kanye’s workout plan 2.0

1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and get them sit ups right and
Tuck your tummy tight and do your crunches like this
Give head, stop breathe, get up, check your weave
Don’t drop the blunt and disrespect the weed

We love those “core workouts”, don’t we? We’re obsessed with making our rectus abdominus (and by that I mean washboard abs) look beautiful so we can do a little laundry on them.

Athletes are also becoming obsessed with the idea of building a strong core, as it is seen as the fundamental connection for the movement of the body. Note – the core isn’t just those “washboard abs”, it also includes the external and internal obliques, the transversus abdominus (the deep stuff),  and your back muscles.

What if I told you that those 6-pack muscles are a metaphor for your identity? Or that they are the fundamental element for an innovative idea’s success? And that they are also the reason why a passion fruit flavored Yerba Mate drink by Guayaki was labled as Core Power: Passion? (hi random)

As you’ve figured out, I’m a little obsessed with different types of mind-body therapies, one of which is yoga. In yoga, the core is one of the most important parts of the body to be mindful of, as the contraction of it not only protects your spine in many poses, it also ennervates the intercostal, iliohypogastric, and iliinguinal nerves (thoracic nerves 7-12 & lumbar nerve 1).

You can get this going by doing a little navasana (boat pose) or udyanda bandha (upward abdominal contraction). In Forrest Yoga, the core is so vital to its philosphy of emotional healing, that the class begins with a 5 minute very subtle, yet very intense abdominal workout. This nerve stimulation awakens the third chakra, located behind the solar plexus, related to the element of fire.

The third chakra has to do with the ego identity and self-definition, dealing with proactivity, energy, will, self-esteem, individuation, and shame. The “igniting spirit” of a person stems from this area of the body. The nervous system patterns developed with this chakra are developed between the age of 18 months to 4 years, also known as Frued’s “Anal” period, or Piaget’s “preoperational” stage. This stage’s development happens before a child’s rational mind kicks in to justify its environment and relationships. Thus the nervous system acts on a more primitive, emotional level. And neuronal patterns developed here can last for a lifetime if not worked with.

In the third chakra, people can be energy deficient (weak will, low self-esteem, poor digestion, collapsed middle, passive), excessive (dominating, need to be right, temper tantrums, stubborn, competitive, arrogant), or even both, also know as a split, literally creating a blockage within the nervous system of the chakra due to the ongoing “tug of war”. This “tug of war” turns into a downward spiral of self-criticism.

People who have had critical parents or experienced intense feelings of shame as children are extremely liable to develop one of these three symptoms, particularly the third. Parents can even unconciously pass on their own experiences of shame, creating a culture that is hard to break out of (think East Asian cultures in particular).

Developing a strong, yet flexible core will transfer the energy to a person’s willpower, for the body is a metaphor for the mind. Breathing into the solar plexus, thus stimulating the sensory and motor nerves attached to those thoracic portions of the spine, will also release tension and allow a person to become more confident of their indivduality and less reliant on external validations of the self. Think of a person slouching vs. a person standing tall and relaxed. You know how those pick up artists are always talking about “faking it until you make it”? Well, that’s because the mind is expressed through the body, and the body expresses itself through the mind, both conciously and unconciously.

The endurer/masochist personality (Reich & Lowen): a collapsed, slouched posture blocking energy channels in the center (core) of the body.

Speaking of bodily metaphors: A week ago, I attended the Igniting Innovation Summit, organized by several students in the Harvard community and attended by speakers from many fields of social entrepenuership and non-profit organizations. One of the main themes of the summit was: movement is intelligent action. In the related panel, the founders of several local non-profits the importance of leveraging existing human behaviors for improving society. Here are some tidbits:

Panel mediator Kara Kubaryach leads the Intelligent Movement discussion with (L to R) Jason Cruz, Julia Silverman, Vic Acosta, and Sue Jones.

Sue Jones, Yoga HOPE (an organization utilizing yoga and mindfulness meditaiton to improve the mental and physical health of underserved women in recovery from domestic violence, homelessness, or substance abuse):

“These women feel an action in their body related to their unconcious, transcribed emotions and react too quckly [drugs]. They don’t realize you have choices to move your body, you can teach your sympathetic nervous system [fight & flight] to calm down.”

 

Julia Silverman, Uncharted Play (uses soccer balls to generate energy):

“There is a risk involved, always. It makes you question not just the product’s worth, but your own self-worth. You learn to harness energy, both literally and figuratively.”

 

Vic Acosta, Back on my Feet (Helps engage and motivate homeless people by teaching them to run as well as race to achieve goals):

“Movement inspires. Runnings brings them back to themselves, and makes them realize that they can do something about it.”

