Posts Tagged ‘pageant’

Meet the Court of the 2010 Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival Queen Program

Monday, March 15th, 2010

That David Yu, he’s all over town – here’s what he captured in Japantown a few days back at the 43rd Annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival Queen Program Preview Day.

via davidyuweb

The Queen Program (don’t call it a pageant) will occur on Saturday, April 10th in conjunction with the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival. More deets to come when they get everything posted. Anyway, here are the candidates for 2010:

Name: Jennifer Kiyomi Tanaka
Sponsor: Golden Gate Optimists Club of San Francisco
Education: BS in Health Science/Minor in Psychology form Dominican University of California, MS i Occupational Therapy expected from Dominican University of California
Employer/Position Held: Knowledge Learning Corporation-Champions/After school Science Instructor
Goals: Knowledgeable and innovative therapist-advocate and empower on personal and community level
Age: 22
Parents/Residence: Harry Hidejiro Tanaka (HI), Susan Hisako Tanaka (SF) / San Francisco, CA

Name: Ayae Yamamoto
Sponsor: Nikei Lion Club of San Francisco
Education: BA from UC Berkeley
Employer/Position: University Eye Center (Berkeley)/Patient Services Assistant
Goals: Become a physician (OB/GYN) volunteering in third world nations
Age: 23
Parents/Residence: Taashi and Masako Yamamoto / San Francisco, CA

Name: Arisa Hiroi
Sponsor: Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Northern California
Education: BA expected in 2010 from University of California Davis in Japanese and Sociology AB/Minor in Education
Employer/Position held: UCD East Asian Languages & Cultures Dept/Japanese Dept Reader
Goals: To become a Japanese teacher in US
Age: 19
Parents/Residence: Kunikiko and Mari Hiroi / San Francisco, CA

Name: Corey Yasuye Fujioka
Sponsor: Takara Sake USA Incorporated
Education: BS in Food Science from Cal Poly State University
Employer/Position Held: Sweet Earth Chocolates (SLO)/Chocolate Production
Goals: To change the way we eat: physically, mentally, environmentally and financially healthy
Age: 22
Parents/Residence: Rober Masami and Diance Keiko Fujioka / Fremont, CA

Name: Ashley Kiyoko Nakatani
Sponsor: Nikkei West
Education: BA June 2010 from University of California Davis double Major in International Relations and Communications with a Minor in Writing
Employer/Position Held: UC Davis Washington Program/Student Advisor and Minato Japanese Restaurant/Server and Hostess
Goals: Pursue a career in the field of International Relations with companies doing business in Japan
Age: 22
Parents/Residence: Neal Kanji Nakatani, Patricia Kiyoko Sakauye / San Jose, CA

Stanford Frosh Crystal Lee Crowned Miss Chinatown USA for 2010

Sunday, February 21st, 2010

This was the scene last night at the Palace of Fine Arts, where Stanfurd freshman and bay area local Crystal Lee was crowned Miss Chinatown USA 2010. It’s international news.

All the pageantry was caught by David Yu of davidyuweb. He always has great photos of whatever’s going on the bay area. 

The crowning the School of the Arts alum:

Here are all the contestants: Christine Lim 李汶娸, Kristina Owyoung 歐陽坤怡, Samantha Chin 陳冠曄, Leilani Soon 孫愛蘭, Anna Chiem 詹佩盈, Christina Zhang 張子倩, Crystal Lee 李萬晴, Gloria Mui 梅主恩, Angela Wang 王兆蓬, Chang Liu 劉暢, Li Li 李欣燃, and Tong Qiao 喬彤:

How many peacocks had to die for this outfit? None, I s’pose:

Congratulations:

Crystal Lee

San Francisco, CA
Miss Chinatown U.S.A.

