Author: Ruel

Day 85: Having a Ball

 

Our masks for the Black and White Masquerade Ball.

Our masks for the Black and White Masquerade Ball.

Last night my wife and I attended the Black and White Masquerade Ball, a Yelp Elite event hosted by Yelp’s Los Angeles (East) Community Manager Katie B. and her staff, along with the the Vertigo Event Venue and other sponsors. I’ve been fortunate to have attended some great Yelp parties for the Elite members of the website and this was another spectacular soiree. I’ve talked about my love of Yelp before (here and here) and I’m happy to be a part of its amazing online community.

Speaking of Yelp, a friend just told me that my review of the Gondola Company of Newport was highlighted in the Yelp Orange County Destination: Date Night. I remember that gondola ride like it was yesterday: my wife and I were newlyweds when we rode the gondola around Newport Beach. It was one of those perfect summer evenings, mellow and relaxing, the waves lapping up against the gondola as we sipped red wine and chatted, secret conversations lost in the sea air as the sun set behind us.

Day 84: Backcourt in the Front

History: Jordan Clarkson and Jeremy Lin

History: Jordan Clarkson and Jeremy Lin

I had just posted how happy I was to see more and more Filipino Americans and Asian Americans in the news, when history was made: my beloved Los Angeles Lakers starting backcourt was Jordan Clarkson and Jeremy Lin. Although these two will never be confused with Magic and Scott or Kobe and Fisher, it was A Moment due to the fact that they were the first Asian American starting backcourt in NBA history.

Lin is a Chinese American and well-known for Linsanity, the two weeks where he absolutely ruled New York and the sports world. It was the feel-good story of the year, not only for Asian Americans, but for sports geeks like myself.

Clarkson is a Filipino American who joined the Lakers this year and after stints in the Development League, made it to the big team.

Confession: I did not actually watch the game, something I could not have said just two years ago. Since the Lakers bungled the Dwight Howard signing, I’ve lost interest in my team, due to mismanagement (primarily in ownership; yes, that means Jim Buss) and a lack of talent. I support the team, obviously, but after watching a lifetime of games where the Lakers were contenders (if not for the title, then at least a solid playoff team), it’s tough to get excited about a team that has no shot of doing well in the postseason, let alone actually qualifying for it.

Still, the moment was not lost on me and it wasn’t lost on Lin, either. That’s his Instagram photo above, which he captioned with a note about the history he and Clarkson made. Here’s hoping they can somehow drag the Lakers back to respectability next year.

Day 83: Dictionary

Macmillan Dictionary for Children

Macmillan Dictionary for Children

When I was a kid, mom made me read the dictionary. Actually, “encouraged” is a better word, since she didn’t force me to do it. So I would crack open my Macmillan children’s dictionary and skim the words until I found one I didn’t know. The Macmillan was great, since it had plenty of pictures and drawings among the definitions.

Eventually I perused the Oxford English Dictionary a few times during my college days. The main library had a copy of the OED and it was exciting and intimidating, overwhelming and intriguing. Even though I was an English major, I was never required to use the OED for any of my assignments, but its reputation preceded it: I was pulled in by its mystique, since the OED made word nerds jump and down in its presence like apes going ga-ga over a monolith.

Years later, I would read about Ammon Shea’s quest to read the OED from beginning to end, in his delightful book, “Reading the OED: One Man, One Year, 21,730 Pages.” As crazy as the idea sounds, it appealed to me. I’ve always loved libraries and, although I have no desire to read the OED cover to cover, I can relate to the solitary quest of reading.

Today, I have a few dictionaries on my home bookshelves, but they don’t get nearly enough use. However, I do follow the OED’s Twitter account. Every day they tweet a word’s definition (usually an obscure one) and while it might not bring back the childhood pleasure of learning what an aardvark is and seeing its picture next to the definition, it’s nice to have a little knowledge break among the usual social media noise.

Day 82: Looking Back, Looking Forward

Manny Pacquiao training run

Manny Pacquiao training run

Coming of age during the 70s and 80s, I was aware of the news and happenings of the time, especially when it came to pop culture and sports. I remember the controversy of Three’s Company (a single man living with two single women *gasp*), the Lakers perpetually contending and winning NBA championships, and the revelation that Darth Vader was Luke Skywalker’s father (oops, spoiler alert). I know where I was when Reagan was shot (junior high), then later when the Challenger blew up (high school). I recall waking up one morning learning that John Lennon had been murdered.

What I don’t remember? Much of anything to do with Filipino Americans or Asian Americans. Sure, I remember when Marcos was  overthrown and the rise of People Power (and the tale of Imelda’s shoes), but it was more in the context of world news, as in the Other news that wasn’t mainstream, or didn’t really matter. Maybe I wasn’t looking hard enough then, or maybe I wasn’t as aware as I thought. I would only learn the name Vincent Chin when I was in college during the 90s.

Today, though, it’s not uncommon to see my social media feeds filled with stories of Manny Pacquiao or Jeremy Lin or Russell Peters or any other Filipino or Asian. For middle-aged Filipino Americans like myself, to be able to debate whether or not a Filipino is the greatest prizefighter of this generation is akin to seeing the yellow, blue, red, and white of the Filipino flag planted in Mars. It was absolutely unfathomable then.

