timothy mak photography

Vicki + Euwyn | San Francisco City Hall

2011-12-09T16:27:00.001-08:00

Vicki and Euwyn had a beautiful civil ceremony at San Francisco City Hall a week before their big celebration in Thailand with friends and family. I was honored to be their witness. It was my first time inside City Hall and the light coming through the windows was amazing!

Here are a few of my faves from the day:

Yating + James | San Francisco Engagement

2011-11-28T16:32:00.001-08:00

Yating lives and works in New York. James is a Bay Area native currently studying medicine at Case Western in Ohio where they met. Last week I had the opportunity to be a tourist in my own town along with Yating and her mother who were all visiting over the Thanksgiving holiday. I have to admit that for as long as I've lived here I've never set foot on a cable car or enjoyed a bowl of clam chowder in Fisherman's Wharf prior to last week.

It was a pleasure wandering the city with these two and I look forward to my first wedding of 2012 when their big day comes next January.

Laura + John | UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley

2011-11-20T14:04:00.001-08:00

Under the shade of giant redwoods at UC Botanical Garden in Berkeley, Laura and John exchanged their wedding vows before an audience of their closest friends and family.

Here are a few of my faves from the day:

Nicole + Peter | Palace Hotel Wedding

2011-10-27T07:40:00.000-07:00

When Nicole and Peter first reached out to me about wedding photography they had envisioned a quick civil ceremony at city hall. While there's absolutely nothing wrong with a civil ceremony I'm so glad their plans changed. We had such an awesome time during the engagement session that I could not have imagined a more fitting display of their love and affection than a celebration at the iconic Palace Hotel in the heart of San Francisco. I love that Nicole passed on the traditional wedding gown and donned a beautiful modern cut Korean Hanbok. They really made this day their own and I look forward to seeing where this new life together takes them. Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Lee!

You can see their wedding day slideshow HERE.

Joy + Anthony | Berkeley, CA

2011-10-10T19:58:00.000-07:00

Joy and Anthony got married in the church where Joy grew up and were surrounded by 400 of their closest friends and family members. They weren't kidding when they told me they came from BIG families. It was a special moment for everyone when Anthony broke out in a capella and dedicated a song to Joy during the ceremony. The day was full of many surprises and certainly fitting for a beautiful couple that enjoy doing improv together. Congratulations and thank you again for allowing me to be a part of your celebration.

Special thanks to Art Chang for assisting and shooting with me!

Here are a few of my faves from the day:

Laura + John | Pt. Isabel Engagement

2011-09-21T08:10:00.000-07:00

Here are a few frames from my recent engagement session with Laura and John at Pt. Isabel with their dogs Joey and JJ. The dogs certainly had fun - so much that JJ wandered off for most of our session! I'm looking forward to Laura and John's Berkeley wedding in mid-October.

Rhodessa + Eric | San Francisco Engagement

2011-09-14T11:14:00.000-07:00

Rhodessa and Eric watched Pixar's "Up" on one of their first dates together and it was just fitting that we incorporated huge colorful balloons into our San Francisco engagement session this past weekend. We started out our session in North Beach at one of their favorite cafes and definitely had quite the adventure inflating and transporting balloons from Nob Hill to the Marina District.

Good food, walks around the city, and good conversation are what this lovely couple is all about. I had a wonderful afternoon with them and look forward to their wedding next summer.

Here are a few of my favorites from our session:

Nicole + Peter Engagement | San Francisco

2011-08-08T00:42:00.000-07:00

I first met Nicole and Peter through our mutual friend Sophia, who had quite the birthday bash earlier this year. I was excited to discover that we share a passion for good eats at many of the same restaurants in the Bay Area as well as LA. We clicked the moment we met and I knew we were going to have an awesome session.

We began our afternoon in Nicole and Peter's beautiful home and then headed over to the office at One Market where they first met. I loved that they were totally up for anything, including a re-creation of how Nicole first caught Peter's eye. This was an office romance that blossomed into something beautiful and I'm looking forward to shooting their wedding at the equally gorgeous Palace Hotel in a few weeks.

Here are a couple of my faves from the afternoon:

Joy + Anthony Engagement | Oakland & San Francisco

2011-08-01T00:35:00.000-07:00

Having moved to Oakland about a year ago I thought I had cruised all the neighborhoods already. When Joy and Anthony shared their favorite places to hangout as ideas for our e-session I was excited to learn of some cool new spots around Piedmont. We started out our afternoon at the Morcom Rose Garden, mildly trespassed a cheerfully orange home, got a quick sushi fix, and chased the fleeting sun on the way to San Francisco. It was a fun night joined in by our friends Edena and Bryan.

I loved how little direction I had to give Joy and Anthony during our session. Something tells me their Berkeley wedding next month is going to be one awesome celebration.

Emily + Jonathan | The Condor's Nest Ranch

2011-07-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

Emily always envisioned a ranch-style wedding and she and Jonathan picked one of my favorite venues to date. The Condor's Nest Ranch up in the hills of Pala, CA is a vast, private estate home to a nice collection of farm animals and a gorgeous ranch-style home built on true grit and full of American bravado.

My family is fully indebted to Jonathan for being the MVP behind the scenes at my own wedding a few years back taking care of last minute details and helping out with our ceremony and reception. I was honored to be able to return the favor by heading down to Southern California to capture their e-session a couple months ago and big day just last month.

I wish you guys the best of luck in your new lives together in DC - much love and blessings!

Here are some faves from the day:

You can see their slideshow below or here:

Emily + Jonathan Photobooth

2011-06-29T23:45:00.000-07:00

Photobooth fun from Emily + Jonathan's wedding reception at the Condor's Nest Ranch :)

Robert Jr.'s 1st Birthday | Davis, CA

2011-05-20T14:54:00.000-07:00

The last time I saw the Christensen Family was when Melissa was 7 months pregnant with Robert Jr. This past weekend they celebrated his 1st birthday and I was delighted to catch up with everyone and meet the rest of the family. Here are a couple of my faves from the day:

More Photobooth Fun

2011-03-11T14:45:00.000-08:00

Here's some photobooth fun from Bernice and Jeff's reception.

Imma keep it clean here Howard - you can ask Bernice and Jeff for the censored ones!

Bernice + Jeff | Pleasanton, CA

2011-03-08T21:32:00.000-08:00

The week leading up to President's Day Weekend was a pretty wet one but the clouds parted and the sun shone down for their big day. Bernice and Jeff chose not see each other before the ceremony and this made for a very heartfelt and emotional moment that caught everyone by surprise, including me. While I know Jeff to have a competitive spirit when it comes to sports, he's a generally reserved and guarded fellow, quiet about his emotions. When he saw Bernice come down the aisle he couldn't hold back the tears and it was a beautiful thing to witness - a groom seeing his bride for the first time. I love it.

Special thanks goes out to my brother-in-law Patrick for assisting me.

I don't usually post portraits but this is such a stunning bridal party!

You can see their slideshow below or here:

Bernice + Jeff Engagement | Berkeley

2011-02-02T13:13:00.000-08:00

I had a quick session with Bernice and Jeff around Cal campus on an unexpectedly wet afternoon last weekend. These two were great and unfazed by the rain as we walked through our Alma mater reminiscing about classes in Wheeler Hall and studying at the Valley Life Sciences Building. I look forward to shooting their wedding later this month in Pleasanton.

Here are a couple frames from the day:

Emily + Jon Engagement | Los Angeles

2011-01-25T00:21:00.000-08:00

Emily is in her last year of grad school in Michigan and Jon currently lives out of Ohio but both are natives of Southern California. The two had no hesitation in escaping the frigid Midwest to fly home where I met them for a Los Angeles engagement session. We started off in downtown at the Bradbury Building, then found some amazing light at Union Station, and finished our session at Griffith Observatory where Jon first proposed to Emily. We ended the night in Japantown where we feasted on two dinners in a row! I really look forward to their ranch-style wedding in Pala, CA this summer.

Party Like it's 2011

2011-01-14T13:53:00.000-08:00

Ever need help planning a fiesta? You'll need to get in touch with Sophia who threw the raddest Double Quinceañera where everyone got to:

double fist tacos from the truck parked outside (om nom nom)

get their drink on

belt out the greatest boy band hits ever

show a piñata named 'Rules' how to be broken

and get even more drink on!

Sophia - thanks for letting me join you and document the raddest party of 2011!

