January 22, 2009
No!
1: He was such a contrarian, you konw?
2: Huh? What's that?
1: Like, he would always find something opposite to say to whatever you were saying.
D: [Butting in] I disagree!
Posted by Dipika at 1:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 25, 2008
Mavericky
A: Howcome you went that way?
D: Hm?
A: That way. I pointed the other way, but you went straight.
D: Yeah, I know. I just didn't want to listen to you.
A: ...
D: I wanted to be a maverick.
A: ...
D: Can I write about that for DK?
A: !
D: ...
A: No way!!! I don't want to see or hear any kind of mention whatsoever of 'maverick'.
D: OK, I'll post to Dandan then.
Posted by Dipika at 12:55 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 4, 2008
Animal Societies
D: Oh! look at this.
A: Dちゃん, do you have to pick up everything that's in a box marked "Free"?
D: No.
A: ...
D: But I have to look.
A: What is that?
D: Animal Societies. A book about... insects. And primates.
A: Do you need that?
D: No, but I like it.
A: Look, look! That's a library book. That person didn't even want it after taking it from the library!
D: No. Look here. "Withdrawn." Oh! Look at how old it is with this old stamp kind of checkout thing. Heh. Wait.... 1968.
A: The library didn't even want that book!
D: [thumbing through Animal Societies]
A: But you do?
D: Yes.
Posted by Dipika at 5:01 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 29, 2008
Splashy Mermen
D: With the light like this, and from that angle, your feet look kinda like fish.
A: ...
D: I mean, when you move them like that a little.
[A moves feet to look like fish]
D: You know what's weird, is mermaids.
A: Why is that weird?
D: Half woman, half fish? C'mon. But then, I guess there's Pan...
A: It's not weird. Think about it. All those guys out at sea, without women around. Then they hear some fish. I mean, they're going to have some kind of fantasies.
D: Mermaids. Did you see that movie, Splash?
A: Mermaids. Yes.
D: ...
A: You do know how fish mate, right?
Posted by Dipika at 7:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 26, 2008
'Boys wear them, too'
D: Is that a man?
A: ...
D: I'm not sure. I mean, look at those shorts.
A: ...
D: ...
A: These days you can't be too sure. Because of American Apparel.
D: ...
A: Girls wear shorts like that, but boys wear them, too.
Posted by Dipika at 1:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 21, 2008
Soiree
D: ... some kind of a soiree or something.
A: ...
D: ...
A: What's a soiree?
D: ...
A: ...
D: I think it means some kind of fancy, once-off event or something.
A: ...
D: Yeah, I think that's what it means.
*
I: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soiree
soiree
One entry found.
soiree
Main Entry:
soi·ree Listen to the pronunciation of soiree
Variant(s):
or soi·rée Listen to the pronunciation of soirée \swä-ˈrā\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
French soirée evening period, evening party, from Middle French, from soir evening, from Latin sero at a late hour, from serus late; akin to Old Irish sír long, lasting and perhaps to Old English sīth late — more at since
Date:
1802
: a party or reception held in the evening
Posted by Dipika at 10:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 20, 2008
Me Wants Wok 'n' Roll
We are usually pretty picky about what I eat. We shop mostly organic and try to avoid frozen food. We don't own a microwave, and the fridge is usually half empty (cause we can't eat fast enough through a full fridge before things start to go bad). Starbucks isn't an option for us when we need a caffeine dose, and we almost never eat at fast food chains. We rarely do takeouts.
Except, I am secretly in love with fast food. The Asian kind, especially.
My favorite food from Japan is ramen (no, not the 'oodles of noodles' kind), and I have weakness for all things that comes on sticks or sold on the streets. (And I do frequent a certain Vietnamese noodle chain quite a bit, but I am in denial about it being fast food; 'it can't be fast food when you get free desert and wait service, right? and there are more than 25 items on the menu.')
Usually, I am pretty good at suppressing the urge. And as we don't shop at malls with food court, the temptations are never that nearby.
Until, you are traveling. More specifically, flying somewhere domestic.
The American airport food choices have always been pretty dismal and overpriced, but lately the food courts in airports are getting bigger and bigger. I guess with all the airlines offering no meals and their flights perpetually being delayed, airports see obvious profit opportunities there. The prices are still outrageous ($10 deli sandwiches, anyone?), but the choices are diversifying.
So, there's this chain (or is it? I couldn't confirm it) that I noticed during my last few travels called "Wok -N- Roll." I don't know why, but when I am at the airport, I am overtaken by the desire to try the bad Chinese food. It's really not a wise choice before climbing onto a jet, for various reasons, but I admit I've succumbed to this a few times.
Is it just me?
Turns out, the pros are into the Airport Chinese, too (from New York Magazine):
Why Wok and Roll? “Chinese is the best bet at airports,” the JetBlue captain said. “Those steam trays turn over fast.”
