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March 22, 2005
Trendy Sushi soo doesnt rock...
Stated on Geisha House Hollywood.com
GEISHA HOUSE provides a sexy dining experience that titillates the senses, beginning with the palate and continuing from there…
While most sushi restaurants tend to ignore or hide from Japan’s rich sexual history… GEISHA HOUSE embraces it.
Oh, that they do. They embrace the sexual history with having the house DJ spin music in a see through Japanese inspired dress with her wearing under nothing but a thong and bra. If this is how the Japanese live, I think im turning Japanese, i think im turning Japanese.... :p
At first glance,the restaurant, it doesn’t look like much. You do see the famous Geisha powdered face with the red lips at the corner of Hollywood and Cherokee. When walking to the entrance that is off of Cherokee, it looks like you are walking through an exclusive Hollywood club with the curtain over the door which you would think would reveal a man of stature in a black suit, sunglasses and an ear piece mic. However, no such guy was appeared. Maybe it was not a busy day since it was in the middle of the week. The walk away to the hostess is filled with red lights and mirrors that give you that illusion you are walking down a long hall.
When you actually step foot in the restaurant, you are instantly drawn to the bar. The bar with all its lights and television screens in what looks like its embedded into the wall, normally playing Japanese anime. Immediately across from the bar is what you would call the "trendy Hollywooders." You know, the little cliques you have in High School. Well this area is where the hip, happening hang out with their 10 dollar Martini and drink them without a car in the world.
So i get seated in where it looks at an obscure location to have a table. Right at the entrance of the stairs to the upper level of the restaurant and next to one of the decored what looks like a private booth as you see in the picture above. The music was a weird blend of today’s rock bands such as Modest Mouse and the Killers with the dance tracks of the 90s.
Service was excellent as you would expect from a restaurant from The Dolce Group. However the food may not be equal among them. I am a huge fan of Dolce, wonderful food, great vibe and good times. Im am not too easy to say that about Geisha House. Ive eaten at many Sushi places and the sushi here left me rather longing for something else. I ordered what i would usually get at any sushi joint, unagi which is fresh water eel, anything with avocado, and anything with tempura or is crunchy. The menu did indeed offer what i wanted, a Hollywood roll with crab or shrimp tempura, i cannot recall. Also got an eel and avocado roll.
I will have to say the sushi wasn’t on par with restaurants like Kabuki or even my new favorite place Sakana in Upland. Portions were quite minimal which is sort of amusing in a town that likes to be flashy and big and better. Sushi had way too much rice and not enough eel, avocado and even shrimp. I had a taste of the shrimp sushi which was more of the same. I found it odd that the sushi i was eating was from Genichi “Gen” Mizoguchi. He comes from a line of famous Sushi chef back in Toyko. Gen has even mastered the art of blowfish. After eating the sushi, i wished i had the blowfish so that i could gamble my life with a poisonious fish rather than eat more of the sushi. I will however give him a little slack since i did not ask if he was the one preparing the sushi. Only thing i really enjoyed was the Edamame which are the steamed soy beans and had a taste of the tempura. You cannot mess up tempura.
The only thing that kept me not hating the food and giving my thoughts to the chef was the vibe and the chicks. The backdrop to the smoking area was nicely lighted with the skyline of Tokyo. Serveral people especially girls were heading back to the smoking area, which made me wished i smoke so i can go out there and start some casual conversation with that girl...
Bottomline, i love the restaurant and everything, but you cant love it that much if the food isnt up to expectations or decent taste. I can see myself hanging out here and chillaxin at the bar and such. As for dining, i will give it a few more chances and see what else the place has to offer..
Girls, sushi, and rock and roll!!!
Posted by Anh at 10:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 19, 2005
Liberal Hollywood strikes again.. and i love it!!
Prankster, Romancer, Restaurant owner, whatever you want to call him. Ashton Kucher has done a lot. He has a new movie coming out staring Bernie Mac entitled Guess Who and even hosting Saturday Night Live with Gwen Steffani performing. I've hit up The Dolce Group restaurants and love them, however his Japanese fused Geisha House, which Ashton heads up, has left me rather disappointed. More to come..
Anyways, i am reading the April Interview and Ashton is on the cover and is being interview by Brad Pitt. The whole theme to this magazine is that celebrities interview each other and its a great concept. This is Ashton second interview in this magazine, his first was back in 2002 by David Spade. The interview over things as the usual small chat, whats going on, current projects, who to Punk'd and then it started going back to origins and Ashton hometown. That is went it got interesting.
