June 30, 2008
[totes tranny] OMB, I have no idea why I am posting this but I wanted to share with y'all what a Hot Gaysian Tranny Mess (HGTM) is capable off. At the beach. Walking down the main drag (pun intended) -- Rehoboth Avenue -- like it's a runway (and almost fell off it). In another tranny's CFMPs.
Presenting:: "I'm Working It As Much As I Can!"
Disclaimer:: I was totes dwunk!!!
Warning:: Professional Tranny on an open sidewalk in a gay beach town. Do not attempt this at home!
Sponsor:: Park & Ride T available at Ajaxx63
OMB. That's all.
And this was before what will forever be known from now on as the "Incident" at Lupo di Mare where this HGTM yelled -- at the top of her lungs, no less -- "you lied to me!" repeatedly at the wait staff over a candle for Patrick's birthday dessert.
All's I have to say is hell hath no fury like a gaysian lied to.
Totes Tranny Ferosh Beach Weekend, LOL!
Pictures! Der... @ 17:59
[don't text and drive] As you all know by now, I am a Nazi when it comes to vehicular safety. I am constantly screaming at friends and family to buckle up; even in the back seats. And I get ferosh when someone, anyone talks on their mobile while driving, forcing them to pull off to the shoulder (or to get on hands-free) before continuing.
So, CNN's Quick Vote today:
Have you ever sent a text message while driving?
I, of course, clicked on the "Yes" radio button.
I know, *shame*. But I've done it more times than I can think and I can't seem to stop. It's like an addiction. I usually just read the texts but if I've been known to reply as well.
I *heart* texting long time!
...but not as much as Blake :-o @ 17:40
[half gone] The two weeks between the summer solstice and Fourth of July are my favorite weeks of the year. That's when the sun sets at its latest here in DC -- 8:37pm.
Nevermind that the longest day of the year is actually on June 20th (or 21st) -- 14h 54m of daylight! Sunset is actually a minute later for the two weeks after the solstice before becoming earlier again. The sun rises later -- which is why the days become shorter after the solstice -- but that doesn't concern me coz, well, I *never* see the first light of the day. That is if I'm not still up from the night before ;-) So, the later the sun sets, the better!
I still remember fondly the days when the sun would set at 9:30pm in London; which is so much farther north it gets 2 hours more daylight than DC on its longest day! It totarry screws with your dinner times (eating dinner when it's light out? tranny, pls...) but it's still bloody awesome.
The past two weeks -- starting with Pride -- have been, expectedly, totes kwazy. You've all heard about Pride weekend already. Following that weekend, I went out five nights in a row beginning Tuesday night -- the first of two (or, potentially, three!) 80s nights in a row. This past week, I repeated the Tuesday - Saturday cycle with the added bonus of a trip to the Rehomo.
And the second half of 2008 will kick off with a non-stop party that will stretch from tomorrow night all the way into the weekend in Playa del Carmen, Mexico! I can't wait for Playa -- sun, sand and tequila! I have no idea how my liver does it but I talk to it at the end of every night out and it seems to be holding up just fine. Practice makes purrfect! It's a good lil' liver down there. I have to remember to send it chocolates and flowers for V-Day. Oh hell, I'll probably just give it more Vodka.
Yes, the year is half gone. It's shocking, really. I don't know where all my weekends have gone but it's safe to say that, without this blog, I would not remember many of them LOL. I'm getting really bad at writing about my weekends and putting up pics on here coz, well, all that info is now on Facebook *giggle*. I am such an FB-junkie these days.
If I thought the first half of 2008 went by too quickly, then the second half promises to be on speed. Mexico beckons in three days. Three weeks after we get back, we are headed to China for 2 1/2 weeks for the 2008 Olympics (yay!!). Summer will almost be over by the time we get back. The crazy DC fall party schedule will kick into high gear after Labor Gay weekend. Then, we have a 2 1/2-week trip to Malaysia (and God only know where else) in late-Oct/early-Nov for my friend's wedding. And then the Thanksgiving/Christmas madness kicks in. Before you know it, 2009 will be here! Argh.
Our lives are such a whirlwind these days I almost don't know how we make time for sleep (hence, my constant sleep-deprived bitchy mood these days). Makes me long for a boring, suburban, straight person's life. Almost.
I mean, if times flies when you are having fun, then I must be having a tranny ferosh of a time!
T minus 3 days to Playa, T minus 26 days to China! @ 17:34
June 29, 2008
[hot twanny texts] So I have a new text-buddy and I am almost ashamed to admit this as a gaysian (who invented and manufactured all the devices that y'all text on) but Blake's texting puts mine to shame in terms of quantity. On a monthly average basis, he sends three times more texts than I do (that's almost 10,000 texts!!). If he didn't have an unlimited plan, that would be like a thousand bucks in texts alone :-o
Anyho, we send random hot tranny texts to each other. He's almost supplanting Rick as my tranny text-buddy. Almost.
Blake:: At the end of Zoolander when he speaks to your prime minister, is he speaking your language?
Me:: Yup, bahasa. That was random lol
Blake:: I just watched it lol
Me:: And you thought of me? Aww. I'm so touched I'm touching myself
Blake:: I wish i was touching you ;-)
Me:: Eww, isn't that like me robbing the cradle? Lol
Blake:: No... That's if you were touching [friend-who-shall-not-be-named]
Me:: I don't mind going to jail for that lol
Blake:: Buying a whore is a felony
Me:: Oh, I wasn't thinking of paying lol
Blake:: Haha um... We are going to Apex tonight... He can crash in your ass.. Err... Place?
Me:: My ass just twitched and is now quivering in anticipation
Yes, I officially know an actual whore now, LOL.
We were at the Finnish Embassy for the Metro Teen Aids auction event this past Thursday...
Blake:: We are heading to r street
Me:: I'm at the Finnish Embassy
Blake:: Embassy party?
Me:: Yup. Three words. Hot. Scandinavian. Trannies.
Blake:: Take one home. Hell, for 150, take three
Me:: One each for the three of us eh
Blake:: Exactly. It's for a good cause
While we were at the Embassy, Blake parked his bimmer next to mine in our driveway...
MMS pic
Blake:: One broken sideskirt and one scrapped up front later and I'm in!
Me:: Aww. Our bimmers are like lesbian lovers!
He's such a tranny driver.
But, of course, no one is funnier on text messaging than my Wick! And he's been at the beach in NC this past week so I've been going through a texting drought. Blake's been filling in, of course :-)
So I set my Facebook status message to "Kiat is drowning his Supreme Court sorrows at the Finnish Embassy -- fwee dwinks!"
Rick:: Rick is wishing he was drowning her Supreme Court sorrows at the Embassy of Finland... Fwee dwinks!
Me:: You are a fucking tranny Ferosh
Rick:: no, YOU are tranny Ferosh... I insist
Me:: We are tranny Ferosh! I've got all my trannies with me
Rick:: can you get me another vodka cran and soda please?
Me:: Done!
Rick:: fetch
Me:: Tretch
Rick:: Fetchrosh
Me:: ROR. So dwunk
Rick:: fwee dwinks!
dwinks and twinks
Me:: Ferosh! We miss you rong time
Rick:: less than 48 hours until tranny reunion
Me:: I won't be here
Rick:: tranny not happy :-(
Me:: Lol. Sowwy
Rick:: you be sowwy for long long time
Me:: Folever sowwy
Yay! I'm so happy he's back in DC now!
While he was driving back from NC...
Rick:: Best roadside sign yet: "Hookers: Bait and Tackle". LMAO! Spotted 737am; blog-worthy rating: High
Rick:: Second best sign: "welcome to Coinjock"... just so many things I could say about that one... Blog-worthy rating: Honorable Mention
Rick:: #3: "Bottoms Bridge". Shouldn't that be a tunnel??
Me:: ROR!
Rick:: Me miss chinky twanny long time
Me:: Don't you mean "rong" time?? Wow, we've been apart so long our shared bwain is detaching
Rick:: It will weattach, don't wowwy
ROTFL! I think #3 should be #1. BTdubs, ROR = Raff Out Roud, der.
Blake:: Omg you did nothing but blog at work on the 26th lol
Me:: Why are you reading Kiat.net??
Blake:: Why not?
Me:: Coz it's big like my hair... It's full of secrets
Blake:: Haha duh, it's the repository
Me:: ...of fetch gossip
Blake:: Fetch? I was gonna say tranny
Me:: Fierce tranny gossip
Why do ppl read my blog?? Totes embawassing.
So we are in Rehomo for the weekend for Patrick's birthday, and we got massive fit-shaced last night at Cloud 9. And I, of course, being the gaysian tranny that I am, took a billion pictures (surprise) and dwunk-texted all my twannies.
Me:: OMB, so dwunk. I'm gonna be dwunk texting you all night lol
Blake:: Yaaay lol. At least you can still spell dwunk
Me:: On Tranny9! Worship my phone lol
Rick:: Yay!! Dwunk twanny texts!!! Bwing it on!!
Me:: I wuv and miss you! For the next 5 mins until I find other HTMs to hang out with
Rick:: HTM slut!
One wonders how my phone hasn't exploded from all the text messages that come in and out of it on a daily basis!
It's a very lazy Sunday afternoon here by the beach. It's not really a good beach day (cloudy, humid, weird high tides, storms coming) so we may be heading home soon. Plus, I woke up with the most massive hangover and I don't think I can drink another drop of liquor at Aqua...
...but maybe at JR's :-D @ 14:11
June 27, 2008
[beach bound] Yay, we're off to Rehoboth today for the first time this year! Way overdue, if I may add.
The weather will be kinda yucky though (mid-90s and stormy) but no matter... I am all about relaxing and partying and getting a tan that will make all y'all blush ;-)
And all this is thanks to the incredible generosity of Rob/Carlos who graciously open up their beach home (a new one this year!) to their friends year after year. We're lucky to be counted as one of them!
And if for some bizarre overcast reason I don't get a tan this weekend... there's always next weekend! Yup, Mexico is calling out our names for Fourth of July weekend. TWO back-to-back beach weekends in a row. How will I survive?! @ 15:42
June 26, 2008
[office pics] Yea yea, I've been pretty lax about posting pics recently. Not that there has been a paucity of pics or anything (der, I'm Asian and I have a camera phone :-p). It's just that most of the pics are up on Facebook and I'm too damn lazy to replicate them on here (shock and horror, I know).
But here are some pics of my newly decorated office (we just moved down the hall)... you won't find these on Facebook i.e. it's an exclusive! :-D
[L] My desk! I have a window office, yay me :-D
[R] *giggle* No, that sticker did not come with the office :-p
[L] The pictures of Malaysia and Japan on my wall. A little washed out from the sun, but you get the picture.
[R] My parasol windchimes aka parachimes. They're oh-so-chinky and awesome!
[L] "When I think of Happiness, Happiness begins!"... not much of that at work these days, hrmph
[R] I have more stickers! I'm still pondering where to put the "I'm Not A Tranny" sticker...
The melange of colors that is Malaysia -- Truly Asia!
Y'like? @ 15:46
[0.15%] 10,100,000 strong. That's how many High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) there are on the planet in 2007, a 6% increase from 2006. The world's millionaires club is getting bigger -- and its members decidedly richer.
Note that HNWIs refer to individuals whose net investable/liquid assets are valued at $1mn or more, including checking, savings and retirement accounts, mutual funds, stocks and bonds; home values are not included in asset totals.
Asia is emerging as a powerhouse region as far as HNWIs are concerned.
According to the 12th Annual World Wealth Report (by ML and Capgemini), Asia now boasts 2.8 million millionaires/HNWIs (total wealth = $9.5 trillion) and fast catching up to North America's 3.3 million ($11.7tn) and Europe's 3.1 million ($10.6tn). Those three regions are far ahead of the 400,000 each in Latin America ($6.2tn) and the Middle East ($1.7tn), and Africa with a paltry 100,000 millionaires ($1.0tn).
China and India, the world's two most populous countries, this year also became the fastest-growing generators of millionaries, notching up increases of 22.7% in India to 123,000 individuals, and 20.3% in China to 415,000. China passed France as home to the fifth-largest number of millionaires in the world. China has its sights set on Britain's 494,500 millionaires next.
Brazil's yearly growth of millionaires is third with a 19.1% growth to 143,000. South Korea's number of millionaires grew 18.9% to 118,000 and Indonesia is fifth with a 16.8% annual increase to 23,000. Singapore was last year's millionaire growth champion at 21.2%. This year's pace for the island-nation/city-state is 15.3%, rising to 77,000 millionaires.
All told, global assets held by the wealthy millionaires rose by 9.4% to $40.7 trillion in 2007 -- below 2006's 11.4% growth -- with the average exceeding $4 million (wow) for the first time. The United States lead the ranks of number of HNWIs with over 3 million, followed by Japan with 1.5mn and Germany with 826,200. One in every thre millionaires in the world lives in the US. Combined, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America account for just one in 10.
The even more rarefied group of the superrich (Ultra HNWIs) -- those with at least $30mn in assets -- got richer, too. There were 103,000 of them around the world last year, an 8.8% increase from 2006, and their wealth grew by nearly 14.5%. This 1% of the world's millionaires controls about a third of the $40.7 trillion.
