Dancing in the Dark

Last night my friends and I went over to the Maui Arts & Cultural Center (aka the MACC) to check out this event called Art=Mixx, which was a "multi-sensory interactive event filled with art making, video displays, music, dancing, and performance art. The best part was that is was free! So after eating dinner the three of us (Jo, Alex, & I) rode over to the MACC. As we walked outside to the car I saw the stars in the sky. One thing I noticed was the position of Orion's Belt. Its positioning was so different in comparison to back in Boston. I was amazed at how different my perspective of the night sky was, and how vast that space is.
As we walked from the car over to the MACC we were greeted by pink, blue, and green palm trees glowing under the night sky. There was music, laughter, lights and so many people. We walked through the crowds in single file weaving and bobbing around the circles and cliques that had established themselves on the lawn. I quietly followed as Jo and Alex searched for their friends hidden among 2000+ people who had gathered. Can you say "Where's Waldo?" We eventually found our companions and enjoyed the sights and sounds the night had to offer. At one point i turned around and I was standing next to Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. I found that to be quite hilarious because he was wearing this silly hat that looked like a lion's head. We had an amazing time taking in the sights, sounds, and performances that took place throughout the night.
I'm so thankful to have such thoughtful friends who have shared their home and hearts with me. For having faith and providing me with space to take such a risk and explore. I guess that's why I've been thinking about space in different forms and how we use it. This morning I woke up to Jo & Alex making an easter breakfast that was off the charts! Jo made her chocolate chip / Walnut / Banana pancakes and Alex made some eggs and sausage! After that I hit up my family to say Happy Easter and I love them. It also seems that most of my post cards have started to reach their destinations, which is really exciting! I hope everyone enjoys them!

Return II Space

This morning I continued my job search until I received a phone call from my good friend Damian back home. He was getting in touch about sharing some music files we had started working on before I left. For those of you who are curious as to how thats done we use something called dropbox to transfer files back and forth. But, to look at the files I needed to open up a music program I hadn't used in quite a while called Ableton. When I opened it up I found some old audio files I had pretty much forgotten about. Some of which I thought were pretty good. It was a pleasant surprise to find these little explorations in sound.

This experience sparked another thought in my mind that tends to come and go. The idea of returning to space(s). The space isn't defined as a specific area or place. It's all relative. Lately I've found myself returning to and re-examining the space in which I found myself in regards to my love and work with music. In all the time I have had to myself recently I have spent a great deal of time listening to and examining how artists have defined the auditory space they use when creating music. It's helped me to understand that I have a strong awareness in what I like when it comes to my own taste in music. As I've gotten older I've noticed my desire to find works that become increasingly more minimal in sound and subtle in their transformations and transitions. I also really enjoy when an artist has mastered the art of creating space between sounds so that a push-pull tension is created. I know how obsessive I can be when it comes to a tune I really like, and how I can listen to it over and over again examining each individual sound layered within the mix.

What about the use of visual space? Our environments, ourselves, our work spaces are all part of the visual use of space. Thinking back to my time in San Francisco and Los Angeles recently I am reminded of the artwork and graffiti I saw. But, sometimes visual spaces can be deceiving, such as an optical illusion. Visual spaces can also be uncomfortable. Everything here at the moment is so new and different that takes up my visual space it's been a bit overwhelming/stunning/can't fully conceptualize it all. Then there is the visual space we can't see or are unable to use. I'm not sure I can define all this exactly at the moment.

What about having a lack of space? How do we define spaces that aren't physical like the mind? How do we define our own space? I'm still trying to figure this out. What do I want to put in this space? Of course if you haven't noticed yet I've posted videos between the paragraphs. The songs are from the album "Return II Space" by Mala of Digital Mystikz. It's one of my favorite vinyl EP's, but I left my copy back in Boston. It still has the cellophane sealed wrapper on it because I couldn't bring myself to open it when it first arrived in the mail sometime back in 2010. I find myself wondering whats better at this point. Is having a pristine copy of the album worthwhile, or should I open it and enjoy each tune as it's meant to be heard on my turntable with the needle tracking the groove? I feel like this brings me back to where I started. How do we use and define our space? This entry has me feeling more confused than when I started. I hope you enjoy this music as much as i do.

