happy new year...

Wishing everyone a great 2011! Hopefully I'll write more...

mike singletary...

A great linebacker and probably a good man, but that doesn't translate to head coaching success in the NFL...

merry christmas...

Just had Christmas dinner with my nephew and his girlfriend- it was fantastic!

merry christmas eve...

Need to write more and more consistently on my blog...

1 california bus...

It's nearly 11:30pm and I'm surprised how many riders are still going outbound from the Financial District to Chinatown to Nob Hill and beyond...

a cool rainy evening in the city...

We need the rain and most everything looks clean and fresh...

Therefore, I like this kind of night with light rain...

rn74...

Marko Sotto who used to be the bartender extraordinaire @ Aqua is the GM @ Michael Mina's RN74...

The beignets are very good @ the joint...

25 lusk...

Probably the hottest place in the City @ this moment in time...

I want to thank Sonia Molodetskaya for recommending this place to me a month or so ago...

It's simply a phenomenal place...

blue valentine...

I saw the film @ Sundance last January and I see that it will open @ the end of the year.

Stars Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams are nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor and an Actress in a Motion Picture- Drama. Williams was also nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead.

The film can be difficult to watch, but the acting is sensational. I believe Ryan Gosling is one the best young actors around today...

hospice...

To me, when I hear someone is in a hospice, it saddens me because I know their death is imminent. Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller was put in a hospice recently and a few days later, he passed away...

in 1996, my Uncle Henry was put in a hospice and he died a day or so later. Just last April, my Aunt Eloise was put under hospice care and she succumbed few days later...

I hate to hear the word hospice...

a friend who slept with a movie star...

I went out with a buddy last night and I was surprised that he told me he slept with Karen Allen. One of my favorite films is ANIMAL HOUSE(1978) and Allen was one of the stars. Her career peaked in the 80's with starring roles in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK(1981), STARMAN(1984), and SCROOGED(1988).

To be more correct, I'd have to say that Karen Allen is a former movie star who still acts in Hallmark Hall of Fame type of movies.

Good for him...

koshihikari echigo...

An excellent Japanese beer!

hideki matsui...

Hopefully, he signs with the A's in the next day or so...

citizen cake...

Their chocolate chip cookies are very good, as is their coffee, in which we had in a french press. Citizen Cake serves still and sparkling water from their own filtering system.

This is a table service joint. Located on Fillmore between Sacramento and California.

an ego boost...

Before heading home, I stopped off @ the Big 4 to have a bite to eat. I made small talk with an attractive 22 year old brunette who was with her 46 year old boyfriend/lover/father figure, etc... He kept leaving the bar to do something. I'm guessing something that starts with a "c" and ends with an "e"?

I don't know if she was bullshitting me, but she said I looked about 17 years younger than my real age. One hell of a compliment! But, I'm realistic. I'll take 10 years younger. Okay, 7 sounds good...

Then, as I was leaving, Madison(that's her name) said, "goodnight handsome" and rubbed her ample breasts against my arm...

Man, Madison was such an ego boost to an old fart like me...

5a5 steakhouse...

They have an excellent happy hour from 5 to 7:30 weekdays. I especially like when they have $5 french dip with au jus on thursday and friday. You can get a glass of bubbles for $5.

specialty's cafe & bakery...

Est. 1987.

Great turkey n swiss croissant! Made from sctratch and they use real turkey breast as opposed to that turkey roll bullshit...

But you have to come early or they'll sell out...

Early is before 9am. They open @ 6am on weekdays. I'm partial to the original Pine near Montgomery location.

train from san jose to the city...

It takes about 100 minutes.

One can drink alcohol on the ride.

And you can eat on the train.

I'm riding on it now and it's boring as hell...

Fuck, I wish I had my headphones on me...

resort charges @ vegas hotels...

Just stayed @ Mandalay Bay and their resort charge was $16.80. Which includes wifi in room wifi, cardio room access, daily weekday USA Today which can be picked up @ Rangoon, the Store, and The Lobby store by showing your room key, local and 800 number calls(big fucking deal, and outgoing faxes and boarding passes in the Business Center.

So when you get a good rate @ Mandalay Bay, remember to factor in the resort fee. Some of the hotel/casinos don't charge a resort fee. And the Las Vegas hotel tax is 12%.

josh duhamel...

The cat was kicked off a plane for refusing to turn off his Crackberry...

I met him @ Sundance last January and seemed like a nice kid...

However, people need to get over themselves and turn their fucking cellphones off before takeoff...

By the way, Fergie didn't look very good in person...

leaving las vegas...

Most of the time, I can't wait to blow Dodge... But this trip, I wouldn't mind sticking around another couple of days...

mandalay bay...

Definitely one of my favorite places to stay in LV...

pat burrell...

I'm surprised the Giants are bringing Burrell back for another season, but I'm happy they did...

miguel tejada...

He's past his prime, but the Giants needed a shortstop after Juan Uribe signed with the Dodgers and World Series MVP Edgar Renteria's option wasn't picked up.

It's a stop gap and we'll see if Miggie can hit in AT&T Park.

vegas...

I'm going to be headed to Las Vegas in about ten hours. Looking forward to taking the trip with my Father...

Hopefully, I won't lose my ass like most times I visit Sin City...

And after Thanksgiving, hopefully I don't get any fatter...

los gatos...

One of my favorite spots in the Bay Area...

Especially the Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company...

It's a beautiful day in LG...

happy thanksgiving...

Depending on the source, the average caloric intake for turkey day is in the 4000 calorie range...

I probably went over that mark- but what the hell, Thanksgiving is once a year...

And I love Thanksgiving!

happy 61st anniversary...

To my parents... We had a wonderful day in Monterey and Carmel!

when harry met sally...

One thing about the film that sticks in my mind is the men and women can't be friends theme...

One reason is because sex gets in the way...

I find as I've gotten older, I really enjoy having female friends and usually the sex doesn't get in the way...

And I like having dressing on the side...

leslie frazier...

He was just named interim head coach of the Minnesota Vikings after controversial Brad Childress was fired today. Frazier was the highly regarded defensive coordinator for the Vikings.

I hope Frazier gets the Vikings back together for the remainder of the season and removes that interim tag. Frazier deserves the opportunity.

hisashi iwakuma...

The Oakland A's successfully bid for the rights to the so-called 2nd best pitcher in Japan behind Yu Darvish. The notoriously cheap A's paid between $16-$18 million for Iwakuma's rights.

Now, the A's are having difficulty signing Iwakuma. He wants Barry Zito money, somewhere in the $18 million a year range. He's not worth it, but Hisashi is worth more than $3-$5 million the A's are reportedly offering him.

It looks like Iwakuma is returning to his Japanese team- the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles and the Oakland A's made a calculated gamble that won't really cost them anything. The A's don't pay the posting fee unless they sign him. Iwakuma will become a free agent next season without teams posting transfer fees...

And to my dismay, the A's probably won't sign one of my favorite players- Hideki Matsui...

marco belinelli...

He's one of the many examples how Don Nelson is a fuck up. Fat Nelson doesn't know how to develop big men and young players...

I saw Marco play in the NBA Summer League in Vegas about 4 years ago. He showed flashed of brilliance. His defense is suspect, but there's pure talent with artistry that many European players don't possess.

It's still early in the season, but Belinelli is averaging 12.7 points per game with a 47.5% shooting percentage from the field and an excellent 43.3% from the 3-pt line. 85.7 from the charity line. His ex-teammate and dining buddy @ North Beach Restaurant is shooting 14.3% from the line- I would venture to say that's the worst percentage in the history of the NBA...

I know Marco can pass the ball, but his assists per game is a paltry 1.6 per game- terrible!

Marco's play with the New Orleans Hornets contributed to the trade of Peja Stojakovic expiring contract to the Toronto Raptors.

I pull for most ex-Golden State Warriors, especially when I enjoyed their play in the NBA Summer League in Vegas...

mcrib...

Don't understand why Mickey D's McRib has such a cult following? But I want to try one of those damn things... Maybe today?

I believe I'd had one in the past, however it wasn't memorable...

hunan home's...

622 Jackson Street near Kearny...

On a cold and rainy day in the City, their hot & sour soup really hits the spot...

Hunan Home's potstickers are also good, as is their Hunan Chicken...

tsa airport screening...

I just find some of the screening procedures fucking ridiculous!

My father is 82 years old and he had a knee replacement several years ago. He has a medical card which states he has metal in his knee. But, they still put him through a screening process @ the airport that borders on insane!

They basically touch his private parts in the secondary screening. It's absurd!

I hate to stereotype, but how many 82 year old terrorists are out there? And to be race specific-how many Japanese-American 82 year old terrorists are out there? Come on?

I'm glad I don't fly as much as I did in the past, because it's a fucking pain in the ass!

But as George Clooney's character stated in UP IN THE AIR(2009), I'm the kind of cat you want to be in line behind before going through security. My shits ready to go and I'm efficient...

a divided country...

In all my years, I've never seen such a divided country...

It's very disappointing...

The wrath of that wretched person from wasilla spans to Hollywood. Her daughter is a horrible dancer and she makes the finals of Dancing With The Stars, because the people in her tribe use unethical methods to skew the vote. For example, finding ways to vote hundreds of times, when you're basically allowed 5 votes per the internet, text, and call-in. The show has become a joke since it's not rewarding honest to goodness dance talent...

Getting back to a divided country. I thought @ this point in my life, we would have evolved as a country in terms of racism.

Yes, it was historic, that a half-black man was elected president, but let's get down to details. He's also half-white. He was raised by a white mother and white grandparents.

Much of the mumbo jumbo coming out of the mouth of that witch has racist overtones. She left Hawaii where Obama was born and raised, because there were too many Asians and it made her uncomfortable...

I am just scared that this despicable person could be President of this country and it gives me nightmares...

thirsty girl event @ treasure island...

My first foray to Treasure Island was a Thirsty Girl event led by Leslie Sbrocco from Check Please! Bay Area fame...

