Saturday, November 29, 2008

Joel Hall Dance Center Walk-A-Thon






The dance studio where I take classes (and used to be in the company), the Joel Hall Dance Center, is moving to a permanent place further north. To raise money, they had a walk-a-thon from the current location to the new site. I got some video footage (and I reprised my bunny outfit).

Thanksgiving Day 2008






Here's a few pics from Thanksgiving at Ruben and Arlene's. Turkey, lumpia (that Ruben rolled and cooked himself) and an unplugged rendition of "Guitar Man," sung to the tune of "Piano Man." For dessert, we went over to John and John's for pie and a lively game of "Apples to Apples."

Pre-Birthday Bunny Hop


Just before going out for my birthday dinner and Karaoke last Tuesday, I decided to put on the bunny ears I got for Halloween that I never used. Silly.

More New York 2008






My trip to New York last weekend had several more lasting memories, including a visit to my cousin's place in New Jersey, seeing an alum from N.U. and walking around N.Y. with my pal Adrienne and seeing her book about walking tours of Brooklyn on a bookstore shelf. Additional bonus memories include my birthday cupcake from a New York bakery, the lights at the Guggenheim Museum and going backstage with Bobby Diehl at a big-time Broadway show!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Murder at the Guggenheim



During my recent trip to New York City, I spent time at the wonderful Guggenheim Museum across from Central Park. I did a little prespective video on the main piece of art in the central foyer.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Me and Billy




My New York birthday trip was off to a great start with my friend Adrienne taking me to see one of Broadway's hottest tickets--Elton John's Billy Elliott. And here I am with the boy star! Wish you were here!

Office Birthday


Here's me last Wednesday for our November birthday celebrations at work. There were about 16 of us there to celebrate four birthday's including mine. I'm here with one of our newbies, (half Filipina) named Linda and Vickie. We were at Pappadeaux's in Westmont, Ill. The alligator fingers were delish (not quite like chicken, more like fish). Did I just write a poem?

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Obama's Star


Over the next few months, Asians and Friends Chicago will be promoting its Holiday Dinner (Dec. 13, 2008) and its Chinese New Year's Dinner (Feb. 7, 2009), so expect a few plugs since I'm Board president.

For fun and giggles, AFC Board members created several hand-crafted ornaments to raffle off at the Holiday Dinner, which will start at 7 p.m. and will be at Riques Restaurant, just south of Big Chicks. Dancing there will occur after the event. Every week the AFC blog will reveal another new hand-made ornament. I'm sure you're all waiting to see what I've created, but that will be revealed in time.

The First Female V.P. Nominee


After a big night of organizing my old pictures, I came upon this button and scanned it in. Funny how time flies and how someone like Sarah Palin can come into the limelight only after the Democrats put Geraldine Ferraro in the hot seat almost 25 years earlier.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Anticipating NYC


On a lark I'm flying to New York City on Thursday to see a friend of mine from college. She writes for BroadwayWorld.com and has got us tickets to see Billy Elliott among other things. The timing is cool because the Tuesday after, I get back to Chicago and it's my birthday! I'm celebrating by singing Karaoke at Jackhammer on the North Side and taking the next day off.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Am I in Gas Heaven?



On my way to cover a convenience store opening in downstate Illinois, I ran into these prices. Wow. Considering we were above $4 a gallon just a few months ago, it's amazing to see prices below $2. The cameraman who was with us at the store the next day said he wasn't going to buy gas until they started paying him.

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Angel Interviewed


More of my 15 mintues got used up yesterday when I sat with author Philip Gambone yesterday, who asked to interview me for his new book of profiles of "famous" gay people. He was visiting major metro areas picked me from the Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame. He said the AIDS-awareness work I did and my life as a dancer were strong aspects, but my professional life as a writer with a business magazine tipped the scales. He had interviewed several artists and wanted to get more individuals from the corporate sphere.

The publisher is Random House, which makes the outlook for this book promising. Beijing is one of his novels. And he showed me many of the people who he's interviewed so far, including Armistead Maupin of Tales of the City fame. It was a fun interview and he took a photo of me next the that new ad series at Circuit. I was clutching Miss Floozie's breast.

Saturday, November 08, 2008

Down the Street from McCain


Well as everyone was gathering in Grant Park in Chicago I was boarding a plane to Phoenix for a two-day seminar. Oddly enough, I ended up at a beautiful resort built right next to a desert mountain. It was the Phonecian, an elegant place with a central fountain that resembled a tri-level pyramid (without the peak) and chandeliers inside matching but upsidedown. Then there were wonderful statues of native Americans.

The cab driver was from Kenya and was very excited about what he was hearing on the radio. He said that McCain was just down the street from my hotel in the Biltmore. I ended up getting into my room just before CNN projected Obama the winner. I started to unpack and then the projection came. Grant Park never looked so beautiful.

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Off To McCain Country


I can't believe I'm flying to Arizona tonight for work. Otherwise I probably would have been in Grant Park here in Chicago at the big Obama rally. In any case, I'm just about to finish packing and will take that dreaded walk to the voting booth where I'm sure to find a long line. Wish me luck and good luck to all of you! Vote early; vote often.

Sunday, November 02, 2008

Halloween Just Keeps Giving


One of my friend Mark's pals did up this mock Chicago Tribune based on one of the photos that was taken of us at this weekend's Halloween festivities on Halsted.

I love the juxtaposition of Mark and the actual Chinese Olympiad. So similar. Sisters.

Although in her passport, Mark's name is "Chu-Mai Cun." I guess she changed it when she started getting famous.

Saturday, November 01, 2008

Victorious Halloween 2008

Well I'm still amazed. We WON one of the biggest Halloween contests in Boys' Town last night. Seriously. We went as the girl's Chinese Olympic gymanstics team and beat out some amazing costumes--a guy who was the People magazine cover of Clay Aikin coming out, another guy who was also "coming out" but as Oprah coming out of the corn fields in Color Purple and four brightly colored poodles made from luffa sponges. Part of it was what we did and said. We did all the gymnastics poses but we also had "passports" and kept claiming we were 16 years old. "I sixteen! I sixteen for two year now ..." High-larious. And $500 dollars later, we were all smashed and falling off our high beams. (Also posted is my friend Kevin who was "Miss Project Runway." He won in the drag category, No. 1 too!)