If you are a listener of This American Life on NPR, then you know what I am talking about. Recently, they had an episode called A Little Bit of Knowledge about the Modern Jackasses out there. Modern Jackassism, according to Urban Dictionary, 'usually occurs in a conversation when you know a little about a subject and when asked to expand upon it, you extrapolate completely unrelated nonsense.' A producer of the radio show came up with the term with her friends about this imaginary magazine about these people. Having a Ph.D. on nothing specific (trust me, BME is about nothing specific), this pretty much makes me a senior editor of such distinguished publication... I can pretty much bullshit crap out of my ear, and more importantly, with authority. Thank you, Columbia!
7.30.2008
Modern Jackass
If you are a listener of This American Life on NPR, then you know what I am talking about. Recently, they had an episode called A Little Bit of Knowledge about the Modern Jackasses out there. Modern Jackassism, according to Urban Dictionary, 'usually occurs in a conversation when you know a little about a subject and when asked to expand upon it, you extrapolate completely unrelated nonsense.' A producer of the radio show came up with the term with her friends about this imaginary magazine about these people. Having a Ph.D. on nothing specific (trust me, BME is about nothing specific), this pretty much makes me a senior editor of such distinguished publication... I can pretty much bullshit crap out of my ear, and more importantly, with authority. Thank you, Columbia!
Fancy Dinners with the Gos
So my friends Samantha and Kerwin are big gourmands with big pockets. We've been to a couple of fancy dinners since they came back with their newborn daughter, and more are in the plans. Here is a list:
Tutto Bello
Italian, with famous wine list.
I'd say it is mostly okay... I can't really agree with the 'over the bridge' (過橋) pasta...
a Chinese phrase meaning that they serve you undressed pasta and then pour the sauce over the noodles.
Le Petite Cuisine
French, with a famous chef, Justin Quek, a Singaporean.
It's mostly okay as well... horrible espresso...
A Cut Steakhouse
we'll see in a week...
Umai Micasa
Japanese in the plans
Paris 1930
A French restaurant reputed to be the best in Taipei, in the Landis Hotel.
Based on my experiences of these 100USD dinners, I understand better why New York is such a great culinary destination. Not just that New York has excellent food from almost all cultures around the world, the restaurant industry is also much more mature and refined, and cheaper! Yes, I said it is cheaper in New York... For the same amount of money, it is really hard to match the level of sophistication you find in New York restaurants, from decor, lighting, the waitstaff, menu design... What I enjoy the most in New York, are actually the 30-70USD places with casual ambiance, like Otto or Barbuto.
Tutto Bello
Italian, with famous wine list.
I'd say it is mostly okay... I can't really agree with the 'over the bridge' (過橋) pasta...
a Chinese phrase meaning that they serve you undressed pasta and then pour the sauce over the noodles.
Le Petite Cuisine
French, with a famous chef, Justin Quek, a Singaporean.
It's mostly okay as well... horrible espresso...
A Cut Steakhouse
we'll see in a week...
Umai Micasa
Japanese in the plans
Paris 1930
A French restaurant reputed to be the best in Taipei, in the Landis Hotel.
Based on my experiences of these 100USD dinners, I understand better why New York is such a great culinary destination. Not just that New York has excellent food from almost all cultures around the world, the restaurant industry is also much more mature and refined, and cheaper! Yes, I said it is cheaper in New York... For the same amount of money, it is really hard to match the level of sophistication you find in New York restaurants, from decor, lighting, the waitstaff, menu design... What I enjoy the most in New York, are actually the 30-70USD places with casual ambiance, like Otto or Barbuto.
7.28.2008
TV is running my life
As with the previous post, I've been watching way too much TV online, several hours worth a day. Watching all the Mad Men has been making me thirsty for Bourbon and martinis. I finally found some dirty martinis the other day and I actually liked it, even though ones I had were pretty weak... I've been trying to find some gin and cocktail olives but they are quite expansive in Taipei... (the olives I found were in Dean and Deluca... yes, the New York Dean and Deluca, and they are like 25 dollars for a jar...) so my search continues... Last week, I finished all the available episodes of Weeds. The heroine of the show, Nancy Botwin, is always drinking an almost empty container of iced coffee and sucking on the last drop amongst the ice cubes. This also gives me cravings for iced coffee, even though I am not a coffee drinker... Good thing that there were only a couple of episodes of the Closer that I haven't watched since I left New York. Otherwise, I might start hording chocolate bars in my desk drawer. Although I am trying to catch up on House now, so I may start a vicodin habit....
7.17.2008
TV shows
So this definitely files under procrastination... I came across this website about 2 weeks ago and I've been addicted since... Fortunately (or unfortunately) for those of you located outside of Asia, this is probably not that practical... My friend Terri said it takes forever to load and of course it is all in Chinese, although searchable in English.
