consolidating....

taking a break from AIBM and blogging here www.caramimi.blogspot.com

Mañagaha island daytrip, Saipan

Saipan, Mañagaha - Yellow submarine, originally uploaded by *caramimi*.

A gorgeous day spent with family on Mañagaha -- a tiny island near the North end of Saipan's lagoon (April 2007)

Milking the last days of my Saipan visit. My family gathered to celebrate my step-dad's birthday on Mañagaha Island -- a tiny island in Saipan's lagoon, right off the North end.

Mañagaha is very small, and not large enough to accommodate dwellings. It hasn't changed much, since I came here in '98, and maintains much of it's pristine beauty. The snorkeling is amazing, and there's a WWII wreck less then 20ft from the shore.


view of Saipan's North end (Tanapag village) from the ferry


tasi - ocean water, so blue it hurts


arriving at the pier


ubiquitous, yet cheery ducky


boti - the setting sun as we begin our return from paradise


adios!

Yelping banana

consume me!, originally uploaded by *caramimi*.

consume me!

there are far too many ways to post on the web. i've succumbed to yelp for my restaurant & shop reviews. if you care to take a gander, gander me here http://specialc.yelp.com.

i'm slowly going through my flickr pics and finally posting these images i've been meaning to blab. i did a fruit drop last year, with intentions of leaving behind more food gifts for those who need. this was my first attempt of moving stuff forward (with good intentions, of course).

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if alice in wonderland happened in cali, she'd get a nice banana instead of a size-changing elixir.

random fruit drop near work. james thought this baby's life had expired, but i explained it's fruity goodness has only just begun. i left this as an offering to those in need of potassium. i find it hard to believe no one picked this up, and i saw dudes picking through the garbage today....

caramimi readymade fruit art drop + food offering: banana, sharpie, napkin, freshness tag
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Saipan - Big Boy

Saipan - Big Boy, originally uploaded by *caramimi*.

During my trip, I would drive on Beach Road and sometimes encounter this most bizarre tour bus named "Big Boy."

Even more hilarious are the mannequins with chicken heads, placed on either end, and the grinning chicken face at the front of the bus. If anyone has a photo of that chicken face, please send me a link! You can barely make it out, but the side of the bus says "Chicky, Chicky, Bang Bang." Jeez -- don'cha just want to hug yourself?

I was a total road hazard as I shot this pic while driving. I don't condone photo-driving, but in the name of funny journalism... by all means.

Lower Haight Street Fair 2006, San Francisco

Sundays = Sun-dazed. That's how I felt post-Saturday partying when I attended the Lower Haight Street Fair. Not to be confused with the Haight Street Fair further up the street. This one is still in it's infancy so it's more community bbq, than beer garden porta-potty.

Some nice music, art, crafts, local merchants, stoop watching and exotic pets! There was even a kiddy breakdancing circle that was the cutest thing.

[ART] Mescalito show - MARS-1, Damon Soule, Oliver Vernon

Mescalito - MARS-1, Oliver Vernon & Damon Soule
Oct 14 - Nov 4, 2006

White Walls Gallery
Tenderloin, San Francisco
whitewallssf.com

*more pics on my Flickr Mescalito set

Mars-1: www.mars-1.com





Oliver Vernon: www.oliververnon.com



Damon Soule: www.damonsoule.com






Opening night peeps

Okra & Pasilla Omelet with Egg Noodle

okra
Originally uploaded by Kolya Vishnevsky.

One of my best food memories, was a simple meal prepared by my then-boyfriend's mother -- the woman who opened up my palate to Vietnamese cuisine. It was a backyard bbq meal of grilled beef, salad, rice and grilled okra in a soy marinade. I have never had okra so delicious! They were tiny green jewels grown in her backyard -- picked at their peak, and lightly grilled with a little char on the outside. I've been on a quest to enjoy okra like this once more.

