A Weekend in the East Bay

When ever I take a trip to the bay it's always to San Francisco or San Jose.  In February, we dedicated a weekend to East Bay!  I have to thank Jimmy for pushing me to visit my friends.  After all, they are celebrating a momentous occasion:  buying property in Oakland.

Chris and Eric fell asleep in the same position playing with their cats

I never understood cat people.  But congratulations on your new home!  I immediately helped them break into the new space by running to the toilet and using it... you're welcome.  Glad you had febreeze.  I also enjoyed watching them frantically prepare for their party and yelling at each other when a bottle of fish sauce broke in the kitchen.  Nothing smells like new home like fish.

Lots of smells here.

We spent the day in Berkeley exploring the Piedmont shops, Indian Rock and the Marina.   That pier stretches all the way to San Francisco.  Yes, you can walk from Berkeley to SF in one hour ... ... ... ...

And I finally ate at La Note.  I was in Berkeley for school and never ate there.

La Note is a cute French restaurant.  T'was a lovely date.
I enjoyed checking out new restaurants and business pop up near UC Berkeley.

Particularly the remnants of the old building the burnt down on Telegraph.  My favorite noodle house was spared... but it looks like it's a different restaurant now.

The housewarming party was great!  Tons of food!  I was a game hog and played Dance Central for hours.  God, I'm in love with that game.  Check me and Mony out!

While chatting with Joe, we noticed two homeless people getting it on in the alley towards the evening.  Our friend started to yell at them to go away.  "You guys have to shoo them away, soon they'll bring their horny homeless friends and you have a drug and sex orgy alley problem."  #Oakland

XCIX

The boys are back, enjoying the sun on Eric's $2000 high grade astro turf.  And for some reason, Joe really isn't Asian... we can't blame the sun for those slanted eyes.

Letopho.... a parent?

A couple of my friends are starting to have kids and the idea of this terrifies me.  I spent about one hour surfing the web reading horrific articles about questionable parenting.

My coworker insisted that I meet his daughter.  I'm glad I did, she is adorable.  But I refused to hold her.  I'm scared of breaking her.  He loves her so much his life has changed because of her and it's clear that he's a great dad.

Maybe one day.  I'll make one and hand it off to my parents... since they want grandchildren so badly.  Here yah go!

Mislabeled - Culinary Faux Pas

#fail

OH HELL NO.
You would think that Las Vegas chefs know the difference between Banh Mi and Pork Buns.  But even the Chow Mein... cutely served in an Asian American take-out box was mislabeled as Udon.  This must be a joke.  This must be an amateur mistake by a staff member throwing out signs without consulting anyone.  Regardless.  Come on people.

Banh Mi is NOT a newly discovered dish.  Banh Mi is consumed by college kids because of how good it is, how cheap it is and how popular it is because of famous food trucks and chains like Lee's Sandwiches.  Banh Mi is known by all Vietnamese cuisine lovers scattered around the world due to the Vietnamese diaspora. How can you make this mistake Wicked Spoon?!?

Why is this so offensive?  Because... Banh Mi is amazing and those who never had Banh Mi before will be very confused and be misinformed... and it shows a culinary ignorance that should not happen in a world renowned Las Vegas buffet at The Cosmopolitan.

Is this an "interpretation" of Banh Mi?  No.  The vessel is a steamed bun...  you cannot lay two pieces of pizza together and label it a sandwich... maybe you can call it a Pizzwich or I dont know... a Calzone.  You cannot mix around Asian ingredients and hope no one notices.

Did I sit around in silence?  Of course not... I stood up... found a waiter and asked him where the bathroom was so that I can tweet the hotel.  And this is what happened:

My work here is done... and if you don't know what a Banh Mi is... here it is below:

by unlimited_awd

Doesn't that make you angry?  Or at least hungry?!  Hungry for justice.  That's what it makes me.

Don't You Worry Child

When I found cheap masks at a dollar store, I went crazy and bought 9!  Lucky for me Swedish House Mafia's tour was called the Masquerade Motel!  David did an amazing job rallying his friends and their friends into one awesomely affordable party bus traveling from mid city to Chinatown.

But guess who forgot their tickets?! Yup!  Chris and Jimmy left their tickets near the nightstand and did not realize it until we arrived at David's 20 minutes away.

Lucky for us we have an amazing roommate who met up with us in font of the venue with said tickets.  We owe him a pizza... with pork belly toppings.

Straight people.  I'll be referencing this picture if I ever run into them and go... "how do I know you?"

Doing shots while bumping on the 10 freeway was a highlight.  Felt very illegal, but the truth was, it was legal and safe!  No drinking and driving that night!

 The luck continued that night when we didn't lose each other, it would have been impossible to surf through that crowd.  I ran into college friends, gay friends, work friends... it was intense.  This was my first massive and I had all the necessary ingredients.  David told me that he would give out Prism Diffraction Fireworks Glasses to cute boys as a way of hitting on them.  Genius.  I didn't have to do much to get a run by grope.  This guy passing through the crowd not only placed his hand on me to get by, but actually squeezed my torso and shoulders for a good 10 seconds before release and not looking back.  I guess it's a gay boy's paradise in the touchy-feely rave community.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.

by @hiddenmickey

I was comfortable, awake and enjoying the music.  Which was refreshing since I'm usually tired.  My favorite part was just enjoying the space and absorbing the energy... I can see how this can be addicting.

