Jim Carrey calls for people to support the world's only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi. He also decries Burma's military regime for recruiting more child soldiers than any other country in the world, destroying 3,000 villages in eastern Burma, and forcing 1.5 million refugees to flee. He appeals to viewers to join two organizations:

The Human Rights Action Center


U.S. Campaign for Burma

The International Examiner staff talk about their Asian American Experience.

Labels: Culture, interview, youth

Join Chef Ani Phyo to learn a fast easy raw vegan Japanese inspired nori roll recipe using your food processor. The recipe is from her uncookbook "Ani's Raw Food Kitchen" available in all bookstores.

Ani Phyo is executive chef of SmartMonkey Foods, the premier resource for vegan, raw, and living cuisine that’s full of flavor, design, creativity, and fresh local organics.

Ani was raised on a raw food diet, and as she grew older and went away to university, she began eating more of the standard american diet. She gained weight and developed high cholesterol. As an adult, Ani went back to raw foods to discover it gave her mental clarity, more focus, and kept her highly productive. She began offering weekly raw dinners in Los Angeles, long before there were any raw restaurants open, just so she would have gourmet food to feed herself the next several days.

Soon, customers began requesting meals for the week for pick up on Sunday. This launched her prepared and packaged foods line. Ani began as a pastry and vegetarian chef, then became a vegan chef. It was a natural progression for her to become a raw vegan chef offering delicious nutritious foods that are good for us and the planet. - Source: AniPhyo.com

Labels: food, Japanese

Conrado "Manny" Manuel has been creating replicas of 14th century Japanese landscape lanterns for 14 years. He left the Philippines at 23 years-old and joined the US Navy to "see the world."

Labels: art, event, interview, Japanese, vendor

Unlike unrequited crushes, Steven Tam’s one-sided affair with the egg custard tart has blossomed into a full-blown spectacle. Today, the 33-year-old baker is the proprietor of two Egg Custard King Cafe shops in New York's Manhattan Chinatown. His yellow storefront signs are loud and clear: he is conqueror of the egg custard tart.

The yellow egg custard tart, with its flaky crust and silken filling, is a traditional Chinese pastry offered at dim sum, served at the end of banquets, and eaten as a snack. At Tam's cafes, its modern incarnations include the low-cholesterol, egg white version; a strawberry tart; and a lime green variety. However, pastries are not the only items on the menu.

“We’re like a traditional Hong Kong canteen,” says Tam.“We serve a little bit of everything: buns, noodle soup, hot pot, and rice dishes for lunch and dinner. We open until very late." (Read More)

Labels: Culture, vendor

In Part 3 of our interview with Josh Yiu Assistant Curator of Chinese Art, we learn what keeps him up at night, switching his major in college from physics to art history and the difference between American and Asian artists.

Labels: art, interview

In May, the Asia Society created this video that showcases Asian Americans personal stories for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2007.

History Of the Asia Society

Asia Society was founded in 1956 by John D. Rockefeller 3rd. Initially established to promote greater knowledge of Asia in the U.S., the Society today is a global institution—with offices throughout the U.S. and Asia—that fulfills its educational mandate through a wide range of cross-disciplinary programming. As economies and cultures have become more interconnected, the Society's programs have expanded to address Asian American issues, the effects of globalization, and pressing concerns in Asia including human rights, the status of women, and environmental and global health issues such as HIV/AIDS.

NOTE: Using this video as a model, the IE Video Blogging crew will be conducting interviews during the week of August 27th. If you are interested in sharing your personal story, please let us know.

Labels: Culture

Album Title: 1087
Artist Name: 蕭亞軒/ Xiao Yaxuan/ Elva Hsiao
Release Date: December 22, 2006
Language: Mandarin, English

Elva officially took her place in the Mandarin music scene in 1999 with her self-titled debut album. She has since then released nine albums with the most recent on December 22, 2006. Fans have long-awaited this album. ...L.o.V.e is a fast-paced songs that is perfect for a drive into the city on a Friday night. - Chinese Music Blog

Labels: Entertainment

In Part 2 of our personal profile interview series with Josh Yiu, Seattle Art Museum Chinese Art Curator, he talks about his education, his vision and offers advice to students interested in pursuring careers as art curators.

Josh holds a doctorate in oriental studies from Oxford University and has interned at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Freer Gallery of Art at the Smithsonian Institution and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

"The buzz in the Chinese art community around the country is that he's like the rising star," says museum spokeswoman Cara Egan. (Seattle Times, December 14, 2005)

Labels: art

Josh Yiu, Foster Foundation Assistant Curator of Chinese Art at the Seattle Aisian Art Museum, gives Hyun-Jung Jang, a Korean journalism student visiting Seattle to learn English, a tour of the exhibit - "Shu: Reinventing Books in Contemporary Chinese Art" that opened on August 9th and closes December 2, 2007.