So far, I've finished 2 seasons of Dexter, originally on Showtime.
Dexter is a serial killer that works as a blood splatter expert in the Miami Police Department, so the show is filled with detective work as well as dark humor, not to mention sex and violence, being on Showtime. The beautiful backdrop of Miami and the art deco facade also is nice. Since the show is more like a serial than episodic, you really want to find out what happens next... So I finished 2 seasons in like 3 days... most of which was watched at work....
Another show that I've been watching is Mad Men, originally on AMC.
Mad Men refers to the ad men in New York. Set in the 60's, the show is filled with sexism, racism, homophobia... you name it. The interiors are very mid-century modern, so are the women's bras. The thing that leaves me with the greatest impact though, is that they are always smoking and drinking scotch and martinis. I never really cared for those drinks that much but I've been having cravings recently. There was this episode where they had a whole lot of oysters, like 3,4 dozens each, and many martinis to go with it. I could almost taste the cool sting and the briny sea in my mouth when I was watching it... It reminds me of a drink that I never had... a dirty martini... I don't like gin and I don't like olives... but this is the best that I can conjure up to what I've got the cravings for... Have to try it soon...
Weeds, originally on Showtime.
I've only watched a couple of episodes so far and in a weird way, it reminds me of the Sopranos... It is about a suburban housewife, after the sudden death of her husband, who started dealing weeds. It is really more about how she is dealing with her life, raising her children, making a living, and figuring out business.
Pride and Prejudice, 1995, originally BBC.
This is the famed edition with Colin Firth. While I can't get the thing with the wet shirt, it is a very good interpretation of the book, especially after watching the recent Keira Knightly version. I read the book for the first time recently and it is really good... And I usually hate the movie/TV versions of the book that I like, even with Gregory Peck's To Kill a Mocking Bird... My only complaint is that Jane is really not what I imagined her to look like...
I also watched Juno (great!) and Wanted (should've watched in a theater) on this website... There are really lots and lots of shows and movies there... hooray for pirated sites!
So far, I've finished 2 seasons of Dexter, originally on Showtime.
Dexter is a serial killer that works as a blood splatter expert in the Miami Police Department, so the show is filled with detective work as well as dark humor, not to mention sex and violence, being on Showtime. The beautiful backdrop of Miami and the art deco facade also is nice. Since the show is more like a serial than episodic, you really want to find out what happens next... So I finished 2 seasons in like 3 days... most of which was watched at work....
Another show that I've been watching is Mad Men, originally on AMC.
Mad Men refers to the ad men in New York. Set in the 60's, the show is filled with sexism, racism, homophobia... you name it. The interiors are very mid-century modern, so are the women's bras. The thing that leaves me with the greatest impact though, is that they are always smoking and drinking scotch and martinis. I never really cared for those drinks that much but I've been having cravings recently. There was this episode where they had a whole lot of oysters, like 3,4 dozens each, and many martinis to go with it. I could almost taste the cool sting and the briny sea in my mouth when I was watching it... It reminds me of a drink that I never had... a dirty martini... I don't like gin and I don't like olives... but this is the best that I can conjure up to what I've got the cravings for... Have to try it soon...Weeds, originally on Showtime.
I've only watched a couple of episodes so far and in a weird way, it reminds me of the Sopranos... It is about a suburban housewife, after the sudden death of her husband, who started dealing weeds. It is really more about how she is dealing with her life, raising her children, making a living, and figuring out business.
Pride and Prejudice, 1995, originally BBC.
This is the famed edition with Colin Firth. While I can't get the thing with the wet shirt, it is a very good interpretation of the book, especially after watching the recent Keira Knightly version. I read the book for the first time recently and it is really good... And I usually hate the movie/TV versions of the book that I like, even with Gregory Peck's To Kill a Mocking Bird... My only complaint is that Jane is really not what I imagined her to look like...
I also watched Juno (great!) and Wanted (should've watched in a theater) on this website... There are really lots and lots of shows and movies there... hooray for pirated sites!
7.15.2008
I am such a nerd...
I found this website thru Apartment Therapy, and here is what I've got so far:
I am such a nerd... The first thing I thought of is to combine all the abstracts I have from the full-length articles and put it up in my lab... come to think of it, I am also very narcissistic... It is a lot of fun though and I think I will carry out my plan... suggestions for other sources?
I am such a nerd... The first thing I thought of is to combine all the abstracts I have from the full-length articles and put it up in my lab... come to think of it, I am also very narcissistic... It is a lot of fun though and I think I will carry out my plan... suggestions for other sources?
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