Thursday, March 30, 2006

Apartment Hunting In San Francisco


Click photos to enlarge*
Left & right photos: Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, taken in fall 2004

I have been surfing at craigslist for available apartments in the areas we feel we have affinity with and these are: North Beach, Chinatown, Nob Hill and Lower Nob Hill. Last year, we thought we'd love to live in downtown SFO but after exploring all other places here in the city, we found we have more good vibes with the Italian section (North Beach) than most of the places we have visited so far. We hope we'd get a good place that suits our needs and life style just before May comes. We hope to fully move by July 1st. We will try to move our stuff in a staggered way so we could work on this relocation at our own pace.

As of this writing, we already closed an agreement with our future tenants for July 1st who’d rent our house and garage in Ripon. Surely, I'd miss my huge yard but living in the city always generates a k
ind of high energy level for me. And I love it! Likewise, husband has been in tune with this "move to SFO" rhythm since we talked of the possibilities last year.I am writing this blog while sitting here at the hotel lobby. My laptop battery is screwed up and had to plug my 3-pin socket at the main switch here. The WIFI in our room is so weak it takes centuries before the websites manifest in my screen so I decided to come down here instead! This is our last week in the city then we will drive back home tomorrow morning at check out time by 12 noon. It’s overcast today. Tonight, we’d go dancing and visit some jazz joints at North Beach.








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Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Italian Dining The French Style


We are hooked on eating VERY SLOWLY...and we do this now regularly on every meal. We just had minestrone soup and Cable Car Pizza Special for dinner at North Beach. We finished only half of the yield of the whole spiza (size 12" in diameter) and we were full! Normally, we would finish it (regardless of size). But this time, we are good- we ate only half of the yield so we brought the other half here in our hotel room! I had root beer for drinks. Husband had H2O.

For lunch, I had pesto pasta, some oranges and garlic bread (one slice) plus cabbage in olive oil, feta cheese and balsamic vinegar. I had hot tea, cold water and coffee in between meals.


The French way of eating works for us! We are losing weight without difficulties and without us having to feel we are suffering from deprivation of food we love to eat! We eat everything! It is lifestyle change. It is savoring life at its best and enjoying every grain of food we eat. We have come to discipline our mind and body. They synch.

Night! Night!

Monday Rhythm: Travel Diary

Back In The City
We are here in SFO since 2 PM today, Monday, March 27, 2006. As usual, husband has meetings from Monday to Saturday in the neighboring counties so we drove here (our usual hotel in Royal Pacific on Broadway). Earlier at home, I had a busy day, starting with the packing time at 6 AM (began it last night at past 9 PM) and finishing it up just before 10 AM today. And then, there was my dental appointment in Ripon. My right gum and cheek are tender right after the treatment. Yikes!

(in photo taken: chess tournament along Market Street, taken 2 weeks on a Friday)
Dr. Sarkis worked on my “endangered teeth” for 2 hours. We left his clinic at past 12 in the afternoon and had lunch while driving along the freeway on our way to SFO. Husband bought chicken sandwich with pesto, veggies, guacamole (avocado) with pepperoncini (big chili from Greece, pickled in vinegar and onions). We also had pasta salad. He got them at our favorite Cups CafĂ© in Ripon. We had cold tea for drinks. We ate VERY SLOWLY a’la French because we want to continue to lose weight, slowly but surely.

Today, we decided to bring our blender for making our “protein drinks” (drinks for dieters and body builders). We got as well our protein bars, a.k.a. "power bars" (similar to candy bars but are good for building lean muscles). We want to be in shape! This time I practically packed our house in the van for comfort and style (?). Husband wants semblance of home comfort so now wherever we are and where ever we stay over night or longer (in hotel mostly), we have our own bed cover feather cushion and pillows. From a far we are like relocating (haha) with all our stuff, but hey, there is nothing than bringing your own comfort zone, right?

Searching For The Place

I am looking for a place on Fillmore Street but it was way too far to walk, glide or skip. I tried walking from Main Street to side streets of Broadway, Chinatown and Geary (Japan town) until I reached a bottomless pit. I decided to return back to our hotel after moving in and out of large streets of San Francisco. I decided not to commute so I could walk as an exercise for my weight loss program.

Tomorrow, I’d try again. Am trying to move around the city independently without having to depend on handsome dude to drive me around SFO. His schedules are tight and his attention is needed in his job 100 % so I decided I’d be on my own. I know I’d find Stuart Hall tomorrow. I walked for a good 2 hours and 25 minutes! I felt great!

For dinner, we ate at “Calzoni” at North Beach. We had salad, pasta and Zinfindel wine.

Sisterette The Second Called

Surprise! My cell phone was ringing at almost 12 MN tonight! I was rushing to find it and remembered it was inside my rain jacket in the closet so I ran and found it. Spoke to sisterette for 40 or so minutes with updates given to me about her family and our clan. Felt great to be remembered. Thanks, Balloon!
Sisterette The Third Wrote

She wrote several short notes today and updated me about her progeny. She is delighted about her academic excellence and the summer they’d be spending in the northern part of the Philippines with husband. Thanks for passing by, Emilie!

Time To Sleep
It is 1.14 AM now, Tuesday, 28 March. I need to sleep. Ciao! BTW, Carmen's birthday was March 27. (Carmen, hope you had a great birthday bash in Thailand!)

Saturday, March 25, 2006

Weight Loss: Going Well!

Two weeks ago, my weight was 156 lbs and through proper eating and exercise I am now done to 144 lbs! I still have a long way to go with my dieting but so far, my weight loss is encouraging me to go on.

I have lost 12 lbs just eating broiled and baked fish and chicken, rice, bread and veggies plus lots of fruits. Now after reading some info on "FRENCH WOMEN DON'T GET FAT," I found out that I can even eat cakes and pies but in moderation and still enjoy my bottle of wine!

FRENCH WOMEN DON'T GET FAT by MIREILLE GUILLANO

Mys husband has tried this French women diet in two days, he lost 4 lbs! The trick? Eat in small amount, eat slowly, savor your food with pleasure and sensuality- enjoying all the flavor. Et voila, you get to really digest it well. It sounds impossible but it works! This life style is better than what I was accustomed to- eating fast and eating a lot. Well, I have here the review on this book which I find interesting. It's an international best seller now. The author was OPRAH's guest two days ago.

The book review:

Stylish, convincing, wise, funny and just in time: the ultimate non-diet book, which could radically change the way you think and live.

French women don't get fat, but they do eat bread and pastry, drink wine, and regularly enjoy three-course meals. In her delightful tale, Mireille Guiliano unlocks the simple secrets of this "French paradox" -– how to enjoy food and stay slim and healthy. Hers is a charming, sensible, and powerfully life-affirming view of health and eating for our times.

As a typically slender French girl, Mireille went to America as an exchange student and came back fat. That shock sent her into an adolescent tailspin, until her kindly family physician, "Dr. Miracle," came to the rescue. Reintroducing her to classic principles of French gastronomy plus time-honored secrets of the local women, he helped her restore her shape and gave her a whole new understanding of food, drink, and life. The key? Not guilt or deprivation but learning to get the most from the things you most enjoy. Following her own version of this traditional wisdom, she has ever since relished a life of indulgence without bulge, satisfying yen without yo-yo on three meals a day.

