Kent's Life....

2010 Chinese New Year has come to a close, and last night was the final big hoorah for New Years gambling....Chinese love to gamble, and that is a fact. This being the case, my buddy Ian had a few people over to his place for some good old fashioned games night...

I figured going over to Ian's for gambling meant Mah Jong or Pai Gow, but actually to my surprise the games started with Texas Hold'em, the Cadillac of poker..Its amazing to me how far the poker fever has come in the world. Needless to say, I love poker and it was a good time for me...It reminded me of Psi-U poker nights except there wasn't Chuck Dula writing faulty IOU's. Anyway, we started playing hold'em around 3pm and ended around 9pm, cause some people had to go home...pussies. But since the show must go on, we switched it up to a game better suited for four people..."Big Two" or for my fellow Seattlites "thirteens" was the game of choice.

I love me some 13's, and its so awesome that it is basically played in every Asian country. One of my favorite card games to play and bullshit around with friends...Since my days at Eckstein Middle School, I have grown up on this game. Boater squats, bombs, chops, and card slamming....hahaha I know some of you feel me on this.

The rules that are played in this part of Asia are little different from Seattle, but easy enough to pick up. Heres the link to the rules. What's awesome is that the winner gets paid out according the remaining number of cards in all the opponents hands. So shutting people down is a huge bonus! The "big two" session lasted well into the early morning....and I will brag and tell you all that I came out a winner. Represent the 206!!

All in all it was a great time drinking beer, playing cards, and talking guy stuff. Love it!


PS. If you want a translation of the title to this blog please hit up Davis Nguyen

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1. Deutschland...


I recently received an email from a good German friend of mine (Hi Sarah!) who mentioned my recent joining of the blogging world...kind of surprised me because I figured most people reading were just the homies back in the States, more specifically Seattle. Got me thinking....I need to get more international with my blogs...Problem is I'm not up to date with the latest Merkel news. However, I do know that VfB Stuttgart drew 1-1 against Barcelona in their recent Champions League matchup!! Which to me is pretty damn amazing. I mean Barcelona are the reigning champs (only cause Man U blew it). I hope Stuttgart can keep it up when they play Barca at Camp Nou in the 2nd leg of the matchup. As the German saying goes, "Ein blindes Huhn findet auch mal ein Korn" -- google it


2. Gorillas in the Mist


One of my big big homies, Roberto Farris, is doing hard time in the motherland right now. Yes, Africa...its not his first time there, but he did step up his game by trying out Rwanda. What comes to my mind when I hear Rwanda is genocide..mass genocide, but I did a little research and found that Rwanda is on the come up....not only has the country made a big time recovery from its genocide days, they have Gorillas! Not G-unit guerillas but real deal Silverbacks...So recently Robby went to go find out what thats all about. Lets just say he ran tough with some Gorillazzz in the jungle, on that Jane Goodall steez. Sounds pretty dope, right? Check out this little write up he did on the experience... Mad props Rob. You totally made up for that whole Peace Corps thing....and I'll even overlook that gnarly bandana you are rocking out there in Africa.


3. Man Bag


I also want to take a little space to brag about the new Tumi bag I just picked up....I rock business meetings in style....and the Lifetime Warranty is just great. Truly recommend a Tumi to anyone looking for a sweet bag for work, or for those who just want to feel like they have a real job.

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Would like to take the time to throw props to that nigga Q-Pon...cause he's just so fly. He had some good highlights on ESPN..finally some love for him, he deserves it. Check out the link.

Our last game against UCLA was a good way to show what we can do...I just hope UW can finish out the season with W's, and also pray that we take down the PAC-10 tourney....I dont think its asking too much. We have the tools to do it.

Final run for the money, and Im happy to have Pondexter leading the way....hollllaaa

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Just came back from dinner with the lady...a little Sunday night date action. We went and checked out the new Ippudo Ramen that just opened in Singapore. Let me first start off by saying, I loooovvvee Ramen...its pretty much the best thing ever....really, and people who don't agree have obvi only had instant ramen. Back to it, Ippudo is a popular Ramen chain in Japan that specializes in Tonkotsu ramen, more specifically Hakata style. I'm tired so I am not gonna get into the history of ramen, but lets just say Ippudo is some heater...great stuff.


I am stoked to have Ippudo in town, and finally have a spot for me to get my ramen fix...soooo happy about this, and those that know about the Ramen should share my joy.

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I figure its time for another introduction to the local Singapore cuisine...Last time I wrote about dat Chicken Rice steez, which is real bomb, but its more of an everyday type of meal. Today Im talking bout a dish thats a little bit more grizzly on the wallet, Chili Crab. Its one of those things you go eat for birthdays, hot dates, celebrations, payday, or I guess anytime you want if you're ballin' like me.

