Part of me hopes this is your first time reading this blog. If you aren't being broken in by this visit, then I apologize for the excusably long absence, if you had even noticed after all this time. Life got in the way. Too many long hours in front of a computer all day getting brain-fried, too many trips (wait, too many trips?!) abroad with people to see and things to do yadda yadda...okay I won't mention excuses, I'll just get on with it and rewind back to the beginning of July...oh and if you don't know what an Indian Summer is, click here.
I found myself in Bangkok for July 4th, American Independence Day - a holiday fondly celebrated through my adolescence with growing enthusiasm as my time in California accumulated and I felt more and more like a home grown kid. Other nations and cultures understandably, don't feel the same enthusiasm for an America-centric holiday. They DO, however, appreciate a good barbecue and some beer with friends. At least the non-Americans I know in Bangkok do!
*Chomping down on the Fourth of July, shamelessly
Uma was gracious enough to throw a little bash at her condo pool deck. I didn't bring food, but I did bring the gift of beer pong tutelage. You gotta jump in the pool on a Saturday in the kok if you get a chance too. Even Kira got in on the action (and could swim just a little bit less skillful than Kae).
*Kick those legs Kira!!
Rafa and Sand both celebrated very fun birthdays that weekend, complete with Thai music and a little bit of "singing" from me with the guys. I would never sing English songs in front of a huge crowd that I don't know. For some reason I think if the noises coming out of my mouth are in another language, they must sound better. Or people forgive me because I'm not truly Thai. Anyway, it's fun!!
*Sand's birthday @ N53
*A little dancing with Kae at Sand's birthday
Before heading back to Singapore, I had to get a little BB gunning fix. For some reason, I also felt like shooting Jiab in the head - while she was on my own team! I think it inspired her though, because in the next round she pulled a Rambo and must have killed half of the other team by herself. I was still hanging back slowing looking for a way around their flank when she shouted something along the lines of "everyone is dead, don't worry". Niiiiiiiiiiice. I wish this stuff was legal in Singapore - for some reason they accept the more painful and arguably more dangerous paintball. BB guns must look too realistic for the Singaporean authorities to allow without feeling a little insecure.
Back to Singapore for a couple very hectic weeks before my upcoming holiday back to the States. Kae and Tam visited the next weekend, which meant activities galore. Best to make the most of those two free days hey!
*Some grub in Little India
*Mimolette with friends
Creepy tidbit - I was playing "Beat It" on Guitar Hero with a few friends the night before MJ died. We capped the session off with this song as an encore then everyone went home. Boom, the next day - a troubled legend has passed. I'm listening to "Billy Jean" as I write this actually. I'll also admit, I rarely ever have listened to MJ over the past few years. Amazing what death can do to revive a musician's popularity.
*Butter Factory for an MJ tribute
*Butter Factory for an MJ tribute. That crazy Tam was visiting from Samui, and making the most of it!
*Booty boarding
I started to get into a bit of wakeboarding with friends in Singapore. I was never huge into water sports growing up since the water in San Francisco is chillingly cold - but I've always love the beach. About time I get on something fast and fun out there! Wakeboarding is a lot of hips and core balance - surfing translates really well apparently. This stuff kills your forearms like no other. Reminded me of deadlifts. Just don't go out on the water when it's really choppy; waves make it four times harder to keep up.
*Wakeboarding
*Wakeboarding crew
I still think about business school in the next couple of years from time to time. I've got a shortlist of about seven schools I would bother applying to: London Business School, Harvard, Stanford, Haas (Berkeley), Columbia, Anderson, IMB, and NYU. The bottom line for my choice to even attend at all would be if it will bring any extra value to my career than two years of quality experience. Depends a lot on what I want to be doing in 5, 10 years. Wish I knew! Those of you who are lucky enough to know what they are passionate about for the long run and can jump into a related career - I am jealous!! Going back to school again and really living like I'm in my 20s would be fun one last time...but at the cost of two years away and $150k+? It's not the easiest of decisions.
*Wakeboarding - she struggled at first (using muscles she never thought she had), but was standing up in no time!
In late July I finally had a chance to take a long (two week) holiday back to the States to visit family and friends. First stop: New Yooooooork!!!!!!! My first time in fact. I packed my bags the night before and got up at the crack of dawn to jump on a 6am flight...in business class! Woohoo for free upgrades :) A quick layover in SF and I picked up my old buddy Vadim to take the final leg to the big city he now lives and studies in. Did I mention I lucked out with first class on that final flight? He was bitching about dry chicken with rice while I chowed down on a massive gourmet burger and a haagen daaz banana split. I was a real bastard - but you don't get first class all the time!
*Wall Street
I was determined to pack in as much of this great glamorous city as possible in seven days as I could. Of course, walking the Brooklyn Bridge and checking out Wall Street were must-do's right away. Funny enough while in bank-central, I ran into a high school friend (Yinwei) randomly on the street when I was taking a photo next to a bronze George Washington monument. "Charles?!?!" Uhhhh, what?! The world is truly a small place. I think I've had those types of moments about a dozen times on this journal.
*The Wall Street Bull
New York is one of the most diverse international cities I've ever been to. In fact, it IS the most diverse international city I've ever been to. The boroughs and sub-neighborhoods are also strangely segregated by race / ethnicity. Vadim happened to live in a heavily Hispanic hood. Sometimes I get mistaken for being Hispanic in America so whatev, but Vadim must have stood out quite a bit. Anyway, there was bomb food all around us!
*The view of Manhattan from Brooklyn Bridge
Seeing Ground Zero was quite harrowing. Vadim and I walked through the photo memorials at St. Paul's Chapel nearby first. There were some very touching handwritten notes on them. It made the event even more real and close, though I was thousands of miles away at the time watching the news on tv in bed before going to school.
*View of Manhattan on the right and New Jersey City on the left, from the Staten Island Ferry
Vadim swore by the Staten Island Ferry as the best way to see the city and some of its surrounding sites from afar, and I couldn't argue with him. I wasn't all that keen on walking around the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, or Jersey - you really need 2+ weeks in NYC to bother.
*There she is.
We had a chance to check out Brighton Beach and Coney Island one day. That place was PACKED full of half naked Americans and tourists, and soon, a bunch of us with beers. Best part about Coney Island? Nathan's hot dogs - chili, cheese, loads of mustard/ketchup. Ugh, I think I'm still trying to burn that beast off.
*The Shack
I had heard of some very specific good-eats in New York, one of them being the mushroom burgers at The Shack. Alright, it wasn't any In n' Out, but dayam it beat all burgers I've had in Asia since I hopped over three years ago. Nearby we checked out the USPS and Flatiron buildings - the latter was pretty cool, shaped just like it sounds at the corner of a V intersection.
*Felix's
Guess who I run into? Nancy, a pal who lived in Singapore for the last year. Okay, this wasn't a random rendezvous, but still - funny how you can catch up with somebody halfway across the world that you had just seen not long ago on another continent. I also met her college bud Ben Wei, who not three months later moved to Singapore!
*Lower East Side bar - a random dude getting filmed to dance with Hipsters
Vadim and I met up with my homey John Gu from Hong Kong (who was working in NYC after college in Pittsburgh) and proceeded to a Lower East Side dive bar loaded with hipsters - funky Weezer wannabes with the style of a rich hobo and the attitude of an intellectual hippie. Mostly likable characters actually - one of them came up to me with a "I like your moves" line before jumping around the tiny dance floor. I guess my moves were okay compared to what she might consider "moves". But you can be damn sure they all knew how to have unpretentious fun! That's apparently what the Lower East Side is all about - pretty different compared to your average NYC bar or club.
*A new Ketel One at Grand Central Station. Yeah, I gotta represent!
*Grand Central - luckily not rush hour, so we could move without smelling armpits.
*The view of Manhattan / Empire State Building from the Rockerfeller Center
I met up with an old friend from Bangkok (Jenny) at Top of the Rock about midway through my trip. I had already walked through a lot of the city so to see it from this perspective was amazing. I forget how many stores high we were up but high enough to see New Jersey, Brooklyn, and the Bronx.
*Vadim chillin' like he wasn't scared.
You can't really fathom just how many concrete walls there are in NYC until you see it from this height. Just WOW.
*This large dude fell asleep on the subway but I couldn't help but feel like I was being looked at by a ghost.
The NYC subway is something else. More modern and less crammed than the busiest tubes in London, but filled with crazier people. You've got your regular psychos and bums, but then there's a whole subculture of entertainers and articulate beggars trying to get a quarter out of anyone who would dare make eye contact or get their eyephones our of their heads. I saw mariachi singers, motown singers, break dancers, and even someone yelling about how they lost their job due to the financial crisis. And of course a preacher screaming about hell upon us.
Another cool thing about the NYC subway - a man worth 2 cents can be standing next to a Wall Street billionaire tycoon and no one flinches.
*How they kept their balance, I don't know.
Oh and by the way, and I mean this in a totally non-racist light - it was REFRESHING to see black people again!! And lots of them! In fact Vadim and I were the only non-black people on the packed bus from the airport to his house. It's just so different from Asia, where there are nine black people in the region. Okay I jest, but seriously I miss that particular diversity in America, especially California. There weren't as many Asians on the streets of NYC but they were definitely represented.
* Avenue Q - The internet is for porn.
Vadim, Sergey (another bud visiting Vadim from California, who had previously seen me in Phuket), and I went to see a Broadway musical, and we ended choosing one of the most vulgar. I didn't really feel like crying on Vadim's shoulder during Phantom of the Opera, so Avenue Q it was! Hilarious - check it out at least on Youtube if you haven't heard of the muppet show about all things vulgar like sex, racism, and homophobia (with a strong and healthy message at the end of course). It's not all F-bombs...but there is a muppet sex scene with multiple positions.
*Time Square lights - I felt bombarded by ads but somehow at peace simultaneously.
Of course we had to check out Time Square nearby, which was ravaged by tourists like us. Pretty cool place to hangout, and probably a huge drain of electricity! The vibe is so...alive.
*Sergey being ambitious and rowdy in the East Village.