Jason Cruz, Raw Art Works (provides students with a positive emotional outlet and vehicle for self-expression):

“We take them from learning how to say “hi”, to making a movie about saying “hi”. We teach them to transcend physical boundaries by utilizing the power of creativity, which makes them transcend mental boundaries.”

I thought it was super cool how they were using physical actions, whether it be through yoga, running, creating artwork, or kicking a ball around, to create mental shifts for people and society. They use physical actions to reenergize and ignite the third chakras of people in need, giving them the physical and mental power to take control of their lives again.

Scott McCloud describes in his graphic novel, Understanding Comics, that “pure art” is essentially tied to the question of purpose of deciding what someone wants out of it – the core motivation of the idea. The creation of any work in any medium will always follow a certain path. Now in this case, he was referring to our understanding of a regular art mediums: comics, paitning, writing, theater, film, sculpture, design…

But you know me, I see everything as a creation. I take his “any medium” to an extreme and state that his theory can apply to any idea or any field, like science, business, athletics, education, etc.

McCloud uses an apple as an example. If the surface of an apple is shiny, but the core is hollow, there will be no flow (re: Czikhalminski and being “in the zone”). The work will eventually dry up or become meaningless because at the very core, the very passion linked to the work is not there.

It works like this:

There are 6 stages of the path. Here are how most comic book artists run through their journey:

6. Surface: The artist can draw comics as well as a professional, and impresses his friends, but the real professional sees the person as a con who doesn’t understand the anatomical connections of the body or persepective. They only know how to copy.

5. Craft: The artist now understands why the physical looks the way it is, and begins to develop a real artistic skill set by obtaining an education, whether through school or a mentor. But the storytelling isn’t there. Basically, the ability to convey ideas is missing.

4. Structure: The artist knows how to tell a story, and understands the impact of pacing and time. But he/she has no sense of identity, and only knows how to carry out other people’s ideas.

3. Idiom: The artist seeks their own person identity, and wants to express their own personal idiom. He/she is innovative and breaks paradigms, usually gaining external praise and recognition.

Here, something stops. Something feels neglected. Something fundamental. Something at the core of the artist. “It is only a matter of time before he asks that one simple quesiton…”

Why am I doing this?

Does the artist want to 1. Say something about life through his art (idea/purpose) or 2. Does he want to say something about art itself (form)

Which begs the question:

Do I have anything to say at all?

If the artist focuses on #1 (idea), then they focus on the storytelling aspect of comics. If they focus on #2 (form), then they focus on shaking things up.

So how does this work in other realms of the world? A couple examples.

Swimming [my own little anecdote]:

6. Surface: I can stay afloat.

5. Craft:  I understood the fundamental physical elements of the sport to be nominally good – the rolling of the body, the pressure of water against the hand and forearm, the steady & narrow quick required, the streamlining…

4. Structure: I train as elite athletes do – at least eight sessions a week, including morning practices with both swimming and dryland exercises. On stage, I know how to compose a race based on distance (50 meters vs. 400 meters), stroke (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle, IM), and body condition. I understand the art of warming up and warming down before and after races, and what mental cues I need during the time frame. I’m implementing the details – the spark of the dive, the stretch of the finish, the whip of the turn. Basically, I deserve a spot on an elite team of some sort.

3. Idiom: This is when I stand out: I’ve been to World Championships, I am setting school and club records, and I am gaining attention. To do so, I must transcend others through effort and will. I will come in 30 minutes before anyone else does on my team to get that extra training. Innovation can come into play here, by coaches and swimmers working together to produce novel combinations of workouts and approaches.

But this is where I lose it. And this is why I can’t reach my full potential. Because I ask myself: Why am I doing this? Do I have anything to say at all?

I have no true reason for doing this. I don’t want to shake up the swim world, nor do I love the sport.

I am empty at my core. My third chakra is deficient.

I could be the most physically fit person in the world, but because my third chakra, my manipura, my will is absent, I lack the mental tenacity and excitement needed to push myself over the edge. It should feel effortless, but it is not. I am blocked and feel energetically depleted and moody. People can call be “the swimmer”, but my ego-identity doesn’t line up with my actions. I don’t want to face up to challenges set for me. I go through my coach’s training, but I don’t achieve what I should be achieving.

Free the Children’s Carolyn Miles (recently inaugurated CEO) spoke two weeks ago at the Harvard Kennedy School about taking over an organization – I’m going to go the other way on this one:

 1. Purpose: Think elevator pitch, think support. Everything must be related back to the core mission of the organization, otherwise…

3. Idiom: the core provides a stable foundation to be innovative, to create around a company identity. It involves the abilities to listen to fresh ideas, to drop preconceived notions, to takes risks, to let go.

4. Structure: as CEO, changing the culture of an organization requires cooperation and everyone’s involvement. To address efficiency, productivity, and connections, people must be reminded of the core mission. Basically, if you don’t model it internally within your organization, you won’t model it externally.

