Tweet Tweetly-Tweet

He rocks in the treetop all day long
Hoppin and a-boppin and singing his song
All the little birds on J-Bird street
Love to hear the robin going tweet, tweet, tweet

Remember this song from elementary school?

Well, tweeting is back and more popular than ever. So much so that even the NBA's getting in on this. I can't say I understand this whole tweeting business. First, why? Can't you do the same thing on Facebook. Second part of why...why would you want people to know what you're doing every second/why would you want to know what others are doing every second? And most importantly...who cares?

Well, apparently lots of people (lots and lots). Some dude from the Bucks was reprimanded by his coach for tweeting in the half...Shaq has to of course follow up with a tweet of his own...hoping to be caught. Side note: Shaq seems to be stuck in a 5-year-old copy cat mentality...but that's for another post at another time. And now, Mark Cuban. But this one is great because he actually got fined $25,000 for trash-tweeting a ref following the Mav's loss to Cleveland. What a cry baby.

Instead of joing Twitter and tweeting about my daily existence, I have been baking. Surprise, I know. Some of my latest endeavors include (and in no particular order)...



Mini strawberry turnovers. I was somewhat underwhelmed by these initially, but they were quite tasty the next day. The filling was just strawberries and sugar, but I decided to splash in some balsamic vinegar for fun.



Check out this mutant strawberry! Yikes!



Peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. Made infinitely better with the addition of mini peanut butter cups! I used milk chocolate chips to be more like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. I especially enjoyed rolling these in sugar. A nice touch.



Grilled veggie mezzaluna ravioli. I was a ravioli making machine for 3o minutes for these little dudes. I also made an arugula-pistachio pesto to go with these. I really enjoyed the nuttiness/richness of the pistachios with the peppery/clean arugula. And! I managed to find some Meyer lemons at the market for the pesto.



Pistachio cookies waiting to be baked. I used my ice cream scoop for these. I think everyone should have one. Such uniformity.



Mmm...pistachio cookies. I have to say...these are perhaps one of my favorite cookies I've made so far. It's soft in the center and crispy on the outside. And the pistachio flavor is subtle...and they are so fragrant. And cute!

I'm actually sending these to my mom. Perhaps the biggest pistachio fan I know.

Coffee, Culture and College Basketball

And macroecon...but that would have ruined my alliteration.

Earlier this week, in an attempt to avoid anything that involved an annuity, an 8 page paper and GDP, I decided to instead peruse food blogs for some culinary inspiration. And then I thought... why turn to food blogs when I have a mini-food library in my room?



Count em. 29 cookbooks. I'm not sure how this happened. Or when.

Believe it or not, I actually have made at least 1 thing from most of these...except for this one:



And for good reason. I'm usually adverse from buying restaurant cookbooks because they sometimes tend to be overcomplicated and fancy. As if sushi is not complicated enough. But, this is my absolute favorite sushi place on Maui, and I stumbled upon this book at Costco. This was one of those fun-to-look-at-but-never-really-use cookbooks. I mean with recipes such as, "Poached Keahole Lobster Salad of Waimanalo Micro Greens, Strawberry Papaya and Creamy Tarragon Vinaigrette" or "Roasted Hawaiian Lehi, Sansei Spicy Crab, Roasted Eggplant and Sweet Potato Tian and Sweet Carrot Emulsion"...how could you not feel somewhat intimated? I don't even think they have strawberry papayas on the mainland, anyway.

But surely, there's something I could make from here. So I settled on the spicy tuna roll and grilled veggie rolls. It's about time I get back in touch with my Japanese culture...at least for a day.

So first tings first. A requiste trip to Mitsuwa Marketplace to pick up some ingredients. Interestingly enough, Mitsuwa was having some sort of anniversary sale. How fortuitous. My cashier apparently only speaks Japanese, and proceeds to engage me in convo:

Cashier: "Nihongo ga wakaru?" which means: "Do you understand Japanese?"
Me: "Anooo...sumimasen...chotto wakarimasen...", which means, "Umm...no, sorry, I don't understand Japanese"...in Japanese!
Cashier: Confused look, but forced a polite smile.

