I want to do this too!!

The travels, I mean. =)

As I moaned about work vs. the grandiose plan of wanderlust, a friend told me of this guy who goes around dancing in different parts of the world. For free. All paid for! The things we achieve do with Passion. And Technology.



This part with all the videos that didn't make the cut was pretty funny. =)

Fishy Business

There are few things left in SoCal that I want to do before I leave. One of them is to go deep sea fishing, the other is to learn surfing. So last Sunday, I decided to seize the moment and go fishing, even though that meant waking up at 4am (!!!). To put things in context, I had only arrived home at 2am the same morning when I drove to Hearst Castle.

But I know I'll shoot myself on the foot for being sluggish in bed, so I woke up and drove at a speed of 95miles/hour (150km/hr lol) to get to the boat before it took off. Of course, I ended up being really early!

Before the entire fishing trip even started, there must have been thousands of fish on our boat - all live bait transferred from another floating bait boat. (very cool! and you should have seen the birds go crazy!)

It was my first time handling live bait (or actually, even fishing!) and I just love these steep learning curve opportunities! Everything was new from learning how to set up the rods to knowing how to catch a bait, to knowing where to poke the bait so it'd stay alive, to casting the line, to reeling the line in...it was a blast!

Thank God for Jacob - a retired Israeli who taught me how to fish... He was SOOOO SUPER PRO! He ended up winning the jackpot for "Biggest Catch of the Day" and later gave me 4 of his amazing sea bass!!! (so I could bring them home and cook them! hehe)

After the trip (6am-11.30am), Jason and I checked out the Dana Point Harbor and it didn't take us too long to figure out that we had to refrigerate our catch! So...we did something quite, quite creative in my view - see below! Lol! Really C&G mann...Cheap & Good!

Once our fishy fishes were taken care of, we decided to check out San Juan Capistrano, which I have heard of since Oct 2008 when I first started work in Irvine.

It was one of many (29?) missions in California in the early years, but is the only one (and the most beautiful one of all!) in Orange County. You can easily see why -

All these breathtaking beauty aside, here's some....gore once I got home.

Again, I've also NEVER gutted a fish. It's so crazy thinking of how moments ago it was just swimming in the sea, then it got caught, and now it's getting de-scaled and gutted. Being so new (I know, I know...) to it, I emulated what I saw on the boat (the crew were charging $1 per fish to fillet it) and watched some YouTube videos (lol!)

At the end of the day, everything went great and I had my sea bass and grilled saba! Really...unforgettable! Now I need to make surfing happen! :)

Hearst Castle "The Enchanted Hill"

I've long heard of Hearst Castle but never quite got the interest nor opportunity to visit until last weekend. I guess there's some truth in that when you live like you're dying, you really seize all the time you have. I have exactly 31 days to leaving the USA and I'm just trying my best to maximize my experience, particularly the weekends.

So last Saturday, Jennifer and I headed to Hearst Castle at 7am from Santa Monica. The castle was a mix of historic architectural styles that William Randolph Hearst admired in his travels around Europe when his mom brought him on a 1 year tour when he was 10 years old.

I learned a couple of things in this trip - besides learning about European architecture-

Lesson #1: If I ever have my old kid(s), I will definitely want to bring them on an extended trip to open their eyes to the world. Maybe something like a decadent decade experience every 10 years.

10 years old - when kids are soaking in the world

20 years old - when kids are still in college and willing to stick with you

30 years old - when kids are possibly newly married/ setting up their own family

40 years old - when they can bring their kids and I get to travel with my grandchildren

50 years old - when this is possibly my last big trip with them before the realities of life (aging) takes its toll

I recall how a portfolio manager and his family lives not in a mansion but in a boat in Hong Kong, and then the same one in Singapore. He related that the kids have learned so much about life - teamwork, communication, compromise, family support etc. in a small cabin space. They then sail around the world on their boat - very cool right? :)

Some of the A-list guests in Hearst's days consisted of Hollywood and political elite like Charlie Chaplin, Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. But after Hearst passed away, Hearst Corp donated the estate to the State of California and millions of people have visited Hearst Castle every year.

Lesson #2: Dreams are meant to be shared. Dreams also do come true if you work hard enough for it.

Given that we were not that far from the famous PCH elephant seals, we drove to let Jennifer catch a glimpse of these huge seals! The first time I saw them was when I went for the Gilroy Garlic Festival - never thought I'd get a chance to come back again. It's a really nice feeling. :)

Then we stumbled upon another nice discovery! The World Famous Pea Soup Place! lol.

Surprise begets surprises. We then stumbled upon another really cool place! Solvang- the Danish Capital of the USA, as I later wikipedia-ed and discovered!

Given that most shops have already closed by the time we got there (6+pm), I'll probably want to go back again in the day time if there's a chance and try the Danish pastries, Belgium waffles etc. haha....byebye organic detox!! lol.

Malibu // Career advice 101

Just had dinner with GCD at Gladstone, Malibu - a seafood place perched on the beach in Malibu. Lobsters, shrimps, mussels, calamari, fish, cerviche, oysters (yes, I finally had my 2nd raw oyster and actually liked it!), gosh - it was a feast. Bad for my organic detox, but more than a feast for the belly, it was a feast for the brain.

