OLD WIVES TALES

I'm sick. How did I get sick? My brother Paul's kids are sick too. He says it's because of the weather change. How does a grown man who is running a technical support department still believe in this old wives' tale?

It's also Halloween. Not that many kids come out for Halloween anymore. I guess the landscape of this tract has changed.

VISITING T. TESS

Ate lunch at Red Lobster. Had the eebie jeebies. Visited Tita Tess at Kaiser in LA. Played in basketball league. Lost.

LIFE LESS ORDINARY

Watched A Life Less Ordinary. Played poker. Went to Binggoy's friend's party.

PARTY WITH TYLER

Went to party in Eagle Rock that Tyler's been promoting all week. It was jam packed.

OH MY ADELITA

Rich and Deone came into town from Vegas, baby, Vegas. I met up with them in a small hotel somewhere in Irvine. When they answered the door, I said, "Bob's limo service to Tijuana, Mexico!" They laughed.

They got ready by showering and we were all a little nervous. I told them it's real easy and not to sweat it, but the first time is always pretty nerve wracking. As soon as we were all sweat (blunts rolled and Viagra pills packed), we headed out to good ol' TJ.

Along the way, Deone picked-up some Seagrams gin. He had no idea why or how, but it always helped me perform. It never did that for me, but then again, I can't remember the last time I drank Seagrams gin and got lucky.

We parked the car at the border and made our long walk across the bridge to another country. I could tell Deone and Rich were giddy. I don't blame them. I was the same way when I first visited Adelita's.

The cabbies were all ready as usual, and it took us just over five minutes to get to the joint. Along the way, we asked the cabbie what was better, Adelita's or Chicago Bar, and he said, "Adelita's - mas chicas." One of these days, we're gonna have to try out Chicago Bar just to see the difference.

We walked inside and through the throngs of women and what looked like San Diego locals. I'm always amazed every time I go into this joint because I am surprised by the quality of girls. Sometimes I get sad, but today I'm not because all I can see is Deone and Rich's humongous smiles.

As usual, they asked how it worked. It didn't matter that I explained it to them before we left and while we were in the car. As Rich says, my brain can't function right now. I know what he means.

We spent a good two hours in TJ even stopping by a restaurant to eat. After all was said and done, we had our fill and headed back home. I dropped them off and headed back to DB. These are the kinds of times no one ever forgets.

SWORDSMAN II

I didn't do shit today. I watched the Swordsman II which I remember watching long ago during the SF Asian Film Festival during. I love that old school kung fu shit and this one was particularly sweet because it had Jet Li when he was a little younger.

THE DRIVE HOME

I woke up with just a few hours of sleep and headed home with moms. I was sad to leave the town because everytime I go to Vegas, I think of my dad. He loved Vegas so much and I think his blood is in me. Moms also told me a little story of how my dad was satisfied with the "simple life." I guess his blood really is in me because I'm the same way.

I discussed moving to Vegas with moms. She tells me that the only reason she suggested it was because she thought I was having a hard time finding work in LA. It's difficult to think about moving to Vegas because my brother Noel and sis-in-law Kimi are on the way to getting a divorce. They have three kids and if we move, the kids won't have any family but their mom, dad and their mom's mom (or Grammy). How can we move away when family is so near?

I told my mom that I would only move to Vegas if she were to move because I wanted to be sure that I was close to her. With one of my brothers in Corona and the other in San Jose, who will be there for my mom if something were to happen? My brother Paul sometimes says that she put herself in this situation, but it really doesn't matter to me. I've always made a promise to myself that my mom would be taken care of and I want to fulfill that promise.

At the same time, it puts me in an awkward position. I still live at home with moms! You can see what this does to my personal life. How do I tell people at work or even people I date that I still live at home? It's never easy, but a promise is a promise. However, I sometimes wonder if that's just an excuse I make to be a lazy bum.

I dropped moms back home and went straight to Vanessa's to tell her how I got my groove on with some chickapoos but still didn't really get any action. Vanessa said she'd take care of me and she did. I guess timing really is everything. Still, it doesn't get rid of the crushilitis I've developed.

LEAVIN' LAS VEGAS

The day after a roll is always kind of a bitch, but this one ain't so bad. It was strong but it felt clean as a whistle. I don't think Rich is going to work today. There's just no way.

I packed-up my stuff and began reminiscing about the week. What a fun time. However, as Prince said, life is like a party and parties weren't meant to last. Today is my last day in Vegas before I go back to Diamond Bar.

I talk to Brenda after she finishes work and the poor girl says she was okay but that she was really tired. We probably should have ended the night way earlier but Angel's needs took over pretty quickly. That's what happens when you roll an hour or two later. You end up catching up with everyone when their roll is already on the other side of the hill.