Sophia's Double Quinceañera | Photobooth

2011-01-12T00:30:00.000-08:00

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Sophia's Birthday Fiesta...

Best of 2010

2011-01-02T14:14:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I'm so thankful for meeting some awesome people in 2010 who I can now call friends. It was a crazy year of growth and I look forward to making 2011 even more grand!

Here's a link to a slideshow of some of my favorite photos from clients and personal life moments I photographed in 2010. Check it out below or here: BEST OF 2010

Audrey | Berkeley, CA

2010-12-20T23:32:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple frames of Audrey from my recent family shoot with the Matano and Kang Families. She's really grown since the last time I saw her! Don't you want to pinch those cheeks?

Carlos Xavier's CD Release Party

2010-12-13T00:16:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday Carlos performed at the Roccapulco in San Francisco with special guests Los Mocosos. It was an awesome party for his debut album Lucha Contra El Tiempo. Even if you're like me who's forgotten most of the Spanish I learned in high school you can still really appreciate this album. Go check him out!

Here are some of my faves from the evening:

Carolyn | Rockridge, CA

2010-10-26T00:22:00.000-07:00

I had a great lifestyle session with indie singer/songwriter Carolyn Chen on a rainy Sunday afternoon. The clouds gave us some gorgeous diffused light through her apartment's windows. Check out her Myspace Music page for more info. I'm looking forward to her next live performance!

Here are a few of my faves from the shoot:

Carlos Xavier's Covershoot | San Francisco, CA

2010-10-03T22:06:00.000-07:00

Some quick highlights from Carlos Xavier's covershoot a couple weekends ago. I can't wait to see his new album drop soon!

Mimi + Steve | Calistoga, CA

2010-09-30T00:56:00.000-07:00

Mimi and Steve met a long time ago ~~in a galaxy far, far away~~ through mutual friends at Harvard. After graduation they ended up on different coasts for work and more schooling but managed to stay in touch over the years through letters; and eventually email. You'd have to ask Mimi and Steve what took so long for them to realize that your true love was right under your nose all this time. Who said Hollywood endings aren't for real?

Their wedding ceremony was a perfect example of who they are as a couple. It was sincere and emotional as they shared snippets from their letters affirming a friendship that blossomed into love. Thank you for allowing me to document your intimate ceremony at the gorgeous Calistoga Ranch. Here are some of my favorites from the day:

When the night ends with a love train and the groom doing the worm you know it was an epic celebration.

You can see their slideshow below or here:

Mimi + Steve | Calistoga Wedding Preview

2010-09-28T14:10:00.000-07:00

2010 has been a busy and awesome year on many fronts for me. I wish I had more time in the day to do everything I want to accomplish, including updating my website and blog! I can't wait to show you guys more highlights from Mimi + Steve's special day up in beautiful wine country. Here is one shot from their wedding day. Lots more to come soon I promise!

Juneau | Day 4

2010-08-31T09:25:00.000-07:00

It seems like Juneau strives to be the complete antithesis of Anchorage. Enroute to Mendenhall Glacier our bus driver spoke so proudly about the city of Juneau and just ripped Anchorage a new one any chance he got. Actually most locals I conversed with seemed to have the same sentiment; perhaps stemming from the constant battle over where the state capitol should reside. Now that I've been to both cities I'd say that I'd rather live in Juneau if I'm looking for the outdoorsy Pacific Northwest lifestyle. If I wanted the overcrowded, drug-laden type of town with inner-city problems then there's no need to move to Anchorage - I can probably find plenty of that in California :)

Nat doesn't go anywhere without her camera now. I'm thankful it's digital!

When we got back on the ship from our day excursion in Juneau we headed up the inner passage in search of Sawyer Glacier.

Finally made it to Sawyer Glacier

Alaska 2010 | Day 2 & 3

2010-08-25T09:46:00.000-07:00

We spent Day 2 at sea enroute to our first port stop in Ketchikan, AK. To really get the most out of the cruise experience you must participate in all the on-board activities that you might not normally do - bingo, shuffleboard, sign up for gameshows and karaoke contests... It's entertaining for a week but I have no idea how my parents can thoroughly enjoy 1-2 month-long cruises!

I attended this "How To Use Your Point & Shoot Camera" talk so I could participate in the raffle for prizes. If you stuff the box with a dozen entries you're bound to win right?

This was a spoof of the NBC gameshow Minute To Win It

The sunset looked so different each day.

Day 3 - docked in Ketchikan, AK

awe yeah...

Someone's ridiculous attempt at collecting money in front of their own house

I am going to guess that this is the only business in the world where you can get your shoes and vacuum repaired at the same time while eating fudge.

This was the last time boards got shuffled on this trip as all the discs seemed to have made their way overboard.

This was easily the most epic sunset on our trip.

Alaska 2010 | Day 1

2010-08-24T00:39:00.000-07:00

We boarded a flight to Seattle to embark on a 7-day roundtrip cruise through Alaska's inner passage. In practical terms this meant a 7-day disconnect from the Internet; a chance to finally relax in year 2010; and most importantly - eat with reckless abandon.

Here are some highlights from Day 1:

I loved the colors on this wall in the baggage claim area at SEA-TAC airport

last view of Puget Sound before embarking

I wondered if the lifeboats have ever been used on this 20-year old vessel

the Aqua Restaurant onboard the ship had interesting LED lights shining through the ceiling tiles

the food options were essentially endless on this cruise ship - not the right place to be at all if you're on a diet

view from the 12th floor down the ship into the main atrium where live music played nightly

every day ended with a gorgeous sunset around 9pm

Nat's ready for bed!

Rachel Lifestyle Session | Fremont, CA

2010-08-12T00:25:00.000-07:00

I spent an afternoon hanging out with Rachel and her mom Michelle in the Niles District in Fremont. Who knew that Niles was home to the first Hollywood where you could find Charlie Chaplin and Broncho Billy shooting movies? I thought this particular Saturday afternoon was rather chilly but Rachel brought back the sizzle.

Check out some of my faves from our session:

Rachel Teaser | Lifestyle

2010-08-11T00:48:00.000-07:00

Check back soon for more highlights of Rachel's Lifestyle Session!

Kristina + Tolu | Wedding

2010-07-23T09:52:00.000-07:00

Kristina & Tolu had an intimate ceremony at the Lucie Stern Community Center in Palo Alto followed by a gorgeous cocktail hour with family and friends on the promenade. The air was filled with beautiful Spanish classical guitar and joyous laughter.

Thank you Kristina & Tolu for giving me the opportunity to document one of the most important days of your lives.

Esther & Peter | Engaged

2010-07-18T23:56:00.000-07:00

Esther & Peter currently live in SoCal but plan on moving up to San Francisco after their September wedding celebration. We had quite an afternoon traversing the vast corners of the city in search of colorful SF landmarks and gorgeous light. Thank you guys for showing me parts of the city I've never seen!

Phyllis + Ben | Wedding

2010-07-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

The other day someone asked me what I love most about wedding photography. For me it's all about ANTICIPATION. For Phyllis & Ben's big day I loved all the little details leading up to the ceremony - the handcrafted Cal, Texas, LSU, and Columbia cookies for their guests; the hair & makeup session; the way the bridal party helped each other to put on the finishing touches looking ever so sharp. I loved the joy on Ben's face as he anticipated Phyllis coming down the aisle. That's such a beautiful moment for me. It was awesome to witness Phyllis & Ben's celebration in such a beautiful hotel, surrounded by family and friends.

Venue: Hotel Sofitel San Francisco Bay
Coordinator: Tiffanny Aurelio
Hair & Makeup: Jessie Weng
Cake: Sugar Butter Flour, Aki's Bakery
Flowers: Floral Design Studio

Phyllis & Ben Teaser | 6.19.2010

2010-07-02T00:24:00.000-07:00

Phyllis & Ben's Crazybooth! | Wedding

2010-06-22T01:09:00.001-07:00

Phyllis and Ben's guests really know how to have a good time. They ROCKED the camera at the photobooth! I can't wait to share highlights from the wedding day but here are some of my faves from the photobooth.

You can see the rest here (password hint: Ben's last name)

Happy Father's Day | Personal

2010-06-21T04:24:00.000-07:00

Happy smoked double cut pork chop day! There. I said it. Maybe brunch at the Restaurant at Wente Vineyards should become a Father's day tradition. I had a wonderful and relaxing Father's Day. I hope yours was as warm and restful.

