this year i

Butterflies

2007-07-09T12:16:00.000-07:00

Niku Niku and Niko Niko

2007-07-03T12:02:00.000-07:00

Celebrating Erica's birthday at Manna.

If you are carnivorous this is the place to be. Its all grills, soju *ack*, meat, smoke and flying champagne corks. Not for quality, but definitely ghetto-fabulous.

(His) Fear of Flying

2007-05-31T00:19:00.001-07:00

On our way to Seattle. WAY back in June 2005. For Melissa's graduation. Would be great to go there again!

Go Dodgers!

2007-04-13T20:33:00.000-07:00

My Parking Space

2007-04-06T23:29:00.000-07:00

Owl Talk

2007-03-31T23:18:00.000-07:00

So really, I don't shop much. But when I do, I go to Owl Talk. I never really went while studying at Oxy - then again I really had no money back then. Anyways - its my favorite place to go.

I always feel like whatever I find, was chosen especially for me by the owner of this thrift shop.

Baby was there to keep Fred company. I love this picture. Baby had just finished rolling around the soft legs of silky pants and long dresses. We were all trying to get him to pose.

Bob's Okazuya

2007-03-30T15:09:00.000-07:00

a free thursday afternoon

2007-03-29T23:32:00.000-07:00

L.A. Central Library - to find Cesar Chavez & some more Pamuk

The Sculptures of Ruth Asawa: Contours in the Air
Exhibit at Japanese American National Museum

Spectacular copper wire sculptures and tied wire sculptures that blow your mind. Almost didn't make it out of there with these photos ... phew.

Sandstone Peak - Santa Monica

2007-03-25T01:04:00.000-07:00

When I first came back to Los Angeles, driving from LAX, I cried at the sight of the leaden sky and the mountains, uninviting, dry - lifeless. That was ... four years ago. On that day, I was crying for other reasons, and my tears were what prevented me from seeing the beauty that was welcoming me home.

The sky is a more striking shade of blue against the Santa Monica mountains - famed for their steelhead trout and home of the Chumash tribe. Life was everywhere that Sunday, the colors of the wild flowers, the reach of the dry branches, and butterflies courting one another.

Soto St. then across the L.A. River

2007-02-28T00:55:00.000-08:00

Leaving Hollenbeck M.S.

Home

2007-02-25T01:01:00.000-08:00

Starstruck - Mr. Alumit

2007-02-24T00:50:00.000-08:00

"Talking to the Moon" Book Signing at Skylight Bookstore

Year of the Boar

2007-02-17T01:39:00.000-08:00

shawn and a very happy great grandma and grand aunt!

Valentine's

2007-02-16T01:35:00.000-08:00

Cafe Stella on Sunset with Fred

The House of Sharing

2007-02-07T01:51:00.000-08:00

Listened to Koon-ja Kim give a testimony of her experience as a comfort woman or sex slave to Japanese soldiers in South Korea during WWII. She was part of Hein Sook's documentary The House of Sharing.

It is courageous that these women continue to share such private and terrible stories with the world. Young korean americans and parents with their young children attended this event. Then there was me too, and a handful of others from different cultures. All attending, surely, to just be there and listen to history speaking.

Oddly enough, I was reminded of one host family that I met in Japan as a recent high school graduate. I remember sitting in the living room with the grandfather and looking up to see a portrait of him as a young soldier during WW II. That afternoon I wondered - where did he go? what crimes did he commit? why? I would've asked, but I didn't know the language then and I didn't have the audacity or the courage to.

If the comfort women can stand up and tell their truth, the Japanese government, at the very least, should admit and own up to theirs.

With Rommel

2007-01-27T00:47:00.000-08:00

Gardens Rock

2007-01-22T01:46:00.000-08:00

at UES - laboratory elementary school at UCLA

Hot Pot Madness

2007-01-20T00:37:00.000-08:00

Inspired

2007-01-19T19:34:00.000-08:00

What I do when I have Fridays to myself.

Daikokuya

2007-01-17T19:22:00.000-08:00

Ramen with Elise and Jeannie after a day of playing drums at Inner City Arts.

Grandma

2007-01-15T21:34:00.000-08:00

you silly fish head

2007-01-12T20:52:00.000-08:00

That's half a fish head. Fish monger? Catfish? We waited a long time for this dish - the most popular one at Hunan Restaurant.

Hunan cuisine is smothered in oil. Why? I didn't think to ask Chin Chuan that night, but my aunt knew why.

She said that a long time ago, men in China attended schools far from their hometowns. The women in Hunan would have to travel long distances to bring food to their husbands. In the winter, pouring a generous layer of scalding hot oil over a dish (soups, noodles, etc.) would keep the food from going cold. With all that oil, did the men ever make it home to their wives?

Our food was very, very hot. Not for the faint of heart.

No More Troops

2007-01-11T21:16:00.000-08:00

Lounging at the Getty Villa

2007-01-07T20:49:00.000-08:00

Mom

2007-01-06T20:05:00.000-08:00

mom,
posing in the afternoon

slava's snowshow
introduced her to royce hall

she bought his music
he's a clown you know, you must

we devoured monkey bread
from B&L's on 3rd St
like we always do

on the drive home with mom
with me,
behind the wheel this time