Happy Chinese/Lunar New Year, everyone:-)
Hope everyone has a prosperous, healthy, and fulfilling year of the Dragon!:-)
Crystal Jade Golden Palace Restaurant Paragon
4 hours ago
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Sunday, January 08, 2012
Worthwhile and Interesting Blogs Which I Read Interview Series:) Interview Four: Matt Schiavenza: From the Dragon to the Apple
1) What is the name of your blog?
My blog is called Matt Schiavenza: From the Dragon to the Apple . For the first three years of its existence it was called “A China Journal”. Creative, huh? The three years before that I had a blog called No Borders No Limits.
2) When did you start blogging?
I dabbled in blogs here and there when I was in college, but I didn’t write regularly until 2004, when I moved to China.
3) How did you pick the name for your blog?
I titled my first blog No Borders No Limits because I fancied myself a world traveler who would live in many different countries, teaching English and generally being a bum. Had I known that I’d have stayed in China as long as I did, I might have thought differently about it!
I then decided to have an eponymous blog, for a few reasons. One, I was trying to build a portfolio as a writer and thought it was important that people knew my name. Two, I was getting tired with the anonymity of the Internet; all the comment threads I read seemed to devolve into nasty arguments among people hiding behind fake names.
To be honest, I didn’t put an enormous amount of time into the subtitles of my site. “A China Journal” I chose because it was simple and direct, and that’s what I was going for at the time. “From the Dragon to the Apple” was just something I thought of, and while I don’t like it all that much I can’t be bothered changing it!
How did it get started? What motivated you to start a blog and what keeps you going?
When I lived in Italy for a year as a foreign student, in 2001, I used to write long e-mails describing my life to a group of friends. As the year progressed I put more and more effort into them, and as a result began receiving more positive feedback from my friends. This was the first time I had an “audience” as such.
By the time I moved to China in 2004 blogs had become quite popular, and I understood then that they were a unique and powerful tool that wasn’t going to go away. I felt that writing a blog would not only help my friends and family follow me from afar, but would also provide a platform for my thoughts and ideas. I wanted to join the conversation, so to speak.
4) How did you decide on what your main focus for your blog would be?
Initially, I didn’t pick a focus for my blog at all, so as a result in the early years my site jumped from topic to topic. I wrote about baseball, about American politics, about China, really about whatever popped into my head that particular day.
Then on the advice of a friend I started to focus my writing a bit more on China, because this was an area that I felt like I could “add value”, to use the hackneyed term. I realized that a lot of people were interested in what life was like in China, and as a person living there I could contribute something to their understanding. When I focused on China I found that my writing became more consistently interesting.
Nowadays things have gone full circle- I write about whatever pops into my mind again. This is due to being back in the US, where I necessarily have less to say about China. In addition I feel that I write about China in other forums so can reserve my personal blog for whatever interests me.
5) Did any other blogs inspire and influence your blog? What other blogs do you read?
Other blogs influenced me greatly. Back in 2003 and 2004 very few news organizations had blogs, so the medium was dominated by amateurs. There was really a sense that no matter who you were, if you wrote well your voice would be heard. Through these bloggers I learned about the importance of linking to others, the utility of embedding images and videos, and so forth- the nuts and bolts of the medium. Andrew Sullivan, in particular, inspired me. I’ve been reading his blog almost every day for several years now.
I’ve restricted my blog reading now to a handful about China—Danwei, The Peking Duck, China Hearsay, China Geeks, etc.—and a few others writing about other subjects. I love Techcrunch. There’s a blog about the San Francisco Giants, my favorite baseball team, that I love called The McCovey Chronicles. Foreign Policy magazine hosts several excellent blogs, including one by the well-known International Relations scholar Stephen Walt. Nowadays you can find good blogs written about just about everything.
6) Is blogging a full-time job now? Or is it a side-hobby? And if so, what do you do besides blogging?
Blogging isn’t and has never been a full-time job for me, though I wouldn’t mind if it were! I’m a full-time graduate student at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and am also currently an online reporter at the Asia Society here in New York.
7) What are some of the perks you've enjoyed personally as a blogger? Alternatively, what have you gained or learnt from your blog?
When I moved to China the community was so small that before long we all got to know each other, at least virtually. Whenever I visited Beijing or Shanghai I made a point to seek out bloggers I knew there, and some of my best friends in China are people I originally knew simply as bloggers. But perhaps the greatest perk was simply being told by strangers that they liked or admired my blog, and even in one or two cases that my blog helped inspire them in some way. That to me is quite an honor.
