2012/05/30

花酒藏 Sake Bar

酒池肉林教的教規就只有兩條,一為「有福同享」,二為「誠實待人」。

好,翻譯一下:就是說若是您福祿臨門,那麼就要很誠實的招出來讓大家知道,好實現林肯總統所提倡的「民享」偉大理念。可是,世風日下,人心不古,終究是有不肖教友惦惦吃三碗公,升官發財都不讓大家知道。被爆出來後,教眾群情激憤,要求教主重重發落。教主本著「民之所欲,常在我心」的理念,順應教眾的要求,寡廉鮮恥的硬拗該教友請大伙兒吃喝一頓。該教友萬般無奈,只好率領大家去位於安和路的「花酒藏 Sake Bar」吃香喝辣。

花酒藏是個 dining bar,主推各式清酒,調酒與對應的下酒菜。

2012/05/20

The District Is Alive with the Sound of Music

Talented street musicians can add a big splash of splendor to the cityscape. They are, in a way, the city's best demonstration of its soft power.

Years ago, I saw this guy performing on the steps of Basilique du Sacre Coeur. It was a beautiful afternoon, and the crowd was clearly enjoying the sun and the music. Without him, the day would still be gorgeous, but Paris would not have been as vivacious.



2012/05/07

Panasonic DMC-GX1 Review

I have a dream.

I have a dream that one day, there would exist a digital compact camera that's as versatile as any entry-level DSLR. This compact camera should focus as quickly as a Canon EOS-1100D, while providing image quality comparable to the Nikon D3100. When equipped with a 28 ~ 112mm equivalent zoom, it should be about the size as an Olympus XZ-1. It should be quick and nimble, featuring minimal shutter lag and excellent shot-to-shot time. The control should cater to the advanced amateur, meaning it ought to have loads of dedicated buttons and dials to allow quick access to frequently-used functions, such as exposure compensation, white balance, and ISO. It should look good, like a Leica M8 or a Fujifilm X100.

Last but not the least, it should be cheap. Preferably under $500USD, tax included.

I thought the dream had become a reality in '09, when Panasonic rolled out the Girlfriend One. The GF1's body certainly was slim enough, but alas, with its 14 ~ 45mm (28 ~ 90mm) kit zoom attached, the camera simply ceased to be pocketable. During the course of the next two years, Panasonic continued to further shrink down the size of the body with the GF2 and GF3, but the lens didn't budge, making the miniaturization effort more or less moot.

In late 2011, Panasonic announced the Lumix X 14 ~ 42mm (28 ~ 84mm equivalent) pancake zoom. When I saw the press release, I thought I heard the choir of heaven sing. Then, a few weeks later, Panny announced the GX1, a camera designed specifically for the enthusiast market. At that moment, I finally understood what Beethoven (or Schiller, whatever) meant when he wrote: "Above the starry canopy, a loving father must dwell."