And yet, here we are today and Manny is about to take part of the biggest fight of this generation. Last night, a Chinese American led the Lakers in scoring. This weekend, during the NCAA tournament, the hero of the Maryland-Valparaiso game was an Indian American. During my workout this morning, I listened to a podcast interview with one of the funniest comedians on the planet, Russell Peters, as he talked about some of the racism he encountered as an Anglo-Indian raised in Canada.

I love the fact that George Takei has had a career resurgence so late in life and that his Facebook posts are the most re-shared among my friends. I love that Filipinos are frequently seen on the music-contest reality shows, from Jessica Sanchez to the Filharmonic. I love that one of the top sitcoms on ABC is centered around an Asian American family. I love that the name of the sitcom is Fresh Off the Boat, with all of the baggage that comes with such a loaded phrase.

Most of all, I love that for every Takei, Pacquiao, Peters, Lin, Fresh Off the Boat, and more, there will be even more Fil-Ams and Asian-Ams doing similar things in the future. I’m looking forward to those days, but will always look back to remember how far we’ve come.

Day 81: Quality Time

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I had a little work to do today, then had a relaxing dinner with my family. We went to our favorite Salvadoran restaurant for pupusas, horchata, and conversation, which inevitably turned to how much we loved yesterday‘s amazing hand rolls at Kazu Nori. Yes, we love to talk about food while we’re eating.

After our meal, it was a few games of Zombie Dice and Ticket to Ride for more laughs and relaxation. I finally managed to win a game of Ticket to Ride; my stepdaughter’s a natural and she’s been crushing me and my wife since we started playing.

Food, conversation, and games. It’s what makes up my favorite Sunday Funday.

 

Day 80: Train-ing Day

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Metrolink Train to L.A.

 

I love public transportation, especially in the big city. While Los Angeles is known for its car culture, it has an underrated railway and bus system. The trains and buses run on time and they’re clean (for the most part). Whenever my wife and I decide to go to L.A., we usually take the Metrolink to Union Station, where we then take the Metro Rail (we love the Red and Gold Lines) to explore downtown and beyond.

Today we went to one of our favorite parts of downtown, the revitalized area around 4th and Main. Many moons ago I worked in this neck of the woods and I love seeing how different it is these days; it’s no longer a scuzzy part of town. Now, we can browse in the phenomenal The Last Bookstore, visit historical landmarks, and find great food.

Our lunch today was simply amazing. Or, simple and amazing. At Kazu Nori, you have a few choices of hand rolls, each one made right in front of your eyes. I love the simple menu, the easy ordering system (get in line, mark which combo you want on an order sheet, eat, then pay on your way out), and, most important, the delectable, delicious, and divine sushi. The interior is sleek and modern, the service efficient and prompt.

And that’s exactly why I love taking the train: it’s efficient and prompt. Not to mention that I save money on gas, don’t have to pay parking fees, and suffer no sitting-in-bumper-to-bumper-traffic stress.

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Kazu Nori Salmon Hand Roll.

 

Day 79: Fido Friday

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Bruno

Ah, March Madness is in full swing. My alma mater’s UC sister schools played well, going 1-1, thanks to UCLA’s upset of SMU. They could’ve been 2-0, but UC Irvine fell a basket short of advancing. It was a great showing for the Big West tournament champion.

The early rounds are always my favorite because of the non-stop action and upsets. Thanks to the Internet, it’s now easier than ever to watch all of the games no matter where you are, although this isn’t always a good thing. Game notifications blowing up your phone isn’t the best way to maintain your concentration during the day. The stress level goes up as you sweat over one of your deep picks possibly being upset in the first round.

Thankfully, my buddy Bruno helped me relax when I got home on this Fido Friday. I hope he’s ready to do a little extra relaxation therapy as the tournament continues.

Day 78: Surf and Turf

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While my wife and I miss our girl when she’s at school, it makes us treasure the time we spend together during her breaks. Tonight we showed her how to play Ticket to Ride and Zombie Dice (she won both games, so college is already paying off), then went to the new Korean BBQ restaurant in our neighborhood. It’s an all-you-can-eat place and we happily indulged in several servings of meats, seafood, and banchan (side dishes like kimchi, daikon, radish, etc.) After we stuffed ourselves silly, the manager came by to chat and gave us some complimentary food.

Maybe tomorrow we’ll have family bonding time at the gym.

Day 77: Wordless Wednesday

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I like the hashtag #WordlessWednesday on Google+. There are a lot of great photographers that share their pictures, which are always beautiful and inspiring.

For my #WordlessWednesday contribution tonight, I’m going with my mango empanadas. It’s the second time I’ve made them in a week, thanks again to Marvin Gapultos‘ wonderful The Adobo Road Cookbook. The photo might not be as beautiful or inspiring as others on Google+, but I’m sure it tastes better than the others.

Day 76: St. Patrick’s Day

Pan-Crisped Pork Belly

Pan-Crisped Pork Belly

I haven’t gone out for St. Patrick’s Day in years, but tonight my wife and I couldn’t pass up the all-night happy hour at Fleming’s Steakhouse. We met our friends in the bar area and eventually moved to a table outdoors on the patio. It was nice being able to catch up with everybody over cocktails and excellent appetizers. There were plenty of laughs and it was a nice early break in everybody’s week.

Best of all, I was able to indulge a little tonight, sharing the pan-crisped pork belly with sweet onion chutney and goat cheese grits. It wasn’t your typical St. Patrick’s Day food, but it was much more delicious.