Christmas Eve 2010

The menu for our Christmas Eve celebration was an ethnic hodgepodge of seasonally inappropriate entrees:

Boiled crawfish Louisiana style

Duck soup served with rice noodles

Mung bean sweet rice paired with BBQ pork

Side dishes:  Potatoes; Butternut squash; Carrots

Nothing went with anything, but the Christmas spread sure looked colorful and appetizing!

Crawfish and potatoes

http://www.cookinglouisiana.com/Cooking/Recipes/Seafood/boiled-crawfish%20-%20JG.htm

Duck meat

The crawfish received mixed reviews... my dad deemed it too troublesome for too little meat (sort of like the poor man's lobster), and my mom complained the broth tasted "muddy", but the young crowd loved this dish.  We concurred that the duck soup was under par this time.  Because of the recent rainstorms that blanketed Orange County and the surrounding areas over the holidays, Doca's nanny had to buy a frozen duck from Albertson's instead of the live poultry market she'd often frequented.  Apparently we all could tell the difference!

Gisele had just recovered after two miserable weeks of fighting the flu, but was quick to join in the fun with her cousins again.

Gisele in our family room

To reduce chaos and clutter, Doca suggested a family Christmas gift exchange for the first time this year.  It was the traditional gift exchange with a twist.  First the kids got to take their picks of gifts, then the adults.  After everyone has had a chance to open their presents, four names were picked from a hat and those lucky few had the opportunity to steal/trade if they weren't happy with what they've got.  Amazingly, although there was a certain white elephant component to this sort of "blind" gift exchange, almost everyone ended up with a gender-appropriate present and there was practically no griping.

  

Natasha wondered why there was still clutter and chaos?!



Lauren helping Grandma unwrap her loot

Andrea taking her time to decide

Audrey checking out her pick

Lauren still fished for a kiss from her little cousin even though Gisele unceremoniously "stole" her cool gift of a Pottery Barn Teen magnifying makeup mirror...

After wrapping up our celebration around 8 PM, the kids skipped over to their dad's place in the same neighborhood to begin the festivities anew.

Trap shooting, December 24, 2010

Right before our family gathering on Christmas Eve, Midol took my kids trap shooting at Mike Raahauges Shooting Enterprise in Corona.  It was their first time learning how to use a gun and shoot clay targets.  Instead of practicing on a still object, they get to shoot something in motion.  It's a real bonus for the kids to have a tomboy aunt, especially since their mom happens to be a complete klutz who doesn't get sports!

Surprisingly, Audrey did very well (for some reason we expected shrieking from her), and Kiet also, though not unexpectedly.

 Audrey in action

 Andrea followed...

then Kiet,

and Lauren

Look at all those shells on the ground! 

The Holiday Rush

For the past week, I've reminded Audrey and Lauren numerous times that they had promised me a photo to go on our annual Christmas card.  As usual,  the kids deferred whatever it was they had to do until the absolute last minute, so as the workday was drawing to a close today, I was heading to the Post Office to drop my staff's holiday bonus checks in the mail with the newly printed cards.  What's worse, I later found out the reason Audrey's photos looked slightly off this time was because she had to use Andrea's camera by default, since she'd allowed hers to roll off the bed and the lens broke!

Arghh!!!

Waiting for Santa

(Lauren as photographed by Audrey, 12/21/2010)

Mini Competition at South Coast Dancesport

The girls have not competed for the longest time, but on the heels of You Can Dance, Paul (their ballroom dancing instructor) persuaded them to enter a mini competition held at South Coast Dancesport.  We'd known this dance studio as Laguna Rhythm, back in the days when Espie Hernandez was managing it.  At first, the idea was that Audrey would make good use of the dress she bought for YCD, but on the day of the competition, Audrey changed her mind when she felt she might be overdressed for the occasion, since it was held locally between three dance studios in the area and not a national event.  She ended up wearing a dress I bought off the rack at the mall for less than $30.

