From Ancient to Delicious

As recommended to me by every Vietnamese person I have met, I went to the Hanoi Museum of Ethnology. And they were right! This was the most comprehensive ethnological museum I've ever encountered (and probably the only one). The most interesting thing about it was that the tribes and culture presented here are still very much alive. I was initially annoyed that they would put something that is still very much alive in a museum. However, because the Viet people far outnumber the smaller H'mong or Muong tribes, the intent is to promote understanding, so that these ethnic minorities will not die for the sake of modernization. Interesting idea (the above photo is of a traditional Banhar community hall).

Right next to my hotel is the "Ancient House" on 87 Ma May street. It's not very ancient, really... only just over 100 years old. However, the city of Hanoi has started renovating many of the old houses located in the Old Quarter (the most expensive land in Hanoi, and yet in shambles). Called a "tube house" for the 6-8 meter wide storefront and 30 meter length, this old artisan's dwelling and workshop, originally housing one family, housed five families from 1954 to 1996... one family in each room. No one lives here anymore, to allow the house to stand as a classic example of the original architecture in the area. Now, the city is restoring houses and allowing the occupants to continue to live in them. Oh, and yes. The picture above is of the original toilet. I guess you have to have really great aim...

This is looking southwest, from the southeast side of West Lake. Hanoi is growing like crazy, but without a city plan... so the growing is haphazard (and it's all thanks to the communist need to control everything through beaurocratic b.s.). Still an impressive view, though, right? If there weren't so much smog, you would also be able to see the mountains behind the city. THOSE are really beautiful!

Yes, Vietnamese food CAN be delicious. However, I've had more than my share of strange rodents and non-kosher body parts. The worst so far is boiled blood (I thought it was brown tofu at first...). And, to its credit, all the sauces that the food is cooked in taste so great, that even the mole/possum I ate yesterday wasn't that bad. All in all, everything that is available in the States is truly fantastic here! Above is a picture of Cha Ca (from the famous restaurant Cha Ca Le Vong). Fried fish, with wilted Vietnamese veggies, rice noodles, and yummy sauces and peanuts = recipe for deliciousness. :) The Portland restaurant, PokPok offers something similar... they even reference this Hanoi restaurant for its creation, it's THAT good!

Xin Chao!

Ok, so after a couple of packed days of meetings with building authorities and secretaries of important people, I've decided to post some of the wonderful cultural things I've discovered! 

As expected, Vietnamese cuisine is superb... albeit a little strange at times. I'm not sure if I can get used to eating some of the fish dishes here... but overall it's pretty delicious!

I've also discovered the secret to 100% success in regards to crossing the street; inch across, no matter what car or motorbike you step in front of... ;)

Ok, so aside from arranging meetings and establishing contacts, I've been doing some exploring as well! I was lucky enough to find the water puppet theater by Hoan Kiem Lake (it's actually not that hard to find). I'm not sure that I understand the advantage of having the puppets splash around in the water, but I was still "wowed" by the beautiful craftsmanship of the puppets themselves! And the traditional music was quite enchanting. I highly recommend.

I also had the opportunity to go to church on Sunday. After a 20 minute taxi ride that cost just over 100,000 dong (about $6), I arrived at the meetinghouse to find myself in the midst of about 15 college students from Utah, and 15 college students from Vietnam. The Utah students were on a study-abroad tour of asian businesses, and the Vietnamese students made up most of the ward. The branch was so friendly, though, that I just couldn't pass up the invitation to speak next Sunday... hehe... I also discovered that Vietnam is now allowing Vietnamese missionaries to openly proselyte! There are many stipulations, including a 6-month limit per area (they can serve 6 months every 6 months), and the fact that the missionaries must be native to Vietnam... but what a surprise! 

Lastly, before I go to bed: if you're planning on coming at all to Hanoi in your life, I would suggest you go next year. 2010 is the 1,000th anniversary of Hanoi's "birth." In preparation for the festivities, the city is conducting all sorts of wonderful restoration projects. I'm pretty sure that most of the projects will not get done in time for the celebrations, but I'm happy they're at least getting done! Much of the restoration focus is on the Old City, but some of the basic city services are getting an upgrade as well (this includes the possibility of a high-speed train!). Now, if only they would institute a garbage-collection system that didn't involve scraping it off the street...

Vietnam 101:

I know. It's amazing. I made it to 'Nam alive and in one piece! I have to admit, it was pretty disheartening to still be picked up by the scam artist taxis, despite my efforts in trying to avoid them... and even more so when my wallet was $200 lighter... boo.

