Around Chinatown

Our day trip around San Francisco last 18 December 2007 brought Cecile and me passed through Chinatown. There was really nothing new and spectacular, except maybe, because, this version of Chinatown was in San Francisco.


And we really had no chance to get off the tram and walk around the streets, hear the “Chinglish” from the residents. Many of the apartment buildings looked like those we had seen in HK and would see if we went to Mainland China.

Still, I snapped a few pictures.

Cecile said, “Mayroon din naman Chinatown in Manila.”

Steps Around Universal Studio

Eric had driven all night long last 21 December 2007, from Hayward to Los Angeles, California. It was easily an 8-hour plus drive. Laly had rented a big van to fit all the stuff the three girls were bringing to Los Angeles. Saturday was the big day, as we were all going to Universal Studios.

We could see the excitement in the girls, specially, Nicole. The 8-year old girl had been in the States for three years. Carla and Geneve are grown up young ladies now, with iPods and mobile phones, and boyfriends.


Today, all their tech gadgets take a back seat with the surprise and excitement the rides at Universal Studios provide. Terminator 3D with the Governor Arnold himself reprising his role. The Indiana Jones ride drew screams from us as we sneaked slowly into the dark caves with a sudden drop.


Carla and Geneva convinced me to take the Mummy ride. Chief and Eric opted to pass on this ride. It really wasn’t scary and fast, only the reverse pull created louder screams. We survived.

Paeng, Paul and Rlyn

It was inevitable that during this trip to the States, Cecile and I would meet up with my friends from UST High School and Arts and Letters while here in the East Coast. While I would have wanted to meet more friends and batchmates, one big fiesta gathering didn’t appeal to us as this would not really give us “quality time” in catching up with our friends. It would be hard to be talking to many in a big gathering. Small and intimate was better. Thus, we shared precious moments and a few discoveries with Paeng Adriano, Rlyn Alvarez-Stalamasky and Paul Henry Albano! Photo shows all of us as we closed down the Japanese restaurant.


Paul had made reservations at a Japanese restaurant near the Rockefeller Center. He had organized the gathering. Cecile and I were coming from MOMA that Friday afternoon. Paul had given us train by train directions on how to get to the restaurant coming from the Met Museum


By 8pm, we had arrived. We were greeted in Japanese but more smiles and hugs from Paul and Paeng who had arrived ahead of us. The last time we saw Paul and Rlyn was in December 2003 while it really had been so long since I last met Paeng, my Section 324 classmate from UST High School. That was the year when the entire batch was moved to the Central Seminary after the old building was gutted down by a fire during the 1st day of school.

Rlyn arrived a few minutes later, as she was coming from “Clinton” territory! She and Cecile sat together while I sat besides Paeng!

Paeng is really like an “encyclopedia” of high school stories. He has kept in-touch with almost all of the batchmates. And would mention names, careers and love stories. But the surprise discovery was finding out that the late Tom Flores was the youngest brother of Cecile’s mom and that Mary Jane Gariffo is Cecile's cousin! Wow! Diba we meet certain people for a purpose? Guess… that is Paeng’s message to us during this trip. Photo show Paul, me and Paeng describing a story

Bitin ang kuwentuhan and we really didn’t want to part ways so we extended the reunion for coffee. Lito Vergara had buzzed Paeng through the night but unfortunately, we didn’t get connected.

Maybe, during this nearly 6 hours, some of our HS friends like Bong Lopez, Armin del Rosario, Raul Siasoco, Bien Perez, Roy Roque, Aped Santos, Antonio Mangabang, Juanito Bocalan, Cecile Cabahug, Chi-chi Jalijali, Ami Rosales, and other suddenly thought about us, as their names popped in and out of our kuwentuhan. Photo shows Paeng and writer.

Maybe, old college friends like Marianne Sandejas (now reportedly married to a politician in Pangasinan), Amy Pacheco, Jojo Guadiz, Vincent Paul Justo, Perlo Chua and others also suddenly, for a moment, remembered their days at the Faculty of Arts and Letters.


Thank you to Paul, Paeng and Rlyn!

Steps to the Met Museum

The last time we were in New York City, we visited the Guggenheim Museum. My cousin, Renelle Velez, had met us in Times Square and we went to Guggenheim. MOMA was also closed for renovation back in December 2003.

This time around (29 December 2007), we were determined include culture and art into our itinerary.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art or "the Met" is one of the world's largest and most important art museums. It is located at the eastern edge of Central Park (which we haven’t really visited), along what is known as Museum Mile. According to Wikipedia, the Met occupies more than two million square feet or more than 20 times the size of the original 1880 building. Photo of Cecile on the steps of the museum.