*And learning his lesson. 5 shots for $10 is not always a good thing.
Apparently the first and best pizza parlor in America lies under the Brooklyn Bridge. We sacked up and headed to Grimaldi's before 11am after a heavy night, and beating that lunch hour line was priceless. This was one of the best pizzas I have honestly ever had, and that nostalgic rootbeer made it all go down that much better.
*Grimaldi's, I heart you.
*This dude's job was to powerwalk in heels in a 5th Avenue shopfront - a concrete cliff face of metal and sheer rock.
New Yorkers have this funny "mind your own @#$%ing business" but "I don't care who you are / what you are" attitude about life and people. It's especially alienating to be walking down a super busy street and get the sense that nobody knows each other and nobody even sees you. It's also liberating in a way - you can do whatever you want, and no one is going to judge (except they might think you're crazy and talk crap about you on a blog later). One girl did walk up to me on a super busy street and say "Hey I like your shirt", then walked off...I thought that was really cool, and different. That never happens, even in other cities. Busse - that was a Kallusive shirt boy!!
*Please Don't Tell, a speak-easy bar in Manhattan with a disguised telephone booth in a hot dog joint as a secret entrance.
*Please Don't Tell - I tried Eben Freeman's famous recipe for Baconized whiskey, a molecular concoction that actually tasted quite good and extremely unique. NYC is awesome for drinks experimentation as well as classic cocktail perfectionism.
I caught up with Dawn (from Singapore) and Min (my brother's homey from high school) over dinner at Dos Caminos (did I mention how much I missed Mexican food?) and drinks on my speak-easy tour night. It's always comfortable to see familiar faces in new cities. We checked out a few really cool Manhattan bars including Pegu, PDT and the unassuming Death & Company. At Pegu we saw a Japanese bartender that could double shake some mean cocktails. These guys are serious at their trade - we need more of them and at least their training in Asia.
The next day I actually spent a big chunk of time working in the 5th Avenue office and getting a feel for the professional vibe in the city. Quite similar to working in any other city - sitting in front of a computer most of the time, in a relatively open office concept so you can be watched. Oh wait, what am I doing now... well the office was in an awesome location and I'm jealous of the Smirnoff Global Brand Team and the others that sit there in Diageo. Apparently there is a massive line to join them. Doh!
I had lunch with Yinwei and our high school sister Jules in downtown, which was a really nice catchup. Jules is as smart as she is compassionate, and she used her Wellesley degree to start off teaching underprivilaged inner city kids high school English - no unchallenging task and one that most people don't even bother to consider. Good for her, seriously. We need more teachers like that.
*Clubbing at Pink Elephant in the Meatpacking district
I met up with the speak-easy crew again after that long day at work (what happened to my holiday already!?) first at a bar called Employees Only, then Meatpacking, the center of all pretentious huge New York clubs. I was ready to go! Dawn gets us unknowns straight into Pink Elephant (crowd, and gender control is huge in New York). Immediately upon entry, Vadim pops his collar and yells "F@#$in' skanks!" Hilarious! If you don't know the reference, then check out this link to "My New Haircut on Youtube, about jersey douches http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JMOh-cul6M.
*It packed up reaaal fast.
Clubbing here wasn't all that different to clubbing anywhere else. Some tables with bottle swingers, a big dance floor, lots of sleazy dudes trying to get on some skanks...there's just more money and better looking people. oh well they did have this very shallow but amusing service feature by hiring hot chicks to come out with sparkly fireworks everytime someone ordered a particularly expensive bottle of champagne. So lame. They even did a funky hip dance at the same time.
There WERE extremely hot gogo dancers that knew what they were doing - an obvious distraction, Ibiza style. The crowd was also pretty good looking - it IS NYC and one of those spots to see and be seen.
*Gogogogogogogo.
*All smiles here!
*Basta Pasta, a pretty cool Japanese owned and operated restaurant downtown. Loved the food.
So while in Jakarta a month before this trip, I met an American bar-owner formerly from New York that insisted the first place he would go back to in the city was Keen's Steakhouse. I promised I'd check it out, and boy I'm glad I stayed true to my word. This slab of meet (and lobster) was AMAZING. And they had a huge collection of Single Malt whiskies too. My kind of spot, with classic 20s style decor and really courteous, tip-hungry staff.
*Keen's, I'll be back for you.
Gu, Vadim, and I met up with Sergey and a few others at Slate, a sports bar with ping pong and pool. We went at it for a good hour or so, Forrest Gump style. There was a lot of swearing and sweating, followed by beer. Or maybe preceeded by beer.
*Slate bar
The next morning I caught up with Cam, a rugby mate that used to live in Bangkok, in Soho. We checked out an urban art studio by the artist collective group Faile (connected to Banksy) in Williamsburg (on Brooklyn side) afterwards, and the guys were kind enough to let me see all of their work in progress stuff. Very cool, very unique styles. They even sculpted and painted up these totem pole pieces (called prayer wheels) that sold for thousands of bucks.
*Checkout more of the Faile art here: http://www.faile.net/
I think I gained 10 pounds while I was back in the States. The portions are so big and the convenient foods generally so unhealthy. I'm sure you've heard this all before, and that's because it's true. You really have to put in the effort to lead a healthy lifestyle, especially in America.
I spent a good few hours browsing through the most personally interesting sections of the Metropolitan Museum - Egyptian, Greek, and Arms & Armour. Such a massive collection and range of pieces here. You could spend days if you have a good pair of comfy shoes and a thirst for history. There is so much culture in New York (for a big city), it's ridiculous and equally intriguing. Singapore just can't hold up to par in this regard.
*The Metropolitan
*The Metropolitan
*The Metropolitan
One random night on the subway Vadim, Dawn, and I were argung about what NYC and New Yorkers were like, when a friendly chick from Arkansas laughed and jumped in with a clever quirp that we were all right, and New York was all of those things each of us was describing all at once. It really is a global city that morphs upon your perspective, mood, and friends. I'd really like to live there as a young profressional sometime before I'm 35, if an attractive opportunity surfaces by then. You can't live there and enjoy it like Asia unless you're WELL into a six figure paycheck.
*The Metropolitan
After the museum, Vadim, Sergey and I checked out Central Park with a frisbee and a deck of cards. Oh yeah, and beer. Is this a recurring theme of my trip(s)?? As it got dark we walked by the same fountain used in the opening video of "Friends". It's pretty dirty, actually...
*Central Park
*Central Park deuces
*Central Park frisbee
*Central Park "Friends" fountain
That evening we met up with John again at Union Square for some people watching and drinking. This area was swarming with NYU students and young folks from around the world. We saw volleyball, street soccer, chess, and again, break dancers.
I had been told to check out the view at 230 5th, a rooftop bar downtown with a cool atmosphere and expensive drinks. The view was worth the wait, and Vadim even met some random Asian American chicks that reminded me that Asian girls in America are really NOT like Asian girls in Asia. These girls were basically Jersey girls, but they looked Asian. I'm not judging - but it was definitely misleading at first intro and almost comical that they didn't know where Singapore was.
*230 5th
After the bar we had to check out some Halal chicken rice at 53rd street. This street food stall was packed with a half block line of starving party-goers. The food wasn't all that great, but it definitely hit the spot and kept down my rumbling belly of vodka. Vadim threw a little too much spicy sauce on his, and couldn't handle it. What a puss!
*John gettin' out of control in the subway
*Yankee Stadium
I'm in New York, might as well see a Yankee game even though I'm a big SF Giants fan. Vadim loves the Bronx Bombers (mofo), so he was happy and ready to root for an Oakland A's ass kicking. Dawn and Delmar joined us on the bleachers for a ice cream and garlic fries filled day. It was so hot the ice cream actually melted completely within 5 minutes and turned into a nice milkshake. That's what America is allllllll about. Hm, that doesn't make sense. But it was funny when some spilled on the fat dude in front of Dawn and he didn't notice. Probably licked it later.
*Yankee stadium
A little personal comparison of South East Asia vs NYC:
- Healthier food overall
- More decadence amongst the elites
- Partying more often, more heavily
- Less diversity
- Less expression and range of ideas
- More widespread poverty (but NYC certainly has its own)
- Singapore in particular is more sheltered (and the US as a nation is generally quite sheltered)
*Yankee stadium
*Just outside Yankee Stadium, where this sort of merchandise is fan supported.
*Rucker Park, Harlem.
We had to check out some Harlem Streetball while on the way home, so off to Rucker Park it was - where 15 year old kids can dunk. There was a pretty cool corner fast food store of Mama's Fried Chicken. I couldn't believe the stereotype, or the amount of breading on that drumstick.
*Boomshakalaka!!!
*No waaaaay.
I've been listening to that Jay-Z / Alicia Keyes song "Empire State of Mind" - it's damn catchy and there is some truth to the simplistic lyrics "...concrete jungle make you feel brand new, bright lights will inspire you..." I spent a lot of time in Hong Kong growing up as a child and later during bi-yearly visits to my Dad. Massive cities make me feel both helpless and empowered, depending on my mood. New York is definitely one of those places - it's hard to feel like you aren't living it up when you're in a center of human technological progress and construction.
*Columbus Circle stalls.
Vadim took me to Columbus Circle next, at the corner of Central Park. Loads of cool street art here, of which I made a couple purchases for family and for my place back home (Statue of Libery + Manhattan in the background at sunset, and that old school black & white pic of construcion workers eating their lunch on top of a beam while building a skyscraper).
*Williamsburg - hipster central...hey is that a Tanqueray ad on that phone booth? ;)
I closed out my vacay in the big apple with a chill night at a Williamsburg sushi joint and the Spike Hill bar. Ran into a dude from Australia that worked for Jack Daniel's (Brown Forman) and knew some colleagues of mine, as well as a scary dirty blue Elmo costumed dude that must have been 7 feet tall. That's New York!
