Bday Weekend Part II: Soccer and Glass Blowing Adventure

After a nice surprise last night, today I was to get another surprise :).

So after the soccer game (which we lost 6-0), but probably our team played our best game yet, I drove into the S.town.  Turns out today we are going to be going for some Glass Blowing fun!

I've been wanting to do this for years - but always felt it was a bit expensive to do and didn't want to just get a sub par class experience where one doesn't get to blow on glass but only paint stuff or make something simple like a paper weight.  Today though, PhD friend got the private class package, and we would get to blow and 'grab' glass from the oven, make a bunch of stuff with glass that we would get to keep!  Sweeeet!

It was really hot, and I think I now can see why 'real' glass makers usually don't have arm hair or eyebrows... They get soooo close to the kilns.

We ended up making:
- 2 paperweights
- 1 floating ball
- 1 ornament
- 1 pumpkin
- 1 popcorn bowl (though pretty small)
- 1 wavy bowl
- 1 bowl w/ a space needle in the middle
Truth be told though, other than the paperweights, the other glass pieces required our teacher's 'guidance' and saving to materialize... hahahaha.

Ohhh... I also got to wear the fire suit.  I gotta get that picture one of these days and post it.  I look like a space man!

Thank you for the birthday present :).

PS. Now that I think about it, this is the first sober birthday I've had since I was 18!

Bday Weekend Part I: Bday Dinner - AYCE Lobster!

It's been a couple years now since I have had bday weekends or a bday week of festivities.

Today I thought I was having a birthday like the ones I had for the last few years.  A simple dinner here and there, nothing surprising or out of the ordinary... boy was I wrong!

I was given the instruction that I had to arrive at PhD friend's place by a certain time, so I obliged :).  When I got there, I find out that unluckily, the iPhone had shattered.  She was frantically trying to figure out how to replace it (which I had thought was strange at the time... I mean, who was she waiting a call or text from?).  But anyhow, we ended up going to an iPhone store and getting a new phone.  Problem solved.

Then I was taken to dinner.  Didn't know where we were going until the very end... ... . when we were at the parking lot...lol.  I thought this was pretty awesome since I had told her about this buffet place I wanted to try because it had AYCE oysters and lobsters supposedly.  For her to take me here for my bday, I am doubly happy.. not just because it was AYCE lobsters!.. but also because I know she doesn't like buffets at all, and that she was doing this just for meeeeeeee.  Mmmmmm.....

So walking in, turns out we can't make reservations and this place is pretty packed, so she dashes towards the restroom (which I thought nothing of), while I started lining up to get a table.  At some point I thought I heard someone call my name, but I didn't pay much attention as I was looking around trying to figure how long the wait might be.  Then after I look around a bit more, I see US frequent traveller and Aman waving at me, and I thought, oh man, what a coincidence (just yesterday I had asked if they wanted to go to Mashiko and they said they had plans this, and we would arrange to meet up some time this weekend).  As I waved back, they started to wave me to them, and as I was walking towards them while wondering how they heard about this place, a light bulb (well, a text message went off... and later a phone call on Aman's phone), and I realized, they were here for me! :).  The text and call was from PhD friend, who was trying to orchestrate the surprise from the bathroom!

Turns out PhD friend somehow found lil genius's facebook (according to her, it wasn't hard because of how unprivate my profile was), and from there, was able to connect to other people, and get things organized up.  Totally wasn't expecting it at all.

AYCE Lobster!.. Buffet.. Mmm.. Thank you!

MS Soccer Season 1: Super Uber Invincibles: New Way of Losing

Today marks a new way our team lost... We lost before even played... sadddd. We didn't get the memo.  Bummer.

On the up side, we only lost 3-0... since that's the default forfeit score. haha...

Drew Carey Show

My second ever live comedy show. The first one was Russell Peters a couple years back, this time it's Drew Carey. Really funny, and the group Drew Carey brought with him were really good. There was this video of playing off of the Gatorade commercials, where instead of just Gatorade, it was Gatorade with LSD. It was hilarious... had the whole pre, during and post bottles and their different effects...lol.

