Squishy Kuma

Magazines and Meals

2012-01-22T08:50:00.000-08:00

Earl Grey marTEAni

On Friday, I attended a party sponsored by San Diego Magazine. It told me the 50 people I really ought to know. Turns out, I'd met one of them before, and his wife Susan, while sitting at the bar in the now-defunct Bing Crosby's in Fashion Valley. We struck up a conversation, as barstool neighbors are apt to do. They had been golfing at River Run just down the street and were still in their sports togs. Also at Friday's party, I made the acquaintance of the son of a vintner from Napa. We shared a love of fashion and theatre. I was wearing one of my originals. Janine, the friend I accompanied, pointed out Chef Brian Malarkey at the bar so I went up to introduce myself and say how much I enjoyed eating at his restaurants. She told me later he is opening another place in Banker's Hill. Can't wait! One could hardly move around, the party was very crowded on the fourth floor pool deck of the Palomar Hotel (formerly Se Hotel) on Fifth Avenue downtown. The uniform for the PYTs (that's Pretty Young Things) was a short, tight minidress, mostly black, and sky-high platform stilettos that got caught between the wooden slats of the deck. The music was loud and I felt I had to shout to be heard. The food from Saltbox was good, including sushi, crab legs, oysters, sliders and mini tostadas. Besides the full bar, other vendors were there with wine and spirits. We departed and walked down the street to the Spotted Pig for one last drink and fried yummies before heading home. A nice night indeed thanks to my benefactor Jen B. who bought a ticket to the sold-out event and couldn't make it at the last minute.

This was the second time in the same week Janine and I were at this location since we, and three other girlfriends, partook of Saltbox for restaurant week Tuesday night. I arrived early to sit at the bar and conferred with the bartender about my drink selection. The trend in bars has moved away from vodka lounges to tavern spaces serving spirits or, as I like to call them, "brown liquors" i.e., scotch, bourbon, and the like. This does not bode well for me since I prefer vodka; however, I have come to like some flavored gins and gin drinks with a foamy, egg-white head. See pictured above my Earl Grey marTEAni. (Make it so Number One.) Yes, it tasted just like iced tea and went down as smooth. We all shared our plates so we could taste everything. Would recommend the short rib app and churros for dessert. Here's our choices for that evening:

Evonne's cocktail flight

Shrimp ceviche tacos

Short rib grilled cheese sandwich

Filet mignon

Sea bass

S'mores

Chocolate churros

The next afternoon found me and Stephanie and I traveling to P.B. to check out The Fishery. Yum! I didn't really need a dessert; a starter and a main course would have been just fine. We added soups to start:

Seafood soup and clam chowder

Sea bass sandwich (take two)

Lentil stew with sausage

Poached pear and chocolate pot de creme

With all this "fancy" food, I was hankering for some down-home-style cookin' and returned to Carnita's Snack Shack the next day. It's this little boxy place right on University, east of Texas. Look for the wooden pig on the roof. There's outdoor seating in the back. I hung out with my friends Dan and Julie the other week when we went looking for this place. After two false starts, we finally found it. That day I had the pork belly burrito. This time around, I tried the carnitas tacos and boy, was I full! Delicioso! I hear this place stays open late (read: stop by there on my way home from the theatre some night). They've only been open about a month and have quickly developed a following. If you believe in the magical properties of pork, this is the place :)

Carnitas tacos

Mangos No More

2012-01-16T14:38:00.000-08:00

Mom got the call yesterday. My dad's Navy buddy, Sam, passed away on Dec. 16th. This wasn't a surprise since he didn't remember my birthday and we didn't receive a holiday card from him this past year end. No more mangos from Sam, Sam, the mango man. He must of been in his mid-80's, from Philadelphia, served on a couple of ships with my dad. When we settled in San Diego, Sam was already here with his wife, another "war bride" Toshiko, several years his elder. They and my parents knew each other back in Japan and were happy to renew their friendship on these shores. We have photo albums full of pictures including Sam and Toshiko. They never had kids (she had a son from a previous marriage) so I believe he may have looked upon me as a niece or surrogate daughter of some kind. Over the years, he brought us to Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, the date festival in Indio, Buschgardens, the local zoo and the Del Mar fair.

After dad died, Sam would visit us, usually on a Sunday morning at nine o'clock, bearing gifts like sugar cookies or a box of mangos. Most of time we got a call the day before as a heads up, but in recent years, he would just show up, in the drive way, behind the wheel of his green Chevy Caprice Classic station wagon from the late-70's (read: mint condition). He would get offers to buy that car several times a year. Sam was always into cars. When he would visit, he would always ask me how my car was doing, a dicey question at best during my "beater" days. I became adept at telling little white lies: I just got an oil change (five months ago), my tires are in good condition (half bald with the threads starting to show), oh, I don't mind the headliner (drooping from the ceiling, being held up by the dome light in the center of the roof). Besides cars, our conversations were the same, world-weary topics consisting of the current president, why we shouldn't be at war in the Middle East, how the the armed forces have changed over the years, and one's health deteriorating when one gets older. Guess he doesn't have to worry about that anymore. So long Sam. Thanks for everything. Perhaps we'll meet again.

Does this Class Make Me Look Dumb?

2012-01-06T08:35:00.000-08:00

Tracking is putting students in classes or groups with students of like ability either by subject or grade. There are advantages (higher self-esteem) and disadvantages (lower self-esteem) as with everything else. I'm speaking specifically about my own experience at Martha Farnum Elementary and San Diego City Schools in the 1970's and '80s. When I was in first grade, I was transferred into a new class after a couple of weeks of school. This new class was a mixture of first and second graders in the same room. It didn't take me long to figure out this was a good thing. I must be smart enough to learn along side these second graders. Cool. Something must of happened during second grade to derail my studies. Was it the time I peed my pants in class? I just couldn't hold it anymore and the next thing I knew there was a huge splash and I was sitting in my own urine. The class erupted and the teacher berated me for it, making me sop up the mess with those rough, brown paper towels. Isn't it funny how we can remember so clearly those moments from our childhood that were utterly embarrassing. They don't hold back seven year olds for weak bladder control, do they? Can we relate most things to childhood trauma? Could this have contributed to the fact that I'm so hard on myself as an adult? (One of my resolutions this year is to go easy on myself and cut me some slack.) The next year I was separated from my other classmates and knew something was amiss. By fourth grade, I ended up on the losing side of the equation; now I was a fourth grader in a combined third and fourth grade class. What the hell? By fifth grade, it was even worse. I was re-united with my classmates, only I felt like an outsider. Somehow I was deemed less.

This continued into my sixth grade year when the school, in its infinite wisdom, chose to "mix things up." The Upper Grade Team was formed from three classes: an advanced fifth grade class, a sixth grade class and the class of gifted fifth and sixth graders. We would physically change classes between periods, like in junior high school and there were three levels for each subject. For example, there would be gifted fifth graders studying seventh grade math and I was stuck, once again, in a lower level English class. Did the administrators and teachers really think the students didn't know what was going on? It was great for the advanced and gifted students, but where was my place in all this? On the corner of Lower Self-Esteem and This Sucks. I never told anyone what I knew or how I felt. I just didn't know how to deal with it.

This stigma(ta) followed me into junior high school like a capital L tattooed on my forehead. I was performing at grade level in my other classes, an A student with a sprinkling of Bs for variety. Eighth grade was okay, but nothing was rectified until I was in ninth grade. I am, to this day, appreciative of my English teacher Mrs. Yost. (I saw her again in high school when she was transferred there and gave her a rose. Another story for another time.) By the end of the year, she recommended me for the advanced English classes in high school. Tenth grade was fine and I was looking forward to having the teacher in eleventh grade. I knew her from the speech and debate club. That lasted one week before she transferred to another school. I was robbed! This teacher was the best and she became one of the finalists for the ill-fated teacher in space on the Challenger. Talk about dodging a bullet! I remember seeing her interviewed on the news after the explosion.

Having a great teacher makes such a difference. The teacher who was hired to replace her was just awful. None of us students had any respect for her. I earned my first ever "C" grade in her class and felt depressed. My dad was battling serious medical problems at this time and was hospitalized for four months. He was clinically dead on the operating table for several minutes before being revived. They didn't tell us this until the next morning since he had emergency surgery in the middle of the night from a bleeding ulcer. My grades in other classes plummeted and I failed a semester in advanced U.S. history. I hid all this from my parents and slowly, somehow, things regained an even keel. And, yet, something had fundamentally changed in my life. I didn't realize fully until later; I only knew my life, as I knew it up to that moment, was no longer.

We were tested to get into the Honors English class for our senior year. My best friend at the time, the aspiring writer, didn't make it, but I did. I took the class and later the advance placement tests. I tested out of two freshman level English classes. At last I felt vindicated! Screw you tracking system and the donkey you rode in on. Some would argue that because I had more time to "absorb the fundamentals," I was able to "pull myself up by my boot straps" and come out ahead. That's just horsesh*t.

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On a completely different subject, I've been making small changes every year, hence, the new year resolutions. That's what they're for, right? This year, besides cutting myself some slack, I want to get a new passport and leave the country, even if it's a four-night cruise to Mexico. Ooops! I hacked all my hair off a couple of days ago. Now I need to let my hair "come out of shock" before taking a passport photo. I've been thinking about a haircut since I saw that movie The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Her short, black hair changed styles throughout the movie. It was so cool! Having lunch with cousin Kat the other day, she was suggesting a haircut and then she called me the next day to say she would treat me to a cut with her stylist if I wanted. I thanked her and said I'd let her know. Then I went home and chopped off my hair myself. I actually like cutting my own hair. Thank goodness it grows fast. I'm also cutting my caffeine intake. This is day two with no coffee; I've switched over to tea. I've given up coffee before and it's not that bad, really. More on my progress later. Chop chop!

It's a Noh Kinda Day

2011-12-30T07:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, the 29th of December, was a "no" day, not to be confused with Noh, or snow. According to my non-superstitious Japanese mother, the number nine is an unlucky number since it's pronounced "kiu" which is very close to "ku" or death/nothingness (with a capital P that rhymes with T that stands for Trouble). I learned a while back that one does not do one's New Year's shopping on the 29th; therefore, this year we did our shopping on the 28th, a "safe" day, no doubt. I hate to admit she's right, but the thought did cross my mind yesterday as I was eating lunch at the local Mitsua store in Kearny Mesa. Why were all these people here? I wondered. Don't they know the 29th is an unlucky day for new year's shopping? After all, you don't want to start something on the wrong footing, do you? I chose to leave the safety of my house to run a couple of errands, for nought. Lunch was a boon: I had a small bowl of salt pork and rice for less than three bucks. Then everything went down hill.

Since it's the year end, I'm in need of a new appointment calendar. I went next door to Staples to buy one of those fancy ones that shows the whole week across two pages and has the hours along the side the column so I can block out the times. (Yes, I'm a stationery geek too, so shoot me.) This model was recommended to me for business purposes and I was going to buy one with my business money, but I just couldn't justify a $25 expenditure for something that cost me a dollar at Michael's the year before. I looked at several versions where the day started at nine and ended at five or started at seven and ended at seven, neither of which reflects my days which can start as early as six and run as late as eleven at night. Hmmmmmmmm. Could I use my computer calendar and just print it out once a week like I did for one of my former bosses? Would that cost me more than $25 in paper and ink a year? This is a big decision since I'd be stuck with the calendar for the entire year, so I better like what I buy. I found another model for $14.99 that coulda worked, but left the store empty handed. Strike one.

I went next door to the used bookstore to find a copy of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo since I just caught the flick with Lord Berigan the other night. I was convinced, CONVINCED, I could find a dollar copy. Boy, was I wrong. Not only could I not find a dollar copy, I couldn't find ANY copy. There were several editions of Larsson's second novel in the store, but none of the first or the third. Strike two.

When I got home, I wanted to cash in a christmas present offered by my co-worker Richard, that was a dinner and drinks. I suggested we go to Craft & Commerce (a bacon-friendly place if there ever was one) when our shift was over and he was agreeable. After driving around for blocks looking for parking, parking and walking a short distance to the restaurant, we were greeted with an hour and a half wait for a table. Can you say height of the dinner rush? Strike three (cubed). Game called for unlucky number nine. If this were a melodrama, I'd be shaking my fist at the sky saying, "You may have won this time, Number Nine, but I'll have my bacon, and eat it too!" Tomorrow is another day, more specifically, it's the 30th and an auspicious day indeed. Happy New Year!

Cousins Cancel Christmas

2011-12-25T13:57:00.001-08:00

Due to our family's financial situation, and various health concerns, our Christmas brunch has been cancelled this year. That's okay since my mom gave me her cold for Xmas. Oh, goody! There's nothing like working the sales floor with a runny nose and fever. "Can I help you find something special today (hack, hack, achoo, weeze)?" Really, it wasn't that bad. Just a couple of shifts and lots of chocolate to help me through the day. Today, I'm taking it easy, putting in some quality time with mom, watching horror movies on TV. It seems my aunt suffered a heart attack and stroke earlier this year and now is recovering from a broken hip. She's just falling apart. My cousin Kat is looking after her. My other cousin's mother-in-law has advanced Parkinson's. Guess I'm thankful that mom has a cold, which she's just about over. Now I'm the one with the fever and body aches, though I am feeling better today. My bank account is once again flush, like my cheeks; I had two unexpected bonus checks this year end. My friends are bestowing upon me Hello Kitty gifts, more chocolate, and dinner invitations to be cashed in the next couple of weeks. Overall, I'm in a pretty good place to end this year and start anew.

Money makes the world go 'round

2011-12-13T08:48:00.000-08:00

Okay. This is funny. It's the holiday season, i.e., the buying season, which happens to coincide with the slowest time of year for my work hours. When I need more money, I have less. Ironic, no? Checking my bank balance this morning, I see I'm just shy $10 for my car payment due tomorrow. Time to break open the piggy bank (oink, OINK). All that loose change that I throw into a jar will come in handy. I know this situation is only temporary. Money does like to flow, hopefully more into my life versus out of it. Even if I'm short on money, I'm rich in supportive friends, and food! I shared a great dinner with my work mates on Sunday evening, my neighbor gave me a bunch of tomatoes from his plants he was uprooting and then yesterday, my manager Evonne gave me a loaf of sourdough bread. There's another holiday party next week and two more after that. Party on!

Antidote

2011-12-02T08:15:00.001-08:00

A couple of nights ago, I had a girl's night out with Jen B. and Janine that included the KPRi Holiday Soiree concert at the Balboa Theatre. It was nice to run into DJ Chris Cantore in the lobby. Although I missed the first act, I was VERY HAPPY to hear from Mayer Hawthorne who played a gig in New York that morning, then boarded a plane to San Diego. How cool is that? I'd only known a couple of their songs and they made an instant fan out of me. Fitz and the Tantrums was the headliner and they did NOT disappoint! From the first song, they had the audience up on their feet. I needed to dance and it was awesome. They covered the Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams" with their own arrangement and closed the show with "Moneygrabber." Fitz came into the lobby after the show to sign autographs and take pictures with fans. I waited by the stage door for Hawthorne, but missed him. Oh, well. If you don't know these groups, please check them out.