"This exhibition examines the impact and notion of the book in the artists' upbringing and in their art. In contrast to traditional artworks that had a foundation in texts, the book—and knowledge by extension—inspires art-making in contemporary China in an almost perverse way, because many book-related artworks parody the purpose and power of the book. Artists created unintelligible books with blurred characters, or books devoid of a logical sequence or narrative, thereby nullifying the authority of the text." - SAM Press Release July 9, 2007

Labels: art, Japanese

In 2006, the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) hired Josh Yiu as their assistant curator of Chinese Art. Hyun-Jung Jang, a Korean journalis In 2006, the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) hired Josh Yiu as their assistant curator of Chinese Art. Hyun-Jung Jang, a Korean journalism student visiting Seattle to learn English, talks to the Oxford Ph.D graduate about his job, family and artwork.

"What visitors see hanging on museum walls and installed in various rooms is brought on by the hard work of a museum curator. Josh explains his duties, "The museum curator has two responsibilities. They are expected to advertise the museum's collections through scholarly writings, publications and exhibitions. The other aspect is to expand the collections." This entails both acquiring new art and encouraging collectors to donate works to the museum. Josh sums it up as, "get the works known for the things we already have, get them known to the outside world and try to get more to enrich the collection." - Excerpt of International Examiner Article BY BETTINA PALILEO, Contributor. Read More

Labels: art, ie story

October 17, 1849

In the wee hours of the morning, famed composer Frederic Chopin lay very ill, about to die. Ever the frail, his sister, Ludwika, whom he first gained piano lessons, was at his side for the better part of a year. Quietly, he passed on, leaving behind a legacy of music, and a reputation of being the foremost piano composer of the Romantic period, if not ever.

August 8, 2007

On XBox live, the demo for the game Eternal Sonata is released. The game is due to be released in September 17.

Now, what does this have to do with each other? Well, the premise for the game is that in Chopin's final hours, he withdraws into his own mind and views the landscape within. A lush and vibrant world, with many references to the music which he loved so dearly, stood before him. There, he meets a young girl named Polka. The same age and resembling his younger sister Emelia, who passed away of tuberculosis, Polka suffers a tragic fate. Wielding the ability to use magic, this curses her with a fragile constitution. Although outcast from her own village, she still has a desire to save it from the economical hardships that have befallen them all. Thus is a catalyst for a great adventure, one where the fates of both Chopin and the world are closely entwined.

Graphically, this is an achievement of design, where everything looks very lush and detailed. The cell shaded characters really come alive, thanks to the 60 frames per second animation. Like a well animated film, everything does, in fact, seem like a beautiful dream, one that anyone could ever hope for before dying.

The gameplay is more than just a standard menu driven RPG, where multiple actions can be performed per character during their active phase, rivaling the "one hit, wait," formula of Final Fantasy. Light and darkness play a significant role as well, where special attacks are varied depending on whether or not you're standing in the light or shade. The enemies are affected by this as well, with some of them going so far as turning into different creatures.

Chopin's music plays a vital role in this game as well. Although lightly touched on in the demo, the entire game is saturated with references that would make any music major squeal with glee and think that their college education was not a total waste, if only for a brief moment.

All in all, I would definitely say that I am excited for this game, after the lackluster showing that was Blue Dragon. I can't wait to get my hands on this one.

For more information, visit http://eternalsonata.namcobandaigames.com/

Nhien Nguyen, editor International Examiner, interviews Portland-based Jiro Yonezawa, Japanese bamboo artist, at the William Traver Galleryo opening reception August 2.

Jiro's exhibit is called Crossroads that represents a selection of his uniquely expressive woven bamboo and mixed media sculptures. Each piece combines a deep respect for the traditions of Japanese basketry with an American zest for self-expression and innovation.

Yonezawa studied traditional bamboo basketry techniques in Japan before moving to the United States in 1989. He uses imported Japanese mandake bamboo as the primary material in most of his pieces, which is known for its hardness, flexibility, strength and surface quality. He hand-splits each strip, finishing each to the same width and thickness, bevels the edges, and then dyes and lacquers them.

Jiro Yonezawa's Crossroads will be on display at the William Traver Gallery-Seattle through September 2nd, 2007. Gallery Profile

Jiro Yonezawa: Japanese basketry as sculpture at William Traver Gallery

BY CLAIRE EMIKO FANT
Examiner Contributor

Jiro Yonezawa is a soft-spoken Japanese artist who prefers to let his artwork do most of the talking for him. His medium is the art and craft of Japanese bamboo basket weaving, which he brings into the realm of sculptural form. The pieces in his current exhibit, “Crossroads,” at William Traver Gallery in Seattle, are eloquent and graceful. The details reveal Yonezawa’s skill and passion in working with bamboo using time-honored traditional techniques. Read More

Labels: art, ie story, Japanese

Kiki Yeung, International Examiner, interviews Eric Santos, a Flower Vendor that has been selling at the Pike Place Market since 1981.

