weekend randoms: michelle wie, say hi to your mother for me

Michelle Wie

On Friday night, ML and I went to a friend's house in Palo Alto to play Rock Band. We stopped by Whole Foods to pick up some goodies for our night of rocking. As we left the store and turned the corner towards our intended destination, we saw a very tall and slender Asian girl walking in our direction with a shorter Asian guy. She looked extremely familiar. After staring intently as we crossed paths, I realized who she was.

Michelle Wie

At that point I vaguely remembered hearing of her attending Stanford. We weren't really star struck, but I think its noteworthy to point out. Hey, I am not from NY or LA; folks I see regularly on television are worth mentioning. ML felt similarly:

Me: "I think that was Michelle Wie"

ML: "Oh, ok."

More importantly, I'm not sure why I don't own Rock Band. Fresh off our Weezer concert from a couple of weeks ago, we were really inspired to do some rocking. And that we did. I think the best part may be the ability to download new tracks and add them to your repertoire. It's a great business model. I just can't make a cogent argument against buying the game when I see downloadable tracks like Radiohead's "My Iron Lung", Weezer's "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived", Oasis' "Wonderwall", and Stone Temple Pilot's "Sex Type Thing" (the list goes on and on).

Quick Marketing Tangent

I think Rock Band will continue to become more and more elaborate. Newer iterations of the game will probably involve a keyboard and possibly guitars that more closely mimic an actual guitar. I would be shocked if those things weren't in development. And for the karaoke industry, I am assuming that they are developing similar technology. I think this is a serious competitive disadvantage if they don't see the Rock Band audience as a threat to market share. So please, give me some interactive guitars and percussion at the local karaoke bar. 

Mark Wahlberg

I spent a solid remaining portion of the weekend watching YouTube clips and SNL videos. There has been some really entertaining political sketches on SNL as of late, but I am still very partial to the really idiotic stuff. Recently, I have become a big fan of this Andy Samberg sketch:

A couple of weeks later, Wahlberg showed up at 30 Rockefeller to demonstrate that he is game to poke some fun at himself. I personally feel that Andy Samberg plays Mark Wahlberg better than Wahlberg plays himself. I'm not sure why it's so funny, but it just is.

Wahlberg's evolution into mildly palatable entertainer has been fun to watch for me (because he cares about that). First he gives us Entourage and then a well-deserved Oscar nomination for his turn as Lieutenant Dignam in The Departed. One thing is clear in this stretch of success for the New Englander. He sure plays a damn good Bostonian (I will not be watching Max Payne). Mr. Wahlberg - please continue to play Boston cops. It's good for you, it's good for me.

Oh, I almost forgot. Please say hello to your mother for me.

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asics onitsuka tiger - mexico 66

What a great idea. Please let me know what you think, ML (this may lead to my first ever blog comments). I meandered into my neighborhood shoe store on the way home from work and ended up making an impulse purchase. I did need shoes but I had no idea that I would be concluding the day with a new pair of kicks.

I like these, right?

Asics Onitsuka Tiger - Mexico 66

I am a sucker for any pair of shoes that don't have laces. Hooray for velcro!

Plus, all hesitancy was swept away when I saw the sweet, sweet "Tiger" tabs at the heels. I am certain to be void of any buyer's remorse as I constantly remind myself I'm walking in Tigers. I also dig the modest Japanese flair in these sneakers. 

Nicely done. Kudos to the consumer as well. Viva La Raza!

This is as artistic as it gets for me:

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the house, san francisco (north beach)

In high school, I wrote a food column for our school newspaper, The Charger Account. We initially penned the colum "Eclectic Edibles" but a Puff Daddy-esque name change came in my Junior year and my partner and I were born again as "Kitchen Kritics". I honor that tradition going forward in this blog. But hopefully with less critiquing as I really loathe some of the inane reviews you find on sites like Yelp.

ML and I went to The House on Friday night. I have been there a few times before and must say that it is one of my favorite places in the city. It helps that the prices are relatively cheap and the portions are pretty massive for quasi-fine dining. The dishes are comprised of Americana cuisine with Asian influence.

