On The Job-Pacific Heights

Pacific Heights is one of those few areas in the city that boasts great views and homes with large foot prints. Much of it is perched on a hill so some streets are rather steep. This particular photo has me on Divisadero looking north to the bay. It was overcast and some light sprinkles were coming down while I took this shot. Famed romance novleist Danielle Steele makes her home and office in a mansion in this area. Just north is the Marina district.

On The Job-Japan Town Inside

In previous posts, I have provided a view of Japantown from the outside. Theres not much to see from the facade of the building so we take a look inside. There are 3 main buildings that line Geary Boulevard. I forget the one on the eastern end but the Kintetsu building is in the middle and the Kinokuniya building is on the western end. All three buildings house shops, restaurants, and services. In the Kintetsu building is this coffee shop that seems like its been here for ages. Or, at least since I have been coming. I have never eaten here but they put out a shaved ice stand thats available all year round. Its especially wonderful during the hot summer days. You can get it with red beans and vanilla ice cream if you prefer

The is the pedestrian over crossing between Kintetsu and Kinokuniya buildings. They make use of the space for a restaurant, a few shops, a storefront for SF Taiko Dojo and a senior center

The other building is so named because of the Kinokuniya bookstore which resides on two levels and is the biggest resident of this edifice.

The other structure is only one story whereas this has 2 levels and houses a hobby store and a video rental shop that caters to japanese television. There are also restaurants and shops from furniture to stationary.

What I have shown you is only half the story. Across the street from the Peace Plaza is another area of shops and restaurants and a few grocery stores for you everyday needs

Coffee, Co hee, Cop pee

Many asian countries have the reputation for drinking tea. But that has changed in many areas as coffee usurps the mantle as beverage of choice. In my recent trip to Seoul and many trips to Tokyo, coffee shops large and small saturate the landscape. There are many well known american brands in these cities, Starbucks being the largest. Asian chains, like Dotour, abound in these areas as well. But unlike here, the conenience of coffee in a can is just as widespread. They can be found hot or cold, with or without milk, and strong or sweet in vending machines, combinis(convenience store), and kiosks. Below is a Japanese brand UCC and Korean brand Lotte. I prefer the ones with milk added but this option tends to add alot of sugar as well. I have not sampled some of the stronger blends without milk and cannot attest to their flavor. Many of these can be found in most asian supermarkets in major cities. Starbucks has their own line of canned coffee in the states. Some people may be shocked at how small the cans are for the Doubleshot 6.5 ounce product line. But, these cans are really no bigger than the ones found in Tokyo or Seoul. There are larger sizes but these miniscule tubes tend to be the standard.

Another brand in Japan uses Tommy Lee Jones to promote their product. I guess he looks like the guy in their logo. Before I forget, Tokyoites and Seoulites, pronounce coffee very differently than we do, hence the title of this post. Neither pronounce the "f". The japanese language does employ the "f" sound but Im not sure about the korean language. The japanese say "co hee" and the koreans say "cop pee"

On The Job-Legion Of Honor

The Legion Of Honor is situated in Lincoln Park on the Northwest corner of the city. In all the years that I have lived in the city, I have never once entered this building. Maybe because Im an uncultured loot.

Just inside the arched entranceway, a replica of Rodain's The Thinker sits and ponders. It stands sentinal to all those who enter.

Just outside the Legion's grounds stand a stark and haunting memorial to the holocaust. A lone person stands at the barbed wire fence looking outward as bodies of the dead pile up behind him. Theres an eerie glow to these statues when the spot lights are turned on when it gets dark

On The Job-Sutro Tower

Sutro Tower on Mt Sutro, located near Twin Peaks, broadcasts TV signals throughout the city. The tower stands 977 and was erected in 1971. The red and white tower has been in service since its completion in 1972.

It has recently been renovated to meet the standards of the digital TV as mandated by the Federal Government. At which time, some signals were spotty at best

Got Milk...Got Better Ads?

Eventually it had to happen. The folks put the Got Milk ads have run out of clever commercials to put on the air and have resort to some really lame concepts. The campaign began with people stuffing their mouths so full that they could not speak when presented with a crucial moment. They also had the popular milk moustache ads where celebrities, real and animated, would sport white facial feature to promote the product. The campaigns focus is always shifting but keeping the same message throughout. The phrase became so well known that people began to usurp it for their own needs.

