On The Daily

Pontian and Asian Gorilla Juice

2012-01-31T03:09:00.000-08:00

Posted for January 25, 2012
After work, I had dinner at the Marina Parade Hawker center. It’s located directly across the street from the hotel. I went to a Stall called Pontian. It was Hella good. Chili and Black sauce with pork and Bok Choy, 2 fried wontons, and Asian egg noodles that had a bite like Italian pasta. It was also served with 2 more wontons in a clear vegetable broth on the side. Total cost for the meal.. $2.20 SGD. Next to the stall was a juice stand. I had Star Fruit Juice to go along with my meal. Star fruit – found in Asia - tastes similar to a green apple.

After dinner, I went back to the hotel. Not being able to find Ice Machines, I went to the Lobby bar and asked for a cup of ice. I still had my cup of Star Fruit Juice, but most of the ice had melted and it had diluted the last of my drink, which measured about 3 spoons. With the hamster wheel turning in my brain, I came up with an idea of creating a new variation of Gorilla Juice. For those who don’t know what Gorilla Juice is, it’s taking a new 40oz bottle of Olde English Malt Liquor Beer (OE) and topping it with Orange Juice. With the ice obtained from the bar at the lobby, I took a few cubes and put in the cup with the diluted Star Fruit Juice, then filled it with the OE. Baddah Bing, Asian Gorilla Juice.

Breaking In My New Flip Flops With Old Gawkers

2012-01-30T05:09:00.001-08:00

Posted for January 24
Before I had arrived, I had set my mind on my first meal in Singapore - Hainanese Chicken Rice; and that’s exactly what I had last night for dinner. With the majority of all businesses closed, from the Lunar New Year celebrations, I was able to find a Hawker stand. It was ok, but good enough.

I woke up at 5 am and had breakfast at the hotel. After cruising the Internet, I got ready and walked the neighbor hood to the Geylang district. Not knowing how far of a walk didn’t concern me since I had the whole day to myself. I left the hotel at about 10:30 am.

After an hour of walking and with no map in hand, I reached the Geylang district with no issues. I saw a conjugation of old men and was curious to see what was going on. As I got closer to see what was going on, I quickly realized they were all gawking at the “working women” who were posted along the sidewalk adjacent to the main street. Just like the men who were ogling, the “working women” were old and dirty looking.

Feeling hungry from walking, I ate across the street. I had chicken rice and Tiger Beer. The chicken rice wasn’t that good, but it didn’t really matter as I was hungry and thirsty for a beer. After the meal I explored the area a bit more then headed back to the hotel.

I got back at about 3:30 pm. My feet were hurting and I had a small gash (strawberry) on top of my left foot caused from the sandals rubbing on my feet. I wanted to break in my new slippers/sandals, so I wore them and walked in them for a total of 10+ miles. The pain was so intense, that even walking bare footed in my hotel room caused pain. I sat in one of my chairs with my feet raised for half hour then decided to go swimming. I figured dunking my feet in the pool would help alleviate the pain, and cleansing my sweaty self in the pool would be refreshing.

After 2 hours in the pool, I cleaned up and had dinner at a place called Ajisen. I’ve never heard of it but found out they’re a global chain famous for their ramen. I was tired, thirsty, and was craving for Ramen. I ordered the Aso Volcano Ramen, which was a spicy soup base with pork, egg, and other good stuff. After dinner I walked for just a bit – with shoes this time - and ran into a bar next to my hotel. I took a peak inside and found it filled with old service girls. I closed the door right away and headed back to my to my room.

I went to bed at 9

Cravings

2012-01-30T04:03:00.000-08:00

The area that I’m staying at must be posh. The reason why I have come to this assumption is because of the fact that I’ve seen more Ferraris, Porsches, and Maseratis in a 5 day span than in the past 3 years.

I noticed a Japanese restaurant tucked in a small plaza near my hotel while I was exploring yesterday. I’ve been craving for Sukiyaki in the past 3 months, so I decided to head over there and give it a shot. Prior to walking into the restaurant, I peeked around the plaza. There was an electronic store and several other restaurants- Korean, Filipino, and Churrascaria. Seeing the Churriscaria, with a huge sign in their front patio stating the pork knuckle was their specialty of the evening, I had to take a look. I spoke to the waiter. He explained the menu, their specials, and their happy hour. The happy hour consisted of a bottomless glass of wine with appetizers for $22 SGD. I had a huge smile on my face and was tempted, but because I was craving for Sukiyaki, I said thank you and I’ll return later.

Waraku Restaurant has 3 locations in Singapore. The one I dined in is located near the Roxy Center in the Katong area – behind my hotel. Priced at $17.80 SGD, I ordered the Udon Sukiyaki with a bottomless cup of green tea that was priced at $1.30 SGD. The soup base was delicious. Not salty, nor too sweet. However, the meat was a bit tough. That was expected, as Singapore is not known for having top quality meat. Overall, I enjoyed the sukiyaki and would return if my craving returns.

Layover in Japan

2012-01-25T16:12:00.000-08:00

Posted for January 23

On Saturday January 21^st my brother in law picked me up at 7:45am to take me to the airport. At the Airport (SFO) I had a meal at Andale with a couple beverages and boarded my plane at 11am. I stayed up for most of the flight watching movies and had a couple 5 min power naps in between. I don’t’ know what it is about Airplane food, but it makes me super gaseous. Thank goodness they’re usually non-scented.

I arrived in Japan on Sunday January 22^nd at about 4:45pm Japan Time (1 hour behind the scheduled land time of 3:45pm). As I waited at the gate for my connecting flight, an announcement of the flight being delayed was made. There were mechanical issues that were being resolved. After an hour and a half I boarded the plane and dozed off in my seat while waiting for take off. An hour later, I woke up to another public announcement asking all passengers to disembark. We were instructed to go to a designated area and obtain information for accommodations for the evening.

Put up at Hotel Nikko Narita a shuttle bus was also provided. Check in was a breeze. Breakfast and dinner was included with the accommodations. The room was small and the bathroom appeared to be a pre-manufactured room. The toilet had a beday. Yes I used it. On my bed was a complementary Pajama. I have to give it to the Airline Staff at the Narita Airport; everything was taken in care of with no hiccups.

The room was super hot. I opened the curtains and put my hand on the window. It was cold. I couldn’t figure out how to turn the heat down so I turned it off. I figured the window was cold enough to cool the room.

Later on the evening I awoke from my room phone ringing and the alerts from my cell phone. My plan of cooling the room worked as I found my self tucked under the down comforter. The alerts from my cell phone were from messages left by a friend of mine who was going to pick me up at the airport in Singapore. I tried to text him back but my phone was not cooperating. I called the front desk to obtain the message left in the phone of my hotel room. The message was to obtain my Airline Ticket at the front desk. I immediately went down to kill any anticipation of what, when, where and how the arrangement for the flight to Singapore were planned. Looking at the ticket, it was scheduled to depart at 10:30 am.

Back in Singapore

2012-01-25T16:10:00.000-08:00

Posted for January 23

After 42+ hours of travel time, I’m back in Singapore. And this time it’s for 5 weeks - not 3 days. My connecting flight in Japan was grounded due to mechanical issues, so the Airlines provided accommodations for an overnight stay in Narita. I was bit bothered that I had stay the night in Narita, but I got over it fast. Hell, safety first right?! The reason why I was bothered was because I was going to miss the NFL NFC Championship Game (49ers vs. the NY Giants) on TV. As some of you already know, I’m a season Ticket holder. I’ve already had to give up my Ticket and now to miss the game on TV didn’t sink in too well. The arrangements I’ve made to meet with a friend in Singapore to watch the game, has been dismissed. My traditional 40oz of Malt Liquor that I drink before the games, which I brought me to Singapore will have to be consumed for other reasons. But as I mentioned, the safety of my well-being supersedes all.

Sports and Priorities

2012-01-23T17:27:00.000-08:00

It took me several days to get over that fact that I was going to miss the 49er Game – Live in person. After all, there is a reason why I own season tickets. For this exact reason: The Big GAME. Listening to Sports Talk Radio actually helped me get over it. It was therapeutic to say the least. I had to come to terms with the fact that Sports is exactly what it is, Sports. It’s entertainment that I’m not getting paid to do.
I’ve a list of priorities in my life, apparently travel and my career ranks higher on my list then sports. Just like what was said in the movie Fever Pitch, “You love the Sox, but have they ever loved you back?” A friend of mine was giving me a super hard time about missing the game, which I have to admit, stressed me little bit. But it was partially my fault for calling him the week before and teasing him about missing a monumental game in which critics have claimed it be one of the top 5 best NFL Playoff Games in History. He was on a family trip.