After two train transfers, we walked down 4 blocks, following Paul Albano’s direction. We encountered a couple of tourists carrying the all-familiar blue MET shopping bag. “We are in the right direction.”

One would quickly be amazed by the façade of the museum. The bigness and magnitude. Plus, the crowd on its steps. We stopped for a few minutes for photo opps. “Let us do it now, as later, when we get out of the museum, it would be dark already.” I told my tired wife.

The Met's permanent collection contains more than two million works of art, from classical antiquity and Ancient Egypt, and more paintings from many all the European masters. The Met also has an extensive collection of American and modern art. We really couldn’t really see all these artwork. The Met Shop alone took much of our time. Books. Books and more books at reasonable prices. Thanks to American Express, we swiped nearly 200 dollars worth of items.

Cecile needed to rest her feet, so she sat at one of the benches in the lobby. I left one Met shopping bag and moved around the museum. She said, “Sige na go ahead… para at least one of us saw the museum.”

I really didn’t know what gallery to check out. The museum was really too big. My sense of direction led me to check out the “reliefs” in the Velez-Blanco Gallery. Yes, a Velez Gallery. Then, I moved quickly around the Clock Gallery and then, the Christmas tree display.

After 20 minutes, I returned to where Cecile was resting and told her to check out an entire sixteenth-century patio from the Spanish castle of Velez Blanco. Yup, a Velez castle meticulously reconstructed in a two-story gallery. And the large Christmas tree.

Olwen called and shared in our excitement and strongly urged us to see the Van Gogh Gallery.

Thus, we walked through the Van Gogh collection and saw Van Gogh's Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat.

Our next stop for that night was dinner with Paul, Rlyn and Paeng. Maybe, next year, more of Van Gogh, Rembrandts, Vermeer and Monet.

Narita

Who is narita?

Leaving NYC

We are leaving NYC at 8am abroad a NW flight back to Manila

Grease is the word

There was a long line outside Brooks Atkinson Theatre at 256 West 47th Street, Manhattan. It was cold night. We had bundled up as per Olwen’s advice. By 7:30pm, the doors opened and we found our way one row before the last row. It was a US$60.00 ticket.


The theatre was nearly full house. A mom in front of us, with her daughter offered to take our picture. Thanks. Behind us was a family with two young kids. Barely teens. And quite naughty too. Even a bit disturbing to the two ladies besides Cecile.

By 8pm, the band started to play the overture to the songs of Grease. The band was located at the top of the stage, raised above the stage, unlike other plays we saw where the band or orchestra was at the “pit” front of the stage.

The minute the first note of Grease was hit, the curtains raised and the silhouette of Max Crumm (Danny) and Laura Osnes (Sandy) appeared, the audience euphoria started to rise in anticipation of a fun and energy filled evening for Grease, the 4th Broadway production we are watching in NYC.

Images of John Travolta and Olivia Newton John moved in and out of the memories as the song “Summer Nights” filled the theatre.

The audience was really into the music and the songs, thanks to the popularity of the movie, released back in the 1978. People were clapping. Humming and singing along to "Sandy," "Hopelessly Devoted to You," "Grease" and "You're the One That I Want." Some, even stomping their feet. It was a “feel-good” production. High energy. A few laughs but a lot of memories.

“Grease” was a good production to end our 2nd trip to the East Coast. Thanks to the music of Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. This 3rd Broadway edition is produced by Paul Nicholas, David Ian, Terry Allen Kramer and the Nederlander Presentations Inc., with special arrangement with the movie's producer, Robert Stigwood.

Curtains

Cecile and I watched our third Broadway play last Saturday, 05 January 2008. The play was called "Curtains" and starred David Hyde Pierce! Yes, he is Frasier's brother in the award-winning comedy series called "Frasier." We have watched Pierce in Frasier, even when we were in Vietnam and back in our Greenhome here in Makati City. He won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical at the 61st Tony Awards last 10 June 2007 and this was another reason why we opted to watch this play.

David plays a detective in Boston who tries to find out a murderer amidst a stage play.

“Curtains” also stars Tony and Emmy Award winner Debra Monk as producer Carmen Bernstein, Tony Award winner Karen Ziemba as lyricist Georgia Hendricks, Jason Danieley as composer Aaron Fox, Jill Paice as ingénue Niki Harris and Edward Hibbert as director Christopher Belling, with John Bolton as theatre critic Daryl Grady, Michael X. Martin as stage manager Johnny Harmon, Michael McCormick as investor Oscar Shapiro, Noah Racey as choreographer Bobby Pepper, Ernie Sabella as producer Sidney Bernstein and Megan Sikora as understudy Bambi Bernét.

Scott Ellis (Twelve Angry Men, The Little Dog Laughed) directed the play while Rob Ashford choreographed the steps in "Curtains." The play also marks one of the last collaborations by one of the longest-running songwriting teams in Broadway history — composer Kander and lyricist Ebb. Both have worked on Cabaret, Chicago, Zorba, The Rink and Kiss of the Spider Woman.

Photo of "Curtains" from the Broadway play "Curtains" from www.playbill.com but I really do need to frame and mount our own poster.

Around Broadway

Last 02 January, Cecile and I watched two Broadway plays. Young Frankenstein and The Color Purple.

Russian Tea Room

Cecile and I arrived early at the Russian Tea Room, along 150 West 57th Street Ave. New York Actually, it was easy to find. Just a few steps from Carnagie Hall. It was only a question of finding out which exit to take out of the subway station. The solution. Just ask the subway sup.

This restaurant was founded by members of the Russian Imperial Ballet in 1927. The intellectual elite that includes actors, writers, politicians, and businessmen often dined at this restaurant. Carnegie Hall is just a few steps away, so I can imagine the “elite” enjoying drinks after a watching a performance.

Outside the wind and chill gave its own performance. Maybe, just a little above zero! But we had bundled up, as we had been doing the past few days.

By 6:40pm, I sent an sms to Patrick that we had arrived. The reservations was at 7pm. The bell hop, in a traditional Russian attire greeted us front the revolving door. Our coats was “taken.” Hehehe. Not really used to this kind of service. After all, we don’t wear thick and heavy coats in Manila.

Patrick arrived later. And by that time, the waiter had offered had offered sparkling water. Cecile later ordered a glass of red wine while Patrick had a mixed drink. I got a “rose” wine. I like my wine sweet, after those wine tasting at Napa Valley,

For appetizers, we had the “Zakuski” which was smoked sable and sturgeon, raw oyster and scallop, toro with paired caviars and “Duck Perogi” which was braised cherry duck wrapped in pastry with foie gras terrine, mustard pears, and a cherry port reduction.

For the main course, Cecile had Boeuf à la Stroganoff which was stuffed beef filet with house made herb egg noodles, wild mushrooms, mustard cream, seared foie gras and red wine reduction.


I enjoyed my “Roasted Venison Loin” which was spiced venison loin with caramelized wild rice, chestnuts, Brussels sprouts and a huckleberry sauce.


Patrick had “Lamb Shashlik” which was Grilled Georgian marinated, skewered loin of lamb with lamb sausage, rice currant plov and sauce adjika.

And for dessert, I had Chocolate Soufflé (Pistachio ice cream, crème anglaise) while Cecile had her coffee and Patrick had Tea Room Blintzes (Cherry and cheese, mango sorbet).

All the menu descriptions are courtesy from the memory of Cecila and the website (www.russiantearoomnyc.com).

My Tita Nenen (Patrick’s mom) says that the Russian Tea Room closed its doors for many months for renovation. Today, it is continues to be proud of its interior design and culinary masterworks. Even its display located at the basement and the wine cellar is a site to see. But don’t buy anything. Expensive original Russian items. And she also said that before you needed a coat to be able to dine here. We did see a couple of guests all suited up. The table next to us were Chinese family and even had a little girl already sampling this exquisite food..



It was an enjoyable dining experience at the Russian Tea Room. The service was warm and everyone was very attentive to our needs. Patrick must have paid a good sum of money, but the memories of good food and family would go a long long way.

Around Times Square

Today, Cecile and I walked around Times Square and watched "Sweeney Todd" by Tim Burton. Like previous Burton and Depp collaboration, one can expect a dark and even twisted film, but worthy of an acting award for Tim Burton.

In Times Square, we ended up browsing for music at Virgin Records. This time, we were looking for original Broadway music scores. We bought CDs from Jersey Boys and Young Frankenstein (which we had seen a few days ago). There is just so much Broadway music CD that one can buy at Virgin Records at the heart of Times Square. And hopefully, when we do have our own coffee shop somewhere in Makati City, we would get to play all these Broadway music. Photo of us taken by Patrick Velez after dinner at the Russian Tea Room.