Italian Teriyaki Polish Lemonade Chicken Kabob.
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Asparagus Festival 2008-212
Booth for an asparagus-based margarita at the 2008 Asparagus Festival in Stockton, California.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Russian Jazz Octet-18
Here's another example of culture clash in Jazz. This is American saxophonist Bob Mintzer playing with several members of the Russian-based Open World Jazz Octet. While they play straight jazz for the most part, only one of the members of the Octet speaks English with any proficiency. But they could all play nearly flawless jazz together. It's amazing how jazz has become a language of its own. Great concert, by the way.
April 2 2008 Deepak Ram
Jazz artist Deepak Ram played for the Brubeck Festival. It's another example of the cultural mix that we call Jazz. He plays straight-on jazz, but uses a mix of Indian and Western instruments to do so. It was interesting to hear. I know this isn't new. John McLaughlin experimented with the same styles in the' '70s. So did Miles Davis. And of course The Beatles mixed rock and Indian sounds in the same way. But it still is an interesting cultural clash.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Celtic Faire 2008-122
Shot from the Sonora Celtic Fair (previously the Calaveras Celtic Faire). This is the group "The Wicked Tinkers." Very high energy. Also, in my mind, a Teriyaki Donut? Why. Besides playing Celtic music and originals, they play Celtic music with a didgeridoo. That's what the guy with the blue handprint on his face is playing.
For those who don't know, a didgeridoo is an instrument invented and used mostly by the Indigenous people of Australia, folks who are most definitely not Celtic. So how does a didgeridoo get introduced into a Celtic band? In this case, it's probably because it just sounds cool, but it's possible it was adopted by the early settlers of Australia, most of whom were Irish and Scottish.
You have to remember that Australia originally was a British Penal colony. In fact, there's a really old joke about it. "Q: What's another name for an Australian? A: An Irishman who got caught." That's the joke. Anyway, it's possible that the Irish who were sent to the island and then settled there after being released from prison adopted the didgeridoo as a substitute for the bagpipes in Celtic music.
This group, of course, also has added a very distinct American rock tone to its music as well, thus further adding to its Teriyaki Donut status in my mind.
For those who don't know, a didgeridoo is an instrument invented and used mostly by the Indigenous people of Australia, folks who are most definitely not Celtic. So how does a didgeridoo get introduced into a Celtic band? In this case, it's probably because it just sounds cool, but it's possible it was adopted by the early settlers of Australia, most of whom were Irish and Scottish.
You have to remember that Australia originally was a British Penal colony. In fact, there's a really old joke about it. "Q: What's another name for an Australian? A: An Irishman who got caught." That's the joke. Anyway, it's possible that the Irish who were sent to the island and then settled there after being released from prison adopted the didgeridoo as a substitute for the bagpipes in Celtic music.
This group, of course, also has added a very distinct American rock tone to its music as well, thus further adding to its Teriyaki Donut status in my mind.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Teriyaki Donuts
Another Teriyaki Donut joint in Modesto, California. But wait, there's more. It's also a gas station! And better yet, it also has a Mexican restaurant too (not pictured, but take my word for it)
Teriyaki Donuts
Another Teriyaki Donut joint in Modesto, California. But wait, there's more. It's also a gas station! And better yet, it also has a Mexican restaurant too (not pictured, but take my word for it)
Monday, January 21, 2008
Jan 20 2008 Molinari
Found in north beach - a long-established Italian deli that serves enchiladas. We have to remember that the fastest growing "minority" group in California is the Hispanic/Latino group, and they are obviously creating influence on all other ethnic groups in the state. It will be interesting to see how much tastes and cultures will change in the next 20 years because of this shift.
Jan 20 2008 Happy New Year
This was in the door to a private residence in San Francisco. It's Mickey and Minnie Mouse wishing everyone a Happy New Year in both English and Chinese. While not surprising since Disney is such a world-wide venture, it's a nice reminder that the American culture has really spread round the globe in obvious and not-so-obvious ways. For some reason, I couldn't help but think of the movie "Blade Runner" which so brilliantly mixed American, Chinese, Japanese and Arab cultures seamlessly throughout the film, including inventing a language that was a mix of all four cultures.
Jan 20 2008 Bagels and Vietnamese Sandwiches
Found a restaurant that sells both Bagels and Vietnamese sandwiches in San Francisco. Oh, and English tea too.
