Hey Ma, look! I’m the Angry Reader of the Week! Many thanks to Phil Yu, a k a blogger Angry Asian Man, who featured me today as his Angry Reader of the Week. Phil’s been single-handedly chronicling Asian American news and events on his blog for 10 years, and I’m proud to be part of his Angry Asian community.

Photo of me not looking all that angry by Seng Chen.

1) B-boy at SFO’s Terminal 2, where DJ QBert was spinning in celebration of a new exhibit on records in the terminal. That was followed by delicious ramen in San Mateo. 2) A visual art show on mapping at Intersection for the Arts that I greatly enjoyed. 3) A beautiful day for a visit from out of town friends. 4) My cousin’s cat. We were warned she would not be friendly. Here, she’s just sleepy.

1) The bar at  Davies Symphony Hall, after a sold-out show for Pop-Up Magazine. 2) Snack with Mr. Hyphen and Nonogirl at Phil’s Sliders after an interview at Apex Express. 3) Swatches at Taylor Stitched.  4) Thanksgiving breakfast. Thankful for coffee, egg sandwiches, grapes and yogurt.

1) Blueberry pancakes at Clinton Street Bakery, New York. Very much recommended. 2) The High Line, New York. 3) Ocean Beach, San Francisco on an unseasonably warm day. 4) Fortifying for an evening of furniture buying and building. IKEA food reminds me, fondly, of a school cafeteria. Mac n cheese and almond torte cake recommended. Encrusted fish and soggy veggies not so much, but at $5, I’d probably eat it again.

1) Newly acquired Spam musubi pillow joins egg rug. 2) On a glasses quest, the five pairs of Warby Parkers in the home try-on kit that did not work for me. 3) Catfish sandwich from Bun Mee on a Saturday afternoon. 3) Peapod Fabrics in the Inner Sunset. Now I know where to go for cute fabrics if I ever attempt a sewing project.

1) Vintage shoes (many admired, none bought) in Houston. 2) Excellent tacos from the Tierra Caliente Taco Truck outside the West Alabama Ice House, Houston. 3) Westbound on the Bay Bridge. 4) I love tomato season! Tomatoes from the neighborhood farmers market.

Edition number 11. Asian American short films making their Texas premieres. Details, film descriptions and ticket info over here. Tell all your Houston friends. I think August might be the hottest month in Houston. Time to go inside and watch some films.

I thought that my visit to the White House in the fall was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But lucky me, I was invited back! In May, I once again represented San Francisco WritersCorps at the White House, this time with four students in tow.

Our little group of students was part of a larger group of 77 young writers from all around the country who had been invited to participate in a poetry workshop featuring well-known writers. We got to see the first lady speak, ask questions of Billy Collins and Rita Dove, and hear Aimee Mann perform “Save Me” in the White House’s State Dining Room. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of POTUS this time, but alas, not to be.

Rather than go on about the details, I will just refer you to some reflections written by two of the students on the trip: Raeme, who got a chance to read her poem in the White House, and Anna, who was visiting DC for the first time. Also, here is a local TV news story about our trip, which is reported in rhyming couplets.

But wait, there’s more White House news! The following month, Hyphen was invited to the White House! On June 22, my Hyphen colleagues Irene (the executive director) and Chris (our new publisher) represented us at the president’s meet and greet with Asian American community leaders. Here is Irene’s “Hyphen Guide to a White House Visit” about the experience. Crazy to think that this little scrappy magazine I helped start nine years ago and struggled to keep alive is not only alive and well, but being recognized by the White House!

Stitched has its world premiere at the International Quilt Festival in Cincinnati, OH this Friday, April 8th. To see where else it’s playing, visit their site here.

Bulldozer comes home to San Francisco for the 7th annual San Francisco International Women’s Film Festival. It screens as part of an animation program on April 8 at the Roxie Theater. I’ve been unable to make it to other festivals in person, so this will be the first time I get to see Bulldozer up on the big screen! Click here for more info.