New Years In Costa Rica

2012-01-12T21:23:00.000-08:00

Due to the inebriated state we were in, I didn't capture enough footage nor have a steady hand. On the other hand, I made use of what was available.

New Years in Tamarindo Costa Rica from Wackymango on Vimeo.

Curiosity

2012-01-12T20:50:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year folks! I wanted to start off the new year with this video that I stumbled on Vimeo.com. In the past few months, I've been asked why I've been traveling so much. And with that question I've been asked if I've gone through a life changing experience that led to this. To be honest, this video that I found is the main reason. I've alway been curious. So should you!

The Future Belongs to the Curious from Skillshare on Vimeo.

In Costa Rica

2011-12-28T23:29:00.000-08:00

I'm too brain dead to write/type anything. So here are some pics fresh from Tamarindo, Costa Rica.

More Places To See

2011-11-26T11:51:00.000-08:00

I’ve definitely more places to see. As you can tell with the locations marked of places I've been to, Europe is my favorite Continent. I need to start venturing off to the other large masses of land. Machu Picchu, the Mayan Ruins, the Pyramids, and Petra is still on my list.

Weak in the knees

2011-11-05T18:24:00.000-07:00

It didn't take me long to stop doing jumping jacks. After 2 weeks of jumping jacks, my inner knees started to hurt. I busted my knees years ago and I never went to therapy for it. In addition, I'm assuming the years from skateboarding and snowboarding has taken a toll on my knees. So I had to stop jumping jacks and found something new. A friend of mine told me about M100's.

Jumping Jacks

2011-10-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

I'm so out of shape and with the Snowboard Season rapidly approaching, I've got to start getting my legs in shape. I do play softball on Fridays but, that's not gonna hack. So step 1: Get my cardio up and start with the basics. Jumping jacks for 5 mins(non-stop). It's really more difficult than it sounds as I only lasted 2:30 min today.

Brian Wilsons Tweet

2011-10-10T20:14:00.001-07:00

Brian Wilsons tweet at 10/10/11 10:01, AWESOME:

Brian Wilson (@BrianWilson38)
10/10/11 10:01
Grande Starbucks bold with 40 add'l shots+Benny Benassi's "Cinema" = Golds gym fist pumpin 101 class #thatswhatshesaid http://t.co/8BYWgKP1

Progress

2011-10-06T22:09:00.000-07:00

Slow as a turtle, but I'm making some progress! The clip inserts and voice overs have started. Big thanks to iPhilms on the sound conversion. He took a look at my screen shot on my previous post and caught my audio error.

I've still got items to post on my recent trip to Hawaii, so stay tuned.

SFO >> OGG

2011-10-02T20:52:00.000-07:00

Posted for Sunday September 18

Upgraded to First Class. What an awesome way to start to my vacation! First stop, the Buena Vista Café. It has basically become a ritual for me at SFO. Get here early and get some Irish Coffee. After several glasses and a nice little conversation with a patron, I headed to my gate. Already fueled with the Irish Coffees, as soon as I took my seat in the plane I ordered a Mimosa. Why the heck not right?! Free drinks in 1st class! Half way through the flight and several more drinks later, it dawned on me that I’ll need to drive my rental in a few hours. I took one more drink and tried to sober up with 2 cups of regular coffee.

I arrived at the OGG airport and headed directly to my rental. With alcohol coming out of my pores, I was surprised they handed me the keys to my rental. Just before leaving the lot, they smiled at me and said, take a couple shot for us. I smiled and took off. The drive to Lahaina from the OGG airport is about 45 minutes. I was here in Maui 2 years ago for my Sisters wedding so I’m familiar with the area and I know what the drive is like into Lahaina. There’s a scenic stretch on a 2 lane highway that hugs the coastal cliff. An awesome view that becomes hazardous from drivers ogling at the oceanic Hawaiian Seas.

I got to my hotel, checked in, and met up with the bride and groom, along with their family, for some food at Da Kitchen. It was located right in front of my hotel. I had a meal on the flight, which I totally forgot till now, and was still hungry from all the drinking. I ordered a Loco Moco and a Hurricane to wash it down with. Mixed with Bacardi 151, the waiter cautioned me how the strong the drink is. My friends laughed as I said, don’t worry, my veins flow with 151. We waited a bit before our food arrived due in part that the Watier, Bartender, and Host was all the same person. Short staffed to say the least. I felt sorry for her and even asked her if I could help. She smiled at me and said that she’s ok. So I downed my drink and ordered another one.

After the meal and drink, I headed back to my hotel for a nap. An hour later I met up with some other friends and hung out at their hotel located 2 blocks away from mine. After an hour of hanging out, I headed back to my room, picked up a 6 pack of beer and Hawaiian nuts, and slept for the rest of the day. Dunzo at 4PM.

Hawaii 2011

2011-09-27T20:18:00.000-07:00

Last week, I spent an entire week in Hawaii. If you ask me what I did, that’s easy: I drank, ate, and slept a lot. Aside from that I attended a 10 Year renewal wedding in Maui that was celebrated at The Maui Plantation. I stayed at the Pioneer Inn in Lahaina. The Pioneer Inn is located in their downtown area but unfortunately, being in Maui, everything settles down at about 10pm. Late night partying in Lahaina does not exist. After spending 6 days in Maui, I headed over to Oahu to visit a friend.

More to follow….

New Project

2011-09-13T21:04:00.000-07:00

After a year, I'm finally going to work on a project that I've put off for over a year. I'm hoping to turn it into a series of videos, all pending on content. I started it last year, but set it aside due to time - time wasted on other BS; but it came to me the other day, when at home, all I have to do is spend an hour on it each day.

Morning Drive

2011-08-24T21:07:00.001-07:00

This is what my morning commute looks like before hitting traffic. It's the quiet before the storm. The picture was taken from my phone.

BFD

2011-08-23T20:44:00.000-07:00

Posted for Sunday June 5, 2011
Back in early June, I went to Live 105's BFD concert with a friend of mine. We scored awesome seats. 8 rows back dead center. Snoop Dogg killed it. I was excited to watch The Strokes who were a disappointment and Linkin Park – who was the main act, also a disappointment. On the other hand, Snoop Dogg Killed it as he hammered the stage with the Dogg Pound. Snoop had a couple back ground dancers and put a show that can be described as like being in a Gentleman's club. I’ve never seen Snoop perform live. He has great stage presence and knows how to work with his audience.

Back in Spain

2011-08-22T19:50:00.000-07:00

Posted for July 10, 2011
Back in Spain! And to be more specific, San Sebastian. It is one of my favorite places to visit. It’s the way of life, the food, and the wine is what I enjoy the most. If you watch Anthony Bourdain No Reservations on TV, then you’ll recognize the picture above. Haizea - the place where I’ve eaten one of the best Tapas (called Pinxtos in the Basque country) in my life, which is pictured below: A Foie Gras sandwich with the bread substituted with fried apples.

Instagram Of The Day

2011-05-31T19:22:00.001-07:00

view full image

"Don't look back.... because it's cloudy"

Last Year at This Time

2011-05-23T21:35:00.000-07:00

As I'm itching for my upcoming trip, I was thinking back on what I was doing at this time last year. That was easy to figure out as all I had to do was look back on my blog. With that said, I was in Montana for work and had an opportunity to check out Yellowstone National Park.

Getting Ready for Pamplona 2011

2011-05-17T18:40:00.000-07:00

Pamplona 2011 Teaser from Wackymango on Vimeo.

I'm heading back to Pamplona for the Running Of The Bulls this year. And this time, there will be a total of 7 of us.

Chinatown in Singapore

2011-04-10T18:14:00.000-07:00

A 3 hour flight from Thailand, I went to Singapore for a weekend. When people explain how clean Singapore is, they're not kidding. It's really, really, really clean. Every Chinatown that I've visited, I've found the streets to be dirty; but not in Singapore. It's spotless.

I headed over to the hawker stands in a quest to eat at Tian Tian. According to all the locals, they serve the best Hiananeese Chicken Rice. How good was it you may ask? After my first plate, I got another one. Tian Tian is located in the Maxwell food stalls in China Town.

