A Triton Enters Bear Territory

So last weekend, Don Lee, one of my friends from high school (and junior high), came up to visit Berkeley. He’d always wanted to see it, but never got the chance to until then.

Throughout the weekend, I showed him around parts of campus, the surrounding area, and downtown Berkeley (actually in the opposite order, since I showed him Shattuck after he got off BART, then went around to eat, and then the campus on Sunday). We ate at a lot of good restaurants, including Gypsy’s (Don: “like an orgasm in your mouth” XD). He and I ate the sicilia (steak) calzone. So delicious, so delicious.

You'd have a big smile on your face too, once you tried Gypsy's.

Afterwards, we went and got some Yogurtland =d.

YOGURTLAND!

Ah screw it, I might as well post pictures of the food we ate during the weekend. You can see where I’m going with this.

King Pin Donuts at 2 AM. Freshly baked.

My signature quesadillas. For dinnuh.

I also showed Don the Big C at night. When we went up there, we met four cool people, named Kim, Curtis, Irving, and Patrick. They were up playing guitar and singing and invited us over, so we joined them (not at singing though). We chilled together, literally (it was freezing with the fogs rolling in – we were practically immersed in it) and figuratively (it was really fun talking to them and enduring the cold together). Ahh… good stuff.

Caught this before the fog encapsulated Berkeley.

On Sunday, I showed him the campus.

A gigantic ball.

The grandeur of Doe Library, mi biblioteca favorita!

For dinner, Nicholas (my roommate), Girish (my friend), Don, and I went out to eat at Zachary’s, a pizza parlor well-known for its Chicago-style deep dish pizzas. And boy, were they deep dish pizzas.

This baby took 30 minutes to make.

The following day, it came time for Don to head back to SoCal. Before he left, he got a Cal sweatshirt (oh, he’d been wanting one for the longest time!), and we ate lunch at Sun Hong Kong (they’re having an anniversary celebration, and we got an awesome meal for cheap). I showed him to the BART station, and it was time to head back for class.

Well, I hope you enjoyed reading this as well as the pictures!

And Don, next time, I’ll show you around SF (though I’m not too familiar with it, so it’ll be an adventure for me as well). =).

On Hiatus

It’s crunch time for finals week, which is next week, so I haven’t been updating recently.

Got an 8 page paper due and Stats final coming up, so I won’t be posting until those are completed.

Come back again after next week! =).

Field Trip and Another for Good Measure!

This past Saturday was quite a day.

Our History of Art R1B class, a reading and composition course with the theme of Japanese art, went on a field trip to San Francisco to check out the Asian Art Museum! Led by our GSI, Namiko, most of us took the BART to get there.

Almost there!

There was a huge protest for Iran going on by the City Hall.

History of Art R1B WHOOOOOOOO! =D.

After we went inside, bought our admission tickets, and checked off our backpacks, it finally came time to see what the museum had to offer! Namiko led us around the Japanese exhibit, providing historical information for the different showcased artwork and sculptures. Though the museum didn’t have many Nihonga/Yoga (Japanese/Western style paintings), there were a lot of interesting displays.

This woodblock print was done by Shiko Munakata, a master of the technique. I wrote about him for one of my papers.

Here, Namiko describes the Japanese artwork painted on a traditional Japanese scroll.

Kasey mimicking the Buddha.

There were exhibits for other countries as well (of course, it being the Asian Art Museum). I really liked the Chinese exhibit as well. A lot of its featured artwork were colored gold, so the luster was very captivating.

A prince, to be sure.

I really like these figurines.

Once we finished checking out the museum, it came time to leave for Berkeley.

I came back to my apartment, ate dinner, and later went to go watch “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” in Emeryville with my roommate, Nicholas, and a friend of ours, Girish. Why Emeryville? Because the UA theater in Berkeley is just plain horrible. Uncomfortable seats and a tinted screen. Ugh.