The conclusion? The rich got richer, and the richest of them got richer even faster!
Ten million HNWIs may seem like a big number for such an elite club, but it still represents only 0.15% of the world's 6.7 billion people.
Are you in the Top 0.15%? ;-p @ 14:13
[blattodephobia] I'm not even sure if that word exists but if it remotely describes cockroach phobia, I have it!
I haven't written about my "cockrophobia" since 2005 -- You should go to the AUG 26 posting. I just re-read it and it's hilarious! Who knew I could get so animated about cockroaches. I *heart* my cockroach fortress; and yes, I still build them until this day. And when we're at a hotel, I always make Tony order more pillows for my fortress. Yes, I'm 31. Shut it.
The reason why blattodephobia crossed my mind today is coz of this article about Wall-E -- the highly-anticipated movie by Pixar coming out tomorrow. I think it's sooooo incredibly skin-crawlingly gross that Wall-E is gonna have a pet cockroach!
Yuck. I mean, I can put up with rats in Ratatouille, but cockroaches?! Eww, gross, bleagh, disgusting! @ 13:12
[$2,285 to go] I was furious enough about the Supreme Court ruling that I made my first ever donation to the Obama 2008 campaign.
All of $15 *giggle*
Actually, I did it mostly because they sent out an e-mail promising to send us all a cool little car magnet (I want!) for a $15 donation. I was like, der.
I *did* emphatically say that if Obama decided to forego public funds for the general election campaign, I would give him the full $2,300 amount that is the maximum that any individual can contribute.
Well, $2285 to go!
Isn't America great? I am only a green card holder so I can't vote, but they allow me to give money!
Yup, even our democracy is subservient to capitalism.
p.s. OK, I lied. Tony and I donated $20 each at Pride two weekends ago to buy Obama Pride T-shirts. But that wasn't really a campaign contribution... was it? *confused* @ 11:15
[supreme wrong] This is just plain depressing.
In a tragically flawed ruling just now, the US Supreme Court wiped out DC's 32yo ban on handguns.
The part that irritates me the most is that the ruling is 5-4. Ever since Bush v Gore, one cannot help but look at the US Supreme Court with ill-regard as these 5-4 rulings pile up.
I think today's ruling is particularly heinous.
The facts speak for themselves:
Gun-related homicides in other countries: Australia -- 56, Canada -- 184, UK -- 73, NZ -- 5, Sweden -- 37.
In 2005, 30,694 ppl in the US died from firearm-related deaths -- 12,352 homicides, 17,002 suicides, 789 accidents, 330 by police intervention, and 221 unknown.
That is EIGHTY FOUR a day.
Most heartbreaking of all, 8 of the 84 were children and teenagers 19 and under.
For every one of those 8, an average of 6 others were estimated to be non-fatally wounded.
Firearms are the second-leading cause of death (after motor vehicle accidents) for young people 19 and under in the US.
The rate of firearm death of 14 and under is almost 12 times higher in the US than in 25 other industrialized countries *combined*.
Why are Americans so stupid?
And the guy who brought the suit against the District which ended up with this Supreme Court ruling? I hope he rots in hell, smeared with the bloods of all the innocent lives that would've been spared had it not been for his idiocy and selfishness.
I am furious. @ 10:40
June 25, 2008
[full of shit] OMB, this NYT article -- An Honor That Bush Is Unlikely to Embrace -- totes made my day!!!
I loved SF before. Now I just want to move there, LOL!
I mean, let's face it... He *is* full of shit. @ 14:07
[90% love] This is awesome, thanks Joenn!
Sorry it's kinda tiny; Joenn lifted it off of someone's FB page (yes, she's a FB whore *grin*)
I *heart* noodles rong time! My latest kick is Sichuan Dan Dan Mian (noodles), of which Tony makes a KICK-ASS version *drool* @ 11:20
June 20, 2008
[5 inches] I told Rick about the whole Chinese = Black in South Africa thing, and he deadpans: "I guess your penis just grew 5 inches".
ROTFLMAO! @ 12:35
June 19, 2008
[tranny-sitional] Tyler and me over FB...
Tyler:: magazine? what one.....Tranny Weekly?? Tranny Home and Garden? Tranny Illustrated?
Me:: Tranny Weekly, LOL!!!
Tyler:: I just saw! you were so close to getting cropepd out, or cut in half! you wuold have been a tranny in transition!
ROTFL @ 15:59
[bee] OMB, this is hilarious -- S Africa Chinese 'become black' -- LOL! (thanks Aaron)
See my booty get down like, woo! ;-)
I guess I'll "never go back" now *giggle*.
So... If I'm yellow AND black, does that make me a bee? @ 15:45
[ssdd] Same Shit Different Day.
I guess the honeymoon had to end at some point, and the love that I had for my job has definitely hit a (low) point of no return. I never understood why people liked to inject personal shit into the daily work grind. It's kinda like how I will never understand why Americans voted for Bush. TWICE.
I guess it ain't so bad. The past few days of unbeatable weather (60s and high 70s) has definitely kept my spirits up. That, and the marathon drinking sessions with my besties!! ;-)
Thanks for keeping me sane, ladies. @ 13:33
[mw cover] OMB! Tony and I are on the cover of a magazine!!! *squeal*
That is fee-ahrce! I'm gonna try and get a larger/hi-res copy from MW... @ 11:39
June 18, 2008
[bwain] OMB, my bwain is symmetrical!
Scientists at the Karolinska Institute studied brain scans of 90 gay and straight men and women, and found that the size of the two symmetrical halves of the brains of gay men more closely resembled those of straight women than they did straight men. In heterosexual women, the two halves of the brain are more or less the same size. In heterosexual men, the right hemisphere is slightly larger. Scans of the brains of gay men in the study, however, showed that their hemispheres were relatively symmetrical, like those of straight women, while the brains of homosexual women were asymmetrical like those of straight men. The number of nerves connecting the two sides of the brains of gay men were also more like the number in heterosexual women than in straight men.
And after yesterday's series of dwunken twanny mess, um, "events" -- 2-hour birthday lunch at Kinkead's (with Chuck, Michael, Rob), followed by an event with LA Gary and Rick, then Logan Tavern for dinner (with Gary, Rick, Blake, L'David), then JR's (same), and finally climaxing with 80s night at Cobalt (same) -- that symmetrical bwain of mine has very few cells left.
Half a bottle of champagne, a whole bottle of white wine and FOUR cocktails... by myself! On a Tuesday night!!
