sharks fever

there are still so many first times in life. having lived in the bay area for over 16 years, i have never been to a live ice hockey game. the truth is, i have never even watched a full game on television.

clinging on to the winter olympics ice hockey finals fever - the battle between the americans and the canadians - my friends invited me to a sharks game. the teams were the san jose sharks vs. the columbus blue jackets.

what a scene it was arriving at the hp pavillion! almost everyone was wearing the sharks jerseys or sharks colors except us. as soon as we found out seats, the players skated in and the national anthem played. a few of the players from the sharks team actually played for the canandian team at the winter olympics finals, and they were cheered on like heroes by the fans. (hey, but they defeated us though!)

the game was pretty exciting given that i didn't have much knowledge about the rules. our friend stephen tried to explain as much as he can to us, but just watching the action on the ice was entertaining enough~ of course we got to see the inevitable fights on ice too... the referees just let them punch it out for a whole minute!

the three periods ended as quick as a flash light, and luckily the sharks turned the lead over and won 2 to 1. thanks anne, stephen and frank (he just disappeared during intermission so sharkie got into the pic in his place... ^^) for taking me to my first ever ice hockey game! not only was it fun, i also learned one new thing... that the ice resurfacing machine is called a zamboni!

next olympic event?

as the winter olympics opened its curtains in vancouver and medals are awarded to the top athletes, would the IOC consider adding a new event - tubing??

cosplay

halloween for little kids is all about the trick or treating.
halloween for adults is mainly about the partying, drinking, and cosplay.

we had a costume contest at our office's halloween party. let's look at some amazing finalists.

the battle of the ninjas: kakashi from naruto vs. miss martial arts

umm... i really don't know where these characters are from, but they sure were in character

and our winner - the vampire

a corner of the haunted mansion

stalker

ever since august 5th, i have been stalking this little creature...


the latest baby giant panda born to the san diego zoo!


the zoo's website provides a 24-hour webcam for people like me to watch the baby panda grow.


the mommy panda and baby panda don't do much... they sleep ALL DAY LONG!!


but they're still so fun to watch... :)

in fashion...

...one day you're in, and the next day you're out.

sound familiar?


my all-time favorite show, PROJECT RUNWAY returns this week on a new network (lifetime) and in a new city (L.A.)!

leading up to the premiere is the "project runway: all-star challenge" 2-hour special, with eight past contestants returning to compete again.

looking forward to seeing the creativity, talent, challenges, drama, and tim gunn!

make it work!!



"all-star challenge" airs 8 pm, aug. 20, lifetime
"project runway" season-six premiere airs at 10 pm, aug. 20, lifetime

stylish living

so did anyone figure out what these two structures are for?

they're not hangers for your clothes.


it's not the frame of an office building either.



its real identity is...



an indoor cage for your pet!

click image to enlarge

unlike the traditional metal wired cages or the plastic kennels, this stylish pet cage is called "Cacco-E" and it definitely adds character to your home. the word "kakkoi" means cool, good-looking, hip in japanese. the designer's intention is to transform plain pet cages into extraordinarily cool looking home decor that fits into stylish homes.

Cacco-E pet cage is available for ￥50,000 at http://replus.jp. will you splurge ￥50,000 for your pet?

when i get my own dog (eventually, some day), it will be living in one of these. :)

quiz

can anyone guess what this is?

answer will be revealed tomorrow!

.

shopping spree

[manto and mickey go shopping]



manto: just in time for the memorial day weekend sale!
mickey: cool~ push me around and we'll get some treats.





mickey: hey, what are you doing chewing the cart? you're gonna get us punished!
manto: i can't help it... i'm teething and i just chew on whatever i see!





mickey: see, i told you we'll get grounded...
manto: sorry... i'll behave better next time...




- the end -

pixar living UP

after being slightly disappointed by Ratatouille in 2007 and WALL-E last year (i really didn't find WALL-E as interesting as everyone else said), i've once again fell in love with another pixar animation - UP. it is an adorable, fun, yet heart-warming film that brings you to laughter and tears at the same time. what a positive life message as well.

i ♥ russell the wilderness explorer!!

btw, watching in 3D is the way to go...

official website - http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/up/

california academy of sciences

the california academy of sciences is situated right in the center of golden gate park, across from de young. i was attracted by the academy's living roof top (it looked like something that came out of a miyazaki hayao -宮﨑駿- film) and have always wanted to see what's inside this structure.

in 2005, the academy closed its doors for reconstruction. $500 million was spent on constructing a brand new building and furnishing new exhibits. reopened in 2008, the academy is quite a popular spot, especially for a lot of families who bring their kids to explore and learn. san francisco residents also get to visit for free on certain "neighborhood free days".

african hall contains specimens of wildlife seen in african safaris. they all look pretty real...