Lately, they've really hit the wall with their Battle for Milkquarious and Mootopia ideas. The former was a rock opera headed by White Gold, a down and out musician who became a rock god when he drank milk and ventured forth to save the universe in a decidely 70's haze. Lame! Lame! Lame! In all areas, this was a bad idea. Who were they trying to target with this? There was an underlying contest for budding filmmakers in elementary school with a cash prize for the best continuation of the story.

The lastest series, that I have seen, has 2 versions on TV. One shows 2 women drinking from a lake filled with milk while complaining the shine from each others hair is blinding them. The second involves 2 men in a never ending arm wrestling match. Since neither was stronger than the other, probably due to milk, they decide to have a battle of wits. Thats where the commercial comes to a screeching halt as neither are very bright.

These ads slant predominently to the caucasian community as most of the characters are white. Theres little diversity in these latest attempts to sell milk. For better or for worse, White Gold had an Afircan american sidekick but that was the only character of color aside from a black and white talking cow.

They may be trying to make it as bad and as cheesy, pun intended, as they can. But, I think its so bad that it has no redeeming value

Star Wars Lightsaber Chopsticks 2.0

On a recent trip to Tokyo, I went to several stores, and different locations of the same stores, looking for the Star Wars Lightsaber Chopsticks. I found them and purchased the set of Darth Vader red, Luke Skywalker blue, and Yoda green. Now, I have found out, last week, that Kotobukiya is coming out with a second set. This one icludes Mace Windu purple, Luke Skywalker green, and Darth Maul red. Should I preorder them or should I wait until next February when I plan to be back in Tokyo? The second set is due out in August.

Darth Maul's can be joined to form a double sided lightsaber that he used in the movie

I was hoping they would do Darth Maul's. Others had clamored for Mace Windu's. However, instead of Luke's green, they should have done Count Dooku's curved handle lightsaber. This could leave the door open for a third set. But who elses lightsaber could they include to round out the set of 3 that they have been putting out? They could do Anakin's, Obi Wan's, or even Qui Gon's as well.

Comicbooks-Moon Knight

This character is not unlike Batman, The Dark Knight, from the DC comics. A brooding person who has been shaped from many of the bad experiences he had to deal within life. Hes had several personas in his lifetime. He was a mercenary. He was a rich man whose wealth was derived from his past as a mercenary. He was cab driver. And, he was Moon Knight, a seeker of vengeance and justice for the Egyptian god Khonshu. Each segment served a purpose and dealt with different people in different socio-economic strata. Each incarnation had their own identity to differentiate themselves amongst himself.

He crafted many of the tools that he needed as a superhero. Like Batman, he made things like throwing stars in the shape of the crescent moon and had the Mooncopter. He was equipped with a truncheon that can convert to numchuks. He wore a cape that gave him the ability to glide. All thanks to his wealth. Like Batman, he did not have any extraordinary powers but was very athletic. Later he would recieve special powers from Khonshu.

You can read more about him at Marvel:

http://marvel.com/universe/Moon_Knight

Comicbooks

When I was young, I used to collect a number of Marvel comicbooks. The DC line never really appealled to me much. I recall that I purchased the first 3 issues of Omega Men for some reason. Something about the characters and storylines that just did not spark my interest. This was the days before the Dark Knight and The Death of Superman. I also bought a few issues of Teenage Muntant Ninja Turtles. I had reprints of the first couple of issues as they had become very popular and I jumped on the bandwagon a bit late. In the comics, they were very edgy and dark, not like the cartoonish characters they eventually became to be on tv. Every week, I would take the bus to my local shop to see what was new. Oddly enough, the guy that ran the shop is alot like the Comicbook guy from The Simpsons, only in physicality. the guy was large with a goatee/mustache and dressed very casually in t-shirts. Attitude wise, he is quite a departure from the caricature. He was a good guy and would sell back issues at cover price if they were available. Most people would have marked up the price.

Aside from the many popular titles, I collected some of the lesser known characters like Moon Knight and Ghost Rider. I have issues of Fantastic Four, The Avengers, Spiderman(plus variations), X Men, Iron Man, Alpha Flight, etc. I wonder what they are worth nowadays. Back when I bought them they were 50 cents and had gone up as high as 75 cents when I stopped collecting.

