Office for the Day - LA Arboretum

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My favorite

ice cream for the last 20 years has been and still is Thrifty's brand Chocolate Malted Crunch

I hate

eating jellybeans in the dark.

This is what happens when you don't brush your teeth!

I love a scary ghost movie involving orthodontistry. From Poltergeist 2

Brain is Barfing

Since my sleeping is now programmed to Hawaiian time zone, I'm taking the time to drain the brain.

Highly enjoyed the fact that Cher had won her kareoke round at the Songstar Kareoke competition hosted at Max's of Manila in Glendale, CA. Did that old man really just sing "My Humps"? Gross.

What is it with everyone trying to predict the new black? Black is black. Idiots.

Proenza Schouler PS1 Proenza Schouler PS1 Proenza Schouler PS1

In response to Alberto Contador's recent performance drug test results, I will confess that I have also tested positive. For jellybeans. However, my milk tea numbers are severely low. I might have to see a professional about this. 

In other sports related news, my parents are run/walk fools now. My dad has evolved into a runner this year completing 7 1/2 marathons this year with 2 more to go. And my mom is speedwalking right behind him. Looking forward to my first 1/2 marathon here in LA with the folks. Hopefully there will be a hotdog stand at the end of the race to motivate me to keep moving. OK, red vines would probably work too. And pie.

Pretzels are good. But when they're bigger than your face, they're gooder. Thank you, Oktoberfest!

Terrible street art is happening. On every electrical box in LA.

Little Rules I Live By #1

I like to think that with all society's modern advancement and social change, that we still hold on to our manners. Surely, it sounds stuffy, but courtesy and etiquette are another way of showing consideration of one another which was never off trend.

For my first entry, I will begin with an easy one: smell.

1. Never leave the house without wearing perfume
This thought was inspired by Coco Chanel and does not have to be taken literally. I do, however, enjoy spritzing a little L'eau D'Issay every morning. It simply makes me feel fancy. And no, it's never supposed to mask other body smells. Subtlety is key. Regular showers should do the trick, but a little perfume never hurts.

But also, it's really unpleasant to wear too much perfume or to be so pungent everyone around knows you're wearing it. Have you ever been in the presence of that guy with the radial musk? Yup, not the best impression you want to make on colleagues.

And hey don't worry if you smell after all those workouts because that's just a reality. You can carry those cool "Action Wipes" for afterwards if you can't quite shower after your amazing athletic feat.

Speaking of athletic feat, my very good buddy/LG teammate got 2nd place at the Everest Challenge. It's a cycling race that spans the equivalent of riding up Mt Everest. 2 days of brutal climbing and she kicked plenty of ass. Congrats, Jocelyn!

HDTV, the Tour de France, and Eating "Well"

Last weekend, in the midst of the most pivotal stage of the 2010 Tour de France when Andy Schleck's chain fell off  and his stomach "filled with anger", our TV died. (I'm on Team Andy in this dramatic TdF rivalry.) There was plenty of desperate button pushing and verbal frustration. When Mike's impatient solution solving bravado engaged, he decided to just buy the best  TV he could find. (Update: The broken "asshole" TV was sold for $1 obo. In this case, it was 2 Jack-In-The-Box tacos from our opportunist friend, Chong Wayne.  Chong then repaired it for less than $100)

So here I am half-watching Phil Liggett, whose commentary I could listen to all day,  on a beautiful new super HDTV that has superior picture quality, is as aesthetically pleasing off as it is on, and is capable of doing all sort of hi-tech stuff I haven't figured out. It is the tv counterpart of a swiss army knife. But I've come to realize something. This TV makes every broadcast and movie look horrible. 

The Tour de France looks about the same. Movies and normal television programs, on the other hand, look like poorly shot home movies. I can see every facial flaw, the dramatic difference between CGI and live action, lighting imperfections and Lance Armstrong's "massive legs pumping away." (The most recent Liggettism. I had to include it.) I feel the same way I did when I learned Santa isn't real or when I was told this image was Photoshopped.

From Photoshop Disasters

But thanks to this High definition reality check, I am now more inspired to ride my bike and eat well. OK, so people ask me what I eat while I'm "training" or why can't you eat that?! And the answer is the Paleo diet for athletes. It's a troubling concept for those who know me because I'm already often described as "tiny" and have been described thusly since I was 16. But I believe it's always a good thing to watch what you eat especially when involved in endurance sport or concerned with overall well-being. 

But don't get me wrong- I LOVE JUNK FOOD. To prove it to you here is a brief trip through my dieting failures.

1999 - 2004 Vegetarian (dairy, eggs, vegetables)

It was the cool thing to do. In retrospect, rather trendy. I went to college in Santa Cruz and at the time I cared about the environment and thought I was improving the world by only eating french fries and macaroni and cheese. Wrong. 

2004 - 2006 Macrobiotic (no sugar, no caffeine, all organic, no processed foods)

I didn't have health insurance when I moved to Los Angeles. I relied on hearsay and my wise acupuncturist. She advised to eat organic and absolutely no sugar or caffeine. This lasted but I wasn't too happy. 

2008 Vegan (no animal products)

While I learned how to be more creative with protein options and cooked at home more often, I felt slightly weaker during workouts. A plus - sugar is still vegan. Also, socially, it was somewhat awkward especially when I visited my meat-eating Filipino family.

So through my dieting voyage, I've learned a few things that I found in the Paleo. 1. Animal Protein helps. 2. Starches and sugar are pretty bad for me. 3. Portion control.

While I do practice a a diet, by no means do I strictly follow anything. I eat a little of everything because strict dieting leads to binging. Also, if you exercise enough, you can eat ANYTHING and still look good on HD.

Go Andy Schleck!

Bolognese

What's for dinner?

A Filipino Food Truck - The Manila Machine

The Manila Machine was nearby the other day and I couldn't be happier. Since I've moved to LA, I've always had to hunt for some good Filipino food. And what better than for it to visit me?! Like Filipino soul food, it reminds you of your family, which we Bay Area transplants need from time to time.

So I was happy to do some research that not only do they have some Filipino classics like adobo, lumpia, and leche flan, but they have some interesting Fil-Am things like pan de sal french toast, ube cupcakes or what I'm most intrigued by- the chicken adobo slider. It's a pan de sal roll with caramalized onions and chicken adobo. What?!

Look for them in the metropolitan LA area. You might also find me. Gorging.

Mikey Paperdoll - 2010 CA State Champ Edition

So I've been working on paperdolls for the last week or so and I'm using them to celebrate Mike's win this last Sunday. He's our new SCNCA Category 4 Mens Road Race champ! So now, he gets a fancy jersey (aka the Bear jersey) with the California flag on it to wear for a year. I'm fairly certain that my version of the jersey is better, but I'm biased.

Anyway, here's the complete paper doll. Enjoy. Leave a message with your email for the hi-res version.

Old School New School What School? -- We Just Like to Make Fun of You

"Octo-Anne" by Mike ... for my 27th birthday invitation. This "photo" is now framed in my mother's office.

This funemployed morning, I was playing some songs from my beloved 100 Pop Hits of the 90s on my piano. I was so passionately involved in the Easy Piano versions, that I began to pound more dramatically and sing loudly. Enough for my jury duty summons to vibrate and fall onto the floor next to me. Buzzkill.

I thought, "gosh, what could I possibly do at jury duty so that I wouldn't completely lose my mind? No bicycle. No 100 Pop Hits. Oh, but I might just have my iphone." Hours of games and Facebook. I'm addicted and I'm not afraid to judge. (probably why I qualified to be a juror) After all, aren't we putting our best (if not digitally improved) face forward on the world wide web? Oh wait ...

In recent BBQ history, my wonderful friends have shared news, jokes, and more importantly, innovative new ways to embarrass each other using internet networking. And sure why not? We all make it so easy! Our youthful narcissism is a mobile target! Thanks to Twitter and Facebook and FourSquare on mobile devices, I can often find the location and/or kryptonite of the most extraverted of internet junkies with a matter of clicks. But then digi-savvy buddies and I came to realize how much we hate having our photos published without our permission, but hey that's part of the deal.

I most certainly cringe when I see photos like the one posted up or old photos from high school are made accessible to my current boss or family members. And ooh nothing makes me want to punch sheets of glass more than a dose of internet humiliation. Unfortunately there's really no avoiding that feeling. Even the most remote cavedwelling families make fun of eachother. And I'm sure the emotions are all the same -- angry, yet hilarious.

While I can't stop every person from throwing electronic darts at my electronic persona, my only real line of defense is to have a sense of humor about these things. Surely there are things that can ultimately hurt my feelings or "cross the line" (and yes, I've been on the other side) but when it comes to face to face interactions and being around loved ones, none of that internet rubbish matters. Enjoy who you are outside the internet because you're volumes more dynamic and interesting. Plus, it's harder to insult you to your face!

So amidst the other potential jurors, I will most likely be admiring and laughing at "so and so" who just checked-in at "some place funny" before noon ... in order combat my true foe, internet or internot, BOREDOM.

Elmo Loves Lemons Too

Oh it's not raining

Most likely because I bought an umbrella yesterday.


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My LaGrange Race Report for the 4/19/10 De Vlees Huis Ronde Road Race in Bakersfield, CA

Race: De Vlees Huis Ronde Road Race

Where: Bakersfield, CA

Racers: Jocelyn Pogue, Anne Cuizon

Category: Womens 3/4

Results: 6th, 18th

After a pre-ride the day before, Jocelyn and I knew we were in for a doozy: lots of climbs, technical descents, a long flat stretch with crosswinds and the occasional dead rattlesnake. Determined to at least get some exercise, we started out with the pack.  Once on the hills, I decided to drive up the pace a little with the intention of stringing out the group a little. (In retrospect, this was a mistake, but at least it brought Jocelyn up in the pack)

Most of the girls ended up in clusters of 2 or 3 girls working together. Jocelyn was working with a  MetalMTN girl just seconds behind the leaders. She was able to put about 1-2 minutes in front of the rest of the group. At one point, sweat had blinded her for a few seconds and found herself biking off the road and through some tall grasses. Once she got back on the road, Jocelyn bridged back up the climb to Metal MTN girl, even with some new grass to decorate her handlebars. 

