This is the final post of readreidsblog.blogspot.com :(
But fear not, everything has been moved over to reidyokoyama.com
I'm still working out some of the kinks with owning my new domain, so please bear with me; but this is the final post I'll be making on this blog. Thanks for being a loyal reader and continuing to follow my extraordinarily interesting life on my new site.
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
American Idol Season 7: Another four bite the dust
It was bye forever for Alexandrea Lushington, Alaina Whitaker, Jason Yeager, and Robbie Carrico tonight.
Jason Yeager's departure wasn't anything surprising, and I was close with my prediction of Alexandrea and Alaina, but I thought there would have been more support for Robbie. Of course, Nelson called it, so props to him. If there was any unity between what the judges said this week and how the votes were cast, it was that a song that did not fit a singer at all was grounds for elimination. Still - big surprise for me that Amanda Overmyer is still on the show, as so far all she's proved to me is that she can belt out loud rock songs. Well, as long as my favorites are still in the running, I'm happy.
Jason Yeager's departure wasn't anything surprising, and I was close with my prediction of Alexandrea and Alaina, but I thought there would have been more support for Robbie. Of course, Nelson called it, so props to him. If there was any unity between what the judges said this week and how the votes were cast, it was that a song that did not fit a singer at all was grounds for elimination. Still - big surprise for me that Amanda Overmyer is still on the show, as so far all she's proved to me is that she can belt out loud rock songs. Well, as long as my favorites are still in the running, I'm happy.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
American Idol Season 7: My Picks for the Top Ten Girls
The girls took the stage tonight, and I must admit, they have a lot of work to do to catch up with the boys. No one singer stood out for me and poor song choices across the board hurt many girls tonight. Maybe the 70's (which was the theme for this week) was a better decade for male music. At least that's the way it sounded.
So to recap. Carly Smithson opened things up with Heart's "Crazy on You" which the judges themselves weren't too crazy about. I really wonder about her, since there's always the fact that she once had a multi-million dollar recording contract. It's the fact that everyone knows, but no one mentions on the show. Whether that can hurt her or not is still unclear - but I know as a voter, it's hard to vote for her versus some of the contestants who are having their first big break on the show.
Let's look at the mistakes of tonight. The big one was Amanda Overmyer's rendition of Kansas' "Carry on my wayward son." It's a great song, no doubt, but it had too much guitar and not enough vocals. And since this is basically her second chance after a lackluster performance last week, she's probably out of the running. Same for Kady Malloy - Heart's "Magic Man" was less than memorable and I've really got to wonder if some music history is needed for these girls to pick the best songs from each decade.
Songs were also chosen that were simply too safe. Alexandrea Lushington didn't push herself on Chicago's "If You Leave Me Now," which suggests to me that she's saving herself for a later performance to wow the judges. She's probably one of the better female vocalists, but so far she hasn't shown it on the national stage. Safety was also the name of the game for Syesha Mercado. Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones" did not allow her to demonstrate her range nor her style, leaving the judges confused with why she picked a song by a male to begin with.
There were more mediocre performances from Alaina Whitaker, who sang "Hopelessly Devoted to You," from Greases. Too slow, too boring, and too pagenty.
Needing to find their groove was Asia'h Epperson and Kristy Lee Cook. Asia'h started off poorly with a Eric Carmen's "All by myself," a tough choice but one that she really took off with at the end. She's got talent, but she's inconsistent. There's always mention of her being sick, but that can only get your sympathy for so long. Kristy Lee was so-so with "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt causing Simon to suggest she attempt a country song next week. And while I think Kristy Lee is a lot better suited for that genre, I do think that country singer's don't fare particularly well on the show - I mean, when was the last (or first time) there was a rapper that won American Idol? Country music, I feel, is not mainstream enough for the pop culture teenage/adolescent market.
Well, I saved for the best for last and I've gotta admit that while Ramiele Malubay did not song her best with Thelma Houston's "Don't Leave Me This Way", she's got an incredible voice and all the judges love her. And so do I.
The surprise performance of the night came from Brooke White who last week was my #12. She totally fit with Carly Simon's "You're So Vain," and the poignant looks at Simon while she sang that line is going to win over the fans for this week. She'll be cruising into the next round.
So without further ado, my rankings for this week:
10) Amanda Overmyer
9) Kady Malloy
8) Alaina Whitaker
7) Alenxandrea Lushington
6) Syesha Mercado
5) Kristy Lee Cook
4) Asia'h Epperson
3) Carly Smithson
2) Brooke White
1) Ramiele Malubay
So to recap. Carly Smithson opened things up with Heart's "Crazy on You" which the judges themselves weren't too crazy about. I really wonder about her, since there's always the fact that she once had a multi-million dollar recording contract. It's the fact that everyone knows, but no one mentions on the show. Whether that can hurt her or not is still unclear - but I know as a voter, it's hard to vote for her versus some of the contestants who are having their first big break on the show.
Let's look at the mistakes of tonight. The big one was Amanda Overmyer's rendition of Kansas' "Carry on my wayward son." It's a great song, no doubt, but it had too much guitar and not enough vocals. And since this is basically her second chance after a lackluster performance last week, she's probably out of the running. Same for Kady Malloy - Heart's "Magic Man" was less than memorable and I've really got to wonder if some music history is needed for these girls to pick the best songs from each decade.
Songs were also chosen that were simply too safe. Alexandrea Lushington didn't push herself on Chicago's "If You Leave Me Now," which suggests to me that she's saving herself for a later performance to wow the judges. She's probably one of the better female vocalists, but so far she hasn't shown it on the national stage. Safety was also the name of the game for Syesha Mercado. Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones" did not allow her to demonstrate her range nor her style, leaving the judges confused with why she picked a song by a male to begin with.
There were more mediocre performances from Alaina Whitaker, who sang "Hopelessly Devoted to You," from Greases. Too slow, too boring, and too pagenty.
Needing to find their groove was Asia'h Epperson and Kristy Lee Cook. Asia'h started off poorly with a Eric Carmen's "All by myself," a tough choice but one that she really took off with at the end. She's got talent, but she's inconsistent. There's always mention of her being sick, but that can only get your sympathy for so long. Kristy Lee was so-so with "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt causing Simon to suggest she attempt a country song next week. And while I think Kristy Lee is a lot better suited for that genre, I do think that country singer's don't fare particularly well on the show - I mean, when was the last (or first time) there was a rapper that won American Idol? Country music, I feel, is not mainstream enough for the pop culture teenage/adolescent market.
Well, I saved for the best for last and I've gotta admit that while Ramiele Malubay did not song her best with Thelma Houston's "Don't Leave Me This Way", she's got an incredible voice and all the judges love her. And so do I.
The surprise performance of the night came from Brooke White who last week was my #12. She totally fit with Carly Simon's "You're So Vain," and the poignant looks at Simon while she sang that line is going to win over the fans for this week. She'll be cruising into the next round.
So without further ado, my rankings for this week:
10) Amanda Overmyer
9) Kady Malloy
8) Alaina Whitaker
7) Alenxandrea Lushington
6) Syesha Mercado
5) Kristy Lee Cook
4) Asia'h Epperson
3) Carly Smithson
2) Brooke White
1) Ramiele Malubay
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
American Idol Season 7: My Picks for the Top Ten Boys
The ten boys left really upped the ante tonight, with almost all of them giving stellar performances that shook up my own rankings compared to last week. It was seventies week, so the music selection was a lot more energetic and fun, allowing many contestants to demonstrate their singing abilities, provided they pick the correct song. Michael Johns started things off with Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way," which was a poor song choice and even poorer performance, with some awkward microphone movements. I think he's safe, however, since the judges still recognize that he has talent. Jason Castro was next, strumming the guitar to Andy Gibb's "I Just Want to Be." I think the guitar is a big bonus for Jason, since he can obviously play it, but like the judges said, he almost hides behind it. Paula challenged him to sing without a guitar next week - I'm interested to see if he'll rise to the challenge.
When each contestant was introduced, they all answered the typical "Tell us something people may not know about you." Luke Menard revealed that he's been touring with an a-capella group for the past 6 years. The clip of him sing was not very flattering - hitting high notes and then cutting away is never a good thing. Plus, his performance left a lot to be desired, as his selection of "Killer Queen" was almost whiny, according to Simon. Robbie Carrico, on the other hand, revealed that he's into drag racing, which fit well with his rocker persona. He belted Foreigner's "Hot Blooded," which I think improved him in the standings.
The next two contestants are the two males divas of the competition. Danny Noriega is a no-brainer in this category - with his head shaking attitude, argyle sweater vest, and emo-hair. I enjoyed his version of "Superstar" by Luther Vandross; much better than his Elvis rendition last week. As for David Hernandez, I had him really low last week because of his poor performance, but thankfully he pulled it out this week with The Temptations "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone." He must of taken a hint from the ladies when he started his performance on the staircase and showed a lot of confidence that he lacked last week. And why is he a diva? He said he used to do gymnastics when he was younger. And now he can do a "killer cartwheel." Sigh
Next, the worse performance of the night - Jason Yeager, sorry, but I think you're gone. Singing the Doobie Brothers' "Long Train Runnin'" was not a good idea and dancing like Ricky Martin was even worse. The ending too, was really awkward - doing some sort of air-drum bow after holding a note for a long time. Nooooo way, especially when sandwiched between two good performances....which leads us to....