Iron Man 2 In 2 Weeks

Actually less than 2 weeks now, the sequel to one of my favorite movies will be hitting screens across America. I am highly anticipating this movie to continue where the first one left off. Sequels have always been known for failing at franchising what the original picture had delivered. But, there have been the exceptions. So, my hopes are high for this movie and I wish that it wont disappoint. At worst, they will screw this one up and make more bad sequels.

As a kid, I used to collect the Iron Man series. I forget how many years ago this was. The storyline at the time saw Stark as a down and out boozer who lost Stark Industries. Stark was so out of it, he could not don the armor. James Rhodes took over for a short time as Iron Man with few knowing about the switcheroo. Just a few years ago, Marvel released the Mangaverse where many of their well known characters took a japanese turn. They were redesigned to look like manga/anime characters. Here, Iron Man is a girl named Toni Stark. Unfortunately, I dont remember how the story goes

Kpop Girl Groups-Brown Eyed Girls, 4Minute, 2NE1

I had never heard of Brown Eyed Girls, BEG, until they released their hit Abracadabara. The music video got people up on their feet to swing their hips in sync with members of this quartet. Their next release Sign had moderate success but nothing in terms of Abracadabra. They do not currently have on the charts. I have enjoyed watching Narsha, on the left, on a number of variety shows. On Invincible Youth, she is the oldest girl group member and is known for her mature humour and somewhat risque comments. Other member Ga In, on the right, is in a variety show where she is in faux marriage with another singer and the show follows them through one of their average days. Via Allkpop, they will be appearing in San Francisco on May 22

4Minute has just released a ballad for the Korean drama Personal Taste. I like the sound of the song but its quite a departure from their previous releases. Muzik and Hot Issue were up tempo dance songs. As with BEG, some of the members have been active in other areas such as acting and working on variety shows. Member Hyuna released a solo song, Change, several months ago.

2ne1 burst onto the scene with a fierce attitude and a different style to what was currntly out there. Their debut song Fire caught on fire. The second song I Dont Care is what put them on my radar. They easily became the rookie group of the year and won alot of praise for their sense of fashion. After their release, Sandara Park and Park Bom released songs on their own. You and I by Bom was a favorite of mine. Minzy and CL released a duet. They have put out some new songs and are promoting them now

These groups are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Other groups include Rainbow, f(x), Secret, Jewelry, Wonder Girls, SeeYa. I have not listened to alot of the songs from these other groups but I have sampled 1 or 2 here and there. The Wonder Girls have tried to break into the American market with their song Nobody and appearances in the states. They did a performance of the song on Fox's So You Think You Can Dance. They will be doing more promotions to further penetrate this lucrative market.

Kpop Girl Groups-Girls Generation, Kara, After School, T-ara

In the Korean pop music scene, there has been an explosion of girl groups that have either gained in popularity or debuted last year. I do not have a full on all the groups, I just know the ones I like.


At the top of the rankings is Girls Generation. They came out with the blockbuster hit Gee that sent Koreans into a tizzy with its simple catchy beat and easy to learn choreography. They had since followed up with several hits, like Genie, and are still going strong with their latest promotion, Oh and Run Devil Run.

Kara's quintet has made much progress and enjoying success with their latest release, Lupin. They caught people's attention with their butt dance for the song Mister. My favorite song was Wanna. Their other hits include Honey, Pretty Girl, and Rock Your Body.


One of the groups that I thought help promise was After School. I liked listening to their debut hit Ah but was not so enthusiastic about their succeding song Diva. The group has changed over the past year and had a comeback with Because Of You. They have a promotion going on now with Bang.

Another group that I have been listening to is T-ara, pronounced tiara. They have had a consistent sound thats pleasent to my ears from Lies and TTL. Then they went really cutesy with Bo Peep. This was a huge selling song for them but not one of my favorites. Then they got back on track with Like The Beginning and I Go Crazy Because Of You

What's For Lunch/Dinner?

The age old question that has plagued man since the dawn of our birth. Cavemen used to wonder whether they should eat in or go out...hunting. Some Native Americans would contemplate eating acorns or go out...hunting. After landing on Plymouth Rock, Im sure the Pilgrims were thinking about getting something to eat. Since I dont cook, the question usually will require a more immediate response. If gone unanswered long enough, my decisions become questionable and the outcome very unstisfying to the say the least. If I were able to cook, then I could have to put some planning into it as ingredients would need to be gathered.

