Kinky Boots: A High-Heeled Surprise of My New York Adventure

Posted on April 13, 2015 by heavenliner

surprise! surprise!

According to Dalai Lama, “the purpose of our lives is to be happy”. And this is exactly what I thought o after I watched the amazing Kinky Boots, the third Broadway musical show I saw in New York.

Prior to watching this Broadway musical, the only thing I know about the show is that it is a Tony award-winning musical. I don’t know what the story is about, I haven’t heard about the music and neither do I know anything about the cast. Blame this to my being an inhabitant living a simple life at the other end of the world.

saw kinky boots with super friend Ron, a new yorker and broadway musical enthusiast!

my ticket and my playbill

the view from my seat…

Kinky Boots is not a popular Broadway musical in Manila, unlike the classic Les Miz, Phantom, Miss Saigon or even Wicked. But after seeing the show it actually became one of my favorites. The story is simple and uncomplicated yet it opened a whole new perspective about prejudice, intolerance and acceptance.

There are lots of heartfelt wisdom that can be extracted from the show. It tackles about the struggles of trying to fit in. It is about the blossoming of life as soon as acceptance has kicked in. It even tackled the life’s various phases: childhood, adulthood, friendship, career, life’s ambition, secret admiration and even death. The story seem to have something for everyone. This is without eliminating the basics of a fun, fab and highly entertaining musical: excellent music, spectacular production, gifted singing talent and hip dance moves.

Kinky Boots got a big heart! That is why it has become one of my favorites. And I would not mind watching it again in case I visit New York again. If not, Kinky Boots I hope would reach the shores of Manila. This musical would definitely be something to watch. Charlie, Lola (the main characters) and the rest of the cast are of course welcome to perform in my city.

I’m pretty sure in case the Dalai Lama would have the opportunity to watch this musical, he himself would say “watching Kinky Boots is a must so as to live a happy life”.

Ispektakyular!

Swept Away by the Statue of Liberty

Posted on April 12, 2015 by heavenliner

It took me some sweet days in New York before I was able to go to the Liberty Island, no thanks to the cold, punitive and prolonged winter. I literally pushed myself on seeing the statue because I agree with every organism’s principle living on this breathing planet that you have actually never been to New York (or the United States for that matter) if you haven’t seen the Statue of Liberty.

a selfie with lib!

“welcome to new york”

On the day of my visit, I was actually already feeling jittery when I reached the Battery Park and got hold of my ferry ticket that will bring me to Liberty Island. Such jitters were of reasons I don’t know. It took less than ten minutes for the ferry boat to reach the island. And even before the ferry has docked, all of us passengers were already taking photos of the stupendous statue of the unsmiling expressionless green lady holding a torch.

After taking a photo, I was experiencing some strange visual mirage. I was seeing the green lady to be smiling and seem to be uttering some words while waving its arms towards us. And then, all of a sudden I was suffering from acoustic illusion and could actually hear the most iconic American representation of freedom and democracy singing the song of Taylor Swift entitled “Welcome to New York”.

After a short walk of the island and while taking the next ferry to bring me to Ellis Island did I realize that the experience was so breathtaking it made me hallucinate. But further contemplation made me conclude that such irrational visions and hearing was actually due to extreme envy.

american icon! that’s my shot! i love it!

swept away by the grandeur of this lady

I was green-eyed and jealous of the fact that the United States is so free, democratic and unregimented. I was so envious of the massive opportunities and social services provided to its citizens for them to live descent lives. I was so envious of the fact that their country is such a superpower it can actually control and influence world affairs. And lastly, which is actually the most essential, is that citizens has the right to wear leather jackets, trench coats and fashionable layers of clothing without bursting a single sweat gland.

Taray ni Libertad! Dyaygantik!

66 Perry Street, Manhattan

Posted on April 7, 2015 by heavenliner

the “now-iconic-apartment” address

66 Perry Street, Manhattan is my most desired apartment destination on my on-going New York adventure. This is because this is the very address where an open-minded and independent New Yorker with unique fashion sense lives. Her name is Carrie Bradshaw.

