On a sadder note...

Dith Pran 1942-2008. The Killing Fields: If you haven't seen the movie, I highly recommend it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/31/nyregion/31dith.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Starstruck

Me and Thomas Keller at Pebble Beach.

Pinch me...I'm still on cloud nine. On Thursday, I had the opportunity to meet some of my idols. Not stars, not musicians, not athletes, but chefs. As many of you know, I'm a total food nut. I refrain from using the term "foodie." I grew up in a restaurant kitchen and cooking and food are just two of my passions in life. But back to the chefs...I met Thomas Keller of the famed French Laundry restaurant in Yountville (and if you want to eat there, make your reservations now for next year), "Top Chef" judge and reknowned Chef Tom Colicchio (who is as intimidating in person as he is on Bravo TV), Ming Tsai, Roy Yamaguichi, Mark Miller...it was an unforgettable event. All the chefs were cool. Wish I could come up with a better word, but "cool" pretty much sums it up. These chefs along with Charlie Trotter, Alain Passard, Gerald Boyer, Jacques Pepin, Gary Danko and some 40 others are in California for the Pebble Beach Food and Wine. Again...pinch me.

Guilty Pleasure

After waiting three months, MTV viewers -- and yours truly -- were treated last night to a new Hills episode. I know, I know...it's a vacuous show and amatuerly edited; however, I'm intrigued by the lives of these 20-somethings. If you're not familiar with this show, it's a "scripted reality show" and follows the lives of rich, spoiled, somewhat ambitious people. It's based in LA with these young characters trying to climb the ladder in the fashion and music industries. It's one of my guilty indulgences, along with Trader Joe's new "Cookies withPerks"(espresso cookies with dark chocolate chunks) and pop music.

Miami...Gimme More

Bye-bye...for now. I shall return.

Ahhhhh.....

I love Miami...Miami Beach. This is how I've been starting my days this week. The weather has been upper 70s-80s in Florida...a bit humid with some intermittent showers. I got caught in two of them so far, but you know what, it wasn't so bad. More later, now I go relax.

Is it just me?

Ever since the TSA implemented its liquid restrictions on carry-on luggage, I've found myself paying special attention to the liter size of certain toiletries. Just this morning, I realized I intentially turned a bottle of my shampoo around just to read the liter size. Then as I was brushing my teeth, my eyes darted to the bottle of sunscreen bottle, the jar of lotion, the tube of lipstick. I feel like I'm training myself to eyeball what 3 ounces liquid -- or what the TSA categorizes under "liquids" -- looks like. Maybe it's just me.

Belated post

So sorry...I've been lazy with my posts as of late. Work has kept me busy. I really should jot down notes about what I want to blog about it when those thoughts come to me. I really didn't do much blogging this month, I think the whole leap year thing threw me off....um yeah. Things have been relatively good. I did get hit badly with the 24-hour flu bug yesterday morning. I was fine Wednesday, but on Thursday morning I started feeling ill. I was sent home from work. I slept all day and drank seltzer water all night. Today, still a little light-headed but I should be fine. I'm getting ready for my trip to warmer weather this weekend. I'm excited and will post my travel stories soon.

A Little Confession

I have a newfound love. It's for shoes…well one brand of shoe in particular. Not a shocker, I know, for women to love shoes. However, I've never been one to fawn over pumps and stilettos. I've always been pretty obsessive about good running shoes, but lately I’ve found myself appreciating high heels more and more. My current adoration lies with Christian Louboutin. I’ve been a fan of his work for the past two years. Something about his construction of the high heel and its ode to the feminine form. It’s just delicious. His trademark: red-sole shoes. I read it was because he loved how red nail polish looked on women, so he wanted all the bottoms of his shoes to connote a perfectly painted red nail.

Love

Happy Valentine's Day. This post is late in the day, but I hope everyone gave themselves a hug today. Remember to do something good for your heart. Eat sushi (omega-3 fatty acids), talk with your loved ones (endorphins), have some red wine and dark chocolate (antioxidants and flavonoids) and laugh...do things to get your heart rate going. You heart will say thank you.

Mwwwwaaaaahhhhh! xoxo, Mei

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Happy New Year. Today is the Chinese Lunar Year and it is the year of the rat. This is probably the most important holiday for Chinese people. I have fond memories of eating New Year's sweets and receiving red envelopes (hong bao or lai see) filled with money. Every year, my dad makes traditional sweet rice cake with red dates on top. On the eve of Chinese New Year, you're supposed to have a huge dinner (the usual fare is noodles, dumplings, mushrooms, chicken, duck, fish, pork...but NO beef. Some families even eat all vegetarian fare.) I made myself a huge bowl of noodles last night (noodles signify longevity), and I'm wearing a red coat today and my shoes that were given to me by my students when I was living in China. Xinnian Kuai Le, Gung Hay Fat Choy...Happy New year. By the way, props to Google for having a "Year of the Rat" tribute on their homepage.

Ta-dah!!!

