Please double click on this picture and check out the stunning shot I took the other night from Sheraton's Sky Lounge/Wine and Oyster Bar. I'm really no artist like that in anyway so while to the trained eye, this is "okay," to me it is stunning (said with a French accent) I love how the colors land on the water and some of the tiniest lights in the distance make it into the shot. Ahhh... Beautiful Hong Kong by night...
To rewind a bit, my old friend Henry was in town, having fixed his flight back to Amsterdam to include a 3 day layover in HK. He and his boyfriend Bas landed on Sunday morning, having come from a vacation in Manila, where I had also met up with them. Now, I was supposed to be free to pick them up from the airport, bring them home, then tour HK with them. But last minute, work called. So I had to be in the park from 10-12 noon, race to the airport, pick them up, send them off to Central, then race back to work for a meeting and emergency music editing. Haha... I later joined them in Central. In one of my favorite restuarants, Craft in Soho. After a scrumptious dinner (I had fall-off-the-bone-fall-off-my-seat pork chop) we walked on Avenue of the Stars, checked out the Shangrila and Intercon lobby, then went home.
Monday, I also had work so I caught up with them for dinner at the Sheraton, where stunning (french accent) above picture was taken. What a beautiful restaurant this place was. The view, the ambience, the service. Henry had chosen it cause it was listed as the number one place to eat dinner in this Hong Kong guide he bought. And it passed with flying oysters.
Yesterday, I had to be at work by 8 am, so I left them to do some last minute shopping and touring. We had a fancy French dinner in the Dbay plaza and he and Bas were off to the airport for a midnight flight back to Amsterdam. We had a really good time chatting about life, reminiscing about high school, and as always, talking about the other 2 gay men who complete our Happy Quartet... Josh and Tom.
Now the four of us are old friends, in the truest, Sondheim-defined, thousand-page-history, like-your-favorite-old-pillow, kind of way. We met back in high school and have since had this incredible bond which goes beyond time, space, good music and bad lighting. We all turned out gay, well, sort of. After high school, Tom moved to the States, Henry to Holland, Josh to London, and I stayed put. That was around 12 years ago. Twelve years since, I've been lucky to fly to New York to see Tom, TWICE. Henry has flown to Manila a couple times, and here for the first time since my moved. Joshua, everywhere from Manila to New York to Bangkok, and this year Australia? *wink wink* We've also seen each other in various combinations, Josh, Henry in Holland. Josh, Tom in New York. Josh, Henry, Tom in New York. Me, Josh, Tom in New York. Me, Josh, Henry in Manila. But we haven't been lucky enough just yet to all be in the same country in the past 12 years. But we do keep in touch. Somehow. And defy space and time by simply picking up where we left off... A loud "Daaaahling" and we're good to go. Here's to us! (a couple pounds heavier and lighter) who's like us? (babs? liza? patti? rebbekah?) ... Damn few... Love you guys.
And while this past year has been much about reconnecting with old friends, it's also been about creating bonds with new ones. Babies! Last week, I was asked to be ninong again. And who wouldn't want a ninong who works at Disneyland? Haha.. So here are the two godsons in my life... to the left, precious Gian and to the right, adorable Gabo. Aren't they cutie pies? *collective awwww...*
And while "Ninong Rony" is an incredible honor in itself, it's being called "Uncle Rony" which gets my mushy, musical heart muscles singin' a Disney tune...
I'm growin' up... and they're growin up fast. *sigh*
rhapsody [
12:54 PM ]
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Thursday, January 04, 2007
It's that time of year again and to celebrate the occasion and my new found skill in music video making (perhaps if music direction doesn't work out...too late.) I present... um... this!
So that was that? Whatchathink? Not bad huh? Oh wait, this should be less about "me" and more about "us"... anyhoo, I think the video said it all. Happy 3 year anniversary Bu. Love you...
P.S. oh, and Happy Birthday Mahar.
rhapsody [
12:22 AM ]
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Monday, January 01, 2007
Happy new year everyone! Let's get to it...
Since nothing is ever small here in the park, think strategically placed screens, a stage in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle, a DJ booth in tomorrowland, and a million people everywhere. And it's only 6 pm. We watch the last treelighting ceremony for the year, the last time we get to see Main Street white up with snow for 2006. A soundcheck with the big band at 7, dinner, Disney in the Stars at 9, and La Vida Loca kicks off the party. In adventureland, latin music underscores meet and greets with Disney characters. In tomorrowland, a DJ is spinning tunes to everyone dancing.
And at 930, the show at the main stage begins. It's Tony Carpio's big band featuring our very own (and I mean in that in the "our very own Disney" sense AND in the "our very own, proud to be Pinoy" sense) Anna Fegi. She looks fabulous and sings songs ranging from Orange Colored Sky to I Will Survive to Somewhere Over the Rainbow to I Feel Good. One of my favorite songs of the evening was a song I never liked until I heard her sing it, Mack the Knife... and here it is care of my tiny, red digicam...
Though I've known Anna since Rent Singapore 2001 and got to do Dreamgirls and Rocky Horror Show with her in Manila, she still amazes me. Every step of the rehearsal process for the show has been so smooth thanks to her incredible professionalism and to bring it to stunning the way she did last night, *sigh* She holds that Filipino banner proud in front of that castle. And check out her dress up close...
And you can't help but notice that all except for one musician in that big band is Pinoy. Galing noh? And a friend from college was in town to spend New Year's eve here in the park. KRIS!!! Her family was only supposed to spend the day in the park, but they ended up staying straight to midnight, and like me, had a blast...
So the night is rolling along, dancing, singing, picture taking, etc... Midnight approaches. The park is so packed right now, I'm glad to be in the spacious sound booth area. The host gets the audience screaming, doing the wave, dancing, jumping, clapping, their roar is deafening. 3 minutes to midnight and guess who comes out to usher in the new year... Mickey Mouse. He conducts the band's Luck Be A Lady Tonight...
Fireworks galore, hugs and kisses, cue big band "Celebrate good times come on!" Party!! I call mom and dad to greet them a happy new year. Crowds slowly dissolve as people try to make it to the MTR. I figure there's no point trying to leave now, so I leave with some friends at 1 pm and proceed to an intimate gathering here in Dbay with some friends, a cozy way to close the celebration and begin a new year.
I also give Andrei my first call of the year. *sigh* Sleeping by 5 am.
Oh, then Joy calls me at 8 am. "hey get on Skype"... JOOOOOOOOOOOOYYY! *happy new year*
And we're here at January 1. The first day of the year. Yipeee... Happy new year everyone in my life who takes the time to read my blog. Here's to everything HOPEFUL and POSSIBLE in 2007... Dream big, it's the only way to go.
rhapsody [
7:54 PM ]
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