Phenomenal event! And the view of the City from Treasure Island is astounding!

andris biedrins...

The guy is still only 24 years old. When I first saw him @ the Long Beach Summer Pro League, he was 18 years old and was just drafted in the 1st Round by the Warriors with the 11th pick in the NBA Draft- I wasn't impressed...

He looked frail and his conditioning was suspect...

Biedrins has developed into a decent NBA big man, but I question whether Golden State should keep him?

He rebounds well and plays decent defense, but the guy is shooting 14.3% from the free throw line and unbelievably it's lower than the 16% he shot from the charity line last season. He's a liability on offense.

Plus, his dissing on teammates in the summer while home in Latvia wasn't professional...

Beidrins dines @ a restaurant I frequent and I'm not happy about certain things I've heard he's said from spies @ the joint. He's seemingly a good kid, but there's something fragile about him which makes me think that the Warriors should move him...

ken schroeder...

A friend of mine who recently lost his Mother... Man, I just talked to his Mother @ Ken's wife Tamara's 50th birthday party this past summer...

Losing my Mother would be the hardest thing in the world to me...

I really feel for Ken and his wife...

les dainty...

I was thinking about him and I wanted to get in touch with him via Facebook. I couldn't find him, then I googled him...

To my dismay, Les passed away on May 12, 2004...

He died in a car accident. He was 48 years old...

Man, I was shocked... I still am, because I found out only today...

We just lost contact. That's not a good thing because we were good friends...

It's very difficult to mourn a friends death when it was over 6 years ago...

michael vick...

First of all, I'm a huge dog lover and when I first heard of Vick's involvement in dog fighting it disgusted me...

However, Michael Vick spent more time in jail than certain people who murdered human beings. He paid his debt to society.

I believe in redemption...

Vick's play on Monday Night Football against the Washington Redskins was nothing short of magnificent. In all of my years, I don't think I've seen a quarterback make so many spectacular plays in one single game...

Philly 6-3 play @ home this weekend against the New York Giants. Even after the Giants disastrous loss to the Cowboys, they are a dangerous team and are tied with the Eagles for first place in the division.

You gotta take it one game @ a time in the NFL...

buster posey wins nl rookie of the year...

What a month for the Giants! On the 1st, the San Francisco Giants win the World Series. And today, Buster Posey is National League Rookie of the Year. Wow!

I was lucky enough to see Buster Posey catch Madison Bumgarner @ Advanced Single A San Jose Giants in 2009.

Not in a thousand years would I have thought that both would be main players in a World Series victory the next season. Unbelievable!

running into people part 5...

I ran into two people today who I haven't seen for awhile.

Both were on the positive side of the spectrum... My record is now 4-2-1. Meaning four good run-ins and two bad and one was neither good, neither bad...

Today, I found out an ex-girlfriend of mine recently had twins from one of her friends. I haven't spoken to my ex for years. And we really were good friends, therefore there has been a void in my life for quite some time...

It's definitely coincidental, because for some reason, I was thinking about her late Father and how I enjoyed talking with him @ parties.

I must congratulate her on her twins...

antonio margarito...

He got his ass thoroughly kicked by Manny Pacquiao. According to promoter Bob Arum, Margarito has a broken eye socket and is scheduled for surgery.

Margarito estimated fight weight was about 165 to Pacquiao's 148.

The ref Laurence Cole should be suspended for letting the fight get out of hand- meaning potentially causing Margarito permanent damage.

Margarito's Robert Garcia is an idiot for letting his fighter continue and he's a fucking idiot for not knowing Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach has Parkinson's Disease and mocking him in a YouTube video. A trainer should know everything about his opponent and his opponent's trainer. The moron didn't do his homework...

And Margarito needs to get out of the latino macho shit mode and do the Roberto Duran and say, "no mas."

apologizing...

The other night in a situation that I won't go into details about- I had too many beers and made some comments that weren't appropriate. I made it a point to apologize to this individual and I'm happy this person accepted my apology.

It feels good to have redeemed myself...

running into people part 4...

Very strange... Got off of the BART @ Embarcadero Station and for some reason a friend's fiancee pops in my head.

As I exit, I see someone who looks like her refilling her Clipper Card and it turns out to be said fiancee. Unreal...

The power of the mind. I text messaged her fiancee earlier in the day..

2-2.

the midterm elections...

It's November 13 and some of the results of elections are still not determined....

I don't get it? I just saw in the news that over a million ballots haven't been counted in the California State Attorney General race that has a miniscule 800 vote differential @ this moment in time.

What is it? Mail-in ballots. Hand counting ballots. With all the technology available in this day and age, you would expect more efficiency?

running into people part 3...

I'm in the negative right now. 1 great to run into the person and 2- what the fuck?

I probably need to get out of town...

dorell wright...

I wasn't that enthused when the Warriors signed Wright. Dorell is still 24 years old, won't be 25 until December 2, which is my sis' birthday and this is Wright's 7th year in the league. Doing the numbers, it's easy to decipher that Dorell was a 1st Round pick for Miami straight out of high school.

It's still early in the season, almost 10% of the season and the Warriors are 6-2. Wright is averaging 16.3 points a game, which is nearly 10 points over his career average.

I have yet to watch him closely, but I've heard he's a defensive stopper.

I guess the Warriors did the right thing by signing Wright...

ann curry of the today show...

She gave Jeff Goldblum one hell of a hug on the Today Show. It actually bordered on being somewhat sexual...

Didn't realize the half-Japanese Curry went to the University of Oregon which is the #1 college football team in the country...

Me being a UDub guy, I can't really pull for the Ducks, but I'm a Pac 8 guy turned Pac 10 guy and I have West Coast Bias. And my Dawgs are mediocre again this season...

Oregon is playing in Berkeley this Saturday. I expect a blowout, but CAL does play well @ home...

Ann Curry she looks great for a soon to be 54 year old on November 19th...

running into people part 2...

Running into people can also be a pain in the ass...

There's a lady that I had a situation with about three years ago and I've run into her twice in the past few weeks.

Once @ a Halloween party and just today on a Union Street bus.

I want to be forgiving and just forgot about the shit that went down, but it was so severe that I just don't want to acknowledge her presence...

This situation involved several people and two restaurants that I no longer frequent...

And in this small city- we have mutual friends...

C'est la vie...

running into people...

I friend of mine is visiting from London and I did get the opportunity to hang out with him on Sunday...

He's scheduled to leave today and I was randomly walking on Gough and Hayes and I ran into him in front of Absinthe...

Doesn't shit like that happen all of the time. I think it's your friends are on the same wavelength and it's meant to be...

I mean, I was just about to have coffee @ this cafe on Gough, a few blocks before Hayes and I changed my mind...

Unfuckingreal... Small City...

patxi's chicago pizza...

They have $1 PBRs. Pabst Blue Ribbon during happy hour. 3-6. I believe m-f...

I'm @ the Fillmore near Lombard location...

The crazy thing, they're regularly $2...

And if you check in via Foursquare, your first PBR is a buck during non happy hour times...

dim sum in c-town...

The joint I'm in is a dive and the stuff is just fair, but it just seems historic in this place...

I've enjoyed dim sum for years, but today I realize how much it's a ritual for Chinese(I'm Japanese)... They take their time and drink their tea and nosh just a bit...

I hate using those slippery plastic chopstick so I've resorted to using a fork today...

I'm not proud of myself for using a fork...

tuesday...

I used to write more interesting shit on my blog and I promise to write more interesting shit from this day forward...

I still will write about sports, because I'm a sports fanatic and I'll write about film, because I'm a film lover...

And of course I'll write about food, because I'm a food lover. Can't say I'm a foodie...

And wine and spirits once and awhile. I'm becoming less and less a wine fan, but I love champagne and sparkling wine like prosecco..

And I'll write about women, because I truly love women...

Peace...

a love of your own...

My favorite song by Average White Band. I'm ecstatic that AWB played the song @ Yoshi's San Francisco on Monday night. It really did make my night...

A LOVE OF YOUR OWN

The sooner you give
The sooner you get to have
A love of your own
The longer it takes
The better you come to know
A love of your own, oh

Now don't be a afraid to give your heart
You never know till you try it, yeah
Don't deny it to yourself
Don't you be afraid, just walk right on in
The door is standing open
You know I'm always hoping

The sooner you give
The sooner you get to have
A love of your own
As far as you go
You're never too far behind
A love of your own, oh

Now don't you be a afraid
To shoot the moon
You'll never know till you try it
Don't deny it to yourself
Don't you be afraid
To change your tune, oh
The offers always open
You know I'm always hoping
You know I'm always hoping

For, a love of my own
To shelter me from the cold
A love of my own
A love of my own
You never too far behind
A love of your own

You've gotta keep looking till you find
A love of your own, a love of your own
You've gotta keep looking till you find
A love of your own

wade phillips...

It was inevitable he was going to get fired and replaced by Jason Garrett...

I'm by no means a Cowboys fan, but I know Wade is a good man and I wish him the best...

a blind post...

The past couple weeks have been crazy... Just literally crazy... The Giants winning the World Series was unbelievable! It really was a dream come true...

Another dream came true during this time period... This dream was on my mind for about six months. It's funny, I could have went without fulfilling this dream, because sometimes the illusion is much better than reality...

However, in this case, I am happy this dream came true...

I've learned, if you really want it- dreams do come true...

peter magowan...

He saved the Giants from moving to Tampa Bay/St Pete in 1993.

Signing Barry Bonds turned the franchise around. Opening Pacbell/SBC/AT&T Park in 2000 was a great accomplishment.

His feud with Dusty Baker wasn't a good thing...

I talked to him briefly during the 2007 All-Star Expo and he seemed like a very nice man...

Thank you Peter Magowan! Without you, the 2010 World Series victory would never have happened...

edgar renteria...

