a little spicier than I remember

En route to our grand night of Maná, Tater and I stopped by Brasa on University Avenue in Berkeley to try out the new Peruvian place on the block...

With a name like Brasa (roughly "grill" in Spanish,) you know this place has got to serve pollo a la brasa. Tried it in a sandwich version and, well, it was very different.

The sandwich doesn't taste terribly Peruvian but that doesn't mean it wasn't good! The chicken has more of a fire-in-your-mouth spice than a flavorful, fragrant spiciness, and there's nary a hint of garlic or lime in the mix. So what if it doesn't taste like the chicken from Peru? It's still tender and tasty, and the extra spice shook me out of my expectations.

An unexpected plus was the bread... nice and crusty but not too hard (it won't stab your palate.) I think the bread actually reminded me of the little rolls we'd get from the supermarket in Lima, so that was authentic for me.

The chicken and bread were delicious in their own ways but I think the sandwich could benefit from an extra helping of ají sauce. The chicken wasn't dry, I think I prefer it saucy mostly because that's how I eat my Peruvian rotisserie chicken.

Despite the small size, there seemed to be a bit of trouble getting an order of sweet potato fries in a timely manner. Also, the waitress allowed Tater and I to wander around, debating whether or not to bus our own table for quite a while. That was weird.

But I'd like to end on a happy note. Besides offering delicious hot sandwiches at happy prices, Brasa has some very good chicha morada and is the only place I know that serves the juice of the maracuya, a fruit similar to mango but with a sour twist.

Maná!

Tater and I were at Oracle Arena last night, swaying to the heart-wrenching sounds of Mexican supergroup Maná. El verdadero amor perdona!

m

do brasil

For absolutely no reason other than chance, I finally took a looksie at the hullabaloo following Macy's Annual Flower Show. This year's theme is Brasil and the magical journey that buying stuff from Macy's will supposedly bring you.

Actually, Macy's can thank my mom for not having secured an outfit to wear to my sister's fast-approaching wedding until last weekend. That's when I spotted the most adorable little cups imprinted with the face of a sloth. That's right, a sloth - my jungle love. Designed by renowned Brazilian architect and designer Marcelo Rosenbaum and priced by Macy's at the happy price of $20, this little coffee ensemble is a fun way to color your table.

I didn't buy it right away. Instead I bided my time until yesterday, when Macy's heavily-advertised Friends and Family discount was in full swing. I ended up snagging this 12-piece coffee set for just $15!

I don't even drink coffee, and I love it! $15 have never made me smile this much.

cantilevers are for houses, not buses

Ever since my earliest bus riding days as a preteen, I'd always wondered how those MUNI bus seats stay up when they're essentially cantilevered off the side of the bus. "What magical engineering this is!" I used to think.

Not today! Today's Nx left two passengers stunned and speechless and a bus full of passengers snapping photos. No one was hurt so the bus driver carried on, but not without advising a passenger to file a complaint card.

The view from my seat... my safe seat in the back that rests on solid matter and not a triangle of tubing attached to the faux wood siding.

a telltale sign of Muni's dependability

From this view you can see that these two benches were supported by a single screw connecting the pole to the cup. That screw is now missing.

Just when you thought the bus was safe... oh wait, no one thinks that! When you flash those transit cards, choose your seats carefully!

good to know

When the apocalypse comes, I know just where to be...

If this is what it looks like when you're "in fire" - and it's pretty pleasant at 1 o'clock in the afternoon - then bring it on, end of the world!

Food Truck Face-off: Korean food

I had the good fortune to eat from Seoul on Wheels and Koja this week... who prevailed?

On Sunday the ever-popular Seoul on Wheels popped by the Surfriders Earth Day block party on Taraval Street and 46th Avenue... for me, this was the highlight of the street closure as there were very few vendors and attractions here. After starting a mid-afternoon snackfest, I snapped up some photos of the truck so you know what to look for...

Late lunch of the day: a Korrito, a burrito stuffed with kalbi, Korean-style BBQ'd short ribs, and rice. The combination is good, the flavors are exciting and there's plenty of beef. However, I prefer my kalbi to have a stronger garlicky taste from the marinade and a slightly charred quality from the charcoal grill... seeing as how it'd be a pretty bad idea to have a charcoal grill inside a vehicle, I let it slide and happily munched my Korrito. The honey citron drink in the back is quite good!