5. Craft: in creating the business model and joining the non-profit/social entrepreneurship world with other sectors, people need to know what they are investing in and whether or not they can relate to your core mission. The fine-tuning of skills and technology comes after a person’s belief in the core.

6. Surface: the pretty marketing packaging is easy if the core is defined. Logos, mottos, and all the rest come naturally.

————————————————————————————————–

There seems to be an intimidating element to core passion. It stems from the core of your being, the drive and will to express your purpose in life. It is a confident energy, yet it is not arrogant. To be able to defend your passion, and clearly state what it is with as few words as possible, will not only help you succeed, but will make it easier for people to support you, no matter what realm you’re in. Because, let’s face it, you love what you’re doing. And you believe in what you’re doing. That’s pretty intimidating.

Developing the good-natured, humored, and humble confidence requires a core purpose that typically transcends the self. As Carolyn Miles said in her speech: “Always, always relate it back to the mission.” Plus, you’ll get a nice little six-pack on the side too. Eight if you’re lucky.

 Daily Nutritional Facts:Thyme chocolate. Get at it. Also, Vosges’ gingerbread toffee bar is super lush. 

more chili and chocolate

part two:

intellectual intercourse

7 July 2011

Before I begin: read an interesting and absolutely pointless article, “Intelligent Intercourse”, in Psychology Today. Unfortunately the link for it isn’t online, but to summarize it’s main points:

•  “Intelligence is negatively associated with sex frequency” & “a high concentration of teens virgins at the top of the intelligence scale” [oh hi Harvard]
• “Why? ‘It’s hard to pick apart,’ Chandra says, but the sexual habits of teens might offer a clue…she thinks the smartest kids might hold off on sex because they’re thinking through its potential consequences.” [Yes, that is truly what they are thinking while they are alone in their bedroom with the interweb]
• “But that doesn’t tell the whole story: The same bright teens are just as likely to postpone relatively innocuous activities like kissing. ‘It’s hard to imagine a 15-year-old wouldn’t kiss a boy because she’s worried about getting pregnant.” [Wait, I was and still am worried about that]
• “You have to ask: are these questions of opportunity?” […]
• And the winner is: “People with high executive functioning usually have what’s called a slow life history strategy…they tend to have fewer partners and less sex but more resources to invest in potential offspring.”

Really. Let’s use some fancy neuro vernacular to restate the phrase “Smart kids only want one really smart kid, while dumb kids are the baby pumpers as they are ‘evolutionarily programmed’ to not live long”.

I love that they are trying to explore the phenomenon of socially awkward kids who just need a while longer to “get action” (article’s wording). I do appreciate that someone is concerned, but it’s really, really simple. Ask the Harvard pre-freshman survey.

I would also like to note that I typed up about half of the article. So they really didn’t have a grand conclusion other than “Don’t be an academic!” (again, article wording), which was disappointing.

On a much more serious note:

Susan is gone.

That sounds like she went missing, sort of like when your pet tapir decides to go kite boarding and you start freaking out.

So I’m left to my own devices right now (that sounds sketchy). Susan assigned me a bunch of research projects to do in my own time. I know it sounds lovely to create your own schedule, and it is. But man, she is seriously testing my self-control abilities, which aren’t very good tbh (does not stand for Tribe of Ben Hur, Total Body Hug, or Tampon Béton Hydraulique, Susan.)

My task due for today: create potential models for “chocolate clubs”.

Godiva has one, so does Norman Love, Recchiutti, and our beloved L.A. Burdick’s (MA represent!)

Most have similar deals where you get a monthly package of chocolates for a set price. There can be other exclusive discounts and offerings. Godiva is a little different in that it’s more of a accumulative credit deal, so each purchase adds up points, and each month the customer gets one free truffle of their choice. Obviously, Godiva has the luxury to do this because almost every major city in the world is saturated with Godiva chocolates.

But they’re all pretty standard. That got me thinking on how to make Socola different. What makes Socola stand out from any other chocolate company and made me spontaneously send an email to Susan?

So on an actual serious note:

Socola is adaptable, a sassy stud, a down-to-earth sister, and choc full of heritage. Socola to me isn’t just another boutique chocolate company, nor is it just another “Fair Trade/Eco-Friendly” chocolate bar either. It has its own baller personality. Socola can be high end, but at the same time down-to-earth. There’s some unspoken level of communication that goes on with Susan’s chocolates and packaging that allows them to connect with anyone. They’re adaptable –Socola products fit in at a Midori Club Event but also at a Farmer’s markets.

It’s a company owned by two sisters who were just following a passion they had when they were teenagers. Socola chocolates were once bred in a microwave. After being in the kitchen for more than 70 hours total, I can confidently say there is a hell lot of love in the truffles you put in your mouth. The Socola sisterhood is here to take care of you.

