Thursday, December 24, 2015

The Luckiest City of All

   Singers, actress and different types of role models have played such a big role in my life. There wasn't a day i could go by without knowing about their lives. In my point of view, I don't consider myself a fan girl, instead, i really love what they do by who they are and how they stay true to themselves, how they work hard and inspire others, which includes me. I appreciate them, themselves as a person, the personality and their talents and work as such having impacts on my life, as an inspiration. I would like to see them in person, to thank them and simply telling them how much love i have for them.

  As you can imagine, being in a city of actors and actresses means hundreds of opportunities to meet your favorites. As simple as waiting at the stage doors of every Broadway shows or if you were that lucky, (which never happened to me) bumping celebrities on the street. The thought i had was like: I can actually meet .... or ... for they are in town doing things or performing in a play. It was more like a matter of choice whether you would like see them or not. And yes, one time i chose to chill in Central park over meeting Carey Mulligan...You just have to go and wait. And then Voila, list checked.

  So when Ariana came to town, the very first time, in February of 2015, basically she sneaked into the city like a breeze of wind, You'll only know when she arrives at the apartment she's staying in when she talks about it. And that time i was also staying in the city in a hotel about 10 streets away from where she lives for 4 days. But that was also my very first time to stay late in the city, aka. first time seeing a dark New York which was scary enough and it was ice cold. I didn't want to risk the chance of catching a cold for the next day i had to audition for a panel of industry guests including casting directors, directors and agents. And that was also the night i found out she had met the fans under her apartment... No regret. Priority indeed.






 So when the tour started in March, i knew she would come again and stay in the apartment of her brother's, so i spent the day after i attended the tour and i guess several hours of the next 2 days waiting under her apartment, hoping to get a chance to have a more intimate meet and greet experience and take more pictures. It was all fun and game and excitement for the first 2 hours for you got to meet other fans as well and they were mostly very nice and there were some really funny moments we got to involve in.


   Like one time, the security guards asked us, which was always 10-20 people to wait behind the barricade they just carried out of nowhere. So we all stood in the middle of the street behind the barricade they put, And it was like a moment of Les Miserables. Funny enough, Les miserables was also playing several streets away...Also, when we were standing so interestingly on the street, usually people would walk by and look at us and sometime people would ask us what we were doing. Since most of us do not want to give away the information, some other fans would say: We're waiting for church camp. And there you go, people would just be like Ahhs and Ohhs and walked away.

 There was a girl i met during the wait. She had all her hair braided in a ponytail, a Starbucks coffee in her hand. She told me she had been there for 8 times and hasn't met her once. And how i wish she would eventually because that was a lot of time she sacrificed. How i wish we all could.


  So hours and hours and days and days went by, to pass the time, most of us would go to the Starbucks just next door or to the cafe on the other side of the street to get Wifi and some food. So one day when i was in the cafe, i ordered a cupcake and grabbed myself a seat facing the window facing the building. Just like a detective, spotting any sudden move of crowd. It almost felt like i was a cop in a movie, waiting for a suspect to appear, and when she appeared, I would drop anything i was eating and rushed out like it was a matter of life or death. And one day, a staff, a guy wearing glasses who looked like he was French or like a version of Ryan Gosling in his glasses came to me from behind and said, "Has she come out yet?"

   And the thought i had was : "Oh my goodness, he knows about everything and he remembers me." Because who would come here on consecutive days buying veggie pizzas and cupcakes and sit for hours and he could absolutely see me waiting across the street from the store. So i replied, "No, not yet. Just saw her brother and the crew. and the dogs..." And then I started to ask him if he had seen anyone. He then told me he had seen several stars from that building whose names i cannot recall now. Little did i know so many renowned people live in that building.

So days and days passed and i could not wait longer, or put it this way, she had left at last and decided not to do a garage meet and greet this time. (Or actually till now what i know is that she seemed like she had stop doing that) . Yet, i feel like this whole waiting game was a very special experience for you get to meet and chat with other people who are doing the same crazy thing with you and knowing a random cafe staff would come up to chitchat with you and helped you kill some time was amazing. It felt like i have known about more lives and the stories of them. Yes, the time i spent was a bit long, like 10+ hours overall, still, i think i got to experience something i never thought to experience. And hey, i have met Frankie and the crew and the dogs...