Today my baseball crew found Koja at the Truckstop. We were instantly taken with the promise of buns made of toasted rice and the fancy TVs showing off the menu. As you can read, Koja serves up dishes with Korean and Japanese flavors. I guess I ordered pretty much from the Korean side of the menu...

Today's gut-busting lunch was the Kamikaze combo with kimchi and more galbi! On the left is the truck's novel koja, a sandwich with toasted cauldron rice in place of bread or bun. The sandwich could've been hotter temperature-wise but the flavors were fantastic! The beef was bathed in a strong marinade and grilled over the fire... you could tell with the small blackened spots of goodness. I loved the flavors... the sesame oil, the crisp lettuce, the sour kimchi... this little koja sandwich was truly Korean.

On the right are some of the most delicious fries I have ever tasted! Cross-cut potatoes are loaded with tons of BBQ'd beef (bulgogi,) green onions, sweet and spicy chile sauce, and the most amazing shellfish-laden kimchi. Savory and spicy and sweet... these fries are divine... they bring back that magical aura of your very first meal from a food truck. They are that good.

So whose beef do I prefer to eat? Seoul on Wheels has a solid hot Korrito, a complete meal for $8 but the beef is not quite as flavorful as that of Koja. Koja's namesake sandwiches are perfect in terms of flavor but the handheld pockets of rice would benefit from a turn on the grill. Each koja looks small at just $5.50 - $6.50 each but they are very filling. The Kamikaze Combo is too much food for one person so if you can't find someone with which to share and you must choose, choose the Kamikaze fries. You'll never look at loaded fries the same way again.

So, despite the cool temperature of the food, I declare Koja the winner! Novel, flavorful, and downright tasty saves the day!

sunny days

Those rare days of above-70-degree warmth are coming to a close... while you were out, did you see the snowy plovers on Ocean Beach?

Funny how they're called snowy plovers when it doesn't snow here.

It was so warm that everyone flocked outside to soak it up, even if their rides weren't in tip-top condition...

At least now we know that a single rubber band can hold up your rearview mirror!

It was so lovely outside that I felt like eating al fresco at Beachside Cafe again... my guy got the mushroom and gruyere egg scramble. Those two cute little patties are his breakfast potato croquettes! Fancy!

I veered off the waffle path and tried the Beachside Benedict... the only similarity between this and a standard benedict are the poached eggs. In place of ham or Canadian bacon, Beachside serves a much thicker and heartier piece of pork... it feels and tastes like a pork chop pounded thin. The hollandaise sauce is spiked with a tangy element that freshens up the entire plate. And in place of English muffins, Beachside bakes their own oregano-studded popovers... they provide a delicious crusty alternative to everyone else's benedict.

Well, this sunny weather is about to end. All the meteorologists are betting on rain tomorrow, so bust out the rainboots and umbrellas!

the vote is on!

She meant it when she said that they were breaking all the rules... instead of crowning a new winner this season, RuPaul is making all the dolls wait until next week! AGH!

Are you cheering for Chad Michaels (fifth from left,) Phi Phi O'Hara (fifth from right,) or Sharon Needles (third from right)? This year's contest has been absolutely glamorous in the most bizarre way!

image courtesy of google image search

And it appears that this time around, the viewers have a voice. Head on over to facebook to vote for the winner of Season 4 of RuPaul's Drag Race!

this is madness

It's the music group with the perfect name, playing at the Warfield last Thursday...

Oh this was a fun show... all these nice British men in suits playing those guitars and brass for all their worth. It's pretty amazing how much their voices haven't changed and how much stamina the group has. I like to think that they were spurred on by the audience, especially the down-in-fronters. As you can see, the lower tier of the concert was very crowded... and it soon became a very violent-looking mosh pit. Lucky for me, my guy had secured a spot for us along the rail in the second tier and we were safe from the mob.

Fun and Madness.
Photo taken by my date, on his iphone.
Funny how phones can take better pictures than my little old camera...

During "Baggy Trousers," crazy saxophonist Lee Thompson climbed up onto the amps to play. Understandably, the crowd urged him to jump. After a wink to me (my date swears that Mr. Thompson was looking at me and all I could think of to do was scream) the little bald man tipped himself in. To their credit, the crowd did not let Lee Thompson touch the floor and returned him to the stage, though they had some trouble with that.