A quick guide to Chili crab:
Mud crab is lightly fried or steamed in ginger, then thrown into a wok and stir-friend with Chili sauce, tomato, and eggs...then lightly garnished with coriander....of course there is a little more that goes to it, but thats pretty much the gist of it. Since the crab is covered in sauce it can get a little messy, but well worth it. I crack crabs like a G, unlike some people I've encountered (Jesus Martinez)

A great addition to the chili crab is the fried bread rolls("mantou" in Chinese)....they come standard with the dish so you can sop up the remaining chili sauce...hmmm mmmm...


Every guest that has come to visit loved the Chili Crab. It truly is the nuts of Singapore dishes...Even better for me is that there is a super fire ass spot just a 10min walk away from my house....if you find yourself in Singapore then I promise to take you out for this bomb crab....its on me!

So whatever the occasion may be, Chili Crab is, as my good homie Jonah Golan would say, "off da wind chimes!!!"

Heres a recipe that I found if you are daring enough try cooking at home...

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Taking a little time out to brag about my new shoes...picked up the "newbies" cause they are the brand of choice for runners.....plus I was told I overpronate like Kayser Soze, so the "newbies" fix that little problem up real nice with the dual density mid-sole...and my philosophy has always been to start it off with style...the rest will fall into place.

Marathon beware...I'm gonna make Phuket my bitch....

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Vancouver Olympics 2010 update: Its official, Shaun White blew away the competition in the mens halfpipe finals taking home another gold medal for Team USA....Honestly, in this halfpipe event Shaun White is in a league of his own, and the only real competition he has is himself. The double Mctwist or the "White Snake" was soooo digustingly sicko...it was level 5 bio-hazard shit for sure....Thank you Shaun for taking home the gold....USA USA USA!!!!

Heres a Video of Shaun perfecting the "white snake" (final trick in his last run)...also check the Olympic gold winning highlight




And...what is up with Shani Davis...can somebody please tell me something more beautiful than a black man on ice skates...holllerrr. Such a gangster it hurts. Plus the fact he is super fast and raking in the gold medals is an extra bonus. Love this guy...respect!!

Next on the watch list is Womens Figure Skating...

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Last night (more like early this morning) Manchester United came thru with a HUGE Champions League victory agains AC Milan...things looked scary for my team when only 3 minutes into the match Milan's Ronaldinho punted one in, but my dogg Rooney who has been unstoppable this year came thru with 2 critical goals...3-2 was the final score, and this being an away match really puts Man U in a good place to move on to the next round.....love it...Eat it haters!!!!! thats all....

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Went for a little jog today.... Part of my training for Phuket marathon 0.5. While getting my run on I was bumping tunes on that random steez, and my song "Juicy" came on. Hadn't heard this Biggie classic in a while, which is too bad cause its truly an amazing cut. Anyway, it got me thinking about other sick rap songs, and the rest of my run was spent thinking about my top 5 rap songs...

So as I sit here and watch Season 3 of The Hills (I'm addicted to reality tv and MTV.com) I present to you Kento's Top 5 Rap Songs...(if you wanna listen, the links to the videos are in the song title)

5. I Got 5 On it -- Luniz


Obviously...This cut represents a hazy chapter in my life, and was pretty much my anthem for the grip. The flows arent the most inspirational, but I can sing this one backwards, forwards, and eyes half closed....So, for the most part, I Got 5 On It makes it to the list for its significance in my life...Not only that, the beat is just so sick that even Matt Uhlman can bob his head to it....
--"and if you let 'em hit it for free, you hella dum-dum-dum-dum"

4. Can't Knock the Hustle -- Jay-Z


Diga Me!!! Jay-Z is one of the best if not 'The Best' lyricist of our time, and this song is a great example of his skills...Though I think some of his best stuff is on the Blueprint album, I like this song cause it shows classic pre-retirement superstar status Jay-Z. The one-liners in this song are so solid...its even more amazing that he doesn't write this stuff down. True genius...
--"I sip fine wines, and spit vintage flows"

3. Ain't Nothing But a G Thang -- Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg


C'mon...who cant sing this...even sorority girls from eastern Washington can get down with Dre and Snoop and spit to this one. To me this song is the epitome of West Coast, and the launch of gangsta rap into the American suburbs....Dre brought a little piece of Compton and the thug life to white america, and things have never been the same. I started to use words like "dog" and "homie" in reference to my friends after this song came out, and still do...now thats impact. Plus Snoop was actually cool back then. This song is a true rap anthem.
--"getting funky on the mic like an old batch of collard greens"

