Showtime

Eloise will do fine at math because she's Asian, but I'm going to make sure she aces her history classes, too.

Intern Alison

Today is Alison's second day helping out at the magazine office. So it's not like she dressed up for the first day only to find out we work in humble digs and aren't super fashionable; she just looks nice every day. What was the third-year Cal student thinking, spending some of her summer vacation here at GR? That's what I was wondering...

GR: Why did you want to intern with us?
AK: I've always been a big fan of the magazine and figured that since I'd be in the area, I thought I'd check out the place that I'd been fantasizing about for so many years.

GR: Whoa! Wasn't it kind of disappointing when you walked through the door?
AK: No, it's really awesome. Although since GR's name is pretty well known, I wasn't expecting it to be quite as underground or indie...

GR: You said that you liked actually liked scanning CDs and books for the layout. Were you serious about that?
AK: Getting everything perfect is strangely relaxing.

GR: What was your favorite article draft that you've read so far?
AK: Definitely the one about cannibal fish!

GR: Wait, neither Eric nor I wrote that article. Are you sure?
AK: No comment.

GR: Do I seem different than my writing voice might convey?
AK: I guess your writing doesn't convey how laid back you are in person.

GR: How would you guess Eric would be like?
AK: I simply don't know!

Hollywood Chinese

Arthur Dong's documentary about Chinese Americans in Hollywood movies not only features filmmakers, cast members, and clips from titles you'd expect (Charlie Chan, Flower Drum Song, Chan Is Missing, Joy Luck Club, Better Luck Tomorrow) but also offers surprises such as Yellowface actors and excavated footage from the first Chinese-American movie. While Dong intelligently addresses race issues and box-office politics, I found the overall tone to be more like a celebration than a sermon, and think it will interest not only students of Chinese-American and Asian-American culture but movie fans in general.

Check out Hollywood Chinese during its all-important opening weekend at Laemmle's Music Hall in Beverly Hills or Laemmle's One Colorado in Pasadena this Saturday and Sunday or in a return engagement at the ImagineAsian Theatre in New York City. (Check out my interview with the award-winning filmmaker in GR54, too. He's a cool dude!)

Keep sample sale

Years ago, I used to buy my shoes at the Vans outlet in the factory parking lot on Batavia in Orange. I used to score all sorts of weird colors and combos for dirt cheap. (Colorways wasn't in the vocabulary yet.)

The Vans factory and shop are long gone, but this weekend you can get deals on one-offs, samples, and just plain old Keep shoes at their new pad in Chinatown L.A. Check out the info on the flyer (above) or here. Get yourself some new kicks for the summer and say hi to our homies Una Kim and Wendy Yao for us.

Oh, what a feeling!

This afternoon, Eric and I gave a talk at Toyota's national headquarters in Torrance. We were invited to speak in conjunction with Joe from InterTrend as part of the company campus' Asian-American month calendar.


To be honest, I expected a room full of suits who would be asking about accounting, marketing, and forecasting, but the crowd of maybe 50 people was extremely receptive and asked thoughtful questions. It turns out they were way more engaged (and engaging) than most college audiences we've had. Crap, the next picture is blurry!


I figured that employees at huge corporations like Toyota are forced to watch boring PowerPoint presentations all the time, filled with stats and other mumbo jumbo, so we kicked off our talk with the following slide.


Imagine each point sliding across the screen as it was introduced. Humor is a risky thing in talks of any kind, but the audience totally clicked. It probably didn't hurt that Eric and I prepared a totally new outline geared towards Asian America for this talk, so it was fresh for us, too. (We filled out the outline in our typical freestyle fashion.)


Beforehand, I joked that we probably wouldn't need Sharpies for this talk, but it turned out we were asked to sign some mags. That was pretty cool.


Afterwards, we ate at the Toyota cafeteria. Eric pointed out the burger station, and I got a veggie patty with avocados, grilled onions, swiss cheese, and jalepenos with a side of sweet potato fries. Not bad! There was a selection of nice desserts, too, which InterTrend ace Amy volunteered to help me eat.


