Saturday, January 31, 2009

Valentine Domo

The cheapness of the Domo dolls at Target never fails to boggle my mind. One of the pink Valentine Domos I saw tonight had his arm sewn on backwards. Another Domo was badly stitched around the crotch and looked like it had genitals.

Bleach, collagen and silicone

Mia Lee is a Korean American anchor woman for KCAL news in Los Angeles. Watching her transformation into Malibu Stacy has been disturbing.

Olé!

I love crafts but make it point to avoid them, because I abhore clutter. If I started a craft it would be tissue paper flowers. My house would look like a Mexican fiesta 24-7.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Cat fight (sort of)



$%#@!* YOU

I work with very nice people. They are generally thoughtful and encouraging colleagues. However I've noticed an oddity in my workplace. When others sneeze my coworkers fall over one another to say "bless you" or "gesundheit." However, when Ajumma sneezes you can practically hear a pin drop. Yesterday my colleague sneezed and I said, "Bless you." She thanked me. A moment later I sneezed and there was dead silence. She and I were the only ones in the room! Perhaps others think I'm an ass. Or maybe they suspect I'm Buddhist and would be offended by the blessing. Whatever the reason, I've decided I am going to stop acknowledging sneezes as well. Afterall, we don't bless people when they fart.

Update: Someone at work sneezed and I said, "bless you," this morning. I guess I failed.

Happy giraffe by amigurumisweet

A nice midwestern boy

Kids these days grow up so fast. Sean Malto's already nineteen.


It's Friday, people

You know what that means.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Conan O'Brien in Chinatown


A real ajumma would never admit this, but I know nothing about anything. To show you how clueless I am, sixteen years ago I wrote a review for my high school newspaper on the new Late Night with Conan O'Brien show. I said the writing reaked and it wouldn't last a season. I stated the worst part about Conan was his sidekick Andy Richter. Flash forward sixteen years and Conan has just wrapped up his show on NBC (sadly without Andy) and is saying goodbye to a faithful audience who enjoy his youthful antics. He's actually pulling up stakes and moving to Los Angeles where he's taking over Jay Leno's Late Show. Conan's first gig in Leno's time slot will be on June 1. Hopefully O'Brien will have the luck of the Irish with him.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Beck's midcentury home for 2.3 million

Los Angeles Times reports that musician Beck's Malibu home is up for sale for $2, 345,000. The property is listed as a 1600 square-foot home with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. The property also includes a guest house. Looking at the photos, I can't get over how French Country the interiors appear.

Festive gingerbread gal

Sprint's site currently features design it yourself gingerbread men where users click and drag candies and frosting onto the cookies. Here's my creation. Try making one here.

Lucky money


Friday, January 23, 2009

Mac and Cheese on "Color Splash"

A few months ago HGTV aired an episode of Color Splash in which David Bromstad made over a room in midcentury modern style. Gracing the wall of the new dining room was a Bromstad custom, pop-art Mac and Cheese painting. David is a fantastic designer, but the first thing I'd do when he left is move the bulky lamps off the credenza and into a bedroom.

See David unveil his midcentury modern mecca here.

I love you, but...

By sarahsquared on Etsy

I said I was giving up cupcakes, but...


Too cute.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Remember the days...

When Christian Bale starred in movies without a gun?

As seen on Yahoo! Answers

How do you say "Stop talking about me" in Vietnamese ? Thanks!

Shea R.
No, I am not that person but it has happened to me and I want to get even!
7 months ago

Chi Khanh Nguyen

Best Answer - (Chosen by Asker) = đừng nói về tôi nữa
7 months ago


Calib
R U the one complaining about nail salon workers conversing in Vietnamese and you felt annoyed about it?
7 months ago

Creative Cussing 101

Ajumma's craving: Chirashi zushi

Chirashi is made up of various delicious raw fish and seafood atop a bed of rice. Ginger, greenery (like sliced cucumbers) and wasabi adorn the dish. Chirashi ingredients are at the discretion of the sushi chef, though red tuna, salmon, shrimp, tamago (egg), octopus and fish eggs are typically served. Ajumma prefers Chirashi over sashimi (where's my rice?) and sushi (I want it, but not in rectangles). Plus, Chirashi is gorgeous. Until I go vegan, this will be my big splurge.

Happy Year of the Ox


新年快樂! This weekend marks the start of a new lunar year. Like their animal counterparts, people born in the Year of the Ox generally tend to be hard working, stable and loyal. Famous oxen include our new president, Barack Hussein Obama.

