I finally took some time and went to Chinatown today. I’d been wanting to go on the walking tour drawn out on the Chinatown website (see the History section), and finally had the time. I caught the Gold Line up the street from my house (Slowest. Train. Ever.) and rode into downtown, exiting at the Chinatown station. This is actually a great way to get into downtown since you don’t have to park, and Chinatown is right there within a block.
I walked down to the Central Plaza on Broadway and looked in the curio shops. I bought a new 2007 calendar with a Boar on it. Apparently 2007 is the Year of the Boar. I should have known. I was born in 1971, also a Year of the Boar, so this should be a good year for me. Things have actually been looking up since July of this year when I shed 155 lbs. in the form of my ex-boyfriend. Since then, a lot of good things have happened, including a big promotion which takes effect right after the New Year.
I then wandered down Broadway further to the 700 block and the home of the Saigon Market. I 
had no idea the market was there. When I entered it and headed down the recesses of the dark alley lined with shops, I was reminded of some of the markets I had visited last summer in Hong Kong. Then I realized there was no one haranguing me to buy anything, it wasn’t nearly as crowded, and the street didn’t reek of Chinese food. I thought it was only one alley, but as I ventured further, I found that it branched out into many alleys and stalls, most selling inexpensive clothes and cheap Chinese trinkets. I was disappointed to see some of the things I had bought in China as “unique” souvenirs were readily available right there in Chinatown.
The only thing I purchased in the market was one of the things I also purchased on the street in
Hong Kong, and that was a pair of Chuck Taylor Converse All Stars. I’ve always loved these shoes, but since I remember being able to buy them for $15 in the 80s, I have a really hard time shelling out the $40 they regularly go for now. In Hong Kong, I was able to buy a pair for about $13 US dollars. They were $28 in Chinatown Los Angeles, still a pretty good deal.
I watched the DVD of “Miami Vice” this evening and found it rather enjoyable. I knew I’d like it when I heard Michael Mann himself was making it. It’s generally hard for someone to fuck up his own creation (unless that person is George Lucas). It was dark, gritty, and had a good soundtrack, including a remake of Phil Collins’ “In The Air
Tonight” which was a nice touch. The best thing about this film was Jamie Foxx as Rico Tubbs. He’s such a better actor than Philip Michael Thomas. Colin Farrell did a formidable job as Detective Sonny Crockett, but here’s the thing. When Miami Vice was on TV, I was 13 and just hitting puberty, and when I saw Don Johnson in that role, it was the first time I understood what the phrase “sexy” meant. Johnson absolutely dripped sexiness. Farrell was good, but he wasn’t THAT good.
The song for today is “I’m An Adult Now” by The Pursuit of Happiness off their 1988 album Love Junk. I don’t remember any other songs that they did, but this one really stuck with me. I was 17-years-old when it came out, and absolutely couldn’t wait to be done with high school and be on with my life. This song is about the irony of growing older and finding yourself as an adult, at that point when you look at people younger than you and think to yourself (as I often do now), “What the hell is that kid wearing?” The lyrics speak for themselves:
Well, I don't hate my parents
I don't get drunk just to spite 'em
I've got my own reasons to drink now
I think I'll call my dad up and invite him
I can sleep in 'til noon anytime I want
Though there's not many days that I do
Gotta get up and take on that world
When you're an adult it's no cliche, it's the truth
'Cause I'm an adult now
I'm an adult now
I've got the problems of an adult
On my head and on my shoulders
I'm an adult now
Well I don't even look at young girls anymore
People will think I'm some kind of pervert
Adult sex is either boring or dirty
Young people they can get away with murder
I don't write songs about girls anymore
I have to write songs about women
No more boy meets girl boy loses girl
More like man tries to understand what the hell went wrong
'Cause I'm an adult now
I'm an adult now
I've got the problems of an adult
On my head and my libido
I'm an adult now
I can't take any more illicit drugs
I can't afford any artificial joy
I'd sure look like a fool lying dead in a ditch somewhere
With a mind full of chemicals like some cheese-eating high school boy
'Cause I'm an adult now
I'm an adult now
I've got the problems of an adult
On my head and on my shoulders
I'm an adult now
Sometimes my head hurts and sometimes my stomach hurts
And I guess that it won't be long
'Til I'm sitting in a room with a bunch of people whose necks and backs are aching
Whose sight and hearing's failing who just can't seem to get it up
Speaking of hearing, I can't take too much loud music
I mean I like to play it, but I sure don't like the racket
Noise, but I can't hear anything
Just guitars screaming, screaming, screaming
Some guy screaming in a leather jacket
Wooah!
'Cause I'm an adult now
I'm an adult now
I've got the problems of an adult
On my head and on my shoulders
I'm an adult now
I walked down to the Central Plaza on Broadway and looked in the curio shops. I bought a new 2007 calendar with a Boar on it. Apparently 2007 is the Year of the Boar. I should have known. I was born in 1971, also a Year of the Boar, so this should be a good year for me. Things have actually been looking up since July of this year when I shed 155 lbs. in the form of my ex-boyfriend. Since then, a lot of good things have happened, including a big promotion which takes effect right after the New Year.