2. Juicy -- Notorious BIG



The song that sparked the list...This is a great song because Biggie is able to smoothly lay out a great story...its a song you can follow and vibe with the whole way thru...a clean beginning middle and end...A lot of rap songs these days is just a mash up of tight one-liners, like the ADHD rap styles of say Lil' Wayne... Plus you gotta feel good about the rags to riches theme...The song is so tight that I don't even mind P. Diddy in the background. --"Birthdays was the worst days Now we sip champagne when we thirst-ay"

1. Life Goes On -- Tupac Shakur



All that really needs to be said is, "Its Tupac"...man was a poet and a genius who has a whole list of songs to choose for top 5, but I took this one for sentimental value...cant help but think of my homie Keoni whenever I hear this song, RIP...The storytelling is just so clear you can really imagine yourself in the scenes he sets up....its truly beautiful shit, and its a song you can show off to prove the real art in Rap....fuck Soulja Boy...
--"But now you buried, Rest nigga Cause I ain't worried, Eyes bluried Sayin' goodbye at the cemetery, Tho' memories fade I got your name tatted on my arm so we both ball till' my dying days"


So there you have it....Kento's Top 5 Rap Songs. I am not the authority on rap nor am I a music columnist as you can tell, but this is me. I would love to hear what other people got on their list. Trust me, thinking of your top 5 anything is pretty hard. Comments, Feedback, Props are all welcome... peace out!!!

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Its been a little busy with Chinese New Year and I'm a lazy bum, so this entry will just have some updates and random shizzle....

1. Gold Rush


The Winter Olympics have officially begun. Opening ceremony was a little swizzle (not good), the weather is horrible, and a death has given these games a bad start but I am still excited for some of the events. Two things that I look out for during the winter games: Womens Figure Skating & Snowboarding (half-pipe). Both events brilliant in their own way.

My support in the figure skating goes to Japanese phenom Asada Mao, she is Japan's little sweetheart, and I can't help but have a crush on her....she's just so pure... However, don't let the innocence fool you, she will def triple-axle Korean rival Kim Yu-Na's pretty face off, and thats guaranteed...suck it Kim-chi.

For the half-pipe event I can't get enough of Shaun White, dude is just unbelievable. A recent video that I found on youtube has gotten me even more pumped for what tricks Shaun has lined up. Here is the follow up video. Kid is straigtht on his grizzle (grind).

Support for the USA and Japan...I stay true to my roots y'all...


2. Nate-Dogg


Congratulations to Nasty Nate Robinson for his 3rd career slam-dunk contest win. Love to see former Husky and local Seattle ballers doing it big in the NBA....brings back some sweet memories...This dude gets higher than me in my college days...check the video. Sooo gnarly....


3. IT and the Dawg Pack


Finally a UW mens basketball win on the road...its been way too long, and possibly just a little too late. However, I still will keep my hopes up, and pray we somehow find ourselves in the NCAA tourney...fuck the NIT, shits embarrassing. Whose house???


4. American Idol Update


Idol hopeful and big time player Andrew Garcia has breezed thru first days of Hollywood Week. Andrew came thru with a brilliant rendition of former Idol judge Paula Abdul's "Straight Up"....check it out. By the end of it all, even my friend David Rozsnyai will become a fan.


5. Marathon Update


As a form of motivation I picked up an Ipod shuffle to kick tunes while I run deep miles. So far I am just in the early stages of training, but I have managed to drop 3kgs (6.61lbs) Still a lot more to go, but seeing some results on the pound shedding really helps with the motivation. Also I have a few nibblers on my offer to come out to Thailand....lets hope that works out cause it will be sooo live to party hard in Phuket.


6. We are the World


In the wake of the Haiti tragedy, famous 80's anthem "We are the World" is back. Recently stars of young and old have come together to lend their support for this great project. Only thing I guess sadder than the devastation that Haiti faces is that Auto-Tune has managed to find its way into this beautiful song...however, I still enjoy the new version...check it.


Thanks for checking in on the blog, and hope to have a real post coming soon. Peace, I'm out!!

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Happy New Year!!! Well, at least for my Chinese readers. For those of you not in the know, approaching this weekend is the Chinese Lunar New Year. Lunar New Year is basically the biggest celebration there is in Chinese culture. Its like Christmas, New Years, Thanksgiving, 4th of July, Memorial Day, Easter, Chanukah, and Kwanzaa all mixed into one big super celebration that lasts for 15 days!! So come February 13th, 20% of the worlds population will officially bring in 2010, as well as welcome the year of the Tiger.