Brenda tells me her friend Broor is throwing a Halloween party at his house on the north side of Vegas. "Do you want me to go?", I ask, trying to figure out if I should go or not. I mean, I don't want to salt anyone's game, even though I like her. "If you want to," she answers. Great - now I feel uninvited, but I still gotta give myself a chance to get closer.

Rich apologizes for not being able to go. I tell him not to trip and that I'll be back soon enough. We can get into more trouble later.

I tell the girls that I need to drive separately because after the party, I will be going to the Cal to meet up with my mom and take her back home the next day. We meet up at a cross street near their place and begin the drive to north Vegas. It's farther than I expected and there's a lot of new construction in the area. I'm always amazed at how many projects are being built here. Will supply meet demand or is there too much building going on?

The party has mostly white folks, the kind who listen to alternative and perhaps heavy metal. The first thing I notice is a stunning, stripper-like chick who's got an amazing body and pretty face. She looks tough and I wouldn't be surprised if she were a stripper. I always imagine them to be tough chicks who don't give a shit about anything because they've seen and experienced it all.

We start drinking, get a tour of the place and I'm already bored within the first hour. I try to talk to Brenda but she seems distant. I may have already blown my chance by tagging along. Angel can sense my game and she gives me a chance by sitting or standing a little further to give us some privacy. Unfortunately, a drunk starts to hit on her and she can't seem to lose him. Soon enough, she's sitting alone on the couch just to get away from him.

Brenda and I walk over and Angel says she's ready to go. It's late and I don't have any problem with leaving. We walk to the car and I give Angel a kiss on the cheek. She asks where I live and I tell her I'm from LA. When are you coming back? I don't know. I end up giving Brenda a hug and then I'm in my car. I notice that Angel's belt is sticking out of the passenger side door. I call Brenda and tell her. Angel opens her door and shouts, "thanks!" I tell Brenda that I would have given her a proper kiss goodbye but that Angel was there. She laughs a little.

I get inside the Cal after a little drive and wonder how I'm going to wake up and drive home with just a few hours sleep. Oh well, that's Vegas for ya.

KARE KARE

There's nothing like a good roll and when you can eat the next day without any trouble, you know that shit was clean. So since we had a good roll and a long rest, Richie and I decide it's time to make some Filipino oxtail stew.

Kare Kare (pronounced ka-re ka-re) is a stew that is traditionally made with oxtail. You can almost never go wrong anytime you cook a piece of meat for three hours. No matter what kind of meat it is, it's going to turn pretty damn soft. However, because oxtail is so muscular, it really does take three hours to get the meat to fall of the bone. Kare kare is one of the most well-known and traditional of Filipino dishes and I present you my version of it proudly.

2 packages oxtail (about four lbs.)
1 tomato
1 medium onion
2 cans vegetable stock
1 tbl. annatto seeds
2 tbl. oil
3/4 cup peanut butter mixed in 1/2 cup hot water
1 tbl. ground raw rice
3 dashes Tabasco
Chinese green beans
Chinese egg plant
Bagoong to taste

There are many variations to this dish and I've tried them all. You can broil the oxtail until browned, but I prefer browning them in the pot you are cooking with. Remember to season the oxtail with salt and pepper. Don't brown with a non-stick pot - you won't be able to achieve the browning that is needed. Remove the oxtail from the pot and any excess oil. Reheat the pot and add the diced onions. Cook until translucent. You will have bits of oxtail left in the pot. Add the vegetable stock and deglaze the pot. Add the diced tomato.

Replace the oxtail in the pot and simmer for 1.5 hours with a lid. Stir occasionally. Remove the oxtail again. Add the annatto oil (you can make annatto oil by heating oil to a medium temperature and slowly cooking the annatto seeds until the oil becomes a dark red) without the seeds. Add the crushed rice, peanut butter mixture and Tabasco. I've also tried adding peanut butter to some store bought kare kare seasoning packages and it's pretty good too. Mix well and be sure the ingredients are dissolved. You can add as much or as little peanut butter as you care to.

Replace the oxtail and simmer another 1.5 hours with lid partially open. I like to cut my vegetables into small bite-sized pieces so they cook faster. Add them when there's about 1/2 hour left in the cooking period. Be sure to taste the stock. If there's not enough flavor, add some bagoong to taste (bagoong is a shrimp paste you can purchase at any Asian market).

Be sure to test the meat. Keep cooking if it's not tender enough. The worst mistake you can make is to have undercooked oxtail. It is the toughest meat you'll ever bite into. However, when cooked properly, it will be the most tender piece of meat you'll have.

ICE DOESN'T MELT IN VEGAS

Another long day of sleeping. Jason asked me what I'm doing today and I told him that I would be doing exactly what I'm doing - resting. An old man needs his rest and this is one old man. I asked him the same and he said there's a 50th wedding anniversary he was attending.

After a few hours of bummin' around, Rich told me to get my ass up and get ready? He said that Jason said I shouldn't go because I might hog all the chicks to myself. Very funny. Hookin' up with two chicks and all of a sudden, I'm a mack? Come on. Little does he know me. Or does he . . . ?