Ashton was born and raise in a small town in Iowa. You know small towns in the mid west and subjects like religion and what not. After Brad asks Ashton about if his family was religious, they go into a conversation that i can relate to and express my views so much on the topic...
Brad: I think its amazing to be aware of that at that age [13]. My frustration with religion came from what i call the "safety mechanism" that asked you or told you that you needed to get God's word out.Ashton: In order to go to heaven. Yet there are all these kinds of safety caveats, like, you can do whatever you want, so long as you believe in this, I'm not a firm believer in that.
BP: Meaning its all forgiven in the end if you ask in His name.
AK: Ill be blunt about it. Where i grew up, so long as you believed in Jesus Christ and you asked for forgiveness, you could do whatever you wanted. That was pretty much the rule of thumb.
BP: Which amazed me that no one said, "Wait a second. I would never hang out with some guy who said, 'You've got to say I'm the coolest or you get nothing from.' Why would I want that from my God?"
AL: Or they never asked, "So, you're telling me that there's a tribe that lives in Australia that's never heard of this guy God, but all of the people in it are going to hell no matter what?"
BP: These were my same questions at the age of 6 or 7.
AK: And nobody could answer. Eventually I got an answer.
BP: Which was?
AK: Especially when the golden rule is supposed to be "Love thy neighbor."
BP: It sounds like you got out.
AK: I got out of religiosity and maintained spirituality.
I totally believe in what Ashton and Brad are saying. I find it so hypocritical that people lie, cheat, steal, use drugs, have sex knowing it is against their religion but just thinking going to church on Sundays and asking for forgiveness will allow all what you do wrong will be erased.
Hey, im not going to lie, im not perfect. I try not to lie, i know for sure i dont cheat. I havent cheated in high school as often as i think i would and other. Ive never had a concrete relationship to cheat. Stealing, i really really try not to do that. Drugs, well im young but we all know i dont do that. Sex... ok thats a no comment... Most of you already know my reputation on that level. Thats the very reason why i dont step inside a church or read the Bible. As for Church, im not going to go back until i can fully absorb everything that is being said. Reading the Bible, i had a recent brush in reading it. Why? I was observing myself and didnt like how i was treating this girl. Yes yes, its always about a girl, however i really wanted to gain some perspectives and i want to change for her. But i quickly learned that you cannot change someone without them wanting to. I needed to change for myself. So reading the Bible was a bust.. for now.. I dont want to get all religion up until i can into it and commitment to it and not do it half-ass. I was getting help with it, but thats over now... but i do thank her for helping me understand what i read when i was reading it. But what was wrong about that, was that i felt that i was just trying to keep some sort of line of communication with her and yeah..... more to come..
Final thought, religion has been the basic of genocide and murders and wars for way too long. Also i had someone who could have helped me get into that part that was missing in my life, someone who i would be willing to learn from. I had it, but i've lost it. Story of my life.. However, i am confident at the moment that i have only lost it...... for now....
Sundays?? Ill be at home playing Suzi homemaker or shopping...
Posted by Anh at 10:14 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
My Boo... oh!!! oh!!!
Alicia Keys came to town. Well Los Angeles that is because we all know Rancho Cucamonga is my town, then again Los Angeles, i am always there. Anyways. had the general day at work however i brought my change of clothes to work, so that i can change before work is over so that i head out right when work is done. So i bring my express jeans, versace button up and my chucks, and hang it up at my at my desk and get back to work.
Then i hear comments and i hear someone go, i know i make a few more bucks than you do, but i dont wear versace. I just looked at him and go, oh... its not versace, it Fosace. Everyone in the office started goin around making comments and shit and i was just like whatever. Its fake, blah blah, this and that. People asking prices, and i was like 10 dollars in the alley. I didnt want to say how much it was, but if you want to compare it cost about an iPod or so. THERE!! Jeezesh.. I wonder how they office would react if they found out i own more than 1 shirt.
