded my laptop when it came closer to my turn.  I threw my carry on suitcase and my backpack onto the table, and started to shuffle my items towards the x-ray machine.

The airport security guard, an elderly man, walked towards me and said something in gibberish.  I stood there, perplexed.  Was he perhaps trying to converse with me in French?  Even though I have no snippet of an idea why he would think that I spoke French, it makes sense since we’re in Canada.  He looked at me again, adjusting his glasses.  Then he repeated the gibberish at me again, expectantly.

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand,” I said.  I felt a little guilty - after all, maybe his English was just really, REALLY bad.  But mentally, I was still stratching my head, wondering what he was trying to say to me.

My answer came in the form of a very blunt statement: “You Mexican.”

I recoiled.

It has been ages since somebody has tried to guess my race, but I felt as though I had been blindsided.  Instead of merely guessing, he jumped ahead one step and evolved from a mere assumption to confident assertation.

SERIOUSLY?

I gave a curt “no” as a retort, and thought that would be the end.  Nope.  He looked at me again and said, in his infuriating matter-of-fact way, “You Chinese.”

I grumbled an affirmation and glared at him as he looked at my passport in his hand.  After what seemed like ages, I shoved my items through the x-ray machine and took my documents from him.  And although it was a quick encounter barely lasting a few minutes, I couldn’t help but turn and re-turn what had just happened.  I felt mildly infuriated, not because he was making a statement of what race I was (and being absolutely, positively and quite STUPIDLY WRONG), but because things like that shouldn’t matter.

What, in his mind, could have possibly made it okay for him to come up to me and interrogate me about my race?  I think perhaps I could have forgiven this if here were a bit more congenial, but his mannerisms were far from friendly; he didn’t greet me or even speak to me with a hint of a smile, especially when he spouted off his ridiculous gibberish at me.  It wasn’t even really an interrogation, really - what made it even more maddening was the fact that he felt the urge to make a decision about my background and confront me about it.

A part of me wishes that things like this didn’t bother me.  Another part thinks I’m overreacting.

And a third part wishes I were bitchy enough to respond to his ignorant “You Mexican” with “You dumbfuck.”

But alas, I can only write about such things.

Who am I kidding?  I love these things.  Taken from Facebook:

1. I was considered for a documentary/reality tv show about college freshman…but alas, was not chosen.

2. I made up a story about this rock named Jillian as an analogy for the frivolity of life. This was in middle school. Angst, much?

3. I used to ask my brother to play video games so I could fall asleep on the couch.

4. I have a bad habit of making snap judgments about people.

5. I think that the small things matter. For example, it irritates me when people don’t open doors for others or show any sort of common courtesy. ESPECIALLY when people at stores don’t give change for a dollar… just because they don’t want to. Jerkfaces.

6. I like making lists, which is why I’m spending so much time doing this (thanks, Kristy!)

7. I like my food on the lukewarm side because I have a tendency to burn my tongue.

8. I (not so) secretly hope excessively arrogant people will get a rude awakening one day.

9. Idealistically, I want be fluent in Chinese and Japanese and be somewhat conversational in Italian and French.

10. I like lemon in my water because sometimes I think water is too bland.

11. I write terrible haikus and other forms of poetry.

12. Sometimes I listen to Christmas music in July when I need a pick me up.

13. I wish I could take better photos - I’m quite picky about which ones I can look at without cringing

14. I have a lot of creative things I wish I could do, but could never nail down what I wanted to focus on. I love music, writing, art, film, design, you name it. So I’m pretty sure I’ll be haunted by the phrase “Jack (or Jane) of all trades, master of none.” I think the book Outliers proves this….

15. It’s a not so secret dream of mine (thanks to this list) to be in a real movie on the silver screen.

16. If I could be in a movie, I’d want to be in an action flick. Preferably not as a helpless victim, but as a badass - heck, even a villain. I think I could tap into my not-so-superficial evil side.

17. If I have kids, I will never put my toddler in a onesie - I remember it being the most miserable experience ever. Socks all the way.

18. My favorite foods include canned spaghetti-os and seared foie gras

19. I was placed in LEAP (Gifted/Talented class) in 6th grade, and a part of me still thinks it’s because I convinced the lady who was interviewing me to let me in. Regardless of the reason, that was the best academic year of my life.

20. I belt out songs even though I can’t sing in the car, shower, and admittedly at karaoke.

21. Ok, yes, I am a bit of an attention-whore.

22. The strangest comparison I’ve had to celebrities are: Jennifer Connelly and Katie Holms. No, seriously. I didn’t get it either.

23. I never played favorites with my stuffed animals as a child - I thought they’d get mad at me.

24. As a kid, my mom convinced me that my right foot looked like my dad’s and my left foot looked like hers.

25. I always pray and hope that I will leave something lasting and positive in the world before I die, whether it is a book or a business - just something tangible.