RIP Dorothy | Personal

2010-06-13T11:39:00.000-07:00

We've had goldfish come and go in our house but Dorothy was special because she's been with us ever since we moved in over 5 years ago. We actually don't know if Dorothy was a "she" but Nat calls her that because of Elmo's own pet named fish Dorothy. Our pet fish has outlived countless other fish and survived negligent water changes and various week-long vacations away from home. When guests come over the first thing they say is "whoa, that's a ginormous goldfish!". Yes, she was probably too big for the tank but we thought she was too domesticated for the pond outside and we weren't ready to get a larger tank for a 12 cent goldfish. We'll save that for our next house. Nonetheless, Dorothy will be missed.

Nat watched me bury our fish in the yard and asked "why is Dorothy sleeping in the yard?"

Yi-Yi + Pete - Guerneville, CA | Wedding

2010-06-07T17:08:00.000-07:00

Yi-Yi and Pete's wedding was the most unique and most fun life events I've had a chance to be a part of in a while. This wine country wedding was a memorable 3-day weekend at the Dawn Ranch Lodge where friends and family traveled to from the far corners of earth to witness and take part in Yi-Yi and Pete's Quaker-style ceremony. We danced the night away and the celebration certainly did not end when the sound system went caput. The reception featured an impromptu rousing rendition of Piano Man by one of the guests that spurred everyone to sing along. The weekend was definitely a blast - one of those weddings that felt more like fun than work.

Yi-Yi and Pete - I want to wish you much love and happiness in your new lives together in Montreal. J'espère vous revoir!

Below are some highlights from the weekend and a highlights slideshow you can see here.

What Happens in Guerneville...

2010-05-27T09:21:00.000-07:00

two of my favorite people in the world got married this past weekend in Guerneville. I can't wait to share their magical day with you all, but hopefully these photobooth photos will tie you over...

It's amazing what a little alcohol can do over the course of an evening at the photobooth! I'll spare you all from the random acts of nudity but let it be known that it was quite an evening of AWESOME.

Yi-Yi & Pete - Crissy Field | Engaged

2010-04-30T01:33:00.001-07:00

5 Facts about Yi-Yi & Pete:

Pete and Kobe were partners in high school Spanish class back in Philadelphia. Yes, that Kobe. Kobe used to call him Pedro.

Yi-Yi can throw a perfect spiral. Al Davis- are you listening?

Pete makes Yi-Yi laugh at will. No joke.

Yi-Yi & Pete are far too humble about their dance skills. I witnessed a morsel of greatness.

Yi-Yi & Pedr-, I mean Pete are getting married up in wine country in less than a month and it's going to be EPIC. We might as well start trending #EPICwedding on twitter right now. ¡Ay, caramba!

Yi-Yi and Pete Engagement Session Teaser

2010-04-29T01:13:00.000-07:00

Yi-Yi and Pete brought the dance dance revolution to Crissy Field last Sunday. Check back soon for more highlights!

Seattle 2010

2010-04-15T23:46:00.000-07:00

After a couple bouts of food coma we made our way across the Canada-US border in time for Jenn & Lawrence's wedding.

congrats guys!

I've been to Seattle several times but this was my first time to Pike Place. I'm pretty sure every tourist takes this picture at the Public Market.

I ordered a tall coffee from the very first Starbucks store and was surprised to find that it was the best cup of coffee I had in Seattle.

We ordered a clam chowder and a seafood bisque. I was pleasantly surprised with the clam chowder. The seafood bisque was a little salty.

Beecher's stakes claim to the world's best mac & cheese. That sounds like a challenge to me. I'll probably be trying to recreate this soon. It was pretty good.

I wonder how many hours per day this parrot performs tricks.

Piroshky Piroshky - we got the beef and cheese - reminded me of a chinese curry bun.

On our second night in Seattle we were in pursuit of a Paseo cuban sandwich. We headed over to the Fremont Ave location only to find that they were all sold out. I must say that sandwich was pretty epic. Spicy. But pretty epic. This photo has nothing to do with Paseo but Ray's Boathouse restaurant was across the street from the sandwich shop in the Ballard location and I thought the sunset was gorgeous.

Trophy Cupcakes. I'm no cupcake fiend but this was a pretty unique flavor.

We Ate Through Vancouver

2010-04-10T09:53:00.000-07:00

We pretty much had a good idea of where we wanted to go on our trip up to the Pacific Northwest. Sightseeing is always a bonus but we've heard so much about the great restaurants and centered our days around a couple lunches and dinners PER DAY. Here are some highlights from the first part of our trip:

27th Annual Skagit County Tulip Festival

Melissa in Bloom!

2010-03-19T07:51:00.000-07:00

What a pleasant surprise these two were. I had never met Melissa and Robert before but got connected through Melissa's aunt Andrea, whom I shot for previously. It was actually my first time up in Davis, CA and Melissa and Robert were gracious hosts showing me around Davis campus where they spent a lot of time together during their dating years through marriage. Last Sunday pretty much told me that Winter is so 5 minutes ago as it looked like everyone in Davis was out enjoying the sun with us along the waterway at Davis Arboretum.

I can't wait to meet Robert Jr. in the weeks to come. Congratulations guys!

Melissa + Robert Maternity Session Teaser

2010-03-15T23:33:00.000-07:00

Check back in a couple days for more highlights from Melissa & Robert's maternity session in Davis!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

2010-03-01T23:04:00.000-08:00

Ad Hoc's 4-course daily menu quite often offers buttermilk fried chicken as a main course. On our last visit the waiter mentioned that it's one of the most requested menu items so I knew I had to give it a proper makchef recipe evaluation myself.

Keller recommends two 2.5 to 3-pound chickens for this recipe- essentially smaller birds. You definitely want to find a "fryer" chicken instead of a "roasting" chicken. The primary difference is the size of these birds - fryers being smaller; i.e. - cook more evenly. Fast, even cooking is so crucial to deep frying. I found Lucky's-branded fryer leg quarters that I separated into drumsticks and thighs myself.

Lemon-Herb Brine
5 lemons, halved
24 bay leaves
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
1 bunch thyme
1/2 cup honey
1 head garlic, halved and crushed with skin on
1/4 cup black peppercorns
2 cups kosher salt
2 gallons of water

Here's where I should've followed his recipe more closely. I got lazy and ended up using dried herbs which pale in comparison to fresh herbs. If you got the means, go get the fresh stuff. Just combine all the ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Your goal is just to dissolve all the salt crystals. Let the brine chill before using.

FOR DREDGING AND FRYING
any oil with a high smoke point - peanut oil, canola oil (I used vegetable oil)
1 quart buttermilk (I only used 2 cups because all you're doing is coating the chicken and didn't think I needed a full quart)
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

COATING
6 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup onion powder
4 tsp smoked paprika
4 tsp cayenne
4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper

fine sea salt
fresh rosemary

Here's my take on Thomas Keller's Buttermilk Fried Chicken. It's not hard but required a lot more prep time than I initially planned for. This isn't gonna be a Rachel Ray 30-minute meal.

Pour the brine into containers large enough to hold your chicken pieces and soak them for 12 hours in the fridge.

Remove the chicken from the brine (discard the brine) and thoroughly rinse the chicken. You'll notice that the brined chicken pieces are plumper now. This is some juicy goodness you will soon enjoy!

I used an electric deep fryer that could only hold about 3 pieces comfortably at a time. If I were to prepare 14 pieces of chicken again I would probably use 2 pots on a stove going at the same time because this recipe calls for a frying temp of 320 degrees for 11-12 minutes - more on this later. In any case, bring your oil temp up to 320 in your cooking apparatus. Prepare a cooling rack on a baking sheet lined with parchment or paper towels.

Combine all your dry coating ingredients into a large bowl. Transfer half of this dry mix into a second bowl. Pour your seasoned buttermilk into a third bowl.

Right before frying you want to dip the chicken pieces into the first bowl of dry mix, turn to coat; dip into buttermilk; then dipped into second dry mix bowl.

Slowly lower the chicken into the hot oil and set a timer for 12 minutes. As I mentioned earlier, my electric fryer could only hold 3 pieces at a time. You'll want to be careful not to crowd the pot as this will drop your frying temperature. If it drops too low your chicken will start simmering instead of frying - and this becomes a greasy mess.

About 2 minutes into the fry time carefully move the chicken around and continue to monitor the oil temp. As you're waiting for it to finish you can prep your next batch to be fried.