We take off to the north side of town. Our first stop is at LTL Motors so Jason can drop off a payment for his car. It's a small shop near the race track where the Vegas Nationals are being held right now. From the distance, you can hear over 500 horses screaming down the track. These aren't thoroughbreds, but metal and rubber. It's amazing just how loud it is even from this point.

We head to the anniversary and I begin to figure out how we got invited. Apparently, Jason hooked-up with this Pinay a while back and she is in town for this event. "Jason tells me she's the kind of girl who might look a little thick, but you could get lost lookin' down at that ass when you're hittin' it from behind," Rich says. I'm slightly intrigued, but honestly, Brenda is on my mind.

There's always a DJ set-up somewhere at these Filipino parties. We go around the side to where some astroturf is set-up to cover the bare ground. A large tent also hangs above all the tables and chairs. That's a good thing because the air is pretty chilly right now. The main buffet table is full of Filipino food that's been swarmed upon at one point. The lechon (Filipino style roast pig) is just bones, but there's enough food to feed all us hungry guys.

We get our grub on and Jason's lady friend brings us drinks. She's very nice, typical Pinay, but you know she's got that freak in her like most American-born Pinays have. I don't know why that happens, but American-born Pinays are, to me, some of the most complicated women on earth. I will address this another time.

It's getting late and everyone is leaving. Rich says it's time to go to Ice. Brenda calls me after work and asks what the plan is. I told her Ice. "Eww," she says. "Do you have any better ideas?" I reply. "Actually, no, Ice is cool. It should be good tonight," she says. It won't actually matter because once we start rollin', I don't think we'll really care.

We get to Ice and there's no line. That's good, but either it means it's gonna be dead or the cover is high. We see two cuties in the VIP, back-door line and wonder if we can get in with them. We're not dressed-up enough though and I don't think we have enough game. So off to the pay-line we go and it's $20.

Ice is a pretty large venue and split into about 2.5 rooms. There are two main rooms: one house and one hip-hop. The 1/2 room is a little lounge that plays the same music as the house room. I like these little lounges because unless I'm ready to really get trashed, dancing around and getting a sweaty roll-on isn't my cup of tea these days.

Brenda arrives and tells us she got in for free. "The bouncer told me, 'hey, I know you' and I said, 'hey, cool, how are you?' and he let me in," she says. Vegas for local ladies must be the coolest thing. Where else can you go around town and practically get VIP treatment just by living here?

Rich and I are already expecting Eddy to knock. I give Brenda hers and she excuses herself to go to the bathroom. At times, she seems so inexperienced, but perhaps that's only when it doesn't involve alcohol and tobacco. She comes back with a big smile on her face. I can't wait to start rollin'!

Sure enough, after about an hour, Eddy has not only busted down the door, hE's helping himself to whatever is in my cupboard. It's been awhile and I can already tell, this shit is strong. I get the fluttery eyes and my jaw begins to feel the initial tightening. Thank goodness for menthol cigarettes - I don't know what I'd do without them.

We spend some time floating around the different rooms. I can hardly walk around. All I want to do is sit, so I grab Brenda's hand and lead her to the small lounge. I've been waiting for this roll & kiss for awhile now. It's great and I have a stupid grin on my face. What have I done to deserve this? Probably nothing. Maybe life is just a series of lucky and unlucky events, but whatever the case may be, I am diggin' it.

Rich tells me that Angel is coming - by herself. "Ah shit, you motherfucker, I hate you," I joke. Angel is Brenda's best friend and roommate. They've known each other since elementary school and though Angel is younger than Brenda, she seems to exhibit a stronger and more confident personality. Angel is mostly Filipino with a little German, but what did I say about American born Pinays? They are one complicated group and I can see that in Angel.

Soon enough, all four of us are moving from room to room, dancing and stumbling. Angel has obviously done this before because she's doing light shows with burning cigarettes and giving us hand massages. Rich and I look at each other and nod knowingly. All of this was standard procedure for the longest time and we always think back about that time with some fondness.

But as the night wears away, I'm ready to crash. It must be 3am by the time we leave the club. Angel is about 1.5 hours behind us though, so she's ready to continue the party. So off to Empire we go. Empire is on the same site that Utopia used to be on, and Utopia is one of the venues we used to party in long, long ago during our days of fondness. It's their grand opening and although it brings back great memories, I'm too tired to appreciate it.

Angel is still on a tear though, so all we can do is accompany her until it's time to leave. This could be my last chance since it's my last Saturday with these girls. I offer to drive Brenda home and tell her that if I do, she'll need to drop me off at Richie's before she goes to work. "Can Rich follow you to my place and pick you up?" she asks. There goes that idea. Oh well. "No problem," I say.