Sigh. I basically told this lady that I didn't speak Japanese...in Japanese. I realized this a little late. She then proceeded to tell me that I was eligible for a gift...well, at least I think that's what she said.

Here's a quick look at my interpretation of sushi:



From L-R (top): sushi rice, sliced cucumbers, grilled eggplant, roasted bell pepper, grilled shiitake, shiso leaf, sliced omelete, shabu-shabu style beef. (bottom): nori, maki su (bamboo mat), spicy tuna mix. Intense prep as you can see.



From top: spicy tuna roll, grilled veggie roll, beef roll

Now, I know what you're thinking...beef??? I was feeling creative. It's kinda like a bento with beef poached in shoyu-sugar, egg and cucumber. And the verdict? Well, it was quite the ordeal, and not without it's failures. My first spicy tuna roll was too fat. Not pictured, but eaten. And, those inside-out ones (uramaki) are considerably easier to make than the traditional maki with the nori on the outside. Surprising.

Would I do this again? Hmm...well, let's just say I have a new appreciation for sushi chefs. I'm more of a musubi maker.

But before this sushi fun, I had to get down to business with this macroecon nonsense. And it really is, too. I mean, my professor looks like Grandpa from the Munsters. Talk about credibility. The good news is that my pending study session had me looking for a new coffee location. Something more boutique than Starbucks and more legit that Lee's, but still has free WiFi. I found this place in Tustin called The Lost Bean , a cute organic coffee and tea place with ample seating and free internet. I think we have a winner.

The coffee here is pretty yummy, but keep in mind, this is coming from someone who only drinks coffee at restaurants or when in a dire state of sleepiness. I'm not a fan of the 'bucks because their coffee has this perpetual burnt taste to me. And Lee's...well...let's just call that "coffee", or carmel colored paint thinner with condensed milk.



And they have yogurt parfaits! My fav. They also have an extensive selection of teas. I sampled the "Black Hawaiian", which was pretty fab. Not to sweet, but a nice fruity flavor. I also had the Honey Vanilla Latte before I left, and I really liked it. A lot. It has a nice round sort of flavor. And the optional outdoor seating was an added bonus.

And after all that caffeine infusion, I was totally ready for some March Madness. Yesterday's games were a little blah...nothing too interesting. But today's Villanova/Pittsburgh game completely made up for it. Soooo exciting!!! People on the floor and everything. Between the lead changes and the caffeine, I could scarcely contain myself. And! 2 more games tomorrow. I can hardly wait!

For my fellow UCI Anteaters...bet you didn't know an anteater could do this. Actually, I didn't think you could keep them as pets.

Eating Around

A fav past time of mine.

I usually only get to partake in this type of eating when traveling, but this weekend I accompanied Jeannie (roomie) to LA...and I guess that's a trip as good as any. Yet another sign of the recessionary times. But this of course does not mean my tummy is going into food recession. Heck no. Priorities.

On Friday, we met up Kandyce and Prasanth (think croisannt, but with a P) for some Korean barbecue...only to be followed by an oversized bowl of shave ice at Guppy House. From this excursion, I decided that not all Guppy Houses are created equal. This one in Rowland/Hacienda/Diamond Bar/Brea/where ever we were was a lot nicer than the one in Irvine.



This is the small size. Erwin seemed pleased. Or just hungry. Hard to say.

Saturday was the main event in terms of eating. We kicked the day off at Griddle Cafe in West LA. This place is known for its oversized pancakes, waffles...and well, everything in general. The extensive menu has tons of breakfast selections (always a plus) as well as normal lunch offerings...sandwiches, salads and such. Of everything we ordered, my fav thing was this peanut butter filled french toast. Nothing I would ever order...but sooo yummy. The pb was blended with sugar for a yummy filling and the outside of the french toast was carmelized and crunchy.



And that whipped cream was amazing! Surprisingly, this was just the right amount of sweet.