Friday, December 07, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
Teriyaki Donut from Quentin Tarantino's "Jackie Brown"
This was sent to me from a reader of this blog. It's the Teriyaki Donut shop that Quentin Tarantion used in "Jackie Brown." Courtesy of Todd Mecklem.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Greek Nachos
I know, I know. This was the same booth I photographed last year. I just can't resist. I have a weakness for curly Greek nachos.
Cajun Sausage burgers
Another favorite at the Stanislaus County Fair in Turlock, California. These are such easy targets for this blog.
Fried Vegetable cajun corndog Polish sausage
An oldie but a goodie. Taken at this year's Stanislaus County Fair in Turlock, California.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Greek Pizza or Italian Gyros?
Found this just off of Fillmore in San Francisco, about a block down from the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. While it would make sense, in a way, to mix Greek and Italian food - after all the two countries are close to the same neighborhood on the globe - there is so much that could be said about this combination.
For example, is it a pizza with lamb meat or is it a Greek sandwich smothered in cheese and tomato sauce?
There's also the issue of the origin of the pizza. Some historians claim the pizza is firmly American. Others say that the pizza we normally buy in the states has a distinct flavor, but that there is in fact an Italian pizza, or "pissa" meaning flat bread (the derivative pita is believed to have come from pissa). I've heard arguments that Focaccia bread is actually the Italian version of pizza, as that bread also comes smothered in tomatoes and cheese in some varieties. Recently, the Italian legislature debated a law that would set limitations on what ingredients and style of pizza could actually be called "authentic Italian." So even they recognize a large variation in what is served elsewhere - especially in the United States.
Either way, I think this place firmly can take its place as a Teriyaki Donut.
For example, is it a pizza with lamb meat or is it a Greek sandwich smothered in cheese and tomato sauce?
There's also the issue of the origin of the pizza. Some historians claim the pizza is firmly American. Others say that the pizza we normally buy in the states has a distinct flavor, but that there is in fact an Italian pizza, or "pissa" meaning flat bread (the derivative pita is believed to have come from pissa). I've heard arguments that Focaccia bread is actually the Italian version of pizza, as that bread also comes smothered in tomatoes and cheese in some varieties. Recently, the Italian legislature debated a law that would set limitations on what ingredients and style of pizza could actually be called "authentic Italian." So even they recognize a large variation in what is served elsewhere - especially in the United States.
Either way, I think this place firmly can take its place as a Teriyaki Donut.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Oops ...
I have not forgotten about this site. I have just been really, really busy with the new job. But I have a few leads on some interesting "Teriyaki Donuts." So stay tuned as I get focused once again.
In the meantime, let me remind you that I am willing to take submissions. A few of you have said that you would submit photos and explanations to me of other culture clashes but none have transpired so far.
So I share the blame with you too. :P
In the meantime, let me remind you that I am willing to take submissions. A few of you have said that you would submit photos and explanations to me of other culture clashes but none have transpired so far.
So I share the blame with you too. :P
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Los Angeles 014
Mexican, German and Chinese food. Complete with overpriced American money-dispensing Machine. Or that's a Chinese ATM. Couldn't tell which.
Los Angeles 012
Took this in downtown Los Angeles over the weekend. It's a giant advertisement for German Beer, but it's using Mexican images. Huh?
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Calaveras Celtic Festival 2007 2
Went to the Calaveras County Celtic Festival, a mish-mash of everything Celtic, American and renaissance. Yet another example of how Americans adopt so much from other cultures and call it their own. Actually, this guy is more of a character from a Conan movie than from Celtic culture, but when you are drinking Guinness all day, who really cares? eh?
Calaveras Celtic Festival 2007 8
Went to the Calaveras County Celtic Festival, a mish-mash of everything Celtic, American and renaissance. Yet another example of how Americans adopt so much from other cultures and call it their own. Here, Jazz trumpeter Michael Mooney plays an American folk song with the Sonora group "The Black Irish Band." Wow, I'm confused just writing that.
Calaveras Celtic Festival 2007 19
Went to the Calaveras County Celtic Festival, a mish-mash of everything Celtic, American and renaissance. Yet another example of how Americans adopt so much from other cultures and call it their own. This is the band Culann's Hounds from San Francisco. They play a mix of punk, American folk, French Folks and some Celtic-type songs, yet everyone called everything they did "Irish." God Bless America.