Now in simple but potent strategies and dozens of recipes you'd swear were fattening, Mireille reveals the ingredients for a lifetime of weight control–from the emergency weekend remedy of Magical Leek Soup to everyday tricks like fooling yourself into contentment and painless new physical exertions to save you from the StairMaster. Emphasizing the virtues of freshness, variety, balance, and always pleasure, Mireille shows how virtually anyone can learn to eat, drink, and move like a French woman.

Since its release, French Women Don't Get Fat rapidly gained acceptance as an international best seller, reaching the top ranks of best-selling books on dozens of lists, including: No. 1 Wall Street Journal (USA), No. 1 Publishers Weekly (USA), No. 1 The Irish Times (Ireland), No. 1 The Sydney Times (Australia), No. 2 The New York Times (USA), and No. 2 The Sunday Times (UK).

Friday, March 24, 2006

The American Culture in Perspective: Abortion Rights of Women and Teen-Aged Girls in California


Click photo to enlarge*

I was with my husband late last year in December. We were at the chapel of our parish in Manteca for our weekly adoration time ( 7 PM, Sundays). I was struck to see a yellow flyer inside our chapel strategically placed near the guestbook desk . In picture were two beautiful white teen-aged girls. Later, I found out that they died in the middle of an abortion procedure. As I was reading its content, I was shocked, had goose bumps, felt sorry for the girls and for their parents as well. But at the same time I was angry with the legislation here in California. Do you know that teen-aged girls and women of all ages in this state have the legal rights to an abortion the moment they decided to have one? No questions asked, they can go to PLANNED PARENTHOOD for this. However, in California, teen-aged girls cannot buy an aspirin at the pharmacy without having to present a doctor’s prescription. She cannot be given a flu shot without being accompanied by an adult. But she can go have an abortion, kill the baby and do it without her parents' consent and be protected by the law! Imagine the polarities of laws in this state. Yet, they can subject themselves (even as young as 16) to an abortion. At least now they are trying to pass a law to enforce that ONE PARENT must at least be informed before the abortion procedure is done. So imagine how screwed up these young girls could be if they do this several times because they are protected by the law? PLANNED PARENTHOOD (www.plannedparenthood.org), caters to these groups of women and young girls seeking abortion. NO QUESTIONS ASKED, they are taken in with discretion. Oh, such is the irony of life!

There are couples who spend thousands of dollars just to have a baby by in-vitro (test tube) or artifical insemination and there are women who are ready to kill their babies, products of their lusts and passion. This is what the Catholic Church is fighting for: To stop abortion and for those who have done it in the past, there are healing sessions for themavailable at church. Our Catholic Church in Manteca (St. Anthony of Padua) has this out-reach program. Last week, husband and I received a mail, soliciting for donation so this organization could put out billboards on trucks, empty lots and print ads that show graphic pictures of aborted fetus (as young as 14 days old) to give the public an awareness on abortion. I wrote this article because the photo of a dead fetus was so inhuman. It kept blinking in my vision. Just imagine:

If you were the fetus- you were killed before you were even born!

