Kokochi

Cirque du Soleil

Very lucky. Last night, after a normal day of work, Toni called out of the blue and asked, "what are you doing tonight? wanna go see Cirque du Soleil?" She knows one of the crew members, and as last night was the last dress-rehearsal night, we got free tickets to the complete show of Corteo!!

It was fantastic. I've seen one show before, and this one was totally different yet just as beautiful and inspiring. Giant chandeliers in which dancers danced, beds as trampolines where kid characters in PJs bounced from bed to bed, marching carnivalesque bands, a tiny woman floating around with gigantic helium-filled balloons who walked over the audience until someone pushed her back up in the air, and of course all the tight-rope walking, bar acrobatics, and juggling one would expect. Just breath-taking.

Please go if you haven't seen Cirque du Soleil. They really make you feel happy to be human.

[note: i wasn't supposed to take pictures so I had to take them very discreetly, meaning I couldn't see what I was taking since I hid the phone screen with a scarf. Shots in the dark that are better than nothing!]

Nice new meeting

A few days ago I received a nice email from a woman named Marcela. She had followed TokyoTidbits when she visited Japan in 2003. She then recently caught up on Kokochi, and since she was visiting San Francisco, she contacted me. We had lunch today. Without the internet, it would seem a random lunch date, but with blogs, we had every reason to meet each other.

And you know what? She knows Sean from when he was considering going to Georgia Institute of Technology! Now that's a small world.

Home dinner with the housemate family

For the commotion Dav and I cause before and after Burning Man (dusty stuff everywhere, costumes strung around, boxes piled up), and for the numerous times my housemates have kindly agreed to take care of my kitties while I'm away, I decided to cook dinner for everyone tonight.

Menu: korokke (potatoes, salmon, veges covered in bread crumbs and fried), simmered kabocha, string beans with sesame sauce, shiroae (seasoned crushed tofu) with mitsuba, miso soup, and rice flavored with mountain vegetables. Emerick contributed a fabulous chocolate cake...which we had with elderflower nectar herb tea I just bought today. As usual, the conversations and sharing was the best.

Dav, Sara, Emerick, and Elida are playing scrabble as I finally catch up on Kokochi.

Pigman Gallery

After the delicious organic feast, we went to Pigman Gallery with Mieko (she knows the owner). The gallery was showcasing Laura Kimpton's art, and I rather liked it. She had quite a variety of works, from eerie sadistic-looking sculptures, playful photographs, various installations using antique dolls/toys, and modern-looking prints.

But what I enjoyed most was the space. The gallery was small and cozy, with beautiful old wooden floors. And the back opened to a sort of industrial open space under the highway marked with graffiti work. They had a dj, a bar, and heat lamps. The artist's print works were pinned to the wired fencing. It made the gallery feel down-to-earth.

Mieko knows lots of artists and music people. She talked up the owner about organizing an event there with local artists and a music evening...maybe in April. I can't wait!!

My favorite piece is 4th down on the right.

Back to roots: organic, traditional food

Saturday night, Dav and I were invited to what we thought was an organic dinner party. What we didn't realize was that the dinner was actually part of a regular group gathering of people interested in a method of cooking that follows Nourishing Traditions. Dav ordered the book so we'll study up on this, and I don't know much yet, but basically the book describes how old traditional cooking methods are actually great in helping us avoid modern day diet-related illnesses (in contrast to what modern media tells us about nutrition).

Since Dav started his Fantastic Voyage anti-aging diet, we've been eating organic, and following a specific diet (Dav strictly, me just at dinners with him). Overall though, we've both become very aware that we are what we eat, and at our age, we really need to pay attention to the chemical-laden, processed foods around us.

I'll share more information as I learn, but the dinner was amazing. 30 people or so brought dishes made from the Nourishing Traditions. Information was shared about where to get food, how things affected the body, etc. This is a monthly group of people who enjoy eating yummy food, but also that is cooked to benefit that body.

Day of the Dead

I'm backtracking again to last weekend, but I wanted to share scenes from the Day of the Dead procession Dav and I participated in. It went through Mission, with drums, incense, and lots of people dressed up as the dead. Wasn't scary, but a bit solemn. Dav looked unrecognizably spooky though. I had never participated before and was surprised at the turnout. We met up with Elida too.

Dav's contribution to the public alter was of his mother. For me, I had my grandfather and my dog Jenny.

The reopened De Young museum

I really enjoyed the variety. From modern to ancient, photos to textiles. Lots of cool amazing masks and ceremonial outfits that would knock away any Halloween costume. The architecture was inspiring too. Beatuful space to refresh the mind. I took so many pics!

Ian's and my favorite picture of our parents

In Tenessee, where we all met up before partying in San Francisco.

I have the cutest dad ever!

I totally forgot I took these last Saturday when we were preparing to go to our party to celebrate our marriage. We decided to bring a bunch of wigs for people to have fun with (since between Dav and me, we have about 15 wigs). My dad graciously modeled a few, and we all couldn't stop laughing!

We're slowly getting pictures from the party up here (not all are up yet). This one is of my dad making a lovely speech. This is of my parents, dad with an elvis wig.

Veno Venue

Tech wine tasting in downtown SF.