Fitz with a fan after the show

Those blobs are Mayer Hawthorne and his band.

Lost in Paradise

2011-11-30T05:27:00.001-08:00

There's something about this time of year that I associate with loss. Is it a seasonal thing? I don't know. I was describing this to my friend on the phone, and he said the holiday season magnifies things; I hadn't thought of that. The past several years, I've experienced some kind of loss in my personal life, usually a relationship that changes or goes away, and this year is no exception. There is one difference in that this time, I'm not alone. I attended a funeral a couple of mornings ago. My co-worker Richard lost his grandmother last week. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, I'm guessing, the service got pushed back. My manager drove us down to the church for the funeral mass. She said she thought he was touched I had come. It was the least I could do. Maybe there's something about finishing up things, cleaning up things in a big, fat, cosmic way at the end of the year to make room for things to come. The new year is always so fresh and inviting, full of possibilities and anticipation. What will this new year bring? I have no f***en clue . . . and that's okay. It's time to rest and heal.

Big Apple Tour 2011

2011-11-16T14:34:00.000-08:00

A few days into my NYC trip -- I made my way into the city on Sunday and stopped by Bloomingdales for food and face product. I walked north about 1 1/2 miles uptown to the upper east side Goodwill that was recommended to me by Heather. I found some men's slippers and a winter white / camel wool blazer for myself.

So far I've done a lot of walking all over the city. For all the years I lived here and all the return trips I've made, I only now walked across the Brooklyn Bridge. Fantastic! Not to mention there was chocolate at the other side of the bridge :) I stopped at Jacques Torres chocolate shop, the original one where he started his empire. I chose the day well since it was so warm, I walked in my short shirt sleeves. Before my trip across the bridge, I stopped by the Occupy Wall St protesters. The wall of smell hit me before I saw the people. I'm glad I went since the police cleared them out 1am the next morning. To end the day, my hosts Jamie and Justin and I met my other theatre friends Michelle and Jeff for a great Morroccan dinner at Café Mongador. Yum! We left the place so full, but it was so good. I should make this one of my regular stops, like my lunch at Balthazar earlier that day.

When I stopped by the Guggenheim on Sunday afternoon, the line to buy tickets was out the door, so I asked the guy monitoring the line what's the best day to come back? Without hesitation he said tuesday, so I followed his advice and returned on that day. After lunch at Bar Boulud, I took the bus around Central Park, and made my way to the museum to view the show All, an instillation by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. Let me tell you, it is a SIGHT to behold. There is so much to look at and absorb, I was happy to take breaks and visit with Kandinsky in the side galleries. I must of had Italians on the brain since I proceeded downtown to the Barnes & Noble in Union Square to hear Umberto Eco talk about his new novel. It's pretty cool to see the author and hear him speak and connect with his audience.

This morning I met with another theatre buddy Ray for a light brunch and to catch up. It was so nice to speak with him. We recently connected on Facebook and I really wanted to meet with him on this trip. You will be hearing more about his musical "The Suicide" while he shops it around. The afternoon found me in the west village, in the rain, when I decided to buy some handmade Italian sausage (there are those darn Italians again! Che cosa?!?) marinara sauce and cheese to make for a rustic dinner. I remembered to stop off at Parisi's bakery in Astoria to pick up bread. This bakery supplies bread to many high-end restaurants in the city. Go to the souce, baby! A nice cosy dinner will be welcome in tonight's storm. Buon appetito!

New Levels of Intimacy

2011-10-21T10:59:00.000-07:00

I'm going backwards in time, slightly, starting with yesterday. I found myself at Fashion Valley mall because I decided to pick up some new foundation garments, underpinnings, aka bras. (I can hear all my male friends silently screaming in their heads, "TMI ! ! ! ! ! " Feel free to skip this paragraph.) As a stylist and designer, I know how to fit clothes, but bras were a mystery to me. To unravel said mystery, I had a bra fitting with Lauren, the assistant manager of the {intimacy} store. It was revealing, to say the least. I highly recommend it for ALL women. My main problem has been falling straps. I thought my shoulder slope was too great or I would be banished to wear racer-back bras forever. I had just picked one up the other day, and can hardly breathe in it! I explained my dilemma and that I was in the market for a nude, strapless model. During our fitting, I learned a woman needs 7-10 bras in her wardrobe and that if her band size goes down, her cup size goes up = my new size is a 32 C. Never in my life would I believe I was a C cup and I didn't even have to go under the knife. All I can say is, I'm glad I went in for a fitting. This company will do free alterations on their bras (they get shipped to their Atlanta facility) which is good news because I spent serious bank on my lacy under-things. Forget about buying other clothes. I can't even afford rolled tacos now! I do take comfort in the fact these are the "Cadillac of bras" as I'm dubbing them in my mind, therefore justifying my purchase. Gotta love magical thinking :) Many thanks Lauren. I will be sending down my girls.

I directly attribute this shopping trip (read: effort to boost my ego) to some bad news I received early in the week and the fact I haven't been feeling well. Suffice it to say, something I chose to bury and ignore, came back to bite me in the monetary ass. Oh, well. When it's resolved, I'll never have to worry about it again. Yay! Two years ago, I made a plan to pay down my debt. I have made some headway and my credit score has gone up, thanks to my on-line banking. Ironically, I find myself further in debt, but only slightly.

I did start a new business a couple of months ago which I did not expect to do. Squishy Kuma is now a reality and I have the labels to prove it! She debuted at the Thread Show, a couple of weeks ago, where I sold logo t-shirts and Funky Utility Bags. While I didn't make enough to cover the booth rental, my friends came out to support. I'm starting to get the name out there and have since opened a teeny, tiny web store on my website. Baby steps are fine with me. I secured a commission for a custom bag and am developing an iPad case. All that advice I got from various designers I've met, I can now put to good use. After meeting ABBL Liz's new business partner, I feel we will all be successful in the near future.

In other news, I had posted a NY Times op-ed piece about Ernest Hemingway on my Facebook page. I have no opinion of the man since I haven't read anything by him. How is this possible? Isn't he one of those authors you're required to read in high school or college lit? Heaven knows I've taken enough English classes in my time. Now I'm filling that literary black hole with two books of short stories by EH that I just picked up at the library. Ask me what I think in a couple of weeks. Then I'll know if I want to see the new EH flick, coming out next month I believe, something with "rum" in the title. Pair that with the challenge-to-the-Bard flick "Anonymous," and you'll have a couple of good book ends.

Get some threads at Thread

2011-10-08T08:48:00.001-07:00

In case you haven't heard, I'm debuting my line at the Thread Show tomorrow in Horton Plaza from noon to 5pm. I'll be selling Funky Utility Bags and my t-shirts for only $15, available in women's small - xl and men's large - xxl. On display, will be three versions of my faux fur vests, so I'll be taking orders. My friend Liz of ABBL Swimwear invited me. We'll be just to the left of the entrance. Come on down! And, for my friends who are attending, thanks ahead of time :)

Since I've been busy preparing for this show, everything else, including my blog entries, have fallen to the wayside. Last Friday, not yesterday, LAST Friday, Lee and I braved the Gaslamp corridor for free brews and bites. Need I say more? The King of Happy Hour, who has an app by the way, was hosting a Knights of the Roundtable event at Taste & Thirst on 4th Avenue. I've heard of these before, but was always working. Lucky me. I had the night off. The room filled up quickly and we got to try two different beers, a red ale and a darker, chewy beer. Brands? Sorry, not sure. I usually go for a lighter beer since I don't like a hoppy, bitter taste, but I was drawn to the darker beer that night. It had more character. The kitchen had a hard time keeping up with the appetizers. I never did get to try the sliders. Sounds like a good time? Follow the King on Twitter (@kingofhappyhour) or check out his website. There's another Roundtable coming up soon!

My friend Tina was in town this week and she brought her boyfriend Rudy. Very nice guy and they look very happy together. We, along with Evonne, got to meet up for lunch on Wednesday, the day the skies opened up and drenched us with rain. I accused them of bringing the rain with them from Jersey. Lunch was great. We had to wait for a table at PF Chang's, but didn't mind since it gave us a chance to catch up. Tina used to work at the Ann Taylor store here. That's how we and Evonne, my manager, know each other. Now, Tina has the pleasure of working in the Short Hills store where one of our higher-ups and his wife shop. Oh, joy! Evonne was talking about how we've helped build out two new concept stores here in Orange County and Manhattan Beach. Talk about long days! You try steaming clothing for six hours and then tell me your arms don't hurt. Oh yeah, and Megan sliced open her finger with a box cutter. Ok kids. What did we learn? Step AWAY from the razor blades (and don't be intimidated by the district manager). Larry from Fashion Valley is storing up his karma. He said he can't wait for everyone to head south when it's his turn to open up his new store. Go Disco!

Tina and Rudy braved the rain that night to see Rocky Horror at the Globe. I offered refuge in the suite. Funny how a glass of wine just makes everything better. She wanted to know when I was heading east again. Maybe early November?? We'll see. I said I need to get through this show first. As I sip my second cup of coffee and survey my work space, I feel . . . okay. It's the homestretch and I've got a few more things to sew. I'll organize my stuff and start loading my car tonight. All Hail Squishy Kuma!

Rock(y) Hard Fashion Weekend

2011-09-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

What was I up to this past weekend? Well, let's see. On Saturday, my shift at work got shifted, so I hurried to Fashion Valley to catch Tim Gunn moderating a fashion show. I had two different friends telling me about this event, so I had to make the effort. He did a brief Q&A and then went behind a curtain to await the various throngs of VIP (very important purchases) people for photo ops. I brought my book, hoping for an autograph, but gave up on that one. Instead, I met Con and Mark, also waiting to speak with Tim. Turns out Mark was Tim's neighbor when they were kids.

Tim would NOT approve of my fashion choices the evening before while attending the Rocky Horror Show opening. We were encouraged to wear costumes to get better seats in the house. Did I go the elegant route my friend Jen B. chose? That would be a resounding NO. I wore fishnets, shorts and my leather bra with a violet faux fur vest that added 15 lbs. to my frame. No, wait. That was all the hair product I applied to get my backcomb just so. I did get to meet one of my Twitter buddies in real life, Lance, aka @dailyactor and his charming girlfriend Annette. We were supposed to meet during Comic-Con, but it just didn't happen! (Check out his website for great interviews and clips.) The show was great. The first act was like a rock concert. We joined the actors after the show for the opening night party. In their street clothes, they were much harder to recognize. "Janet" is a blond in real life and our favorite transvestite was well-turned out in a suit and tie. To the cast: break legs, but keep those fishnets free from runs.

Birthdays

2011-08-29T09:40:00.000-07:00

Most people think of the new year on January 1st. I tend to think of it on my birthday, which was yesterday. As it so happens, my birthday often falls around Labor Day. When I was growing up, the Tuesday after Labor Day was the first day of school, so I've been conditioned, since the age of five, that this time of year is a new year and a fresh start. Leave the past IN the past and look forward is what I'll be practicing this year. Some friends and I gathered at Taste and Thirst on Friday night to celebrate. Thanks guys! This was the first time I brought together people from my various gigs all at one table. Fellow theatre peeps mixed with fashionistas and musicians got to meet other music lovin' folk. (Note: as I was writing this post, my personal banker called to wish me a happy birthday. How cool is that??) Couldn't make it? No worries. I celebrate for a whole month so there's still time to buy me drinks and/or dinner (hint, hint, wink, wink).

August has been a busy month; I've been setting up my fashion business. Squishy Kuma is now a reality. 'Nough talking. It's time to do something. ABBL Swimwear and Squishy Kuma will be teaming up for the upcoming Thread Show on Oct. 9th. If you RSVP early, the admission price is only $5 leaving mo' money for you to spend on us independent designers :) Squishy Kuma will be offering faux fur vests, Funky Utility bags and, cross my fingers, a line of t-shirts. So, come on down to Horton Plaza on Sunday, Oct. 9th from 11am to 6pm and shop! Guys can shop too. Get there early or you might miss some great deals. Let me get my feet wet at a couple of shows, and then I'll start working on my web store. Fun and faux fur abounds!

Photo by Jen Ball

I Heart Mysteries

2011-08-05T10:40:00.000-07:00

Last night I finished reading The Second Confession by Rex Stout and this morning I picked up Kings Full of Aces: a Nero Wolfe Omnibus. I first starting reading Nero Wolfe when I was in junior high and discovering other mysteries besides Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys (wow, that sounds so innocent, doesn't it?). Working in the school library helped. I took a dip in the hard-boiled waters of Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe. Cozied up to Miss Marple and rode along with Holmes & Watson. Ellery Queen was fun, and, as a side note, I am awaiting the sole season of Jim Hutton's "Ellery Queen" on dvd that I ordered the other day. If his son Timothy ever reads this, I applaud the homage to your dad in that recent "Leverage" episode. The hat you wore was a total tip off. Awesome! To my delight, lo these many years ago, Timothy Hutton helped produce and star in a Nero Wolfe TV series, playing the faithful Archie Goodwin. He used a company of actors, much like in theatre, with some guest starring roles thrown in, across two seasons and 27 episodes. Prior to that, I remember watching another Wolfe series on TV in my teen years and having a crush on Archie Goodwin. I'm such a girl! Back to the Wolfe man, I was collecting the entire series in new and used paperbacks. It took years, unlike the instant internet-gratification of today. I would comb used bookstores for copies, after a while, carrying a list with me of what I was missing. There's over 30 books in the original series, too many for me to remember. It's fun, the thrill of the hunt, inhaling dust and mold, creeping around dark corners, reaching atop tall shelves, hoping for that one find, that hunk of gold that makes the day's quest all worth it. The one that kept eluded me was Where There's a Will. Of course, after I unearthed a copy, (if I told you how, I'd have to kill ya' wink, wink) it was reprinted, brand-spanking new in paperback. Pfui! I even collected the new series written by Robert Goldsborough who chose to continue the legacy. His books had a slightly different feel, like a new suit that you want to like, but doesn't fit you quite right. You decide in the end, it's better than nothing.

Looking back, I wonder if these books helped form the person I am today, funny as that sounds. Wolfe is based in Manhattan for which I had to visit and live (check out The Wolfe Pack). His gourmet meals are described in detail. Sound familiar? I would love to have a personal chef like Fritz Brenner at my disposal. Never really took to orchids, but I have been doing some container gardening the last few years. What I find really remarkable is the author, Rex Stout. If I remember correctly, he would sit at his manual typewriter (gasp!), figuring out the entire plot beforehand, and type out only one copy of his current piece for publication. If he ran into a problem, he would stop typing, think about it, and then continue clack, clacking away. Is this true? I'd like to hope so. Eventually, I did acquire the entire series and held on to them for years before purging my bookshelves. Now, I'll pick up the occasional volume in hardback, used and in slightly iffy condition. That's okay by me. It's like running into an old friend on the street that you haven't talked to in a long time. You just pick up where you left off.