Surf's Up

Tuesday morning Rob and I both woke up with a touch of sunburn. Mine was tiger style across my back thanks to a friend fail at Lahaina. I won't mention names, but let's say from now on I'm only letting Alex put sunblock on my back. Rob, however, was toasted. But, today was a truly special day because Alex and Jo both had the day off so we could all spend it together as one big ohana. Rob was dying to go body boarding so that became the plan. Before leaving the house we all made sure to properly put on sunblock. Then we piled into the car and headed down to Baldwin Beach where the waves serious! I had never seen waves so big. I mean these things must have been at least 10 feet high from the ocean floor! After being in the water for about 20 minutes I was definitely feeing like I got a hardcore work out. We all had so much fun today, and Rob and I had a chance to sort of bond as we were body boarding out in the ocean. I felt like I was 12 years old except this time the waves were no joke, and hanging with Rob was awesome. He's another unofficial brother from another to me.

After a rousing day riding the biggest waves I have ever seen we headed back to Jo & Alex's place to cook up some food. We also got to meet Rob's friends who were married on Oahu. They were spending their honeymoon on Maui, and so we invited them over for dinner. I should also mention that Alex is a grill master, and not only does he cook up a mean steak he also does some serious grilled mushrooms! Needless to say the night was a success, yet Rob's time here was finally coming to an end. I want to take a moment and give a big shout out to Rob's wonderful and amazing girlfriend Mary, who I haven't mentioned at all. She is hilarious, super cool, and was really caring because Rob's back was as red as a lobster. She kept it covered in aloe all the time. I'm so glad I got to meet the both of them. They were so amazing, and now I have a reason to go check out Wisconsin!

Special Guests

Sunday evening Rob, an old friend of Jo's from high school came to visit. He was visiting Hawaii for a wedding and planned to come hang with for a few days after the ceremony . We kept it easy Sunday night and made plans to take Rob over to the town of Lahaina to do some snorkeling. We were out the door and on our way early monday morning. But, before hitting the beach we stopped at this fantastic place along the way for breakfast called Lulu's. The waitstaff there was awesome, and they brought us out an order of their malasadas to start. These things were serious! On top of that the main courses that everyone ordered were just as amazing. I went with the Cajun Ahi Benedict. It was spicy and flavorful, and the hash browns were crispy and crunchy! The staff and food were truly fantastic. I can't say how much you should give this place a try if you're out here.

Then it was off to the beach for a little snorkeling. The beaches in Lahaina are on the West side of Maui and are incredibly calm. They're the perfect place for snorkeling because the shore drops off to a coral reef about 25 feet out. We slapped on some sun block and dove in. We explored the ocean floor together and on our own. There were fish of all colors shapes and sizes. I wish I could have had a camera to take photos. At one point Jo and I were greeted by an unexpected guest. A massive sea turtle went right by us, and it was so close I could have touched it! The only way I can describe the experience was that it was like the opening scene of the original Star Wars movie where the giant star destroyer ship zooms by. Trying to put this into words doesn't quite do it justice!

After our snorkeling adventure we stopped by Ululani's for some shave ice. I went with the No Ka Oi (which I think was mango, guava, papaya) and a scoop of haupia ice cream on the bottom. It was serious business, and a whole lot of sugar. Everyone got something different and we passed them around the table. I also recommend the almond, pineapple, green tea, and pineapple flavors! (There's food bringing people together again)

We ended our day in Lahaina by walking through the shop lined streets in true tourist fashion admiring the galleries, storefronts, and all that was for sale. As we came to the end of the strip we found ourselves in the Banyan Tree Park where these massive trees rose up out of the ground with their twisted branches and dangling vines! At the entrance to the park was this wonderful "Aloha" made out of flower petals. Quite an amazing way to end an amazing day.

