a blog about soybean cake and other essential topics
With the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics in Canada, I know that many athletes are pining their hopes on gold.
My family and I are with them in spirit. But we’re rooting for blue – as in the berry.
Why?
Well, you can’t eat a gold medal.
But home-grown blueberries are a delicious addition to a smoothie on a hot, summer day.
I don’t know Charles Leung, who made this gorgeous one-minute time lapse video of the stars in the sky above Hawaii.
But each time that I spot an eye-catching video on Vimeo, I am grateful.
In the past, I’ve gone to Vimeo and found excellent videos about clouds, waves, ocean life and jellyfish.
Two words to the talented people who made these videos: Thank you.
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Feel free to click on one of the above songs by David Byrne – which he provided for free – and read along about the former member of the Talking Heads, artist, photographer and bicycle fan.
Obviously, he is a big wheel in the world. So, thank you for posting free music for the online masses.
I’ve come across many Web sites in recent years, as I survey news, design, corporate, architecture and advertising sites.
I thought of the former Talking Heads member when I was writing about design expert Roger Black and his work with big-name media outlets.
When I saw DavidByrne.com and its bold colors and photographs, I thought: Incredible.
Last year’s economic and financial rollercoaster, in all respects, prompted me to think of how to best welcome 2010 at TofuWatch.com.
Wise words from a philosopher? A pithy reference to classical Chinese poetry? An obscure nod to some long-forgotten slice of popular culture?
All of these ideas might have been good candidates during more normal times. Of course, the times are not normal. Time, the magazine, went with its pick of Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernake for its person of the year for 2009.
But anytime there are so many non sequiturs showing up in an economy, I believe that more non sequiturs should be added to the mix.
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My days continue to be busy. But I enjoy carrying my digital camera and taking pictures of bright lights and great signs. For example, this Bradlee sign has clean lettering and the right ring to it.
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And this glowing red China Harbor sign catches people’s attention as they drive by Lake Union in Seattle. I’ve always been curious about lettering styles that try to copy the writing of Chinese characters.
Of course, the green words “The Best in Chinese Cuisine” are always inviting for people who are looking for a place to eat.
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Finally, I’ve always been a fan of the words, “Team Seattle.” The truck belongs to a commercial company.
And if you’re a fan of Helvetica font, there’s a movie devoted to the topic.
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If you’re in Seattle tonight, drop by The Wing Luke Asian Museum for the opening reception for artist Roger Shimomura and his new show, “Yellow Terror.”
The free public reception starts at 7 p.m. at the museum, located at 719 S. King St.
If you can’t make the reception, the show will open Friday and run through April 18.
Shimomura, a third-generation Japanese American, deals with stereotypes and how people perceive race. One central theme of the show is ”Always a Foreigner.”
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Chinese red lanterns - and their soft, alluring glow - are likely to reemerge in creative productions given the emphasis these days on rich colors in online media.
Recent videos on Vimeo have followed the red lantern color path, including ones by the talented crew at UPPERCASE and Ian Lucero.
Recently, when I passed the Legendary Palace restaurant and its lanterns in Oakland, Calif., I stopped – but not purely to produce something for the Internet.
For years, I’ve been interested in them, especially in learning about the Lantern Festival in my language classes and visiting Chinese cities and towns.
One aspect that I like about China is that residents have embraced these glowing orbs for thousands of years. They are soothing to the eye – especially the contrast at night.
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If the words were spelled as Dragon and Curry, it would be a pleasant-sounding name for a law firm or high-end consulting shop.
Actually, the top image is the traditional Chinese character for dragon – or “long,” pronounced in the second tone (lower to higher) in Mandarin.
It’s on the side of the longtime Chinese restaurant, China Gate, where Bruce Lee liked going when he lived in Seattle. His wife told me that a few years ago during an interview in Seattle.
Photo source: Copyright sig11, posted on flickr photostream
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The name for the squishy vegetarian food that started in China has now taken the form of simple, painted block letters in Toronto.
A mystery person has sprayed TOFU on concrete blocks, doors, walls and in other public places - and people are talking about the graffiti.
In an article in the Toronto Star, Ryan Bigge offers a critique, noting that the letters fail to “echo the curved, bubbly lettering of high-style graffiti” but still have “earned” people’s attention.
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My family and I had free time and so we made a quick trip to Snoqualmie Valley.
Specifically, we visited the Tolt River – John MacDonald Park at the T-intersection of state Route 203 and Northeast 40th Street in Carnation, Wash.
We hadn’t been there in years. The air was fresh, the river quiet. We carefully crossed the 500-foot suspension bridge.
We saw yurts that people could rent for overnight adventures. My son tossed rocks into the water.
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