Comic-Con Pix

2011-07-25T08:19:00.000-07:00

If a picture is worth a thousand words, this one pretty much sums up the Comic-Con experience for me. Want more? Check out my Facebook albums for Friday and Saturday. Had a great time and met some nice people. Ran into Vince and his brother Rich when I stopped by the 10th Ave. Theatre to see Dr. Horrible Live (which is running through next weekend). During the Family Guy panel, I sat next to Chris, a screenwriter from LA. He works on How I Met Your Mother. I asked if he happened to know my friend Mike, but he didn't. Apparently, screenwriters tend to stay within their own genres, sitcom writers know other sitcom writers, drama writers know other drama writers, etc. I caught up with Heidi who works the booth for those smash-up books. You know, the ones that take a classic and add a twist, like Zombies? She made it into the steampunk panel that I missed. I attended the production designers panel instead. That's when I noticed a theme, an UK theme. My first panel at the Con was Torchwood. Got to see Bill Pullman. Cool. Took pictures at the BBC America booth. On Saturday, both Torchwood designers were on the same panel: one from Wales who worked on both Dr. Who and Torchwood and helped bring it across the pond, and the designer who is working on the current incarnation here. Got to see the first episode of a new show, Terra Nova. New land, new life . . . and dinosaurs. When we left the Con on Saturday, my friend Monica and I went over to JSix for a drink and dinner and met people over there too. Some actor, from Hung, was in the bar with cast mates. What I had forgotten was a private party on the roof for SyFy and E! The bar gave us a front row seat to take pictures of people after they walked the red carpet. Unfortunately, we had to wait, and wait and then, wait some more. Monica went home. I hung out and made new friends while I waited. I was able to snap a couple of pics before my lack of sleep caught up with me and I called it a night. Turns out I missed Wil Wheaton and Nathan Fillion who attended the party. How do I know? He posted a picture on Twitter. That reminds me, local food trucks were parked on First and Island behind the South Park experience. I stopped by to collect to my free lunch and say hi. Hope you all had good sales. Thanks for offering an inexpensive, and FRESH alternative to the convention center food. Food truck powers, unite!

Comic-Con come I

2011-07-21T16:31:00.001-07:00

To say I've had a good week would be an understatement. Sunday night I took Monica to Noble Experiment for her birthday. This is the prohibition-style speakeasy we've been trying to get into for a year (how lame are we? Wait, don't answer that.). Fortune reared it's golden head several months ago when I met Sarah, who was starting her training at Jayne's Gastropub. Turns out her other gig is at NE. So, I asked, what is the secret to get into this place? I've been trying for months. She kindly gave me some tips. These came in handy when I was booking our reservation to celebrate Monica's birthday. After a very short Globe shift, we arrived at the Neighborhood with some time to kill and was sat at a table with four guys whiling away the evening after watching a Padres vs. Giants game just down the street. Steve, Elliot, Steve and Joey proved to be good dining companions. Steve, the Younger, was a bartender and he got real excited when we told him about our NE reservations. He assured us we were in for a treat and boy, was he right. If you haven't been, it's worth a visit. Best to make reservations a week in advance, for Wednesdays or Sundays, since they are the slowest days. Our drinks, both made with frothy egg whites were quite yummy. Before leaving, we spoke to the bartender about the egg whites and he gave us a demo how to mix the drinks: liquor in one half a shaker, crack and separate an egg (whites only) in the other half. Shake. Add block ice, and shake again. The egg whites whip up frothy and, over time, will float to the top of the drink, if it lasts that long.

The next day, I traded goodies with my manager Evonne. She got a bottle of wine for her birthday (yes, another birthday) and she gave me Hello Kitty pokeys to eat :) She knows I've been having a rough time as of late and just wanted to cheer me up, for which I am grateful. Tuesday night brought The Who's Tommy at the REP, for free. Fan-flippin'-tastic is that show. Whoa! Definitely a must see. There is nothing like hearing music live. Yesterday, as I was walking to my car from the store, I spied a brand new bottle of tequila someone had forgotten in his cart. It looked lonely, so I brought it home. The pièce de résistance of my bounty came later that afternoon when I checked my e-mail: I WON COMIC-CON TICKETS ! This year's Con has been an on-going saga for me that started last year when I had a brain fart and DIDN'T buy my tickets on-site when I had the chance, darn it. Couldn't buy them on-line due to technical difficulties. Was 11,457th on a waiting list once they were available. I entered to win tickets from KPRi radio when they sent me an e-mail weeks ago. I was even considering some petty larceny to obtain "a golden ticket." Well, let me tell you, I was dancing with glee and mirth when I read that e-mail. I had just enough time to change clothes, drive to the station to pick up tickets and make it to the Globe in time for work, which is exactly what I did. Thank You KPRi FM! You have been VERY good to me. Now I can continue my tradition of dressing up in "harajuku lite" and joining the crowds to hear interesting panels and see stars. And as if that weren't enough, I was timely on Twitter and won a free lunch from Chop Truck, aka the Pig Rig. I'll come collect my winning sammy when I'm downtown tomorrow. Look out Ugly Dolls, I'm a comin'!

Neo-Jerks Unite

2011-07-06T09:51:00.000-07:00

Once again, the corporate food mongers destroyed a good thing when soda became readily available to the masses. But, I say, fear not my friends. Real soda fountains are making a come back. With the upsurge in organic, farm-fresh, farmer's market products, it only makes sense that another (lime) segment of the food-and-beverage industry would hark back to the golden days. By olden days, golden days, I mean the teens of the 20th century. We all know the "big corporate sodas" and smaller guys like Jones Soda, but how many of us have enjoyed a real egg cream on a steamy summer afternoon, when waves of heat are rising from the concrete amid the stank of yet-to-be-picked-up garbage that awaits on the sidewalk? A perfectly made chocolate egg cream is the antidote to the heat rash crawling up your backside. I had my first egg cream, not in summer, but in a January, during a mild winter, while visiting my future-ex-boyfriend in NYC. He said I haven't really experienced New York 'til I'd had a chocolate egg cream (which, by the way, has neither egg nor cream). He was right.

If chocolate isn't your first choice (I can't believe I just typed those words), how 'bout a lime rickey? Or, a cherry Coke? I have many fond memories of stopping off at Mr. Frostie's in PB, on the way home from junior high with my buddies. Sometimes I would have a soft-serve ice cream, vanilla and chocolate swirled of course. Other times, I'd be in the mood for a real cherry Coke, mixed to order. For a change of pace, I'd order a lime rickey. The sweet syrup, bite of soda and backdrop of lime are sublime. Walking down memory lane is thirsty business. I'll take a lime rickey, with a shot of vodka. Chin-chin!

Asian Persuasion

2011-06-30T08:18:00.000-07:00

Last week, my friends at TabeBBQ helped introduce me to, yet, another food truck: Asian Persuasion (@asianfoodtruck) who boasts fish tacos, sliders and the like with a decidedly Asian twist. I had the pork sliders; VERY YUMMY. I really liked the shredded daikon and cilantro. The fried wontons gave me the crunch I crave. Owner Jessica runs the truck while her dad mans the grill. They are good peeps and you should check 'em out! I hear the fish tacos are the bomb.

I am Your Whipping Girl

2011-06-12T08:39:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, I work part-time in retail sales for a national women's wear company. Nothing too exciting on the day-to-day except for my shift this past Friday, and when I say exciting, I don't mean that in a good way. Our company, who shall remain nameless, like most companies would like its clients to get the company credit card to generate even more revenue. Well, on this particular day, our client "Mary" came back with her passport to apply for the store card and get her 15% off sign-up discount. Since she was applying through a passport, we had to call it into the credit company and speak to a manager. I was doing my part by keeping up the light patter while inputting Mary's information into the system. She had a local address and phone number and I was awaiting approval from the other end of the telephone. Once I got a manager on the line and explained the situation, she asked from what country was Mary's passport. Iran, I said. The manager told me we were not accepting credit applications from that country. I was stunned. Stunned and embarrassed. Here was our client standing in front of me, who took the time to retrieve her passport and return to the store only to be told, no, we will NOT extend credit to you because you hold an Iranian passport. What the hell!?! I hung up the phone and had to break the news to our client. I said I was sorry, but we couldn't open a card at this time. She asked why and I didn't know what to say except that they said no. Wait a beat. She asked if it was because she was from Iran? I nodded. I said I was so sorry and so embarrassed. I turned to my manager-on-duty and asked if we could give Mary some kind of discount for her trouble? This is a lady who spent over $450 earlier and just wanted to shave off a couple of bucks. Nothing wrong with that, right? She told me she had opened up cards at other stores and had no problems. She took things in stride. I helped her later on on the floor with a blouse, which she bought, along with some perfume. She didn't have to give us anymore business, but that's what she chose to do. Who had the better character in this situation, I ask you. I went to the back room to inform the other manager-on-duty of the whole situation. She was outraged and said she would e-mail the district manager on what went down. Did I mention my store manager happened to be out of town this weekend? Of course.

The next day was my friend Monica's son's graduation party. Sam will be graduating high school this week. Yay! I said I could show up a couple of hours early to help set up. Among the duties I performed, I helped wipe down chairs, arranged cheese and crackers on a platter and, to top Monica's cupcakes, made whipped cream for the FIRST TIME EVER! It reminded me of the time I learned how to "fly in" set pieces, at the Rep, during a preview. Not a rehearsal, during the ACTUAL SHOW. Or, how about the time, at Sixth & Penn, when the lighting designer finished giving me all the cues minutes before the first preview and I had to "wing it" during the show? Nothing like learning on the fly? Being thrown in the deep end? Anywhoo, the whip cream was a snap, to say the least. I added so little sugar that the cream tasted more sour than sweet, which, I guess was okay, since it would balance the sweetness of the cupcakes. To make the whipped cream, I added a little sugar to the heavy cream and stood there with a hand mixer for several minutes while the cream whipped. Another skill to add to my arsenal. Yee haw!

Mini Truck Up Tuesday

2011-06-08T08:37:00.000-07:00

Every Tuesday is Taco Tuesday in San Diego, but Tabe BBQ (@TabeBBQ) has a different "spin" on the whole thing. Last year they started having a DJ spin while enjoying tacos and playing ping pong. This year, it's a different DJ (@djkanoya) and "special guest starring" food trucks. Last night's line-up was Super Q (@SuperQFoodTruck), India on Wheels (@IndiaOnWheelsSD) and SD Sweet Treats (@SDSweetTreats) joining the Tabe wagon. My friend Charlie came along for the ride. I was looking forward to trying the Indian food and was . . . a little disappointed. I found the chicken masala delicious, but a little overpriced and the staff disorganized. Maybe taking names with the orders to keep them straight? Just a thought. I'm sure mine and Charlie's were mixed up. Maybe the staff was having an off night. I'll give 'em another try of course. On the plus side, the sweet potato fries from Super Q were awesome and the DJ rocked! Thanks Tabe BBQ for hosting. Looking forward to more Tuesday trucks and tunes for the summer :)

From Cats to (hot) Dogs

2011-05-31T11:55:00.000-07:00

This past Friday was THE PERFECT DAY from top to bottom :) I spent the afternoon in Balboa Park with my friend Jen B. We hit a couple of museums and then lunch at The Prado. Stopped into the Museum of Man and The Mingei had an exhibit of Japanese beckoning cats. In the evening, food trucks were beckoning at Mission Brewery. Little did I know, this event was a canine fundraising thingy. There were dogs and people everywhere. And, it was so loud. I near lost my voice trying to overcome the noise bouncing off the walls, ceiling and beer brewing equipment. The evening ended with a viewing of Woody Allen's new movie, Midnight in Paris. It was very charming and I totally dug the 1920's costumes.

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So, I'm reading the NYTimes on-line this morning, and there's this article about Gray's Papaya opening in LA. What?!? An outlet on the Left Coast? I forwarded the article to a NY buddy in town and he suggested a taste-testing: Pink's vs. Papayas. Which dog will be the top dog? I've got two words for that: road trip.

Food, food trucks everywhere I turn

2011-05-21T10:12:00.000-07:00

I was in the UTC area Thursday late morning, just in time to see the Food Farm truck roll by. Perfect! Stopped to have a bite and made the acquaintance of the owners, Chef Kari Rich and her husband Dave. Very nice people. Dave shared his fries with me. Try the food. You won't be disappointed :) I had the sliders with blue cheese. Yum! Will have to order my own parmesan fries next time.

If you haven't already heard, there are mucho food trucks invading San Diego this weekend from LA. Different locations of Boomers will be hosting them with our SD food trucks. Caught up with them last night on my way home from work. I did strike up a conversation with a couple behind me, while we were waiting to get in. I was impressed. They came with a plan. They had looked up the trucks and figured out what they wanted to try. They were gonna get in, get out, Godowvski. I said, I was just gonna wing it. I found the truck with the shortest line and jumped right in! Tried fried raviloi from the Vesuvio truck from LA. Very yummy. Just missed the rice balls (they ran out). Said hi to Matt at Tabe BBQ and then hit the Food Junkies for Winner, winner, chicken dinner (chicken on a biscuit). This is definitely my tribe! The downside: I had to wait in a long line to pay to get in, and then wait in more lines for food. Since I arrived later, most of the entrees were sold out :( Always best to show up early. I did arrive at a strategy: buy food from one truck, and then eat it, while waiting in line for another truck. Happy Eating!

Mama needs a new pair of sneakers!

2011-05-11T14:34:00.000-07:00

In the final installment of Golden Gate Tour 2011, we find our heroine slumped on the bathroom floor, trying to decide if her nausea is from food poisoning or some other cause. Earlier that day, there was a trip to Japantown and the New People store for some J-pop magic. I gotta say, a little disappointing. The store was much smaller than I expected. The gallery was closed, so we couldn't see any art (they were changing exhibits), but the 2nd floor proved to be a boon pour moi. I picked up some COOL tabi-like tennies on sale at Sou Sou. Had to buy special socks to wear with my jika-tabi. These sneaks are based on the traditional tabi socks, where the first toe is separated to wear with flip-flops. This is a prime example of trickle-up-from-the-streets fashion since these lowly shoes were originally worn by working class peeps. Boy, did my mom have a good laugh when I brought them home. She was just seeing these exact shoes on NHK in Japan. Apparently, they are the "in" thing right now, right now appearing in her living room. They feel kinda weird since the big toe has seceded from the union, but I guess I'll get used to them.

I checked out the Hayes Valley neighborhood, ducking into a couple of (overpriced) boutiques and enjoyed some Blue Bottle Coffee, finally. The printmaking workshop and gallery I was looking for was no longer there, a victim of "old internet info." I hung out, read and drank some hard cider, while I waited for my dinner reservations. (Note: the cider MAY have contributed to my later stomach flip-flops. Yes, I am that much of a light weight, and yes, I drank the entire pint, which my close friends will find very funny.) I don't want to say where I dined, because I don't want to blame them. Dinner tasted good. The homemade pretzels are a favorite by the bar crowd I'm told. Dinner consisted of crisp pork belly and a pork loin. Did feel ill later, like 1 am or something? Yes, but it was short lived and I did manage to get some sleep. The ultimate cause? Who knows! The point was, I didn't let it ruin my trip.