Even more, Socola embodies heritage, a story, and identity. The flavors are inspired by Susan and Wendy’s experiences from growing up in the Bay Area with their Aunties who worked at a nail salon. As a girl with a very unamericanized Korean mother and a quasi-Asian American father, I definitely appreciate how much Socola chocolates embodies the fusion (and clash?) of East and West.

So there, I said it. I’m in love. With a confection.

Daily Nutrition Facts

• Bfast: bacon baked in the oven: covered them with cinnamon (seriouswin), brown sugar (fail – burned), paprika (win), rosemary (win), sage (not really), flour (murr). Also in my experimentation with cooking eggs: 1) soft-boiled = success! [bring to boil, then boil lid off for 6 minutes] 2)fried eggs [massive fail] 3) scramble = easy, delish 4) omeletes = pretty good
• Lunch: Salmon Making #2. I didn’t set the house on fire, but only half of it was cooked well, because the thickness was so uneven. Small steps.
• Dinner: Aida and I made a delicious vegetable (onions, mushrooms, asparagus, peppers), chicken sausage, and cheese savory pie. Topped with basil and tomato. Lush.

Lesson of the Day: I now truly understand Harvard students. We have “long biological clocks”.

fishy firemen

25 June 2011

I did something off my bucket list yesterday: set off a fire alarm and get a cute smile from a fireman.

It’s only day three of my culinary escapades, and I’ve already created enough smoke to impress Beijing’s airport smog a la 2005. Okay, a little bit of an exaggeration.

I tried cooking salmon by stovetop, but it turns out the pan had either too much oil or was just too hot (or both), so it cooked way too quickly and smoked up a storm. I called the company to try and disarm the fire department, but I was too late.

So round two I tried poaching my salmon in a mixture of red wine, rosemary, water, asparagus, garlic, and onions. It turned out tasting okay, but Aida really wasn’t kidding when she said it’s tricky cooking meat. I had to put the salmon back three times. Work in progress.

This week was all about film production for the upcoming telenovela for our Sriracha Flying Rooster truffle flavor. It’s top secret, but I will reveal that the chocolate bar costume is heavily involved. My main role with the whole production is filming and editing. Unfortunately, my acting skills didn’t let me make the cut. I guess my unsuccessful British accent in my 10^th grade play might have played a part (my drama teacher came up to me a week before and told me that it was so bad I had to stick with my own accent while everyone else stayed British).

On Thursday I got to give out whole sample pieces of our Burnt Baby Burnt, Give It to Me Guava, and Vietnamese Coffee at a Bloomingdale’s bridal event. It’s intriguing to me to see different types of events and figure out what’s worth attending. Conclusion? Not really worth it.

With a signup of only 50 couples, we should have known that we would mainly be giving out pieces to the B-staff. Huge cost, not that big of a benefit. There were some people who were interested in potentially making a large purchase of truffles with custom logos for wedding goodies. Other than that, not much really went down.

I did a lap around the event and saw a wide range of products: wine, hotel vacation spots, photographers, wedding cakes, bedding, beauty products, etc. Most notable was the chocolate fountain company. I was intrigued because I always see those beautiful things calling my name at buffets, but I never really think about who’s behind the mechanics. Turns out the company even has competitors (based on creativity of the fruit set up). Weirdest thing to dip in the chocolate but still tastes delicious? Shrimp. I need to get on that.

Also got to try the sister of our Burnt Caramel with Hawaiin Sea Salt truffle: the Caramel and Hawaiin Sea Salt yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Equally delicious. One product that I also enjoyed was the San Franola granola – they use roasting techniques which keeps the granola constantly moving, instead of the usual baking technique. This lets them use less sugar and fatty products, making a healthier granola. Tasted delicious and nutty.

I failed to update you guys on a different event I attended last week with Socola Chocolatier: a pearl event promoting Mikimoto‘s Japanese pearls. We weren’t advertising our product, only making connections. Susan was really smart because she made an effort to talk to people behind the scenes – the people working at the counter, the cashiers, and the event organizer. She asked for advice on how to sell a high end product as well.

Susan holding down the fort.

It was weird being with such a fabulous crowd. Chatting with people at this event vs. people at a farmer’s market is incomparable. Everyone was dressed up in expensive dresses and suits while fawning over the products.

His pearls were fake, but he definitely felt fabulous.

Me trying on a $32,000 pearl necklace. Felt like I was wearing the horcrux from HP7 (#nerdreference).

Beautiful!!

Wendy looking like a star with the necklace.

I personally don’t like to attach myself to jewelry, because I wouldn’t want to waste part of my energy on worrying about damaging it (obviously a different story when it’s meaningful). I guess you could say my attitude is quasi-Buddhist in that I don’t like investing energy in lots of material possessions since change can always happen.