"Thanks for driving. I really didn't want to," Brenda tells me. She and Angel live close to Richie's so I don't mind. I gave her a hug goodbye and a few goodbye kisses. Maybe there's still a chance, but I'm already grateful for the great vacation I'm having.

SO FAR SO GOOD

Lynie's has left for Hawaii so it looks like we'll have Brenda to party with for the rest of the weekend. After dinner, Rich, his cousin Jason and I all head to the Aloha Bar again. It's a little more crowded tonight, but the vibe is good. Of course, we immediately start drinking. What else can you do in this town but drink? The Strip is full of shows, but they're too expensive and it's too crowded.

Brenda is down to drink after work. She says she's clubbed-out and I feel her. I like clubs, but when you've been to the same club numerous times, it tends to get old and boring. It's the same old shit just a different day.

I don't have anymore cash so I start a tab. What the hell, it's Friday so it's time to let loose. Brenda arrives looking as pretty as ever. She's a mutt. As she says, she's mostly Irish and Chinese but she also has American Indian, English, Russian, Greek and a few other ethnicities in her. Ultimately, however, she's Hawaiian. In Hawaii, people would say she's happa haole, or half-white loosely translated. She's a rice eater and for some reason, I am crazy about that. Brunette, white with Asian features and a rice eater?! Forget about it! It's over. That's an instant crush for me.

As we drink, Lynie comes up in our conversation. Rich mentions that Lynie has a man she's very fond of. Geez Rich, why didn't you tell me this before? "Oh, I was really drunk and totally forgot that she told me." Well, that changes the picture for me a little, I think. Now I don't have any attachments to Lynie. If she likes someone else, then isn't it okay for me to go after her friend?

After all these drinks, I can't restrain myself anymore. I whisper into Brenda's ear, "can you keep a secret? I have a crush on you." I'm a sucker for brunettes and I think she's gorgeous. Everyone has their own idiosyncracies and I think this is one that is built deep into my genes. The Spanish colonized the Philippines for 300 years and there was nothing that dark, native Filipino wanted more than the light-skinned Spaniard.

Brenda has a problem though. She likes Lynie - a lot. She wants to be friends with her and "Lynie told me you made out with her." Sheeeeyiiiiit. How do I get past this? I tell Brenda, "Yeah, but Lynie likes someone else and besides, I've liked you way before Lynie and I made out." It sounds ridiculous but I had to try something. At least it's the truth and maybe the truth will get me somewhere.

Brenda shakes her head and says, "you made out with her." I can't escape that fact. "Yeah, I made out with her, but so what? I don't feel the same way about her that I do about you," I tell her. I don't think it's working. Oh well, I guess I screwed that one up. I guess there's really nothing else to do but continue drinking and having fun. But perhaps I have planted a little seed and perhaps it will grow slowly.

We order more drinks, more snackies and sing some karaoke tunes. The bar is closing. Where to now? Brenda suggests we go across the street to another bar. We're already trashed but what the hell. Rich and Jason are getting hungry and they want to go eat Oxtail at the California. I ask Brenda what she wants to do. She'd rather have more drinks. I tell them we'll meet them at the Cal after a few more drinks.

Brenda knows the bartender and he gives us some Red Headed Sluts. The drinks go down easy but now I'm pretty fucked-up. I got a really good buzz going so it's time to take it easy. Brenda looks really tired and I ask her if she wants to go to the Cal or if she's ready to go home. Home she says.

She gives me her keys and off we go to her apartment. Aww yeah. This is going better than I expected. We get to her place and the first thing I see is her fat cat. "Oh my god, that is one fat cat," I tell her. "She's not fat! She's beautiful," Brenda replies. Yeah, she's beautiful but she's fat. We sit on the couch. It's already light outside. I look into her eyes and she looks at mine. They don't look that drunk so I move slowly in for the kiss . . .


Rich calls.
"Where you at?"
"You gotta pick me up at Brenda's place."
"What?! You fuckin' asshole!"

When Rich arrives, Brenda and I see him from her balcony. I tell her I'll call her later and like a little boy, prance with light steps to Richie's car.

THE ALOHA BAR

Even after a nice pick-me-up, poor Rich is on the floor with his eyes firmly closed. The mind is willing, but the body is too weak. He just doesn't have enough energy to continue. I don't blame him. If I had to work tomorrow, I wouldn't go either. Rich apologizes and I tell him not to worry about it. I know how he feels and if it weren't for yay, I wouldn't be going either.

Lynie calls to find out where I am. I tell her I am on my way and that poor Richie is stuck at home, too tired to go. Lynie says that Brenda has a new admirer and that it is imperative I go meet them there. I am supposed to be Brenda's boyfriend so they can slip away from the admirer.

I always laugh at these situations because I will never understand why women can not simply tell others to leave them alone. Maybe it's much more complicated than just doing that. They probably don't want to be mean or they are afraid of retaliation. But if someone is bothering you that much, shouldn't you have the heart to tell them off? Instead, they go with the easier route and say, "my boyfriend is coming."