I’ve learned an enormous amount through the blog, but most importantly I gained a much-needed sense of humility. I’m lucky to have readers who know a lot more about things than I do, and every time they’ve corrected me on something it has made me smarter. Blogging in general has taught me a lot of the basics of being a writer, such as the importance of reading what you write before submitting it, and how to attribute ideas you borrow to the right people. In addition, simply the act of writing a lot, of getting bad writing out of my system, has made me better at it.
8) What is the most memorable compliment(s) you have received about your blog?
To be honest, I can’t think of any single compliment that I have received that stands out. But what I will mention is this—even when it doesn’t seem like anyone is reading, you’d be surprised who has heard of you. I’ve learned this on a couple of occasions, when I’ve had the honor of having well-known people tell me that they’ve heard of my site. Needless to say I was floored.
9) What would you like your readers to know about you which they may not already know from your blog?
Ha, well…I suppose that I’m not always so serious in real life!
Please head over to Matt's blog for a read at: http://mattschiavenza.com/
My blog is called Matt Schiavenza: From the Dragon to the Apple . For the first three years of its existence it was called “A China Journal”. Creative, huh? The three years before that I had a blog called No Borders No Limits.
2) When did you start blogging?
I dabbled in blogs here and there when I was in college, but I didn’t write regularly until 2004, when I moved to China.
3) How did you pick the name for your blog?
I titled my first blog No Borders No Limits because I fancied myself a world traveler who would live in many different countries, teaching English and generally being a bum. Had I known that I’d have stayed in China as long as I did, I might have thought differently about it!
I then decided to have an eponymous blog, for a few reasons. One, I was trying to build a portfolio as a writer and thought it was important that people knew my name. Two, I was getting tired with the anonymity of the Internet; all the comment threads I read seemed to devolve into nasty arguments among people hiding behind fake names.
To be honest, I didn’t put an enormous amount of time into the subtitles of my site. “A China Journal” I chose because it was simple and direct, and that’s what I was going for at the time. “From the Dragon to the Apple” was just something I thought of, and while I don’t like it all that much I can’t be bothered changing it!
How did it get started? What motivated you to start a blog and what keeps you going?
When I lived in Italy for a year as a foreign student, in 2001, I used to write long e-mails describing my life to a group of friends. As the year progressed I put more and more effort into them, and as a result began receiving more positive feedback from my friends. This was the first time I had an “audience” as such.
By the time I moved to China in 2004 blogs had become quite popular, and I understood then that they were a unique and powerful tool that wasn’t going to go away. I felt that writing a blog would not only help my friends and family follow me from afar, but would also provide a platform for my thoughts and ideas. I wanted to join the conversation, so to speak.
4) How did you decide on what your main focus for your blog would be?
Initially, I didn’t pick a focus for my blog at all, so as a result in the early years my site jumped from topic to topic. I wrote about baseball, about American politics, about China, really about whatever popped into my head that particular day.
Then on the advice of a friend I started to focus my writing a bit more on China, because this was an area that I felt like I could “add value”, to use the hackneyed term. I realized that a lot of people were interested in what life was like in China, and as a person living there I could contribute something to their understanding. When I focused on China I found that my writing became more consistently interesting.
Nowadays things have gone full circle- I write about whatever pops into my mind again. This is due to being back in the US, where I necessarily have less to say about China. In addition I feel that I write about China in other forums so can reserve my personal blog for whatever interests me.
5) Did any other blogs inspire and influence your blog? What other blogs do you read?
Other blogs influenced me greatly. Back in 2003 and 2004 very few news organizations had blogs, so the medium was dominated by amateurs. There was really a sense that no matter who you were, if you wrote well your voice would be heard. Through these bloggers I learned about the importance of linking to others, the utility of embedding images and videos, and so forth- the nuts and bolts of the medium. Andrew Sullivan, in particular, inspired me. I’ve been reading his blog almost every day for several years now.
I’ve restricted my blog reading now to a handful about China—Danwei, The Peking Duck, China Hearsay, China Geeks, etc.—and a few others writing about other subjects. I love Techcrunch. There’s a blog about the San Francisco Giants, my favorite baseball team, that I love called The McCovey Chronicles. Foreign Policy magazine hosts several excellent blogs, including one by the well-known International Relations scholar Stephen Walt. Nowadays you can find good blogs written about just about everything.