Pride weekend is turning into Pride Month!
p.s. BTW, 80s night at Cobalt is tranny ferosh! @ 10:15
June 16, 2008
[vodka iv] Some days at work, I cannot agree with this more:
*giggle* Thanks Aaron! @ 17:30
[california dreamin'] In a little under three hours from now, California will join the state of Massachusetts, as well as Belgium, Canada, Netherlands, South Africa and Spain as places where same-sex marriage is legal. This is no small step in the journey that is equality for the GLBT community in America.
California, America's most populous state (popn 36.6mn), will -- at 5:01pm EDT today -- be the second US state to allow homosexual couples to wed. The significance of the world's 10th largest economy and where almost 1 out of every 8 Americans live surpassing this final hurdle for gay rights is undeniable.
To top it all of, unlike MA where you have to be a resident to get married there, anyone can get a marriage license in CA. And NY, for one, has already said that it will honor same-sex marriages in CA. CA, NY and MA together accounts for 1 out of every 5 Americans. Today is momentous indeed.
Four years ago, nearly 4,000 gay couples weer married in SF. Within months, their unions had been anulled by the CA Supreme Court. A month and a day ago, that same court struck down the state's marriage laws and opened the door for same-sex marriage.
Sure, there are issues. For one, many newlyweds will return to their home states which explicitly reject same-sex unions. And Californians themselves fret that the Nov 4 ballot initiative to ban such unions in the state constitution might pass, effectively creating 5 short months of shotgun weddings. And finally, if such an amendment to the constitution passes, will couples who wed in the next 5 months still be married in November?
Regardless, nothing will take away the fact that today is a joyous day for Californians and all gay Americans who now have the opportunity to obtain a marriage license and to prove that, "We're all the same people, all of us. You're no different than I am. Our love is the same." -- Ellen to Sen. McSame.
My only hope is that where California leads, America will follow.
Am I taking the first flight out to California? Umm, no :-) Besides, I'm Chinese and a wedding would not be complete without my family... @ 17:02
[pride w/end] Wow, what a weekend!
From a hot tranny mess JR's-Nellie's-Town drink-a-thon (with celeb-spotting of HTM herself!) on Friday night, to a drenched Parade around Dupont Circle on Saturday night followed by drunk tranny mess post-Parade celebrations at -- where else -- JR's, culminating in a gorgeous, sun-soaked Sunday on Pennsylvania Avenue for the Pride Festival with the perfect end to the perfect weekend at -- you guessed it -- JR's for $2 Pride-weekend-ending drinks!
My liver protested. Heavily. My eyelids are protesting today. Very, very heavily.
I sauntered in to work this morning looking like death warmed over:
Co-Worker:: How was your w/end?
Me:: [looking dazed] It was Gay Pride weekend. Go figure.
Co-Worker:: And which weekend would not be?
LOL! I party like every day is my birthday. And I celebrate like every weekend is Pride!
p.s. I have a billion pics to put up. Patience, trannies!
pp.s. I need sleep. LOTS of it. @ 16:22
June 13, 2008
[capital pride 33] BTW, before I forget, Happy Pride everybody!
Yes, it's that time of the year again... There will be lots of drinking in the heat, lots of sweaty parties, the weather will be predictably horrible, the Parade tomorrow night will be hot, sweaty, tranny and messy, and the Festival will be miserably crowded. And hot. And sweaty. And messy.
But it's a weekend of celebration. I, for one, will be proud... Proud of my liver for taking so much abuse over the past year. I *heart* my liver.
Pride = Party! ;-) @ 18:32
[supreme court 3, bush 0] This NYT Editorial -- Justice 5, Brutality 4 -- so perfectly summarizes the Bush Administration's abhorrent and despicable attempts to rip apart the Constitution, I really have nothing else to add...
For years, with the help of compliant Republicans and frightened Democrats in Congress, President Bush has denied the protections of justice, democracy and plain human decency to the hundreds of men that he decided to label "unlawful enemy combatants" and throw into never-ending detention.
...that "he" decided to label... LOL! I love it when the NYT Editors get feisty. Love it, love it, love it!
Twice the Supreme Court swatted back his imperial overreaching, and twice Congress helped Mr. Bush try to open a gaping loophole in the Constitution. On Thursday, the court turned back the most recent effort to subvert justice with a stirring defense of habeas corpus, the right of anyone being held by the government to challenge his confinement before a judge.
The court ruled that the detainees being held in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, have that cherished right, and that the process for them to challenge their confinement is inadequate. It was a very good day for people who value freedom and abhor Mr. Bush.s attempts to turn Guantánamo Bay into a constitutional-rights-free zone.
The right of habeas corpus is so central to the American legal system that it has its own clause in the Constitution: it cannot be suspended except "when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it."
Despite this, the Bush administration repeatedly tried to strip away habeas rights. First, it herded prisoners who were seized in Afghanistan, and in other foreign countries, into the United States Navy base at Guantánamo Bay and claimed that since the base is on foreign territory, the detainees' habeas cases could not be heard in the federal courts. In 2004, the court rejected that argument, ruling that Guantánamo, which is under American control, is effectively part of the United States.
In 2006, the court handed the administration another defeat, ruling that it had relied improperly on the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 to hold the detainees on Guantánamo without giving them habeas rights. Since then, Congress passed another law, the Military Commissions Act of 2006 that tried . and failed horribly . to fix the problems with the Detainee Treatment Act.
Now, by a 5-to-4 vote, the court has affirmed the detainees' habeas rights. The majority, in an opinion by Justice Anthony Kennedy, ruled that the Military Commissions Act violates the Suspension Clause, by eliminating habeas corpus although the requirements of the Constitution . invasion or rebellion . do not exist.
The court ruled that the military tribunals that are hearing the detainees' cases . the administration's weak alternative to habeas proceedings in a federal court . are not an adequate substitute. The hearings cut back on basic due process protections, like the right to counsel and the right to present evidence of innocence.
It was disturbing that four justices dissented from this eminently reasonable decision. The lead dissent, by Chief Justice John Roberts, dismisses habeas as "most fundamentally a procedural right.' Chief Justice Roberts thinks the detainees receive such "generous" protections at their hearings that the majority should not have worried about whether they had habeas rights.
There is an enormous gulf between the substance and tone of the majority opinion, with its rich appreciation of the liberties that the founders wrote into the Constitution, and the what-is-all-the-fuss-about dissent. It is sobering to think that habeas hangs by a single vote in the Supreme Court of the United States . a reminder that the composition of the court could depend on the outcome of this year's presidential election. The ruling is a major victory for civil liberties . but a timely reminder of how fragile they are.
A "procedural right"?? WTF does John Roberts think he is? I can only hope one day he gets detained indefinitely in some foreign cell and stripped of his right to challenge his detention.
We are one judge away from a dictatorship.