One thing I thought though was though the jokes were pretty funny, some of them a lot more potty mouth or rude that I expected... I'd bet there must be a few people who might have been offended. But then again, I guess this was a 18+ show anyway so it should be fine.

MS Soccer Season 1: Super Uber Invincibles: 1st Achievement Unlocked

Final score... 1-6. But the key is the '1'. Our first goal... yeaaaa! Achievement unlocked.

Benihana Happy Hour

I get a call from visitors of Cali to come downtown for dinner. So after a quick booking, I sprint over, suprisingly beating rush hour, in time for happy hour!

A geisha, and $2 sake, 3 bottles later...Very very fun times... The ultimate combo, when the $45 for 2 Lobster and Steak Combos is factored in.

Winnie in Town Day II: Mashiko!

Omakase at Mashiko.. Mmm....

Uni on Half Shell	Scallop with Mango
Sashimi on ponzu sauce (don't remember the fish)	Abalone (body, intestine, et. al)
Tuna Tartar	Raw fish on seaweed in a broth
Sushi Plate	Tako salad (has jalapeanos)
Pressed Mackerel with Salmon Roe with some kind of Fried Fish on Top	Clams in a clay pot with miso soup
Rice with a sauce/beans that made it very sour	Cheek of a Fish
Creme Brulee and Green tea Icecream

Winne in Town Day I: Eating and Shopping Galore

With a detailed play by play schedule in hand, tour guide Mson didn't really have to do much other than be the chauffeur :).

The first stop in the weekend S.town experiences adventure is Salty's - a place I haven't been in a while and have been dying to take any tourist friends liking seafood and could wake up early. The place didn't disappoint! The oysters was fresh (they were kumimotos today), the crab was good, the crepes yummy, and the roast beef delicious. Goes without saying that a couple rounds later (...25+ oysters later), the brunch was well worth what I paid for :P.

After that, we went to the Boeing Factory for a tour. It's funy that I remember the last time I was here, I walked into a pole because I was so tired. This time I didn't run into the pole :). The tour was pretty much the same as last time though... I await when the next new concept plane comes out... then the tour I guess will have to be revamped.

After that, we went to the outlet (yes, I was here just a month ago). I still ended up buying stuff. Hahahha. I found new soccer cleets that not only fit me well, but also matched my shin guard sleeves :). So without hesitation (and seeing it's on sale), I snatched those right away. As I was checking out, I also saw a ball that matched... so I picked that up too. Wuhahaha

To end the day, we ate at Ray's boathouse, then headed back home.

Vancouver Weekend: Zakutshi, K, PNE + Pottery

Labor Day Weekend Fun!  It has only been a couple months ago when I went up to Vancouver for a day trip.  The drive there was a bit traffic-ky, but when it came to Nexus, things were great.  One of the best $50 I have ever spend I would have to say.  The convenience of being able to not have to time my trips up to Vancouver is amazing.

Saturday after dim sum, I met up with my Vancouver tour guide in the evening and ate at Zakutshi. As always, she never disappoints. Really delicious, good amount of booze in tummy, and the bill is always not too $$$. Continuing on, went to her place to pre-drink and then walk over to this Karoake place next to her place. Not as crazy as before, but still pretty funnnn.

PNE was the next on the list this weekend. One of its final days. We walked around quite a bit, had some pretty decent ribs. Tried to win a stuffed dragon... but failed after numerous attempts. I wished sometimes I worked at Wonderland for a summer, so I could learn how to win those big animals. I wonder if those jobs accept resumes from older people.. hrmm....

For the final day, we went near UBC area for some famous chicken and rice, then over to pottery. Pottery I have to say was pretty fun. I painted a tea pot! (as can be seen in the picture). 

To complete the experience, finally got a chance to go to Tojo's for an omakase experience. The service is pretty excellent. The food was decent as well. I thought I had taken pictures of each dish, but I guess I was wrong :( ... It's a toss up though if I would go again if I was in Vancouver though...there's so much good food (and cheap) all over Vancouver for me to eat!