6) Is blogging a full-time job now? Or is it a side-hobby? And if so, what do you do besides blogging?
Blogging isn’t and has never been a full-time job for me, though I wouldn’t mind if it were! I’m a full-time graduate student at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and am also currently an online reporter at the Asia Society here in New York.
7) What are some of the perks you've enjoyed personally as a blogger? Alternatively, what have you gained or learnt from your blog?
When I moved to China the community was so small that before long we all got to know each other, at least virtually. Whenever I visited Beijing or Shanghai I made a point to seek out bloggers I knew there, and some of my best friends in China are people I originally knew simply as bloggers. But perhaps the greatest perk was simply being told by strangers that they liked or admired my blog, and even in one or two cases that my blog helped inspire them in some way. That to me is quite an honor.
I’ve learned an enormous amount through the blog, but most importantly I gained a much-needed sense of humility. I’m lucky to have readers who know a lot more about things than I do, and every time they’ve corrected me on something it has made me smarter. Blogging in general has taught me a lot of the basics of being a writer, such as the importance of reading what you write before submitting it, and how to attribute ideas you borrow to the right people. In addition, simply the act of writing a lot, of getting bad writing out of my system, has made me better at it.
8) What is the most memorable compliment(s) you have received about your blog?
To be honest, I can’t think of any single compliment that I have received that stands out. But what I will mention is this—even when it doesn’t seem like anyone is reading, you’d be surprised who has heard of you. I’ve learned this on a couple of occasions, when I’ve had the honor of having well-known people tell me that they’ve heard of my site. Needless to say I was floored.
9) What would you like your readers to know about you which they may not already know from your blog?
Ha, well…I suppose that I’m not always so serious in real life!
Please head over to Matt's blog for a read at: http://mattschiavenza.com/
Friday, January 06, 2012
Happy 2012 Everyone!:-)
Happy New Year readers!!:-)
My sincerest apologies for my prolonged absence but wait...i have an excuse..I flew off to Bangkok and Singapore during the Christmas and New Year Eve break and had a 10 day holiday (yes, i know, just right after n barely a month after coming back from China 3 week holiday!)..anyways, I enjoyed myself ton, caught up with alot of old friends whom i haven't seen in years, their parents, got intro to siblings or partners,etc..and rediscovered Bangkok and Singapore again after 5 years and 9 years respectively! Yes it was that long although i've been to both places, but been literally years since the last time!
I will be posting on my China, Bangkok, AND Singapore trip shortly, fingers crossed, hehehe..hopefully within the next 2 months..
Anyways, a quick update, i kinda like this Singaporean Chinese guy..i got to know him at a social meeting less than 2 months back and after alot of 'fate encounters' (i really believe in yuan fen (chinese term for fate or meant to be)) without which we would never have been friends or had the opportunity to develop a friendship beyond the mere hi-bye acquaintance relationship, i discovered he meets so MANY of my criterias and checklist for a 'husband' (as opposed to boyfriend material, he's def husband material in my books) that i've slowly and gradually gotten to like him more and more, i'm very comfortable around him, and he ticks almost all my criterion checklist, from his age to occupation, to family background, values, and much more..its funny cos he's not actually the kinda guy whom would attract me sexually or in terms of looks right away but he makes me very comfortable..i even met up with him in Singapore as he happened to go bck at the exact time i was there (another 'fate opportunities'!) However, i know he doesn't like me in that way as he's so sensitive and smart, i think he knows i kinda like him and wanna develop our relationship but he's showing alot of signs from his attitude and stuff that he doesn't like me in that way...oh god, i thought of giving up but i told myself, when will i meet a guy whom meets almost ALL my criterias next if i give up on him now? And besides, its been barely 1.5 months since we know each other and we have had so many opportunities to meet and stuff, i don't wanna give up now...so after consulting with some friends of mine, i've decided to keep trying and maybe tell him my feelings in one month or two months time n see how it goes..cos i don't think we can even be friends with his current attitude so what's there to lose anyways i think??
Anyways, 2011 has been a very very good year for me in terms of friendship, family relationship, possible start of my first relationship (Yes, i've nvr had a boyfriend before nor a sexual relationship with a man!at 28!) and travels!