Chikezie! He rocked some double polos and Donny Hathaway's "I Believe," which had the appropriate line "You better remember my name" which was pointed directly at Simon. He's definitely safe for this week.
The David's were the last to perform. First was David Cook, who brought out the electric guitar and turned on the lefty switch to belt "All Right Now." I thought it was an excellent performance, but Simon says he doesn't have charisma. I don't know where he got that from the performance. Blah, maybe Simon's told to deliberately cause drama.
And of course, last but not least, little David Archuleta. It was a big challenge for him to sing John Lennon's "Imagine," but he pulled it off and made Randy scream "Hot hot hot fire!" and bring Paula to tears. As Simon says, he's the one to beat.
So with all of that analysis, here's my list of the top ten boys:
10) Jason Yeager
9) Luke Menard
8) Michael Johns
7) Jason Castro
6) David Hernandez
5) Robbie Carrico
4) Danny Noriega
3) David Cook
2) Chikezie
1) David Archuleta
When each contestant was introduced, they all answered the typical "Tell us something people may not know about you." Luke Menard revealed that he's been touring with an a-capella group for the past 6 years. The clip of him sing was not very flattering - hitting high notes and then cutting away is never a good thing. Plus, his performance left a lot to be desired, as his selection of "Killer Queen" was almost whiny, according to Simon. Robbie Carrico, on the other hand, revealed that he's into drag racing, which fit well with his rocker persona. He belted Foreigner's "Hot Blooded," which I think improved him in the standings.
The next two contestants are the two males divas of the competition. Danny Noriega is a no-brainer in this category - with his head shaking attitude, argyle sweater vest, and emo-hair. I enjoyed his version of "Superstar" by Luther Vandross; much better than his Elvis rendition last week. As for David Hernandez, I had him really low last week because of his poor performance, but thankfully he pulled it out this week with The Temptations "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone." He must of taken a hint from the ladies when he started his performance on the staircase and showed a lot of confidence that he lacked last week. And why is he a diva? He said he used to do gymnastics when he was younger. And now he can do a "killer cartwheel." Sigh
Next, the worse performance of the night - Jason Yeager, sorry, but I think you're gone. Singing the Doobie Brothers' "Long Train Runnin'" was not a good idea and dancing like Ricky Martin was even worse. The ending too, was really awkward - doing some sort of air-drum bow after holding a note for a long time. Nooooo way, especially when sandwiched between two good performances....which leads us to....
Chikezie! He rocked some double polos and Donny Hathaway's "I Believe," which had the appropriate line "You better remember my name" which was pointed directly at Simon. He's definitely safe for this week.
The David's were the last to perform. First was David Cook, who brought out the electric guitar and turned on the lefty switch to belt "All Right Now." I thought it was an excellent performance, but Simon says he doesn't have charisma. I don't know where he got that from the performance. Blah, maybe Simon's told to deliberately cause drama.
And of course, last but not least, little David Archuleta. It was a big challenge for him to sing John Lennon's "Imagine," but he pulled it off and made Randy scream "Hot hot hot fire!" and bring Paula to tears. As Simon says, he's the one to beat.
So with all of that analysis, here's my list of the top ten boys:
10) Jason Yeager
9) Luke Menard
8) Michael Johns
7) Jason Castro
6) David Hernandez
5) Robbie Carrico
4) Danny Noriega
3) David Cook
2) Chikezie
1) David Archuleta
Monday, February 25, 2008
Pad Thai Pad Thai Pad Thai
Well, a Macbook Pro saved the day for Jenny and I on Saturday night, when we embarked on making pad thai. Sure, holding up the laptop above a sizzling hot wok is not really advised, but how else are you going to get a picture like this?
So how did we make this wonderful dish, you might ask? Jenny found this blogger's step-by-step instructions which proved very helpful throughout the process. I'd say the first time is the hardest, but by the second batch, it's all gravy. Pad thai...gravy.
So how did we make this wonderful dish, you might ask? Jenny found this blogger's step-by-step instructions which proved very helpful throughout the process. I'd say the first time is the hardest, but by the second batch, it's all gravy. Pad thai...gravy.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Dumpling Time!
If I had one last meal before I died, I would choose a heaping portion of dumplings. I'm not sure what the allure of dumplings is for me, but there's something very satisfying about popping a bite-sized dough-wrapped moon-shaped shrimp/pork/etc dumpling in your mouth. Maybe it's because I was deprived of them as a child. And now that I'm an adult, I can eat as much as I want. I swear I'm a little piggy when it comes to these.
Jenny's been telling me for awhile that she wanted to make dumplings just like her parents and I've been a big supporter, especially since visiting her in Texas was basically dumpling heaven for two meals. So, finally, this weekend, I present to you, my faithful audience, photographic proof of some successful dumpling making!
Making dumplings is not that hard. We had some left-over shrimp from some amazing pad thai we made on Saturday (sigh, no pictures for proof...that dish deserved its own post) and after removing the veins and shell, we combined it with chives, eggs and salt. That mixture is then placed inside dumpling wrappers (while watching the Oscars, of course).
You have to be careful not to put too much in, or the wrapper won't close.
The dumpling is pinched on all sides to ensure it does not open when placed in hot water.
Ta-da!
Ready for boiling!
Placing them in the hot water.
The finished product.
Jenny's been telling me for awhile that she wanted to make dumplings just like her parents and I've been a big supporter, especially since visiting her in Texas was basically dumpling heaven for two meals. So, finally, this weekend, I present to you, my faithful audience, photographic proof of some successful dumpling making!
Making dumplings is not that hard. We had some left-over shrimp from some amazing pad thai we made on Saturday (sigh, no pictures for proof...that dish deserved its own post) and after removing the veins and shell, we combined it with chives, eggs and salt. That mixture is then placed inside dumpling wrappers (while watching the Oscars, of course).
You have to be careful not to put too much in, or the wrapper won't close.
The dumpling is pinched on all sides to ensure it does not open when placed in hot water.
Ta-da!
Ready for boiling!
Placing them in the hot water.
The finished product.Thursday, February 21, 2008
Google Reader Keeps on Rocking (and sign up for my RSS Feed!)
And you thought I only blogged about American Idol, didn't you?
This past year I've gotten into using RSS feeds to keep up with news and blogs that normally took a tedious amount of time to load the page, figure out what was updated, and so on and so forth. Google Reader has thoroughly impressed me with its ease in adding a blog feed and allowing me to quickly process a plethora of content in a shorter amount of time. One that that's really awesome is that you can browse through all of your feeds using your keyboard--check out the Official Google Reader Blog post for all of those handy tips. My personal favorite is simply pushing 'j' to get to the next item in my feed, especially for news sites that post a large number of articles I like to simply skim through.
With that said, if you've stumbled across this site or are an avid fan (I love you all!) and want to syndicate my content for your feed, simply click here or the "Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)" link on the bottom of my blog. You'll me able to get instant updates of my posts and have the ability to scroll through it even faster.
This past year I've gotten into using RSS feeds to keep up with news and blogs that normally took a tedious amount of time to load the page, figure out what was updated, and so on and so forth. Google Reader has thoroughly impressed me with its ease in adding a blog feed and allowing me to quickly process a plethora of content in a shorter amount of time. One that that's really awesome is that you can browse through all of your feeds using your keyboard--check out the Official Google Reader Blog post for all of those handy tips. My personal favorite is simply pushing 'j' to get to the next item in my feed, especially for news sites that post a large number of articles I like to simply skim through.
With that said, if you've stumbled across this site or are an avid fan (I love you all!) and want to syndicate my content for your feed, simply click here or the "Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)" link on the bottom of my blog. You'll me able to get instant updates of my posts and have the ability to scroll through it even faster.
American Idol Season 7: And then there were 20
Garrett Haley (my 5th pick!), Colton Berry (my 10th), Amy Davis (my 9th) and Joanne Borgella (my 8th) are all out. It's a good thing I'm not running for President, since I seem to be out of touch with America. I was off, but at the same time, MSNBC's commentary on tonight's show makes sense. Joanne and Colton were both the last two to make it into the top 24 so it was an uphill battle for them. For Garrett and Amy, the show did not feature them at all until they showed up in the top 24. The editors of the show have the power to really manipulate how a contestant is perceived by giving them plenty of face time or none at all. In contrast to someone like David Archuleta, who's always in clips where Paula says she loves him, Garrett and Amy were not given nearly as much positive attention. As a result, seeing them leave this early is not a big letdown, since I didn't feel invested in them at the start of the show. I suppose I'm just more disappointed with being wrong about the first 4 to be eliminated.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
American Idol Season 7: My Picks for the Top Twelve Girls
12. Brooke White (24, Mesa, AZ)
- Song - "So Happy Together" - The Turtles
- Started off really nervous with really forced movements. David Cook sang the same song yesterday, and he did a much better job. For some reason, they really liked her, but I'm not sure how far she can go.