Koh Samet

2011-04-08T17:50:00.001-07:00

Aside from the scooter mishap, I had a blast in Koh Samet. A 3 hour drive from Bangkok to Rayon followed by a 45 minute boat ride to the island. It’s a small island filled with small beach front hotels and restaurants. The southern part of the island is more a resort area that is secluded from the public. On the north east side of the island - in between the villages of Hat Sai Kaew and Laem Yai - is where you’ll find the ocean front beach parties that begin at sundown. There’s a plethora of restaurants and bars that are lined up on that coast line. Relaxing during the day with tons of kids playing in the beach to a Raging Party scene at night.

Dodged a Bullet in Koh Samet

2011-04-05T20:57:00.000-07:00

Posted for March 14, 2011
I took a weekend trip to Koh Samet. It's a small island located in the southern region of Thailand. I rented scooter and had a blast with the exception of one mishap. I fell off my scooter. So what happened:

On a steep downhill dirt road filled with boulders and deep crevices created from the rain (water run off) is where it didn't happen, but rather on a flat straight away, full throttled on a sandy dirt road. I made it down the hill fine. I treated my scooter like it was a mountain bike. My friends on the other hand, jumped off their scooters and watched their scooters roll down the hill.

When I made it down the hill, the dirt road smoothed out into a flat sandy straight away. At full throttle, I peered back to look for my friends. With none of them in sight, I hit brakes; but a little too hard. In doing so, the back of the scooter started to swing out towards the right. Wearing nothing but board shorts and slippers, the hamster in my brain began to spin with images of something real bad that was about to happen. Unable to control the scooter, I waited for the exact moment to ditch the scooter. As I let go, I hit the dirt road scrapping my toes, leg, shoulder, and face on the ground. I don't know how I was able to immediately pop up on my feet, but as I looked ahead, I watched my scooter tumble and slide further down the road. I looked beyond my scooter down the street and saw a bunch of people looking at me in shock and in amazement. I then realized I had just dodged bullet.

Finding Some Good Food

2011-03-31T20:54:00.000-07:00

Staying in Bangkok for 6 weeks, I was bound to find an everyday place to go to for my meals. Sure enough, a 15 min walk from my hotel is a little place called Ad Makers. I ate at this place at least 2 times a week. You’ve got mama handling the fryer in front with the rest of the family cooking in the back. The food is a traditional Thai home cooked meal at a bargain price. To feed 4 with beers: 15 dollars. You can even bring in your own hard liquor to enjoy with your meal: my preferance – Sam Song, known as Thai Whisky which actually is rum.

Pictures below: Snakehead fish with a mango salad, Fish cakes, Tom Yum Soup, Crab Fried Rice, and Tilapia with hot chili and sweet sauce

6 weeks

2011-03-29T20:12:00.000-07:00

I just got back from Thailand. I was based in Bangkok for 6 weeks for work and was able to venture out during the weekends. I'll post more on my Thailand trip later. The picture above was taken in the city of Ayutthaya in the Ayutthaya Historical Park. The city was once the capital of Thailand.

Walking

2011-02-06T22:09:00.001-08:00

These clips were taken with in the past 2 years. I used 3 different point and shoot cameras that was able to capture video and 1 video camera. There were more locations I could of added, but I just got too lazy filming myself.

Back in Florence

2011-01-01T13:46:00.000-08:00

Posted for December 27, 2010
Back in Florence again; my third visit here. Its a nice town that is centralized to everything. And not to forget to mention, it's a great region for wine - specifically Chianti and Sangiovese. Last night I met some people and went out for dinner at a restaurant that had a Jazz band playing. I had an Osso Bucco that was cooked in a bolognese sauce. It was good. After the meal, I had a Grappa as we watched the Band play.

en Route to Italy

2010-12-26T08:42:00.000-08:00

Christmas day. I never thought i would ever travel on Christmas day. I left the 60 degree raining weather in San Francisco and arrived in Frankfurt Germany - 10 hours later - in which the Pilot sarcastically described the weather during our landing as "A Tropical -9 Degrees Celcius." A three hour stop over isn't too bad with the first hour occupied by transferring gates. As I sat on a small round table looking out the panaramic window facing the snow covered tarmac, enjoying a free espresso is as relaxing as it can get at the airport.
The flight over wasn't too bad. A bit turbulent, but the free vodkas I had made all things better.

Pre Packing

2010-12-24T08:46:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas Eve and I can't believe how fast this year went by. To End the year, I'll be in Naples, Italy. As I'm currently preparing my bags, I had the urge to pop this song in.

Wine Tasting

2010-12-12T19:38:00.000-08:00

I went to Castello di Amorosa in the Napa Valley today for a private Members Only Event. I invited Phil, his wife - Kana, and their Dotson - Haru. We had a blast drinking several different types of wine. The winery was making fresh bread from their outdoor Wood Fire Brick Oven, which was really good. The bread was topped with salt, pepper, rosemary and other herbs as the inside of the bread had chunks of olives. It was SUPER GOOD! I ended up purchasing 7 bottles of vino and an additional 2 for Phil & Kana.

Not So Silent Night 2010

2010-12-12T10:23:00.000-08:00

I went to the Not So Silent Night Concert on Friday and was very excited to see the Smashing Pumpkins. Other bands that played were My Chemical Romance, Phoenix, Black Keys, and Broken Bells. Of the 5 bands that played, my top two were Phoenix and The Smashing Pumpkins. The Smashing Pumpkins is one of my favorite all time bands. They played "Drown" which is one of my all time favorite tracks by them. I was quite surprised when they played it because I've I never heard it played to the masses. The track is one their very first songs and was released on Soundtrack entitled "Singles" in 1992. I remember hearing it for the first time when one of my sisters friends played it for me back while I was in High School. I don't remember her name, but when she found out that I listened to Alternative music, she went to her car, grabbed the cd, and let me listen to the album. I copied that specific song to a cassette tape.

The other songs the Pumpkins played were Landslide, Today, Bullet with Butterfly Wings(their opener), and closed with Tonight.

Black Friday: First Session

2010-11-27T18:58:00.000-08:00

Some people like to stay home on Black Friday and do nothing. Others enjoy the shopping and gripe about the long lines. Myself, on Black Friday, I enjoy the lines at a Ski Resort. It’s been a few years since I’ve gone snowboarding on Thanksgiving weekend – due to insufficient snow. This year was different and awesome. I ended my snowboarding season last year at Montana’s Big Sky Resort on their last day and I began this year’s snowboarding season at Alpine Meadow on their opening day - November 26. They had awesome snow. On the first run, I knocked the cobwebs out of my system by trying to grab some air from a small kicker and crashed into a friend of mine by taking his legs out. Not major though.

After the morning session, I was hungry and thirsty by noon – 12:08 to be exact. Typical style of what I like to do, I ended up kicking back with a few shots and beers till 3pm. I enjoyed two more runs before I called it a day.

NYE Destination: Italy Bound

2010-11-22T21:22:00.001-08:00

A couple months ago I was pondering on my next vacation. Well, here we are 2 months later and it’s going to happen. I’m headed to Italy on the last week of December. I leave Christmas Day and return on the 3rd. New Years Eve in Napoli.

http://wackymango.blogspot.com/2010/09/italy-and-spain-in-my-mind.html

Baseball Stuff

2010-11-22T20:54:00.000-08:00

They say a Picture is worth a thousand words. I was in Vegas when Brian Wilson struck out Ryan Howard resulting in the Giants winning the 2010 MLB National League Pennant, and eventually winning the World Series. This match up is every kids dream - one of the best hitters vs. an elite closer. The scenario that one says to him/her self, “full count, game tied, bottom of the ninth….”

In this case: The tying run on Second Base and the winning run on First., Full count, 2 outs.

Wedding in Cabo San Lucas

2010-10-19T21:29:00.000-07:00

I attended a wedding in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico on October 10, 2010. The wedding was Picturesque. I'll post more on Cabo later.

Fantasy Football

2010-10-04T20:42:00.000-07:00

Picture taken from http://www.nfl.com/

I'm going to admit it, my Fantasy Football team isn't great. And with any Fantasy Football league, you'll have a lot people talking smack. What makes it fun is when it back fires. Here's what I wrote on my Fantasy Football Leagues' Cover Story:

In an article published last week entitled "These Mangos are bad"(with a picture of rotten mangos), Fantasy Player Jeff Martinez stated,

"Thanks Goodness Bear and I have a bye week this week....oh wait, we're playing the Wackymangos? Oh yeah we do have a bye week....get it guys? Cause they suck!!!!”

