$230 omakase experience to launch at famed “Flintstones House”

Hello and happy Friday! Hope you had a safe July 4th, let’s be real, who’s really getting work done today? 🤷

Entertainment

Jenn Tran addresses lack of Asian men in “The Bachelorette”

Jenn Tran has spoken out about the lack of Asian male representation in her season of “The Bachelorette,” which premieres on Monday, July 8. Speaking to Glamour, she said she hopes her and an Asian contestant’s presence in the show would inspire other Asian men to do something similar.

Key moment: One standout moment in the upcoming season was Tran’s connection with contestant Thomas N., who is also Vietnamese American. She recalled bonding over their shared experiences as children of immigrant parents, which she described as a conversation that “really meant the world.”

Hoping to inspire: Tran then acknowledged the lack of Asian men in her season. “I can’t really speak to the casting process and the decisions that were made, but it is unfortunate that there weren’t a lot of Asian men this season,” she said. “Asian men haven’t always seen themselves in this position, and I am hoping that me being here and Thomas N. being there, that the both of us can inspire other Asian men to realize that they can do this too if they want. They can be in this position as well. I’m hoping that it inspires them.”

Entertainment

Suni Lee’s secret weapon is … a dog!

Beacon, the first official therapy dog for USA Gymnastics, has become a social media sensation after gymnast Sunisa Lee publicly thanked the 4-year-old dog on Sunday for its support during the Olympic trials. The golden retriever provided emotional support to help athletes manage stress throughout the competition.  

Goodest boy: Lee’s Instagram post and a feature on the official USA Gymnastics team account, sparked an outpouring of love from fans who nicknamed him "Goodest Boy." A commenter wondered, “Is Beacon going to Paris too?!?!?”

Emotional sponge: Former gymnast and Beacon's handler Tracey Callahan Molnar told ESPN: "I think we did important work. It was a rough night for some of the gymnasts, and I think Beacon helped celebrate the good stuff and be there and give support for the challenges."

Crime

Over 2 dozen seniors robbed, attacked in Oakland in just 1 week

Nearly 30 Asian seniors living in a neighborhood in Oakland have been violently robbed and attacked in just one week, significantly more than the 13 reported cases, Sister Marie Taylor, president of the Westlake Christian Terrace resident council, told ABC7. Oakland Police reported receiving 83 robbery reports between June 25 and July 1, adding that there was no particular reason for the surge in the city.

Elders attacked: “Not only do you grab their purse but you beat them brutally. We had several who had to be taken to the emergency, one broke the wrist. We had police here almost seven hours filing reports. Then it continued on Sunday with more. Multiple residents being attacked,” Taylor said. About 700 elders, with an average age of 85, live on the block of 28th Street north of Lake Merritt, where Westlake Christian Terrace, an assisted living facility, is located.

Community’s response: The Oakland Police Department and Commands Captain Lisa Ausmus said that reporting made a difference in the cases, noting how they “haven't had any robberies in 2 days” after deploying a team following Taylor's alert. Authorities also advised senior residents to walk in larger groups during the daytime when going out. The surge of robberies targeting the Asian elderly community in Oakland prompted over 50 residents to organize a gathering on Wednesday to support each other.

Crime

Colorado man sentenced for arson that killed family of five

Kevin Bui, a 20-year-old man from Colorado, was sentenced to 60 years in prison on Tuesday for his role in a fatal 2020 arson. Bui and two accomplices intentionally set fire to a Denver home, tragically killing five extended family members, including two young children.

Wrong home: Bui, who pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder in May, believed his stolen iPhone was located at the house. Investigators say "Find My iPhone" led him to the wrong address. The trio spent weeks planning the arson, ultimately dousing the home in gasoline before igniting the blaze on Aug. 5, 2020.

Plea deal reached: Bui's legal team reached a plea deal with prosecutors, reducing charges in exchange for a 60-year sentence. Two accomplices also received sentences for their roles in the crime. The victim’s family members expressed grief and disappointment that the sentence couldn't bring back their loved ones.