Thanks to Ivan, Karen, and everyone at Toyota and InterTrend for an afternoon well spent. What the attendees will get out of it, I'm not sure. But giving these talks always makes me extra amped about my job.

Hm, Wendy's two-door GTI isn't the most convenient vehicle for hauling around a baby seat. Maybe it's time to look into a Matrix...

Through being cool

There are some things that you just can't do and look cool at the same time.

1. Drink out of a straw. That's why Rob Dyrdek covers it with his hand when he uses one. (Kind of like covering your mouth when using a toothpick.)
2. Eat an ice cream cone. I have a live recording of Ian Mackaye berating a goon at a Fugazi show: "You think you're tough, but I saw you eating an ice cream cone before the show!"
3. Eat cookies. Jon Moritsugu says "Cookies are for pussies!" in one of his movies.

To that list, add "4. Wear a baby." I used to run around the reservoir every day. I'm not saying that I looked cool back then, but it's definitely a different look when I'm walking and wearing Eloise--first in a sling, and now that she can hold up her neck, in an Ergo.

But I think I found something that helps. It looks slightly less uncool when she's wearing this hat, doesn't it? It was knit by my sister-in-law Kelly, and has a slight Nation of Islam vibe that's kind of bad ass.


Now I just have to teach my baby girl to scowl, and then we'll really have it going on.

Pushing Mongol

GR is proud to present a free advance screening of Mongol, starring Tadanobu Asano (Ichi the Killer, Zatoichi, Last Life in the Universe) as the Asian conquerer. When I saw a press showing of Sergei Bodrov's epic film, I was blown away from the very beginning (where you hear throat singing at a theater-rattling volume) to the end (with massive scenes in which you can see the hooves on the hundreds of horses going into battle). You've probably seen Asano act effortlessly cool or cruel in previous roles, and I swear he takes those demeanors to new heights in this movie.


Where and when:

Wednesday, June 4th, 2008 at 7:30PM
PACIFIC DESIGN CENTER
Silver Screen Theater (2nd Floor)
8687 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90069
*Please enter the PDC through the San Vicente Blvd entrance and park in the parking structure next to the green bldg where the theater is located.*

How to get on the list:
1. Send RSVPs to filmmatters@giantrobot.com with “Mongol” in the subject line.
2. Please indicate if you will be bringing a guest.
3. You will receive an email confirming your RSVP.
4. Seating is not guaranteed and will be first come, first serve.

If you can't make it or insist on supporting quality cinema by paying for it, Mongol will be released in New York and Los Angeles on Friday, June 6, 2008.

Western Edition 3

Our friends at Western Edition/FTC Skates in SF have put up their new video online. Check it out here.

BDC in HB

Here's some huge news for fans of SoCal punk from the early '90s. This summer Big Drill Car will be playing their first show in 16 years. BDC rose from the ashes of M.I.A. (who I saw open for the Descendents with Social Unrest and Plain Wrap on the FinALL show at Fender's before Milo went back to college), and there was a time when I used to see the band play at the Anti-Club practically every other weekend with ALL, the Chemical People, Jawbreaker, etc. At the time, the SoCal scene was rivaling what was happening up north at Gilman St. Seriously.

I introduced myself to BDC guitarist Mark at a Hard-Ons show perhaps a year ago, and he was totally cool when I told him how I used to stalk his old band. My dedication to seeing every single one of their shows actually caused serious stress with my girlfriend at the time.

Give them a listen here. This particular song was originally released on a compilation my friend Joy made for Flipside called The Big One.

Check out the scoop on the show here. (I wouldn't be posting the link if I didn't just place a call to buy tickets for myself.)

I wonder if the photographer that took the shot above is who I think it is... So rad.

(Thanks to BDC junkie Chris for the heads-up.)