Calaveras Celtic Festival 2007 24
Went to the Calaveras County Celtic Festival, a mish-mash of everything Celtic, American and renaissance. Yet another example of how Americans adopt so much from other cultures and call it their own.
Calaveras Celtic Festival 2007 26
Went to the Calaveras County Celtic Festival, a mish-mash of everything Celtic, American and renaissance. Yet another example of how Americans adopt so much from other cultures and call it their own.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Chen Yi
Nina Flyer and Chen Yi both crack up at a joke that Chen made just before students performed one of Chen's pieces at University of the Pacific on Friday.
Flyer is a grammy-nominated cellist. Chen is a world-famous composer who has written works for Yo Yo Ma, some of the greatest orchestras in the world and for many other world-famous starts. Chen wrote her latest piece for The New Pacific Trio, a group of faculty members at University of the Pacific. Flyer is a member of that group.
So why is this in Teriyaki Donuts? Well, Dr. Chen's music is a fascinating mix of European-style chamber music and Chinese folk music. Chen grew up in Communist China where, as a child, she was forced to work in aggrarian labor camps. But as she would later say in interviews, at night she would play her violin, learning Chinese folks tunes.
As a young adult, she was selected to study music in China shortly after the government reopened the universities there at the tail end of the cultural revolution. She ended up becoming the first female in China and one of the first Chinese citizens to earn a doctorates degree in China in classical composition.
She later moved to the United States where her career really took off. Here, her work started to get international recognition. Her work is now performed around the world by some of the biggest names in music.
I heard several of her pieces played at University of the Pacific Friday and I was blown away. It was really cool to hear the Chinese synchopation and the famed climbing and falling notes that many of us associate with Chinese music to be perfectly blended in such European-style compositions. It was a perfect collision of two different cultures, thus coming up with a totally new and independent sound.
Now, of course, I'm not saying she's the first to do this. She may be, I just don't know. But the combination of two different cultural art forms as done here by Chen Yi in America nominates her for Teriyaki Donuts, at least in my mind.
Flyer is a grammy-nominated cellist. Chen is a world-famous composer who has written works for Yo Yo Ma, some of the greatest orchestras in the world and for many other world-famous starts. Chen wrote her latest piece for The New Pacific Trio, a group of faculty members at University of the Pacific. Flyer is a member of that group.
So why is this in Teriyaki Donuts? Well, Dr. Chen's music is a fascinating mix of European-style chamber music and Chinese folk music. Chen grew up in Communist China where, as a child, she was forced to work in aggrarian labor camps. But as she would later say in interviews, at night she would play her violin, learning Chinese folks tunes.
As a young adult, she was selected to study music in China shortly after the government reopened the universities there at the tail end of the cultural revolution. She ended up becoming the first female in China and one of the first Chinese citizens to earn a doctorates degree in China in classical composition.
She later moved to the United States where her career really took off. Here, her work started to get international recognition. Her work is now performed around the world by some of the biggest names in music.
I heard several of her pieces played at University of the Pacific Friday and I was blown away. It was really cool to hear the Chinese synchopation and the famed climbing and falling notes that many of us associate with Chinese music to be perfectly blended in such European-style compositions. It was a perfect collision of two different cultures, thus coming up with a totally new and independent sound.
Now, of course, I'm not saying she's the first to do this. She may be, I just don't know. But the combination of two different cultural art forms as done here by Chen Yi in America nominates her for Teriyaki Donuts, at least in my mind.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Prost!
Last night I accidentally discovered a whole new Teriyaki Donut called Gypsy Punk. It's a new musical movement out of the Russian area of New York that mixes Slavic styles of music with punk rock. The band that I hears play it is called Gogol Bordello. They opened for Primus in Berkeley.
Gogol Bordello is led by a tall, thin Romanian guy who wears green tights on stage and plays gypsy-style acoustic guitar. He's backed up by a full rock band, an accordion, a fiddle player and these two girls who occasionally run out on stage to sing back up while dressed in biker shorts and shirts and wearing skateboarding knee and elbow pad protection. They all dance a mix of the punk-style pogo stick and the line dancing that's often featured at Jewish weddings. Very strange to see.
The songs all have a heavy Slavic beat to it and use a mix of Romanian, Russian and English. The English is broken, as the lead singer has a very thick Romanian or Russian accent, but also sings with a Tom Waits-type grovel on top of it.
