The Dock of the Bay

Although this city is known for its sporadic change in weather, San Francisco is still a beautiful place to live. Even though, sometimes I wish I was in other parts of the world, I'd rather live here for the rest of my life. If not S.F, then maybe other parts of the Bay like Foster City or Millbrae. For the most part, I just love how diverse this city is, from food to culture, giving visitors the opportunity to taste a little bit of everything. Here's one spot you'd probably visit... the pier.

No Reservations

This show, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, is one of my favorite shows of all time. Similar to Andrew Zimmern's Bizzarred Food, he travels around the world but instead of finding strange(sometimes terrifying) meals, he explores the world of great cooks. Unlike most shows, stripped from "real-life" experiences and completely scripted, Anythony Bourdain has no shame in devouring a whole plate of food, in minutes-with sauce dripping out of his mouth, in the middle of a jam-packed fancy restaurant. What's interesting is that he, sometimes, goes overboard with his random outburst and if taken too seriously, could be mistaken as rudeness. For me, not only is he sincere, I like the fact that he is completely free-spirited when absorbing other cultures. If you watch the show, you'll notice that Bourdain can be shockingly blunt at times, which is exactly how some of us are whenever we encounter unfamiliar food. We, sometimes, spit and say inappropriate things, to a certain extent of course, but we don't mean that in a disrespectful manner. You should check it out if you haven't seen it. Also, try reading one of his book, The Nasty Bits, and you'll appreciate the show even more.

Martin Luther King, Jr

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." -Martin Luther King, Jr

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction... The chain reaction of evil--hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars---must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation." -Martin Luther King, Jr

The World's Thinnest Cookie

With the label, the world's thinnest cookie, you know I have to try it. The Moravian Ginger Spice Cookies, a super-thin crispy snack with ingredients like Cloves from Indonesia, Cinnamon from Ceylon(Sri Lanka) and ginger from Jamaica. Well, I was sold on the idea but not so much on taste. After about 5, it sort of tastes like dried up pumpkin pie. Damn, they got me! Ha! I give these little crunchy bites 5 out of 10.

Drinking and smoking is still disgusting

Someone asked me the other day, "what kinds of alcohol do you like?" Without any hesitation, I responded, "I like at least one for each category: Hennessy and Remy for cognac, Grey Goose for vodka and Patron for Tequila." Almost simultaneously, ignoring my answer, he asked, "Do you drink it straight up or mixed with candy?" Of course, immediately, I knew where the conversation was heading. Obviously, he wants to prove his "Macho" and "manly" ways with me. And then he said, "Come on, you can't mix it like that! You gotta down it". As he continued to talk, I was waiting for him to display his so-called "manhood"(or at least fake it) by: barking like a dog, spitting on the floor and if I'm lucky, grab his crotch. Ha! Is that how a man supposed to behave? I'm certain that his cockiness thickens every time someone replies, "mixed drinks". To be honest, it was a little entertaining but annoying at the same time. Look, it doesn't matter how many ways we creatively mix an alcohol drink, it will never be as smooth as drinking a can of soda. Alcohol is part disgusting and part enjoyable, whether its "straight up", chilled in ice or mixed with sweets. As for cigarettes, regular, mild or light, makes no difference in damaging your lung. There's no way that having a harsher drink or smoke makes a person more of a man(or woman). You can either enjoy alcohol with or without another ingredient because it's not something you drink on a regular basis. A cigarette, although I haven't had one since '03, can just be a simple remedy for stress or a long day at work. If you think about it, both are equally distasteful so let's just leave it at that.

It's sunny in San Francisco

With this weather, all I need is my Ray Ban shade, a lawn chair, a 6-pack of corona and some ripe lemons. This reminds me, I need a vacation! It's been awhile since I've taken time away, and not just to another state, I'm talking about another country-Europe or Asia. Seriously, off the top of my head, I don't remember the last time I've taken a vacation! Anyways, here's a look of the outer edge of downtown San Francisco. Hmmm I don't think the view, where I was standing, did the city any justice.

The downside of being a designer

Whether you're into fashion, music or sports, being a designer does have some negative factors. I remember, my former co-worker said jokingly, "Dude, I feel like a zombie. I can't communicate with people anymore. This damn screen is sucking all the energy out of me". Although I laughed, I can't help but pause with amazement to the amount of hours that I've spent looking at the computer screen. My eyes, unwilling to cooperate to the distance farther than 30 inches, seem to have also lost its spatial visualization ability. For a quick second, I wonder if I'm better off as a painter, doing landscape painting - sitting on a hill with an undisturbed view of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Instead, I'm sitting here in front of a flat surface, left hand on the keyboard and right hand on the mouse, cranking out one design after another. By the end of the day, thinking to myself, "Oh, how I hate colors". To make matters worst, I have this indescribable soreness extending from the wrist to the elbow, evidently from moving the mouse all day long. With that said, I have to face the fact that it could possibly lead to the syndrome known as carpel tunnel.

So, with this dilemma, what keeps my creative juice flowing? Simple... the final product. Nothing makes me feel more rejuvenated than to see my creation come to life. On that day, when the final product arrives, I try not to get carried away and express only a soft smile as if I was a veteran. The fact that everyone around me is always mesmerize to see new products, it becomes a much anticipated event. All of sudden, my love for color is replenished and my passion for art is embedded in me once again.

Less Means More

You can have many different perspectives on this but it applies appropriately to the fallen economy, "Less means more". I think spending less and being more conscious about your money gives everything more value. Like a little kid with a candy bar in his hand, completely satisfied. As he gets older, realizing the fact that he can now buy the entire box, it no longer holds the same value. In this period of economic uncertainty, I'm not saying that it's okay to be less fortunate, however, I do believe that people will start holding everything much closer to their heart. As a result, people will have a much healthier lifestyle. :)