Balling for the fallen

You could drop a bundle on tickets for tonight's Lakers-Spurs rematch in Game 2 of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Staples Center and line the pockets of some sleazy ticket agency or scalper. Or you could purchase $6 tickets to see the L.A. Lightning play the Shanxi Kylins at Cal Lutheran's Gilbert Sports Arena in Thousand Oaks, knowing that the proceeds will go toward Chinese earthquake relief


The contest featuring ex-Clippers Lamond Murray and Fred Vinson and ex-Bruins Toby Bailey and Billy Knight playing a team from the CBA will not be seen by Jack, Denzel, or the Chili Peppers, but it will be high scoring. The International Basketball League has a 22-second shot clock and scores can reach the 160-170 range.

Get details about the L.A. team, the game, and other stuff here.

Sleep

When I arrived at GRHQ yesterday morning, a guy was passed out right by the driveway. I was going to put his hand in a cup of warm water, but decided there was no need. He was probably all pissed out.

An hour or two later, he was gone. Hope he found his way home okay.

One of these things is not like the others

One of these things just doesn't belong...


ALF-inspired theater project poster, ripped off a telephone pole in the Bay Area.


ALF-related zine, Mary Van Note's Experiences (of the Sexual Variety), also from the Bay Area.


Original art by Bay Area artist Matt Furie. Not really ALF, but look at that schnauzer!

What's up with NoCal and the Alien Life Form known as Gordon Shumway. Is it the planet Melmac? Do they eat cats up there? You can see more of Matt's stuff here, along with new pieces by his buddy and good friend of GR, Albert Reyes. It warms my heart that a S.F. dude and L.A. artist can stop arguing about who has the better burrito and get along. (But the Giants still suck!)

The criteria

We get a crapload of CDs to review in the GR mailbox. How do we narrow it down? Generally, the process of weeding out includes the following:

1. Are we familiar with the band?
2. Are we familiar with the label?
3. Is the art cool?
4. Is the propaganda or sticker interesting?

That's just how we pick pieces to give a listen. Bands with Asians get a break and extra leeway, but only to get played--and not to make the cut. Friends' bands or friends of friends' bands have a better chance of getting in, too, and there are a couple example of that below. Some of them, I even bought!


Sometimes readers ask us why the reviews are all pretty good. Well, the bad ones never make it. If we don't like something, we stop listening right away. What's the point?

The whole point of GR is to write about stuff we like. We don't feature crummy art, films, or other stuff, so why waste space on crappy music?

Anyway, I'm on to misc. DVDs...

Font book

Helvetica is everywhere, but sometimes other fonts overlap and repeat as well. It's cool when there is an unintentional connection of some sort. Well, in this case it unites two things I am into: old reggae and GR. Both in my house.


This font actually makes sense, since it's pretty new and affordable.


I have a feeling this is pure rub-on lettering, done way before Indesign or even Quark. It's been on my porch forever. Does it look familiar?


Something else I have laying around the house...

End of civilization

So not only has it been a pain to put up pics on Blogger for the last few days--so much that I've been stockpiling my posts--but my cable service went blank during halftime of last night's Lakers-Spurs game. The Lake Show was down by 7 at the time, and went down by 20 before coming back to grab a win and tear out the hearts of Parker, Ginobli, Duncan, Bowen, and company in the final minutes.

I almost felt sorry for the cable operator when I called to complain. The call center was probably flooded with calls from angry fans of the Purple and Gold, and it wasn't his fault a car ran into a pole. But this was the second time during the playoffs that our cable went down during a Lakers game, and I explained him that TNT and ESPN's monopoly over key playoff games was the sole reason we ordered service from Time Warner.

We're going to get a $2.40 refund for lost time, but crap. I swear this doesn't happen to DirecTV subscribers who pay less per month... I feel like cable is obsolete, grasping, and greedy in an age where everything is going wireless. (Why can't we have DSL in our neighborhood?)


p.s. The silver lining is that baby Eloise got some extra massaging and story time last night.

p.p.s. I hope the driver of the car is okay.

Not slacking, nowhere remote, and nothing weird happening

I've just been hustling articles and pieces for GR54 and waiting for Blogger to let me upload pics. The site has been busted for two or three days and counting...