Transfer the chicken pieces to the cooling rack skin-side-up and let it rest while you fry the remaining chicken. Keller says that putting the pieces skin-side-up will allow excess fat to drain. Sprinkle fine sea salt on these pieces and garnish with rosemary if you'd like.

Additional Notes:
If I were to do it all over again I would probably use a second pot to have another batch going at the same time. I probably fried chicken for a good hour trying to get through 14 pieces at a rate of 3 pieces per batch for 12 minute periods.

I'm not a white meat fan and didn't fry up any chicken breast meat. If you do decide to fry white meat I suggest cutting them in half as these are usually larger pieces. You will also have to raise the temp to 340 degrees and fry for about 7 minutes instead of 12 minutes

My oil got pretty dirty after the 3rd batch. When dredging in the dry mix be sure to shake off any excess flour but dirty oil is going to be inevitable with this recipe.

As you can see here in my last batch - the crust was getting darker as the oil got dirtier.

I think I got my fry fix for a while now. It was definitely fun :) Let me know if you'd like to see more recipes.

Happy Birthday, Valentine's , Chinese New Year Weekend 2010

2010-02-14T23:52:00.000-08:00

Amy and I celebrated her birthday this weekend in Yountville, CA. It just also happens to be the same weekend of Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year's. How do you kill 3 birds with one stone? - dinner at ad hoc.

What better way to kick off our evening than having a quick photoshoot with the fleeting sun. Isn't she gorgeous?

What's a Quetzal?

2010-02-02T00:23:00.000-08:00

Tonight Nat recited animals A-Z except for walrus and xolo. But seriously - how many people know what a quetzal is without having to do a google search?

Hello World!

2010-01-29T01:19:00.000-08:00

Meet Isabella Caitlin Smith.
7 lbs 12 oz.
Born at 9:05 pm on January 28th 2010.

Heather and James did great :)

What's Wrong With These Pictures?

2010-01-13T23:47:00.000-08:00

It's no fun when you get to work before sunrise...

...and leave work after sunset.

shots taken with my nifty new 85mm f/1.8

Nat's Day at the Zoo

2010-01-13T10:12:00.001-08:00

Nat tells us about all the animals she saw at the Oakland Zoo today.

The Taylor Family | Lifestyle

2009-12-31T18:54:00.000-08:00

Seriously now. Where did 2009 go? It's been quite a busy year and there's so much to blog about but I couldn't help skipping ahead to this Lifestyle Session. Allow me to introduce the Taylor Family (who by the way really know how to work the camera!). They live in Point Richmond near my neck of the woods. We caught a little break in the rainy weather and walked over to Marina Bay for some portraits. Afterwards we returned to their home for a little session with 5-month old Camryn. Isn't she adorable? Erica and Loren - thanks for allowing me to hang out with your family :)

Before I stick my own foot in my mouth - many thanks to my clients for an awesome 2009 and here's to a splendid 2010!

Now onto the highlights:

Monica in Bloom | Lifestyle Session

2009-12-21T10:25:00.000-08:00

I couldn't be more happy for my friends Monica and Carlos who are expecting a baby boy next April. We had a quick Lifestyle Session at their home in Concord. Doesn't she look beautiful?

Chicago Nights

2009-12-03T07:10:00.000-08:00

Chicago is so cool at night. This mild winter is letting me stay out later and later in the evenings...

skyline from Roosevelt St.

Shedd Aquarium

ugliest fish I've ever seen

it's not a tumor!

view from State St.

Lou Malnati's deep dish with coworkers served by our ever-entertaining waiter, Esteban

I got caught in very cold rainy weather in a legitimately desolate Chinatown wearing only a t-shirt and vest jacket

Orange line above Wabash

Avec Passion

2009-11-30T21:58:00.000-08:00

I finally had a chance to try Avec Restaurant tonight in Chicago's West Loop. Avec prides itself on food that is healthy, local, and sustainable; not to mention - super creative, delicious, and memorable. I know I'll be back!

Chorizo-stuffed Medjool dates with smoked bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce - easily my favorite dish of the night

Pan-roasted Faroe Island salmon with house-cured salmon, roasted cauliflower and salmon roe

Roasted sunchoke crostini with shaved Brussels sprouts, radishes and truffle vinaigrette

Wood-oven braised pork shoulder with Prince Edward Island mussels, braised tripe, tomato and savory streusel - I could never imagine a dish with pork and mussels together

Say What Momofuku?

2009-11-23T22:58:00.000-08:00

My early birthday present courtesy of Heather and James wholly inspired me to set out and recreate ramen from scratch - specifically ramen broth; which is typically concentrated pork broth. David Chang, founder of Momofuku and co-author of the book by the same name described such a deep passion for ramen early on in his culinary career. I kinda regret not taking the opportunity to try any of his restaurants on my recent trek to NJ/NY but that just means I'll have to take another trip!

The first part of the book outlines the gory arduous details of making proper ramen broth and I tried to find all the key ingredients to get all the core flavors - roasted pork neck bones and chicken backs, dashi, mirin. I didn't look hard enough to find kombu - which is essentially kelp but I think I got most of the flavors in there. I've always used pork bones to make soup but it was amazing to see how much deeper the broth flavor got from roasting the bones first - good stuff. After about 3 hours simmering on the stove I let it sit overnight.

The next day I further reduced the broth and added bonito flakes to enhance the meaty flavor and give some richness.

I prepped some chasu, shitake mushrooms, scallions, and bean sprouts. Next time I'll try to make my own ramen noodles.

I feel pretty good about my first try:)

and blog posts with Nat are just always more fun! Nat decided to dress herself and celebrate Halloween nearly a month late.

The Matano Family | Lifestyle

2009-11-16T07:56:00.000-08:00

Doris and Darren reached out to me a few weeks ago to do a mini-Lifestyle session in their home while Darren's relatives were in town. Baby Audrey also had her 1st Birthday that same weekend. Happy Birthday Audrey!

Natalie - 1, PS3 - 0

2009-11-12T22:55:00.000-08:00

The other night I tried to load a DVD in my PS3 only to hear a disconcerting crunching noise. It turns out that Nat force fed several discs into the slot. I looked up a PS3 disassembly diagram and was able to get the discs out. I'm now the proud owner of a torx size 10 screw driver that I hope to never have to use again on this playstation.

Crumble in the Bronx | Personal

2009-11-10T07:55:00.000-08:00

Our mini trips from NJ into NYC included a first time visit to the Bronx Borough for me as well as good eats at old time favorites.

We got some awesome cookies from Madonia Brothers Bakery in the Bronx. I can assure you that no stick of butter was spared in the making of these crumbly cookies.

A local meat market in the Bronx

This deli looked like a dungeon and the air was really humid. I had to step out in fear of inhaling a mold spore.

We were fortunate enough to get into the Bronx Zoo for free as most of the animals were either missing or hiding from the inclement weather. The highlight for all of us was the sea lion feeding.

Nat demonstrates how a sea lion eats fish

No trip to NYC is complete without a meal at Joe's Shanghai

Din Tai Fung is no match for Joe's crab xiao long bao.

Frozen Hot Chocolate at Serendipity

I finally got to see Patrick's dorm at Columbia University.

Ah, the good ol' days in the tiny dorm room where you kept your clean and dirty clothes in a pile. Now that I live in a house I keep my clean and dirty clothes in separate piles in the bedroom.

Only in Times Square will you find Elmo and Spider-Man competing for the attention of a hot woman.

Garden State Foibles | Personal

2009-11-09T08:20:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to dump on the state of New Jersey anymore because I've come to realize that people will adapt to the idiosyncrasies of daily life wherever you live. The only problem here is that "adaptation" left me more exhausted on my return than when I left. All I can say is that it's sooo great to be back in California.

At least Nat got some sleep on our red eye flight into Newark. Sitting in coach on a United flight is no fun when you can't fall asleep and the person in front reclines all the way.

We were fortunate enough to be able to stay in Heather's friend's home in Fanwood, NJ.

The weather never got cold enough to don our hats outdoors.

You can still find nice sunsets in Jersey.

Nat was thoroughly entertained with the aquarium in the lobby floor of Legal Seafood.

Bridges and Traffic go hand in hand into Jersey.

First decent meal in Jersey was at the Mitsuwa Marketplace in Edgewater. I'm pretty sure I scarfed down my bowl of ramen in 3 minutes flat.

NY skyline from Edgewater, NJ

We located a Grimaldi's Pizzeria in Hoboken, NJ

Our pie was unfortunately not up to par with the Brooklyn location or our newly beloved Emilia's Pizzeria. I'm not sure why it was so soggy.

