201 Street

Fame is elusive, but everyone looks for it.  Or for fortune.  Either one is never everything that people claim, and they still go looking, and sometimes it’s as easy to find as time.  Taylor Swift at 20 probably isn’t concerned with running out of time, and doesn’t seem to have much trouble with fame either, and fortune has definitely been a by-product of all of her good luck.  If pressed about which is more surreal, however, fame gets the higher Swiftrank every time.  And it probably should, because it seems as though everyone who’s been where she is has the same feeling about it.

Andy Warhol said interesting things about fame, is perhaps the most observant philosopher of fame for the 20th century (for the 19th, it would have to be Stendhal, whose cocktail party ramblings about the good life, and being draped in velvet still influence our definition of celebrity-dom). He understood all to well that it was an illusion that everyone pursues, and also understood that when it does come, it never stays for very long.  These are difficult lessons for anyone who spends a lifetime looking for it, so in the case of Taylor Swift, it’s not so much of a heartbreak if it does go, because she seems to be concerned with keeping an eye on the larger picture.

It might be difficult, however, at this point in the 21st century, to pinpoint exactly what the larger picture might be.  As her songs suggest, we are a construction of texts, of various texts, and they don’t always fit together neatly.  Some of these texts are images, and image becomes a new language in the 21st century.  Some of the texts are spoken, and some, of course, are songs, and quotations of songs.  Her ability to revamp and remix a tradition, with a very personal and introspective touch, is a remarkable feature of her talent, which speaks to the way fame can and should work when things are out of joint.  It might be velvet, or it might be denim, but it hints at a revolution that tries to open a road where things like fame no longer matter.

I came to New York to participate in a weekend workshop that will teach me about Binaural tones or beats. Luckily, I managed to book a room at a New York cheap hotel that was not far from where the workshop was being held. I learned so much that I’ll be able to now offer my clients another healing and meditative alternative.

I learned that Binaual’s is an auditory process which perceptions arise in the brain independent of the physical stimuli. The brain which produces a phenomenon that results in a low-frequency pulsations in the loudness of a perceived sound when two tones at a slightly different frequency are played separately, one to each ear, using stereo headphones. I got to experience this first hand, and I must say, after just one session, I could tell a difference with how I felt and looked at my surroundings. A beating tone will be perceived by a person, as if the tow tones mixed naturally, out of the brain. The difference between the two tones and frequencies must be small, about 30 Hz for the effect to occur. If the two tones are heard separately, then no beat will be perceived.

The effect creates a brainwave synchronization or what’s known as the brainwave entrainment. It’s a practice that aims to cause brainwave frequency to fall in step with the periodic stimulus which has a frequency corresponding to the intended brain state, for example, to induce sleep. It depends upon a frequency following a response, a naturally occurring phenomenon where the human brain has a tendency to change its dominant EEG frequency towards the frequency of a dominant external stimulus. This stimulus will be aural and visual.

I was so amazed with the results that I ordered most of their CD’s that were created with he Atmosphere Dream Synch mode. The Atmosphere composition has been used in television like ‘Lost’ and in movies, like the ‘Bourn Ultimatum’ and ‘Transformers’. All my clients will now benefit from this form of meditation.

I realized, luckily, at a young age that purchasing Concert Tickets at $100 a pop and then spending the whole concert standing in the spewing line in the bathroom was really to crazy. I would spend even more money on wine or beer, a really fleeting purchase if one really contemplates it long enough, when I could’ve bought a concert T-shirt. Something that I’d wear for years and it would bring back fond memories of the concert, but then again, that would be a stupid purchase too.

Spending the $100, I realized, as I got older, was so I could get pushed on, pawed, crushed and mushed, all the while my good shoes would be wading through spilled beers, sodas and who knows what else. All I can say, is thank god I managed to make it to the middle-age and no longer need to go to live concerts. What is really funny though is when I drop-off my two sons at a concert, I see so many ‘not-so-young any more,’ people at those concerts. I guess they just don’t want to admit that they’ve gotten older and that they refuse to let the new generation have their moment in the sun.

I do have to admit though, I am going to the Bonnaroo, but that is open for all ages. It will be fun to see the different mix of people and to, probably for the last time, experience the concert subculture which this music festival will bring out from the woodwork. I know I’ll be somewhat envious when I see the younger crowd run through sprinklers and dance as if they have not a care in the world. But, hell if I’m going to miss seeing Springsteen! And that’s when I’ll shine and the little teenyboppers will be a little envious of me when I scream ‘Yay! Tune! Da Boss!’