- Song - "Please Don't Go" - Muddy Waters
- The judges really liked her, but I don't know how well she fits in as an "American Idol." She's authentic and talented, but can she beat the other 'pop singers?'
- Song - "Rescue Me" - Aretha Franklin
- Looked better with curly hair. A somewhat boring performance - she didn't belt out like Aretha Franklin would have.
- Song - "Where the Boys Are" - Patsy Cline
- Attractive and camera friendly, but not the best singer. Would probably do better with a more high energy song.
- Song - "I Say a Little Pray for You" - Aretha Franklin
- Has a really strong voice, but the faster lyrics got to her. It was weird that Randy thought the beginning was worse than the end and that Simon thought the complete opposite, but it reminds me how subjective a performance really is.
- Song - "A Groovy Kind of Love" - Phil Collins
- We didn't hear much of Kady during Hollywood week, which is sad, because she's really good! She's got a great voice and plenty of stage presence to go far.
- Song - "Shadow of Your Smile" - Frank Sinatra
- Randy and Paula loved it, Simon hated it. I'm somewhere in between - she wasn't the best of the 24 like Randy said, but she always wasn't the worse. She'll make it out of the top 12 girls, but I'm not sure if she can win it all.'
- Song - "Tobacco Road" - The Animals
- Definitely a sleeper pick, especially since Simon likes her a lot. It's super corny that Paula always mentions that "yes" is in her first name.
- Song - "More Today Than Yesterday" - Diana Ross
- Impressive singer for being so young. Definitely going to go far.
- Song - "Spinning Wheel" - Blood, Sweat, and Tears
- Wow, I was impressed with her the most today. Good energy, great song, and great confidence.
- Song - "Piece of my Heart" - Janice Joplin
- Coincidence that she sang a Joplin song 'cuz she's from Joplin? I think not. She did really well - Simon's favorite performance of the night. Top 3 for me.
- Song - "Wishin' and Hopin''" - Dusty Springfield
- Impressive voice for someone so small! Sings like someone way beyond her years. My favorite!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
American Idol Season 7: My Picks for the Top Twelve Boys
Sigh, forgive me, reality TV critics. I've fallen under the spell of American Idol. And now that the field has narrowed down to the Top 24, you'd bet I have an opinion on who I think has got it and who has got to go. Tonight the top 12 boys sang and here's my list from worse to best:
12. Jason Yeager (28, Grand Prairie, TX)
11. David Hernandez (24, Glendale, AZ)
- Song - "Moon River" - Johnny Mercer
- He just didn't do it for me. He's got a good voice, but he swallowed his words and started by sitting and then awkwardly standing. There's a good story here, with him having a kid and all, but there's just too much talent in this field.
10. Colton Berry (18, Staunton, VA)
- Song - "Midnight Hour" - Wilson Pickett
- I'm sad he's number 11, because I think he's more talented than he sounded tonight. His movements looked forced however, and he always looks up and to the left when he sings, like he's trying to remember the lyrics. Maybe it's nerves, but it might be too late to make it for it.
9. Luke Menard (29, Crawfordsville, IN)
- Song - "Suspicious Minds" - Elvis Presley
- He admits to looking like Ellen DeGeneres, which is pretty funny. A surprisingly good performance, sans the suspenders. I guess I just don't like him because he was picked over Kyle.
8. Danny Noriega (18, Azuza, CA)
- Song - "Everyone's Talking at Me" - Harry Nilsson
- Simon calls his performance forgettable. I agree. He's saved thus far by being good looking, but that can only go so far.
7. Michael Johns (29, Buckhead, GA)
- Song - "Jailhouse Rock" - Elvis Presley
- Wow, this kid has some attitude! Maybe it's from drinking all that Naked Juice (hint - they're based in Azuza), but when Simon criticized him he stuck out his lower lip! The cute act is going to win him some votes and I did like his white shirt, skinny black tie/jeans look, but I don't think he has the natural talent to win it all.
6. Robbie Carrico (26, Melbourne, FL)
- Song - "Light My Fire" - The Doors
- He really rocked "Bohemian Rhapsody" during Hollywood week, but this definitely was not his best performance. He's got a ton of energy, though. It won't kill him this round, but he'll have to do better if he wants to win it all. I really like him...perhaps he's my sleeper pick to be in the top 3.
5. Garrett Haley (17, Elida, OH)
- Song - "One is the loneliest number" - Three Dog Nights
- Good rocker. The field is sort of muddled for me at this point, so he'll have to really put on some good performances if he wants to stand-out in the future.
4. Chikezie (22, Inglewood, CA)
- Song - "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" - Neil Sedaka
- He performed well-enough, but what I really liked was how he took all of the criticism in stride and had a great attitude about improving. Much more impressive than how some of the other contestants sounded when they talked with Ryan Seacrest.
3. David Cook (25, Blue Springs, MO)
- Song - "I Love You More Than Yesterday" - Stevie Wonder
- This guy can groove! He was a bit off-tune at the end, but he made it work and has a really cool vibe to him. Great smile, great personality.
2. Jason Castro (20, Rockwell, TX)
- Song - "So Happy Together" - The Turtle
- I'm a bit biased, since he's from Missouri, but he's a good rocker with a lot of energy. He's really at ease when he sings and had an original take on the song. I can see him going far.
1. David Archuleta (17, Murray, UT)
- Song - "What a Day for a Daydream" - Lovin Spoonful
- He's the only contestant thus far to perform with an instrument (guitar). I placed him at number two because he's got a really pure voice and picked the perfect song tonight.
So there you have it! The girls are tomorrow. Stay tuned!
- Song - "Shop Around" - Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
- This guy has got to be the early favorite to win it all. He's young, Randy, Paula, and Simon all love him, and he'll capture all of the young adolescent votes. With that said, yeah, he's talented and yeah, he's definitely number one for me now. No mistakes yet, but maybe his youth will get to him. He already showed that he needs to learn on communicating with the judges after a performance (he was out of breadth and smiling the whole time but really didn't say anything concrete).
Monday, February 18, 2008
Prologue Time Trial - Tour of California
On Sunday I headed over to Stanford to watch the Prologue stage of the Tour of California. The streets were blocked off from University Avenue all the way down Palm Drive to the Oval. Due to the gorgeous weather, there was a fabulous turnout, but I was able to find a good spot to snap some photos. The rider's themselves were world class - Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara won the 3km time trial in a blistering 3:51:211 (see the stage recap). My favorite pictures are below:
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Sunday, February 17, 2008
Valentine's Dinner
Instead of going out for Valentine's Day dinner this year, I cooked a 5 course meal for Jenny. Pictures are below.
First Course:
Cheese and Pate with Crackers
Second Course:
Mixed Green Salad with Miso Dressing
Third Course:
Shrimp and Mixed Vegetable Tempura
Fourth Course:
Valentine's Day Crab Cake
Fifth Course:
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Thanks also to Scott Giambastiani, chef at the Pure Ingredients Cafe for the helpful tips when making the Valentine's Day Crab Cake. It turned out really well! Check out the recipe at the Official Google Blog and the instructional video below:
First Course:
Cheese and Pate with Crackers
Second Course:
Mixed Green Salad with Miso Dressing
Third Course:
Shrimp and Mixed Vegetable Tempura
Fourth Course:
Valentine's Day Crab Cake
Fifth Course:
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Thanks also to Scott Giambastiani, chef at the Pure Ingredients Cafe for the helpful tips when making the Valentine's Day Crab Cake. It turned out really well! Check out the recipe at the Official Google Blog and the instructional video below:
Sunday, February 10, 2008
New Dim Sum Place!
I've been living in the Bay Area for over 6 years now and have had my fair share, (perhaps more than fair share) of excellent Dim Sum experiences. There's Koi Palace in Daly City, Hong Kong Flower Lounge in Milbrae, Loon Wah in Cupertino, and good old Ming's down the street in East Palo Alto. I've been to a few joints in Milpitas and Sunnyvale, so I figured I was well versed in what were the 'best' dim sum restaurants in the South Bay.
I have much to learn.
My new favorite place is now Hong Kong Saigon Seafood Harbor Restaurant (where I've basically put the following into my Yelp review). Yes, a 10 syllable, mouthful of a restaurant. Located in Sunnyvale, this place is inexpensive, pushy, rude, and dirty. And I love it all. By noon the place is packed, families and friends are chattering to each other, and the food is pushed around by pushy ladies who hawk the dishes like it's some sort of competition to get rid of them as fast as possible. The su mai is fresh, the pork buns are soft, and the pork spare ribs, oh my, the pork spare ribs are amazing! Once you enter the restaurant, it's like you're in Hong Kong all over again.
For any first timers - if you call ahead 15 minutes, you can get a number for a table. This is a highly valuable piece of paper that grants you eventual entrance into dim sum heaven.
I have much to learn.