This city is lucky to be filled with so many passionate, friendly people who gets so much stories to tell and share.
 
  

Saturday, December 5, 2015

What's truly feeding us

About a year ago, i became obsessed with supermarkets and grocery shopping. While actually buying things seems like a wallet emptying experience, walking through them is another thing. There is something exciting and calming whenever you see something new, something interesting and something you really love to eat.

  During my weekly grocery shopping experience in New York, i changed my route from Walmart/Target/Stop and Shop to Trader's Joe/Wholefoods and Target remained. There was a change due to a change in schedule and how i found Walmart and Target aren't cheap at all compared to how they have always  appeared to me. 

 Due to my hectic schedule, (but i really liked it). i had to shop on Mondays in the city or sometimes if i were free to go to the mall nearby on Saturday to Whole Foods to stack up all the fresh ingredients for probably every single meal of the week. And let's not forget about home necessities like toiletries and other boring stuff that consume lots of space in the shopping bag. 

  The supermarket i go to in the city is the Trader Joe's that fit just into my route of doing things in the city on Monday afternoons, Normally i would be there at around 5-ish and be ready to stack it up. One thing i really liked going there was basically about its price. There are no supermarkets offering a wide range of fresh ingredients with a cheaper price than Trader's Joe and its quality is also so good that is almost comparable to those of Whole Foods. And for one example, the 29 cents banana. I love bananas, i could be those people who eats banana everyday and still be bananas about it. So Trader Joe's basically is a money saver for i could save more than half of the money of the same stuff i buy when compared to that in Walmart or Target.

  The Trader Joe's i normally go to is the one that sit by the 72 st, Broadway overlooking a subway station which its entrance and exterior looks a lot like the facade of a little house of market or a church and at the back, just one street behind stood the grand and majestic building called the Ansonia (which i found out the name 6 months later) which almost made you feel like you have suddenly arrived on the middle of the streets in Paris because of its style of architecture that features some Parisian-like balconies at each window.




  As you can imagine, the journey of walking down to the supermarket was spectacular. But what's more impressive is the experience i had when shopping at Trader Joe's, right there at the cashiers.

  After filling in my trolley with cabbages, kale, apples, and yes, bananas and all other types of groceries and necessities, sometimes i would grab myself a pot of flower just to travel with 2 bags of grocery with a stalk of flower sticking out on my 2 hour train ride, which seems perfectly normal... I would line up with other fancy women to get to the cashiers. As 5 p.m is more like an off-work hour so sometimes people would just grab their trolley or basket and line up straight away to pick up food on their way to the cashier. I did not choose to do that, i just simply added on the step of grabbing more things during my queue to the cashier. 





  
Surrounded by the colorful walls of hand drawn painting featuring the drawings of the Upper West Side stood about 20 cashier stands. Each one positioned a staff, wearing the Hawaiian print staff shirt who would greet you with their greatest smile. It not only happened once, but at least three times that i love to go to that store because of the friendliness of the cashiers that i started to wonder if it was written in the staff rules.

  While i was laying the goods on the tiny little cashier table, one time, i remember how a female cashier just started a short but very good conversation. While the other supermarkets' staff usually finish off the whole buying process with phrases like ,"Hey, how are you", "That's _____ dollars", "Debit or Credit" "Have a nice day", the cashiers here were so different and made me feel like i had known them forever and could casually grab a drink with them afterwards. The female cashier began asking what i did just before i came here, asking where i study, what productions i had been in and in turn i asked her if she knew another language and visited another places in the world. That short moment alone really made my day because it turned something ordinary, like paying, into a close human interaction that made you feel like you are a part of the community, that people's experience are intertwining with each other and these kind of conversations made you learn about a new person and other things as well. Like you were reading a brand new story of a person. 
 Like i said, it not only happened once, it happened almost every time i go into the supermarket. Another time i remember is when a male cashier pointed at the corns in my trolley and he went : " Oh there are corns now?" I replied yes (because yes.. the store has it now?) And he went on saying how summer has come early and if they skipped spring. Just like that, i didn't know corns were in great supply in the summer but not winter until he spoke about that. Another lesson learn, checked. More than that, another small talk about which weather he and I like best also went on just at the cashier.