World Series MVP Edgar Renteria more than likely had his last at bat with the San Francisco Giants. The Giants declined a $10.5M option for next season, instead opting to pay Renteria a $500K buyout. Last years World Series MVP Hideki Matsui wasn't re-signed by the Yankees. The bottom line is major league baseball is a business, yet Giants fans will forever remember that 3-run home run Renteria hit in the top of the 7th inning in game 5 to clinch the World Series. Thanks so much Edgar Renteria...

average white band...

Definitely one of my favorite album covers of all-time...

This coming Monday or Tuesday, I'm going to check out AWB in concert @ Yoshi's in San Francisco. I hope they sound good?

sparky anderson...

The great baseball manager who led the Big Red Machine(Cincinnati Reds) to two World Series wins in 1975 and 1976. And in 1984 managed the Detroit Tigers to a World Series title.

Sparky always looked old for his age. In his late thirties, he looked about sixty...

I must admit, I was a big fan of the Big Red Machine led by Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, Davey Concepcion, George Foster, Ken Griffey, and Johnny Bench.

I just read that Sparky Anderson is suffering from dementia and has been put in a hospice. Anderson is 76 years old.

I hate it when I hear hospice! In 1996, my Uncle Henry died within days after entering hospice care. And just last April, my Aunt Eloise passed away shortly after she was put in hospice status.

Baseball has always been a big part of my life and I want to honor Sparky Anderson...

Update: Sparky Anderson died shortly after I wrote this entry. May he rest in peace...

victory parade...

Today, @ 11am, a parade celebrating the San Francisco Giants win in the World Series starts from where Columbus becomes Montgomery @ Washington.

It will go down Montgomery and turn right on Market going straight up Market to Civic Center.

Witnessed a few 49ers victory parades, but this one is historic. A first in the 52 years the Giants have been in the City by the Bay...

a time to vote...

Living in California, my two main concerns are the governor and senate race.

I'm voting for Jerry Brown for governor and Barbara Boxer for US Senate.

san francisco giants...

2010 World Series Champions!!

It happened on 11/1/10. On a Monday.

To me, it's a dream come true...

randy moss...

What a mess in Minnesota...

I'm a Randy Moss fan. He's one of the greatest receivers of all-time. I really enjoy watching him play.

Yes, he's a head case, but under the right circumstance Moss will be back to his All-Pro status...

maurice lucas...

The power forward who was the enforcer for Bill Walton and the Portland Trailblazers when they won the NBA Championship in 1977.

Maurice Lucas played for the legendary Al McGuire @ Marquette leading his team to the 1974 NCAA Division One Mens Basketball Championship game against eventual champion North Carolina State led by David Thompson.

Lucas lost a long battle with bladder cancer and he was just 58 years old.

Cancer is such an insidious disease. Back in April, I lost my Aunt Eloise to pancreatic cancer.

I believe Maurice Lucas is worthy of being inducted in Basketballs Hall of Fame.

cure for a hangover...

I had a major one on the last day of October...

Riding a wobbly train for over 90 minutes didn't help...

Having a double double, animal fries, and a strawberry shake helped for about a minute.

My Giants winning game 4 in the World Series to take a commanding 3 games to 1 lead did the trick...

Drinking plenty of liquids did the trick- especially cherry 7-Up...

october...

I can't wait for tomorrow being that it will be November...

October has been a trying month for NY...

However, I did survive...

Wait a minute, there's still 9 1/2 hours left...

feel the beard...

A friend of mine is selling the above wife beaters- using a play on the words to describe Giants closer Brian Wilson. Instead of using, "Fear the Beard," she uses, "Feel the Beard."

They sell for $20. If you're interested contact me @ nynotes@gmail.com. They come in S,M,L.

By the way, the ingenious and beautiful seller is on the left modeling her design...

sandy alderson new gm of the mets...

I wrote on October 9th that Alderson was going to be the new GM of the Mets replacing the horrible Omar Minaya...

Now Sandy needs to hire a manager to replace the mediocre Jerry Manuel...

charlie sheen...

He makes an extraordinary $2 million an episode for "Two and a Half Men."

Therefore, dropping $12K for a porn star/escort is a drop in the bucket for him. But I don't get it? Sheen must be addicted to porn stars and hookers, because I remember years ago he hooked up with infamous porn star Ginger Lynn and he was a loyal customer to Heidi Fleiss and her band of prostitutes.

And now, I read he was spewing the N word @ the Plaza Hotel putting him into the Mel Gibson and Michael Richards(Kramer in Seinfeld)category...

And he was nude with the white powder all over his face. Unreal...

giants win 9-0...

Up two games to zero in the World Series. Games 3,4, and if necessary 5 will be in Texas...

I don't take anything for granted in sports, but I can almost taste a World Series for my Gigantes. It's going to taste like a fine single malt scotch...

lisa blount...

I was a bit shocked that she passed away @ 53- much too young...

I remember her in a supporting role in AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN(1982) in which she was nominated for a Golden Globe.

I didn't realize she won an Oscar for producing a live-action short called THE ACCOUNTANT in 2001.

Her husband Ray McKinnon played the high school football coach of Michael Oher in THE BLIND SIDE.

Life is too short, that's why we must live it to the fullest...

giants win...

It wasn't pretty, but the G-Men are up 1-0 in the World Series with a 11-7 win over Texas @ AT&T Park...

tony romo...

I'm not a fan, but I hate to see a player get hurt. Jon Kitna is a good backup quarterback to have, but overcoming a 1-5 start is going to be difficult for the Cowboys. More than likely, head coach Wade Phillips will be gone after the season and perhaps before the season ends...

peet's on fill more and sacto...

Man, I need to hang out here more often... On this pleasant day in the City, there is a ton of eye candy out there...

Phenomenal!

kim kardashian...

Why in the fuck is the media obsessed with this no-talent? Sure, she's good looking with unbelievable curves- I've seen her in person @ Sundance with Reggie Bush and @ that time, everyone was paying attention to Bush and not her. I'm sure now, she'd get more attention.

I'm tired of people who can't act, who can't sing, who can't dance(she was horrible on Dancing With The Stars), etc... like Kardashian and Paris Hilton who are making millions of dollars without any discernable talent...

It's fucking ridiculous...

monday notes...

On Saturday, I went off the wagon to celebrate the Giants making the World Series. I thought I was going to get drunk, but I ended up having four beers.

Don't plan on drinking for awhile... I'm going to take it one day @ a time...

the giants in the world series...

Simply a wonderful moment in my life...

I can't wait until Wednesday...

on one day rest...

Boche's decision to put Lincecum in relief was a mistake...

javier lopez...

The left handed reliever, not the catcher was a hell of a pickup for the Giants. He's overtaken Jeremy Affeldt as the lefty on lefty relief specialist for San Francisco. And all we gave up is Joe Martinez and John Bowker.

ishikawa struck out looking...

The pitch was way outside according to pitch track and those lousy announcers Tim McCarver and Joe Buck don't say a word...

crab fries...

Apparently very popular @ Philly sporting events. Gotta try them someday...

eleven days without consuming alcohol...

It's been relatively easy thus far... More than likely, I won't go a year without drinking- that was the alcohol talking.

I've been drinking sparkling water. I haven't been paying attention to the labels, but some are good and some are really bad. I actually sent back a bottle of water with bubbles last week...

the rotunda...

Their grilled rare ahi tuna nicoise sandwich is excellent! Mixed greens, nicoise aiioli on a toasted rustic roll with herbes de provence seasoned fried potatoes. Ono!

The eros scented imperial english breakfast tea is very good. A hint of vanilla and orange zest.

crema coffee roasting company...

On the Alameda in San Jose near Caltrain and HP Pavillion.

Very nice java house with al fresco seating and a big screen...

cody ross...

I watched him play several times live when he played for the Florida Marlins against mostly the Giants, but also against the A's.

One thing I liked about him he actually liked hitting @ AT&T Park, unlike most major league players.

What a great pickup!

monday, monday...

I'm not happy my SF Giants were beat by Philly last night, but the series is tied 1-1 with 3 games @ AT&T Park starting tomorrow.

The Niners finally won a game...

The Yankees are @ home today against Cliff Lee and the Texas Rangers.

And my Washington Huskies beat Oregon State in double overtime on Saturday night.

Sports is really a big part of my life...

kim chee prices skyrocket in korea...

Unbelievably that was one of the top stories in the iPhone edition of the NY Times...

I'm Japanese, but I don't eat it that often. Many Koreans eat kim chee everyday and for every meal, therefore I can see it as a big concern in their country.

harry hamlin...

The cat is turning 59 @ the end of the month and he looks phenomenal!

However, I still won't watch his reality show...

And his wife Lisa Rinna looks much better after deflating her lips...

cliff lee...

Lee pitched a one-hitter to lead the Texas Rangers over the Tampa Bay Rays to advance to AL Championship Series against the Yankees.

The way Cliff Lee is pitching, anything can happen in that series, although, more likely than not the Yankees will prevail.

Plus, I need to mention Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler. He hit 3 home runs in the Division Series.

quitting drinking alcohol...

I decided last night that I was going to quit drinking for one year. Quite frankly, I don't know whether I'll be able to do it... What I'm going to do is take it one day @ a time...

giants 3 braves 2...

So long Bobby Cox. One Worlds Series win is one World Series win...

The Phillies have home field advantage in the best of 7 series.

Phuck Philly...

tiki barber...

I never liked the guy... Never...

Before Barber retired prematurely to pursue a ready made career(job) in broadcasting- he under the tutelage of coach Tom Coughlin(who I'm no fan of) went from a fumble prone good back to a near great running back.

And we all know, the year after Barber quit football the New York Giants won the Super Bowl.

Tiki went directly from football to the Today Show and Sunday Night Football. A very lucky man... The problem is he's a horrible broadcaster. I don't give a shit if he was a straight A student @ Virginia.

Let's put aside Barber criticizing his ex- teammates and coach. Leaving his wife when she's 8 months pregnant is despicable.

Barber lost his jobs with NBC because not only was he incompetent, but he also has character issues.