Since Singapore's population is made up mostly of citizens of Chinese descent (75% of the population) I too will be joining in the festivities...and trust me it gets pretty crazy. People are painting the town red, literally and figuratively. Red is the color of luck so Red decorations are all over the city. My office looks like the sketchy part of Amsterdam right now. Also everyone is in a frenzy to give or spend money on presents, decorations, new gear, food, cars, homes...literally anything. Its all for bringing in prosperity and good luck for the new year.

Celebrations include family dinners, parties, fireworks, parades, and general debauchery. Its a joyous mood, and I can't help but get into the spirit myself. To boost my luck I've been wearing the same Red underwear for 4days straight now. Trust me, my luck will be real power in 2010...This boost of luck will come just in time for the opening of the new Casino in Singapore....Casino blog to come....

So people, if you have a Chinese friend wish him/her a Happy New Year or Gong Xi Fai Cai...it could just bring you the luck you have been needing!! I would like to start by wishing my homie Michael Wong aka Wanger the best of luck and prosperity in 2010...

Let's celebrate!!!!!!

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Super Bowl is here!!!!! Epic matchup between the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints. The Colts with a Super Bowl win look to set themselves as the next NFL dynasty, while the Saints are making their first Super Bowl appearance ever...Both teams have had amazing seasons, and of course the Big Win on Sunday's game will be the perfect finish for either team. Now, my team is the Seattle Seahawks thru thick and thin, but as a sports fan I am quite pumped for this matchup.

So who will I support??? Obvi the New Orleans Saints...for so many reasons.
1) I hate the Colts
2) The Saints got Swagger
3) Drew Brees and Darren Sharper are gangstas
4) I hate the colts
5) Kim Kardashian is bubbly
6) Mardi Gras
7) I'd rather be a Saint than a horse
& finally
8) The city of New Orleans needs this..even though Katrina was 5yrs ago New Orleans has not fully recovered...the boost this would have on the city is huge.

Of course the Colts are huge favorites to win, but heart will be the deciding factor in this game. So, Brees > Manning, Saints 44 - Colts 42!! Bet!

I also want to voice my frustration with not being able to participate in Super Bowl festivities...Super Bowl Sunday is truly an amazing day filled with friends, family, food, and beer! Nothing gets better than that, and I have been missing it for the past 5yrs!!!

I tell you people, it just doesn't feel the same in Asia. The closest thing to the Super Bowl in Singapore has noodles and wontons in it. Plus the fact that the game will be going on 6am Monday morning puts a damper on the whole situation... Gotta love those time-zones...

So again this year I will be sober, tired, and alone watching this beautiful event we call The Super Bowl. Feel for me people.

However, I would like to end it on a positive note...New Orleans is clowning!! Saints, Saints, Saints!!!

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The UW basketball program and I have this severe love-hate relationship thing going on...Its like they do something great, then right afterwards think of the best way to blow it, and do that...but no matter how bad they blow it, I still go back to them.

I'm a fucking girl caught up in an abusive relationship. Get slapped around, leave him vowing never to return, and then come back when he does something a little nice...repeat and return. Its a vicious cycle, and I'm not sure how much longer my emotions can handle it.

A great example is this home game win streak including tonights game against Zona. Q-Pon has been a sav, and the rest of the team is waking up. Starting to see moves like these boys actually played inner city ball. And now a win against the Red Devils, which most likely will happen, puts UW back in the PAC-10 race...

As I mentioned before this good doesn't come without the bad. I'm scared about when the Dawgs go back on the road. Will they blow it again? They haven't won on the road yet. So right when Im excited and pumped about our revived chances for the NCAA tourney, they are gonna do me dirty again. And thats just how its been.

The fucked up thing is that I know it, but I am still lifted by this Zona win...was tracking the game from work, giddy as a school girl. 30 second refresh just couldn't come fast enough. Genuine joy...oh how it makes the fall that much more painful.

I guess what I am trying to say is that I bleed the purple and gold, and I just want to see our team do well..So Dawgs pull it together, play with some heart, and win on the fucking road.

Coach Romar, can you please take me back to the feeling of when B.Roy, Nasty Nate, T-shirt Simmons, Conroy, and that nigga Bobby Jones took it to the sweet 16...shiiiiittt I'll even throw in Mike Jensen to that list. I loved that team with a passion, and they loved back...I need that right now

So lets do this!!!! Whose HOUSE!?!!?!

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Quick Update: "kent's life...its all about me" blog is the official sponsor for American Idol contestant Andrew Garcia!! Been following this dude on Youtube for a minute, and am excited to see him take it to the next level on Idol. Homie got hardcore vocals strong enough to make Chuck Norris cry...