Rocky beginnings aside, here are some things I've learned so far in my crash-course introduction to Hanoi:

- Plan on taking 3+ showers every day. Even as a guest in someone's home, you will probably be offered the opportunity, so take it! And no, your own sweat does not count as a shower.

- Trust the taxi driving, but not the drivers... lines and direction of traffic mean nothing to anyone, and yet I have yet to see an accident!

- There's a reason they wear long sleeves and ventilation masks while motorcycling around the city (the air quality is horrific).

- Don't walk too slow or too fast across the street, or you're toast.

- The fruit is so good here, it just might convert you banana haters into liking them.

- Don't be alarmed when vendors follow you for a block with their merchandise, telling you to "buy the pretty fan!"

- Sidewalks are not for pedestrians. Need a place to park you motorbike? or start a barbeque? how about throw/collect garbage (not in bags, mind you)...

- Motorbike capacity = 3 adults or 1 adult+4 kids

Well, I'm off to dinner at my newfound friend's house! 

"Fake Authentic" Branches...?

It's not wood! It's a USB memory stick! Maybe the perfect product for Portlanders...

An Authentic Product of the 80's... :)

Hipsters are NOT Authentic

Ok, so I'm a little bitter that my front wheel was stolen in front of the school yesterday in broad daylight...!!!!!!!!

That being said, I'd like to say that the 'cult' of the hipster is one of the least authentic social groups I can currently think of ('indie' kids often fall into this category as well). In their efforts to be part of the 'counter culture,' they have created an image-driven social network where your degree of 'authenticity' is measured by how tight your pants are, how sweet your ride is (bike, not car), and how big your lensless glasses can be. They are not as independent as they may like to think... unless you can be independent collectively. But perhaps this isn't all-bad?

I've been thinking a lot about what it means for an individual to be truly 'authentic,' and I think I'm coming to the conclusion that it's not the people that are inauthentic; it's the social groups and the role of products within these social groups. No matter how 'hipster' or 'indie' someone is, each person comes from entirely different backgrounds which dictate their reactions to, and choices in the world around them. I would like to believe that because of the human ability to make conscious decisions and value judgements, it is impossible to be an inauthentic person. However, this does not mean that people are then excluded from participating in inauthentic activities, or associating with inauthentic groups. 

A term that runs very close to inauthenticity for me is 'trendy.' When ideas like global warming become trendy, they become less authentic. For me, 'trend' implies a lack of knowledge about the object or idea that is being designated as such. So, when people decide to get rid of their 3-year old car and trade it in for a more environmentally-friendly hybrid car, they are not reacting to the actual need of the environment, but rather the trend based on the needs of the environment (because if they were to think about it, the impact of going through so much material has a greater impact than how much gas one may save).

Back to hipsters. In the end, the hipster and indie cultures provide a blanket of security that protect individuals within these groups from confronting the idea of being individual. Authentic people are everywhere, but are typically hidden by the facade of a chosen group-identity. 

"The Hunt For Gollum"

My friend recently showed me "The Hunt for Gollum," a fan-created movie response to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. 

While the story was really pretty lame, I was extremely impressed with the quality of the acting and graphics. Not only did they seamlessly copy the style and mood of the trilogy, but they succeeded in creating beautifully rendered computer-graphic scenes. Overall I was quite impressed!

This reminded me of a discussion we had in class at some point related to music mixing vs. video mixing. Because the movie was so well done, from what I understand the 'copyright' infringements were excused as long as the fan-movie didn't make money (which then allows other fans to see it for free online). After exploring the site a little more, it looks like the group of people who made "The Hunt for Gollum" are now trying to make a feature-length film (possibly for profit). While it is unfortunate that the movie was not allowed to make profit, I feel the 'corporate' response was pretty understanding. It makes sense to let fans create quality 'remixes'! Also, by allowing fans to carry-out such intense projects, the film industry can see what their audiences are craving. It's brilliant, really!

The Authentic Artist: Ryan McGuinness

"I liken myself to a politician who hates what's going on and therefore wants to change the system, change what's going on...

... I hate art, and that's why I make art."

My Own Authentic Experience:

Forest Park. To me, there is nothing more "Portland" than biking only minutes to get to any entry point in the nation's largest forested area within city limits. At a staggering 5,100 wooded acres and over 70 miles of hiking and biking trails, Forest Park provides the ultimate Portland escape for me. Not only is the park unique to Portland, but it feels quintessentially "Oregon" as well. Yay for trees!