I can understand why he was booed during his introduction in the New York Giants Ring of Honor...

When I have a certain negative feeling about someone, I'm usually right.

However, I do hope he makes a comeback whether it's in media, business, etc... People do deserve another chance. But first, I'd like to see his ex-wife Ginny get taken care of...

brooks conrad...

Second baseman for the Atlanta Braves. In 3 games in the NL Division Series he already has 3 errors and game 3 is in progress with the Giants leading in 1-0 in the bottom of the 2nd inning. Conrad's error in the top of the 2nd led to an unearned run by San Francisco.

Being a San Francisco Giants fan, I hope Bobby Cox keeps Conrad in @ 2nd. We need all the help we can get...

van gogh...

Viewed Starry Night Over the Rhone @ the de Young as part of an post-impressionism exhibit. To me, it was the highlight of the exhibit.

I highly recommend going to Golden Gate Park to check out this phenomenal display of art...

shannon sharpe...

Sharpe was a great tight end in the NFL, but he's a horrible in studio analyst for CBS. I can't even watch the pregame show because his words seem jumbled all the time. His brother Sterling is much better.

I really can't believe he's lasted so long on CBS? I remember earlier in the season, Sharpe left the CBS pregame show because of his problems with a certain female who filed and subsequently dropped a restraining order against him. Therefore, Sharpe was back in the studio after a one week hiatus.

And according to the NY Post, Sharpe has had 10 civil complaints filed against him since 1994.

Should he be in the NFL Hall of Fame? I think so.

On the NFL on Fox, ex-New York Giant Michael Strahan is doing an admirable job in the studio, although he shouldn't get into his head that he can act- he can't...

magnolia bakery...

The New York bakery is famous for their cupcakes- red velvet for one. I recently tried Magnolia Bakery's banana pudding recommended by my niece's friend and it's simply wonderful!

I went to the location on 49th and the Avenue of Americas.

The original store is on Bleecker St and W 11th and another store is on Columbus @ 69th. And there is now an LA location.

I personally think there are too many cupcake joints, just like there are too many yogurt spots. However, Magnolia Bakery is definitely on the upper echelon.

sandy alderson...

The ex A's GM is interested in the now vacant Mets job after terrible Omar Minaya was fired on Monday. Alderson has been overseeing MLB's concerns about the Dominican Republic where steroids are legal and can be bought without a prescription. The DR is a hotbed for major league talent.

Under commissioner Bud Selig's blessing Alderson will more than likely get the Mets GM job, because it's in the best of interest to have a competitive team in both Queens and the Bronx.

I'm going to give Alderson credit for leading the A's to a World Series title in 1989- something that the overrated Billy Beane hasn't done and will never accomplish with the A's...

It seems as if Alderson has been around forever, but he's still 62 years old. When he gets the Mets job, we'll see if he can turn the team around? And the Mets need a new manager.

gay...

It still means- lighthearted and carefree and used in context of cheerfulness or pleasure.

And of course, it equates to homosexuality.

In the trailer of the upcoming Universal film THE DILEMMA, the lead character played by Vince Vaughn uses 'gay' to describe a car. Vaughn did preface his use of 'gay' by saying he didn't mean homosexual, yet the word wasn't really necessary.

Anderson Cooper who is reportedly gay was taken aback when he saw the trailer of the film during his appearance on The Ellen Show.

Therefore, the trailer is being edited to remove the 'gay' scene. And apparently the scene will not be in the film when it's scheduled to open on January 14th.

Ron Howard is the director and Opie sure loves to cast his brother Clint in films...

As a kid, I still remember the theme song to The Flintstones- "we'll have a gay old time."

Why don't we use the word in that context anymore?

consistency...

I haven't been consistent with my blog and that's not a good thing... This really is a note to myself to be more consistent in my writing, because once I get into the swing of things, I really enjoy posting on my blog...

koi palace...

An excellent dim sum place in Daly City. Pricey, but oh so good...

ella's...

On California and Presidio. Ella's makes the best chicken hash! It's phenomenal! I get the dish with poached eggs and their fantastic biscuit.

I must say that having breakfast @ Ella's is definitely a favorite of mine and I don't go there enough.

The coffee @ Ella's is fair @ best, therefore in the future I might just opt for fresh OJ...

embracing making the postseason...

The Cincinnati Reds are in the postseason for the 1st time in 15 years...

It's hard for me to believe that the former Big Red Machine have been shut out of the playoffs for so many years...

a beautiful day in the city...

After some scorching weather- today is simply wonderful...

christie brinkley...

56 years old. She looks incredible! This is a picture taken today.

Christie won HBA Global's Positively Beautiful Award for her support of the Smile Train charity which helps kids with unrepaired cleft lifts and palates who don't have the means to change their appearance the opportunity to have a new smile.

dancing with the stars...

Quite frankly, the name of the show doesn't make sense to me? Bristol Palin a star- give me a fucking break! And she can't dance. The judges are giving her a pass. And I love how her hideous mother was booed when they were setting up an interview with vanilla host Tom Bergeron. They weren't booing Jennifer Grey's score of 24- the highest of the night. If that shitty dancer Michael Bolton stays on the show, it will be a travesty of justice... He's fucking horrible!

wall street: money never sleeps...

I enjoyed the film, but I was expecting a bit more...

Michael Douglas wasn't in the film enough and was more of a peripheral character. Shia LaBeouf is very good in the lead role. I'm not sold on Carey Mulligan who plays Gordon Gekko's daughter and is LaBeouf's girlfriend in the film and in real life...

Josh Brolin has become one of the great actors in American Cinema.

Director Oliver Stone wrote and directed the original WALL STREET and I believe if he wrote the sequel, instead of just directed it- I would have enjoyed the film more.

Frank Langella is always good in a small role.

I had an opportunity to watch the red carpet in New York @ the Ziegfeld Theatre last Monday and saw most of the stars of the film.

Charlie Sheen who played Bud Fox in the original had a cameo role and I really wanted to see more of Sheen/Fox.

braylon edwards...

He had a hell of a game for the Jets after sitting out the 1st quarter of the Sunday night game in their win over the Dolphins.

Braylon was charged with DWI after apparently double fisting drinks @ a poker tournament in Manhattan on Monday night. In New York, it's called driving while intoxicated- in Cali it's called DUI- driving under the influence.

Jets owner Woody Johnson made a great point that the NFL offers car service free of charge to players who need a ride home after imbibing in too much alcohol.

Johnson lost his daughter to alcohol and drug abuse a few years ago.

jack lalanne...

Tomorrow, he's turning 96. He's an inspiration to me. I know his grand-nephew Chris Lalanne who's runs a successful workout facility in the City.

the original soupman al yeganeh...

Reopened on 55th and 8th. Excellent Manhattan Clam Chowder! $8. Served with bread and a mini banana.

Yeganeh was parodied in SEINFELD as the Soup Nazi- no soup for you...

The Original Soupman is now a chain.

don nelson...

I'm happy he's finally out as the Warriors coach.

We'll see how Keith Smart does...

sobaya...

One of my favorites restaurants in New York. Their cold udon is exceptional! The texture makes the udon noodles excellent.

moma...

Simply a phenomenal museum...

chris carter of the oakland a's...

0-27 in 9 games.

Carter has yet to get his first major league hit.

I've followed Carter's minor league career from the Advanced A Stockton Ports to the Sacramento Rivercats.

michael vick...

I'm happy he's starting for Philly on Sunday... Vick is definitely better than Kolb.

new york...

I'm on a Virgin America flight from SFO-JFK. It was delayed a couple of hours and I probably won't arrive in New York until 1 or 2am.

119 million...

That's how much that pig Meg Whitman has spent to fund her race for governor. I've said it before- it's an obscene amount. Money that could have been spent on creating jobs in California by starting a new corporation.

Her voting record in her own words- atrocious. She's trying to buy an election and throughout the years, she has been a very nonchalant voter.

Bill Clinton has endorsed Jerry Brown and her campaign has continued to air an ad that has been deemed to be incorrect which has an 18 year old clip of Clinton accusing Brown of raising taxes while he was governor of California. Even Clinton has admitted his accusations were unfounded.

ines sainz...

Sainz, a reporter for TV Azteca in Mexico has been embroiled in a controversy revolving the New York Jets stars of the recent HBO HARD KNOCKS.

I don't know what happened, but I do believe reporters whether they are male or female shouldn't be allowed in the locker room. Interview the players in the media room. There should be some semblance of privacy for players. And make sure the players are clothed when they are interviewed.

The Jets are on the radar of Mexican television because quarterback Mark Sanchez is of Mexican descent and he can conduct interviews in Spanish.

I'm fairly certain that Sainz wasn't in the locker room to interview recently signed holdout cornerback Darrelle Revis...

niners...

I'm glad I didn't go to my hometown to see the 49ers get their asses kicked by Seattle...

the tillman story...

I finally got a chance to view the doc about Pat Tillman and I was impressed...

I learned friendly fire is also called fratricide.

But think about, how could fire be friendly when one is killed by it? It's not friendly, it may have been accidental, but certainly not friendly. The word fratricide makes more sense to me...

Dannie Tillman, Pat's mother really put tremendous effort into finding out what really happened to her son in Afghanistan. She's one hell of a mother! To this day, there are still too many questions to be answered...

I have grown to respect Pat Tillman Sr.. I wasn't sold on the guy before I viewed the doc, but now I have more of an understanding why he reacted to his son's death in such a manner...

I'm glad John McCain wasn't featured in the doc. When I watched Tillman's memorial in San Jose @ my sis' house in Almaden in 2004, I questioned why was he there?

One thing I noticed when Arizona State University retired Tillman's #42 @ Sun Devil Stadium, one of the ASU's cheerleaders had a pot belly. Something crazy to remember in a serious doc, but nonetheless something that stood out in my mind...

Great doc and I highly recommend it...

carlos pena...

The ex-A and the current first baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays is batting .202 with 26 HR and 78 RBI.