As a sponsor for Andrew Garcia, "kent's life" will have real time updates tracking Andrew's journey to become the next American Idol.

Check out the video link below...ridiculous.

Andrew Idol Audition

Tell me you can't vibe to that.....2010 American Idol: Andrew Garcia. Get ready to get your vote on!!!

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Tonight I went out with the lady for some fiiine diiining...We decided to go check out Lawry's "The Prime Rib" in the new Mandarin Gallery...I'd heard a lot about Lawry's, but had never been. It was time to cross off my to-do list, and needless to say, "shit was the bomb.sg" (thanks Brando)

Now normally I'm more of a steak guy: filet mignon, porterhouse, t-bone...but the Prime Rib at Lawry's is genuinely good. Its damn juicy and tenderfull (new word), but still has the firmness of a good steak. Plus all the sides were legit. Creamed corn, creamed spinach, mashed potatoes, yorkshire pudding...all bomb

I put the link above to Yorkshire Pudding cause maybe some of you out there, like me, don't know what it is and are like, "whats up with pudding" or maybe everyone does, and I'm just an ignorant bastard...cause when I saw that the prime rib came with some pudding I thought it was a weirdo combo. Of course I had in mind Bill Cosby pudding...oh was I wrong..and happy to be wrong. Basically Yorkshire Pudding is to gravy as Biscuits is to..well, gravy! We learn something new everyday.

Bottom line is that Lawry's gets the "kento delicious" stamp of approval. Check one out if you have a chance.

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I have yet to write an entry on my life in SE Asia, and since food is a passion of mine I realized I should be introducing a little bit of the local delight here in Singapore. Please expect from time to time to be hit with entries about the local food..

Good food is truly one of the selling points for living or traveling in Singapore. The one thing you will never lack anywhere in Singapore is a good bite to eat. One dish that I truly love and have become quite the pro on is Hainanese Chicken Rice..

Chicken rice is pretty much the national dish of Singapore, and you can find it everywhere. From outdoor food stalls($2) to fine dining restaurants($30), all levels of the dish are available. I eat this stuff so much that one could even call me a chicken rice sommelier...certified. My goal is to hit up every Chicken Rice establishment in Singapore, and trust me, I will hit my target.

Im not going to go in detail about the dish (please click link above)....But basically the rice is fragrant, the chicken is juicy, and the chili sauce sets it all off. Few dishes I would consider eating every day: Pho, Ramen, Doner, and now Chicken Rice. Its that good.

Shit is real deal bomb. If you dont believe me, come out an try it ;)

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Its confirmed...Im running a marathon in June..ok a 1/2 marathon cause Im not so sure about the other half, but point is Im running. Kind of falls in line with the whole New Years resolution to drop pounds and look like a juiced out Guido in 2010. And the deal-breaker is that the marathon is held in Phuket, Thailand. Hollllaaa!!!! So I guess the second half of the marathon is the "Night" portion. Always a happy ending in Thailand, believe that.

I am also officially calling out to any homies...if you wanna run, and get your party on in Thailand come June 13th, get at me!!! Fuck, its not even a requirement to run....just come kick it. It will be a blast for sure. And Evangelos, young dudes is hella cheap in Thailand ;) Think about it....

This also means I will be giving random updates on the training and progress to hit 21km. If there is some tips for getting into shape that you wanna share...Im open to anything except eating baby fetus.

Thailand in June...so sweet. Think about it yall

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Just wanted to brag about "my team" aka "The Best Football Club Ever" crushing Arsenal 3-1 in yesterdays Premiership matchup....next team in our sights is Chelsea! Pretty soon we shall be right back at the top of the table where we belong...and for all you Man U haters out there, suuuck it!!

PS...super excited for Champions League coming up in 2 weeks. Sorry Becks, no luck for you back at Old Trafford!

PSS...John Terry is a cold ass dude. Way to go Cap, thats supposed to be your mans...goes to show the quality of character on the Chelsea squad.

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Just caught the Grammy Award performance with Sir Elton John and Lady Gaga...not afraid to say it, the shit was pretty tight. I like to see duets and mashups beyond that of our good friend Girl Talk.

On the same Grammy topic I am sorry Brando, but Taylor is not cutting it. How can you win a Grammy for album of the year, and give such a garbage live performance...studio princess...I guess she still looks good though!?! I wish Kanye would have snatched the award from her this time.

Lastly, my girl Beyonce deserves all she got and more....respect. 2009 was her year, I even jumped on the wagon with my own dance performance of Single Ladies, but that is for a whole 'nother post...mwahahahaha

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