You know what, to save himself from embarrassment, his team might as well have been on a bye week. Choosing to pick the low bearing fruit fallen from a tree, he forgot to look at the others that were growing and ready to be ripe. The TWO TIME BACK to BACK Champs pulls off one of the biggest upsets in League History. Predicted to lose by 30, the Wackymangos mistaken second draft pick - LT - and Defensive Team – Patriots – scored more than half of the their total team points.

We tried to contact the Wackymangos' GM “The Genius,” but could not reach him. We later found out he was busy taking a Sh*t.

Got Miles

2010-10-04T17:58:00.001-07:00

It has traveled with me for over 200,000 miles and I'm sad to say that it's getting replaced - my travel bag. So many memories. Rain, sleet, snow, and the hot sun. Cobble stones, rocks, dirt, sand; it's been through it. Why am I replacing it? The zipper broke. I've got to hand it High Sierra, they make awesome bags and they hold their warranty. I sent them an email and after a few quick instructions - cut the decals off the bag and mail it to us - they sent me a new bag! I'll miss my old bag but, I can't wait to start traveling with the new.

Smart Phones

2010-09-14T20:44:00.000-07:00

I've been holding back on a "Smart" Phone. I had one a few years back that ran Windows Mobile and I hated it. It constantly crashed. But with today's technology the mobile smart phones has improved 10 folds. But even with the huge improvements, I'm still holding back till next year because of the phone wars. It seems like every month, a new and better phone is released, so I might as well wait. No need to rush. Besides, I don't want to get addicted to a mobile device. Being detached from the world is refreshing (I'll go on a rant on this subject on a future post).

Italy and Spain In My Mind

2010-09-13T21:16:00.000-07:00

As I sit and watch Anthony Bourdain’s new episode on the Travel Channel: Madrid, I can’t help but think to my self that I want to return to Spain or Italy in the near distant future. The food, wine, and people - I love it all. I don’t mind returning to the some of the same cities that I’ve gone to in both countries:

Venice – Waking up early in the morning to enjoy a pastry and espresso by the water while watching produce and other items being delivered by boat to the shops and restaurants.
Lake Como –Relaxing at the wine bar and enjoying the even slower pace of life
San Sebastian – Tapas / Pintxos bar hopping
Madrid – What I consider the NY or Spain, because it's the busiest city in Spain

And then there is the new – the place I’ve not yet visited in Italy & Spain:

Italy – Cinque Terre, Jesolo, Sardegna, Napoli, Palermo
Spain – Sevilla, Granada, Malaga

If things work out, I may just head out during the last week of December. Until then, I'll have to enjoy those thoughts in the back of my head.

Ron's Experience in Pamplona

2010-09-10T17:33:00.000-07:00

From my previous posts, Fiesta de San Fermin is a festival that's indescribable. I'm sure there are other festivals that may be just as wild, but when you've got an assortment of generations that attend this fiesta, it makes it that much more special. So last year, a couple of friends had decided to come along on my second go around. A year later, I finally found some time to put this video together.

31 Hours

2010-08-29T16:47:00.001-07:00

My first full video documentary on my travels. Living in the airport for 31 hours traveling from Sydney to Los Angeles to San Francisco to Honolulu. All three legs were delayed so it was nice flying out of SFO to Honolulu in First Class. What wasn't captured was the mess I dealt with at LAX. The ticket agent at United could not find my reservations and sent be back to the international terminal to speak to the other airline (Quantas). After a few backlashes, I was able to talk to his manager (United) in which she found my reservation. After issuing my boarding pass, I was told to run to the gate as my flight was about to leave. Running through security, I almost fell flat on my face. When I got to the gate, I was told the flight was delayed. JERKS! IDIOTS! I highly doubt the flight delay notice occurred 5 min prior to departure. Especially if the plane wasn't even at the gate. LAX SUCKS!!

Absent

2010-08-28T01:05:00.000-07:00

I've been busy with all sorts of stuff. I've got tons of stuff to post, but I just haven't had time.. So in the mean time.. Enjoy Janet. It's one of my favorite Janet Tracks.

4 Bottles, A Magnum, and a Barrel

2010-07-27T20:27:00.000-07:00

I went to Napa with a good friend of mine and accompanied by his wife on Sunday. It was an extension of my birthday in which he unexpectedly treated me out for lunch at Ruthurford. We had their awesome cornbread for appetizers. I had a Ribeye cooked to perfection - med rare- as my main course. Our original appt. at Caymus was scheduled for 11:30am but do to unforced circumstances, we didn't make in time, which is how we unexpectedly ate at Ruthurfords.

After lunch we headed over to Caymus to see if we were able to get squeezed in with another group. Apparently Caymus sticks to 10 people (max) per tasting and they were fully booked for the rest of the day and several weeks to come. As I spoke to one of the workers, I asked if there was any thing they could do, he responded with, "how about I give you guys a taster." I responded with, "that would be awesome, thank you so much!"
He opened a door and said, "Follow me."

My two friends and I looked at each other with a large grin as he took us through a door behind the cashiers counter. We entered a large dark room that appeared to be holding cell filled with barrels of wine. He walked away for a min. to pour us our tasters as we whispered to each other in amazement. When the guy came back with our glasses, he turned the lights on. We were struck in amazement. The guy then said, we usually never take anyone back here. He then pointed over to a room that was visible with a large window and said, “That's where our tastings are held.” As we finished our glasses conjugated around an upright barrel, we all asked the guy a few questions. As he answered our questions and gave a brief background history of Caymus, he poured us another glass.
Although we didn't get the full 5 tastings at Caymus due to our tardiness, that private tasting was better that what we had planned. The gentleman who had assisted us was FANTASTIC!

After Caymus we headed off to Castillo Di Amorosa. We did the castle tour and had a great time at the wine tastings there. We took some fun snap shots inside the castle. With my friends emphasizing that it was my birthday to the tour guide, I received a couple more tastings than allowed. Our host enjoyed our company as our sarcasms made her laugh. During the tour I had noticed a couple used French Oak Barrels that were lying around with a for sale sign. After a few inquiries, I had two barrels purchased along with a few bottles of wine. I gave the other barrel to my friend.

Just another Friday

2010-07-24T13:32:00.000-07:00

Off The Grid from RJ Atengco on Vimeo.

Sydney Bound

2010-07-05T06:11:00.001-07:00

Posted for July 1
With my flight leaving for Sydney at 7 pm, I've got my afternoon planned for another go around in the downtown area. I ran into Luke in the Hostel lobby in which he approched me and said, "first to pinch and punch on the first of the month." As he phycially pinched and punched me, I laughed outloud and thought to my self, "what the hell?"

Heading to downtown, my first mission is to look for an electronic store. I forgot to pack my charger for my video camera. As soon as I found one, I headed off to a beef pie shop that I saw the other day. Located in a little alley I enjoyed my beef and bacon pie with a long black coffee for breakfast.

After breakfast, I went to Brevile St. The area reminded me of Telegraph Street in Berkely mixed with a little bit of Haight Street in San Francisco. Lots of botique shops. There are tons of spots with an out door area to enjoy coffee and people watch. I stopped by a couple records stores to take a gander and saw a couple interesting records such as a A Tribe Called Quest's "Rare and unlreleased Instrumentals."

I headed back to St. Kilda at about 3pm to grab a quick bite at a fish and chips spot then to the Hostel where my shuttle took me to the airport - Sydney bound. BTW, the fish and chips was pretty damn good. The shop fries their food in a Healthier rice oil which gave the fish and chips a different flavor.

I arrived in Sydeny at about 8:30 and got to the hostel at about 10pm. As I settled in my room, I met my 2 other room mates from Spain - Jesika and Mikel. After a quick introduction and chat I headed for the streets for some food. I ate a spot called Pepper Rice and had a sizzling plate of rice topped with corn and beef on the side. I headed back to the hostel and crashed after my meal.

Day 2: Part 2 Downtown Melbourne

2010-06-30T21:35:00.001-07:00

Posted for June 29
I walked the city area for about 5 hours finding my way to the Port area which is filled with restaraunts, a Shopping Mall, and thier AFL Stadium The main downtown area is similar to any other metropolitan down town area. Filled with people moving like ants -shopping, working, and hanging out.

As I walked though downtown I came accross an alley way with people doing Graffiti. I spoke to a guy who was supervising and got a little info. The city allocates funds to Graffiti projects. Specific area are maintained and assigned to the real graffiti artists. Melbourne defines can art in two differnt interpretations:

Graffiti (unaccepted by the government)- unorganized can works with no thought in to a piece - aka Tagging
Street Art (accepted by the government) - Pieces such as the one shown in the picture

After exploring the downtown area, I found a spot that served ramen. I ate and headed back to the hostel.

Yarra Valley

2010-06-30T15:43:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for something to do, you can never go wrong with a Wine Tasting Tour. This will be my 3rd international wine tasting tour. Go figure, you'll probably get a little tipsy (or sh*t face if you're a light weight); and any time you you get a bunch of intoxicated people together, you'll meet people. That's exactly what happened. I ended meeting a couple folks from my hostel. They were both down to earth. They seemed like really good friends who've known each other for years, but it turns out, they met in Thailand earlier this year. The gentleman - Luke - is from the UK who's been traveling for 8 months now. He decided to quit his job and just go. The gal - Mal - is from Sydney who came down here to Melbourne to hang out.
The tour covered 4 wineries and a huge lunch at a botique winery. The wines that we went through were good. Not the best, but good enough. The region where Australia produces a higher quality of wine comes from another region - the Barrossa Valley which is located 8 hours from Melbourne and and hour away from Adelaine. The four wineries we visited were:

De Bortoli - Family owned and one of the largest exporters of wine in Australia
Train Trak - A botique winery that caters their wines to restaraunts
Yering Station - The oldest and first Winery in Victoria
Domaine Chandon - I thought they were only located in Napa

In my opinion, of the four, Domaine Chandon had the better wine. I purchased 2 bottles of their Shiraz which is only made in Australia. Accoring to the wine host at the winery, the Shiraz is not exported. I also found thier Rose to be quite tastey.
When i got back to the hostel, I had dinner with the 2 folks that i had met on the tour. We ate a place called Clay Pot. The food was good. We shared a mixture of tapas and 2 different clay pot dishes.

Tapas:
Sting ray, octopus, calamari, string beans, eggplant, portabello mushroom, and a tomatoe mixture.
Clay Pot dishes:
Morracan Clay pot - Seafood ebmeddded on top of seasoned cuscus topped with finely grounded mint.
Cajun - A gumbo seafood mixture layed ontop thick rice

The Morracan Clay pot was my favorite. After dinner we headed back to the hostel. I had a beer then called it a night.

Australia: Day 2

2010-06-29T02:54:00.001-07:00

I went to bed early last night due to Jet lag, 17 hours ahead. I crashed at 8pm. I got up at 8 and headed to Down Town Melbourne. First stop: The Victorian Market.

It’s not as dope as the market in Barcelona, but it’s good enough. And at that, It’s probably the second best market that I’ve seen. It’s a Market that sells fresh Produce: Meat, Sea Food, Chicken, Fruit, Vegetables and clothes and souvenirs. Not having breakfast yet, I headed straight for the food section and had a pastry called Burek stuffed with meat. I expected beef, but it tasted like lamb. None the less, It was Freaking Good. Made fresh. After that I headed to the fish area. I walked around a bit and saw Australian oysters. The light bulb in my head lit up instantly. After seeing everything the market had to offer, I picked up 6 oysters, then headed to the meat area and picked up 3 dollars worth of Serrano Prosciutto from Spain. Then a bottle of Wine and bread. Instant Breakfast but not breakfast food. Freaking AWESOME!!!

With the weather being cold and light rain, I picked up a couple Japanese type bomber hats. Super warm and comfy.

After the market, I walked the city. The market is just 5 min away from the main down town area.

Sunny Warm Weekend

2010-06-14T17:18:00.000-07:00

When the weather is great in Downtown San Francisco, there is nothing better to do that enjoy the weather with wine, cheese, and good friends at the park and beach. Aquatic Park and Bakers beach. I've got to keep reminding my self to apply sun screen, because after both events this weekend, I got a sunburn on top of a sunburn.

Gangsta Tear Drop

2010-06-11T18:25:00.000-07:00

So on my way home from work today I had a gangsta tear drop roll down both of my cheeks as I sipped on an orange/cream flavored icy drink. Adams song came on the radio and thought of a good friend of mine who passed away. She was huge Blink 182 fan.
When you lose someone close to you, it's difficult to move on but when you finally do, you will never forget and will always remember the good times.

Breakfast

2010-05-30T11:52:00.000-07:00

After a long day yesterday, I got up at 8am and headed to the Northbeach area for Breakfast and enjoyed the Awesome weather.

A Full Day: Time Line

2010-05-30T11:34:00.000-07:00

May 29, 2010: I woke up at 6am Central Standard time. Had Breakfast. Jumped in the pool and hot tub at the hotel. Then left Bozeman Montana at 11 am

Arrived at SFO at 3pm PST. Got home at 4:30. Chucky Cheese for my Nephew's and Cousin's B-Day at 5pm.

Giants Game at 7pm. Passed out at 2:30 am, May 30, 2010.

What a long day!

First things first

2010-05-24T19:59:00.000-07:00

So I'm back in Montana for work. As soon as I got a chance to hit up the grocery store, this is the first thing I purchased. I'm trying to eat it in moderation, but it's just so damn good.

Moving Block Party

2010-05-19T21:09:00.000-07:00

I attended the Bay to Breakers this year. Not as a runner, but as a drinker. I’d have to say that this is one of the best events held in San Francisco. It is probably one of the only events in which drinking in public is allowed on a span of 7 miles. After the marathon begins, the party follows. A mass of people in costumes and floats walk through the city like a heard. In every corner or house, you’ll find people dancing to the music played by a DJ. As the herd marches, alcohol flows.

I travel to places for events such as these and it’s quite amazing how all this takes place in my own backyard. Too bad it occurs on a Sunday. Next year, I may have to take Monday off work.

I met up with Rob at his apt on Nob Hill and we trekked towards Golden Gate Park meeting the herd on Van Ness. As soon as we caught up with the masses, adrenaline kicked in and the alcohol ran through our system like Niagara Falls. We killed our first bottle of Grey Goose when we got to the Pan Handle area and decided to purchase another one. Half an hour later, Rob was hanging off a tree. He tried several times to break a branch. On his 3rd attempt, an environmentalist began yelling at him, “your hurting the tree!” Rob laughed at her as he fell off the tree then ran off. That’s when I lost him. 2 hours later, I got a phone call, “dude, where are you, I just woke up under a tree.”

Affordable Drifting

2010-05-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

And so it officially begins. The World of RC Car Drifting. Since it would be very impractical for me to get into drifting at this point in my current life, I'll settle with RC Cars for the moment. I've been trying to set up my RC for months and finally did something this week. I went out and got my wheels and tires - set up with a stretched look. With a little help from a friend of mine, my RC's internal gearing - I'll post up the pic at a later date - is ready to go. After painting the body, I'm looking forward to run my car later this week.

Breakfast at the Port

2010-05-08T12:43:00.000-07:00

It feels good to sleep in. For me - sleeping in means getting up at 7:30am (I usually get up for work at 5am). As soon as I got up, I got ready and headed to the Ferry Building in SF for some breakfast. After scoping the scene, I chillaxed on a bench facing Treasure Island for about two hours enjoying a pastrami sandwich, coke, Salumi cone, and coffee. The eastern winds was blocked by the Ferry Building making it a nice and warm spot with a fantastic view overlooking the east bay.

The Pastrami sandwich was just ok (it definitely isn't comparable to Katz Deli in NY), but their homemade mustard made it tasty. The Salumi cone from Boccalone was overpriced, but delicious (the Salumi is a bunch of cured meats that range from prosciutto to salami). There were tons of tourists and locals hanging out. A great spot to people watch and soak in the morning rays and sea breeze. After lounging on the bench, I walked around a bit more and came across a cooking demo held by the Executive Chef from the Hyatt SF. He prepared scallops with a puree made from asparagus, fava beans, butter, and other vegetables. It smelled good and looked good.

After watching the cooking demo, I headed over to the Embarcadero where I parked my car. On my way I saw some kids on a skateboard getting excited as they approached the area. With San Francisco being a Mecca for Skateboarding I can understand their excitement. I got flashbacks of my high school years when my friends and I hung out at the Embarcadero to skate. Since then, citations are being giving for Skateboarding in the area.