I decide that I will go ahead and play the part of the boyfriend, but my services will not come cheap. These girls will have to pay a little for having put me in this situation. I hate lying and even though this could be considered a white lie, I still don't like doing it.

When I arrive, I smile and give Brenda a quick hug and tell her, "hi baby". She gives me the not-so-believable "hi honey". What a joke. There's no way this guy is gonna believe this charade. Brenda's admirer is Victor, a large-set, slightly balding Hispanic with a great voice. He's obviously drunk and dedicates every karaoke song to Brenda. She introduces me and I feel the tension just from the look he has. "This is your boyfriend? You are a very lucky man my friend. You are very handsome. She is very beautiful."

I smile and introduce myself. I feel bad knowing Victor is probably one of those guys who has never experienced getting that girl he so much desires. Maybe it's pity, but he doesn't deserve to be punished for having a little karaoke fantasy. He's obviously much too old for Brenda, but why couldn't she just say thank you, but no thank you?

Anyway, I put my arms around Brenda and hold her hand which is a little sweaty. Is she nervous from trying to get away from Victor, or have I made her uncomfortable pretending to be her boyfriend? I don't really care, like I said, I gotta make these girls pay. I give Brenda some sweet-nothing kisses on her neck and she cringes away giggling. I can't tell if she likes this, but I decide to continue.

Lynie is on the other side of Brenda so she can't really do anything to stop me. How perfect can this get? I take Brenda's hand and put it on my lap. Lynie notices this and Brenda quickly pulls it away. I act surprised as if she did it, but she immediately explains that it was I. Lynie smiles mischievously, probably understanding that I'm doing this on purpose.

I buy some drinks and see Victor at the bar. He's still drunk and continues to congratulate me. Why do men congratulate other men for having such a beautiful girlfriend? Wouldn't that be like congratulating someone for the Rolex they just purchased? Women should not just be posessions, but that doesn't mean it doesn't feel good when someone congratulates you. The funny thing is, Brenda isn't even my girlfriend but I still know the feeling.

I buy Victor a drink because the poor guy deserves one. I don't want to feel sorry for the fella, but I kind of do. He's the kind of guy that wouldn't be so bad if he had some style and he didn't try so hard. There's a delicate balance between pursuing someone and hounding someone. But more importantly, you need to know when to stop. Victor seems to know all this, but he's passed the point of caring.

I get back to Lynie and Brenda. I put my arm around Brenda again and even though it's just pretend, it actually feels good. I feel comfortable around her and she has an almost innocent and playful spirit that is so down-to-earth. We continue to drink and there's hardly anyone left in the bar.

The girls tell me I should sing a song, but I really don't know any. I tell Brenda that she has to sing me a song and that while she is singing it to me, she must look lovingly into my eyes. She's game and I choose Olivia Newton-John's "Hopelessly Devoted to You". The song begins and make sure Brenda looks into my eyes by doing an impression of De Niro in "Meet the Parents".

The Aloha Bar gets ready to close and Brenda gets a call from Angel. She needs to meet her somewhere so I walk Brenda out to her car. I ask her what she's doing tomorrow and she says she has laundry. I tell her to call me so we can hang-out. I give her a hug goodbye and make my way back inside.

Lynie is sitting next to Victor and they both look at me like they want to say something. Victor looks at Lynie and asks her, "Is it okay to tell him? He won't get mad? Are you sure?" Lynie smiles slightly and says, "Go ahead, tell him." Victor needs to verify this again so Lynie repeats, "Tell him".

Victor says, "I know you have a girlfriend, but when I look at Lynie, she looks like she is in love with you. I know what love looks like and that's what I see. I can tell." I try to look shocked as if it were the first time I am hearing this. I am reminded of this same look I saw long ago from a woman I knew at a different time and place. I smile, tell Lynie I'm flattered, but that I already have a girlfriend who is also her friend.

"What can we do about this?" I say, "Brenda is my girlfriend who is also your friend. How long have you felt this way?" Lynie smiles and tells me to finish my drink. We say farewell to Victor and we walk to Lynie's car. We smile at each other and she hits me playfully.

"What do we do now?" I ask her. "I don't know" she says. Does she want to go to her place? No. Does she want to get more drinks? Not really. Well, then I guess we should go to Rich's place. She agrees since she needs to drop me off anyway.

Lynie drives me back to Rich's place. As we walk inside, Rich's red-nosed pit Sage barks and jumps on her. I tell her that she's harmless and just bored out of her mind from being stuck inside all day. Sage is an attention whore. Anyone who even thinks about petting her will get at least 20 minutes of undivided attention. I tell Sage to get off Lynie and sit down on her little couch. Lynie says I'm jealous but I'm not. I just want to make sure I say my proper goodbye before she leaves for Hawaii.