BUT THE FOOD = delicious. It was all small snacks (and of course, free alcohol as well): split pea pearl soup, pearl cheesecake lollipops, beggar’s sacks filled with caviar, and salmon cones. Obviously I am not doing any of these things justice with my poor descriptions. I do hope in the future to work with a catering company for a while, just to see behind the scenes.

The cheesecake lollipops.

“Salmon cones”

My foodie mind assumed this was a huge wrapped up chocolate bar. I was proven wrong – it was a book about Mikimoto pearls instead. Duh.

Afterwards I met up with Joss, Aida, and Hena (my other roomie for the summer) to eat Dine About Town (a discount set meal) at a downtown restaurant called Credo. The atmosphere was lively and the walls were covered with tons of quotes. We were caught a few times staring at the walls with fish mouths. Super cute.

Aida opted to order her own dish: Sedanini alla Credo. A rigatoni pasta with a tomato based sauce cooked in bowl covered with oven-baked pizza dough. The pasta wasn’t notable itself, but the pizza dough had me (us) very excited.

 The rest of us opted for the set three course meal:

Panzanella: cucumber, tomatoes, & Chianti vinaigrette – good but nothing special

Burrata Crostini – burrata is a type of Italian mozz cheese that has insane amounts of cream in the inside of the ball. Paired with black kale (“cavolo nero”), caramelized onions, and of course, a little toast (“crositni”). The kale and onions were heavenly, but there was definitely an overload of burrata (although it did have great texture).

Joss and Hena both got fish with pineapple. The fish was perfectly cooked but very light on the taste buds, so the grilled pineapple really made the dish.

THIS was amazing. The pork was juicy, tender enough, and flavorful. The apple and melted brie were wonderful with it.

Nothing too memorable about the desserts other than the killer cinnamon cream in the fruit tart. The molten dark chocolate cake was excellent, but seriously rich – I could only take a couple small bites.

I must say, it was pretty decent meal, but I don’t really have much of an incentive to come back and try their other dishes. Although there is a dish with chocolate pasta, I think Aida and I are going to tackle that one since we’ve already made chocolate pizza. High quality Italian food, great atmosphere, but nothing too creative.

Lesson of the Day: The SF fire department is a pretty reliable creature.

Clew and Krob take over the world p1

第十三天：This badass girl decided to come visit me for a couple days.

After driving for four hours from her home town, St. Luis Obispo (pronounced St. Louis – yes I was confused too), Caitlin somehow managed to find my sketchy basement apartment in Lower Haight.

And thus our adventures began.

So both of us are pretty much on the same wavelength when it comes to food – LOVE IT. So nothing else was on our minds other than omnomnom-ing.

We started at Papalote, which is known for its salsa and burritos but we got neither of them (our bad). Instead, we got some Camarones (Shrimp) Tacos and Chile Verda Quesadillas (Pork in green serrano sauce). They were tasty but nothing really stood out to me about the dishes. Then again, we avoided what Papalote won awards for so I might be dragging Joss back for Round Two.

Afterwards we met up with Todd, another classmate from Harvard, and he introduced us to this sick place called Chile Pies.

What an amazing gem. We got a slice each (we were playing with the idea of four). Let me introduce you to a few people I met there:

Name: Green Chili Apple Pie – sassy, eclectic, and thoughtful; she stands out from the crowd thanks to her mixed heritage and can come off a little awkward, but is a lot of fun once you get to know her

cheddar crust, walnut streusal topping, red chile honey drizzle

So I grew up proudly proclaiming that I was the Apple Pie a la mode queen and that it was by far my most fave dessert (and probably only dessert – I was a pretty picky eater and then did a 180 in college). This pie was definitely my favorite. Apple Pie has officially evolved (insert Pokemon reference here) into an aromatic bundle of sweet and savory. The cheese crust was a delightful surprise in each bite of the deliciously spicy apple filling. It was perfectly crisp and moist.

Name : Mexican Chocolate Pecan – grounded, comforting, but has a dark side and isn’t someone you want to mess with; a brunette beauty, men can’t keep their eyes off of her

This was a very close second place. I love Mexican hot chocolate, chocolate popsicles, etc. etc. and this seriously hit my sweet spot that was dying for satisfaction. Nothing too surprising, just a great idea: chocolate, cinnamon, and pecans. Need I say more?

Also, the freshly made whipped cream served on the side was homemade and was so milky and good with a hint of sweetness. YUM.

Name: Berry Pie – the girl-next-door, merry, selfless, eager to please; it’s hard to say no to someone with such a big heart

Looks delicious, but I was honestly rather disappointed with this flavor. Caitlin and Todd adored it – I was a) not very intrigued by the flavor & b) the sweetness of the filling overpowered the potential freshness of the pie. Instead of a crisp filling, it was rather dull and almost as if someone had opened a pot of (nice) jam and dumped it into the pie crust.