Headed out to LA around 5:20 and made it out there at 6:30. Hella surprised. Met up with a friend at LA Weekly where they work, hung out there and what not. Walked over to the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland. Called time for press is at 7:45. Got my pass and then was escorted in. Heres the thing, i was 1 of 7 people who were allowed to take photos along side The Source, OC Register, and LA Time. I was the only one running around taking pictures because i had this little digital camera and the other photographers had these huge paparazzi lenses and shit. What i like to do is see how far i can push my press pass, i went right up to the front row and started taking pictures. The ushers would say no cameras and go back to your seat and i would point to my sticker and they would be oh ok. The security werent so nice, haha.
Kodak Theatre, hella nice venue. However it is pretty small. Of course it always look big on television. The capacity is 3,500. Very nice with them private booth thingys.
John Legend, ive had his album for awhile and havent listened to it. However, this dude is a great performer and he had some tight ass songs. Tracks like "I Can Change" "Used to Love You" "She Dont Have to Know" You can check out these tracks on my radio, when i have it up. Coming real soon. Anyways, Alicia Keys had a great set. She had this 50's vibe goin on with Cab Calloway and the whole band and what not as you can tell with the pictures below. I didnt get to check out the whole show because they had security on lock and kicked out the photo people after the second song. I wanted to get a review ticket but fuckin her tour PR chick didnt get me on it. This is the same chick who was bouncing me around with the Ashlee Simpson concert. Thats what i get dealing with people from NYC.
Oh!! before the concert, i see Farnsworth Bentley with a chick. This nigga is hella tall, but he was sporting purple pants. I was about to say. If ya dont know who he is, hes the dude who holds Puffy's umbrella. Ray Liotta was with his daughter which is a nice thing to do. Jane Yamamoto, from FOX was there. Dude i see her EVERYWHERE i go. Also, i found out Kanye West had a surprise appearance on her show on Thursday performing two songs. That would have been hot to check out.. Dude, i love the ladies who come out to Hollywood, so fione and diverse.. There was this chick sitting behind me, where we friggin caught eyes everytime i i turned around or leave me seat.. WOW! Did i mention i love LA?? I sing the phrases of Randy Newman all the time!! I LOVE LA!!
Here are the pictures i took with my shitty Canon S400 ELPH. Great photos for still, i needa go get a better one for distance,action, and lighting. Anyways, you can take these pictures if you like, but not for commercial use. They are copyrighted, so actually take them, and if i find out you will be paying me some moola. They can help me get my car faster. THANKS!!
Alicia Keys.... pretty much speechless....again
Posted by Anh at 7:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 13, 2005
"Be Cool" with Misha Barton....
Saturday.. headed out to Hollywood for what i believed was some fashion show type thing. I got the invite, i RSVPed. Wasnt too sure what whats really going on but i thought it would be cool if Misha Barton was hosting the whole deal. She is the spokesperson for Keds. Keds has this whole campaign around her entitled, "Be Cool." I heard a lot about it, but not really into the shoes personally, more of a chick thing.
Well my hair was hella long and i got a haircut thingy. Didnt feel like asking my mom for the haircut, half of you people know why but yeah. One of my co corkers had a friend who knows a friend and blah blah. So i get my haircut, took like a friggin hour. Was the only dude there, and yeah.. My mom has cut my hair since i was little except the time in 90 where i got this coupon for a free haircut at fantastic sams and got a mo hawk. No judgments! It was the 90s.. haha.. Kid and Play, you know that stuff. HAHA.. And the few times the family wanted to experiment with my dang hair. Anyways, the hair came out ok.. but... i havent been able to spike my hair for a few years now. I think i had it spiked in Conneticuit when i was living there and when i came back it could not be spiked anymore. I dont even care now. I dont even use gel anymore but i dont know.. After this haircut, i am rocking a messy spiked look and i guess its all good..
I left for LA at 5:30, hella hella late. I had to be at this LOST thing at 6:30 but i didnt make it. I didnt get there until 7:00. Then i proceeded to drive up and down Hollywood and Sunset. I had to find a ATM and i did. The Misha Barton party thing didnt start until 8:00, so it was all good. Man, does Hollywood get crowded on the weekends. I am usually not down there on the weekend driving around. Usually in some club or at some event. Anyways..
Gotta set it up. So earlier in the day, i was watching Powergirls on MTV. About Lizzie Grubman's PR firm and what not. The first episode, they were putting on the event to open Ruby Falls. They had the red carpet, people in front with the clipboards and what not. Then one of the PR chicks, said its about how you have to keep the wrong people out and let the right people in and have to turn away lots of people. That got me thinking, i bet anything it will happen to me.