Ha. Maybe I should ask them what they put in their food...
Posted by Akira at 11:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 15, 2008
Code D
A: Whoa! You're typing those things in really fast! It's almost like you're a coder!
D: ...
A: ...
D: I don't know why, but that makes me really happy.
Posted by Dipika at 11:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 11, 2008
Too Many Conchord Flights
A: Well, it's kind of a chicken and egg situation.
D: ...
A: If we get super busy, we need to hire someone. But we can't hire someone until we get super busy.
D: Wait, how is that like a chicken and egg situation?
Posted by Dipika at 2:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 17, 2007
"Chinese Version of a Genie"
D: Do you believe in dragons?
A: え？
D: Dragons. Do you believe in 'em.
A: ...
D: ...
A: Sure. I mean, they have to exist in some kind of alternate reality. So many different cultures have described these large beings that fly around, breathe fire and have scales. They have to appear in dreams and different things--
D: In dreams?
A: Yeah. If you see a dragon in a dream, you get to wish for being rich or famous or whatever.
D: I thought that was a genie.
A: Kind of like that. A Chinese version of a genie.
D: ...
A: ...
D: How do you say dragon?
A: Kirin. きりん。
D: Like the beer?!
A: Yeah, yeah.
D: Weird, I just had a Kirin. And I'm not into lager, even. And we don't even buy Kirin, it was left over from that sushi party the other day!
A: Yeah.
D: ...
A: ...
D: I thought 'Dragon' was 'りょ’。
A: Hm?
D: りょ。龍安寺の'ryo'.
A: Ryu.
D: Ryu, then.
A: Ryu and kirin are a little different, though.
D: Why, why're they different.
A: Ryu is more like... a Western version of a dragon.
D: Do dragons defend caves and stuff? Like, keep valiant dragonslayers from getting to the treasure and stuff?
A: In the West, yeah.
D: Weird.
A: In the West, if you see a unicorn in your dream you get rich.
D: You're making this up!
A: No.
D: I'm going to sleep.
A: ...
D: I'm going to see a dragon in my dream.
Posted by Dipika at 5:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 18, 2006
"Karate Kid and Godzilla and Kamikaze All Rolled in One"
D: Hey, d'you like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?
A: No! I hated them.
D: Why? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles...
A: They didn't even do karate right.
D: Ninja.
A: Yeah! They were ninjas, yet practiced karate. Ninjas don't do karate.
D: ...
A: They had those stupid bandanas, like hachimaki. It's all mixed! They're Karate Kid and Godzilla and kamikaze all rolled in one!
D: ...
A: ...
D: Teenage mutant ninja turtles...
A: They act like a bunch of moronic, high-fiving American teenagers.
D: Turtles in a half shell.
Posted by Dipika at 6:14 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 4, 2006
Fallen Leaves
Posted by Dipika at 1:21 PM
September 1, 2006
Blisscotti
A: So this girl at the checkout counter started commenting on my groceries.
D: Yeah?
A: Yeah. Said I had 'expensive taste.'
*
D: Hey, I thought you said you got ice cream. What is this?
A: Ice cream.
D: No, this is ... 'Bliscotti'!
A: Yeah, so?
"Each sandwich is made with super-premium ice cream, layered between two pieces of thin, buttery biscotti coated on the underside with rich dark European chocolate." --Daily Candy
Posted by Dipika at 2:43 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 20, 2006
The Pain of Moving
Yes, D+A moved twice this summer, and that is a story of its own. But this is to announce that we have moved this web site to a new server, and finally upgraded it to the newest version of Movable Type, 3.3. The new server is working out very well so far, but moving all the sites have been, well, a royal pain in da A. Right now, I am still trying to reconcile the encoding problem with our Japanese entries (something to do with different version of mySQL, I think), so know that's what's going on if the site suddenly disappears...
ただいま日本語エントリーが壊れております。もうしばらくお待ちくださいませ。。。
Posted by Akira at 5:43 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 19, 2006
Zen of Blogging
"Editorials? What editorials? Blogging is all about the Zen of Being in the Moment. It's the new media, man."
"But what about the readership? Who wants to know your rambling about nothing?"
"They don't need to want to. They will stumble onto your site by forces of nature, and they will leave when they feel like. It's all in serendipity. 'If you reach out for it, the universe will give it to you' kind of thing. Don't worry about it."
Posted by Akira at 1:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 31, 2006
Why Isn't This Working
A: Print something.
D: ‘Kay, what.
A: A screenshot of the desktop or whatever. I want to test the printer.
D: ‘Kay. [types "Dear Diary," hits "print"]
A: ...
D: ...
A: #@%. It’s not printing.
D: …
A: What.
D: $800 and it doesn’t do anything.
Posted by Dipika at 2:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 30, 2006
Office place!