Tangent: I'm trying to avoid using the word " fusion". I don't think it's a relevant word anymore considering how connected the world has become. Food has been affected by globalization as much anything else. Fusion is more of an expectation than not. Culinary points of view should be described as "traditional" if it is any different.

Shrimp and chive dumplings:

Hamachi sashimi with avocado (and some sort of mild relish):

Chilean Sea Bass:

Flatiron Steak with Chinese-style Noodles (wasabi flavored) - probably their signature dish:

That's it! Always yummy. Oh, we did have the creme brule with had some sort of lichee syrup. Not successful.

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weezer at san jose events center - 10.13 (part 2)

I've had some time to think about the Weezer show I attended last week and will now try to articulate some thoughts I had during the experience. You can find my first impressions of the show here: weezer at san jose events center (part 1)

When I wasn't caught up in a rowdy sing-along or trying to anticipate what the next song might be, I found myself comparing this experience to the only other time I had seen the band live. 

Warfield Theater, San Francisco, 2005

That was back in 2005 at the Warfield in San Francisco. I originally wrote a short history on the band and how the music community viewed them at that moment in time, but it became too convoluted and was looking more like a novella; I realize I can talk about Weezer and its frontman for a long time. In short, it was an important time for the band and its legacy with a pending fifth album, Make Believe, after a couple of sub-par efforts (The Green Album, Maladroit) and semi-hiatus as Rivers Cuomo was finishing up his degree at Harvard.

At the time, Rivers was heavily involved with a strict yoga discipline, and it had been documented that he was celibate for a two year period. There is plenty of sources that speak to Rivers inability to strike a desirable balance in his life. All it takes is a listen of Pinkerton and one gets a sense of how conflicted he was with the decadent and hedonistic rock lifestyle. So yoga served to center him.

Thus, I assumed that the yoga accentuated Rivers timid disposition at the concert. He was no showman on stage, briskly moving from one song to another with very little interaction with the audience. He looked completely uncomfortable, and at times, terrified. If he could, I think he would have elected to have his back turned to the audience. The crowd didn't care, we were all so excited to see the band come after there had been some rumblings about possible breakup. Additionally, all Weezer fans 1) love to sing along and barely notice what's going on on stage and 2) enjoy Rivers' eccentricity. I thought that he might vomit on stage, but he managed to get through it without incident. 

Rivers anti-celebrity that night worked in the same way that a lot of the Weezer universe has survived - through amplified contradiction. For example, the best of Weezer's playlist bridges sugary pop melodies and heavy guitar crunches. Likewise, the shy, fragile lead singer confidently pens and blows lyrics like "What's with my homies dissing my girl?" and "God damn you half japanese girls". The geek-and-cheek, boyish charm was all part of the show, unintentional or not. 

Musically, it was a real treat. Regardless of how "intelligent" some music snobs might feel about Weezer's musical catalogue, you have to be impressed with Cuomo's voice. It's just easy to listen to and very dynamic. On that night, it worked with the gut busting "Hash Pipe" to open the set, as well as "Say It Ain't So", "The Good Life", and "No One Else". During the encore, we were treated to a rendition of "Undone (The Sweater Song)" while Brian Bell and Scott Shriner were rapping lyrics to "El Scorcho".

That night the band did all of their entertaining through the music alone. 

Weezer at Warfield Setlist

San Jose Events Center, San Jose, 2008

Rivers was the exact opposite last Monday night. He spent more time running frantically across stage, falling into rock-induced seizures, and hamming it up with the crowd than actually singing. My original thought was that Rivers is different, but I don’t think that’s the case as I've had more time to digest the night's happenings. I think it's more that he's returning to something or perhaps fulfilling the rock god incarnate that he has always dreamed of realizing. It reminds me of “In the Garage” off of the first record in which he looks back on days spent in teenage isolation, imitating his favorite shredders of the day with all of his rock heroes taped to his walls approving his every move.

He is Peter Pan, suspended in time, jumping up and down on a trampoline, without any notion of his years. His band mates? They just let him carry on. They play and sing with little movement, intentionally contrasting Rivers’ youthful exuberance. Between this and the other extreme which I previously experienced, I really can't say I prefer one or the other. 