Hope 2012 will be good for me and my readers too!:-)
ps: I actually visited a blogger's store for the 1st time today, he was gracious enough to allow me to interview him for the 'interesting bloggers series' which i have and he told me he opened a store somewhere in Sydney..and so i so happened to pass by today and popped into his store..it's really nice n much bigger than i expected..i think i even saw him..quite a nice thing to do, visiting a blogger's store whom i have corresponded briefly on email..but i didn't say hello as i didn't want him to think it was being weird visiting his shop..haha..maybe i'm thinking too much..but it was something interesting i did today:)
My sincerest apologies for my prolonged absence but wait...i have an excuse..I flew off to Bangkok and Singapore during the Christmas and New Year Eve break and had a 10 day holiday (yes, i know, just right after n barely a month after coming back from China 3 week holiday!)..anyways, I enjoyed myself ton, caught up with alot of old friends whom i haven't seen in years, their parents, got intro to siblings or partners,etc..and rediscovered Bangkok and Singapore again after 5 years and 9 years respectively! Yes it was that long although i've been to both places, but been literally years since the last time!
I will be posting on my China, Bangkok, AND Singapore trip shortly, fingers crossed, hehehe..hopefully within the next 2 months..
Anyways, a quick update, i kinda like this Singaporean Chinese guy..i got to know him at a social meeting less than 2 months back and after alot of 'fate encounters' (i really believe in yuan fen (chinese term for fate or meant to be)) without which we would never have been friends or had the opportunity to develop a friendship beyond the mere hi-bye acquaintance relationship, i discovered he meets so MANY of my criterias and checklist for a 'husband' (as opposed to boyfriend material, he's def husband material in my books) that i've slowly and gradually gotten to like him more and more, i'm very comfortable around him, and he ticks almost all my criterion checklist, from his age to occupation, to family background, values, and much more..its funny cos he's not actually the kinda guy whom would attract me sexually or in terms of looks right away but he makes me very comfortable..i even met up with him in Singapore as he happened to go bck at the exact time i was there (another 'fate opportunities'!) However, i know he doesn't like me in that way as he's so sensitive and smart, i think he knows i kinda like him and wanna develop our relationship but he's showing alot of signs from his attitude and stuff that he doesn't like me in that way...oh god, i thought of giving up but i told myself, when will i meet a guy whom meets almost ALL my criterias next if i give up on him now? And besides, its been barely 1.5 months since we know each other and we have had so many opportunities to meet and stuff, i don't wanna give up now...so after consulting with some friends of mine, i've decided to keep trying and maybe tell him my feelings in one month or two months time n see how it goes..cos i don't think we can even be friends with his current attitude so what's there to lose anyways i think??
Anyways, 2011 has been a very very good year for me in terms of friendship, family relationship, possible start of my first relationship (Yes, i've nvr had a boyfriend before nor a sexual relationship with a man!at 28!) and travels!
Hope 2012 will be good for me and my readers too!:-)
ps: I actually visited a blogger's store for the 1st time today, he was gracious enough to allow me to interview him for the 'interesting bloggers series' which i have and he told me he opened a store somewhere in Sydney..and so i so happened to pass by today and popped into his store..it's really nice n much bigger than i expected..i think i even saw him..quite a nice thing to do, visiting a blogger's store whom i have corresponded briefly on email..but i didn't say hello as i didn't want him to think it was being weird visiting his shop..haha..maybe i'm thinking too much..but it was something interesting i did today:)
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Worthwhile and Interesting Blogs Which I Read Interview Series:) Interview Three: Webs of Significance.
This is the third in the series. Enjoy!
1) What is the name of your blog?
Webs of Significance
2) When did you start blogging?
November 16th, 2006
3) How did you pick the name for your blog?
Webs of Significance comes from a quote about culture by one of my favorite anthropologists, Clifford Geertz:-
"Man is an animal suspended in webs of significance he himself has spun..."
I guess it's my way of saying that what I blog about has meaning and significance to me -- but I am not going to presume that they have meaning and significance to others. So, a way of reminding myself to be modest, if you like. :)
4) How did it get started? What motivated you to start a blog and what keeps you going?
For what got me deciding to start a blog, you can actually go and look at my first entry:-
http://webs-of-significance.blogspot.com/2006/11/beginnings.html
But I can also tell you that when I started blogging, I was recovering from an ailment called frozen shoulder that had made it so that I wasn't working/employed at a time, so had plenty of time to think and compose my thoughts. Also, that I had two friends who were into blogging and they convinced me that blogging was worth my while. (Ironically though, they both don't blog all that much these days -- even while I continue to do so!)
As to what keeps me going: after I moved to Hong Kong in May 2007, blogging became a way to let people like my mother and interested friends know what I've been up to. And yes, I like how blogging helps me record and remember things (including about notable movies I've watched, hikes I've been on, places I've visited and things I've done on weekends and holidays, etc.).
5) How did you decide on what your main focus for your blog would be?
Hmmm... since I don't think that my blog has a main focus, maybe this is not a question I should/can answer!
6) Did any other blogs inspire and influence your blog? What other blogs do you read?
Re blogs that inspired me to get blogging: that would be those by my friends Brian (http://asian-cinema.blogspot.com/) and Ho (http://fallingstones.wordpress.com). Re other blogs I read: I read lots -- many of which can be found on my blogroll. :)
7) Is blogging a full-time job now? Or is it a side-hobby? And if so, what do you do besides blogging?
It's definitely not a full-time job as I don't earn any money from blogging! Re what I do besides blogging -- you mean professionally? If so, these days, I'm an editor for a newspaper here in Hong Kong -- and I also do consulting in Penang on museum and cultural heritage projects.
8) What are some of the perks you've enjoyed personally as a blogger? Alternatively, what have you gained or learnt from your blog?
Blogging allows me to practice writing pieces that are the length I want them to be on any subject I want. It also gives me an international audience to share my writings and photos with.
9) What is the most memorable compliment(s) you have received about your blog?
A Hong Kong friend of mine told me, after seeing my photos of Hong Kong on the blog, that the Hong Kong Tourism Board should hire me. :)
10) What would you like your readers to know about you which they may not already know from your blog?
Nothing. The nice thing about my blog is that I can reveal as much (or little) about myself as I want. :)
So head over there now to have a read at her blog:
http://webs-of-significance.blogspot.com
1) What is the name of your blog?
Webs of Significance
2) When did you start blogging?
November 16th, 2006
3) How did you pick the name for your blog?
Webs of Significance comes from a quote about culture by one of my favorite anthropologists, Clifford Geertz:-
"Man is an animal suspended in webs of significance he himself has spun..."
I guess it's my way of saying that what I blog about has meaning and significance to me -- but I am not going to presume that they have meaning and significance to others. So, a way of reminding myself to be modest, if you like. :)
4) How did it get started? What motivated you to start a blog and what keeps you going?
For what got me deciding to start a blog, you can actually go and look at my first entry:-
http://webs-of-significance.blogspot.com/2006/11/beginnings.html
But I can also tell you that when I started blogging, I was recovering from an ailment called frozen shoulder that had made it so that I wasn't working/employed at a time, so had plenty of time to think and compose my thoughts. Also, that I had two friends who were into blogging and they convinced me that blogging was worth my while. (Ironically though, they both don't blog all that much these days -- even while I continue to do so!)
As to what keeps me going: after I moved to Hong Kong in May 2007, blogging became a way to let people like my mother and interested friends know what I've been up to. And yes, I like how blogging helps me record and remember things (including about notable movies I've watched, hikes I've been on, places I've visited and things I've done on weekends and holidays, etc.).
5) How did you decide on what your main focus for your blog would be?
Hmmm... since I don't think that my blog has a main focus, maybe this is not a question I should/can answer!
6) Did any other blogs inspire and influence your blog? What other blogs do you read?
Re blogs that inspired me to get blogging: that would be those by my friends Brian (http://asian-cinema.blogspot.com/) and Ho (http://fallingstones.wordpress.com). Re other blogs I read: I read lots -- many of which can be found on my blogroll. :)
7) Is blogging a full-time job now? Or is it a side-hobby? And if so, what do you do besides blogging?
It's definitely not a full-time job as I don't earn any money from blogging! Re what I do besides blogging -- you mean professionally? If so, these days, I'm an editor for a newspaper here in Hong Kong -- and I also do consulting in Penang on museum and cultural heritage projects.
8) What are some of the perks you've enjoyed personally as a blogger? Alternatively, what have you gained or learnt from your blog?
Blogging allows me to practice writing pieces that are the length I want them to be on any subject I want. It also gives me an international audience to share my writings and photos with.
9) What is the most memorable compliment(s) you have received about your blog?
A Hong Kong friend of mine told me, after seeing my photos of Hong Kong on the blog, that the Hong Kong Tourism Board should hire me. :)
10) What would you like your readers to know about you which they may not already know from your blog?
Nothing. The nice thing about my blog is that I can reveal as much (or little) about myself as I want. :)
So head over there now to have a read at her blog:
http://webs-of-significance.blogspot.com
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Worthwhile and Interesting Blogs Which I Read Interview Series:) Interview Two:The Unbearable Lightness of Being.