It's at times like this (which happens so often here in my company) that I feel like all the trials and struggles I've been through are worth it. There's so many outstanding people here at work whom I've known and learned so much from that I've also hopefully matured into a better person over the past 2 years.

Career advice 101:

1) Always look for what you are good at, instead of thinking of where's the best place to be at

2) Never stop learning: the day you're not learning enough, ask for/ make a change

3) Look for ways to cross-pollinate and add value, think of your competition and look for ways to differentiate yourself

4) To develop, think growth, not costs - don't develop the Post Office Syndrome (getting trapped in silly policies)

5) Use analogies to communicate ideas - E.g. Co. as the Big Tanker - slow but powerful, massive hiring as drinking 8 shots of vodka - you feel great while at it but have a terrible hangover thereafter

Southern California (SoCal) really is a wonderful place and I'm so lucky to be living a few blocks from the wonderful Santa Monica beach/pier. I know I'll look back on my life years down the road and be grateful that I took up this challenge... even though I admit that the journey's not been easy and life's been fairly lonely...

Anyway, I always try to make the best of everything. So when Jason came, we took the chance to soak in as much beauty as we can. We visited Zuma beach, one of the top beaches in Malibu and the Leo Carillo beach (SoCal's #1 beach with amazing tidepools, sea caves, dramatic cliffs and sheer beauty) -

Given that it was Father's Day, my sister/previous landlord Maria invited me over to her place to celebrate Father's Day in what was a surprise party for Jack. Suddenly, life doesn't seem so bad. ;)

Hollywood & Ice Age

Met Jennifer for an awesome visit to the La Brea Tar Pits & George C. Page Museum.

I went to work early (6am) and left early (3pm) and spending time outdoors and in the museum really made me feel like I was on vacation. Very heartening for the senses and soul!

It remains super fascinating to me how different Los Angeles must be 25,000 years ago - when Sabertoothed cats roamed, and Mammoth elephants trooped. I saw all these amazing Sabertoothed cats skulls and their crazy sharp teeth and was literally spellbound that 1) they exist(ed!) and 2) I could see my Childcraft encyclopedia come to life. I didn't even know it was from these tar pits that inspiration for the ICE AGE movies were drawn! But then again, duh...it's not surprising given that Hollywood's just 5 mins away!

On an aside note, today's special for 2 reasons: 1) It marks the start of my 2-week Organic Detox! and 2) You probably aren't reading this, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EDISON!

Peru - Part 1

Aside - studying for the CFA exam is not tough but tedious, and definitely full of tension. With maybe just 6 weeks left in the USA, I feel like I should be out playing, traveling, meeting people and just generally having the best summer of my life but here I am in my room in SANTA MONICA (just 10 blocks from the beach) feeling somewhat wretched. I will go for a jog by the beach later!

// For some reason, family and friends have been saying they're not able to view the photos of my Peruvian trip in Nov-Dec 2009 so I'm going to post them here on my blog. :)

Presenting...TRAVELS AND MUSES! - THE PERU EDITION

Muse #1: You always have less time than you think!

Muse #2: Good things come to those who let go, let flow and believe in the goodness of life.

Muse #3: Save (pack raincoats!) for a rainy day!

Muse #4: Eat, love, pray. We are not human beings in a spiritual world - we are spiritual beings in a human world.

Muse #5: Trust, but be not naive.

Muse #6: Success = Inspiration (spontaneity) meets perspiration.

In The Heights

When you love musicals (as I do), there comes a time when you run out of Broadway shows you really want to watch. So today, I treated myself to something random - In The Heights (& got treated to a complimentary seat upgrade! See how random it is?). The story explores characters' lives in the New York City Dominican-American neighborhood of Washington Heights. I went in knowing that it wasn't the type of musical I typically like, but I enjoyed the hip-hop, salsa (!!), merengue (!!) and soul music.

It was nominated for 13 Tony Awards and eventually won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2008. I'm a little skeptical of this award since almost every Broadway show has won this award in some year or another. But still... I enjoyed the Latino culture and it reminded me that I really need to get my hands on Cuban + Mexican flags!! (I collect flags of all the countries that I visit)

When I came out of the theater, it was snowing... It felt so magical to be alive. Soaking in the vibrant energy of the city. I've been reflecting a lot more these days and I think I'm beginning to understand myself better and what makes me tick. :)

Guggenheim Museum

Was really happy I took XMM's suggestion to go check out Guggenheim museum. I thought I'd been there in 2005, but apparently not.

I'm no art guru but Guggenheim is home to a renowned collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, early Modern and comteporary art. Even if one doesn't visit for the art pieces, I think the payback is good enough simply by soaking in the architecture of the museum.

It's a unique 7-storey spiral where art pieces can be hung along the walls of the spiral, with galleries on every floor. Really cool mann. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, it is one of the 20th century's most important architectural landmarks. It took Wright 15 years, 700 sketches, and six sets of working drawings to create the museum and I LOVE IT!!!!