He's on the verge of hitting under .200 for the season which is also known as the Mendoza Line after the light hitting shortstop Mario Mendoza. In 1980, Mendoza hit .198 with over 400 AB for the Seattle Mariners. Mendoza finished his career with a .215 average.

Pena has 288 career home runs and he's drove in over 100 runs in the previous three seasons. His career batting average is .242.

Carlos needs to improve his batting average if the Rays have any chance to overtake the Yankees for 1st place in the AL East.

john lindsey...

His name is similar to the late former New York mayor John Lindsay.

Lindsey led the Pacific Coast League in batting this season with a .353 average. He was hovering in the .370 range for awhile. Lindsey also hit 25 HR with 97 RBI.

He has 219 career minor league home runs.

Lindsey was recently called up by the Los Angeles Dodgers and will soon make his MLB debut @ 33 years old after being in the minor leagues for 16 years.

I hope John Lindsey gets a hit in first major league @ bat, which should come any day now...

Update: Lindsey didn't get a hit in his first major league @ bat.

machete...

What an over the top trippy film...

alison waite on the 702 scene...

The Playmate Miss May 2006 hosts a show that is shown in hotel rooms in Vegas giving tips about the happenings around town and I've must have watched the show 50 times...

hideki matsui...

The Yankees replaced the 2009 MVP of the World Series with Nick Johnson, who's been injured most of the season. Overrated Nick Johnson is batting .167 with 2 HR and 8 RBI. His 2010 salary $5.5 million.

Hideki Matsui BA .264 18 HR 74 RBI. $6 million 2010 salary with the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim.

With 25 games left in the season- you have to think, what the hell were the Yankees thinking? Plus, Matsui has played 17 games in left field after playing zero games in the field last season. I've also heard he was willing to play first base to be more versatile...

The Yankees picked up Lance Berkman from Houston to DH and he's batting .235 with zero HR and 4 RBI since being traded...

I wonder where Matsui is going to play next season?

juan uribe...

Just hit a huge 2-run homer in the top of the 7th for the Giants against the Dodgers in LA. The Giants are winning 3-0 in the bottom of the 7th inning.

In Uribe's 10th season in the major leagues, he just topped his career high in RBI with 75 and has 19 home runs with an outside chance to top his best season of 23 in 2004. Also, his previous career high for RBI was in 2004.

Uribe doesn't walk much, but his 40 thus far this year is the most in in his career.

sue bird...

I'm only watching the end of game 2 of the WNBA Western Conference Finals because I no longer have cable.

The Seattle Storm/Bing(their uniforms say Bing on the front)just beat Phoenix to advance to the Championship Series.

Sue Bird hits a clutch 3-pointer with less than 3 seconds in the game to win the game.

I find Sue Bird very attractive... And she's a hell of a ball player...

I know Seattle center Aussie Lauren Jackson has posed nude in an Australian photo mag called Black+White.

mark prior...

I'm pleased to see that Prior has signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers after striking out 22 batters in 11 innings for the Orange County Flyers in the independent Golden Baseball League.

Mark Prior hasn't pitched in the majors since 2006 and is a few days from his 30th birthday.

He will join AAA Oklahoma City who won the American Southern division of the PCL. Prior may have an opportunity to pitch in the playoffs. The American Southern division winner will play Oklahoma City and right now it appears to be the Iowa Cubs managed by Hall of Famer and perhaps next seasons skipper of the Chicago Cubs- Ryne Sandberg.

He's no longer a starter and pitched in one inning stints for the Flyers. Prior could be on Texas' roster before the end of the month, but wouldn't be eligible for the major league playoffs unless he replaced another pitcher due to injury.

I wish Mark Prior well. I always enjoy a comeback story...

san diego padres...

They may be in the midst of a 9-game losing streak, but they're still 2 games up on my San Francisco Giants...

The G-Men have picked up only 4 1/2 games since the Padres cold streak which started on August 26.

San Diego also needs to keep an eye on the Rockies with ex-A and AL batting leader Carlos Gonzalez proving to baseball experts that Billy Beane is an idiot for trading him...

The upcoming 4 games series @ home starting Sept. 9 vs my Giants will be crucial for the Pads. San Diego has owned San Francisco this season- winning about 90% of their games...

Honestly, I'm not confident my Giants have the goods to make the playoffs, especially with the problems with our starting pitching, specifically Zito and Sanchez since Lincecum had a great outing last week against Colorado. And our hitting is suspect. Philly seems to be on the verge of closing out the wild-card or the NL East. Then we may be battling the Atlanta Braves...

I expected a swoon by the Padres, but I also expected San Francisco to overtake San Diego when this happened. We'll just have to see...

jim thome...

He just passed Mark McGwire with two home runs on Saturday to reach 9th place in the all-time home run list with 584. Next up is Frank Robinson with 586.

The 40 year old Thome has an outside chance of catching Sammy Sosa who has 609 career dingers. That will put him @ #7 all-time. Alex Rodriguez has 604 career home runs and will more than likely pass Sosa and Ken Griffey who has 630 next season which will put him @ #5.

I think of Jim Thome and I almost can't believe he's so high on the all-time home run list...

tipping before tax or after tax...

I had chicken & waffles @ Gussie's on Eddy near Fillmore a couple of months ago and on the receipt it gives you options on gratuity. And those tipping options are before tax.

I'm sure most servers will want you to tip after tax and @ those restaurants that add the SF Health tax on your bill after that added expense too...

Tax in San Francisco is 9.5% therefore if you double the tax 19% is more than a fair tip...

I usually tip a bit more if I don't have a beverage...

tutto in bellagio...

Throughout the years, I've enjoyed shopping @ this shop in Bellagio which is across from the elevators that go up to the hotel rooms. Unfortunately, I've only stayed @ Bellagio once since it opened in October of 1998.

This past trip, I bought some red reading glasses and to my dismay the temples of the glasses are white with red polka dots and with a heart on each side. And I still bought the reading glasses. I'm using them right now as I write this post. Sooner or later, I'll paint the side of the glasses...

And I'm writing this entry to remind me that Las Vegas has 8.1% sales tax and to remember the name of the store...

aja vu...

Just saw Aja Vu who play Steely Dan music @ the Courthouse Square in Redwood City. The lead singer Jim Starr has a great voice!

In the all the years I've lived in the Bay Area, I've never been to the Courthouse Square area in Redwood City. It's actually kind of nice, but since there is a movie theater adjacent to the square, there are a bunch of kids who hang out there on a Friday night. Therefore, I didn't get a good feel for the area...

Aja Vu instrumentals are fantastic, especially their horn section...

I hope to see them again @ Thunder Valley Casino in Lincoln, CA(near Sacramento) on Friday September 10th...

meg whitman...

That pig has spent $104 million of her own money in her race for governor. Come on, that's fucking ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. And she's dead even with Jerry Brown...

There really should be limits on campaign spending. Whitman could have started another company and provided Californians with jobs, instead of wasting an obscene amount of dough to get elected as governor of Cali...

I use craigslist over eBay because I don't care for Whitman... I don't care if she's no longer involved with the company...

freddy sanchez...

2nd baseman for the San Francisco Giants.

On August 11, Sanchez was batting .255 and I like many others were starting to give up on the guy and now he's hitting .292. A 37 point improvement in about 3 weeks. Unbelievable!

I just hope he keeps it up...

Freddy did win the NL Batting Title in 2006 with a .344 average. However, he's only hit .300 one other time which was in 2007.

His defense has been excellent...

niners...

I still think the preseason means nothing, but being undefeated in exhibition games is a good way to start the regular season in Seattle next week for San Francisco.

There is some concern about Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree getting into an altercation in practice on Wednesday, but both players can be categorized as head cases in one way or another.

This is the year for the 49ers to make the playoff- nothing less will be acceptable...

I hope to see a game or two @ decrepit Candlestick Park this season...

carlos gonzalez...

The ex-A is approaching superstar status with Colorado.

Overrated Billy Beane was astute to trade for Gonzalez, but very stupid for keeping perpetually injured Ryan Sweeney and getting rid of Gonzalez.

That's why Oakland is a sub-.500 ball club...

michael douglas...

It's unfortunate to read that he has Stage 4 throat cancer...

The sequel to WALL STREET is opening this month.

I wish Michael Douglas well...

richard gere's birthday...

Gere turns 61 today.

I first became familar with Gere in the disturbing LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR.

My favorite Richard Gere film is AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN.

borders near at&t park...

Closing on October 16.

Of course, Amazon and iPads have contributed to the demise of this particular store, but the location doesn't get enough traffic when baseball season is over.

japan wins little league world series...

4-1 over the feisty team from Waipio, Hawaii...

team japan little league world series...

LLWS International Championship against Chinese Taipei.

Japan wins 3-2!

Bottom of the 7th inning!

Hopefully they play Hawaii in the Finals...

andres torres...

When I hear or read his name it reminds me of a boxer...

The surprising Giants outfielder is second in the National League with 41 doubles.

He was like the 5th or 6th outfielder on the Giants last season...

He strikes out too much and hits into way too many double plays, but Torres has become an elite player for the G-Men...

Torres has the ability to play all 3 outfield positions. And the kid has pop. He has an outside chance to hit 20 HR with 70 RBI in the leadoff spot.

The guy can play and has come into his own in his 30's. A true late bloomer in baseball...

kurt suzuki...

He's batting .238 now. In his last ten games he has two hits. He's lost 14 points in his batting average since August 15th. The kid needs to sit down a game or two and evaluate his approach to batting...

When he first entered the big leagues, he stood too far away from the plate, making him susceptible to outside pitching. He's remedied that situation.

Now, he most always takes the first pitch. If it's a damn strike, he's already in a 0-1 hole.

And his swing is much too long for a player of his size. He's listed @ 6'0, but he appears to be about 5'10 @ best.

The A's recently signed Suzuki to a long term contract. I hope he isn't putting too much pressure on himself to live up to his contract.

