December is non-stop

I was surprised at my ability to hang with partying on Saturday night and waking up early for brunch, a football game and bar hopping well into the evening. But I am tired! Last weekend was even better at Point Lobos, Carmel to enjoy the sunshine and ocean air. We went with the BF, my sister and her BF for a surreal hike through hidden beaches, China Cove, Granite Point and other sites along the coastal trail. Funny how fast the weather can change around here though!My stupid computer deleted my pictures or I would have posted them here. Ugh! But I have a couple of pics from the Los Amigos Invisibles concert last week. Enjoy!

Dia de los Muertos

It's a Mexican tradition, the "Day of the Dead"- when the dead are not just remembered but death is celebrated and highlighted as a natural part of life's cycle. In honor of the dead, altars are constructed with objects, gifts, and other things that commemorate our loved one's life. It's also believed that the dead 'visit' on this day and many of the effects on display at the altars are meant to welcome visitors from beyond.

Creepy.

Anyway, enjoy the pictures from the U.S.'s largest such festival, the Fruitvale's Dia de los Muertos celebration in Oakland, CA. Although SF's march through the Mission and altars at Garfield Square are also pretty cool, but a little gentrified these days. This is the closest you'll get to an authentic experience outside of Latin America.

Halloween

Tickles and Bubbles have a little champagne before starting the night. Although, we should have taken more pics as the makeup got pretty gnarly as the night wore on.

I'm not known for my love of dressing up for Halloween, but I did manage to come up with a cool concept for this year while in Mexico shopping for ceramic Dia de los Muertos dolls.

We got a late start but had time to kick it at Lisa's in her cute sailor costume to have a little champagne. Next was Jose's place in Russian Hill for the Rock Band party. Hence the photo of Tickles singing some 'Pixie's' song with Sister Chan on guitar and Elmo on drums. Wow. The night ended at El Balazo where not only were we partying with gorillas, devils, superheros, and fairies but my boy Sam got his 3/4 full bottle of tequila snatched by a fake fur wearing wanna be gangsta'. Ha, ha! Was a fun night.

Tulum, Mexico

Following the tropical storm the day before, snorkeling in Puerto Morelos was out. Instead, we headed south toward the ancient Maya cities of Tulum- a strategically placed coastal city important in Pre-Colombian times for trade and further inland to climb the temples at Coba. Some photos below.

Merida, Quintana Roo

Here's some pictures from one of the first and largest colonial era cities in the Yucatan, Merida. The architecture, people and food were amazing. See for yourselves.

Puerto Morelos, Yucatan

All Terrain Fun

Our first day in Mexico was punctuated by two things, thundershowers and ATV's. We didn't stay in Cancun as we were fleeing from the resorts, tourists, souvenir shops and other tourist traps. Instead we rented a condo just two blocks from the 'strip' in Playa del Carmen. The town is one of the fastest growing cities in the country if not the world. With mega-resorts and condo development, the quaint city with boutique hotels lined along Quinta (5th) Avenida resembles something more like San Francisco's Pier 39 but with turquoise water, white sand beaches and local police/federales carrying M-16's.

We drove north to Puerto Morelos and happened upon an outfit that offered a virtually unsupervised ATV tour on brand new ATV's and a swim in a Cenote- a natural water swim hole where it's rumored that the Maya's sacrificed virgins. I went swimming before I noticed the bats in the cave and heard about the sacrifices. We ended the day by zip lining into the bigger cenote and splashing through the rough terrain in the rain, freakin' awesome!


Ziplining into the cenote (yep, that's me!)

The Riviera Maya

Mexico was a blast, even moreso because I decided to disconnect completely. Unlike the Thailand vacation- there was no time to sit in front of a computer, upload pictures and comment on Facebook. Instead we took the 9 days and lived them to the fullest.

I'm battling a virus so I haven't processed all the pics, but here's a few my friends took while we we made our way throughout the Yucatan, on ATV's, swimming, hiking and climbing ruins. More pics and narrative to follow.