So i show up at Day After, this ultra trendy and as far as i know invite only club right off of Hollywood and Highland. Show up at the door and do the usual tell them my name and show id to get a stamp or wrist band for the bar. My name isnt on the damn list. I was gonna get so crazy, i was like do you know who i am?? I told her i spoke to Suzanne who was the PR girl on this event, and funny how the person i was talking to was Suzanne. Ok before i go on, this girl had one too many plastic surgery jobs. Her lips were a little too big and her faced looked a little too pulled back, but what can i say?? its friggin Hollywood. Anyways. Had the whole thing settled and made my way into the club. Got a drink, open bar, gotta love it.
Hung out for a bit, this pace was really nice. I mean it was above Hollywood, you see the streets from the windows. It was a really nice place, it had its areas and rooms. It was pretty rad, they had an area for the press photos and what not. You know with the backdrop and such. Misha showed up and was wearing something hella funky like some little girl would wear. I havent seen or talked to her since my last red carpet movie premiere thing, which was sooo long ago. Why? im not going to get into that right now. But it was nice to see her again. Very very posh people in Hollywood. I have been out of the loop and man, but yeah it was hella nice there. Hot Hot people, and there was this one chick who.. really had a pretty big rack that didnt look right. Like im sure they were real but man.. again whats even funny. Ive seen her somewhere but yeah. Misha introduced Trespassers William, they were a pretty good band. Kinda reminded me of Zero 7. I chilled in the front with Misha, who was with her boyfriend i think. Havent kept tracked of her for awhile, so i am not really 
sure. She is sure looking cuter from the last i've seen her.
But it was a pretty tight party type deal. Free drinks is all i got to say, and party people. I wasnt really scoping out the people but i think i noticed Sara Rue from Less Than Perfect. She lost some weight and is looking pretty foxy. Oh if you are wondering if i took any pictures, its not that type of deal. Guestlist only and what not. I tend not to get autographs when i do other events. Its so... dont know whats the word but yeah. I did take a picture with my camera phone when no one was looking and where no one was for a split moment. It was of the stairs. It look really cool to me and yeah.. here ya go..
All and all, it was a good night. Back to my city which i will be coming back on Tuesday and Thursday. Cant wait for those days and the drive. HURRAY!!
Getting back into the mix, one party at a time
Posted by Anh at 10:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
its sooo random...
So i gave in, i got the new iPod Shuffle 1 gig model that goes for $149. Why did i get it you ask. Dont you have 2 iPods already you are thinking. Because thats what i do. Well actually theres a few reasons.
Because i can.. haha.. nah.. i got a few dollars sitting around, well more than usual, so i thought i pick this up. I need a light iPod for the gym and such. Wait, dont you have an iPod Mini that you use for the gym you ask? That iPod Mini i have... the pink one.. wasnt really suppose to be mine.. eehh.. ill talk about that a little later in another entry.. Bottomline, i got it for the gym, its pretty tight, and i needed a portable storage device. I highly recommand getting one if you are a music freak like i am.
Next on my to buy list?? The iPod Photo. Why? holds photos, is color and it shows the album cover on what you are listening to. Thats soo cool, i am selling my 40 gig ipod, that retails for 400 bucks and i am selling it for 250 for whoever.
First Celebrity whore, now iPod whore...Well it was man whore before the celebrity but tangent...tangent
Posted by Anh at 9:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
but your ratings are sooo low..
That is what generally was the mood all night. What am i talking about?? I am referring to the Jack & Bobby last Wednesday night at the DGA Theater complex in Hollywood.
Lets start off that i was sooo effin late. I left work around 5:20 and headed straight to LA. Dude the traffic was horrible and this was after work, so i was dead tired and everything. I got to the place at 6:58 and i was pretty much late for any interviews or photo opts. Just got to the press check-in and got my ticket and went right in. It wasnt too crowded, but i expected that because the show's time slot has been moved all over the place on The WB which usually means poor ratings, so they move it around to see how the show would do against other shows, other time slots, or a strong lead in.
Anywho, to be totally honest, i did try to follow this show. I checked out the pilot before the show aired and thought it was a great concept. If you havent seen the show or heard of it, its about a boy who grows up to be president. Simple concept, however it is much deeper than that. It goes through how experiences and family and friends can influence a president's decision 40 years down the line. The show has covered already topics such as gun control, sex, and usual dealings of everyday human emotions and politics. So i watched the show on and off, and to be honest i never found a great attachment to this show as i do with other shows such as Everwood because its so clever with human emotions. The OC, because its quite funny and i like to say i was into the show before anyone else was. The list goes on and on..