And I want to go even further regarding his batting slump. On July 28, less than one month ago, Kurt was hitting .267. That's nearly a 30 point drop.

I pull for Kurt Suzuki, but he really needs to work on his hitting or he may drift into oblivion...

word of the day: schlep...

SCHLEP: to carry or to lug. I SCHLEPPED my bag around the Strip on Wednesday and the damn thing is heavy is hell...

To move slowly, awkwardly, or tediously.

And I use it in this manner- It was a schlep walking from Planet Hollywood to the Forum Shops in Caesars Palace...

free wifi @ mccarran...

They've had it for awhile, but it does make things much easier...

I've spent so many hours waiting for flights @ this airport it's almost like my second home...

Therefore, I have to have wifi...

airport shuttles to mcarran airport...

My flight leaves @ 9:20pm and the company I'm using is picking me up @ 6:10pm. Over 3 hours before my flight departs to SFO.

3 hours is excessive. 2 is more like it.

This is usually the case- the longer one is @ an airport- the more opportunity to waste dough on overpriced food and drink...

I prepaid for my shuttle. Dumb move...

Should have taken a cab...

today's birthdays...

Mine was yesterday...

Sean Connery 80

Blake Lively 23

Claudia Schiffer 40

Gene Simmons 61

megan cavanaugh...

Her picture in today's SF Examiner looked really familiar to me...

The Palo Alto- based actress is performing in the short run of Menopause The Musical @ the Herbst Theatre in the City.

Cavanaugh played Marla Hooch in A LEAGUE OF HER OWN. Marla is the player who could hit a ton, but her looks didn't fit into the pretty girls of the women's league...

I really enjoy reading the free Examiner...

another phenomenal day in the city...

I'm happy to be in my cool apartment after walking about 5 miles in the heat...

Tried to go to two different restaurants, but both were closed- my dumb luck and my fault for not checking the hours on the internet...

Ended up noshing on a chicken bao, an unagi onigiri, and some unspecified russian pastry with cheese and raisins washed down with a Hawaiian Sun Passion-Orange drink- my favorite...

So I had chinese, Japanese, and russian cuisine. Not to mention a drink from HNL.

I'm lucky to live in San Francisco...

I wonder what type of food I'm going to eat next?

what a beautiful day in the city...

After such a cold winter-we deserve some summer weather... It's almost too hot for me. Luckily, my apartment is nice and cool...

Can't wait for the Giants game @ AT&T Park this evening against the Reds- hopefully, the fog won't roll in and make it painfully cold...

jon charles...

Happy Birthday to a great hair stylist! To a fantastic horse handicapper. To my high school and grade school friend. To the only white boy on our high school basketball team. To a big basketball fan. Have a wonderful birthday!

preseason nfl football...

Means absolutely nothing...

Just puts money into the NFL owner's pockets.

I could see two games, but four games is excessive and prices aren't any cheaper for exhibition games. Why pay full price for a half ass product?

I've done spring training baseball in the Tampa area before-it was fun and the prices are less for exhibition baseball played in minor league stadiums.

I have no desire to watch the Niners play the Vikings @ decrepit Candlestick Park in a no nothing game and I definitely won't watch it on television...

The only thing worth watching regarding exhibition football is HARD KNOCKS on HBO...

the tillman story...

I'm really looking forward to seeing the doc on Pat Tillman. Tillman went to the same high school in San Jose(Leland) as my niece and nephew. The football field @ Leland High School is named after Pat Tillman.

Last January during Sundance, I met the husband of the line producer of THE TILLMAN STORY and he said he was going to get me tickets to see the doc @ the Park City Library. The guy never came through. It somewhat disappointed me, but it wasn't the first time someone in that industry didn't come through for me. Years ago, I gave away my tickets(my cost about $70 for two tickets) to a film to a producer and he assured he was going to give me tix to his film and sure enough, he didn't come through. C'est la vie...

I hope THE TILLMAN STORY doesn't disappoint me...

I do remember watching the memorial @ my sis' place in San Jose and thinking, why in the hell is John McCain doing there, he must be thinking about running for president?

And why in the fuck wasn't it first released in the Bay Area?

diner...

A favorite film of mine. Watching it on DVD.

Mickey Rourke doesn't look like the same person.

All these guys look so young. Then again, the film is 28 years old...

Great cast- Steve Guttenberg, Daniel Stern, Kevin Bacon, Tim Daly, Ellen Barkin, Paul Reiser, and Michael Tucker.

DINER really put director Barry Levinson on the map.

sideways japanese version...

Rented the film to watch on my MacBook.

Read some background on the film and Paul Giamatti was offered a small role in the movie. He turned it down and criticized the Japanese actor cast in his original part as a strange little troll...

Giamatti, son of the late baseball commissioner who banned Pete Rose from baseball is about 5'8 @ best. A little troll in my book who takes himself too seriously...

Instead of Santa Barbera, the film takes place in Napa Valley. Stag's Leap is one of the wineries featured in this SIDEWAYS.

The Japanese actress Rinko Kikuchi featured in BABEL has a supporting role. Kikuchi was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for BABEL. She reminds me of golfer Michelle Wie...

The Japanese actors don't speak English well enough to sell that the've been living in the States for a long period of time...

And the two male leads aren't very good looking... Although original leads- Giamatti has a face only a mother would love and Thomas Haden Church isn't what I'd categorize as classically handsome.

The other female lead is Kyoka Suzuki and she's pretty in my book.

SIDEWAYS(2009 ) is beautifully filmed using Napa Valley as its canvas. Overall, it's an entertaining film that isn't anywhere as good as the original.

I was impressed that the budget for the movie was only $3M. Whereas the original was made for $16M and grossed $109M.

And another thing- merlot isn't trashed in this version. It's Pinot Noir vs Cabernet Sauvignon.

little star pizzeria...

On 846 Divisadero.

Excellent deep dish/Chicago style pizza. Note: this style of pizza takes about 25 minutes.

We went @ a good time. When you order an appetizer(I think it's before 6pm?), you get your pizza for half price. We had the Little Star- spinach blended with ricotta and feta, mushrooms, and garlic; less the onions. On half the pie we had pepperoni.

The app we had was the garlic bread- warm sourdough served with a blend of butter & extra virgin olive oil and a bulb of roasted garlic. It was very nice...

PBR or Pabst Blue Ribbon is regularly $2.25 a can and it's $1.25 for their happy hour that ends @ 6:30pm. PBR is shitty beer, but does the trick.

Loved Little Star Pizzeria and I'll definitely be back. I like Patxi's a bit more, but not much more...

cackle of rads...

A tweet by the dangerous "feminist" from Wasilla. What the fuck is a cackle of rads?

Cackle- the raucous clucking cry of a bird such as a hen or goose. A harsh laugh resembling such a cry.

Was the idiot half-term lame duck governor cackling as she tweeted such a mess?

the expendables...

Stallone is 64 years old and the guy is shredded. Obviously, he puts hours in the gym, but his body is also steroid/hgh enhanced.

However, Sly's face looks as if it has had way too many plastic surgeries. I had a hard time looking @ his mug on on screen. And his hair is pitch black.

I didn't take the film seriously and that's how one needs to view THE EXPENDABLES directed, co-written, and starring Sylvester Stallone.

I've heard of Jason Statham, yet I haven't seen any of his movies. He's okay, however I don't really see anything special about the guy. To me, he's a bald guy with a british accent. Oh, I saw him in THE ITALIAN JOB and COLLATERAL- don't remember him...

Jet Li is a great fighter- his english is horrible! I think Stallone needed to put subtitles up when Li speaks.

Dolph Lundgren. Said to have a masters degree in chemical engineering and is a 3rd degree black belt in karate.

It's hard for me to believe Eric Roberts and Julia Roberts are siblings.

Randy Couture's cauliflower ears should be the example for not wrestling or getting involved in mma...

Charisma Carpenter- love her first name. I've always liked her. She didn't have a big enough role... Excellent Playboy pictorial in 2004.

Terry Crews- steroids... Ex-NFL player.

Mickey Rourke- he doesn't look like the same actor from BODY HEAT and DINER. His face is harder to look @ than Stallone's. I do believe Rourke should have won the Oscar for THE WRESTLER over Sean Penn in MILK.

THE EXPENDABLES- glad I saw it. It was like watching a cartoon...

kathie lee and frank gifford...

Both have birthdays today. Kathie Lee is 57 and the ex-football star is 80. It's unreal that they share the same birthday 23 years apart...

Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones also share a birthday- September 25. 25 years apart. Supposedly, Zeta-Jones is 40 going on 41. I thinks she's about 45.

There's a rumor that's she's 50...

san jose jazz festival...

This past weekend...

Went on Sunday to watch a tribute to the late great Grover Washington Jr.. The leader of the band sounded nothing like Grover- actually his sax playing was fair @ best...

Luckily, sax players Ronnie Laws and Tom Scott were special guests. Without those two- the tribute would have been horrible...

Tower of Power also played on Sunday. Don't understand why TOP plays @ a jazz fest? Saw them earlier in the summer @ the San Mateo County Fair.
They're good, but Tower of Power doesn't play enough of their hits. Don't think I'll make a concerted effort to see them again...

But all and all, the SJ Jazz Fest was a great way to spend a weekend in the South Bay...

dina lohan...

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word of the day: entitlement...

ENTITLEMENT: having the right to something. As I said in a previous post, the idiot mayor of San Francisco feels he has that sense of ENTITLEMENT by not tipping his bartender after getting free drinks.

He also thought he was entitled to become the governor of California because a bodybuilder turned horrible acting action star became governor... How many governors in the US can't even pronounce the name of the state they govern correctly?

Now, the shitty mayor is running for Lieutenant Governor of Cali, because he knew he couldn't compete against Jerry Brown...

And another point about the terrible mayor of SF- he's deluded enough to think he could be President of the the United States...

