MUSICALS

I wouldn’t particularly consider myself to be a theater geek (as we referred to them in junior high), but I have to say I love going to see plays, and MUSICALS I think are FABULOUS!

This week, My sister Tracee and I went to see the Tony Award winning play, WICKED at the Pantages theatre. If you haven’t seen this play, you have to get out and see it ASAP. It is truly spectacular… the music, the costumes, set design, the story. FABULOUS!

I listened to the book on tape (WICKED: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire) on one of my long road trips to Colorado (Peanut and I hit the open road to Aspen a couple times a year to hit the slopes and visit friends). I listened to all 24 hours of the book while winding down the 70 Freeway through Nevada, Arizona, Utah and finally Colorado. Though I enjoyed the story, nothing compares to seeing it recreated on the stage with music and dancing. The super, long book was consolidated (totally re-written) into only the most important and most entertaining parts of the story (which is fantastic, because I thought the book kinda dragged on).

The MUSICAL is a re-imagining of what happened before the classic story, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (before Dorothy’s house landed splat on the Wicked Witch of the East). The story is told from the point of view of the witches of OZ starting from the birth of a green girl (the Wicked Witch of the West, here known as Elphaba Thropp), to the friendship struggles with Galinda Upland (who becomes Glinda, the Good Witch of the North) and of course, Elphaba's eventual fall from grace (turning wicked). The story ends upon Dorothy’s arrival in town.

The performers (many from the original production on Broadway) are amazingly talented singers (I wish I could project like that and learn to sing from my diaphragm instead of my throat). My favorite song was “Popular” sang by Glenda. Hysterical! (Seriously, you must go see this play!!)

My favorite MUSICAL of all time is AVENUE Q. AVENUE Q is a Tony award-winning musical puppet show largely inspired by Sesame Street. The puppets however, use profanity and face adult problems instead pre-schooler’s problems. Many of the characters are based on actual Muppet characters: for example, the gay roommates Rod and Nicky are parodies of Sesame Street's Bert and Ernie (So wrong, yet so funny ;).

The puppeteers actually stand right on stage, but the story is so hysterical that you totally forget they are even standing there. The songs are touching and so funny (Some of my favorites: The Internet Is For Porn and Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist) and often focus on the theme of finding one’s purpose in life (a recurring theme in my own life too). Two puppets even have a sex scene where they sing, “You can be as loud as the hell you want when you’re making love!” This puppet show is NOT for kids, but is truly one of the most FABULOUS musicals ever made (bold statement? I think NOT!!)

The first MUSICAL I remember seeing and my second all time favorite is STARLIGHT EXPRESS (A rock musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber). I saw it at least 4 times (in London and on Broadway). The play starts as a little boy dreams that his toy trains come to life and are preparing for a race with engines from all over the world competing.

The performers represent different trains (Grease ball, an arrogant diesel locomotive, his girlfriend Dinah the dining car, Electra a state-of-the-art electric locomotive and our main characters Rusty, an old fashioned steam engine who dreams of winning the race and his love interest Pearl, the brand new observation car). The story is "a Cinderella story" of sorts in which Rusty is our Cinderella, Grease ball and Electra, the evil stepsisters and Pearl the Prince (Princess) Charming.

The trains (performers) cruise on roller skates around the elaborate stage of ramps that loop over and around the theatre (at the age of twelve after seeing this play for the 3rd time, I took up roller skating in circles around my tennis court at mach speeds). Flying around the stage, the actors sing the greatest and funniest songs. So great! I have many of the songs on my ipod (My favorite is Dinah the dining car's anthem).

Cats is always pretty FABULOUS too. Way more of a serious story, but amazingly, cool costumes and beautiful songs. Love it.

I personally am not a huge fan of the deep and serious MUSICALS such as Les Miserable and Phantom of the Opera, BUT I am always truly impressed by the singing and think it is worth seeing them at least once (if you have the opportunity).

Although I don’t go to the theater often (I wish I could go more)… I think plays are cool and Musicals are FABULOUS!

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK

You know how I love Fashion Weeks and New York Fashion Week is by far the most FABULOUS (Well… I haven’t been to any in Europe, so let me change that to the most FABULOUS that I have attended).

I arrived Wednesday (via my favorite airline Jet Blue) for a week whirlwind of fashion, friends, parties, cocktails and even some family time.

The week started with excessive partying (it was my friend / ex-boyfriend Grason’s birthday). We dined with friends at Mantra, danced till the early morning at the club Room Service and even made a pit stop at the strip club next door (wild!) Partying in New York is too much (and too late for me) so night two in New York was way tamer. I met my family (all 4 of my siblings and mom happened to be in the city at once) for a yummy Italian dinner full of laughs (we have so much fun together) and love (we truly do love each other a ton).

Friday my Fashion Week began. Evan and I attended the Baby Phat fashion show (which is always a hot ticket with tons of celebrity guests) I wore a gorgeous purple mini dress by KLS (Kimora Lee Simmon’s higher end line, which I love) and we sat front row (the most coveted seats). After the show, I changed in the car (when the designer’s give you clothes… you wear them ;) into my Cavalli dress and we headed to the Just Cavalli store opening. The party was packed (and excessively HOT) and spilling out onto Fifth Ave so we just stayed a short time before heading to the Baby Phat dinner (yes, I changed again in the car ;) The dinner went long, so I snuck out (leaving Evan behind) to meet up with my sister Tracee and stepsister Leona at the Prada party. By the time I arrived, my feet were killing me and I was totally exhausted. I headed home at midnight, calling it an early night (by NYC standards) and hit the hay.

Through the weekend, I went to a couple other fashion shows. The Rosa Cha fashion show was fantastic as always. I love checking out the Brazilian bikinis, but the highlight was checking out (and making sexy eyes) at JC Chasez. He is HOT! Evan co-hosted the Unruly Heir show with Ian Somerhalder from Lost. I instantly fell in love and became mesmerized by his clear blue eyes. I snapped out of it just in time to catch the show where the amazing young designers showcased their super cool men’s line that mixes Country Club chic with Hip Hop Street. Very cool!

Also on the weekend, I hung out and partied with my many friends in New York (I grew up mostly on the east coast so many of my childhood friends are in the city). I caught up with my elementary school friend, Saskia, over croissants and coffee at Le Pain Quotidien. Got caught in the rain with my friend Nicole and her adorable babies, Ryder and Ella. I chowed on burritos (who doesn’t love Chipotle) with gorgeous Eduardo (the model I met in Miami) and shopped till I dropped with Sam (Love H&M)! Of course, I also hit the town and partied like a rock star (The club PM was Sunday’s hotspot where I sipped champagne, but kept it pretty mellow).

Monday, brought in more fabulous fashion week shows and parties. I attended Marc Bouwer (Love the gowns that stalked the runway) with my college friend (and fabulous NY Socialite) Mary Giuliani. Then after dinner at Craft Steak (I love myself some red meat!) and cocktails at the Maritime Hotel (a great outdoor patio), we headed to Butter for a wild night of drinking and dancing. Butter was definitely the hot spot of the night, where I spotted John Legend, Terrance Howard, Kimora Lee Simmons, Daymond Dash, The Kardashians, my brother and many of my friends from both East and West Coast. The best party night by far!

My last day of Fashion week, I finagled (with much struggle) my way into the Heatherette show. This show is always the highlight and the most wild show of Fashion Week. Kim K and Jenna Jameson strutted their stuff on the runway and I coveted many of the wild dresses and unique designs. I dined with the Kardashians (who were filming their reality show) and Daymond Dash at Fillipe’s (similar to Mr. Chows only on the East Coast. YUM!) Then we hit the Heatherette after party at Lotus (which was kinda mellow and lame…. Though maybe we were just too early), then the Ecco party followed by Kanye West’s shindig. Too much party hopping makes Chudney a tired girl, so the minute we stepped into the club Tenjune (where I met CariDee last season’s winner of America’s Next Top Model), I stepped back out and into a cab.

I got home still awake enough to pack, clean the apartment and go to sleep. The next morning, I departed and returned home (On my plane were a couple LA models that I know, but NO I did NOT join the mile high club. Hehe…). New York Fashion Week is always FABULOUS, but I am always happy when its time to come back home!!

WWW.YOUTUBE.COM

YOUTUBE is all the rage on the Internet and I for one think it is FABULOUS!

What a great idea! There are tons and tons of footage from shows, music videos, celebrity clips and home videos posted for your viewing pleasure (You can waste hours and hours of your life watching the most randomly, intriguing shit). It’s truly fantastic. You can even set up a profile like on Myspace (I haven’t done this yet) and post all your home videos, meaningless footage or attempts at movie making.