Felt great to see Vadim, my bud since middle school (this is RARE) even though it was a pain in the ass to travel on the subway everyday back to his spot in Brooklyn. Homeboy was one of the first friends to visit me in Bangkok (along with Ratto and Davos), and I owed him a returned favor. We definitely made the most of our time and barely got any sleep while spending waaay too much money. I hope he's reading this and smiling.
Next stop, San Francisco. Home sweet home. It had been over a year and a half since my last visit (back in December 2007, it was a benefit. After my move to Singapore, it wasn't!), and I was anxious to catch up with family and friends, while just taking it easy for a week. I know this blog looks like fun and games, but work is bloody stressful for me most of the time and I put everything I have into it. Sometimes, I just need to recharge.
*In Santa Cruz with Grandma Nancy and my Mom
First I had to drive down south to Santa Cruz to have a Mexican (again! ^^ ) lunch with my step Grandma. Also had a chance to play tennis with my Mom (it had been years!) which was super fun. I can't believe how sprightly she still is.
*Nadal smash on my Mom
I caught up with my ex-girlfriend Allie over a smoothie after that. It was a really interesting conversation and I was glad to see she was happy where she was and with her current boyfriend since the end of college. I found it really interesting and different how she was pretty sure she'd like to build her life in Santa Cruz (a beautiful place no doubt, and where she grew up), while here I am wandering a far off continent in search of more unknowns. I wonder when/if I'll prefer to settle down in one geography..
*Allie and my dog Missy (I didn't name her okay!? She's getting a bit of gray on her nose and feet but still remembers me like I was around yesterday)
Back in the Bay Area I hit up an old theme park from my middle school / high school days - Great America. My sister and two old friends (Chris Escoto and Steve Ratto) spent the day chowing down junk food and spewing adrenaline on a variety of rides that still felt as fun as my first go maybe 12 years ago.
*Bumper cars at Great America
We did feel kind of old what with all the kids running around and teenagers taking their summertime to the park. Whatever, there's some kid left in all of us if we're not afraid to let them out and have some simple fun.
*This ride made me scream like a girl
*Right before I got soaked
I took some time to chill at Ratto's apartment with Guitar Hero, then grabbed some very much missed home cooking with Busse who happened to be in town at the same time (he's from the East Bay, I'm from the West Bay). We grubbed on my deck while my Mom kept bringing in more food. I LOVE THAT. Ugh that's probably the thing I miss most about home during high school. She's an awesome cook with a passion! I highly doubt my generation of female peers has the same sort of enthusiasm =P
*Tandoori chicken and naan at home
Whaddaya know, another day at work during my vacation. This time in the SF office near Fisherman's Wharf - not a bad spot either, but no massive skyscraper compared to the NYC branch. I had a chance to blast music in my car up the 101; something I missed almost as much as home cooking.
*San Francisco
Lunch with my older (and very pregnant but since gave birth) sister Marjan at an Asian Fusion joint (an SF specialty), then dinner at Brother's Korean BBQ with homies on Geary. It doesn't get much more convenient than that.
*Brother's Korean BBQ - this shit is famous
Thought I'd check out Stanford Business School (GSB) while I had some free time the next day. I had only been to the campus a few times to play their rugby team back in college. It's actually pretty open and green. Very much like my University (California - Davis), but older and with more Spanish influence.
*Stanford GSB
I spent the rest of that afternoon shopping at Hillsdale, an old pastime of yesteryear. Had to stock up on American products I miss out on in Asia, and get some presents for folks.
Random: I was having a think about what basic factors in my life make me happy, and I came to the following conclusions in no particular order:
1) A sense of adventure in my life, so I feel like I'm having fun, learning something new, and experience at least moderate unpredictability.
2) Close people to share good times with, and to trust.
3) A strong sense of purpose that comes with intellectual stimulation / challenge.
4) Physical challenges that keep me sweating, blood pumping, fists slamming..
Pretty simple list actually. Everything else is kind of a bonus, or just more minor.
*Hanging out with my nephew Joey
I hadn't seen my nephew in soo long (which I feel guilty about all the time, like not seeing my little brothers very often either). He is already talking! I had a chance to read a story about an Asian kid to him, that was pretty fun. He probably heard it a million times before but I'm satisfied he has now heard it from his long lost Uncle Charlie.
*Reading a story about Kailan to Joey. No, not the vegetable - an Asian little girl!
*Bangkok Best? My ass.
I really miss the local live music scene in the Bay Area. I feel like this is truly lacking in scale and originality in Asia. I'm disappointed I didn't get a chance to check out a local or mainstream concert while I was back home. In Singapore when a major artist comes to town, the stadium is generally 1/8th full and 20 people are dancing or jumping. WTF, have some FUN people. Don't be shy or embarassed to move your body or shout some lyrics! Okay I'm harsh, there's more than 20. 21, there's me too.
*Marjan and Mom
*Poor Missy is getting older
*Nothing like San Francisco fog on the 280
Near my last days in SF I met up with a load of old friends for a sake-bombing dinner and barhop in the city. By the way, San Francisco has some of the best and most innovative sushi in the country. California as a whole has awesome sushi thanks to a strong Japanese American population that new the classics were good but tastes were changing for a large majority of culinary creative folks. And no, I'm not talking about plain California rolls that basically no one really eats in California. They try to copy some cool rolls in Singapore but I've been disappointed time after time. It's like the Mexican food in Singapore - just not authentic.
*Sake......bomb!!
Barhopping, and activity I rarely engage in anymore, but underrated and a great medium to catch up and bond in. Or get tipsy and make an ass out of yourself because you actually have to hold conversations with people or pretend you are good at pool.
*Barhopping - was it North Beach?
*Ratto actually IS good at pool, psh..
Soon my old comembers of MSU (Mixed Student Union) from UC Davis joined the foray, and mayhem ensued.
*Nick gettin' crunked
MSU was a student community group for mixed race/ethnicity kids at UC Davis to get together to establish social connection, share their stories, and create community awareness around multiracial/multiethnic issues and celebration. In short, a damn badass club that I had the privilage of being a four year member of and a meeting place where I met some really cool people - some with similar stories (like my half Chinese twin Geri born on the same exact day as me in Hong Kong too), and others with very different upbringings. I could go into pages on mixed issues and interesting stories (to me!) but I'll spare it for conversation sometime if you're really interested. There's a lot of published resources out there (becoming more prevalent as well) but most mixed folks have no idea. In fact they usually haven't come to complete terms with their identity formation until around college (like most people anyway).
*Mixed Student Union, REUNION!
Well, two weeks passed like nothin' and I was on a plane "home" to Singapore via Tokyo by the time August started. No more First/Business class this time, sigh. In fact I didn't get on my Tokyo connecting flight to Singapore via standby, so I rerouted to Bangkok an hour later, stayed overnight, and got an evening flight the next day to SG. Well not before seeing Kae and getting some time with Sua at lunch before he moved to Arizona to start his two year MBA at Thunderbird.
Funny enough, I had planned a 3 day weekend to Samui a few days after my return, for the FULL MOON PARTY!!!! Thank god too, since my A/C didn't work when I got back (schweaty time!) and I was suffering from BAD jetlag.
*What it's all about
I met up with over about two dozen friends on Samui for a few days of chillin'. Who am I kidding, three guys came from the UK (Ryan, Jo, and Adam), a couple from Singapore, a few from Spain (Rafa's pals), and the rest from Bangkok - and we were all ready to party it up, Asia backpacker style! This trip was a few months in the making and we were all keen to make the most of it after much anticipation and planning.
*The best kind of discount
A wobbly old private boat took us to the island in a raucous hour of holding onto whatever we could, including the loads of liquor we brought along. A few people were seasick but generally we reached the island in good spirits and ready to GO.
*Such a sharp contrast from what we would look like on the boat ride home 8 hours later at 6am..
Let me tell you, it is HARD to keep 20+ people together on a thousands+ crowded beach of drunk people. We did our best for the most part and camped near a drum & bass area for the first few hours. Edwin and Paul met up with us on the island, and the beach dancing commenced!
*And a little more than beach dancing commenced...
Eventually Kae and I passed out in the sand for an hour. Yes, we fell asleep. At the Full Moon Party. In front of ear piercing speakers with fast, unrelenting drum & bass. That's how tired we were!!! (my jetlag combined with picking Kae up that morning at 7am from the airport combined into a coma-inducing fatigue that I just HAD to recharge, regardless of all the shameless pictures my friends would take of me and them when my eyes were closed).
*What spells party better than some loud flashes of sparkly lights!?
*Paul also celebrate his birthday. Bet he loves living in Thailand.
*Estelle getting vertical on Chriz, with Adam pulling some signature dance moves nearby.
We managed to wake up before 5am, grab some food, more drink, and feet + hip maneuvering before the boat left after 6:30am.
*Passed out with Kae in a delirious of neon lights and dirty Euro/American/Australasian backpackers.
That ride back was horrendous. People were sick from alcohol, huge waves rocking the deck, and extreme exhaustion. But we made it! Unfortunately I heard that during the night a regular speedboat carrying 40 people to Koh Phangan has capsized and many people didn't make it. Of course the Thai local 'authorities' did enough to cover it up from mainstream media so tourists don't stop coming to the Full Moon Party. Samui and its surrounding isles are run by modern pirates and developing country mafia.
Yeah, we pretty much slept the entire day away. So I'll skip that. The NEXT day we embarked on an island tour with the fellas that lived there (we were staying in there villa complex in Fisherman's Village), starting with the genital rocks. For those who don't know, these rock formations look just like their namesakes. Wow, what an amazing tourist attraction. Not. Well it was slightly amusing in person, and satisfying to know that perverts exist in all cultures and continents.
*At the genital rocks on Samui. The penis is between my head and Adam's head. Stop thinking dirty thoughts. The penis' friend is to our left, not pictured for I don't want to get banned from Singapore.
We headed over to a natural waterfall pool next, which was really refreshing, semi-dangerous, and loads of fun.
*Now I've got you, Golem!! I mean, Tida :)
*Samui crew!!!!!!!!