Portland Public Service Building: An Authentic History

A controversial icon of post-modern architecture, Michael Graves' design (commonly referred to as the "Portland Building") remains an example of one of the first post-modern buildings of the time, and certainly in the area. Known to architects as the reason post-modernism failed, the building's structural problems also stand as a running joke to the civil servants inside.

To me, the building is distinctly authentic to Portland simply because of the renown controversy and its historical significance. The addition of the bronze statue of Portlandia also seems unique to Portland (the building is not complete without the statue, nor the statue without the building).

An Exploration in Production and Consumption

Yes, it's kindof trendy to be 'green' right now, but this website, though it may just be rephrasing things said in Bill McDonnough's "Cradle to Cradle," or Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth," still makes a good point in a unique way. A short 20-minute video presentation narrated by Annie Leonard, this video is entirely animated diagrams. Not only does this "blank" format allow people to identify with the presentation much like people identify with cartoons, but the creative use of such diagrams allows the pace of the video to maintain its fast and informative pace.

www.thestoryofstuff.com

Additionally, if you are interested in furthering you understanding of where the products you buy are manufactured, artist Natalie Jeremijenko has started a project called "How Stuff is Made." The format is much like a wiki in that the users are typically the ones inputing the information. It's a very interesting and different approach to getting the same message out!

https://wikis.nyu.edu/xdesign/menupage.html

Sousou: The Ultimate "Authentic" Brand

While visiting Japan, I came across this unique shoe and textile brand. Using traditional design for jikatabi, or work shoes, they use colorful fabrics and leathers to create edgy fashion statements. I'm not sure if the style will catch on to be widely trendy throughout the country or world, but I certainly have found them to be quite comfortable!

A Gathering of Elephants

Authenticity vs. History

My grandfather fought in Germany during WWII, bringing back a 'souvenir' given to him by a family he befriended while over there. Because he died shortly after in the Korean War, I never knew him. Throughout my childhood I was drawn to this book for the simple fact that it was one of the few remaining artifacts from my grandfather's life. 

As we explore the meaning and implications of authenticity in class, I would like to add this book to the list of meaningful, "authentic" objects. Though it now has significant historical reference, it remains authentic to me simply because it really is from the era it depicts... like a yearbook, but for the country of Germany. The best part about this book is that the pictures were glued-in separately from the printed page. As part of the propaganda of the times, it was not uncommon to have 'interactive' literature... books in which pictures could be glued-in by children, or families. 

iwoniwoniwoniwoniwoniwoniwon!!!

Well, I finally heard back from SMIBE (I entered their Story About a Place competition in January)... and it turns out I took first place with another team of students from Michigan! I guess they couldn't decide which one should really take first, so both projects won. Sadly, this means I have to share the $500 prize... but I still get bragging rights! ;)

Anyway, um, check it out and feel free to post a comment on the discussion board!

http://www.smibe.org

Need I Say More?

I was thinking about knitting a giant tube, but maybe I'll have to rethink it...

I know it's not Valentine's day, but...

I love these!

Not only do these paper valentines come mailed in a flat package, but they are designed and manufactured by local Portland designer and friend, Nathan Chrislip! He's recently been featured in the NY Times, TreeHugger and a number of other blogs! Way to go, Nathan!

Maybe it's a good time to be prepared for next year's Valentines day!?

Social Connectivity

People want to share their experiences. During a workshop for mobile technologies hosted by Intel, there were a number of issues that came up with this design challenge. It is easy to see that, with the success of facebook, people want to be connected; community is important. Yet, so is privacy. "How people interact and how can a mobile device enhance their daily lives?"

Something that my partner, Nina, and I came up with was a mobile phone application to track the level of activity of your friends, as well as their location. Being new to Portland, and not knowing anyone when I moved up here, I also experienced the need to meet new people. But how is one to meet people when you don't have an established network? So, our application also included an activity invitation option. This would allow people who, say, want to go on a bike ride to send out an anonymous invitation from their mobile network. In this way, we would be using social networking to encourage social activity.

But is this a good thing?

At the end of the day, the group had an interesting discussion that addressed the issue of privacy and relevance to social networking. But I couldn't help but wonder: is our hunger for social networking (through internet and mobile devices) the result of a dysfunctional society? Would this type of application fill the void that has been created from the massive suburban sprawl that resulted in social isolation? I see this kind of mobile technology development as a desperate cry to the poor social structure of our cities today. But maybe that's just me, being an architect. :)

The Venus Chair by Tokujin Yoshioka. The chair is "grown" in a tank as crystals form on a sponge-like substrate. 