It came down to a sprint up a 7-9% climb to the finish for J. The rest of us ladies trickled in behind. Overall, Jocelyn and I felt really good afterwards but were pretty glad we didn't have to do 2 laps. 

An Update and Sorry, Hipster, you've been Pinkberried.

Ah yes. I'm back to my old typey ways.

There have been a few developments over the last 30 days: A couple weeks ago, I had a bicycle crash going down Topanga Canyon in Malibu. Wind blew me over a guardrail sending me into a pile of boulders where I had most certainly hit my head and broke my helmet. No broken bones luckily enough! I watched Precious while I recovered. And New Moon to recover from Precious.

A week ago, Mike had given me a new fancy helmet for my birthday. And yes, I'm wearing it right now. (He has had a couple things to brag about as well. WHILE I was in the emergency room, he had just won podium at the San Dimas Stage race. He is now #2 in the state! What a bike stud!) So thanks to my new thinking helmet, I am now unleashing all of my post-concussed thoughts  upon you. Let me put a picture up so I don't lose you with all the text.

First...the weather and what I would call "earthquake weather". Yup plenty of cold then lots of sunshine. Then rain. Then sunshine. Here in Venice, we seem to have been getting a lot of this, so I predicted the earthquake that happened over Easter. Good thing I had my helmet on! But speaking of appropriate attire, I've been noticing that it's officially short shorts and tank top weather. I believe that every year there is a designated time when girls collectively decide to just wear shorts and tank tops despite the frozen tundra of 50 degree weather outside. It's just time. This is what I would classify as seasonal as opposed to trendy. It manages to puzzle me year after year. In 60 degree weather, I prefer to find any excuse to wear my cashmere, boots (not Uggs) and black clothing so that I resemble a Japanese pirate.

Anyway, I anxiously await the horned hats to come into trend. I like to think of myself as trendy and/or hip, but I end up mostly awkward fashion-wise. A harsh reality, but something I embrace nonetheless. But these terms HIP and TRENDY have disturbed me recently because they are associated with the following specimen:

Photo from Look at this Fucking Hipster

And thanks to the mass appeal of leggings, neon, cheap vintage finds and "being different", young people dress like this everywhere. This is what I consider the Pinkberrying of Hipness- the over-repetition of something good so that we all grow tired of it. Like Pinkberry's owners who decided to open Pinkberry shops on every shop corner of Los Angeles because one PB shop had a long line a long time ago. It was a good thing until it became  synonymous with neon nausea. It's rather sad. Like Starbucks. Like my friend's overused "That's what she said" jokes. Sorry, hipsters.

 I now find myself in a hipster paradox in that it's probably "hip" to bash "hipsters" thus making myself one. Oh dear. But in order to breakaway from this kind of negative cyclone of hate, I will provide hope for the impressionable- It'll be OK. 

One day, neon tight pants, feminine canvas shoes, and asymmetrical haircuts won't be so trendy. And if you stick to your guns, dear hipster, and you keep wearing that stuff, it becomes "your thing" or "the thing you truly love" and you're no longer a hipster, but a "boho hippie hip hop something something" instead of those other impressionable hipsters who went into a space tranny disco phase (another prediction) and became space tranny disco hipsters. Then in a decade, neon tights may just come back into trend and look at you, trendsetter. You're back in mode and you'll go "gosh I was so into this years ago" and you inherit an ounce of certified fashion contempt. You're welcome. 

Happy Birthday to Me!

Picture via Pretty Pictures

Perhaps today will be a great day for a car wash, a haircut, or to walk my cat. 

I don't have a cat anymore. Ming Ming's in kitty heaven, but she looked a LOT like that like that evil fluff ball in the front. 

Ps. cool sunglasses on that lady

Some days don't go like this

Wake up while it's dark to ride my bike for about 30 miles. Chatty and slower, but fast enough to keep my pride intact.

Eat breakfast: Cheerio. Cheerio. Canolli? Egg. Egg. Where are the rest of the eggs?

Drive to work. Slow down just enough so that the Quantas plane is directly overhead upon its descent into LAX. Shucks, too fast.

Set up computer. First order of business: Check Lostpedia for any things I might've missed on last night's Lost. Then email. Then look for coffee and snacks.

Overhear conference calls. Sit it on meetings. Write write ... BIG WRITE BIG WRITE ... little write little write. Doodle.

Lunch? Brownies? Don't mind if I do.

Hmm play with Excel. Oooh didn't know you could do that! Very fast so I can do a ... what? so and so did what? ...must find out on Facebook to verify.

Oh, nice to meet you, Dr. Importante. Nice shoes! Is that cologne you're wearing?

Last meetings. Try to think of something to say! Bingo! Got it.

Drive home. Switch music to something you can sing along to. No luck. Probably for the better.

Park in front of house, but not next to questionable shady man, but across from him.

Eat. Couch? Sleep.

The story of my life

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today's Big Thing.

Livestrong U23 Tricycle Race

A few of pictures I found that I really liked.