Chinatown Aesthetic

How many Chinatowns have you been to?

Off the top of my head: London, Toronto, Honolulu, SF, Seattle, Buenos Aires, and Manila.

So, roughly speaking, all of them generally have the same. The red wing tipped gates, red hanging lanterns… individually they have Chinese influences, but no place in China has ever really quite looked like that. Also, China has always been such a large and composite place, how do you even pick one spot as the inspiration?

The Chinatown look you’re familiar with doesn’t come from China. It comes from two American architects who had never been to China tasked with designing something based on what they thought it looked like. It’s pretty likely you’d find more authentic architecture at the Epcot Center for most places.

But the reasons why? Chinese-American families and business owners in San Francisco trying to avoid forced relocation had to give in to exoticism and orientalism for their survival.

Not unlike the immigrant professionals who came in the 70s and 80s and were expected only to excel in certain boxes like medicine… and definitely not to rock the boat politically or socially…

…or all the Asian actors forced into narrow typecast roles like Mr. Chow, Long Duk Dong, or Fook Yu.

…or anyone who knows the follow up question to where are you really from will be based on a caricature of a much more complex place.

But hey, survival also means you get to pass the baton and at least leave things a little better than you found it, whether that’s an industry, a neighborhood, or a social norm.

Hobbitenango

I love finding quirky things in unexpected places around the world, which is why when I found out that Guatemala had it’s own Hobbit Village in the style of New Zealand’s Lord of the Rings set, I had to go.

Hobbitenango is a fully functioning eco-lodge. You can rent a room in one of the Hobbit shanties and stay the night. There was a giant human rope swing, several replica locations from the movies, and a lot of taverns, pubs, cafés, and restaurants all with Middle-Earth themed meals. The fondue and cocktails were actually quite good.

As a bonus, this place ended up being very kid-friendly. There were several meadows where we could just let them roll around in the grass, and hammocks scattered alongside a nature walk. A lot of different parts offered some pretty fantastic views out into the surrounding mountains to further set the scene.

What’s one of your favorite unexpected sites in an unlikely place?

July 2022

#182 Piecer Play Hop

01 July 2022 // San Diego, California

#183 Backyard Kai

02 July 2022 // San Diego, California

#184 Corona Park Kids

03 July 2022 // Corona, California

#185 Hunk Onesie

04 July 2022 // Bakersfield, California

#186 Oregon Scientific Globe

05 July 2022 // Bakersfield, California

#187 Farmer Guy Kai

06 July 2022 // Bakersfield, California

#188 Bako Backyard

07 July 2022 // Bakersfield, California

#189 Grandparent Floor Play

08 July 2022 // Bakersfield, California

#190 Halo Halo Umaga

09 July 2022 // Bakersfield, California

#191 Rhys Takes Emerald Cove

10 July 2022 // Bakersfield, California

#192 Shy as a Turtle

11 July 2022 // San Diego, California

#193 Juniper Makes the World Go Round

12 July 2022 // San Diego, California

#194 Feeding Three

13 July 2022 // San Diego, California

#195 Ju-Pa-Pa

14 July 2022 // San Diego, California

#196 Kai’s Playzone

15 July 2022 // San Diego, California

#197 Mornin’ Sis

16 July 2022 // San Diego, California

#198 Rhys’ First Swim Class

17 July 2022 // San Diego, California

#199 Thrift Shop Globe

18 July 2022 // San Diego, California

#200 An Early Walk

19 July 2022 // San Diego, California

#201 Swimming Pool with Rhys

20 July 2022 // San Diego, California

#202 Piecer Play Co

21 July 2022 // San Diego, California

#203 Carmel Mountain Roll

22 July 2022 // San Diego, California

#204 Museum Date Night

23 July 2022 // San Diego, California

#205 Swishy Swashy

24 July 2022 // San Diego, California

Kim's Convenience

Let’s be real—visiting Kim’s Convenience was one of the big reasons I wanted to go to Toronto.

I was kind of surprised, but pleased, with how well the layout of the store matched the set design.

This place also really has an apartment above the store. Rumor has it that both are for sale (together), though it is also a Canadian Cultural Heritage Site, so I think it’ll be required to still be Kim’s Convenience.

Got to go start that GoFundMe now.

Life on Steroids

Played around with some old footage from Iceland to share one of my favorite things about travel.

It isn’t about being entertained or having a good time.

It isn’t about taking a break to escape your life.

It’s not about spoiling yourself or having photos and trinkets to show off with.

It’s about feeling deeply alive.

Few things help with that quite like being thrust into a totally new setting and needing to reorient yourself.

To me, holing up in a resort where people will cater to all your comforts, or taking a rigidly prepackaged experience is kind of antithetical to that. I love the unknown.

How People Eat

There’s this stat I heard a little while ago. Roughly a third of the word eats with their hands, another third uses forks and knives, and the other third uses chopsticks.

I thought this was a fun bit of knowledge, but I had to fact check to see if the numbers added up.

They did… sort of. But this is actually a pretty complicated stat.

How do you account for all the Chinese families in the US & Canada using chopsticks?

Or the countries that kind of use different methods at different times?

Or the differences between urban and rural settings?

Plus… I first heard this stat over a decade ago. Since then, the eat-with-your-hands countries have seen the highest population growth.

But nitpicky details aside, this is enough for me to appreciate the reality that our idea of “normal” is always skewed by our environment.

7th Anniversary

And just like that, it’s been SEVEN years!

It sounds like a long time, feels like a short time in a lot of ways, but either way, they’ve been very, very full.

Moving, riding the waves as the world changes, hoping and praying to become parents, becoming parents and then some, building the careers and lives that were just dreams seven years ago…

We’re different people now, probably in more ways than we realized, but I’m extremely thankful we’ve grown together. Deanna - such a gift to spend everyday with your thoughtful, resilient, brilliant heart.I’ve seeing our kids take on your strength, playfulness, and authenticity.

June 2022

#152 Santos Baby Shower

01 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#153 Juniper Squash

02 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#154 Rhys Reader

03 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#155 Tiger Trail Statue

04 June 2022 // Escondido, California

#156 Pool Repair

05 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#157 Do Love The Trees

06 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#158 The Vote & Churro

07 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#159 Ten Years a Date

08 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#160 A Banyon Evening

09 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#161 Enclave Counter

10 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#162 Banyon Lawns

11 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#163 Roly Poly Quest

12 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#164 Nights With The Piecer

13 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#165 Bem Lounging

14 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#166 Twin Rockers

15 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#167 Sweeping the Doors

16 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#168 Nick’s Pancakes

17 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#169 American Bullfrog

18 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#170 San Bernardino

19 June 2022 // Idyllwild, California

#171 Baby Hammock Life

20 June 2022 // Idyllwild, California

#172 Morning at Camp

21 June 2022 // Idyllwild, California

#173 Ground Piecer

22 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#174 Doubling in Size

23 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#175 CreativeMornings Return

24 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#176 Water Play

25 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#177 Juniper & Ivy

26 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#178 7th Anniversary

27 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#179 Kai Kai’s Playhouse

28 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#180 Sun in the Sky

29 June 2022 // San Diego, California

#181 Plant With Purpose Gray

30 June 2022 // San Diego, California

Snakes & Lattes

Here’s an example of taking a simple concept and nailing the execution.

One of the things that really appealed to me about Toronto was that I would very often find out about little places to go for a simple fun time- and I would see them so frequently that my impression was that Toronto was actually chock full of places to play.

I think I was right about that. Wish these were a fixture in every city.

Lottocracy

Made this a little bit ago but it meshes with something I think about a lot lately: how there’s a huge difference between making a point and making a difference.

One sees the world in this-or-that options, the other engages creativity. One benefits from people being divided, playing to one side. The other seeks to meet people where they are.

There are others who think applying more randomness to governance might help get us unstuck. It’s not a new idea. It’s how leaders were chosen in Ancient Athens, and there are a growing number of people who think it could help some of our modern processes.