Hey All,
Sorry about the long absence, but I've actually been away...on vacation!!!:-)I was in China for 3 weeks going through 12 different cities and towns from the North to the South, and from the East to the West. It was alittle like the Amazing Race given that I had scheduled it so tightly but I had always wanted to revisit China again and this time, really get to explore all of China and not stick to just the Beijing-Shanghai route. Anyways, more on my China trip (which i'll do a China Autumn Trip 2011 series on) later...below is Interview Two of my interesting blog series:-)
1) What is the name of your blog?
The Unbearable Lightness of Being Hungry.
2) When did you start blogging?
October 2007.
3) How did you pick the name for your blog?
It was honestly the least worst name in the sad (and small) pile of ideas!
4) How did it get started?
I started in October 2007, inspired by a meal at Bentley in Surry Hills that was so course-by-course awesome that I wanted to laser it into my memory forever. I also like eating as a way of rediscovering your own city - heading to Narrabeen for the spectacular grilled corn with chipotle and lime mayo or Terrey Hills for a hot chips pizza, etc.
5) What motivated you to start a blog and what keeps you going?
The fact that Sydney keeps repeat-offending on the "opening great new bar/cafe/restaurant" front is good inspiration. Also, there are lots of older places that keep doing incredible new things - there's Gelato Messina and its endless lottery of fun flavours. It's going to be even more impossible to decide what to order there after the gelato patisserie extension opens! The gelato hamburger that the staff is experimenting on looks amazing.
How did you decide on what your main focus for your blog would be?
See above, Sydney's (mostly) rewarding food scene was a way for me to get to know the city better - discover streets and suburbs I'd never visited. I like the idea that any mealtime could literally take you to a new place.
6) Did any other blogs inspire and influence your blog? What other blogs do you read?
I read far too many blogs to mention, but I especially like Lemon Pi - it's by a Sydney pastry chef who has worked at Bentley, Sepia and Marque. Her mix of witty, beautiful writing and inspiring recipes is very inviting. Melbourne Gastronome is a good example-setter in terms of Australian food blogs.
7) Is blogging a full-time job now? Or is it a side-hobby? And if so, what do you do besides blogging?
No, blogging is something I do for fun. I work at a magazine called Inside Out and also volunteer as a presenter at FBi radio in Sydney.
8) What are some of the perks you've enjoyed personally as a blogger? Alternatively, what have you gained or learnt from your blog?
I'm not really motivated by perks or launches or junkets (and there's no advertising or sponsorship on my blog or anything like that). Two rewarding & unforgettable things though: interviewing Nick Palumbo from Gelato Messina & him taking me on a spoon-by-spoon tour of the gelato cabinet. I think I tried almost every flavour! And when I went into Black Star Pastry to buy something and owner/chef Chris The said he had something for me - it was a special just-for-me pastry that wasn't on the menu. That made me feel quite lucky!
9) What is the most memorable compliment(s) you have received about your blog?
Finding out that the people who run the amazing restaurant Orto actually look up my blog for ideas on where to eat was lovely and unexpected. Also, Joanna Savill, co-editor of the Good Food Guide and director of Sydney International Food Festival has said some incredibly nice things.
10) What would you like your readers to know about you which they may not already know from your blog?
Some people might have the misleading idea that I have fancy food all the time or that I am very snobby about what to eat! The truth is I love a good cheese toastie or grease-stained bag of hot chips and I spend more time eating budget meals than lavish dinners. My wallet only stretches so far!
Please visit Lee Tran's blog for spectacular and unique food review experiences at:
http://www.theunbearablelightnessofbeinghungry.com/
Sorry about the long absence, but I've actually been away...on vacation!!!:-)I was in China for 3 weeks going through 12 different cities and towns from the North to the South, and from the East to the West. It was alittle like the Amazing Race given that I had scheduled it so tightly but I had always wanted to revisit China again and this time, really get to explore all of China and not stick to just the Beijing-Shanghai route. Anyways, more on my China trip (which i'll do a China Autumn Trip 2011 series on) later...below is Interview Two of my interesting blog series:-)
1) What is the name of your blog?
The Unbearable Lightness of Being Hungry.
2) When did you start blogging?
October 2007.
3) How did you pick the name for your blog?
It was honestly the least worst name in the sad (and small) pile of ideas!
4) How did it get started?