How fair is this to the unborn child? Does the child want to be killed or want to be born? Millions of photos do show- on how these kids hold on to the human touch- in the brink of life and death after an abortion. How could some women be insane and kill their babies?

~~~


Photo source: www.priestforlife.org

Thursday, March 23, 2006

What is BMI?


Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both adult men and women.

Enter your weight and height using Standard or Metric measures.

BMI Categories:

Underweight = <18.5 weight =" 18.5-24.9" overweight =" 25-29.9" obesity =" BMI"> BMI is 28.2

I am offically overweight! But am working on it (smile).

To calculate your BMI go to: http://nhlbisupport.com/bmi/
(website of National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute/ Obesity Foundation Institute)

Weight Loss Diary: Day 2

I pointed out that I lost 3 lbs last week despite the fact that we ate pork at Chinese restaurants in Chinatown. I was 156 lbs two weeks ago. And then it went down to 153 lbs. Hurrah!

Yesterday, I did my first cardio vascular exercise outside our home and went to walk for 45 minutes in our neightborhood (from 11.30 AM to 12. 15 high noon). Prior to this, I had my protein drink (available at Costco). I added banana, ice and little bit of water then put them in the blender. I am not fond of banana, but I add them for flavor in drinks so this works for me.

After my round of walking in the neighborhood, I rested for half an hour, drank water then worked out in our Bowflex machine at home for over an hour and a half. When I was weakening and feeling tired, I drank water to regain my energy and it helped me a great deal.. By evening time, I checked out my weight. I went down to 151 lbs!

This morning, right after waking up, I checked out weight on the scale in the bathroom. Guess what? My weight went down to 149 lbs! Yeah, I know, am still heavy but I am delighted with my progress!

TIPS:

1. I now only broil or bake (in high temperature- 550) chicken and fish only.

2. Instead of making soup (using instant powder broth or cubes,) I stopped doing it. I instead serve green salad in large quantity and use extra-virgin oil and balsamic vinegar as my regular dressing. We eat bread with this dresing as well.

3. Serve only fresh fruits (like ripe mangoes and oranges) for dessert.

Anyhow, this diet seems right for me and for my husband.

NOTE: I also stopped baking for the time being (would do only if we had guests coming for dinner) and Hopefully, I'd continue to lose weight until I get back to my old shape and size (6). I am now size 8.

Good day! Ciao!

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Crafts Making 2: Scarf Using Soft Boucle Yarn


Click photos to enlarge*

Soft Boucle is a very nice material, soft and when done into a scraf, it has the right weight to wrap around the neck during the cold weather in California or elsewhere. This comes in a large skein. I am enjoying my exploration in using different kinds of yarns to make different types of scarf and blanket. Here is one that I finished this afternoon.

Crafts Making: Scarf For Spring 2006

Click photos to enlarge*

Left: The Eye Lash Yarn that I was starting to make into a scarf; the progress of my work
and the final work. It has a very soft feel and it's light but is warm to wear during spring, autumn or winter. I bought this last Sunday at Michael's Craft Store in Modesto before husband and I went on a movie marathon.

Last Week in Pictures


Click photos to enlarge***

Candy botique in North Beach and Castro (gay community) photos





Take note of the billboard about Aids Awareness showing two men kissing. This was at the bus stop on Castro Street. Photos by JLP

Diet Concerns


EATING THE RIGHT FOOD DOES NOT MEAN DEPRIVING ONE OF A GOOD MEALIt only means minimizing the amount of food intake in one’s body and using substitutes for other food products in favor of a healthy and nutritious diet. Doing these helped me to lose
3 lbs last week just by eating healthy food, less fat, meat and pork. Although our one-week stay in San Francisco last week made us to eat a lot of Chinese food (having been in the vicinity of Chinatown), I was still okay with it in terms of weight loss. What helped me a great deal is the fact that I had stopped my cravings for sweets (i.e. cakes, pies and chocolates). In between our Chinese meals last week, we also had Italian dishes for lunch and supper. So that helped a lot I think, since we ate mostly pasta in sun dried tomato sauce, served with minimal amount of cheese. Getting rid of chocolates in my diet is tough since I am a sweet tooth yet not seeing candies in my kitchen for a month helped. Husband feels the same way as I do in terms of not having candies in our house (I used to have candy jars in our sitting room apart from having them in the kitchen). It works for us!

From experience, whenever I had cravings for candies, I used to supress that feeling by not eating candies at all then after a while, I’d binge (like a glutton). And then the whole process of eating well totally gets lost. As a compromise, now I eat small amount of chocolates (occasionally like when we watched movies last Sunday) when my body asks for it. It needs some fat when it reacts that way. My younger sister Balloon taught me this whole concept of not totally depriving myself of something I love to eat but eating in minimal amount.

OUR CLOTHES SIZE CHANGED IN 4-MONTHS’ TIME

We became aware to stop eating a lot of sweets since we became bigger in size in 4 month’s time after I started baking a lot in November last year. We find that shopping for clothes was not fun anymore because we jumped from one size to another.

I was a size 6 when I got married two years ago, now I am size 8. Husband wore size 36 pair of jeans and size Medium shirts. Now he is XXL! Mamamia! So, we really have to work on our weight problems. Fact is, we are newly married. In most cases, new couples (according to statistics) gain weight easily at this stage of their life (they tend to eat a lot trying out new recipes and restaurants- that sort of thing). Moreover, the newness of their relationship seem to make them feel hungry all the time (laughs). Now we are paying the price for it. Hence, we are trying to get rid of those unwanted weight (for aesthetics and health reasons).

In shape, it feels great to dress up with a good body image; overweight, it's no fun at all as the thing to do to dress up right is to cover up those unwanted flabs and to try to wearing mostly black clothes to conceal the widening of the torso. This is really sad and a problem husband and I do reckon.

MEDIA SPOTLIGHTS ON WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM AND OVER WEIGHT PEOPLE

As in our case of keeping in shape, we have also been highly influenced by media, as there are so many ads for people to lose weights on TV, magazines and movies. This is America. 5 out of 10 people are overweight. Husband and I were thinking on how it must be difficult for big people to walk and get out of bed; more so- to do other chores that average built folks do so with precision. Somehow, seeing the over weight bunch made me feel "slim" I know I sound insane (but wishful thinking I was slim again). Even on reality shows on TV, producers are encouraging over weight individuals to get into the weight loss competition as winners are rewarded with huge chunks of dollars! This is enough motivation for some to get rid of their 100 lbs + weight. Watching them made me think that I can do it as well as I am not obese just over weight. Those who participated in this contest came out to be confident again, better looking and happier with themselves as opposed to how they felt and saw themselves when they were "big."

HOW IT WORKS

Exercise and “eating the right food” do mean disciplining one’s mind and body to synch them for health benefits. Exercise is the key to toning the muscles well. Eating the right food helps one to live a healthy life. Hopefully, we’d follow through and be slim again as before!

THE BAD SIDE OF BAKING IS FINDING OUT THE VOLUME OF FAT PRESENT IN CAKES, PIES AND COOKIES

Just for clarification, I was not frying a lot of food in the past. I remember only made a deep- fried menu once last year, a whole chicken that I cooked last Thanksgiving Day, cooked a'la southern style with paprika, thyme, salt and deep-fried in peanut oil. Other than this, I wasn’t much into frying food. However, most of my cooking entails sautĂ©ing the garlic, onions and tomatoes and I use olive oil. My use of olive oil aside from cooking is mostly for my baking needs. Sounds good that I was using olive oil but hey, we still got be overweight! Why? Think about this- husband could easily finish the whole apple pie in two day’s time. It's his favorite! I do the the same with moist lemon cake. I can eat the whole cake in a day. I am worse! So while squeezing my brain to find out why we gained weight a lot I realized because there was an abundance of supply of cakes and pies in our kitchen. The culprit was my baking! Grrrr!