A Snail's Tale

Last night I saw this incredibly large snail, which I think is a Giant African Snail. It looked to be about oh maybe 4-5 inches long. I mean this puppy was easily a handful! I was definitely shocked to see thing, and it wasn't the only one. There were more than a few scattered about the lawn. After seeing these monstrous little guys lurking around I thought about adjusting to this new place. I was sort of feeling a sense of culture shock. I was a place where I knew very little about the people, culture and environment. I didn't necessarily feel scared or overwhelmed, but I certainly felt out of place for a moment.
I thought about the conversations I had throughout the week with Jo and Alex, and how insightful they had been. Their place is located in the Kahului/Wailuku area of the island, which is predominantly made up of people of Filipino and Portuguese descent. I also noticed (and as pointed out by Alex) that not all their neighbors acknowledge us (by us I mean Alex and I). However, they all acknowledge Jo, who is Filipino American. I must say that their immediate house neighbors who I met were incredibly friendly, and amazed at how I had decided to just up and move here for a while. I noticed that the many of the churches in the area held their weekly masses in Tagalog, which is one of the native languages of the Philippines. I remember Jo telling me about her neighborhood. She loved the fact that everyone in the neighborhood looked like her (which wasn't the case where she grew up). This was the first time she had ever experienced this, and through our conversation I could see how much she truly appreciated it

Writing Alohas

The past few days were spent working on cover letters and applications. I was basically stranded at my friends house while they were both at work, but the 3 of us all made breakfast together this morning (there's that food connection again). We made banana walnut chocolate chip pancakes from scratch with eggs and some pineapple sausage. The pinacle of it all was I discovered there is such a thing as coconut syrup! Just kidding, although it was fantastic. This was just a reminder of how great my friends here have been. They are so encouraging and supportive, and in the week that I have been here my spirit has been reinvigorated. I've had so many inspiring and reflective conversations with them. Even though I feel unsure about what direction I'm going in the ride couldn't be any more true.

Earlier today Jo took me out to run a few errands and we grabbed some lunch. I finally picked up some post cards, which was something that was at the top of my priorities list. I spent the rest of the afternoon addressing and writing them. As I did this I thought about a conversation I had with my advisor just before I left Boston. It was about quality control in relation to music; more specifically about how the quality of music has gone down because the music industry has focused on becoming more digitized.
When it comes to music and putting a release out on vinyl, (or cutting a dubplate) cost a fair amount of money so if you're going to invest the money into that you have to be sure the music is top notch. The other aspect of the digitalization of the music industry is that its created this immediate consumerism where everyone sort just gobbles the latest and greatest down their throats and then promptly awaits the next course.
I remember when I was in my late teens / early twenties going to the local record shop every week to check out the new releases. When it comes to indy labels and obscure music you have to be there often because limited copies can sell quick and you'll miss out if you're not on top of your game. But, I also remember the sense of inclusion and community I felt there. I met so many other local dj's who I learned quite a bit from. Not just about DJ'ing, but about running a club night, promotion, social and political etiquete, and much, much more. But, the record shop went under thanks to the inflating costs of importing records, rent, and the rise of digitalization. Those communities dissipated off and I was left with ordering my records from a vendor out of the United Kingdom whom I have never met and know very little about.
So as I wrote these post cards I saw this as a nod to those older days. I'm not saying they're better I'm just appreciating the experience and what I learned. I really appreciated writing out each name, address, and personal note to everyone by hand. I feel like it carries so much more weight than sending an email or a text message. I just hope that everyone can read my hand writing.

The Beach

Today we kept it simple. I spent the morning writing, reflecting, and looking into other job prospects since my schedule has been open. After that Alex and I rolled over to Kamaole Beach to  go for a swim. From when I first considered coming back to my actual arrival here I have had a strong desire to swim in the ocean. No scratch that. It's been almost more of a primal urge churning in my head as though the ocean was calling me back here.
Sitting on the beach with Alex we had a really nice talk about the beach, and how swimming in the ocean was a cleansing experience. A spiritual experience. I thought about when I was a little kid and how much I loved going to my extended family's summer house in South Kingstown, RI. Running up and down the shore and jumping in and out of the waves. But, as a teenager my viewpoint changed, and I remember hating the beach. I hated the fact that sand would get into everything. It wasn't until I was in my early-mid twenties that I rediscovered my love of the ocean. Upon this rekindling I have found deeper appreciation, inspiration, and gratitude for the grains of sand against my feet; the movement of the waves; the sun against my skin and disappearing behind the clouds; the pure experience of being at the beach.