Just like that, I think its not about how beautiful one store is decorated, of course it can't be to shabby, and its a bonus if it's pretty...but the truthful human interaction and conversation you have with each other that can transform something ordinary into something more. Whether it was the rule of Trader Joe's that you have to strike up a marvelous conversation with each customer or it's just in them, i feel like these people are the food source of our souls and every week i would love to go there again to learn a different story, to meet these wonderful and nice people and to fill each other's soul with love and energy. 


______________________________________
   
(the last 2 photos above were taken from the web)
  

Monday, November 30, 2015

Walking history

  Just among the razzle dazzle theater districts, the tranquility of Chelsea and exotic West Village,
the skyscrapers of lower Manhattan and the luxurious uptown sophistication of the upper east and west stretches the beautiful, irreplaceable Central Park. Central Park was always a place i have dreamt of going, simply because i love nature and have never seen a park this big which covers a total of 4 avenues and 51 streets that takes you 2 hours to walk to the middle and back. At least that was the case for me as i stopped by every attraction.



  The amount of times i went to Central Park was massive. With a slow stroll along the roads with soft breeze blowing at your face under just the right amount of warmth of the sun, through the canopy of trees with streaks of sunlight shining through the gaps of the leaves and thousand lovely pink and white cherry blossoms, it always has been a chance for me to renew, to gain energy, a clearer mind and serenity. I don't know what it is but the park is so magical. Whatever hectic events you have in your week or day, you can just go through the buildings and walk straight into this fantasy garden and suddenly all the troubles you had just seem to gone with the wind and you start to appreciate the nature and wonder why everything is so beautiful. With all the greenery, the open space, the ever-changing seas of tulips, crocus and salvia at every corner of the park overlooking the skyline of the upper east and west side, I wouldn't want to be in any other place. I even almost cried one day in happiness when i was walking down the roads along the west side of the park with the song One Day by Lea Michele playing on my ipod, realizing the blue skies ever after and the one day was just now.




 And after many strolls, i decided to go there in my best dress to take some photos. The dress wasn't a casual dress you can throw on to any random occasion but maybe some cocktail parties and performances. It reminds me of fifth avenue and Breakfast of Tiffany because of its black and white pattern and the Tiffany blue belt. What's more perfect to wear in the park.


  Before slipping into my heels and begin the shoot, i walked around in my boots, spending some alone time in the upper west side of the park and wanting to take some photos of the buildings and the bridge. While i was walking past Bethesda fountain into a narrow road leading to the pond which lays the bow bridge, I was looking at some sort of flowers on my right and just so randomly an old man probably in his sixties walking his bike behind me asked if i knew what kind of flowers they were. Oh god, i didn't even know the names so i asked him back if he knew cause that was why he asked me the question right. Anyways, he replied no and thought i knew. I smiled and said i didn't and wished i did. Then the old man began to strike up a conversation with me about what i was doing there. It was nice to stop and i expected to chat with him for like 2-3 minutes, i learnt about he was doing his weekly work-out by biking around the park which sounded absolutely fascinating as having to bike in the park every week is purely a luxury. As i wanted to resume my walk and said goodbye to the old man, he asked if we could walk together as he too was heading towards. Of course i was a little startled by the idea as once an old man casually talked to me and asked me to sit down on one of the benches in the metropolitan museum of art and later asked if i could join him for a drink (well i talked to him at first as i thought he was a staff from the museum asking me if i liked the exhibition or not and guessed i was wrong, of course i walked away very quickly) So, this time, i was honestly a little scared.



   So there we walked towards the pond with the view of the bow bridge, the famous twin towered San Remo and the Dakota building (which John Lennon was shot there) adding grace to the skyline.