Here's a picture of me with my short hair. I hadn't plan on being photographed (as you can see by my awkward pose. Haha) This was taken yesterday on the 18th hole at Pebble Beach. Yes it was windy and chilly but this is one of the most beautiful golf courses I've seen. The AT&T Pro-Am Tournament/Celebrity Shoot-Out starts next week, and it's a great charity event.

Vote

Nuff said.

D'oh!!!

So the other night I locked myself out of my car. That was inconvenient, but there's more. A) My car was running; B) It was cold and stormy; c) My purse and everything inside my RUNNING car; D) Did I mention it was cold and my car was running?

I called my brother to call Triple A's roadside assistance for me. I wait...two guys show up and start working on my car. Minutes later, I hear a lot of swearing. Apparently, one of the guy's equipment is broken. He and the other guy talk for a bit as I stand behind them. This is all happening while it's pouring. The guys mumble something to me and say something about "another driver." At this point, I had no idea what was going on. I called Triple A again, and they said they had a driver coming in less than 2 minutes, I asked if it were the same two guys that left me in the rain and the operator said no and replied, "You mean they just left you there?"

Finally, another person comes to unlock my car. At this point, I was outside in the rain for 30 minutes. The repairman was nice and told me I could wait in his car. He too asked me, "You mean they just left you here?" I helped him with the flashlight (I just wanted to get into my car). He had a very difficult time opening the door, and it didn't help that it was cold and rainy.

After an hour, my car door was opened. But it wasn't over just yet...I'm drenched, I have like two leaves in my hair. I drive to my parking space to find a huge SUV there, so I had to wait for them to move. Walking to my apartment, I stepped into a huge puddle of muddy water...tripped going up the stairs. I finally make it inside.

It's snowing here

Thought I left the snow behind in Wyoming, but it actually snowed in Northern California this week. Unbelievable. I was up on Tassajara Road in Carmel Valley and I felt like I was driving up the Casper Mountain Road. Snow and slush everywhere. Other than snow, we lots of cold rain and wind. Winter is still here.

Not Tuna!

We've all heard the warnings about mercury levels in fish and sashimi. Well now the EPA has found really toxic levels of mercury in tuna. That's too bad because tuna was previously deemed as a "safer" alternative since tuna didn't absorb as much mercury as the other fish. You can read the full article here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/23/dining/23sushi.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Man Boobs

We live in an era of vanity. Plastic surgery is the answer for many who constantantly search for beauty and perfection. For women, boob jobs, lipo, lips impants top the lists. For men, nose jobs, eyelid surgery and hair transplants are the orders. The San Francisco Chronicle ran an article this weekend titled, "More men turning to implants for chests of gold." Chests of gold, eh? Rather an interesting read. According to the article, "men" needed to feel manly in the 20th century thus the need for pecs. For "men," a strong chest symbolizes a man's man. So how much does a pec job put you back? Around $7,000-$9,000.

Here's the full article for your reading amusement. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/20/LV4HUDVA5.DTL

(UPDATE: I removed the ginormous photos of the man boobs that accompanied this posting. It was a bit too "boob-y" for me. You can, however, see the pictures if you read the articles.)

Once in a while...

...a movie comes along and unexpectedly blows me away. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a big fan of musicals. I love operas and I love good movie sound tracks, but something about people singing to each other when they could be talking just doesn't appeal to me all that much. When my friend suggested I watch the movie "Once" and described it as a musical, I wasn't too keen on it. I must say that I was "into" the movie the first 5 minutes. The cast (Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova), the location (Ireland), the accent (Irish and Czech) all drew me in. As the movie progressed, I thought to myself, I really like this movie. There's singing involved in the movie, but it's not like the characters are breaking out in song every other sentence. "Once" is amazing. It's garnered rave reviews and it's a Sundance favorite (which is going on in Park City right now). I really hope you guys get a chance to check out this movie. I won't say much about it, only the music is great and that it's fresh, organic and moving.

A link to A.O. Scott's review in the New York Times:
http://movies.nytimes.com/2007/05/16/movies/16once.html

Brucellosis bites back

I thought I would never have to say brucellosis after leaving Wyoming, but the word made a comeback this afternoon at work. I was going through some wire stories and came across a story out of Italy about how their famous export, "mozzarella di bufala," was threatened because the buffalo milk used to make the cheese was contaminated with brucellosis. Buffalo farmers are now going to have to kill up to 60,000 buffalo to prevent further spread of the disease. While in Casper, brucellosis made the headlines once a week. The Wyoming Game and Fish were always announcing plans to lower the brucellosis numbers in elk herds. One of my most memorable brucellosis moments was when the Game and Fish gave away elk meat that had brucellosis. The catch: The parts of the elk being given away were safe to eat. My friend covered the giveaway for the local paper, and he actually picked up some meat. The meat sat in his freezer for months...that is, until Labor Day. He decided to have a "brucellosis barbecue." He had steaks and kabobs, but I didn't eat any of the meat. I know, I know, those that know me know that I'm a pretty adventurous eater, but I just couldn't stomach eating brucellosis elk meat.