Kristina Owyoung
Lafayette, CA
Miss Chinese Chamber of Commerce/First Princess

Christina Zhang
Pleasanton, CA
Miss San Francisco Chinatown

Li Li
Flushing, NY
2nd Princess

Anna Chiem
Chicago, IL
3rd Princess

Angela Wang
Sugar Land, TX
4th Princess

Anna Chiem
Chicago, IL
Miss TVB Choice Award

And of course our Chinese New Year’s Parade is coming up (rain expected – it’s free to watch of course, or you can pay $30 for reserved seating) on Saturday, February 27th, 2010, right after the Coronation Ball:

Miss Chinatown U.S.A. Coronation Ball
Friday, February 26, 2010
San Francisco Hilton & Towers
333 O’Farrell Street, San Francisco
(415) 982-3000
6:00 pm No Host Cocktails
7:00 pm Dinner and Dancing until midnight
Tickets: $120
The newly selected Miss Chinatown USA and her court will be crowned at the annual Harrah’s Coronation Ball. The black tie dinner/dance, attended by many community leaders, promises to be a highlight of the Lunar New Year festivities.

Win $60K in the Murphy-Goode Sonoma Wine Country Job Pageant

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

[Commenter "Hugh" approves not this post. Works for Kendall Jackson he does, or Jackson Family Wines, the outfit that has an ownership interest in, wait for it, Murphy Goode. Hugh's email address is xxx.xxx@kjmail.com. A note to all you public relations people - you're better off just ignoring this little blog.]

Hey writers! How does this “wine country dream job” sound to you?

“‘A Really Goode Job’ will pay $10,000 a month for a six-month contract that includes private housing in the heart of wine country: Healdsburg, California. The application process begins in San Francisco at 11:30 a.m. April 28 at 120 Market Street near the Hyatt Regency.”

Send in your one-minute video (just like when you tried to get on Survivor) to see if you make the cut. The top 50 contestants (just like Miss America) will get winnowed down (just like American Idle) until you win win win!

Who will win this crown? Oops, hat. Who will win the right to become a spokesmodel, to live on Maggie’s Farm and sing the praises of the juice of the grape?

via e.t.

And when you start your gig (please let’s not call it a job) try not to use the word passionate when describing anything having to do with winemaking. It’s been done.

See you at the Reeg!

Murphy-Goode Winery Offers Some Economic Relief

“REALLY GOODE JOB” Pays $10,000 per month for wine country gig

 In these tumultuous economic times, finding a good job is really tough.  The Murphy-Goode Winery has a “Really Goode Job” for the right person.  The Sonoma County winery is looking for an outgoing, web-savvy, articulate communicator to tell the story of the great mountain vines and artisan winemakers of California, tasting the “goode” stuff and experiencing the unique Sonoma wine country.

“A Really Goode Job” will pay $10,000 a month for a six-month contract that includes private housing in the heart of wine country: Healdsburg, California.

Throughout the course of the job the successful applicant will learn about viticulture, winemaking, Sonoma County and Murphy-Goode wines.  He or she will prepare and post dispatches on their experiences though social media tools such as Facebook, blogs, internet videos and Twitter as well as traditional media.

The application process begins in San Francisco at 11:30 a.m. April 28 at 120 Market Street near the Hyatt Regency.  Visitors who arrive at the “A Really Goode Job’s” purple and white kiosk between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. will meet the boss, receive job tips and get a 24-hour head start in the application process by being provided with a code that will give them immediate access to the www.areallygoodejob.com web site.

On April 29 the website for job applicants will open to the public at large.  All applicants are required to complete an employment application and upload a one-minute video, demonstrating their special qualifications for the position.  (Videos more than one minute in length will not be viewed.)  Applications close on June 5, 2009 at 11 pm Pacific Time.

Murphy-Goode Winery will then select 50 candidates and from there narrow the list down to the top ten who will be interviewed from June 27 to July 1.  The person chosen for the job will be announced on July 9 and begin work on August 1.  All applicants must be at least 21 years old.

Murphy-Goode is a family-owned winery located in the heart of California’s Alexander Valley. Though laid-back and unpretentious, winemaker Dave Ready, Jr. takes immense pride in his craft, resulting in wines of the best possible quality at appropriate prices. The winery motto is: “We take our wines seriously. Ourselves….not so much.”