On our day trip return most of us got a massage. One of the best features of a Thai vacation. I think I've said it before but I highly prefer foot massages over full body (which is painful and uncomfortable). When my feet are getting rubbed with oils by a strong handed woman, I fall asleep drooling with Jack Johnson playing in my earphones.
*I told Kae to sneak-slap Adam in the nuts for being late to our lunch meeting...she went a little too hard. I think it was the worst he's got in his life. A real stomach churner - that's a deep burn!!
*This time, Kae fell asleep in the massage first! Bwahaha
One last night of partying ensued in Chaweng on Samui. We started off at a beachside bar on the sand with a rare cigar and some buckets. When you start with buckets, it's no surprise how the night will end, as best depicted by the picture below:
*I hold my head in shame. Ryan, hell yes!
*Partying at Sweet Soul.
*There it is! Cuban.
*At some point at the beachside bar, a monkey jumped on Estelle face. This is Thailand.
We went jet skiing hungover on our last day before an afternoon flight. Maybe not a good idea to get too close while below 100% form. Apparently there was some damage to a jet ski and some friends had to pay a load of cash to the mafia-run / police-connected operator or face possible detention and exponentially larger fines. Lesson - read fine print, don't change jet ski riders with other bikes, and bring a bigger gun than the operator.
Back in Singapore I had a chance to settle back into the routine grind at work, followed by packed-up weekends. This pretty much goes on for the rest of the post, haha.
*Adidas brings in international beat boxers at a Butter Factory event. Beat Boxing - looks damn geeky practicing at home with the internet, but cool in a club with the right sound affects and a load of drunk people willing to dance to anything.
Adam came back with me to Singapore after a year (I visited him in London back in April though) for a term exchange at SMU. Many nights of Guitar Hero have since taken place. Ryan and Jo, we wish you were with us fellas. Enjoy the London Winter suckas!!!
Kae and I had a sweet 1 year anniversary in Singapore. I surprised her with a little dinner at home and a few small presents. Quality time together is hard to come by so having a chill night in my apartment was exactly what we wanted. I am guilty of taking her out partying with my/our friends way more often than these kinds of nights.
*It's all in the presentation!
Of course I had to come back to Bangkok for another weekend visit. We had a chance to stop by the zoo in Pattaya where I saw my very first tiger show, pig race (I won a 100 baht bet with Tommy on the winning piglet), and baby tiger feeding.
*Hanging with a growing baby Kira at a group brunch in Bangkok
*A circus tiger show - is it wrong that a part of me kind of hoped for an animal attack worth of bad cable tv variety?
*Apparently young tigers love warm milk. They'd probably eat human babies while eating warm milk too.
*A dinner with my team colleagues in Dempsey (White Rabbit), Singapore
Langan started a private pre-party night at B2 in Social House. Chill atmosphere with a familiar crowd, and most important of all - free beer pong.
*Beer pong, yes!!! A sport that no one knows in Singapore and I am experienced at, but can still get beaten by a couple of rookies.
*BB gunning in Bangkok. Yes, this activity makes me feel like G.I. Joe. Again, release the kid in you sometimes - it's healthy. I didn't get to do this when I was young!
*Partying in Bangkok with friends.
*Smirnoff Experience with Steve Aoki and Diplo at 808. Thanks for organizing Paulie.
I had never seen that crazy performer Steve Aoki live. He took down the house with his signature screams and pumping up the crowd, but actually Diplo was the better DJ. I don't normally get super into electro but this was a damn good couple of sets!
*Dave, Dar, and Katie had to get their Aoki on in Bangkok too!
*I don't know how we got this top down picture but there I am trying hopelessly to say something to Kae in the crowd.
*Some Thai friends of Kae/celebs having fun in the crush of the dance floor.
*A menu from Akiyoshi buffet in Thailand. Combine Japanese and Thai attempts at English menu's and you get Happy Drunk. Oh yes.
*Cooking up a storm at my restaurant, King Kong Buffet, in Bangkok. Okay it's not mine yet but I should sue for copyright infringement.
*Uma can barely handle the food load anymore!
Not long around the corner, Formula One came back to Singapore. This was a wild fanfare event last year being the inaugural night race in the annual circuit, and the city was definitely excited again and keen to get an even better experience the second time around.
*Some Johnnie Walker Join-The-Pact activation in Clarke Quay.
I had a chance to attend F1 Rocks, a mega concert with DJ Havana Brown, The Black Eyed Peas, and Beyonce (only on Day 3, Saturday. The crowd was actually a lot more into it than any other concert I've been to in Singapore. Maybe because it was at Fort Canning and outdoors, so no one could really sit down!
*DJ Havana Brown
*BEP brought the house down with an awesome set. The whole crowd was raging during "I Gotta Feeling".
*Yvonne and Paul showing some Singapore pride!
*Beyonce came out like a true diva and threw down a monster set. This girl can dance and sing as well as she looks on TV. I think this was in fact being filmed for DVD release ($$$$) later too.
*Caught up with my old boss / mentor Justin at the concert too!
The free flow VIP bar that Johnnie Walker set up above the concert was an added bonus to the night, and one that Adam and I definitely took advantage of, responsibly!
*Anthony and Adam at Spize, the premier downtown destination of after-party grub on River Valley Road
Last year I got to hit the race with my customer but unfortunately this year was a pass for our team. I did get tickets to the Johnnie Walker Jet Black party at One on the Bund which was pretty tight. Tommy and a couple of his friends from Thailand joined us Singapore dudes for what would turn out to be a looong night.
*Yes, we needed that many glasses. Radioactive glasses.
*Stew has the nonchalant smirk down pat.
At next year's party they will have to make the Sunday event less exclusive - we didn't have enough people to pack up the place! I should have invited everyone I knew the evening earlier.
*Posing with Lewis in front of the Jet Black party. Last year I got to meet the dude - this year I had to settle for his cardboard likeness. At least he won the race!
Took yet another trip to Bangkok, with Adam, James, and Melissa joining this time round. It's been so many trips I barely remember what hell we did besides what's in these following pictures. There certainly would have been some dancing about with alcohol, some undeniably delicious and generally cheap food, and a random activity, such as go karting.
*Burger flipping, our random activity of the weekend. I mean, Go Karts. This is actually a killer on the back if you crash into a wall (most likely sideways from a skid). We had a full track so there were loads of wipeouts!
*Chillin' with Melissa, Kae, and Noah over a few quiet drinks at Longtable. This must have been a Sunday - the only explanation.
For Ally's birthday she had organized a group excursion to Koh Samet the next weekend. I had to haul ass and go, and was so glad I did. Had never been to Samet before but it's actually quite a pleasant, chilled out beach to hit up and perfect for a group of friends looking for some sun, relaxation, and partying. Nothing fancy or remote (it's a few hours drive and boat from Bangkok), but way cleaner than Pattaya and more fun than Hua Hin.
*Brian and I launching Adam to the heavens on Samet.
We spent the evening watching greased up fire twirler island boys with six packs before hitting up the one wild beach bar on the island a short wal from our bungalow. After a load of red bull and some supporting booze, we owned that dance floor for a good few hours.
*Ally knows how to get down on her birthday. I should add that poor Chen Yu had his shirt ripped off and got semi-molested on the dance floor. Poor? Naww F that, he secretly loved it but tried to look shocked and embarassed. Couldn't hide that perma-grin man!
*A floating lantern before launch, for good luck and spirit-driving.
I realized that in order to stay sane I need to get a good amount of sun and fun with friends at least once every two months, preferably longer. Sentosa will have to do in the absence of rare trips like this!
*Busse and I square off in an epic battle of chicken. I think Kae and I won this round, then lost to the Busse/Uma combo next.
*The whole gang on the way home.I found myself in Bangkok for July 4th, American Independence Day - a holiday fondly celebrated through my adolescence with growing enthusiasm as my time in California accumulated and I felt more and more like a home grown kid. Other nations and cultures understandably, don't feel the same enthusiasm for an America-centric holiday. They DO, however, appreciate a good barbecue and some beer with friends. At least the non-Americans I know in Bangkok do!
*Chomping down on the Fourth of July, shamelessly
Uma was gracious enough to throw a little bash at her condo pool deck. I didn't bring food, but I did bring the gift of beer pong tutelage. You gotta jump in the pool on a Saturday in the kok if you get a chance too. Even Kira got in on the action (and could swim just a little bit less skillful than Kae).
*Kick those legs Kira!!
Rafa and Sand both celebrated very fun birthdays that weekend, complete with Thai music and a little bit of "singing" from me with the guys. I would never sing English songs in front of a huge crowd that I don't know. For some reason I think if the noises coming out of my mouth are in another language, they must sound better. Or people forgive me because I'm not truly Thai. Anyway, it's fun!!
*Sand's birthday @ N53
*A little dancing with Kae at Sand's birthday
Before heading back to Singapore, I had to get a little BB gunning fix. For some reason, I also felt like shooting Jiab in the head - while she was on my own team! I think it inspired her though, because in the next round she pulled a Rambo and must have killed half of the other team by herself. I was still hanging back slowing looking for a way around their flank when she shouted something along the lines of "everyone is dead, don't worry". Niiiiiiiiiiice. I wish this stuff was legal in Singapore - for some reason they accept the more painful and arguably more dangerous paintball. BB guns must look too realistic for the Singaporean authorities to allow without feeling a little insecure.
Back to Singapore for a couple very hectic weeks before my upcoming holiday back to the States. Kae and Tam visited the next weekend, which meant activities galore. Best to make the most of those two free days hey!
*Some grub in Little India
*Mimolette with friends
Creepy tidbit - I was playing "Beat It" on Guitar Hero with a few friends the night before MJ died. We capped the session off with this song as an encore then everyone went home. Boom, the next day - a troubled legend has passed. I'm listening to "Billy Jean" as I write this actually. I'll also admit, I rarely ever have listened to MJ over the past few years. Amazing what death can do to revive a musician's popularity.
*Butter Factory for an MJ tribute
*Butter Factory for an MJ tribute. That crazy Tam was visiting from Samui, and making the most of it!