My recent break from red meat has re-sparked my interest in veggie varieties, outside of my staples. The trip to the market yielded the lovely oyster mushrooms from my last post, and a nice pack of small, tender okra. Craving a hearty breakfast, with the okra in mind, I went through my pantry, yielding a pack of Chinese dried egg noodle and chicken bouillon. I remembered a yummy, simple noodle dish, made by my friend Rio, that was basically fresh egg noodle quickly boiled in broth and drained, served with sauteed greens garnished with a drizzle of good oyster sauce. Inspired by this pairing, I came up with a similar dish incorporating the okra, and added omelet to "breakfast-ify" it.

Okra & Roasted Pasilla Omelet with Egg Noodle

ingredients
1 med fresh pasilla pepper (sometimes called poblanos)
6-8 oz thin Chinese egg noodle (fresh or dried)
2 1/2 cups water
1 chicken bouillon cube
*note* you may substitute water & bouillon with 2 1/2 cups diluted chicken broth
1 tsp roasted sesame oil
2 Tbs light, non-flavored oil (extra or virgin olive oil does not work here)
1 clove garlic, sliced
5-7 okra pods, sliced on the diagonal
1/3 cup canned sliced bamboo shoots
2 large eggs, beaten
Approx 1 Tbs oyster sauce (use a brand with real oyster extract)
Fresh radish sprouts for garnish
Salt to taste

preparation
- Roast the pasilla pepper on an open flame, or in the oven on broil, till blackened throughout. Set aside.
- In a saucepot, bring the water & bouillon (or broth) to a boil. Add the egg noodle and cook till just tender, but with bite (semi al dente). Drain, and place in serving bowl, tossed with the roasted sesame oil.
- Remove the blackened skin from the pasilla, rinse quickly or wipe with a damp towel to clean. Chop half of the pepper and reserve the other half for another dish.
- Heat 2 tsp of the oil in a large skillet or wok, till oil shimmers, but not smoking.
- Add garlic, okra, bamboo shoots and a couple dashes of salt. Saute quickly for about a minute. Set aside.
- In the same pan, heat the remaining oil on medium high, add chopped pasilla peppers, saute for approx 10-15 seconds.
- To the sauteed pasillas, add the beaten eggs. Let egg mixture cook by pulling the cooked edges to the middle, allowing the raw egg to seep to the edge of the pan, to cook evenly. Cook till eggs are set, but still moist.
- Turn out omelet onto the egg noodles, top with okra saute, drizzle oyster sauce on top and garnish with fresh radish sprouts.
- Makes 1 generous serving. Enjoy!

Mushroom Tofu Fried Brown Rice

the mushrooms #1
Originally uploaded by tamjpn.

Mmmm, mmmm, mushrooms. I swoon for funghi! Give me a generous serving of mushrooms sauteed in just a touch of butter, and I am good to go.

As of late, I've taken a break from red meat, and am delving back to the semi-vegetarian state I embraced in the 90's. I hopped over to Rainbow Market for some staples, and happened upon a beautiful package of plump oyster mushrooms. With a potful of cooked brown rice, and pouring rain outside, I decide to put the mushrooms to work and cook up some mushroom fried rice.

I've discovered brown rice makes extra delicious fried rice, as the outer covering toasts up nicely, and you don't have to use much oil since the starch is contained within (less sticking). I came up with this recipe through trial an error, and further simplifying the ingredients. This dish would be great for breakfast with soft scrambled eggs, or served as a simple dinner with a bowl of miso soup.