I then wandered down Broadway further to the 700 block and the home of the Saigon Market. I 
had no idea the market was there. When I entered it and headed down the recesses of the dark alley lined with shops, I was reminded of some of the markets I had visited last summer in Hong Kong. Then I realized there was no one haranguing me to buy anything, it wasn’t nearly as crowded, and the street didn’t reek of Chinese food. I thought it was only one alley, but as I ventured further, I found that it branched out into many alleys and stalls, most selling inexpensive clothes and cheap Chinese trinkets. I was disappointed to see some of the things I had bought in China as “unique” souvenirs were readily available right there in Chinatown.The only thing I purchased in the market was one of the things I also purchased on the street in
Hong Kong, and that was a pair of Chuck Taylor Converse All Stars. I’ve always loved these shoes, but since I remember being able to buy them for $15 in the 80s, I have a really hard time shelling out the $40 they regularly go for now. In Hong Kong, I was able to buy a pair for about $13 US dollars. They were $28 in Chinatown Los Angeles, still a pretty good deal.
I watched the DVD of “Miami Vice” this evening and found it rather enjoyable. I knew I’d like it when I heard Michael Mann himself was making it. It’s generally hard for someone to fuck up his own creation (unless that person is George Lucas). It was dark, gritty, and had a good soundtrack, including a remake of Phil Collins’ “In The Air
Tonight” which was a nice touch. The best thing about this film was Jamie Foxx as Rico Tubbs. He’s such a better actor than Philip Michael Thomas. Colin Farrell did a formidable job as Detective Sonny Crockett, but here’s the thing. When Miami Vice was on TV, I was 13 and just hitting puberty, and when I saw Don Johnson in that role, it was the first time I understood what the phrase “sexy” meant. Johnson absolutely dripped sexiness. Farrell was good, but he wasn’t THAT good.
The song for today is “I’m An Adult Now” by The Pursuit of Happiness off their 1988 album Love Junk. I don’t remember any other songs that they did, but this one really stuck with me. I was 17-years-old when it came out, and absolutely couldn’t wait to be done with high school and be on with my life. This song is about the irony of growing older and finding yourself as an adult, at that point when you look at people younger than you and think to yourself (as I often do now), “What the hell is that kid wearing?” The lyrics speak for themselves:Well, I don't hate my parents
I don't get drunk just to spite 'em
I've got my own reasons to drink now
I think I'll call my dad up and invite him
I can sleep in 'til noon anytime I want
Though there's not many days that I do
Gotta get up and take on that world
When you're an adult it's no cliche, it's the truth
'Cause I'm an adult now
I'm an adult now
I've got the problems of an adult
On my head and on my shoulders
I'm an adult now
Well I don't even look at young girls anymore
People will think I'm some kind of pervert
Adult sex is either boring or dirty
Young people they can get away with murder
I don't write songs about girls anymore
I have to write songs about women
No more boy meets girl boy loses girl
More like man tries to understand what the hell went wrong
'Cause I'm an adult now
I'm an adult now
I've got the problems of an adult
On my head and my libido
I'm an adult now
I can't take any more illicit drugs
I can't afford any artificial joy
I'd sure look like a fool lying dead in a ditch somewhere
With a mind full of chemicals like some cheese-eating high school boy
'Cause I'm an adult now
I'm an adult now
I've got the problems of an adult
On my head and on my shoulders
I'm an adult now
Sometimes my head hurts and sometimes my stomach hurts
And I guess that it won't be long
'Til I'm sitting in a room with a bunch of people whose necks and backs are aching
Whose sight and hearing's failing who just can't seem to get it up
Speaking of hearing, I can't take too much loud music
I mean I like to play it, but I sure don't like the racket
Noise, but I can't hear anything
Just guitars screaming, screaming, screaming
Some guy screaming in a leather jacket
Wooah!
'Cause I'm an adult now
I'm an adult now
I've got the problems of an adult
On my head and on my shoulders
I'm an adult now
posted by EditThis at 12:08 AM
4 Comments:
Nice post today! Sounds like a great trip to Chinatown - great photos, too. It also sounds like things are really going well for you (well except for that whole sick as a dog and in a lot of pain thing) and that 2007 will be a good year for you and Wally.
Ha ha ha...that was a good weight loss diet!~ You should next write a book about the "drop weight and get rich" diet.
I enjoyed Miami Vice as well...I enjoy most stuff that Michael Mann has directed...he has this interesting moments of silence between his leads that tell a lot.
Now I am gonna check out the china town tour as well. Maybe even today :) Thanks.
Amir
I use to always buy Mao hats on my visits to Chinatown when in San Francisco. The first was only a few dollars. They kept going up and up. The last one I got, in the late 90s, was $20 (and they're cotton!). I was back in 2002 and couldn't find one. I use to think it was neat to be the only guy in America (or at least where I was at) wearing the most popular hat in the world. Sounds like you had a nice visit.
From: Kathryn
I just heard this song last night and I was wishing I knew all the words. The words are great. The music...not so much.
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