Only in Jersey will you find a milkshake bigger than your head. But in retrospect I think the milkshakes had a hard time competing with the size of most patrons at this establishment.

Harold's Deli in Edison, NJ made some awesome pastrami. They also claim to have the largest pickle bar in the world. It really wasn't that big.

Harold's cakes were cartoonish.

I tried to find some interesting things to do during the day with Nat as Amy was in work conference all week during the day. I ventured to Edison, NJ one afternoon only to find the most pathetic memorial to Thomas Edison. It took me half an hour to drive 5 miles to get here and it was closed.

Rain and more traffic were unkind on the Jersey roadways.

The interior at Bobby Flay's burger chain was really nice.

$16.95 for an original crunch burger, mango milkshake, and sweet potato fries at Bobby's Burger Palace. It was pretty good but are you kidding me? Bobby - I'm ready for a burger throwdown anytime

I've sat in my fair share of traffic jams but I'll remember the night of 11/5/2009 as being one of the worst commutes I've ever experienced anywhere. On top of all this hubbub you better make sure you're in the right lane to pay toll. Tourist driving in New Jersey = FAIL Good times. Good times.

I've got another update coming soon for our ventures into NYC. Stay tuned...

Stuck in New Jersey | Personal

2009-11-05T22:32:00.000-08:00

I just spent the last 2.5 hours driving 30 miles on the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey. This poor soul was caught in a minor fender bender in the midst of the ridiculous traffic tonight in 45 degree weather. As to why he was so fashionably dressed in a blazer, boxers, white socks, and black New Balance shoes - who knows. I somehow think the accident is the least of his problems...

Stay tuned for more photos of majestic New Jersey and why I will never come back here if I can help it!

Phyllis & Ben - San Francisco, CA | Engaged

2009-11-01T22:37:00.000-08:00

I headed over to San Francisco to meet up with Phyllis and Ben, on what was, without a doubt, the most beautiful day so far this winter. They are so sweet together and I think that really translated in their photos. Phyllis and Ben initially said they felt awkward but they worked the camera like they had been doing this their whole lives. By the end of the shoot I hardly had to give any direction!

Here are some of my faves from our session:

At the end of our shoot Ben wanted to do a jumping shot. What better way to show that hangtime than by animating it? See how fun they are? I'm sooo looking forward to shooting their wedding next June!

Phyllis & Ben Teaser | Engaged

2009-10-28T00:28:00.000-07:00

Check back in a few days for more highlights from Phyllis & Ben's e-session!

Emilia's Pizzeria | Food

2009-10-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I seriously had the best NY-style pie west of Brooklyn at Emilia's Pizzeria. My expectations were hyped up after reading this article and I wasn't disappointed. Berkeley has bred some excellent pizzerias over the years and if you're in the mood for something other than Zachary's or Cheeseboard, head over to Emilia's and give pizzaiolo/owner Keith Freilich some love. (FYI, I am in no way affiliated or compensated by Emilia's Pizzeria for this post - just passionate about good pizza!)

2 caveats: 1. Check out Emilia's site for updates as they do tend to run out of dough. 2. Be patient - Emilia's has only been open a week and so far he seems to be running the place solo. In any case, his pies are worth the wait.

Nat was a little groggy/cranky when we arrived.

pizzaiolo/owner Keith running the show solo. Look at the line!

We literally got the last 2 pies of the night. Here we are occupying 2 out of the 3 tables in the cozy dining area.

sausage and roasted red pepper. Our second pie was pepperoni - which was even better, if that's possible. It was so good that we scarfed it down before I could get a shot.

Stellar pizza turned Nat's frown upside down pretty quick!

Pirate's Booty on Treasure Island

2009-09-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

I joined my brother-in-law, James, for a **brisk** swim in the bay off of Treasure Island yesterday afternoon. Little did we know that the night would only get colder...

I met up with James and his triathlon buddies in this huge empty parking lot adjacent to the marina and asked him if he thought it was safe to park here. "No, probably not." I suppose it was safe enough since they had a group swim here last week. We walk about a 1/4 mile to the beach where we start our swim and I'm thinking, "who lives on Treasure Island?" The only other times I've been to TI were for the SUPER CHEAP meals in the Job Corps Advanced Culinary Academy Fine Dining Restaurant.

After a 25-minute swim in the bay we gathered our belongings on the beach and started heading back to our cars. James' car key was missing. After digging through the sand for five minutes I'm thinking how much this sucks. Would somebody actually steal his car? As we walk back to the lot we glance over only to confirm our fears that the black Volvo was gone. Who actually does such a morally reprehensible thing?

We filed a police report at the lot and I drove James home with borrowed clothes and just the wetsuit on his back. After another hour the police called with good news- they found the car locked and parked in a seedy neighborhood about 2 miles away from the lot where it was "borrowed". In the end the only things taken were a CD wallet, a Williams Sonoma gift card, and a little bit of my faith in people. I'd love to believe we live in a place safe enough to leave our belongings untouched but that's just wishful thinking in this day and age.

I had my camera in the trunk of my Civic (who wants to take a Honda Hybrid for a joyride anyways?) and was able to take a couple shots of last night's craziness.

the car was fortunately intact and unscathed

James on the phone with the towing company

the Volvo was found about 2 miles away from the lot where we parked while we were swimming

San Diego [part 2] | personal

2009-09-08T13:58:00.000-07:00

Here are some highlights from the rest of our weekend in San Diego hanging out with friends and family:

my dad steamed a red snapper. It was so big we had to cut the tail to fit it in the wok.

The plant has fallen

It's unheard of for a former Chula Vistan to never have been to Lolita's for mexican food but alas, I'm a noob. I had a California burrito and the carne asada fries pictured above. Little did I know that a California burrito was essentially carne asada fries in a tortilla. I was stuffed.

Nat loved the way the afternoon sun casted shadows on her feet.

Vinh demonstrates the optimal LCD setup for world domination.

Nat and Isa getting reacquainted

meet Layla

Steve eyeing some baby Nat ribs.

Nat's SO ready to go home.

I made pretty good time driving without any breaks. When Nat's asleep it's a good idea to just keep going.

So gross! Alas, finally home only to find a kitchen full of ants. Just so gross.

**Oh, I didn't realize I was advocating TJ's coffee but definitely a good place for good bargain beans.**

San Diego [part 1] | personal

2009-09-04T10:21:00.000-07:00

We decided to get a jumpstart on our Labor Day weekend and headed down to San Diego yesterday for a little R&R with my parents. I can't remember the weather being so humid down here.

We stopped at the TA TravelCenter in Buttonwillow, CA for our first break along I-5 South. Nat was happy to get off the car.

How can the ENTIRE menu be All You Can Eat? I can imagine how the conversation with the waitress would go:

me: The iceberg lettuce salad and chicken noodle soup were delicious. Can I get more of each?
waitress: You sure can! Just sit tight- it'll be about a 45-minute wait.
me: hmm....

We rented a car for the drive because our hybrids would get owned by the Grapevine. This Camry rental is so roomy!

3 devices for 3 different functions. Sure, the iPhone could technically do it all. We were hoping to hit irvine before 2pm where most ramen houses seem to close. We failed.

Snack time at 85C Cafe & Bakery where the buns are fresh and hot.

I don't miss this traffic at all...

an Elmo sighting in downtown Chula Vista

The Wild-Life at Lassen Park | Personal

2009-08-26T09:03:00.000-07:00

Our family trips are always centered around food. I'm always gonna remember last year's Cabo trip for the booze, tacos, and never-ending guacamole bar. How do you follow up a trip to Taiwan that included at least 10 unforgettable meals a day for a week? Well this summer our plans of going to the Dominican Republic or Spain got reduced to a weekend getaway to Lassen Volcanic National Park. Oh well. We wanted to make the best of it and searched hard for hidden food treasure troves. We kept searching....and searching. Nada. Okay, hey- the consolation here is that we'll see some awesome landscapes.

there were a ton of billboards along I-5N for Rolling Hills Casino. We were hungry but not dying for a casino buffet and had to check it out anyways. Amy yelp'd and continued the search for our Friday night dinner spot.

Amy found the Taco Barn in Anderson, CA where we were staying for the weekend. I don't think I've ever had a California Burrito with french fries in it.

What was the verdict? Enh. the fries were soggy and the burrito was SUPER salty. I was so hungry that I failed to take a picture of it.