ADOBO

When Rich got back from work, I could tell from the look in his eyes that he was dog tired. He's a gracious host and has this kind of spirit that only someone from the Pacific islands would understand. Hawaiians call it the Aloha spirit but most Filipinos take it for granted. There is a certain kind of hospitality and kindness that is ever present in him.

I have sensed this spirit ever since I first met Rich long ago. There was a time when I would see him occasionally at our friends' house in Daly City. Then he disappeared for the longest time probably because he found a girlfriend. But I remember hoping that he would return someday because that spirit and energy he had was so refreshing. He did return and I have counted my blessings since.

I told Rich to sit down and relax because it was time for some home cookin'. I am probably one of the laziest people I know but if I have all the ingredients in front of me, I really don't mind cooking. In fact, I enjoy it because there's hardly anything else in the world that is similar to creating something from scratch and having other people consume it. You can give gifts like candy to someone and they can eat it, but candy is manufactured by companies. You can give your heart and your love to someone, but they can not eat it. Only homemade food can come from the heart and also be edible.

Food nourishes the body and spirit and for Catholics, the body of Christ is consumed during communion. Bread literally turns into flesh. Some say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Think about a mother's joy after watching her family smile after a good meal and you will begin to understand why cooking means so much to me.

So here's my recipe for adobo which can easily be the national dish of the Philippines:

Ingredients
2 lb. Chicken or pork or both
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup cane vinegar
3 bay leaves
5 cloves garlic
2 tsp. peppercorns

Pour soy sauce and vinegar into large pot. Of course, the higher the quality soy sauce and vinegar, the better your end product. Crush garlic and peppercorns and put into pot. Throw bay leaves in along with the meat. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer and cover. Cook this for about 20 minutes until meat is just done.

To add some texture to the meat, remove it and cool slightly. Then dip it in an eggwash and dust with flour. Fry the pieces of meat in some oil. If you are worried about all the fat, you can also broil the pieces but the texture just won't be the same. While you are frying, reduce the liquid from the pot to about half its original amount. When meat is nicely browned, return pieces to pot and get ready for some serious grubbin'.

WE USED TO RAVE THE NIGHT AWAY

Waking up is hard to do when you've spent the entire night with strippers on your lap and your mouth parched from panting like Pavlov's dog (this last sentence is a good example of alliteration for your English majors out there). So as usual, I spent the day sleeping. I barely remember Rich tapping me awake and asking for the bullet. Poor guy - he has to work again today. It's the last of the yay but I gladly hand it over to him because he's gonna need it today. He has an engine to rebuild.

When Rich gets home, he says that two days of staying up and then having to work the next day was pure hell. It has to be the most excruciating thing and I know how he feels because back in the day, we used to party like this all the time. In the late 90s, we used to live in the Bay Area (Northern Cali). Times were good because the technology gold rush was running full steam. So many people from other parts of the country were moving to Silicon Valley. There was a mixture of energy and a new way of thinking about what work was about.

Drum 'n Base, Jungle, Techno and House - electronic music was on a comeback and raves were raging again. Ecstasy was the drug of choice and 1015 Folsom was the club to be in. We would scour the Internet (www.sfraves.org) for underground scenes and preach peace, love, unity and respect. We threw parties that expressed our gratitude and happiness for the world ahead of us, the seemingly endless and hopeful opportunities that were all around us. Then the bubble burst and within a year, unemployment was prevalent and the scene had gone away.

Although those times are but a memory, our memories help us define who we are. Our past experiences shape us and help us create a sense of what we want to be. A wise friend once told me that he wasn't ever afraid of making mistakes as long as he didn't make the same mistake over and over again.

CRAZY HORSE ISN'T INDIAN IN VEGAS

We don't know what the hell our two new friends Brenda or Lynie are doing tonight. That's okay because we've got the entire week to hang out with them.

For now, we must journey to Crazy Horse 2, a gentlemen's club right on Industrial Rd. Although the Horse is (for my strip joint expert friend D) the best club in Vegas, it has never held that kind of appeal for me. At least until I visited the joint late one night on a "no sleep till Brooklyn" kind of trips to Vegas.

There she was, the most beautiful Pinay I have ever seen. She wasn't even dancing. She was just a cocktail server but she was gorgeous. Even one of the dancers commented, "she's hot and she knows it." Petite, classically beautiful mistizo face, hair tied back in a pony tail and a plentiful chest to boot. She was even polite and unbelievably friendly. I couldn't believe what I was seeing and had to look at my nephew to make sure I was looking at the same thing he was. He assured me, I wasn't seeing things because he too was already in love. Her name was Giselle.

Since then, I've always wanted to go back to the Horse just to see her. Tonight was the perfect night since it was obligatory that we visit the Horse on this trip. I had always told Rich to go there just to see if she was still working. I told him I wouldn't need to describe her because he would instantly recognize her if he ever saw her. It would take only one glance.