More often than not, I find myself going out...to a restaurant. Im usually not too picky about what cuisine to eat. For me, its more a matter of what I dont want to eat rather than what I do want to eat. At the bottom of my list is usually Indian or African. There are those rare time when I may crave these. Korean used to be pretty low but I have gained a new appreciation for it since I have journeyed there in last month. Thai is neither high nor low on the list but something more of a I have to be in the mood for kind of thing. I guess my favorites are Japanese, Chinese, and American. As I end this post, I will be asking this same question to myself in a few hours

The Tax Man Creepeth Up On Us

Its that time of year again when our federal and local governments take our money when they havent taken enough of it over the past year. Some will go to fund neccessary programs and institutions while some of it goes into either the nether regions or is wasted on small minded projects pushed by small minded bureaucrats and politicians. I like most hate this yearly ritual where we have to account for our earnings. It wouldnt be so bad if this money werent spent on things like administrators pay raises while tuitions are increased and classes and services are decreased in the higher education sector of public learning. It wouldnt be so bad if money wasnt wasted while people argue at end about how something should be done. I shouldnt think about it so much. Ive sent my payment in and should be worry free for another year

As a reminder, their due in 3 days.

Beautiful Asian Women-Kelly Hu

I recently ran across her in the CW series Vampire Diaries as I was channel surfing waiting for Supernatural to air. Kelly is a mix of Chinese, English, and Hawaiian heritages born in Hawaii. She had some early success in beauty pageants. An acress and model, I would deem her as a moderate success. She has done some television shows and has been in a few movies. To my mind, her most notable film role was as Lady Deathstrike from X2, the X-Men sequel. I recall her from Marital Law and Nash Bridges series starring opposite Sammo Hung and Don Johnson, respectively.

She has a fit body, flowing hair, and a cute nasally voice thats very distinctive to me. I could probably spot her in a crowd from her voice.

Beautiful Korean Women-Hyori Lee

My family used to watch this weird Korean show many years ago. There would be one girl and some guys in a room trying to sing the lyrics to a Korean song. Hovering above each of the participants were huge lids from cooking pots. Whenever they got the lyrics wrong, the lids would fall and smack them on the head. On first impression, it was hilarious. It continued to be that way for several episodes. Getting back to my point. The girl was so bubbly and fresh. Everytime she smiled, you would think there could be nothing wrong in the world. The picture below may be from when she hosted the aforementioned show. As well as being on TV, she was in a pop group called FinKL before going onto a solo career.


Fast forward to several months ago. I saw a commercial with a girl dancing with a container of red pepper paste. The smile on her lovely face impassioned a response in me that was familiar. After doing some research, I found it was the same enchanting face from that show years ago. With her updated looks, I was entranced all over again. Since I first saw her, she had released many solo albums, appeared on numerous TV shows, and has filmed more than her fair share of commercials. Months ago, she had finished taping a season of a popular reality show called Family Outing. In this show, she often appears without makeup but that does not diminish but accentuates her natural beauty. Her enticing personality and comedic timing are also an asset thst she delivers well in this show. After which, she focused on releasing her next album. She has already released a single from the album and a video

Beautiful Japanese Women-Noriko Sakai

My first exposure to her was through her acting role in a japanese drama called Heaven's Coins. She played the part of a deaf girl from the country. Little did I know at the time that she was a well known pop singer and the opening theme from this and the sequel series was sung by her. Her boyfriend doctor, who promised to marry her, gets amnesia while away in Tokyo. Worried and scared, she ventures to the big city to look for him. Hobbled by her deafness, she is befriended and helped by the people she meets. Eventually, she catches the eye of her betrothed's brother. A love triangle ensues as her love begins to regain his memories and his love for her. The picture below is what she looked like around the time the I saw the drama. With her very innocent looks and her role as the desperate deaf woman, I couldnt help but fall for her.

She has aged very well and is as beautiful as ever. She has done a few other dramas since then. She has also started a family many years ago. However, she has run into bad luck of late because of her husband. She is currently spending time in jail on drug possesion charges and her career may be forever in shambles. But I choose to remember her as the person whom I loved to listen to and watch.

Korean Drama/Movie-Iris

I have been known to watch a few Japanese dramas in my time. But its been a while since I watched my last j drama. I have heard that Korean dramas are just as good if not better. I started with the k drama Dream because of the female lead, k pop singer Son Dambi. It couldn't keep my attention and I didnt complete the series.