I was on a flight today when a little girl across the way started screaming in the high-pitched, agitating way that only little kids innately know how to do.  The plane was ready for takeoff, and she was refusing to sit down and buckle up.  In addition to her incessant squealing, she would twist and writhe as though she were being electrocuted versus being buckled in for safety.

What did the parents do?  The dad picked her up and held her in his lap.

For some reason, this really bothered me.  Throughout the five hour flight, I couldn’t help but notice subsequent moments when dear old mom and dad would give in to the little princess.  They got up and walked her around, gave her toys, the list goes on.  When the plane was about to land, she started whining about putting the tray table up.

Although I feel that I am still quite far away from major adult events such as marriage and mortgages, I can’t help but take a little more notice to instances like this with babies and/or little kids.  Of course, it’s not in the adoring “gosh I want to grow one in my uterus one day,” but in a more contemplative way; I wonder what decisions I would make in raising kids.

What would I do if my kid who decided to throw a god-awful tantrum, complete with kicking, screaming, and being an all around pain?

1) Try to reason with them

2) Ignore them

3) Give them a good, firm, smack

4) Give in

For now, I think I’ll just stick with:

5) Be glad I’m not having babies anytime soon

And hope for the best.

I’ve noticed that a lot of people are very keen on building their own personal “brand” lately.  This seems to have exploded due to the availability of online tools that help people blog, tweet, or proclaim just about anything and EVERYTHING going on in their lives.

For example, Joe likes coffee in the morning, and that might be the only thing you used to know about ‘ol Joe Schmo.  But now, thanks to handheld mobile devices, you know exactly when he’s on his way into work and exactly when he found a really nifty YouTube video about a talking cat that he’s going to forward it around.  Heck, if you’d like to read more in-depth coverage of Joe’s adoration for coffee, you can read it at www.joesthoughts.com.  Oh, and don’t forget to get LinkedIn and also check out his new photo albums of his recent trip to Costa Rica.  Ah, such hilarity that ensued!  How do you know?  Because of all the comments left by his FB pals alike validating said assumption.

But beyond these tools that help build up the “brand” or “image” that Joe Schmo is really keen on coffee and sends around hilarious links (thereby making him quite the media maven), one thing that I’ve always found interesting is the title of each person.  

In fact, in many ways I think certain key words in person’s title is quite telling.  A few that come to mind include -

Assistant

Translation: I’m on my way up in the world!  How would you like your coffee?

Consultant

Translation: I’m think I’m better than you and deserve your money

Self-employed Consultant

Translation: I’m unemployed but I still deserve your money

Entrepreneur

Translation: I’m really unemployed … but I don’t care

Contractor

Translation: I’m unemployed … and I do care, please hire me please please please

Developer

Translation: Wait, what do I do again?  I forgot, but it is probably kinda important

Digital

Translation: I’m cutting edge and I don’t want to be unemployed in the future

Executive

Translation: I feel important

Chief

Translation: F u, I really am important

Manager

Translation: I take my coffee with cream and one sugar

Freelancer

Translation: I have employment ADD

It’s still amazing to me to witness history in the making.  Other than being glued to the television all morning and trying very hard to work productively (all the while catching glimpses and snippets of commentary on the inauguration), one thing I couldn’t help but notice was, of course, the people who were ready to rain on the parade.

I get it.  We all get it.  It must be disappointing to a good portion of Americans that voted for McCain and had held fervent hopes that he would be the one with his hand in the air and the other on the Bible, and not Obama. Yes sure, I know it must be disheartening, especially since you’re now stuck with that inane bumper sticker on your car.

But the fact of the matter is, that is no longer relevant.  It’s in the past, and if we really hope to look towards a brighter, BETTER future, how hard is it to admit that today IS a tremendous day and just enjoy it?

One complaint that completely throws me off is the cries of “I’m so sick of the celebrating” “Can’t we stop the celebrations and see what he does now?” and “I can’t believe we’re in this economic HOLE and there’s so much money being put into this inauguration celebration.”

Are you kidding me?

Seriously.  The man JUST took a most sacred oath.  After years, countless nights of no sleep, turmoil, frustration and hard work - why is it so wrong for a celebration?  I am more than willing to bet what little money I have that the people bellyaching now wouldn’t hesitate to be on the opposite side of the fence about the inaugural party spending if it were for McCain.  I can’t imagine any pennypinching going on if the tables were turned.

In face of all the obstacles ahead, of all the hard work that is still demanded of everybody in the future - I don’t understand why people can’t just enjoy and savor this one moment.

So really, this is for all the people there who are dead set upon being skeptical, being (dare I say it) IMMATURE - can you just do us all a favor and at least keep your criticisms and issues to yourself for just one day?  And maybe, just maybe, in that momentary bit of silence you can realize that no matter the differences, we’re all in this together.