Lauren and Audrey watching other dancers compete

Lauren, looking all grown-up

I've never been of much help for Lauren in the fashion department, since she is handier by far and prefers to put her own signature on styles.  For this competition, she'd learned to fashion her own origami bun with a hair gadget sold at the junior's accessories store.

We reunited with Erik Cyr from You Can Dance, as he was the event's main judge.

Natasha always comes along to support her cousins at whatever they do.  Here she is fooling around with Lauren between heats.

Natasha and me

The girls didn't win, but we celebrated anyhow with dinner at El Torito.  I couldn't believe the competition lasted past 4:30 in the afternoon.  Thank God we didn't show up until almost 1pm for our turns.  Still, the girls were tired and famished.  Our party ate so much chips and salsa at the restaurant that we were sated by the time the entrees arrived.

It was fun getting back into the swing of things, but Audrey thinks she might be taking a break from dance soon.  She will resume vocal lessons with Diana during Christmas break, as the incessant rain has foiled her plans for taking Drivers Ed courses.

It never fails... when Seattleites come to visit, they bring wet, miserable weather to California.  Midol can't deny it anymore!  Wish she could've brought fresh air from our adopted hometown.

Midol on a hike with a friend

Thanksgiving and my Martha Stewart Dutch oven

"... I think you should invest in one since the Martha Stewart's 5.5 Qt Dutch oven (they call it a casserole on the Macy's website) is on sale for $39.99 this Tues/Wed before 1PM. I also received a coupon in yesterday's flyer for $10 off any $25 purchase, so you could actually buy that Dutch oven for $29.99.  Crazy price!!!  Maybe not the same quality as Emile Henry or Le Creuset, but for that price, I would definitely buy Martha Stewart's."

My sister is coming to visit at Christmas and she was trying to persuade me to purchase a Dutch oven so she could cook for my kids the way she liked.  I had a vague idea of what a Dutch oven looked like, since I've absorbed a few Cooking Channel shows by osmosis (when the kids have the TV on and I'm working next to them), but I'm the sort of cook who doesn't care for gadgets and to me, a Dutch oven might be considered a gadget, as opposed to a bona fide kitchen tool.  For years I've subsisted without a toaster, a blender, or a Cuisinart processor on my kitchen counter.  If you were to divide cooks into two camps... the exact and the approximate, I would be the latter and my sister the former.  Whereas I could easily substitute chicken for turkey in a recipe and never measure my ingredients, Midol would actually count the number of proscuitto slices she uses when making appetizers.  I don't know if this has anything to do with the fact that she's an accountant with an engineering degree, but hey, I was a math major and I'm pretty imprecise!  But like most women, I'm a sucker for anything with a reduced price and when I found out the Martha Stewart Dutch oven/casserole came in pretty colors, I was sold.  You could choose from a traditional chili pepper red, a funky apple green, or a cheery yellow that had a hint of mustard in it so the color wasn't too bright or drab.  There was also a medium navy perfect for a male chef, except I didn't know any males in my life that would feel excited about a Dutch oven.  Oh well!  Off I went to Macy's on my mission, intending to buy three – one for me, one for my mom, and one for an undetermined recipient – you know how it is when you like something enough that you'd buy ahead of time and occasions?

Anyhow, after picking out the colors I wanted, I discovered that it was impossible to carry three Dutch ovens at the same time.  Even standing in line with just one proved to be a difficult task.  I must've been seriously deluded to think just because Giada De Laurentiis -- she with the tiny lollipop figure and the 19-inch waist -- could (seemingly) effortlessly carry an enormous cast iron casserole filled with her culinary creations around her set with a smile, I could basically do the same.  The line at Macy's Housewares on that day wrapped around the department one and a half times and I finally had to set the carton that contained my Dutch oven on the floor and kick it along as the line inched miserably toward the register.  I must have looked pretty pathetic!  After escaping to a shorter line at Wedding Registry, I gave up on the idea of going back for the other two Dutch ovens and lugged my singleton home... down the stairs of Macy's, across the mall's parking lot, and finally into my driveway.  I was beat!