Food

$230 omakase experience to launch at famed “Flintstones House”

Stoneage Omakase (Japanese for "I’ll leave it to you"), a pop-up restaurant located at the iconic Flintstones House in Hillsborough, California, is set to open its doors on July 12, serving customers from Thursday to Sunday, 6-9 p.m. The dining experience will be led by Michelin-starred veteran chef Masaki Sasaki and Sous Chef Atsushi Kuramoto, who will prepare a $230, 15-course meal inside the Flintstones-themed home.

Free tour: While Stoneage Omakase did not reveal much about what diners can expect on the menu, the pop-up organizers shared that customers will be given a complimentary tour of the property before dinner. Reservations for the omakase experience, in which the chef chooses the menu for the courses, began on Wednesday but have since been fully booked, according to its Instagram bio.

Its history: Chinese American businesswoman Florence Fang bought the property, designed by Bay Area architect William Nicholson and built in the mid-1970s, for $2.8 million in 2017. Fang had been in a years-long legal battle with the town since the purchase, which ended in 2021 with an agreement in which she received $125,000 from the town to cover the expenses of the legal proceedings.

Music

Jennie earns first platinum certificate

Blackpink’s Jennie achieved a milestone in her solo career as her latest single, “One of the Girls,” was certified platinum (for more than 1 million units sold) by the Recording Industry Association of America on June 20. The track, which features The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp, was released for the HBO series “The Idol.”

Making history: The feat makes Jennie the first female South Korean solo artist to earn a platinum single in the U.S. Fellow South Korean artists Psy and BTS members Jungkook and Jimin previously scored platinum records.

Over at Spotify: “One of the Girls” also surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify. With this, Jennie joins fellow Blackpink member Lisa, and once again, BTS members Jungkook and Jimin, in the platform’s billion-streams club.

More Asian News

Vanessa Hudgens gives birth to first child with Cole Tucker: Actress Vanessa Hudgens and her husband, baseball player Cole Tucker, welcomed their baby on Wednesday, a day after celebrating Cole's 28th birthday. The news comes months after the actress surprised fans with her pregnancy announcement at the 2024 Oscars red carpet in March.

World champ gymnast Yul Moldauer fails to qualify for Paris 2024: Rising star gymnast Yul Moldauer, 27, missed qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics after his performance at the U.S. Olympic Trials on Sunday fell just short of the qualifying zone. “I love you all for the support!” the Korean American former world champion wrote on X. “Trials was an amazing to be at! A filled arena and that’s all a gymnast could ask for!”

Olivia Munn’s son celebrates her birthday amid her cancer recovery: Malcolm Hiệp, son of Olivia Munn and John Mulaney, made his mom’s 44th birthday extra special. On July 3, the actress posted an Instagram video of the 2-year-old wishing her a happy birthday, to which she lovingly responded. Earlier this year, Munn revealed her breast cancer diagnosis and her challenging treatment journey, which included a double mastectomy and a hysterectomy. Despite the hardships, she was able to document her experience and successfully save two healthy embryos for future children with Mulaney.

Jollibee buys $340M stake in South Korean coffee chain: Jollibee Foods, the Philippines’ largest restaurant operator, purchased a 70% stake in South Korea’s Compose Coffee for $340 million, marking its largest acquisition by store count. Founder Tony Tan Caktiong sees Compose Coffee as pivotal in expanding Jollibee’s global footprint to nearly 10,000 stores worldwide, capitalizing on the South Korean coffee market, which is currently ranked third globally for consumption per capita. The move boosts Jollibee’s international operations to 41% of total, with analysts anticipating a 2% increase in group sales this year.

Google Translate adds five languages from the Philippines: Waray (Eastern Visayas), Bikol (Southeastern Luzon), Hiligaynon (Western Visayas), Kapampangan (Pampanga and Tarlac) and Pangasinan (Northern Luzon). The update, which utilizes Google's powerful PaLM 2 large language model for translation, adds 110 new languages in total, making it the platform’s largest to date.