For instance, for one recipe of “lemon cake,” it needs one cup of oil to make it a “moist cake.” So just for that alone, it meant that husband and I had 1/2 cup each of olive oil in our system after finishing up the whole piece of lemon cake that I baked!
Cinnamon rolls are our favorite and top of the line in my baking. This bread recipe also calls for one cup of butter in it plus cups and cups of brown sugar and granulated sugar and several cups more of powder sugar (confectioner sugar)! So imagine how much sugar and fat our bodies were taking in since I started baking weekly (I baked three types of cakes, pies and cookies for each week) since November 2005!It felt great baking a lot here in the US since the cost of ingredients is affordable as compared if I were baking in Manila as most ingredients I am using here would be taken as “imported goods” there. Cost of one cake recipe that I bake here would be like $ 25-28.00 a piece in the Philippines, whereas here, I’d spend half of that price for the best cake I could bake.

In retrospect, I have been regularly using only extra- virgin oil for all my cooking and baking needs but despite this, we still gained weight, OMG! At least we have been digesting good cholesterol (sigh). But we also love olives and capers and these have lots of salt in them when pickled. Not good since they add up to our water retention in our body. Now I try to minimize in using them in my cooking. Hopefully, husband and I will reach our goal to going back to our old size. But it would take a lot of hard work and discipline to get through that. Hopefully, we’d be back in shape as we were!

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

What's for lunch?


Click photos to enlarge*
Here's a sampler menu that I served for lunch today:

1. Greek salad
(ingredients: Greek Kalamata olives, olive oil, tomatoes, feta crumble cheese and balsamic vinegar plus pepper, mix all then presto, you got it!)
2. Half yield of broiled salmon in rosemary, olive oil and salt (set oven to broil- about 550 degrees and cook for 8 minutes for each side) and broiled mushroom
(with olive oil and salt) 3. Boiled Ravioli (mozarella, blue cheese & Romano cheese) served with white sauce (beef broth and non-fat milk)4. Mexican ripe mangoes
I have been mostly baking and broiling chicken and fish and refraining from frying anything at all. I alter my cooking to making chicken stew to break the monotony of eating broiled and baked dishes. To quicken our weight loss program, I stopped baking cakes, pies, breads and
cookies for the time being while we (husband and I) are trying to lose weight. So far for me, I have not really done my workout with our Bowflex machine but I have already lost 3 lbs since last week (just by avoiding fried food). This diet is working for me, hopefully for my husband, too.
Before, I used to serve huge slices of baked or broiled salmon (one whole) for each of us, baked in butter and thyme and served with melted butter, crunchy fried garlic and lemon for sauce. Now, I just cut one serving of salmon and divide it by two. Moreover, I substitue olive oil for anything that asks for butter and sure it makes a difference as far as weight loss is concerned! The plate of salmon, mushroom and ravioli (in photo) seemed like a small volume but they were a lot indeed, quite deceiving to the eyes! I didn't even finish my ravioli and felt so full!
The Mexican mangoes we had for dessert tasted almost like our Philippine mangoes. Husband loves to suckle on the seeds until they are mostly white and dried...haha, (my brothers and sisters plus moi used to eat ripe mangoes like that when we were kids). Now, I just slice off the meat of the mangoes from the seeds and serve them on plate. Husband wants his mango seeds so I keep them for his dessert. We got them in Chinatown last week and I was surprised they also sell the miniature mangoes we call back home as "supsupin." But they aren't as good as the ones we bought. We purchased two boxes and we are enjoying them for desserts as substitute to our usual doze of apple cakes, pies and muffins. It takes guts and discipline to lose weight, I hope we succeed for our health and well-being.

Monday, March 20, 2006

MOVIE MARATHON: Noontime to Midnight


Husband and I changed our Sunday routine for a while and went out to watch movies for the whole day yesterday; went to the 10.45 AM Mass. Afterwards, we drove to the mall where husband went to Cingular in Modesto to return the WIFI card that was not compatible with his laptop while I was at Michael's Craft Store. I bought a knitting set for 8-year old kids, hoping I'd understand the visual lessons, elementary level, but boy, I was crossed eyed by midnight (trying out to make a loop or two)! It was hard! Finally, I gave up and fell asleep. I might stick to crocheting. I'll see. I bought eye lash yarn at Michaels and was fascinated by the other yarns on sale then the knitting needles seduced me.

Anyhow, back to the movies. Husband and I seldom go to the movie theater but when we do, it is always a marathon from noontime to midnight. So far, brace yourself, yes, these were the movies we watched at Brenden theatre in Modesto yesterday! My rating scale is as follows: *****=excellent, ****=very good, ***=good, **=fair, *= don't watch this movie!

1. 16 Blocks-**** about an aging NYC police detective who is sickly and alcoholic and was driving his car with the convicted criminal inside it; he stopped by the bar to buy a drink (and advil for head ache) whenall of a sudden, his ward was almost killed by an assasin who turned out to be one of his colleagues in the NYPD! With Bruce Willis' usual dexterity and velocity with his weapon, of course, he saved the life of the black man deespite the fact that Willis was drunk (and had difficulties walking due to a bad leg)!

The movie ended with Willis making an expose about the stinking mess at the NYPD.

2. Eight Below-*** starring Paul Waler, this is about a man (who had trained sled dogs) whose work was to bring in scientists from across the globe to cross the Antartica. One major storm one day forced him to get back home quickly. With him was the scientist from CA. Both guide (Walker) and scientist suffered horrible injuries (fracture and third degree frostbite) and had to be airlifted to California for medical treatment. They survived but handsome dude who owned the 6 trained Alaskan dogs felt guilty for having left them out in the cold for 6 months. Eventually, his scientific teammates and the American scientist raised funds and brought him back to Antartica with his dogs, safe and sound . They all traveled back to California. Lived happily ever after.

3. Failure To Launch-*** love story between an interventionist woman (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) and an over staying bachelor (Matthew McConaughy). The rule she made was never to fall in love with her client but she did! Hired by McConaughy's parents to make him get out of their house as he is taken as an over staying son at age 30 something. The rule of thumb is to make him falls for Jessica's charm that eventually, this ploy would motivate him to live elsewhere but this did not happen, ergo, he failed to launch his independence. There were conflicts involved but friends and folks of the bachelor bridged the gap. The ending find the two sailing together in the yacht; cozy and very much in love.

4. Find Me Guilty -*** starring Vin Diesel, courtroom drama and comedy about Jack's (Diesel) racketeering act with his fellow mob family in New Jersey. He defended himself and outwitted the defense lawyers, eventually losing his case but helped his fellow gangsters to come home to their families. They were given a lease in life and were pronounced as "Not Guilty." Vin Dielsel is a great actor with depth in his characterization of his role as the faithful Jack who can't sleep in the bed in his prison cell; he looks like Travolta and has a deep contralto voice that would make Pavorotti smile! Intriguing and sexy, Vin Diesel is comical and funny as his role demanded him to be. His character is a re-mix of Godfather mafiosi-like Robinhood type conjoined. The whole movie revolved around the courtroom. Another remarkable acting was rendered by the character of Oscar, the defense lawyer, who is a small person in real life (midget). He delivered his lines well, was very articulate and commanding. Shut your eyes when he speaks, and he sounds like a tall guy! Impressive was his performance in this film. Most actors who played up the roles of Italian mob guys were commendable, too.

5. The Shaggy Dog -** stars Tim Allen (and Kristine Davis of "Sex In The City") as the promising lawyer, in-line to be the next DA in his town; married with 2 kids; was beaten by a 3oo-year old shaggy dog stolen in Tibet. In effect, made him to metamorphose as a dog when beaten by a fellow dog, cat or when he is under a very extreme and stressful situation. He solved the crime dealing with mutation of animals for a study of an extended lease on human life. This is a comedy and a wholesome family movie but some scenes I find to be gross and boring; it only started to pace up a beat during the middle part of the movie. Husband thought this was an okay movie. He liked Failure To Launch, best of all.

