Mom's Year

This year is going to be the Year of the Rat. I visited the folks this past weekend in Little Saigon to check out the Tết festivities. The market was already congested with local and visiting Vietnamese families (a lot of my relatives are coming into town starting this weekend and there'll be a new addition to the family(!), I'll explain in another post). There was an air of excitement, it was absolutely festive. Tết is a time of excess. I love this time of year. It gets super busy the week before Tết. People are stacking up on food, fruit, candy, flowers, trinkets and firecrackers in anticipation for the holiday.

I remember as a child, I didn't have to go to school on Tết. It was my parents' idea. So cool. And I couldn't wait to get those red envelopes. No school and you are rewarded with money? WTF? That's like the ultimate as a kid. Total dream. These days, it's the other way around now that I'm an "adult." Now I have to save up months in advance to give to the little kiddies. They expect a lot these days.

Vietnamese take great care to start the New Year out just right which means wearing new clothes, having heaps of food at home, getting rid of old debts, ill feelings, etc... My mom said I can't even clean as that's bad luck; I'll be sweeping out any good luck. This will be very hard for me to do since I love to clean. It's a compulsion of mine. Luckily, I just cleaned my place so it'll be good until after Tet. Goodness.

The flower market gets bigger with each year. There's even going to be parade on Bolsa Avenue this New Year! Little Saigon is all you need during this time of the year. It's even better than being in Vietnam. I was gorging on everything; the food, incense, the flowers, the treats, the colors, the culture, the tradition. I love it so.




Yum yum rambutan. Yum yum muffin top.


Yum yum banh beo. The best may be found at Quan Hy.


Updated, these one dimensional paper clothes have gotten more stylish and modern; cool frames, mobile phones, flashy trainers... People burn these paper clothes as an offering to the dead so they too can celebrate with new duds for the New Year.


My family is going to attend this big cultural event NYE and my mom suggested I wear an áo dài. I'm down with that but really can't fit in any of my old ones so I was thinking of getting a new dress. Somehow I really can't really see myself wearing any one of these on the mannequins. I might have to try to lose weight so I can squeeze into an old one from like a decade ago. These are a bit hideous no? Could I rock it?



Went in for a spontaneous haircut. Told the lady to just chop it all off. Who cares. It'll grow back. Out with the old, in with the new.

Tunes I've been digging this past month.
1. Destroyer's Trouble in Dreams (OMFG, it's awesome. MY FAVORITE)
2. The Magnetic Fields' Distortion (I love Steven Merritt, so much beauty can be found through the noise.)
3. The Explorers Club's Freedom Wind (This is as pure pop as it gets and I love me some good pop music.)
4. Vampire Weekend, s/t (they're ready for grad school now.)

Give Up

On the most depressing day of the year.... I'll be playing the saddest songs...
__________________________________
TUESDAY, January 15th

DUBLAB & PART TIME PUNKS present…

GIVE UP meets A SAD, SLOW DANCE PARTY



sink into sorrow again with your selectors…

Ale
frosty
J.Mendez
Michael Stock
BennyShambles
Jimmy Tamborello
Sam Cooper
Ben Barnes
Anh Do
+ other sad sounding souls

inside = tear soaked slow dancing, all-night long
patio = a deeply depressing sound session

FREE / 21+ / 9pm-2am

La Cita
336 S Hill St, Downtown
Los Angeles, CA 90013

dublab.com
parttimepunks.com

...stop dancing & cry then start slowly dancing again...

The most amazing version of this song ever made...

Just me and my BB

Tonight, I was told that I should just date my Blackberry as I was so preoccupied customizing my new Curve during Project Runway and well, I didn't really pay attention to the show or anyone else. I sat still and did not join in dissing/praising the contestants and their (un)well crafted garments.

I love my BB. I thought about getting the iPhone but I'm just not ready yet... It's hard to let a good thing go and there's no reason to right now. Not when one is deeply addicted to bbm. I've had relationships and friendships flourish and crumble due to this... It's a gift that keeps on giving.

Six ways, one way, half a dozen the other...

Four things I've noticed since the New Year:

1. I like being the fifth wheel. It's a new experience to be by myself amongst two other couples. I'm digging it. I think I get more attention that way anyways...

2. I think I like coffee again. I've had 3 different kinds of prepared coffee in the last 24 hours! It's made me feel really jittery in a good way. It's never (ever) gonna replace my eternal worship for tea but it's comforting on rainy days.

3. I'm still loving Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. I love his new covers record, especially this song.

4. I just started getting into watching DVDs (since I got an all region/all format dvd player). I know, I'm really behind modern day in this regard; I'm usually more on top of it but somehow... I highly recommend this Scott Walker dvd.

Fondue & Light Fare

So I don't know how it happened so last minute but I threw an intimate NYE soiree at my new pad. There was fondue and light fare and I even threw some of the Seasonal Blues in there! Seriously, it wasn't that bad. It was my first party and luckily for the guests, it didn't end in tears. Thanks to Easy for suggesting it (the one who also suggested this blog fyi). I found out capacity was 24, a lot more than I expected.