*Booty boarding
I started to get into a bit of wakeboarding with friends in Singapore. I was never huge into water sports growing up since the water in San Francisco is chillingly cold - but I've always love the beach. About time I get on something fast and fun out there! Wakeboarding is a lot of hips and core balance - surfing translates really well apparently. This stuff kills your forearms like no other. Reminded me of deadlifts. Just don't go out on the water when it's really choppy; waves make it four times harder to keep up.
*Wakeboarding
*Wakeboarding crew
I still think about business school in the next couple of years from time to time. I've got a shortlist of about seven schools I would bother applying to: London Business School, Harvard, Stanford, Haas (Berkeley), Columbia, Anderson, IMB, and NYU. The bottom line for my choice to even attend at all would be if it will bring any extra value to my career than two years of quality experience. Depends a lot on what I want to be doing in 5, 10 years. Wish I knew! Those of you who are lucky enough to know what they are passionate about for the long run and can jump into a related career - I am jealous!! Going back to school again and really living like I'm in my 20s would be fun one last time...but at the cost of two years away and $150k+? It's not the easiest of decisions.
*Wakeboarding - she struggled at first (using muscles she never thought she had), but was standing up in no time!
In late July I finally had a chance to take a long (two week) holiday back to the States to visit family and friends. First stop: New Yooooooork!!!!!!! My first time in fact. I packed my bags the night before and got up at the crack of dawn to jump on a 6am flight...in business class! Woohoo for free upgrades :) A quick layover in SF and I picked up my old buddy Vadim to take the final leg to the big city he now lives and studies in. Did I mention I lucked out with first class on that final flight? He was bitching about dry chicken with rice while I chowed down on a massive gourmet burger and a haagen daaz banana split. I was a real bastard - but you don't get first class all the time!
*Wall Street
I was determined to pack in as much of this great glamorous city as possible in seven days as I could. Of course, walking the Brooklyn Bridge and checking out Wall Street were must-do's right away. Funny enough while in bank-central, I ran into a high school friend (Yinwei) randomly on the street when I was taking a photo next to a bronze George Washington monument. "Charles?!?!" Uhhhh, what?! The world is truly a small place. I think I've had those types of moments about a dozen times on this journal.
*The Wall Street BullNew York is one of the most diverse international cities I've ever been to. In fact, it IS the most diverse international city I've ever been to. The boroughs and sub-neighborhoods are also strangely segregated by race / ethnicity. Vadim happened to live in a heavily Hispanic hood. Sometimes I get mistaken for being Hispanic in America so whatev, but Vadim must have stood out quite a bit. Anyway, there was bomb food all around us!
*The view of Manhattan from Brooklyn BridgeSeeing Ground Zero was quite harrowing. Vadim and I walked through the photo memorials at St. Paul's Chapel nearby first. There were some very touching handwritten notes on them. It made the event even more real and close, though I was thousands of miles away at the time watching the news on tv in bed before going to school.
*View of Manhattan on the right and New Jersey City on the left, from the Staten Island FerryVadim swore by the Staten Island Ferry as the best way to see the city and some of its surrounding sites from afar, and I couldn't argue with him. I wasn't all that keen on walking around the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, or Jersey - you really need 2+ weeks in NYC to bother.
*There she is.We had a chance to check out Brighton Beach and Coney Island one day. That place was PACKED full of half naked Americans and tourists, and soon, a bunch of us with beers. Best part about Coney Island? Nathan's hot dogs - chili, cheese, loads of mustard/ketchup. Ugh, I think I'm still trying to burn that beast off.
*The ShackI had heard of some very specific good-eats in New York, one of them being the mushroom burgers at The Shack. Alright, it wasn't any In n' Out, but dayam it beat all burgers I've had in Asia since I hopped over three years ago. Nearby we checked out the USPS and Flatiron buildings - the latter was pretty cool, shaped just like it sounds at the corner of a V intersection.
*Felix'sGuess who I run into? Nancy, a pal who lived in Singapore for the last year. Okay, this wasn't a random rendezvous, but still - funny how you can catch up with somebody halfway across the world that you had just seen not long ago on another continent. I also met her college bud Ben Wei, who not three months later moved to Singapore!
*Lower East Side bar - a random dude getting filmed to dance with HipstersVadim and I met up with my homey John Gu from Hong Kong (who was working in NYC after college in Pittsburgh) and proceeded to a Lower East Side dive bar loaded with hipsters - funky Weezer wannabes with the style of a rich hobo and the attitude of an intellectual hippie. Mostly likable characters actually - one of them came up to me with a "I like your moves" line before jumping around the tiny dance floor. I guess my moves were okay compared to what she might consider "moves". But you can be damn sure they all knew how to have unpretentious fun! That's apparently what the Lower East Side is all about - pretty different compared to your average NYC bar or club.
*A new Ketel One at Grand Central Station. Yeah, I gotta represent!
*Grand Central - luckily not rush hour, so we could move without smelling armpits.
*The view of Manhattan / Empire State Building from the Rockerfeller CenterI met up with an old friend from Bangkok (Jenny) at Top of the Rock about midway through my trip. I had already walked through a lot of the city so to see it from this perspective was amazing. I forget how many stores high we were up but high enough to see New Jersey, Brooklyn, and the Bronx.
*Vadim chillin' like he wasn't scared.You can't really fathom just how many concrete walls there are in NYC until you see it from this height. Just WOW.
*This large dude fell asleep on the subway but I couldn't help but feel like I was being looked at by a ghost.The NYC subway is something else. More modern and less crammed than the busiest tubes in London, but filled with crazier people. You've got your regular psychos and bums, but then there's a whole subculture of entertainers and articulate beggars trying to get a quarter out of anyone who would dare make eye contact or get their eyephones our of their heads. I saw mariachi singers, motown singers, break dancers, and even someone yelling about how they lost their job due to the financial crisis. And of course a preacher screaming about hell upon us.
Another cool thing about the NYC subway - a man worth 2 cents can be standing next to a Wall Street billionaire tycoon and no one flinches.
*How they kept their balance, I don't know.Oh and by the way, and I mean this in a totally non-racist light - it was REFRESHING to see black people again!! And lots of them! In fact Vadim and I were the only non-black people on the packed bus from the airport to his house. It's just so different from Asia, where there are nine black people in the region. Okay I jest, but seriously I miss that particular diversity in America, especially California. There weren't as many Asians on the streets of NYC but they were definitely represented.
* Avenue Q - The internet is for porn.Vadim, Sergey (another bud visiting Vadim from California, who had previously seen me in Phuket), and I went to see a Broadway musical, and we ended choosing one of the most vulgar. I didn't really feel like crying on Vadim's shoulder during Phantom of the Opera, so Avenue Q it was! Hilarious - check it out at least on Youtube if you haven't heard of the muppet show about all things vulgar like sex, racism, and homophobia (with a strong and healthy message at the end of course). It's not all F-bombs...but there is a muppet sex scene with multiple positions.
*Time Square lights - I felt bombarded by ads but somehow at peace simultaneously.Of course we had to check out Time Square nearby, which was ravaged by tourists like us. Pretty cool place to hangout, and probably a huge drain of electricity! The vibe is so...alive.
*Sergey being ambitious and rowdy in the East Village.
*And learning his lesson. 5 shots for $10 is not always a good thing.Apparently the first and best pizza parlor in America lies under the Brooklyn Bridge. We sacked up and headed to Grimaldi's before 11am after a heavy night, and beating that lunch hour line was priceless. This was one of the best pizzas I have honestly ever had, and that nostalgic rootbeer made it all go down that much better.
*Grimaldi's, I heart you.
*This dude's job was to powerwalk in heels in a 5th Avenue shopfront - a concrete cliff face of metal and sheer rock.New Yorkers have this funny "mind your own @#$%ing business" but "I don't care who you are / what you are" attitude about life and people. It's especially alienating to be walking down a super busy street and get the sense that nobody knows each other and nobody even sees you. It's also liberating in a way - you can do whatever you want, and no one is going to judge (except they might think you're crazy and talk crap about you on a blog later). One girl did walk up to me on a super busy street and say "Hey I like your shirt", then walked off...I thought that was really cool, and different. That never happens, even in other cities. Busse - that was a Kallusive shirt boy!!
*Please Don't Tell, a speak-easy bar in Manhattan with a disguised telephone booth in a hot dog joint as a secret entrance.
*Please Don't Tell - I tried Eben Freeman's famous recipe for Baconized whiskey, a molecular concoction that actually tasted quite good and extremely unique. NYC is awesome for drinks experimentation as well as classic cocktail perfectionism.I caught up with Dawn (from Singapore) and Min (my brother's homey from high school) over dinner at Dos Caminos (did I mention how much I missed Mexican food?) and drinks on my speak-easy tour night. It's always comfortable to see familiar faces in new cities. We checked out a few really cool Manhattan bars including Pegu, PDT and the unassuming Death & Company. At Pegu we saw a Japanese bartender that could double shake some mean cocktails. These guys are serious at their trade - we need more of them and at least their training in Asia.
The next day I actually spent a big chunk of time working in the 5th Avenue office and getting a feel for the professional vibe in the city. Quite similar to working in any other city - sitting in front of a computer most of the time, in a relatively open office concept so you can be watched. Oh wait, what am I doing now... well the office was in an awesome location and I'm jealous of the Smirnoff Global Brand Team and the others that sit there in Diageo. Apparently there is a massive line to join them. Doh!
I had lunch with Yinwei and our high school sister Jules in downtown, which was a really nice catchup. Jules is as smart as she is compassionate, and she used her Wellesley degree to start off teaching underprivilaged inner city kids high school English - no unchallenging task and one that most people don't even bother to consider. Good for her, seriously. We need more teachers like that.
*Clubbing at Pink Elephant in the Meatpacking districtI met up with the speak-easy crew again after that long day at work (what happened to my holiday already!?) first at a bar called Employees Only, then Meatpacking, the center of all pretentious huge New York clubs. I was ready to go! Dawn gets us unknowns straight into Pink Elephant (crowd, and gender control is huge in New York). Immediately upon entry, Vadim pops his collar and yells "F@#$in' skanks!" Hilarious! If you don't know the reference, then check out this link to "My New Haircut on Youtube, about jersey douches http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JMOh-cul6M.