Once back home I immediately wrote my sister to complain:

"Oh my God! Was going to buy 3 dutch ovens to hit the $100 mark in order to use my $25 off coupon. The line to pay was a mile long!  I could not carry 3 pots at once... way too heavy. Ended up getting only one in the apple green color."

She nonchalantly wrote back:

"I know. I bought one and had trouble walking it back to the garage which was only 10 minutes away. I like that apple green color too, but my friend suggested red so I got that instead."

Huh?!!  Why didn't Midol tell me that before?  She knew she had been able to finish a 5-hour mountain hike whereas I couldn't even manage 5 minutes of exercise, and yet she'd neglected to tell me she had trouble with the Dutch oven's weight, too!

Well, looking on the bright side, the Dutch oven did have some redeeming qualities, including the fact that it is oven-to-table ready, being made of beautiful and durable enameled cast iron.  Besides, Midol had promised to make a few good dishes for the kids when she's in Cali... pork tacos (really tender pork shoulders), Vietnamese chicken curry, parpadelle with bolognese sauce, chili, just to name a few.  She'd better make good on her promise!

I decided to test out my Dutch oven at Thanksgiving.  We were going to prepare a side dish of scalloped potatoes to go with the turkey... our first ever homemade turkey in the 30+ years that we've been in the States, in response to my kids' complaint, "How come we always ate Vietnamese food even at traditional American holidays like Thanksgiving?"  Still, I thought it was too risky for me to attempt cooking a turkey from scratch when I've always resisted recipes that involved a cooking thermometer before, so I deferred that task to my brother Doca, who gamely took on the challenge and actually tried out for the first time a citrus-infused champagne turkey recipe that he looked up online without obsessing over whether he might've failed and left us with no back-up holiday entree whatsoever.  Maybe I should learn to think like a man!

Fortunately, both the turkey and the scalloped potatoes came out great (see pics below) and the kids gobbled up (pun intended) everything on our holiday menu. We even had a turkey cake for dessert, since my niece Gisele happened to be a Thanksgiving baby and her birthday was also being celebrated at our family gathering.

Scalloped potatoes in my Martha Stewart dutch oven

Madame Turkey

Turkey family (Doca, Gisele, and Hanh)

Gisele and Grandpa

The Three Stooges

(from left to right:  Natasha, Gisele, Lauren)

Gisele and me in my backyard

Impostor Turkey Cake

This is pretty cute:

A message from your Thanksgiving turkey:  I Will Survive

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd4h5xKLGuE



Daddy Long Legs: The Musical by Paul Gordon

starring

Megan McGinnis as Jerusha Abbott

and

Robert Adelman Hancock as "Daddy Long Legs"

 or alternatively, Jervis Pendleton

My sisters and I are each other's best dates.  We have exactly the same tastes in music and entertainment, and there's hardly ever a disagreement about what to see on the weekends.  Along with my precocious niece, Natasha, we happily hang out together at the movies, the theater and an occasional dance studio, any chance we get.  Last Thursday, we saw Daddy Long Legs at La Mirada Theatre and were all blown away.  It was that good!



I've observed during my few times there that the La Mirada crowd seemed to be more sedate than viewers at other venues.  At the Daddy Long Legs performance, the rows in front of us were filled with white-haired folks who metered out polite applause after each scene, but never enthusiastic ovation.  The gentleman that sat to the left of us was quietly slipping away in slumber not even 10 minutes into the show.  It looked to me he was dragged to the theater by his wife, who must be a more ardent musical fan.  Poor guy!