One of the things I absolutely love about San Francisco is the plethora of restaurants and, more importantly, the camaraderie that comes with food.  Food is really a social thing out here - it’s not just about sustenance or making sure you have enough carbs to last throughout the day without crashing - it’s about sharing anecdotes, swapping secrets and getting to know other people.

More importantly, food is about adventure.

Whether it’s the latest craze such as food tripping (eating a berry that changes your tastebuds) or heightening sensations by dining in complete darkness, food has become a complete experience.  The latest discovery I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying is Mission Street Food - a place where people huddle around the doorway of a small Chinese restaurant as they eagerly await their names to be called.  I was a little befuddled by the name (street food - indoors?) but according to my dining partners, it all started out as food being served from a truck, but has thus evolved to a more conventional dining venue.

Each Thursday, new bay area up-and-coming places are featured and the menu changes often.  You can link to their site and follow what will be on the menu: http://blog.missionstreetfood.com/

The best part?  It’s cheap.  Really cheap. Each dish is $6-$9, and after ordering everything off the menu (except the brisket because they were out…darn!) it fed four people for $42.  For a little over $10 a person, it was a FABULOUS meal for a steal.  And yes, my rhyming is unintentional in this post.

Check out their latest menu/post:

This Thursday, we will feature the delights of two up-and-coming local businesses: The Broken Record and Humphry Slocombe.

The Broken Record is a bar in the Excelsior boasting a wall of whiskey (114 kinds), free air hockey, a free PBR night, and a new kitchen crew that raises the bar for dive bars: Ryan Ostler and Katharine Zacher, who have worked at Boulevard, Campton Place, Firefly, Range, Quince, Tinderbox, and Serpentine. Ryan and Katharine smoke their own meat and bake their own buns, producing the kind of food that merits a special trip. Check them out (1166 Geneva Ave, a few blocks East of Mission Street).

Humphry Slocombe is a sweet little ice cream shop that Jake Godby (former pastry chef of Coi) and Sean Vahey just opened in the Mission. We think it’s the best ice cream in the city, and we’re proud to offer Jake’s smart and delicious flavors.

MENU:

Burrata with Rosemary Oil, Toasted Pinenut and Yam chips. $6.50
Farro, Beech Mushroom, Macadamia Nut, Grape, Marjoram, and Verjus Vinaigrette. $5
Brisket Sandwich: Broken Record’s Brisket and homemade Bun. With Caramelized Onion, Pickled Fennel, Avocado Salsa, and a side Radish Salad. $9
PB & J: Berkshire Kurobuta Pork Belly and Jicama with Pickled Jalapeno and Cilantro Aioli on our homemade Flatbread. $6
MSF Rice: Smoky Rice fried in Duck Fat with Liberty Duck Confit, Duck Cracklins, Shitake, and Cauliflower. $7
VSF Rice: Smoky Rice fried in olive oil with Shitake, Cauliflower and Tofu Tempura. $6
Dessert: scoop of Secret Breakfast, Vietnamese Blue Bottle Coffee, or Balsamic Caramel ice cream. $3.25 each

The smoky rice were perfectly cooked and seasoned, and just the right amount of subtle grease to comfortably coat the stomach.  It was soft, chewy, and I was actually about to eat (and ENJOY) the mushrooms, which is quite a feat in itself given my abhorrence for fungus.  The pork belly with jicama and pickled jalapeno were the perfect blend of refreshing crispness and chewy, soft and fatty goodness.

And my absolute favorite part was the scoop of Vietnamese Blue Bottle Coffee ice cream.  If you’re a fan of the little stand in the alley in Hayes Valley, you will swoon over this (after you’ve finished licking your spoon and bowl clean).

Thursday night TV nights might need to take the backseat to dinners here.  One word of forewarning - the wait can be up to two hours, so bring a small group of friends and head across the street for drinks.  And more importantly - BRING CASH.

Happy eating!

For the sheer entertainment of the VERY few people out there, here is a video that we took as we were speculating on the name of the Voodoo Lounge.  Ah, the things I do sometimes.

As you can also tell, we all need to work on our acting skills a bit.

So, as promised, here are a few select photos of my FIRST ever CES. Enjoy!

The HP Booth

HP Firebird

Interviews!

The CNET Booth

Wafer-thin televisions at Panasonic…

Blinging accessories - but not sure how good they are

Back to the Future, anybody?

D-Box gaming chair…

Yet another crazy gaming chair…

The Microsoft Booth was HUGE…

A rather futuristic touchpad…I want one in my studio…

And finally, the view of the strip from the Rio at the Voodoo Lounge…

I hope I can return for CES 2010!

It was a whirlwind of activity, but in the midst of it all I was glad I got a chance to do some looking around.

Will post stuff soon, I promise.

In the meantime, I’m off to finally RELAX a bit and have a bit of fun. Viva Las Vegas, baby.