(Above: our requisite REI pose)

(Below: Coba Ruins, Yucatan)
Here we are sitting atop the tallest pyramid in the Yucatan, from here you can see the wild eastern portion of the state, just a one hour drive from the seaside city of Tulum. Is that a UFO?

Friends with XX's

Inevitably, the new love interest doesn't quite like time I spend now and then with the ex, at the movies, at dinner, with family- it's a point of contention. So I had to ask, to ex or not to ex?

The b.f. and I had a pretty hilarious debate some weeks ago. "What's more intimate, going to the movies or having a drink with the ex"? The answer to me is pretty obvious- the atmosphere may be dark and quiet at the movies, but there's no alcohol and very little conversation or face to face time. It was an easy win. But the deeper truth of it is that either situation is precarious- it opens up the possibility that the ex may be called upon once again for comfort, friendship, a tryst- what have you. Spending time could be misconstrued by the other person- or used as an opportunity to test their former mate and how serious things may be with the new person. In extreme cases, maybe even sabotage. Hmmm.

It boils down to how much you trust your partner I fathom, and how open communication is between all parties involved. It can get pretty messy, I suspect downright hurtful- I'm having trouble with the whole thing and as the ex and I discussed (hell yes we talked about it)- why throw away a friendship/relationship that's lasted for over a decade to appease someone who's only been in your life a few months? I think it's even more complicated than that though. I love this guy and want him to know it- I show him rather than tell him- this would be one way to show him, I know. You already dumped the guy, now just walk away. Oy- seems cold.

I love the ex very much too, just in a different way- I don't want to hurt either of them so here I am- vexed. I hope the b.f. will just trust. I want things to work out between us- I am going to see how things go for now, but damn it- I feel bad!

More juggling

Okay, so I'm not juggling guys- I'm juggling projects. Freakin' swamped at work so not much blogging these days. Despite this, I'm still managing to get some free time after work to check out different bars and restaurants.

Here's a couple in the 'hood you don't want to miss...

The Broken Record is in the Excelsior district (yes, that's still in San Francisco) and sports a great selection of whiskey's, scotches and ryes not to mention beers on tap that change often. You'll find PBR on tap too and my boy Sam had a boilermaker or two when we were there last week. Thursdays are a good day to go because Vince is there...he bartends at Beretta in the Mission some days of the week.

After several drinks and me whooping his ass in air hockey TWICE! we headed to Club Bottoms Up where I had something called the Dragon Slayer. My head still hurts. I almost smashed into the street bikes parked in front of the place as I stumbled out of there, but the bartenders are the sheezy and the place has nice flat screen tv's and an upscale vibe with not too ghetto of a crowd. Definitely a great place to kick it after work.

Be back with more of the scoop soon!

MoreTravel Shots

It's official, me and the team are headed to the Yucatan, otherwise known as the Riviera Maya. On this 9-day trip, we expect to see various Mayan temples, explore major cities during the Colonial period and of course, check out the beaches and eco-tours to catch up on our diving.

In anticipation of the pre-classical Mayan architecture we are going to see next month, I thought I would post some of the sites from my last vacation. In the meantime, this meztiza is having beach dreams again...

Coconut Noodle Soup

I was feeling like a little comfort food so last night I hung out with my favorite Burmese family for a little On Noh Kauswer (Oh No! Kaw Sway). This traditional Burmese dish brings back memories of long nights sitting around the kitchen table talking shit with my ex'es family in Burmese, Cantonese and English while eating until my eyes rolled into the back of my head. My kitchen Burmese is pretty shoddy but I got my steaming hot bowl of noodles covered in just the right amount of simmered chicken with curry, egg noodles, onion, egg, and blood sausage- yeah baby!

After about a decade of sitting around the kitchen table slurping noodles together, I realize it's time to move on. Although I love my ex-boyfriend's family and that I feel like a part of it, I'll never really BE a part of it. What we had is over and it became even more apparent as I sat there with him eating our noodles in silence.- there's really nothing more to say. At least I can take my kitchen Burmese and it's secrets with me.