We planned out our trip, such as the time we should get on the bus to get there by a certain showtime, etc. Unfortunately, the F line bus stopped right before our stop because the driver decided to take a 20 minute break. -_-. We waited it out, and finally got on. When we got to the AMC in Emeryville, it was exactly at 9:15 PM, the time the movie was supposed to start (the previews actually). Just our luck – the tickets were sold out! The next showing wasn’t until 10 PM, and since it was a two and a half hour long movie, the AC Transit (bus) would have closed down, as well as the BART (subway). We contemplated for a long time what to do, since we felt we had invested so much time into getting to Emeryville that not watching the movie there would be a vast waste of time. We walked around in search of another movie theatre that was indicated on Nick’s iPhone, but of course, it wasn’t anywhere within walking distance. Finally, we fought off rationality and decided to watch the movie at 10 PM.

Regarding the movie itself, I thought it was alright. Not fantastic like I thought it’d be, but just ok. Considering that the movie was originally slated to be released last year, I expected better. What I really miss is the old actor who played Professor Dumbledore, Richard Harris. He was the perfect one to play the role. His raspy voice and wise charm are attributes I sorely miss. The new actor, Sir Michael Gambon, the one who plays Gandalf in the “Lord of the Rings” series, doesn’t even compare in my opinion. The movie had really slow pacing and not much action. Too much focus on romance! Apparently (it’s been a while since I read the book), a scene was in the movie that wasn’t even in the book. I won’t mention it because there are those who haven’t seen it yet, but if you know what I’m talking about – why did they put that there? It really didn’t advance the plot in any way. The quality of the “Harry Potter” movies seems to be dropping with each successive one. I liked “Sorcerer’s Stone” and “Chamber of Secrets” the most. They should bring the director from those movies back.

Once the movie was over, it came time for the long journey ahead. We walked all the way from Emeryville to Berkeley. 3.3 miles. In the dark. I was so tired afterwards.  Two field trips in one day is good enough for me. .

New Friends – New Perspectives!

So earlier this week, I was studying at a table at Doe Library.

While I was studying, an Asian girl came and sat across from me. Later, an Asian guy came and sat next to her, and they started talking in an Asian language (I could tell it wasn’t Korean). Out of curiosity, I asked them afterwards if they were Japanese. I’m currently taking History of Art R1B, which is a reading and composition class. The theme of the class, set by the GSI, is Japanese art (my GSI’s Japanese). Thus, I wanted to start a conversation about Japanese art, and whether they knew artists like Takashi Murakami. However, they told me that they were actually speaking Mandarin, and that they were graduate students from Hong Kong. I asked them more about their background, and why they were studying at Berkeley. I knew that many international students studied here during the summer, but I never found the reason why they weren’t studying elsewhere, like at another UC or private university. I learned that the reason is that for them, their home school provides the connection to the school in the States, so they don’t make the choice (maybe I missed something here, but that’s what I recall). The other reason is, well, Berkeley’s a pretty good school hehe. Berkeley offers a lot of classes in different areas, so international students from all majors find Cal to be a good fit.

I had to leave for class, but before I headed for the exit, I asked them if they wanted to grab lunch sometime later this week. They were up for it. Off I went.

Yesterday, I met up with the guy, named Jackson, at Sather Gate sometime around noon, and we walked down Sproul Plaza. The girl couldn’t make it because she was busy with a paper =(. Anyways, so I decided to show Jackson to a restaurant in the Asian Ghetto (yes that’s the nickname for an area near campus that has a lot of Asian restaurants), named Gypsy’s (which is a bomb Italian restaurant). Of course, I inquired whether or not he had a large appetite, because let me tell you, their calzones are ginormous! We both ordered the combo calzone and sat at a table. We talked about school, about his experience at Berkeley compared to the University of Hong Kong, etc.

When I learned that he had studied abroad at France for a semester, my curiosity was whetted. I asked him about his experience, and he responded “It was amazing!” I found out that he was a French Language major in addition to Linguistics. Then it hit me – since I will be minoring in Korean Language, it would be a great opportunity if I could study abroad in Korea for a semester, to really practice the language on a daily basis. True, most people would choose to study abroad in a country they’ve never been to, but I’ve only been to Korea a few times in my life so far, and each time was only for like two weeks. In my opinion, one should know his/her culture really well before studying another culture. In other words, I should master Korean, being a Korean American, before I really push to become trilingual. It would also be great to see my relatives in Korea.

One of my main concerns initially whenever I considered becoming a foreign exchange student was the separation from my friends that would entail. I told Jackson this, and he laughed it off. “It’s the 21st century! You’ve got Facebook, Skype, email. You can talk to them anytime you want!” I couldn’t agree more, and I shook my head for worrying about this “implication”. Hahaha.

So I’m giving a lot of thought to the possibility of studying abroad in Korea, perhaps in my third year. All of this is happening because I started up a conversation with some random guy at Doe Library one afternoon. Isn’t it amazing how things work out? Refer to my post on June 30 for highly related content.

Say “hello” to people you’ve never met before. Learn from them. Your life will change as a result.

Trip to Cheeseboard!

Date: 7/18/09

Went to Cheeseboard for the first time with friends!

I’ve been waiting a long time for this, and things finally worked out. When we got there, the line wasn’t too long. They whip up pizzas nonstop so even if there had been a long line, it wouldn’t have been so bad. We ate on the lawn in-between the two roads, just like they all do it hehe. It’s a tradition apparently. Only thing is there are bugs out there =P. Oh well, they just add more crunch.

Love the expressions.

It tastes as good as it looks.

Valerie, friends from APATH (Asian Pacific American Theme Program), and Jyo! =D.

Overall, Cheeseboard is pretty good. I just wasn’t blown away like the emphatic, glowing reviews I’ve read on Yelp. Sarah mentioned Zachary’s, which she said is a pizza parlor with big, fat pizzas. I gotta go check that place out sometime.

The slices are tasty but really thin - not my preference =P. I like thick, cheesy pizzas. Mmmm.

Afterwards, we went to Yogurtland! (Yes, that was my second time in two days. It’s just that good!).

Everyone got different combinations. Mine's on the bottom right. Same as the day before's, but they ran out of peanut butter yogurt! D=.

Until next time!

Relaxation!

Date: 7/17/09

I’ve been studying all week for my Stats midterm!

After the exam finished, my friend, Sachi, and I went to go eat yogurt. We tried out Yogurtland , and it was my first time there. All I’ve gotta say is this – Yogurtland is AMAZING. I love the toppings you can put on your yogurt and how everything’s done the way you like it because it’s self-served. As a bonus, it’s cheaper than eating at Yogurt Park. They charge by the weight of your finished product, so you pay less for your fulfillment.

Peanut butter and strawberry yogurt with Oreos, red bean, Fruity Pebbles, and cookie dough. So. Freaken. GOOD.

I thought the whole Yogurtland craze was just a fad, that the perpetual long lines were just a temporary thing. But after trying it out first-hand, I know that that’s not the case. Yogurtland has a very effective business model through the self-serve method. The customers do all the work, and the employees mainly have to maintain the ingredients. More work for the customers, but the catch is, they enjoy it! They relish the opportunity to sample all the different flavors of yogurt and choose the delicacies to accentuate their treat. Needless to say, Yogurtland’s going to be around for a while =D.

Afterwards, we went and checked out the Botanical Garden!

There were a bunch of plants and flowers from all over the world, including Mexico, Japan, China, and Korea (we didn’t have enough time to explore the entire place).

Sachi enjoying the company of pretty flowers.

Boy, were there a number of good-looking blossoms. You can see them all on my flickr to the right.

It was very fun delving into the Garden because it was so huge. The trails were endless and branched off into multiple paths. We were engulfed by crisp and invigorating scents emanating from the flowers. Very worthwhile experience that I will visit again sometime in the near future. =T.