Tuesday Tastings

This morning after Dropping off Jo at work Alex returned with some amazing goodies for breakfast from a spot called Zippys, which is a Hawaiian 24hour fast food joint. The above lovely pastries are called Malasadas, and they're originally a Portuguese dish. These ones however, had a Hawaiian twist! The far right was plain and was very similar to fried dough you get at a carnival. The middle was filled with a custard creme, and the left was filled with a haupia creme. Haupia is made from coconuts and has a sweet tangy flavor. These are definitely not something to miss out on!

Later on that day Alex and I went out to grab some lunch at one of my favorite spots I have ever come into contact with, The Geste Shrimp Truck. They have the recipe on lock! Every style they do is awesome, but hands down my favorite is the Spicy Pineapple! Its sweet and spicy, and it will leave you licking your fingers clean. The macaroni crab salad that's served up along side it is pretty damn good too! For anyone that's thinking about coming to visit Maui the Geste Shrimp truck is a mandatory stop.

Revisiting Ho'okipa

Early this afternoon I had my interview over at the Community College of Maui. I think it went well, but I'll keep my fingers crossed to hear back soon about a second round interview. I'm always uncomfortable when it comes to being interviewed. I'm not one to try and "sell myself" to people. I've always had more of a walk softly with a big stick kind of attitude. But, I think its experiences like these that force me to come out of that shell. Whether I get the position or not I'm still happy to have had this opportunity. And, just as I was about to leave for the interview today the box I shipped from home arrived. I was quite excited since this meant that I didn't need to go buy another bottle of sunblock, shaving cream, etc... and that I finally had my bathing suit and back up hard drive.

The other night Jo brought me down to Ho'okipa Beach Park, which is such a beautiful place. I remember coming here when I came to Maui for the first time about a year and half ago. It's hard to tell from these pictures, but the waves were huge, at least 10 feet high. We sat there eating apples watching the surfers ride the waves. If you look closely at the sunset pic you can see little specs on the water towards the bottom right, those are surfers waiting for the right wave.
As I reflected on the previous paragraph I thought about how these surfers might be a reflection of our own lives. How we sometimes wait around for something to happen, like the surfers waiting for a wave. Then when its time  we step up and move all at once, like a surfer paddling with and riding the wave. Everything is a fluid movement. It's not separated into bits or pieces. There's just a fluidity to everything. I found myself wondering do beginnings and endings truly exist? Is life just a fluid movement?

808 All Day

While I was out running errands the other day I made time to pick up a couple 808 All Day tees. I'm a big supporter of local business and really like the design work they've been putting out. So I stopped by their store front over in the Queen Ka'ahumanu Shopping Center. For those who don't know 808 is Hawaii's area code. But, there's also another side to this shirt for beat junkies, DJ's, and music lovers like myself. Back in 1980 the music company Roland introduced a piece of equipment called the Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer (rhythm composer is a fancy way of saying drum machine), or the "808" for short. The 808 was known for its unique sound bank, and many dance/hiphop music producers use it because the bass drum sound produces extremely low frequencies. Other notable sounds in the kit include the handclap, snare, and cowbell. I love how this idiom sort of connects me back home to Boston and music. As I wrap up this post I'm thinking I should provide an example of what the 808 sounds like so that for those of you who aren't familiar can understand (make sure you have some good speakers to listen on). Just below I've posted a pic what the Roland TR-808 looks like.