   The old man started to talk about these two buildings. It started to get a little interesting as he was literally talking about the architecture history in the 1920s in 1930s. I didn't know much about these two buildings apart from its association with John Lennon and Art deco and apart from they are equally beautiful. He started to explain what Art deco was and how it started and what type of material was used and there although i wasn't really paying full attention, i felt like he was a living history. So after another 3 minutes of history lesson, he kindly parted and resumed his biking workout and me? using the time to take photos of the buildings.




  The idea of wanting to tell me about the history of these two buildings and the style of architecture made me feel thankful afterwards. Well, not at that moment as i was still a little preoccupied with uncertainty of the situation. But now looking back, sitting on my cozy chair, i feel thankful for the walk of history and wished i was paying attention because no matter what information you find in the book or website, it cannot be compared to a real-time walk down the history.


- a family with an old person has a living treasure of gold -

Have you ever found wonders in old people?


Until next time xx






Monday, October 19, 2015

A helping hand

Travelling alone as a girl can be so much fun. As long as we skip the part where we have the carry all the bags and luggage with us. I still remember the moment i was dropped off to the place i was going to stay in, all round me was nothing but the houses, trees, a crystal clear sky and the bright sun which i admitted it was so beautiful and tranquil that i could not believe i would be so lucky to be living in a place like this. Oh, and of course, my luggage. I had two luggage with me and for the first time in nowhere where only one or two people were in sight in the whole area, i spent a lot of time trying to move the luggage to find where i could enter. Lets not mention i walked around in a circle only found out later the entrance was just very near of where i was dropped off... Gladly the snow storm has passed a week ago so i could move one luggage at a time to go around the house. I was desperate for help but simply no one was there and even there was one, he did not stop.... I still remember you...though i forgot how you look like...

   As time go by, carrying luggage and bags was no longer a problem once i settled in. I can go to the supermarkets and ended up with two or 6 plastic bags filled with groceries spread along my arms but that wasn't a big deal as a bus was there to pick up from the supermarket and drop off just a 30 seconds walk away from my room. Okay, maybe a minute. But you see the point, it was that close.


   Then once in a full moon, i forgot what it was, i decided to spend big on that week's groceries. Big on prices as well as the variety of food. I usually would grab 6-7 different types of veggies, some packs of pasta, 4-5 types of fruits, packs of vita coco and smart water, salmon, 3 cartons of almond/cashew milk and maybe some necessities i need for the week. And on that Saturday, i went to Whole foods to complete my weekly grocery shopping. For Saturday shopping, it was a different bus, the bus doesn't stop right in front of my room, instead it would take me quite a walk about 13 minutes to get back home. It doesn't seem so far if you were there as you can basically see the house but i have no idea why it would still take me at least 10 minutes to walk there.






  So off the bus i went, i had two whole foods paper bags filled with food on each of my hand plus a green environmental friendly one up on my shoulder, or the arm as it kept sliding off my shoulder. it was so heavy i did not know why but probably was because of the fluids that i had to keep putting the bag on the floor and switched them across my shoulder. Yeah, you guessed it, i was kind of hoping someone would help so basically i was doing this kind of action as a) it was really heavy and i really had to switch the bags to my other hand and b) no lies, i was hoping someone would help me to pick a bag or two, or all...

   Having the experience of my traumatic luggage move-in situation, i kind of knew that was never going to happen and i had to crawl my way back to my room. Just when i was about the walk again right after i picked up the bags from the floor, a guy walked beside me and asked, 'do you need help?"  Thanks god there was a person, offering help. But as usual and polite i have to be, i said no, "i'm good, thanks". What on earth was i thinking, i don't know. As i continued to walk a step forward, the bag slid off my shoulder again and the guy went, "ah-ha, you do need help." And there i could not defense no more, I gave him an expression that kind of says, ya, it's too heavy. As quickly as how my mind changed, i slid off the heaviest bag over the whole foods paper bag which is the green bag on the floor and asked him to help me carry it. Okay it could not be over the paper bag, so what i did was to place the paper bag on the floor, slid off the green bag and handed it to him. How generous i was.

