my life as a super hero

While on a trip to Thailand I happened to pass by a shop called the DC Store. Dedicated to the more popular icons of that universe, it sold your usual shirts, jackets, caps, what-have-you's. While not a comic book fan, I know enough about pop culture to appreciate the wares. Besides, I've had enough exposure to certain influences *cough*electroshadow*cough* to amp up my geek-credentials.

I was pretty determined to buy a shirt from the store, but was just as determined that it be non-tacky. I had to practically go through each row and each piece of shirt on display before I found one I liked: a black baby tee with the classic Superman logo in front. I will admit now that I did not immediately know it was the classic logo. In fact, I didn't even know there were different logo versions. But my boss, a Superman fan, saw me wear the shirt once and commented on it. I now store that knowledge in the back of my head to sound impressive when conversing with the comic/superhero/fantasy/superman fans. You never know when you'll run into them. The shirt was a the last available piece, wedged in between all the Supergirl shirts, which, sorry, I really wasn't interested in.

Then, for good measure, I threw in another baby tee, this time of Wonder Woman. Just to... you know... show I'm a girl.

Anyway, a few weeks ago while on holiday, I walked into a shopping mall that had an activity dedicated to the DC Comics/DC Store as well as a promotional gig for Green Lantern. Funnily enough, I was wearing my superhero shirt that day. And I had my camera.

You can just imagine what happened next....

  

 

I always had a crush on the Green Lantern I knew from my childhood cartoons. To me, he was the most elegant of the superheroes. There was something about him that was just so dashing and dapper. While Superman was strong and honourable, Batman was mysterious and withdrawn, Green Lantern struck me as graceful and refined. But that may also be because my favorite color is green.

Wonder Twin Powers.. activate!

Apart from the Green Lantern images, the activity carried a wide assortment of clothing and other merchandise up for sale. Seeing as I was dangerously close to being overweight with my luggage, I contented myself to just window shopping. What caught my eye though was the row of glass display cases exhibiting some collectibles and figures of different DC Comic heroes in varying shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, they weren't for sale. I was a little too drawn to the color green I think because these were the only pictures of the collectibles that I took:



Obviously, the whole marketing blitz of the Green Lantern movie was rubbing off on me. But even though he was the star of the moment, Green Lantern wasn't the only superhero there.

just hanging around with my buds...

And then there was the ultimate poster where I absolutely had to have my picture taken. After all, I was wearing the shirt.

lamang lang nya sa akin muscles and boobs. ha ha.



I actually seem to have this habit of running into Wonder Woman when I wear her shirt. A while back in Singapore, the same thing happened:

Actually, that's what I look like pag nilunon ko na yung bato. (-_^)

Meanwhile, back at my holiday...

When I was finally done getting my pics taken with the different heroes, my friend and I went to see X-Men First Class. I mean, how else could we have capped that day, right?

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repetition

I think...

my blog is boring.  hahahahahahaha... :D

Yes, I have self-esteem issues. ;)

I don't want to be too personal with my entries that it becomes a huge, blinking, neon-light arrow to my soul. But I don't want to be so factual in my entries that they end up being press releases either. I want to write like I talk, but less... boring. Or confusing. (Pick your choice of words, because I can be both. Alternately or at the same time. I'm very complex that way. O_o) And I want what I write to be worth the time you invested in it to read. Because wouldn't it be so bad if, at the end of this article you actually went, "wha? what was that about?"

Which, seeing as this is the end of this article, you're probably going to do.

Right...

about...

NOW!

:D

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Hakuna Matata

Any idea on what this blog entry is about? Go ahead. I'll give you three guesses. ;-)

When my friends and I found out the The Lion King was going to show in Sands Singapore, we immediately agreed to book our flights and make our way there. We're big theater geeks, my friends and I. Sure, there's something unnatural about people randomly breaking out into a song and dance routine (what more when animals do it, right?)... but haven't you ever had one of those moments when it just felt like the perfect thing to do?

No?

Hmmm.. must be just me then.

Anyway, as the date we agreed upon neared, it dawned on me how painful on the pocket watching this musical could be. Airfare, show ticket, accommodations, pocket money. Whew! All for a 2-hour performance.

But a generous sponsor (thank you!) took me under her wing and one Friday night, I was on my way to Singapore, the land of the lah. 



at the theater

Lion King is one of those stage shows that is unlikely to ever make it to the Philippines. The sheer scale of the production requires significant investment and I'm not sure any local theater group would be willing to take the risk. It's a shame, really, since it is this very grandeur that it makes it worth watching.

The opening sequence, which is exactly that of the one in the movie, is particularly moving. When the first notes of that unforgettable chant pierce the silence and the stage awakens into a glorious sunrise you know you're in for something magical. Then slowly you see a cheetah, a group of gazelles, giraffes and even the mightly elephant starting to make their way to Pride Rock, some walking down the audience aisle, close enough for you to touch. By the time the entire ensemble has arrived on stage, your jaw has dropped in amazement and you get the first of what will be many goosebumps-moments in the show. 




the King and I

It was unfortunate that they don't allow photography inside the theater, because more than anything else, the show was a visual feast. "Spectacle" is probably the closest word to describe what you see.