Stop the evil Republicunts. Barack Obama for President! @ 18:22
June 9, 2008
[tranny's crotch] Our first (I think) Code Red day of the year:
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments has determined that the Air Quality Index for today is at Code Red. Code Red is called when there is stagnant air, little chance of rain, high humidity, and temperatures above 95° Children should reduce outdoor activities, healthy individuals should limit strenuous outdoor work or exercise, and individuals with respiratory or heart ailments should limit all outdoor activities.
We hit a record high (98° on Saturday), 96° yesterday and the forecast high today AND tomorrow is 97°. That's FOUR consecutive days above 95°F (35°C).
Baked to a crisp, I tell ya.
It is hotter than a tranny's crotch at Mardi Gras! @ 14:16
June 8, 2008
[les textos françois] With the help of hot tranny French-Korean mess, Claire, I present to you my first text exchange en français!
Me:: I'm in the car with Claire in VA! We miss you rong time!
L'David:: Vous me manquez beaucoup aussi!
Me:: j'ai baise avec Claire la nuit derniere
L'David:: Ooh la! Vous etes des lesbiennes! Ca, c'est grotesque!
*giggle* @ 15:45
[could've, should've] Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), the most successful female presidential candidate in US history, officially ended her campaign and endorsed Obama yesterday at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC:
Now, on a personal note when I was asked what it means to be a woman running for President, I always gave the same answer: that I was proud to be running as a woman but I was running because I thought I'd be the best President. But I am a woman, and like millions of women, I know there are still barriers and biases out there, often unconscious.
I want to build an America that respects and embraces the potential of every last one of us.
I ran as a daughter who benefited from opportunities my mother never dreamed of. I ran as a mother who worries about my daughter's future and a mother who wants to lead all children to brighter tomorrows. To build that future I see, we must make sure that women and men alike understand the struggles of their grandmothers and mothers, and that women enjoy equal opportunities, equal pay, and equal respect. Let us resolve and work toward achieving some very simple propositions: There are no acceptable limits and there are no acceptable prejudices in the twenty-first century.
That last sentence resonates so strongly with my beliefs it is impossible for me not to feel just a little bit sad that Hillary will not be our next President as well as America's first female President.
You can be so proud that, from now on, it will be unremarkable for a woman to win primary state victories, unremarkable to have a woman in a close race to be our nominee, unremarkable to think that a woman can be the President of the United States. And that is truly remarkable.
To those who are disappointed that we couldnt go all the way especially the young people who put so much into this campaign it would break my heart if, in falling short of my goal, I in any way discouraged any of you from pursuing yours. Always aim high, work hard, and care deeply about what you believe in. When you stumble, keep faith. When youre knocked down, get right back up. And never listen to anyone who says you can't or shouldn't go on.
All of you were there for me every step of the way. Being human, we are imperfect. That's why we need each other. To catch each other when we falter. To encourage each other when we lose heart. Some may lead; others may follow; but none of us can go it alone. The changes were working for are changes that we can only accomplish together. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are rights that belong to each of us as individuals. But our lives, our freedom, our happiness, are best enjoyed, best protected, and best advanced when we do work together.
OK, I'm very sad.
As we gather here today in this historic magnificent building, the 50th woman to leave this Earth is orbiting overhead. If we can blast 50 women into space, we will someday launch a woman into the White House.
Although we werent able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it's got about 18 million cracks in it. And the light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a little easier next time. That has always been the history of progress in America.
Think of the suffragists who gathered at Seneca Falls in 1848 and those who kept fighting until women could cast their votes. Think of the abolitionists who struggled and died to see the end of slavery. Think of the civil rights heroes and foot-soldiers who marched, protested and risked their lives to bring about the end to segregation and Jim Crow.
Because of them, I grew up taking for granted that women could vote. Because of them, my daughter grew up taking for granted that children of all colors could go to school together. Because of them, Barack Obama and I could wage a hard fought campaign for the Democratic nomination. Because of them, and because of you, children today will grow up taking for granted that an African American or a woman can yes, become President of the United States.
When that day arrives and a woman takes the oath of office as our President, we will all stand taller, proud of the values of our nation, proud that every little girl can dream and that her dreams can come true in America. And all of you will know that because of your passion and hard work you helped pave the way for that day.
Why did she have to wait until her presidential-campaign-ending speech to deliver a speech of lofty and epochal proportions?
And looking out at you today, I have never felt so blessed. The challenges that I have faced in this campaign are nothing compared to those that millions of Americans face every day in their own lives. So today, I'm going to count my blessings and keep on going. I'm going to keep doing what I was doing long before the cameras ever showed up and what I'll be doing long after they're gone: Working to give every American the same opportunities I had, and working to ensure that every child has the chance to grow up and achieve his or her God-given potential.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention that, even as I was publicly proclaiming that I would be happy with either Obama or Clinton as the nominee, I had always believed that it was a woman's time to be President, and Hillary was the right woman for the job -- strong, determined and passionate.
I am disappointed that she lost, but that disappointment will last for a mere nano-second as we now look ahead to a brighter future come January 20, 2009.
So I want to say to my supporters, when you hear people saying or think to yourself "if only" or "what if," I say, "please dont go there." Every moment wasted looking back keeps us from moving forward.
In the immortal words from Angels in America about the bittersweetness of progress which rings especially true in Hillary's could've-should've presidential run: "In this world, there is a kind of painful progress. Longing for what we've left behind, and dreaming ahead."
Barack Obama for President! @ 15:36
June 4, 2008
[$3.20/gallon] In one fell swoop, the Malaysian government ratcheted the price of subsidized petrol (aka gas) up by 41% at midnight today, boosting it from about $2.27/gallon (RM1.92/liter) -- among the cheapest in Asia -- to $3.20/gallon (RM2.70/liter). It is still far lower than the average gas prices in the States (approaching $4/gallon).
I know it's a foreign concepts to most of you American folks, but petrol/gas prices are fixed by the government in many (most?) parts of the world to protect the poorest. It's not ideal, of course, and I, the die-hard capitalist, object to the whole idea but it is what it is -- a good idea but implemented badly.
This follows in the footsteps of similar price increases in India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and are a recognition by governments that they can no longer shelter their populations from the spike in energy prices.
Malaysia's petrol price hike is painful but necessary. Fuel subsidies alone would have amounted to $17bn this year, four times more than the combined amount the government pays for national defense, education and health care. Wow.
In addition to the petrol price hike, diesel prices would be increased by 63% (to $3.05/gallon), and electricity rates will rise by 18% for homes and 26% for business users. To cushion the blow of soaring fuel prices, a RM625 (about $200) cash rebate per vehicle for owners of private vehicles under 2.0L.