Recently, I spent some time (ok… like a million hours) perusing the site and was surprised at the random old footage I found of my mom, my family and even of me! I love that you can borrow the clip and add it to your myspace, blog or website. It’s really fun! I wanted to share some of my favorite clips that I found with yoU.

Having grown up with cameras and paparazzi all around, someone is always capturing random moments in my own history. I have a terrible memory, but this one I actually remember. Rhonda was obviously the break out star from the start, but I made a good effort. I was always the shy one growing up (though I have finally broken out of my shell, I am still the quietest in the family). My grandmother passed away in 1985, so this clip is extra close to my heart. It makes me smile whenever I watch it. (Fast forward to 1:30 and enjoy my singing debut)!



My first grade class got to go sing on the steps of Sesame Street with my mom (I’m sitting next to TRACEE on the bench). We were all so excited, but once we got there it was kinda traumatic. There is a man inside Big Bird and two inside Snuffelufigus! I know, it’s still kinda shocking and now I have ruined the mystic of the show for you too ;) I love the song that my mom is singing. It’s a lesson that she always instilled in us. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!



My first hosting gig ever was a pilot in Jacksonville, FL, which appeared locally on the WB. This is where I found my passion and my talent for hosting.



If you have read my blog before, you know I love Fashion Weeks. Rocco (the handsome host of Fashion News Live) and I seem to bump into each other so often that we have become friends. This clip is from Miami Fashion Week and I think it is FABULOUS (funny) and shows my real personality!



Sometimes I host segments for Young Hollywood (www.younghollywood.com) which is a fantastic website geared at the behind the scenes (and positive side) of celebrity. All their segments (mine in particular) are fun and light. This one, I think turned out really well. Hollywood’s fist ever HIV Initiative where many African American celebrities came out to publicly take an HIV test to encourage others to get tested as well. KNOW YOUR STATUS AND GET TESTED!



This is another segment from Young Hollywood that was super fun to film. At the Celebrity Catwalk, I got to interview many cool celebs at the end of the red carpet. It’s actually really hard to grab people as they rush past, but luckily I am friends with some of them (and can be kinda loud) so they were nice enough to stop for me. (It’s actually a lot harder to interview some one you know, then a complete stranger). It was fun chatting with the Kardashians (Kim and her sisters who are the new stars of an E! reality show), getting sex appeal advice from Jenna Jameson (The very sexy, tiny porn star) and fashion tips from Kendra Wilkinson (Hugh Heffner’s sporty girlfriend and star of E! Girls Next Door).



This clip has nothing to do with me personally, but I think it is FABULOUSLY FUNNY (and JT is a hottie). If you haven’t seen it, here is the infamous “DICK IN A BOX”!



YOUTUBE is FABULOUS website and one that will entertain you for hours and hours on end. If you haven’t checked it out, do so and thanks for checking out my clips too!

HONG KONG and MACAU

The FABULOUS journey continues…

HONG KONG: SHOP TILL YOU DROP
HONG KONG seems to be all about shopping and of course shopping is FABULOUS, particularly if it’s designer clothes at inexpensive prices. We stayed in TSIM SHA TSUI where there is a mall on every corner (even underground in the tunnels). My brother Evan, who loves to shop was in heaven. I, on the other hand coveted many things, but curbed my purchases to only the items I couldn’t live with out and that you can’t find in America (the most gorgeously, sexy Mary Jane stilettos and a very short mini dress).

By night, I strolled along THE AVENUE OF STARS (a copy of the Hollywood Walk of Fame only with Hong Kong celebrities) and took in the breathtaking views of the harbor’s futuristic skyline. In the day, I rode the STAR FERRY across the harbor and took THE PEAK TRAM to VICTORIA PEAK for the highest and most FABULOUS views of the city. HONG KONG’s buildings look all futuristic, like where the Jetson’s lived (SHANGHAI TOO). It’s absolutely amazing.

On the way to the airport, we went to LANTAU to see the BIG BUDDHA at PO LIN TEMPLE. As you climb the ridiculously long staircase, the bronzed Buddha seems never ending and huge. Its hands bigger than a human, it sits 34m tall and is truly breathtaking. Though nauseas from the 30-minute winding taxi ride through the mountains (the tram is closed for repairs) and exhausted from the climb up the stairs, I still thought THE BIG BUDDHA was well worth the trek.

MACAU: CANTONEASE VEGAS
MACAU is a small island off HONG KONG (20 minutes by plane). It’s the only place in CHINA where it’s legal to gamble and thus all the big casinos are making the move from Atlantic City and Las Vegas (The Sands, The Wynn and now The Venetian).