Mushroom & Tofu Fried Brown Rice

ingredients
4 cups room temp or cold leftover brown rice cooked
2 Tbs mild cooking oil
4 oz cubed firm tofu (drained)
2 cloves of garlic sliced
4 scallions chopped (green & white part)
1 generous pat of butter
1-2 cups of sliced mushrooms (cremini or oyster preferred)
1 fresh green chili (serrano or jalepeno) chopped (seeds removed for milder heat)
1 tsp. Korean salted shrimp
salt or soy sauce to taste
drizzle of toasted sesame oil
garnish (optional): radish sprouts or shredded nori

utensils
wok or large heavy saute pan
wide wooden spoon (bamboo rice spoon preferred)

preparation
- Heat pan on high till it starts to smoke.
- Add cooked brown rice. Toast for 2-3 minutes. Push to sides of pan.
- Create a middle clearing and add 1 Tbs oil & cubed tofu. Saute for 1 minute, till tofu browns slightly.
- Add remaining Tbs oil, garlic, scallions and mushrooms. Saute together for 2 minutes, till garlic browns and softens.
- Add butter, salted shrimp and chopped chilis. Saute for 2 minutes till chili is sweated through.
- Taste, and add salt if needed or soy sauce, if needed
- Saute for about 1-2 minutes more.
- Turn off heat, and add a light drizzle of toasted sesame oil for flavor.
- Serve with garnishes (optional)

Enjoy!

J Dilla -- RIP

One of my favorite streaming stations/shows: dublab and Chocolate City on KCRW, have played tribute mixes to Detroit hip-hop producer J Dilla/Jay Dee, who sadly passed away Feb 10, 2006. Hearing the music flow from one song to the next, makes me more aware of J Dilla's musical genius of mixing melody, soul and making my booty shake.

My first taste of Dilla's sound was being introduced to Slum Village by my good friend & flash designer fiend Sean Green aka shamansilicon. We did a long web development intern gig together, and would while away the time with music and the droll of coding. I brought Roni Size, Sean brought Bahamadia. I brought Towa Tei, Sean brought Mary J Blige. I brought Howie B... then Sean brings Slum Village. Damn!!! I am loving this sound -- melodies, heady raps, and the groove. Everything I never knew I wanted. Needless, to say I've been hooked on Slum Village ever since....

Years later, Sean and I keep in touch sporadically, and during one of our conversations, he tells me how much he's feelin' the latest Jaylib album, Champion Sound -- a collab of J Dilla & Madlib (one of my fave producers, I'll save my rave for Madlib in another post). Ah, genius runs in the same circles. Certainly both of these talented musicians create under the Stones Throw Records label.

Goodbye J Dilla. You are gone, but your ability to groove us presses on. Thank you for the wonderful music, inspiration and being a part of great times with friends.

More Jay Dee por vous:
myspace profile
Stones Throw profile
Wikipedia entry
allmusic bio

[Music] Rotation Devices 12.15.05

Greetings from butiboi! There's good news and bad news in Rotation Devices this month, therefore I'm adding a new section called Record Player Hater, which will feature a review of, to put it bluntly, an album that I consider a real shitty deal. Here goes.

[Record Player Hater]



MADONNA - Confessions on a Dance Floor
Warner Brothers 2005

Okay, where do I start? I'm sure we're all aware of the publicity blitz preceeding the release of this album; the fall from a horse with a spectacularly quick recovery, the so-called controversy over the "Isaac" cut on the new album, her new purple wardrobe, her strict guidelines for Lola (nigra, pleeze), the loss of her Mavervick imprint, and her new documentary, ad nauseum. To be truthful tho', I've always been a fan of hers, although the last albums with any true soul on it were Bedtime Stories and the superb, underrated Erotica.

Sadly, I bought into the hype that COADF was going to showcase the return to her dance roots, and thus, I eagerly awaited this release. I should have known something was amiss when I plugged into her website and read about the producers contributing to this project (Mirwais, Stuart Price), and the release of "Hung Up", which sounds like a techno-tweaker-gap-store-cum-abercrombie-&-fitch-store-mix nightmare to be played only on the so-called Party Station. BTW, any producer who would bite the vocoder effects of Cher's "Believe" should be served up a plate of iced cold shade! Surely, I thought, the whole album couldn't possibly sound like this - the release was trumpeted as a return to her dance ROOTS so I expected to hear some soulful/poppy/dance funk shit a la her collaborations with Shep Pettibone, Reggie Lucas (Stephanie Mills, Mtume), and of course Patrick Leonard and Steven Bray.