My new favorite place is now Hong Kong Saigon Seafood Harbor Restaurant (where I've basically put the following into my Yelp review). Yes, a 10 syllable, mouthful of a restaurant. Located in Sunnyvale, this place is inexpensive, pushy, rude, and dirty. And I love it all. By noon the place is packed, families and friends are chattering to each other, and the food is pushed around by pushy ladies who hawk the dishes like it's some sort of competition to get rid of them as fast as possible. The su mai is fresh, the pork buns are soft, and the pork spare ribs, oh my, the pork spare ribs are amazing! Once you enter the restaurant, it's like you're in Hong Kong all over again.
For any first timers - if you call ahead 15 minutes, you can get a number for a table. This is a highly valuable piece of paper that grants you eventual entrance into dim sum heaven.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Go see Persepolis
What, 95% on Rotten Tomatoes isn't enough for you?
I majored in history, and even though my Middle Eastern history is a bit dusty, I found Persepolis to be a very compelling perspective on the Islamic Revolution and Iran's history in the 70s and 80s. I encourage you all to learn more about Iran's history - for starters, check out the Wikipedia entry. Read it before you watch the movie for a better understanding.
Even if you don't, the characters of Persepolis are very real contrasted with the simple animation. It's dramatic, funny, and heartwarming. And props to the Aquarius, for screening Persepolis and Juno at the same time!
I majored in history, and even though my Middle Eastern history is a bit dusty, I found Persepolis to be a very compelling perspective on the Islamic Revolution and Iran's history in the 70s and 80s. I encourage you all to learn more about Iran's history - for starters, check out the Wikipedia entry. Read it before you watch the movie for a better understanding.
Even if you don't, the characters of Persepolis are very real contrasted with the simple animation. It's dramatic, funny, and heartwarming. And props to the Aquarius, for screening Persepolis and Juno at the same time!
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Disneyland, Google Style
Monday through Wednesday, Googlers from the West Coast offices headed down to Anaheim for a visit to place of a 'million dreams.' Suffice it to say, it was an incredible experience. I got to go on rides I had gone on over 10 years ago - including Space Mountain, Matterhorn, and Star Tours. And, I got to ride the new rides - California Soarin', California Screamin', Buzz Lightyear, and Indiana Jones. From 8pm-1am, the park was open only to Googlers, with our very own fireworks show and no waits in the lines. I'm still recovering from a long day of travel to get back. More details to come...
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Why the internet is so dangerous (or awesome)
I won't go into specifics, for fear of reprisal from co-workers, but I want to remind us all that anything you say or write can end up on the internet and if you don't control the content, will stay there forever. Old blogs, random comments or forum posts, can all come back to be embarrassing web pages associated with your name. It's like, a permanent record. Not so cool.
So anyway, the reason I'm noting this is because at the behest of a co-worker and some snooping, I found some random Urban Dictionary definitions, Google AdWords sponsored listings for various queries, a MySpace page, YouTube videos, a Xanga, and a brand new website by my co-workers. Kind of incriminating them, but really interesting for me, since it really shed some light on what the people I work with are outside of the job. Or, what they were like before working at Google.
But, the title of this post was about why the internet is so dangerous and awesome. It's dangerous for obvious reasons, but awesome in that I got a good laugh out of all of the funny defitions one of my co-workers used for his own nickname. So face it, if your name is on a webpage, it's gonna be indexed and placed in Google search results. Instead of screaming libel, we might as all get a good laugh out of it.
So anyway, the reason I'm noting this is because at the behest of a co-worker and some snooping, I found some random Urban Dictionary definitions, Google AdWords sponsored listings for various queries, a MySpace page, YouTube videos, a Xanga, and a brand new website by my co-workers. Kind of incriminating them, but really interesting for me, since it really shed some light on what the people I work with are outside of the job. Or, what they were like before working at Google.
But, the title of this post was about why the internet is so dangerous and awesome. It's dangerous for obvious reasons, but awesome in that I got a good laugh out of all of the funny defitions one of my co-workers used for his own nickname. So face it, if your name is on a webpage, it's gonna be indexed and placed in Google search results. Instead of screaming libel, we might as all get a good laugh out of it.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Reality Check for East Palo Alto
When I told my co-workers that I lived in East Palo Alto for the first time, they were all surprised; some asked if I thought I was safe while others jokingly asked if I had ever been shot at. I've realized that it's not the best neighborhood, but I've found it pleasant. No problems with neighbors (they even have some nice children who run up and down the street) and I have my own bedroom/bathroom all to myself. Rent is cheap and I have ample parking in our driveway or the street.
Well, so much for that.
This weekend, MLK weekend, of all weekends, East Palo Alto was hit with three major crimes. A murder. A vandalism of an elementary school. A shoot-out leaving one man wounded. All, just a few blocks from where I live.
It's pretty scary stuff. I drive by the intersection everyday where the murder occurred. Last Thurdsay, I recall seeing police cars and paramedics at a blocked off area of the road where it all happened, probably an hour after the murder. To think, if I had left one hour earlier, I could have been caught at the intersection when the drive-by happened. But, what baffles me is that the next day, at that same intersection, life is back to normal. Kids are playing out in the streets. People walking around like nothing happened.
People move on. Life has to go on, or nothing would be normal.
The question, I am currently confronted with, is if I can or should continue to live here. I have the means to move out. Should I fear for my own safety? I'm not completely certain of my decision yet, but I'm willing to stick things out until my contract ends in August. My understanding is that these crimes have been committed by people outside of EPA. My housemate mentioned that some people are getting out of jail and settling old scores. If it's a one-off thing, then I think I'll be okay. If it keep up, however, I think I would seriously consider moving.
Well, so much for that.
This weekend, MLK weekend, of all weekends, East Palo Alto was hit with three major crimes. A murder. A vandalism of an elementary school. A shoot-out leaving one man wounded. All, just a few blocks from where I live.
It's pretty scary stuff. I drive by the intersection everyday where the murder occurred. Last Thurdsay, I recall seeing police cars and paramedics at a blocked off area of the road where it all happened, probably an hour after the murder. To think, if I had left one hour earlier, I could have been caught at the intersection when the drive-by happened. But, what baffles me is that the next day, at that same intersection, life is back to normal. Kids are playing out in the streets. People walking around like nothing happened.
People move on. Life has to go on, or nothing would be normal.
The question, I am currently confronted with, is if I can or should continue to live here. I have the means to move out. Should I fear for my own safety? I'm not completely certain of my decision yet, but I'm willing to stick things out until my contract ends in August. My understanding is that these crimes have been committed by people outside of EPA. My housemate mentioned that some people are getting out of jail and settling old scores. If it's a one-off thing, then I think I'll be okay. If it keep up, however, I think I would seriously consider moving.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Reworking my tags
When I first started this blog, I thought about tagging posts with whatever subject they were about. I never really thought much about organization - that maybe if I just wrote enough, there would be enough overlap. From a readers' perspective, however, everything was too specific that the purpose of tags - which I believe to be some simple organization based on a common theme or subject, was lost.
So, I've spent some time going over my old posts and decided on the following tags from hereon out:
Biking - road and mountain
Blog - posts related to updating this blog...like this one!
Books/Magazines
Check this out - news articles or video clips I recommend you take a look at
Food - for posts related to restaurants I've recently eaten at
Games - Xbox360 and other stuff
Google - stuff about the greatest search engine ever
History - at one point I was a history major
Travel - places I've been/want to go to
Meta - personal life related posts aka the 'Dear Diary' stuff
Music - live bands or recordings
Photography - pictures I've taken
Politics - various political related posts
Prius - since I drive one, maybe this will have some future use
Sports - self explanatory
Television/Movies
Uncategorized
Work - things related to working
I'll be adding a tag area to the right side navigation of my blog, in case you're ever interested in sorting posts based by each tag.
So, I've spent some time going over my old posts and decided on the following tags from hereon out:
Biking - road and mountain
Blog - posts related to updating this blog...like this one!
Books/Magazines
Check this out - news articles or video clips I recommend you take a look at
Food - for posts related to restaurants I've recently eaten at
Games - Xbox360 and other stuff
Google - stuff about the greatest search engine ever
History - at one point I was a history major
Travel - places I've been/want to go to
Meta - personal life related posts aka the 'Dear Diary' stuff
Music - live bands or recordings
Photography - pictures I've taken
Politics - various political related posts
Prius - since I drive one, maybe this will have some future use
Sports - self explanatory
Television/Movies
Uncategorized
Work - things related to working
I'll be adding a tag area to the right side navigation of my blog, in case you're ever interested in sorting posts based by each tag.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
NYE @ Rubicon
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| Rubicon 12/31/07 |
Jenny and I went to Rubicon in San Francisco for New Year's Eve. We had a price fixe 4 course meal with excellent oysters, lamb, and pomegranate sorbet, to name a few. The food, service, and ambiance were pretty great, but I'm not sure it was anything particularly unique, so it's probably a one time thing that we went here. But, if you have a special occasion to go there, I recommend it!