After two years of cohabitation with the hum and beeps of the computers, we finally moved our design studio out of our household. Sheer luck and goodwill brought a cool office space (complete with a red swingline stapler!), a mere eight-minute walk from our apartment.
It feels slightly odd to suddenly have lots of space at home, and the aforementioned lack of white noise (and Internet) at home will take some getting used to. But having the separation is a welcome change, and a boost to get more done both at home and work. We are working on a new look for our web site, just printed 1,500 business cards, and our new stationery is coming out next week. We hope more of the area's small businesses will notice.
So where are we? The new Design Kompany office is on Olive Way, between two brick buildings (one with blue awnings, the other with maroon ones), directly across the street from Clever Dunne's Irish Pub (A belated Happy St. Patrick's Day, by the way!).
If you're in the neighborhood, feel free to stop by.
Posted by Akira at 3:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 26, 2006
"Flame Me"
D: She looked a little like Velma from Scooby Doo.
A: The smart one?
D: Yeah.
A: ...
D: What, say it.
A: A lot of people look like that on Capitol Hill.
D: ...
A: They do.
D: Some girls on MySpace might be offended by that comment.
A: They can be offended, then. Flame me.
Posted by Dipika at 5:03 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
December 25, 2005
Be Back in a Bit
Posted by Akira at 7:38 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 23, 2005
メリークリスマス
ますますクリスマス！
Posted by Dipika at 2:19 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 17, 2005
Tea + Shakuhachi
This tea place we found is like a salon: they'll work with so you get exactly what you want.
"Are you an oolong person? Any preference, strong or weak?" Bits of loose leaves come flying out of bags. "Smell."
This guy says he can tell you what part of Taiwan a sample comes from, if not which exact mountain.
"Stop by Saturday," he says, all smiles. A couple will play the koto and shakuhachi, a Japanese bamboo flute.
Date: Saturday, October 22
Place: Floating Leaves Teahouse, Ballard
Time: 4 pm and 7 pm
Posted by Dipika at 9:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 19, 2005
Happy Rakhi
So you know how they have those yellow Lance Armstrong bracelets everywhere? The other day I'm listening to the BBC Asian Network and they say “rakhi bands” are trendy now, with Oxfam running this fundraiser.
All this is 'cause today is rakhi, or raksha-bandan, an Indian holiday where sisters tie a string bracelet, the rakhi, around the right wrist of their brothers. They wish for the brother's health and happiness and get a gift or cash in exchange.
Aside from tying rakhis, Rumela.com says Indians are into “fresh flowers, exchange of gifts... new clothes, meeting new and old friends and offering of sweets” and that India's always been known for it's "celebratory fervor.” Not sure exactly what that is, but I think the Indian-Americans' national Bhangra Blowout competition in Washington, D.C., taps into it.
But "the beauty of Indian culture," according to this site, is that a girl can tie a rakhi on the wrist of any guy she feels close to. "Our tradition tells us that the world is our brother and sister... In this way, relationships are strengthened, solidified and purified. The tradition of rakhsha bandhan symbolizes and underscores the way Indians live together as brother and sister -- relationships filled with love, devotion and affection, but devoid of lust, attraction or violence."
On the BBC show, this caller kept giggling when she told the entire tuned-in world she tied 400 rakhis last year. "Most of them were on my gay male friends!" she said, practically in hysterics.
Posted by Dipika at 8:13 PM | Comments (1)
August 10, 2005
Midnight Movie: AKIRA
Akira will be signing autographs this weekend at a screening of AKIRA.
"The visionary graphics and... hyperkinetic storytelling in this movie have yet to be superceded."
-- Randy
"Katsuhiro Otomo's masterpiece."
-- I(Heart)Anime
"Nice T-shirt."
-- Miss Moxie, Seattle
Date: Friday, August 12
Time: Midnight
Place: Egyptian, 805 East Pine Street (Capitol Hill, Seattle)
Posted by Dipika at 9:58 PM | Comments (0)
June 8, 2005
Kawasaki sisters' Seattle trip
Last week, we hosted three ladies from Japan, all visiting here for the first time in Seattle. My mom and her two sisters Hisako and Eiko seemed very impressed by the vibrant city and greenery of the surroundings. We showed them bare minimum of the downtown sightseeing points, and in no time they were exploring the Pike Place Market and getting bread for their breakfast all on their own. We took a side trip to Victoria together and visited Butchart Gardens. Here's a picture of my mom, giddy from rickety ferry ride over.
I have an album of the trip on Flickr. If you are interested, drop me a line...
Posted by Akira at 2:50 PM | Comments (0)
June 2, 2005
Family in Town
Akira's mom and two of his aunts are in Seattle for the first time, a place they picked cause we're here. Just got back from Victoria, but also hung out here downtown, hitting Pike Place Market and this pub, Virginia Inn. This pic was from a dinner at this Spanish tappas place called Harvest Vine that Akira'd been wanting to try.