It's awe-inspiring seeing how they transformed human actors into animals, without literally making them walk on all 4's. Just enough hints in the costume, clever puppets and masks are all you're given and your imagination fills in the rest. The techniques they used to bring the African savana to life was also ingenious in its simplicity: men with headdresses of grass representing the pastures and the cloth of blue slowly being pulled under the stage representing the drying of the lake.

Then there was wildebeest stampede. Unlike the movie, which had the benefit of showing the vast expanse of the landscape and the massive volume of stampeding animals, the stage had to make do with a much more limited room. How do you effectively convey the danger Simba faces of being trampled to death? Or the danger Mufasa faces as he hangs by the ravine? Thanks to the power of perspective, and some clever machinery, you experience goosebump moment number 2.

If any one deserved a standing ovation at curtain call, it would have to be the set and costume designers. Too bad they never go up to take their bow.

I mean, let's face it. If you've seen the Disney version, then there's really nothing in the musical that you don't already know. There were a number of new songs added, but it was the good old classics from the movie that still stood out. (sidebar: Jeremy Iron's version of Be Prepared has got to be one of the best rendered villain songs ever! And if you really listen to it, Iron's isn't even singing! He's just reciting the lyrics hahahaha...). Of the new ones, I liked Mufasa's They Live in You but really enjoyed the African chants/choruses the best. They gave the show a distinct flavor and added to its character.

In the end, the trip was worth it. When you love musicals, The Lion King is a must see. Not for the songs or the actors, but for the design and the art direction. If they ever do stage it in the Philippines, I'm definitely going to watch it again.



we, the theater people

 After the show we made our way across the hall to Mozza for an early dinner. Good show, good food, good company. That's the perfect combination. 

my lame attempt at artsy photography 

my lame attempt at food photography

more food photography

this was very yummy, btw ha ha

with 1/2 of the J couple

thanks for the accomod! ha ha

that's us!

(Sorry the pics are a little fuzzy. Not a professional photographer. ha ha)

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can you become... a new version of you?

I should be working right now, for stuff that I need tomorrow. But... I just don't have the heart for it. So I blog instead.

Does anybody remember that show Felicity? I do. I loved Felicity. It was to me what Dawson's Creek was to my friends. I never cared for the adventures of Dawson, Pacey and Joey. I never cared for the convoluted lives of Brandon, Brenda, Kelly and Dylan (that's the original 90210 for you young 'uns...). But I did love Felicity, Noel (pronounces as "knoll" in the show), Ben, Meghan and Sean. The story of a young girl impulsively changing her life, to pursue a crush who went to New York was fun and endearing to watch. When my roommate moved out with her tv (and I didn't have the money to buy one for myself), I faithfully followed the show by reading the transcripts online. Even on paper (errr... on computer screen?), I loved the show.

So, you can only imagine how excited I was when I found out that in Bangkok, there was a little cafe named (drum roll please...) DEAN AND DELUCA!!!

wheeeeeeeeee!!!

Now I know this is not the same D&D where Felicty's character worked, or where her lovable boss Javier was the manager (that's in New York, obviously), but this is the closest I have ever gotten to one. So I was practically giddy. :D So much so that my colleagues actually noted my change in demeanor. Hahaha.

I was initally afraid that this was a knock-off restau that 'borrowed' the name but it really was affiliated with the Dean & Deluca franchise in America. So even more to be happy about!

the menu board



your choice of bread and pastry

sandwich row

yummy desserts


The inside was bright and quaint. It had a nice casual, welcoming yet sophisticated appeal. I have no idea if this is how all Dean & Deluca's look like, but I didn't really care. It was just nice to feel part of a treasured memory.

interior decor

On one end of the room was an area dedicated to Dean & Deluca branded food items you could bring home with you. It was fun walking in between the racks, seeing what they offered. I'm not knowledgeable about gourmet food enough to know if any of them were worth buying, but they sure were pretty.

jellies and things

nuts and candies

sea salts

I bought some tins of colored sugar as gifts for friends at home. There's absolutely nothing special about them. But I thought it would be fun if they could serve green or pink sugar when offering their guests coffee! I just hope the sugar doesn't turn the coffee pink or green as well. Hahahaha...

Since we had come there for dinner, we of course had to order more than desserts and bread. In terms of taste it wasn't all that spectacular. I'd say typical cafe food: sandwiches, soups and salads. But I really wasn't into D&D for the food. I was just there for the fact that it was Dean and Deluca, man! :P

our food

with the food (of the group! that's not all mine! hahaha.. defensive)

our group

And of course, what to have for dessert, but the New York Cheesecake!

how you doin?

Happiness :)

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