But I do have a strong opinion on the music.

What drew me to Weezer early on more than anything else was the infectious pop melodies and Rivers' beautiful voice. This is slowly slipping away with a democratization within the band. Its evident on their latest album in which each other band mate sings lead vocal on a track. I don't like it. Those are three to four cuts per record that are void of Rivers, and I find those to be a waste. I actually think that Shriner and Bell both have decent voices, but Weezer is still Rivers, unfortunately. Their sounds and their words do not fit into the Weezer anthology. 

This democracy was evident much too frequently during the show as well. The rest of the gang sang a bulk of the lead vocals on past classics while Rivers would lurk around the stage, waiting for the perfect opportunity to slide across the floor and cut into a crunchy guitar riff. The band even had Tom DeLonge of Blink 182 - I mean, Angels and Airwaves come on stage to butcher the first verse of "Undone (The Sweater Song)". The sharing might make the band happier to make music, but this really isn't Weezer music when Rivers isn't singing it, and worse, when he's not writing it.

My favorite moments occurred when Rivers reminded me more of the shy guy, standing quite still while his guitar and vocals led the way. Some of those numbers include "I Am The Greatest Man That Ever Lived", "Hash Pipe", "Keep Fishin'". One highlight of "Undone" was Rivers going pretty berserk on drums (check out link above).

Some Links 

The audio isn't great, but here is a YouTube link for the band playing the a capella into guitars rendition of "Suzanne" in San Diego (I unfortunately couldn't find the San Jose version).

"The Greatest Man That Ever Lived" live at San Jose Events Center:

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Weezer at San Jose Events Center - 10.13 (Part 1)

On Monday night, I went to the Weezer show with my sisters, ML, and a couple of other friends at the San jose Events Center. 

I plan to follow up with a more detailed blog on my impressions of the show.

(Thanks to Jennie Kim for providing the pictures; we couldn't hang with the wannabe moshers and had to move to some bleachers near the back)

Until then, some quick hits that resonate the day after:

• The best moment for me was the B-Side "Suzanne". The boys started the number in a capella (a la barber shop quartet) and seamlessly went into a heavier, guitar crunching version of the song. I thought they executed it quite well, and it was cool to see them showcase the harmonic abilities that have highlighted their musical catalogue since their first album
• "I need some Rogaine to put in my hair" - Rivers is balding pretty noticeably and seems to be embracing it by growing out his hair and accentuating the look
• Trampoline on stage (more explanation in future post)
• I don't think Weezer could get away with not playing both "Undone (The Sweater Song)" and "Buddy Holly" at a concert. However, as ML astutely pointed out, Rivers looks like Buddy Holly no more
• Weezer isn't Weezer without Cuomo's lyrics and voice. There is a clear departure from this beginning with The Red Album and evident in the sharing of lead vocals during the show (including "My Name is Jonas", "Say It Ain't So", "El Scorcho", the list goes on...). This is not promising for the new record as half of their latest album is a throwaway without Rivers' lead vocals
• Rivers to bassist Scott Shriner: "Thank you for rocking my heart and soul"
• Kneepads
• Lots of college students and younger. It looks like the boys and their record label have done a noteworthy marketing job through MTV and YouTube

Set List:

1. My Name Is Jonas
2. Pink Triangle
3. Perfect Situation
4. Say It Ain’t So
5. Suzanne
6. Keep Fishin’
7. King
8. Undone (The Sweater Song)
9. Pork & Beans
10. Dope Nose
11. Troublemaker
12. Thought I Knew
13. Hash Pipe
14. El Scorcho
15. Time (Pink Floyd cover)
16. The Greatest Man That Ever Lived
17. Island in the Sun - HOOTENANNY
18. Beverly Hills
19. Heart Songs (via LP)
20.  Sliver (Nirvana cover) - ENCORE
21. Buddy Holly

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mushroom pizza (with an egg)

The last time I dabbled in homemade pizza was when I was in middle school. At the time, my mom was considering a career change to food, possibly a deli. She was taking lessons in Americana cuisine and to practice, would leave us small balls of pizza dough for us to prepare as an after school snack. My tasty creations usually consisted of mushrooms and pepperoni, along with a slightly burnt or undercooked pie (depending on how engrossed I may have been in that afternoon's television programming).