For my last day, I spent some time walking around Lake Merced. I didn't even know this place existed. It was a hot day by San Fran standards and most people were in shorts and short sleeves. Walking around the lake was calming and a fitting end to my stay. A special thanks to my hosts who wish to remain anonymous. Don't worry. I KNOW where you live. Cheers!

Act 2 of Golden Gate Tour

2011-05-06T10:29:00.000-07:00

To show appreciation to my hosts, I took all of us out to lunch for dim sum. Yank Sing was recommended to me by a chef friend (thanks Chef Todd) and proved to be VERY good. The dumpling lady hit us up first and the table was full in the blink of an eye. We did get some walnut shrimp which turned out to be one of my favorite dishes. We had a sesame seed incrusted pastry with some kind of the paste inside for one of our desserts. Also, very yummy and very familiar. When people talk about comfort food, mashed potatoes and gravy, meatloaf or fried chicken may be mentioned. My comfort foods include these sesame sweet paste desserts. Afterwards, we walked over to the ferry building to check out the markets. Lunchtime was drawing to a close as the street vendors began breaking down their operations. Inside, it was still lively. We picked up some sweet Italian sausage for dinner, along with a loaf of bread from the aforementioned Acme Bread Co. and a couple of sandwiches to share. The baby was having a melt down telling us it was time to go.

While my hosts drove home to put baby down for a nap, I continued on to the Cartoon Art Museum. They were featuring work by Berkeley Breathed of Bloom County fame. Remember Opus the penguin? I used to have a couple of stuffed Opuses, Opi (?) whatever the plural of Opus is, to go along with the Bloom County books I was collecting at the time. It's so great to see the original inked art. Sometimes there was white-out or a cut-out or an overlay on the bristol board. Next, I found my way to Ghiradelli Square to pick up some chocolates to bring home. Once again, I boarded the BART to my temporary abode to get ready for one last excursion the next day.

Golden Gate Tour 2011

2011-05-02T09:33:00.000-07:00

Spent several days in San Francisco last week visiting friends and restaurants. Was doing well until day 4 when I had, what I think, was a touch of food poisoning?? More on that later. Wednesday I took the train to Berkeley to visit Cafe Fanny. This is a very casual, very small breakfast-and-lunch place by Alice Waters. Had some yummy crepes with fresh fruit. As I was enjoying my breakfast and coffee, I watched people go next door and come out with loaves, and I mean LOAVES of bread. Little did I know, the space next door was occupied by The Acme Bread Company. I couldn't resist peeking in and asking Marie behind the counter if I could take a couple of pictures. She said fine, as long as she wasn't in them. Then she proceeded to tell me that once a year, a tour group from Japan stops by and takes pictures. She said it's weird to see pictures of yourself from 15 years ago. Gotta do my part for the Nippon pix, right? (What's the Japanese equivalent of Viva la Raza?) I thanked her and went on my way. Once I made it back to Berkeley central, I stopped at Amoeba Records and picked up some used cds. Remember "Supernatual, Superserious" by R.E.M.? Well, I own that puppy now! After a very cheap lunch, and a look-see through a book store, I headed back to the city.

I was early for my wine tasting, so I hung at Caffe Trieste for an hour. This is the cafe that invented the caffe latte (?), or so I'm told. I visited here on my last trip and had their famed espresso. This time, a cappuccino did me fine. When I walked the half-a-block to the restaurant, there was, in fact, no wine tasting that evening, or any other evening in the past eight months. Gotta love old info on the net. Oh, well. I had reservations for Michael Mina that night, so it was no skin off my nose, if ya' know what I mean. A wrong-bus-ride & longer-walk later, I darkened the door of Michael Mina in the financial district. And, I was a half-hour early for my reservation, but they sat me down anyway. Talk about service! This place was cream-of-the-crop! I never felt so taken care of and looked after. Since I was dining solo, they gave me his cookbook to peruse while I waited for my various courses. There is some darn good food styling and photography in this book. Wow! Talk about eating with your eyes. Oh, yeah, and recipes too. Dinner and dessert was awesome. I took the BART to my friend's house to dream of my next meal.

Nantucket Bay Scallops three ways: citrus, avocado, black garlic

McFarland Springs Trout three ways: fava beans, marble potato confit, pancetta.

My favorite was the crispy skin up.

I went for the ENTIRE dessert course.

The pastry chef also did the illustrations on the dessert menu.

Wafers: jasmine, brown sugar. The one that looks like a sail is grapefruit covered in white chocolate. Below is the Citrus blossom: mandarine, fiore de Sicilia, kumquat.

Like smores. Campfire marshmallows: devil's food, cocoa nib, smoked sugar.

Briquette: coffee, cardamom (left) and Lozenge: milk chocolate, honey.

My apologies for the dark photos. I was trying to be discreet and not use a flash.

Where have you eaten lately?

2011-04-25T16:44:00.000-07:00

Truck Up at 57 Degrees with Charlie and Lee

Heaven Scent desserts (post Truck Up)

(Bobby Flay likes) PB & Banana french toast at Cafe 222

Cafe 222 hash

Vietnamese pulled pork sliders with plantains at Street

Braised beef tacos

Dumplings

Outside Street in LA

Thanks Monica!

I am posting this on the eve of my trip to San Francisco where, no doubt, I will do more eating. It's a wonder I'm not 300 lbs. And, still single ( hint, hint :) ). The last time I was in SF was March of last year. This time, I'll be staying with friends; my goal is to remain friends after this trip too. When I saw them last, they were pregnant, so now I will make the acquaintance of The Baby. Looking forward to visiting the J-pop cultural center aka New People with said hosts and take a walk on the Harajuku side! Stay tuned for more food and fashion pix from the city by the bay.

Drinks, Dinner and Dessert, with a side of Art

2011-04-12T11:39:00.001-07:00

Since I work on the weekends, I usually go out during the week; however, this past Saturday was an exception. My friend Stephanie suggested going to Ray at Night, where the galleries on Ray Street in North Park open up and invite you in. There's live music and people milling around. I said, OK, but we have to stop at The Office for a drink and dinner from whichever food truck is out back. I made the acquaintance of a new food truck, Two for the Road (@twofortheroadsd on Twitter) that features classic American comfort food with a twist. My pescatarian friend had a lobster roll and we shared parmesan fries. Very yummy! Since this wasn't enough to soak up the booze in my Black Monday, I headed out back once again and got the Philly cheese steak pictured above. Wonderful. Would order it again in an artery-clogging heartbeat. Now that our stomaches were full, we walked the short block-and-a-half to Ray Street to feed the eyes. The art was okay and some, overpriced (that of a particular artist who shall remain nameless). At the end of the block was dessert, in the form of cupcakes, from the Corner Cupcakes truck (@CornerCupcakes). Lovely ladies and delish desserts. This time I picked up a strawberry cupcake paired with chocolate frosting that I took home to enjoy later. We continued to the galleries on the other side of the street and Stephanie got to visit with a friend at Kava Lounge. We'd had enough and decided to call it a night.

This past week the Reader did an article covering (some) food trucks in town. One of the patrons mentioned the food truck movement leveling out and I have to agree. This makes me think, what is the next trend in food? I can think of two: eating locally/farmer's markets and better nutrition in public schools. The eating locally thing is not necessarily new, but it is on an upswing. I see more and more restaurants talking up the fact that they buy local and in season. Ritual Tavern has been doing this for years. When I had lunch at JSix downtown, my server was happy to tell me they grind their own meat, bake bread and grow their own herbs on the rooftop. It doesn't get more local than 300 feet away! For us at home, we can buy produce at local farmer's markets. Again, something that's gone on FOREVER. When I was in Italy, there was a weekly farmer's market a short walk from the apartment. Everything was fresh and I had to learn to say "half a kilo" really fast or else I'd end up with blood oranges to last a lifetime. If I knew then what I know now, my time in Florence would have been very different. I wasn't into food as much as I am now, but even so, I could taste the difference in what I was eating. Everything else was expensive, but the produce was cheap. Cheap and good! How could this be? Maybe everything tastes better when you're in Italy.

Back on these shores, people like Alice Waters and Jamie Oliver have talking about poor food choices for quite awhile. Just look around. Childhood obesity is on the rise. I remember when I was teaching, I couldn't believe what kids were eating for lunch. Some ate pizza everyday! That's like winning the lunch lotto for the elementary-school set, but really? It seems like every week I'm reading another article about how concerned parents are counteracting bad food choices and working with local stores to give the kids options. Organizations like Slow Food Urban San Diego and Health Works exist locally to work for better choices and teach children where the food originates. It doesn't hurt that the President signed into law the Healthy, Hunger-free Kids Act, aka child nutrition bill, back in December. So now, everybody's jumping on the bandwagon, including the mayor and his wife, who is organizing a group promoting better nutrition in schools. I only know this because a chef friend of mine has been invited to join, otherwise I never would have heard. I'm hoping for the best and keeping my fingers crossed.

Coffee and Bacon

2011-03-25T17:12:00.001-07:00

Last Tuesday, as a friend and I were having lunch at Blueprint Cafe, our server said if we were free, we should motor on down the road to Cafe Moto. They were having an open house. This suited us fine, so we did. Torani, the Italian syrup people out of San Francisco, was introducing some products that we got to sample: flavored iced teas, smoothies and energy drinks. Very yummy. If you've ever had an Italian soda or asked for a pump of syrup in your caffe latte, then you know Torani. Oh yeah, there was coffee too. I walked away with a pound of organic, whole bean . . . something. It was so much fun, friends were called to come join in and they did. Chop Truck aka the Pig Rig, was on hand to feed the hoards (except us since we were SO FULL from lunch) and I got to meet Chef Deborah Scott. What a lovely lady! At a recent trip to Bev'Mo, another syrup flavor was spied at the cash wrap: bacon! The king would approve. Thank you, thank you very much.

Third Time's the Charm

2011-03-13T20:39:00.000-07:00

So I came home from a short shift at the theatre, buying popcorn at the store on the way home, because I had a craving. I'm eating my popcorn, watching TV when it occurs to me that today is March 13th or 3-13. I spent $3.13 at the store buying a pound of popcorn, five tangelos and a head of cabbage. In grocery parlance, this would be three items. Hey, wait a second. I bought lunch at the drive-thru earlier and counted out exact change. That came out to $3.13 too! OMG! This is my third post of the month. You know what that means? It's time to buy lotto tickets.

How to Hug Smoke

2011-03-08T14:13:00.000-08:00

Today's horoscope reads:

There is a lot of humor and laughter entering your life right now, and it will keep you feeling mellow, content and laid-back. This is a very good thing, since a lot of facts about your future are in a fog right now. The inability to see what's next should be looked at as a good thing, not a bad thing -- think of your upcoming days as a series of surprises. There's no doubt that you will have the right attitude about the uncertainties you need to deal with now.

This sounds like some Universal reply to my quandary from the other day. I do feel like I'm turning a corner. Shout out to Julie who swooped in with some happy ideas and good vibes! Must be in the air today. As I was eating my beignets with coffee (Happy Mardi Gras y'all! Shout out to Cafe Chloe in downtown SD), I was reading an interview with the actress Diane Lane. When asked when she will do another project, she said she doesn't know. "I'm addicted to the gamble of not knowing what I'm doing next." I need to take a page out of her book. Thanks Diane! That's just what I needed to hear. This reminds me of the Italian word sfumato which loosely translates to hugging smoke. How does one do that? It's accepting, entering, being open to the unknown. As a planner, I am MOST uncomfortable with this state. What's my next project? Hell if I know; just keep moving forward, and eating well.

How to Stop Sucking

2011-03-05T14:52:00.000-08:00

I am, in a word, stuck. STUCK. Being stuck sucks. I have ideas for little projects and big, but no momentum to fulfill these visions. The mere fact I am writing this post is my feeble attempt to un-stick myself from my malaise. What the hell happened? I was doing great and then slowly ground to a halt. I let life get in the way. I am unsure what move to make next and, therefore, choose to do the same things I've been doing for years. I was recently given the advice to create great goals, big, BIG goals to reach for and strive for, and that this would help me get un-stuck. I have ideas -- a series of paintings -- a line of clothes -- utilitarian objects -- and I like to think things through. Let the ideas germinate and solutions percolate to the surface. And yet, I remain, doing nothing. Well, not exactly nothing; more like keeping busy and distracted. Maybe I'm afraid of making a wrong move. But, making no move is death itself. Hmmmm. More abstractions to ponder. Thanks for listening.

What is the Valentine's Day equivalent to "Bah, humbug?"

2011-02-14T09:37:00.001-08:00

Since my last post, I caught a cold; the Universe, by way of the massive snow storm in the middle of the country that belayed my friend's mom's flight and, therefore, couldn't make her spa day, bestowed upon me a free full-body massage and pedicure; and have recovered from said cold.

What does St. Valentine's Day, St. Xocolat's Day and White Day have in common? (This sounds like the beginning of a bad joke.) Presents are exchanged, chocolate is gorged and unrequited love rules the day. We all remember in elementary school, decorating the paper bags with doily hearts and glitter to hang on the back of our chairs. Once the big day arrives, we walk around the room dropping in the classroom-sized valentines we painstakingly prepared the night before, making sure the candy is still attached to our little missives. Ah, youth! I carry on this practice today with my co-workers, who love it. It reminds them of a simpler time, before mortgages, car payments and 401Ks. Nothing says love like a Batman valentine with chocolate.

I got culture shock the first time I read about St. Xocolat's Day. Saint WhOOooo's day?? At the time, I was subscribing to a shojo manga mag and my favorite Japanese comic was Vampire Knight It is a story of a private school with a "day class" population of humans and a "night class" population of the undead. Pretty cool, right? Love it! I had the opportunity to meet the creator Matsuri Hino at Comic-Com several years ago and got her autograph. In the manga, the girls lined up outside the Moon Dorm to give chocolates to the pretty (and HOT) vamp boys on St. Xocolatl's day. During an interview, Hino explains the need for the made up holiday: xocolatl is Aztec for "chocolate."

Another culture-shock-moment came when I was reading a chick-lit book about a female Japanese-American manga artist who gets an internship at a real Japanese manga studio for a year. When Valentine's Day rolls around, all the women gave the men chocolates. She asked her co-workers what was going on? They explained on White Day, about a month away, the tables will be turned, and the guys give the gals chocolates. What happened to ladies first? Or, is that a Western world view thang?? Oh, well. I am American and can't do nothin' about it. So, grab your sweetie, or yourself, and show some love. Happy V-day!

Night of the Dwarf

2011-01-29T10:49:00.001-08:00

The picture is a follow up to last week's post. Here's me and Tiffany at the Old 97's concert. KPRI posted it on their website.