   Anyway, i was full of heartfelt gratitude that at last a bag lifter hero came to save my bags and i no longer had to crawl back to my room. What's more, we started to hold a small conversation along the walk back home. Unfortunately, i could not remember your name nor your face now but it was so nice having someone to casually walk up to you and help you with your bags and chit-chat about your life and the point he insisted to carry the bags back to my room, well living room, and then left was so nice. I remember telling him 3 times like it's okay, i can carry the bag myself now, it just 2 minutes away, it's just 30 seconds away, it's just around the corner... but the bag was carried till the last minute, the last mile. I thank you again for that.

   As people always say, 'you have two hands, one to help yourself, the second to help others.'










Friday, September 18, 2015

More than a train ride

  Having accepted the fact that each time i want or have to go to the city, a 2-hour train ride is a thing you can't escape. Without knowing when was the exact time i felt totally comfortable and enjoying the whole train ride, i started doing things during my journey. While most of the time, without internet access, my eyes would follow every tree we passed. I still remember my first ride to the city. i thought the place i just moved in is a really deserted region which all you see are barren trees over the next 100 miles and that time i hopped on the train and realized about 5 minutes train ride away, a small community/town is just on the side of the track almost made me sob. Well, i did look at other stuff apart from trees, houses,what people were doing in their garden, the mum carrying her baby waving goodbye to the train on the steps of the front house, the cyclists in the middle of nowhere paused their ride and waving to the train probably saying "look, it's a train!', the most scenic view of a lake house to those time i picked up my Backstage magazine and looked for casting and theatre news...but there are more to that.

   Throughout my hundreds times ride, there are a few things/people left me a fair impression and i have decided to put them all in this little post. Don't worry, you all have your own seats, it's not that crowded to be standing. (cut the joke, please)

    Usually after i ventured most of my energy in the city for a day and got changed for another train and was ready for the next one and a half hour or forty five minutes, a small nap is the most desirable thing. Cushioned seating, quiet environment... what a great way to re-charge and let time pass and the next minute, you found yourself closer to your destination. I always can wake up just stops away from my stop, well, except that one day... I did wake up at my stop i just...didn't think it was my stop... I remember i woke up magically and peeked my way to see the environment around me, cool, trees and houses, probably one more stop away. I didn't go back to sleep again . And the minutes i heard the closing door sound, it just clicked that it was totally my stop and realized i missed it! i snatched my bag and stuff and ran to the door...but it was too late, the door was shut tight. Having no idea what to do, i knocked on the window pane of the door hoping some staff maybe just a few steps away would hear it. "Ahh, too late." mumbled the old man sitting on his seat. The train started to move and i realized i have to go to the next stop which is extremely miserable just by the sound of it as what i found out later the next train departing from that final stop to the city is going to be 2 hours away. Suddenly, a man, i didn't really pay attention to how he looks rushed out and reached up his hand to the ceiling and there, push, he pushed a white button just above me. "if you missed your stop, you can push that button." Seconds later, the train started to pull over and there it stopped and the door finally opened for me. At that moment, all i know was to rush out to the platform, one of the captains on the side of the train asked:" What happened?" as i made my way back to the platform. "i slept..." and the train went to its final stop at last. To the man who rushed out to help me to push the button, which has no label for its usage!, i didn't have the time to thank him. and this is for you. Thanks.

 


    The second thing i want to write about are the random people on the train. I don't want the post be too long so i hope you don't mind i just mention the key things and people below.

      There was a time two old ladies were sitting a row back next to me on the other aisle. They were sort of dressed up in a casual way and seemingly this train ride wouldn't be their normal commute. The staff of the train in his uniform with a hat on his head came for tickets. After he punched some holes on mine, he went to the ladies. One of the ladies asked, "Do i have to change again?" This explained my thought about their ride that this was probably their first ride. The staff or can i say ticket man replied, "I don't want you ever to change." There, the two ladies laughed and so did i. "That was smooth!" said the lady. I just love moments like that, random people joking suddenly made me, the ticket man and the old ladies happy. Not only that, to the staff who would say "Have a nice day" after they checked my ticket instantly made me feel like my day is going to be great. Or to those people who don't know each other on the train but heard someone sneezed saying "bless you"are my favorite kind of people. And last but not least, those random people who sat next to me and casually started a small conversation with me, I think i like you. a lot.