So before playing the video below I'm warning you that the vocal snippets in this song are not appropriate for children. However, that being said I think that the song itself is a good example that showcases the sounds of the TR-808. I'm also using this as an opportunity to showcase the work of a friend who is great producer and DJ. The tune is by Addison Groove (a.ka. Tony Williams) a friend of mine from Bristol, UK. I've know Tony since 2007 when he first came to DJ for us in Boston under his other moniker Head Hunter. He's a great guy so its a pleasure to use his work as an example especially because I know he owns an actual 808. You can hear the classic kick, clap, snare, hats, and more in his tune "Bad Things" embedded below. The tune was released by a small independent label called 50weapons on his Transistor Rhythm EP.       (FINAL WARNING; EXPLICIT LYRICS)

Rhythm

Now that I'm here in Maui there's been a stillness. I had most of today all to myself thanks to the fact that my good friends had the joy of working. The morning was spent drinking the dunkin donuts coffee I brought with me, courtesy of great people back east. Then I went over some interview questions and topics I thought might come up on Monday. But after that I was left to face an emptiness. I felt extremely uncomfortable, which I think was because I had nothing to do per se. It was making me quite uneasy just sitting on the couch facing a blank wall, still I sat there examining my mind trying to figure out where it was coming from. I don't know if it actually disolved away, or if it retreated into a deeper abyss within me. At that point I decided to go for a walk down the road to the shore. Along the way I was greeted by the mountains. When I reached the beach my friends had told me about I was a bit surprised. It wasn't quite what I expected. It was covered in rocks and driftwood. This wasn't a bad thing by any means. I found a spot to sit down and faced the ocean watching the waves. I still didn't know what I was looking for. Nonetheless, I enjoyed listening to the rhythm of the waves gently meeting the shore. I sat there for over an hour, just listening, just watching. Then I walked back up the road alone. My friends would be returning from work soon.

Final Destination

As the sun came up over the Bay area this morning I loaded my bags into the back of Andy's car. Before piling in and heading over to SFO I snapped a photo of us, and then it was time. I almost didn't make my flight because I had to go back to the ticket counter to get a hard copy of a boarding pass. Note to remember; apparently TSA won't scan your cell phone. But, I made it to my gate just in time and settled in for the five and half hour flight to Honolulu, and then a brief thirty minute flight to my final destination, Kahului.

I'm actually here. I made it. I stepped off the plane in Kahului, and my friend Jo came to pick me up. She greeted me with a big hug. Then we went back to her place to drop off my bags, and suit up for the  beach. However, a box that I had shipped before I left Boston had not arrived so I had to borrow a pair of trunks from her fiancé Alex. We hit the beach as you can see. While we were in the water we saw whales off in the distance. They would come up out of the water every so often. We could just see their dorsal fins and water being spouted out of their blow holes. I was pretty amazed. 

Seriously though, I fly 5000 miles away from everything I've ever known to this tiny little island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and when I get off the plane I see whales!? I've never seen a fucking whale in my entire life! Not to sound cheesy, but the way that everything has sort of just fallen into place for me to end up here has left me speechless. And, when I was in the ocean I had another bout of laughter that was just so intense. My friend Jo started asking me if everything was okay. I was practically on the verge of laugh-crying. You know when you laugh so hard tears start rolling down your face. I kept thinking to myself; "I'm here, I'm really here."

After a quick dip in the ocean we stopped by this place called the Coconut Fish Cafe for a quick snack. We grabbed an order of coconut shrimp, which came with this amazing pineapple sweet & sour dipping sauce. It was the one. Trust. 

I was so beat from traveling all day. My internal clock was just about fried at this point, but I felt really good inside. I was proud I had made it this far. I even had some good news to share with my friends over dinner tonight. I received an email asking me to come in for an interview at the University of Hawaii - Maui Community College Campus on Monday. Even if I don't get the job I feel honored to be called in for an interview. The past 10 days of traveling have been so surreal. I really can't think of any other way to describe the experience. And, although I'm far away from everything I know, slightly missing family, friends, and the regularities of Boston I can honestly say my heart feels at home.

