2.21.2007
2.15.2007
valentines day dinner
I don't really celebrate valentine's day, I think it's more of a holiday for single people to gather and share in their misery or glory over how they can still play sex in the city. Which brings me to my second point, Valentine's Day makes me feel poor. Poor and un-connected. So that's why I hate valentine's day.
But I made a fancy dinner, I mean I can hate the holiday but I'm not one to turn my back on society altogether. It's salmon with flageolets. The recipe calls for a ton of bacon and butter, and the potato is stuffed with sour cream, making this the least healthy recipe I've ever made. You can see the flowers C got me in the back. They're almost as pretty as Muffy.
But I made a fancy dinner, I mean I can hate the holiday but I'm not one to turn my back on society altogether. It's salmon with flageolets. The recipe calls for a ton of bacon and butter, and the potato is stuffed with sour cream, making this the least healthy recipe I've ever made. You can see the flowers C got me in the back. They're almost as pretty as Muffy.
2.12.2007
I cook a lot. Mostly because I'm poor, and partly because cooking allows me to control exactly what I eat. We alternate cooking, with me cooking Sunday, Monday, Wednesday. This week I made chocolate chip cookie bars, Thai grilled chicken, spicy broccoli pasta from the Zuni Cafe cookbook. Since I'm stuck with Valentine's Day dinner (a day only single people remember), I'm making salmon w/ flageolets from the Zuni book. Don't ask me what flageolets are...I'm going to sub in lentils.
Of course when I tell people I cook, they feel compelled to inform me that most guys are superior cooks as compared to girls, and that a trophy wife ideally should have no cooking ability at all. Well, if I didn't cook, we would either eat fast food all day, or I would starve.
Of course when I tell people I cook, they feel compelled to inform me that most guys are superior cooks as compared to girls, and that a trophy wife ideally should have no cooking ability at all. Well, if I didn't cook, we would either eat fast food all day, or I would starve.
2.11.2007
Disneyland portraits
H wasn't particularly cooperative, but I got C and P in some Disney poses in Toontown.
Disneyland
My brothers, C and I went to Disneyland to celebrate my brothers' 24th birthdays. C hasn't visited since he was 14, my brothers went to Tokyo Disney two years a go, and I haven't visited for almost 20 years. Since then I've been brainwashed by the media into equating Disney with other corporate evils such as Walmart and McDonalds, but after this visit, I've had to rethink that view. Disney actually delivers a quality product. I know, I can't believe I said that. But their rides are intricately detailed, they have excellent crowd control (as compared to other places), the food decent (again, compared to other theme parks), and their themed zones were actually unique and distinct from each other. In particular, I liked the way Disney used fireworks to complement music, instead of just plastering on the lights as we do during 4th of July celebrations.
We managed to hit up all the major rides, with a combination of the fast pass system, relatively short lines, and the fact that we stayed until 10pm. My favorite ride was the Buzz Astro Blaster contribution from Pixar. You take this gun and shoot at aliens as you're funneled through this dark tunnel. It's just like Halo, but with Disney characters.
Inside smallworld! I love how their rides aren't real rollercoasters. Disabled women, crazy old asian men (yes we met one), everyone can ride and in my case, play with C's camera.
Traffic jam in autotopia. I really wanted to ram some of those little kids! C tried to take the car off the track; my brothers tried to 'drift.' Unsuccessful unfortunately. I think in that episode of Futurama where they take the cart out of moonland, they used a crowbar. We need one of those next time.
We sat through the Main Street parade, twice actually. In the afternoon and at night...the girls wear so much makeup!! I wonder if this is the starting point before Vegas..
Sleeping beauty's castle at night. Mainly to prove that I was actually there at night. Couldn't figure out the camera's night mode yet.
We managed to hit up all the major rides, with a combination of the fast pass system, relatively short lines, and the fact that we stayed until 10pm. My favorite ride was the Buzz Astro Blaster contribution from Pixar. You take this gun and shoot at aliens as you're funneled through this dark tunnel. It's just like Halo, but with Disney characters.
Inside smallworld! I love how their rides aren't real rollercoasters. Disabled women, crazy old asian men (yes we met one), everyone can ride and in my case, play with C's camera.
Traffic jam in autotopia. I really wanted to ram some of those little kids! C tried to take the car off the track; my brothers tried to 'drift.' Unsuccessful unfortunately. I think in that episode of Futurama where they take the cart out of moonland, they used a crowbar. We need one of those next time.
We sat through the Main Street parade, twice actually. In the afternoon and at night...the girls wear so much makeup!! I wonder if this is the starting point before Vegas..
Sleeping beauty's castle at night. Mainly to prove that I was actually there at night. Couldn't figure out the camera's night mode yet.
C went to Michigan...
C went to Michigan to interview at Ross business school. He said it was cold (-20F). And that none of these pictures are actually Ross...."they're random buildings that looked good, the building at Ross is knocked down right now."
The point though, is that I always thought Michigan looked like Berkeley, maybe because they're essentially the same school, just located in different areas, so according to my logic they would look exactly the same. As these photos prove however, Michigan's got a much more east coast respectable institution look. Doesn't look like a public school to me!