I have a friend who told me the reason she disliked musicals was because she couldn't help feeling disconcerted seeing the actors suddenly break out in song and dance after their dialogues.  It seemed somehow unnatural to her.  I guess I could see her point, myself harboring a strong distaste for Bollywood movies and the Vietnamese theater form of "cai luong" for exactly the same reason.  But in my mind, musicals were exempted from this rule, and I warmed up to them quickly after seeing my first, which fortunately happened to be one of my all-time favorites, Les Misérables.  To me, musicals are sort of like sushi, an acquired taste (though I have not learned to like sushi and moved past the safe California roll)... the more you're exposed to them, the more you'll grow to appreciate them.  I used to feel the same way about operas that some people feel about musicals; I thought them overwrought and difficult to follow.  After seeing Madame Butterfly, I softened my view a bit, but haven't turned into a fan.  There's still hope for me yet!

Getting back to the subject of this post, Daddy Long Legs.  I've seen a fair number of musicals, but none so intense!  The plot revolved around one main character that never, ever left the stage.  The set was incredibly sparse; there were only a couple slight changes between scenes.  So the engagingness and success of the musical squarely rested upon the principal's shoulders – Megan McGinnis.  The reviewers are absolutely right... she sings like a nightingale!  Robert Adelman Hancock, who played the male lead (actually the only male with a physical presence in the show, since it was a 2-character musical) wasn't shabby, either.  But I liked him best when he harmonized with McGinnis.  Their voices blended together perfectly, without a single mismatched note from the beginning to the end!

Can you imagine flawlessly speaking quick-paced dialogues and belting out demanding tunes nonstop for more than an hour in the first set without losing concentration or freshness?  With such a taxing role, McGinnis had to sneak quick sips of water in the shadows frequently when the spotlight wasn't on her, which wasn't that often.  Hancock did the same, but it was less obvious, since the particulars of his role had him sitting at a desk facing the library wall with his back to the audience for a good part of the show.

Storyline:

Jerusha Abbott (McGinnis) was raised in an orphanage until college age, when she learned that a trustee of the institution had been quietly observing her and, believing she had enough talent to become an author, offered to pay for her university education towards that goal.  In return, he asked that she write him monthly updates on her progress, but never to expect a reply from him as he preferred to remain anonymous.  Jerusha had only a glimpse of her patron's silhouette as he left the orphanage at dusk and from that point on, in her mind he was "Daddy Long Legs," a nickname befitting his lanky form.  In her letters, Jerusha addressed him as "Daddy," never knowing that her benefactor wasn't old and gray as she'd imagined him, but was in fact the charming and wealthy bachelor Jervis Pendleton, who happened to be the uncle of one of her college dormmates, a girl she disliked for her snobbish manners.

Over the course of four years, Jerusha faithfully wrote her "Daddy" as per their agreement, at first reporting about her schoolwork and life away from the orphanage, but in time, feeling safe with his silence and believing they would never meet, turning to him to confide her most intimate coming-of-age angst and struggles.  Little did she know that Jervis, despite feeling deeply conflicted, has become romantically drawn to her through their one-sided correspondence, and at one point, jealous and frightened that Jerusha might have feelings for an eligible suitor IRL, had devised to come see her under the pretext of visiting his niece at their college.  Jerusha immediately developed a crush on the devastatingly handsome Jervis, but realizing they were totally mismatched in social stations, chose to keep her attraction for him hidden, confiding in "Daddy" instead. 

For a long time, Jervis struggled to balance his motives and intentions, having fallen in love with Jerusha.  He debated unveiling his identity in order to attend Jerusha's graduation at her begging, but ultimately decided against it.  After proposing to Jerusha and being rejected, he went into seclusion.  Jerusha wrote her "Daddy" to lament how disappointed she was not seeing him at her graduation, but also to tell the story of how she'd hurt the only man she had ever loved, Jervis, by turning him away.  Jerusha explained she was frightened of the possibility, and could not let herself believe the couple had a chance at happiness.  She believed Jervis would stop loving her once he discovered she was a poor foundling that could only afford to go to college due to a stranger's charity.

The climax of the show happened when Jerusha sought out "Daddy Long Legs" and discovered he and Jervis was actually one and the same.