*It packed up reaaal fast.Clubbing here wasn't all that different to clubbing anywhere else. Some tables with bottle swingers, a big dance floor, lots of sleazy dudes trying to get on some skanks...there's just more money and better looking people. oh well they did have this very shallow but amusing service feature by hiring hot chicks to come out with sparkly fireworks everytime someone ordered a particularly expensive bottle of champagne. So lame. They even did a funky hip dance at the same time.
There WERE extremely hot gogo dancers that knew what they were doing - an obvious distraction, Ibiza style. The crowd was also pretty good looking - it IS NYC and one of those spots to see and be seen.
*Gogogogogogogo.
*All smiles here!
*Basta Pasta, a pretty cool Japanese owned and operated restaurant downtown. Loved the food.So while in Jakarta a month before this trip, I met an American bar-owner formerly from New York that insisted the first place he would go back to in the city was Keen's Steakhouse. I promised I'd check it out, and boy I'm glad I stayed true to my word. This slab of meet (and lobster) was AMAZING. And they had a huge collection of Single Malt whiskies too. My kind of spot, with classic 20s style decor and really courteous, tip-hungry staff.
*Keen's, I'll be back for you.Gu, Vadim, and I met up with Sergey and a few others at Slate, a sports bar with ping pong and pool. We went at it for a good hour or so, Forrest Gump style. There was a lot of swearing and sweating, followed by beer. Or maybe preceeded by beer.
*Slate barThe next morning I caught up with Cam, a rugby mate that used to live in Bangkok, in Soho. We checked out an urban art studio by the artist collective group Faile (connected to Banksy) in Williamsburg (on Brooklyn side) afterwards, and the guys were kind enough to let me see all of their work in progress stuff. Very cool, very unique styles. They even sculpted and painted up these totem pole pieces (called prayer wheels) that sold for thousands of bucks.
*Checkout more of the Faile art here: http://www.faile.net/I think I gained 10 pounds while I was back in the States. The portions are so big and the convenient foods generally so unhealthy. I'm sure you've heard this all before, and that's because it's true. You really have to put in the effort to lead a healthy lifestyle, especially in America.
I spent a good few hours browsing through the most personally interesting sections of the Metropolitan Museum - Egyptian, Greek, and Arms & Armour. Such a massive collection and range of pieces here. You could spend days if you have a good pair of comfy shoes and a thirst for history. There is so much culture in New York (for a big city), it's ridiculous and equally intriguing. Singapore just can't hold up to par in this regard.
*The Metropolitan
*The Metropolitan
*The MetropolitanOne random night on the subway Vadim, Dawn, and I were argung about what NYC and New Yorkers were like, when a friendly chick from Arkansas laughed and jumped in with a clever quirp that we were all right, and New York was all of those things each of us was describing all at once. It really is a global city that morphs upon your perspective, mood, and friends. I'd really like to live there as a young profressional sometime before I'm 35, if an attractive opportunity surfaces by then. You can't live there and enjoy it like Asia unless you're WELL into a six figure paycheck.
*The MetropolitanAfter the museum, Vadim, Sergey and I checked out Central Park with a frisbee and a deck of cards. Oh yeah, and beer. Is this a recurring theme of my trip(s)?? As it got dark we walked by the same fountain used in the opening video of "Friends". It's pretty dirty, actually...
*Central Park
*Central Park deuces
*Central Park frisbee
*Central Park "Friends" fountainThat evening we met up with John again at Union Square for some people watching and drinking. This area was swarming with NYU students and young folks from around the world. We saw volleyball, street soccer, chess, and again, break dancers.
I had been told to check out the view at 230 5th, a rooftop bar downtown with a cool atmosphere and expensive drinks. The view was worth the wait, and Vadim even met some random Asian American chicks that reminded me that Asian girls in America are really NOT like Asian girls in Asia. These girls were basically Jersey girls, but they looked Asian. I'm not judging - but it was definitely misleading at first intro and almost comical that they didn't know where Singapore was.
*230 5thAfter the bar we had to check out some Halal chicken rice at 53rd street. This street food stall was packed with a half block line of starving party-goers. The food wasn't all that great, but it definitely hit the spot and kept down my rumbling belly of vodka. Vadim threw a little too much spicy sauce on his, and couldn't handle it. What a puss!
*John gettin' out of control in the subway
*Yankee StadiumI'm in New York, might as well see a Yankee game even though I'm a big SF Giants fan. Vadim loves the Bronx Bombers (mofo), so he was happy and ready to root for an Oakland A's ass kicking. Dawn and Delmar joined us on the bleachers for a ice cream and garlic fries filled day. It was so hot the ice cream actually melted completely within 5 minutes and turned into a nice milkshake. That's what America is allllllll about. Hm, that doesn't make sense. But it was funny when some spilled on the fat dude in front of Dawn and he didn't notice. Probably licked it later.
*Yankee stadiumA little personal comparison of South East Asia vs NYC:
- Healthier food overall
- More decadence amongst the elites
- Partying more often, more heavily
- Less diversity
- Less expression and range of ideas
- More widespread poverty (but NYC certainly has its own)
- Singapore in particular is more sheltered (and the US as a nation is generally quite sheltered)
*Yankee stadium
*Just outside Yankee Stadium, where this sort of merchandise is fan supported.
*Rucker Park, Harlem.We had to check out some Harlem Streetball while on the way home, so off to Rucker Park it was - where 15 year old kids can dunk. There was a pretty cool corner fast food store of Mama's Fried Chicken. I couldn't believe the stereotype, or the amount of breading on that drumstick.
*Boomshakalaka!!!
*No waaaaay.I've been listening to that Jay-Z / Alicia Keyes song "Empire State of Mind" - it's damn catchy and there is some truth to the simplistic lyrics "...concrete jungle make you feel brand new, bright lights will inspire you..." I spent a lot of time in Hong Kong growing up as a child and later during bi-yearly visits to my Dad. Massive cities make me feel both helpless and empowered, depending on my mood. New York is definitely one of those places - it's hard to feel like you aren't living it up when you're in a center of human technological progress and construction.
*Columbus Circle stalls.Vadim took me to Columbus Circle next, at the corner of Central Park. Loads of cool street art here, of which I made a couple purchases for family and for my place back home (Statue of Libery + Manhattan in the background at sunset, and that old school black & white pic of construcion workers eating their lunch on top of a beam while building a skyscraper).
*Williamsburg - hipster central...hey is that a Tanqueray ad on that phone booth? ;)I closed out my vacay in the big apple with a chill night at a Williamsburg sushi joint and the Spike Hill bar. Ran into a dude from Australia that worked for Jack Daniel's (Brown Forman) and knew some colleagues of mine, as well as a scary dirty blue Elmo costumed dude that must have been 7 feet tall. That's New York!
Felt great to see Vadim, my bud since middle school (this is RARE) even though it was a pain in the ass to travel on the subway everyday back to his spot in Brooklyn. Homeboy was one of the first friends to visit me in Bangkok (along with Ratto and Davos), and I owed him a returned favor. We definitely made the most of our time and barely got any sleep while spending waaay too much money. I hope he's reading this and smiling.
Next stop, San Francisco. Home sweet home. It had been over a year and a half since my last visit (back in December 2007, it was a benefit. After my move to Singapore, it wasn't!), and I was anxious to catch up with family and friends, while just taking it easy for a week. I know this blog looks like fun and games, but work is bloody stressful for me most of the time and I put everything I have into it. Sometimes, I just need to recharge.
*In Santa Cruz with Grandma Nancy and my MomFirst I had to drive down south to Santa Cruz to have a Mexican (again! ^^ ) lunch with my step Grandma. Also had a chance to play tennis with my Mom (it had been years!) which was super fun. I can't believe how sprightly she still is.
*Nadal smash on my MomI caught up with my ex-girlfriend Allie over a smoothie after that. It was a really interesting conversation and I was glad to see she was happy where she was and with her current boyfriend since the end of college. I found it really interesting and different how she was pretty sure she'd like to build her life in Santa Cruz (a beautiful place no doubt, and where she grew up), while here I am wandering a far off continent in search of more unknowns. I wonder when/if I'll prefer to settle down in one geography..
*Allie and my dog Missy (I didn't name her okay!? She's getting a bit of gray on her nose and feet but still remembers me like I was around yesterday)Back in the Bay Area I hit up an old theme park from my middle school / high school days - Great America. My sister and two old friends (Chris Escoto and Steve Ratto) spent the day chowing down junk food and spewing adrenaline on a variety of rides that still felt as fun as my first go maybe 12 years ago.
*Bumper cars at Great AmericaWe did feel kind of old what with all the kids running around and teenagers taking their summertime to the park. Whatever, there's some kid left in all of us if we're not afraid to let them out and have some simple fun.
*This ride made me scream like a girl
*Right before I got soakedI took some time to chill at Ratto's apartment with Guitar Hero, then grabbed some very much missed home cooking with Busse who happened to be in town at the same time (he's from the East Bay, I'm from the West Bay). We grubbed on my deck while my Mom kept bringing in more food. I LOVE THAT. Ugh that's probably the thing I miss most about home during high school. She's an awesome cook with a passion! I highly doubt my generation of female peers has the same sort of enthusiasm =P
*Tandoori chicken and naan at homeWhaddaya know, another day at work during my vacation. This time in the SF office near Fisherman's Wharf - not a bad spot either, but no massive skyscraper compared to the NYC branch. I had a chance to blast music in my car up the 101; something I missed almost as much as home cooking.
*San FranciscoLunch with my older (and very pregnant but since gave birth) sister Marjan at an Asian Fusion joint (an SF specialty), then dinner at Brother's Korean BBQ with homies on Geary. It doesn't get much more convenient than that.
*Brother's Korean BBQ - this shit is famousThought I'd check out Stanford Business School (GSB) while I had some free time the next day. I had only been to the campus a few times to play their rugby team back in college. It's actually pretty open and green. Very much like my University (California - Davis), but older and with more Spanish influence.