Car Show

2010-05-03T19:29:00.000-07:00

I went to a mainstream import car show this weekend. It's been a long time since I've attended one of these events. Aside from the cars, it's filled with Vendors for performance parts vendors, booth babes, Dj's, on stage performances, and models. With that being said, I was taken back in time when I saw a set of old skool Toyotas. As stated in the past, over 10 years ago, I owned a 1972 corolla. I raced it and sold it due to the fact that I used it as my daily driven car - very impractical. The blue celica in the back is moded with honda V-tech motor. Awesome!
There was also an old skool Skyline present. My pics didn't turn out well due to the ropes that gated the car from damages that may occur from spectators. The picture above is a clean eye catching 510.

Delayed and Cancelled

2010-04-24T07:30:00.000-07:00

My flight home from Montana was long. For a short flight it, it was a long travel day. My first flight out of Bozeman was delayed an hour. Then, when I got to Denver for my connecting flight to SFO, my flight was cancelled. With all these delays, what does one do at the airport? Hang out at the bar. The Airport at Bozeman has an awesome view of the landing strip with the mountains in the background. I should have taken a photo of it, but I got caught up drinking and talking to the friendly folks bartending. Due to expansion, it’s sad to say, that particular bar will not be the same.

Yellow Stone

2010-04-18T11:59:00.000-07:00

I went to Yellow Stone National Park yesterday and found it truly amazing. If you’re a nature buff, this is a definite must place to go to. They just opened up the roads earlier this week. In addition because it’s Natural Forrest Week, the entrance was free. The standard fee to get in the park with a vehicle is $25.

So after a 2 hour drive from Bozeman, I got to the park.: my Sanyo HD camera and Panasonic LX2 on hand and ready to go – so that’s what I thought. As I got the North side entrance, I came a across a gate with an induction plaque from Roosevelt. I started to take pictures with my LX2 and noticed that the memory card was full. Craps! I forgot to unload the memory card before I left my hotel. So, I turned around and headed back to the nearest store, which luckily is right by the entrance. I purchased a new SD and was good to go.

First stop, the Terraces. Mid way through taking pictures at the Terraces my LX2 turned decided to turn shut down – yep, I didn’t charge the battery last night either. GREEEEEAT! I though about it the night before but figured I had enough power to last me all day – nawt! At least I my Sanyo! So, I purchase a new SD card for nothing, but at least, I’ve got another card for back up. Replacing the ones that I had stolen in Argentina a few months back.

Any case, with at least one camera working I was able to capture some stuff from Yellow Stone’s Natural wonders such as the Terraces, Geysers, Wild Life, and Terrain.

Quail and Waffles

2010-04-16T21:21:00.000-07:00

Chicken and Waffles - NAWT!!! Holy smokes, let me introduce to you Quail and Waffle. This is freakishly delicious! I'm still in Bozeman, Montana and ran into a this Tapas joint: Over the Tapas. After driving around trying to decide where to eat, I ended up here. Doesn't that make it more ironic - Quail and Waffle at a Tapas Restaurant. Who cares?! It was was their special of the night and it was to die for. I enjoyed it with a spanish wine Razon - a late harvest near the Rioja Region. If you ever end up in Bozeman, Montana, I highly suggest to hit up this restaurant and hope they've got it on their menu. By the way, the waffle is freshly made - THE ENTIRE MEAL IS MADE TO ORDER!

Gettin' Gold

2010-04-16T18:15:00.001-07:00

Benny Gold HQ from iPhilms on Vimeo.

The Benny Gold flagship store is scheduled to open up tomorrow in SF: 3171 21st Street. Here's a preview brought you by iPhilms.net and Fatlace.com

Big Sky Montana

2010-04-11T16:43:00.000-07:00

I went snowboarding yesterday at Big Sky Resort located in Big Sky, Montana. There's a real good reason why the city is called Big Sky: its awesome mountains and scenery. To say the resort is off the hook would be an understatement. I would definitely recommend this resort to all the avid skiers and snowboarders - Awesome bowls, runs, and open terrain.

New Kicks

2010-04-11T08:21:00.000-07:00

I don't remember the last time I purchased a pair of Nike's. I'd have to say it's been at least 10 years. I left my running shoes at home and needed a pair to use the gym at my hotel here in Montana; so I went to the shoe store. With a buy 1 get the other half off, I couldn't resist on getting a 2 pairs. I purchased a pair of New Balance and Nike. The total was under $100!

Weather changes

2010-04-08T19:44:00.000-07:00

I went to work this morning with an over cast sky.
During lunch, the skies were clear and blue.
3 hours later, I stepped out of the office and saw this.
Snow!

Montana

2010-04-06T17:09:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning and saw this out side my window. It's been snowing all day here in Bozeman, Montana.

Golden Gate Fields

2010-04-04T21:52:00.001-07:00

Golden Gate Fields from RJ Atengco on Vimeo.

Dated for March 14, 2010
I was went to the Horse Races at Golden Gate Fields near Berkley, Ca to attend a Birthday. I went home winning $30. Here's a little clip I put together.

Rear Ended on the Freeway

2010-03-14T12:13:00.000-07:00

On the way to Downtown SF, I got rear ended last night on the Freeway. I was at a complete stop on the fast lane as well as the pick up truck behind me, when a civic plowed into the the truck - causing the truck to hit me. Good thing no one was was badly injured. After the accident, I thought all I had were minor scratches on the bumper. But after looking at it this morning, the entire bumper needs to be realigned.

The other two vehicles:
The rear end of the pick up truck will need some major repairs.
The civic - it may be a total loss.

Follow up: Drifting in Buttonwillow

2010-03-07T15:30:00.000-08:00

Here's a video Phillip put together on the Drift event that I had posted on February 24. I'm the passenger in some of the footage shown. Thanks again to Calvin for the ride along and Phil for the Awesome Editing Artistry!

Just another Sat

2010-03-07T14:59:00.000-08:00

After Delivering Orchids for my mom, I headed over to the Home of Chicken and Waffles located at Jack London Square in Oakland. This is the second weekend in a row that I've headed over there.

Drifting in Buttonwillow

2010-02-24T22:09:00.000-08:00

Last week, I was invited by Phillip to come along to Buttonwillow to attend a Team Drift Competition by Fatlace held on Sunday. With no plans made I said to myself, "sure, why the hell not. At least it'll keep me away from drinking alcohol Sat night." Boy was I glad I went. I was able to meet a Pro Drifter, Calvin Wan, and was even able to do a ride along. Holy Cows, what a ride, and super cool, down to earth dude. I really had no clue what the day had in stored but in the end, I was pretty darn happy: First drift event and first drift ride along experience with a Pro Drifter. WOW!

What made it all crazy was, I haven't been at a race event in years. Yet alone, a pure drift event in which I've never attended. My experience in Calvin's FD Ride may have awaken the Sleeping Racing Dragon in me. For those of you who don't know, I use to own a '72 Corolla, known in the race world as the Mango. It had 44 Dual side draft Mikuni's (then down graded to 40's for efficiency)and the engine was rebuit with a Japanese motor modified with a dual over head cam - 3TG. Half dome pistons for better compression and the block ported by hand. The paint was original with no rust - color: Mango. Its shoes: Panasport 13 x 8 wtih Sumitomo tires. DAMN! I miss that car. As soon as I find an old photo of it, I'll post it.

Anyways, the event was awesome. Good turn out. Good people. The racing scene has changed a lot. People seem a bit more friendlier. Maybe because its such a smaller niche in comparison to the Drag Races back in 1994-2000. The scene was a bit more calm- similar to the auto crossing scene: real mellow. So I guess the next question is, am I gonna go get a car and fix it up? The answer is, "not now." I don't have a garage of my own to monkey around and my priorities are else where. Mainly to pay my bills and to continue to travel as much as I can.

Digital Graffiti

2010-02-17T20:04:00.000-08:00

Digital Graffiti at the Olympic Village from Alex Beim on Vimeo.

About a month ago, John on Mixcrate wrote an article on digital Graffiti. I though it was dope. Just today, I ran into this on Vimeo. I thought it was cool.

Let the Planning Begin!

2010-02-11T20:18:00.000-08:00

I'm so happy and excited to say that I got my days off request from work approved. That means, I'm headed to Australia! How did this come about... easy. I've putting off Australia for the past couple years. I'll be attending a wedding in Hawaii, so I figured, the trip back home would be quicker. The tentative plan is as follows: SFO to Melbourne. Train or car rental from Melbourne to Sydney. Sydney to Honolulu. Planning to leave June 24 and return from Hawaii on the 11th.

