Darkie

It's interesting how long this Darkie company got away with their products for so long... I think it was like in the mid 80's that they finally changed their name to Darlie.  I got this roll of mints sometimes in 1986 in Hong Kong.  Still got it! 

Dumpling Wars II

What?!  It's been over four months since I made an entry here?  OK OK ...here goes...

Gearing up for the Dumpling Wars 2.  I figured out how to make my own aspic.  Used canned chicken broth and gelatin.  Two packs per can...makes a pretty tough aspic.

We used Norm's mixer to knead the dough this time.  It worked well...but at the end just a bit of hand kneading does it.

Then made some Xiao Long Bao's with it.  We used a pasta maker this time to make the skin nice and thin.  Used an old can as our cutter...worked really good!

Into the bamboo steamers they go!  About less than ten minutes and ....

mmmm...mmm....xiaolongbao.  with real hot soup gushing out when you bite into it.

ok ok...the skin was still a tad thick....we'll adjust the pasta maker.

But better yet...come to the Dumpling Wars II...it's this Saturday.  For more information CLICK HERE.

See you there...we're We Grew Up In San Francisco Chinatown.

The Day the President Came to Chinatown

I was invited by the Ong family to attend the president's speech at the Betty Ann Ong Chinese Recreation Center.

No big cameras were allowed so all I had was my iPhone5.

I had a bad fall the other week so I was hobbling around with a cane.  They allowed me to enter as a handicap person.  That's a first for me.  I was able to sit down too.  The average person had to stand.  And they stood for more than two hours.  Supposedly there were 500 people in attendance but it seemed a little less than that.

The whole scene seemed artificial.  The gym of the recreation center was transformed into a television studio.  Draped with blue cloth on the walls and television studio lights professionally installed.  A huge American flag for the background.

The president finally entered and made his speech concerning immigration law reform which he was trying to push through congress.  I was probably like forty feet from where the president stood.  

I don't know what it is... but even the president seemed artificial.  Like he was acting and he was a very good actor.  He could have been just as well be a Jay Leno or Conan O'Brian.  Everything seemed staged and things happened on cue.  Even the hecklers that seemed to heckle at cue and then allowing the president to talk about the issue the hecklers brought about.  If they were true hecklers, they would heckle and heckle till they're lead out.  But these hecklers seemed orderly and were not led out.

Well...it was my first time I saw an American president live and up close.  At one point he was up about 3-4 rolls in front of me. 

By the way, I did not participate in the last two presidential elections.

M. Mar

Just did this line portrait for Michael Mar.  The little brother of late Freddy Mar and the late Lang Mar.  I had this sitting around for awhile...forgot about it till now.  Michael is a retired Golden Gate Bridge painter.

xanga

Looks like Xanga is gonna bite the dust.  My main blog has been at Xanga.  Maybe I might be treating this more like my regular blog... or should I use wordpress?

Digital Portraits!

I got my first commission to do a digital portrait!  Thanks Lauren of ABC Rags!  Read about her review here.

But hey...for twenty five smackeroos, I can do a digital portrait for you!  You supply me with a photo, I will do the art and supply you with a high resolution file for print out and a ready to post jpeg.  You can pay me via paypal lwongphoto@yahoo.com

line tracings from photographs using photoshop