*Stanford GSBI spent the rest of that afternoon shopping at Hillsdale, an old pastime of yesteryear. Had to stock up on American products I miss out on in Asia, and get some presents for folks.
Random: I was having a think about what basic factors in my life make me happy, and I came to the following conclusions in no particular order:
1) A sense of adventure in my life, so I feel like I'm having fun, learning something new, and experience at least moderate unpredictability.
2) Close people to share good times with, and to trust.
3) A strong sense of purpose that comes with intellectual stimulation / challenge.
4) Physical challenges that keep me sweating, blood pumping, fists slamming..
Pretty simple list actually. Everything else is kind of a bonus, or just more minor.
*Hanging out with my nephew JoeyI hadn't seen my nephew in soo long (which I feel guilty about all the time, like not seeing my little brothers very often either). He is already talking! I had a chance to read a story about an Asian kid to him, that was pretty fun. He probably heard it a million times before but I'm satisfied he has now heard it from his long lost Uncle Charlie.
*Reading a story about Kailan to Joey. No, not the vegetable - an Asian little girl!
*Bangkok Best? My ass.I really miss the local live music scene in the Bay Area. I feel like this is truly lacking in scale and originality in Asia. I'm disappointed I didn't get a chance to check out a local or mainstream concert while I was back home. In Singapore when a major artist comes to town, the stadium is generally 1/8th full and 20 people are dancing or jumping. WTF, have some FUN people. Don't be shy or embarassed to move your body or shout some lyrics! Okay I'm harsh, there's more than 20. 21, there's me too.
*Marjan and Mom
*Poor Missy is getting older
*Nothing like San Francisco fog on the 280Near my last days in SF I met up with a load of old friends for a sake-bombing dinner and barhop in the city. By the way, San Francisco has some of the best and most innovative sushi in the country. California as a whole has awesome sushi thanks to a strong Japanese American population that new the classics were good but tastes were changing for a large majority of culinary creative folks. And no, I'm not talking about plain California rolls that basically no one really eats in California. They try to copy some cool rolls in Singapore but I've been disappointed time after time. It's like the Mexican food in Singapore - just not authentic.
*Sake......bomb!!Barhopping, and activity I rarely engage in anymore, but underrated and a great medium to catch up and bond in. Or get tipsy and make an ass out of yourself because you actually have to hold conversations with people or pretend you are good at pool.
*Barhopping - was it North Beach?
*Ratto actually IS good at pool, psh..Soon my old comembers of MSU (Mixed Student Union) from UC Davis joined the foray, and mayhem ensued.
*Nick gettin' crunkedMSU was a student community group for mixed race/ethnicity kids at UC Davis to get together to establish social connection, share their stories, and create community awareness around multiracial/multiethnic issues and celebration. In short, a damn badass club that I had the privilage of being a four year member of and a meeting place where I met some really cool people - some with similar stories (like my half Chinese twin Geri born on the same exact day as me in Hong Kong too), and others with very different upbringings. I could go into pages on mixed issues and interesting stories (to me!) but I'll spare it for conversation sometime if you're really interested. There's a lot of published resources out there (becoming more prevalent as well) but most mixed folks have no idea. In fact they usually haven't come to complete terms with their identity formation until around college (like most people anyway).
*Mixed Student Union, REUNION!Well, two weeks passed like nothin' and I was on a plane "home" to Singapore via Tokyo by the time August started. No more First/Business class this time, sigh. In fact I didn't get on my Tokyo connecting flight to Singapore via standby, so I rerouted to Bangkok an hour later, stayed overnight, and got an evening flight the next day to SG. Well not before seeing Kae and getting some time with Sua at lunch before he moved to Arizona to start his two year MBA at Thunderbird.
Funny enough, I had planned a 3 day weekend to Samui a few days after my return, for the FULL MOON PARTY!!!! Thank god too, since my A/C didn't work when I got back (schweaty time!) and I was suffering from BAD jetlag.
*What it's all aboutI met up with over about two dozen friends on Samui for a few days of chillin'. Who am I kidding, three guys came from the UK (Ryan, Jo, and Adam), a couple from Singapore, a few from Spain (Rafa's pals), and the rest from Bangkok - and we were all ready to party it up, Asia backpacker style! This trip was a few months in the making and we were all keen to make the most of it after much anticipation and planning.
*The best kind of discountA wobbly old private boat took us to the island in a raucous hour of holding onto whatever we could, including the loads of liquor we brought along. A few people were seasick but generally we reached the island in good spirits and ready to GO.
*Such a sharp contrast from what we would look like on the boat ride home 8 hours later at 6am..Let me tell you, it is HARD to keep 20+ people together on a thousands+ crowded beach of drunk people. We did our best for the most part and camped near a drum & bass area for the first few hours. Edwin and Paul met up with us on the island, and the beach dancing commenced!
*And a little more than beach dancing commenced...Eventually Kae and I passed out in the sand for an hour. Yes, we fell asleep. At the Full Moon Party. In front of ear piercing speakers with fast, unrelenting drum & bass. That's how tired we were!!! (my jetlag combined with picking Kae up that morning at 7am from the airport combined into a coma-inducing fatigue that I just HAD to recharge, regardless of all the shameless pictures my friends would take of me and them when my eyes were closed).
*What spells party better than some loud flashes of sparkly lights!?
*Paul also celebrate his birthday. Bet he loves living in Thailand.
*Estelle getting vertical on Chriz, with Adam pulling some signature dance moves nearby.We managed to wake up before 5am, grab some food, more drink, and feet + hip maneuvering before the boat left after 6:30am.
*Passed out with Kae in a delirious of neon lights and dirty Euro/American/Australasian backpackers.That ride back was horrendous. People were sick from alcohol, huge waves rocking the deck, and extreme exhaustion. But we made it! Unfortunately I heard that during the night a regular speedboat carrying 40 people to Koh Phangan has capsized and many people didn't make it. Of course the Thai local 'authorities' did enough to cover it up from mainstream media so tourists don't stop coming to the Full Moon Party. Samui and its surrounding isles are run by modern pirates and developing country mafia.
Yeah, we pretty much slept the entire day away. So I'll skip that. The NEXT day we embarked on an island tour with the fellas that lived there (we were staying in there villa complex in Fisherman's Village), starting with the genital rocks. For those who don't know, these rock formations look just like their namesakes. Wow, what an amazing tourist attraction. Not. Well it was slightly amusing in person, and satisfying to know that perverts exist in all cultures and continents.
*At the genital rocks on Samui. The penis is between my head and Adam's head. Stop thinking dirty thoughts. The penis' friend is to our left, not pictured for I don't want to get banned from Singapore.We headed over to a natural waterfall pool next, which was really refreshing, semi-dangerous, and loads of fun.
*Now I've got you, Golem!! I mean, Tida :)
*Samui crew!!!!!!!!On our day trip return most of us got a massage. One of the best features of a Thai vacation. I think I've said it before but I highly prefer foot massages over full body (which is painful and uncomfortable). When my feet are getting rubbed with oils by a strong handed woman, I fall asleep drooling with Jack Johnson playing in my earphones.
*I told Kae to sneak-slap Adam in the nuts for being late to our lunch meeting...she went a little too hard. I think it was the worst he's got in his life. A real stomach churner - that's a deep burn!!
*This time, Kae fell asleep in the massage first! BwahahaOne last night of partying ensued in Chaweng on Samui. We started off at a beachside bar on the sand with a rare cigar and some buckets. When you start with buckets, it's no surprise how the night will end, as best depicted by the picture below:
*I hold my head in shame. Ryan, hell yes!
*Partying at Sweet Soul.
*There it is! Cuban.
*At some point at the beachside bar, a monkey jumped on Estelle face. This is Thailand.
We went jet skiing hungover on our last day before an afternoon flight. Maybe not a good idea to get too close while below 100% form. Apparently there was some damage to a jet ski and some friends had to pay a load of cash to the mafia-run / police-connected operator or face possible detention and exponentially larger fines. Lesson - read fine print, don't change jet ski riders with other bikes, and bring a bigger gun than the operator.
Back in Singapore I had a chance to settle back into the routine grind at work, followed by packed-up weekends. This pretty much goes on for the rest of the post, haha.
*Adidas brings in international beat boxers at a Butter Factory event. Beat Boxing - looks damn geeky practicing at home with the internet, but cool in a club with the right sound affects and a load of drunk people willing to dance to anything.Adam came back with me to Singapore after a year (I visited him in London back in April though) for a term exchange at SMU. Many nights of Guitar Hero have since taken place. Ryan and Jo, we wish you were with us fellas. Enjoy the London Winter suckas!!!
Kae and I had a sweet 1 year anniversary in Singapore. I surprised her with a little dinner at home and a few small presents. Quality time together is hard to come by so having a chill night in my apartment was exactly what we wanted. I am guilty of taking her out partying with my/our friends way more often than these kinds of nights.
*It's all in the presentation!Of course I had to come back to Bangkok for another weekend visit. We had a chance to stop by the zoo in Pattaya where I saw my very first tiger show, pig race (I won a 100 baht bet with Tommy on the winning piglet), and baby tiger feeding.
*Hanging with a growing baby Kira at a group brunch in Bangkok
*A circus tiger show - is it wrong that a part of me kind of hoped for an animal attack worth of bad cable tv variety?
*Apparently young tigers love warm milk. They'd probably eat human babies while eating warm milk too.
*A dinner with my team colleagues in Dempsey (White Rabbit), SingaporeLangan started a private pre-party night at B2 in Social House. Chill atmosphere with a familiar crowd, and most important of all - free beer pong.
*Beer pong, yes!!! A sport that no one knows in Singapore and I am experienced at, but can still get beaten by a couple of rookies.
*BB gunning in Bangkok. Yes, this activity makes me feel like G.I. Joe. Again, release the kid in you sometimes - it's healthy. I didn't get to do this when I was young!
*Partying in Bangkok with friends.