Visitors to the wine country are encouraged to learn more about Murphy-Goode at its brand new tasting room located at 20 Matheson Street, off the Healdsburg Square, in Healdsburg, California.

Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of California, has 13 approved American Viticultural Areas and over 450 wineries. Winemaking and grape-growing is vital to the area’s economic and cultural life. In 2006, the Sonoma County grape harvest amounted to over 185,000 tons, exceeding neighboring Napa County’s harvest by over 30 percent. The most common grape varieties planted are Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir, though the area is also known for its Merlot and Zinfandel.

San Francisco’s 42nd Annual Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, 2009

Sunday, April 19th, 2009

As expected, there was a great turnout for the 42nd Annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival in Japantown today. Sunny skies and the Grand Parade made today the busiest of the four-day festival. Let’s take a look at the staging area this morning.

Its Grand Marshall George Takei! Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu (born in San Francisco) is seen here hanging out with Heidi Cheung, Miss San Francisco’s Outstanding Teen 2009 and Crystal Lee, Miss California’s Outstanding Teen 2008.

Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Northern California President and Mrs. Masaaki Tanaka, Ambassador of Japan to the United States of America, H.E. Ambassador and Mrs. Ichiro Fujisajki, George Takei, and Consul General of Japan and Mrs. Yasumasa Nagamine:

The mise-en-scene in front of City Hall:. Click to expand:

My Melody, Hello Kitty, and Badtz Maru were pleased to be on the scene:

From Hawaii with aloha:

Photographer David Yu was welcomed by all, including this contingent from Los Angeles:

Miss National Asia Dow-An Kou is on the right:

Bevan Dufty chilling with local pageant winners. 

Elizabeth Kress, Miss San Francisco:

And Little Miss San Francisco 2009, Alyssa-Marie Muna:

And now on with the parade:

Senator Leland Yee:

Frosty Senator Mark Leno:

Assemblymember Fiona Ma with Bob Twomey:

Assemblymember Tom Ammiano:

Board of Supervisors President David Chiu:

And his ride for today:

Supervisor Bevan Dufty and company:

Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi with the Japanese Ambassador and Consul General:

Supervisor Eric Mar:

 Richard Hashimoto, President of the Japantown Merchants Association:

Thought this was an electric Tesla Roadster at first. Actually, it’s the similar (but lighter) gas-powered Lotus Elise. (Horrible Tesla Motors is long on promises, certainly, but just because a toy car is expensive and is powered by electricity, that doesn’t mean it’s a desirable product, that doesn’t mean it represents “the high end.” Just ask Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who ended up giving his Tesla Roadster back. Go ahead and buy one if you want, though. While you’re at it, why not buy an impractical electric Ultra Motor A2B bike and an impractical electric Segway Scooter as well.)

Speaking of cars, here’s part of the NUMMI contingent all the way from Fremont. It’s the only car factory in the West that’s still operating. Union labor, FYI 

Nihonmachi Little Friends:

And your reward for making it all the way to J-Town? Yummy chicken and rice balls from O-Izakaya Lounge at 1625 Post Street.

See you next year!

It’s On! San Francisco’s Cherry Blossom Festival 2009 Finishes Up This Weekend

Friday, April 17th, 2009

The forecast is for sunny skies and balmy weather, so it’s going to be on this weekend during the 42nd Annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival in Japantown. Check the shedewl and get over there. You might encounter a Queen, see Grand Marshall George Takei, win a Toyota in the raffle, don an anime costume, wear your kimono, eat comfort food including dessert, and experience Aloha.

Here’s what the past weekend was like.

Of course the haters from the troubled 1600 Webster condo building would prefer to shut the whole shebang down, but unrestrained Hello Kitty joy will continue in the middle of Post Street nevertheless:

From Okinawa with love:

The mise-en-scene. This street festival has all the usual suspects, such as quack “doctors” and the dude who wants you to subscribe to the New York Times. But it also has a lot of unique things. It’s not just another S.F. streetfest:

OMG, it’s your new car! The Corolla you’ll win after you enter the raffle will look something like a green fish, and it will have orange tires – you’ll have to change those out to black if you want to avoid trouble from the authoritahs, however.

