Monthly Archives: January 2024

8Books Review: Ra Pu Zel and the Stinky Tofu

Posted on January 31, 2024 by Lily

Ra Pu Zel and the Stinky Tofu, written by Ying Chang Compestine and illustrated by Crystal Kung, is a fun and imaginative retelling of the classic tale of Rapunzel. No hair is chopped off, there’s no evil witch, and its … Continue reading →

Posted in 8Books, 8Series, Books, Entertainment, Family, Food & Drink, Reviews | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Apple’s 2024 Chinese New Year Short: Little Garlic

Posted on January 31, 2024 by Jeff

Every year, Apple releases a short film for Chinese New Year that is shot on their latest iPhone, and every year I look forward to the story that is created. This short for this 2024 is called Little Garlic. Apple’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Movies | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Taiwanese Indigenous Musicians on US Tour with Small Island Big Song

Posted on January 30, 2024 by tinabot

A couple of years ago, I saw the Small Island Big Song project featured on Taiwanese news and decided to check out the entire album as well as the many music and interview videos on their YouTube channel. This project … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Music | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Asian American Commercial Watch: Liberty Mutual Insurance’s ‘First Word | Truth Tellers’

Posted on January 29, 2024 by John

I forget when I saw this cute commercial – probably while watching the San Francisco 49ers play. The premise is that the mother has been telling everyone how much money she’s been saving switching her insurance to Liberty Mutual, causing … Continue reading →

Posted in 8Series, Asian American Commercial Watch | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

An Astronaut, an Asian Parent’s Expectations, and a Space Ship Hatch Lock

Posted on January 26, 2024 by Jeff

“If you guys don’t give me a chance to repair my instrument, I’m not going back.” Asian Americans sometimes joke about Asian parents’ high expectations, but the expectations of an Asian father had lasting effects on space travel. In this … Continue reading →

Posted in History | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Traveling Japan: Fort Goryokaku at Hakodate, Hokkaido

Posted on January 18, 2024 by tinabot

Although relatively less known in the States, Hokkaido is a common travel destination for people in Asia, so I’ve known quite a few family and friends who have visited this most northern part of Japan, and I’ve commonly seen pictures … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Travel | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Quiz Lady wins an 2024 Critics Choice Award

Posted on January 18, 2024 by Jeff

When I read John’s review of Quiz Lady, I was particularly amused at his last sentence that said it probably would not be eligible for an Oscar. While I did see the movie and enjoyed it, I thought that even … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Movies, TV | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Beef” Wins Big at Emmy and Critics Choice Awards

Posted on January 16, 2024 by Jeff

In addition to winning three Globe Globes,  the Netflix series Beef won eight Emmy awards! The awards include: Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie (Ali Wong) Outstanding Lead Actor in … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Movies, TV | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Netflix’s The Brothers Sun: Review (Spoilers)

Posted on January 9, 2024 by John

As we had mentioned back in December, the Netflix series The Brothers Sun premiered January 4th. I just finished binge watching the series, and I don’t think I can say enough great things about it!  The series is about: “When … Continue reading →

Posted in 8Series, Entertainment, Local, Southern California, TV | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Disney+ cancels American Born Chinese TV Series

Posted on January 8, 2024 by Jeff

Despite good reviews, Disney+ is canceling any future seasons of American Born Chinese. Apparently viewership was not enough to warrant renewal. Not coincidentally, Disney+ and many other streaming services are cutting back on content spending. According to the cancellation article, … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, TV | Tagged , | 1 Comment

“Beef” Takes Top Honors at 2024 Golden Globes

Posted on January 8, 2024 by Jeff

The Netflix series Beef won every 2024 Golden Globe category for which it was nominated, three in total. It won Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television, Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Limited … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Movies, TV | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Publishing Your Way as a Change Maker: The First Chinese Festivals

Posted on January 5, 2024 by John

I came across this Cornell webinar from an alumni email about a “Leadership Lunch and Learning” webinar series.  The topic was the following: “L Sam Zhang, author and illustrator of The First Chinese Festivals series of picture books, speaks on … Continue reading →

Posted in 8Books, 8Series, Entertainment, History | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment