After a few missed opportunities to pow-wow in person, we decided a good way to start the collaborative process was Google Wave. Here, I was able to share my thoughts on what the goals for this project would be. The artists could also chime in with their thoughts. During our discussions, I found a track that really resonated with me. I loved the musical elements and theme of the song and felt I could come up with imagery encapsulates its vibe and theme.

So now I’ve set a date for Saturday, April 17th (with a tentative half day on Sunday depending on how the schedule plays out) and phone calls and emails strings are starting.

Unfortunately, I have almost nothing to contribute to the financing of the video so most of the equipment and crew will have to be procured via favors. I’ve earned a few over the years so I’m hoping I can cash some in to help get this project done.

I officially saw my first curveball yesterday when I reached out to Paciano – a friend and a film technician mentor – asking for his expertise and assistance on our shoot.

He says, “Dude, I’d love to help but unfortunately that’s the same day Patricio’s shoot is scheduled for. Doh! Man, I was looking forward to working with you again.”

Doh! is right! So not having Paciano on set hurts big time because he’s so good at his craft. But what hurts MORE is the fact that friends and collaborators Patricio and AJ (who have been very prolific down here and in the Bay with shoots lately) is shooting that same weekend. That means that he’ll probably be using a lot of the crew I had in mind. But such is life in the film hustle. People are unavailable and the show must go on. Honestly, I don’t think it will be that big a deal. I’m trying to keep it as production and budget-friendly as I can – limiting locations, production design, and keeping the concept simple. If anything it’s an exercise for how to maximize your resources. And I’m up for the challenge.

At this stage, it’s about setting ourselves up to succeed. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Keep things simple. Execute. The countdown has begun and I’m excited to get the ball rolling.

Stay tuned for updates…and don’t be all too surprised if you get a call from me asking for some help!

There are probably 2 types of engagements – A) things happen relatively quick and the couple has the wedding within 2 years and B) there’s no real rush and the wedding happens eventually but after 2 years pass. Now without passing judgment on either of these options, I can see how certain circumstances have resulted both. In the case of A, think of say, a SPAS-12 (my favorite shotgun in COD:MW2). In the case of B, there’s a certain comfort in knowing the marriage is the next step for this couple – perhaps while they save up some money for the big day AND/OR to get the parental “heat” off their backs while they live together…in sin.

(Again, no judgments here…just sayin’ =P)

This is EXACTLY like producing a film project. In this case the wedding is the shoot and the engagement is pre-production. (NOTE: Though I haven’t had a wedding of my own, but from what I’ve heard from friends and other random  people, it’s just a hectic day when all the planning goes out the window and you just kind of wing it on the day. It just flies by and you only remember bits and pieces until you see the photos after the fact. Now tell me – how is this NOT a film shoot?!)

I suppose there’s also a third type of engagement – the one that never materializes into a wedding. Let’s take case #1

THE IDEA
KAI music video (circa 2001 or 2002)

I can laugh about this now and this serves as a perfect example of this third type. I remember meeting at the Borders in Union Landing with Eric, AC, and Aaron, a friend from school. We had a song, concept, and a list of various things we had (or could get) and needed like locations, equipment, manpower. In fact, we had even devoted some time to cruise SF to check out potential locations we would use. We wanted to shoot a segment on Pier 39 and at the BART Station in Union City (we gotsta keep it real, son!).

WHAT WENT WRONG
I suppose this is like a young couple getting engaged too early – the couple that thinks engagement will save them from the relationship perils of going away to college. Next thing you know, the fiancee appears on a Girls Gone Wild video (and not even the Snoop Dogg one) after a Spring Break gone wrong. The engagement is over and at best, you have a good story with some laughs.

But in all seriousness, with this project, We were inexperienced and had no real experience producing anything. And I don’t even know if we realized this at the time. I only know this because of my short time working on an ACTUAL set. Could you imagine trying to get a permit to shoot in SF? Back then, I’d probably be ballsy enough to steal a shot, but that’s because I didn’t know any better.

I think back then it was just fun to TALK about doing a project like this -  something other than paying dues at an entry-level job or finishing up that bacherlor’s degree. It felt like we were making our “dreams come true.”

Case #2

THE IDEA
Fil’s Mime Project (late 2009 – ????)

My friend and co-worker Fil (whose full name is Phillip, yet insists on spelling his shortened name with an “F” and writes feature articles on Sci-Fi films for Lock, Stock and 2 Film Geeks) had sent a script around some of the usual suspects with thoughts about shooting something. Fil is a CSULB guy along with Goux and Al-Jay so it was cool that this gang was getting back together to work on something post-college. I’ve been on a few sets with the CSULB crew thanks to Al-Jay and I’ve definitely enjoyed working with these cats – reminded me of the good ol’ Cogs days with Michael Dougan and his cohorts.

The script is a fun little short and I know it’d be fun to work on. I’d come on as a gaffer for Al-Jay and seeing as we’re getting in sync with our lighting flow, I know we would’ve lit some pretty stuff…well, in relation to our budget anyway.

WHAT WENT WRONG
The latest I’ve heard is Fil got in a car accident (thankfully, he’s ok) and all the budget is potentially tied up in costs for repairs or for a new mode of transportation (get a Vespa, Fil! If you know Fil, it’d be pretty badass if he rocked one of those.)

Maybe the car accident is akin to a bachelor party gone wrong in which the guy runs off with a Cambodian stripper. Somehow, he thinks he’s in love and wants to prove it by helping her pay for medical school and raising her 2-yr old son.

But this happens. ALL. THE. TIME. Especially in this industry. Money disappears because life (or an investor) throws you a curveball. And just like that, the wedding’s off. Or the short never gets shot.

I’m not in anyway saying Fil’s short will never happen. This isn’t the third type of engagement, like I mentioned above. It’s just on hold for now, which makes it probably the second type. This seems to happen with many of my projects…hell most of them, actually. And when I get that phone call with a date, for sure I’ll be there…thirty minutes early…waiting for my hot courtesy breakfast!

But the lesson in all of this is to SET A DATE. Because once you set a date, the wedding or shoot WILL happen – whether you’re ready or not.

Maybe it’s lack of passion? I think I’m a passionate guy. At least it comes off that way when I talk about things. But in terms of my “art” or “creativity” and stuff like that, I could never figure out why it comes in waves. I know some people are just born with an insatiable hunger to create. Whether it’s drawing, painting, writing, playing music, dancing, filmmaking, whatever – they just need to do it.

Me? Yeah, I like doing these things, but I wouldn’t say I go crazy if I didn’t. There was a stretch of time when I was doing a lot of creative work (writing and directing for the stage) with Bindlestiff Studio and I can’t express how rewarding and validating that experience was for me. But since then, two relocations have kind of put me in sporadic touch with my creative side. Sure, I mention things here and there. Like I’ll start jotting some notes for a new short, or music video treatment, or even toy around with the plot points of old feature script. But I’ve never really had the discipline to finish it all the way through.

I suppose you can infer that my behavior with my own creative endeavors somehow paint a larger picture about my life in general, but I think that could be saved for another post.

But does this make me less of an “artist” – the fact that I can only manage to be creative in spurts? Am I afflicted with some form of ADD that causes me to jump to the next activity (creative or otherwise) that interests me? Back in high school I used to breakdance and DJ a little bit. Of course, this is back in high school so it’s easy to get caught up in these hobbies when you’re doing it with your friends. Every now and again, I’ll have a chance to jump on some turntables and mix for a while. It’s fun…even if you’re only to a crowd of 1-2…and ruining Rilo Kiley by mixing it with “Ice Ice Baby.” [ask Tess, she'll vouch for that]

More recently, I’ve been putting in some QT with the Playstation 3. In the past 2 months, I’ve been devoting hours upon hours into playing video games – an activity I haven’t engaged in for years. And yes, I could probably stand to do more important things with my time – like go to the gym or write or whatever. But who’s to say exactly which of these activities is more valuable? Who assigns the value on these things? I mean, I should do the things I do because I enjoy them, right? Like if you enjoy spending your day off watching a Jersey Shore (a show I have never seen, mind you) marathon, that’s your prerogative, right? That’s fine and dandy, but I WILL make fun of you and comment about your willingness to perpetuate the slow decay of humankind. Just as you can tease me for clocking in 4, yes FOUR days worth of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

