Turkey Trot 10k 2013

The Turkey Trot 5k/10k has been going on for years and I finally managed to catch one. I figured what was a great way to start the holiday but with a nice little 6+mile run through Downtown LA before I stuff myself with holiday goodies.

It wasn't so bad. In fact, I think the race was well-organized and fun. There were plenty of vendors and booths. The trucker hats were cool (I now have something to thrash during my training runs) and the crowd was just big enough (seriously, I don't think many people would want to do this on a holiday.) In fact, the hardest thing was trying to get out of my warm bed and drive east to Downtown LA.

 

 

And speaking of hard, that is just the kind of liquor MC Foley hit right before the race. Yes, that is a flask, my friends. But I mean, her blog isn't called Alky to Athlete for nothing. I likened her to the Drunken Master of any old school flick. She just happens to be at her best when she got a little bit of happy juice in her!

 

 

 

The overall run was pleasant. There were some hills but they were not too bad. If you are doing the 10k you are pretty much doing the course twice, which is not so bad because then you know how where to map yourself. The volunteers are a mix of highschool and college and they are all very friendly and encouraging. I certainly enjoyed myself and the fact that I only paid $20 from Living Social made this event even better.

Dedicated this medal to all the friends who took the time and energy to train me out of love. Love the fact that people step up and see me trying to meet my goals and they go out of their way to help me reach it...

 

 

Double Trouble.. my sis and I off to WeHo to get mimosas.

(Isn't she a bad influence on me??)

2013 Chinatown Firecracker Bike/5k/10k

(All pics by me)

I have participated in the Chinatown Firecracker event for a couple of years but never have I ran the actual race. Melinda and I did the 5k (we were toying with the idea of doing the 10k but I felt like I was coming down with something so I asked her if we just did the 5k) and it was amazing! Now, what makes this run challenging is that it is mostly up hills. Completely doable but one has to practice with elevation before taking on hills.

The registation orientation was pretty simple. We signed up online and we went the day before to pic up our number and our goodie bags. This year's goodie bag was a backpack that was designed by Shepard Fairey's design company. SO AWESOME!

We got there an hour before the race started and found street parking just in time. Started off the morning with early performances and warm up by the Clipper cheerleaders and set off a thousand firecrackers.

The start and finish.

Got my Endomondo app to measure our route.

The medal was a bit small than what we anticipated but it is nicely designed nonetheless.

We finished the day with dim sum with friends who we bumped into at Empress Pavillion.

Overall, it was an amazing time. Next year, I am doing the 10k. I think I have found my yearly ritual. What a wonderful LA event to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year. I LOVE MY CITY!

The Ice Hotel version 2

A good friend of mine MC Foley, just released the second edition of her book "The Ice Hotel" featuring the artwork of SF artist, Eric Bailey!

This edition also has thirty more pages of added storyline. She currently is writing books two and three and has been slowly getting recognition.

Check out the website I designed for her and get your copy today!

Http://theicehotelbook.com

The orginal featuring Kevin McCollister's photography 

and the new cover done by Eric Bailey with 30 pages of new material.

Hanging out with Melinda, Melinda, Melinda and her dog Chia

I am surrounded by people who do amazing things.


And not to say that the people who are not around me don't do amazing things; it's just that my friends do things out of the norm.


We didn't follow the equation that we were supposed to follow.


and because of that,it makes life more exciting, more adventurous but also makes life more scary because of the chances we take. we have to jumpstart our lives, seek the opportunities. pick our own selves up and brush ourselves off and continue again.


the most important thing we are doing is following our dreams.





which is the story of my friend MC Foley.



she spent 13 months writing a novel. excuse me, she spent 13 months writing a novel which pushed its way to existance. a story that she could not longer contain and a story in which she had to write in order to heal from a tragic loss. as this is her way of mourning and saying goodbye to a friend, it is also a way of opening up and "giving birth" to Izzie, Poe, and Rossa and "The Ice Hotel."


now i can go on and on about the book but i will just let you go to The Ice Hotel website and read up on who she is and what the book is about. (shameless plug: i designed the site. tee hee!)


i definitely wanted to express on how proud i am of her for finishing such a huge feat. it's not easy to shut out the world and focus on this world entirely made up by your self. to dedicate waking moments that could have been spent hanging out with friends, socializing, taking morning jogs, relaxing, watching tv into something that demands so much of your energy and time. it's not easy to TRUST a work done by you and take a chance at the unknown possibilities on what this project can bring forth.


but she did it, and THAT is inspirational!


this past weekend, we went to SF to promote her book as well as Traci Kato Kiriyama's new book of poetry "signaling". thanks to my friend E, i was able to get in contact with Bindlestiff Studios to host the event at the Oasis Center for Girls. They also asked me to live paint, so how can i say no?


a bunch of our friends were able to get tickets for the weekend. it's exciting because we ALL are so busy with our projects that to go on this trip is so needed. it was like a reunion for all of us.




randy wore his special airport shirt





sarah is like me. we both prefer aisle seats



at the BART station



my live painting session turned into a collaboration with two cutest kids at the event!



i was drawing the little girl and not five minutes later, her mom came up and said that her daughter wants to be an artist and wanted to meet me and watch closer. well, i had her painting instead.



this is the bottom half of the painting.


as much as i love to paint for myself, i love to create with others as well as help them find their own "voice." being able to express and communicate is a form of healing and finding the power within Self. so no matter if this child grows up to be a designer, a painter, or a lawyer or doctor, she should be able to continue to express and create because it's attach to the development of her being.





other highlights of the trip:
- sarah running 10 miles on sunday
- seeing college friend christie r.
- hearing traci read her poetry
- seeing byron and alice
- having lunch with my artist friend MECA ISA
- seeing E. and sharing a hug
- meeting new friends and meeting up with old friends
- the morning walk around the PanHandle Park
- Filipino fusion food at the Mercury Lounge
- Magic Mic-ing it
- the Ferry Building and its Farmers Market
- sharing drags of Nat Shermans on the balcony
- the conversations and the understanding of friendship


big shout out and thanks for giving us a place to stay to Mark. we are so so grateful!