Watching the Ships Roll In

I spent Wednesday catching up on organizing, backing up my photos and just taking it easy. No plans, no running around to meet up with people, nothing scheduled. I thought about what I was doing, where I was going. Why am I here? I'm not even sure I know what I'm looking for at this point. I do know that I have enjoyed everything thus far. My experience has been so clairvoyant that it feels almost overwhelming at times. On my last full day in the Bay area I went down to the docks near Andy's place. Walking around there was so intense for some reason. At one point the water was so calm I felt as though I could have walked on it. There was little to no conversation between myself and Andy as we walked side by side. There were moments where I could barely control my laughter as I read off the names of some of the boats docked. I'm not sure why I was laughing so hard. But, it was just so intense. All of it. Finally, on my walk back home I stopped to take the picture below as the sun disappeared behind the Pacific. I didn't modify the picture at all, and I snapped it with my phone. In fact all the photos I've posted here so far have been taken with only my phone.

Tonight, I feel like I was able to conceptualize something that has been making me very uncomfortable. We only have so much time here. What do we do with it? Why do we not keep this at the forefront of our consciousness? Is it because we don't want to confront it? These thoughts reminded me of a point during my undergrad years when I lived in Allston. The place I lived in was a bit shady, and I was in a very unhappy state of mind. But, one day while riding the B line into the city I suddenly noticed the warmth of the sun hitting the back of my neck. At that moment I had such a deep appreciation for that warmth, for the sun, and for being aware.

Old Friends Know Best

So once 7pm rolled around it was time to meet up with some more old friends. We first linked up at this really cool spot called Latin American Club, which was located at 3286 22nd Street between Valencia and Mission. It's kind of a dive bar with some really interesting decor. Definitely a spot with a cool vibe that I would recommend hitting on an off night (I'm sure the place gets crazy on the weekends). After raising a glass to reconnecting, our health, and to new adventures it was time to get some truly authentic Mexican food in the heart of San Francisco's Mission district. We were off to hit this little hole in the wall called Taqueria Cancún, and it was the one. I ordered a regular burrito, which you can see part of in the pic above. However, my friend Andy got this crazy burrito with enough sour cream, salsa, and guacamole to make the Mexican flag as you can see below. They make a mean salsa too! Definitely a solid 8/10 in my book, and I would certainly roll through here again next time I come to SF.   

San Francisco and Space

After hitting Skull and Sword we had some more time to kill so we went up to The Mission to walk around and explore the neighborhood. As we walked around I found this parking lot that was full of graffiti on both sides of the walls. The graffiti was incredibly bright as though it had just been done. It reminded me of when I was in LA and there was street art, and graff everywhere I looked. Again, I'm not sure what was legal and what wasn't but I noticed this all over SF. I think having more spaces like this in Boston would create a larger and stronger community of artists and/or creative people. As well as bring more color and excitement to the city.

The King's Highway Ends with a Skull and Sword

This afternoon i went with Andy out to Palo Alto while he took care of a few things. After he finished up we drove over to downtown Palo Alto and walked around looking for a place to grab lunch. We ended up  at this little Mediterranean spot called Cafe 220, and I'll say this, they make a serious falafel wrap. It was flavorful with just a little kick of spice and it didn't get soggy by the time I was down to the bottom. After that we jumped back into the car and decided to drive into San Francisco because I was planning on meeting up with some friends later on the evening. I also wanted to check out a few other things while I was in the city. But, rather than dashing up the freeway we chose to take the scenic route up; El Camino Real. Click Here to learn why El Camino Real, a.k.a. The Kings Highway is so important. 

Since I wasn't meeting up with friends until later on for dinner I took advantage of the time to go stop by Skull and Sword to buy a tee, and see if I could get a picture with Grime, unfortunately he wasn't there. However, i did snag a tee and I got to chat with Lango, (another artist who works at the shop) for a moment while his client was on the phone. I told him I was just passing through SF on my way from Boston to Maui and wanted to come by the shop. He was really cool, professional, and laid back. My love of tattoos and excitement for being in such a well established shop made me feel like a deer in headlights mixed with a kid in a candy store. Oh yeah and the pic above... Well there's no sign to mark where the shop is. I walked up and down Caesar Chavez Street about four times before I found it. I figured this would be appropriate in case anybody else goes looking for it.

Back Yard with a View

This morning after waking up quite a bit early followed by 3 cups of coffee Andy and I walked down the road from his place to what was basically his back yard, or Half Moon Bay State Beach. This was my 3rd or 4th time here and I really enjoy the diversity in the landscape, which ranges from the beach to flat grassy straights, and rolling hills. Its one of the many aspects that seems to draw me back here. It's truly a beautiful place. On some mornings the fog is so thick you can't see more than a few feet in front of you. 