Lyrics include lines like "Upon arrivin' in the melting pot, I get penciled in as a goddamn white," "And you see brothers and sisters, all engaged in sport of help, making merry out of nothing like in a refugee camp," and "Start wearing purple for me now."
Oddly enough, the combination works really well. In some ways, they sound a bit like the early Pogues, which mixed Celtic and punk. They put on a heck of a show, although it's one of the strangest performances I have seen in a while.
Take the time to check them out. I purchased their album "Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike," which I absolutely have no idea what it means. But my daughter and I listened to the album twice on the way home and they can add us as their newest fans.
Gogol Bordello is led by a tall, thin Romanian guy who wears green tights on stage and plays gypsy-style acoustic guitar. He's backed up by a full rock band, an accordion, a fiddle player and these two girls who occasionally run out on stage to sing back up while dressed in biker shorts and shirts and wearing skateboarding knee and elbow pad protection. They all dance a mix of the punk-style pogo stick and the line dancing that's often featured at Jewish weddings. Very strange to see.
The songs all have a heavy Slavic beat to it and use a mix of Romanian, Russian and English. The English is broken, as the lead singer has a very thick Romanian or Russian accent, but also sings with a Tom Waits-type grovel on top of it.
Lyrics include lines like "Upon arrivin' in the melting pot, I get penciled in as a goddamn white," "And you see brothers and sisters, all engaged in sport of help, making merry out of nothing like in a refugee camp," and "Start wearing purple for me now."
Oddly enough, the combination works really well. In some ways, they sound a bit like the early Pogues, which mixed Celtic and punk. They put on a heck of a show, although it's one of the strangest performances I have seen in a while.
Take the time to check them out. I purchased their album "Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike," which I absolutely have no idea what it means. But my daughter and I listened to the album twice on the way home and they can add us as their newest fans.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Dave Brubeck Institute Quintet 3
Yup, I'm still alive. Just been really busy. Of course, I had to post this. Yet another jazz musician playing live in downtown Modesto. Besides the fact that Jazz is a mish-mash of musical styled from all around the world, it's also somewhat of a Teriyaki Donut that the Brubeck Jazz Institute Quintet (possibly one of the finest young quintets in the nation) would play in a country town like Modesto, California and draw a standing-room only crowd. Country meets jazz. Go figure.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Bluegrass
I went to the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco and captured some photos for this blog. So how does the American music of bluegrass fit in here?
Bluegrass is really the combination of three different types of music:
Irish music, blues and European folk. It came out of the Kentucky region originally, thus many people think that it's named after the famous grass from that area. But I recently had a music professor explain another theory - the name comes from the combination of Blues and grassroots or folk music.
Anyway, most of the bluegrass musicians I know also play Celtic and blues and most of the celtic musicians I know play blues and bluegrass as well. The styles really are similar.
Here is a punk rock girl playing bluegrass fiddle during the festival so she can earn some money.
One group I didn't get a photo of because it didn't occur to me until too late was The Pine Leaf Boys. They had a singer who played bluegrass but sang all his songs in traditional Creole - a mix of French, English and Spanish that's often only heard in Louisiana. That language alone is worthy of its own Teriyaki Donuts post.
Maybe another day, though.
Bluegrass is really the combination of three different types of music:
Irish music, blues and European folk. It came out of the Kentucky region originally, thus many people think that it's named after the famous grass from that area. But I recently had a music professor explain another theory - the name comes from the combination of Blues and grassroots or folk music.
Anyway, most of the bluegrass musicians I know also play Celtic and blues and most of the celtic musicians I know play blues and bluegrass as well. The styles really are similar.
Here is a punk rock girl playing bluegrass fiddle during the festival so she can earn some money.
One group I didn't get a photo of because it didn't occur to me until too late was The Pine Leaf Boys. They had a singer who played bluegrass but sang all his songs in traditional Creole - a mix of French, English and Spanish that's often only heard in Louisiana. That language alone is worthy of its own Teriyaki Donuts post.
Maybe another day, though.
Bluegrass punk
Famous British punk rocker Billy Bragg (started recording in the early '80s) performed a complete set of his folk songs at the festival. They fit right in since bluegrass draws heavily from folk. Bragg also threw in a country tune that he wrote as well as one from Johnny Cash.
Superstar
Gillian Welch performs her strict bluegrass set during the festival. She drew a huge overflow crowd. There must have been at least 10,000 people in her audience alone, even though there were five stages altogether.