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago when I spent the weekend in northern Sonoma with ML. We found a pizzeria called Rosso in Santa Rosa. The pizza (thin crust) was good, and they had a fair selection of wines from local wine makers. The owner was of Italian descent and created a menu based on his heritage. We even heard one of the bartenders mix a champagne cocktail for a patron sitting next to us as he told her how this was borne out of a recent trip the owner had taken back to the homeland. We were clearly in the right place for pizza, but there wasn't anything particularly exceptional that made this establishment stand out. 

And then I was blown away. 

As we neared the end of our meal, the owner sat down to ML's right with his son and they were both brought out pizzas. On top of each pie rested a slightly undercooked egg. I watched in astonishment as the two devoured their pies, each bite preceded by dipping the slice into the egg yolk that had fallen to the plate. I think I might have drooled a little while I watched them eat. Our server then tells us that it is an option for all of their pizzas (thanks). It was glorious and depressing all the same; I could think about little else in the kitchen since then.

Today, ML and I endeavored to mimick that creation. I think we were fairly successful. We found some decent dough and sauce recipes on Food Tv and made a few variatiations of the Rosso masterpiece. The very best one turned out to be the first pie that we made, a beautiful mushroom pizza with sauted cremini mushrooms and an aged fontina. And the egg! 

Some recipes for mushroom pizzas call for some gorgonzola cheese but the aged fontina we found was strong enough to stand on it's own. We didn't perfect the egg addition at first; we quickly discovered it only needs to sit in the oven with the pizza for a couple of minutes to get that truly stupendous, runny goodness. It brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it.

I'm a little sad that it took me nearly thirty years to learn of how eggs augment a pizza. What else should it go on top of? I think more pizzerias should have an egg option on the menu. Now, pizzas just look naked without them.

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really, let's remember this...

The first entry in a blog can be pretty intimidating. It really says so much about what one may be most interested in. I have attempted to blog in the past and concluded that I really didn't have much to say. Additionally, I feel that there is too much nonsensical content in the blogosphere. If you aren't an expert at something, don't write about it. 

Thus, I intend to be a hypocrite of sorts. I will blog. But I will blog because I want to be an expert on my life...My life and it's subtle movements, a collection of tangents that ultimately shapes my views and quietly confirms my existence.

As more time passes, I feel a stronger sensation to document my life as it is now, and as it will be tomorrow. There are life stories that I have already completely forgotten. And it's not that those narratives are necessarily forgettable, but rather, they are accidentally discarded. When others recall those moments, I tuck away their memory. Similarly, there are the stories I can recount, but my perception of them overtime must change the real emotions and thoughts experienced. It is never a deliberate intent, but a certainty of organizing these affairs in my head.

Shifting gears a bit, I am currently in the market for a digital SLR and envision that this blog will evolve more into a photo journal. There will often be lapses in timely updates for sure, and even times when I deviate from the picture format as I can be a bit verbose when the mood strikes me. Most importantly, long gone are my romantic notions of sipping tea at a cafe and scribbling notes and doodles into a moleskin journal. I am no Hemingway, no matter how delusional my escapist daydreams are at times.

Nevertheless, I plan to embrace my emotions, my plans, and images as they continue to seep out. Tomorrow or the day after, I will look upon this and laugh or shake my head in embarrassment (hopefully a little of both). That is my intent.

Today: I am 27, at home sick from work and have no accountability to anything at the moment. I am fantasizing about an extended sojourn to some exotic location, but alas, I am most comfortable lying on my bed and staring at my olive green wall. I am waiting for ML to come home so we can play house for the weekend.

I walked around my neighborhood earlier this morning and was fortunate enough to bask in the warm October sun that invigorates this city before winter's harshness takes hold. It really makes me wonder what else I could be doing on all of these days when I am holed away at work, with no idea of how life is living without me. Sick days always remind me of Tranformers. Thanks Prime for being my childhood's voice of morality.

Eff this, I'll blog about whatever I want...