Tavalodet Mobarak Sahar!

Coldplay, Summer 2008

Happy Birthday Sahar! - in Farsi

Yes, bloggies it's Snowball's Birthday today :) Woo hoo! Partay!!!

I've only known Sahar a for a short while but from the very first time we met, we both knew that it was BFF's at first sight :) You couldn't shut us up! Mind you we met during a job interview which went something like this...

Me: So, who did you work for? And don't say #2 because I work for #2 (lol!)
Sahar: I used to work for "blah, blah", the coldest biatch in the world!
Me: OMG! I know her. Okay you are so in! So what are you doing this weekend?

That's the Cliff Notes version but you get the point :)

She's been a voice of reason for me on several occasions. She's not afraid to speak her truth and not sugar coat it either. I'm not made of eggshells, I can take it. That's just one of the ways why I truly value her.

Sahar is one of the kindest and most compassionate person I know. I never hear her say anything mean about anyone. And when she does share her opinion, she keeps it to a minimum. She's got a good head on her shoulder and I admire her determination in life. She's definitely a silent warrior.

We are kindred spirits. When we get together and start conversing, its hard to tell where my thoughts end and hers begin. Her unlimited capacity to listen, astounds me. Heaven knows I love to talk! If you think my blogs are long and winded at times, try sitting through a reading session of one of my personal journal entry. Talk about needing to have the patience of Mother Teresa!

She's always there for me when I need her the most. Like the time I had my foot surgery. She was the first one to visit. She brought along a video player and classic movies such as "Flashdance" and "So I Married An Axe Murderer" (hilarious!) She even got me flowers...aaawwww! Although I was doped up beyond belief I knew then that she's a keeper ;)



Snowball, thank you for all that you do. Its all the little things that matters to me the most. With you, I never have to worry about being judged. I know that I'm not always the most easy going person and that I can get really intense at times but I'm glad that you were able to see through the quirkiness and really see me. Thank you.

I thank God every chance I get that I'm constantly surrounded with amazing people. You inspire me in so many ways. You are beautiful both inside and out. You bring joy to those around you. We are all born as nameless stars. Here's to brightest one of all. Keep on shining Sahar!


No Jake, the tank top cost $5



I took her here, she had the live lasagna and she's still my friend...








Fall of 2008 when we both pseudo fell in love with Mr. A-Z







We went to Natural Bridges to see the butterflies at the sanctuary but we were 2 weeks early :(




So we had fish, chips and beer instead...yeay!





Our last hike of the season before my foot surgery. This is my favorite trail in Mt. Tamalpais - Dipsea Trail

This was the first time I found out that she's afraid of heights...sorry!





The birth of Snowshoe (me) and Snowball (Sahar). This picture was taken outside of Club Fugazi, home of Beach Blanket Babylon where our aliases came to life. The princess featured on the show was Snow White and they did some really funny variations of her name hence our pseudonyms.








Gelato at Naia...It's like a burst of Citrus Sunshine...Oh wait it is! the flavor that is :)




She looooves animals!

Khoda hafaz,

Jake

I Drove All Niiiiggghhhttt To Get To Yoooooo...

If the first thing that came to your mind after reading that was Celine Dion....

Ding...ding...ding!!!

You are correct!

Friday night's entertainment was provided by none other than the love song ballad queen, Celine Dion.

The dynamic duo that is Snowball and Snowshoe finally saw Celine in concert. The show was supposed to be back in November but the Diva, cancelled it last minute. So it's now 2009, all the major holiday's are over, the stars are aligned and the timing was right. I saw her 10 years ago at the same place. It's so weird to think about that - I was still in college at the time. She pretty much sang all the same songs on Friday as she did from 10 years ago with the exception of maybe 3-4 new songs. She's as good as ever!


Hit it...






I finally had the chance to see Slumdog Millionaire earlier today. WOW!!! I can't believe I waited this long to see it. If I had known how good this movie was and how much I would LOVE IT, I would have seen it on opening day. Go see it please, if you haven't yet. You will like it, love it, fall in love with the characters and come out of the movie feeling really hopeful and optimistic about life and renewed faith in the inherent goodness in all. At least that's my experience.