Well, the movies brought me to different heights of emotion. One time, moi was teary eyed, the next, my heart was drumming like a timpani then finally, I was laughing and kicking while husband and I finished 2 buckets (the largest ones) of pop corn. We also had soda plus the other food stuff we ate at the movie house. By the time we were watching "16 Blocks" (last full show) I was dozing off, not realizing blue-eyed husband was also falling asleep. We had a good time but felt tired after doing our Olympic share of movie watching. I woke up at past seven this morning feeling so tired (could hardly open my eyes).

Now I start the day again but am lazy this Monday to even stretch my legs. Too much movie watching made me lazy, yikes! Until next blog, ciao!

Castro in San Francisco: A City Within A City

Castro is home to San Francisco’s gay community. It is called Castro for its busiest thoroughfare, “Castro Street.” It is thriving with bars, restaurants, shops, beautiful homes and commercial buildings and creative boutiques. According to research, this used to be the place for immigrants but at the advent of the 50’s and 60’s this became the ultimate place for the gay and lesbian folks seeking solidarity. Cost of housing here (usually 2-level apartment style) is from $700,000.00 to $2,000,000.00. The city is very clean and tidy.

Husband and I had another round of Italian dinner here, this time at Fuzio. Days ago, we had one in Little I
taly. At Fuzio, we had sun dried tomato pasta and Greek salad. Both were good. The olive oil in the salad was quite tasty and almost like it has some peanut taste in it while the balsamic vinegar was kind of sweet, still the salad was great. We enjoyed our meal in this cozy restaurant, ranked as one of Castro’s famous Italian restaurants. While walking along Castro Street, we bought fudge, brownie and peanut cookies (they were huge, about the size of my palm). There were different types and there were phallus shaped cookies soaked in chocolate, held with Popsicle sticks. There were also the female anatomy cookies. Interesting as well. The cookies were yummy! Nope, we didn't get those sexy cookies, haha. As we walked farther, the more we felt the cold chill of the night so we drank coffee a lot. We had our gloves and hats on to keep us warm (not counting the three-layered clothes I was wearing) still, my hands were starting to freeze! It was nice to walk from afternoon to sundown- to twilight then up until the emergence of evening time was seen right between our eyes.After filling our tummies with lots of hot coffee, we needed to go to the loo. We were out walking and almost gliding as we tried to search for Starbucks in the area and found one on a corner street. It was filled up with gay men having some fun together over a cup of coffee. The place looks like it belongs to them. And for the first time in his life, men were checking out blue-eyed husband. I kidded him that he was a good catch in Castro since he turned heads quite a number of times that gosh, I couldn't track of the figures anymore!

We went to an art gallery (forgot the name) that featured the last works of Argentinean gay artist (forgot his name) who looked like a fraternal twin of Frieda Kahlo and whose oil paintings depicted only himself as the subject, like the way Frieda did in her life time. His colors were bold, brilliant and striking; they are evocative and festive yet had some surreal qualities in them. He depicted himself as a man-woman-transvestite in a variety of attires in different occasions (i.e. joining the gay parade, cooking time at home- wearing an apron and a dress but he left his thick moustache). Likewise, his paintings have hypnotic appeal and got the elements of surprise in them. Well, we left the gallery with another perspective of gay man's life. We are becoming to be more understanding of them.


While walking along Castro Street, we also saw the famous Castro Theatre where an Asian and American Film Festival was going on; there was a long queue of moviegoers waiting for the gate to open at past 6 PM; a number of them were Chinese s in charge of the festival. There were some Asian gay men we saw with Caucasian partners. Otherwise, most of the gays were whites. Refined, very professionally dressed and need. A few were ruggedly dressed but still maintained of composure that says, "I am in control." In Castro, men held hands as they walked along the street; no strand of bashfulness was ever present, they felt proud being gay in this community and they just look normal which was great! We saw some walking their dogs; mostly were attractive men. Gosh!

We saw a few lesbians, mostly wearing black leather jackets, other than 3 or 4 visible lesbians we saw, Castro is basically a homey haven that caters more to gay men than women. We also took notice on how the lesbians seem to be so “angry with the world” as manifested in their manners, gestures, mannerisms and facial expression. We sounded biased and yes, we are. Unlike the gay men, these women held contempt inside them whereas the men were so wholesome looking in comparison. The men were non-threatening and looked at ease with themselves; relaxed with the world they move in. Some are really macho looking, bearded men- but they are gay by choice and it is breath taking to see on how comfortable they are with their own sexuality! Beauty salons and nail salons are almost present in every corner and obviously; this is a good kind of business in the area that is sprouting fast and is earning a lot of money and has a strong numbers of clientele. For one, I never saw a mother with a child in a cart in Castro. This is really not the place for the usual normal family where parents are heterosexual. This is exclusively a gay man's haven. Even in bars, one rarely sees a woman. Some of the couples we saw were young, others were old and middle-aged. One man we saw with his partner was in crutches, skinny and looked so sick but the partner (both in their 50s) was very caring and comforting. It was touching to see them with their kind of love growing together with time.

In Castro, billboard ads on the streets are big and eye catching; they do remind gay couples to have protected sex and to be aware of HIV virus and to have periodic injections when needed (if they already caught the virus). Over all, our evening in Castro was a pleasant one.
We took the F-line bus* from Market Street and came back on the same bus that brought as to the wharf.

(F line bus is antique, electronically operated a.k.a. "street car" and "tram" that runs on a rail).

We hanged out at the wharf after our Castro trip and went for an evening of fun and entertainment; went to the rhythm and blues bar where live music was playing. It was St. Patrick’s night and it was a full house. Husband and I enjoyed the dancing and the drinking part of our date. I had my usual gin and tonic while husband had tequila. After a few minutes of sipping our cold drinks, we decided to hit the dance floor and digged it for a good couple of hours! I was sweating a lot that I had to take off my pullover. We walked back (near Walgreen’s) at the Fisherman’s Wharf and waited for the F-line bus to arrive. By 11. 30 MN, it finally manifested and dropped us off at the Farmer's market (Ferry Building). From there we walked the very cold and chilly night in SFO for half an hour, crossing some 10 blocks of the financial district until we finally (sigh) reached Market Street and at last, 3rd Street where we had to wait for our bus that would take us to Chinatown area in Broadway. And after about 30 minutes of waiting time (plus the walking time to 3rd street which is equivalent to an hour), our bus number 45 finally arrived. Whew! At the bus, we felt relieved to be seated; got off past our Broadway Street and Pacific bus stop; walked through two blocks farther down the road until we were finally crossing Broadway with the crowd that said, "TGIF!" It was late (past midnight) and I was ready to drop dead in our hotel bed. At that time, I was so exhausted that I was ready to explode with my bladder being so full (after drinking at the bar), boy, I was sure ready to plunge into our restroom, fronto!

After a while, I prepared my hot bath and stayed on at the tub for about half an hour. It was, oh so goooood and quite relaxing after a day of walking! Meanwhile, husband couldn’t keep his feet on the ground so he went downstairs to check out what was happening in Columbus (only to come back 15 minutes later to say it was just the TGIF and St. Patrick’s Day crowd). The night finally came to a halt with husband and I tossing into our deep slumber and waking up the next morning, later than we had thought of. We left the city with a full stomach and a good meal (Chinese food). We were happy to have found a time to shop for our one-week food supply in Chinatown (we always shop there on our way out of the city). By early afternoon, we were ready to be back in the refuge of our home. At 2. 30 PM, we were home, tired but happy. We had a full week. Being home made us feel good. I love the scent of our place with the aroma of scented candles (cherry, lemon, strawberry) and airfreshner dancing in the air! No place like home!