*Smirnoff Experience with Steve Aoki and Diplo at 808. Thanks for organizing Paulie.I had never seen that crazy performer Steve Aoki live. He took down the house with his signature screams and pumping up the crowd, but actually Diplo was the better DJ. I don't normally get super into electro but this was a damn good couple of sets!
*Dave, Dar, and Katie had to get their Aoki on in Bangkok too!
*I don't know how we got this top down picture but there I am trying hopelessly to say something to Kae in the crowd.
*Some Thai friends of Kae/celebs having fun in the crush of the dance floor.
*A menu from Akiyoshi buffet in Thailand. Combine Japanese and Thai attempts at English menu's and you get Happy Drunk. Oh yes.
*Cooking up a storm at my restaurant, King Kong Buffet, in Bangkok. Okay it's not mine yet but I should sue for copyright infringement.
*Uma can barely handle the food load anymore!Not long around the corner, Formula One came back to Singapore. This was a wild fanfare event last year being the inaugural night race in the annual circuit, and the city was definitely excited again and keen to get an even better experience the second time around.
*Some Johnnie Walker Join-The-Pact activation in Clarke Quay.I had a chance to attend F1 Rocks, a mega concert with DJ Havana Brown, The Black Eyed Peas, and Beyonce (only on Day 3, Saturday. The crowd was actually a lot more into it than any other concert I've been to in Singapore. Maybe because it was at Fort Canning and outdoors, so no one could really sit down!
*DJ Havana Brown
*BEP brought the house down with an awesome set. The whole crowd was raging during "I Gotta Feeling".
*Yvonne and Paul showing some Singapore pride!
*Beyonce came out like a true diva and threw down a monster set. This girl can dance and sing as well as she looks on TV. I think this was in fact being filmed for DVD release ($$$$) later too.
*Caught up with my old boss / mentor Justin at the concert too!The free flow VIP bar that Johnnie Walker set up above the concert was an added bonus to the night, and one that Adam and I definitely took advantage of, responsibly!
*Anthony and Adam at Spize, the premier downtown destination of after-party grub on River Valley RoadLast year I got to hit the race with my customer but unfortunately this year was a pass for our team. I did get tickets to the Johnnie Walker Jet Black party at One on the Bund which was pretty tight. Tommy and a couple of his friends from Thailand joined us Singapore dudes for what would turn out to be a looong night.
*Yes, we needed that many glasses. Radioactive glasses.
*Stew has the nonchalant smirk down pat.At next year's party they will have to make the Sunday event less exclusive - we didn't have enough people to pack up the place! I should have invited everyone I knew the evening earlier.
*Posing with Lewis in front of the Jet Black party. Last year I got to meet the dude - this year I had to settle for his cardboard likeness. At least he won the race!Took yet another trip to Bangkok, with Adam, James, and Melissa joining this time round. It's been so many trips I barely remember what hell we did besides what's in these following pictures. There certainly would have been some dancing about with alcohol, some undeniably delicious and generally cheap food, and a random activity, such as go karting.
*Burger flipping, our random activity of the weekend. I mean, Go Karts. This is actually a killer on the back if you crash into a wall (most likely sideways from a skid). We had a full track so there were loads of wipeouts!
*Chillin' with Melissa, Kae, and Noah over a few quiet drinks at Longtable. This must have been a Sunday - the only explanation.For Ally's birthday she had organized a group excursion to Koh Samet the next weekend. I had to haul ass and go, and was so glad I did. Had never been to Samet before but it's actually quite a pleasant, chilled out beach to hit up and perfect for a group of friends looking for some sun, relaxation, and partying. Nothing fancy or remote (it's a few hours drive and boat from Bangkok), but way cleaner than Pattaya and more fun than Hua Hin.
*Brian and I launching Adam to the heavens on Samet.We spent the evening watching greased up fire twirler island boys with six packs before hitting up the one wild beach bar on the island a short wal from our bungalow. After a load of red bull and some supporting booze, we owned that dance floor for a good few hours.
*Ally knows how to get down on her birthday. I should add that poor Chen Yu had his shirt ripped off and got semi-molested on the dance floor. Poor? Naww F that, he secretly loved it but tried to look shocked and embarassed. Couldn't hide that perma-grin man!
*A floating lantern before launch, for good luck and spirit-driving.I realized that in order to stay sane I need to get a good amount of sun and fun with friends at least once every two months, preferably longer. Sentosa will have to do in the absence of rare trips like this!
*Busse and I square off in an epic battle of chicken. I think Kae and I won this round, then lost to the Busse/Uma combo next.
I decided to stay in Singapore for Halloween what with all the recent Bangkok trips on my belt already and the fact that Singapore actually celebrates this great occasion! Fay arranged an evening boat bash similar to the Hong Kong junk boat parties with terrific success, aka everyone got drunk, had fun, and didn't fall overboard. Paul, Adam, and I were all hairy construction workers. I had a patch of man-carpet on my chest and some 70s style chop sideburns. Not the most creative costume I've ever had, but easy and convenient for an outdoor event and still pretty funny. Would have been better / much worse if we had gotten a crew of Village People together instead!
*Hanging with Princess Leia (Fay) and a couple vampires (Iling and Linda)After docking we proceeded to Stereolab (my first time - cool joint actually) then the infamous Butter Factory. I think I had my fake chest hair pulled a dozen times. Not complaining.
*Melissa had an awesome Cheshire Cat outfit. Hey, is that water we are drinking!?
In Bangkok folks generally dress up and party for Oct 31st but rarely is it all-out like in the States, Hong Kong, or to a lesser extent Singapore. Most young partyers that celebrate the occasion in other countries are a bit less conservative and a bit more "tonight's the night to get messed up and do something naughty". For me, that meant a standard night of weekend partying, but in a construction outfit. Hey, theme parties are fun aiight?
*So someone came as Ris Low, the infamous Miss World Singapore that lost her crown due to credit card debt fraud and made more notorious by some insanely stupid phrases made in public like "Boomz Shingz" (what the hell does that mean anyway?). This chick was creative! Unless actually Ris Low, in which case I feel so bad for her.Lea found a new opportunity up in KL and so only 6 months after moving from Vancouver to Singapore, she was moving again! Such is the nature of work and multinationals. We had a nice group farewell dinner for her at House in Dempsey, and a party at White Rabbit and Butter Factory to rock her last weekend of official residence in the 'pore (I'm sure she will be back every once in a while!).
*This place has some awesome fries. And there's Ben on the left again, from New York. He moved over with bros A.J. and Eduardo a month back and they have been loving it. Probably another cause of my whirlwind of partying recently, but the fellas are good fun so there's nothing to be regretting. I'm actually feeling very healthy lately due to an up in the intensity of my workouts..Wish I had a picture, but my bro Paul aka Luciano Paulo was in Nouyou magazine's 25 local Men We Love competion and we had the pleasure of cheering him on at Zouk last Wednesday. They asked him "You're really tall..what part of you stacks up to your height?" His answer: "My intelligence". Safe!
*Tabloids again! At least the story was positive this time, though I'm a bit worried that they stole these pics off of facebook. And I look so lubby dubby, haha. Those Thai's have a HUGE appetite for gossip. I'm not sure if I like being labeled "Mix-blood" in an official publication.Coming to the end of this marathon post now, phew I'm solidly tired (and have been lazy not to really reflect much during the last month worth of pics).
*Olly's birthday at the rooftop of the Naumi hotel - this has an amazing view of the CBD if you have never been. Rachel put it on for him really well, including the crazy goldigger costumes / accessories. What a good friend!After a delirious Friday/Saturday night combo of partying (both ending up at Butter...wait, in fact I think I went to Butter on Wednesday and Thursday nights too. Geez I need help), I got together some friends for touch American football at Siloso beach on Sentosa at a respectable hour. Yeah, 3pm is respectable on a Sunday in Singapore. People usually crash at 6am the night before!
Beach football/volleyball is another piece of fun I miss from the States. It's inherantly relaxing to bust your butt for fun on a sunny day in the middle of the sand. At least for me I guess. Hope to do it more often!
We also hopped over to "Wavehouse" nearby, where they've got 3 artificial waves set up and a pretty cool bar on the premises. After a couple beers most of us decided to try it out. I had been surfing a couple times before, wakeboarding a few times, and skateboarding for a few months maybe 10 years ago. This felt like a combination of all three, it's quite hard to describe. Wiping out is as fun as riding the board though, and I can't wait to head back there this weekend again. One day, I'll be ripping backflip like these hombres.
*Just getting the hang of it.Randomly enough, while taking turns on the wave we saw Jackie Chan riding around Wavehouse on a segway!! Apparently he's got some sort of sponsorship deal with them. Awesome, I saw Jackie Chan. But he didn't kick my ass or do any funny stunts. That said, he was riding his own segway, by himself. Ehh..
I tried something *different* for the first time (I always do say try everything once) a week ago, which was extremely painful and scary, but from which I hope to come out a stronger man, haha...check out www.withlovefay.com if you are really interested. I just HAD to lose that bet/dare to Adam and Fay! At least it's off my life bucket list.
Speaking of which, the following other undone things still remain on that mental note:
1) Skydiving
2) Climbing Everest
3) Saving someone's life spontaneously
4) Saving someone's life gradually
5) Having kids with a woman I love (okay kinda lame, but it's a big one, eventually)
6) Getting a tattoo with true personal meaning
7) Having a laugh with an old friend when we're in rocking chairs
8) Getting cheered in front of thousands of people
9) Living like a castaway for at least a week
10) Safari in Africa
11) Sail around the world
12) Speak another language, fluently
13) Own a house on three continents
14) Experience a near-death moment naturally
15) Do something physical that I never thought possible (i.e. lift a car)
16) Live on 5 different continents (3 down)
17) Build a home for someone who needs it
18) Write a book
19) Do better than my parents
20) Be a mentor / role model for someone
There are more, but I'll save them for another time. Got plenty to work on already. Until next time my friends/family/curious strangers...promise there won't be a four-month hiatus! Post again by the time I'm on Xmas holidays in Hong Kong.
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