ENTITLEMENT comes into play when certain celebrities make all kind of demands to appear on a show like American Idol. Which in this particular case makes this person a diva. ENTITLEMENT and diva like behavior go hand and hand...

andris biedrins...

I have mixed feelings about recent reports of his displeasure with the Warriors...

Biedrins said he felt disrespected when lame duck head coach Don Nelson suggested he try shooting free-throws underhanded. Wilt Chamberlain did it. And one of the best free-throw shooters of all-time Rick Barry shot his free throws underhanded... Well, Andris shot 16% from the charity lane last season. Andris needs to take any suggestion... I'm someone who's an excellent free-throw shooter, therefore I don't understand how a kid like Biedrins who makes 9 million a year and plays basketball for a profession can't fucking shoot free-throws. It's ridiculous!

Then the kid talks shit about his teammates- that's fucking horrible... Honestly, I frequent a restaurant that Biedrins hangs out in and he's been talking bad about his teammates for awhile. This was inside info until he opened the can of worms by relaying it into the press...

The guy needs to be traded. He's virtually useless on the offensive end unless he has a clear cut dunk. He doesn't want to get fouled because he can't hit a fucking free-throw...

I remember seeing this kid as a 17 year old playing in the Long Beach Summer Pro League. He was extremely raw and his conditioning was suspect. Hell, Biedrins is still raw talent wise...

And I'll never forget when Biedrins was drafted by the Warriors, he cried like a baby...

Anyway, I have mixed feelings because from my sources @ the restaurant say he's seemingly a good kid. The young man can put away the alcohol. He didn't know how to tip until they taught him how to tip. The idiot SF mayor who also frequents the joint, knows how to tip, but doesn't. He gets free drinks and doesn't tip his bartender. I've seen it on more than a few occasions- up close and personal. Meaning, I was sitting next to him. I know the bartender @ this establishment quite well and it's a recurring problem... He has that sense of entitlement...

Bye bye Biedrins...

aubrey huff...

The guy has been a pleasant surprise for the Giants. When I first heard of the signing in the off season, I for one didn't like it, but as I've said before, Aubrey Huff has become the heart and soul of the G-Men...

However, when Huff is in right field, he has a tendency to try to make plays that the center fielder, as the captain of the outfield is entitled to call him off. I've seen this too many times as of late, when Huff basically runs into the center fielder on a fly ball to right center. It has happened with Torres in center on Monday and today it happened with Rowand.

Aubrey, right field is tough enough to play in AT&T Park- let the center fielder do his job...

running into someone...

Actually, I wish I didn't recognize the guy...

I was having a late lunch @ the Nordstrom Cafe and this guy sits a couple seats to my right. I thought nothing of it, then I realized it's a dude I knew from a restaurant I used to frequent.

He asked me if I still go to the said restaurant and I said I hadn't been there for nearly 3 years. He asks why. And I told him that I had a hassle with someone @ the joint over some woman...

I gave out too much info and said that this coward is married and the girl was this idiots girlfriend.

To make a long story short, the guy asks if his name is such and such. Hell, I didn't know the morons name... I said, I don't know.

Then, he asks me if the punk was in a certain profession and ethnicity. I'm thinking, I think so. And if his girlfriend's name is ____? Quite frankly, it's been about three years and I don't remember her name...

Well, it turns out that the imbecile does business with this guy and they run in the same circle.

It's a can of worms, I really didn't need to open again...

If I run into the guy again, I'm going to ignore him...

ryan matsuoka...

This evening, I'm going down to Kezar Pavilion to view game two of the best of three finals in the SF Pro-Am Summer Basketball League. A kid named Ryan Matsuoka who's going to be a senior @ UC Santa Cruz is on the SF City roster. SF City is playing Dream Team who won the first game 93-90.

I don't know whether Matsuoka will be on the bench or if he'll even play?

I did some research on the 6'3 player from Cupertino. He was leading scorer for the Banana Slugs @ 14.2 ppg as a junior. Matsuoka was also 1st team All-Independent Division III. He was also COSIDA Academic All-District First-Team. The kid averaged 18.6 ppg as a soph...

I do plan on viewing a UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs game this season. Don't think he'll be the next Jeremy Lin, but nonetheless I'm looking forward to seeing his game...

more on don wakamatsu...

There are many factors in Wak's firing, but I truly believe the horrible GM for the Mariners Jack Zduriencik was the genesis of most of the problems.

The idiot made bonehead transactions after Wakamatsu led the Mariners to a winning record last season after several seasons of losing ball...

Re-signing Ken Griffey Jr. to another season. The guy was through last year and from all the newspapers accounts I've read, in the incident where Griffey was allegedly asleep in the dugout when Wak wanted him to pinch hit- Griffey blamed Wakamatsu for leaking the info to the media. Now, Griffey denies it. However, it seems very strange that Griffey quit the team in the middle of the season...

Chone Figgins. What a fucking head case! Up until this year, I hadn't heard any negative things about him... But now, he'll be forever linked to the demise of Wakamatsu.

Milton Bradley- enough said... Once a head case, always a head case. Why did that moron Jack Z. even consider signing Bradley when he's caused nothing but problems everywhere he's played...

I really think the Mariners need to clean house. Fire Jack Z.. Hire Kim Ng, who they should have hired in the first place. Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln and President Chuck Armstrong should also be replaced by Nintendo...

Man, it's frustrating being a Mariners fan...

don wakamatsu...

It was inevitable due to the piss poor record of the Mariners, but Hayward's own Don Wakamatsu was fired as manager of the Seattle Mariners.

The well publicized incident with overpaid head case Chone Figgins was the beginning of the end of Wakamatsu's tenure with the Mariners after posting a promising record last season...

The ex- Rangers and A's bench coach shouldn't have trouble finding employment. Wakamatsu would be a good replacement for Bob Geren the current manager of the A's...

However, overrated Oakland GM Billy Beane loves Geren and his sub .500 managerial record...

san francisco wine market...

It's a great way to spend an hour or so on Sunday tasting wine. All you need to do is buy a reusable $20 SF Wine Market bag(holds 6 bottles) @ the tasting which is most Sundays from 1-4pm and you can taste wines for free as long as you bring your reusable bag. Best deal around. You can taste wine nearly every Sunday until October. I bought my bag about three months ago and I've frequented the tasting about 5 or 6 times.

On holiday weekends, the SF Wine Market isn't open and I'm a little pissed that food is no longer served @ the Wine Market. I guess the nearby restaurants complained which is a bunch of bullshit. Come on, wine tasting and food go hand and hand...

Plus, this market will generate business for the restaurant around the area. Wine drinkers want to eat after tasting wine...

The SF Wine Market gives a wine lover an opportunity to try different wineries and an opportunity to meet winemakers, owners, etc...

Del Monte Square @ the Cannery...

patxi's chicago pizza...

It's pronounced pah-cheese...

I had excellent service @ the Marina location @ the bar. On Fillmore near Lombard.

The Chicago style pizza is very good. The pie takes about 30 minutes.

I checked in via Foursquare and received a free soda @ Patxi's. A one dollar Pabst Blue Ribbon was also offered via Foursquare for checking into the site...

PBR or Pabst Blue Ribbons are regularly only $2 a can @ Patxi's... Such a deal...

Apparently, they have an excellent Happy Hour 3-6 on weekdays...

My server gave me an inside tip about eating the leftover crust with honey. I tried it and it was tasty. But, be sure to wipe off any excess tomato sauce. It's like having dessert without paying any extra money.

I'm still partial to Zachary's in Oakland for a Chicago style pie, but Patxi's is closer and more convenient...

another blind post...

Once again, I went to one of my spots and ran into someone I didn't want to run into to.

In this case, it's better, because the person doesn't work @ the joint...

I went to this place to meet a friend of mine.

I ignored the _____ and had a wonderful time catching up with my friend...

By the way, my friend and the ____ are females...

a blind post...

In December of 2008, I met a young lady @ the bar of the club I was a member of. And on that night I met her, I stupidly took her to Vegas. I had a comped room @ the Wynn.

Anyway, once we checked into the Wynn Casino, we went down to the poker room(I gave her gambling money). We sat @ the same table and after about ten minutes of play she wins a big pot. Then she subsequently gathers her chips and leaves the table.

I was stunned! I take this ____ to LV and she takes off on me. Man, that pissed me off!!! And I don't see her in the room until several hours later. Obviously, I didn't get laid... Quite frankly, I wasn't expecting to get laid, I just wanted to hang out and this fucking _____ takes off on me! Fuck!

I did make sure she returned to San Francisco safely, but after that incident I've never talked to her again. I saw her @ the club many times, yet I pretended she didn't exist...

She's a bartender and I make sure not to frequent any bars she works @...

However, last night I went to one of my regular spots to say hey to my friends who work there. I actually know the GM pretty well. The fucking ___ now works @ this joint. Fuck!

I was on my 15th day of no alcohol and I fell off of the wagon because of the above incident... Yes, that's weak...

A typical day in the life of NY...

kim ng assistant gm of the dodgers...

She was an Assistant General Manager of the Yankees...

She should have been the GM of the Dodgers... Instead she accepted basically a lateral move to LA.

The Seattle Mariners had an opportunity to make her their GM. They are now floundering under the idiot they hired...

This young Asian American women deserves an opportunity to be a GM of a Major League team...

I'm not a fan of Brian Sabean GM of the Giants, but Sabean and manager Bruce Boche have had a renaissance this season... Ng would have been a perfect fit for San Francisco.

Ms. Ng has paid her dues...

I can see her returning to New York to become GM of the Mets... Current Mets GM Omar Minaya most blow dodge... He's terrible!

hyatt regency embarcadero bathrooms...

The doors to the stalls are only about 5ft high enabling anyone of average height or higher the opportunity to peer down on you- potentially an uncomfortable and embarrassing situation...

That's why I try to avoid using the facilities @ the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero...

charlie st. cloud...

Film starring Zach Efron.