Act I: I had quite the adventure Tuesday night. You ever have one of those days that's kinda "hit and miss?" Well, that night was miss and miss, and miss again. My poor friend Charlie was along for the ride. I picked him up around 7:30pm. The plan was to go to a staged reading of Rob Novak's new play and then maybe a nosh later. We arrived at the space, only to find no cars, no Rob and no reading. Hmmm. Maybe I had the wrong theatre. Maybe it was at the Cygnet space instead. I called my friend Stephanie, who was working at the Old Globe that night, and left a message, hoping she could clear this up. The notice was still posted on the boards and maybe she could look up the address for us. No problem, I told Charlie. We've still got a half hour before the reading starts. I'll get us there in time. As I pull into Old Town, my cell goes off. Stephanie is returning my call. She had to finish with the intermission crowd before calling me back. Well, it turns out I had the time and place right, but the date wrong. The reading was last week. (Insert laugh track here.) This is not the first time I've been mistaken on dates, as my friends can tell you. I am consistently two days off (read: 2 days late) on their birthdays. Hey, at least I'm consistent. On to Plan B.

Act II: Let's catch a movie. It's Tuesday night. There's some bargain flicks at Hazard Center so we head over there, just in time to see ALL of the movies for that night have already started . . . an hour ago. It's only 8:30pm. There are no late movies ?!? Strike two! Charlie saw a Starbucks in the center and suggests we reconnoiter and hatch Plan C. We pick up some City Beats to peruse over coffee and discuss how bizarre the night is going so far. I said it feels like I'm in a David Lynch movie and ask, where is the dwarf? Thus, the evening was dubbed "Where is the Dwarf Night." While reading the paper, I see many other events we had missed this evening. Charlie suggests a walk around La Jolla. I said if we're heading north, let's stop at La Jolla Village and check out the movie times. This became Plan C.

Act III: The Oscar noms had come out earlier that day, so we were primed to see a flick. La Jolla Village proved to have later showings and we bought tix for The Black Swan. Talk about David Lynch. We had no idea what we were in for; we felt beat up and spit out as we staggered out of the theater. Now it's midnight. Time for a snack.

(There will be one 15-minute intermission in tonight's production.)

Happy Ears in the New Year

2011-01-21T11:11:00.000-08:00

I went to a frequent listener concert this past Tuesday. Did I mention it was for FREE!?! Thank you KPRI! You rock, in more ways than one. My AT coworker, Jen B., has a friend who recommended this band to her and she told me and so, when I got the e-mail invite, you betcha I RSVPed and pronto. The Old 97's, who have been around over 13 years, rocked the Abbey to a packed house. Tiffany & I stood in the back of the house, which turned out great 'cause we could move to the tunes. Not knowing any of their songs, I wanted to experience it fresh and just let the music to wash over me. I was not disappointed. Shout out to Chris Cantore --nice to meet you in person. 2011 = more art :)

Sins this week include . . .

2011-01-18T12:39:00.000-08:00

gluttony, drinking, spending too much money. . . wait, this is a rerun of last week. Oops! Instead, let's concentrate on NEW or newer things I've done since the last post. Yesterday I went to a different restaurant for brunch in downtown. Would highly recommend Zanzibar Cafe on G street at 7th. Yummy farmer's scramble. A few days ago, I did something I haven't done in months -- go to the beach, in January no less (take THAT east coasters, midwesterners and anywhere else that's buried in snow). I took off my shoes and walked on the hard sand, picking up seashells as I went. I happened to drive thru PB on my way out of La Jolla where I breakfasted at The Cottage, another place I haven't been to since I-don't-remember-when. I've been hitting some art shows and food trucks, almost simultaneously. Two shows in two weeks. Not bad. Hung out with Tiffany one night. We tried to go to a lecture, but it was full, so we had dinner followed by swing dancing. That was different. I can thank A Time To Dance for offering Groupons for dance lessons. Will take you up on that offer next month. I've always wanted to learn salsa. Now I have no excuse. Now, where did I put those dance shoes?

Cutting Away Excess

2011-01-07T09:19:00.001-08:00

My cousin Kat called me the other day. She went to some fundraiser and won a raffle item: a gift certificate for a hair cut. Her stylist would KILL her if she went elsewhere, so Kat offered the gift to me. We had an enjoyable coffee-that-turned-into-lunch meeting and talked about numerous things. Lots for me to consider. Since it's a new year and I'm open to try new things, the hair was the first to go! Kat suggested "an edgy cut" since I'm in the arts and fashion, so that's what I told the stylist and this is what I got: a VERY short in back and longer in front bob. Still getting used to it.

Regarding my new year's resolution, I've decided to commit at least one sin a week. I thought about one sin per day, but I don't want to be an overachiever. As my friend Richard says, I've got to lower the bar. When I say sin, I'm not talking about the Catholic version (which wouldn't apply to my Buddhist self anyway), but rather little things I can do in my life to have fun. So far this week, I've had a drink, spent money in excess and gambled, all in one night. The restaurant my friend and I first went to was booked for the evening. It was my mistake not to have made a reservation. Oh well. There was another restaurant I wanted to try anyway. The gambling part came in the form of Bacon Bingo. What is Bacon Bingo you ask? A local eatery that makes it's own sausages and bacon, was having a bingo game where, instead of spelling out bingo to win, you spell out bacon. How great is that? And, of course, the prize was one pound of bacon! I was doing so well in the first game. I had three lines on my card that were one number away from winning, then the b*tch at the next table shouted bingo and shattered my little piggy dreams. The evening spiraled down from there: the second game went worse than the first, we waited too long for our last dishes, and when the bill came to the table, was not happy paying $60 for tapas and beer. Wasn't worth it. Tried to sooth my temper with bourbon bread pudding, which took the edge off, but I was still pissed. Better luck next time.

New Year, New Post

2011-01-01T07:49:00.000-08:00

I'm a party pooper. Not the way I wanted to start out the new year. On the upside, I did get a solid night's sleep, so it's not all bad. The night before last night, my friend in Chula Vista held his regular "Boho Night" with lots o' food and drink. I left early since I had an early morning shift the next day. Unfortunately, I hardly got ANY sleep. Went to work, came home and was a slug the rest of the day. By the time it came to get ready to go out, I was ready for bed, sent my apologies to the party hostess and gave in to the Zzzzzs. I was not alone in this choice. I had several close friends who also stayed in. It doesn't matter since I'm going out tonight -- dinner with a friend and a late-night fashion show :)

The end of the year (and a slow work life) gives me time to pause and reflect. My new year's resolution for 2010 was to be more social. Little did I know upping my social network also upped my alcohol consumption. I can say with confidence that I drank more last year than the previous 20 years combined. While it sounds like I'm a lush (I can give it up anytime), my close friends know I'm still a light-weight in the drinking ring. Most times, I'm giving away half of my single night's drink to my compadres.

I haven't yet decided on my resolution for 2011 (boy, that felt funny typing 2011). If I give up, or at least reduce, my TV watching, I would get SO MUCH more done. We have expanded cable with the premium TV Japan channel, recommended daily allowance for all Japanese octogenarians. I have developed the unfortunate habit of setting my TV's timer function to lull me to sleep. It keeps my mind occupied and let's me relax. Maybe I could eat more healthy? Nah, that's no fun. Maybe I could cook at home more and eat out less? Put that on the list. What else? Pay down my debt? That's on-going and I'm mostly on track. Focus on my career? That is, focus on a career. Maybe trim down my three jobs into one. Exercise more? That's why gym memberships peak in January. People realize just how much crap they ate over the holiday season which, for some, started on Halloween and continued thru last night. More reflection is needed here. In the mean time, I'll enjoy my dinner out, raise my margarita glass and toast to the sleepless night ahead. Happy New Year!

Rain, rain, go away

2010-11-22T07:49:00.000-08:00

Oh, it did! I woke up to a COLD, clear morning. Thank goodness. I don't do well in deluges and neither do other drivers, as evidenced by the CHP shutting down northbound 805 at the 8 Saturday night. Luckily, I was driving home on the other side of the freeway after having a snack with some co-workers.

The topic of conversation? Boys, or course. Along this topic, I've noticed a trend with some other conversations: to have (boys) or have not. What I mean is single women having sex like men (think Samantha in Sex and the City), choosing not to get married, getting pregnant & raising children alone. I said to my friends, you're too young to be so jaded. Granted, I've never been married and I'm not a mom. I didn't become that jaded 'til I was on the slow, somewhat painful downward slope to 40. (These girls are significantly younger.) Now, I'm trying to be positive on my outlook. Hopeless romantic, you say? Maybe. All I know is we owe gratitude to the bold women who went before us, from the suffragettes, like my friend Julie's ancestor, to the sexual revolution in the 20's, 60's, and so on, that allows my friends to have "socially acceptable" attitudes towards their bodies and lives.

Changing topics completely, and following up on my last post, you're probably wondering why I have a picture of Tim Gunn above. Because he sent it too me! That's why. I read his new book, Gunn's Golden Rules, and since I was traveling to NYC anyway where he's based, I wrote a letter inviting Tim to coffee. I didn't expect a reply, or at the very least, a polite declination. What I got instead was a signed pic. How great is that? Thank you Tim Gunn. You rock!

BTW - Comic-Con tix went on sale this morning. Since I forgot (gasp) to buy them last year while I was there, I will fight the web, and other geeks, to purchase tix. Wish me luck.

Two Weeks in Two Cities

2010-11-19T12:06:00.000-08:00

I wanted to name this entry A Tale of Two Cities, but I heard that was taken. I've taken two trips recently: what's becoming my annual pilgrimage to NYC and my second trip to Santa B. NYC was awesome, as always, although I have to confess, this was the LEAST restful vacation I've ever taken. One week is just not enough. I couldn't see all the people I wanted or eat all the food. My goal on this trip was to eat from food trucks. Food trucks: 0, Obstacles to goal: countless. Oh well. There were plenty of good times to be had. Shout out to Michelle and Jeff, and their dog Jasper, who were my hosts this time around. We had a great dinner at Cafe con Leche on Amsterdam in the low 80's. Yum, yum. As Michelle said, I had to travel 3,000 miles to drink out of a pineapple. I did, however, met the musical director for Emma which is coming to the Old Globe next month. Talk about small world. Also had stupendous Moroccan food at St. Mark's Place and Ave. A. Jamie, Justin & I couldn't get enough of it. Good value too! We got there right before the dinner crowd. The place got packed. I spent my last precious hours at the Guggenheim visiting Kandinsky, one of my favs.

Back on the Left Coast, I finally took up Ramon's offer to see him in Santa Barbara and hang wit' the symphony folk. My thanks to him, his sponsor and Lisa of the SB Symphony for taking such good care of me during my trip. I attended several functions including VIP, new subscribers and adult outreach programs, like the one at Maravilla pictured above with Ramon at the ivories. It was nice to be on THIS side of the bar rather than doing the serving. And, I got to wear my nice evening clothes to boot. I was introduced to the soloist Sergio Tiempo who was such a delight and nailed Tchaikovsky's piano concerto no. 1. The first half of the evening was Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade. In one week, I had two separate references to this piece, including an episode of Leverage. So, when it came time to choose a program to see, Scheherazade leapt off the page at me. I was not disappointed. I also made a killing with the YSL heels right in my size, when I shopped thrift stores on the main drag. Talk about putting your best foot forward.

Will the real Anna Sui please stand up?

2010-11-01T08:48:00.001-07:00

I met my friend Tina yesterday for brunch at Balthazar. When we were seated, I noticed a woman at the table near us, that I would swear, was the fashion designer Anna Sui (lower right corner). This is an UNconfirmed sighting so please, be mindful. Since she is one of my top favs, I was more than tickled to be in the same restaurant. Of course, I was pleased to see my bud Tina. We had a great brunch and a brisk walk to Magnolia's for cupcakes afterward. We crossed the parade route as they were setting up. I've never seen so many police people in one place at the same time, ever!

Jason Wu in Fashion Valley

2010-10-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

Jason Wu stopped by the Fashion Valley Nordstrom yesterday afternoon for a trunk show highlighting his Resort and Spring/Summer 2011 lines. He was gracious enough to speak with us fashion students from Mesa College. While he has been designing all his life, professionally it's been 4-5 years. He's both self taught and has taken classes; he started college as a fine art major. His advice for new designers is to take any opportunity to travel, read books (he buys 5 books a week), and go to museum shows. This is his first trip to San Diego and he admitted he didn't drive. Guess that's not important when one is based in NYC. Thanks to Susan Cox, our photostyling teacher, for letting us make this side trip on the way to class.

Big Apple on the Brain

2010-10-19T16:21:00.000-07:00

I'm traveling to New York City next week. Can't wait! My friend Stephanie and I will be there over Halloween and we are both looking forward to the parade. Always a sight to see. My trip last year coincided with restaurant week and I proceeded to eat my way around Manhattan. This year, I'm thinking about following food trucks. Everybody needs a hobby, right? Of course there's the museums, theatres, and many other cultural outlets. I'll be dining out with friends and shopping. ALWAYS shopping. For those of you who know me well, you can tell I need a break because I've been so gosh darn cranky as of late. Nothing can banish the crankiness faster than a trip out o' town. I promise to be on my best behavior and will return home refreshed, if it kills me!

Likin' the Fake Fur and more

2010-10-09T10:49:00.001-07:00

Fake fur.

Faux fur.

Fun fur.

Whatever you want to call it, I LIKE IT! And, so does my very satisfied client Jen B. who just bought one of my new faux fur vests. Now we're just waiting for cooler weather so she can sport her new threads. I've completed another vest, am almost done with the pattern for a third and have an idea for a fourth. Who knew I would like outerwear so much? When I attended Global Tex in LA last week, I saw current fall/winter trends that are predicted to continue through fall/winter 2011/12. These included fur trends with longer furs, bright colors and sleeveless outerwear pieces that have a '70s vibe.

Our fashion photostyling class had our first photo shoot a few days ago. I thought it went well. Our model was a joy to work with, even though she was a tinsy bit late. The other students' set-ups were so imaginative, I can't wait to see the pix.

Us lucky people in SD will get a chance to greet designer Jason Wu when he stops by later this month to present his spring/summer 2011 collection. He'll be at Nordstrom Fashion Valley on the 21st from 2 to 4 pm. Whoo-whoo Wu!

Another Baby Blogger

2010-06-27T16:38:00.000-07:00

Shout out to my gal Monica and her new blog: The Long Road to Trophy Wife. Made me laugh more than once. Great start! Keep up the good work, watch your step and take it from the top . . . and 5, 6, 7, 8. . .