100000 Miles and Counting

2010-02-08T18:15:00.000-08:00

Posted for February 1, 2010
On my way to work last week I exited A Street in Hayward to take a photo of this: 100,000 miles. As you can tell, I reseted the resettable odometer.

Ice Skating in Walnut Creek

2010-02-04T12:51:00.000-08:00

Ice Skating in Walnut Creek from RJ Atengco on Vimeo.

Back in Dec. 2009, I went Ice Skating with my younger cousins and nephew. After a couple months, I finally set time aside to quickly put something togther.

Breakfast

2010-01-23T12:25:00.000-08:00

Breakfast is one of my favorite meals of the day. Actually, let me rephrase that. I like to eat all day. Anyhow, I had to run errands in Downtown SF today and finished up at about 10 am. As soon as I finished, I headed over to Rocco's located at 1131 Folsom St between 7th and 8th. I was greeted properly and was seated on the counter. I looked at the menu and decided on one of 2 items. The Spinach Egg Florentine or the Crab Cakes Benedict. I asked the server how the Crabs Cakes are and she replied, "AWESOME." That sealed the deal for me, so I went ahead and ordered the Crab Cakes Benedict. As soon as I got my food, I dug in. My reaction - BONER TIME! Not only was it AWESOME, it was TOTALLY AWESOME! I'd definitely would order it again when I return for breakfast at a future date. It's got a nice crispy texture with a poached egg that compliments the sauce and Crab Cakes. And as far as the potatoes - delicious as well!

True HipHop

2010-01-22T18:58:00.000-08:00

I can't stop watching this video. Its freaking awesome, real, and true. Herbal T tears it in Spanish and Portuguese. Then there's hint of the Basque style guitar and old school jazzy piano with the Bass and scratch session.

Breakfast on Sunday Morning

2010-01-16T16:01:00.000-08:00

Posted For Sunday 1.10.10
After a long day of drinking yesterday, I woke up when a couple of the guys walked into the room. They were just getting back from the Gentlemen's Club (7AM). Hung over a bit, I went over to Planet Hollywood and had an awesome Chicken and Waffles for Breakfast along with a huge Blueberry Pancake Stack.

Still recovering

2010-01-13T20:57:00.001-08:00

Another fun filled trip at Vegas. To say I was drunk would be an understatement. I drank like I was in a drinking marathon. I'd go to sleep wasted, wake up, and drink some more. Well, what can I say, it's vegas. You're allowed to let your self go to a certain extent. And sometimes you just might get carried away. Picture above is from the Wine Cellar at Rio. Thanks to Jose for the tastey flights along with the condiments that he prepared. The Cab Flight was off the hook. I especially enjoyed the Silver Oak.

Back to Vegas

2010-01-07T21:38:00.000-08:00

I went to Las Vegas last year at about this time for the AVN. I'll be returning, but for a different reason this time around - my friends Bachelor Party. I leave tomorrow after work. Here's a video repost of a short clip made last year.

Anthony Meets His Favorite

A New Beginning

2010-01-01T11:12:00.000-08:00

With 2009 behind, we start the new year fresh: New goals, objectives, and for some - new loved ones. As we age, we continue to learn how to adapt to each situation (expected and non expected situations). I'm hoping this year is an adaptation to situations that only brings us happiness. Here's to having a Banner Year in 2010.

What's in your wallet

2009-12-31T15:18:00.000-08:00

Personally, all I carry is an ID holder.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T11:41:00.001-08:00

Besides the Holiday Fire on the TV set, are you getting your heavy dose of “A Christmas Story” and “It’s a Wonderful Life?” There’s nothing like the Holidays- Vino, Food, Vino, TV, Vino, and Food. Merry Christmas and have a Safe New Year; "Be sure to drink your Ovaltine.”

J-Billion

2009-12-24T20:07:00.001-08:00

I attended a party last night in SF at 111 Minna St.. They Showcased J-billion's new music video "CaliWay."

"CaliWay"-J Billion ft Spank Pops & 1 O.A.K from Vinroc on Vimeo.

Obama for a Gift

2009-12-23T20:16:00.000-08:00

I was walking around the mall today and I couldn't stop laughing when I saw the special edition Obama Chia Pet.

Food for 5

2009-12-22T20:42:00.000-08:00

I was craving for Korean food a few weeks ago so a couple friends and I went to a known spot called Brothers in SF. Do you think there's enough food for 5 people?

Academy of Art Student Showcase in SF

2009-12-19T08:58:00.000-08:00

I went to the Academy of Art student showcase last night where the soon to be and current graduating class displayed their work. They had an assortment of interesting items.

I Got Grapes

2009-12-06T19:17:00.001-08:00

After a hard night of drinking, I found a way to get up this morning to meet up with my family for a lunch at Mustards in Napa. I enjoyed a Faro Soup, Duck with an Almond Onion reduction, a bottle of Cakebread Syrah, 2 glasses of Mimosas, and an espresso. After lunch we headed off to Opus and V.Sattui.

Mixcrate.com brings "Community" back to the DJ

2009-11-22T19:08:00.000-08:00

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - November 16th, 2009 – Mixcrate announced the official launch of www.mixcrate.com: an innovative and completely free, community based, site for DJs to share their mixes with peers and fans.

The feature rich, interactive, platform was designed as a simple to use tool to allow DJs to distribute their work globally on-line. The site has a built-in rating system and allows members to comment and leave feedback on any of the mixes they choose. DJs, who have uploaded their own material, can easily view a matrix of statistics on each of their mixes which include: number of times recommended, times played, times downloaded, and current number of comments.

In addition, to encourage a rapid dissemination of material, www.mixcrate.com has integrated tools that allow members to easily share the mixes with any of their contacts on the popular social networking sites, including Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter.

Chris Yee, founder of the Mixcrate website, describes the service as "... a music distribution platform that enables DJ artists and their fans to discover and share mixsets for the purposes of promoting DJs and their mixes online."

"The community aspect of DJing has been an essential part of what's been lost in the new age of digital technology...", says partner Genghis Mendoza. "We're creating a community for DJ's to share and learn; an environment that fosters interactions between its members. Those new to the trade, and the hobbyists, now have a safe place to gain insight from some of our legends. Really, it’s all about sharing and innovation."

For additional information feel free to contact our media relations at pr@mixcrate.com or visit www.mixcrate.com.

Latin Jazz

2009-11-08T16:23:00.000-08:00

I went to Yoshi's in SF last night to watch local Musicians Pete Escovedo, Sheila E, and company. They had just got back from Washington playing for the President.

Commute

2009-10-28T21:40:00.001-07:00

With the Bay Bridge closed off, my normal 2 hour commute home from work tuned to 1 hour. Because the bridge is closed off both in both directions, the extra traffic that I drive through in the Emeryville area was non existent - less cars heading in the same direction as I.
The drive was great with the exception of 4 cars that seemed to be lost. They must have been the only 4 people in the entire bay area who didn’t know the Bay Bridge was closed. As we all drove towards the closed turnoff to the bridge, the 4 vehicles slowed down. A minimum 1000 yards of open road was ahead of them as I tailed them at a speed of 40 mph for a few miles. Jerks.

Dinner and Kings

2009-10-21T20:19:00.000-07:00

Posted for September 15, 2009
We got back to the hostel at about 7. After refreshing ourselves, we met up at the lounge area for dinner at 8. One of the guys suggested an all you can eat Parilla Restaurant. With 7 of us attending dinner we split up in two groups and hopped in 2 cabs. Written on a torn piece of paper, we handed the address to the cab driver that was given to us by one of the guys. When we got to the restaurant, we asked for a table to seat 7 while we waited for the other group to arrive. 10 min had passed and the other group had not yet arrived. The host went ahead and seated us. We sat down at our table and contemplated if we were in the right place. Both cabs had left at the same time but split up during the driver over. We then checked the address written on the torn piece of paper and notice two different addresses written on it - one on each side. We concluded the other group must have gone to the other restaurant so we decided to stay and eat. After dinner we walked around the marina a bit then headed back to the hostel.

We got back to the hostel and saw the other group. After a brief exchange in stories, we all joined a group that had started a game of Kings. 2 Decks and an epic game that made everyone stumble off their seats.

With everyone including my self already wasted, 3 of us decided to hit a bar. I called it a night at 5 am.