My Haircut...Gimme more

Some of you have inquired about the condition my hair-related injuries (Thank you), and I'm pleased to announce that the burn mark on my left cheekbone has healed and disappeared. I still have a small mark on my neck (that...if you forgot, was also a large-barrel curling iron accident.) I'm beginning to get the hang of my new shorter haircut; however, I still have my hair withdrawals. I know, I know...do I want cheese with that whine? Haha. I purchased some hair products with which to experiment. I never used products on my hair except the occasional spritz of hairspray on my noggin to calm fly aways when I sat on the anchor desk. My stylist insisted that I use products, especially with my shorter do. Now I use mousse and pomade. The pomade is a texturizing creme that gives you the "piecey, layered" look. I used it this morning, and my hair looks "piecier." Thanks for indulging me in all this hair talk.

This is what I used this morning on my hair. It actually works! It's not sticky, and you can really "texturize" your hair. If you have layers in your hair, this stuff makes it stick out.

Oh, and P.S. I haven' posted a picture of me yet with my short haircut. It's mainly because I want it to grow it out a bit. I tend to put my hair up in a pony tail at the end of my workday, which actually looks better (I think) than having it down. The ponytail shows off my bangs and layers more. The only downside of having long bangs and short hair is when I workout, my ponytail falls out and I need to wear a clip to keep the hair out of my eyes. I bet all the guys are loving this post...Haha.

Got Grapple?

Last night, I crossed paths with a fruit I haven't seen in years. It was a grapple. At first, I thought it was a cross between a grape and an apple, but it's actually an apple injected with grape flavoring. Grapple is a brand, and the company's pitch is: "Looks like an apple, taste like a grape." This is direct from their Web site: "Imagine the sweet distinctive flavor of Concord grapes combined with the crispness of a fresh, juicy Washington Extra Fancy Fuji apple. This makes them a perfect snack at home, at school, or at sport functions. Their glowing expression will say it all... 'WOW! Pass me another one!'" According to the site, nothing has been genetically modified. Sounds tempting? In the mood for crunchy grapes? They sell Grapples at Safeway for $4-$5.

And the winner is...

Greg Long of San Clemente. He came away with the best heats at Mavs and took the crown. This guy knows that he was among some good company, so at the awards ceremony he announced that he was splitting his $75,000 prize with the six finalists. What a dude.

Mavericks is On!

From Mavericks officials: "The 2008 Mavericks Surf Contest is officially ON. Jeff Clark has made the call, and 24 of the world's best surfers are on their way. Contest begins at 8am tomorrow. Best ways to watch? The live webcast on MySpace.com, or a big viewing paorty at AT&T Park. Good luck & safe surfing to all our Invitees."

http://www.maverickssurf.com/Home/

Feedback on my haircut

At work today, feedback was positive for my new do. Of course, I did encounter some looks and "I-know-something's-different-about you,-but-I-don't-really-know-what-is,-but-I'll-just- smile"-glances. The consensus is that I look "cute." One person did say I look more "sophisticated" and "older."

Oh, I have an injury to report. So last night, I was trying out some new hairstyles with one of those large barrel curling irons, and yep, I burned myself--my face. I'm so used to curling long hair, that I forgot that I had less hair with which to work. It's not too serious; I bumped the iron on my face. I have a small red mark right on my left cheekbone. At least I didn't burn my neck like I did several years ago. (Everyone asked me about the source of my hickey....apparently, my burn mark resembled those little darn "love bites.")

Bye Bye Long Hair

I had to part with my hair yesterday. One of my bosses called me into her office to let me know that "they" like me to cut my hair so I look "older." Apparently, I still look like I'm in high school -- even with a suit on! I'm all about looking polished and professional, especially in my field, but I miss my long hair already.

I called my go-to stylist in San Francisco (she's terrific, inexpensive and knows my hair) and told her that I needed to look "older," but not matronly. She aggreed that my Victoria Secret style hair didn't fit my job. Haha. I think my hair is short, but Joanne (my stylist) says it's just because I got used to my long hair. She did really great layers, and gave me some blunt bangs that I could wear messily for a really cute, young look. She tried some different styles on me, and said no matter which way I comb my hair, I'll still look young. My mom says my new haircut makes me look even younger! Yikes, so instead of being a teen, I'm a tween!

I'll post some pictures of my new do in the next few weeks, I need to let my hair grow out a bit. In the meantime, this is basically what my haircut looks like.

She's Got Curves and Brains

Curvy women may not have low dress sizes, but they may have high IQ's, this according to a recent health study. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and UC Santa Barbara found that a lower waist-to-hip ratio correlates to higher test scores for both a woman and her child. I'm sure some of you read about this several months ago, but I thought I post this since it's the New Year and many of you have resolutions to work out more and eat better. Remember, it's all about living a healthier life and making lifestyle changes. It's okay to eat carbs and red meat, just do so in moderation. I think one of the best ways to start eating well is to cook at home more. Start with whole foods: You know exactly what you're putting into your body. You can eat cookies and cake, just not a dozen or 3 slices. (And remember bakers, use real butter! Stay far away from margarine and other "fake butters." You might as well use the real thing and enjoy it.)

Here's the link to the full article:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=3859175&page=1