Friday, March 17, 2006

Happy St. Patrick's Day!


Be sure to wear something green unless you want to be pinched!

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Contemporary Life In America- Part 2


TWISTED TIME

She is 15 but is already having sex. Her mom dumped her dad for a lesbian and she is living in with her lesbian lover. Dad was thrown out of the conjugal house he shared with would be ex-wife for years. 15-year old daughter has two younger siblings; they have different fathers it seemed (according to the father). Her real father she grew up to know seemingly is not her true biological father. Dad is struggling with his economics and toying on the idea of having his three kids tested~ DNA style~ to know which one is his. His alimony is eating half his salaries and he is juggling to make both ends meet. Seemed would-be ex-wife had series of heterosexual affairs before she decided to become bi-sexual. Messy, hu?

Child 15 lives with dad she grew up to know. Dad of hers has a lived-in gf who is twice his age. Good looking Latina, pretty indeed but on the heavy side. She is in her early 20s and twinkles her eyes in his company. Feels light, haha, despite her large scale proportion. Love-love-love! Makes one feels young, beautiful and light! Whew!

Dad of child 15 claims he is not in love with this elephant but only needed her womanly abilities to keep his bed burning at night. Ayayay! Santa Banana! In fact, won't let her move in with him until she was able to produce the apartment deposit and could afford to give her share of her monthly rental. Ouch, it hurts!

He is in his mid 40s. Good looking chap, tall, in good shape with nice rosy cheeks. A little over the edge as far as chauvinism is concerned but talks sense, loves to cook. Before Child 15 moved in with him, daughter had a fight with her mom’s gay gf and threw beer bottle on her. ***Good grief***Ouch! Pissed and furious, gay gf pressed charges against Child 15, daughter of her live-in gf.

"Crime does not pay."

Remember that old saying?

Now Child aged 15 has to attend court hearing. She transits between dad and mom for housing. Poor kid.

One time Dad had to drive her to the hearing. Dad was stressed out for the child. Mom didn't care at all. Dad missed his work on that day. Mom asked him to drive their confused Child 15 to the hearing. Mom cannot do it. Had millions of alibis to say. Busy. Sick. Had work, etc. Whatever. Perhaps, she felt guilty for choosing to side with her lover instead of her siding with her own daughter- supporting her through all this difficult time she is dealing with? No. Tsk-tsk-tsk. Can you imagine how messed up the life of this girl is- at age 15? And how she’d perceive life is when she is older? Will she have stable human relationships in the future? Will she change her sexual preference when she is older?

Ah-well. This is America. Like in Hollywood all is possible. Whatever her choice would be, only time can tell and whatever she hopes to be, I hope her life would be germ-free of heart aches and screwed up emotions of her childhood trauma.

NOTE: This is a true story.

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

On Ripon, San Francisco And Dental Work


(The Continuing Saga of Almond Lady In America)

Chapter 1- Back in San Francisco

2.08 PM
Monday noontime
Royal Pacific Hotel


Just checked in a while ago; had a quick lunch at the famous Yee’s Restaurant along Grant Street. After lunch, we walked fast to our hotel (on Broadway) and got our stuff (at the van) in the parking lot. Blue-eyed partner downloaded them all then we were at the lift and then at last- we were inside our room. Husband was in a hurry to get dressed as he was limited by time and space to be at his appointment in Mission District at 2 PM. He looked stunning in his moss green long sleeved corduroy shirt and matching gray and olive green striped necktie. His off-white slacks made him looked very cool and respectable. As soon as he was done fixing himself he was out of my sight.
Today is a nice day in the city. It's bright and sunny but cool as ever. We are booked at the smoking room on the second floor, 207, at the Royal Pacific. We are not smokers but it is our alternative to having a room with a better WIFI connection. We noticed that the lower we are at this hotel (and the closer we are at the hotel lobby), the faster is the WIFI connection- so we decided, whattheheck, let's move to the second floor! And here we are!
Our current room is larger than where we used to be- in 308 but it is slightly costly. Well, it's okay since husband’s company is paying for it (***sigh***). The room has two queen size beds, a tub, cable TV, a desk and two chairs. At the dresser near the loo, there is a coffee maker plus the java coffee, oolang and jasmine tea, creamer and sugar. Not bad, eh? The room is just perfect for us. Yeah.
Today, we decided to bring the "traveling cushion" we purchased at Tuesday Morning (a nice home boutique in Modesto) last week since most hotel beds are not very comfortable to sleep in. really. Husband thought we needed to have one so we won't have back pain after staying in the hotel for a week. BTW, we also brought our own pillows! Geez, we have a lot of stuff with us when we travel!
Chapter 2- Dental Visit This Morning at 8 AM Prior To Driving To SFO
Husband and I were up early and went to our dental appointment at eight. It’s in town (Ripon) so we didn’t have to leave earlier than 5 minutes before our appointment at 8 AM.We were fast and easy; I had to apply my make-up in the van. I didn't have a lot of time to do it at home. As soon as we were at the clinic, we were accommodated easily. The receptionist and nurse were nice and alert and updated us on our next appointments and must-do for the next meeting with our dentist. Husband was attended first and then me shortly. The nurse took a series of X-rays on all my teeth. Never had anything like this but it was good as it showed the status and present condition of my entire teeth. The process took several minutes to finish. I had a tough time with it and the procedure made me feel nauseous. I can’t take the film being placed inside my mouth (in between my teeth). My tongue reacted badly. As always, tongue depressors irritate me; likewise the tong to clip the film inside my mouth did the same thing to me (made me want to puke).I felt sorry for the nurse who had to see me go through all these but she is a nurse and used to it, I believe so. She was sweet and thoughtful; asked about how was my right molar was coping after last week's root canal treatment. I said, it is still painful at the moment (and so are my gums and jaw). She said I should be better before the week ends. I hope so ! I have been on massive dosage of ibuprofen since three days ago. I don't like it and not very fond of swallowing pills. At the clinic in Ripon, from my own dental chair, I could hear Dr. Z speaking to my better half and saying how good his dental flossing had been; his teeth and gums are healthy. Wow!

Chapter 3- And The Bad News Is…

… Hold your breath…Husband and I would be spending more this time on my dental work!!! Our budget for my teeth suddenly skyrocketed to at least $6, 000!!! Based on the X-ray, I have three teeth that had the root canal treatment that are highly at risk; they have to be re-done (OMG)! This is to save them because the RCT was poorly done in Asia. Ouch! It hurts to think that these teeth problem means more expenses on our part as a couple. Years ago, I went to the best dentists in the Philippines (one was the president of Philippine Dental Association) and in Thailand (his professionally fee was astronomical). I thought he was an expert. And now years later- I am up in arms with all these problems! Gosh, I should have known better. But how do I know the apple from orange when it is really hard to find a good, honest and reliable dentist and endodontic specialist? My dentist in Ripon felt sorry for my husband and me but said, we couldn’t help it. It must be done. One note of advice, he said:

“Please, don’t have any procedures done overseas.”