The history of petrol prices in Malaysia (in Ringgit per liter):
Before 1990 - RM 0.89
1990 to 2000 - RM 1.10
10 Jan, 2000 - RM 1.20
20 Oct, 2001 - RM 1.30
01 May, 2002 - RM 1.32
31 Oct, 2002 - RM 1.33
01 Mar, 2003 - RM 1.35
01 May, 2004 - RM 1.37
01 Oct, 2004 - RM 1.42
05 May, 2005 - RM 1.52
31 Jul, 2005 - RM 1.62
28 Feb, 2006 - RM 1.92
05 Jun, 2008 - RM 2.70
If higher petrol prices are what it takes to bring about a lasting change in mankind's environmentally-destructive social behaviors -- big houses, big cars, sprawling suburbs, highways everywhere -- then, bring it on!
Save the Planet, Raise Gas Prices! @ 15:27
[chicago 2016?] After Beijing 2008 in 65 days' time and London 2012, it will be either:
Those are the IOC's four finalists for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Doha (Qatar), Prague (Czech Republic) and Baku (Azerbaijan) were eliminated.
Chances of Madrid (never hosted before) getting the nod are slim to none since the IOC will probably not select two European cities to host the Olympics back-to-back. Tokyo (host in 1964) may stand a chance -- 8 years after Beijing -- but odds are on a city in the Americas to host it.
Rio wants to be the first South American city to get the Olympics. Um, OK...
That pipe dream aside, all bets are on Chicago 2016! If Chicago gets it, it would've been 20 years since the US hosted an Olympics. The US has hosted the Olympics four times (1904 St Louis, 1932/1984 LA and 1996 Atlanta). No other country has hosted it more than twice -- the UK will have hosted it three times after London 2012 (plus 1908 and 1948).
D-Day will be Oct 2, 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark. I hope Chicago gets it! @ 13:55
[bye bye ted] United is killing 4yo Ted.
Altogether now -- YAY!!!!!
No more all-coach planes. No more having to transfer in LA/SF to get to Vegas. Woohoo! The 56 A320s that are Ted now will be reconfigured (to, presumably, include F again, YAY!!!) by end-2009.
But not all is good news. United also plans to retire 6 of their 30 747s. Bummer. I *love* the 747s even as they are fuel-hogging monsters in the skies. And I know that, someday, the upper deck will disappear off of United's schedule as UA replaces the 747s with the fuel-efficient 777s. Sigh.
I love being on the upper deck. When the plane is landing, you can't even feel it because you are so far removed from the tarmac. And I love that there are only 26 all-Business Class seats up there -- no heathens! -- with 3 flight attendants at our beck and call. The cows at the back would not dare come up the stairs to use our bathrooms! It's almost like our own lil' private plane. There's also lots of seat-side storage which obviates the need to use the overhead bins. Finally, I just love being above everyone else :-D
With these cuts -- 94 737s and 6 747s, or 1 out of every 5 planes! -- United will slash domestic capacity by 14% (!) by year's end, and 17-18% (!!) by next year. Less drastic, international capacity will be down 4.5% by 2008 and 5% by 2009. The 460-aircraft mainline fleet will be down to 360.
I am a little worried about all these cuts because we have two travel plans in Jul/Aug that are on Ted (Cancun) and 747s (HK/China). I am praying for small mercies i.e. reintroducing of F Class to Cancun and keeping the 747 to HKG.
I want it all! :-D @ 11:49
June 3, 2008
[this is our time] Excerpts from Senator Barack Obama's speech at the Xcel Energey Center in St Paul, MN:
Tonight, after fifty-four hard-fought contests, our primary season has finally come to an end.
Sixteen months have passed since we first stood together on the steps of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois... Tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States.
At this defining moment for our nation, we should be proud that our party put forth one of the most talented, qualified field of individuals ever to run for this office... That is particularly true for the candidate who has traveled further on this journey than anyone else. Senator Hillary Clinton has made history in this campaign not just because shes a woman who has done what no woman has done before, but because shes a leader who inspires millions of Americans with her strength, her courage, and her commitment to the causes that brought us here tonight... Our party and our country are better off because of her, and I am a better candidate for having had the honor to compete with Hillary Rodham Clinton.
It's not change when John McCain decided to stand with George Bush ninety-five percent of the time, as he did in the Senate last year.
Its not change when he offers four more years of Bush economic policies that have failed to create well-paying jobs, or insure our workers, or help Americans afford the skyrocketing cost of college policies that have lowered the real incomes of the average American family, widened the gap between Wall Street and Main Street, and left our children with a mountain of debt.
And its not change when he promises to continue a policy in Iraq that asks everything of our brave men and women in uniform and nothing of Iraqi politicians a policy where all we look for are reasons to stay in Iraq, while we spend billions of dollars a month on a war that isnt making the American people any safer.
...there are many words to describe John McCains attempt to pass off his embrace of George Bushs policies as bipartisan and new. But change is not one of them.
Change is a foreign policy that doesnt begin and end with a war that should've never been authorized and never been waged.
Change is realizing that meeting todays threats requires not just our firepower, but the power of our diplomacy...
Change is building an economy that rewards not just wealth, but the work and workers who created it.
The other side will come here in September and offer a very different set of policies and positions, and that is a debate I look forward to. It is a debate the American people deserve. But what you dont deserve is another election thats governed by fear, and innuendo, and division. What you wont hear from this campaign or this party is the kind of politics that uses religion as a wedge, and patriotism as a bludgeon that sees our opponents not as competitors to challenge, but enemies to demonize. Because we may call ourselves Democrats and Republicans, but we are Americans first. We are always Americans first.
America, this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past. Our time to bring new energy and new ideas to the challenges we face. Our time to offer a new direction for the country we love.
The journey will be difficult. The road will be long. I face this challenge with profound humility, and knowledge of my own limitations. But I also face it with limitless faith in the capacity of the American people. Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on Earth. This was the moment this was the time when we came together to remake this great nation so that it may always reflect our very best selves, and our highest ideals. Thank you, God Bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.
Obama for President. @ 22:59
[it's obama] Today is a historic day indeed, for Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) -- son of a black Kenyan father and white Kansan mother -- has clinched the Democratic nomination for President, prevailing through an epic battle with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, making him the first African-American in U.S. history to lead a major-party ticket.
A last-minute rush of Democratic superdelegates, plus the results from the final two primaries -- Montana and South Dakota -- pushed Sen Obama over the threshold of winning the 2,118 delegates needed to be nominated at the party's convention in Denver in August.
Friend --
I'm about to take the stage in St. Paul and announce that we have won the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.
It's been a long journey, and we should all pause to thank Hillary Clinton, who made history in this campaign. Our party and our country are better off because of her.