In theory, modern politics are so gridlocked by partisanship, a culture of us versus them, and the way leaders are incentivized to rally their crowds rather than solve problems. Randomly chosen people are less swayed by party talking points and political games, and more motivated to solve the problem at hand.

Random people are already tasked with pretty big decisions on juries. And recently, randomly gathered citizen assemblies have proposed climate policy in France and election reforms in British Columbia.

At the very least, it’s something to be curious about!

Exploring With Daniel

Thankful to have a friend who will put aside his preference for the familiar and hop on a plane to some mystery destination with no clue how things are going to go.

Thankful for unearthing his wedding toast where he talks about how much he loves complaining about the stupid situations I get us into, because seven years later that hasn’t changed much.

Thankful for a board game cafe that doesn’t give us too much crap for staying 20 minutes past closing, a city that makes it possible to visit almost 20 restaurants in one weekend, and a border security agent’s interview for giving us a weekend’s worth of joke fodder.

Toronto: Day Three

Another day in Toronto, another set of adventures around the city.

Spent the morning getting breakfast with EVERYBODY I knew in the city. All three of them. They just might convince me into moving here.

Spent some time trying to thrift for a toddler-sized Raptors’ throwback, to appreciate a closed museum from the outside, and to learn more about the local tree species. It was funny hearing Canadians complain about the monotony of maple trees. Would love living in a sugar maple grove.

After dinner, it was off to the BURBS. Partly to get a fix of some Real Canadian Superstore but mostly to head out to something I can only describe as a SQUID GAME ARCADE. Good times.

Fathers' Day 2022

One day I’m gonna look back at this year, amazed at how we did this three under three thing, but so thankful that we did.

Being a dad is my favorite. But also, half the time I’m like… how am I somebody’s dad?! Let alone three people’s?? I feel pretty young at heart. I always wanted to be a dad, but got used to thinking about it like this futuristic thing. But I’ve got three Animaniacs with half my DNA and minds of their own.

But I love it. I get to do so many things in life that make me feel like the luckiest person ever, but none take more energy or add more meaning quite like dad life.

People’s senses of worth and identity are so often influenced by the signals they get from their dads along the way. It’s my heads up to be intentional about it, but I also have it good with these three.

My bambini call my attention to what actually matters, the wonders scattered around everyday life, and the impact I actually have on the world around me.

I love Rhys’ confidence and leadership- tough kid forged like his mom. I love Kai’s inherent sweetness and chill vibes, packed into a ridiculously fast growing body. I love how deep Juniper’s curiosity runs and her responsiveness to the world around her.

Every day I get to wake up to the best gifts I could have ever asked for. Sometimes even after 6AM

Travel is Different Now

The past few years have made me really rethink my relationship with travel. I still know that I love going places and that’ll probably stick with me for life. But here are some of the bigger shifts:

🏜 Going at as slow of a pace as possible. This is especially important now that I have kids and want to travel with them as much as I can manage. Slow travel tends to be more sustainable, intimate, and it just teaches you way more.

🏔 Trying to go as sustainably as possible. There’s no great way around the emissions of flying right now, and while I don’t think offsets solve every problem, they at can at least help here. Even more so, I want to make sure I’m going places mindfully, making the most of each visit, keeping the number of over-ocean flights small.

🗺 Emphasizing respect for locals. I think I’ve always tried to be mindful of the fact that travel is on other people’s home land, but the sense of entitlement around being able to go places I sometimes see makes me recoil- and I’m not necessarily immune to it. I want to make sure I always remember that going places is a privilege.

Kaffee Fernando

Antigua has no shortage of beloved coffee shops and each one has such distinct personality it’s hard to even compare them.

But there was one that definitely felt like a little home base while we were over there and it was none other than the beloved Kaffee Fernando. I’m completely unsurprised this pops up on so many people’s shortlist of favorites.

Everything from the pretty complete menu, the tranquil courtyard, the extremely friendly staff, and the resident cat made this a coffee shop I was really thankful to have just a block away from our place.