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Sunday, March 02, 2008
I've moved my blog....woot
This is the final post of readreidsblog.blogspot.com :(
But fear not, everything has been moved over to reidyokoyama.com
I'm still working out some of the kinks with owning my new domain, so please bear with me; but this is the final post I'll be making on this blog. Thanks for being a loyal reader and continuing to follow my extraordinarily interesting life on my new site.
But fear not, everything has been moved over to reidyokoyama.com
I'm still working out some of the kinks with owning my new domain, so please bear with me; but this is the final post I'll be making on this blog. Thanks for being a loyal reader and continuing to follow my extraordinarily interesting life on my new site.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
American Idol Season 7: Another four bite the dust
It was bye forever for Alexandrea Lushington, Alaina Whitaker, Jason Yeager, and Robbie Carrico tonight.
Jason Yeager's departure wasn't anything surprising, and I was close with my prediction of Alexandrea and Alaina, but I thought there would have been more support for Robbie. Of course, Nelson called it, so props to him. If there was any unity between what the judges said this week and how the votes were cast, it was that a song that did not fit a singer at all was grounds for elimination. Still - big surprise for me that Amanda Overmyer is still on the show, as so far all she's proved to me is that she can belt out loud rock songs. Well, as long as my favorites are still in the running, I'm happy.
Jason Yeager's departure wasn't anything surprising, and I was close with my prediction of Alexandrea and Alaina, but I thought there would have been more support for Robbie. Of course, Nelson called it, so props to him. If there was any unity between what the judges said this week and how the votes were cast, it was that a song that did not fit a singer at all was grounds for elimination. Still - big surprise for me that Amanda Overmyer is still on the show, as so far all she's proved to me is that she can belt out loud rock songs. Well, as long as my favorites are still in the running, I'm happy.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
American Idol Season 7: My Picks for the Top Ten Girls
The girls took the stage tonight, and I must admit, they have a lot of work to do to catch up with the boys. No one singer stood out for me and poor song choices across the board hurt many girls tonight. Maybe the 70's (which was the theme for this week) was a better decade for male music. At least that's the way it sounded.
So to recap. Carly Smithson opened things up with Heart's "Crazy on You" which the judges themselves weren't too crazy about. I really wonder about her, since there's always the fact that she once had a multi-million dollar recording contract. It's the fact that everyone knows, but no one mentions on the show. Whether that can hurt her or not is still unclear - but I know as a voter, it's hard to vote for her versus some of the contestants who are having their first big break on the show.
Let's look at the mistakes of tonight. The big one was Amanda Overmyer's rendition of Kansas' "Carry on my wayward son." It's a great song, no doubt, but it had too much guitar and not enough vocals. And since this is basically her second chance after a lackluster performance last week, she's probably out of the running. Same for Kady Malloy - Heart's "Magic Man" was less than memorable and I've really got to wonder if some music history is needed for these girls to pick the best songs from each decade.
Songs were also chosen that were simply too safe. Alexandrea Lushington didn't push herself on Chicago's "If You Leave Me Now," which suggests to me that she's saving herself for a later performance to wow the judges. She's probably one of the better female vocalists, but so far she hasn't shown it on the national stage. Safety was also the name of the game for Syesha Mercado. Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones" did not allow her to demonstrate her range nor her style, leaving the judges confused with why she picked a song by a male to begin with.
There were more mediocre performances from Alaina Whitaker, who sang "Hopelessly Devoted to You," from Greases. Too slow, too boring, and too pagenty.
Needing to find their groove was Asia'h Epperson and Kristy Lee Cook. Asia'h started off poorly with a Eric Carmen's "All by myself," a tough choice but one that she really took off with at the end. She's got talent, but she's inconsistent. There's always mention of her being sick, but that can only get your sympathy for so long. Kristy Lee was so-so with "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt causing Simon to suggest she attempt a country song next week. And while I think Kristy Lee is a lot better suited for that genre, I do think that country singer's don't fare particularly well on the show - I mean, when was the last (or first time) there was a rapper that won American Idol? Country music, I feel, is not mainstream enough for the pop culture teenage/adolescent market.
Well, I saved for the best for last and I've gotta admit that while Ramiele Malubay did not song her best with Thelma Houston's "Don't Leave Me This Way", she's got an incredible voice and all the judges love her. And so do I.
The surprise performance of the night came from Brooke White who last week was my #12. She totally fit with Carly Simon's "You're So Vain," and the poignant looks at Simon while she sang that line is going to win over the fans for this week. She'll be cruising into the next round.
So without further ado, my rankings for this week:
10) Amanda Overmyer
9) Kady Malloy
8) Alaina Whitaker
7) Alenxandrea Lushington
6) Syesha Mercado
5) Kristy Lee Cook
4) Asia'h Epperson
3) Carly Smithson
2) Brooke White
1) Ramiele Malubay
So to recap. Carly Smithson opened things up with Heart's "Crazy on You" which the judges themselves weren't too crazy about. I really wonder about her, since there's always the fact that she once had a multi-million dollar recording contract. It's the fact that everyone knows, but no one mentions on the show. Whether that can hurt her or not is still unclear - but I know as a voter, it's hard to vote for her versus some of the contestants who are having their first big break on the show.
Let's look at the mistakes of tonight. The big one was Amanda Overmyer's rendition of Kansas' "Carry on my wayward son." It's a great song, no doubt, but it had too much guitar and not enough vocals. And since this is basically her second chance after a lackluster performance last week, she's probably out of the running. Same for Kady Malloy - Heart's "Magic Man" was less than memorable and I've really got to wonder if some music history is needed for these girls to pick the best songs from each decade.
Songs were also chosen that were simply too safe. Alexandrea Lushington didn't push herself on Chicago's "If You Leave Me Now," which suggests to me that she's saving herself for a later performance to wow the judges. She's probably one of the better female vocalists, but so far she hasn't shown it on the national stage. Safety was also the name of the game for Syesha Mercado. Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones" did not allow her to demonstrate her range nor her style, leaving the judges confused with why she picked a song by a male to begin with.
There were more mediocre performances from Alaina Whitaker, who sang "Hopelessly Devoted to You," from Greases. Too slow, too boring, and too pagenty.
Needing to find their groove was Asia'h Epperson and Kristy Lee Cook. Asia'h started off poorly with a Eric Carmen's "All by myself," a tough choice but one that she really took off with at the end. She's got talent, but she's inconsistent. There's always mention of her being sick, but that can only get your sympathy for so long. Kristy Lee was so-so with "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt causing Simon to suggest she attempt a country song next week. And while I think Kristy Lee is a lot better suited for that genre, I do think that country singer's don't fare particularly well on the show - I mean, when was the last (or first time) there was a rapper that won American Idol? Country music, I feel, is not mainstream enough for the pop culture teenage/adolescent market.
Well, I saved for the best for last and I've gotta admit that while Ramiele Malubay did not song her best with Thelma Houston's "Don't Leave Me This Way", she's got an incredible voice and all the judges love her. And so do I.
The surprise performance of the night came from Brooke White who last week was my #12. She totally fit with Carly Simon's "You're So Vain," and the poignant looks at Simon while she sang that line is going to win over the fans for this week. She'll be cruising into the next round.
So without further ado, my rankings for this week:
10) Amanda Overmyer
9) Kady Malloy
8) Alaina Whitaker
7) Alenxandrea Lushington
6) Syesha Mercado
5) Kristy Lee Cook
4) Asia'h Epperson
3) Carly Smithson
2) Brooke White
1) Ramiele Malubay
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
American Idol Season 7: My Picks for the Top Ten Boys
The ten boys left really upped the ante tonight, with almost all of them giving stellar performances that shook up my own rankings compared to last week. It was seventies week, so the music selection was a lot more energetic and fun, allowing many contestants to demonstrate their singing abilities, provided they pick the correct song. Michael Johns started things off with Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way," which was a poor song choice and even poorer performance, with some awkward microphone movements. I think he's safe, however, since the judges still recognize that he has talent. Jason Castro was next, strumming the guitar to Andy Gibb's "I Just Want to Be." I think the guitar is a big bonus for Jason, since he can obviously play it, but like the judges said, he almost hides behind it. Paula challenged him to sing without a guitar next week - I'm interested to see if he'll rise to the challenge.
When each contestant was introduced, they all answered the typical "Tell us something people may not know about you." Luke Menard revealed that he's been touring with an a-capella group for the past 6 years. The clip of him sing was not very flattering - hitting high notes and then cutting away is never a good thing. Plus, his performance left a lot to be desired, as his selection of "Killer Queen" was almost whiny, according to Simon. Robbie Carrico, on the other hand, revealed that he's into drag racing, which fit well with his rocker persona. He belted Foreigner's "Hot Blooded," which I think improved him in the standings.
