Chocolate Salon

Chocolate Salon was here at San Francisco's Fort Mason (March 20, 2010). I think there were more than 40 vendors offering different things. Starting with the basic organic chocolate to chocolate cream liqueur, this event will surely please everyone's palate. Unless, of course, you're allergic to or hating chocolate with passion.

I didn't bought my ticket in advance which was kinda sad because it'll be a lot cheaper if I bought it online. There's a guy in front of the ticket booth who offered his extra ticket to us for cheaper price. It's like $20. At the door, it's $30. So we ended up paying $20 + ($30 x 2 persons) = $80.

One of my friends was so fond of chocolate, she ran around like little kid, very excited, to see the amount of chocolate in the building. After a while, she got tired and said, "I can't taste the different anymore." And I so lol-ing her comment, recalled my last year in this chocolate festival when I too thought the same thing.


Anyhow, if you appreciate food and don't mind to pay higher price for high-quality or unique chocolate, you should definitely check this event out. I bought really delicious chocolates (blood orange, passion fruit, rose, etc)!! And also, an awesome florentine which all of my friends said as divine.

There will be chocolate festival at Ghiradelli Square too soon. I probably going to find out and let you guys know when exactly it is. I think I'm gonna be fat sooner or later if I live in San Francisco. lol

National Day of Protest: Whose University? Our University

I didn't get a chance to write for what I think about the nation-wide walkout and protest since at that day, I was busy documenting. It was electrifying, the experience. At that day, a lot of people came to the protest and united. At San Francisco State University, the day was filled with activities to raise awareness about how deep the cuts affect everyone. We may not be affected directly but maybe people that we know are affected by it. Are we going to let them fight their battle alone? I say no.

Here's what I posted in my Facebook, my response to people who think the protest was unnecessary:

So, here's what my friend said last year when I joined the protest to civic center...
"So sorry for your mom, she send you here to protest"

Yesterday, I called my mom and told her about the protest and well, she's not the most liberal person out there so I explained to her how important it was for me.

In a way, protesting unfair treatment is a part of my education I'll say. It has been debated that college education does not provide you with enough knowledge of this world. I take the liberty to venture outside the classroom and maybe I can get something that is equally or probably more precious and useful than the one that I acquire inside my classrooms.

For several things, people decide not to participate in the protest... here are the most common reasons that I compile:
1) The "logical" people
ie. - You're just one person. You won't be able to change a thing
- The economy is in a bad shape so where are you going to get the $ for education?
2) The lazy people
ie. - "Protest? Yay!! Holiday." Yes, it's called lazy lol
3) The don't care people
ie. - I have more important things to do in my life
- "What's the noise is about? Go Gators! Ups... no? Protest? what protest? Anyway, good luck... I'll cu tomorrow." This is also called the clueless people
- "As long as they don't cut the class that I need, I don't care"
4) The obedient people
ie. - Protest = anarchy, disobedience act against the authority
- "I'm just trying to finish college as soon as possible"

Why is the protest important? No... not because I want to get a tan so I march outside and shout. Not because I think: "march? Hm... I haven't had any exercise like walking or shopping lately... ok, I'll join." NOT because I'm careless and anarchist!!

More than anything else, I feel like we have to stand up for what we believe in. And for something we disagree with. If we let one thing passed us once, it'll happen again the second time. So really, the question is when?


Here's the schedule for March4 in San Francisco State University

Schedule of Events for March 4, the SF State Day of Action for Public Higher Education:
10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Informational Picket Line on 19th Ave. and Holloway.
12:15 to 12:30 p.m.: Picket Line march to Malcolm X Plaza
12:30 to 1:30 p.m.: Political Theater and Spoken Word performed by SF State talent, addressing the budget cuts
1:30 to 3 p.m.: Do-It-Yourself Protest signs and T-shirt stenciling (bring a T-shirt, if you can)
2 to 3:30 p.m.: Teach-in scheduled on Malcolm X Plaza
3:30 to 4 p.m.: Board MUNI or shuttle to BART (Anyone boarding at 19th Ave. MUNI with a March 4 T-shirt or protest sign will receive a pass for boarding)
4 to 4:45 p.m.: SF State community will gather and meet at the steps of the Asian Art Museum in the Civic Center before proceeding to the stage area.
5 to 6:30 p.m.: Rally for California’s Future, San Francisco Civic Center. Stand together with Pre-K to Higher Education educators, parents, students and all those who work in the public sector to send a message to Sacramento.