Years of the ox: 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009

Korea's Brad Pitt in new G.I. Joe

Korean actor Lee Byoung-Hun is starring in the new G.I. Joe film as a sword-wielding bad guy. Lee's character, Storm Shadow, is a martial arts expert for the Cobra team. Storm Shadow's rival on the G.I. Joe team is played by martial artist Ray Park. I figured, 'Great! Another Korean,' but it turns out he's the white actor who played Darth Maul in the horrid Star Wars film, The Phantom Menace.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Let's do this

Dude, where's my sweater?

Last week in Minnesota made me doubtful whether global warming really exists. Temps plunged 20 degrees below zero for days. If you stepped outside your eyeballs started to freeze in their sockets. I fretted about outdoor animals and animals going off to slaughter, whipping down the highways in exposed metal trucks. I decided I'm giving sweaters to the goats at my future farm rescue.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Don't make me get out my ajumma gloves

Rubber gloves: Every good Ajumma keeps a pair on hand. Mine are in the trunk of my car in case I have to administer slaps of justice. Korean rubber gloves are so superior to American ones that I give them as gifts to people I like.

One moment she's making kim chi, the next she's dishing out slaps. Watcha!

Bottom's up

As I pound away at the keyboard I am sipping on Chocolatemint water, part of the Metromint collection. I bought a bottle because the packaging is fantastic. Like regular water, it's zero calories. Unlike regular water, Chocolatemint is lightly flavored with mint and cocoa essence. It's refreshing and tastes good which means Chocolatemint earns Ajumma's slap of approval.

I've never tasted Acai juice, but I have tasted Pomogranate juice. Pomogranate juice tastes like stagnant rain water collected in a rusted-out barrel from a Chinese prison yard. Thus, I didn't buy Bossa Nova Acai juice. I only admired the unique bottle shape and design. Perhaps someday Ajumma will work up the courage to plunk down money for what's inside.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Omoshiroi bento

These cute bento boxes almost make me want to become a mother so I can pack creative lunches for my kids.

Because I don't think my husband would be impressed by an egg with a face.

Photos from flickr.com

Kim Vo, you've done it now!

Celebrity hairstylist Kim Vo looks less Vietnamese these days and more like a cross between Martha Stewart and Kyra Sedgewick.

Best fruit ever

You can even eat the peel!

Chozen, where is he now?

We've all seen how Ralph Macchio has aged over the years. But whatever happened to the actor who played his arch nemesis Chozen in Karate Kid II? Actor Yuji Okumoto now lives in Seattle and is the owner of Kona Kitchen, a Hawaiian-Japanese inspired family restaurant (Spam and cheese on the menu). Yuji looks better now than he did in the '80s!

When geeks tie the knot

What amazes me about these photos:

1. It's an Asian couple
2. They're both attractive
3. They picked the ugliest Star Wars character for their cake
4. Their mothers aren't seen weeping in the background

Jabba surrounded by rose petals at least demonstrates humor.

Dogs in boots


A coworker has me hooked on watching online videos of dogs wearing booties.

Monday, January 12, 2009

More emo pants

These pants set a new standard for hurting my feelings.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

And it will remain broken until April

A little TOO polished

Daniel Henney tells Chosun Ilbo that he didn't have to audition for his role in the X-Men movie. According to Henney, the X-Men director saw his performance in My Father and decided to cast him as Agent Zero.

The more I see of Daniel Henney the more I think he belongs to the other team. Yes, no?

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

"Ah, snap."

Goodbye cupcakes, I hardly knew you

Things Ajumma is Leaving Behind in 2008:
- Cupcakes
- Plush toys
- Vinyl toys
- Skate shoes
(or any shoes a 14 year old would wear)

On Christmas Day I had the most delicious cupcake ever. This red velvet cupcake was made especially for the gathering by a professional baker who lives in Carlsbad. I almost died of happiness. The end.

Bale & Depp in "Public Enemies"

Christian Bale stars in Public Enemies as a 1930's FBI agent out to catch Johnny Depp's rolicking John Dillinger. Describing his lead actors, director Michael Mann says, ''Johnny has courage and immense power. It's all about the spontaneity of the moment for him. Christian works in a totally different way. He becomes the character so totally that he's that person 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The accent, everything.''

Public Enemies hits theaters in July 2009.