The next two contestants are the two males divas of the competition. Danny Noriega is a no-brainer in this category - with his head shaking attitude, argyle sweater vest, and emo-hair. I enjoyed his version of "Superstar" by Luther Vandross; much better than his Elvis rendition last week. As for David Hernandez, I had him really low last week because of his poor performance, but thankfully he pulled it out this week with The Temptations "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone." He must of taken a hint from the ladies when he started his performance on the staircase and showed a lot of confidence that he lacked last week. And why is he a diva? He said he used to do gymnastics when he was younger. And now he can do a "killer cartwheel." Sigh
Next, the worse performance of the night - Jason Yeager, sorry, but I think you're gone. Singing the Doobie Brothers' "Long Train Runnin'" was not a good idea and dancing like Ricky Martin was even worse. The ending too, was really awkward - doing some sort of air-drum bow after holding a note for a long time. Nooooo way, especially when sandwiched between two good performances....which leads us to....
Chikezie! He rocked some double polos and Donny Hathaway's "I Believe," which had the appropriate line "You better remember my name" which was pointed directly at Simon. He's definitely safe for this week.
The David's were the last to perform. First was David Cook, who brought out the electric guitar and turned on the lefty switch to belt "All Right Now." I thought it was an excellent performance, but Simon says he doesn't have charisma. I don't know where he got that from the performance. Blah, maybe Simon's told to deliberately cause drama.
And of course, last but not least, little David Archuleta. It was a big challenge for him to sing John Lennon's "Imagine," but he pulled it off and made Randy scream "Hot hot hot fire!" and bring Paula to tears. As Simon says, he's the one to beat.
So with all of that analysis, here's my list of the top ten boys:
10) Jason Yeager
9) Luke Menard
8) Michael Johns
7) Jason Castro
6) David Hernandez
5) Robbie Carrico
4) Danny Noriega
3) David Cook
2) Chikezie
1) David Archuleta
When each contestant was introduced, they all answered the typical "Tell us something people may not know about you." Luke Menard revealed that he's been touring with an a-capella group for the past 6 years. The clip of him sing was not very flattering - hitting high notes and then cutting away is never a good thing. Plus, his performance left a lot to be desired, as his selection of "Killer Queen" was almost whiny, according to Simon. Robbie Carrico, on the other hand, revealed that he's into drag racing, which fit well with his rocker persona. He belted Foreigner's "Hot Blooded," which I think improved him in the standings.
The next two contestants are the two males divas of the competition. Danny Noriega is a no-brainer in this category - with his head shaking attitude, argyle sweater vest, and emo-hair. I enjoyed his version of "Superstar" by Luther Vandross; much better than his Elvis rendition last week. As for David Hernandez, I had him really low last week because of his poor performance, but thankfully he pulled it out this week with The Temptations "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone." He must of taken a hint from the ladies when he started his performance on the staircase and showed a lot of confidence that he lacked last week. And why is he a diva? He said he used to do gymnastics when he was younger. And now he can do a "killer cartwheel." Sigh
Next, the worse performance of the night - Jason Yeager, sorry, but I think you're gone. Singing the Doobie Brothers' "Long Train Runnin'" was not a good idea and dancing like Ricky Martin was even worse. The ending too, was really awkward - doing some sort of air-drum bow after holding a note for a long time. Nooooo way, especially when sandwiched between two good performances....which leads us to....
Chikezie! He rocked some double polos and Donny Hathaway's "I Believe," which had the appropriate line "You better remember my name" which was pointed directly at Simon. He's definitely safe for this week.
The David's were the last to perform. First was David Cook, who brought out the electric guitar and turned on the lefty switch to belt "All Right Now." I thought it was an excellent performance, but Simon says he doesn't have charisma. I don't know where he got that from the performance. Blah, maybe Simon's told to deliberately cause drama.
And of course, last but not least, little David Archuleta. It was a big challenge for him to sing John Lennon's "Imagine," but he pulled it off and made Randy scream "Hot hot hot fire!" and bring Paula to tears. As Simon says, he's the one to beat.
So with all of that analysis, here's my list of the top ten boys:
10) Jason Yeager
9) Luke Menard
8) Michael Johns
7) Jason Castro
6) David Hernandez
5) Robbie Carrico
4) Danny Noriega
3) David Cook
2) Chikezie
1) David Archuleta
Monday, February 25, 2008
Pad Thai Pad Thai Pad Thai
Well, a Macbook Pro saved the day for Jenny and I on Saturday night, when we embarked on making pad thai. Sure, holding up the laptop above a sizzling hot wok is not really advised, but how else are you going to get a picture like this?
So how did we make this wonderful dish, you might ask? Jenny found this blogger's step-by-step instructions which proved very helpful throughout the process. I'd say the first time is the hardest, but by the second batch, it's all gravy. Pad thai...gravy.
So how did we make this wonderful dish, you might ask? Jenny found this blogger's step-by-step instructions which proved very helpful throughout the process. I'd say the first time is the hardest, but by the second batch, it's all gravy. Pad thai...gravy.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Dumpling Time!
If I had one last meal before I died, I would choose a heaping portion of dumplings. I'm not sure what the allure of dumplings is for me, but there's something very satisfying about popping a bite-sized dough-wrapped moon-shaped shrimp/pork/etc dumpling in your mouth. Maybe it's because I was deprived of them as a child. And now that I'm an adult, I can eat as much as I want. I swear I'm a little piggy when it comes to these.
Jenny's been telling me for awhile that she wanted to make dumplings just like her parents and I've been a big supporter, especially since visiting her in Texas was basically dumpling heaven for two meals. So, finally, this weekend, I present to you, my faithful audience, photographic proof of some successful dumpling making!
Making dumplings is not that hard. We had some left-over shrimp from some amazing pad thai we made on Saturday (sigh, no pictures for proof...that dish deserved its own post) and after removing the veins and shell, we combined it with chives, eggs and salt. That mixture is then placed inside dumpling wrappers (while watching the Oscars, of course).
You have to be careful not to put too much in, or the wrapper won't close.
The dumpling is pinched on all sides to ensure it does not open when placed in hot water.
Ta-da!
Ready for boiling!
Placing them in the hot water.
The finished product.
Jenny's been telling me for awhile that she wanted to make dumplings just like her parents and I've been a big supporter, especially since visiting her in Texas was basically dumpling heaven for two meals. So, finally, this weekend, I present to you, my faithful audience, photographic proof of some successful dumpling making!
Making dumplings is not that hard. We had some left-over shrimp from some amazing pad thai we made on Saturday (sigh, no pictures for proof...that dish deserved its own post) and after removing the veins and shell, we combined it with chives, eggs and salt. That mixture is then placed inside dumpling wrappers (while watching the Oscars, of course).
You have to be careful not to put too much in, or the wrapper won't close.The dumpling is pinched on all sides to ensure it does not open when placed in hot water.Ta-da!Ready for boiling!Placing them in the hot water.The finished product.Thursday, February 21, 2008
Google Reader Keeps on Rocking (and sign up for my RSS Feed!)
And you thought I only blogged about American Idol, didn't you?
This past year I've gotten into using RSS feeds to keep up with news and blogs that normally took a tedious amount of time to load the page, figure out what was updated, and so on and so forth. Google Reader has thoroughly impressed me with its ease in adding a blog feed and allowing me to quickly process a plethora of content in a shorter amount of time. One that that's really awesome is that you can browse through all of your feeds using your keyboard--check out the Official Google Reader Blog post for all of those handy tips. My personal favorite is simply pushing 'j' to get to the next item in my feed, especially for news sites that post a large number of articles I like to simply skim through.
With that said, if you've stumbled across this site or are an avid fan (I love you all!) and want to syndicate my content for your feed, simply click here or the "Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)" link on the bottom of my blog. You'll me able to get instant updates of my posts and have the ability to scroll through it even faster.
This past year I've gotten into using RSS feeds to keep up with news and blogs that normally took a tedious amount of time to load the page, figure out what was updated, and so on and so forth. Google Reader has thoroughly impressed me with its ease in adding a blog feed and allowing me to quickly process a plethora of content in a shorter amount of time. One that that's really awesome is that you can browse through all of your feeds using your keyboard--check out the Official Google Reader Blog post for all of those handy tips. My personal favorite is simply pushing 'j' to get to the next item in my feed, especially for news sites that post a large number of articles I like to simply skim through.
With that said, if you've stumbled across this site or are an avid fan (I love you all!) and want to syndicate my content for your feed, simply click here or the "Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)" link on the bottom of my blog. You'll me able to get instant updates of my posts and have the ability to scroll through it even faster.
American Idol Season 7: And then there were 20
Garrett Haley (my 5th pick!), Colton Berry (my 10th), Amy Davis (my 9th) and Joanne Borgella (my 8th) are all out. It's a good thing I'm not running for President, since I seem to be out of touch with America. I was off, but at the same time, MSNBC's commentary on tonight's show makes sense. Joanne and Colton were both the last two to make it into the top 24 so it was an uphill battle for them. For Garrett and Amy, the show did not feature them at all until they showed up in the top 24. The editors of the show have the power to really manipulate how a contestant is perceived by giving them plenty of face time or none at all. In contrast to someone like David Archuleta, who's always in clips where Paula says she loves him, Garrett and Amy were not given nearly as much positive attention. As a result, seeing them leave this early is not a big letdown, since I didn't feel invested in them at the start of the show. I suppose I'm just more disappointed with being wrong about the first 4 to be eliminated.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
American Idol Season 7: My Picks for the Top Twelve Girls
12. Brooke White (24, Mesa, AZ)
- Song - "So Happy Together" - The Turtles
- Started off really nervous with really forced movements. David Cook sang the same song yesterday, and he did a much better job. For some reason, they really liked her, but I'm not sure how far she can go.