66 Perry Street, Manhattan is the very apartment where Carrie would write the various relationship spectrums she would deal with in life. These relationships would focus on herself, her colleagues, the people of New York and of course her friends. Their names are Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha.

picture muna

the perry street neighborhood…

carrie bradshaw (not my photo, of course)

66 Perry Street, Manhattan is the very apartment where deep contemplations were carried out. It is also were the moments Carrie’s happiness as well as loneliness were assessed. This is where the complicated and entangled situations with the love of her life are pondered upon. His name is Mr. Big.

66 Perry Street, Manhattan is the now-iconic-apartment where I and a young friend Amiel (sweet kikay niece of Jhong) went to so as to take a photo of ourselves to prove that we indeed were big fans of the movie and tv sitcom series Sex And The City. Other apartments were equally gorgeous (if not more than gorgeous) and were without the restrictions to step on the stairs. Channeling our inner Sex And The City vibe, we of course took the chance to pose and take some photos…

photo shoot from nearby apartment

who are the people in your neighborhood???

Glitz en glamor ang peg…

Les Miserables, The Musical: A Goosebumps Overload Experience

Posted on April 6, 2015 by heavenliner

The main purpose of my visiting New York is to see at least one musical Broadway show. I told myself that as soon as I have seen one, the rest of my New York adventure would utterly be but awesome add-ons. Ever since the time I have been aware about the existence of Broadway musicals, I have always set into the deepest travails of my mind that someday I would be blessed and be able to watch one.

This mindset actually came true last March 29, 2015. That day, I did not settled for less popular musicals but instead went on to watch the world’s most epic, Les Miserables. I actually got chills when I was handed my ticket at the box office.

broadway here i come…

outside the theater…

I am so glad to have chosen Les Miserables as my first Broadway musical experience. What I know is that this epic tale has started to be considered a “classic” of modern musical theater. It is a beautiful story about compassion and forgiveness all set against the backdrop of the French Revolution.

got my playbill and the ticket…

And when the show started my goosebumps were exploding. It was so profuse and persistent, I thought my goosebumps already grew goosebumps of its own. I was a bit nervous because I thought my fingernails were even growing it. And every time a highlight song has been sang, my goosebumps would cheer with bellowing sounds and clap along with me.

My happiness was further intensified when I noticed it is the magnificent Ramin Karimloo is the one who was acting/singing the role of Jean Valjean.

got a good seat…

When the show’s finale song was sung and Jean Valjean, Fantine and Eponine sang the lyrics “to love another person is to see the face of God!”, I was sobbing. I was crying because of such a sad sad story (imagine almost all of the main characters died). And during curtain call while the audience were on a standing ovation, I was still crying for joy because I was given the exceptional opportunity to see such a spectacular show.

And when I stepped out of the theater, I can hear my goosebumps were shouting at me saying “Thank you! Thank you!”

Mabaliw baliw kaya ako sa loob ng teyatro!

Speechless at the World Trade Center Memorial

Posted on April 5, 2015 by heavenliner

Feeling the vibrant charge of New York, I navigated my way to the World Trade Center located in Greenwich Street. The first thing I had in mind was to immediately have a selfie to prove, seal and record that I have actually been to the 9/11 Memorial thirteen years after the extremely tragic and deadly attack.

powerful!

solemn,,,

intense…

But as soon as I stepped into the memorial plaza, my effervescent bubbly feeling vanished. I was suddenly charged with gloom-ness and melancholy. The place was beautiful but it seems that grief and misery still fills the air. It was just too powerful not to feel it. Maybe it is because of the amount of tears that has been shed and intensity of sadness that has been vented out in the area that made me shut up, pause and contemplate.

I realized that smiling at a camera and shooting a selfie in the area seem disrespectful to the victims as well as the families affected by the tragedy. What I simply did was took a couple of photos and say a little prayer.

Like any other normal human being, I prayed that there would not be another World Trade Center Memorial…

emowshonal…

Nengkoy

ruminations & travesties of the favorite yet naughty son of Nengkoy

Monthly Archives: April 2015