First Timesies

2010-06-26T10:47:00.001-07:00

I watched Nurse Betty for the first time today. It was one of those movies that I wanted to see when it first came out, but for some reason, didn't. I've probably borrowed this dvd from the library before and still hadn't watched it. Little did I realize it was directed by Neil LaBute. I only know him as a playwright. My friend Charlie took me to a community theatre production of Fat Pig. It was pretty good. Of course, I've seen Your Friends & Neighbors and The Shape of Things, but only as movies. The Shape of Things was my introduction to his oeuvre. Looking forward to more from Mr. LaBute. * * * Completely off-topic, but also a first-time thingy, Stephanie and I caught happy hour at Jayne's Gastropub last night. Very nice. I had the crispy pulled pork tostada et frites. Can't wait to try the fish tacos and their Pimm's cup house cocktail.

A Buddhist View on Neuroplasticity

2010-06-15T12:34:00.000-07:00

Speaking about my mom's current balance therapy, brought about from her stroke a few years ago, an acquaintance recommended Norman Doidge, M.D.'s book, The Brain That Changes Itself. While I'm only half way through, and I'm sure the book reveals fascinating and new information, I keep reflecting back to my buddhist studies. I'm reminded of changing karmic habits and the theory of the nine consciousnesses. I do believe the brain can change its physical appearance and how it functions and that these things are merely a physical manifestation of one's change in habits, karmic and otherwise.

We all have an idea of what karma is: what goes around comes around. If we make good causes, we receive good effects; if we make bad choices, we experience bad consequences, etc. Karma is created through thoughts, words and deeds, or actions. When we repeat karma (thought, word or deed), it is further ingrained in our lives. Didn't someone define insanity as performing the same action and expecting a different result? Want a different result, do a different action, i.e., change your habit. Anyone can do this with practice. How we react to things is within our control. We control neither other people nor other people's actions.

The Nine Consciousnesses correspond to the following. The first five are our five senses. The sixth is the brain and how it interprets the information received from the five senses. The seventh is inspiration, that "aha" moment we all feel when we've solved a puzzle or fixed a problem. Artists tap into this when they come up with an original idea. The eighth is karma storage where every thought, word and deed we have performed, in this lifetime and past lives, is kept. Finally, our buddha nature (or inner divinity, the best possible YOU you can be, etc.) is in the ninth consciousness, buried deep down inside. When we reveal our buddha nature, precisely because it is deep inside, it positively effects all the other eight consciousnesses when it is revealed. That is one quick way to change karmic habits -- by revealing our buddha nature. A buddha is one who is "awake." We are all buddhas; we all have it. I find this very encouraging. It is up to us to take different actions for different results. Like my fellow teachers said, make good choices.

Prophetic Goat

2010-06-15T11:17:00.000-07:00

For all those goats out there, how apt:

Hi Squishy! Here is your Daily Chinese Horoscope for Monday, June 14

A problem in love could strain your mind more than you expect. To ward off frustration and anger, you may be spending more time than usual out with friends, enjoying good old fashioned hedonistic nightlife. If you can keep the indulgence reasonable, you should be in a better mood in no time at all.

Reduced Shakespeare until June 20th at SDRep

2010-06-12T13:51:00.001-07:00

The Fantastic Five of us went to the Reduced Shakespeare Company's (RSC) show at the San Diego REP downtown in Horton Plaza last night. If you've never seen the RSC, this is a good introduction, since it's the show from which the company derives its name. In about 90 minutes, three actors present a reduced (and hilarious) version of Shakespeare's opus. This is first time I've seen this show live and it was WELL worth it! They're only in town until June 20th so you should hurry up and buy tickets. Buy tickets NOW! If you go into the lobby right after the show, you can meet the actors in person, (pictured above, from left) Austin Tichenor, Matt Rippy and Reed Martin, and get something autographed. Since I follow them on Twitter (@reduced) and tweeted I was picking up friends and heading to the theatre, I was rewarded with a shout out by Matt during the show. Thanks, dude. That was SO cool! I have to admit, I've been a fan for years. Once upon a time, I worked in education at the San Diego REP. My introduction to the RSC was All the Great Books (abridged). During the opening night party, I got to speak with Austin and Reed. Since it was also Halloween, I was dressed up as Alice in Wonderland escapes Rehab. My companion that evening (read: Ramon) was doing James Mason impersonations while trading Nabokov references with Austin. Good times people, good times. Since that show, I've managed to see the RSC every time they've hit town. Thankfully no wild fires reported this time, but they're here for another week, so we'll see (burn baby, burn). Really enjoyed the Bible show and History of America (abridged); have yet to see the Hollywood show. The company has workshopped their new sports show, The Complete World of Sports (abridged), in LA. Hopefully it will come to San Diego next year (or sooner). If you can't wait, check out their weekly podcast to get your RSC fix. Great opening night fellas! Break legs and safe travels.

Dive Bars and Food Trucks

2010-06-07T15:11:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was rather busy. Thursday night after work, I headed to a dive bar in South Bay to see my friend's band, Rising Star. Greg is the sound man. His way of introducing me is, "This is Barbara. We've known each other since the 7th grade, Mr. Cowart's social studies class," etc., etc. No, this doesn't make me feel old at all, not a bit. Anyhoo, the place was dead when I walked in and I starting thinking, maybe this wasn't such a great idea. I was reassured is was just early; the place would be jumping by 10:30 and, it was. I fit right in with all the other Asian chicks, except there was this twisted Noah's Ark-thing going on. I didn't get the memo about attending with a girlfriend. All the girls came in pairs. I did have a pair of drinks and danced my little monkey butt off! Before going home, I drove by the In-and-Out for some animal style burger, fries and drink. Totally hit the spot. Slept like a baby that night. A rare thing these days.

Friday night, I attend the Urban Garden fashion show at the convention center. (Note: not knowing the show's theme, I chose to wear a floral print dress. Score one for woman's intuition.) This was the student show for Art Institute SD. These are two sisters and AI students we ran into in the lobby. Check out the horns on that one. Liz from ABBL Swimwear, pictured in the black dress above, was one of the judges. I just rode in on her coat tails . . . straight to the VIP reception where I was introduced to fellow judges/Project Runway designers Gordana Gehlhausen and Jesus Estrada, both based here in San Diego. How cool is that? The show was rather uneven. Not surprising since it was students. Our two faves did not receive any awards -- what a shame.

Saturday was my day off, a rare thing in the retail world. Since I follow @tabebbq on Twitter, I saw they were in my 'hood. I've tried twice before to catch up to these guys; guess the third time IS a charm. Little did I know, there was Arts Around Adams going on. (Thank goodness I left the house or I would have missed it all and the comedians on the trolley too.) TabeBBQ is a food truck with Korean fusion food; I highly recommend the Korean beef tacos and the spicy pork as well. I plan to eat my way down the menu. Shout out to Vince and Dustin, who were there hawking bbq and baptizing newbies into delicious Tabe waters. Right on! Ask about the new off-menu special. (Hint: has something to do with fries.) Gourmet food trucks are the new foodie thang. I saw some in NYC last year while on vacation. This waffle truck was stalking me. First, I saw them around Lincoln Center, as I was heading to the subway after dinner. Then, the next day, they were in Long Island City, Queens, parked in front of the restaurant where we celebrated my birthday. Freaky! Guess this brings another layer to the term "street food." Happy eating!

Juliet Sh*ts Metaphors

2010-06-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

This is my take-away from last night's talk -- Juliet sh*ts metaphors. How great is that? She bounces between love and death, like a tennis match. (Secondly, I need to learn how to spell Adrian's name: Noble or Nobel?? I've seen it both ways, so my apologies for any misspellings.) I am totally pumped to see the Shakespeare Festival at the Old Globe starting this month. Really looking forward to hearing King Lear since I have neither read nor heard it. About hearing, how delicious is a British accent to the American ear? Yum, yum! I didn't take notes; I just wanted to be there and absorb. After describing his introduction to theatre and the RSC, Mr. Noble dove into explaining text. The Juliet comment came up when speaking about his therapist friend, who worked with the criminally insane. It seems the use of metaphors is a way to reach this population and allow them to open up and speak about their crimes. Perhaps it works for the slightly saner as well. Mr. Noble demonstrated how to read Shakespeare's text, glean understanding and use cues "hidden" in the text on stage. This reminds me of how I was taught to study Buddhist texts, using similar techniques. Look for metaphors (similes, comparisons, etc.), repetition, alliteration. What is the rhythm in the speech? Does it change? Why might it change? He did another exercise whereby he listed the last words, in each line ending, of a pivotal speech. Pretty revealing stuff. He described the general structure of Shakespeare's plays. The first act is crisis, usually affecting the family and/or political status. Next comes chaos, where characters have an opportunity to learn. The third act results in order, such as a marriage in a comedy. I had to get ready for the intermission crowd in the suite, and didn't get to hear his last remarks and the Q&A. Now, I just want to read the book and learn more. How lucky we are to have this great guy in San Diego. Rock on!

Baby Blogger

2010-06-02T11:39:00.000-07:00

Kudos to my friend Maria who just started her blog. Check out writingforshoes.blogspot.com to hear her inner musing. You go girl!!!

Sam, Sam the Mango Man

2010-05-24T07:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning, we got a visit from a family friend. Sam, one of my dad's ol' Navy buddies, stopped by to say hi. A few years back he stopped calling ahead, and instead, just shows up on random Sunday mornings around 9am. Sam sees me in my pajamas most of the time, my face unwashed and sleepy bed head. He always bears gifts for which we are grateful, hence, the moniker, Sam, Sam the Mango Man. Although yesterday he brought cookies and squash. Squash Man just doesn't have the same ring to it. He'll sit and catch up with me and mom. It's the same conversation every time. I could bottle it and uncork it years later, still fresh and ready to spill out. How's my car running, am I paying the bills and what's wrong with the government is (fill in the blank). Yesterday was, what do you think about women on submarines? I don't know if he's lonely or not. Sam, an octogenarian widower, lives by himself and still drives his pristine 1970's Chevy Caprice Classic green station wagon. He's into cars. That's why he's always asking after mine. I prefer to think he somehow "owes" my dad or feels obligated to him to look after us since my dad's passing. They were, after all, former shipmates and fast friends. They knew each other way before my parents ever met. When they did wed, both couples would get together back in Japan, which makes sense since both men married Japanese nationals. Sam and his wife Toshiko moved to San Diego and dad renewed their friendship when he moved us here later on. Our photo albums are filled with pictures from my childhood, the five of us going on day-trips to Disneyland, the Del Mar Fair, and eating mom's spaghetti at our big kitchen table. Good times, man. Good times. So, I can forgive him for occasionally shattering my early Sunday mornings and reminding me of the importance of relationships. Thanks Sam.

Read up on Luxury

2010-05-22T10:02:00.000-07:00

I haven't finished it yet, but Deluxe by Dana Thomas is a really interesting read about the luxury market. Note: this was published in 2007, before the current economic crisis. Even so, it's fascinating to read about companies like Prada and Gucci. Ever wonder why a Louis Vuitton bag costs in the thousands? You can find out. (Hint: hand stitching has something to do with it.) Who helped to globalize luxury brands? Those darn Japanese did. There are shopping tours to Hawaii specifically so they can buy, and buy, and buy some more. The author has toured factories and has gone behind closed doors to report on various companies. I would recommend to my fashion teachers that this book be optional, if not required, reading for all students, especially in the merchandising classes.

Fun Furry Jacket takes 3rd Place

2010-05-11T11:51:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday night, Mesa College held their 30th annual Golden Scissors fashion show. Finally, I managed to produce a winner. My fun furry jacket, that I hear DJs in Japan's club scene would pay MUCHO DINERO to own, took 3rd place in the daywear category. Would I sell it?? If the price was right, I'd consider it. No bites yet. Shout out to Monica and Carl who came out to support. Thanks guys. Good times, right? I caught up with Marcia and Chris (aka the Harajuku Twins) backstage while picking up my garments. Kudos to Chris for winning 1st place for special occasion wear and for most promising 1st year design student. Keep your eyes open for her next creations!

Dapper Gents

2010-05-07T09:11:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow night, fellow designer Keith Bonar will have his menswear collection walk down the runway at the Golden Scissors Fashion Show. And, it's his birthday. Happy B-Day Keith! You KNOW it's gonna be awesome.

Another hep cat, Graham I. Haynes, just got a write up in this month's Riviera Magazine:

Riviera / Modern Luxury — May 2010

digital.modernluxury.com

The Radar: Graham Haynes

Check out his men's fashion blog SuckMySavvy. BONSAI! my happa friend. Now that you're famous, will you stop taking my phone calls???

Cosmic Girl fashion + more

2010-05-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

Here's a look from my recent Cosmic Girl collection going down the runway next week at the Golden Scissors Fashion Show. Come on down to the Westin, Horton Plaza in downtown San Diego. Tickets are $25 at the door, $20 in advance. Reception starts at 5:30 pm, fashion show at 7:30 pm.

Preparing for a show is always hard work, whether it be for fashion or art. This week I was cutting and sewing a new skirt, finishing up garments and hand sewing hooks and eyes. Oh, joy. So happy to turn in garments. I treated myself to a dinner out at Bing Crosby's. Yummy, yummy. Great cheese burger and June in January (vanilla vodka, sweet & sour mix, pineapple juice served in a cocktail glass rimmed with amaretto sugar). Don't know what they use to make it look like a science experiment (dry ice?), but it sure is tasty. Live music combo good too. I was there a couple of weeks ago with some friends and they introduced me to said drink and tunes. Sweet!

Last weekend, I caught the tail end of the Roots Festival on Adams Ave. Saw Josh Damigo perform with his group. He mentioned his brother Nathan who had problems after returning from Iraq (imagine that?). Hate the war, not the troops. For more info check out article below:

Shell shock
Nathan Damigo's one of an unknown number of vets who return home only to end
up in the criminal-justice system
By Kelly Davis
http://www.sdcitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/shell_shock/9034/
Thanks V.

Crown & Crumpet

2010-03-18T12:02:00.001-07:00

On a recent trip to San Francisco, I met up with friends and took afternoon tea at Crown & Crumpet in Ghirardelli Square. None of us had ever had a formal English tea so it was really a treat. Along with our savory and sweet bites, we each got our own pot of tea. Of course, we shared so we could all have a taste; we got one each of green, herbal and black tea. Afterwards, we drove to Japantown and did a little shopping. I picked up a new Hello Kitty charm for my cell phone and a cool fashion mag at the Japanese bookstore. I ended up losing my hat when it fell out of my bag. No worries. Consider it a sacrifice to the clothing gods. Some little old Asian lady is walking around the city in a new red knitted hat. Enjoy!

Sheila E = Ecstasy

2010-01-10T10:52:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to go to Anthology for a long time and last night I finally made it. It was great! Even better when one gets FREE tickets to see Pete Escovedo and family perform on stage. Of course, you may know his daughter, awesome drummer/percussionist, Sheila E of Prince fame. Remember back in the day? Oh, yeah baby! That's right. Sheila E in the house! She ended the program with a sizzling drum solo. It must have gone on for 10+ minutes. This whole night was a boon on many fronts. The second trombonist is a distant acquaintance, along with his wife. I got to hang with my buds Chris and Audrey, also cool music cats themselves. See the guy in white in the background? That's our benefactor for the evening, Ken. Thanks Ken! We got to toast the new year, hear awesome Latin jazz live and try out some apps from the menu. (Yet another reason I wanted to go, as if I needed a reason to eat?) 2010 is off to a good start.