Spamalot is a musical comedy by Eric Idle, who wrote the book and lyrics, and John Du Prez, who wrote the music. The musical is a parody based on the Monty Python movie The Holy Grail. Eric Idle was one of the founding members of the English comedy team. It opened on Broadway in 2005 and won three Tony Awards that year including the award for Best Musical. Tourists who are staying in one of the four star New York hotels have the opportunity to see this and some of the other Broadway greats while they’re in town. The theatre scene also happens to be the reason why many tourists visit New York.

The musical includes the infamous characters from the film including King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, Sir Robin and Sir Dennis Galahad, among many more. King Arthur: King of the Britons is not very bright, and has trouble putting two and two together. Sir Lancelot the Homicidally Brave, is just as his name implies, almost psychotic. Sir Robin, the Not Quite So Brave as Sir Lancelot, is just the opposite. He is quite cowardly, though he is well versed in musical theatre. Sir Galahad is quite dapper, dashingly handsome and charming and was formerly a political activist peasant.

Mike Nichols directed the Broadway premiere, which opened in March of 2005 at the Shubert Theatre. Tim Curry was in the original cast and played King Arthur. David Hyde Pierce was also in the original cast and he played Sir Robin. Hank Azaria played Sir Lancelot as well as other characters, including the taunting Night of Ni. Before the New York opening, Spamalot previewed in Chicago at the Bank of America Theatre. The production began a North American tour in 2006. Also in 2006, it had a premiere in London, at the West End’s Palace Theatre.

He was too young to be playing the Blues on Open Mike-Night at the local coffee shop, but man, being young didn’t stop him from making me sit over two hours listening to him make me feel every note he pounded out on his electric guitar. He must be around eighteen, his face is that of a pup, so innocent and sweet. But, has he kept playing one Blue’s tune to the next, I could tell he’s been through much more than I will ever go through. His pain floated past me and through the audience of 5 on out to the evening air.

I was walking past the coffeehouse on my way to meet up with some friends after eating at Restaurants Dubai when his pain wafted through my soul. I had to see who’s pain it was that touched me to the core. So young to hurt so deeply. Was it a girl?  Or something more life soul-taxing like not being able taste the beauty of a sun setting after a thunderstorm. Or a need to write poetry but doesn’t know how to read or write. The depth of his never-ending reach into my familiar pain of a life longer lived and more stupidly. His pain is intelligent and seems thoughtfully arranged and categorized from least hurtful to pain one cannot even put words to. Yes, he’s that good!

How can I fall in love with pain? How does that even happen? I’m such a sucker for a wounded puppy. A puppy run over by a semi-truck and survived all squished and guts hanging out for all to see, hoping for someone to rescue him and put a balm on his wounds.  So, I’ve fallen in love completely, wishing I was young again. I walked up to his tip jar, as sexy as I could and drop him a ten. He gave me a nod and a wink and continued to sing. I left him there in his pain, feeling my pain my loneliness entering into the evening air.

A wonderful respite for the working traveler, and a generous offering of world class luxury, Singapore business hotels are winners.  There is no better place to relax and unwind after a long day, or to wake up, rejuvenated, and ready to begin another life adventure.  There’s no need to wish for the comforts of home, because they’re here at your fingertips.

There is a world-class pop culture scene here in Singapore.  With easy access to China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Malaysia, there is some cross-over success possible for some stars.  And Singapore’s own Stephanie Sun, or Sun Yanzi has achieved success in all of those places, and may very well be Singpore’s first superstar, or at least, for the moment, its most visible.   She is also very well-loved in all these places, and extremely popular here.  Her fame is perhaps in part due to her background in marketing, which was her major when she attended Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University.   One of her school music teachers noted her exceptional singing voice, and pushed her in this direction.  Using her marketing expertise along with her natural talents, she has made quite a name for herself in the world.

Her first album, I am Sun Yanzi, which launched her career in 2000.  She sings in Mandarin and sometimes in English, and is very adept at taking on various dialects when she sings.  This is one of the factors contributing to her pop stardom.  She has recorded more or less continually, with a brief break in 2003, after which she returned with her next album, Stephanie (titled so as to reflect the first self-titled album).   Now an internationally known artist, she is the owner of Make Music, her own company.  A very successful woman!

If you like the musical form of movies, you most definitely like Bollywood films. It’s really rare that a Bollywood film is made without at least a song and a dance number.  Even Mumbai Hotels offer an all ‘Bollywood’ channel. At the movie theatres Indian audiences want and expect to have full value for their money, which means they want more songs and more dances, a fantastic love story mixed with laughs and thrills. This extravaganza can take three hours to watch, so an intermission is necessary. This particular type of Bollywood film is called masala, named after the spice mixture. So, like masala, these films are a mixture of many, many things.

