yesterday was kind of a bummer. i was feeling insecure, gross, anxious about an imminent departure, trying to keep my ballistic hormones in check, and coping with the soul-sucking monday blues. being out and about in the castro after work helped. i enjoyed the balmy weather, being amongst all the happy couples walking their exuberant dogs, savoring their bi-rite ice cream cones. it was nice. still, my soul was amiss, UNTIL…i got home last night, sifted through the mail, and found the ultimate spirit-lifter amidst the latest comcast and credit card solicitations.

i couldn’t believe it…
i received a lovely missive from one of my favorite artists of all time, TOM OF FINLAND!

he included a flattering photo of himself (one i’d never seen before) looking dapper and cocky (bearing an uncanny resemblance to middle age vince price). i may not be his flavor, but i’m still a huge, throbbing fan. talk about impeccable timing, arriving at my home the very evening i was in the castro. what a total sweetheart. must’ve been a hassle for him to do this, especially from the grave.

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3

THANK YOU, TOM! you’re the coolest finn of all time. thank you for being $ex-positive. you weren’t just a damn good fine arts craftsman, you were also the pinnacle of hawt get-your-rocks-off “erotic art.” sigh.

“Congratulations! You won a pass (good for two people) to the advanced screening of Hellboy II, The Golden Army which screens next Tuesday, July 8, 7:30PM at AMC Metreon”

james lipton is pretty delightful

haha, “i don’t even think they have pockets”

done with chalk, people. that’s not an easy feat! notice the detail in the face, the shadows and rendering, the smart use of color! reminds me a bit of thor or bearded aqua man. whoever did this has a quirky sense of humor (”oooooh! yeah! brotha!!!”). the bod is well executed too. note the appropriate 80s-era lettering. the only thing i can dock points for? no nipples.

this is probably the only classy thing to ever come out of 24 hour fitness. they need to clean up their act and put forth some quality. how do i know? i’m a member. i love their classes and rely on the facilities, but my god i don’t think i’ve ever paid a visit without shaking my head at how shoddy everything is.

boy, i’m a hypocrite. but anywho, i love that sign and had to share it.

does anyone know what song i’m referencing? now it’s stuck in my noggin.

few things rival an irrepressible longing for a cheese steak sammie, specifically one from the cheese steak shop on divisadero (not the $hitty one in NoPA, but the one closer to pac heights). like the words proclaim on its bright yellow awning, it is indeed habit forming. so tasty, and you’re missing out if you don’t get the hot peps to adorn your cheese steak (as for the sweet peps, i could care less for them). peg and i had worked up a hunger in union square and knew we wanted something decadent and hearty…and this definitely hit the spot.

actually, earlier in the day, we brunched together as well (an act derek claims that only girls go ga-ga over) at la boulange in cole valley. it may not be the most perfect but it always suits us just fine.

and, last night, we made the trek to red lobster all the way in san bruno. it’s certainly not a terrific restaurant (afterall, it’s a chain, and not a redemptive one like claim jumper), but when you’re hard up for greasy goods like fried clams, those addictive warm biscuits that pair wonderfully with caesar salad, and FRIED SHRIMP, there’s not much you can do. peg was very kind and patient to indulge our (eric’s and mine) strange nostalgia for red lobster. if there was an AA group for the helpless souls addicted to fried shrimp, i’d probably be its founder.

(imagine the sloppy sounds of cookie monster)

wonderful NYT food writer rw apple jr (RIP) wrote in an old article bemoaning their contraband designation in this country:

The mangosteen — a tropical fruit about the size of a tangerine, whose leathery maroon shell surrounds moist, fragrant, snow-white segments of ambrosial flesh — can’t get a visa.

i went ape$hit for them when we tried them in vancouver at the granville island market (this was a highlight of the peg & jenn pacific northwest domination tour 2006), partly because it was impossible to find them back home. this made the “first time” all the more exciting and delicious. fell in love with this “exotic” fruit and couldn’t shut up about it.

years after the memorable experience, i saw them in toronto’s chinatown. such a novel sight to behold!

it was neat seeing them all over in china too. a street vendor taught me the correct way to crack one open (it’s all in the wrist). unfortunately i forgot the method. the one pictured below i consumed immediately on the street after purchase. so refreshing, a harmonious balance of sweet and tangy.

