andyrak

Although I still check LJ almost daily I haven't posted anything new here for quite a while (...6 months? lol). Sorry guys, got super lazy to write xDD... it might also have something to do with all these smiley faces I unconsciously add to the end of every single sentence I type... ~D~) make my hand extra tired when typing xDDD <- (example)

Fanime was around a week ago. Super awesome time!! It's always nice to hangout w. you guys, get drunk and take pictures xD I didn't do any schedule shoots this year @ Fanime but I took some pictures here and there. Fanime is still my favorite convention in terms of photography cause of the variation of locations. It was really nice to finally get to meet up with Richard Bui and Masa-kocha. It was so random to learn that my Uncle's daughter was also there on Saturday... super random xD

The only down side was I didn't get a chance to drink TW beer with Ricky (aka. Shiroin)... WTH Ricky you owe us SoCal photographers one!! xDDDDD

For now I only got 10 pictures up on my DeviantArt. Still editing more of them... as Tony (aka. TQ) always say editing photo with MS Excel is quite hardcore. I'm not as hardcore as him so I use MS Paint instead... still ended up spending ~500hrs/ photo xDDD

Please feel free to check them out at http://andy-rak.deviantart.com/. I've been using that site more often these days :D :D

( Well I guess I'll spam you anyway (warning: large images) )

Hope you guys like the photos :) Can't wait to see some of you guys in AX in a month :D :D :D <- (that's 3 smiley faces there xD)

Alexander McQueen autumn/winter 09/10 collection (image source: Telegraph UK)

Heard about this great designer a long time ago but sadly I have never checked out his work until today... Really an amazing artist.

RIP

Read a news article about a well-known enka singer (小林幸子) employed a 3-tons setup this year's Kohaku. Did a little research and found this video. Quite an eye-opener XDD



The 3-tons setup she used this year in Kohaku



Amazing stuffs XDD

(Image source: http://karigurashi.jp/)

Another movie from Studio Ghibli. One more thing to look forward to next year :)

Official Website: http://karigurashi.jp/

**Not directed by Miyazaki

The name of this restaurant described the quality of Chinese food in Hong Kong. XD

(double posting from my public blog)

Eat, Eat, Eat, Eat...

That are tons of great food in Hong Kong. You can buy materials from local markets and cook it yourself or you can go to pretty much any restaurant and enjoy really high quality cooking. Once you have you first meal in Hong Kong you'll LOVE the city (and no don't go to McDonald's) XD


Shanghai cuisine is very popular in Hong Kong. You can find them anywhere (there are at least 3 restaurants serving Shanghai cuisine near my house)

There are a couple main differences between Chinese food in Asia and Chinese food in the United States. Firstly, fresh meats (aka. live animals) are available in local markets. Chicken and fish (and most seafood) are still alive in the market. Butchers kill them for you once you purchase the item. Secondly, there are many chefs from main land China and Taiwan who have been cooking Chinese food for generations and have all these secret recipes. This magically make the food taste good :D


Not sure what's the name of this type of fish.. Fresh from the market

Thirdly, most restaurants use a lot more oil in cooking than in the US. A single serving of beef-fry-noodle might contains 10+ tbsp of oil. And that, although make the foods taste better, might mess up your stomach if you are not used to it.


Herbs and Chinese medicines are added to many type of soups (to aid digestion, help your skin, etc etc...)

My stomach started complaining on the 3nd day of my trip thanks to the "beef-fry-noodle" and my sudden 4-meals-a-day diet. I guess it's never good to over-do things haha. The doctor told me to not eat "greasy, cold, raw and/or too much" food and I lol'd cause I did them all during the first 3 days of my trip! Fortunately it only took me two days to recover and it didn't affect my trip much.


Dried sea horses and sea dragons... probably soup material?

That's it for now about food in Hong Kong. Definitely worth a try if you are a fan of Chinese food!

My 1 year old nephew Joshua from the Bay Area who keep calling me grandpa...

(double posting from my public blog)

After 2 weeks of telecommuting from the Bay Area tomorrow is finally the first day of my Hong Kong trip. I haven't been back home for 3 years and I'm sure a lot have changed since my last visit. The temperature is still very warm (around 83 degree) over there so I guess it'll be like summer again.

Aside from shopping and visiting friends and family, I'll probably check out a local cosplay event called HKU cosplay party during my short stay in Hong Kong. Can't wait for some cosplay-culture-shock XD


The amount of HK money I'll bring with me to the airport (~ $87.73 USD)

Last weekend my friend Tyson and I did a causal photo shoot. We decided to showcase Tyson and his handsome dating partner Lexus IS 300

( Dating 101 (large images) )

FYI, the "mystery date" in the last shot is REALLY gorgeous XDD

Special thanks to Leilany and Tyson for being our awesome models and Billy for assisting with our lighting!! For more information of this shoot please check out my public blog.

RIP Yoshito Usui

... another random update, with a transformable Optimus Prime cosplay from Asia :)

It reads "Optimus Prime" on his costume (image source: komica)

So sadly our coworker Kevin didn't win Big Brother this season. Although he didn't win the half-million dollar price he still got $10K to take home with so I guess it's still good ^___^) He is currently  in Vegas partying like crazy!! I can hardly wait to seeing him in the office next week ^^

Our next TV-star coworker is Cheyne Whitney! This awesome friend of us is gonna be in Amazing Race this season!! To be honest I have never watched Amazing Race and I don't even know how much you can win but Goooooo Cheyne!!!! @D@)/~



Seriously, do they have a cosplay-reality show that we can all join in??? XDDDD