The panel started off with watching the show. The cast was in house in the front seats. Theres something about watching the show with the actors about 10 feet away from you. It gives an appreciation to their performance. In the house were, Greg Berlanti, Christine Lahti, Logan Lerman, Mickey Liddell, Matt Long, Jessica Pare, Edwin Hodge, Keri Lynn Pratt, and Vanessa Taylor. Greg Berlanti and Mickey Liddell are the creators for this show and also Everwood. That was enough for me, to hear the creators of one of my favorite shows talk and in person. I wished i had a chance to talk to them and tell them what a wonderful show they created. Christine Lahti, one of the premiere female actors in Hollywood right next to Joan Allen i would say. Logan Lerman, you may have seen him as the young Ashton Kucher in the Bufferfly Effect.
Anyways, the moderator, Susan Estrich who is some Law Professor and Political Science at USC was a horrible moderator. She started off the panel asking about the shows rating and why is it so slow. Greg Berlanti had to define the show and saying how it has great support and was not finding its audience, in which they are not. The show is kinda hard to digest because its on The WB which is pretty much teen dramas and what not. Jack & Bobby is a pretty serious show at heart on top of a teen drama, but what is still a political show. Pretty much the whole night revolved around this topic of ratings and nothing else. The audience, which was prodominitly the older folks made their comments known. I really like the show with its witty politcal references and the strongly liberal mom and the highly conservative college professor.
Sidenote.. is it me or am i a magnet for loud annoying people where i go? From my first Josh Groban concert, where the people who sat behind me had to have a loud conversation while he was on stage. Then to the second Josh Groban concert where one lady was conducting the concert with her glowsticks and the hamburger smelling lady. Like are you friggin kidding me?? Concerts, shows, events, anything that is in public. It really just is attracted to me and it sucks. Oh well..
As for the panel, i really wanted to hear more about how they were casted and what did they go through to have their part, but it was more and more about ratings, the show, and the audience defending the show. I found it really upsetting. However, what was good about the night is that i saw the Josh Groban concert billboard for the Vegas show, and thought that was pretty cool..
Jack & Bobby, Wednesdays at 9:00PM on The WB. Support the Show
Posted by Anh at 7:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 11, 2005
Google Strikes again..
Google evenyone's favorite browser to search for legal sorts such as your favorite singer, actor or researching things to school to the illegal sorts of downloading mp3s, downloading movies, pretty much downloading anything. You may also want to know that job employeers and even your college admissions officer may even try a Google of you. However you can also commit the most violating and illegal act you can do, identity theft.
You may or may not know, but Google has functionalty of searching for images, news, deals, their own email client GMAIL and even their new feature Google Maps. But what you might not know is that you can search for phone numbers. Yes phone numbers. If you put in a phone number, you can get a a result of an address and they will even map it out for you and give you directions to that very phone number. I have tried this and right now it looks like its land line phone numbers. So you might want to think twice about giving out your house number if you think the person you are giving it to is a little effiy. Go ahead and Google your number..
Google...helping us?? or hurting us??
Posted by Anh at 8:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 10, 2005
Josh friggin Groban still rules!!
Click on the picture if you wanan check out a larger version...
Welps, heres the billboard off on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, pretty darn close to his house i hear. I just thought it was pretty cool its all up in Hollywood and lots of people still havent heard of him. This show is going to be hella hella amazing.. Sooooo cant wait to check it out.. Whos gonna be there? Floor seats right here baby!! VIVA LAS VEGAS!!!
What is it like, 5th time i see this dude perform in person??
Posted by Anh at 8:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 9, 2005
Test your Typing Speed.
I know its hella random, thats why its under that category but i need to finally figure out what my typing speed is one and for all. I scored only 88 words per minute which is pretty decent on one sentence Better than around 50 what i thought before. I tried it again and got 102 on another sentence. Once again then got 109. I am just gonna go with the concusion that i type really fast.. Test your speed here..
All that im chatting pays off
-A
Posted by Anh at 8:55 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 1, 2005
PF Changs Fortune #2
You will attend an unusual party.
Posted by Anh at 10:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack