Writing a new blog finally! So much has happened since the last time I wrote, we've had some ups and downs, but now the temperature is rising and things are bound to become even hotter in the next few months! One thing I always meant to mention, but I don't think I ever did, so let me just throw it out there before I forget! I had a celebrity moment not too long ago when Sasha (One of the World's top DJ's... either #1 or #2) was brought to town by my friend Andrew Bull to tour China. Now if you know me you know I don't know much about that world of DJ's, but come on, everyone knows Sasha, and I was really impressed with how cool and down to earth he was. It was really a funny scene though because we are in the VIP lounge and the Chinese LOVE him so much and kept taking pictures and getting autographs, but in between no one would talk to him and he was left sitting all alone, which just stikes me as hilarious! So of course, being the kind of person I am I take it upon myself to let him know there was a person in the room that could form full sentences and could carry on a regular conversation! Heard all about his new born and I got a kick out of it when he said he loves to come to Shanghai to relax! Ha! Anyways, it was just another one of those "This couldn't happen anywhere else in the world," sort of things, like the time I hung out with Talib Kwali, who, if you are from NY, you know that's pretty impressive! I can't wait till our club is open and i get to entertain every celebrity who comes to town in my own house! So enough bragging, I just thought it was a cool story!
Been to a lot of great parties lately, and actually thrown some ourselves! M on the Bund, the 1st establishment on the Bund, had it's 10th anniversary party and guess what their theme was? "Pink Burlesque!" They brought in The Atomic Bombshells again, I was a bit confused why they didn't hire our local Burlesque troupe, "The Chinatown Dolls," but they went over a treat, and the reaction is very encouraging.... this town is SO ready for what we have to offer, I think we will blow people away when they finally get to see the real thing! Then we threw a party at Hamilton House, BIG NIGHT OUT believe it or not, which you may or may not know is a party Norman has been throwing for 20 years in New York City as "Norman's Big Night Out!" We had our favorite choreographer and drag queen perform, Chinatown Charlie sang "Puttin on the Ritz" on the bar, I performed a special Showgirl Birthday number, Miss Sassafras performed a fire act, and then I concluded the night with the debut of a brand new Burlesque act! So I'll tell you a little secret... While I have been performing in Burlesque shows for over 4 years now and I've been a show girl and performed my famous "Any Movie in 3-Minute Acts," I've never actually done a real burlesque before, so this was very exciting for me! I have chosen not to go down to pasties and g-strings though, which is a personal choice (My mom would kill me!), but also I really am standing by my stance of The Tease is Sexier then seeing everything! In New York "Burlesque" has almost become a bad word, as it often now means an inexperienced, Dita-loving girl working out her issues on stage, and you end up seeing the exact same act over and over again, which is a dance around, then they pop their tits out, and sure you can wear a million different costumes, but at the end of it, it's still the same act and their is no creativity or stage-craft involved, which is what I stand by as REAL BURLESQUE- WHAT WE DO! My examples are people like Ms.Tickle and Lady Ace, I've been lucky enough to be influenced by The Best Burlesquers in the world, and I am so glad to be coming to burlesque from this side of things, as if I had started 4 years ago I probably would have been one of those girls I mentioned blindly going throw the actions that they've seen a million other girls do before them, missing the whole point of the ART that is involved. Also, I find it a bit disturbing now how eager people are to show the world their secrets.... I mean, I've worked really hard to come up with original, never-before seen ideas, and the truth is I don't really want them out there for the world to copy... I struggle with this a bit because things like facebook and myspace are great on a lot of levels, but everything is so exposed these days... It's all about the Tease!! There, my rant on Burlesque for the day, I can scratch that off the list now! :)
So you may or may not know that when the financial crisis happened we lost one of our major investors, leaving us two-thirds the way through the project, but missing half our capital, so we have reduced the share price and are now selling shares to individuals, as well as some very important businesses who are buying up blocks. At this moment there are still some shares available at a bargain price, and the sooner we sell it the sooner we can open our doors, so get in touch if you would like to know more! The club is GORGEOUS!! We have added a 3rd floor private bar, I can't tell you all our secrets, but boy do we have some tricks up our sleeves and surprises in store for you! So since that Hamilton House gig, (which I forgot to mention, turned out a crowd of 400 people, and we ended up having to turn away 100 at the door because we were so packed) we have been getting calls and offers from all over town! I have "The Chinatown Dolls," booked out 5 nights this week, and it looks like we have several more major gigs coming up as well! The first night The Dolls went up was sort of a big night for me I felt, as it was the first time EVER where I didn't perform and got to be there as director instead! I liked it! I am so proud!
Norman and I have obviously been feeling the stress of this project and can't wait to just focus on the creative work we look forward so much to! Our business manager Tim Clark is a swell marsupial (Australian) and as an investment in all our futures decided it was time for Norm and I to take a vacation, and he sent us both to Phuket Thailand over Chinese New Year for the most amazing, beautiful, and relaxing Honeymoon anyone could ask for! The weather was perfect... we sat on the beach and got tanned (Well Norm became Lobster Boy on the 2nd day, I managed to make it half way through before I became Shrimp Girl!), I went snorkeling for the first time! I couldn't believe the incredible psychedelic fish down there! It was hard at first to get my body not to go into panic mode, breathing underwater is an odd sensation. Norman says those beautiful neon stripped fish go grey when taken out of the water, and that where we were wasn't great diving, but I loved it! Our hotel was great with a nice pool, balcony, tub, breakfast... We rented a motorbike and went all over in it! I definitely noticed the air quality, and a few days in the sun and ocean cleared up all aches and pains and sniffles. We went to the main touristy area a few times, saw all the lady boys and a bunch of drunk tourists. The highlight there for me was finding a rasta bar tucked back away from the crowds. One night we went to see the Ladyboy Cabaret show... ugh! It was awful! Great, world class sets, and some impressive costumes (but all the same drag queen stuff, after seeing it over and over it's not nearly as impressive), I mean, quite frankly, there was no talent there! But hey, I told Norman, "If I was a ladyboy, I would be very happy with a gig like that!" But we had a hard time bringing ourselves to clap... it was good to see it though as it just underlines how good the stuff we do is! The Thai food! Just the best! The fresh seafood, and green curry, with a margarita.... I can't think too hard about it because I miss it! Another big highlight for me was riding an elephant and petting a baby elephant! Even the baby was huge though! I was very aware that baby could have me! I got to feed one pineapple, and it was so cool! That big, huge pointy tongue, and their trunk trying to pry it out of my hand! I fell in love! We also took a pilgrimage to see The Big Buddha, which overlooks all of Phuket. It was a lovely experience, we were both blessed by a monk and still have the strings around our wrists from it. The Thai people seem like a really fun culture. Very funny, and fun sense of humor, though I got the impression when your back is turned they are actually laughing at you! We ate lunches on the beach, saw the sunsets both from the beaches and from high peaks... We didn't want to come back! But I'm glad we did!
I miss my friends and family back home. It seems like a lot of people have been going through rough times lately with health issues, and this financial crisis. We feel happy we aren't in the states and NY right now, but we also had hoped to be open before this crisis hit, as it is now affecting us very much too. We hope to be back in the states and UK during the month of August! I'm very much looking forward to the party my parents will be having to introduce Norman to all my family and friends! All this being said, while times are tough, I feel so lucky to have my husband, who at the end of the day, we can always make each other happy, and a beautiful supportive family, and a fabulous group of caring friends. During hard times it becomes quite apparent who is for real and who is not. I've grown up so much in the last year, I am very happy to be where and how I am now, and quite honestly, I just see it getting better!
Thank you for your kind attention! I have toyed with the idea of really doing a blog make-over and make it more often, and while that sounds like it could work, I honestly don't have the time or the computer patience necessary, so i apologize for the infrequency of these blogs, But I definitely appreciate your interest and like I said before, who wants to give away all their secrets? It's all about the TEASE!
Big Love,
Miss Amelia
Also, check out www.flickr.com/ameliakallman for pics from Phuket!