Posted by Dipika at 1:18 AM | Comments (0)
May 6, 2005
music fridays at Chin Music
There has been a bit a of hiatus since my last (well, first) music-related entry. Well, things have been brewing underground, ideas have been crossing overhead, and I am now a published columnist! Chin Music Press, a purveyor of all things beautiful and quirky (they made a "literary object" called Kuhaku, which is available in select bookstores everywhere, and here), and a champion of independent media outlets, has agreed to publish my music musings in their eclectic, often hilarious blog. Titled "Friday Music," the weekly column features a Japanese band/artist and their work, chosen by yours truly on the merits exclusively related to my personal taste.
Right. Big deal. The last thing the world needs is another man's opinion about obscure popular culture commodities (Amazon reviews, anyone?). I know, I know... But just in case you are feeling charitable, or curious, for whatever reasons unfathomable, here's the link to the first story. Enjoy...
Posted by Akira at 4:15 PM | Comments (0)
March 26, 2005
あきらとさくら
こんにちは！Dipikaです。日本語で書いてみましょう。この写真はあきらと一緒にさくらを見に行った日のものです。University of Washington に結構有名なところ（The Quadといいます）がありますよ。日本からの観光客もいっぱいくるそうです。ちょうどいいタイミングでした。もう、さくらは終わってるかな。
きょうは雨の日です。二人で近くにある喫茶店でコーヒーとブラウニーをいただきました。店の名前はCafe Vitaです。コーヒーが自慢ですが、私達の意見では、ブラウニーのほうがおいしかったです。二階は広くて明るいので、そこで話しながらふらふらしました。
シアトルに喫茶店が多いということは、皆さん、もう知ってるとおもいますけど、それはそうです。５分で歩いていける喫茶店だけでも５つか６つあるのです。アイルランドのものすごく小さな町からここにくると、本当に感覚がちがいます。人口が５００，０００人くらいで、東京なんかとはくらべものにならないけど、私達には”大都市”って感じです。
Posted by Dipika at 4:02 PM | Comments (0)
Carolina
Didn't see the Carolina game, but did see Duke and N.C. State losing simultaneously. It was the first time in a long time there were so many people watching basketball with me, but when I looked closely I saw they weren't really paying attention to the games. No one was there to catch b-ball. They were there to be with co-workers and get beers. Well, that's cool, but why hog up the best tables if that's the way you're going to be.
Anyways, Carolina is the only one left from the ACC, as everyone already knows so I don't have to point it out. Funny, people here say "North Carolina" for Carolina.
There will be no State-Carolina showdown of the sort we used to see when I was at Rosewood Elementary and they'd cancel class, and wheel in the video. ACC ball and snowflakes meant no school.
Getting back to the men's college tourney, I never thought I'd say, "Go Carolina," but I guess, since y'all are representing the ACC now, y'all Go.
Posted by Dipika at 11:32 AM | Comments (0)
Happy Holi
Around this time of year people in India celebrate Holi. You get these colored powders and throw them at your friends and family, a very popular scene in Bollywood movies. Holi's supposed to be a right good time, but I wouldn't know, having only been to India at school holidays. Kids seem to like it best.
Posted by Dipika at 9:49 AM | Comments (0)
March 17, 2005
"Happy Irish?" Huh?
These people at the Frames concert yelled "Happy Irish." That was late last week, but I think they were just getting psyched up for today. Someone had shown up with one of those hats that are dark like Guinness, but fuzzy.
All kinds of lines were getting started after work at Pioneer Square. Bar people in kilts were giving out round green buttons that had squarey shamrocks on them.
Bagpipes were going all day today outside the window. After a while they started to get really boring. Those lads are probably still there, serenading the drunken masses.
Okay, no, you don't have to be in Ireland to enjoy Paddy's Day. But if you don't have the craic it just ain't jack. I didn't mean to not wear green today. Red, yes.
Posted by Dipika at 10:14 PM | Comments (0)
March 15, 2005
Hours
Well, party people. I’m a bit nervous. Seven hours to go to the big 3-0. Four if you are on the East Coast. I never thought I’d turn into a blogger for the big day, have I turned over an electronic leaf?
I used to have plans for my 30th. I always figured I’d take a trip to London. Said I’d save that city for a time when I’d be able to appreciate its art, music, and culture.
But now that I’m here and carving out roots, it’s less enticing to pick up and make a transatlantic shift, if even in the spirit of adventure. London’s cool. But so is Vancouver, B.C., which is closer.
It seemed to have the same feel when I was there, nevermind the favorable exchange rate. Can I say favourable? That makes me feel like I’m already on vacation. Er, holiday.
Posted by Dipika at 4:51 PM