So a little bit of childhood history here. I grew up in a tough town in the Philippines. Whenever I get asked where I was born and raised by other Filipinos, I always get this look as if I just said the most ridiculous and appalling thing in the world. You see, where I grew up would be considered "THE" slums of the Philippines. If you don't believe me, Google - Tondo, Manila. Anyhow, I won't go into details as to why we were living in the slums but it had a lot to do with safety and the nature of my dad's line of work back then.

Seeing the movie brought back childhood memories. Don't get me wrong, I grew up in a very nice house with a maid service and a driver who took us around. I went to a very good school and my parents always made sure that my sisters and I were well cared for. The only thing that one would consider odd was that we lived in the outskirts of the slums. My sisters and I were considered the "rich" kids, but there was no way in hell that you would be able to tell. We didn't play with the other rich kids. There were none in our side of the town. We were it. Instead, we got to play with the street kids. I truly believe that a huge part of who I am today was a product my slum days :)

Anyhow, watching the movie earlier brought back memories of me playing outside, running around in bare foot because I couldn't use my flip-flops otherwise my mom would find out that I was out in the streets playing which was a big no-no! My sister, Joan and I used to get into so much trouble with my mom. Somehow she always knew when I was outside playing. I mean, I covered my tracks pretty well but it didn't dawn on me that my mom gave me baths every night which meant that she saw how grimy and muddy feet were and I probably stunk like hell too...ha ha ha!

Okay fine, for those of you that have seen the movie, my childhood was not even remotely close to the horror that Jamal went through but as a kid growing up in the area that I did, I saw poverty, crime, abuse and injustice right before my eyes although I was too young to comprehend it at the time. Life taught me early on of the lessons of compassion, tolerance, acceptance and complete gratitude for what I have in my life.

So this Opera going, Symphony loving, Wine drinking, Hula dancing girl that I am today once lived in the slums, played with dirty, stinky kids, loved every minute of it and will do it all over again :)

Each person has a story to tell. Some of the chapters are heroic. Some of them are about loss, some about fear, and some about achievement or joy just like my story. Be open to the stories of others without judgments. You never know what you will find out. Give yourself the chance to get to know others deeper and make the connection. I'm not suggesting to like everyone's personality or want to spend time with them. That's draining and counter intuitive to the goal. Instead, choose the people you enjoy. Don't short change yourself by throwing anyone out of your heart.

I'm so glad Slumdog won so many awards and most importantly the Best Picture of the year - very well deserved.



Speaking of going back to my roots...

peace out homies,

jakey

Back from Splitsville Resort

What is Splitsville Resort and where the heck is it?

According to Lonely Planet: (pop. 1)

Splitsville Resort is where people go to recover from unexpected break-ups. It is a place of catharsis. Kind of like an inside-out spa experience. It's a place where you can purge all the bad emotions and sadness. You come lonely but you leave happy. It's a place where you really only want to visit once and the shorter you stay the better, but everyone is different with their timing.

So, I checked in to Splitsville Resort a few weeks ago. Splitsville is not your typical get away resort. It doesn't offer any amenities. In fact, you don't even get to pack for this trip. You get sent there with only the clothes on your back and your wits if you were lucky enough to have brought it with you. Unfortunately for me, I only had my clothes. I remember waking up that fateful morning and did my usual hike/run. It was an unusually warm and sunny day. There was a skip to my step and a happy tune in my head. Little did I know that the next few days would be pretty gloomy.

You see, this is the first time I have ever been sent to Splitsville so I had no idea what to expect. I'm normally the one sending people there. But let me tell you, I will think THRICE before I send anyone there from this day forward. If I ever find myself visiting again in the future, I know that I will be better equipped to handle myself. I know what to expect and will most likely stay for a shorter period of time.

My first three days in Splitsville was the worst. The bed had nails on it so I didn't sleep. Food was repulsive, so I didn't eat. My heart was in a million little pieces scattered all about. To top it off, I had the Indy500 of question marks ????? doing laps in my head all day long! It has been estimated that an average person has sixty thousand separate thoughts each and every day. The problem was that I had the same sixty thousand questions and thoughts from the day before which carried on to the next day and the day after that. That's enough to drive one absolutely bizerk!