fast forward to ryan’s bday party a few weeks ago, and hellen surprises me with most delightful news. she and calvin bought mangosteens…from a filipino market (”seafood city”?)…in UNION CITY! um, what? that’s impossible. i couldn’t believe this. before i could ponder the ramifications of such a reality, i flew into monster rage mode and opened one after the other by the sink, shoving them in revelers’ faces.

see? pretty frightening

here’s the carnage in poor ryan’s sink, the creamy white meat ripped from their shells

then, yesterday paul informed me that he too had bought mangosteens from casa thai market in the mission. i had to do a mental triple take. was a mangosteen revolution underway without my knowledge? what was going on here?

well, apparently, they’re no longer illegal in the US. according to wiki:

Mangosteens are readily available canned and frozen in Western countries. Without fumigation or irradiation as fresh fruit, mangosteens have historically been illegal for importation in commercial volumes into the United States due to fears that they harbor the Asian fruit fly which would endanger U.S. crops. This situation, however, officially changed on July 23, 2007 when irradiated imports from Thailand were allowed upon USDA approval of irradiation, packing and shipping techniques.

W H O A

mangosteen madness. rejoice!

of course everyone was excited, including yours truly, a james jean fanatic (who intends on collecting every single print from his recess series - i only have two right now). i thought it was brilliant, and happy that he had elevated to such a level of art celebrity. i usually diss the whole luxury glamour lifestyle (i’m part disgusted and part jealous), but i can’t walk by a prada shop without peering into the window and salivating. it’s probably one of the few places i would drop stupid amounts of $$$ on if i was you know, rich.

i’m not sure how i feel about the end product, though really the man can do no wrong in my books. he’s supremely, sickeningly amazing. taiwanese AND young to boot. one of my all time favorite artists. EVER.

anyway, i spotted this prada satchel (?) at the salon. it was my first and only sighting of the prada + james jean collaborative effort. mixed feelings, really. but hell, like i said, it’s james jean. you can tell that the leather is buttery and sumptuous.

there’s so much to blather on about. june has flown by filled to the brim with birthday celebrations. i plan on doing an entry dedicated to all the lovely birthday folks of june. it’ll be a smorgasbord.

i feel like being random right now. that said, can you figure out what this is? is it black blow? sand? gritty gravel?

i use it to make this

it’s black sesame powder, pure and unadulterated. i bought it at yogi house in fremont, right next to the salon i go to. it’s this quaint chinese shop specializing in all things healthy, organic, natural, herbal, etc. it’s a bit of an anomaly, cuz well, it’s not very “chinese” in my mind. the great thing is that my mom had a field day there, asking the owner questions about this and that about all the products (”what is this good for?” “flax seeds? what does that do?” “lignans? what’s that?”). oh, and they sell japanese black charcoal (supposedly a natural water filter).

anyway, i bought a tub of black sesame powder. i’m a skeptic about healthy miracle ingredients, but supposedly it’s loaded with calcium and goodness. at work i mix it with hot soy milk and splenda to tide me over. tasty and earthy, it’s like a healthy oreo shake, or at least it looks like it.

the only drawback is that it makes my mouth look like i’ve been making out with black dirt. so whenever anyone comes into my area i have to cover my mouth while i talk to him/her.

onto more randomness, check this out:

hardcore! spotted on hayes. i wasn’t sure what to think, just cuz the car itself is one of my faves (late 80s bmw 318i) and if i had one i certainly wouldn’t turn it into the herge mobile. still, i applaud the tintin dedication.

saw scrabbel at the rickshaw on wednesday night. pretty awesome. they’re a solid band, terrific live, and it brings me great pleasure to see hellen shredding on the cello. it’s pretty sweet. also got to hang with the gang, which is always a good thing. everyone was so fun and bubbly save me. i’m a perpetually tired sack of old bones. sorry.

on the work front, our big summer show opens today. we’ve been hosting a group of delegates from china, and it’s been fun to observe from the sidelines. i walked through the exhibition a couple times, and i have to say it is spectactular. i’m proud to be part of it. the objects are stunning, and there’s so much history. for example, we have one of the world’s oldest gun powder utilizing barreled weapons. pretty nuts. when i am in the galleries, i often try to visualize what it was like back then during the ming dynasty. it plays like a movie in my mind. the eunuchs, the mandate to rule from heaven, the ladies of the court, the power, etc…all that drama.

here’s our signature marketing piece. you know what i love? it looks like he’s wearing chucks with black laces! so emo.

