sushisoul

kid cudi did not disappoint. the 20+ hour day, long line, freezing wind chill, and immaturity faded with every song as kid cudi defined exactly what the hype was about. the venue was plush. club nokia. perhaps one of the few venues where every seat in the house is a good one. we posted right behind the VIP seats on some older folk type shit upstairs on the balcony. standing the whole show was not an option tonight. so already, kid cudi was at odds to impress us. cudi came out around 11 and was off to a slow start as he blanked on his lines blaming it on the grey goose he had in hand. oh man, i thought, we were in for a long night.

photo: l.a.weekly.com colin young-wolff

it wasn’t a hard crowd to please (a sell-out, all-age pot fan base crowd), but our crew had higher standards. as he went more into his album, the energy fluctuated with his singing, rapping and talk/hyping. beat after beat, line after line, kid cudi delivered a performance filled with passion and intensity. perhaps his hardest challenge was keeping the energy up with verses that were meant to be melodically sung not overly amped. overall, the balance of his music style and translating it into a live performance was exceptional. there definitely was a surge of energy in kid cudi when special guest kanye appeared for his verse in “make her say” and “the good life.” it’s this energy that should resonate even in the absence of a seasoned vet like kanye. we were really, really lucky for that surprise as he didn’t appear for the show the following night.

the concert came to a climatic end with “pursuit of happiness.” overall, it was a great concert to end the year and that’s coming from someone who has seen common, wale, the roots, mos def, talib kweli, erykah badu, santigold and other experienced artists throughout 09. kid cudi definitely has a lot to bring to hip-hop. it’ll be an interesting trek for the spaced-out kid and his journey.

up up and away…

shidoni: purplericesushi.com most humbly shares one of our most popular course menus:

beautifulholly and dearestguests,

clean/ sensual/ beautiful

one

sesame calamari salad w/ spinach english cucumber flower frame

two

luxurious blue-crab california rolls w/ togarashii seared maguro nigiri

luxurious blue-crab california rolls w/ togarashii seared maguro nigiri

three

ebi nigiri w/ sexycilantro spicy tuna rolls

four

special korean soowon short-ribs w/ beautiful tamaki-haiga rice

five

shrimp tempura rolls w/ name-sake, kaiware sashimi

shrimp tempura rolls w/ name-sake, kaiware sashimi

six

broiled unagi nigiri w/ hamachi sashimi

broiled unagi nigiri w/ hamachi sashimi

adele and lykke li playlist

prepared w/ kokoro,

chefkyle, ryan raymundo, conrad alberto, and chefcidney

to book your “Intimate Course Event,”

contact Conrad Alberto

SD: Celadon Fine Thai Cuisine

the other night i decided to visit an old friend’s restaurant.  Mr. Alex Thao of Celadon Fine Thai Cuisine. he’s a bit of a legend in the restaurant scene in San Diego.  his mother does menu, runs the kitchens, and adds that special Thao touch.

saturday I stopped by for the “crispy duck salad.”  Celadon is a beautiful restaurant.  distractingly beautiful.  i caught myself dreaming to have something similar to this one day.  the color scheme is simply black and white.  the furniture is classic-fresh.  the music playlist set a lounge-urban feel.

Chef Kyle and our friend Shannon, from an earlier visit

with all the impeccable ambiance stuff said, Mother Thao’s food is wonderful.  the menu items are not super-servings, but portioned just right.  the food is balanced, light, and uniquely Mother Thao’s.  have a bottle of wine or a drink and enjoy w/your dearest friends and family.

w/kokoro,

cidney

Segerstrom Hall Orange County, California

after hearing about my visit to see the giselle ballet, Alex the Intern told me about the Shanghai Symphony featuring the pianist, Yuja Wang.

let me preface this by saying, im just a regular dude.  with my schedule, the only events i actually attend are the ones we work.  so i write this as a cultural novice.  an enthusiast

i sat by myself on the promenade circle, seat 57, AA for $40. it was semi-nose bleed, but not.  first, i was on the correct side of the theatre to view the hands of Yuja dance across the piano (an unexpected surprise). The row i sat in had detached seats from the floor and were right on the railing as i happily bobbed my head to the sound. btw, parking was $8.  the hall itself was a acoustic engineering marvel.

the Shanghai Symphony performed Rachmaninov’s piano concerto #2.  Everyone performed w/ beautiful balance.  the orchestra dressed in their blk and whites, while Yuja wore a brilliant green dress.  the orchestra performed w/ composure and poise, while Yuja played dramatic emotion.  the orchestra played to the music sheets in front of them,  while Yuja sat w/ just a piano, no sheets, off the fly straight from the head.  good music.

probably the coolest observation; the mature couple next to me were dressed impecably gowned and suited up. i sat in jeans and jordans.  all of us, enjoying the symphony together.

w/ kokoro,

cidney