Is this perhaps a design of the future, or merely an artistic statement? Hard to tell. But I still think it probably isn't very comfortable to sit on!

Valentines and Air Supply

What is true love without a little Air Supply. Or perhaps the real question is, what is LIFE without Air Supply? 

I'm lying alone with my head on the phone

Thinking of you till it hurts

I know you hurt too but what else can we do

Tormented and torn apart

I wish I could carry your smile in my heart

For times when my life seems so low

It would make me believe what tomorrow could bring

When today doesn't really know, doesn't really know

Chorus:

I'm all out of love, I'm so lost without you

I know you were right, believing for so long

I'm all out of love, what am I without you

I can't be too late to say I was so wrong

I want you to come back and carry me home

Away from these long, lonely nights

I'm reaching for you, are you feeling it too?

Does the feeling seem oh, so right?

And what would you say if I called on you now

And said that I can't hold on?

There's no easy way, it gets harder each day

Please love me or I'll be gone, I'll be gone

With lyrics like these, it's not hard to believe that their 1980's album "Lost in Love" contained 3 U.S. Top Five Singles. Actually, what amazes me more is that it's two men singing. I thought for sure that one of the two was a girl... 

Oh, how I love the 80's.

Soda or Pop?

I'm sure you've had it happen to you, too. You say, "pop," and someone stares at you blankly for a minute, only to follow up with "oh, you mean soda!" Whatever. While this may seem rather insignificant, I would like to propose that soft drink terminology is one of the most disputed (linguistically) phenomena in the United States. Lucky for me, I also happened to find this chart to prove my point.

The term for soft drink is so commonly used, you might actually give away your place of origin the moment you open your mouth. In actuality, it doesn't really matter how you say it. Most people will probably understand eventually... but I do have issues with calling every carbonated beverage "coke." Not that I'm bias against the southern dialect, but really. It's like calling everything you wipe your nose with a "kleenex," or every temporary bandage a "bandaid." Oh, the power of product identification. 

Which way am I going?

Design that's not "murder"

As I read Victor Papanek's essay on how design "has finally put murder onto a mass production basis," I was reminded of a design I saw a couple years ago in a business magazine article. Perhaps it can stand as an example of how design can make a meaningful impact on the environment?

The Q-Drum is a response to the lack of access to potable water in many rural African villages. Because the burden of carrying water lands largely on the women and children of these communities, they are faced with  many debilitating back and neck injuries from carrying such large quantities of water great distances. Made of a durable linear low density polyethylene, the doughnut shaped cylinder is designed to be rolled from place to place. Holding 50 liters at a time, it is a manageable size that also meets the waters needs for the day. The simplicity of the design insures the ease of use.

I love stop animation.

Dignity Village

I just submitted this short video to SMIBE (Society for Moving Images of the Built Environment) for their first annual competition. The competition was centered around addressing architectural issues through telling the story of a place. My point was to show how Portland has allowed a small group of people to meet their needs by acquiring and adapting a small piece of land by the airport... also known as 'squatting.' Yay for urban adaptability!

It's not technically cheap if it's free...

So, in case you haven't checked it out, you should.

www.aroundthesunblog.com

It's always full of great information regarding cheap activities in the city... proof that you don't have to spend a fortune to have a blast in Portland! The most recent post leads you to a fantastic site: a site that lists possibly everything you can get for free in this blessed city (which was my 'research' project this last summer... hehe).

http://momsbyheart.blogspot.com/2009/01/freebies-coupons-deals.html

LDS YSA Activities Director

I was asked yesterday to be the "Young Single Adult" activities director (I'm Mormon, btw)... a job that is dreaded by those who are wise. "Why," you might ask? Elna Baker sums it up best in the following skit:



Maybe instead of having to plan-out these painfully awkward social events, I can get the job of making the tickets and fliers...

Your "Final Act"

An interesting article in the new Spaces issue: how to have an environmentally correct funeral.

It seems obvious that a conventional burial may not be the 'greenest' option. However, cremation, though it saves space and can be done energy-efficiently, is also responsible for a large percentage of atmospheric mercury emissions (thanks to dental fillings). The most fashion-forward eco-repository on the market would be the Arka Ecopod, which is made from recycled paper and sports custom silkscreen images...

... a little something to look forward to, I guess?

I want to go back...

Japan from Eric Testroete on Vimeo.