- Song - "Please Don't Go" - Muddy Waters
- The judges really liked her, but I don't know how well she fits in as an "American Idol." She's authentic and talented, but can she beat the other 'pop singers?'
- Song - "Rescue Me" - Aretha Franklin
- Looked better with curly hair. A somewhat boring performance - she didn't belt out like Aretha Franklin would have.
- Song - "Where the Boys Are" - Patsy Cline
- Attractive and camera friendly, but not the best singer. Would probably do better with a more high energy song.
- Song - "I Say a Little Pray for You" - Aretha Franklin
- Has a really strong voice, but the faster lyrics got to her. It was weird that Randy thought the beginning was worse than the end and that Simon thought the complete opposite, but it reminds me how subjective a performance really is.
- Song - "A Groovy Kind of Love" - Phil Collins
- We didn't hear much of Kady during Hollywood week, which is sad, because she's really good! She's got a great voice and plenty of stage presence to go far.
- Song - "Shadow of Your Smile" - Frank Sinatra
- Randy and Paula loved it, Simon hated it. I'm somewhere in between - she wasn't the best of the 24 like Randy said, but she always wasn't the worse. She'll make it out of the top 12 girls, but I'm not sure if she can win it all.'
- Song - "Tobacco Road" - The Animals
- Definitely a sleeper pick, especially since Simon likes her a lot. It's super corny that Paula always mentions that "yes" is in her first name.
- Song - "More Today Than Yesterday" - Diana Ross
- Impressive singer for being so young. Definitely going to go far.
- Song - "Spinning Wheel" - Blood, Sweat, and Tears
- Wow, I was impressed with her the most today. Good energy, great song, and great confidence.
- Song - "Piece of my Heart" - Janice Joplin
- Coincidence that she sang a Joplin song 'cuz she's from Joplin? I think not. She did really well - Simon's favorite performance of the night. Top 3 for me.
- Song - "Wishin' and Hopin''" - Dusty Springfield
- Impressive voice for someone so small! Sings like someone way beyond her years. My favorite!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
American Idol Season 7: My Picks for the Top Twelve Boys
Sigh, forgive me, reality TV critics. I've fallen under the spell of American Idol. And now that the field has narrowed down to the Top 24, you'd bet I have an opinion on who I think has got it and who has got to go. Tonight the top 12 boys sang and here's my list from worse to best:
12. Jason Yeager (28, Grand Prairie, TX)
11. David Hernandez (24, Glendale, AZ)
- Song - "Moon River" - Johnny Mercer
- He just didn't do it for me. He's got a good voice, but he swallowed his words and started by sitting and then awkwardly standing. There's a good story here, with him having a kid and all, but there's just too much talent in this field.
10. Colton Berry (18, Staunton, VA)
- Song - "Midnight Hour" - Wilson Pickett
- I'm sad he's number 11, because I think he's more talented than he sounded tonight. His movements looked forced however, and he always looks up and to the left when he sings, like he's trying to remember the lyrics. Maybe it's nerves, but it might be too late to make it for it.
9. Luke Menard (29, Crawfordsville, IN)
- Song - "Suspicious Minds" - Elvis Presley
- He admits to looking like Ellen DeGeneres, which is pretty funny. A surprisingly good performance, sans the suspenders. I guess I just don't like him because he was picked over Kyle.
8. Danny Noriega (18, Azuza, CA)
- Song - "Everyone's Talking at Me" - Harry Nilsson
- Simon calls his performance forgettable. I agree. He's saved thus far by being good looking, but that can only go so far.
7. Michael Johns (29, Buckhead, GA)
- Song - "Jailhouse Rock" - Elvis Presley
- Wow, this kid has some attitude! Maybe it's from drinking all that Naked Juice (hint - they're based in Azuza), but when Simon criticized him he stuck out his lower lip! The cute act is going to win him some votes and I did like his white shirt, skinny black tie/jeans look, but I don't think he has the natural talent to win it all.
6. Robbie Carrico (26, Melbourne, FL)
- Song - "Light My Fire" - The Doors
- He really rocked "Bohemian Rhapsody" during Hollywood week, but this definitely was not his best performance. He's got a ton of energy, though. It won't kill him this round, but he'll have to do better if he wants to win it all. I really like him...perhaps he's my sleeper pick to be in the top 3.
5. Garrett Haley (17, Elida, OH)
- Song - "One is the loneliest number" - Three Dog Nights
- Good rocker. The field is sort of muddled for me at this point, so he'll have to really put on some good performances if he wants to stand-out in the future.
4. Chikezie (22, Inglewood, CA)
- Song - "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" - Neil Sedaka
- He performed well-enough, but what I really liked was how he took all of the criticism in stride and had a great attitude about improving. Much more impressive than how some of the other contestants sounded when they talked with Ryan Seacrest.
3. David Cook (25, Blue Springs, MO)
- Song - "I Love You More Than Yesterday" - Stevie Wonder
- This guy can groove! He was a bit off-tune at the end, but he made it work and has a really cool vibe to him. Great smile, great personality.
2. Jason Castro (20, Rockwell, TX)
- Song - "So Happy Together" - The Turtle
- I'm a bit biased, since he's from Missouri, but he's a good rocker with a lot of energy. He's really at ease when he sings and had an original take on the song. I can see him going far.
1. David Archuleta (17, Murray, UT)
- Song - "What a Day for a Daydream" - Lovin Spoonful
- He's the only contestant thus far to perform with an instrument (guitar). I placed him at number two because he's got a really pure voice and picked the perfect song tonight.
So there you have it! The girls are tomorrow. Stay tuned!
- Song - "Shop Around" - Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
- This guy has got to be the early favorite to win it all. He's young, Randy, Paula, and Simon all love him, and he'll capture all of the young adolescent votes. With that said, yeah, he's talented and yeah, he's definitely number one for me now. No mistakes yet, but maybe his youth will get to him. He already showed that he needs to learn on communicating with the judges after a performance (he was out of breadth and smiling the whole time but really didn't say anything concrete).
Monday, February 18, 2008
Prologue Time Trial - Tour of California
On Sunday I headed over to Stanford to watch the Prologue stage of the Tour of California. The streets were blocked off from University Avenue all the way down Palm Drive to the Oval. Due to the gorgeous weather, there was a fabulous turnout, but I was able to find a good spot to snap some photos. The rider's themselves were world class - Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara won the 3km time trial in a blistering 3:51:211 (see the stage recap). My favorite pictures are below:
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Valentine's Dinner
Instead of going out for Valentine's Day dinner this year, I cooked a 5 course meal for Jenny. Pictures are below.
First Course:
Cheese and Pate with Crackers
Second Course:
Mixed Green Salad with Miso Dressing
Third Course:
Shrimp and Mixed Vegetable Tempura
Fourth Course:
Valentine's Day Crab Cake
Fifth Course:
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Thanks also to Scott Giambastiani, chef at the Pure Ingredients Cafe for the helpful tips when making the Valentine's Day Crab Cake. It turned out really well! Check out the recipe at the Official Google Blog and the instructional video below:
First Course:
Cheese and Pate with Crackers
Second Course:
Mixed Green Salad with Miso Dressing
Third Course:
Shrimp and Mixed Vegetable Tempura
Fourth Course:
Valentine's Day Crab Cake
Fifth Course:
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Thanks also to Scott Giambastiani, chef at the Pure Ingredients Cafe for the helpful tips when making the Valentine's Day Crab Cake. It turned out really well! Check out the recipe at the Official Google Blog and the instructional video below:
Sunday, February 10, 2008
New Dim Sum Place!
I've been living in the Bay Area for over 6 years now and have had my fair share, (perhaps more than fair share) of excellent Dim Sum experiences. There's Koi Palace in Daly City, Hong Kong Flower Lounge in Milbrae, Loon Wah in Cupertino, and good old Ming's down the street in East Palo Alto. I've been to a few joints in Milpitas and Sunnyvale, so I figured I was well versed in what were the 'best' dim sum restaurants in the South Bay.
I have much to learn.
My new favorite place is now Hong Kong Saigon Seafood Harbor Restaurant (where I've basically put the following into my Yelp review). Yes, a 10 syllable, mouthful of a restaurant. Located in Sunnyvale, this place is inexpensive, pushy, rude, and dirty. And I love it all. By noon the place is packed, families and friends are chattering to each other, and the food is pushed around by pushy ladies who hawk the dishes like it's some sort of competition to get rid of them as fast as possible. The su mai is fresh, the pork buns are soft, and the pork spare ribs, oh my, the pork spare ribs are amazing! Once you enter the restaurant, it's like you're in Hong Kong all over again.
For any first timers - if you call ahead 15 minutes, you can get a number for a table. This is a highly valuable piece of paper that grants you eventual entrance into dim sum heaven.
