* Will you be celebrating Valentine’s Day (for one, and if so will you do it) on Valentine’s Day?
OK, so this Saturday is Valentine’s Day (To all you forgetful men out there, you’re welcome for the reminder. 😛 ) and I’ve basically heard from two sides of the camp on this one:
One side believes that celebrating Valentine’s Day – in all its glorious glory – on February 14th is a guarantee must. And that includes the whole buying roses and going out to dinner thang. And if you don’t, you obviously don’t love your husband/wife.
The other side believes that it’s all a “stupid” (and I quote) marketing ploy where flower shops and restaurants overcharge for the sake of the “special” day.
Where do you stand on this one?
I’m more with camp 2 (remember the cooler group in cabin 18 at Camp Erdman 😉 ) – and thankfully for me, wifey is with me on this one – so we’ll be celebrating Valentine’s Day on, of all days, the night before: Friday, the 13th. Haha! We got a laugh out of that one, but, since we’re saving ourselves from the crowds and some hard earned “scripps” (thanks dews! 😉 ), we’ll be the ones with the last laugh.
Talk to me!
* What say you? Do you go on Feb 14, or pick another night?
* Do you just ignore it entirely?
* Do you agree that it’s all a marketing ploy?
* If you’re single, where do you hang out (so I know where to send my single friends 😛 )?
* Any Valentine’s Day traditions?
Another new face in Takeshi took home the gold last week when he correctly guessed “The Garden Court Buffet at the Main Street Station Casino” for the special Where In Hawaii Vegas is Edward Sugimoto game. Seems like the WWE newbies/lurkers are coming on strong as of late. Way to go y’all! Daddy likes!
A-ight, we’re going back to eats this week yo. If you’re reading this close to lunch, sorry ah! Not my fault you nevah-wen pack breakfast. 😛 Here ya go!
Where In Hawaii is Edward Sugimoto? – February 11, 2009
Hint: This is a take out order so the countertop is not at the restaurant…
I know I probably won’t be the only one blogging about this today, but I’m hoping I can find a different angle for all y’all to comment about up in here. I just hope there’s enough of you baseball fans (or women who think he’s hot) out there to get a dialogue goin’. 🙂
With the news that Alex Rodriguez admitted to using performance enhancing drugs during his 2001-2003 Texas Rangers years, he’s been called anything from A-Roid to A Fraud. His numbers will undoubtedly be questioned and his legacy forever tarnished. [Watch ESPN.com’s Video Interview here]
For some strange reason, however, I find myself still a fan.
Is it because he did not go the way of lying vehement denial like the Mark McGwires, Rafael Palmeiros, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds of the world? (Then again, Jose Canseco admitted to taking PEDs, but I won’t even go there).
Is it because A-Rod has never let me down while playing on my fantasy baseball team? *grin*
Or could it be his otherwise clean cut image (aside from the whole *ahem* Madonna thing), before this news?
Whatever it is, I kinda believe him. He made a mistake during one period in his life, has since closed that chapter, and is now ready to move on. And although I don’t agree with his choices (he said he did it because he felt an enormous amount of pressure to perform at a high level after signing a 10 year, 252 Million dollar contract), I do believe his story that he’s been clean ever since, and I still feel that he has a place in baseball’s hallowed Hall of Fame, where the other names above do not.
Talk to me!
* Whatchu tink? Am I off my rocker?
* Once a cheat, always a cheat?
* Setting a bad example to our young children?
* He’s the same as Jose Canseco?
* Think he should still make it into the Hall of Fame?
How was your weekend y’all? Boring? Well, that’s what Fun Day Mondays are for yo. To help get this party your week started… right.
Here’s a lil’ sumthin’ sumthin’ my co-worker forwarded over to me. It’s from an ad campaign from a beer company, describing the differences between men and women, when someone says, “Let’s go for a drink.”
Well… We’ve already shared our lists for must have DVDs and CDs on the Desert Island. Logic tells us that the next list should be books right? Well my little Einsteins, you are absolutely correct-a-mundo!
This may catch you as a shocker, but I’m not much of a book worm. I think I have the attention span of a 4 year old. LOL! So my list will consist of magazines. The benefit with this (no bite! 😛 ) is that the subscriptions for them will include delivery; so errry month, a new magazine will magically show up on my porch on Desert Island. Lord knows how they know my address or why they can’t rescue us if they know where we are, but don’t ruin the moment for us a-ight? 8)
Slam Magazinesubscription– haven’t read it in a while, but back in the day, it was one of those must-reads for me as I could totally relate (culture, language, etc.).