The point though, is that I always thought Michigan looked like Berkeley, maybe because they're essentially the same school, just located in different areas, so according to my logic they would look exactly the same. As these photos prove however, Michigan's got a much more east coast respectable institution look. Doesn't look like a public school to me!
1.23.2007
My Computer Sucks
My battery life used to suck, I had about 90min of juice. Now, it really sucks. Now, my computer has a battery life of approximately 70min. That's with just word processing on a dim screen, I'm not talking power intensive operations like watching dvds. I have a class that's 75min long, in a room with no outlets. That means my computer turns off 10min before class ends, because you know, I need to turn my computer on before class actually starts, because my computer takes 10min to boot up.
In other news, I've got to think of another cyberspace law related paper topic. This time, it can't come off the Lessig blog or the NY Times, because I'm pretty sure everyone in this class reads those items. I'm thinking World of Warcraft again....but I'm afraid someone will do a similar piece of Second Life, which I'll bet is more well known in the legal community (b/c we can pretend to network).
In other news, I've got to think of another cyberspace law related paper topic. This time, it can't come off the Lessig blog or the NY Times, because I'm pretty sure everyone in this class reads those items. I'm thinking World of Warcraft again....but I'm afraid someone will do a similar piece of Second Life, which I'll bet is more well known in the legal community (b/c we can pretend to network).
1.16.2007
Pictures posted, School Started
Luckily I returned alive from Japan. You see, I caught a virus somewhere between Korea and Japan. I thought for sure they would stop me at the bird flu screening stations in each country, but I was allowed through!
School started today! I remember I used to make fun of those who wanted to take choice of law. Well, I voluntarily enrolled in conflicts of law, which I found out is really choice of law, re-named. I've become the very dork that I ridiculed. Oh, and the class is full of star trek/wars fan type peoples...slightly (or not so slightly) chubby, badly dressed/groomed, very intelligent but annoying in that each must demonstrate his intelligence by interrupting the professor. I'm also taking copyrights which meets from 730-845pm. My latest class ever. Hopefully I won't be so busy this semester. Comment draft 5 (final) is due Jan 31, and after that I should be free.
School started today! I remember I used to make fun of those who wanted to take choice of law. Well, I voluntarily enrolled in conflicts of law, which I found out is really choice of law, re-named. I've become the very dork that I ridiculed. Oh, and the class is full of star trek/wars fan type peoples...slightly (or not so slightly) chubby, badly dressed/groomed, very intelligent but annoying in that each must demonstrate his intelligence by interrupting the professor. I'm also taking copyrights which meets from 730-845pm. My latest class ever. Hopefully I won't be so busy this semester. Comment draft 5 (final) is due Jan 31, and after that I should be free.
Tokyo
Tokyo's changed a lot since my last visit two years ago. My favorite two restaurants are gone. I think most of the good memories centered around Osaka and Kyoto. But even so, Japan in the winter has a different free from Japan in the fall. Fewer tourists, more fur (roses on top of fur for example), an emphasis on winter cuisine (roots and snow crab).
I wanted to go to Hakone, but it seemed treacherous in the snow. Instead, we went to Nikko, a shrine town about 2.5hrs away from Tokyo. It's a town famous for its yuba (tofu skin) and yuba noodles. It's also one of Japan's top tourist destinations; there's even ads on the subway called "nikko in winter." And yes, Nikko was cold, so cold it snowed. A shot of the bridge leading from Nikko town to Nikko temple.
Steps leading to a collection of Nikko Shrines.
Nikko looks cold doesn't it.
Here's a view of some of the temples. Nikko's pretty awesome, you walk up these stairs out of a forest and bam it's gold and ornate and beautiful
We were in Japan during the New Year's Sumo tourney, but did not attend, watching it on NHK instead. Here's a sumo statue. Behind him is the chanko nabe (sumo soup food) restaurant where we had lunch.
This is the view from the 45th floor of the Tokyo Government building in Shinjuku. I'm only posting this because way off in the distance, you can see Mt Fuji. It lords over the city as it does in all the paintings.
Fugu restaurant in Asakusa. $53. We saw them catch 2 live! Did not eat here.
Ginza LV store. Tokyo is sick expensive. I bought furry boots and jeans that fit though =)
Remember Gwen and her Harajuku girls? It's the Harajuku Gap.
Here's the Meiji Temple, dedicated to the spirit of Emperor Meiji. We went a day after the prime minister visited. It's 5pm in this shot, still very crowded, I guess one must attend the temples on new year's.
I wanted to go to Hakone, but it seemed treacherous in the snow. Instead, we went to Nikko, a shrine town about 2.5hrs away from Tokyo. It's a town famous for its yuba (tofu skin) and yuba noodles. It's also one of Japan's top tourist destinations; there's even ads on the subway called "nikko in winter." And yes, Nikko was cold, so cold it snowed. A shot of the bridge leading from Nikko town to Nikko temple.
Steps leading to a collection of Nikko Shrines.
Nikko looks cold doesn't it.
