Rites of Spring #25 - Pecha Kucha Night Number Two Tonight · Thursday May 27, 2010 by colin newell
Pecha Kucha (ペチャクチャ?), usually pronounced in three syllables as “pe-chak-cha”, is the onomatopoeic Japanese word for the sound of conversation. The equivalent English term is “chit-chat”.
Click on photo at left for a bigger, better, sharper view…
And the Victoria Event Center welcomes the 2nd ever Pecha Kucha night on May 27, 2010. Events coordinator, Elisa Yon has been in touch with me about doing a presentation…
On what I ask? Have to think about that.
Anyway. Going tonight to check it out.
So. What is Pecha Kucha anyway?
Pecha Kucha Night was devised in 2003 by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham of Tokyo’s Klein-Dytham Architecture (KDa), as a way to attract people to Super Deluxe, their experimental event space in Roppongi, a district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan, famous as home to the rich Roppongi Hills area and an active night club scene..
Pecha Kucha Night events consist of around a dozen presentations, each presenter having 20 slides, each shown for 20 seconds.
Each presenter has just 6 minutes 40 seconds to explain their ideas before the next presenter takes the stage.
6 minutes and 40 seconds. I could humiliate myself in seconds if I apply myself.
Conceived as a venue through which young designers could meet, show their work, exchange ideas, and network, the format keeps presentations concise, fast-paced and entertaining.
Young designers? That is a scratch for me. I was young about 30 years ago.
In 2004 PKN began running in a few cities in Europe, and has since become a worldwide phenomenon, now running in more than 260 cities in almost every corner of the globe. Now it is in Victoria Canada – the last event had over 200 in the audience. Click on the above photo for the big picture.
See you there!
Rites of Spring #23 West Jet flight credits watch your dates · Wednesday May 26, 2010 by colin newell
Andrea and I had a trip we had to cancel a year ago that was the result of a family illness – that ultimately resulted in the loss of a loved one.
We ended up with a West Jet credit of $1500.
And once things settled down we were planning on taking a short trip south of the border… to San Francisco to visit friends, or Los Angeles… or Portland, Oregon.
Alas, I misread the dates on the credit. I had a year from the date of cancellation – not a year from the flight.
And so I discovered when I called West Jet a week or so after the credit actually ran out.
“Mister Newell, your account shows zero dollars…”
No apology. No “we’re sorry…”
$1500 down the drain.
I would have even humored a “read the fine print you doofus..”
I would like to ask West Jet… where does that money go?
I could have paid $10 to extend it another year.
So why not take $10 of value off of the voucher and leave me with $1490. No, that would not make sense.
Bummer. Thanks West Jet. In the air you are loads of fun.
On the ground you are no fun whatsoever.
Note to self: Always read the fine print… always.
Comment [2]
Rites of Spring #22 Two Old Goats reviewed on Flotsam Jetsam · Tuesday May 25, 2010 by colin newell
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Fun CD review over on Cheryl DeWolfe’s Flotsam and Jetsam blog.
You can also click on the above photo for the same effect.
Either way… Thanks. Humbled.
Rites of Spring #21 Vegan Dirty Rice by Colin and Andrea · Sunday May 23, 2010 by colin newell
We love a good jambalaya or Cajun dirty rice from a zataran’s mix but we do not like all the salt. Here is a nice vegan spin on the classic Cajun recipe with a couple of twists… and it’s vegan!
Photo right – actual photo of the dish we prepared tonight – natural light – F2.5 on a 55MM macro lens on the Canon EOS-30D
1 large Onion
1 Green Pepper
1 Red Pepper
1 Pablano Pepper
2 cups rice
4 cups water
1 package (400g) extra firm Tofu
3 tablespoons Creole Spice mix
Salt, Pepper to taste
2 teaspoons Cumin
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup dry Vermouth
Step 1 – put rice on to cook (set aside once fluffed)
Step 2 – chop all peppers and onions into small chop (dice)
Step 3 – Combine 2 tablespoons creole mix with 1/4 cup oil to make a liquid paste
Step 4 – Cut Tofu into 1 X 1” cubes. Toss into creole oil/paste mix
Step 5 – Pan fry Tofu until all sides are browned/crisp + set aside.
Step 6 – Heat 1/4 cup oil in large pot. All onions and peppers + 1 tablespoon creole mix – salt and pepper.
Step 7 – Saute veg for 10 minutes or til just beyond crispy.
Step 8 – Add 1/4 cup Vermouth to veg mix at 9 minute point in veg saute
Step 9 – Combine rice + veg + tofu to complete dirty rice
You can garnish with green onions, cilantro or even sprinkle whole or crushed nuts.
Enjoy.