TGISaturday!

2009-12-19T15:15:00.000-08:00

The semester is OVER! Had a mini-break down last night.
Cried, turned out the light and went to bed. When I felt better, made a grilled ham-and-cheese for dinner. Too much pressure, too overwhelmed. Final projects, slippery fabric not sewing well, rude clients at the store, etc. Today is a much better day. Here are a couple of projects from my computer flat pattern class. Garments okay, photography needs work.

Black Friday

2009-11-27T20:08:00.001-08:00

Day after Turkey Day. How apt it's called Black Friday (for other reasons, of course). Black fits my current mood. What a lousy Thanksgiving. I would have had more fun if I drank more; a problem I am remedying right now. I invented a new drink: In a tumbler full of ice, fill half way with equal parts vodka, creme de cacao, Godiva chocolate liqueur, fill rest with milk, 1 tablespoon simple syrup, and some chocolate syrup. It's basically an adult version of chocolate milk. Yum! After some rumination, I believe there is a fifth season in the year. After winter, spring, summer and fall, there is heartache season. Years ago, I broke up with my last serious boyfriend around this time of year. Another thanksgiving, I starting showing symptoms of what turned out to be cancer. This time last year, I was rejected by a proto-crush that I was sure was interested in me. That thanksgiving was also disappointing. And yesterday, I was once again, disappointed. Maybe these things are cyclical. The holiday season is already stressful. Maybe I should hibernate like the bears and re-emerge in the spring, wiping the sleep from my eyes, with my heart full of hope.

Cult of Kitty

2009-11-12T18:05:00.000-08:00

I drove up to LA yesterday to check out the Three Apples show celebrating Hello Kitty's 35th anniversary. There was art inspired by Hello Kitty and an apartment all decked out in HK. Enjoy!

Laura Bennett Rocks!

2009-10-20T13:12:00.000-07:00

Who says San Diego is some sleepy beach town? Fashion happens here. This past Saturday, I got to meet Laura Bennett from Project Runway, season 3. Thanks to Modelinia, Laura made two appearances at UTC, talking about styling. Four women got makeovers. Lucky ducks! That's okay. Melanie and I got to ask questions afterwards and speak one-on-one. Laura is so gracious and generous with her time. Thank you Laura! She has a book coming out, Didn't I Feed You Yesterday?, about raising her kids in Manhattan. You can pre-order on Amazon. She said she's a fan of the show and auditioned on a whim. She grabbed some outfits from her closet and headed the few short blocks to Macy's for the audition. She couldn't believe she got on the show and was holding her own against these "trained designers." Some behind-the-scenes things on Project Runway: The designers actually have less time to sew than what it seems. The little interviews that are cut into the program, those take an hour and a half to film and come out of their sewing time. The good news is that everyone has to be interviewed. She was one of the faster sewers saying, if the judges couldn't see it from 8 feet away, she didn't worry about it. They will finish around 3 am, go to bed, and get woken up at 6 am the next day to start all over. That's why there is so much crying on the show. Everyone's sleep deprived! The designers and Tim Gunn have no contact with judges other than the runway show and judging. That takes about 8 hours to produce. Laura says her experience as an architect and having projects juried helped her cope with the judging. She knows not to take it personally. Overall, she wouldn't do it again. She is, however, still a fan of the show and continues to watch. (When Melanie e-mails me pictures, I'll post them here.) Her one piece of advice for new designers: network. Talk to people. Hand out your business cards. Thanks again Laura. Come back anytime, ya' hear?

Food and Fabric

2009-10-07T16:12:00.000-07:00

I'm enjoying an afternoon at home and just realized, I haven't eaten any real food yet today. One cannot live on rice crackers and chocolate-covered graham crackers and coffee. Quesadillas are real food, right? (That's kay-sa-dee-yas in case you're not fluent in Mexican food.) I'm on to the rocky road ice cream now. Yum! Seems I've been so busy in daily life that I haven't posted in weeks. I was able to attend the LA International Textile show last Friday. Forgot to bring my camera. Oh, well. We saw a great trend report from WGSN for FW10/11 and looking forward to SS 2011. Think connection (social networking), emotive (feelings), useful (recycle) and inventive (science + art). I had a great time being that it was my first trade show. I made some contacts and am waiting for my samples to arrive. Thanks Liz at ABBL Swimwear for making this happen!

Riverview in Long Island City

2009-09-04T15:19:00.001-07:00

My hosts Jamie and Justin took me out for a special dinner where Justin works a short jaunt from their apartment: Riverview.

tilapia

fra diavolo

pork chop

Yes, it was a few days 'til by birthday. Long live chocolate!

Yummy!

2009-09-04T14:47:00.000-07:00

Lucky for me it was restaurant week (extended through Labor Day) while I was in NYC.

This was my lunch at Fig & Olive in the Meat Packing District.

Chicken Samosa
Organic chicken, cilantro, Greek yogurt, bell pepper, scallion,
Sundried Tomato Olive Oil

Grilled Branzino with Fig & Balsamic
Grilled filet of Mediterranean branzino, glazed with fig & balsamic
vinegar, snow peas & figs

Mascarpone Tropezienne
Caramel Maple Rum & Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote

And after all this loveliness, I took a walk on the High Line :) More foodie pix to come!

Sugar Overload

2009-08-21T08:20:00.001-07:00

NYC has been good so far. A wicked storm passed through the first night and felled trees on the Upper West Side. The next day was gorgeous. I walked from 59th and Lex to Grand Central for the walking tour from the historical society. Our tour guide, Marty was awesome. He talked about the history of the building and architecture. I could see the Chrysler Building a few blocks away. Next, I took the shuttle crosstown to Times Square. I wanted to check out the Hello Kitty Luxe store; I was not disappointed. I headed downtown for a snack and to wait for my friend Betsy. We ended up staying in for Chinese food delivered and went out for dessert. Veniero's on East 11th street was hopping. We got a cafe table and I brought some yummies to share with J&J. My favorite was the French cannoli.

BAP Tour '09: Bollywood style

2009-08-18T16:49:00.000-07:00

"Greetings from the Astoria Animals. We will be your guides through this lovely borough of Queens that we call home." That's Bandit on the left and Whipple on the right. They will be my roommates for the next week, along with their mummy and daddy, aka Jamie and Justin, who have graciously lent me their couch. On the way back from JFK, we stopped for dinner at a neighborhood joint. I wanted my first meal back to be real-New-York-fugeddahboudit-food, not something I could get any ol' day of the week. Thankfully, J&J suggested their favorite Indian restaurant. Awesome! Poppers with 3 different condiments were offered, followed by vegetable samosas. I chose the chicken tikka masala with nan. Heaven sent (and scent). I also sampled the basmati rice and lamb. We finished with rice pudding. The perfect first meal. Welcome back!

1980's Redux

2009-08-09T13:56:00.000-07:00

During a recent conversation with a friend of mine, I became acutely aware of the generation gap. My friend, one among many of the Boomer generation, shared his attitude about money: money is bad. I, on the other hand, grew up during the Extravagant Eighties when greed was good. This subconsciously, or not-so-subconsciously, led to a skewed view of money. I can manage other people's money great, but mine, not so much. Money is to spend. Why didn't I learn from my parent's generation who were born during the Depression and lived through WWII? They were savers who only used credit sparingly. If my dad were alive today, I'm convinced he would have an envious credit rating in the 700s, if not higher. My mom still saves. What for? Hell if I know. It don't rain in sunny SoCal. She not only saves money, but clothes, shoes and those aluminum trays that cradle her Hawaiian bread. I save some things, like magazine articles I find interesting, books and clothes, and only recently, a little bit of money. I still feel like a poster child for the Slacker Generation, i.e., GenX, even though I showed up early to the game (circa 1967). Which reminds me, what's up with all this Woodstock 40th anniversary stuff? I see clothes being marketed to kids whose parents weren't even BORN during Woodstock (conceived, possibly). I'm all for peace and peace symbols, which I wear myself, but really, did it take 40 years for it to be "cool" to be "green?" This leads me back to my friends' generation of activists, who tried to save the environment before that was in vogue, to speak out for equality and marched and/or sat-in for causes. Now, real protests come in virtual forms of Tweets, blogs and colored gels over avatars. At the risk of sounding like a crazy old bag, get of my porch you young whipper-snappers! (This is directed to the clueless mother of two who came into the store yesterday. Her little devils were tearing up the place while she tried on clothes. Buy a clue, lady! {Ranting hour has come to close. Thanks for listening.}) The 80's are back in fashion in case you hadn't heard. I'm already seeing lots of neon, spandex leggings and zebra print. Isn't there an adage that says if you were around the first time, you shouldn't be wearing it the second time around? The 80's weren't that great, unless you were a Republican or Gordon Geeko. What did I learn the first time around? Greed is good, a little neon goes a long way and mullets are our friends. Once upon a time (during the 80's) MTV played music videos. I know; my family had cable. While channel surfing the other weekend, I came across the top 100 rap videos on VH1. This led me to break out my old school rap. Bust a move with the cars that go boom when you're going back to Cali for some Rapper's Delight (the 14 minute EP version. You don't know what an EP is? What's that funny looking flat thing with a hole in the middle? You have music on this? How does THAT work?!?). To which I say, look it up on the web.

Currently reading . . .

2009-07-31T11:40:00.000-07:00

Bruce Campbell is a rockstar! Just had to get that out of my system. Let me give the backstory. I got to see him in person at Comic-Con last week on the Burn Notice panel (thanks USA Network for my ultra-cool t-shirt). A couple of days later, I met my friend Stephanie at our neighborhood wine bar and I regaled her with my Comic-Con exploits. She told me he wrote a book. Of course I had to read it, so I went downtown to our central library and checked it out. The next couple of hours were spent drinking iced tea at Twiggs and quietly laughing my butt off while reading. Awesome! Now, I'm blogging and tweeting about it. Is this how rumors get started? I just finished the chapter about how Bruce and co. had to make movie posters to market Evil Dead. And then, on Reduced's twitter page, they had a link to their newest poster. Gotta love the synchronicity. Maybe this will lead to more book sales for M. Campbell? Let's hope so. If you're ever in San Diego again, Bruce, beer's on me!

Geeks and Nerds Unite

2009-07-24T07:52:00.000-07:00

Loved the wonder women panel except for Eliza Dushku who sounded like Joss' agent/one-person fan club. She should take a lesson from the other panelists who were articulate and humble. I was really impressed with Zoe Saldana. Love you Sigourney! Bruce Campbell was a rock star on the Burn Notice panel and Dule did some dancing at the Psych panel. Thank you USA network -- love my t-shirts! I only got a Thursday-only pass for Comic-Con this year, but I did pre-register for next year. Prices went up to $100 for a 4-day. What's up with that? To go from $65/75 up to $100 is quite a jump. I overheard one of the convention center people talking about the Con there until 2012. They said Comic-Con would stay after 2012 as long as the convention center expands.

Of Babes and Bread

2009-07-10T07:51:00.000-07:00

First off, a shout out to Tyler Nicholas Bancea, 10 pounds, born on July 5th at 11:33pm. He is joining his sister Chloe, brother Jordan and parents Maria and Andrei. Thank goodness my friend Maria has a sense of humor since the card above was enclosed with her baby gifts. (Note: kidnappers in the know always misspell one word in the ransom demand.) I look forward to meeting Tyler during my trip to the Big Apple. This will be a short, one week, journey, so I need to do some (menu) planning, i.e., where am I going to eat? The last time I was there, I stumbled upon Bread in NoLita where I had my birthday lunch. Awesome! I took in another lunch downtown at Pastis and a breakfast at E.A.T. on the Upper East Side. Maybe I'll eat at restaurants that have two-word names. Something to think about. I serendipiciously (is that a word?) found my travel journal from last year. There are still other restaurants I want to visit and I'm getting more ideas from the book I'm currently reading The Man Who Ate the World by Jay Rayner. The chapter on New York City was very enjoyable. Oh yeah, did I mention how I messed up my reservations for this trip? I'll be returning the day AFTER my first class this semester. Whoops! I'll be on my knees, begging and pleading not to be dropped. Susan, if you're reading this post, please show some mercy.

Two-Hour Shoes

2009-07-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

Meet Jesse Villanueva of NYC -- a self-admitted sneaker head/collector. Any shoe girl will empathize with his on-going quest for the best sneaks. My own Sketchers are a beloved reminder of my time in the City, during the mid-to-late 90's. These were my second Sketchers. The first had gray and black suede uppers; the most comfy shoes I owned. Of course, they got worn and worn out, hence, the second, shiny magenta pair. These I hardly ever wore. That's why they're still in decent shape. While the first were more pedestrian, these were my "ruby slippers" only to be worn on special occasions. They always received compliments. I have found shoes to belong in one of two camps: shoes that can be worn all day and "two-hour" shoes. All day shoes are great to wear on the sales floor. Two-hour shoes are usually pretty or cute, made of shiny leather and/or highly decorative. These are shoes to be worn to the theatre, out to dinner or any other activity that requires one to sit for several hours at a time. One of the first questions I ask friends when we're deciding what to do is, how much walking is involved? Can I wear my two-hour shoes or something more practical? Will there be a lot of sitting? A girl has to know these things (well, this girl anyway). There must be some corollary to the decorative nature of a shoe and my ability to remain comfortable in it. My most fancy shoes can only be worn for a couple of hours of standing before my dogs are barking and need to rest. Cocktail party? Great! Where can I sit? We have to park HOW FAR AWAY?!? You can drop me at the door and I'll wait for you. This makes me reflect on my days in NYC -- what did I wear in a city that required a lot of walking, since I couldn't afford to taxi uptown and down? I remember keeping a couple of pairs of heels at my desk and changing when I got to the office. I owned five pairs of boots to deal with the inclement weather. Since moving back to SoCal, I'm down to one -- my Doc Martins. I've never been a boot girl. My ankles are claustrophobic. Nancy Sinatra I'm not.

Pretty Pink Futures

2009-07-02T08:27:00.000-07:00

Hot pink -- once again on the cutting edge of fashion trends. I chose these fabrics months ago. How divine!

Big Apple Tour 2009

2009-06-19T07:21:00.000-07:00

That's right, folks. I'm heading east to the Big Apple in mid-August. Look out! It will be hot, humid, full of tourists . . . why am I going? Oh, yeah. It's New York. Need I say more? In my lotto-winning fantasies, I would be bi-coastal with a house here and a modest two bedroom on the Upper West Side or the East Village. I would fly in every three months or so to see the hottest new shows on Broadway. Let's meet at Bread for lunch and do some shopping in Soho. Or stroll down Fifth Avenue and pop in Takashimaya to pick up a little bobble and take a spot of tea. During the holiday season, I would enjoy the windows, bundled up in cashmere or look out my own windows at the balloons striding downtown towards Macy's. There I am, sitting front row at fashion week cheering on my friends Ann and Zac and Michael. Kudos! You're just fab, my friends. What talent! There's a buzzing in my ears. That's my alarm telling me to haul my butt out of bed and get ready for work. Fantasy time up!

