The Donnas: Saturday Night!!!
So last night I meet up with my buddy Alan. Our mission: to head down to SOMA (that’s South of Market for you tourists) for food, booze and Rock n’ Roll. The Donnas (originally from Palo Alto) returned home to rock Slim’s.
Confidence is sexy. These ladies have been playing music together for years and it shows. Tori’s drumming and Maya’s driving bass kept shaking my ribs! Brett’s attitude and singing kept up a very happy upbeat party atmosphere. And as for the guitarist Allison, I have nothing but respect! Perfect timing, fat crunchy riffs, and blazing solos make her glue that holds their AC/DC meets the Ramones sound together. Oh yeah all that and she’s hot too LOL !!!
Booze, babes and Rock n’ Roll… what more could a couple of guys out on the town ask for!
Gigantikal
So I haven’t posted in atleast a month, things have been CRAZY.
In the midst of everything I was able to complete the first of my new t-shirt line ideas, entitled Gigantikal. I like to say that around the house when referring to things of immense size and thought I had invented a word. But infact, gigantical apparently is in the dictionary. I decided to spell it with a ‘k’ instead and now I still feel clever.
So here’s a preview with some of the color variations that will soon be available from my online shop:
A few nights ago, we went out to the Shanghai Dumpling Shop with Lisa, Alexis, Tom and Molly. Was a wonderful night out and I hope we turn this into somekind of monthly dining club.
Quality of Life...
So last night Kristen and I headed down to the Galaxy Theater for a special event: the debut of the film “Quality of Life”. Our old friend Alexis worked on this film for 2 years… so to see this in a big movie theater downtown was amazing. This film is excellent!!!
check it out at http://www.qualityoflife-themovie.com/. Afterwards, we had dinner at Tommy’s Joint.
Happy Indigineous Peoples Genocide Day...
Ok, so I’m not a fan of Christopher Columbus. I don’t understand why Columbus Day is still a federal holiday. Erik the Red Day may be better. Anyhow before this degenerates into one of my bitter rants, it’s been a fun busy weekend.
Saturday the wife and I hit the Clement Street Fair. Was filled with little stands and shops, and food and live music. Ranging from bluegrass, to Peruvian and a little bit of the old rock and/or roll. One of the highpoints was hitting Genki for a vanilla ice cream and nutella crepes. Yummy!
We also spent a little time hanging out with a dog named Bear, sporting pilots’ goggles. They’re actually called Doggles. Yes, I’m serious. We ended the evening by having dinner at Hotei for some ramen.
Sunday was just a beautiful day here in San Francisco. Blue skies, no cold winds and no trace of fog! We headed up to Marina Green to watch the last day of Fleet Week air shows. It was the final day of the Redbull Air Races as well as the Navy and Marine Corps’ Blue Angels aerial displays of insanity. Was very cool. The bus ride home was insane. Normally it would’ve taken 45 minutes…but due to traffic and general jackassery of the people it took close to 2 hours! We were packed in like sardines, and it was hot and sweaty. I blacked out for about 20 minutes I think – and I was standing up! But the day out actually ended on a positive note. We stopped by Tart to Tart for root beer and ice cream floats. =)
Rome: Total War
Well, after receiving “doctor’s orders” from Detroit Rob… I went an got myself a copy of Rome: Total War. It’s a fantastic game that allows you to play one of 3 factions or families of ancient Rome. You will build cities, play the political game, arrange marriages for your clan, designate heirs and you will wage war across the ancient Mediterranean. The battles are amazing!
If you’ve considered getting it or want to read more about it click here.
Gandhi Jayanti
Today is Gandhi Jayanti celebrating the 136th birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. I post this with reverence and profound gratitude.
Barry Bonds is Back!
Last night the wife and I froze our asses off sitting in the stands of SBC Park to watch Barry Bonds return to the Giants (aka Gigantes de San Francisco – it was Hispanic Heritage Night after all).
Barry who was out for almost a year for various knee surgeries played for 7 out of 9 innings. His first at bat was crazy. 11 pitches and foul balls flying far away. He finally slammed one out to left center field and some jackass leaned over and caught the ball. So we had to settle for a double. I hate fan interference! In the end San Francisco beat the San Diego Padres 4-3. Not a bad way to return to the final 3 weeks of the season.
End of August Movie Report
We watched two fantastic films this weekend:
The Rising – The Ballad of Mangal Pandey – is a spectacular Bollywood historical drama about the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Also known as the Indian Mutiny. This is another Aamir Khan production and if you’ve seen his 2001 Oscar nominated hit Lagaan – Once Upon a Time in India you already know he doesn’t do anything half-ass.
Khan plays Mangal Pandey who ignited the flame for Indian Independence. The film centers around the unusual friendship between a Sepoy (Indian soldier) and his Scottish commanding officer played by Toby Stevens ( he played the villain in the last Bond flick – Die Another Day). The movie is in Hindi and English with subtitles. Go see it!