Later on that afternoon we drove down to San Mateo to run a few errands. I snapped a quick shot of the side street above that intersected with El Camino Real, which is this incredibly long street/highway that runs through a pretty decent part of California down to Mexico. I was pretty amazed at how many churches/missions we drove past on El Camino Real. It didn't hit me until after this just how much influence the Spanish Catholic church had in the formation of the state of California and the west coast.

Welcome to the Bay Area

I left Los Angeles around 1:45pm today and landed in the Bay area around 3pm. I had arranged to stay with my good friend Andy, whom I've known since I was a sophomore in high school. He lives about a half hour outside of San Francisco, and on our way back to his place we stopped for some amazing Thai food at this spot called The White Elephant, located in Half Moon Bay. The Tom Ka (coconut chicken soup) on the left was fantastic! It was hot, fresh, and had a perfect balance of flavor that didn't overdue the coconut, but was highlighted with a hint of ginger. I followed that up with some Thai Fried rice, which was just the right spice I was in the mood for. You can also see the panang curry Andy ordered in the background of that photo, which was also super solid. I was really happy to reconnect with Andy, and to meet his 9 month old baby girl. I really love coming together with people over food. It's pretty hard to beat.

Reflections on Los Angeles

While I was trekking through the city of Los Angeles one thing I noticed was how spread out everything was, especially in comparison to Boston. It was vital in owning a car if you wanted to go anywhere. From what I gathered the public transit system is pretty subpar. Besides the urban sprawl I also noticed the use of space. Notice in the picture above where you can see how the walls have been covered in artwork. As I travelled through different neighborhoods in LA I noticed that there was artwork everywhere. This was something that was very different from back home. However, I'm not sure what was a legitimate use of space versus graffiti. But, the point I'm getting at here is that what I saw really added life and color to the surrounding environment. I wish we had more designated spaces for creativity like this back home. The only space I could think of was the alley way by Central Kitchen in Central Square in the city of Cambridge where different artists come and paint the alleyway every few months.

On a different note I got to spend a few days with the little guy pictured above. Over the past few years I haven't had any interest in having a dog, or cat, or any other kind of pet for that matter. But, after hanging out and playing with this little monster I started to reconsider. While he fetched his favorite rope toy around the house and in the yard I thought about when I was a kid, and about the pets I had. It definitely brought me back to feeling like a kid again so much so I might actually look into getting myself a dog in the not so distant future.

I wanted to post this pic up of Mike and I to prove that I was actually in Los Angeles (thanks Annie), and although neither of us look to ecstatic it's only because we hadn't had any coffee yet. One of the things I wish I had done more of before I left home was to snap pictures with family and friends.

I have one more thing to reflect on that crossed my mind. Not to far from my friend's place is an elementary school. Now being an outsider I didn't know much about the school or the community. However, a few mornings when I woke up I observed the parents walking their children to school, and I would say that 99.9% of them were of Latino/Latina descent. Yet, the dynamics of the neighborhood seemed to reflect something very different in comparison. From what I noticed, and as Mike put it; "the neighborhood is mostly white girls who wear Lululemon." I'm not judging or making any assumptions, but I'm curious to know if that in fact the neighborhood is made up this way, and if so how far are these parents and children traveling to come to school. Why is it that way? I wish I had more time to learn and explore the dynamics of the area, but unfortunately I only had time to catch a brief glimpse.

Last Day In LA

This Saturday morning was bittersweet since I know that after breakfast Mike and Annie will be driving me to the LAX. But, I really can't complain because my trip has simply been absolutely amazing from the moment I decided to take this risk. My stay with my friends has been fantastic. They were great hosts, and I always love catching up with them. So once we were all up and looking pretty we rolled out to one of their favorite breakfast spots called Kitchen 24 where I ordered this massive plate pictured above. Everything was spot on! Hash browns were lightly seasoned, crispy, and not greasy. Eggs were sunny side up, and the pancakes were so perfect so much so that even aunt Jemima would be proud. The sausage was actually chicken sausage and really good, but it wasn't quite my thing. Nonetheless it was probably better for my arteries.

