I've been very charmed by Telegraph Avenue, which is very near my new apartment in Oakland. Just walking around between 38th and 45th Streets, I am discovering all sorts of neat little stores, cafes, and sites. It's a very multicultural street, with Ethiopian and Korean being the dominant ethnicities represented. This block for example has…
Goodbye, Mr Jobs, and Thanks for All the Inspiring Tech
RIP Steve Jobs. You made cool things that brought delight and joy to my life. Thank you. – Rik Panganiban : Mac Fanboy for Life
FreePlay Dance Crew in the Castro… and my wardrobe malfunction
I had a blast dancing with my FreePlay Dance Crew this weekend at the Castro Street Fair. It was a huge event with thousands of people milling about, so definitely performance anxiety was high for a lot of us. And we had a ton of new material to work through in our 40 minute set….
Oakland Living: Fancy Coffee, Korean Noodles, and a Confused Cat
This weekend I moved into my new one bedroom apartment in Oakland in the lovely Temescal neighborhood. It's a great and cheap pad with a good size living room, full kitchen and bath that would have cost at least $500 more in SF. It's very conveniently located, just a few minutes walk from a BART…
Vote for Global Kids to win $1 million to help at-risk teens become global leaders!
I'm excited to announce that Global Kids , a pioneering nonprofit that transforms the lives of thousands of urban teens into global leaders, is in the running for $1 million in the American Giving Awards sponsored by Chase. If you think that all young people deserve a chance to express themselves on important global issues, serve their…
Watch Online the Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown Live this Saturday from NOLA! (video)
The Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown in New Orleans is one of those epic dance events that I have somehow never managed to attend. Everyone I know who has attended tells me that it hosts the most blazingly awesome lindy hop dancing you will ever see, plus social dancing all over this greatest of jazz cities….
On Dress Codes and Controlling Your Message: Look Sharp, Be Sharp
Reading this post on BoingBoing about the dress code for a high end boutique reminded me of something my old boss Bill Pace at the Coalition for the International Criminal Court used say. As an up-and-coming international NGO at the United Nations, we had a pretty steady stream of new staff and interns at the…
Getting Steampunky at the Handcar Regatta
My friend Jeskat and I headed off yesterday to catch the Great Handcar Regatta in Santa Rosa, California. Centered around a race on old railroad tracks of a crazy assortment of human-powered vehicles, the Handcar Regatta has grown over the past four years into a huge festival of steampunk-inspired fashion, vehicles, artwork and more.
Lindy Shopper on Taking Care of Vintage Clothes
Read this excellent article by Laura Windley, aka "Lindy Shopper", on the proper care and maintenance of vintage clothing. Written from the perspective of a swing dancer, her advice will be helpful for anyone who is interested in collecting, wearing and preserving vintage clothing, no matter the era. Find out why the farm supply store…
FreePlay Dance Crew “Route 66” Routine at Central Market Arts Fair (video)
Here's a video snippet from the "Route 66" routine that I performed with the FreePlay Dance Crew this past Saturday at the Central Market Arts Fair in downtown San Francisco. It's missing a few counts of the opening, but otherwise this is the whole routine. I hope you enjoy watching it as much as…