probably by now we’ve all seen juno. though i spent the first 20 minutes rolling my eyes to the obnoxious “i’m so cool, counterculture, and edgy” crap, it was entertaining and fun (i’ll admit, one scene activated the lacrymal glands). i was impressed with the performances of juno’s parents. they stole the show with LOLers like “when you move out I’m getting two weimaraners!” and “did you run someone over with the previa?!” what charmers!

of course, you may remember this line:

“you shoulda gone to china. you know, ’cause I hear they give away babies like free iPods. You know, they pretty much just put them in those T-shirt guns and shoot them out at sporting events.”

understandably, it offended a lot of folks, like this mother of two adopted daughters from china. hackles are up. one adoptee said,
“…to say that you can get them like iPods, like commodities, it’s speaking to the adoption industry, and it’s said in a really brutalizing way.”

jason reitman, the director, retorts:
“No one could be more sensitive to this idea than myself. My wife and daughter are Chinese, and my sister is adopted,” Reitman says. “While I am connected to this on all levels, I have always felt that it is important that we find humor in which we are most sensitive. It is through comedy that we can begin conversation instead of hiding behind political correctness – a wall that simply divides people and stifles communication.”

you get the drift. another somewhat polemical battleground rife with different angles, stories, and philosophies that make my head hurt. i took a race / ethnicity public policy course in college that induced this feeling for an entire semester. it was a good kind of discomfort, meant to strengthen your analytical mind and sharpen your argument skills. mostly though, it reminded me that rarely is anything simply black or white.

because i can’t enjoy this particular experience anymore in the classroom, i now derive it from comment sections accompanying online articles.

i highly suggest that you first read the article, then take a gander at the 152 (and growing) comments. if you ever want to take a pulse on how people really feel, just spend some time with their comments. diving into comment sections of hot topic articles has become a bad habit of mine. it’s mesmerizing yet frightening, and often leaves a bad taste in my mouth. i’m a jaded cynic, and sometimes even i am alarmed and shocked by the undercurrent of hostility and _____. on this topic, an overwhelming amount of people basically had a dismissive, apathetic “get over it” attitude, which quite frankly is a bit disconcerting, even for a non-PC person like me. and there was a handful of folks who took the opposite stance. here are a few salient selections from differing sides, some of which pissed me off:

The comment had some truth to it. Human life doesn’t mean much in China. China is the country that charges the family of the executed the cost of the bullet after they have been shot. I am sure there is a 1000% mark up on the bullet.

Don’t stop at the Olympics – boycott China. I meant it. We can make our own iPods and Wal Mart crap or get it someplace else. Millions of unwanted babies in China aren’t given away but mercilessly slaughtered. But, wait, there’s more. Anyone who talks democracy in that country gets an open-ended prison sentence, torture or a bullet in the back of the head.

Would it have been less offensive if they cracked on your driving abilities… Lighten up!

those of you who don’t get why people are offended… just ADMIT you don’t get why people are offended instead of telling them they have no reason to be offended or to tell them to lighten up. Admit you are ignorant and then this is where the dialogue begins.

People offended by the truth, thats funny.

The can of worms is open. I was in Beijing China last spring. I saw with own eyes a woman screaming at a small child and kicking this child on the back. The woman looked to be in her 50′s and I thought maybe the grandmother. But the child was small, maybe 4 or 5 and crying and scared and crowds of people walked by and went on with their lives and this woman was kicking this small child in the back and yelling at it. I know that if we were in the states at that moment this woman would have been tackled and arrested by complete strangers. I don’t mean to scrutinize the behavior of a stranger on the street, but I know what my eyes saw and it was not good for the chinese baby.

and that’s just the tip o’ the iceberg.

the thing is, i value humor more than anything, so that juno line elicited a chuckle while it simultaneously raised an eyebrow. the analogy of the easy availability of chinese babies to ipods and t-shirt cannons was clever (though false), and i get that it was intended to emphasize juno’s naivete, her know-it-all-but-not-having-lived-life demeanor. but at the same time…a few of these comments reveal how extremely stupid and eager people are to villify china. yes, people in china have no hearts and enjoy killing their babies…?!?!?!

south korea’s number one national treasure was set on fire by a vengeful, angry fellow.

steve likens it to the statue of liberty going up in flames…

from the NYT article:

“Namdaemun, made of wood and stone with a two-tiered, pagoda-shaped tiled roof, was completed in 1398 and served as the main southern entrance to Seoul, which was then a walled city. It was the oldest wooden structure in Seoul, an iconic reminder of old Korea in this modern Asian city, the capital of South Korea, and a major tourist attraction. The site is surrounded by a bustling commercial district. Lately, homeless people had sought shelter there.

Namdaemun succumbed to the very thing it was designed to fight off, according to Korean legend: fire. Korean kings chose the site in the belief that the gate would protect the capital from the fiery spirit of a mountain south of Seoul, historians say.”

serendipitous dessert at home
late-night snack courtesy of caramel fran. she brought flourless chocolate cake served up with aromatic rasberry sorbet. a classic combo that never fails…

good thing she brought it, cuz we needed it to fuel our rigorous activities, such as…sitting around and surfing the nets…as ryan, derek, and fran do

drawing and bonding…as calvin and hellen do

and more sitting and surfing…as anthony and josh do

the butler and the chef bistro
the key to this charming little french spot tucked way in south park is knowing what to order. go for the impeccable eggs benedict and the waffles, but by all means bypass the forgettable crepes. work it off by climbing around the impressive playground across the way.

obvious but fun

i used to be obsessed with eggs benedict. then the love fizzled like in a stale relationship. however, the dish here rekindled my dormant affection. the meat/egg/sauce bundle is neatly nestled on a thick slice of rustic olive bread

like eggs benedict, a well-balanced waffle is hard to come by. this one was crisp and soft in all the right parts (like awesome people). wild blueberry preserves and tons of butter top it off

dosa
being a big indian food addict, and especially a dosa slut, i’d been here a few times and always left satisfied. couple of weeks ago i photographed anjan, the gregarious owner, for gatekeepers, and it worked up an overwhelming craving for south indian cuisine. sure enough, i went back and was not disappointed.

papadum are excellent for dipping into anything, really. i like the snappy pop when they crunch in my mouth

there is a chaat menu on weekends, though it is rather small. we liked our order: the dahi vada. it’s described as a lentil dumpling “piped with tamarind & mint.” does that thing look “piped” to you? it was good. that there next to the vibrant dish is a bowl of fire broth. aptly named, it’ll clear your sinuses right up

uttapam are described on the menu as open face dosas. works for me. i consistently get the “south indian moons” — the sampler plate

and here is the dosa. i usually default to the masala, which is so damn decadent and delicious. however, i liked the way this one (the “spring dosa”) sounded: a masala with a smattering of veggies

so much starch. so much goodness.

truffle dinner at nat’s
so apparently nat is like an adult cuz he hosts dinner parties. i got invited to one such gathering and as luck would have it, it was TRUFFLE-themed. truffle affects me the way catnip intoxicates a cat. one sniff seizes me so powerfully it sets my dopamine receptors ablaze. it’s psychological AND physiological. i can’t really explain it.

a respectable chinese, he prepared classic steamed egg. WITH TRUFFLE OIL. i give him props for using chicken broth. it is my secret weapon

the shrimp was terrific, and so simple to make. butter, salt, pepper. who knew? on the right is fettucine and arugula. splash some truffle oil on it and you’re set

my fave dish of the evening: truffled mashed taters. DIVINE! creamy and perfectly seasoned

it started with something chinese, and it ends with something chinese: a dessert snack called “crystal balls.” mounds of sweet red bean suspended in chewy translucent balls molded into a floral shape. am i the only one who finds this amusing? what?! of course i don’t think the word “balls” is funny. i am a very mature, classy lady.

also got to meet some warm, down-to-earth, friendly folks

we talked about hellboy, rambo, sin city, OMD, family guy, and other stirring topical items

the host with his esteemed crystal balls

ps – should i stick with medium or small picture format presentation? i can’t decide which i like better!

a thoughtful lunar new year gift from a coworker

walking home the night of LNY, i stumbled upon this neat credenza-esque piece on the street and had to have it. what an auspicious start to the year already! endless thanks to knuckles for coming to the rescue and transporting it for me

later that evening, we convened at peg’s for an intimate celebration of the new year. here she is, the hostess with the mostest, slaving over a hot stove in her good luck red. she’s a master at griddling up rice cakes so they’re crisp and golden. the alluring smell beckons anthony to pull up a front row seat

the requisite tray of candied goods. my fave = the coconut straw

“i’ve been everywhere in the world but there”

pretty

hao contemplates next to the quince that peg picked up from the flower fair. that girl does it right

sauce bar!

dumplings, green onion pancake, rice cake, sweet sesame dumplings (tang yuan) = symbolic starch $ex

the real dessert…
tada!

feast your eyes on this LNY beauty: hellen in a handsome hanbok. it was the first time she’d worn this exquisitely made garment from korea, and we were all very lucky to be privy to such a special moment.

strike a pose

a regal double whammy

nothing to do with culture or LNY or nothin,’ but peg is my go-to eye drops administrator

let us feast!

fran and derek

i love peg’s ceiling. soft colors and textures

more citrus to wish everyone a healthy, positive year. thanks for being in my life!

eating is fun!

lark creek steak
my friend eric (aka einar) and i usually have lunch in the westfield mall’s fancier food court, but one night we were feeling feisty and spontaneous and decided to eat here. i’ll admit, i was a little curious about lark creek. for one thing, it’s the best option out of the mall’s sit-down dining offerings. though overall it was decent, i won’t say it was mindblowing. oh, and the waitstaff outfits were an eyesore. ultimately, the stereotype of bad mall restaurants stands uncontested. regardless, it was a good time.

there’s eric. we split a ny steak. the horseradish sauce was good but cost extra. lame!

cauliflower soup. i’ve had better, but again, not bad

the brussel sprouts were good. they make you gassy though!

eddie’s cafe
i met up with nat — a fellow food enthusiast whom i met through his cousin, who went to china with my cousins — for brunch at one of my favorite spots in the world: eddie’s cafe. their perfect hashbrowns and soft, fluffy biscuits are consistently good, but really, what they serve up best is their warm TLC. it’s a reliable, charming neighborhood joint run by this awesome korean family comprising a colorful cast of quirky characters. the diners themselves are all over the place too. good music to boot! i love it.

it’s my favorite, jong chul! he’s so jolly and warm, always joking around with me. we exchange pleasantries in chinese and korean. his playful disposition is reason enough to return. look at that endearing face

i want this mug

nat also photographs his meals. the concept of porkchops for brunch was a bit daunting, but he welcomed it with open arms

baja cactus
haven’t been here in ages! whenever we go to the buddhist temple, located on this old, forgotten strip behind a thoroughfare in milpitas, we drive by it and i think, “i should really go back there.” it finally happened, and boy was it satisfying. it’s an earnest restaurant with ample space. for some reason it reminds me of high school.

amazing chips; i believe they were flour

my sister got the chicken sope. delicious. she kept on stirring everything together until she ended up with a mouthwatering mush of beans, rice, and sope remnants. if i wasn’t already stuffed i would’ve attacked that pile with chips as scooping vehicles

i got a combo plate – chicken enchilada and chile relleno (the food responsible for getting me hooked on mexican food when i was a young inexperienced lass). no complaints

happy year of the rat!

i feel like a crappy jerk posting killjoy content (what can i say, i’m attracted to anything morbid), so here are some photos from the year of the boar to get into the lunar new year spirit.

“why hello there. welcome to my abode. please, make yourself at home. are you ready to kick it yin style, wicked, wild?”

the maestra in the kitchen, making one of our favorite dishes: steamed egg. sesame oil drizzle fo shizzle

colorful and auspicious!

ain’t no party like a good luck fish party

we love this dessert, ba bao fan (“eight treasure rice”). difficult to make, but of course nai nai has mastered the art

tomfoolery, which nai nai lightheartedly tolerates (on the surface, at least)

ah yes. the red envelope

nai nai is crafty and likes to construct intricate little cranes which are nice decorative flourishes!

that’s sliced lotus, which my sister loves. nai nai usually serves these lotus discs stuffed with slightly sweet glutinous rice. a real delicacy

the only things missing are our chinese lawyer / engineer / doctor boyfriends or husbands
(ps – note our predilection for loud patterns)

like father like daughter

aaaaaaand that’s how us yins do it. about ten pounds heavier, with wacky chinese new year television programming commanding all of our attention

here’s wishing everyone a joyous, lovely lunar new year.

i hope all my fellow lunar calendar-following asian bros and hos have a good one. i know i’ll be shoving my fat yellow face with plenty o’ auspicious goodies for ultimate bloatation.

let’s take this moment to observe how lucky we are not to be in china experiencing a severe winter crisis cluster$@*#. the climate is so cruel it’s actually keeping people from traveling home to loved ones.

dayum.

here is a video of the insanity at a guangzhou train station, found on shanghaiist. one woman died from the hysterical, frenzied stampeding that ensued when everyone and their mom was doing everything in their power to nab a coveted spot on a train. the fight/flight instinct is in full throttle here. so gruesome, the terror…i don’t know if i want to punch something or cry. this makes a commute on the N judah seem like (insert clever simile).

and i’m too terrified to even watch this one. i mean. look at that still. i think that’s a head. sorry, i know i’m a total creep and hypocrite for posting this scary stuff.

ANYWAY, the point is we’re pretty gosh darn lucky.

** UPDATE: hundreds of more photos have been leaked by a “mysterious” netizen who promises to unleash new damaging pix and video onto the web. he has even taunted HK police into tracking him down with a “catch me if you can” statement. but wait…get this — his nom de plume is kira, as in the elusive protagonist of death note. for reals? seriously? you can’t make this stuff up.

man oh man…

the edison chen scandal is perhaps a cautionary tale to remember that privacy does not exist in the digital age.

born in vancouver, he’s a huge HK star who apparently has a proclivity for documenting his bedroom romps on camera. das cool. what’s not cool though is that he stupidly stored photos on his laptop, which were discovered by slimy computer repair folks who fed them to the perpetually scandal-hungry internets. OUCH. btw, these pics are sooo NSFW. edison recently broke his silence by releasing an official statement.

i feel seriously AWFUL for these former lovers, all of which are of some celebrity status. according to an article, one has already attempted suicide. edison will most likely rebound from all this, given some time (i’m sure he’s already getting big ups from machismo morons).

but what about the girls? and their careers? i initially snickered when i was informed of this debacle (thanks, cynth!). dismissively laughing it off in my usual “celebrities are so stupid, when will they ever learn” mentality, i now find it all very grim, depressing, and traumatizing for the parties involved.

this may sound weird, but situations like these remind me that regardless of who we are, celebrity or not (and no, i don’t deify celebrities), we’re all humans when it comes to simple primordial needs. in the end, we’re funky randy creatures who subsist partly on love, affection, sex. the ways in which we express these needs are profoundly sacred and even sweet in our vulnerability and intimacy, no matter how kinky or ________. everyone gets their rocks off, but rarely is it meant for public consumption.

so if there’s anything to be learned from this “strange ordeal,” it’s that you should NEVER STORE YOUR SECRETS ON YOUR COMPUTER. for god’s sake burn that $*#! immediately onto a disc and bury it somewhere absolutely inaccessible.

ps – to end on a somewhat lighthearted note, check out edison’s blog. it’s curious how he’s so into hip hop urban culture. can’t stand the way he writes.

(while reading a chinese newspaper celeb gossip article on britney)

parent 1: “she’s going down”
parent 2: she’s psycho. success ate her alive.”

(while reading a chinese newspaper article on how unbelievably cold it is in china right now)

parent 1: “all the monkeys hug each other to stay warm”

(commenting on a couple walking down the street)

dad: “i don’t understand why that man’s hand is on that woman’s butt”

———————————————-

the discreprancy between a point-n-shoot and a digital SLR is staggering. perhaps it’s not evident in these photos, but sometimes i’m amazed by what the sexy nikon can capture. every image is so crisp, vivid, and warm. there’s so much to learn though. i don’t even know basic photog concepts. most of the terminology in the user’s manual is foreign to me.

canon powershot

nikon DSLR

canon powershot

all nikon DSLR