March of the Penguins – is a National Geographic produced documentary narrated by Morgan Freeman. It follows Emperor Penguins as they travel inceredible distances to find a mate and bring new offspring into the harsh conditions of Antarctica. The ice formations are gorgeous and the penguins are amazing just doing what they’ve been doing for eons. Educational, and with some genuinely emotional moments this movie should not be missed!
Adventures in Los Angeles: Day 4
Saturday morning. Miriam made a big German breakfast for us. Some kind of German bread, and a huge spread of fine cheeses, jellies, jams, sausages and other various coldcuts. After a fun morning with the Bremer’s we headed back to western LA to meet up with Jyoti.
She drove us to see the condo where Nicole Brown Simpson was murdered, and we then ate lunch. After we had our fill of salads we headed out west on the Pacific Coast Highway. Our destination? The massive Hindu temple in the Malibu Hills. The drive was scenic and just driving up along the canyon and hills made the journey and the temple seem like a mystical journey. The temple itself is beautiful. Peaceful and surrounded by lush greenery, trees and the mountains. The temple is done in the South Indian style with statues of guardian demi-gods, monsters and lions everywhere. Up on the stepped towers, each level has statues of the various gods and goddesses.
We walked around the temple grounds, and communed with the Gods. We decided to go after I had shot about 40 pictures of the temple!
On the way back to Jyoti’s place we stopped off for some Boba tea, and in general just had a relaxing time. Evening was approaching so we returned to the Bremer domocile and were chauffered to Culver City for dinner at Paco’s Tacos. This place is amazing. It’s just a casual family-style Mexican restaurant – with an average wait of one hour to get in. The food is fantastic and the workers there are very friendly. You won’t be dissappointed!
Stay tuned for Day 5…
Adventures in Los Angeles: Day 5
Last day of vacation. It was a very mellow day. First, we went to Electronic Arts Los Angeles headquarters to meet Andre. He gave us a tour of the building. It was pretty cool, definately one of the coolest offices I’ve ever seen. Being a huge fan of EA’s videogames, i was in geek heaven wandering through their halls. Also, it was the same day the Michael Jackson molestation case was ending and none of the EA employees were working…everyone was glued to the many plasma screens around the building awaiting the verdict! We went out to lunch on the harbor in Marina Del Rey.
In the afternoon we bummed around Venice Beach and Santa Monica. Not really an eventful day, but a nice way to wind down the vacation.
Adventures in Los Angeles: Day 3
Friday, our last day at my brother’s apartment. We were off to look at more art. This time we went to the La Luz de Jesus Gallery the epicenter of “low-brow” art. I’ve been wanting to visit the place for a few years now. I’v also got a few friends who’ve had their works displayed there recently. I’m considering submitting some of my work, so i’m brainstorming on some themes and style. The gallery has an amazing store as well, with some interesting toys, jewelry and a fantastic selection of books covering art of all sorts.
My only complaint about the place is the staff. They are jerks who apparently find it beneath them to respond to a polite “hello” or “How are you doing?”. Kristen and I were the only people of color in the store, and I’ve dealt with enough people to recognize a more discreet form of racism. Apparently being a caucasian check-out clerk who dresses like a bum in a trendy gallery is somehow superior to me. Strange they can sell statues of my gods, but can’t actually treat me nicely. I wonder if they’ll kiss my ass if I ever get my work displayed there.
Anyways we then got some lunch (back to Palm’s Thai – sorry no Elvis at lunch) and then went out in search of the Pacific Design Center and the Museum of Contemporary Art. I was a little dissappointed. Apparently, the MOCA is split into 3 facilities and the one we went to was a very small display space covering 2 floors. We saw the work of a Cuban artist who is also an architect. He creates many models of utopian designs for educational centers as well as interesting mixed media work. Usually a diptych of blacnk and white photos of a location. One before, and one after the main building has been demolished. He then recreates the outlines of the building over the original location. Interesting exhibit but also dissapointing since that space was so small. We should’ve hit the La Brea Tarpits instead!
Now it was time to head for Torrance. We were going to stay with Andre and Miriam for the next 2 days. They’re wonderful hosts and they took us up to Santa Monica to the Monsoon Cafe in Santa Monica. Really excellent food in a setting that makes you feel you’re dining in French Indo-China!
We ended the evening rather late… Andre and I stayed up playing video games and making gin & tonics!
Stay tuned for Day 4…
Adventures in Los Angeles: Day 2
We began the day by shopping for a replacement camera. While we were out we bought some stuff for Swaga’s apartment, and grabbed lunch at the Jones Cafe. First time I’ve ever had wasabi mashed potatoes. The day was really low-key till the evening. We met up with my brother and hit a fantastic sushi joint. Wish I could remember the name of the place!