I have much to learn.
My new favorite place is now Hong Kong Saigon Seafood Harbor Restaurant (where I've basically put the following into my Yelp review). Yes, a 10 syllable, mouthful of a restaurant. Located in Sunnyvale, this place is inexpensive, pushy, rude, and dirty. And I love it all. By noon the place is packed, families and friends are chattering to each other, and the food is pushed around by pushy ladies who hawk the dishes like it's some sort of competition to get rid of them as fast as possible. The su mai is fresh, the pork buns are soft, and the pork spare ribs, oh my, the pork spare ribs are amazing! Once you enter the restaurant, it's like you're in Hong Kong all over again.
For any first timers - if you call ahead 15 minutes, you can get a number for a table. This is a highly valuable piece of paper that grants you eventual entrance into dim sum heaven.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Go see Persepolis
What, 95% on Rotten Tomatoes isn't enough for you?
I majored in history, and even though my Middle Eastern history is a bit dusty, I found Persepolis to be a very compelling perspective on the Islamic Revolution and Iran's history in the 70s and 80s. I encourage you all to learn more about Iran's history - for starters, check out the Wikipedia entry. Read it before you watch the movie for a better understanding.
Even if you don't, the characters of Persepolis are very real contrasted with the simple animation. It's dramatic, funny, and heartwarming. And props to the Aquarius, for screening Persepolis and Juno at the same time!
I majored in history, and even though my Middle Eastern history is a bit dusty, I found Persepolis to be a very compelling perspective on the Islamic Revolution and Iran's history in the 70s and 80s. I encourage you all to learn more about Iran's history - for starters, check out the Wikipedia entry. Read it before you watch the movie for a better understanding.
Even if you don't, the characters of Persepolis are very real contrasted with the simple animation. It's dramatic, funny, and heartwarming. And props to the Aquarius, for screening Persepolis and Juno at the same time!
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Disneyland, Google Style
Monday through Wednesday, Googlers from the West Coast offices headed down to Anaheim for a visit to place of a 'million dreams.' Suffice it to say, it was an incredible experience. I got to go on rides I had gone on over 10 years ago - including Space Mountain, Matterhorn, and Star Tours. And, I got to ride the new rides - California Soarin', California Screamin', Buzz Lightyear, and Indiana Jones. From 8pm-1am, the park was open only to Googlers, with our very own fireworks show and no waits in the lines. I'm still recovering from a long day of travel to get back. More details to come...
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Why the internet is so dangerous (or awesome)
I won't go into specifics, for fear of reprisal from co-workers, but I want to remind us all that anything you say or write can end up on the internet and if you don't control the content, will stay there forever. Old blogs, random comments or forum posts, can all come back to be embarrassing web pages associated with your name. It's like, a permanent record. Not so cool.
So anyway, the reason I'm noting this is because at the behest of a co-worker and some snooping, I found some random Urban Dictionary definitions, Google AdWords sponsored listings for various queries, a MySpace page, YouTube videos, a Xanga, and a brand new website by my co-workers. Kind of incriminating them, but really interesting for me, since it really shed some light on what the people I work with are outside of the job. Or, what they were like before working at Google.
But, the title of this post was about why the internet is so dangerous and awesome. It's dangerous for obvious reasons, but awesome in that I got a good laugh out of all of the funny defitions one of my co-workers used for his own nickname. So face it, if your name is on a webpage, it's gonna be indexed and placed in Google search results. Instead of screaming libel, we might as all get a good laugh out of it.
So anyway, the reason I'm noting this is because at the behest of a co-worker and some snooping, I found some random Urban Dictionary definitions, Google AdWords sponsored listings for various queries, a MySpace page, YouTube videos, a Xanga, and a brand new website by my co-workers. Kind of incriminating them, but really interesting for me, since it really shed some light on what the people I work with are outside of the job. Or, what they were like before working at Google.
But, the title of this post was about why the internet is so dangerous and awesome. It's dangerous for obvious reasons, but awesome in that I got a good laugh out of all of the funny defitions one of my co-workers used for his own nickname. So face it, if your name is on a webpage, it's gonna be indexed and placed in Google search results. Instead of screaming libel, we might as all get a good laugh out of it.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Reality Check for East Palo Alto
When I told my co-workers that I lived in East Palo Alto for the first time, they were all surprised; some asked if I thought I was safe while others jokingly asked if I had ever been shot at. I've realized that it's not the best neighborhood, but I've found it pleasant. No problems with neighbors (they even have some nice children who run up and down the street) and I have my own bedroom/bathroom all to myself. Rent is cheap and I have ample parking in our driveway or the street.
Well, so much for that.
This weekend, MLK weekend, of all weekends, East Palo Alto was hit with three major crimes. A murder. A vandalism of an elementary school. A shoot-out leaving one man wounded. All, just a few blocks from where I live.
It's pretty scary stuff. I drive by the intersection everyday where the murder occurred. Last Thurdsay, I recall seeing police cars and paramedics at a blocked off area of the road where it all happened, probably an hour after the murder. To think, if I had left one hour earlier, I could have been caught at the intersection when the drive-by happened. But, what baffles me is that the next day, at that same intersection, life is back to normal. Kids are playing out in the streets. People walking around like nothing happened.
People move on. Life has to go on, or nothing would be normal.
The question, I am currently confronted with, is if I can or should continue to live here. I have the means to move out. Should I fear for my own safety? I'm not completely certain of my decision yet, but I'm willing to stick things out until my contract ends in August. My understanding is that these crimes have been committed by people outside of EPA. My housemate mentioned that some people are getting out of jail and settling old scores. If it's a one-off thing, then I think I'll be okay. If it keep up, however, I think I would seriously consider moving.
Well, so much for that.
This weekend, MLK weekend, of all weekends, East Palo Alto was hit with three major crimes. A murder. A vandalism of an elementary school. A shoot-out leaving one man wounded. All, just a few blocks from where I live.
It's pretty scary stuff. I drive by the intersection everyday where the murder occurred. Last Thurdsay, I recall seeing police cars and paramedics at a blocked off area of the road where it all happened, probably an hour after the murder. To think, if I had left one hour earlier, I could have been caught at the intersection when the drive-by happened. But, what baffles me is that the next day, at that same intersection, life is back to normal. Kids are playing out in the streets. People walking around like nothing happened.
People move on. Life has to go on, or nothing would be normal.
The question, I am currently confronted with, is if I can or should continue to live here. I have the means to move out. Should I fear for my own safety? I'm not completely certain of my decision yet, but I'm willing to stick things out until my contract ends in August. My understanding is that these crimes have been committed by people outside of EPA. My housemate mentioned that some people are getting out of jail and settling old scores. If it's a one-off thing, then I think I'll be okay. If it keep up, however, I think I would seriously consider moving.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Reworking my tags
When I first started this blog, I thought about tagging posts with whatever subject they were about. I never really thought much about organization - that maybe if I just wrote enough, there would be enough overlap. From a readers' perspective, however, everything was too specific that the purpose of tags - which I believe to be some simple organization based on a common theme or subject, was lost.
So, I've spent some time going over my old posts and decided on the following tags from hereon out:
Biking - road and mountain
Blog - posts related to updating this blog...like this one!
Books/Magazines
Check this out - news articles or video clips I recommend you take a look at
Food - for posts related to restaurants I've recently eaten at
Games - Xbox360 and other stuff
Google - stuff about the greatest search engine ever
History - at one point I was a history major
Travel - places I've been/want to go to
Meta - personal life related posts aka the 'Dear Diary' stuff
Music - live bands or recordings
Photography - pictures I've taken
Politics - various political related posts
Prius - since I drive one, maybe this will have some future use
Sports - self explanatory
Television/Movies
Uncategorized
Work - things related to working
I'll be adding a tag area to the right side navigation of my blog, in case you're ever interested in sorting posts based by each tag.
So, I've spent some time going over my old posts and decided on the following tags from hereon out:
Biking - road and mountain
Blog - posts related to updating this blog...like this one!
Books/Magazines
Check this out - news articles or video clips I recommend you take a look at
Food - for posts related to restaurants I've recently eaten at
Games - Xbox360 and other stuff
Google - stuff about the greatest search engine ever
History - at one point I was a history major
Travel - places I've been/want to go to
Meta - personal life related posts aka the 'Dear Diary' stuff
Music - live bands or recordings
Photography - pictures I've taken
Politics - various political related posts
Prius - since I drive one, maybe this will have some future use
Sports - self explanatory
Television/Movies
Uncategorized
Work - things related to working
I'll be adding a tag area to the right side navigation of my blog, in case you're ever interested in sorting posts based by each tag.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
NYE @ Rubicon
|
| Rubicon 12/31/07 |
Jenny and I went to Rubicon in San Francisco for New Year's Eve. We had a price fixe 4 course meal with excellent oysters, lamb, and pomegranate sorbet, to name a few. The food, service, and ambiance were pretty great, but I'm not sure it was anything particularly unique, so it's probably a one time thing that we went here. But, if you have a special occasion to go there, I recommend it!
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