Pan-Asian Metropolis — The Art of the Benshi/ๅผๅฃซใฎ่Šธ่ก“

From 1 March through 3 March, theย Tadashi Yanai Initiative for Globalizing Japaneseย Humanities and theย UCLA Film & Television Archiveย (with support from the National Film Archive of Japan) a three-day program titled "The Art of the Benshi." Benshi (ๅผๅฃซ; also known as katsudล-benshi/ๆดปๅ‹•ๅผๅฃซ or katsuben/ๆดปๅผ) are live performers who accompanied silent films of Japan as well as … Continue reading Pan-Asian Metropolis — The Art of the Benshi/ๅผๅฃซใฎ่Šธ่ก“

Pan-Asian Metropolis — ็ด ้ฃŸๅคœๅธ‚ๅฐๅƒๅœ’้Šๆœƒ Happy Lantern Green Night Market

The other day, Una and I went to theย ็ด ้ฃŸๅคœๅธ‚ๅฐๅƒๅœ’้Šๆœƒ Happy Lantern Green Night Marketย -- a 100% vegetarian (and mostly vegan) Taiwanese street food festival which took place in Alhambra. If that sounds on the surface impossibly niche, consider the following. Taiwan is the cradle of the night market. Taiwan is, after India, likely the second … Continue reading Pan-Asian Metropolis — ็ด ้ฃŸๅคœๅธ‚ๅฐๅƒๅœ’้Šๆœƒ Happy Lantern Green Night Market

Swinging Doors — The Stardust Club

The other night I went to the Stardust Clubย in Downey to see San Francisco Bay Area band, Starry Eyed Cadet. Before leaving home, I was fairly sure that I'd been to the Stardust before previously to see Zip Code play there.ย  As I got closer, heading down Firestone Boulevard, I was certain that this was … Continue reading Swinging Doors — The Stardust Club

California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Sandberg

One of the pleasing ironies of Los Angeles County is that even though it's the most populous county in the US as well as the core of the nation's most densely populated metropolis -- it is also a region so vast and varied that it supports dozens of hamlets, ghost towns, and de-populated places which … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Sandberg

Thiรชn Hฦฐฦกng (aka “Tiny Yong”)

Thiรชn Hฦฐฦกng -- better known as "Tiny Yong" is a French singer associated with the yรฉ-yรฉ scene of the 1950s and '60s. In fact, she was a pioneer on the scene, releasing yรฉ-yรฉ music before notable singers like France Gall and Jacqueline Taรฏeb. She was born Tรดn Nแปฏ Thแป‹ Thiรชn Hฦฐฦกng on 8 February 1944 … Continue reading Thiรชn Hฦฐฦกng (aka “Tiny Yong”)

Thanksgiving II; or, a Super Bowl Party for people who hate the Super Bowl

Last Sunday, the Super Bowl took place. For the 98.7% of the world's population who didn't watch this televised spectacle; it featured billionaire Enos Stanley Kroenke's Rams in competition with billionaire Robert Kraft's Patriots; the musical stylings of the Empress of Soul (Gladys Knight), Proactiv's Maroon 5, Kardashian rapper Travis Scott, and Big Boi; as … Continue reading Thanksgiving II; or, a Super Bowl Party for people who hate the Super Bowl