"hello geoffrey"

penguins in africa? i think they got the geography wrong...




my favorite place - the aquarium



star fish and uni close up



jelly fish and sea pen (look it up if you want to know what it is)



the albino alligator didn't move a step the whole time




miscellaneous exhibits




rainforest in a glass globe



the rainforest was smaller than expected, it just felt like i walked into a huge green house



a type of tropical neon green frog with pretty gross eyes...
(click for bigger image)



sitting underneath "the amazon" tunnel



★best moment of the day★

the academy also houses a planetarium which shows their digital film, Fragile Planet, throughout the day. i highly recommend watching the 30 minute film as it takes you on a virtual tour to outer space. just remember to pick up a pass once you get into the academy in order to secure a show time.

overall, the california academy of sciences is not a very large museum but it allows you to see all the different sides of the earth in one place. it is also a spot where you can learn a lot about how to make a difference by going green and being nice to our living earth.



California Academy of Sciences
55 Music Concourse Dr.
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, CA 94118

poladroid

recently i came across a software, called poladroid, which turns your digital photos into polaroid-like images. the polaroids of mochi, manto, and mickey from my previous entry were products of this software.

at poladroid.net, you can download the latest software for free onto your mac or pc, and polaroids are just a drag-and-drop away!

watch a demo of poladroid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4G_E1uT2To

here's an example from one of my own photos.

before poladroid...



after poladroid
(click picture for larger view)

to get the aged look (or any stage during "film development"), just simply right-click on the image and choose "save image now" when you feel that you want to capture the moment. a fully developed polaroid will have a pink check mark (it looks more like a breast cancer awareness ribbon to me...) at the lower right corner.

poladroid is a simple software that allows you to have some fun with your digital photos. i highly recommend it if you want to spice up your web albums or blogs.

a pug's tale

ichigo

recently a new breed of strawberries (ichigo) appeared in the japanese market. these strawberries are pinkish white even when they are fully ripened. they have a beautiful name called ｢初恋の香り｣ (hatsukoi no kaori), translated into "the scent of first love". apparently it took the breeders 10 years to successfully develop. since last month, these white strawberries have been on sale in major department stores for about 800-1000 yen a piece (~US$9-$11). they are also sold as a set with the regular red strawberries, supposedly symbolizing "luck in romance". despite its costliness, stores have claimed that they are always sold out. many hotels and wedding venues begin to offer white strawberries to attract more customers, and the farmers have been satisfied with its popularity. apparently, the white strawberries are said to be sweeter than regular ones too. i wonder when we'll have the chance to try them...

☆　☆　☆　☆　☆

while we're on the subject, let's play a simple personality test that's based on a strawberry shortcake.

Q. when offered a piece of strawberry shortcake, WHEN do you eat the strawberry that's on top?

A. it is the first thing i eat.
B. i eat some cake first, then go for the strawberry halfway.
C. i save it till the last bite.



think well...



ok, ready?



this test tells us about how many dates the person waits before they start thinking about kissing their date. the cake is a symbol of romance, and the red strawberry symbolizes when passion arises and a new development happens. that's why when you eat the strawberry, it reflects how long you will wait before considering kissing your date or think about doing so.

for those who are type A:
the ones who eat it straight away means you will go in for the kiss on the first date. but there may be times when your date isn't ready for it yet.

type B:
eating it halfway through shows that you'll kiss when you feel a deeper understanding in the relationship, almost knowing that it's true romance. in general, you'll start to think about it after a few dates.

lastly, type C:
eating the strawberry last shows that you'll kiss only after you have checked your date's feeling carefully. you are the type that can't seem to work out the correct timing, and may often end up allowing your date to initiate the kiss.


what type are you?

job interview

maybe i should mimick that candidate...?

a ride or a walk?

bling up those ears

lately, the DIY bug has been biting and i've attempted to make some jewelry.



so far, they are all earrings.

i'm obsessed with earrings.



nothing too complicated, just drop earrings with gold metal and glass beads.



the money spent on the supplies for all the above probably was worth one pair of boutique-bought earrings.

another way to add bling without splurging in times like these...

the great monkey project

nov. 13

james grashow's the great monkey project
@san jose museum of art
10.16.08 - 01.04.09






other exhibitions:
road trip
09.19.08 - 01.25.09

frida kahlo: portraits of an icon
10.11.08 - 03.22.09

wilfried satty
10.17.08 - 03.22.09

this end up: the art of cardboard
11.08.08 - 02.15.09


the san jose museum of art is not a very big museum compared to de young or legion of honor, but its small scale creates a unique space different from the grand galleries and hallways.



lately, i have been enjoying visiting museums because entering the galleries give me a place to escape from the "loud" world, and that everyone's focus is on the exhibits and not on anyone else. it is the only place where complete silence does not imply loneliness, and the empty echoes of the plain white walls actually has a calming effect. once stepping back into work, i probably will not have the luxury to do this on a quiet weekday...

San Jose Museum of Art
110 South Market St.
San Jose, CA 95113