      Yes, the train ride to and out of Manhattan is magnificent, so magnificent you refuse to believe its real and not photo-shopped. Those sunrise and sunset, specially sunset, red yellow and orange, and sometimes pink purple and blue, dyeing, filling and spreading all over the sky of Manhattan like a painting canvas, making a huge contrast of the silhouettes of the Manhattan skyline, the sun is dipping into the horizon while i imagine, the people behind those dark black silhouette in the city are still working hard and the city is still breathing. What makes the whole trip glistens is not just about the sky and the place, sometimes, it's all about the people. Sometimes train rides or more than just a train ride.


               


   


Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Sprinkle of pixie dust

"Where do you live?"
"Second to the right and straight on till morning."


 Living in New York without being involved in the show biz is like going to a buffet and only picking the veggies to eat. Not only are there numerous heart gripping Broadway shows taking you back to the century, into the fairytales or stating the reality, connecting your heart and somehow make you shed a tear without you understanding how it happened, there are also many professionals opportunities for you to get involved in with the stars and set your foot in the industry.

  Luckily, i did my video audition back when i was still in my hometown in December and got my news update 1.5 months later that i was accepted in a top musical theatre camp/organization in the city. The second i received the news i think i lost my emotion and did not know how to scream. It was too much.

   I'm not going to focus on all the details about the camp which i studied from the Tony Award winners , NYC's performers, casting directors or coaches. I'm going to share a special encounter with you. Let's begin, shall we? (bows dramatically and drags you behind the curtain)

    It was Day 2 of the camp. In our intensive schedule to prepare for the individual final showcase, we were given multiple classes from the professionals in different areas. One of them i had on the day was a dance lesson with Jacob. He is a dancer features in Peter Pan Live! on NBC as well as some stage credits in NY which i can't recall at the moment. We first studied a short dance routine from him, illustrating the story of Peter landing on the island with our body movements. After that, we were a given an except of the Peter Pan script to work on in pairs. I was given the role of Peter and i had to find my Wendy to complete the scene. Well, there were like the mum, Peter and Wendy, a total of three characters for us to play so there were like 3-4 Peter and 3-4 Wendy. As we were sitting in a horizontal line in front of the mirror, my first instinct was to look around me to see who's got the Wendy role.  In no time, i made a mutual agreement with a girl to play the scene together.

    Cierra, was the girl's name. She has blue eyes and straight blonde hair long enough to reach just below her shoulders. To be honest, she looked so much like a Wendy. We ran though our script together and she sewn back my shadow. We made a quick bond with each other before we realized it. After several practices, we played our scene to the class and got our lovely feedback.



  The class ended in no time.  And it was one of our favorite moment next, Lunch! We have catered lunch in a buffet style including sandwiches, salads, cookies, fruits and lemonades just around the corridor. As usual, we hurried to our bags, got changed and get ready for lunch. Did i mention the faster you get to the table, the more food choices you are about to have as we are food bugs. While I was changing and packing, Cierra walked next to me, 'Are you going to get lunch?"  "Yes." "Cool, I'll see you there.' said she as she turned and walked away with a smile. Just seconds later, She turned back and said, 'actually, i will wait for you.'

    There you have it, i was so happy she said something so sweet and would actually like to wait for me. It was the time i felt like i have found a friend who would like to be around me in this camp. And there as i finished packing, I swear we were heading towards Neverland.

    If we all show a little love and care to each other, we don't need any pixie dust to fly to be happy.


















Until next time xx


Sunday, August 9, 2015

Hey i remember you ,Sweetie !


   I haven't really watched any movies in the theater out of my own hometown once. Well, simply because even you are travelling to a new country, all you want to do is to explore around the streets and not wanting to watch a movie which you can also watch anywhere but during your trip. I mean, the movies won't change right. That also happened when i was travelling in London like probably 6 years ago, i was passing by a famous movie theater where the premieres are held. Of course i didn't go in as that you read earlier was what i was thinking.