We arrived the evening before the Grand Opening. It was weird and kinda eerie to be in a vacant casino (no slot machines dinging, no weary people losing all their money, NOTHING). The Venetian in MACAU is an exact replica of the one in Vegas only with Chinese food in the restaurants, shops you’ve never heard of and Chinese writing on the signs. When the building is complete it will be the largest building in all of China. It’s HUGE! (I totally got lost roaming the halls and its not even all open yet).

The Grand Opening ceremony started with the Grand Canal shops opening at 2pm (I stayed far away since I’d already spent way too much $). Next was the concert in the stadium featuring Asian pop stars, Cirque De Soleil and of course the highlight of the show, my mom!

First on the stage was Ania, a cute pop star (A Chinese Ashley Simpson look alike) who jumped around in a leather mini skirt and was backed by a team of female dancers (back-up dancers seem to be the hot thing here. They even let my mom borrow some so she could fit in ;). Though the lyrics where in Chinese, I found my self singing along to the repetitive chorus.

Next David Toa (a heart throb in Hong Kong) greeted the audience in English then sang saucy bilingual ballads with screechy, off-key runs (though slightly terrible, he was kinda cute).

An Asian themed Cirque De Soleil delighted the audience with elements of dance, acrobatics and even a huge paper dragon (like the kind u see at a parade). It’s truly spectacular what these performers can do.

Next came Grasshopper, a Hong Kong pop trio (a super cheesy Chinese MAN band) that rocked the house in brightly colored suits and crop tops. They made me howl with laughter, but the crowd seemed to get pumped by their danceable tunes, sweet moves and colorful attire.

Alan tam, an award winning Cantonese pop star grandly dropped to the stage in a droopy red cage type thing (it resembled Madonna’s boob in her pointy bra stage). I have no idea how he got in that thing. He must have been locked up in it for the whole show. He sang his pop ballads as the crowd sang along and shimmed around the stage in his rhinestone ripped jeans (very 1982).

With a wave of his arm, out came mom looking like a princess in an amazing, yellow poofy gown. They sang a duet of Endless Love (his English barely understandable, but he was so excited that it was cute). Mom, the amazing performer that she is, commanded that arena and got the audience on their feet for the first time all night.

After the concert, the Casino opened (and was supposedly rushed by some 3,500 people ready to gamble away their savings). We headed to the Black Tie dinner in the ballroom (I wore the red dress mom accepted her BET Award in. I’m a lucky girl that I can fit in my mom’s clothes. Plus, it was the perfect traveling dress because it doesn’t wrinkle and could be shoved into my suitcase).

I sat at a table with all the young attendees (including Asian pop sensation and my new pen pal Bao Bao and all the casino owners kids). The performers from the Phantom on the Opera sang, then some Italian Opera singers pierced our ears while we dined on smelly fish dishes (Less than FABULOUS dinner). When Mom took the stage again in a red gown, the crowd left their tables and rushed the stage. Everyone was dancing in the aisles and it was FABULOUS!

After the show, we grabbed some eatable food at one of the newly opened restaurants and cruised the casino (I didn’t gamble this time, though I do play a mean hand of Black Jack).

The end of my journey was definitely more FABULOUS than the beginning. In all CHINA and HONG KONG were a great and I’m glad I went (but I’m even more happy to be home ;)

CHINA… or at least some things about CHINA

I just got home from CHINA and HONG KONG. My mom was performing at the Grand Opening of the Venetian Hotel and Casino in MACAU (an island off HONG KONG) and I took this as an opportunity to visit a part of the world I have never been (and may never get the chance to go again).

The trip was a bit too long and at times I wished I had stayed home. CHINA is so damn HOT and extremely dirty (I used hand sanitizer like it was going out of style and my skin truly may never be the same. I’m like a teenage boy going through puberty with my clogged pores and new zits). I think it might be pushing it to say that CHINA is FABULOUS, but I did indeed see, experience and taste some things that are definitely worthy of being called FABULOUS.

BEIJING: OUR FIRST STOP
Our first night in CHINA (after a grueling 15 hour flight), we settled in to our hotel and decided to go find a little excitement (and good deals on sweet designer knock offs). SILK MARKET, more properly known as Xiushui is a four-story flea market filled with some of the best counterfeit designer goods at ridiculously cheap prices. Though it’s hard to take at first, (everyone yells at you, grabs and pinches you to get you to shop at their stand) once we got the hang of the bargaining and the exchange rate, we found some great deals. I left tired and dirty, but with a new Chloe purse (for 200 Yuen = about $27) and lots of souvenirs and presents for my friends.