Melodramatic plots tend to employ a more formulaic mix of ingredients. The star-crossed lovers of rival families dealing with corrupt politicians who are kidnapped by conniving villains. Street hookers with a heart of gold meeting there long-lost siblings or parent, seperated by a tragedy, but had a reversal of fortune and can redeem the fallen fem-fatal.

The more ‘artistic’ film have a flare of sophistication. The story written by, for example, Guru Dutt or Shyam Benegal lose out on being box office hits, not appealing to the mass. But, Bollywood is changing to keep up with the ever rising income of the lower class. Bollywood films increasingly are experimenting with new genre’s, breaking the ‘masala’ mold or even subvert it.  A younger, educated audience is significantly aiding in this change. Due to access to the Internet and the vast availability of Internet international films, Bollywood is actually forced to write a new way to look at life in India, something more realistic and deals with current issues. It should also be said that a goodly number of the mass-appeal films which are either simply crafted for amusements are being recognized as an artistic achievement in there own way. So, any true fan of Bollywood films will be moved not from loving the ‘masala’ type film, but adding to their love with the new an exciting well-crafted films being made for the younger generation.

World class in culture and luxury hotels, New York City is the greatest city in the world.  No one will be disappointed when they can sleep peacefully high above the city that doesn’t sleep.  It’s a city of contradictions and extremes, where everything that can happen does happen, twice every day.  It’s a city full of the future and the past, with far-seeking eyes on the latest and greatest trends, and sharp wits to track the cultural revolutions of the past three centuries.

Or even the past decades.  The CBGB, one of NYC’s most valuable musical institutions, shut its doors on October 15, 2006.  There are still enough t-shirts and memorabilia floating through any NYC street any time of day to give one the impression that it’s still open, but these are just signs of a city that doesn’t forget.
Club owner Hilly Kristal opened the club in 1973, and called it “Country, Blue Grass, Blues & Other Music for Uplifting Gourmandizers” (CBGB & OMFUG).  The lower east side rock club was a trend-setter, and it survived much longer than suspected for such tentative ventures as the music industry.  It housed some of the most innovative bands in the world, such as Television, the Talking Heads, and the Ramones.  The ambience of the interior, and the raw street-savvy of its owner were well-known and well-established among New York’s intelligentsia.  There are many music critics out there who cut their teeth writing about these bands as they played to audiences for the first time.

There are also many critics writing about music now who say that CBGB really hit its peak in the late seventies, and by the eighties had already begun its decline.  It was a long and slow decline, if that is the case.   It certainly enjoyed the continual support of the locals all the way up to the end, and rock and roll giant Patti Smith gave her talents to the last show there, in 2006.  It closed its doors because of a dispute with the Bowery Residents Committee over the rent.  Owner Kristal died the following year from lung cancer.  Although it is indeed closed for good, the location is a necessary stop on any walking tour of the rock and roll history of New York.

With no shortage of luxury hotels, Mauritius will offer world travelers a beautiful home base for amazing vacations.  The drop-dead gorgeous beaches are as warm and welcoming as the night life.  There is no shortage of activity here, and no shortage of rejuvenation.  The mix of Asian and African culture here is in itself a lesson in world travel, and contains the complex and fascinating history of migrations around the globe.  The combination of cultures here is certainly heady, and the vibrancy of the scene is nothing less than intoxicating.  At times the beat is jumping, rich and complex, but generally it is laid-back and comprehensively relaxing.

Travelers will be perhaps a bit baffled at first by the wealth of rhythms of the place, but they are no less a testament to its constantly developing history.  First, there is Sega, which is the result of centuries of cultural conflict and collaboration, and is one of the unique pleasures and charms of the place.  There is also a growing tradition of world beats modified to hit the electonica music circuits, and to add to Mauritius’ participation in global music by securing a place in club culture.  There is also, of course, Mauritius’ contributions to reggae.  And lately, hip hop has to be added to the list as well.

Laa Force is one formidable contribution to world hip hop music.  With its sure-footed sense of self in proclaiming its place in the musical spectrum, this is a force to reckon with.   DJ Prince V is a great new and upcoming talent, combing the musical landscape to create something wholly unique in terms of hip hop and house.  OSB Crew is probably the most popular group among the next generation of Mauritians.  It’s deft blend of musical styles and hip hop sensibility make it a unique and rather stunning contribution to the musical culture of Mauritius, and to the world, in combining all the styles here into one electrifying and gratifying musical clarion call.