Kanye West: Harder, better, faster, stronger

Another concert at San Jo's HP Pavilion; thanks to S for finding tickets.

The night started out with Lupe Fiasco, N.E.R.D. and Rihanna as opening acts. Now, I can't say I'm really a hip hop music expert. I can recognize songs, but I'm not very good at telling the artists apart or knowing who sings what. Rihanna gave a pretty good performance, with backup dancers and all that.



My one complaint was that it took way too long for each band to set up. Lupe, N.E.R.D. and Rihanna all performed for 3o minutes. And it was 30 minute wait between acts. Next thing you know, it was 10pm and Kanye wasn't even on yet. It's too late for someone old like me. ;-)

And yeah, I was feeling pretty old. I was definitely on the other end of the age range in the crowd. haha.

Then finally Kanye came on, crashing in on some unidentified planet. That was the story line for his show... Kanye on the journey to finding his way home. Kinda lame, I thought.

But the music was good and full of energy. Fun!

Wheels in Motion

I finally have it! The piece of paper that has been a source of frustration since October last year. This is the nulla osta that will allow me to work legally in Italy. It took S and his friend, B, alot of phonecalls and trips to the Sportello Unico to get this. I'm grateful for that, or who knows how much longer it would've taken.

I took this to the Italian consulate in SF a few days ago. It was my best immigration related bureaucracy experience, and believe me, I've been through years of it with the INS. The one man accepting the applications was very nice and accomodating to everyone, even with the long line out the door. And the good news is that I'll get to pick up my passport + visa in 2.5 weeks. I was expecting 4 weeks or more, so I was pleasantly surprised.

I've now purchased my plane ticket to Milan: May 13th. My feelings are now fluctuating between excitement (I've waited so long for this! I finally get to see him after 5 months!) and sadness (Oh no, I'm going to miss my dear friends. I heart USA!) and worrying (Checklists, gotta sell car, more checklists!).

Bon Jovi: Livin' on a Prayer

We've got to hold on to what we've got
'Cause it doesn't make a difference if we make it or not.
We've got each other and that's a lot for love -
We'll give it a shot.

We're half way there - Livin' on a prayer

Take my hand and we'll make it
I swear - livin' on a prayer.


BON JOVI rocks!!!!!!

Last week, I got to relive my first concert experience. And it was a rock concert, no less! I was 17 and in love. Bon Jovi played at the Shah Alam stadium in Malaysia and I remember tickets were RM50. It was such an awesome night... I knew all the words.

And thirteen years later, here I was at the San Jose arena, singing along at the top of my lungs. It felt like a trip down memory lane. And I swear, Mr. Jon Bon Jovi himself has not aged one bit! He looks... the same! Amazing. It was a good show.

Qus' Crab Shack

Singapore chilli crab with fresh dungeness crabs...


Compliments to the chef, Q!!! Yummy.....

Half Moon Bay

I met L for lunch in Half Moon Bay after class on Saturday. We wanted to try out the famous lobster sandwich at Sam's. Apparently, it has been voted one of the best sandwiches in the country by NBC's Today show. The sandwich was ok. I enjoyed the clam chowder and the steamers. I think it's a nice place to go for beachside dining. There's outdoor seating, a firepit, and easy access to the beach.

It was a beautiful day and I had the idea to walk to the other end of HMB beach after lunch. It didn't look so far away.


Ahhh, the sound of the crashing waves. The smell of the ocean. It had been a while since I felt the sand in my toes (not since last summer).

We saw some wildlife.

It was something like 4 hours later when we finally finished our little walk. Walking in the sand was quite a workout and I'll have to admit I started whining a little somewhere around the halfway point. Still, it was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon.

Snow Day

A couple weekends ago, a bunch of us headed up to Dodge Ridge for the day for some fun in the snow. There were over 13 of us, and thanks to Chadi we had free lift tickets. It was my first time at Dodge Ridge and I thought it was great how it only took us 3 hours to get there from the Bay Area. Yes, it was tough waking up at 5.30 a.m. but it was all worth it.

The day was gorgoeous and sunny with blue skies. We had a group of beginners with us so we tried our best to give some tips and pointers. It was fun (and entertaining, hehe).

I did manage to get up to the top of the mountain towards the end of the day. I know I should attempt the more challenging runs if I'm going to get any better... but yes, I'm a coward when it comes to speed and steep slopes. I have to overcome my fear of heights! You'll find me looking over the edge, trying to summon up the courage to push off and go for it...

And it was just exhilarating! Here we are the four amigos at the end of the day.

And the whole gang before heading back. (Poor Angie, she fell and hurt her shoulder. But fortunately it was not too serious and she was still all smiles.)

The sun was still up so some of us decided to stop for some sledding. We also got into a snow ball fight. Note to self: Watch out, some of these guys can throw a mean snow ball! I got this huge bruise on my leg from a tumble but that was just a small price to pay for some good old-fashioned fun. ;-)

Flashback to the 80s!

Haha... I think the picture says it all. It was an 80's party, and Gly and I decided to embrace the theme and dress up. Paula couldn't make it but she did an awesome with our makeup and hair!

It sure has been a while since I went dancing. ;-)

Put On Your Dancing Shoes...

What a fun Friday night with the girls. Tonight, Gly, Paola and I met at El Torito's for some food and drinks before heading over to Starlite, for some salsa fun. The happy hour at El Torito's was alot better than I remembered. The food was good; we had a appetizer sampler plate that was really huge and some beef quesadillas. Way too much food for the three of us, and for less than $10 each including yummy margaritas. Our waiter was also very nice and friendly. We left just as the karaoke session was starting up. Next time, we vowed!

The Starlite ballroom was nicer than I expected. The hour-long lesson just flew by and I was left with a taste of some salsa steps. Then the dance party started and I got caught up in a couple dances that was just so much fun. I find it hard to say no. :) It was a pretty good and balanced crowd; young and old, males and females. I really liked how many of the guys were more mature and very good dancers... it just makes it alot easier for a beginner. There were no shortage of people to dance with, and we didn't feel like we were getting hit on at all. These people were here to dance because they love to dance!

And I loved watching the good dancers. There's just something about dancing that just mesmerizes me. Maybe it's seeing how well people can move their bodies to the music, which for me doesn't come so naturally. I'd be happy to be just proficient enough to have fun doing it.