Unfortunately, even after numerous lap dances and several rounds of beer, none of the dancers or waitresses had ever heard of her. It was as if she just disappeared and never existed. Only her memory remains in my head. Goodbye Giselle - I hope we meet again someday.

PORK CHOPS

Last night was pretty wild so I spent the entire day sleeping. Is this the kind of life I would lead if I moved out here? Without drugs or other kinds of artificial stimulation, I don't think I would last very long out here.

Poor Rich. I don't know how he was able to get to work this morning. I hooked him up with some yay which should help, but working without enough sleep is one of those things I really hate doing. Nevertheless, we do it when we have jobs because the Man's power over us usually outweighs any complaints we have. In this case, it was our own fault and maybe it was worth it.

When Rich gets back, I'm half-asleep and I can already see his middle-finger before he stumbles back in a heap. He's lucky he didn't have to rebuild an engine tonight. He's exhausted, but he thanks me for the little hook-up. He says it was just enough to get him through the day.

What's for dinner? Time for some homeland grubbin'! Rich takes me to Philippine Kitchen, a little spot in Western Vegas pretty close to Rich's place in Summerlin. Rich says Western Vegas is considered the wealthy part of town and I can see that. It reminds me of the nice suburbs in Orange County, Cali. Everything is master-planned and very clean with golf courses dotting the landscape.

We order fried pork chops and another dish. The restaurant is quite typical of a sit-down Filipino restaurant. Simple fold out chairs and tables are laid-out on one side of the room while the other side is left open for dancing. Karaoke is set-up on one corner and it looks as if one quarter of the restaurant is reserved for birthdays or large parties.

The food arrives and there's a lot of it. I thought the pork chops would be pan fried chops but I was way off. Instead, the pork has been sliced off the bone in bite-sized pieces. Then, they were heavily battered in something similar to KFC batter. Finally, they were deep fried to a golden brown. Anytime I see a unique dish like this, I always want to duplicate it.

I warn Rich not to eat too much because we need to save space for whatever we're doing. Can you imagine humping on a full stomach? Momma always told me not to play on a full stomach and everyone knows, Momma is always right. We save the rest for some late night grubbin'.

WHAT DOES A SPEARMINT RHINO SMELL LIKE?

Pure is perhaps the hottest club in Las Vegas. Don't ask me why. I think I saw it on E! Television's best clubs list. How would they know? What's insane is that even on Tuesday nights, the club goes off. Even from the outside I could tell the club was packed. Rich walks up to the bouncer and tells him he's with Kris's crew. The bouncer pauses for a few minutes, looks at another bouncer and that bouncer gives him the nod. We're in and save $20 right off the bat. I look at the people in line and think, "suckas." After lots of drink and lots of dancing, Rich says it's time for him to go. He does have work tomorrow after all.

By now, Lynie and Brenda have arrived to hang out a bit. I ask Lynie if she can give me a ride home and she nods. I give Rich my valet ticket and the next thing I know, Brenda is asking us if we want to go to the Rhino to meet up with some of her friends. After .0001 seconds of thought, I say, "why not?"

Spearmint Rhino is a gentlemen's club that seems to be all over the map. It's my first night in town and already I'm going to a stripjoint with several female locals. How is this happening? The gods are good to me so I begin to wonder what I have done to deserve this. As I ponder this thought, the girls are already helping me to get in without cover. It works and I am inside with four beautiful females and they are all ready to party. I begin to wonder why they like watching females strip and I suspect that one of them must have worked or is currently working for a strip joint.

Drinks are ordered and change is handed out. Dollar bills are flying all over the place. The dancers aren't the greatest - that's what you get at 3am on Wednesday morning. I don't mind at all because my newfound friends are stuffing dollar bills down my shirt. They know all the tricks. They even place well-folded bills on my ear and stuff additional Washingtons in my mouth. Who am I to complain? Of course, I return the favor and stuff dollar bills down their shirts. I cop some cheap feels with the back of my hand and say, "do I do it like this?" as I get farther and farther down her blouse. One of the girls replies, "well, they have to at least see the dollar bill!" I smile innocently.

After much booze, smoke and dollar bills have been spent, Lynie and I decide to leave. I give a last glimpse toward Brenda and her friends. They haven't stopped partying and I could tell Brenda is trashed.

Lynie drives me back to Rich's while I give her sweet-nothings in the car. Later, I find out she was drunk off her ass and asked her why she didn't let me drive. Safety first! No drinking and driving! She told me I was too busy and she was right. I asked Lynie if she wants to come inside, but it is late and she has to go. Oh well, better luck next time.