When I got back to my apartment, Anna and Alice (my friends who live in the same apartment complex) saw me and dragged me into their place. Their friends were over, and they were playing a card game called “Mao”. No I never even heard of the game before, and didn’t even know the rules when the game started. Little did I know though, that that was the whole point! Hahaha. Basically the winner of each round makes up a new rule that is implemented in the following rounds. For instance, I could make a rule that states that anytime somebody puts down a 7 of any suite, he or she has to say “ARRRRRRRR!” The catch is that you don’t tell your rule to anyone. The only way they find out is when you say “Penalty for not saying ‘ARRRRRRRR!’” and he or she has to draw another card. Hahaha. So funny. I gotta admit though, that’s probably the most interesting card game I’ve ever played .

Soon! Tofu!

Yesterday, I went to Adel and Da Sel’s place to eat dinner. There I met Harris, and Michael showed up soon after. Adel, Da Sel, and I prepared Korean Spicy Tofu Soup (순두부), while Adel also made Kimchi pancake (김치전) and Da Sel whipped up tofu + spiced tuna. Mmmm! I brought beef stock, and we got all the ingredients together for the soup.

Oh man.

Adel and Da Sel said that I was really good at cooking or something along those lines when they noticed me quickly chopping up the green onion. I was surprised because I thought that was how most did it, but apparently not. I find it instinctive to move my left hand away from the knife as I steady the green onion.

The finished products. Dinnertime baby!

This wouldn't be complete without rice!

Let's go team!

Once we were full and satisfied from the meal, we talked and joked around. Michael and Harris did their share by washing the dishes. Dessert came later.

Michael brought this dessert that he got from a restaurant on University. It was so sweet!

Another treat that Michael brought. Good stuff.

Ice cream! Da Sel looks delighted =).

Cooking is so fun, especially when you do it with friends! =D.

Trial and Error

On Tuesday, I cooked omelettes for the first time.

I chopped up onions and tomatoes to put in as filling, as well as loads of shredded cheddar and monterey jack cheese. I cooked dinner for my roommate, Nicholas, and our friend, Girish. Since I cooked the omelettes one-by-one, I was able to get better each time (well, in theory at least). Here was my progress:

Nick's omelette - I learned to put the stuffing in soon after placing the eggs on the pan.

Girish's omelette - A short lapse in attention to it led to some burn.

My omelette - Perfection! =D.

I got this down now .

Food and Fireworks!

Date: 7/4/09

First off, I want to apologize for my lack of recent updates on my blog. I moved into my apartment last week and am still in the process of settling in. Not having Internet is a real nuisance – I’m going to call up Comcast today and get that settled with.

With that said, July 4 was one stacked day!

I invited my friends Sofia, Divya, and Sabrina over to my apartment and cooked dinner for them. Including Divya’s friend, Bhavana, my roommate, Nicholas, and another friend of mine, Girish, that made seven of us total. I’m still learning how to cook for myself, yet in this situation, I was cooking for six others! I whipped up my self-proclaimed signature dish, grilled chicken quesadillas, with chopped tomatoes, onion, green onion, and yellow pepper. Each quesadilla was a double-decker – very filling. I knew I had to prepare them quickly, because you don’t want to keep your guests waiting. We also had a BART ride to catch soon afterwards, so it was a race against time. Fortunately, I finished cooking the quesadillas without too much trouble, but I certainly made a mess. I was very glad to hear that my friends enjoyed the meal. Cooking is such a rewarding experience (but the food better taste good). Handling pressure is crucial when you’re cooking for a multitude of people – you have to be very efficient yet careful. I can certainly feel for the chefs who cook for hours at a time under exacting conditions.

Once we finished eating, we had to quickly leave for the BART station. Originally, we planned to go to the Berkeley marina to catch the fireworks show, but in a last-minute turn of events, Sofia suggested we go to the Jack London Square in Oakland to watch the fireworks, which were supposedly more electrifying. We got there just as the fireworks were blasted into orbit – but all of the buildings were in the way! We quickly ran down several blocks before we were able to access a clear view of the sky.

I took this photo in the finale of the fireworks barrage.

Though the fireworks episode was short-lived (I expected half an hour of nonstop flashes of light), it was pretty exciting to watch.

Following the fireworks, we explored the Jack London Square.

Group photo! Next to a fountain no less! =).

Check out that muscle action!

There was a band playing nearby, and I really got into the music. I shimmied (yes I really did shimmy) my way to the front of the crowd and danced. Though I’m hardly a great, or even good dancer, the point of it wasn’t to show off my “skills”. It was to “just dance – gonna be ok da da doo-doo-mmm.” I just kept going, and noticed that my enthusiasm got some people into the groove. =D. Very fun!

After a while, it came time to go back to Berkeley. When we were heading back to my apartment, we passed an ice cream parlor on Shattuck that sold one-scoop ice cream on sugar/waffle cones for a dollar! We all got one, and I chose the strawberry shortcake flavor. Yummm.

Oh, and did I mention that it was Divya’s birthday? How cool is that – to see fireworks and have cake on the same day? Though we didn’t have time to enjoy cake (we celebrated her birthday previously), Divya had brought a cake that her mother made and left us a few pieces =d. Chocolate cake is so delicious. Mmmm.

Independence Day was very liberating, to say the least. I really got into the spirit of America that day.

Until next time!

People, Old and New, Old and Young

Date: 6/29/09

Do you like people-watching?

I know that sounds creepy. But I’m not talking about stalking – that’s different. No, I’m talking about people-watching. Whenever you’re walking from Point A to Point B, what do you do during that span of time? Do you talk on the phone? Look at the scenery?

For me, I like to people-watch. I like seeing people, be it friends or strangers, going about their daily lives. I like seeing people eating food that has a delicious aroma, people sitting on Memorial Glade reading books, people laughing at something that someone said, people walking in my direction, etc. Everyone is doing something different at any given moment in time. It makes me wonder what is going on in people’s minds. Why did that person buy that particular phone? Why did she wear a jacket on a hot, summer day? Where’s he going with that pizza? Everyone functions differently, with unique agendas.

It’s funny how small the world can be. How many times have you been surprised to find that your friend has a friend who knows a friend whose best friend you went to middle school with? (Haha, maybe not that deep, but still). Yesterday, I was just sitting at my laptop doing homework when the door opens and multitudes of people enter. After inquiring with the sublets, I learned that there would be a get-together at the apartment with members of the Metta Center for Nonviolence Education. I met each one of the guests, and it turned out that one of them happened to be Professor Michael Nagler, Professor Emeritus of Classics and Comparative Literature at UC Berkeley. He is the founder of the Peace and Conflict Studies Program at Cal. I was wondering how he was involved with the Metta organization – yep, he founded that too. . A very avant-garde individual, and that goes without saying.

The beginning of our conversation went something like this:

Professor Nagler: “So are you a chemistry major?”

Me: “Close. Economics.”

Later, I asked about his career and what his current plans are. Combining graduate study and teaching, he’s been involved in education for 50 years. He lives very, very far away from campus – quite the commute. He also lives in a meditation community, so I found that very interesting. I’ve never really thought about meditation, but it sounds like a very calming and purifying practice. I should find out more about that.

When it came time to leave, Professor Nagler and I got a picture together.

Because Professor Nagler is at the forefront of peace efforts, I thought, "What better pose to do than the peace sign?" v (^______^) v

It was an enlightening experience to meet a professor outside the classroom. Very worthwhile as well. I hope this happens again.

So how does this relate to what I said in the beginning? Well, it has to do with meeting people you’ve never seen before. Learning about them and their thought process. Meeting new people is one of the greatest opportunities in life. So the next time you pass by an old, kind-looking man (who really is young at heart) on the sidewalk, don’t just think nothing of it – who knows? He could be Professor Nagler. Say a simple “Hello” and the forces of the universe will work out all the rest.