So being that Splitsville Resort is not your typical relaxing and convenient get away spot, you have to check out everyday for 8 hours or so to go back to Realityville aka Work. That was tough. It was emotionally, physically and mentally draining to carry around the baggage with you everywhere you go. I didn't want to go anywhere. I wanted to stay as stationary as possible but I had to suck it up. Another problem with leaving Splitsville is that you walk around with this ultra sensitive sprinkler system. Anything can trigger it - a sight, sound or smell can turn on the water works. It doesn't matter if you're sitting in front of your computer by yourself or in a roomful of people at a coffee shop, it will just set off on its own. Can you just imagine the sheer horror of the sprinkler going off every 5 minutes or so? My only saving grace after work was that I got to spend time with a fellow Splitsvillager who had been to the resort once. She offered words of comfort and encouragement to make my stay there as short as possible.

She did mention that everyone should visit Splitsville Resort at least once in their lifetime. That is the only way to really understand and fully appreciate what it's like to be on the other side. In return this will create more awareness, mindfulness and compassion. I couldn't agree more! As hard as it was for me to be there, I think we could all use a little bit more lesson in compassion. There's not enough of it but I can certainly start with myself.

This went on for a couple more days. By the end of my first week of stay, I noticed that sleep came and visited me for 3-4 hours in the evening and food was slowly starting to look palatable again. My jaundiced skin was starting to regain its color. Puke green never looks good on anyone :) I pretty much have gathered all the broken bits of my heart and it's well on its way to recovery. In fact, I was feeling somewhat social again that I managed to actually get somewhat dolled up and went to a beer-food tasting party (See Magnolia vs. Dogfish Head).

By the second week, I started to find activities that kept me away from Splitsville Resort longer. I was either at a dance studio practicing Hula, in the gym spending time with Precore or at a Wine Bar somewhere in Palo Alto which by the way deserves its own blog later on.

The evenings are tough because that's when I found myself checking back in to Splitsville. However, the time I spent there was actually getting better. The Indy500 has finally left town, my mind was quieting and I was finally able to start writing coherently again. I was able to enter the sixty thousand thoughts and find silence in between the gaps. In this sliver of silence, I was able to find a sense of peace. When I do find myself in the state of "in-between" that's when the confusion goes away, my mind listens to what's going on in my body and for a brief moment, I am at a place of well-being. In silence, I was able to face my fear and sit with it. Acknowledge that it's there and work my way through it.

I checked out of Splitsville Resort last night. I knew I had to go. I have used up my welcome card. I don't need to stay there any longer than I have already. My heart is back in one piece with some scar tissue but I know that someday soon it will be back doing it's hand-stands again. My mind is a power house of information, ready to sift through the events of the past few months and learn the lessons that had to be learned. I have come to a place of acceptance. Happiness is a state of mind. I choose to be deliriously happy. I choose to have a different experience. I choose to continue my path to learn, to grow and to become better than I once was. I choose to experience life to its fullest. I get one shot here so I want to make the best of it.

As for the person who gave me the roundtrip ticket to Splitsville Resort? He'll always have a soft spot in my heart. I'm beginning to understand why we had to meet but I will keep that privy to myself for now. I wish him the same things I wish for myself and others around me. To find peace, happiness and true love.

"The falls of our life provide us with the energy to propel ourselves to higher levels"
Dr. Wayne Dyer

Ready...Set...Go...

In Spirit,

Jake

What's the fuzz all about?

Yesterday was the annual Valentine's Day, Pillow Fight in SF. I heard about this a while ago and it sounded kind of cool - if I wanted to get my head smacked around with pillows by a bunch of strangers! I met up with a group of friends to what was supposed to be a pre-dinner drinks but when I got to their place, they thought it would be a good idea to cheer me up by bringing me to the giant pillow fight instead.

Me: Oh no, really?....crickets...thought bubble...I can just see it now, someone walking around with their pillow and a target drawing on it saying "Your Face Here".

So being a good sport, I sucked it up, wore a big grin and said "I'll watch you guys from the side and capture the moment with my camera. I promise to send you the pictures and the videos straight away!"

The countdown begins...

Justin Herman Plaza

Chaos began when the clock struck 6:00

45 minutes later...

Fuzzy-Wuzzy, I should have worn a Onesie!

The whole thing was still going when we left to get food which was over an hour from when it started. When I posted the question, "What's the fuzz all about?"...well the answer is "IT'S ALL ABOUT THE FUZZ!!!". I'm still coughing up fuzz and feathers! Even standing on the side, I was covered with pseudo goose down feathers. My contact lens was a blur and my mind was spinning from the chaos :) It was fun!

Schroeder's German Restaurant

Went to the doctor's and he said that I definitely have "Carpal Tunnel".

Hmm...must have been from lifting this bad boy... (It's a 38 oz of Franziskaner)



The night was young and one of the girls received an invite to a Valentine's day party. The concept was cool.

- Come to our Valentine's Day Ninja Party. The guys will dress up as Ninjas and the girls in their hot Manga costumes and there will be a 30 seconds speed dating. Btw, there will be art work displayed as well for your viewing pleasure. -

Sounds promising right?

Well, we got to G3 Lounge in the Richmond and I swear you could hear crickets and pins dropping. There were a total of 15 of us which pretty much made up the party. The music was lame and the artwork on the wall looked like somebody just gave a very special kid a box of crayons, pencils and 30 seconds to make up the collection of stuff on the wall. Ha ha ha! it was hilarious.

Nobody was wearing a costume. I breathed out a big sigh of relief from foregoing on wearing my Yuna costume.

The organizers of the party were both wearing kimonos. Ahem, guys... Ninja's wear this...

Not this...Unless you work for Sushi Boat :)

We came dressed up as Damsels in Distress instead...

After G3, the gang went to The Orbit Room (yawn!). I've been up since 8:30 in the morning, went to 2 dance classes, hiked my patooties off afterwards and didn't get to take a nap. So needless to say, I was the party pooper and ended the night. The only orbiting I wanted to do at that point was the orbit around my bed to get closer to my heater :)

- Good times

- Goodnite,

jakey

Magnolia vs Dogfish Head

It's SF Beer Week!!! Aaaahhh! It's like Christmas + Birthday all week for me :) The whole thing kicked off on Friday at Monk's Kettle. Although I love beer and I absolutely fell in love with the place, it is too soon for me to go back there without having the water works turn on, so I opted to go Alembic yesterday instead. I had an amazing experience with food and beer pairings. Marge and I spent our Sunday afternoon-evening drinking, eating, socializing with fellow beer lovers and just had an overall good experience. Plus, I got to meet and photo opp with two of the coolest dudes in my book. Brewmasters Dave McLean of Magnolia Pub and Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head. Starstruck! First off, check out the food pairings with the beer....





Of course we all know that if I'm given choices, I will most likely pick all of it. And that's exactly what we did, we picked all 5 pairings. We had a total of 10 beers (5 each), plus a pint of the official SF Beerweek ale, skewered chicken hearts on a bed of indian spice aioli sauce and a to die for chocolate chip cookies with ginger/nutmeg flavored soymilk dessert for good measure. Yup, you can say that I was slightly inebriated by the time the 4th pairings came out.

My favorite pairing was definitely #3 the chicory stout braised pork cheeks. The pork was very tender, the flavor of vanilla and black miso was amazing and matched with the Stout, I was in beer-food heaven! I remember sitting quietly, chewing ever so slowly and savoring each flavor.

Marge took this picture after I had the 3rd pairing. Look of love? Nope, just slightly inebriated :)





So who won it for me?



Hands down...



No doubt about it...




The best beer-food pairings award goes to...





Drum roll please...

Dogfish Head, Delaware

They paired each food with similar brews of Dave and Sam's beer. The variation in taste was only slightly different but Sam's brew definitely had a rounder, longer lasting finish. The flavor in his beer, long after i've put my glass down still lingered on my lips. There's still that longing to have more of it. The sweetness was perfect, the bitter was just right and the spice was not over powering. I am a new fan!

I know someone who really likes Midas Touch which is coincidentally brewed by Dogfish. See pairing #2. I asked Sam about it (yes, we're on a first name basis now) and he said that to make Midas, he uses the same berries that are used to make Pinot Noir. Bingo...now I know why "he" likes it. Wish I can share that bit of factoid to him but I'm sure he'll figure it out eventually, if not already.


Brewmasters Dave McLean (left) of Magnolia Pub and Sam Calagione (right) of Dogfish Head.





Beer- helping ugly people get laid since 6000 BC

Here's the link to the photo gallery by some random girl walking around with her nice camera. Marge and I are in the pictures randomly but enough to show that we were there for a total of 5 hours! Man! no wonder I was so drunk by the time we left :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bittermelon/3270141714/in/set-72157613578543317/

Cheers,
jakey