Lee Thompson... look for his head just to the right of the fist in the center.

Ah, my back!

My guy and I agree... concerts are so much better when the band is really into it and having fun with the audience.

in the house of bamboo

Bamboo Asia on Montgomery is temptingly close to my office, so I finally gave in and tried the place. The cafeteria-style eatery serves up freshly-assembled Indian, Japanese, and Vietnamese-inspired lunches, all for a simple $8 per meal. I say inspired because, well, you'll see.

Meals - whether you choose a salad, rice/noodle bowl, wrap, or sushi plate - are made right in front of you.

The selection at the Indian counter.

I have been wanting to try the Poppy Seed Beef Salad from the Vietnamese counter for a while and I was very happy I finally got around to tasting this. You can't tell from this photo but there is a lot of beef here. The beef cubes are marinated in a delicious tangy "spicy shaking beef" sauce, though the beef isn't very hot temperature-wise. There are a lot of different fresh vegetables in the salad but enough beef to keep any meat-lovers happy. The dressing is light and tangy and made for a lunch that satiated me yet did not put me to sleep. This Poppy Seed Beef Salad is a winner!

A week or two ago I had come in and tried the Indian counter because it had the shortest line. Now I know why. The curries here are very bland... this is a Chicken Tikka Guacamole Wrap made with tomato curry... now maybe there's no such thing as tomato curry in Indian fare and that's why the wrap bombed or maybe it was the inclusion of the rich guacamole but this wrap had very little Indian flavor whatsoever. The wrap is a nice size for $8 and you get a fair amount of chicken but it tastes like watered-down guacamole more than anything. If you want Indian food, you should walk to an actual Indian restaurant.

topsy-turvy baseball

Last Wednesday's game was my crew's first game of the season. As such, our return warranted a walk around the park to see the new additions... in my opinion, the absolute best change is the widening of the walkway between the bleachers and left field. Traffic jams no more, I say!

A close second is this angular sculpture of Willie "The Catch" behind centerplate... he looks like an old Nintendo hero.

The return to the ballpark during the regular season also allowed me to finally get new clothes for Buster Bunny... there's no way I can ask the real Buster for an autograph when lil' Buster Bunny's uniform is signed by Andres Torres!

Matt Cain pitched nine complete innings without allowing a single run and the game progressed quickly. The thing is, Cliff Lee of the Phillies did the same. The game went into extra innings and became a series of double plays accompanied by groans from the crowd. The game was so intense and we were so bent on getting a win for our first game that it was as if we were watching the Giants in the 2010 post-season... it was that important to us. Why, why must every single game be such a difficult act of labor for the Giants!? This is far too early to be playing the rally clips.

Finally, the Giants timed everything right and Melky Cabrera got a huge base hit while a runner was on second.

The game would've been over 30 minutes earlier if somebody, anybody had scored in the first nine innings!

Such a stressful beginning to the season for us!

life and death

I have been very quiet for the past week, very sad and quite inactive. My dog, Neo (you have known him as Q-Tip) has passed away last Saturday.

Neo, my baby of weird and slightly evil love.

I could wax poetic about his many unique qualities that made him different from any other dog I've ever hugged, about how he could make me laugh and cry and yell all in one day and I'd still carry him to the bed so he could sleep by my feet, his preferred haven. There are so many silly and happy memories, and painful ones, too. There are so many strange stories of a deaf dog who, though thin as a rail and with hair as fluffy as a fussy lapdog,  could scare raccoons and dobermans and all manner of large creatures. To his dying day, the only animal he ever lost to was a skunk.

Neo is not my first pet to pass; two dogs and a sweet cat have come and gone before him. I always thought that each of their deaths was different, and it's true that each has gone a separate path. Some transform tangibly into a sad version of their former selves while others jump and prance and fight for food on their dying day. The difference with Neo was that we - Neo included - did not let him die naturally. This is the first time I have agreed to euthanize anyone, and I believe this has defined my mourning more than anything.