I started in October 2007, inspired by a meal at Bentley in Surry Hills that was so course-by-course awesome that I wanted to laser it into my memory forever. I also like eating as a way of rediscovering your own city - heading to Narrabeen for the spectacular grilled corn with chipotle and lime mayo or Terrey Hills for a hot chips pizza, etc.
5) What motivated you to start a blog and what keeps you going?
The fact that Sydney keeps repeat-offending on the "opening great new bar/cafe/restaurant" front is good inspiration. Also, there are lots of older places that keep doing incredible new things - there's Gelato Messina and its endless lottery of fun flavours. It's going to be even more impossible to decide what to order there after the gelato patisserie extension opens! The gelato hamburger that the staff is experimenting on looks amazing.
How did you decide on what your main focus for your blog would be?
See above, Sydney's (mostly) rewarding food scene was a way for me to get to know the city better - discover streets and suburbs I'd never visited. I like the idea that any mealtime could literally take you to a new place.
6) Did any other blogs inspire and influence your blog? What other blogs do you read?
I read far too many blogs to mention, but I especially like Lemon Pi - it's by a Sydney pastry chef who has worked at Bentley, Sepia and Marque. Her mix of witty, beautiful writing and inspiring recipes is very inviting. Melbourne Gastronome is a good example-setter in terms of Australian food blogs.
7) Is blogging a full-time job now? Or is it a side-hobby? And if so, what do you do besides blogging?
No, blogging is something I do for fun. I work at a magazine called Inside Out and also volunteer as a presenter at FBi radio in Sydney.
8) What are some of the perks you've enjoyed personally as a blogger? Alternatively, what have you gained or learnt from your blog?
I'm not really motivated by perks or launches or junkets (and there's no advertising or sponsorship on my blog or anything like that). Two rewarding & unforgettable things though: interviewing Nick Palumbo from Gelato Messina & him taking me on a spoon-by-spoon tour of the gelato cabinet. I think I tried almost every flavour! And when I went into Black Star Pastry to buy something and owner/chef Chris The said he had something for me - it was a special just-for-me pastry that wasn't on the menu. That made me feel quite lucky!
9) What is the most memorable compliment(s) you have received about your blog?
Finding out that the people who run the amazing restaurant Orto actually look up my blog for ideas on where to eat was lovely and unexpected. Also, Joanna Savill, co-editor of the Good Food Guide and director of Sydney International Food Festival has said some incredibly nice things.
10) What would you like your readers to know about you which they may not already know from your blog?
Some people might have the misleading idea that I have fancy food all the time or that I am very snobby about what to eat! The truth is I love a good cheese toastie or grease-stained bag of hot chips and I spend more time eating budget meals than lavish dinners. My wallet only stretches so far!
Please visit Lee Tran's blog for spectacular and unique food review experiences at:
http://www.theunbearablelightnessofbeinghungry.com/
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Worthwhile and Interesting Blogs Which I Read Interview Series:) Interview One: Ask a Korean.
I've always wanted to do an interview series of the blogs and bloggers which I read and I've finally found the time to do it. I am very humbled, honoured, and grateful to the willingness of the bloggers whom I've invited to be part of this series for accepting my interview requests despite often times never having read my blog or known that I've followed their blogs for so long.
I have read all the blogs recommended and interviewed for at least 1 year and above and usually for several years now. They range from blogs about Hong Kong cinema, to jottings on life in Hong Kong, as well as China themed blogs to Korean themed blogs.
I shall start this series with an interview of the well-known 'Ask A Korean' blogger, whom I've followed for several years now with his witty insights into Korean issues and racial issues in general. I like his blog cos we have quite similar background and interests,both having a law degree and background, having been born and bred in Asia before moving to the West when we were 16-17 years old, as well as both having a keen interest in Japan and WW2 in Asia, which is one of my most passionate topics (read posts related to this before). He has written posts about the comfort women which I applaud given that this may not be traditionally expected of someone falling into his demography, (i.e. straight korean male of an elite upper class background) and of cos, the fact that he seems very open-minded towards gays and sexual minorities earns him bonus points with me on top of his views on various issues which resonate with me (ie. the placing of undue importance on animal life over human lives, cultural imperialism over western objections towards dog-eating in certain Asian cultures, and the merits of traditional route learning as well as disciplined diligent studying, to name a few)
So if you haven't already checked out his blog, please do, even if Korean-related themes do not interest you in particular, his in-depth analysts and point of view on various issues and topics, should!!