It was around 2 pm when we finished eating and food coma time commenced. In an attempt to rescue ourselves from delirium, we went for a stroll through the Golden Gate Park (we only made in a fifth of the way before heading back). Dropped by People’s Cafe for a quick pick-me-up (and by that, I mean a hazelnut latte) and then headed to Susan’s house for our Midori Promotion Event.

Thank you Caitlin for photos.

Midori is a Japanese Melon liquor, and they were promoting their new flavor at Sugar Cafe. Socola was invited to promote their products and give out samples (and maybe sell if we were lucky). It was super fun as usual to talk about Susan’s products and I had a blast. The crowd was so entertaining and Caitlin, Susan, and a handful of strangers were good company. It’s very interesting to contrast the dynamics and interactions of different scenes (bar vs. farmer’s market vs. food promotion event).

Me in action!

Lessons learned (yes, I’m cheating. More than one lesson of the day):

1. Don’t forget how different the modeling/thinks they’re a model/clubbing crowd is to a foodie crowd (the guy in my picture is rejecting the small slice of truffle because he had a photoshoot the next day). Potential ideas:

• say chocolate has no calories
• ask them to close their eyes and open their mouths thus allowing us to shove in a sample
• ask them why they are drinking (that’s bad too, right?)
• ask them to make a pyramid with the samples in under 30 seconds to win a photoshoot with Vogue
• make them say chocolate backwards five times fast (subconscious, baby)

Did I mention Kim Kardashian was there for her company Shoe Dazzle? She couldn’t stay away from me the whole night. Me = irresistable. I know. 

2. Men with baby blue blazers and LV hats should be approached with caution. This guy was great fun, and it was sweet chatting with him in 中文, but I have to say － I’m a little overwhelmed when someone consistently asks/says things like: “How old do I look?” “Do you like my pants/shoes/hat/jacket? I made it.” “I’ve been partying since I was 15 man.” (Want a certificate for that?) “I’ve been out for three days straight.” “Do I look like a superstar? Lemme see lemme see.” (after having his photo taken)

Honestly it sounds like I’m hating on him, but I’m not. He was extremely nice, energetic, and an interesting character. 

Partying since fifteen? Susan’s been doing it since she was born.

3. There is cotton candy Pinnacle. (shout out to Ms. McBride) We didn’t get to try it, but apparently you can combine it with lime juice and it’s good (also known as a Whippidy-Do-Da for those who are curious).

4. To attract endless positive energy, wear artwork created by yourself or your friend. You become a living masterpiece.

Maybe a little more elegance would make it more complete. Beautiful flowers made by Susan the YBCA Art Museum.

I’m trying to think of an ingenious way to say “to be continued”, but my brain is pretty much dead after a weekend of production (30 hours baby – more on that later). For now:

未完待续

got chocolat?

第四天：I promised pictures a couple days ago, so here they are. I realize I’m two days behind and I apologize. I will do my best to recap the fun and giggles of my Friday.

Susan had me attend an Artisan Chocolate Tasting Event with her at the swanky Press Club downtown. The event was organized by a developing food rating website, Foodia. Basically, it’s a “Yelp for your kitchen”. You know when you go to a local food market with all those amazing, organic products, you first think: SICK. And then: Oh wait, I have ten bucks. What do I go for? That’s when Foodia steps in. Although a budding website, Foodia has it down when trying to help the average shopper. If the site can build up a good enough community that actively supplies ratings and information, it will definitely become an invaluable tool for foodies.

So this was my second time helping Sôcôla promote their East-West fusion chocolates at a food event. I’m starting to really love these events, because you get to meet people and also check out the local food scene. How it works for me is pretty simple.

UNO: THE PREGAME

Sampling Case & Guava Chocolate Bars

Yes, I can handle a knife without hurting myself. Important Life Skill #1 (did I mention these life skills will now be a frequent in this blog as I have none). It’s important to start with the lighter flavors and then finish with the Sriracha Chili, since I don’t want the garlic chili flavor to overpower the other subtle flavors like Jasmine Tea or Stout Beer. Optimal time for chocolate consumption.

DOS: GETTING TO THE RIGHT PARTY SAFELY

We ditched the car today and decided to be hardcore. Using our handy little dolly (Life Skill #2 ) and my non-existent swimmer muscles, we managed to move all the stuff we need. One point for public transportation.

TRES: CHECKING OUT THE SCENE

Set up the booth to make it pretty and nice like this.

Susan and I all ready to go.

The lush Assortment Box open for display.

CUATRO: RAGE

Tell, sell, and have a swell time.