Neo was born deaf and as he grew, he faced a slew of health problems. The ultimate ailment was his sensitive skin... it was so sensitive that at times, his own mucus irritated him. Neo was afflicted with a mucus problem that was overtaking his body and causing contact with his skin to be painful. I knew that he was a survivor, that this skinny little dog who did not eat until he was full and slept all day was a dog who had outlasted all manners of veterinary visits and unexplainable rashes. He was strong for such a skinny dog and I knew that his physical fortitude indicated a willpower of equal strength. But last Monday, when I was washing him, I thought about euthanization for the first time as he cried uncontrollably in the tub. I had refused it flat out every time my mother had so much as mentioned it in passing. But when Neo couldn't stop crying even after I took him out of the tub, I knew this time nothing I or my mom or the vet could do would fix Neo.

I ended up crying well before Neo died. I cried a little everyday just because I was thinking about euthanization, and I cried more when I reasoned that in the end, I didn't know how to make him better. I cried when I confided in my mom and she told me she would take care of it. She would schedule an appointment on Saturday, when I was visiting my sister in Los Angeles and wouldn't be able to bawl at the veterinary office. I cried when I relinquished Neo to my mom, knowing that this was the last time I'd ever hold him. I felt like the worst mother in the world, sentencing her dog to die. The guilt overwhelmed me and I cried all the way home, unable to see through my tears. And when I opened the door and saw an empty couch, I cried again. I shed many tears before Saturday.

Crying over something that hadn't happened felt different... I was always thinking what have I done! I can still go back and get him! It added a new layer of stress and guilt that I had never experienced before. But in  this case, pushing the mourning period forward was a good thing because I did not have a lot of time after Saturday to cry. On Friday I flew out to Los Angeles for my sister's un-bridal bridal shower, hardly a time to dwell on a dog I couldn't save. I returned early Sunday, only to be besieged by cancelled flights and Sunday Streets barring my way home. Between the hours it took me to get home and a new workweek starting the next day, there was little time to reflect on Neo and what I had agreed to. I have been wanting to run out of the office and finish crying about Neo, to give him a proper sendoff in a sea of salty tears and crumpled tissues. And I won't be able to anytime soon with a flurry of engagements that I have already committed to, some that I cannot back out of without risking a family schism.

But no matter the obstacles blocking my desire to sit around and mope about Neo, I cannot just abandon my responsibilities, friends, and family to cry about something I cannot change. Neo was made of tougher stuff, and he'd expect me, his human, to be just as resilient. After all, life goes on. One love has died but there are so many others living and breathing, and I cannot cross them out. I'm not saying that I'll easily forget that little dog - I certainly do not intend to - but instead of trying to squeeze in a sobfest at the nearest break, I will be content with shedding a few tears whenever a memory of Neo strikes. Eventually, these memories won't cause tears, just as memories of other pets no longer bring sadness.

Neo in fluffier days...

As I fold laundry fresh from the dryer, I know how much Neo would have loved to sink into the warm clothes and gaze at me with his dark eyes, ears flopping to each side like graceful wings. Though a tear swells up in my eye, I wouldn't say I'm crying.

about time

It has been almost a year since I started this blanket... this is the longest it's ever taken me to finish a knitting project. My advise... if you're halfway through a throw and you find that you're unsure of your original pattern, just keep knitting! Unraveling yarn is a time-consuming chore, even more so when you knit with two strands like me.

Anyways, a simple staircase was the winning pattern and I am happy I finally finished it!

Q-Tip models the cozy nature of the throw. Model on!

I've already started a new throw. I'll keep it simple with horizontal stripes so I don't have to count every stitch.

music makes the world go 'round

... or makes the people come together... or makes you lose control!

This is going to be a year of music...

I've already purchased tickets to four concerts for this year. As you can see, I will be going to see supergroup Maná perform in Oakland later this month. Tater will accompany me and together we can wax all the more girly as we listen to pop-rock ballads in Spanish.

And when I found out that Calle 13 would be gracing the Bay Area again with a show at the Fox Theater, I knew that I would not miss them for (almost) anything. Finally, the pain of not seeing them in San Francisco last autumn will be erased in a sea of irreverent reggaeton-rock-folk-electronica and all the other genres Calle 13 blends.

Not pictured are the tickets I have already given to my dear mother for safekeeping. This summer, happy mother and daughter will travel to San Jose again, this time to hear the sweet voices of Il Divo... I shall call this my return to popera.