The story was set in the early 1900's and infused with old-fashioned charm and wit.  I was taken by Jerusha's determination to make something of herself despite her disadvantaged background and could imagine how Jervis would enjoy seeing her blossom under his care to a degree that eventually made it natural for him to fall for her.

In the lobby after the show, my sisters and I engaged in delicious gossip about the actors with the lady sitting behind a reception desk.  I asked whether McGinnis and Hancock would come out to meet their fans and the lady said we shouldn't count on it, as the star of the show "is very protective of her voice."  "Oh... which means she won't talk to fans or shake their hands?" I wondered aloud.  "I think she's afraid of germs," the lady conceded.  "So the real reason is professional, or personal?"  "I believe it might be a little bit of both."  Hmm...

We also discussed the beautiful chemistry between McGinnis and Hancock and I noted that it almost seemed a waste they're not together in real life.  We asked if McGinnis is married and the lady said she thinks she has a boyfriend back in New York.

So I went home and Googled Megan McGinnis.  Her website had a jukebox, which unfortunately did not showcase her best performances, IMO.  Or she could be one of those singers who sound much better in person than in recordings.

Megan McGinnis' website:

http://www.meganmcginnis.info/

Rob Hancock's website:

http://www.robhancock.com/

Daddy Long Legs at Rubicon Theatre:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-E87mn5X0o&feature=related

TheatreWorks' Daddy Long Legs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDH_QgedhRc&feature=related

YCD Results Are In!

My previous blog posts should have referred to the Marriott dance event held on October 16th more appropriately as the You Can Dance Gala rather than the show's finale!

As I found out from my friend, Dr. Chris Bui, the pressure wasn't off yet after his performance at the Marriott Suites where he vied for the People's Choice Award with two other contestants (Gillian Nguyen & Samantha Nguyen).  Dr. Bui still had to continue his preparation for the show's season-ending episode that would be filmed in the studio the next day – the final segment that ultimately showed Mai Tran triumphing as the first season's winner.

I've been so occupied the past few weeks with Audrey's 19th birthday celebration and other family activities that I didn't have a chance to check back the You Can Dance website until the news were already stale!

A few Saturdays back, I happened to talk on the phone with my aunt in Vancouver, Washington, who had complained that she didn't get to see my girls, Audrey and Lauren, on TV as she'd expected. My aunt is an avid SBTN viewer who faithfully watched every YCD episode and had mistakenly thought that every participant would be featured on the show, including the sponsor performers.

That conversation reminded me I've yet to view the SBTN broadcasts of the contestants' performances in the finals. So after rushing through my weekend errands, I finally sat down in front of the computer to catch up on what I've missed. You can watch along with me as well.

You Can Dance Finale, Part I, featuring:

- The Dancesation team performing a group routine to one of the most recognizable Vietnamese dance tunes, "Ghen", sung by Doan Phi.

Doan Phi surrounded by Dancesation girls

                           Photo Credits: Ðỗ Dzũng/Người Việt

- An announcement by the emcee that the total tally of phone-in votes nearly topped the 10,000 mark (the final official vote count was 9,945).  This might seem a puny number by American reality show standards, but it struck me as pretty impressive for a Vietnamese experimental pilot still gaining momentum in viewership. Even my elderly and technically-challeged aunt became a fan and learned to cast her votes by phone – all four of them as allowed by contest rules!

As announced previously, the determination of who would be among the six finalists rested on a combination of judges' scores, which comprised one-third of the total points, and viewers' votes, which accounted for the remaining two-thirds.

http://www.youcandance.tv/you-can-dance/you-can-dance-finale-part-i/

You Can Dance Finale, Part II:

The contestants were called out in pairs, beginning with Wendy Ho & Diem Vo and ending with Vuong Tran & Rao Nguyen.   A short recap of the judges' past critiques was narrated by the emcees – none as brutal as what you'd hear on Dancing with the Stars, but not that timid either, by Vietnamese standards.  I definitely felt for the contestants!

– First pair:  Wendy Ho & Diem Vo, with the latter eliminated from the finals.

– Second pair:  Gillian (Hang-Ny) Nguyen & Vu Khanh, with Vu Khanh losing out.  This was pretty much a given.  Hang-Ny was hard to beat and Vu Khanh probably knew so.

– Third pair:  Mai Tran, the season's top scorer so far, and Dr. Christopher Bui, Mr. Popular Vote Getter.  Both earned their spots on the finalists' berth.  Whew!! 

– Fourth pair:  Vickie To & Samantha Nguyen.  Samantha edged out Vickie as expected. 

– Fifth pair:  Phuong Tong & Tony Ngo, both of whom were eliminated!

This constituted a real surprise for me.  Everyone in my family was at a loss as to why the amiable hairdresser who could dance didn't place among the final six.  Unfortunately, it seemed his impassioned performance from the semi-finals could not overcome tough judging from the panel and uneven viewers' voting.  This was definitely one of those times when it helped to be a pretty female in a competition!  Tony was neither, effectively sealing his fate.

– Sixth pair:  Rao Nguyen & Vuong Tran.  "Uncle Rao" got in and "Auntie Vuong" was disqualified by not showing up for the finals.

Dr. Bui's supporters, most of whom medical professionals,

 formed the most enthusiastic section in the audience

                                    Photo Credits: Ðỗ Dzũng/Người Việt

http://www.youcandance.tv/you-can-dance/you-can-dance-finale-part-ii/

You Can Dance Finale, Part III, featuring:

A match of young vs. old, with contestants Gillian Nguyen and Rao Nguyen repeating their dance numbers from the semi-finals.  Both improved their performances technique-wise, but not necessarily in feeling and intensity.  Nerves were probably a factor, since the stakes were much higher this time around and Hang-Ny again had the pressure of being first in the line-up.  Nevertheless, she remained consistent enough to earn high praise from Judge Bryan Nguyen for her Paso Doble routine.

As for Uncle Rao, I grew to like him more and more for the engaging chemistry he exhibited with his professional partner, Melissa Cyr.  On a side note, if there were a Commitment Award reserved for the dance instructors instead of their students, Melissa would certainly be a deserving recipient.  Four months along by then and visibly showing, she gamely and gracefully glided across the stage with a serene expression on her face and a beautiful pregnancy glow that invoked admiration and respect from me.  I couldn't help remembering and wincing at the memory of how I looked through each of my four pregnancies (pretty much like a beached whale), and moved (struggling just to walk up the stairs, let alone dance).  Bravo, Melissa!  I absolutely loved her dreamy, story-telling choreography for Rao's routine and Judge Bryan Nguyen apparently did as well, describing it as possessing old-time cinematic appeal.

http://www.youcandance.tv/you-can-dance/you-can-dance-finale-part-iii/

"Uncle Rao" planting a kiss on Melissa's cheek at the close of his romantic routine

You Can Dance Finale, Part IV, featuring:

– Presentation of the Dancesation team  – the show's organizers, and the announcement of Dancesation girl Jennifer Nguyen's upcoming nuptials with Judge Bryan.  Awww...!  I also learned via the grapevine that the beautiful Hang-Ny and Dancesation team member Thai Le, a talented photographer in his own right, were officially an item.  Another beau couple brought together by their love of dancing!

– Wendy Ho and Mai Tran, both looking sinewy and toned, in power-charged performances that earned critical praise from all the judges.  Mai Tran especially benefited from beautiful choreography that illuminated a well-chosen, beguiling piece of music.  "Satisfy my soul, let the day begin.  Make the evening roll, let the big sky in..."   Poor deprived me!  Never heard this song before, but I loved it at first sound!

http://www.youcandance.tv/you-can-dance/you-can-dance-finale-part-iv/

Wendy Ho in good form with her instructor, Yiri Kosydar

You Can Dance Finale, Part V, featuring:

– Bs. Bui Xuan Duong playing Sugar Daddy to his beautiful blond "golddigger", Petra Chovancova.  Dr. Bui shook up his Cha Cha routine with comic relief by attaching an irreverent Rhumba piece at its tail end.  His supporters in the medical community rallied in full force, hoisting good-natured banners proclaiming the gregarious GI doc way too sexy!  Judge Thuy-Van made Dr. Bui promise not to abandon his career if he happened to win the competition.