Sports Illustrated Magazinesubscription– this is an ingenious pick (if I do say so myself) as it comes weekly instead of monthly, so I’ll always have something fresh and new to read. Plus, I can sell off the annual swimsuit edition (for shells *grin*) to the most desperate guy.
Maxim Magazinesubscription– for um… the articles. 😉 Also sellable for valuable shells. I’ll be rich!
Men’s Health Magazinesubscription– they’ve got it all in here. Health, diet, style, gadgets, etc.
Honolulu Advertisersubscription– Awwww yeah! Gotsta represent the HonAdv yo! Plus, I gotta keep up with what’s going on on the “other” islands.
Honorable mentions go to People/Us/Entertainment Weekly (any of those that will keep me up to speed with pop culture), Time (ditto for world news/culture), MMA/Jiu Jitsu related magazines/articles (we gots lots of time on the island… might as well earn my black belt while we’re there 😛 ).
Post your must-have books (or magazines)Â below yo!
Have a happy Aloha Friday (and weekend) y’all! Shoots!
Please do not post your losses if it will get you in trouble with the wife/husband/gf/bf/friend/loan shark/parents. *grin* And by no means does this mean I condone betting as a regular activity. Personally, I don’t really like to do big cash bets – especially if it’s between friends – because, like they say, money is the root of all evil. 🙂 I’m more of a “for bragging rights,” plate lunch bet kinda guy, just to keep things interesting.
But since I was in the betting capital of the world for Super Bowl weekend just 4 short days ago, I put a cool 100 to the test for Arizona (with a spread of 7). Zona lost, but by just 4 (27-23) so I was in the money baby! I got $180 back, netting $80. Not bad, but it was a small consolation for the $100 (and a full week of plate lunches I owe my co-worker) I lost with my Penn pick the night before.
Woah, is it Where in Hawaii Wednesday already? Guess time flies when you’re having fun not posting blogs eh!? 🙂
Coconut Willy followed up on kuya.d‘s big time hints and won his unprecedented 5th WIHES contest, correctly guessing Princeville resort on Kauai’s north shore. Congrats C Dubbs!
This week, let’s do a lil’ trickery (again) and go out of Hawaii. If you read my last few posts, you’ll know where this one’s from. Go get um!
Where In Hawaii is Edward Sugimoto? – February 4, 2009
It’s gonna take me a little more time to organize my thoughts (my photos as well) on my UFC 94 weekend in Las Vegas, but here’s a lil’ sumthin’ sumthin’ for y’all in the meantime. It’s a video of BJ Penn’s entrance. The building was going bananas:Â B-A-N-A-N-A-S!
Every so often, there comes a time in a man’s life when the stars just align. The perfect storm of pleasure if you will. The weekend of January 30th was one such time.
You see, The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) – the most popular Mixed Martial Arts promotion – was having their biggest, most highly anticipated fight card in history: UFC 94. The main event featured Hilo’s own BJ Penn against Canada’s Georges St. Pierre, arguably the two best pound for pound fighters in the sport. Superbowl XLIII (43) festivities, which featured the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Arizona Cardinals, was also going on that weekend. Did I mention that this was all going down in Vegas? ‘Nuff said!
It all started with a confirmation of UFC 94 fight tickets, just a couple weeks before the event (Mahalos to Bruddah DJ and the rest of the UFC posse). From there, it was pure pandemonium as I worked some flight, room and car reservation magic for less than $580 per. Not bad, given the current flight prices.
Wifey unfortunately couldn’t take off of work so my friend Dave “took one for the team” and forced himself to come with me on this once in a lifetime, sport-filled weekend.
We caught the red-eye on Thursday the 29th, and enjoyed breakfast at Ruby’s Dinette on our LAX layover.
Outside Ruby’s Dinette
I’ve been by this place numerous times before, but never had the chance or the time to eat there. With our hunger, and a couple of hours to spare, Dave and I checked it out. It’s a good thing we did because it was surprisingly good.
Ruby’s Breakfast Burrito: “A flour tortilla filled with fluffy scrambled eggs, salsa and shredded cheese. Topped with sour cream, black olives and chopped green onions. Served with black beans. It’s our “South of the Border” specialty!”
Skillet Potatoes
Ruby’s Dinette – LAX
201 World Way – Terminal 6
Los Angeles, CA 90045
(310) 646-2480
We arrived in Sin City at about 10AM on Friday, the 30th, but by the time we got our luggage, stood in line to pick up our rental car, and took my mobile phone in for service (it stopped working for some reason), it was almost time for the first two events of the trip: the exclusive Q&A session with (fighter) Rashad Evans and the official UFC 94 weigh-ins.