RIP Will Elder

Original MAD magazine artist; contributor to Humbug, Help!, and Trump, and co-creator of Little Annie Fannie passed away at the age of 86.

Killing Time time

This afternoon I dropped by GR2 to visit Albert, Matt, and Aiyana, and check out the installation of tomorrow night's art show, Killing Time.


I was stoked to see that Matt is already putting to use some of the ALF stuff that I gave him. One of the lunchboxes is now his manpurse. I suggested he load up the iPod with songs for tomorrow evening's reception.


It was cool to see the pieces in his large painting properly nailed up next to each other on a wall. At the time, the jury was still out regarding whether the parts would be sold separately or as a set. (I particularly like the ones with the Rubik's Cube dude and the Steve Cab dragon...)


Matt also made a ton of single portrait-style pieces. The amount of detail is incredible, as you can see in the close-up below. The head is maybe 6 inches tall.


There are also print versions of the artwork. Below, Matt's girlfriend/fellow artist Aiyana is hanging a poster-sized one with all of the heads on it.


Some of Matt's more colorful pieces waiting to be hanged can be seen in the next photo. They are in really small editions, like four. These are the ones that made Albert say, "Hey, I thought we were only going to use black and white!"


Albert puts up his artwork super fast. From this angle, you can't even see the mass of photos that are located to the right. The "U.S.A." image on the top is from a Neoprint!


There are also s0me bigger pieces. On the section of white door is Albert's depiction of Kate Moss. The wooden-looking one is a collab between Matt (who drew the eyes and teeth) and Albert (everything else).


Two more paintings by Albert, accompanied by homemade shanks. On the left is a shank made out of a cell phone. The one on the right makes use of a mirror shard.


Tru was working at GR2 today, and liked the feel of mirror one. I was horrified.


Below, Albert, Matt, and me, just killing time before tomorrow night. These photos don't capture the sheer volume of the show (there are tons more pieces of art), the detail of the artwork, or how much fun it is to hang out with the artists. Definitely hit the opening if you have a chance.

I bought floor seats to the Lakers-Jazz game!

Or something. I got my credit card statement in the mail yesterday and it had two fraudulent transactions with Ticketmaster totalling more than 2,500 bucks. The card services help desk was actually pretty cool about taking the charges off my bill, but WTF? Shockingly, there were no other bogus charges on it.

Needless to say, I cut up my card and being sent another one.

Sticky, sour, fresh

There's fresh lemonade at gr/eats. No joke, I picked a bag full fruit off the tree this morning and delivered it to the official Giant Robot restaurant this afternoon.

Get it while it's cold.

ALF Sereno

Back in college, my roommate Brad had blondish-brown hair that flipped over on top and a good-sized nose. His sister teased him that he looked like ALF, and gave him a huge inflatable version that sat in our apartment. Somehow, friends of mine got the idea that I was a big fan of the sitcom, and started giving me ALF stuff that they'd find at thrift shops, garage sales, or dumpsters. A collection was born.


This morning I boxed up most of my ALF stuff and gave it away. When writing the press release for this weekend's Killing Time show at GR2, I found out that one of the artists, Matt Furie, is a fan of the puppet alien. He is now the owner of stuffed animals, hand puppets, lunch boxes, mugs, a board game, Halloween costume, trading card sets, and other stuff. I'm happy they have a new home.


My other reason to visit Matt--who is staying with Killing Time's other contributing artist, Albert Reyes in El Sereno--was to deliver postcards for the show. Appropriately, the artwork on the card has one of Matt's ALF-like creature on the left and a self-portrait by Albert on the right. We re-created the scene in Albert's studio-storage room.


For the art show, Matt and Albert are showing individual works, but they are also doing a number of collaborations. On the left is one of Albert's pieta-style illustrations; on the right is Matt's version.


See the unfinished piece in the background that Matt is holding? By the time art goes on the walls on Friday, it will be filled with people. Albert says the piece is influenced by Norman Rockwell, but Matt will deny it.


A closeup of a collab between the Bay Area and Socal artist friends.