    Gossip Girl was a huge part of my "tv life" when i was around 12-14. I know it is a TV series and has nothing to do with movies ahem. Yet , in April, when the snow has finally stopped but it's also a little chilly that you still have to carry a coat around town. A movie, The Age of Adaline ,  starring the GG star Blake Lively was up and i was quite intrigued by the film for its plot surrounding the time period from the 1920s to the time we are living now. I believe that was also the time that one of the courses i took, stagecraft, was in the session of costume designs. With the two fabulous reason plus kind of wanting to go in a movie theater in New York (because i'm not travelling but staying over in the town this time) prompted me to spare a day to go to town and watch the movie, having the thought of maybe i'd learn a little more about the costumes in different periods which fabulously go together with my lessons and just chill.

 
   It seems like everything was planned for me. I was notified my acting class at school is cancelled on Monday as the teacher had to attend a meeting or whatsoever. As i finished my 8:30 am class, i hurried back to my room to get changed and packed everything and hop on the 11:20 train.

 
    As i usually have my vocal classes on Mondays in the Upper West side in the evening, i picked a movie theater which is the closest so i don't have to run for my live to be on time for that. So i walked out of the 79st, Broadway subway station where i was always greeted by the imposing Roman Revival style church lying gracefully somewhere between Amsterdam and Columbus and of course the open and special air of the Upper West Side in the gloomy day. I walked my way to the movie theater on the 84st. As i pushed open the door, all i saw was only an old man who had seem to be just bought a ticket and a lady working behind the ticket counter. It shouldn't be a surprise as it is Monday and most of the people are either at school or at work. That also made me realize how blessed i was to sneak into the city, well, not exactly, it's not like i sneaked out of school... I walked towards the lady, who appears in her twenties/thirties, black, with a very friendly face wearing the AMC uniform. She greeted me and i did too. And then she asked what movies i was going to watch. I told her it was the Age of Adaline, She then said something like: 'Oooh! that is a good one.'  I replied, 'have you watched it?" , kind of hoping to know what she thinks about it, 'Oh no, i haven't. But i really want to, it looks so good. I saw the trailer.' said the lady.   'Yeah, you should! ' And there we finished the transaction and the trivial conversation about whether i could get student discount as the ticket was  like $17 and i didn't expect that. It turned out all the prices were the same.. so i just accepted the reality and headed out for a quick lunch.

 
      At first i wanted to get Chipotle down the street but it turned out it wasn't opened and the paper sign they stuck on the door was ' unprocessable'. I forgot what was written there but it wasn't like it's closed or under reconstruction, it was more like , hey we are going out for a tea, sorry. It wasn't just me who wanted to go in there but was confused by the sign. Two man, walking behind me wanted to go there too and was equally confused by it. Anyways, it isn't important. So i walked a few more streets down and got myself a cozy Italian Wedding soup, which i wasn't sure what that was but it sounds wonderful and an avocado tomato Mozzarella sandwich at Hale & Hearty. After i finished my lunch, i headed back to the theater.

 
    There were groups of teenagers in the theater and the lady who was working behind the counter seemed to have switched her position to check the tickets and her original post was substituted by another staff. It was a huge difference comparing what i saw when i first walked in half hours ago. The teens were getting in line to have their tickets checked and i was waiting in their line too. When it was my turn, i was fumbling around my bag for the ticket. And just like magic, i swear i spent my time from the 1920s- 1940s and still couldn't find it yet.( It wasn't that long, probably 5 secs.) The lady looked at me and her face suddenly lighted up, 'Hey, i remember you, you came in just earlier.. don't worry about it. (padding my arm) Enjoy , sweetie.' And there, without checking my ticket, she let me in.