UFC 94 Schedule of Events poster
Thanks to Bruddah DJ, we were able to get early access into the event and sit decently close.
The much anticipated BJ Penn–Georges St Pierre stare down, as St.-Pierre’s head trainer Firas Zahabi, an unknown male, UFC President Dana White, ring announcer Bruce Buffer, Penn’s head trainer Rudy Valentino and fight matchmaker Joe Silva look on.
Following the weigh-ins, I decided to check my voicemail from my friend’s phone and was surprised to hear that my Las Vegas (Hawaii transplant) friend Jen left a couple of messages. She wanted us to meet up for dinner with her and her boyfriend Brandon at an all you can eat sushi spot called Sushi-Mon. Since Dave and I were practically starving, the timing couldn’t have been more perfect!
Sushi-Mon sign
For $26.95 ($21.95 for lunch), you can pick from a large array of sushi/nigiri, rolls, and side dishes, and go to town on them for one hour. And go to town I did!
2 orders of ikura (salmon roe) and 2 orders of masago (smelt egg) (one order already eaten… couldn’t wait! *grin*)
2 orders of hokkigai (surf clam) and 2 orders of hamachi (yellowtail tuna)
Dave’s Moon Roll order (Freshwater eel, yum yum scallop & avocado served on a bed of tempura crumbs topped with eel sauce).
Jen’s recommended Cajun Albacore sushi
Snow crab meat sushi (you’re only allowed one order)
Baked Scallop Shell side dish
Ika (squid) sushi
Sushi-Mon (on Sahara)
8320 W Sahara Ave #180,
Las Vegas, NV 89117
(702) 304-0044
Open 7 Days a week, 11:30AM-2:00AM
And den, it was fight day! After fueling up on the $7.99 Garden Court Buffet Lunch at the Main Street Station Hotel in downtown…
My $7.99 buffet lunch (breakfast actually) at the Main Street Station Hotel in downtown (heart don’t fail me now!)
… we headed towards the Mirage to place some fight bets, as, according to my friend Kippy who messaged me on Facebook, they had Penn at +180, some of the best lines in town! By the time we got there though, the line had moved to +135, but that was still good enough for me to back our local hero. While there, I also dropped a bit on the Super Bowl for good measure (‘Zona with the 7 point spread). What the heck right?
Following that, we went back to our hotel to get a quick R&R before the big day ahead. Then it was time! We started by roaming the MGM casino area an hour before the gates were to open. We saw a cool photo opp set up for fight fans, and, after asking a girl to take our photo there, her friends thought it was a good idea to tell her to jump in the photo with us! Um, yeah, thanks!
Dave and I posing with some random girl.
At 4:15PM we started to slowly make our way to the gates. The heart started a racin’ and the adrenaline started a pumpin’! I couldn’t believe we were actually there son!
Shuffling in before showtime
Here are the results with some personal observations sprinkled in between.
Dan Cramer defeats Matt Arroyo by Split Decision
– I thought Matt Arroyo, The Ultimate Fighter 7 alum, would take this one, but was surprised with Cramer’s perseverance.
Jake O’Brien defeats Christian Wellisch by Split Decision
– Another surprise as I picked Wellisch to come out on top for this one. As you can tell by now, my fantasy UFC picking is pretty horrible. Good to see O’Brien back from his injury and looking strong though.
John Howard defeats Chris Wilson by Split Decision
– This was too close to call, but both men gave it their all.
Thiago Tavares defeats Manny Gamburyan by Unanimous Decision
– Tavares was too big and too strong (and too quick) for Gamburyan, as expected.
Jon Fitch defeats Akihiro Gono by Unanimous Decision
– Gono impressed me by taking Fitch the distance. His entrance performance (where he dressed up in drag with two of his cornermen) had me in stitches!
Akihiro Gono’s hilarious drag queen entrance
Clay Guida defeats Nate Diaz by Split Decision
– Not a huge fan of Diaz, but knew Guida couldn’t finish him. Picked Guida, just based on his energy and spirit. Gotta love someone who is passionate about what they do. Got hooked to his entrance song (Foo Fighter’s “My Hero“).
Karo Parisyan defeats Dong Hyun Kim by Split Decision
– From my vantage point, I thought Kim got robbed on this one. He impressed me. Looking forward to more from him.
Jon Jones defeats Stephan Bonnar by Unanimous Decision
– Woah! Where’d this guy come from? Jones was very unorthodox, but impressive at the same time. Bonnar must’ve been confused with the strikes coming from all ova tha place!
Lyoto Machida defeats Thiago Silva by Knock Out at 4:49 in the 1st round
Lyoto Machida and Thiago Silva stare down each other as they get instructions from referee Yves Lavigne
– ALAS!!! A finish!!! Machida must’ve heard all of our groans from a card filled with decisions. And he made sure to bring it. Silva was completely out for a good minute or so. It was the first time I jumped out of my seat (other that to use the potty! *grin*). Mahalos Lyoto!
Silva still on the ground after a vicious Machida punch
Georges St-Pierre defeats BJ Penn by TKO Stoppage at 5:00 in the 4th round
BJ’s Entrance Video
Animation of opening sequence
– D’oh! What a disappointment. But soooo worth being there in person. I was there when they first met at UFC 58 in March of ’06 so it was inevitable that I be there at this one. Unfortunately, the results didn’t reflect my (and probably most of Hawaii’s) wishes. That’s ok, BJ is still the man in my eyes! He showed great courage by not giving up.
On a side note, was it just me or did BJ not look all there from the very beginning? Even from where I was sitting, I could tell that something was just not right. He didn’t come out with the tenacity and that fire in his eye like he usually does. Something was just off. When I watched it back on my DVR at home, I noticed that his eyes were glassy and puffy and he had a look of stress/worry. Was it mental? Was it physical? Only BJ knows I guess, but the results from the fight seemed to confirm my spidey senses.
Following the fight, the rumors started to fly. My Google Reader started blowin’ up! I heard everything from BJ having a fever, to a stomach flu, to a nervous breakdown. I can’t imagine the pressure of having an entire state (and country) on your shoulders. And I know that BJ has that mental toughness a fighter needs to succeed, but something just wasn’t right.
For you Canadian/GSP fans/readers out there, I’m not making any excuses. GSP followed a perfect game plan and fought a flawless fight, and truly was the better man that night. However, if, indeed, the Vaseline and stomach flu rumors were true, and BJ was able to fight at full strength (mentally and physically) against a fair, Vaseline-less body, I’m absolutely positive that the fight would’ve been A LOT closer than it was. If it turns out that those rumors were false, GSP is undeniably the better man at Welterweight.
Leaving the arena took a ridiculously long time as there was just one exit for all 14,885 of us fans in the Grand Garden Arena (I really hope the folks at MGM do something about this potentially dangerous situation). It did give us some time however, to observe some interesting things like the proud/happy Canadians singing their national anthem aloud and the local mokes trying to call them out fo’ beef. I really wish that that fight broke out to give us some entertainment. Not that I was upset at the Canadians. Heck, they deserved to be proud. I think it was more that my thirst for excitement was not quite quenched, with just two stoppages the whole night.
I got some consolation when I saw Pride fighting legend Takanori Gomi waiting in line for his car outside, and took a picture with him. He seemed intense, but gave me a proper, Japanese bow as I bowed and thanked him with “Arigatou gozaimasu.”
Wifey also called me later to tell me that my goal of getting on the historic DVD with my cheesy fluorescent green shirt had been fulfilled, albeit the back of our heads. LOL! So it was not all a disappointing night yo. 😛
Dave and I forever a part of UFC 94 history. LOL!
We thought about going to the Official UFC afterparty at LAX (http://www.laxthenightclub.com/ ) at the Luxor, but decided to grab a bite instead. We called my high school buddy Jeff (another Hawaii transplant) to see if he and his wife Yvonne wanted to join us, but he instead, invited us over to his house to eat leftovers from their UFC 94 party. ‘Twas nice to see them and just chill after a long night.
The next day was Superbowl Sunday, but with our bets already placed, we said “Superbowl Shmuperbowl” and hit the slopes at the Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort for a lil’ boardin’.
Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort Sign
It was a gorgeous day with decent conditions (mostly smooth with some powder and icey patches), but the best part was that the Blackjack, High Roller, and Keno paths (blue square) and Jacks, Slot Alley and Grandma’s (black diamond) were relatively empty (see trail PDF here). I pretty much had half the mountain to myself! Awwwww yeah!
Empty path… Loves it!
Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort
End of Highway 1506 in Lee Canyon
(702) 385-2754
Lift Hours: 9am to 4pm
Lodge Hours: 8:30am to 4:30pm
After a mandatory Trader Joe’s omiyage run following our boarding sesh, and a quick bite to eat at Panda Express (yes, we had the urge!), we got back to our hotel just in time to catch the most exciting 4th quarter in Super Bowl history.
Kurt Warner’s look of disgust as his Cardinals allow Pittsburgh to move the ball closer and close to the end zone
All in all, it was a quickie, but exciting 3 days of 3 breathtaking sporting events: MMA, football and snowboarding. The perfect storm of pleasure.