The Gaia Hotel where we were staying claimed to be a very 'green' establishment. They are in fact gold LEED certified- at least per my web search. I couldn't find a plaque in the lobby that should proudly showcase this achievement.

"Hey, those beef steak nuggets look precariously close to being free..."

"In Australia - Reportedly 2 people die every year from altercations with a vending machine." I managed to escape the face of death that evening.

Nat's a bit of an escape artist herself.

hangin' out as we decide on where we plan to go on Saturday morning

check out james' new turbo wagon - that's one hot Swede...

The Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay

The designer of the bridge, world-renowned architect Santiago Calatrava, has said that, to him, the bridge resembles a bird in flight, and symbolizes the overcoming of adversity.

Nat enjoying some shade at McConnell Arboretum. It was probably around 100 degrees here.

the interiors of the tree house

I don't think I have patience for fly fishing.

Here at Oak Bottom Marina in Whiskeytown - Patrick found A) kayak rental info; B) food options; C) 3G or EDGE connection on his iPhone; or D) None of the above. Answer: D

It was so hot at the Oak Bottom Marina that I was able to heat up some Taco Barn leftovers on the asphalt.

Nat figured out how to change channels.

The pond at our hotel was home to 4 swan and a plethora of fish. Nat thoroughly enjoyed the domestic wildlife.

Nat enjoyed her 32oz porterhouse from Cattlemen's

food coma

heading east to Lassen Park

Nat and Grandma Wen enjoying the ride to Lassen

On our drive through Lassen National Park we came across Sulphur pools spewing pretty foul-smelling gas.

Patrick strenuously climbs Lassen Peak. Nobody would be able to tell that he's in the parking lot of the Lassen Park Visitor Center. This is probably the closest thing to hiking that we did in our Lassen Park experience.

On our way home Amy found what we've been looking for our entire trip - a local favorite. Nancy's Airport Cafe served pretty healthy-sized portions and they were getting a steady stream of customers that afternoon. You could tell Nancy's has been around a while with all the memorabilia hanging from the walls. If we're ever driving through Willows, CA again we'd probably stop here.

Nat was trying to decide what to get off their huge menu.

I've been on quite a burger binge lately after reading the latest issue of Saveur Magazine. It was definitely as good as it looked.

We pretty much sat in a car for 10 hours on the last day of our trip- probably a little too much for Nat and Grandma Wen. Thankfully Nat had Elmo's World on the iPhone which tucked nicely on the back of the headrest for handsfree viewing pleasure. As for Shasta, Butte, and Lassen County - I'm not so sure Anthony Bourdain would even be able to find enough to do a show in these neck of the woods. In any case, sharing good times with family always redresses lackluster latitudes.

The Matano & Kang Families | Lifestyle

2009-08-21T00:24:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I shot a Family Lifestyle session with Doris and her family in and around Berkeley and Emeryville. We were also joined by her parents, Charles & Lucy; and her brother, Jim; and his wife, Clara; and their 3-month old daughter, Camille. We could not have asked for more perfect weather that afternoon. Her family was gracious enough to have me join them for lunch at Cafe Leila (definitely good eats) where I learned we actually have a lot in common. Her family also lived in San Diego for much of her childhood before moving up to the Bay Area. Doris and Darren also went to Cal. They are parents to a baby girl- 9-month old Audrey. And lastly, everyone at lunch pretty much shared a passion for photography!

Thank you again for the yummy lunch and hopefully our daughters can get together sometime soon for a playdate! Here are some shots from our session:

a tender moment between Grandma Lucy and Baby Camille

Alma | Lifestyle

2009-08-05T00:04:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple shots from Alma's session last week in Mountain View. Glowing model and stellar sun flare - what more can a photographer ask for?

Shooting in the Dark | Personal

2009-07-21T00:10:00.000-07:00

The MINI Cooper S was the funnest car I've owned and I think about it every time I see one zip by on the freeway. What I miss most was the control that driving a 6-speed manual allowed me - selecting the right gear and accelerating hard out of a sharp turn; negotiating steep hills with engine braking; cruising to a stop light in neutral to save gas. You can do all these with an automatic but that's no fun.

In the same way you have so much more creative control shooting photos in Manual. For a long time I completely favored Aperture Priority on my camera because I didn't want to have to think about image exposure. However, my rate of success at getting the shot composition that I envisioned in my head was low. I ended up shooting a lot more frames just to get the shot I wanted. Shooting in Manual opened up a new world of composition for me and it was like falling in love with photography all over again. It takes a little more time to setup a shot but that gets easier with time. The best part is that when you set it right the first time, you shave loads of time on post-processing since the exposure settings stay the same in a group of shots. You can just apply an edit to that same batch of photos. I only wish that I started shooting Manual when I first picked up an SLR camera!

2 Saturdays ago I shot a live performance of Carlos Xavier performing songs off his upcoming album. The lighting proved to be really challenging because there were hot spotlights and colored cells that would hit the band and be constantly changing. Shooting in Manual was definitely invaluable to not getting my exposure thrown way off with all the dynamic lighting situations.

Carlos prepping right before taking the stage - 35mm | f/2 | 1/60 | ISO3200

35mm | f/2 | 1/80 | ISO2000

50mm | f/2 | 1/320 | ISO2500

50mm | f/2 | 1/200 | ISO2500

50mm | f/2 | 1/200 | ISO2500

50mm | f/2 | 1/100 | ISO800

35mm | f/2 | 1/60 | ISO3200

It was interesting to see all the interaction going on in the dark - 35mm | f/1.8 | 1/50 | ISO3200

35mm | f/2 | 1/50 | ISO3200

It would've been quite a challenge getting this silhouette shot in anything other than Manual mode - 35mm | f/2.2 | 1/160 | ISO3200

Cal Academy of Sciences | Personal

2009-07-09T22:16:00.000-07:00

We finally made our way into the California Academy of Sciences after a little more planning. Though there was no 2 mile long line out the front door like last week, it was still pretty crowded; albeit fun and entertaining. We probably spent the most time in the Steinhart Aquarium as the aquatic life was so diverse. Man, these animals live on such prime real estate! I think our next trip will have to be to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Here are some photos from our day out:

I could go for some unagi rice right now

Claude the Albino Alligator - I didn't see him move the entire time - what a life.

the living roof was not as cool as I expected

the underside of the living roof looks much cooler

frisky frogs

reminded me of Night at the Museum

Family Day in SF | Personal

2009-07-04T00:42:00.000-07:00

We felt like such noobs expecting to be able to go to the Cal Academy of Sciences on the day before the official July 4th holiday. Everyone and their grandmother was waiting in line just to get into the building even though we arrived early. Our Cal Academy plans got bumped to sometime in the near future but this didn't get us down on our day-off.

We headed down to the Mission to find a supplement to our quick breakfast.

The maple bacon donut at Dynamo Donuts was as good as I imagined but $3 per donut is a bit steep.

Eating is always a highlight of our days off so why not eat some more? Tani's Kitchen is literally a hole in the wall japanese homestyle joint. Definitely worth a visit if you're in Daly City - I know we'll be back when we're in the area.

After lunch we stopped over for a visit at grandaunt and granduncle's place.

Nat was checking out grandaunt and granduncle's brand new LCD TV.

On our way home we stopped to pick up some goodies for a BBQ at ma's house tomorrow.

Nat's excited for our 4th of July BBQ!

Nat Attack | Personal

2009-06-25T10:54:00.000-07:00

On the rare occasion that I get to telecommute I get to spend more time with Nat. She's really growing up much faster than I thought - forming opinions on what she wants to wear, combining words to make longer sentences amidst the toddler babble, repeating things that mommy and daddy say (both good and bad), and reaching for things around the house that she could never reach before. Sheesh, it's time to clean up the house again...

In the late afternoon we had a chance to go hiking in Point Pinole - some nice trails up there.

Espresso Salvation | Personal

2009-06-21T23:45:00.000-07:00

A couple years ago I spent way too much on this Italian-made Gaggia Espresso machine. Needless to say, I haven't used it for the past year because I couldn't pull a consistent espresso shot with it anymore and it just became cumbersome to clean. I finally picked up a bottle of Durgol decalcifier from Amazon in hopes of restoring my machine.

see how dirty that looks?

after about 5 rinses the water started coming out clear again and voila - my first homemade espresso shot in a long time

2 soy lattes for father's day!