Well, just my luck. I was always going to the dentist; always went for my annual dental check-up twice yearly. Deespite all these- I am still dealing with dental problems, mamamia! I had root canal treatment because I wanted to save my teeth and I wanted to preserve them. Here I am lamenting about it. It's a dental nightmare!!! As for having them done overseas, that was inevitable since I was living and working overseas before becoming a resident of California two years ago!!! As of today, I have three upper molars that need new filling and one needs to be covered with a crown and this is apart from the crown needed for last week's procedure at the Valley Hill Clinic in Modesto. After the computation for the latest dental work (not counting the future root canal for the 3 endangered teeth of mine), we would be spending something like $2,200+ for the basic dentistry work in Ripon!!! And then there is the 3 RCT with the endodontic specialist to be done soon (cost: $975- $1000 per tooth/ depends on the gravity of the case). Gosh, when we were doing the mental computation of the total cost for my dental procedures, we could only sigh. Eeks!And did we forget we are relocating to San Francisco in May? Imagine the high cost of living in San Franciso, the cost of relocation and then my teeth expense. Gee. Will we make it? Husband declared,
"Can't help it, it has to be done."
Ayayay!

Saturday, March 11, 2006

Contemporary Life in America

From the perspective of THE ALMOND-EYED LADY in Northern California

I was shaking badly from head to toes. My body was in tremolo as I blend with the gyration of the little space I was in. The vibration
was horrific. It was rattling me like a springboard that caused me to have an involuntary muscle response to it. It was odd. I was shocked. I was weak. Oh, I should have just stayed home! I gasped for oxygen while the Latin looking man with salt and pepper hair in his mid 50s, pinned me down in great force, his face so close to mine; his eyes- barely visible in an unusual fashion, studied me in myopia. I was seated in the lounging chair while my hands were gripping the hand rest; they were so tight they were starting to sweat. They were curled into a fist. I was obedient and followed orders. I was in no position to make a noise. I couldn’t speak. Something was stuck in my mouth. It hurt so much! Moments later, the Mexican looking woman in her late 30s handed me the dark glasses and instructed me to wear it quickly as she got into the room. And then the man smiled as she left for a while. He spoke in his deep tenor voice,

“Let me fix your dark glasses now. There, we could start the work. Fits you well!”

So that was how it began and initially I wondered why the hell I was given a pair of dark glasses? Now I know. To conceal the light from my eyes.

“Now, open wide and big.”

And then it happened so quickly like music in glissando.

The anesthetic started to penetrate my flesh. I felt numb; half of my right face felt like I was paralyzed. My mouth seemed to have ballooned to a thousand times. I felt ugly.

The drilling went on for nearly 45 minutes. He injected hydrogen peroxide inside it. Another time, it seemed like an acid smoke was coming from the dark brown chemical he ha
d on in the syringe. I felt twisted for a bit. The needles kept coming and I could see them right between my eyes. I felt dazed and then just closed my eyes to see no more.

“Ok, we are now ready for irrigation. Give me 25 mm and the 15 mm and 10mm of the needles. Okay, these are good, now-get the X-ray. We need to X-ray her twice and then we we’d see the results.”

The nurse was trained to follow through with dexterity on handling the medical instruments quite efficiently. She moved on and got all he wanted- needles, syringe, cotton balls, chemicals and gloves.

After a while, he looked at me once more. Nonchalantly he said,

“Now you really have to open wide and big. ”


He put on the clamp in my mouth and once more covered it with the aqua blue flat rubber over it, it’s about 5 “X 5” and set it through the clamp; the tiny hole on the rubber gave way for him to work on my right molar and made it possible for me to breath, swallow and sustain my breath as he worked rapidly on my tooth.

Endodontic Specialist: “Where did you have this done (referring to the previous root canal treatment) and when?

Me: “In the Philippines. May 2005.”

E.S.: “Okay.”

E.S.: “Do you have any pain?”

Me: “None at all. I only came here because Dr. No won’t put on the filling that got off last February until I had the root canal treatment again and done here. Otherwise I won’t be here.”



The endodontic specialist was quiet and went back to his work, pushed deep into my molar the needles in sets of 3’s and 4’s until they penetrated through the root canal of my molar. He finished off whatever was not completed thoroughly by my Filipina dentist.

Seen in the X-ray, taken initially from my dentist’s clinic in Ripon, was the picture of molar where an RCT (root canal treatment) was incompletely done. He showed another X-ray to compare how my case was done in Manila versus the one done here in California. And true enough, the one performed here was clean and got through the deepest end of the canal, where as mine was just done ¾ of the required work. So I got his point. I was in danger and in great risk. Absolutely! Because sooner or later, in couple of years or so, he explained a bit more that I’d be experiencing pain again despite the supposedly “unfinished RCT” I had last year in Manila. He lamented,

“This is the work of someone who was poorly educated in dentistry. I do not want to sound discriminating but I had seen several cases here in my clinic of people who had them done in Manila or India. Surely the cost is lesser than how dentists charge here in the US but the RCT was poorly accomplished. You may not be feeling any pain right now but sooner or later, bacteria could get through it. Likewise, you must have an RCT done immediately to save your tooth.”

Hearing his long monologue had persuaded me nonetheless to have my right molar to be subjected to yet another RCT. Although while listening on his extended monologue, he hit my Achilles’ hill. I felt sorry for my Filipina dentist but felt more sorry for myself. Now my husband and I would be spending a lot more than before. It also meant paying several thousands of dollars more for the RCT plus for the crown needed to save my right molar. OMG!

Living here in America made me think on how the doctors are so particular about details and how very specialized are their fields of expertise. There is a strong awareness regarding malpractice suits between the doctors and patients so on both ends, prevention is a precautionary measure that is always taken seriously.

On the other hand, I cannot believe it myself that when I had agreed to have the RCT be done (again, OMG!) this time at the Valley Clinic in Modesto and that I had to sign a contract of approval regarding the fact that RCT sometimes may not solve the problem. It is like saying, hey, you signed the contract so you agreed to the closure. Be it. So be it. Geez, I signed it!

Relatively, my Ripon dentist had a point. But in defense of my dentist in the Philippines, she did her best to finish off my RCT but my healing process was slow. It took me 8 sessions to go through with it and just before my flight back to the US was impending, I begged her off just to fill it up so I could return home here in California. At that point, I was not anymore in pain and was healing moderately fast. From my knowledge and faith, she did her best. But from the perspective of my Ripon dentist, she screwed up my RCT. Anyhow, both meant well, and I am the victim here not them. I am and was the patient in dire need of medical help and the one who had spent a cool $915 for it for my 45-minute-one session- root canal treatment that was done yesterday.

Anyhow, I paid like $197.00 for my share and the rest, according to Valley Hill Clinic, the dental insurance of my husband for which I am covered with, shall cover the rest of the balance which is like $718.00. And with this means that I have already used up my dental insurance allotted for this year 2006.

Right now we do not really know if the insurance would pay it. On the other hand, we would spend $1,000 more for my porcelain crown. To sum it all, my right molar’s market value is something like $2700.00 totaled the amount of last year’s RCT in Manila and here in Modesto. Imagine?

So the RCT went well but husband was surprised for the cost since we both know that the endodontic specialist didn’t do as much work as my dentist back in Manila had done. All he did was the finishing touches and for a 45-minute labor, he charged me $975.00. Husband was kind of blown away by the cost (and so was I) so he plans to call our Ripon dentist and to inquire if there could be a way some funds could be refunded to us? Well, that is impossible I told blue-eyed husband.

