He plays hard to get. I can’t count on him. He is rude to me. He steals my money. He can be a bit rough. No, I am not talking about my boyfriend (who is as cuddly as a teddy bear and cute as a button), I am talking about the Seattle Metro of course!… Continue reading Playing Hard to Get with Seattle Metro
Category: Uncategorized
Kiss Me, I’m Irish-ish
Perhaps the best part about being American is that we care about lineage, however fuzzy and distant it may be. Since we’re all mutty and come from all over, we take pride in saying I’m a quarter this or that, my great great great grandmother was Russian and so on. My dad’s side is Irish.… Continue reading Kiss Me, I’m Irish-ish
Calorie Bazaar: Quantifying Bites and Negotiating Trades at the Dinner Table
There’s an Assyrian saying about eating in front of someone who’s not eating, “sapee khjboonelah” or “you’re counting my bites.” It’s bad manners to be at the table and be the only one eating, so I guess this is supposed to encourage others to eat too. My mom came over for dinner yesterday and pointed… Continue reading Calorie Bazaar: Quantifying Bites and Negotiating Trades at the Dinner Table
Job Description Difficulties
When you meet someone new in the US, usually the second question out of their mouth is, “So, what do you do?” No matter what I say, 95% of the time I get a blank stare in return, and I’m tired of it! I’ve tried switching up my responses, gauging what the other person might… Continue reading Job Description Difficulties
Dijkstra’s Bloodstained Bullfighters
When I think of Rineke Dijkstra’s work, the first thing to come to mind are her beach scenes. Glowing adolescent bodies against eerie blue greys. What I was not prepared for when I visited Dijkstra’s retrospective at SF MoMA this week was how captivating the bullfighter portraits would be. Not only for the contradictions they… Continue reading Dijkstra’s Bloodstained Bullfighters
How We [Almost] Beat IKEA
Many speak of the often ill-fated IKEA relationship test. Few live to tell the tale. On a recent episode of 30 Rock, Liz Lemon and her boyfriend Criss decide to take the aforementioned relationship litmus test. On the way in they see an old couple arguing while leaving the store. The old man exclaims, “I’m going… Continue reading How We [Almost] Beat IKEA
Windows 8 logo: good concept, bad design
The blogosphere has been abuzz about the newly released Windows 8 logo designed by Paula Scher of Pentagram. Windows is not known for their great strides in the design spectrum and perhaps is trying to dispel this fact. Maybe it is not fair to judge the logo without seeing it in context but I have to say it is… Continue reading Windows 8 logo: good concept, bad design
“Keep Calm and Carry On” Tree Transformed
The “Keep Calm and Carry On” tree that I admired so much during New Year’s has been transformed for Valentine’s Day. “Stop in the Name of Love” it now reads. And it’s covered with love-related quotes. I love it! Pretty in a kitsch and gaudy way. Plus, everything’s abloom! It’s apparently already springtime in California.
Live Glassmaking at Museum of Glass in Tacoma
If you’ve never seen live glassmaking, a visit to the Hot Shop at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma is in order. Go. Now! I went last Sunday with the fam, and they’ve got quite the sweet set-up there. Visiting artist Ann Wåhlström was conducting the insanely intricate orchestra of moving, thousand-degree parts. Over the… Continue reading Live Glassmaking at Museum of Glass in Tacoma
The Iranian coin and a French flip
I experienced a fun cultural mashup the other day. It was Groundhog’s day, which falls on a Christian holiday called Candlemas, having something to do with the purification of the Virgin Mary and presentation of Jesus. Who knew? In France on this day, you’re supposed to hold a gold coin in one hand and flip… Continue reading The Iranian coin and a French flip