Socola’s mascot is Harriet, a winged alpalca (definition: a domesticated species of South American camelid or in other words, awesomeness). Susan and her sister Wendy adopted her from her mystical homeland. Harriet loves to travel and bring home flavors from all around the world like Tamarind Sesame and Green Tea. She gets lost occasionally, but she makes up for it with lots of sass. 

(Susan can tell it like it is. I’m still in training, made apparent by my excited baby face. Patience.)

This event was extremely popular. I mean, why wouldn’t it be? It’s downtown, at a swag bar, a glass of wine for the first 100 people, and it’s a free event with a whole host of chocolate companies with samples. There was a mad scramble of people trying to taste and understand our product, so I didn’t get a chance to try other products. Although I did get to try chocolate mint water for the first time in my life (DON’T try it. It’s basically a non-alcoholic version of flavored vodka, which makes no sense = therefore not worth the money.)

Afterwards, I returned back to my temporary apartment to be greeted by a pregame featuring people who worked at Facebook. They were all great fun, but it’s a little surreal to think these people are in charge of 10% of my brain space (and you wonder if I’m a neuro major). I’m not kidding. Every time I open my Mac, my fingers unconsciously pump out their URL and I’m on the website before you can say “Zuckerberg loves Jewish Luaus”.

One guy I talked to was in charge of notifications. He said his job was to “accidentally break them, then fix them”. If you know what that means hit me up. He also told me they get amazing meals on the “Facebook Campus” that have daily themes, some of which include: Japanese, Ethiopian, and Get Out of Jail Day. They also get formals and dodgeball days. Basically, Mark Zuckerberg is trying to relive the college days he never had.

When I see Sammi or Maxine (two awesome girls who live in the apartment with me, also fellow Harvardians) on Facebook, it’s hard to tell whether it’s work or play. One Facebooker Dave put it best: “It’s a very fuzzy line, honestly.”

My fuzzy line is whether or not chocolate > Facebook. Wait, I so take that back. Chocolate wins by far.

And no, I was not paid to say that. All from the heart baby.

Daily Nutrition Report

• Lunch = Hot Chicken with Aioli Chipotle on a white baguette at Dolores Café. I made the huge mistake of asking for a recommendation and then going with what the girl suggested based off of what everyone tends to order. The moment I said: “Okay, I’ll get that” I totally regretted it. No, I did not want that Chicken sandwich. I wanted the Divine Veggie on wholewheat toast. Why didn’t I listen to my gut? I think someone out there wanted to punish me for my dumb decision because the staff forgot about my order. I didn’t get my food until half an hour after I ordered it. Grumblegrumble – yes I know.
• Dinner = Tacos de Buche to go from Chilange Restaurant on 235 Church Street. Totally made up for lunch. This time I did a 360 and asked the head chef, Roberto, to recommend me something really delicious and weird. That worked. His face lit up and he told me most people went for something I don’t really care to remember because it was too typical but he told me what was really delicious and fresh was the pork maw. Pork maw = lining of hog stomach. That had me hooked. And I was pleasantly surprised by the result. The food was cooked lard and butter free, and the soft tacos were thin, fluffy, and made with the veggie stuff that turns them green (sorry for lack of a better description). The pork maw was juicy and cooked with fresh onions and spices, and the forest green salsa verde was tangy and had a great kick to it. The best part was that it was portioned for a normal human being.

Lesson of the Day

When it comes to picking your food, please trust the voice in your stomach and do your own thing. Applicable to other areas of life as well. As if you didn’t already know that.

ab.ra.ca.dab.ra

In the Aramaic language it means: “to create as I say”. That has pretty big implications in terms of the mind-body link, because what we perceive is all created in the mind, right? Also noteworthy is that Jesus spoke Aramaic during his time. I can bet you he walked around brandishing a Harry Potter-esque wand shouting “abracadabra!” Or maybe something a little more classy.

This is a real book, apparently.

I learned that fun little fact during my crazy day yesterday.

第三天：To start my day off, I got to sit in a short meeting with Susan and her friend Anna, an ex-samba dancer who wants to fully dedicate herself to building up a non-profit dance exchange program in Panama. Anna needed some insight on the world of marketing and websites, both of which I am completely new to.

Susan seriously knows her stuff. The biggest point Susan drove home was commitment. Basically, you can’t toy around with too many ideas and logos for too long. What you end up with is a confusing, unfocused message. The lack of belief in your own design can (incorrectly) imply a lack of belief in your own work.  You have to commit to the image you want to present, and once you commit, you can build on your foundation and develop a great looking marketing campaign. Pretty simple.

There’s also a commitment to your story. When you’re putting yourself out there, you need to be able to explain concisely what drew you to your work and why you think the person should be interested. You also want to genuinely convey your passion for your experiences in under half a minute. Without commitment, you’re going to end up rambling for a good five minutes until you realize you still haven’t actually made a point and you’ve got your listener thinking about the next Kung Fu Panda movie (HEY guess what I’m looking forward to – no shame).

For lunch, Susan drove me to her friend Jenny’s apartment in Berkeley. Jenny is a Blue Bottle Coffee employee by day and a seriously talented artist by night (and day). While eating some oragnic Mac ‘N Cheese and delicious fresh vegetables (which they showed me how to cook – I wasn’t kidding when I said I was hopeless at cooking), I listened to Susan, Jenny, her roommate’s son Walter and his friend brainstorm ideas for a mini telenovela series on Sôcôla’s saucy seasonal flavor: Sriracha Flying Rooster. I won’t give anything away, but expect an enticing love story that’ll spice up your life in the next couple of months.

I’m not known for being quick-witted or for being able to pump out delicious puns on the spot. I’m more of your sit-for-a-while-and-let-things-stew kind of girl. So watching them let their creativity run loose was really energizing, not to mention hilarious.

The creative process in the neurological realm is extremely hard to define (if you’re wondering why the neurological tangent, click here). Shelley Carson likes to break it down into seven different aspects with its own neurological pathway: Connect, Reason, Envision, Absorb, Transform, Evaluate, and Stream. What the brainstorm team was doing largely falls under the Connect brainset. You could define this as thinking divergently rather than convergently.  Basically, your “brain censor” turns off and allows your brain to make unusual, PUNNY associations.

What does this look like?

Copyright 2010 Shelley Carson at Harvard U.

1. There’s deactivation in your left prefrontal cortex (narrow thinking, also related to inhibition of the right hemisphere) and activation of your right PFC (broad thinking)
2. Activation of association centers in the left hemisphere’s parietal and temporal lobes

My biggest issue is that my self-consciousness/fear of judgement (amygdala and left PFC activation) inhibits my creative process. When they say let go, they mean let go.

Ok, enough neuroscience. ONE LAST THING: Jenny did make a fascinating comment that made me really excited about my potential research. She told me she’s been feeling “in a funk” the past week and she seriously thinks it has to do with her lack of yoga. She practices regularly but hasn’t gone to a class for a few weeks. Since then she hasn’t been inspired for any of her creative projects. Maybe there is something related to opening the mind and deactivating the judgmental pathways in the brain during yoga and creativity…to be further investigated.

After three hours of observation of the creative process, Susan let me be her sidekick for a port and chocolate taste-pairing meeting downtown. My friends and I are huge wine and cheese fans, but never before have I seriously accosted port. And now I’m hooked. The complexity and depth of ports brings out the flavors of truffles much more intensely than red wine. Something about the heaviness of the dessert wine settling on your palette warmly invites the luxurious dark chocolate and its respective ganache.

My top two faves: 1) a woody, Warre’s Otima port paired with the Jasmine Tea Truffle (I had a ridiculous reaction after trying that one) and 2) a heavier, fruitier vintage port paired with the Sriracha Chili Truffle. I am so pumped for when I get to serve at the tasting event next month. Champagne, organic cheeses, and irresitible slow-drip coffee will also be part of the parade. Surprisingly, they don’t hold a lot of port-chocolate tastings in SF, and they really, really should. To our dear friend red wine: please step aside.

To finish up the day (and this extremely long post – I do apologize), I joined Susan for her weekly hour meditation at the Spiritual Learning Center. Now I’ve tried meditating on my own for ten minutes, and I get really antsy towards the end thanks to the Harvard complex that makes me feel like I always need to be doing something productive.

This time, there was a small tickle of boredom in the beginning, but by breathing and settling into the feeling of boredom it disappeared. I don’t really know how to describe the experience, as my thoughts were pretty random. Sometimes my mind was completely blank, and sometimes thoughts I had always brooded over came up. Random memories returned from freshman spring and my high school graduation. The weirdest moment was when I suddenly thought I was naked, and also when there was a reflection of someone’s face etched in bright red in front of my eyes. I will admit I freaked out a little.

Any revelations from the experience? Not particularly. But there shouldn’t have been or at least there doesn’t have to be. My hour of just “be-ing” rushed by faster than the ten minutes of meditation I’ve tried to do on my own. So that was pretty sweet.

So yesterday, during all the craziness, I got to explore the creation of self-promotion, ideas, tastes, and the mind. Abracadabra, baby.

Daily Nutrition Report:

I had port and chocolate for dinner. Enough said.

Lesson of the Day:

We all need to remind ourselves to notice the little things everyday. Notice the care and detail that goes into a logo, notice how your food mixes and explodes with flavors in your mouth, notice something awesome about someone, notice the fact that you’re walking, breathing, and living, damn it.

*** I WILL START UPLOADING PHOTOS SOON ***