Then we were off to a special party for LA Gear shoes…by invitation only of course. A huge nightclub space, with DJs spinning their music, cameras and tons of hollywood hipsters everywhere. I think LA Gear is updating their image and they used this party to give away shoes from their new line. My brother was lucky to get on the freebie list and scored a fancy pair of shoes. The bar was sponsored by Bacardi Rum, so the booze was flowing and we only had to pay tips. Afterwards, we hit a birthday party for an ex-coworker of my brother’s. We went to the Bungalow Club. Swaga seems to know somebody everyplace we go, so it was fun to watch him in action.
All in all it was a mellow and fun day. Stay tuned for the true story of Day 3!
Adventures in Los Angeles: Day 1
Vacation. This time Kristen and I decided to hit the City of Angels.
It was a wonderfully exhausting day. Highlights included 2 hours of sleep before our flight, and me getting angry at Alaska Airlines employees (check in only- flight crew were lovely). After landing and fetching our rental car, we stopped to eat at El Pollo Loco. Nothing like going to a Mexican themed fast-food when you can get authentic Mexican cuisine everywhere you look.
We then headed out to the new Getty Museum.
Beautiful location and amazing architecture and landscaping. It’s very eurocentric and the majority of the collection is neo-classical sculpture, renaissance and later paintings and decorative arts from the 1600s and onwards. After 5 hours of looking at art depicting the suffering of Christ and the martyrs of early Christianity, we felt it appropriate to take a break and get a snack outside. We went back to finish off the final wings of the museum. In a gallery containing amazing neo-classical sculpture we met Isak a wonderful eastern european man of 50 perhaps. The man has his hair shaved short and you can see the scar where his skull was cracked. He didn’t tell us what happenned to him, but he says the doctors were amazed he pulled out of a 21 day coma, and not only survived, but seemed to have no brain damage. I get the impression he’s ex-Russian military… but i could be wrong. In any case this friendly fellow said he knew i was truly a lover of art because I scrutiniezed the work of certain statues from every angle. He then proceeded to show us how to read the the serial numbers on any work at the museum to know if it belonged to the Getty or if it was a a loaner. He asked us to come back sometime soon and visit him. Looking forward to it. If you find yourself in that wing of the museum, tell him the Indian guy with the nice watch said he will eventually have his statue in that exhibit.
Next, we drove down from the hills and dived into Hollywood. We were on our way to meet up with my younger brother. He works in television production and has lived out there for about 5 years now. We had an hour or more to kill, so we explored his neighborhood which is sort of sandwiched between Little Armenia and Thai Town. The craziest thing was the huge Church of Scientology compound just a few blocks from Swaga’s place. We walked around and took pictures of the place. Spooky. Why does L. Ron Hubbard keep publishing books from beyond the grave? Why are so many celebrities into this “cult”? Eventually we met up with my brother but while I was walking with our luggage my digital camera slipped off my belt and landed in the street. It was run over a few seconds after, but we didnt realize that till 5 minutes after we’d settled into my brother’s apartment. I ran out, frantically searched the car then saw it out int he middle of the street. I snatched it up and opend up the pouch as i walked back to the apartment. The camera was smashed up, and i’m not sure what’s holding it together. Everyone was shocked to see it, but amazingly the SD Card was fine. Instead of getting upset I decided that the next morning I’d get a new camera. (Stay tuned for the digital camera autopsy, I’ll be posting those pictures soon!)
It was just after 8 and we decided to get dinner. Swaga took us to Palm’s Thai Restaurant. This place is always packed. The prices are cheap and the food is AMAZING. Easily one of the best 5 thai restaurants i’ve ever eaten in. The place is loud and jumping with activity as the band played early Beatles covers and other pop-rock hits of various eras. After they left the stage, Thai Elvis hit the stage. I think he’s one of the owners of the place. Anyway, if you close your eyes, you’d think Elvis himself was singing 20 feet from you. Hit this place if your down in Hollywood.
Next stop downtown Hollywood. We tried to get to Mann’s Chinese Theater. We couldn’t get in due to the premiere of the movie remake of The HoneyMooners. We did see some celebrities including Ayesha Tyler, Gabriel Union and the fat bald Italian dude with the thin mustache… he’s a great character actor, and i’ve seen him in tons of stuff… as soon as I find his name i’ll update this entry.
After sometime we decided to go someplace else. We were off to The Abbey in West Hollywood. Cafe and restaurant by day, it turns into a gay, hollywood hipster and celebrity hotspot. We showed up as some show was wrapping up shooting. The place was packed and Swaga said it was a slow night! We spent a couple hours there and headed back home after 1am.
Stay tuned for Day 2!
Convoy to Fry's
So yesterday I actually went into the office. We’re located about a half a mile maybe from Fry’s (the west coast chain of stores, otherwise known as the center of the universe for geeks). This one happens to have the B-movie Mayan Temple theme. So Rod (master of IT) says, “Hey guys who wants to go to Fry’s?” Asking this question in a room full of geeks is like shaking your keys in front of a dog. The excitement quickly grew and we ended up with a raiding party of 6. So we all piled into Rod’s MotorHome and drove to Fry’s in style.