Sledge Family 50th Wedding Anniversary | Lifestyle

2009-06-16T09:14:00.000-07:00

Helen and Allen Sledge are such a sweet couple - the way they look into each others eyes; the way they hold hands. It's no surprise that they would be celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary at the Beverly Heritage Hotel in Milpitas, CA with family and friends. It was amazing to hear their guests recount stories of how the Sledge Family shaped their lives over the years. Helen and Allen credit their devotion to each other and a reverence for God as a foundation for their marriage. Congrats you guys!

I had an awesome time with the Sledge's and their guests on an evening filled with good laughs and LOTS of good music and dancing. Here are some of the highlights from their anniversary celebration:

Kumon Awards & Talent Show | Personal

2009-06-10T09:37:00.000-07:00

Greta, my mother-in-law, hosted her Kumon Awards Ceremony & Talent Show at Harding Elementary in El Cerrito, CA about a month ago. It was amazing to see the math & reading progress some of these kids have made in the short time they've been enrolled in the program. Great job guys!

My New Home on the Web | Personal

2009-05-31T09:38:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to announce that www.timothymak.com is finally up and running. It took a while to sort through the content on my old site - makchef.com (R.I.P.) and actually put a portfolio together. It's still a work in progress but I plan to update my site with more content as time permits. FYI, the site is flash-based so no love for iPhone users yet :( Stay tuned for more.

Let me know what you think!

Carlos Xavier at Sazon | Music

2009-04-27T09:22:00.000-07:00

Friday night was hoppin' at Club Sazon in Concord where Carlos Xavier debuted his band and performed songs off his new album. The drinks were flowin', the beats were hot, and the women were even hotter.

You can check Carlos out on MySpace Music or on his own site for the latest updates. The new album will drop Summer 2009.

Here are some shots from the evening:

Taiwan Part 4

2009-04-25T15:52:00.000-07:00

We spent our last night in Taipei walking the streets of Ximending District which is like a small scale version of New York's Time Square.

Per Wikipedia:

Ximending is now called the “Harajuku” of Taipei. The local bookstores sell Japanese magazines, books, CD albums, and clothing, making it a heaven for the “Harizu”, or Japanese culture adorers. Individual vendors gather in the streets as well as the large business buildings, such as Wannien Department Store and Shizilin Square in the early days, and Wanguo Department Store and Eslite 116 in the later period.

Due to the density of young people, Ximending is comparable to Shilin Market and the Eastern District to be areas with the highest crime rates. In addition, Ximending is well-known for Enjo kosai (Japanese for student prostitution).

Unfortunately the most scandalous thing we witnessed that evening was a bunch of street food vendors being chased away by police.

The MTR at Daan Station

I think Nat's ready to head home

Getting in some last minute souvenir shopping and sightseeing before our flight home

supersized mochi

have you ever seen an egg tart this big?

our last meal in Taiwan has made us delirious

these chefs ain't got nothin' on the makchef

tai mei fever!

Nat sleeps peacefully at airport check-in while we scramble to rearrange luggage to meet the weight restrictions

finally found a jade cabbage at the National Palace Museum store in the duty free area of the airport terminal

Farewell Taiwan - our first trip to Taiwan surely won't be our last. I would love to come back and perhaps see the more rural areas of the country. Now it's time to head home and shed the 14 lbs I gained in just 1 week!

Here's a link to the full album of photos taken on this trip. Enjoy!

Taiwan Part 3

2009-04-20T18:22:00.000-07:00

In retrospect, we were spoiled having a van show us around our first full day in Taipei. We probably got to visit a number of locations in one day that would take asian tour groups a week to conclude. Over the following days we slowed our pace down a bit and actually walked through the city, used more public transit, did some shopping, and the ladies even got new coifs. While our pace slowed, our appetites surely didn't.

On Wednesday we made our way to what seemed like the outskirts of town to find a masseuse that could work out some soreness in Heather's knees. I'd like to say it was straight from a movie to seek out a blind masseuse that could work a miracle and Heather be instantly healed but it just made her more sore that day.

now that's pain!

Amy and I went to go find some breakfast while we waited

Nat was determined to empty the masseuse's container of cookies

Tatung High School (the same Tatung brand of my rice cooker)

this is the road to where we find a packed restaurant serving eel liver skewers and unagi rice boxes

the forbidden photo - they didn't let me take photos inside the restaurant so I decide to covertly shoot from the hip with the camera hanging from my neck

eel liver skewers is perhaps an acquired taste and I sure didn't have a taste for it that day

we finally arrive at Mini Salon on high praise for chief stylist David pictured here in the middle

he even cut Nat's hair for free!

Heather's new look

Amy looking nervous while David trims layer after layer

that was all Amy's hair that got lopped!

the ladies restyled

right around the corner we tried a 'frog eggs' place which really is giant tapioca pearls mixed with other ingredients like red bean, grass jelly, almond jello, etc- pretty refreshing

of course we finish our dessert with another meal- around another corner we find Din Tai Fung which could be the #1 tourist destination for visitors of Taipei. They are probably know for their xiao long bao dumplings and I was expecting heaven on a plate but ended up with something middle of the road.

a lot of work actually goes into each dumpling as they weigh the dough for each wrapper precisely

per Marty's rec, the pork chop fried rice was the hit at Din Tai Fung

that same evening we had a Hong Kong-style banquet meal with some family friends. This was probably the most memorable dish for me in Taiwan for some reason. It was a shrimp and water chestnut dumpling spun in rice noodles and deep fried. The texture was just amazing - plus how can you say no to fried food?

our decadent menu from that evening - no worries, I can't read it either

Ma showed us proper rainy weather attire for locals. However, I didn't see anyone else wearing a plastic baggy in the rain.

Nat with Auntie Jane and Uncle Lawrence at Taipei Fullerton Hotel's brunch buffet

Taipei Arena

dessert from Ice Monster

Che lives on

Pepper Beef with Fried Chinese Dough

Taiwan's White House

thank you Angel for showing us around!

poor dog at a street market

Taiwan Part 2

2009-04-17T00:38:00.000-07:00

In my opinion the best part of our Taiwan trip so far has been the food. In this update you'll see lots of good eats amidst sightseeing at Yehliu Geopark, Taiwan National Museum, nightmarkets, and Taipei 101 - which is perhaps the face of modern Taiwan.

I wasn't able to sleep my first night and got this alley shot from balcony of the flat where we were staying.

I could start every morning with freshly made Chinese pastries.

shopping for produce at 5:45am local time

freshly made "baozi"

the rain came down in sheets on our first day out

scooters and taxis fight for inches at every street light

Nat enjoying fresh soymilk

another nice trinket from our driver's Sanrio-adorned van

the bay at Yehliu

famous rock formation that looks like the head of Cleopatra

with Auntie Jane at Yehliu

a restaurant more famous for its architecture than its food

the long walk to the Taiwan National Museum - I literally spent 5 minutes going up and down the stairs and was soaking wet with sweat. It was pretty humid that afternoon.

Taipei 101 at night

Tong Hua Nightmarket

duck tongues

the infamous Taiwanese Hot Dog with a bun made out of rice grilled in a sausage casing

4 bowls of noodles and 2 side dishes for $10

the first chinese character in McDonald's is the same as my last name

"lian wu" fruit

freshly squeezed OJ

enroute to Danshui

downtown Taipei

the clouds were awesome above Taipei 101

the prettiest ugly MINI Clubman I've seen

for the Chinster who got screwed over by termites and couldn't make the trip out

One of the many buildings where Chen Shui Bian hid his money before his downfall

a TRD Corolla Taxi

afternoon tea at the Four Seasons

jetlag plus food coma was a double-whammy that afternoon

we managed to fit one more meal into the day with some beef noodle soup and steamed spareribs

Taiwan Part 1

2009-04-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

Here are some shots from our first day on the way to Taiwan. It's been hard getting online from here but finally finding some downtime now. While we've had some trouble adjusting to the +15 hour time difference here there has been no problems enjoying the good food here - more pics to come soon!

the clouds were just amazing on our flight over

wasn't all that impressed with my first meal on EVA Air

only in Asia will you find TV programs showcasing the efficacy of Coca Cola in cleaning urinals

there were so many empty seats on the plane that we each had our own row

Welcome to Taiwan!

ma makin' arrangements for our next day's adventure

Too Fast Too Fobby - Taipei Drift

our driver had some interesting decorations in his van (love the bokeh here)

a Taiwanese McMuffin

finally arrived at Uncle Eric's flat on FuXing South Road, Section 2

We're Headed to Taiwan! | Personal

2009-04-11T01:26:00.000-07:00

We're finally able to take a week off for vacation and will be leaving for Taiwan on Sunday. It's been quite a while since we've vacationed away from from North America. I hope to be able to share photos from our trip daily. Stay tuned!