In truth, the dentist in Modesto didn’t really do much. He did the same procedure I had in Manila but made sure he went deep into the root canal area. And boy, was he insensitive to realize my head was shaking in circles as he was working on my molar; I felt like a piece of century old tree being hammered back and forth from the corner of my dental chair. I was shaking up and down with the pressure he had on while placing the post on my right molar. Another thing I noticed was he never wasted time with his work. He was rushed and looked so very much in a hurry. I felt kind of insulted. You know, that time must be dedicated to me because I was paying for it. He was on transit between me and the other patient. So I thought, ah-ha, wise guy, likes to have more than he could handle so he'd have more dollars to pocket in his savings. Bad thought, eeks? Anyhow, I expected some dedication. May be I wanted more. It just didn't sit right when he didn't care if I got dizzy or not with his drilling. He was doing it like I was not a human being at all. It felt like the personal touch was all gone- when gentleness and patient care count a lot more in the eyes of many; and in making one feel comfortable in times like these many good results take place like more faith in the doctor, more referrals given like you won't refer a doctor who is not a people person, right? Well, may be I expected a little humanly touch (as I was accustomed to being attended to by doctors who care this way). I missed that being here in America. After he was done, he merely said, "It's done!" When I left the room where I had the treatment, the assisting nurse of Dr. X gave me a paper that had instructions on after-care must-do after an RCT was performed. It's all in black and white, all by the books. I think the human touch was gone here. Everything else was like watching an animated film dedicated to robots. Afterwards. I was told to proceed to the office to pay my bills. A nice middle-aged American nurse accommodated me and got my Mastercard, scanned it to the machine then presto, handed me my receipt. Fast and easy! "Bye!" She said. I responded, "Thank you. Would you mind giving me an envelope to put on this receipt and dental instruction?" She paused for a sec, apparently hesitant to produce one, then looked around and said, "Here." Okay, I thanked her. She was better and more humane than the doctor who treated me and the nurse who assisted DoctorX. I was just glad it was over and done (sigh)!

So... here I am in America and like a blind person, am finding my way out in the dark. Things do work differently in this part of the hemisphere. "1, 2, 3- next patient please! Hell-O? Next patient please!"

Well, what do you think? I'd say it's the culture and the system that really makes me think I am truly an alien here, haha. But am ok. Doing great, feeling fine, ah-well, not so well yet after my RCT (sigh). On Monday, husband and I will have our annual dental check-up in Ripon. I wonder what's install for me- for us- this time? Ah, whattheheck, life moves on like the winds of change!

Cultural note:

The whole of America clamors for their right, their constitutional rights, even kids do! So, by virtue of obedience I just had to deal with the protocol and the SOPs on dental procedures in CA. Can't beat it. Do what the Romans do!

Until next blog, my comrades, adieu~!

Monday, March 06, 2006

Shopping in Chinatown

These were some of the foodstuff we bought at Chinatown last week on our way out of San Francisco. We enjoyed the shopping and had lots of fun doing it. We bought fresh veggies, fruits, poultry and seafood . And guess what? We got them all for a good price plus they are much better than Costco! Why? Because the chickens are cleaned right between our eyes, the pork and beef are freshly grounded that's why! The mangoes are great, too, almost like the ones we have back home in the Philippines. They are almost as sweet as those and I love the shape, like the real Philippine mangoes-but these were from Mexico!


Crabs and fish are still alive when sold, so they are very, very fresh! The shrimps have heads~ yahoo! I love them! We Filipinos love them as they are quite tasty and sweet; the best part of the shrimp, in fact. But the Westerners raise their eyebrows on this fact and cultural practice we Asians have but that's the way we are~ we eat the head of the shrimp! And it is delicious!

Well, for someone who loves to cook like I do, it was heaven shopping in Chinatown.We went to shop early around 8 AM and it took us only about 30 minutes to get all we needed for our two week's supply then we headed back to our hotel. We even bought pork buns and dropped a box in San Leandro at our friends' house (the Andersons).

In Chinatown where we shopped for shrimps, salmon and crabs, I especially liked the huge crab we got; was still alive when we purchased it and it was remarkably huge! I dumped it in the cooler filled with ice while still in SFO and guess what? When we arrived in Ripon, it was still alive! At the kitchen, I put it in the sink and let its eyes blinked. Each time I turned on the faucet, it kicked! Well then, after a while I unloaded the grocery bags, re-packed the stuff in ziplock bags then placed them all in the freezer and vegetable compartment of the fridge. By the time I was done (about an hour), Mr. Crab was still kicking! Finally, I placed it in the casserole, sprinkled with salt, and let the fire on. After 15 minutes or so- I opened it, Mr. Crab is finally cooked. At last. Ha-ha! Smelled yummy, too! So we had him for dinner (laughs), served with butter, lemon and garlic! I didn't use vinegar with crab (this is the Pinoy way) but ate it a'la Americano with butter and lemon. I cooked "shrimp sinigang" as well (husband's favorite) in tamarind broth served with steamed rice. As we ate, husband could only say, "Oh, this is soooo good!" Surely, the shortest way to my husband's heart is through his stomach. Now he is working on it- to flatten it as before, so now the Bowflex is being used regularly for this reason (laughs).

RIGHT: The tea pot set I bought in Chinatown~I thought they were cute; priced for $11.95 total! This bunch didn't really come as a set but was sold individually. I just got 4 cups since it is just husband and I whoare home. Now we use this set during our tea time after each meal and in between meals in lieu of the coffee mugs and regular cups we have and always used before. It makes us feel so aculturized now with the Chinese culture...haha! My latest concoction for tea- a combo of oolang plus jasmine makes a perfect tea with the right aroma to taste! It gets a kick out of me! Husband did comment that this was the same kind of tea he remembered drinking at a Chinese restaurant in Sparks, Nevada while working as a young boy during his summer break. Amazing, isn't it-on how the scent of things~ of food, of people, places~ could bring back memories of long forgotten dreams? Wow, ha!

Sunday, March 05, 2006

Interesting Discovery at North Beach (last of series)

Saturday, March 04, 2006

More North Beach photos (Little Italy, SFO)

The pyramid building a.k.a. Trans-America Building (above) and the green antique building beside it on the right, (see close up below) contrast the old and the modern architecture of our time. At night, when the green tower is lighted, it is like watching the light dancing in the air as traffic goes in progression- people stare at this magnificent landmark. Mostly people are on foot at night- the lovers, the friends, the adversaries- who knows who. They move from one shop to another, to sniff, to touch, to look or basically to window shop to no end. Others eat at their favorite bistro; smoke cigar; have a cup of newly brewed capuccino and have their much needed tete-a-tete after a day's work.


Broadway in San Francisco (Chinatown district near North Beach)


Street Scene

Homeless white man, the lone character I have seen so far in this corner on a Thursday morning this week since I started coming here with husband last year. This is definitely not his territory as a homeless man. Usually they flock along Market and Financial district where most of them line up for food stamps at the nearby McAllister Street. Now seeing one here in Chinatown is the most unusual scene I have been exposed to so far. Asians are known to be smart with their money and the Chinese in particular, are good with economics...so one hardly sees a Chinese begging for food or tinkering at a huge trash bin in a corner. I have seen at least only two blacks (man and woman) in their 50's, very loud, moving around in circles and walking aimlessly along Broadway after husband and I had an Italian dinner two nights ago. Otherwise, Broadway has remained to be utterly Chinese in terms of ah, territorial grounds.

Friday, March 03, 2006

Street Murals in North Beach (Little Italy), SFO


Click all photos in this blog, to enlarge

Jazz greats, honored in this mural (below) like Billy Holiday, Oscar Peterson, Loui Armstrong and many others greet visitors in North Beach with much enthusiasm to look forward to in terms of hearing jazz music being very much alive in this area; City Books' firewall (above) mural depicts Mexican life; right above, is on "Vesuvio" where there a volcanic eruption ate up the whole town centuries ago in this part of Italy; the whole town was covered with ash. I have been there in Vesuvius (in summer '97) and it is sad and tragic to see the remains of some Romans who suffered their fatal end. Their terror, struggle, and pain were preserved to these days when all was covered with ashes. In this part of San Francisco in Little Italy, one is made to remember that part of their history that remains to be a part of who they are, survivors for all times.