Also in BEIJING, we did some local HOT POT dining. There were neither Americans in sight nor English on menus, so we pointed at other people’s tables and at the fancy Chinese writing and hoped for the best. To the table came a bubbling, gurgling pot filled with broth and spices. With our chopsticks, we threw in raw meats, fish and noodles. (I stuck to the beef and noodles, but my brothers are wild and adventurous and ate fish belly, shark fin and jelly fish salad. NASTY!) A fun interactive and delicious meal (I do miss my usual salads for every meal, but definitely fun and yummy) and definitely FABULOUS!

The next morning, we got up early and headed out to the GREAT WALL OF CHINA (30 min drive). We opted for the open-air chair lift instead of the gondola to take us to the top of the wall. We climbed the never-ending staircases and walkways sweating like sweat shop workers. The wall was built for protection, but proved ineffective against the Mongols and the Manchus (It’s not particularly high, so I guess they learned the hard way). Only crumbling sections still remain, but what is left is breathtaking and beautiful. I have to say the highlight was the toboggan ride down (swooping and swerving through the lush, greenery of the land). This is a must see!!

I also visited a couple FABULOUS temples and imperial gardens, BEI HAI PARK being the most spectacular. The temple sits high on a man-made hill called Jade Island surrounded by lush greenery and a lake full of the biggest lily pads I have ever seen. You can rent boats and paddle around, but I opted for a Popsicle to cool me down and a leisurely stroll through the park and temple. LAMA TEMPLE was also beautiful. It’s the most famous Buddhist temple outside Tibet and is still fully operational with monks and locals praying and offering incense to the Gods. The golden happy Buddha in the first section brought a smile to my face with his tubby belly and huge grin. I also spun the prayer wheel a few times (ok… more than a few, BUT I have a lot of prayers and what better place to put them out there than at a temple in front of a smiling and happy Buddha). TEMPLE OF HEAVEN is also in a nice park. Surrounded by thick, green trees almost like a forest. I walked around the temple and saw the altars where sacrifices were made. I did NOT however enter the Hall Of Abstinence ;) Hehehe…

I also visited Forbidden City and Tian’ men square. Although both are important sightseeing locations, the heat, the dirt and the fact that Evan wouldn’t stop complaining made it less than enjoyable (and not particularly FABULOUS)!

SHANGHAI: PARTY LIKE A LOCAL
In SHANGHAI we stayed at the FABULOUS GRAND HYATT. The lobby is on the 54th floor of the Jinmao Tower which makes it the highest hotel above ground level (also in the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest bubble bath, the highest mini-bar, the highest swimming pool, etc) The views of the futuristic skyline are breathtaking from every room and even better from the viewing atrium on the 88th floor.

My friend Aymeric lives in SHANGHAI with his lovely wife Jacqueline. Seeing a foreign location with a local makes the experience so much more enjoyable. Our first night in SHANGHAI, we hit the town (local style). We started with a western meal. For the first time on the whole trip, I knew what it was that I was eating (Caesar Salad with Chicken). Then we headed to the Ice Bar, a super cool bar in what feels like a meat locker. They wrap you in a North Face Eskimo coats and serve you vodka shots of every flavor. I have never seen one of these in America, but it’s super cool (actually freezing cold).

After thawing out and having a couple drinks at the regular bar, we headed to the clubs. It was only 9pm when we arrived at BABY FACE (the young, hipster club) and it was packed. We danced in the huge room filled with pulsating beats and packed with dancing locals (Shanghai seems to have a mix of Chinese, European and Americans). After making some new friends and throwing back a couple more drinks, we headed to the more mature club, BAR ROUGE. I enjoyed sipping champagne on the outdoor patio. As my head started to spin from all the alcohol it was time to call it a night and we headed back to our super high hotel to pass out.

The next day we cruised THE BUND (the water front) and escaped the heat for a lunch at KFC (there seems to one of this fast food chain on every other corner across from McDonalds and 7-11). That night we went to an acrobatics show at the SHANGHAI GRAND THEATRE. Limber acrobats with amazing balance contorted themselves and threw each other high in the air while balancing on things. A FABULOUS show worth seeing!

Next blog the FABULOUS journey continues…