1) What is the name of your blog? Ask a Korean!
2) When did you start blogging? October 2006
3) How did you pick the name for your blog? I named it after !Ask a Mexican!
4) How did it get started? What motivated you to start a blog and what keeps
you going?
I started it because I was finishing up law school and I was bored. Now, I keep it going because the questions keep coming.
5) How did you decide on what your main focus for your blog would be?
I know a decent deal about Korea, and I am a Korean American. It was a natural choice.
6) Did any other blogs inspire and influence your blog? What other blogs do you read?
Obviously, !Ask a Mexican! was a clear inspiration. I read tons of blogs -- too many to name at this point I think.
7) Is blogging a full-time job now? Or is it a side-hobby? And if so, what do you do besides blogging?
It's a side hobby. My day job is being a lawyer.
8) What are some of the perks you've enjoyed personally as a blogger? Alternatively, what have you gained or learnt from your blog?
I get free books once in a while -- that has been the only tangible perk so far. But I got to meet some very interesting people and learned quite a lot.
9) What is the most memorable compliment(s) you have received about your blog?
A lot of adoptees find my blog helpful. That really makes blogging rewarding.
10) What would you like your readers to know about you which they may not already know from your blog?
This takes a lot of time!
'Ask a Korean' website: http://askakorean.blogspot.com/
I have read all the blogs recommended and interviewed for at least 1 year and above and usually for several years now. They range from blogs about Hong Kong cinema, to jottings on life in Hong Kong, as well as China themed blogs to Korean themed blogs.
I shall start this series with an interview of the well-known 'Ask A Korean' blogger, whom I've followed for several years now with his witty insights into Korean issues and racial issues in general. I like his blog cos we have quite similar background and interests,both having a law degree and background, having been born and bred in Asia before moving to the West when we were 16-17 years old, as well as both having a keen interest in Japan and WW2 in Asia, which is one of my most passionate topics (read posts related to this before). He has written posts about the comfort women which I applaud given that this may not be traditionally expected of someone falling into his demography, (i.e. straight korean male of an elite upper class background) and of cos, the fact that he seems very open-minded towards gays and sexual minorities earns him bonus points with me on top of his views on various issues which resonate with me (ie. the placing of undue importance on animal life over human lives, cultural imperialism over western objections towards dog-eating in certain Asian cultures, and the merits of traditional route learning as well as disciplined diligent studying, to name a few)
So if you haven't already checked out his blog, please do, even if Korean-related themes do not interest you in particular, his in-depth analysts and point of view on various issues and topics, should!!
1) What is the name of your blog? Ask a Korean!
2) When did you start blogging? October 2006
3) How did you pick the name for your blog? I named it after !Ask a Mexican!
4) How did it get started? What motivated you to start a blog and what keeps
you going?
I started it because I was finishing up law school and I was bored. Now, I keep it going because the questions keep coming.
5) How did you decide on what your main focus for your blog would be?
I know a decent deal about Korea, and I am a Korean American. It was a natural choice.
6) Did any other blogs inspire and influence your blog? What other blogs do you read?
Obviously, !Ask a Mexican! was a clear inspiration. I read tons of blogs -- too many to name at this point I think.
7) Is blogging a full-time job now? Or is it a side-hobby? And if so, what do you do besides blogging?
It's a side hobby. My day job is being a lawyer.
8) What are some of the perks you've enjoyed personally as a blogger? Alternatively, what have you gained or learnt from your blog?
I get free books once in a while -- that has been the only tangible perk so far. But I got to meet some very interesting people and learned quite a lot.
9) What is the most memorable compliment(s) you have received about your blog?
A lot of adoptees find my blog helpful. That really makes blogging rewarding.
10) What would you like your readers to know about you which they may not already know from your blog?
This takes a lot of time!
'Ask a Korean' website: http://askakorean.blogspot.com/
Monday, October 10, 2011
'Nouveux Riches' laps up Indonesian wealth
A sign of the changing times...whereas the news stories coming out of Europe and America is one of Greece possibly defaulting and the credit downgrading of countries like Italy and Spain as well as food stamp crisis in America and it's continuing high unemployment with no end in sight soon..places in Asia, like Indonesia, have been growing rapidly in the past few years, creating incredible wealth and unprecedented burgeoning of the middle classes...when i heard in the video the guy had 70 cars, i was like..what?!!, was that 17 (still alot) or 70 that i heard? Confirmed after repeated listens, it's 70!
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