After that massive breakfast/brunch/lunch, I had every intention not to eat until dinner time. Until we went to Surfas (fav store in recent memory)...and saw this!



A massive line to the elusive Kojis! Koji's Tacos is a traveling taco truck that serves up what else? Korean BBQ themed tacos. On the menu includes short rib tacos, tofu tacos, pork tacos as well as burritos and specials. On this particular day, we sampled the short rib and tofu tacos, pork burrito and kim chee quesadilla. The best of both worlds? I'd have to say not. I did enjoy the Korean BBQ and the vinegary slaw...but honestly, nothing special or worth waiting in that line for.



Koji's assortment. From left: pork burrito, kim chee quesadilla, tofu taco, short rib tacos, unusual crudite tray.



Short rib taco

But was worth the drive to LA was perusing the aisles of Surfas. I seriously luv this store. It's the most amazing and complete cooking store I have ever seen. Not only does it carry the most diverse selection of cooking goods (cupcake pans, boxes, sanding sugars, etc...I could go on and on), but it also has a huge selection of hard-to-find gourmet ingredients. Where else can you find mass quantities of Callebaut chocolate? Or pistachio paste? Or rare sea salts? Or super fancy imported Italian pastas? Or beer from the Maui Brewing Company?

No where. Trust me. I've searched.



11 lbs bag of Callebaut cocoa powder. I remember thinking who the heck needs this much cocoa powder? This was before I baked with it.



Hmm..well, I guess they would be an interesting garnish. But somewhere, there are 6 very sad and homeless snails.



If I bought these, I could never bring myself to eating them. Well...maybe just a couple.



My purchases. From left: Maui Brewing Company beer, pistachio paste, almond extract, cellophane bags, juicer, Callebaut chocolate chips, chunky rainbow sanding sugar, Valrhona unsweetened cocoa powder and white balsamic vinegar.

And to think! This does not even include all the March Madness going on! No wonder my marketing paper got no play time.

Eat Your Veggies!

And that means you, Barack.

Especially with that organic vegetable garden in the works at the White House. No excuses. 55 veggies including, cilantro, tomatillo, chile peppers, red romaine, butter lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, assorted herbs, and! a cute little assortment of berries. And even two honey hives. How amazing! And yet...something seems missing...something...but what?

Beets!! Barack refuses to eat them and denied them entry into the Noah's Ark of organic gardens. The nerve. I bet he doesn't know that beets and swiss chard are practically cousins. Hmph.

With the exception of the lack of the humble beet, I'm insanely jealous of this extensive organic garden. I totally luv the idea of going out to your garden to go veggie picking ala Barefoot Contessa. Maybe it's the farmer genes in me. Small kid time, my dad and I had a small veggie garden in a small sandbox...which now that I think about it was just some concrete blocks with dirt in it. We grew this somewhat rare variety of string beans, carrots, strawberries and cherry tomatoes. And before all these silly FDA/USDA rules became the norm, we actually used to sell our homegrown veggies to the supermarket and at the swap meet.

In attempt to capture the happier times in my life, I've attempted to grow a few veggies here in my apt balcony. Failures, all of them. Except my cactus. Resilient thing. I attempted cherry tomatoes, basil, cucumbers and I think I even went for carrots for old times sake.

Yet, I'm undeterred by these past failures. I try my "gardening" every year...and it's spring again. Beets, anyone?

Lakers Luv

It's everywhere.

Even in Newport Beach courthouses. Actually, especially in Newport Beach courthouses.

My fav Kobe Bryant had jury duty today. And my question is...why not next month?? I have jury duty next month! Oh well. That's the way the cookie crumbles.

According to TMZ, here's what went down between Kobe and the judge:

Judge: "What do you do for a living?"
Kobe: "I play professional basketball for the Los Angeles Lakers"
Judge: "Go Lakers!"

I couldn't have said it better myself. Go Lakers!

He also asked Kobe why he would be a good juror, to which Kobe responded that he's a "good listener". And then he went on to inquire about Kobe's relationship with the police, Kobe said that his "team of security guards are comprised mostly of police officers". He's so wonderful.