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On a side note** Here are some photos from our phenomenal meal at Champa Garden in Oakland. It's like a mix of Laos, Cambodian, and Thai food. We ordered a lot more food than I have pictured here but I guess I was too busy stuffing my face.

Laos Beer

Chicken Coconut Curry (I wish I took a pic of the catfish and eggplant dish we ordered - they say it's their most popular fish entree)

Nat enjoying her new Elmo book

Joann | Lifestyle Session

2009-03-23T09:11:00.000-07:00

Wow - I've known Joann for a little over 13 years now. We were floormates in the dorms our freshman year at Cal. A couple weekends ago we did a quick photoshoot in and around Mountain View. Joann's been wanting to flex her modeling skills and I've been wanting to expand my portfolio - a win-win situation. By the way fellas - she's single.

I'll be launching my new site in a couple weeks - still trying to work out some details. Stay tuned folks!

Here are some highlights from our session -

Cindy's 50th | Corinthian Event Center

2009-03-17T09:57:00.000-07:00

Cindy celebrated her 50th Birthday in style with family and friends at the Corinthian Center in Downtown San Jose. The drinks were flowin', the band was rockin', and Cindy sure knew how to get everyone in the mood on the dance floor. Her sister, Michelle, who I shot a family portrait session with last year said that she couldn't remember the last time Cindy had such a happy-go-lucky time. Here are some photos from the evening.

My New Toy

2009-02-14T14:05:00.001-08:00

The Canon 5D Mark II is probably one of the hottest tech toys on the market at the time of this blog post. You wouldn't know we're in the midst of a recession with the way this camera is flying off of store shelves. I waited impatiently for a month before mine would even ship. One of the cool new features is the ability to shoot HD video. Here's my chance to flex some weak video editing skills.

See embedded video below or HD version here.

the pintner family

2009-02-04T09:08:00.000-08:00

If you were to walk into the Pintner home you'd probably find a jam session in progress with Keith on the guitar, Camille ticklin' the ivory, little Jaden on the drums, and baby Karis belting out a rock ballad - your next American Idol. What a musical family!

This past weekend I had an opportunity to share a beautiful morning with the Pintner's in Fairfield, CA at Rockville Hills Regional Park. It was truly a family portrait session as Keith's mom, Patty, Camille's parents, Eve & Ramon, and sister Christine were in town and joined us for the shoot. With the blue skies, green grass, and tres cool rockband family I started humming Paradise City by Guns N' Roses as I started to blog:

Take me down to the paradise city
Where the grass is green
And the girls are pretty
Take me home (Oh, won't you please take me home)

nice to know there's no risk of fire today

such a gorgeous day

a tender moment with Keith and Karis

at one point Jaden cast a spell and froze everyone with his magic wand!

My daughter, Natalie made a new friend in Karis and will most certainly have a play date soon!

Eve & Ramon are medical missionaries who just returned from an awesome trip to the Philippines

Keith and mom Patty

sisters Camille and Christine. Christine teaches English in Taiwan

there's never a dull moment with these two

Thanks for such an awesome session!

The O'connell Family

2008-12-12T00:33:00.000-08:00

Meet Andrea and her 2 beautiful children - Danny and Meaghan. Danny is currently a senior and star center for his high school basketball team and will be headed off for college next year. Meaghan is an active 8th grader who competes in cheer competitions.

Yesterday was quite a wet day for the Bay Area but the O'Connell's braved the elements and we headed to San Andreas Reservoir near their home in Millbrae for a portrait session.

Meet Dusty

Meaghan & Andrea

Very wet!

I love the mood of this shot

What a beautiful family!

Natalie and Andrea meet for the first time

Chicago in the Winter

2008-12-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

I headed out to Chicago for the RSNA Conference held annually at the McCormick Place Convention Center. My flight out to Chicago was delayed nearly 2 hours and I ended up getting into my hotel really late.

All the local restaurants were closed and I was forced to order food from the hotel. This spicy bleu cheese burger actually wasn't bad.

Snow fell my first night there but it actually wasn't that cold yet.

Here was a little tribute to diMaggio's 56-game hitting streak on Taylor St

McCormick Place Convention Center

Downtown Chicago at sunset is just magnificent

Can't leave Chicago without a shot of Cloud Gate - a.k.a. "the bean" at Millennium Park

See the icicles? It was so sunny but only about 16 degrees on my last day!

The el train is the easiest and cheapest way to get around Chicago - on my way to Midway

Thanksgiving(s) 2008

2008-11-30T01:07:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving this year was a double bonus as we got to celebrate with the Smith's on Thursday and with the Wen's on Friday! I've still got meat sweats from all that turkey, ham, and ribs. Thanks to both families for hosting two great nights. Here are some highlights from the festivities.

Tilden Little Farm

2008-11-16T11:32:00.001-08:00

My parents came to town for a visit and we headed back to Tilden to feed the chickens, ducks, goats, and cows! Who knew there was a mini zoo in Tilden?

Nat's First Train Ride at Tilden Park

2008-11-09T22:10:00.000-08:00

We spent our brisk Sunday afternoon enjoying a ride on the steam train at Tilden Park. Nat had a great time and I'm sure we'll be back again really soon. The sunset from Grizzly Peak was gorgeous!

Nat's First Trip to San Diego

2008-10-28T23:42:00.000-07:00

On the tail end of our SoCal trip we stayed in San Diego to see my parents and some old friends. A few of us got together at Vinh & Liz's awesome new home to catch up and Nat made a new friend. Meet Isabella - Vinh & Liz's 2-year-old who so kindly shared her toys with Nat.

Some SoCal Rest & Relaxation

2008-10-27T00:50:00.000-07:00

In the midst of a plethora of projects at work I certainly don't take time off for granted these days. Last week we headed down to Southern California to celebrate Martin & Yi's wedding in Pasadena and used the road trip for some R&R. I must say - the Yelp App on the iPhone really comes in handy when roaming the neighborhoods for good eats. We dedicated our free day between the rehearsal and the wedding day to shopping and snacking. We found a taqueria that sold fabulous $1.50 fish tacos, a politically-minded ice cream shop, and good ramen in posh West LA.

The wedding itself was awesome and my first time taking part in very traditional Chinese wedding customs. The day was filled with laughter, tears, and lots of love. Martin & Yi - congrats again and thanks for allowing us to celebrate your day with you!

Coutant Family Portrait Session

2008-10-26T12:52:00.000-07:00

Meet the Coutant Family - Michelle, Evelyn, Rachel, and Brian. I work with Michelle in the Radiology Department at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and was privileged to be asked to do a portait session with her beautiful children at Ardenwood Farms in Fremont, CA. They sure are a tall bunch! I could not have asked for more perfect weather on a Saturday afternoon.

**LINK TO WEB PROOFS**

Afternoon with the Hu Family

2008-10-04T21:27:00.001-07:00

Calvin, Monica, & Brian were in the Bay Area visiting family and we got the chance to have lunch in Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto - a couple pies at the Cheeseboard Collective and some good coffee at the original Peet's.

Here are some shots from our outing -

Martin & Yi E-session

2008-09-24T09:05:00.000-07:00

Martin & Yi knew where they wanted to have their Norcal engagement shots done. Our day started early at Blue Bottle Cafe for the best coffee in the Bay. We then blazed a trail through North Beach to the Palace of Fine Arts which was unfortunately closed for retrofit. Our day ended at Baker Beach for some awesome shots of the Golden Gate Bridge, crashing waves, and nude beach-goers (j/k).

I look forward to your wedding next month in Pasadena, CA. Congrats guys!

Burma Superstar

2008-09-21T23:05:00.000-07:00

After my awesome e-session with Martin & Yi, I had the opportunity to have lunch at Burma Superstar with Martin, Yi, and her brother Leon. The place was packed but we were able to get seated right away. Service was great and the food was even better. Would I go back? Yes sir.

Tea Leaf Salad

Burmese Chicken Samosa

Shrimp Curry

Lamb Curry

Classic Burmese Chicken Casserole with Cardamom Cinnamon Rice (winner winner chicken dinner!)

Joshua is 3

2008-09-15T23:24:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Joshua Yu!