I've only seen the kid in one other film- 17 AGAIN and he really does have star quality. I'm not into remakes, but he would have been great in the remake of FOOTLOOSE, but Efron dropped out of the film to make CHARLIE ST. CLOUD. Now, an unknown actor is starring in the Kevin Bacon character. I definitely won't see the remake...

Efron has charisma and he's not bad looking- the latter statement is probably an understatement...

I found the film to be poorly written and the casting questionable. The kid actor who played his brother wasn't likable in my opinion. The female lead(Amanda Crew) is somewhat of an unknown entity, good looking, but she didn't have much presence...

Kim Basinger plays his mother in a very small role. Ray Liotta portrays the paramedic in more or less a cameo role.

The guy who starred in THE TAO OF STEVE- Donal Logue has aged and lost a ton of weight. He's also in a basic throwaway part.

Augustus Prew who portrays Efron's coworker @ the cemetery had his moments and has a little Russell Brand in him. Let me reiterate, a little Russell Brand...

I don't like how they tried to portray Massachusetts and it was obviously filmed in British Columbia. I'm familiar with the area they filmed in because I'm from Seattle Washington and many times I've ridden a ferry from Seattle to Victoria, BC and saw the wondrous beauty of the area...

Zac Efron needs to find a project that will take him to the next level. CHARLIE ST. CLOUD wasn't the right film...

debra saunders of the sf chronicle...

I try never to read any column or article written by that person, because I can't stand the _____!!!!!

For some reason, she was allowed to write her opinion about the overturning of Prop 8.

This is how stupid the ___ is, she writes, "Will advocates use the schools to promote same-sex marriages with young kids? These aren't unreasonable questions?" Her previous question is something regarding judges, the Boy Scouts, and gays and I couldn't make heads or tails out of it. She's a fucking idiot!

This moron poses the ideal that legalizing same-sex marriage could lead to the legalization of polygamy? What the fuck?

She also mentions that Judge Walker is gay- which I didn't know. Other articles I've read did not...

The head case writes 52% of California voters voted for Prop 8. I'm wondering how many of those 52% thought they were voting for same-sex marriages when they voted yes on Prop 8. We'll never know...

overturning of prop 8...

I'm happy that the proposition banning same-sex marriages in the state in which I reside has been overturned... This happened in a San Francisco courtroom on Wednesday.

We all know that marriage is a crap shoot and there's a good chance that it will fail...
That's one reason I support gay marriages. Give all couples who want to get married, the chance to be successful or the chance to fail...

I must really give props to Chief U.S District Judge Vaughn Walker for overturning Proposition 8. Walker is quoted as saying, "Prop 8 continued the long history of discrimination against gays and lesbians." And Walker ruled that Prop 8 was based on "moral disapproval."

But, the fight isn't over yet... Walker has issued a temporary stay on Prop 8 during the appeals process to decide whether to he wants to suspend his ruling. Meaning gays and lesbians can't run down to City Hall and get married today. Hopefully, they will able to sooner than later...

First the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco and then to the Supreme Court.

traveling...

The only foreign countries I've traveled to are Japan, Canada, and Mexico and two of those countries share a border with the US...

I've been to Hawaii 50 plus times because I have family there and my parents retired in Honolulu. I actually lived in Honolulu for about four years total.

I've been to Vegas over 50 times. Been to Salt Lake/Park City, Utah about 25 times.

Traveled to New York 6 times. Been to the Tampa Bay area about 5 times.

I was born and raised in Seattle, but I don't return to my hometown enough...

Never been to Europe. I've never been to South America. I've never been to Australia.

What I see is that I'm a creature of habit and I go to the same places over and over again. This must change. Life is too short.

London, England and Paris, France are on my radar sometime in the near future...

However, I'm lucky to have been where I've been...

dinner for schmucks...

To me, Steve Carell is hit or miss. I liked him in THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN(2005)which actually put him on the map and his small role in ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY(2004). His other work- not so much.

However, he was fantastic in DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS...

I've followed Paul Rudd's career since CLUELESS(1995). Carell and Rudd have great chemistry together. Rudd was also in THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN and ANCHORMAN.

In a minor role Zach Galifianakis is very good. THE HANGOVER(2009) was Galifianakis' breakthrough part...

I didn't even recognize the cat from HBO's FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS Jemaine Clement.

The actress who played Rudd's girlfriend had a small role in THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA. She's attractive, however I thought they could have cast someone with more name recognition. And quite frankly, Stephanie Szostak's acting is fair @ best...

Ron Livingston has been in two films I've really liked SWINGERS(1996) and OFFICE SPACE(1999). He played an unlikeable character in THE COOLER(2003) and played Jack Berger in SEX AND THE CITY mostly in 2003. Livingston's movie career seems to have stalled as of late... We'll see if this film and the upcoming GOING THE DISTANCE will jump start his career.

Anyway, great cast. I could write about a few more cast members, but I won't...

DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS, a very funny film that surprised the heck out of me...

keith aki...

A good friend of mine who I haven't seen for nearly a year. I wrote about this before, but his five year old daughter was diagnosed with leukemia on her birthday. I called him when I heard the terrible news several months later. The cat never called me back, however I ran into him @ AT&T Park last evening...

Apparently, she's doing well- which makes me very happy and his wife secured employment @ Kaiser which surely makes taking care of his daughter's health care more manageable.

I guess the moral of this story is to cherish life. It really saddens me when a child gets ill...

Have a healthy day...

unbelievable...

This is the story. The other day I contacted Jason Gee to ask when Scooter, a bartender @ Mr. Bing's was coming back from Asia(China and Thailand). Jason said later that evening. That's a coincidence...

A few days pass and last night I'm walking on Folsom near 3rd and I see someone that looks familiar- it's Michael "Scooter" Chan having a cigarette in front of a Thai restaurant. I think that's fucking unreal... I haven't seen the cat for four months, I inquire about him a few days earlier and "boom!" he appears before my eyes...

In life, stuff like that happens all the time...

andrea lowell...

She's on Playboy Radio Sirius/XM. I have yet to tune in, but I must make a concerted effort to listen in the immediate future...

Yes, she's also a Playboy model. A foodie. Seemingly a comedienne too.

Andrea just got married. Congrats to her! She's from Long Beach, CA.

And I'm lucky to have her as a facebook friend, although I have yet to meet her face to face...

I guess I'm writing a post about her because she cracked me up with her humor when I logged on to facebook earlier in the morning reading her posts. There's nothing better than waking up to laughter... Actually, I can think of one better thing...

Cheers to Andrea Lowell, a beauty with a tremendous personality!

If you want too see a pic of the lovely Andrea google her or subscribe to the Playboy Cyber Club...

lou's cafe on geary near 14th ave...

This afternoon I tried an Ultimate Club- roast beef, turkey, salami, ham, bacon, swiss cheese, Lou's Special Sauce, dijon mustard, on a soft & sweet roll. I got it toasted as recommended by the beautiful Lisa DiStefano and of course, less the red onions...

Lou's sandwiches includes: lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and jalapeno spread. And the above mentioned Lou's Special Sauce and red onions...

Other add on's/substitutes are pepperoncinis, cucumbers, pesto aioli, dijon mustard, mayonnaise, cranberry spread. Avocado is 50 cents extra and bacon is a buck extra.

Lou's serves illy coffee, in which I like and they have free wifi, but you must ask for the password.

My Ultimate Club was a bit messy, therefore get those extra napkins without wasting too much paper. Or better yet, bring you own handkerchief...

Oh, I forgot to write that the sandwich was near orgasmic- it was that good...

zac efron flashdancers...

I like the kid. I must admit I never saw any of the HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL series, but I enjoyed 17 AGAIN.

Efron has a new movie opening today called CHARLIE ST. CLOUD.

Let's get back to the gentlemen's club Flashdancers on Broadway and 53rd in New York City. I've been there and it's a dive. Matter of fact, my niece lives two blocks away. Three or four years ago, I won some money playing poker @ one of those illegal poker parlors in Manhattan and I ended up @ Flash Dancers. The joint serves sushi, rest assured I didn't try it there...

Anyway, Efron and one of his buddies from HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL were reportedly @ Flashdancers on Sunday night and he spent two grand doing what they do @ strip clubs. Young Zac denied he spent a couple of K. He said it was about 6 bucks...

I don't think you can get a beer @ Flashdancers for $6...

Going off topic, the kid is a San Francisco Giants fan. That's a good thing...

david lee golden state warriors...

I was happy the Warriors traded for the ex-Knick and Florida Gator.

He recently hurt the middle finger on his right hand causing much concern for Golden State fans because of the serious wrist injury of Udoh the first round pick from Baylor who'll be out for six months...

I saw Lee @ a Giants game versus Florida on Monday night and his finger looked fine. He'll be more than ready for training camp. This will give him an opportunity to work on dribbling and shooting with his left hand while nursing his right hand...

According to an article by Rusty Simmons of the Comicle- Lee on his first full day in town went to a San Francisco elementary school and pledged along with the Warriors and a foundation to refurbish the outdoor basketball court @ the school.

I don't know the background of his father, but Lee's recently departed grandfather donated $70 million over the years to various children's organizations and local universities in St. Louis.

Plus, David Lee attended a funeral for a Knicks security guard even after he was traded to the Warriors so someone from the New York organization would be represented. Man, that tells me a lot about the kid's character...

And I want to thank Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle for writing an excellent article about David Lee showing the humanistic side of the 80 million dollar man who averaged 20.2 points and 11.7 rebounds last season.

sacramento...

I hate to admit that I have an easier time posting on my facebook as opposed to writing on my blog. That's not a good thing...

And twitter, forgetaboutit... Quite frankly, I really don't find much use for that site. I don't tweet on a consistent basis. And when I do, it's usually to complain about something...

Well, I'm heading to Sacramento today to check out the State Fair. I haven't been for a few years and I'm really looking forward to it...

This year, they moved up the state fair to run in July, as opposed to August- trying to drum up business that has been lacking for the past several years.

I think I might go for some deep fried frog legs up there...