Above, some of Albert's new solo stuff. I was too slow to shoot Matt's connecting piece, but it will blow you away when it's on the wall. I hope someone buys all of them so they don't get broken up.


Want a kitten? The Reyes household has a bunch. If you have a home, let Albert know at the art show opening on Saturday.


Matt painted on Albert's infamous backyard wall. Can you guess which one is his?


The garage houses pieces that are too big for Albert's room. The wall of TVs reminds me of The Man Who Fell to Earth or Destroying America.


Halloween is still five months away, but Albert has already begun construction of his backyard maze. Even in broad daylight, it was kind of scary.


Lunch at Shaker's in South Pasadena. We made the average age of the customers dip quite a bit. Matt's girlfriend Aiyana met a gal pal who whisked her away to do fun things while the dudes and Monique ran show-related errands like go to a T-shirt printing shop and Kinko's.

Albert was a hustling machine, not only inviting numerous senior citizens to Saturday's art show, but also inviting the highway patrol.


We parted ways at the Shaker's parking lot. I was glad I didn't have to follow Albert's car any more because he drives like a maniac.

Start of the century

Studies show that one of the best things you can do for your baby is sing to him or her. The rhymes, repetition, patterns, and vocabulary are good for the developing brain. I don't know any nursery rhymes, so I sing whatever I know that seems appropraite. It doesn't matter that I'm in key or remember all the lyrics; just trying makes a difference. At the moment, this is in high rotation... I swear Eloise digs it. When it's time for bed, she gets a different song.

Free premiere screening and reception!

Giant Robot is pleased to offer tickets to the U.S. premiere of The Children of Huang Shi. This is how the press kit describes the plot: "Based on real events, The Children of Huang Shi is a sweeping but intimate story set against war-torn China in the 1930’s. The film centers on a young English journalist (Jonathan Rhys Myers), an American nurse (Radha Mitchell) and the leader of a Chinese partisan group (Chow Yun-Fat) who meet in desperate and unexpected circumstances. Together they rescue 60-orphaned, children leading them on an extraordinary journey, across hundreds of miles of treacherous terrain, through snow-covered mountains and an unforgiving desert. Along the way they discover the true meaning of love, responsibility, and courage."

Hm. Sounds kind of like Hard Boiled to me! The special screening of this historical epic--which features not only Chow Yun-Fat but also Michelle Yeoh--takes place on Thursday, May 15 at 7:30 at the Landmark Theatres at the Westside Pavilion in West L.A. and will be followed by a post-screening reception. Talk about a cool, cheap date!

Here's the deal:
1. Send an RSVP to rsvp@bk-pr.com.
2. Indicate if you will be brining a guest.
3. You will receive an email confirming your RSVP.
4. Seating is not guaranteed and will be first come, first serve.


Thanks to Judy and all of our friends at Block-Korenbrot for hooking us up! (If you can't make this screening, check out the movie at a theater near you starting on June 23.)

The troop

This is how cool my family is. After my sister Angelyn and her husband Carlos drove up to my parents' house in Orange County, my niece tumbled out the car pushing a stroller with her two "babies." It seems she recently found two of my brother-in-law's Planet of the Apes action figures and started carrying them around. She puts them over her shoulder and burps them like infants. Ang strokes Zaius's mullet and beard and says, "Nice hair!"


Today was a dual celebration. Yesterday was my dad's birthday, so we had cake! We often get Cuban (Porto's), Hawaiian (King's), or Filipino (Goldilocks) dessert, but it's nice to have basic Chinese style once in a while. Not too sweet and totally light. My older niece Saoirse helped out with the candles. That's her dad/my twin brother with Ang and Lucia on the right.


And tomorrow is Mother's Day. So the moms went out to lunch in the afternoon while we dads stayed home with the girls. The funny thing is that while our spouses were away, each of us was so focused on the needs our respective daughters that we didn't really get to catch up or talk to each other that much. (Dad and my uncle, Tom, took off to pick up burritos from Chipotle)


Before we went our separate ways, we took some pictures of the moms and daughters. Happy Mother's Day, Wendy! I know the new gig is mentally taxing, physically draining, and all-around stressful, but I think you're doing an awesome job.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

My dad is the most easygoing, cool, and rocking guys I know. He snowboards in the gnarliest of conditions, reads GR from cover to cover, and attends concerts with me. Oh yeah, he's also as understanding, supportive, and caring as a parent can be.