Gillian Welch
Gillian Welch is a superstar in the bluegrass arena. She was promoted to that when one of her songs was picked for the soundtrack of "O Brother Where Art Thou?" She was then featured on the smach follow-up live album "Down From the Mountain." The crowd was so big for her, I couldn't get very close and had to use a zoom. Since light was quickly fading, it was difficult to get a good shot.
T Bone Burnett crossover
Here, Oscar-nominated and grammy-winning singer, songwriter and producer T Bone Burnett plays a nearly rock-like set while backed up by virtually all bluegrass musicians. Because bluegrass essentially came from a hodgepodge of other music from Ireland, Europe and Africa, it's easy to switch between styles because they all follow basically the same formulas.
T Bone Burnett
As I said earlier, many bluegrass musicians easily cross over between styles. Here, T Bone Burnett (Grammy winner and nominated for an Oscar) plays an all-electric set of his Tom Wait's like folk songs.
Austin Lounge Lizards up close
This is one of the big acts at this year's Mostly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, the Austin Lounge Lizards. They opened their set with a song called "Yet Another Stupid Song About Texas."
Austin Lounge Lizards
Like blues, bluegrass music sometimes can be irreverant. And one of the most irreverant groups out there is the Austin Lounge Lizards. Their latest album pokes fun at commercials, modern religion and the medical industry.
Dancers
As you can see, people of all ages still seem to enjoy Bluegrass. Here, they dance to a tune by The Stairwell Sisters.
The Stairwell Sisters
Here, The Stairwell Sisters perform a vocal-only or a cappella song during the festival. They were one of the few bands that stuck to almost all traditional bluegrass tunes.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
tenor sax
Jazz really has become a universal language. The Brubeck Institute at the University of the Pacific is hosting a visit by seven jazz players from Russia. The Russians will meet with Dave Brubeck and perform for him, perform at the Monterey Jazz Festival in two weeks, visit Yoshi's jazz club in Oakland and play a concert at the university.
They arrived Wednesday night and met with the members of the 2006 Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet, five boys agest 18 - 19 who are studying the language of jazz.
While few of the Russians could speak English, the Brubeck Quintet and the Russians were able to speak through the language of jazz.
Both groups were impressive and will be playing in a concert at the University of the Pacific in Stockton on September 19, at 7:30 pm.
Pictured here, Dmitriy Kondrashov blows a solo while baritone saxophonist Yevgeniy Voloshin waits his turn. They were playing for American musicians in the rehearsal hall at the University of the Pacific.
They arrived Wednesday night and met with the members of the 2006 Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet, five boys agest 18 - 19 who are studying the language of jazz.
While few of the Russians could speak English, the Brubeck Quintet and the Russians were able to speak through the language of jazz.
Both groups were impressive and will be playing in a concert at the University of the Pacific in Stockton on September 19, at 7:30 pm.
Pictured here, Dmitriy Kondrashov blows a solo while baritone saxophonist Yevgeniy Voloshin waits his turn. They were playing for American musicians in the rehearsal hall at the University of the Pacific.
Russian piano
Russian guitarist Petr Malanov warms up before performing for the American 2006 Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet.
russian guitar
Russian guitarist Petr Malanov warms up before performing for the American 2006 Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet.
Russian band
The Russian musicians play for the Americans at the University of the Pacific. They are: TAleksey Chernakov, piano; Artem Fedotov, drums; Dmitriy Kondrashov, tenor and soprano saxophones and flute and clarinet; Konstantin Safyanov, alto sax; Petr Malanov, guitar; Vadim Mikhaylov, bass; and Yevgeniy Voloshin, baritone saxophone.
bari sax
Russian altosaxophonist Dmitriy Kondrashov blows a saxophone solo in the rehearsal hall at the University of the Pacific.
American pianist
This is the 2006 Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet: trumpeter Brian Chahley; saxophonist Lucas Pino; pianist Glenn Zaleski; drummer Cory Cox; and bassist Chris Smith. They were playing for a group of visiting Russian musicians in the rehearsal hall a the University of the Pacific. You can see the Russians sitting in chairs in the background. They were awed by the impressive talent of these young musicians.
American band
This is the 2006 Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet: trumpeter Brian Chahley; saxophonist Lucas Pino; pianist Glenn Zaleski; drummer Cory Cox; and bassist Chris Smith. They were playing for a group of visiting Russian musicians in the rehearsal hall a the University of the Pacific.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)