Labels: vendor

Kiki Yeung chats with Playwright Donna Rae Davidson about "North Arcade", a play that Kiki has the role of Asian flower vendor, Smokey Lane.



Donna was inspired to write the play when she went to work at Pike Place Market in 1990. She based the characters in the play on people she had known on the craft line in the market’s North Arcade. (Read More)

Labels: event, ie story

Nhien Nguyen, editor International Examiner, interviews the Ying Yang Tong Vovinam Group at Seattle's Chinatown-International District Night Market.

Labels: event, id

Nhien Nguyen, editor International Examiner, interviews Maribeth Ellis, Executive Director Chinatown International District Business Improvement Area, at Seattle's Chinatown-International District Night Market.

Maribeth Ellis Professional Background; I have years (20+) of experience managing people and projects. My most recent position was the Home Owner Association Operation’s Manager for Trilogy at Redmond Ridge. However most of my management experience is working at Swedish Hospital as Director of Facilities, Environmental Services and Maintenance.

My decision to pursue the Executive Director position with CIDBIA was based on my desire to change the direction of career, out of the corporate world and into nonprofits. I knew what skills I offered and that I wanted to work within a community, preferably one that offered diversity both in responsibilities and people. I had also done my last long commute and wanted to work within 5 miles of our home. My husband, Kent, Gabe, our dog, and I live less then 3 miles away in Mount Baker.

My experience working with housekeeping staff at Swedish taught me many things; an appreciation for the personal challenge immigrants face, and while I speak no language other then English, I am a better listener because I have learned to listen through accents of people from many countries. As a volunteer with REWA (Refugee Women’s Alliance) I have taught English as a Second Language. I also served on the Board of Directors for REWA.

My husband and I like to travel, snow ski, camp, and fly fish. I love to garden and since I have run out of room in my own garden, I help friends with theirs!

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The Chinatown-International District Business Improvement Area (CIDBIA)is a diverse organization of people that seeks to preserve and enhance the jewels of the deep heritage found in the area, while bringing growth and prosperity to all those involved.

"Our neighborhood marketing campaign primarily consists of event production, neighborhood beautification efforts, strategic partnerships and promotional outreach opportunities." -CIDBIA

Labels: event, id

Nhien Nguyen, editor International Examiner, interviews WILD members Montica Vorgn and Rina Thi at the Seattle's Chinatown-International District Night Market.

Seattle’s Chinatown-International District Night Market is brought to you by a partnership of local community organizations: Chinatown-International District Business Improvement Area, International District Housing Alliance, International Examiner, Seattle Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Wing Luke Asian Museum, and also through the support of the City of Seattle Office of Economic Development, Department of Neighborhoods, and Department of Parks and Recreation.



The Night Market joins a series of Summer Events in Hing Hay Park through August. Weekly Saturday outdoor movies in the park include: "Fearless" starring Jet Li (August 4); "In the Mood for Love" (August 11); "Monsoon Wedding" (August 18); and "Steamboy" (August 25).

Labels: event, id, youth

Nhien Nguyen, editor International Examiner, interviews WILD members Kevin Tain and Yuk Liang at the Seattle’s Chinatown-International District Night Market.

Established in 1997, the International District Housing Alliance Wilderness Inner-city Leadership Development (WILD) project is a youth program that operates under the framework of environmental health and justice in Seattle, WA. Many of the youth in the WILD program are not native English speakers, but speak a number of languages and dialects. With common language and culture, WILD youth are well suited to assist the elders on issues concerning environmental justice, and at the same time gain a better sense of identity, community, and civic responsibility. - Seattle Neighborhood Indicator Project

Labels: id, youth

Kiki Yeung, International Examiner, interviews Chinese tourists from Beijing at the Pike Place Market in Seattle, WA.

From the founding of the Pike Place Market at the turn of the century until the start of World War II, Japanese American farmers constituted a large segment of the people who delivered and sold produce daily at the market. Through their efforts, the market grew, becoming the best place in Seattle to buy fresh, locally grown produce and farm products. Before World War II, farmers in the market numbered about 600; after the War their numbers dwindled to fewer than 50. The departure of the Japanese American farmers and the onset of the War contributed significantly to the steady decline and near destruction of the market in the early 1970s. - Pike Art Project

Labels: Japanese

Hyun-Jung Jang, a Korean journalism student visiting Seattle to learn English, interviews Paul Wu, VP Historic Chinatown Gate Foundation, at the Seattle Chinatown-International District Summer Festival 2007.

Hyun-Jung Jang, a Korean journalism student visiting Seattle to learn English, interviews Maribeth Ellis, Executive Directior Chinatown International District, at the Seattle Chinatown-International District Summer Festival 2007.

Labels: event, summer festival