This is just a list of random stuff I’ve really enjoyed recently.
Food (in Oakland, CA):
- Hawker Fare – This is a pretty regular lunch spot. They serve a take on Thai rice bowls. The food itself is uniformly excellent (you have to try the sundae), the staff is super-friendly, and it’s got a fantastic vibe.
- Trueburger – My favorite spot for a burger. Excellent milkshakes (the Toasted Marshmallow FTW), first off. Salty, crispy fries. They’ve got something called the True Deluxe, which is a burger topped with a mozzarella-stuffed deep-fried portobello. What’s not to love? Also, try the Spicy Slaw Dog.
Honestly, the thing I love about these two places is that to me, they feel like “the neighborhood”. They’re straightforward stuff, not overly fancy, but of extraordinary quality. They feel like *Oakland* – like if you had the same restaurant somewhere else, it couldn’t help but be different. The staff at both are great – the experience isn’t just the food, it’s everything, and I really appreciate that.
The cashier at Trueburger the other day was wearing a Hawker Fare shirt, which I thought was also awesome. I dunno how they feel about it, but it’s not us vs. them, it’s basically us & them, bringing the neighborhood up together. I’m really proud that Self Aware Games is in Oakland. I grew up in this area, and I love it deeply. It’s not all sunshine & roses. Heck, my bike got stolen out of our building the other day. But it’s a neighborhood that’s finally, after decades, starting to realize its potential, and I love that we’re part of that.
Games:
- Pinball FX 2 (XBLA/PSN)- Of all the games I’ve played this holiday season, for some reason I keep coming back to Pinball FX 2. It’s got a great social vibe (for something on XBLA), and I’ve got a soft spot for pinball. I like the fact that the game itself is basically just the “frame”, and you can populate it with the tables you like, but you can try them all for free. Feels like steps toward a more modular future, which is great.
- Uncharted 3 (PS3) - Uncharted 2 was one of my favorite games ever. U3 starts out a touch disappointing – it feels a bit too much like U2+. But by the middle of the game, everything has ramped up to 11, and it’s epically epic.
- Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (360/PS3/PC) - Well, it’s an Elder Scrolls game, so it’s huge. It’s also really engrossing, and I’ve barely scratched the surface. I love the Nordic-inspired setting, but maybe that’s just a personal bias. That’s fine with me.
- Qrank (iOS) – It’s a daily trivia game. You compete against folks on your friend list, but also on local leaderboards. New content every day. Free. Honestly, I’d have paid for it. It can sometimes be a bit buggy, but it’s always good for a few minutes of fun every day, which is, frankly, awesome.
- Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer (iOS) – a deck-building game. Basically you construct AND fight with the deck you create, trying to basically outscore your opponent by fighting/acquiring a communal pool of cards. The interface is slick, the games are relatively fast, and they just released an expansion pack that adds a TON of new content. This is almost my go-to iOS game. It’s pretty, it’s satisfying, and it changes every time.
- Fleck, and Card Ace: Casino (iOS) – Well, duh.
Still, I play both every single day, and every single day they put a smile on my face. I can’t say I’m unbiased, but I can say I’m proud of what we’ve made.
TV:
- Sherlock (BBC) – I’m super late to the game on this, but the BBC’s new Sherlock series is AMAZING. The modernization & the chemistry between the leads work beautifully, and while some of the plot points are maybe a bit too … reachable, the 90-minute episodes (of which there are only three) are a joy to watch. Check it out. It’s available on Netflix.
Now:
Is “now” a thing you can say you like? Sure. Why not? Now is awesome. Things are good. They are interesting. They are educational. Are they all good? Some things are challenging, some things are upsetting, and some things are very, very difficult. But that’s life – full of all kinds of things. The things that are good are, honestly, as good as can be. We have you to thank for that.
Glad you like my game (Pinball FX2). Met you dad on a flight from New York in October, by the way. He mentioned your company, and I grabbed the casino game on my phone. Fun stuff!