Earlier in the week a discussion between Annie and myself arose about the new Lays Sriracha flavored chips versus the Doritos Tapatío chips. Well she went out and brought me some evidence to examine in regards to that, and Im proud to say that the Tapatío Doritos are hands down the one. For those of you who like spicy grab a bag!

Los Angeles Day 3

Day three of course involved more food. There was early morning coffee followed by a trip to Fatburger once our hunger kicked in. I debated about taking on their XXXL burger challenge, but I had plans in the evening and I wasn't looking to induce cardiac arrest just yet. I went with a medium sized burger  (lettuce, tomato, onions, cheese & a fried egg) and a side a fries. In my opinion their burger beats the infamous In & Out. It was raining outside so I spent most of the daylight hours indoors catching up on emails, and working on a few other things I needed to finish for work. Then later on that evening it was off for some Korean BBQ with my homie Grace! She does great illustration and design work. Click here to check out some of her stuff!

I met up with Grace for a good old catch up session. We hit this all you can eat Korean BBQ spot in Downtown LA / Little Tokyo called Manna BBQ. I hadn't been to Korean BBQ in a long time so I let Grace take the lead on what to order (she's also Korean American and seemed very familiar with everything so therefore when in Rome...). She was no stranger and got to working the propane powered grill at our table like a pro! Before doing anything she began greasing the grill with a cube of fat (you can see it in the pic above), and the next thing I knew she was slicing & dicing everything up! Once we were finished and I thought I couldn't eat another thing she decides to take me to this pastry puff spot called Beard Papa. I some how made room to take down one of those cream puffs. I ordered a vanilla cream puff, which was filled on order. Wow! This was serious! The cream wasn't heavy like a boston creme pie custard, it was just right. I even picked up a few to bring back to the house.

It should be no surprise at how much I love food; whether its an old fashioned American classic like a cheese burger, or trying something new like chicken feet. As I reflected back on my experience that night not only did I really enjoy catching up with Grace, but something else really stood out at me. That I really appreciate how food brings people together. How it acts as a centerpiece and starting point for conversation. Through my own personal history food has played such an important role to me for as long as I can remember.

Los Angeles Day 2

I was definitely feeling the jet-lag my second morning in Los Angeles. I was up around 5am and wide-awake so I pulled out my laptop and jumped online to check my email and catch up on a few things. While it was going to be sunny and 60 degrees here on the west coast I found out that back home my friends and family had been greeted with about 2ft of snow. Not going to lie, I was pretty happy I missed out on shoveling!

Once I was dressed and ready to roll we headed around the corner to grab a bite at this spot called the 101 Coffee Shop. I ordered the "Rush Hour Special" for $6.25, which was perfect for the money. It was a no nonsense breakfast that seriously filled me up. The eggs were eggs, the pancakes were on point, and the sausage patties were really thin, which I was digging. Overall, for 6 bucks you can't really beat it. Plus the inside is where they filmed a scene from the movie Swingers.

1st Day in LA

My first morning in Los Angeles was pleasant. I wasn't too jet-lagged either waking up around 6:30am after crashing out at about 10:30pm the night before. Now that the crazy hustle and bustle of tying up all my loose ends back home was just about done I was ready to take some time to decompress. I didn't have specific plans once I got into LA except to connect with a few friends who lived in town. So after showering and good cup of coffee I rode along with Mike while he ran a few errands near downtown. After that we rolled into this spot called Wurstküche, which served up some serious sausage links!

My apologies for the pic above being a little blurry. I only had my iphone on me and I was a bit overwhelmed by the selection. I ended up ordering the Filipino Maharlika, which was a sweet pork sausage. I got it with spicy peppers and caramelized onions. I was thoroughly impressed, and debated about ordering another! We split an order of their Belgian fries, which came with an amazing curry ketchup, and blue cheese walnut and bacon dipping sauce! If you're in the area I highly recommend stopping in for a bite!