Sam Wo, a San Francisco Treat

During my weekend getaway to San Francisco, passed the Sam Wo Restaurant in Chinatown. I've never actually eaten here, but it evoked a memory I had of Conan O'Brien's visit to San Francisco on the Late Show. He created an ad for the narrow, 3-story restaurant in which you enter through the kitchen. I'm checking out that Sam Wo Mystery Room next time.

Conan - Sam Wo Ad:

Stan Bush's 'The Touch' Transformed

With Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen releasing in a month, a song has been redone for the upcoming soundtrack - the infamous song 'The Touch' by Stan Bush. Featured in the soundtrack for the original Transformers movie in 1986 (the one where Optimus dies), the song has become a cult classic and so much so that it was also sung by Mark Wahlberg in Boogie Nights. Let's hope Weird Al doesn't try to remake 'Dare to be Stupid.'

'09 'The Touch' or Sam's Theme:


'86 'The Touch':


Dirk Diggler's 'The Touch' from Boogie Nights:

Profound Hearing Loss, MTV-Style

I never watch MTV, but I found this episode of their series True Life about 2 young people with profound hearing loss - a high schooler who gets a cochlear implant and a college student trying out for the Baltimore Ravens cheerleading squad.

True Life: I'm Deaf - Part 1


True Life: I'm Deaf - Part 2


True Life: I'm Deaf - Part 3


True Life: I'm Deaf - Part 4


True Life: I'm Deaf - Part 5


True Life: I'm Deaf - Part 6

Sherlock Holmes, Action Hero

Here's the trailer for Guy Ritchie's take on the pipe smoking gumshoe. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law play Holmes and Watson. It's slated to come out this Christmas.

Sherlock Holmes Trailer

Beaucoup de Fromage est Très Bon!

This weekend was the Seattle Cheese Festival down at Pike Place Market. I hit downtown in the sun yesterday to check it out with Gary, Mike, and Diana. I don't know much about cheese, so it was definitely a primer for me - a tasty and free primer at that! We were exposed to cheeses of all consistencies, milks, and countries. After trying trying all sorts of varieties, I must say I'm still not into the goat and Europe imports some really savory cheeses.

I brought home some Terre des Volcans fourme d'ambert, a cow's milk blue cheese from Ambert in the French province of Auvergne. It's not too strong and is softer than most blue cheeses I've had. The cows were supposedly fed on a pasture over volcanic rock. The lady at the booth said that the cheese is aged in an old train tunnel - she had a picture to prove such a claim.

The milk is also thermalized, heated just below pasteurization longer to preserve enzymes and kill bacteria - so not pasteurized and not technically raw (although supposedly the FDA considers it raw).

If you see the 'Appellation d'Origine Protegee' under the name of the cheese, there is apparently a federal bureau in France that certifies certain geographic regions to their particular cheeses, wines, and butters. These are known as AOC (appellation d'origine controlee) products. Here's a list of AOC cheeses from Wikipedia.

Happy Birthday George!

Kinda almost the end of the day, but Mr. George Lucas turns 65 today. I just saw Star Trek today, and his special effects signature is written all over it like a kid with a crayon and a wall. Here's the classic short film George Lucas in Love, a humorous look at what may have inspired George at USC.

George Lucas in Love

It's Mother's Day, Someone Get Me This!

I think I'd need one for more than just celebrities, maybe something that would consolidate an hour's worth of verbiage into a few concise ideas or statements....I kid, kid! I love my mom! Justin Timberlake better stay away, that's just disgusting.....

Mom Translator

Backlash at the New Star Trek Film.

This is a news short about the backlash from Trekkies that the new Star Trek is 'watchable and fun.' This is hilarious! Oh, by the way, this is from The Onion.

Trekkies Bash Film as 'Watchable and Fun':