[Thanks Ollie for the mix cd and Hack Man. I didn't know we share a love for The Pastels.]

It doesn't get any better than both Yaos in one place.

Witty and Waxman, new couple alert!

Stacy with the Tibetan Singing Gong my folks got me for Xmas.

70s soft rock cardy duo

ds & Jen A. made an appearance even though they were both under the weather. Thank you very much.

It wouldn't be a party without TED.

This wasn't really taken on NYE but it sure felt like it. My bestest high school friends reunited for one night last week, Phuong and Kristen. Super rare, super super.

Feel the New Beat

I don't do resolutions. They are trifling, stagnant, meaningless. It's about what you do, not what you say. It helps if you can do both at once but that rarely happens.

You already know what I've been into last year so there's no need to do a top 10 best shows/best songs/best art/best books/best games/best films/best eats/best places/best friends etc...

But when I think of last year, here's what I remember:
soz, california, geriatric, cuddle up, delicious, acoustic mainlines, mint and ginger, seasonal blues, and yum yum, piggy's bum

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Merry Christmas!

Warmest Night of the Year

Time has flown by quickly this December and it's only mid-month! Here's a quick summary of what's been happening in my world:

Ezra and I dj'ed this Kiehl's event which gave me the opportunity to wear my Owley glasses again. I played one Xmas song which got me into the spirit of the holidays. Oh yeah, I was feeling the Holiday Cheer.

I had to report for jury duty and this time around, I was fully prepared, even psyched to be called in for a case. During the morning orientation, the judge's speech was deeply inspiring...

And because I truly wanted to be on a case this time around (there is no duty of good citizenship more important than jury duty), I wasn't called (mais oui) and was released by day's end. I've fulfilled my jury service.

There was Folkhands' Unfitney's Birthday Bash which was a hot mess all around. One thing that stuck with me was when I was introduced to this blond hair girl, she commented how I had the most beautiful "Asian" hair. wtf? Who says this kind of shit nowadays? wtf?

Happy Birthday Folkhands. Glad I got to spend it with you.


Colin took me to see Richard Hawley. It was awesome and I decided that rockabilly ala English is okay with me. Totes. And the best thing happened that night. I had heard through a friend that Bob Lind (yes, one of my heroes) was going to be there and perhaps play with Mr. Hawley?!?! As I was walking into the Troubadour, I ran into Ian and he introduced me to Mr. Lind!!! Apparently, Hawley is producing a new Lind record! It was the ultimate fan encounter experience, just totally out of nowhere. Just like when I had met Anthony Bourdain last year, I was 'tarding out like you wouldn't believe! The show and what happened just reaffirmed to me that older guys are the shit. If you look like this, please contact me as I'm interested...

An absolute stunner...
olderguys.mp3

I went into Dublab and completed Part Two of my "To the left, to the left" set which I did earlier this year. The title is rather ridiculous but here you go. It should of been called this instead... I will cry at Christmas...

Part One
Part Two
tracklisting

You're welcome, tis' my pleasure... This goes out to Trumbull and Hartford... Merry Christmas!

Coldest Night of the Year

Nothing much to report this month, just trying to get fit and smart, playing records, buying stuff, drinking loads of tea (& vsop) and pigging out as usual. The best thing I'm doing is converting my favorite records from analog to digital on my new USB turntable I just bought. This is good winter music...

V. Bunyan's "Coldest Night of the Year.mp3"
Y. Ono's "Remember Love.mp3"

One Stop Pop Culture Shop

On the first of the last month of this year, on a lovely chilly LA evening, I stopped by the opening of the one-month only pop up Rhino Records retail shop. I wanted almost everything in there (well 70% of it)... just in time for the holiday season. During my college years, I used to go to Rhino Records all the time when it was in Westwood ...This caught my eye. Weighs a ton and looks so good, this is what I want for Christmas.

Jimmy & Carlos, the Dublab DJs joining in on the festivities.

"Green Mind" and "Where You Been" next to "Psycho Candy," The Germs and Coltrane. What is there to say about this? This reminded me of my new BFF.

The best things in life are free...

Teenage Fanclub's "Free Again.mp3"
Felt's "Free.mp3"
D. Wilson's "Sound of Free.mp3"

Hook & Eye

Two fifths of LA's Finest supported another Finest this past Saturday as we celebrated Anna's solo show at Karen Lovegrove Gallery. Wiggles and I dj'ed at her afterparty.

Pressure was on to satisfy those who were yearning to dance. I really had to go through my records to find any "danceable" tunes as all I've been into lately is downcast stuff. Yeah it's been bummers... Yet everything this month has been telling me that the Seasonal Blues have ended early for me this year. Darn it, it barely lasted a month this time! I'm wondering if this is a good or bad thing. Maybe it'll return next month? I'm secretly hoping so...

