Monday, August 27, 2007  |  

- i feel like chicken tonight -

Back from GTAC 2007 which was an incredible experience. I learned a ton and got to hang out with some very smart and interesting folks from all over the world. I'll write up a full recap once I'm done sorting through the notes and stuff.

I also ate some really yummy food. Some of the highlights:

1. The Original Soup Man: The original location on 55th (where I had the amazing lobster bisque years ago) had been closed, so we went to one of the midtown stores (it's now a franchise) on 5th Ave. The soups (crab bisque and Italian sausage) were still excellent although I wasn't so crazy about the whole corporatization of it all. Plus, it's just not the same when the Soup Nazi himself isn't there to yell at you (he gave me a hard time on my last visit because I asked for an extra spoon).
   
   
2. The Chicken & Rice Guy: Dani's rec which was conveniently located only a block away from the hotel. This became a nightly ritual and each time was better than the last. Totally worth dealing with the long line and the mice. OK, maybe not the mice.
   
   
3. Pinkberry: 3-minute walk from the Google office! Not sure if it lived up to the hype but it was definitely different. Looking forward to checking out Red Mango even more now.
   
   
4. Dok Suni: I was surprised by their skimpy portions (very unusual for a Korean restaurant) -- even the rice bowls were filled only half-way. Chilean sea bass was my favorite.
   
   
5. Boca Chica: I broke my "no hard liquor" rule by having a very tasty mojito.
   
   
6. Fairway: Home of the infamous Big Boy Breakfast! I probably could've done without the 8-dollar mimosa, however.
   
   
7. Hasaki: Last-minute pick after we were forced to ditch our original plan of Yakitori Taisho (Dar was joining us for dinner and YT ain't exactly vegetarian-friendly).
   
   
8. VYNL: Near-perfect end to a near-perfect trip. The music-themed bathrooms kicked ass.
   
   

Wednesday, August 22, 2007  |  

- drunk and wearing flip-flops on 5th avenue -

Live from New York, it's Wednesday night!

Current music: Rufus Wainwright - Poses

Wednesday, August 15, 2007  |  

- sympathy for mr. pashmina -

Random happenings from the past week or so:

1. Made a trip to the ER for the first time in my life.
   
   
2. Saw the Pashmina Guy get busted by cops over the weekend. It made me a little sad.
   
   
3. Rick Ankiel: Can you think of a better comeback story? Didn't think so.
   
   
4. Had an amazing streak of good songs on my shuffle (like, 20+ songs in a row without hitting the skip-forward button), only to realize that I had accidentally synced it with a playlist I made for Hannah.
   
   
5. My new favorite phrase: "Doing activism."
   
   
6. My phone (an old hand-me-down from Hannah) died a violent death. Unbeknownst me, Mom had dropped it and broken off one of the hinges, so the next time I flipped it open, it snapped in half as the top flew off. One unread text message is now lost forever.
   
   
7. Got $150 off on a new phone (and also managed to keep my month-to-month status) by threatening to switch to a different carrier.
   
   
8. Took Mom on her daily Robson St. walk last night and noticed that the Pashmina Guy was no longer at his usual spot in front of the Bebe store. This made me a little sad again, but we were relieved to learn that he had merely relocated to a new spot, across from Club Monaco. I briefly considered buying something from him (fake Burberry ones don't look all that bad, actually), but the fear of Chinese-made goods stopped me.
   
   
9. Went to see the heavily-hyped but very blah Monet to Dali at the Vancouver Art Gallery. I found the other 2 exhibitions (House of Oracles and Critical Space) far more interesting.

Thursday, August 9, 2007  |  

- the gospel according to koolaid maroney -

I've always found Terrence Howard to be more than a little creepy, but we do agree on one thing.

Current music: John Mayer feat. Sherrod Small - Chocolate Rain (Remix)

Wednesday, August 8, 2007  |  

- as far as I'm concerned, that is the end of the matter -

Bob Allen and Glenn Murphy Jr. might be better off letting Sir Norman Fry, MP explain their respective situations.

Current music: We All Have Hooks For Hands - Man Trying to Outfox Us All

Tuesday, August 7, 2007  |  

- what not to wear -

This past weekend was Vancouver Pride, which meant we were subjected to more than our fair share of the fashion-impaired gays.

And I'm not talking about those people who go "hey, it's Pride -- I can wear my leather thong (and nothing more) in public!", or those who still wear tired novelty t-shirts that were never all that funny/clever to begin with ("I'm not gay, but my boyfriend is!"), or even those who adhere to the strict diet of Abercrombie & Fitch and Abercrombie & Fitch. I'm talking about the gays who lack basic, common fashion sense.

Don't fat gays realize that tight muscle tees and/or horizontal stripes just aren't flattering? If that's not already in the gay handbook, it totally should be.

Current music: Okkervil River - Plus Ones

Friday, August 3, 2007  |  

- nobody knows -

Nobody Knows reminded me of The Glass Castle, only without the hope. Believe it or not, the real-life incident on which the movie is based is far more depressing.

Naturally, it is also the best movie I've seen this year.

Current music: Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

Thursday, August 2, 2007  |  

- good morning canada -

As my no-longer-beloved Yankees let the trade deadline pass by without making any significant moves, I pulled a trigger on a major deal: David's couch, barstools and TV for my old G-Star jacket and a player to be named later. I think I got the better end of the deal, no?

So begins a life with television after a 2-year hiatus. And as it turned out, the cable was never disconnected when the previous tenant moved out -- I had free cable for 1.5 years and never knew about it!

It sure is nice to wake up to The Today Show again even though that Meredith bitch will never be able to fill Katie's shoes.

Current music: Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero

Wednesday, August 1, 2007  |  

- just another day in the neighborhood -

I ate a burrito while sitting on a log at Sunset Beach at 11pm last night. Then on my walk back home, I saw a man, who looked to be in his 60s, exiting a bar wearing an acid-wash jean jacket, Daisy Dukes and shiny silver shoes.

Current music: Bright Eyes - Cassadaga