But my interests over the years have fluctuated in intensity. This is why I’ve owned (and sold) a set of Technics SL1200s with a Vestax 06-PRO, a Canon GL-1, and TWO sets of drums. Now the items I still own – golf clubs and 2 snowboards and a Nikon D40X. But at least two of these items aren’t getting any love right now due to financial hardship.. For the record, I will be keeping the PS3…because it pretty much does everything.

Ok, back to my point…I know that my creativity may be dormant now, but I kind of feel the magma brewing. I put too much pressure on myself to produce something over the past year. When the time’s right, it’ll happen…or so I tell myself. I see a bunch of old friends and guys I’ve met on film setsposting pictures and updates of recent projects. Some of them are doing big things now and some of them are doing things that aren’t as big…but they ARE doing something. It’s of inspiring me to do the damn thing again. I do feel I’m still a ways off from ‘greenlighting’ something, but I have a feeling the tides are shifting again…at least until I prestige in COD:MW2!

Just kidding…or am I? MUWAHAHAHA

In the same vein as Food Network’s The Best Thing I Ever Ate, I’m posting some lists from some good friends – whose palates I respect and trust. So here are the rules:

• The food item MUST be ordered and paid for at some sort of food vendor. They can include restaurants, cafes, stands, carts, trucks, etc.
• It can be served during any meal – breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, late-night eats, whatever.
• It can be any course – appetizer, main course, side dish, dessert, snack
• The list isn’t in any particular order

When I first mentioned this to my friends, they were concerned that it would be too hard because ALL food is fair game. It was suggested to separate the list into categories – top 5 main courses, top 5 desserts, etc. But I say eff that! You just get 5 and you’re forced to ask yourself some tough questions. Questions like “Do I REALLY love this cupcake from Magnolia Bakery?” or “Do I REALLY prefer a Red Velvet cupcake (overrated) to the porterhouse steak at Peter Luger’s?”

So the votes are in and here they are. For the regulars who read this blog (all 4 of you), I encourage you to chime in with your own top 5 or even just an entree you simply could not live without eating again.

ANTON

• Office Burger – Father’s Office – Culver City, CA
  I’ve mentioned this in a previous post, but Father’s Office is the FIRST place I take guests/friends to when they’re in town. The combination of flavors for this burger surpass most other things I’ve eaten in my life. I once had an Office Burger twice in the span of 3 days.
• Lamb and Rice Plate – Halal Cart on 53rd and 6th – Manhattan, NY
  There are few things I crave, and this probably tops the list since I don’t have access to it anymore. It’s the best $6 you’ll ever spend.
• Lomo Saltado – Mario’s Peruvian and Seafood – Los Angeles, CA
  This was the first lomo saltado I’ve ever had and remains my favorite among the handful of Peruvian restaurants I’ve visited. You can’t go wrong with a stir fry of marinated steak, red onions, tomatoes, cilantro and french fries – yes, french to the muthafuckin’ fries! It’s served over some lightly seasoned rice and a lemon wedge.
• Carne Asada Super Burrito – Taquería Cancún – Mission District – SF, CA
  This is the burrito against which all others are measured. I’ve been in LA for over a year now and haven’t found anything that can touch Cancun. The carne asada is well marinated and has a nice crisp to the edges. The rice is lightly seasoned. They also give you half and avocado’s worth of slices inside. Combine that with their spicy avocado-jalapeno-onion-cilantro salsa and  you’re golden my friend.
• Ono Nigiri – Sushi Central – Palms, CA
  It was between this and their signature sushi, spicy tuna (which beat Bobby Flay in the spicy tuna Throwdown). But this fish is practically a slice of heaven on top of a nugget of rice. The best part of this sushi is they take a creme brulee torch and lightly broil the top of the fish. The oiliness of the fish creates a buttery smokiness once it’s torched. And with a touch of ponzu (or yuzu – I can’t remember), it’s seriously the best sushi I’ve ever tasted.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
- Spaghetti Carbonara – Puccini – Hell’s Kitchen, NY
- Combination Chicken Wings (spicy & soy-ginger) – Bon Chon – Manhattan, NY
- Crab and Pork Soup Dumplings – Joe’s Shanghai – Chinatown, NY