so yeah, i’m not just saying this to shill for the museum, but this is truly a historical exhibition. i imagine history buffs in particular would love it.

oh, and i tried indoor climbing last night for the first time at mission cliffs. it’s something i’ve been curious about for years, and was finally able to check it off my to-do list thanks to steve (who is a patient, good instructor). i was quite nervous and found the whole thing daunting. you walk in and it’s like, bam! hello climbing culture, stimulation overload. plus, there was a belaying test!!! talk about sweating bullets. but i miraculously passed it and got to climb. my first try was frightening and i didn’t get very far, but by my last try i had managed to get to the top and was hooked. of course, the walls i mounted were probably meant for little kids, but still, it was an addictive sensation. can’t wait to go back.

and lastly, here’s something i probably shouldn’t post for many reasons. yes, i know he wasn’t the best PM, yes, i know about the yasukuni controversy, and yes a million things, but i’m such a piggish carnal slimeball that i can’t help but lose all reasoning and ladylike behavior when i see a handsome specimen. there, i’m inhuman. can’t help it. you can blame ryan, it’s his beautiful poster.

ps - i think martin was desperate to fill their top five page in the latest ish of GR, because i can’t think of any other reason why i’d end up in it (i’m not complaining, i think it’s really neat). it features a terrible thumbnail of my sad mug, but in it i say that one of my top five is to have a drink with candy, the coolest bar maiden you’ll ever meet (at the bow bow cocktail lounge, chinatown). she’s taiwanese and a saucy spirit. will someone please do a documentary on her already?

on love:
(i really wanted to make this a simple comic but was too lazy and lacking time)

dad: “in a relationship, it is more important for the male to love the female more. if the man loves the female more then the relationship has a better chance of lasting. he can take care of her and appreciate her more.”
me: “but dad, don’t you think people can love each other equally?”
dad: “that never happens in this world”
(ouch! i guess i inherited some of that cynicism)

“a bad relationship can ruin a girl’s life for 10 years
i know so many relationships that have ruined girls lives, so badly”

“between a man and woman, if there are complications then they shouldn’t get into it”

“dan dan, listen to me, this is very important. if something doesn’t seem right, then get out of it. don’t waste your time. if a man doesn’t know what he wants, get out while you can!”

“if you really really really love a man, you’ll want to marry and have kids with him”
(yeah i rolled my eyes too)

random inside-jokey goodies:

my sister said, “dad, you’re like the basement.”
(when i slapped his shoulder and a dust cloud rose from his fleece jacket)

“sporty but not comfortable”
(when asked about the rental car, dodge charger, that we took down to LA)

“i like angelina jolie because she has a strong personality”

“i think SF is going to be a poor city in a couple years”
(umm, YEAH)

“ting ting, are your ready to see the star?!”
(to my sister as we approached griffith observatory)

“i don’t think that can be hot. not trendy enough”
(wish i remember what this was about)

“that nut help us a lot!”
(commenting on the bags of nuts we bought from casa de fruta for the long drive down to LA)

“why is that man’s hand on that woman’s butt?”
(classic)

“once i was so disoriented i wore two different shoes to work”
(on how bad his allergies were)

“finally everything come alive”
(after we turned on the car radio after hours of silence)

him: “we should take copper here”
me: “copper’s dead”
(at a half moon bay beach; copper is my beloved dog that i had to put down in college)

“you look pretty today”
(we all need to hear it)

“can i do anything for you when you’re in china? i have a lot of connections there, like mobs”
(mirthquake!)

“i could eat a horse”
(when he was very hungry)

“hey listen, when i say i’m warm, i’m warm!”
(when we were expressing concern about whether or not he was wearing enough)

and we end with my favorite photo of him
(check the fly scarf)

ps - the name of the post references perhaps my most favorite hellboy moment. it’s marvelously endearing and cute:

so if y’all are free on thursday and have only $5 to spare, come on by for some acupuncture, qi gong, tea, shiatsu, live chinese music, cupping (heh), and a whole lot more. it’s a total steal.

anyway, i really dig this art by wu gaozhong. his show is called spectral memory, on view at the zendai MoMA in shanghai. it heaves a visceral impact on many levels; so repugnant, yet so…beckoning. of course, anyone who’s familiar with my neuroses will immediately know exactly why these objects creep the $*#! out of me.

i also gravitate toward this art because it looks like how i feel.

photos from this flickr account