I want to make sure you understand what's ahead of us. Earlier tonight, John McCain outlined a vision of America that's very different from ours -- a vision that continues the disastrous policies of George W. Bush.
But this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past and bring new energy and new ideas to the challenges we face. Our time to offer a new direction for the country we love.
It's going to take hard work, but thanks to you and millions of other donors and volunteers, no one has ever been more prepared for such a challenge.
Thank you for everything you've done to get us here. Let's keep making history.
Barack
Four years ago, we had barely heard of Illinois state senator Barack Obama when he became United States Senator. Today, he is the first Black to lead a major-party ticket, breaking a racial barrier that, just 40 years ago, would've seemed insurmountable.
To be honest he is not my first choice, but he will be my ONLY choice in November 2008.
Say NO to Four More Years of Bush. Say NO to McSame.
Obama for President! @ 22:36
June 2, 2008
[birthday pics] OK, ladies. I know it's WAY overdue (bitches, I've been busy :-p) but I'm gonna give this Picasa Embed Slideshow feature thing a try (I ♥ Google).
Wotcha think? :-)
Not good? :-( You can still check out the pictures in a static format here. The pre-party and morning after pics are all there as well. Enjoy!
p.s. Then again, if you're on Facebook, you've already had access to these pics for the past two weeks! See? You *must* join and be my FB friend! ;-) @ 22:48
June 1, 2008
[wi-fab] And yes, I am writing from my lovely First Class window seat -- 3A -- with a beautiful view out the window of Terminal 7/8, more United planes, and LAX airport. There is a faint (i.e. slow) but discernible and workable T-Mobile signal in here. Fabulous.
I heart wi-fi! @ 16:55 LAX
[captain dru] The cutest thing just happened, almost as cute as the Japanese train attendants bowing upon entering and again upon leaving the train carriage on the Shinkansen... but not quite.
Our DC-based flight captain -- Dru -- just came into First Class, greeted us, handed us cards (with his work e-mail address on it, wow), explained the 35-min delay, and bantered with us. How fun!
One of the cards he handed us is basically a description of the plane we are on today -- Airbus A320-232.
Height = 39 ft 10 in
Length = 123 ft 3 in
Wing Span = 111 ft 10 in
Max Take-Off Weight = 169,700 lbs
Max Landing Weight = 142,200 lbs
Fuel Capacity = 6,302 gallons
Max range = 2,500 mi
Max Attitude = 39,000 ft
Cruising Speed Mach = .80 or 529 mph
I love plane factoids! I know, I'm such a geek.
It will be a really quick 4h 15m flight today from LA to DC... in First Class, yay! I am kinda hungry and ready for airline food (I know, I'm weird).
I did get completely fit-shaced last night at dinner followed by two fierce, chest-hair-growing, after-dinner caipiroshkas. Getting up this morning was tough *giggle*. I know, so juvenile. We went for dim sum at the Bellagio for brunch, shopped/gawked around (I still love the Bellagio long time), and watched the amazing dancing fountains before rushing to the airport. Our flight from Vegas to LA was super quick and we have now spent about 2 hours in LA due to this delay.
We are projected to land in DC at around midnight. Thank God we didn't check our luggage coz Dulles is notorious for baggage delays. I can't wait to be in the comfort of my own bed, hopefully by 1am or thereabouts.
Work tomorrow is gonna suck! The whole Captain coming out and talking to us thing was super fun. That had never happened to me before and he thanked us profusely for our business and wanted us to keep flying so that United stays afloat. Aww...
I am no longer a Captain virgin :-D OK, the aircraft door is closing, time to ciao. See y'all back in DC! Lates. @ 16:53 LAX
[priceless] Let's see...
"Harmony Chairs" rental by the pool... $50.
One night's stay at the Signature... $229.
Dinner for two at Joel Robuchon... $1,300.
Lifetime memories of a weekend in Vegas with Tom/Gen... Priceless!
Money doesn't buy happiness... But it sure does buy a lot of things that make you happy! ;-) @ 09:00 Vegas
[four] OMB, I almost bought a $320 pair of jeans yesterday!
(But I didn't)
They were True Religion and they were fabulous. Sigh.
The fab foursome are here! We spent 12 hours together yesterday and now, we're leaving Las Vegas. Fleeting, I know, but memorable.
I woke up at 7 this morning (!) -- 10am EDT -- to a perpetually sunny sky in dry, deserty (and hot, Hot, HOT!) Las Vegas. It was in the mid-90s yesterday and it will be today as well. After lunch yesterday (at Tableau at the Wynn -- great food, awesome setting, bad service), we were commenting about how hot it was gonna get and the bellhop said, "This is nothing. 115? Now, THAT's hot."
Welcome to the desert! So much electricity is generated keeping the A/C running and so much water is used keeping the lawns green in this forbidding and punishing desert climate, that Vegas has got to be one of the least environmentally-friendly cities on the planet.
And we LOVE it!
There is nothing better than laying out by the pool in a "Harmony Chair" (aka big poofy pool chaise lounge that fit all 4 of us... I know, Fierce, right?), ordering pool service and bronzing with the (not-so-)pretty and oh-so-fake (boobies, that is) white trash folks that descend upon Vegas year after year under the scorching, wilting but dry desert heat. Only three hours of pooltime and I have tan lines that will make you blush!
We ended up eschewing the madness of the Grand Pool Complex at the MGM Grand and stayed at our private Signature pool instead. As it turned out, it was a fabulous idea -- relaxing and not-too-trashy -- even if the service was a little "spacey" (the pool girl's own words, not mine). If you haven't noticed (or been), service issues are a recurring theme in Vegas.
Anyho, enough of all that. Anxious, you must be, to hear about the raison d'etre for this trip to Vegas -- dining at Joel Robuchon, which happens to be the only three Michelin starred restaurant in North America (there are five) that we have not been to. This completes the set.
And, OMB, talk about saving the most expensive (by far) for the last!
SIXTEEN Degustation Menu courses of taste-buds-caressing morsels, AND $385/pp (just for food!) later...
Well, I'll let the menu and corresponding pictures do the talking!
