Things are definitely heating up over here! We plan on being open in 6-7 weeks! So much to do in between! I'm taking an hour or so to attempt to catch you up on all the craziness that life has gleefully provided us of the late! I should start by saying I am happy to be alive and relieved to be healthy! I thought I was really in for it this week! On Monday I had terrible back pain on my left side, as if I had thrown my back out, but the muscles weren't tense, and the pain also was slightly in the front of my ribcage on the left side too. I took my temperature sort of as a joke because I never have a temperature, and it was 101 degrees! The pain got worse. I got a bit worried then, went to bed, woke up at 4am with a temperature of 103 degrees, cried, thought about calling my mom, or waking up Norman and going straight to the hospital, but decided to take ibuprofan and settle down, eventually falling back to sleep. Went to the doctor's keeled over in continuous pain, feeling faint the whole time. I went to the foreigners doctor this time, no muckin' about. I was sure I needed surgery or something, but fortunately two doctor's agreed I had this as a result of having chicken pox as a kid. The virus mutated, climbed into my intercostal muscles of my ribs on the left side and decided to make my life miserable! They gave me medicine, thank god for antibiotics and pain-killers! I spent the next 2 days in bed shivering under blankets, sweating off a fever, unable to barely walk or talk. Norman took the best care of me, even in his tremendously busy schedule. I would have lost my mind had he not been there! So, today I am better. The pain is faint, I am on my last day of meds. Took myself off the pain killers, can easily see how people become addicted to those. Now, back to work. Of course this illness was brought on by stress! Joke's on me! I guess I can afford to lighten up a bit! Being able to read in bed and turn off my cell and computer for days really helped to make me feel more in balance again.
We had auditions and have cast my chorus line of very talented international beauties as The Chinatown Dolls! The first auditions we had, before the ones that were publicized, were through a Chinese talent agency. The things we saw that day! First of all, they were almost all children. There were two adult magicians, but the rest were kids, anywhere from 6-16. I didn't believe along with the rest of you that the "16 year old" gymnasts from China were really that age, but Now I do!! Some of the acts we saw: 2 sisters, one maybe 7, the other 16 (looks about 12), do an acrobatics act together, climaxing with the older one balancing 5 fully lit candelabras (2 on her feet, 2 on her hands, and 1 on her forehead) and Then she does a full circle, turning herself over completely! As I write this it is a bit of a struggle to put in words what we saw! Hope to use those girls by the way. Another act, 2 twin boys, 7-8.... The cutest things! They juggled hats, did some balancing, mostly they were just adorable though, and they were one of the acts that looked like they loved it. They had "Show business" written all over them! We hope to use them too. One act we will also use is a girl who balances a fan on her forehead, with another fan on top of that, and then a cup of water on that, and then swings hoops on her arms and legs, all at the same time! Some acts were a little "Jean Bonet" if you will, and in the states red flags would go up immediately, but apparently not here. One very pretty little girl looking about six, did a whole contortionist act and her only steady point was her mouth biting down on a tripod thing, supporting the rest of her body. Then later she did an act on her back twirling and balancing a chinese umbrella. We were taken beck by the massive amounts of bruises covering every inch of her feet and ankles. Enough to turn your stomach, poor thing. One act which we will not be using was a small girl with a teenage girl on roller skates. It starts out cute, but then they each get neck harnesses and they clasp themselves together by the neck. The older one start skating in circle, while the younger one is flying around, parallel to the ground, flipping in circles, supported only from the neck! Quite frankly, it scared the shit out of us! Really incredible, but Really dangerous!!!
The auditions we had that were publicized attracted mostly foreigners, with some rather amusing exceptions! We had some fabulous singers come in, found some good girls and guys. Found a great Flamenco band, some beginnings of really interesting acts, some great dancers... and a few not so great dancers! All in all, we were happily surprised and are now feeling really good about the talent here and the ensemble we have formed! Right now in The CHinatown Dolls I have girls from all over, Norm calls it "The United Nations": Brazil, Poland, Uzbekistan, Australia, Shanghai, New Zealand, USA.... Went to check out the site yesterday. They have the bamboo scaffolding 3 stories high, all the way around the center of the club, and on the outside. 3 booths and a few bathrooms are laid, the ones that will support the 3rd floor. They work so fast here, it is unreal! So excited to see it actually happening!! Getting music in by the day from Joey Altruda, our musical director in LA. We have signed on Frank Bray, our Amazing show singer, Charlie Mayer from London as our MC (called him the other day and he was in Greece literally on his hands and knees scrubbing Aretha Franklin's toilet! Got to love it!), and have acquired a fabulous choreographer who also does costumes from France, but lives and works here in Shanghai, and is up for being a full time member of the team! Feeling very good all thing considered. Started rehearsals last week. Norman and I can't wait for the club to be open! Realizing that will bring a whole new set of issues and problems, but those are the kind we love to handle! We are rehearsing 9 numbers with the girls, then another 4-5 ensemble numbers that are mostly involving the men. It is all very exciting!
So being sick and not being able to do much I got to catch a few episodes of Gossip Girl. Find it interesting that they go to a "Secret burlesque speakeasy" to get their kicks. Where ever did they get that inspiration?
We were fortunate enough to go to dinner in The World Financial Building a few weeks ago. It is the tallest building in the world at the moment. That is arguable, but it is the tallest place anyone can stand in the world at least. So we were invited as the private guests of the GM of the Park Hyatt Hotel, which still isn't even officially open. I should preface this by saying this was one of the best nights of my life! I have never had a food experience like this one before. It actually caused me to go into a fast for four days after, not because I was feeling food guilt, but because the thought of eating regular food depressed me! So we arrived on the 87th floor, and the view is unreal. We were looking out on top of the Jin Mao Tower, the Pearl Tower, could see Shanghai far far off. We ate in the GM's private dining room... oh it was so romantic! A large open room, high high ceilings, a kitchen, a bar, a large private wine cellar, a long dining table, the perfect low music playing... We started with Champagne and caviar, and then this amazing meal:
Flower crabmeat salad, tomatoes, beans.-Champagne
King prawn (To DIE for!), char grilled, ratatouille.-white wine
Veal tenderloin, slow roasted, porcini risotta, balsamic marinated parmasan.-red wine
Lamb rack, Australia, oven roasted, garlic creme, lentils.-red
Brie de Meaux-red
Caramel ice cream bombe, dulce de leche. -port
Then coffee and fresh macaroons
I should be so lucky! It was unbelievable, I felt like an absolute princess! Turns out Norman knew the GM's father, he had a restaurant in Clifton in Bristol! We have arranged with them to send their people our way after dinner and we will send our people their way. We have also been arranging rickshaw services from restaurants and hotels to our place!
Those are the highlights at the moment without getting too into the gritty details! I am about to meet up with our costumer to talk to the feather guy! I will let you know soon about the opening, maybe even see a few of you here for it! Thanks for reading! Enjoy this October, I love this time of year! Yours truly, Miss Amelia
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