From the recent Queen Program at the Sundance Kabuki. Don’t call it a pageant:

These menacing street toughs headed over to the 1600 Webster Building (can you see it with the ornate top up there?) with malice aforethought…

…only to be subdued by this security guard. Whew! WTF? Who’s paying for this gratuitous guard? He looked extremely bored.  

Mckenzie Phillips is back to her old habit of ruining tourist photos. I told her, This is it! You’ve got to stop doing this kind of stuff, M.P.” She said that she’s trying to do better, taking things one day at a time. By the way the Asian Art Museum is getting all geared up for Lords of the Samurai. It’s going to be mega. (Dragon’s Gift: The Sacred Arts of Bhutan continues through May 10, 2009) 

Will Catbus and Totoro return to the Anime contingent in the Grand Parade on Sunday? We can only hope:

FYI, the anime stuff isn’t exactly G-rated. It could surprise you. From the banal…

…to the bizarre:

See you there this weekend!

 

Complete parade lineup, after the jump.

(more…)

2009 Northern California Cherry Blossom Queen Program at the Sundance Kabuki

Sunday, April 12th, 2009

As a part of the ongoing Cherry Blossom Festival, we had six candidates at the Northern California Cherry Blossom Queen Program last night in Japantown. Yes, there were elaborate costumes and pageantry, but don’t call it a pageant, it’s a “program.” Fair enough, on with the show.

There was a riot of color with all the kimono up on the stage at the Sundance Kabuki Theatre on Post near Fillmore:

Here’s a close-up of your complicated kimono, complete with obi sash and zoori sandals:

Master of Ceremonies George Kiriyama of KNTV NBC Bay Area San Jose Channel 3 / 11 with Mistress of Ceremonies Jana Katsuyama of KTVU Channel 2:

The mise-en-scene. It was standing room only, just like Japantown’s recent Nichi Bei Times Tofu Dessert Competition and Festival

Stephanie Masako Hata of El Cerrito, sponsored by Benihana:

Mari Masuko of San Francisco, sponsored by Union Bank of California:

Sarah Naomi Kasuga of Burlingame, sponsored by Takara Sake USA:

Margaret Cheney of Los Gatos, sponsored by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Northern California

Eri Tagaya of Mill Valley, sponsored by the Golden Gate Optimist Club of San Francisco

Yurika Vu of Fremont, sponsored by the Nikkei Lions Club of San Francisco:

Benh Nakajo, Queen Program Advisor:

The Honorable Yasumasa Nagamine, Counsul General of Japan:

Masaaki Tanaka, President of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Northern California and CEO of Union Bank of California:

You don’t see many giant checks these days:

Receiving the check are General Co-Chairs Richard Hashimoto and Allen Okamoto:

So there you have it.

[UPDATE: Here's David Yu's take on Flickr and on PBase.]

Six Candidates Seek Title of Cherry Blossom Queen

Six candidates for 2009 Northern California Cherry Blossom Queen were introduced in San Francisco Japantown. It was noted that this year, for budgetary reasons, there will be no talent segment. Organizers hope to bring it back next year.

The six candidates are Margaret Cheney, 24, of Los Gatos, Stephanie Masako Hata, 24, of El Cerrito, Sarah Naomi Kasuga, 24, of Burlingame, Mari Masuko, 23, of San Francisco, Eri Tagaya, 24, of Mill Valley and Yurika Vu, 25, of Fremont.

See you next year!

Beauty Queens on Parade – Miss San Francisco and Friends

Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008

The reigning winner of the Miss San Francisco scholarship pageant / beauty contest hung out with her friends the other day while waiting for yet another parade to begin. Miss San Francisco leads to Miss California leads to Miss America so who knows where these gals will end up.

You got to pay for graduate school somehow.

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