OH SO PURE

I arrive at Alien Motor Sports where Rich works part-time. I meet his friend Dale who also works at the shop. I can immediately tell that this guy is a drinker. We do a little surfing on the Internet to find out what's going on Tuesday night here in Sin City. All we can find are clubs until Lynie calls me. She says she wants to check out the Cauldron, a sports bar that's on the west side of town. Sounds good to us since I'm tired from the driving and Rich is tired from the working.

We meet Dale there and as I guessed, Dale is alreadyt ordering doubles for himself. He has a high-pitched laugh that is unmistakeable. He orders drinks for us and of course, gives us shit for ordering Captain Morgan drinks. Rich and I aren't even halfway finished with our drinks when we see Dale ordering another double. Rich keeps looking at his watch because he's supposed to meet his cousin at Pure tonight in Caesar's Palace. She calls from time to time wondering where he is and he has to keep lying to give us more time. Lynie and Brenda are due shortly and I can't wait to see them. Pictures on myspace.com just isn't enough. As we all know, there's nothing like the real thing. It's already past midnight when Lynie and Brenda arrive.

Dale gets them Heinekens because island girls like to drink beer. I have no idea why. I've tried to cut my beer consumption ever since I saw what it did to my brother's belly. Rich's cousin calls again to find out where we are and he says we're in line. Pure is the hottest club in Vegas right now and I begin to think what the line might be like on a Tuesday night. Locals are treated differently but since I'm not a local, what will happen to me?

We tell the girls we have to go because we have to meet some family at Pure. They tell us we suck, but we don't care because we have the entire week to hangout with them. Besides, at least they won't get sick of us so quickly.

Dale is already wasted so Rich drives his monster truck and I follow. They have a little trouble getting into the parking lot because they weren't exactly sure if they could clear it since the truck is so high. I meet them at the entrance to the casino and we walk in. I could already tell as we walk up to the club that the line is ridiculously long for a Tuesday night. I could also tell that everyone in that line was not a local. Good for Rich and Dale but bad for me.

We walk up to the bouncer and Dale already has a problem - he has tennis shoes and tennies aren't allowed in the club. "Go down this way to this men's store and get a pair of $30 shoes so you can get in," he says. There's no way in hell Dale is going to do this so we bid adieu and see him walk off in a drunken stammer. "Is he cool to drive?" I ask Rich. "He's always like that, Rich says. "Don't worry about him. We've got bitches to meet inside."

ONE WEEK IN VEGAS

Today marks my true vacation in Las Vegas, NV. I am driving there to visit Rich and some new friends I met when I was on my last trip there. Perhaps that is where I should begin this story.

I first met Rich in the Bay Area, or the San Francisco Bay Area for those of you who have never lived in Northern California. I always find it interesting thinking about how you end up meeting people in life. When I was a student at the Unversity of California at Berkeley, my girlfriend at the time knew a feminist Filipina student named Amy who lived in the same dormitory unit that we did - Unit 2. Amy had a younger sister who was the girlfriend of this guy Max who also went to Cal. He and I became friends and Max introduced me to Amy's older sister. Amy's older sister had married this guy and this guy's brothers were friends with Max. These friends went to high school with Rich and that's how I got to know him. Confused yet?

The point is, are these connections totally random or do they somehow have something to do with fate? According to the ancient Greeks, fate was something someone could not get away from. You were destined to arrive somewhere, but how you got there was up to you. So in a strange sense, I sometimes feel that no matter what I do in life, Fate will always lead me to my final destination. That's why I say, get on board for life is short and our travels are only temporary.

So let's get back to Vegas, baby, Vegas. Sin City. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. All of these references were invented by the media to give people a sense of what Vegas might be like. I've never fallen for it because I practially grew up in Vegas. I was gambling in Circus Circus since I was in 5th grade. Sure, it might have been for stuffed animals and the chance to destroy Space Invaders, but I was still there. It was a different town then.

You could still drive up and down Fremont Street in downtown. There were no Bellagio fountains or a fake Eiffel Tower. Caesar's Palace was probably the fanciest casino on the Strip at the time. No one had ever heard of No Limit Hold 'Em much less seen it on television. So in a sense, I feel that I've lived in Vegas longer than locals who moved there five years ago. New locals have only seen the new Vegas - I've seen it long before they have. They might have adopted the town, but I saw it grow up.

The drive to Las Vegas on a weekday is so much easier than driving on the weekends. Back in the day, the weekend drive was nearly as bad because although there were fewer people visiting Vegas, the roads weren't as wide. Each time I drive through the Mojave desert, the the two-lane highways get wider and wider almost like a middle-aged man's waist. Someday, the highway from Vegas to Los Angeles will be four lanes all the way there and all the way back. Although there's no shortage of flights to Vegas and the roads are continually widened, the conversation of a bullet train always comes up when you're driving there. Personally, I like the idea because it wouldn't take as long to get there and you can start drinking as soon as you board the train. If they ever make a train, I hope they make private carriages for smokers.
http://www.gamblingmagazine.com/articles/28/28-591.htm