Air Show

2009-10-08T20:10:00.001-07:00

Posted for September 15, 2009

I got out of bed at 11 and got ready to meet up with the gang. We made plans to eat lunch, head to the Zoo, then to Uru Recoleta to pick up my jacket. Leaving he hostel at about 1:30, we headed towards the subway and ate at a pizzeria. While waiting for our pizza, I noticed an Air Show was being televised. In doing so I notice something more in detail – the Obelisco which is one block away. I then started to wonder if it was live. It was. I mentioned it to one of the guys and we both walked outside to observe if it really was taking place. We walked half a block, noticed the large amount of people in the street, looked up, and sure enough, the Air Show was taking place right above our heads. It wasn’t very spectacular, an assortment of jets that fly by but nothing special.

After we finished our pizza we headed to the subway to the Recoleta area. We trekked it through the borough and made our way to way to Uru Recoleta. After I Picked up my jacket we decided to skip out on the Zoo and took a cab to Palermo. We didn’t walk around Palermo due to time and daylight constraints, but we did manage to make our way to a little area that had a few bars and a pool hall situated next to each other. We grabbed a couple tables and had a couple beers.

Dead People, a Jacket, and an Incredible Band with a Hole in the Wall

2009-09-29T19:35:00.000-07:00

Posted for September 14, 2009
With my passport locked up at the hostel, a feeling of relief had dawned on me. I met up with a few folks from the hostel and headed out to the Recoleta Cemetery to see Evita’s Tomb. Like the Manila Cemetery, the tombs are above ground - Mausoleums. The major difference between the Manila Cemetery and the Recoleta Cemetary is the cleanliness of the area. The Manila Cemetery is dirty with the squatters living in the area. The Recoleta Cemetery is well kept – clean streets and no one living in the cemetery.

While looking for Evita’s tomb I made a comment in which everyone laughed. I said, “I’ve been in Argentina for 3 days and what have I done; I’ve been hustled, robbed, dunk, and saw dead people. What a fantastic holiday!”

After spotting Evita’s Mausoleum, we ogled at a few other tombs as we moseyed are way out of the Cemetery. Exiting the Cemetary, we were all parched and decided to grab a beer and a snack. With daylight dwindling, I split up from the group after the beer and burger and headed to Uru Recoleta – a leather store that Samantha Brown had featured in her Television Show. They were located just around the corner from where we were resting. I spent about an hour on designing my leather jacket then headed back to the hostel.

I met up with the group back at the hostel. We decided to skip out on dinner plans we had arranged the previous night to attend a Bomba Band Event. The event tuned out to be the best concert experience I’ve ever witnessed – and I was sober. To describe the event doesn’t serve justice and is one of those “got to be there.”
Basically it’s a percussion band with a conductor. The conductor instructs the band to play certain beats and rhythms, and like a DJ he’ll cut portions of the song and instruct specific groups to play segmented loops. The build up in tone, beat, harmony, and syncopation energizes the crowd to a point where a mash pit is created. Part of the build up included separate introductions to the Bass Guitar and Electric Guitar during the middle of the sets. Similar to a Rave, the event is held in a warehouse.

After the event we stopped by a hole in the wall and grabbed a yummy Churipan. When we got back to the Hostel, I shared a bottle of Vodka that I had picked on the way home from Uru Recoleta.

Officially Day 1 in Argentina

2009-09-24T21:16:00.000-07:00

Posted for September 12, 2009
I got up at 3pm hung over and hungry. I walked around downtown to get a better feel of the area and looked for a bite to eat. I had a Churipan (chorizo sandwich with chimichurri) – which was awesome – on one of the main streets then enjoyed an espresso in an outdoor seating café. When I got back to the hostel I met up with the folks I hung out with last night. We walked by the marina and had dinner. We ordered appetizers, 4 different meats, 3 sides, 2 bottles of wine, and desert. The total cost between the 3 of us: $35 US dollars….each.
Following dinner, the guys wanted to try to catch a college football game, but that was pretty much impossible. The only sports televised are Boxing, Tennis, and Futbol (soccer).

Walking around with no luck of catching a college game, we headed back to the hostel. We got back at about 1:30am in which I then began to contemplate whether to attend a house party I was invited to. During the pub crawl the other night, I held a conversation with one of the hosts in which he invited me to attend his birthday house party. With the other 2 guys calling it a night, I decided to hang out at the hostel instead. I thought that going to a house party alone in a city which I have no knowledge of, would be risky.

While hanging out at the bar in the hostel, I met some people: a couple South African folks attending a Mining Exploration Conference for their Geological Engineering program, a couple Australian folks, and a Brit. After a few drinks we all headed to the sister hostel located a few blocks away - Hostel Florida. The Hostel had a basement area which had a pool hall feel. 3 pool tables, a long larger bar, and a dance floor with a DJ spinning Reggaeton. We hung out for bit then headed back to our hostel. After another round of drinks and a couple games of pool at our Hostel, we ended the evening/morning at about 4am.

Temporary Passport Obtained

2009-09-14T07:01:00.001-07:00

With the BS that happened yesterday, I stayed in the Hostel last night and drank with a few folks. The Hostel had a live band playing in the lounge area with free empenadas.

I got up at this morning at 8 am, had breakfast, and headed for the Embassy. It was a fairly an easy process: 2 forms to fill out and 2 passport photos. I didn´t have passport photos with me, but I was directed to go outside the embassy and to find a guy under a tree who would be able to take my photo. As soon as I got outside and crossed the street, I spotted an old man with a picnic chair sitting under a tree. He had an Old Skool camera and white butcher paper pinned on a tree. He told me to stand in from the paper, smile, then took my picture and processed the photos in a thick dark bag. He handed me my passport photos at a cost of 20 Pesos. After turning in my forms and photo, I waited half an hour and obtained my Temporary Passport valid for 3 months.

Just confused this time

2009-09-13T12:20:00.000-07:00

Holy Craps, It happened again; this time my backpack disappears. I headed to the San Telmo Street Fair and walked in a cantina. I put my back pack down on the floor next to my feet. I reach over to the table across from me for the menu. As soon as I look down, my backpack is gone - vanished in thin air. I look around the cantina and it is no where to be found. There is only one exit out of the cantina, and still no signs of my back pack. The contents: My Passport, ASUS net book, Sanyo camera, Kodak camera, $60 USD, and the keys to my car. At least I still have my Panasonic camera and my wallet. Looks like I’ll be hanging out at the US Embassy tomorrow morning to retrieve a copy of my passport.

After filing the police report I headed back to the streets to try to enjoy the rest of my day. I ran into an artist who had some interesting paintings. I purchased one to take back home with me.

Dazed and Confused

2009-09-12T15:04:00.000-07:00

Posted for September 11, 2009
I can’t believe the terrorist attacks happened 8 years ago. It seems like it happened decades ago but 8 years isn’t so long. With that in mind, I got hustled yesterday. Straight up ripped off.

After a long 18 hour flight, I got into Buenos Aires at 10 am. I checked into my hostel at about 1 and headed for the streets. I ate at a Parilla and had a 1.5 lb helping of steak with 2 empanadas on the side. Feeling delirious from the steak and long travel day/night, I walked along Lavalle St. - a pedestrian street filled with shops. As I walked along, there were various people handing out an assortment of pamphlets. I ignored a few and then took one for a gentleman. Feeling spaced out, he then started to talk to me and led me to bar. As soon as I sat down, 2 gals in Bikinis sat down next me and a few drinks were immediately set on my table. I responded, “Woe!!! Hey, what’s going on here?” The two gals massaged my crotch and said, “Take it easy, relax.” I immediately downed my drink that was handed to me, asked for the bill, and took off. 200 Dollars down the drain! With the exception of the overpriced connector I bought in Hong Kong, this is the first time I’ve been ripped off during my travels. I can only blame myself for walking around with my guard down. I guess the lazy kick back effects from Maui haven’t left my system. In any case, it was a wake up call and I’ve got my guard back up. Expensive lesson.

I went back to my hostel to take a nap after that incident happened. Feeling refreshed and my guard back up in full force, I headed for a Pub Crawl. I met a few interesting people and the lead singer of a band in one of the 4 bars that we went to. The name of the band is Laika. I forgot her name but I asked the lead singer if they were selling any CD’s. She walked over to her jacket, pulled out a CD, and handed it to me for free Dollars. AWESOME! Cute and very nice. I should have taken a picture with her!

I got back to my hostel at about 5 am with a couple folks from the pub crawl. We had a beer and conversed a bit before calling it at night. I passed out at about 5:30 am.