In sharp contrast, I have officially given up on The Lakers Nation. I read this blog only occasionally, and I don't take anything on here too seriously. But today was the last straw when I saw this posted:

The Ghost

Opened up his little heart
Unlocked the lock that kept it dark
And read a written warning
Saying ‘ Im still mourning
Over ghosts that broke my heart before I met you’

- Laura Marling

A poem??? Are you kidding me?? This is basketball!!!

Anyway, "the ghost" here is Lakers' devestating loss to the hated Celtics in The Finals last season. Are we all hurting from that? Of course. Dude, we're all hurten from that...so stop bringing it up! Especially via poetry!

This guy is making all these wacky correlations about the Lakers loss to the hated Celtics to their recent losses in the current season.

From The Lakers Nation:

It is fairly clear to me that they have the Ghost of Last June lingering over them each and every night. And it is manifesting itself in the form of blown leads, defensive regression, poorly executed offensive sets, etc.

In truth, this specter is just the enormous weight of actually achieving the greatness they simply stumbled upon last year pressing down upon them.

That is what Jordan’s misplaced cockiness and swagger is.

That is why Little Sash can’t shoot anymore.

That is why Andrew went down again. It was destiny. My friend Tim says that there is an “impression that because they lost without him, he’s the ONLY answer.” This is not true. They need to prove to themselves that they were always capable of greatness…even without their so-called “cornerstone”.

Little Sash? Give me a break.

I don't know about this dude's claims. I want to see a scatterplot matrix. A histogram. Any leverage points? What would Ansari say?

Where's the evidence?

Bracketology 101

Why didn't UCI offer useful classes like this one?

At least this could've made me some money in this sour economy. Potentially.

I guess if you saw my picks, you'd say potentially not. And I couldn't blame you. My picks are based on mascot and personal feelings. Sure-fire things like that. Clarice - etology, if you will.

As many of you know, I don't follow college sports. At all, really. I'm more of a pro sports, NBA, NFL sort of person. Yes, I know the officiating is questionable and frustrating, but it's so much more exciting to me. I like getting to know the players and coaches and reading about them on Yahoo! sports on a daily basis. You don't hear about college players shooting themselves in the leg...or tweeting during the half.

And it's just not the same with college.

But this is March Madness. Game Time.

Even though I don't know any of these teams, I become both emotionally and financially attached to my picks. Which makes it so exciting!

So, I made two brackets. And I need to admit, one is totally not legit...with Missouri winning it all. Don't ask me how that happened. So after getting laughed at, it was back to the drawing board. And after some copious research (I would be nothing withouth Yahoo! sports and ESPN), I devised what I think is a semi-respectable (and possible) bracket. Louisville is my pick for this one.

The Barack-etology picks UNC. They're not even in my Final Four. What does he know, anyway.

Tree House?

A likely story.

You may recall a previous entry regarding my trespassing adventure through the unimaginably large home in Wailuku Heights.

Apparently, this is big news on little Maui.

Yesterday, The Maui News (We're BIG on Maui...and yes, that's really their slogan) reported that the owners of this home/mansion/estate and now supposed tree farm...will be using their home to grow Koai'a trees.

Really.




300 of these...in 20 years!

I'm sure the fact that their land being agriculturally zoned as absolutely nothing to do with it. Hmm...

I have actually never heard of the Koai'a, but it seems to be the cousin of the ever popular Koa. Sort of like the Matt Dillon and his brother...who's name escapes me at the moment.

Why Koai'a as opposed to any other plant/tree out there? Who knows.

Common uses for Koai'a include: fishing lures, spears, digging sticks and tapa (cloth) beaters. All useful stuff. I needed a new digging stick anyway.

I just can't believe these people desecrated our little red dirt patch (for the record, everyone was attached to it...not just me) for trees! Of all things! I can't even eat those! The mountain is already full of them! What really gets me is that they probably destroyed a whole family of said trees in the construction of their home. The irony.

Here's another view of the home/future arboretum.

My thoughts are that they're going to be farming more than Koai'a...if you know what I'm saying.