   I know it's a bit silly to say she has been a very nice person for she was just remembering me for i have bought the ticket. To me, it wasn't just that. It was the feeling she gave to me that we have know each other forever and for just being so nice and casually talking to me when i was buying the ticket made me smile from my heart and i really liked going to the theater because of that,

    It all made sense of the price of the ticket after i sit in the theater . Huge space, comfy sofa/bed sort of chairs and reclining seating you can actually sleep on with your legs laying cozily on the chair in the sky.  It felt almost like a private home movie theater where you can cuddle with your favorite blankets and have a cup of hot tea and snacks. And here is the second story of the angels i met in New York.  Remember:


   If we give a little love maybe we can change the world.


Until next time xx

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thank you for reading my blogpost honestly i don't know how you all find me but it means a lot. comments are welcomed . i hope some posts wouldn't bore you out as some of them really were like documenting my routine more than the encounter of the angels but i think i just want to write it in a complete way :D

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Be Safe

  It was cold that night. Probably around 10 o'clock in the station of Stony Brook, Long Island NY. 10 o'clock is of a different feeling depending on where you lives. In Manhattan, 10 pm just feels like 7pm . the road is bustling with people, hurrying or taking a tiny break from their work of their own dreams, cabs that always look so busy and expensive to ride in and all those neon lights on the buildings giving you so much to look at... but in Long Island or anywhere not in Manhattan but in the NY zone, 10 pm is the kind of moment where everyone is gone, back to their cozy beds either cuddling with their families, enjoying a hot bowl of soup or are on their way to sleep and get ready to go in the next morning. It is the feeling where you are left alone in the dark. It will leave people wonder why you are still out. And there i was , 10 pm stepping out the train on my own. Not many people were leaving the stations with me, even there were like 8 people of the entire train, they were all putting on their hats and gloves and kept their head down in their coats trying to get as much warmth as they can in the freezing snow. And there they went,  back to their homes, which, is of the opposite direction of where i was heading. As i was pacing my way through the slush, i gingerly made my way to the tickets booth a few steps below the platform. 2 cars were parked next to the ticket booth, i walked towards the ticket machines, trying to buy the monthly pass with my credit card as i thought it would make my life so much easier. As i tried, for like 3 times already, the screen just kept popping with the message of error/invalid. Being frustrated of the idea of not being able to purchase the tickets, i was worried if my credit card was not working which was a vital thing for me to go around as i didn't carry much cash with me and the idea of arriving at the station the other day to purchase a single ticket really was like a hit by the snow, leaving me helpless on the floor.Well , that was a bit exaggerated. The sound of a car pulling by caught my attention. As you may be aware, being a girl in the cold dark night alone with no sign of human around is not a good idea. I turned to look at the direction of the sound, two white headlights of the car is making its way in as it was parked beside the ticket booth. An old lady was making her way to the machine trying to buy tickets. Somehow, the heat detecting screen seems to be not working well. She tried several times and then a few minutes later, a man, probably in his twenties/thirties, black, quite strongly built but not as a terrifying figure stepped out of the black car. well, maybe it was blue, i couldn't tell, it was pitch dark around. He was walking towards the machine or better say, walking towards the lady, trying to buy the tickets on the same machine the lady was using. But it doesn't seem to work well, so they just try another. And there click, a ticket dropped to the box. Great news to the lady, she got a ticket now. While i am still here with no ticket. I asked if they knew why i could not purchase the ticket and when the booth will be opened so an actual human can finish the transaction for me. The man was not sure and said maybe 10am ?  I thanked him and decided to stay around the machines a little bit longer thinking maybe it would work sometime later. As they were leaving back to their car, the man said, ' is anyone picking you up?' i looked at him and answered, ' oh, i live here, just across the street.'  he replied, ' oh .there, okay be careful and be safe to home.'









I just feel like the huge amount of space was needed from what he said. A space for you to sink in the care of others. I instantly felt a huge ball of warmth passing into my body. No one needed to say that to me but he did. it just made everything better, i couldn't decide if it was the pressure of not being able to buy the tickets or the cold. but it was just so warm. I agreed and thanked him as he walked back to his car. And here it was the first story of the kindness of humans of New York as i encountered.

And now i wish you safe and happiness too.

Until next time xx.