Aww - sadly though I could not find JV who made me candy and taught me PLUR.  But I found him the day after for and after-party hangout.

Swedish House Mafia and Zedd give me that chills... especially if there's a fan aimed at my crotch after I just stepped out of a swimming pool.

Opening Ceremony

We had our first party of 2013 in March.  It was a mess of a theme because we couldn't agree on anything, but also because there was a lot going on.

Bien was leaving for New York.  It was Sam’s birthday.  And it was the first party of the year.

I wanted “Thrift Shop.”  It felt appropriate, Macklemore’s song was just getting popular and nothing is more fun than stopping by a thrift store to find something ridiculous to wear.

Charles wanted  something more dress to impress.

Jimmy wanted Vogue Echo Park.  His vision was to recreate fashion photo shoots.

Sam wanted an internet meme party and he would dress up as Grumpy Cat.

So finally we came up with “Opening Ceremony” as a tribute to the new year and the high end clothing store on Melrose.  Encouraged people to dress their best and wear interesting things… and it was up to their interpretation.

We set up a black photobooth with all the props I've collected through out the years.  I also set up a good bye Bien photo album station.

I was pretty impressed with people’s creativity.  But as the theme suggests, it was all over the place.  Regardless – the party achieved its intention – reconnect with old friends and introduce new say good bye to one and wish another a happy birthday… sort of.  Sam disappeared before the cake came out.  

And it was fun, gays always have random things in their closet that they've been hoping to wear.

Afterwards?  Taco Zone.  Dab's tongue likes it!

I procrastinated on this entry because we took so many pictures... like gigs worth.

Holi - Festival of Colors 2013

Color Toss by Ribshots

After last year's epic Holi fail, I was determined to celebrate the Hindi festival of colors properly.  I was trilled to discover a legitimate festival just 20 miles away in Norwalk and booked the date months in advance.  Last year, I found something online.. I gathered about 6 guys hyping up the festival and when we arrived, it was as if we were crashing an Indian family's picnic.  They were celebrating, but there were about 30 of them in a random park... it was a little awkward so we just walked in circles and dashed away.

This year was different.  Full on festival with hundreds in attendance at Excelsior High School in Norwalk.  There was a color toss every hour, yoga, live music all day and food.

I first discovered Holi in 2006 back in Berkeley when I had Indian friends:

Check out the twinky version of myself.  Holi is meant to be wet.  But with all the smart phones and cameras - colored, edible dry powder has been used... but if you had Asama, you would dye.  See what I did there?

It's to celebrate spring, fertility, love... you're supposed to walk around and rub colors on strangers and wish them a happy Holi.  Though we used this opportunity to touch hot shirtless guys...  the value is still there.

Check out that Greek god on the left... yes... Happy Holi

Practicing color tossing

Enjoying the perfect weather

We had a stranger straddle our legs to take the picture. :D

Here comes the color toss:


As you can see.. it was amazing... until I couldn't breath.  I told myself not to panic and breathed through my nose.  Good lord.

The second time we learned and watched from afar.  Check out Charle's video:


Eventual you become a brown mess.

If you're too lazy to press play, here's gif:

Jimmy looks like he has an earring here

Amazing pictures found below:
Russo Mutuc
Demotix
Live Free Mind State
Mark Gonzales

Apparently there are a handful of tutorials online on how to take your DSLR to Holi and not damage it.  We saw a ton of professional cameras with plastic bags and rubber bands wrapped around.  We stuck with our iPhones.  With a little rub on the grass they were as good as new.

Group

Spring is here!  Celebrate good karma and well being!  I feel like this is the theme of March with my spin classes and portion control.  I'm still eating lots of food... just a little less. YourMamaStay!

Charles' POV

Amazing shot by B3N2T

Mine

This is a candid picture that Darnell shot of us at a house warming party.  I smother Jimmy with a lot of love and affection... I think because he smells so good that I like to rub my face into his.

I'm really proud of him - a new job, a new sense of confidence, ambition and inspiration to improve his wardrobe and work on photo projects.  All of which make him a better person.  His new attitude draws me closer to him and I am utterly thrilled. He's buying me dinners and found me a great Ben Sherman shirt from the Thrift Shop that I love.  And by doing so he's showing me how much he's appreciated my support through the two years we've been together.

Straight people have asked me, is he "the one." ... are we going to spend the REST of our lives together?  I don't know, he doesn't know.  It doesn't matter.

I've realized lately that I have no timeline.  No sense of urgency to buy a house, get married, have a family at certain deadlines.  And I feel like this is common among gay people - not necessarily career wise because face it.. who really run the world?  Gays... well white gays, but gays nonetheless.  But in regards to relationships and settling down, partying like you're in your 20s carry into your 30s into your 40s into your 50s... because you can't get married anyway, because gay life is fun and there's no rush.  And if you're lucky enough to have a companion that you adore doesn't mean you're going to marry him... we're not u-haul lesbians how ever we do live together.

I'm not completely out to my family yet.  Jimmy is just starting a career that he might be able to build on.  There's so many factors that indicate that where I am now in my career, in my relationship, in my life is where I'm supposed to be.  No rush to be anywhere else.

And the moments I spend with Jimmy are mine... regardless of what the future looks like.