Toronto

The plain truth: I really love Toronto. 🇨🇦

Of course I thought I would like it, otherwise I wouldn’t have planned a weekend escape there. But I wasn’t expecting to leave thinking it’s perhaps in my top 3-5 favorite cities, alongside the likes of Cape Town and Amsterdam.

But sure enough, I’m a little jealous of the people who get to visit often or call it home.

🏙 Loved the huge blend of cultures that merge in Toronto. Between the food, the neighborhoods, the small businesses, film festivals, and just the faces you see when you’re out, it kind of feels like you’ve got a special portal to the world.

🏙 Toronto’s a pretty big city, but nature is well integrated. From the quick escapes to the islands, the lakes and waterfalls further out in Ontario, or the impressive set of city parks, I was impressed by all the green space.

🏙 I found the city easier to get around than any comparable spot in the US. All we did in one weekend was made possible by reliable public transport and walkable spaces.

🏙 From board game cafes to coffee shops with a ton of personality, there are a lot of spaces there built for fun (a lot of fun) that I wish we had closer to home. While we’re still enamored with axe throwing over here, they’re turning the Squid Games into a VR arcade.

Toronto: Day Two

Another day in Toronto, and this one was splendid. It wouldn’t surprise me if we arrived in time for the city’s most comfortable week out of the whole year.

This one introduced me to where to go for a beach day in Toronto, the sugary glory of Beavertails, and one thing Toronto does better than any other city I’ve been in: board game cafés.

Also, Toronto has the most impressive park space of any city I’ve seen in a long time.

This is such an easy city to have a lot of fun in.

Toronto: Day One

Day one of that time I took Daniel on a trip without telling him where we were going and we wound up in Toronto.

The iconic St. Lawrence Market, the Museum of Illusions, Graffiti Alley, and Chinatown all showed up, but mostly, lots and lots of eating.

PS- ever have the peameal bacon sandwich? This thing turned out much tastier than anticipated, and well worth the $7 CAN.

March For Our Lives

Joined moms, dads, kids, teachers, pediatricians, gun-owners, gun-survivors, clergy, and a whole spectrum of beliefs at March For Our Lives who recognize that what we have in place has created way too much devastation and way too many tiny caskets.

Optimism typically comes easier to me than most people, but this is one area where I haven’t felt that much of it. Mass shootings have been such a recurring thing, from the time I was in grade school up to now when I have kids of my own. And though the stories seem to keep getting more gutting each time, it seems like we keep getting stalemated.

But I know when it comes to climate, doomerism isn’t helpful. It doesn’t tell the whole story and it only gets in the way of action. I imagine it’s similar when it comes to preventing gun violence.

Here are a few reminders I find very helpful.

You aren’t alone. Very far from it. Most of the country wants better gun laws than we have right now and the numbers aren’t even close. 93 percent of voters support background checks, 89 percent of Republicans, 87 percent of gun owners. There is strength in those numbers that gets unleashed when people speak up from the heart and organize.

The work isn’t in vain. I get that horrific gun deaths happen daily and we aren’t doing enough. Incrementalism is frustrating. But It’s way harder to measure what has been prevented. A slew of different laws have been passed at state and municipal levels over the past decade. Especially around 2018 and Parkland. And data does show us a meaningful difference based on locations where laws have been enacted. With the gun lobby in poor financial health and the momentum of local-level action, things have never been closer to a tipping point.

The heartbreak isn’t in vain. Martin Luther King said that “the salvation of the world lies in the hands of the maladjusted” meaning the hearts that are soft enough to feel it all at the story of ten year old crushes being buried next to each other are the ones still capable of changing society.

Hope is where we plant our feet.

Surprise Trip Reveal

I booked a surprise trip for my friend Daniel without telling him where we were going- just to join me at the airport.

I told him to bring a passport, which is one clue that it’s international… unless like Daniel, you suspect I said that just as a red herring.

Time for the trip reveal.

It was my first time in the city, and definitely his.

It’s one of the most multicultural cities in the world.

It’s got a pretty significant footprint on pop culture.

And it’s got an iconic skyline.