Musings on Dance, Food, Geek Stuff
“When the band would see real fine dancers, the musicians would try to become a part of what they were doing. Really, the dancers inspired the musicians and vice versa. If the musicians did something exceptional, it inspired the dancers to do something exceptional, and then the dancers would inspire the musicians to do even…
I’m so delighted to have had the opportunity to interview Shanghai-based jazz singer Jasmine Chen for “SwingNation” the other day. An innovative musician who fuses traditional Chinese folk traditions with jazz inflections, Jasmine rose to international attention recently when her music was featured on the “Crazy Rich Asians” soundtrack and she appeared in two scenes…
My friend Sophie Rubin created this super helpful video that breaks down clearly and succinctly all the factors that play into why California, particularly the San Francisco Bay Area, has such a problem with affordable housing. I knew some of these things going into the video, but was totally floored by all the tax policy…
I’ve been bouldering for about a year, and feel like I’m making decent progress and more importantly having a really fun time. Today was my first time participating in a bouldering competition at my gym, Planet Granite. Bloc Party is an annual contest that invites all boulderers, from beginners to advanced, to compete in a…
I have no idea who this Daddy Yankee person is. But I’m all in for everything else about this video: Miss Jackson + New York City + funky fashion + lots of POC dancers. Let’s go! And gotta love her first TV performance of this single on the “Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon. That urban…
When strangers ask me about learning lindy hop, they often say that it must be hard to “throw my partner around” or “dance so fast.” I think the popular impression of lindy hop is that it’s full of crazy airsteps and really fast dancing. The classic clips that we often send around of Whitey’s Lindy…
I have been hearing about the wonders of the “Corpse Flower” (Amorphophallus titanum) for years, but never had a chance to experience it until last night. My friend Diane posted on her Facebook wall that she was going that night to catch the extremely rare Corpse Flower blooming event at the San Francisco Conservatory of…
Ube (purple yam) Pie is a classic Filipino dessert that is one of my favorites. It’s purple, it’s got a unique flavor, and it has a fun name! Here is my version of this dish that I think best captures the unique flavor of ube. It’s based largely off of this recipe from Woman Scribbles with some…
This recipe works for any flavored whipped cream, of course. But I was preparing my famous ube pie, and figured out the best way to make an accompanying whipped cream. INGREDIENTS 1 cup heavy cream, chilled (put in freezer for 5 mins) 1/4 cup white granulated sugar (or less to taste) 1 teaspoon ube flavoring…
It’s not a flan in the traditional sense, with a caramel component. If you use 2 eggs instead of 3 (see variation) the texture will be smoother but it won’t slice as neatly. I’d actually like to try this with ube (purple yam) instead of sweet potato, particularly the flan variation. Ingredients 2 large sweet…