MoMa - Museum of Modern Art

Took advantage of Free Friday to check out Museum of Modern Art, right next to my workplace at the Rockefeller Center.

I see beauty, but I also try to understand what makes particular art pieces special. Maybe I'm a skeptic, or maybe I'm not sufficiently well-versed in art, but some pieces really make me wonder how they're considered art. I mean...so art is relative right. But to warrant a place in MOMA (!)... I think I expected more.

Thought it was pretty cool, but too big. Too overwhelming. Like a buffet. So...I'd like to be able to identify with a piece (bonus if there's >1) in each museum that I visit. I found it just before exiting...This work below spoke volumes to me.

3 Star Michelin- Jean Georges

One of the things on my 6-hour planning list is to treat myself to a 3-star Michelin feast! Given that there's only 4 of such restaurants in the entire food capital of the world (New York), and not even a 1-star Michelin in Singapore, my gastronomic desire was finally fulfilled and my tummy can rest in peace today. LOL

Was good but I still think it can't rival Per Se:

Martin Luther King Day

Guess I knew who Martin Luther King was, but I never really knew much about him until it was Martin Luther King Day today and I felt I should take a moment to understand this man who gave me my 1 day holiday break. :)

Part of doing so meant exploring Harlem, and I used the internet to search for some famous landmarks that should put me on the right track... At the subway station, this series of Diesel ads caught my eye and I couldn't help stopping to look at them:

Being stupid is cool. How's that for a change?

I managed to find my way to Harlem and was a little apprehensive initially given how people have told me "it's a rough neighborhood...make sure you go there with a friend". But how to have a friend when I've just moved to NYC? Actually I have tried my best to make friends from all sort of channels but none have materialized - hai... Just got to let go, let flow. Sometimes it makes me wonder if there's anything wrong with me - I think I'm a fairly interesting person with a fairly good personality... but.... where are my friends??? Guess this is just part of having to contend with being overseas and moving every so often. The roots of such a tree never grow deep.

Oh, this brings to mind something I have been thinking about a lot today... I think there's a lot of wisdom in the following 2010 goals:

• Heart to heart
• Purity of heart
• Guarding your heart
• Having a heart

Anyway..I've digressed. Here are some of Harlem's landmarks - the Apollo Theater, Lenox Lounge and then there's Blumstein where Martin Luther King was nearly assassinated... but nobody seems to know where that is...

I also had my life's first SOUL FOOD today. Now I finally know what's Soul food, and what's Soul music. Soul food = food eaten by African Americans in the south. :) Turns out to be a bunch of oily fried stuff... but well, I justify the calories by the new experience!

Interestingly, my subway line connected to the Museum of Natural History and I decided to hop off and check the museum out. It was afterall, part of my 6 hours of planning over the weekend of where to go, what to eat and things I want to explore in NYC within the month that I'm here. FYI- food is high on my priority list! I now have my own list of the TOP EATING SPOTS in NYC! :) Ask me if you'd like that list! :)


Again, by coincidence, the subway I have to take to get home makes a connection at Times Square...so I got off and bought my Broadway tickets to Lion King (click for video) and In The Heights (click for video)! :)

I thought it was funny to see the T-Rex in Toys'R'us when I've just seen its genuine predecessors at the Natural History Museum... LOL :) It was an unexpectedly good day, and this post has also taken unexpectedly long to create & post... I've gotta cut down Facebook and blogging time to start concentrating on CFA studying which starts TODAY!!!

New York, New York!

Never in my life did I dream that I'll get a chance to work and live in New York. Well, maybe the brief thought once crossed me in 2005 when I first laid my feet on Times Square. I was then 19 years old. Dear oh dear, I haven't even seen the big "2" then and now I'll be at a "3" if we play the rounding-up game... :(

So life is queer with its twists and turns, as many of us sometimes learn... with my life in 2 suitcases in 2 years, I think I've really gotten to see a lot, experience a lot, grow a lot. The journey hasn't always been smooth, but it has been good.

My company has put me up in a A-class fully furnished corporate apartment. I feel undeserving of so much attention but am grateful nonetheless for this little 1-month perk. More of what my current place looks like -

I have had 5 places to call home (Santa Monica, Irvine, Koreatown, North Hollywood, New York) in the past year - isn't it crazy? I definitely have a clearer idea of things to consider when buying one! :) But beyond that, I think it almost reminds me that there can be no home on earth that isn't temporary.

And given that home is where the heart is, I think one reason why NYC is growing on me is because I've got at least a family member here - my cousin! He's a wild one - but has taught me lots of wisdom about life, and I'm so glad I get to see this part of him that I never knew in all my >20 years of knowing him. Sometimes life can be so unique and interesting - you know this guy for 20 years and you've barely spoken more than 20 sentences. Then you come to a new place and suddenly in 2 visits, you feel like you've known each other for 2 lifetimes... :)

This is also the same cousin I visited last October, where I spent my weekend painting his brand new apartment and helping him get set-up. Now we can compare and contrast the differences in his house - isn't it amazing? :)

Almost reminds me of the phrase: "Live life once at a time and make it a masterpiece!" I really think there's a reason for everything. Really.