Dad, if you're reading this, get the Especial at Don José tonight and I'll see you for lunch tomorrow!

Rescue 50, 51, and 52

Ever wonder what happens to magazines that aren't sold on the newsstands? They get returned to the distributer, shredded, and turned into bales for recycling. All the time, work, and money that is put into each issue vanish like a fart in the wind.


Luckily, our local distributor allows us go to pick up returns. Whew! Our magazine has a freakishly high sell-through rate, but the leftovers are precious to us nonetheless.

Crazy little thing called astrophysics

I almost had a sheer heart attack when I was listening to NPR this morning. Queen member Brian May was at the Griffith Park Observatory this week for the dedication of a seat in his honor. It turns out the glam guitar god is an astrophysicist who just wrote a book, Bang! The Complete History of the Universe. He is the champion!

Wharf speed

One of the best things about having feet somewhere between size 8.5 and 9 is that I can wear sample shoes. Sometimes, I get hooked up by friends in the business, like I did with these Fall 2008 Wharf shoes from IPATH. The company emphasizes sustainable materials, and I even have a couple pairs made of hemp.


Not this one, though. As in previous editions of the model, there are a ton of nice features like exposed stitching, inside-out seams, and tabs. But instead of looking tech, I think the look is classic. The snaps in the back remind me of old, nice luggage that you might find at an estate sale.


Of course, all that stuff means nothing if you can't skate in it. The soles are vulcanized. There isn't a ton of cushion and padding, but this probably isn't the shoe for gnar-gnar sessioning. It's more like the shoe that will allow you to skate to an event or allow you to mix some riding into a schedule where you want to dress up a little.



The image below is not my tribute to Georgia O'Keeffe but a close-up of the little stash pockets hidden under the tongue. All IPATH shoes and pants have this feature, which might be useful for those who partake in irie-promoting, concert-enhancing, hunger inducers.


Me? I've got the straight edge, but I definitely appreciate reggae. I matched the shoes with a T-shirt from Pressure Sounds--my favorite source of rare roots, rocksteady, and dub.


Fans might also check out this book from Roger Steffens, an old friend of GR and curator of the Bob Marley Museum. He's signing the book with co-author Peter Simons at Babylon Falling in S.F. on Sunday, May 10. Check out some amazing pics here.

Street seen

Some weird stuff I saw on the road today... A truck that couldn't make it under a bridge. This was in Century City, going west on Olympic. If I were the driver, I'd watch movies at the nearby theaters and surf the web at the Apple Store until traffic dies around 10:00 p.m. and then back up onto Avenue of the Stars.


On Wilshire in Beverly Hills. Not only are utility boxes off limits to sticker taggers and wheat pasters in this part of L.A., they're are also vacuumed! This is a two-person job; the guy probably has a feather duster or can of Pledge.

Came, Sawtelle, Conquered

I try to keep my trips to Sawtelle brief because I always end up folding T-shirts or buying things at the GR shops. But today I hung out for a while because Terence Yin was in town and wanted to check out the scene. He acts, sings, emcees, models, and does other stuff in Hong Kong, but these days he's concentrating on the Alivenotdead site. We talked about that, hung out, and also had lunch at gr/eats.


After lunch, I had to rush over to GR2 to be interviewed by the Reelz Channel website. With the Speed Racer flick coming out this weekend as well as star-filled Hollywood adaptations of Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Robotech, and Dragonball in the works, they wanted to put together a segment on manga and anime in the movies. I probably talked for 5 or 10 minutes and they started packing up. Fast! The crew gave me a thumbs-up, but you can be the judge. I'll put up a link when it goes live.


Afterwards I met up with Terence again. He's known for being a bad guy in the movies, but he's actually a softie who's into indie comics. He bought a bunch of stuff I recommended, including books by Gilbert Hernandez, Adrian Tomine, and Jeffrey Brown, as well as some T-shirts. Along the way, he might have picked up some digits, too. Effortless. The guy can't help it.


With my dad's birthday and Mother's Day coming up, I did some shopping, too. Need ideas for the latter? How about this or this? (I also bought some genmai cha from Safe & Save to go with the latter.)

Super food

I know how to make a decent dish or two, but I have to admit that often I'll just make a smoothie when I need a bite. It works for breakfast, after a run, or even dessert, and it's fairly healthy. It's also really easy to prepare.


I usually start off with frozen fruit. Trader Joe's is a great source, and Ralph's usually has a bunch on sale, too. Avoid the "mixed fruit" varieties because it usually costs more.


Sometime, I'll throw in some fresh fruit. I've been into oranges lately, but bananas work pretty well, too. Vanilla yogurt or soy milk works as well. If you want to be like Rocky, I guess you can put an egg in there. (Or was it Heaven Can Wait?)


Next, the juice. Usually, I have orange juice, but there were a bunch of other juices on sale last time I went to the market. I always make sure it's 100 percent juice, and not some phony fruit punch thing. This one is white grape-raspberry.


And this is where today's batch got interesting. Eloise didn't finish her bottle of mother's milk that I fed her this morning. I know how much effort Wendy puts into pumping it, and felt bad about dumping the remainder. So I poured it into the smoothie!


This is what it looked like before blending. (Thanks for the Magic Bullet, Dad!) You already saw what it looked like after. That was the first image, and you couldn't even tell there was a secret ingredient, could you? The taste? For such a small amount, it was really powerful--actually overpowering all that fruit. I can't even describe the flavor, but I could feel it waft through my nose after each sip. It's kind of flowery and kind of pungent, and not for everyone.

I doubt I'll put mother's milk in a smoothie again. Dan said that a friend of his used it as creamer in coffee, but I think it might be better suited for mixing into an omelet. Mabye brownies?

I wanna rock

Eric posted the Asia Society's "Why Asians rock" link the other day. It's funny because everyone else (from Sandra Oh to Steve Aoki to the dude from Survivor to Kumar) talks about politics, potential, and heritage, and I say something about being cheap. Oh well. Not sure how much I helped the cause--or GR, perhaps--but I was being honest.

After the montage, there are clips putting the spotlight on individuals, and people are encouraged to send their own videos. Here's what Eric said... Check him out wearing a suit in front of the American flag! Powerful stuff. He's standing in front of the famous wall of suitcases at JANM after a meeting.

5 for the price of 3

Stopped by Amoeba Music on Sunset this morning to use up some credit... Walked away with three new CDs... First of all, the domestic version of the new Boris album, Smile. I already bought the Japanese one, but this one has a different song order and completely different mixes. This self-produced version feels heavier and less pretty, but I'm only a couple tracks in. In the booklet, you'll find art by the band's biggest (but smallest) fan, Nene. I got one of the limited-edition of 3,000 that came with a bonus DVD featuring "three visually stunning Boris videos." This is only available from the Southern Lord label or Amoeba. If you buy it from Amoeba in Berkeley, you can get a wristband that will get you into a free after-hours show!


I finally get to hear The Night Marchers. I only need to say one word to sum it up: Speedo. Okay, maybe two more: John Reis. If you liked Drive Like Jehu, Rocket From The Crypt, and Hot Snakes, you're already buying the songs on iTunes. (Honestly, the packaging on the band's debut is rather minimal.)


Finally, there's the latest collection of Greatest Hits from Morrissey. I probably wouldn't have bought this if it weren't the deluxe version with a bonus disc including solo (non-Smiths) songs from last summer's performance at the Hollywood Bowl. I was there, and it was great! If you are a vinyl purist or hardcore fan with money to burn, there's also a double vinyl version out there somewhere.


Despite the fact that the Dodgers played a morning game and the Lakers don't play until Sunday, my listening is now set for tonight's drive home. Bring on the traffic.