Great early albums notwithstanding, I guess I finally have to acknowledge what some critics have said about Madonna all along, which is that she is neither a great master of re-invention nor a great innovator, but a crass, manipulating, transparent fraud (American Life), who'll pander to any given trend of the moment. Now don't get me wrong, I didn't expect the album to be a total rehash of her past shit, but when you put out misleading info on your website that you're sampling groups like the SOS Band on your new album, then I buy the shit and it sounds like one long fucking 135 bpm mix for 20 year old twinks, with no variations on the theme whatsoever, then I'm gonna be pissed, a'ight?!! And I won't even bother discussing or listing tracks; what's the point?

If you go for this type of sound, great. This might be the album for you, but for me, it's just one more slap in the face for dj's and listeners who yearn for true soulful/funky house soundz to be played on the air, thus ensuring their true place at the top of the charts like back in the day. Whew! Was that a rant or a review?..............

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[Heavy Floatation]



THE BLUE NILE - Hats
A&M 1989

In 1985, I remember listening to the QUAKE, which was the premier alt/new wave station in SF at the time, and the moment I heard the line "summer girls in disarray, can be so free and easy now , well, we'll be free and easy" from "Stay", I knew what I was hearing was not only the most beatifully lush electronic jam I'd heard up to that point, but what I'd hoped would be a group that would stick around forever. Indeed the Blue Nile is one of those groups that I can truly say created the blueprint for what is now known as electro/chill. In 1989 the group released Hats, which has not left my turntable since! Lead singer Paul Buchanan's plaintive vocals combined with pristinely gorgeous, at times eerily dark melodies and straightforward lyrics ("sometimes I walk away, when all I really want to do, is love and hold you tight" "Downtown Lights") simultaneously transports me to the past and future......This album has no filler cuts, but my personal faves include "Over The Hilltops", "From A Late Night Train", "Let's Go Out Tonight", and "Seven A.M.". After repeated listenings, I'm sure you'll consider this record to be your "soundtrack" as you move throughout the day.

Although the group has released only 4 albums in 25 years; A Walk Across the Rooftops/1984, which includes their first hit "Stay", Peace At Last/1996, and High/2004, they've left a bounty of great jamz to tide you over, and while you're at it, check out Annie Lennox's cover of "Downtown Lights" on her underrated Medusa album. I'll also be reviewing "High" in the near future.

In the meantime, put this record on and feel the love, make a baby, touch yourself in a nice way, or just think about stuff, um-kay?

[Music] Rotation Devices 10.29.05

The first installment of Butiboi's thought-provoking music commentary spilling from the tender heart o'Brooklyn. Feel it!!!


NOUVELLE VAGUE
Luaka Bop Records 2005

I'm completely feeling this French group whose specialty is lounge covers of punk/new wave classics. Sounds strange? Well it is, which
is why it's a must-own. Being a former 80's pressure-punk/funk boi myself, how could I resist liking droll loungy remakes of "Guns of Brixton" (The Clash), "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (Joy Division), "Psyche" (Killing Joke), and album highlight "Too Drunk to Fuck" (Dead Kennedys). The album dropped last summer, albeit under the radar, and is an instant classic. The Cure, Depeche Mode and Sisters of Mercy are just a few of the other groups covered on this gem. Lounge with. Attitude, indeed!



BOOKA SHADE - MEMENTO
Intergroove Germany 2004

Goin' out tonite? Get your pre-party ya-ya's started with some
electro/funk b-b-beats. This set starts out with a little
synth-lounge ("Vertigo"), then builds to a crescendo of krisp
electro/funk/house jamz ("Double Identity", "Memento", "On & On"). They've even thrown in some weird but melodic interludes ("Mr Torrance"). This album is not a non-stop dance record per se, but for pro and aspiring turntablists, much can be done with the more minimalist tracks. File under house for the discernible listener.