And just last Friday, I snagged tickets to for the one and only Andrea Bocelli. Now I won't be going to this show since Mumsy is the real fan here, but it'll be good enough to know someone who went.

I have also been promised a show to see the 80's pre-ska band Madness (the group behind "Our House,") but I have yet to see tickets...

la crêpe

For a lunchtime surprise, Speedy led me to Galette 88 on Hardie Street (accessed off of Kearny,) a crêpery very close to my office.

See the tall brown building in the back? I work there!

The hidden alley location set the mood for a speakeasy/secret supper club sort of experience. When the front door looks like this, you can't help but feel that way, no matter how friendly the people inside are.

The clean, modern décor of the restaurant has a calm, serene sort of appeal, and the ambiance is jazzed up with birch tree trunks and simple, slightly punk wall art. It looks like the complete opposite of Ti Couz, yet Galette 88 started things right by arresting me with the aroma of butter. I smelled butter once I walked through the door, and I loved it.

My lunch of choice: The Lumberjack, a hearty combination of ham, potatoes, onions, crème fraîche, and yummy, oozy taleggio cheese, all wrapped up in a buckwheat crêpe. The crêpe itself is perfect, at least for me... it's soft on one side and slightly crunchy on the other. The potatoes are quite possibly the most precious little taters I have ever eaten... they're not fibrous and super-flavorful like Peruvian potatoes but they are soft and delicate, and frankly buttered well. The ham is not too salty and doesn't overpower the potato-cheese combination. I don't think I had a crêpe this good in Paris (though to be fair, I only ate sweet crêpes in the City of Lights.)

My companions ordered The Other Mushroom with chicken (full of 'shrooms) and Bruce's Choice (a seaworthy offering of smoked salmon served warm.) Each was happy with her choice, except for the addition of chicken to the mushroom crêpe. Speedy noted that the chicken tasted dry, as if it were added at the last minute instead of being blended with the sauce and truffle oil.

Clockwise from top left: The Other Mushroom, Bruce's Choice, and The Lumberjack

The prices aren't bad at all, considering that you get a very filling crêpe, a smattering of greens, and complimentary water sipped out of little canning jars for about $10. But prepare to double that if you order a Kir Royale.

things that brighten up my life...

There are things that quite literally light up my day. Some things brighten it up for people in the immediate vicinity... like my loud apparel...

I'm in love with these new DV by Dolce Vita sandals, on sale of course. Can't wait for the weather to warm up a tad so I can sport these out.

Sometimes the day-brightening and smile-inducing agent is a little easier on the wallet, like these orange gerbera daisies and roses from Trader Joe's. For $10 I picked up these two mini bouquets and created an orange explosion that will last for a week.

And if we go even further down the scale (to the point that you can purchase it with the money in your coin purse,) there's Yoppi yogurt. This week the Yoppi on Montgomery Street had blueberry tart yogurt, a flavor near and dear to my heart (my sister says that blueberries are like me because they turn an unexpected shade of purple when transformed into ice cream, or in this case, yogurt.) I'm not a fan of overly-conscious healthy stuff but the slight sweetness of the yogurt is enough to tide me over through an afternoon at the office.

This week I award Yoppi extra bonus points for stocking spoons that match my tights.

Another day, same combination: blueberry tart yogurt topped with blackberries and raspberries... if it weren't for blueberry tart, I'd probably get chocolate or original tart and load it with chocolate chip cookie dough balls. Try that for healthy!

Yes, many tangible things can brighten my day. But I think the nicest thing was something that brightened my day in a figurative manner... I am very proud to say that my big brother graduated from police academy today!

But don't come asking me for a get-out-of-jail card!

fly the beard

I had to make a decision... should Fly Bye Baby - Virgin America's new bearded plane - grace the pages of my locally based blog or my worldly travels blog? It is a plane, yet it also bears the iconic beard made so famous by our beloved closer Brian Wilson.

Hi Alyshia, Spot Fly Bye Baby, our new bearded plane, and tweet a photo to@VirginAmerica using the #FlyTheBeard hashtag for the chance to win free flights and more. Check out the rules here, and watch our video so you’ll know the bearded bird when you see it in action. In the meantime, start the season with a getaway. Grab a seat by April 5 for homerun fares everywhere we fly.

Well it's here and not there. The Giants won, just like they did yesterday!