Here's a view of some of the temples. Nikko's pretty awesome, you walk up these stairs out of a forest and bam it's gold and ornate and beautiful
We were in Japan during the New Year's Sumo tourney, but did not attend, watching it on NHK instead. Here's a sumo statue. Behind him is the chanko nabe (sumo soup food) restaurant where we had lunch.
This is the view from the 45th floor of the Tokyo Government building in Shinjuku. I'm only posting this because way off in the distance, you can see Mt Fuji. It lords over the city as it does in all the paintings.
Fugu restaurant in Asakusa. $53. We saw them catch 2 live! Did not eat here.
Ginza LV store. Tokyo is sick expensive. I bought furry boots and jeans that fit though =)
Remember Gwen and her Harajuku girls? It's the Harajuku Gap.
Here's the Meiji Temple, dedicated to the spirit of Emperor Meiji. We went a day after the prime minister visited. It's 5pm in this shot, still very crowded, I guess one must attend the temples on new year's.
Seoul
Seoul was cold. Like unbelievably cold. The locals insisted that it was warm, but really, there's snow on the ground and their lakes are frozen.
On day 2 we went to the DMZ. The guided tour took the entire day (that's a common Seoul theme - it takes an hour at least to get to destination X). On the tour we were instructed to not gesticulate at all to North Koreans. In retrospect it's a really dangerous place to visit, I'm not sure what enticed us (tourists) to visit. We saw one North Korean guard, and C saw some North Korean peasants way off in the distance in "Propaganda Village." The South Korean equivalent village is called either Unification Village or Freedom Village, I forgot which, it doesn't really matter, it's kind of propaganda itself too.
Here's the UN building inside the DMZ. The South Korean soldiers stand half exposed to the North in order to appear more intimidating. They also sport sunglasses of intimidation.
Bridge of No Return. I *think* South Korea returned a bunch of captured North Koreans, but North Korea did not really reciprocate. Our bus didn't let us out at this point, it was "too dangerous."
Inside the UN building, this is the table where the sides hold their talks. Half of the table is in north korea, half in south. No talks today. Apparently North Korean tourists also come into this building, so sometimes you can see them.
On the far top of the shot, you can see North Korea. That's what it looks like from the observation tower, kinda misty and dark. Our guide pointed out that the North hills have no trees, because they cut them down either to spy on their citizens or to use as resources.
Koreans near Tradition St in Seoul. The people in Seoul are poor compared to those in Tokyo and Hong Kong, but they feel rich? At least my cousin says its the most expensive place to live in the world.
Day 1 we went to Suwon, a suburb town about 2hrs out of Seoul. It's a fortress town, complete with a golden goddess in the mountain and palace inside. They're filming a really famous drama series in that palace. Didn't change the fact that it was COLD.
Last day in Seoul my cousin took us sightseeing. Here's the frozen lake + summer home type building in a palace in central Seoul. Afterwards she took us to a famous ginseng chicken restaurant (they put a whole chicken in my pot!!). Then we went to a night market/clubbing fashion district, and had dinner at an octopus restaurant. BBQ octopus in hot sauce. You know, they have the IQ of dogs. Koreans eat dogs too.
On day 2 we went to the DMZ. The guided tour took the entire day (that's a common Seoul theme - it takes an hour at least to get to destination X). On the tour we were instructed to not gesticulate at all to North Koreans. In retrospect it's a really dangerous place to visit, I'm not sure what enticed us (tourists) to visit. We saw one North Korean guard, and C saw some North Korean peasants way off in the distance in "Propaganda Village." The South Korean equivalent village is called either Unification Village or Freedom Village, I forgot which, it doesn't really matter, it's kind of propaganda itself too.
Here's the UN building inside the DMZ. The South Korean soldiers stand half exposed to the North in order to appear more intimidating. They also sport sunglasses of intimidation.
Bridge of No Return. I *think* South Korea returned a bunch of captured North Koreans, but North Korea did not really reciprocate. Our bus didn't let us out at this point, it was "too dangerous."
Inside the UN building, this is the table where the sides hold their talks. Half of the table is in north korea, half in south. No talks today. Apparently North Korean tourists also come into this building, so sometimes you can see them.
On the far top of the shot, you can see North Korea. That's what it looks like from the observation tower, kinda misty and dark. Our guide pointed out that the North hills have no trees, because they cut them down either to spy on their citizens or to use as resources.
Koreans near Tradition St in Seoul. The people in Seoul are poor compared to those in Tokyo and Hong Kong, but they feel rich? At least my cousin says its the most expensive place to live in the world.
Day 1 we went to Suwon, a suburb town about 2hrs out of Seoul. It's a fortress town, complete with a golden goddess in the mountain and palace inside. They're filming a really famous drama series in that palace. Didn't change the fact that it was COLD.
Last day in Seoul my cousin took us sightseeing. Here's the frozen lake + summer home type building in a palace in central Seoul. Afterwards she took us to a famous ginseng chicken restaurant (they put a whole chicken in my pot!!). Then we went to a night market/clubbing fashion district, and had dinner at an octopus restaurant. BBQ octopus in hot sauce. You know, they have the IQ of dogs. Koreans eat dogs too.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