[Heavy Flotation]


STEVIE WONDER - Fulfillingness' First Finale
Motown 1974

Remember when R&B meant SOUL?? This is the perfect album for going
through your old phone book and calling that old friend/lover/classmate just to find out what's up. Or maybe you could just roll a "tree" and listen to a symphony........or crack that bottle of wine you was saving for a special occasion and clean out that closet of yours! Or just chillax and do you. Whatever the case, program this cd on shuffle, and hope that the first track that comes up is "Creepin'", a truly sublime classic. And let's not forget "It Ain't No Use", "They Won't Go When I Go".

I particularly enjoy the first two of these three tracks because you can clearly hear Minnie Riperton's vocals in the background (unfortunately, this album signaled the beginning of the end of Wonderlove, Stevie's group of background singers which included Minnie, Deniece Williams, and Syreeta Wright, who were all launching successful solo careers at the time).

This is vintage Stevie before he released Songs in the Key of Life (his next album), at the height of his career.

Art at the Dump

Art at the Dump with Sirron Norris and Nomi Talisman (opening night)

Artists Sirron Norris and Nomi Talisman showcase their work made of found materials at Sunset Scavenger aka the dump. The show had good energy, and the scope of the artists' work was interesting. I wish I had better pics of Sirron's painted objects, but alas the flash was iffy. It is what it is.




Painting on found wood with recycled paint by Sirron Norris.



Found photo slide piece by Nomi Talisman. I loved many of Nomi's pieces, but this affected me the most that night.



Mars shows Sirron a sneak preview of his upcoming book Convergence.



Leo's good vibe is infectuous.

Hello Hello

Peter mentioned an interesting sculpture in the window of ATA (Artists' Television Access). We did the Valencia stroll and I made a point to check this out. A towering feat of toothpicks & glue, all the while it rains paperclips.

Artists: Krishna Khalsa, Emily Sevier, Charlene Tan

Emmy's Spaghetti Shack - The Mission

Taken right before James unhinged his jaw, boa constrictor like, and swallowed that meatball whole.

What can I say about Emmy's that hasn't been said already? Spaghetti & meatballs spaghetti & meatballs spaghetti & meatballs spaghetti & meatballs spaghetti & meatballs spaghetti & meatballs.

Whew! *burp* That was a mouthful -- and how. Can I tell you about the spaghetti & meatballs?

It was all James' idea, and thank his blessed-heart for it. It was a rough day. Friday really. More like end of the work week and let's celebrate a stabilized Indian Summer. Finally getting our groove on. So, James proposes a post-work trek to Emmy's Spaghetti Shack, a tiny, in-the-hood-restaurant on Mission known for the proprietor's namesake dish.

When we arrived, James & I took seats at the bar to settle for a drink before a booth opened up. This place is packed, and I'm glad we cabbed it there in time before the evening rush. The space is medium-small, so it fills up quickly. I scan the joint: moody lighting, local artwork on walls, very homey, a clothesline of vintage aprons hang from one end to the other, neighborhood hipster crowd, a deejay flanking the bar, and some of the sweetest, hottest servers rushing about. I'm shallow when I say the experience was very easy on the eyes.

The kitchen in full view, is in close proximity to the dining area. The chef/owner, Sarah Kirnon, is a strong figure working the hotline with authoriti oozing from every pore. She's going to serve it to you and you're going to like it.