People did danced (yes!) and I was thoroughly happy when Lecia said that she loved it when I played Ride's "Twisterella" (that's dancey right?) But what mattered was that Anna had a good time at her party. Congrats Anna!

Viet, Duy and Bun

Viet's new restaurant finally had its opening tonight. His new restaurant is called "Viet Noodle Bar." Well, what else right? Saw a lot of fellow VN friends and it was so good to see everyone looking so good. I can't wait until it opens next week. The menu looks awesome, a lot of old favorites with a lot of new dishes which, I won't doubt, will be delicious. Westerners will love it and I will love it because it will be tasty. Viet and his crew are such great people, you not only go there for the food, you go there for the company. And that just makes it so much better. It really is yum yum, piggy's bum...

Duy and Viet (I wanted to include lovely Bun but she wouldn't have none of it, she's camera shy she insisted... but it was really unfair that she got to only take pics of me on her camera but I couldn't take any of hers on mine.)

It was great to catch up with Duy, who has given me enlightening tarot readings this past year. After talking for less than a minute, he bluntly stated, "well, he's just not that into you." Ouch. Harsh. I started laughing so hard. That's like the best thing someone has told me in a long time. I love it... Vietnamese people have such a way with me...

J. Loudermilk's "The Little Bird.mp3"
Bobby Charles' "Let Yourself Go.mp3"
F. Hardy's "J'ai Coupe Le Telephone.mp3"

A man told me to beware of 33...

He said, "It was not an easy time for me."

And he's right. It's been a pretty tough (more like relentless) year but six months later, I'm getting through it. Lost the plot a few times but the one thing that did save me have been the awe-inspiring acoustic-gospel-strings versions of Spiritualized songs. And last night I got to see J Spaceman in his full Acoustic Mainlines glory. And it was glorious. When he sang "Stop Your Crying" and "Ladies and Gentleman...," I believed him.

The eyes are finally drying now and I am feeling happy to be alive. Feels like the New Year has started early for me.

At the Vista last night... definitely in the Top 10 of my all-time bestest shows.

Love the Game

Let's forget about the Seasonal Blues for a second... Let's just enjoy some sports, namely the best game, basketball.

Over my years of going to basketball games, I've gotten to see a lot of my favorite players in action so I jumped at the chance when I was invited to see LeBron James & the Cleveland Cavaliers play against my beloved team, The Clippers, tonight. My team lost but it was exciting to see LeBron slam a few good ones. It was also a chance to pig out: nachos camachos, Texas Dog (which consisted of bbq sauce, cheddar cheese, bacon and onion rings on top of a giant spicy hot dog), peanuts, ice cream dibs and beer... It was a full on carb fest. D-Fense! Let's go...

Pyrotechnic introductions

With the Los Angeles Clippers Spirit Dance Team. L to R: Nina, Kristin (captain) and Ashley R.

Becoming Ben Cho

Or rather, it's me becoming Wiggles becoming Ben. I like wearing glasses again. Going back to my old geeky ways!

Happiness is a Warm Gun

Actually it's not. Not for me anyways. After I made a yummy dinner with an even yummier cheese plate while watching "Survivor" (it can't get any better than this right?), ds and I headed down to the LA Gun Club to shoot some guns. Never having done any sort of thing like this ever, the excitement that had been building up for this night was replaced with apprehension and fear when I arrived. I mean it was real, empty shells were littered everywhere on the floor, the gravity of the gun, the ferocity of the recoil, and the noise, that noise was deafening. My heart could barely take it. I was traumatized.

My idealized notion that I would be good at this was completely shattered by the fact that I was too rattled by my surroundings, just holding the gun was almost too much. ds said I was too hard on myself, and I think he was somewhat right because afterwards, as we drove away from that soulless climate, I thought I would perhaps give this a go again. The shock was wearing off and that next time, I would be more focused and have more control. Maybe I just need to be really pissed off at someone. At least I know that I made the right choice by not joining LA's finest...

Bang, bang, shoot shoot. A total pro, ds had no problem.

A total novice, still trying to figure it out, totally shaking... But the smell of the gunpowder was attractive, like bonfire nights as a beach kid.

I'm now thinking that happiness might be a warm puppy instead...

Twilight Songs for Twilight Days

Leonard Cohen's "Why Don't You Try.mp3"
OMD's "She's Leaving.mp3"
Harrison & Dylan's "I Threw it All Away.mp3"

'Tis the Season

This is what my weekend looked like:

After playing so many Scrabulous games on Facebook this past month, I played a real Scrabble game at home with friends Jeannie & TED. Felt like old times.

Pre-Halloween moon

Malibu, after the fire...

And the NY Times did not disappoint again this Sunday. Another timely gem. Click here to read this article which was placed next to the wedding celebrations. Twisted... I recommend you check out the suggested websites relating to the article. Who knew such a thing existed? But then again, nothing is really a surprise to me these days...

And from that I found another parallel article which may be found here. 'Tis the season...