A while back KBS began to air one of the most expensive dramas in Korean history. The spy thriller Iris is an action-packed story about differing ideologies on the reunification of Korea with a sprinkling of a love triangle thrown in for good measure. They went to great lengths to film this series including being on location in Japan, China, and Budapest. Reportedly, it cost an average $1 million per episode to produce. I thought it was well worth it, as was the same thought of some of my coworkers who had seen it also.

The series began to air subtitled on KBS World shortly after it premiered on Korean television. The story begins with two friends who are going through military training together. By a twist of fate, each fall in love with the same woman. The three become friends and begin to work for a government organization not unlike the CIA. With the backdrop of Korean reunification, nuclear terrorism, and the efforts of a supersecret global organization, Iris, imposing its wills on the on the rest of the world, the three are driven by love and jealousy to their ultimate ends.

I wont reveal what happens at the end of the series but the story does not end there as the movie has been premiered at the Hong Kong film festival several weeks ago. The movie will disclose what happens to the characters beyond the terminus of the series. The ending left many questions in the mind of viewers. The sequel to the series, Iris Season 2-Athena:Goddess Of War, will not be addressing these questions. I am early awaiting the movie

At Dinner-B Star

A friend of a friend was in town over the weekend and we decided to go out for dinner at the city's most popular Burmese restaurant, Burma Superstar. We called ahead and put ourselves on the waiting list but it was still at least a half hour wait before we would be seated. We decided to redirect ourselves 2 blocks away to their sister site, B Star. The cuisine here is more eclectic asian rather than just Burmese. However, many of their notable dishes are on the menu here as well as some thai, japanese, and chinese additions. Appetizers started off with fish and fries and ceviche. The raw fish seemed seared and was topped with onions and avocado. The fish were deep fried whole baby smelt and was accompanied by a curry aioli and malt vinegar. We were forewarned that the supply of fries had run out but we could substitue their ltus root chips. disappointingly, the fish appeared over a bed of fries.



Secondly, 2 of 3 salads came out. We had ordered their rainbow salad and a salad with tofu. The rainbow salad is a combination of many ingredients all mixed together at tableside.

The next wave included the tea leaf salad and a few main dishes. The tea leaf salad was introduced to us by the waiter as the ome of its parts including the tea leaf and other ingredients and tossed before us. The mains included a chicken stew with noodles and coconut milk, pork and white beans, and other dishes. Unfortunately, my mind on this Monday morning cannot recollect what else was ordered except for the grilled flat iron steak that I had

The table became overcrowded with dishes as we sampled all that we had ordered. We five were packed into a smallish table for four. The service was attentive and they tried to clear the plates as they became emptied to make room. Everyone enjoyed all the plates placed before us. The mix of cuisines was intriguing and I may have to go back and try some of the other dishes such as curry salmon pot pie or the lotus chips

British Shows I Like to Watch-Top Gear

This show is about fast cars and comedy, in that order. Its 3 hosts review all manner of sportscars from the exotic to the production models. Also, they have a mysterious chap known as the The Stig who will drive the reviewed car around their test track to see how fast he can complete the circuit. The car is then ranked against other cars they have preciously driven. They have tested some of the fastest and most expensive cars in the world. They regularly drive Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porches, etc. They have critiqued the Bugatti Veyron, the fastest production car currently, and even taken it to its top speed of over 250MPH in Germany

In addition to these segments, they have taken to racing against each other, crafting cars into unlikely uses, and demonstrating or debunking certains myths or misnomvers. Much of this with tongue firmly planted in cheek. The number of episodes per season varies as they do as much as they can with whatever the budget allows. Sometimes only shooting as little as 7 episodes because they've spent too much. For example, the time Jeremy Clarkson, the guy on the left in the pic above, took a car around the world to shoot 30 second spots for a car he was reviewing. All the shots were unneccesary to the review, but it was funny in the end to see what he had done and to see the reactions of his cohosts. His fellow co hosts include Richard Hammond, James May. and the Stig!

American Shows I like to Watch-Lost

Actually, there has been alot of back and forth with this series. I caught onto the show when it began and followed it for a few seasons. But things got too strange and convoluted for my taste and I lost interest. However, I would still catch the odd show here and there just to see where they would go with the storyline.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. Since season 6 is the final season, I have jumped back on the bandwagon to see what questions they will answer and what loose ends will be tied up. So far, they have not cleared up much and have actually posed more questions with the introduction of a parallel storyline where the flight never landed on the island. However, this storyline actually changes the background for some of the characters. We'll have to wait and see what they come up with