It's not Page Six, but page seven will do

2009-06-12T20:41:00.000-07:00

During our recent Golden Scissors fashion show, I sat next to Councilwoman Donna Frye and had my picture taken with her. She delivered a proclamation from the city council naming it Mesa Golden Scissors Day. How cool is that?

Trends for Fall/Winter 2010/11

2009-05-28T11:56:00.000-07:00

Who called it? ME! I'm giving myself my props. I can see the future. In my Medieval Modern collection, shown a couple of weeks ago, there were hand-knit sleeves to look like chain mail and fur (granted, fake fur in bright pink) trim. And, what does the trend report say that I only just read? Medieval as inspiration. . . knit chain mail. . . fur. . . skinny pants. . . etc. You heard it here first folks.

Shopping with the Cows

2009-05-19T13:14:00.001-07:00

Why is she posing with a red cow? Read more in the La Jolla Light article.

In the Land of Amazons

2009-05-16T09:21:00.001-07:00

I have returned from my brief journey to the Land of Amazons aka fashion models. Here I am next to Emma and Sydney, backstage at last night's Golden Scissors fashion show. Please note while I am in heels, Emma to my left is barefoot, and is still a head taller. I'll just stick to designing and leave the runway to professionals. She and Sydney, Lindsay and Jennifer walked well and I applaud them. Thanks gals! Couldn't have done it without you. It is very exciting to see my clothes on actual bodies as opposed to dress forms or hangars. I had four ensembles total. Thanks to everyone who came out to support, especially my mom, Audrey, Jenny and Evonne. AT in the house!

Get my drink on!

2009-05-07T21:36:00.000-07:00

Behold, to the left is one my ensembles from the me-di-e-val modern collection. I hand knit the sleeves to look like chain mail. Golden Scissors show is next Friday at the Town & Country Hotel. If you're in San Diego, come on down for a rockin' good time. I promised myself I would treat me to a drink after turning in garments -- and I did! (turn in garments and drink {berry beer Framboise}.) Stephanie and I had dinner and quaffed beer at ye olde new ale house a short walk from our respective residences, on Adams Ave, next door to Rosie's. Great thin-crust pizza and various libations. My only comment: it was SOOOooo loud in there, I felt like I was yelling at Stephanie across the table from me.

Gold Shoes are made for walking

2009-04-24T08:37:00.000-07:00

Where but in Vegas can one cross a bridge to New York, walk up the street to Paris, take a taxi to Venice, and eat lunch back in America. Beware the North Wind (I don't know for sure if the wind came from the north) as it will reek havoc on your itinerary. When we first arrived, the Wind pushed clouds over our hotel and we got rained out of the pool. Can we go next door and ride the roller coaster instead? No, the North Wind said. Ok. How about going up the Eiffel tower and seeing the views? You don't want to do that, said the Wind. Where's the water show in front of the Bellagio? The Wind replied, I already gave you some rain and you want more water? I don't think so. Alas, we returned to our hotel grateful to be out of the blustery weather. This is a summary of our first six hours in town. The Wind was in a better mood the next day. We rode the roller coaster (except for me since I was feeling ill), visited the gardens inside the Bellagio, and taxied to the Venetian for our kitchen tour.

Gold Shoes Tour 2009

2009-04-20T19:23:00.000-07:00

Returning from Sin City, I needed the next day to recover after the 6 hour drive home. The highlight of the trip was a kitchen tour of Bouchon, Thomas Keller's offering in Las Vegas at the Venetian. Wait, let me rephrase that. The highlight was eating PASTRIES from Chris Herrin, the head pastry chef who was kind enough to host our tour. Shout out to Chris! Thanks again!

By the way, that's Monica who invited me along for the ride, her daughter Emily and cousin Sadie.

Mama needs a pair of gold shoes

2009-04-04T09:45:00.000-07:00

I'll be embarking on a trip to Vegas thanks to my good friend Monica. It's been 20 years since my last visit. I've been thinking about going for months and now I finally will. This upcoming sojourn has made me reflect on my three past trips to Sin City. Ironically, my first two visits were before my 21st birthday. I traveled with my then-boyfriends, twice in my car and twice with other people. I'm afraid I missed the whole "family-friendly" Vegas, but I think I prefer the "original sin" version. On my first trip out, while walking through a casino lobby, I saw Telly Savalas, aka Kojak. He looked just like he did on TV. (For those of you too young to remember, he was a famous, bald, TV star from the '70's.) What a thrill. I left behind $300 on that trip. What do they say? Only take what you can afford to lose. The next time I visited, I flew in for the weekend. I guess that trip wasn't memorable except for the flight. The last time was with another couple driving down I-15 in my "hoopdie" 1967 Ford Falcon with an in-line 6 and a newly installed sunroof. What was later dubbed the Party Car performed admirably on the highway, only breaking down once we got to Vegas, as were trying to leave. It turned out to be some wire touching something it wasn't supposed to touch and the car wouldn't start?!? Problem solved and we were back on the road again. The most memorable part of this trip? Ceiling mirrors. And, no, get your heads out of the gutter.

Put another shrimp on the Barbie

2009-02-27T08:24:00.001-08:00

So much to see and talk about between Fashion Week in NYC (photos WWD & NYT) and the Oscars last weekend. This is one of the looks from the Barbie fashion show. 50 is looking really good! There was her signature pink and Jeannie-inspired hair. My two fav shows were Anna Sui and Zac Posen. I had the opportunity to meet Zac Posen a couple of years ago when he made a stop at a local Nordstrom. He was very generous with his time and offered this advice to aspiring desginers: sketch all the time and give your clothes away to create a buzz. Thanks Zac (if you ever read this, I'm the San Diego chick who made the Thai fisherman pants, remember??). There is a lot of sparkle, fantasy and movement in his Fall '09 collection. Love the silhouettes! Girls just wanna have fun with Anna Sui. I always enjoy her mix of prints and boho-chic thang. There's a lot of black (in other collections as well), but the fabrics are SOOOOoooo rich. You just want to reach out and touch it! I'm a hat girl and liked seeing the head gear, feathers and all. Some looks help me get in touch with my inner babushka.

From the runways East to the red carpet West, more glam ensues. I heard not all the stars walked the carpet, hoping to keep some surprises for the Kodak audience and those of us viewing from home. Shout out to Karl with a K (and Charlie with a C) for hosting the Oscar party Sunday. Go Slumdog!!! Loved the movie - go see it! Check out the Today Show to get your Oscar looks for less and other fashion goodies. I remember watching this documentary of a clothing company that's in the knock-off business. The design staff gets together to watch awards shows red carpet runs to sketch from the TV screen. They consult about which looks they thought were most popular and marketable and set about making patterns. Within 24-48 hours later, they have already sewn samples of designer knock-offs which will be in stores within 3 months. No moss growing under those stones.

Cat Fight!

2009-02-06T10:46:00.000-08:00

There's gonna be a throw down at the ol' Tents during fashion week according to the NY Times. It's the battle of the century, folks. Place your bets now. (Ding, ding, ding) In this corner, the taller, blonder, albeit top-heavy opponent, that plastic wonder, BARBIE. And, in this corner, her furry and mouth-less opponent with the fetching red bow, HELLO KITTY. Who will win this match? My money's on our fleet-footed, feline friend. She is younger and more spry. I'd give my eye teeth to be front row at this match.

Winter ends waiting for Spring

2009-01-24T14:36:00.000-08:00

Well, kids, it's been fun, having all this time off during the holiday season. School is starting again next week and I'll be knee-deep in fabrics designing my mini-collection for the fashion show in May. All my grandiose plans I had to get a jump on designing have come to pass. Now I'll be entering crunch time and will have no choice but to produce. Maybe I need that not-so-little nudge of a looming deadline to get me started. The slow time hasn't been completely wasted. I restarted my garden, attempted to finish some UFOs, made two hats (one was a birthday present for my co-worker Fawn), designed a skirt that has yet to be sewn, saw my family Christmas morn, bought this laptop and entered the cyber-reality that threatens to take over my life. Other than that, I haven't done a whole heck of a lot. I'm now on this recycling jag. I traded in several mediocre CDs for one CD that I've been wanting forever: Spin Doctor's Pocket Full of Kryptonite. I must have all their other CDs. Magazines that are two months and older will be passed along to others and three bags of clothes, culled from my small closet, are awaiting their visit to Buffalo Exchange. Isn't there some rule that says if you don't wear it in a year, get rid of it? I'm a bit of a pack rat so I'm practicing letting go, literally and metaphorically. This is good karma, good chi, good all-those-crunchy-granola-happy-feely thingys. Until I get rid of old things, there will be no room to welcome new things, like shoes. Pretty, pretty shoes.

Step away from the keyboard

2009-01-09T14:28:00.001-08:00

Since acquiring my new computer, I have become addicted to the internet. I have to force myself to leave the keyboard and do something, anything, else. I'm trying to take advantage of our envious weather to take short walks or work in my modest container garden. I planted some scallion roots (you know, the ends of scallions that you buy from the green grocers), snow peas and cilantro from seed. The lettuce I planted over a season ago is sprouting up again and I'm happy to report several kabucha (small, Japanese pumpkins), also from seed, are growing as well. My plan is to grow enough scallions so no more need to be bought. We use a lot of these guys in our kitchen. Another benefit of being outside is that I'm meeting some of the neighborhood folk walking their dogs. We're not on a first-name basis just yet, but give it time. I've spoken to the same elderly lady twice. Now she knows where I live and that I like to garden in my sparkly, gold ballet flats. Wonder what other secrets she'll unearth?

First Fashion Plate

2009-01-09T08:57:00.000-08:00

It's all fashion, all the time today on the Today Show. How great is that? It led me back to the First Lady Fashion Quiz I took in the New York Times yesterday (I scored 7 out of 15). Michelle Obama, you rock those outfits! I can really appreciate a woman who mixes "high and low" labels, especially since I'm studying fashion myself. Mrs. Obama, if you're ever in San Diego, I would be happy to take you shopping. Heck, I'll even buy you a cuppa Joe. A recent issue of Women's Wear Daily had highlighted various designers' sketches of an inaugural ball outfit. It's fun to dream, isn't it? Whatever she chooses to wear, that night and everyday, she's got to like it. It is she who is living in the clothes.

Witch House for Rent

2009-01-06T09:01:00.000-08:00

Around the corner from my house is this little cluster of four houses with steep-pitched roofs. I like to imagine these houses are from a fairy tale, like a witch might live in one. Maybe the Wicked Witch of the West (or West Coast, as the case may be) could be your neighbor. Or, you'll meet Hansel and Gretel skipping down the sidewalk just outside the gate. Who's that chick with the red hoodie that comes and goes all hours of the day and night? And what's with the wood chopping? Haven't you heard of gas heat? Then there are the seven "vertically challenged" guys with their housemaid. I don't think it's legal for eight people to live in a one-bedroom house, do you? In such a small compound, it's important to get along with your neighbors. Maybe you could have barbecues on the front lawn during the summer, with a cooler of beer chilling nearby. Just don't invite those people from across the street. They're real pigs.

New Year's Haiku 2009

2009-01-03T10:27:00.000-08:00

Paying homage to

my Asian roots, I humbly

offer these haiku:

Jan. 2nd

Lunch with an old friend

trading news about others

Belly is most full

Jan. 1st

Another year's here

lots of people, special food

Now forget the past

Dec. 31st

Unbelievably

beautiful kimonos

How inspiring!

A Day at the Museum

2008-12-31T18:18:00.000-08:00

What a great way to end the year. Took mom and my friend Charlie to the museum to see the work of Japanese artist, Itchiku Kubota. He made these crazy kimonos depicting different landscapes. These were more works of art than apparel. While there were several individual pieces that rocked, what totally blew my mind were the kimonos from The Symphony of Light series, that are the four seasons. Only Autumn and Winter were on display. It was awesome! The entire room had 30 kimono lined up to show an entire landscape. They moved very slowly from the beginning of autumn, across mountains and lakes, to end in winter. The kimonos were made of silk with gold thread running through and hand dyed/painted these incredible, sometimes subtle transitions of color. It reminded me of watercolor paintings. The exhibit is going to the Canton Museum of Art, Feb. 8 - April 26, 2009. I highly recommend seeing this exhibition. The skill and imagination of these works is absolutely incredible.

Happy Holiday Napping

2008-12-25T16:00:00.000-08:00

That just about describes it. After returning from my cousin's house for brunch, I am ready to join Jonsey there for a nap. Why do we eat so much during the holidays? We may be so careful during the rest of the year (I'm not speaking of myself here) and yet, we give ourselves permission to eat like crazy from Halloween through New Year's Day. If you're Japanese like me, you celebrate new year's for 3 days; it's all about food. Special food only made for this particular occasion. My mom drops some serious dough every year to ring in the next. We're talking $150+ at the Asian market. I don't mind since I am benefiting from her largesse. So grab that fork, or chopsticks, and let's get eating! Seconds anyone?

Media Musings

2008-12-20T12:52:00.000-08:00

I caught Serendipity on the tube this morning. My eyes got misty when Jonathan and Sara got together at the end of the film. What a guilty pleasure. It took me years to admit to myself that I like watching "chick flicks" and reading "chick lit." No, I'm not all murder mysteries and Dirk Pitt novels. As a matter of fact, I've been reading more non-fiction the last few years. Malcolm Gladwell has been holding my attention as of late. I'm in the middle of his latest book The Outliers, talking about where genius originates. His other books are very enjoyable too: The Tipping Point & Blink. I keep thinking about The Tipping Point, how trends get started, when I consider my future clothing line.

Another author I enjoy is David Sedaris. I'm reading his latest offering as well, When you are engulfed in Flames. I was talking to a co-worker the other day and he referred to The Santaland Diaries. That's apropos for this time of year. I'll have to pick it up again. Just a few more days 'til Xmas. I'm avoiding the malls at all cost, unless of course, I have to go to work, like I do later this evening. Happy Holidays to all!

Welcome to the cherry poppin'

2008-12-18T13:55:00.000-08:00

Greetings all. I'm new to blogging so bear with me. Welcome to Squishy Kuma. In the future, I'll be writing about art, fashion and Hello Kitty. I have many interests as you'll soon learn. If you're wondering about the name, "kuma" is Japanese for "bear" plus, I liked the way Squishy Kuma sounds together.

Does anybody out there watch Mad Men on AMC? Love that show! I was just on the website watching videos about the costume design and makeup that goes into the serious. Would love to to have those gals speak during a Comic-Con panel. (Shout out to Candice.) This past year at the Con, I sat in on several panels talking about costumes for movies and TV and all the different things to consider. I had no idea several versions of the same outfit might be required to shoot a scene or episode. Pretty neat.

That's it for now. Check back again. Thanks.