Authentic Burmese
For a traditional Burmese eating experience, check out Burma Superstar. The wait is usually about 2 hours, but luckily this restaurant is conveniently located on a busy and crowded section of Clement St. in the Richmond District. I advise you to sign your name and write your cell phone number next to it on the clipboard hanging on the wall and go check out Green Apple Books, Kamei (a HUGE houseware store that rivals Ikea's dish selection (and prices)) and a ton of cafe's, creperies and other interesting things to keep you busy and hungry for your Burmese feast.

North Beachin' It

It's been a little busy at work so I've been staying away from the computer. But at last, some quiet time at home to catch you up on the last days of summer in the City.

The great weather made it a fun time to hit the town, North Beach was the destination this time. Seeking outdoor adventure and a little entertainment, last Friday I finally got to see my comadre and her husband. Can I just say, I love caipirinha's? Mangarosa still has the best. After catching D.L. Hughley at Cobb's, we all headed to Vesuvio's for post-comedy show drinks. My guy had the brilliant idea to stop at Stella's for creampuffs, eclair's and other assorted desserts. Mmmm! I love Friday nights in the City! I especially loved that the city was practially empty given the long weekend, Burning Man and other activities that drew the crowds away from the city.

Later in the weekend I found myself trying to recover from sipping sangria, lychee martinis, and as the night wore on, doing shots of vodka, Patron and for T- Tiger Balls (WTF)? My head still hurts....at least his dragon boat buddies were more fun to kick it with than the hillbilly we encountered the following day at his other boy's Labor Day BBQ. Have you ever seen a drunk hillbilly tossing BBQ ribs onto the front lawn while trying to play a hand of poker? Wish I had taken pictures...

Princeton by the Sea

This weekend found this meztiza in the fog, looking for fire pits and fine brews after a frolick on the beach. No matter how sunny the rest of the Bay looks, you can count on the fog in Half Moon Bay. It was even sunny in Pacifica!

Brunch was absolutely amazing at 3 Zero Cafe although the biscuits weren't all that and the Yelp reviews are right, the owner's sense of humor is a bit 'off color'. I overheard him make a comment to the Indian man sitting at the next table over about 'his Hindu princess'. Oy. Despite all this, the food was fresh, service was friendly and prompt and the drive along the 1 made it worthwhile. This might be our favorite breakfast place for a while...and so close to my place!

We tried going to the Moss Beach Distillery but it was closed for a private party. Instead we ended up passing the afternoon next to the big fire pit at the Moss Beach Brewing Co. Ideal for passing the time sampling the various Maverick brews while cozying up to a fire and chatting about nothing in particular. The evening ended with clam chowder in bread bowls and calamari. Not too shabby for a Sunday afternoon in the fog.

I'm Strait

Felt like lounging tonight so I met my girlfriend at Straits in the Westfield Shopping Center. I like what they did with the space, with cavernous ceilings, exposed brick, modern decor infused with a pan-Asian style. Lots of light filters through vinyl coated glass panes to diffuse the light. It's a comfie place to kick back and have a few drinks and...the drinks are STIFF. I ordered the Maker's Manhattan (I'm digging Maker's lately) and it kind of messed me up a little. I should have stopped drinking there but was thirsty so, I ordered another drink- should have stuck with the water, he, he. But whatever, this girl is going to work really hard this week so I figured I might as well live it up a little.

Stick to the Drinks
The last couple of times I've been here the drinks have been better than the food and the service is well, moody- what can I say. The sauce for the ribs was a tad on the sweet side and not a lot of flavor as I'm used to. The corn fritter thing was too sweet (I know, corn is SUPPOSED to be sweet) but this was too much and the Samosas were a bit soggy and flavorless instead of being crispy outside, soft and subtly flavored on the inside. Crabcakes had no spice either. I thought I'd give the food another chance but this meztiza is finished with the food here- the food court downstairs has better food options and therefore is a better value. I hear good things about Lark Creek next door though and may stop by that bar next time and nibble on appetizers while I'm at it. At least my drink was good!

Rocked the Bells

Yesterday's concert at the Shoreline featured some of the biggest and baddest names in 90's hip-hop, when it was raw, real, and rugged.

We caught the tail end of De la Soul, but managed to see the rest of the lineup including Method Man and Redman of the Wu Tang Clan, The Pharcyde, Mos Def, Nas and Q-tip/Tribe Called Quest.

The weather was perfect, we had some kick ass seats and the company was good. All in all, it was a fine weekend in the Bay.

The music was so loud it made our noses itch and our chests thump- I haven't heard bass like that since I was in high school rolling with my boys and their beat booming in their cars (remember bazookas)?

Needless to say, it brought back some memories of the high school days and how much music has changed, especially hip-hop. I believe one of the performers announced yesterday that he's tired of hearing people say that "50 is the best lyricist out there'...the crowd laughed and boo'ed at the notion. And 50 thought he was gansta.

Anyhow, check out some of the photos from the show.


My folks: Kickin' it with my oldest friend in the world- G-Money. And I don't mean she's the oldest, I mean the longest...ha, ha.

I also managed to get myself almost thrown out of the concert- that happens a lot these days, getting picked up by random guys, lol.

Rush Hour, Bangkok

Thailand, August 6, 2008

Hayes Valley-Girl

So not all of you know this, but I lived in Hayes Valley in the mid-90's when this community sported lived in storefronts, pimps and their hos (Rappin' 4-tay would drive by in his ragtop Caddie on the regular) and was at the end of the Central Freeway. Despite some challenges, there was a real community here that watched each other's kids on the block and loved Powell's Place chicken and black-eyed peas, and peach cobbler (Powell's relocated to the Jazz Preservation District and subsequently closed deep in rent arrears- but that's another story) and really felt like part of the Fillmore when I was here. The Afrikan boutique sold champa and reggae and you could find plenty of parking and cheap eats in the area. (Glad to see the drag bar Marlena's is still here) and that Flippers burgers survived the hipsterfication of the neighborhoodm (worked there as a waitress for a week before I figured out that the owner was an ass). But let's go back to the 90's for a moment: the shadows cast by the freeway were only superceded by the ones cast by the social disinvestment- little did they know- the little junk shop selling Star Trek figurines and Dungeons and Dragons would move over so economic development could have a turn.

As I strolled to City Hall from Haight and Laguna yesterday, I took the scenic route, down Hayes Street to check out some of my favorite spots like the German 'soup kitchen' Suppenkuche and Frijtz (which just opened its relocated business next door). Let's not mention Place Pigalle, where I spent too many underage nights drinking Rolling Rock and shooting pool). I was curious as to what other businesses sprung up since the last time I played at Lang and took the team to Hayes Street for beers and pizza.

I think I like the european spots (above). Both sport Belgian and German ales, and a menu that's sure to carbo-load the girls enough so you won't see them for the rest of the week as they're burning off the cals on the Marina green. But anyway...

I bring up Hayes Street because like many darlings of the dot.com and hipsterfication, it's also going through some hard times. The SALE, SALE, SALE signs were everywhere. Frijtz was forced to relocate because the landlord wanted much, much, much more rent so we lost the patio in the back...the old location is papered over. The market across the street is now covered in Mirkarimi signs...and a photo gallery...how long are these businesses going to last? And without any chains (Hayes Valley merchants based a formula retail ban in 2005). So I ask, what is going to happen to the brave entrepreneurs that took a chance on this transitional neighborhood? It's up to you I guess.

Loca(vore) for Asopao

Gracias Sam for the Asopao! For those uninitiated in the Puerto Rican art of cooking- it's artistic "looking" anyway...asopao is a combination of soup and paella, hearty, tasty and of course, home made. I love it when men get in the kitchen. It's such a production, even with a one-dish meal.

Kidding aside, I couldn't help but think, how easy are we that when a man offers to cook, the women flock? If you cook it, they will come. We had a good time, thanks Sammy, you can cook for me anytime.

P.S. And no, I didn't pull my Thailand pictures off Google cabron! (not like this picture, cuz your dinner looked nothing like this...). It's all love hermano!