– Samantha Nguyen turning in a noticeably shakier performance than at the semi-finals.  If looks could win this competition, Samantha definitely would be in the running.  Unfortunately, despite clever choreography, her footwork still left a lot to be desired.

http://www.youcandance.tv/you-can-dance/you-can-dance-finale-part-v/

You Can Dance Finale, Part VI:

I shouldn't spoil the surprise for any late viewers of the show by mentioning anything but the obvious – that the You Can Dance championship belonged to Mai Tran and her instructor, Erik Cyr.  But I felt justified, and thought it was about time, Tony Ngo got recognized for his dancing on the show.  He, along with Dr. Bui and Mrs. Phuong Tong, each won an award.  Find out who won what here:

http://www.youcandance.tv/you-can-dance/you-can-dance-finale-part-vi/

Dr. Bui enjoying his moment with award presenter Loanne Nguyen

The winners embracing with cheers all around

And the YCD trophy goes to... Mai Tran & Erik Cyr!

                                

                                    Photo Credits: Top two lifted from friends' facebook albums (ha ha!)  Last one:  Ðỗ Dzũng/Người Việt

Audrey's Door Signs

Ever since Audrey got a room of her own when we moved to our Columbus Square home two years ago, she's created numerous signs that covered her entire bedroom door, whose messages protested  forced alterations of the room's natural state and proclaimed it off-limits to visitors.  Some examples:

BLESS THIS MESS!

It's Not Messy; It's AweSome!

Clutter brings immeasurable
world peace.

Gandhi

MESS IS BEST!

Jesus

My favorite used to be her drawing of a charging guard beast with blood foaming out of its mouth above the following caption: 

Ki's Room

NO TRESPASSING

ATTACK UNICORN!

But I think this new sign takes the cake:

EVERY TIME YOU ENTER WITHOUT KNOCKING,

AN UNDERPRIVILEGED AFRICAN KITTEN IS BORN WITH ITS EYES TOO FAR APART.

“Please don’t make me ugly!”

You Can Dance (or not!), Part III

As it turned out, neither of my girls turned in the kind of performance we'd hoped for at the Oct. 16 You Can Dance gala.

Audrey was disappointed and embarrassed about the obvious flubs in her routine, but recovered in time to enjoy the rest of the program.  Lauren's performance was better than her sister's, but still not consistent with practice.  It was a relief that the girls went early in the line-up (Lauren was fourth and Audrey sixth), as my mom couldn't stay the entire length of the show due to poor health, but also a bummer that both my sisters missed the girls' performances entirely because they got stuck in the  hotel's full parking lot.

Due to unforeseen complications, we were late, and in our haste arrived at the wrong venue to boot.  Upon realizing our error, I told my sisters to try and get the car to valet parking as quickly as possible and split from them to lead my girls to right hotel on foot.  After running the entire length of the parking lot to the Marriott Suites on high heels, Audrey and Lauren were out of breath and stressed to the max.  Their instructor, Paul Bond, was waiting anxiously outside the hotel lobby to usher them into the ballroom.  They barely had time to catch their breath before getting in line to perform.

The sponsor dance segment consisted of 6 routines of about 2 ½ minutes each, whose music clips were pre-arranged and recorded in a medley, so our late arrival had actually held up the program because the order of the performers' appearances could not be interchanged and the Dancesation team wouldn't be able to begin the show until Audrey and Lauren had turned up.  We were terribly sorry we'd started everyone out on the wrong foot, and it wasn't a good night for Audrey at all!