Mr Vincent and Guests
LE PRINTEMPS
~ Dîner du damedi 31 mai 2008 ~
Imaginé par Joël Robuchon
MENU DEGUSTATION
TASTING MENU
Pour commencer
L'Asperge Blanche
un blanc-manger aux copeaux d'amandes fraîches aux substances de citronnelle
White asparagus "panna cotta", fresh almonds and lemon grass
***
La Tomate (gelée)
en salade, huile d'olive au basilic, tomate mozzarella en gelée
Salad of tomato, olive oil with basil, tomato gelée topped with mozzarella cheese
Le Caviar (cauliflower, asparagus, couscous)
des fines graines de couscous iodé, une infusion prise à la crème de chou-fleur, un flan mœlleux d'asperges vertes
Thin couscous and Osetra caviar, smooth cauliflower cream, delicate gelée of green asparagus
L'Œuf
le jaune dans un ravioli imprimé aux épinards petites pousses et morilles
Egg yolk in a baby spinach ravioli with morels
La Saint-Jacques
en royale fleurie d'une émulsion à la ciboulette, galette au sarrasin
Scallops royal with chive emulsion and buckwheat tuile
Les Crustacés (langoustine, sea urchin, shrimp)
la langoustine truffée et cuite en ravioli à l'étuvée de chou vert, l'oursin accompagné d'une purée de pomme de terre au café, le thé coralline parfumé au gingembre
Truffled langoustine ravioli with chopped cabbage, Sea urchin, potato purée with a hint of coffee, coral and ginger perfumed tea
Les Petits Pois
en fin velouté rafraîchi à la menthe poivrée sur un voile d'oignon doux
Light pea velouté with mint on top of a delicate sweet onion custard
Le Thon
rouge mi-cuit et légèrement fumé, semoule végétale aux algues et curry vert
Smoked and seared Tuna, cauliflower, Nori and green curry
Le Veau
en cô au plat avec un jus gras et escorté de taglierinis de légumes au pistou
Sautéed veal chop with natural jus and vegetable taglierinis flavored with pesto
Les Pousses de Soja
cuites comme un riostto aux zestes de citron vert et coriandre
Soy beans cooked risotto style with lemon zests and coriander
***
L'Açai
en petites paillettes givrées, lait caillé aux framboises
Red fruits granite, fresh raspberry and yogurt sorbet
L Caramel
crémeux aux aromes "Arabica", riz soufflé aux saveurs de cacao
Caramel crémeux infused with Arabica, chocolate rice soufflé
***
Le Café ou le Thé
escorté de mignardises
Was it worth it? Frankly, no. It is my firm belief that no restaurant can justify in today's prices (inflation notwithstanding) charging that much money and expect patrons to leave and go, "Wow! That was amazing and SO worth it!"
Impossible. At these prices, the expectations are so high that no mind-altering, life-changing flavors (French or otherwise) can meet those lofty demands.
Alors, the food was very, very good. I have next to zero complaints. But it's a lil' hard to enjoy a decadent blowout meal like the one we had last night when every spoonful you take you are thinking, "OMB, this course is costing me $25... and there are FIFTEEN more like this one!" I'm sure some of the courses were fork-droppingly good, perhaps even life-changing and transcending, but it's hard to have gastronorgasms when all you can think about is the price tag.
To add insult to injury, the wine list was jaw-droppingly expensive -- think 400% mark-ups! Sacre bleu.
Really, if the service had been mind-blowing and attentive to the point they would offer to wipe your ass, I would've been somewhat happy about the entire experience.
Instead...
1. Yes, French-style service is notoriously formal, pompous and aloof but, gimme an eff-ing break, we are in America!! PLEASE smile or just be somewhat friendly. If it's not in you, fake it till you make it coz, goddammit, at $385/pp, I think I deserve SOME banter at the very least. We didn't even get forced pleasantries. They didn't even try. They weren't just trying to be snooty, they were. Our waitstaff's aloofness was just unbearable at times. I DO have to give them credit for remembering my birthday, though.
2. Wines. We told the sommelier that we wanted to spend about $600 on wines (that pushes the total up to $535/pp!) and he said, "$600 per person?" If you had seen the look on his face when we said, "$600 total", you would've turned into stone. And what we ended up getting was unimpressive, though his selections -- white/red burgundies and a tokaji -- would've been spot on had it not been for the fact that I kept thinking to myself, "$600 for THREE bottles??"
3. They rushed us through the entire meal. I am a pretty slow eater and watching the wait-bots clear the table when I am clearly still enjoying my course is just gauche, and criminal at a three Michelin starred restaurant. At *least* they had the decency to not bring the next course while I'm still eating the previous one (the entire sixteen courses had barely discernible breaks in between courses). I can almost understand why they did it -- even with the McD's takeout-like speed it took us 4 hours to finish our meal -- but it would've been far more palatable had they explained that to us in the beginning, instead of throwing it back in our faces when we complained about it towards the end of the meal. Yes, OUR bad for not complaining about it sooner. I mean, sewiously, do we really have to lodge complaints at this price point? Frankly, I should've even have to lift a finger, spankyouverymuch. C'est tragique.
Those were the three big faux-pas's of last night, and I'm being very kind. And they would've been non-pas's if we were at a lesser-priced restaurant, and certainly not a three Michelin starred restaurant.
Nonetheless, this experience was nowhere near as bad as the next most expensive meal we've ever had (or paid for, at least) -- Alain Ducasse. Not even the eau-meliers ("what type of water from this tray would you like, sir?") or the pen-melier ("would you like to choose a pen to sign your bill, sir?") could save the AD experience which was far less comprehensive but also a helluva lot cheaper ($345/pp WITH wine pairings).
Speaking of eau-meliers and pen-meliers, we had our very own pane-melier at Joel:
Our very own bread cart! And they were all TDF...
Lesson learnt: We should stick to lower-priced (not low-priced) but equally-as-good restaurants.
How much did we finally spend, you ask? Let's just say that, instead of dinner, Tony and I could've been proud owners of two pairs of True Religion jeans.
Each.
:-o
Joel Robuchon? Never again. I'm glad I did it though, and who better to do it with than Tom/Gen!
p.s. After last night, I (probably) am not buying the jeans. Pout.
pp.s. Tom/Gen bought me the best birthday present. EVER! I ♥ Dom. @ 08:57 Vegas
30 :: totes tranny
30 :: don't text and drive
30 :: half gone
29 :: hot twanny texts
27 :: beach bound
26 :: office pics
26 :: 0.15%
26 :: blattodephobia
26 :: $2,285 to go
26 :: supreme wrong
25 :: full of shit
25 :: 90% love
20 :: 5 inches
19 :: tranny-sitional
19 :: bee
19 :: ssdd
19 :: mw cover
18 :: bwain
16 :: vodka iv
16 :: california dreamin'
16 :: pride w/end
13 :: capital pride 33
13 :: supreme court 3, bush 0
09 :: tranny's crotch
08 :: les textos françois
08 :: could've, should've
04 :: $3.20/gallon
04 :: chicago 2016?
04 :: bye bye ted
03 :: it's obama
02 :: birthday pics
01 :: wi-fab
01 :: captain dru
01 :: priceless
01 :: four