TESS

• Ají de Gallina – El Rinconcito Peruano – Queens, NY (but used to be in Hell’s Kitchen)
• Lamb and Rice Plate – Halal Cart on 53rd and 6th – Manhattan, NY
• Lomo Saltado – Mario’s Peruvian and Seafood – Los Angeles, CA
• Black Linguine Con Frutta di Mare – Puccini – Hell’s Kitchen, NY
• Office Burger – Father’s Office – Culver City, CA

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
- German Chocolate Cake – Amy’s Bread – Hell’s Kitchen, NY
- Coconut Cake – Amy’s Bread – Hell’s Kitchen, NY
- Black & White Cookie – Roxy Delicatessen – Times Square, NY

MELISSA

• Pork Kra Pow with Fried Egg – Thai Temple – Fremont, CA
  Nothing in the world is as good as this dish.  Thai food at its finest.
• Salted Caramel Pot de Créme – Starbelly – Castro-SF, CA
  When I taste it, I want to jump in the pot so I can eat every last bite.  Don’t eat it with the cookie.
• Pork Belly Special – Bouchon – The Venetian-Las Vegas, NV
  By far THE BEST dish I have EVER eaten. I have yet to eat it again, but I have hope that the stars will align and that special will be served the next time I go there.
• Clay Pot with Chicken – Gochi – Cupertino, CA
  I like EVERYTHING there, but if I had to pick one, this would be it. Crunchy Rice is SOOOOOO good.
• Salted Caramel Ice Cream – Bi-Rite Creamery – San Francisco, CA
  Hands down the best ice cream I have EVER had.  I wouldn’t be able to live knowing I couldn’t eat this.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
- BLT – Mustard Seed – Davis, CA
- Seared Fois Gras – Chapeau – San Francisco, CA
- Salt and Pepper Chicken – House of Orient – Campbell, CA (RIP)

DAVE

• Gyro & Chicken Plate – Halal Cart on 53rd and 6th – Manhattan, NY
  For $6 bucks this is the tastiest deal you will ever find.  I never go to New York without making a stop to the 53rd and 6th halal cart.  Rain or snow… seriously, I’ve waited in line in the rain and snow for this plate.
• French Toast – The Country Way – Fremont, CA
  I challenge anyone to find a better French Toast than The Country Way.  I guarantee you won’t.  Texture, thickness, flavor.  It’s the perfect French toast.
• Wasabi Poke – Yamma’s Fish Market – Honolulu, HI
  I love poke.  There are many places you can find great poke in Hawaii, the fish is just so fresh.  But some how one stands out more than any of the others for me.  Yamma’s Fish Market in Honolulu.  Their fresh ahi wasabi poke is my favorite poke.  I compare every poke dish I eat to yamma’s.  In my book, Yamma’s is still undefeated.
• Dry-aged Porterhouse – Peter Luger’s Steakhouse – Brooklyn, NY
  I don’t say this often, but taking a bite out of Peter Luger’s dry aged steak was a religious experience.  There is nothing fancy about their steak.  Dry aged, minimal seasoning, cooked to RARE perfection.  It’s a testament to QUALITY MEAT selection.  Eating at Peter Luger’s changed how and where I buy raw meats for home cooking.
• Twice Cooked Soy Braised and Grilled Kalbi Style Short Rib – Alan Wong’s – Honolulu, HI
  UH-MAY-ZING.  Slow cooked.  Once for 48 hours at low heat to braise the meat in soy, then grill kalbi style.  They gave me a fork and a knife to eat it, but i didn’t need the knife.  I could have cut that meat with a feather.  And that sweet kalbi flavor… I don’t even know what to say that could justify it.  My friends who I ate with can testify to my experience.  I threw my hands up after every bite, which meant one of two things: a) “WOOO!!!” b) “fuck this, I’m never going to enjoy any meal that follows this”.  Fortunately my palate wasn’t completely destroyed.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
- Hakulau (Kahlua turkey, spinach, onions, cranberry-mango chutney on garlic French bread) – Café Pesto – Kawaihae, HI
- Fish and Chips – Kalnikai Bar and Grill – Kailua Kona, HI
- Cinnamon Fudge Sundae apple pie, caramel topping with whipped cream – Serendipity 3 – NY

ANNA

• Squash Blossom Truffled Flatbread – COCO500 – San Francisco, CA
  This dish is seasonal, so i only have a small window to enjoy it during the summer. Paper thin flat bread covered with a trifecta of truffle oil, parmesan and squash blossom.
• Caramel Copetta with Marshmallow Sauce and Spanish Salted Peanuts - Pizzeria Mozza – Los Angeles, CA
  Caramel ice cream, marshmallow fluff and salted peanuts. I can’t believe this hasn’t been on anyone’s The Best Thing I Ever Ate yet. The sundae wasn’t invented until this one came along.  It should be canonized into sundae sainthood.
• Moule Frites – Café Chloe – San Diego, CA
  I am a lover of mussels-and it’s standard French bistro fare but Café Chloe takes it up a notch.  They vary the broth from time to time, but everytime I’ve had it it’s been really good. The mussels come in this mini cast iron pot with a tower of French fried onions AND potatoes right next to it. The disobedient fries fall into broth and soak up the goodness.
• Paté – Starbelly – San Francisco, CA
  Paté done right. smooth, creamy and well seasoned. They serve it with grilled country bread, homemade chutney and cornichons.The servers there must hate me because I go through at least 2 rounds of bread to finish up the block of pate they serve.
• Ham and Cheese Croissant – Tartine Bakery – San Francisco, CA
  Bless the bakers hearts-they are the most buttery and flakiest mofos around. The flaky layers house the melted emmenthaler and the Niman Ranch ham inside. When I want to really really bad in a very good way, I go here for breakfast. It’s so good I almost want to go to France and learn all the secrets of croissant making. Tartine brings france right in the heart of the Mission District.

HONORABLE MENTION:
- Pink Peppermint Ice Cream in a Homemade Waffle Cone – Ici – Berkeley, CA

PHUONG

• Hủ Tiếu Nam Nam – Vung Tau II – Milpitas, CA
  You have to order this dish with the mung bean (chewy and clear) noodles with the soup on the side. Served with jumbo prawn, crab claw, lean pork, and covered with ground pork in an intensely flavorful sauce. Top it off with freshly squeezed lemon and bean sprouts. The classic Vietnamese flavors of sour, sweet, and savory are all present.
• Lobster Risotto – Gary Danko – San Francisco, CA
  This restaurant is famous and well known for serving seasonal and fresh ingredients, so their menu changes with the seasons. The lobster risotto is always present; however it will be prepared differently depending on the available ingredients. It was the summer of 2003; the lobster risotto was prepared with chanterelle mushrooms and dressed with coriander oil. Coriander oil! I still stalk their website to see if this combination will return on their menu.
• French Macaroons – Bouchon Bakery – Yountville, CA
  This is a classic French pastry that so few bakeries can follow through on. Bouchon provides many flavors, all with the standard but not always present, crispy shell and chewy center.
• Snow Mountain Bun – Hong Kong Saigon Seafood Restaurant – Sunnyvale, CA
  There is something irresistible about these buns. They are only served around noon during dim sum service and they disappear fast! Sweet taro paste is wrapped in a flaky (I swear there is lard in it!) and crispy bun.
• Clams in Black Bean Sauce – BoDa Seafood Restaurant – San Jose, CA
  Simple, good, dirty fun!

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
- Falafel Sandwich – Falafel’s Drive-In – San Jose, CA
- Spinach & Mushroom Deep Dish Pizza - Zachary’s Pizza – Berkeley, CA

PROUD
(Proud is my co-worker and sits right next to me. I’m transcribing this as she recites her picks)

• Lomo Saltado with Tri-Tip – Lomo Arigato – Los Angeles, CA
• Sirloin Burger with Garlic Aioli, Jalapeno Bacon, and Smoked Mozzarella, and Portabello Mushrooms – 25 Degrees Restaurant – Hollywood, CA
• Spicy Yellowtail – Komasa Restaurant – Los Angeles, CA
• Shrimp and Cheesy Grits – The Edison – Los Angeles, CA
• Green Curry with Calf Meat and Roti – Roti Mataba – Bangkok, Thailand

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
- Lamb and Rice Plate – Halal Cart on 53rd and 6th – Manhattan, NY
- Red Velvet Bundt Cake (”love that shit” says Proud) – Kiss My Bundt – Los Angeles, CA
- Cajun Pork Chop with Sweet Corn – Random Cajun Place in Bangkok (way to be thorough, Proud)

Pretty solid list compiled here and a wide array of entrees, cuisines and price ranges! Any surprise inclusions? Any glaring omissions? Share your thoughts on our choices and even add some of your own. I’m pretty sure it’ll be a win-win for everyone.

I want to thank the contributors for racking their brains and stomachs. I know it’s hard to choose your favorite child, but list-making is fun! I also know everyone’s lists are always in flux…and it should be. Happy eating everyone! See you at the LA Street Food Fest this Saturday!

Ugly Glasses
Over-sized specs are the hip thing now, and I’ve seen a few really cool pairs of large-lensed glasses. But man, these were ugly back then and they’re certainly ugly now. Perhaps even more so since they’re associated with hipster douches and douchettes.
Ok, so which company promotes and perpetuates commercial hipster douchery more: American Apparel or Urban Outfitters?

[for the record, I've never been inside of an American Apparel store and in the past, I've scored some pretty good (cheap) finds in the clearance section of Urban]

Ugly Low-cut V-neck T-shirts on Guys
For the same hipster douchery reasons I’ve provided above, there’s just no way this looks cool. I don’t mind v-neck t-shirts on girls because at least you get a bit of a show, but for guys? I mean I’ll either see a pasty white sunken chest like this dude in the picture or some unwieldy chest hair.

There’s also something very disturbing about seeing the contours of the neck and collarbone of waif-like dudes.

…and now for ugly things I don’t mind so much.

Nissan Cube
This car is like Helena Bonham Carter – not classically pretty, but something about her turns me on. I don’t really know why I’m intrigued by this strange vehicle, especially since the back is asymmetrical and really ugly. I’ve never seen the inside or taken it for a test drive. It’s just one of those cars that seems to make a statement – like when the VW New Beetle or PT Cruiser came out. Of course, those cars seem to be dated now and imagine what this bad boy would look like in about 5 years. Although the Honda Element, which was another strange-looking car during its initial release seems to be doing pretty well.

Michelle Rodriguez
Probably a questionable entry, but I was really turned off by Michelle Rodriguez before. She was practically a man in Blue Crush and when The Fast and the Furious came out, she was unofficially crowned the Champion of Everything Unsexy. She has since been dethroned by Sandra Oh, who will probably hold that post for a LONG time.

But I think age and maturity have looked favorably on the raspy-voiced Michelle. [NOTE: Raspy voices can either exacerbate unsexiness or enhance it - it has worked in both ways in this case] And for some reason, she looked REALLY good in Avatar. Of course you can’t really go wrong with military chicks in wifebeaters.

Come to think of it, James Cameron does seem to have mannish female characters in his films (Vasquez in Aliens and of course, Sarah Connor in T:2) And I suppose this is why she was cast in Avatar. But man, I can’t explain it. This role should’ve cemented her place as the undisputed Unsexy Champion. I mean, she won’t crack any top 10 lists, but you can’t deny that she looks pretty good in this pic.

So Michelle Rodriguez. I commend you for your transformation. I no longer associate you with the ONLY character in Blue Crush (a film about surfer chicks) who wore frumpy-ass board shorts.