My bar perch was high enough for me to check out people's plates. I thought to myself, "I can handle this." I was hungry enough, so my stomach was doing all the thinking. At the time, the spaghetti plates looked more than manageable. I had a glass of pinot and the very cute, cherry-lip glossed bartendress made some appetizer suggestions for our meal. James, not being a seafood-eater (dammit, another one), nixed some choices off the app menu, but we found a good compromise:

- sauteed green beans with bacon & almonds
- 2 bruschetta: one with pureed fava and tomato/garlic salsa, and the other with a spread of farmer's cheese and roasted eggplant
- and 2 plates of the infamous spag & meatballs

First off, the green beans were fantastic! Cooked till they just turned bright green, retaining their crunch. The almonds & salty bacon adding just enough flavor balance and texture. I think the both of us secretly wanted to horde this dish, but we politely took the democratic route and shared. The bruschetta with eggplant was smoky flavored and had simple flavors. You really tasted the eggplant, which can be difficult to achieve, so I give the kitchen big props for this. The fava spread bruschetta was good, but I don't think I'd this order again.

The other appetizer choices were interesting enough to merit several more visits: fried chicken livers, corn fritters, and other seafood-based dishes that escape me right now. I'm told the menu changes often, so these choices may be gone on my next visit. I like that -- a rotating menu. If this matters to anyone, well here's more reason to eat here.

The spaghetti & meatballs are comfort food, cuddle-bunny perfection. The taste of what you remember of this dish growing up. This is by no means a pretentious plate of semolina noodles lightly tossed in marinara with a fine chiffonade of basil and drizzle of the extra virgin. This is a hearty, stick to your ribs plate of adequately dressed spaghetti with four giant meatballs. The right balance of tomato sauce, herby meat, garlic and a nice topping of shaved parmesan. A task worth taking.

The only part of the experience that needed some improving was ultimately the deejay. Personally I think serious meatballs deserve serious music. None of this Powerbook/iPod/non-deck spinning setup. Come on! That's weak! And there was a rock block of Nick Drake, which is not appropriate enjoying a meal music. What was this dude thinking? James, funny enough, was mistaken by a fellow patron as the deejay, as he stood near the empty decks with "deejay-like authority." Well he should've been, but that's another story.


Emmy's Spaghetti Shack
18 Virginia St. @ Mission St.
San Francisco, CA 94110
415.206.2086

ChiaNi - recent wow

91


90
Originally uploaded by ChiaNi.


I recently came across the work of ChiaNi, a fellow Flickr-ite based in Chicago. She does amazing paintings in Photoshop sans pen or tablet, and only with a mouse! Her work is a great example of making up for the lack of tools with a ton of technique and creativity. The detail of her work stuns me.

ChiaNi's self-portrait set is comprised of digitally painted works of her image in famous paintings. All done with a mouse & mirror. As a fan of Klimt, I loved these two, in particular.

In The Street 2005, San Francisco

Tenderloin Children's Playground, Oct 8, 2005

The Luggage Store Gallery puts on In The Street, a non-vendor festival celebrating creativity, music and performance in the Tenderloin.

I missed out on Friday night's events, but Saturday had several daytime performances, including the Reconstruction project, a central event to the day's activities, put on by the energetic Miss Velvet Cream. The concept of Reconstructon was to bring an article of clothing, or choose from a pile, find a designer of your choice, and watch them make something new of it on the fly. Refreshed life breathed into a former lifeless garment.

I also caught some freestylin by rap crew, Who’s Rhyme is it Anyway?, an amazing jam session by Tussle, took Lindy Hop dance lessons, and watched older folks stretch out to a closing performance by The Broun Fellinis. All in all, quite a superb day with an interesting mix of creative folks.



Fillmore Rocks Crew - Urban, West Coast b-girl stylin at it's finest.



Polo prepped out navy/green sweater, carved earrings/plugs, burmese textile bag and lavender kicks? Hell ya!



Rockin satin drawstring pants and self-made scarf. He reminded me of a butterfly inside his cocoon ready to emerge transformed.



Mikas attempts to reconstruct Josh



Velvet gives me some booty and spirit, as my slow ass camera captures her mid-pose. Between her expression and the guy in the back's energy, this is a pretty good summary of the day.



Bunny Seren helps Mikas at the Reconstruction table, sporting her handmade floppy hat, and customized kitty-kat makeup.