On the positive side, we loved the way Audrey looked on the dance floor thanks to the magic of La Belle!  The Golden LaBelle team, which included shop owners Johnny Phong and Mina Uyen, the official hair & makeup artist of You Can Dance reality show, had graciously taken her in on a last-minute request from my sister Quyen, even though they were booked solid the entire day doing the contestants' makeup.

While waiting for her sister to come home from the salon, Lauren enjoyed going through her own beauty routine in the privacy of her room.  When I last checked up on her, she'd spent a good twenty minutes painting meticulous card motifs on her nails in keeping with her Poker Face dance theme.  As her nails were drying, she drew heart-shaped designs on her lips in red and black.  I wasn't crazy about the funky look, but not going to deny Lauren her creative license either as long as the result wasn't wildly inappropriate.  At her age, you can experiment and get away with a lot.

In the past, Lauren and Audrey have always worn off-the-rack dresses to all their dance graduations and competitions.  I thought it was about time Audrey got a proper dance costume of her own.  She'd ordered hers on eBay (Audrey was still an eBay fiend despite that disastrous experience with her pageant dress) from a Vietnam-based dancewear shop.  I had some misgivings about ordering online with a foreign vendor when the event date was less than 2 weeks away, but there wasn't anything I could find elsewhere within our budget that Audrey liked.  Fortunately, the dress arrived on time and needed no alterations.  It was such a relief as we didn't have any back-up Latin dance dresses in our closet.  For Lauren, I'd made do by ordering a quick-ship Rocker Girl leotard with fishnet cut-out sides from http://www.starsdancewear.net/ to pair up with her choice of a $19.99 off-the-rack black & red tutu from Discount Dance Supply.  To complete the outfit, we added a pair of rhinestone-encrusted sunglasses and stretch satin fingerless gloves from Lauren's favorite shoestring accessory store at Paul's suggestion.

Lauren in her Rocker Girl getup

We were happy about our costume choices, but couldn't help feeling a little envious of the YCD contestants' professional dancewear, which must have cost a fortune and looked it!



Lauren cutting the rug with her instructor, Paul Bond, to Lady Gaga's Poker Face

  

Audrey and Paul dancing to Marc Anthony's Aguanile

We had a marvelous evening even though no one from our family ventured onto the dance floor during the social dance segments.  The most interesting part of the show, besides seeing the contestants battle it out for the People's Choice Award, was the presentation of the L'Or de Jean Martell auction for SAVICE (Save a Vietnamese Child with Education), with a dramatic James Bond skit starring Loan Nguyen, Hang-Ny Nguyen, and Alexander Andreev, a.k.a. Sasha.  Although not a wines & spirits connoisseur, I was briefly tempted to join the bidding for the limited-edition decanter of rare French cognac made from a blending of the clearest eau-de-vie, aged over 100 years in the House of Martell's cellars (one of 120 bottles available in the States that carried a price tag of $3,600 each), until I was brought back to sobriety remembering Audrey's steep college tuition has yet to be paid this month.  Martell, one of the reality show's major sponsors, unexpectedly decided to up the excitement level by throwing in a private party package of catering and drinks for the auction winner.  Everyone at our table concurred that the private party itself was worth more than the bidding price at that point, but lacked the cash to make it ours.  In the end, the famed cognac bottle went to a generous and deserving supporter of YCD for just above $7,000.  The event's success allowed Dancesation to present a check in the amount of $15,500 to benefit SAVICE, which confirmed that the night's gala was truly a worthwhile endeavor to everyone who participated and a fun evening for all!

Hang-Ny in the L'Or de Jean Martell skit

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For anyone interested in glamorous special-occasion makeup and hairstylings, here's the address for La Belle:  10568 Westminster Ave, Suite #E, Garden Grove, Ca 92843.  Check them out on Facebook under Golden LaBelle (Johnny Phong) and view their amazing Before & After photos!