GROW

"Somehow, along the course of life, you learn about yourself and realize that there should never be regrets, only a lifelong appreciation of the choices you've made. And we DO ALWAYS HAVE A CHOICE."

Broadway Bound - I Wish!

So, I was just thinking - one of the things I really miss about not living in the US are the plays, musical plays, that I used to go see... starting way back in High School - i have enjoyed the obligatory class trips to see Stage Musicals or Plays.... that I soon as I started earning my own bucks (as a working college student) I made it a point to save moolah for the next Musical play to come through San Francisco.

Then during my working stiff years, as a buyer and General Manager of a Gift Company - I was blessed to be sent to New York each year for the Toy Fair - and I made sure I catch whatever is the HOTTEST play at the time...

I was fortunate enough to have seen Jennifer Holliday in Dreamgirls; Mandy Patinkin in FALSETTOS; Bernadette Peters in Into The Woods (still a Personal Fave), Betty Buckley in Sunset Blvd., Lea Salonga in both Miss Saigon & Les Miz; plus a host of others.... I MISS BROADWAY!!! I believe the last Broadway Baby I saw in New York, around mid 2000) was the girl from CSI: New York doing CABARET...

But living in Taiwan, where too few musical plays come (and usually at a HIGHER price) I really do not get to see them as much anymore... The last few years I get my fix usually during my TRAVELS - trying to catch whatever is playing like Mamma Mia in Spain (in all Spanish!) and Into The Woods in a small theatre in Manila...

Thank God for BBC Radio & Elaine Page- I get my Broadway Musical Fix through her weekly, 2hr show covering the best Broadway music from both London and New York; upcoming musicals; music from the Movies - and a weekly Special Musical Guest chatting about Musicals and even singing LIVE. If you love musicals - check it out and let Elaine bring you the Best of Broadway!

sMiLe: a nice way to start your week with...

"SMILE: give it FREELY & ABUNDANTLY... it will be returned to you many folds over, for sure... Besides, it is FREE and we all know that, "The Best Things In Life Are Free"!!!

One Nite in Keelung

...is DEFINITELY not enough!!!! This is not my first time in KEELUNG really but somehow, this stopover trip, on the way home to Taipei from swimming in Longdong, made me see how there is sooo much to this PORT CITY!!!

It was our TRANSFER point from Taipei to Longdong and back.... during our first stop going, I was already AMAZED by seeing the STAR CRUISE LINES docked along the city port.... amidst all the different CARGO SHIPs.... it is AMAZING to see how much CARGO comes through here.... walking around, you also see sooo many WAIGUOREN (FOREIGNERS) like me.... as it is an International Port.Then coming back and stopping for some grubs in the Nite Market was just a HEAVENLY Experience!!! So many goodies to try.... prices are the same as they are in Taipei but the portions are bigger.... plus the people with the food stands are really friendly... not sour at all, though they have been doing this for many years already... The food selections is great - Taiwanese staples like Chou Dofu (stinky tofu), Mien Shen (noodles), Guotie (Pot stickers) abound... plus a few local delicacies... and just to my delight, many DESSERTS to choose from... of course I opted for a couple of servings of the Ice Cold Tahuie... can never get enough of that... CAN U SEE THE JOY IN MY SMILE HERE!!!
CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE PHOTOS PLS

total darkness.... well, not quite....

I was anticipating the total darkness that was reported to envelop us all... well, it did get dark but with the dark clouds obscuring the actual eclipse -- all I got to see was this:It looked so promising...
Till the clouds obscured it all....oh well, there's always the next one...

Beach Holiday After All!!!

Did not think I would see the OCEAN at all this SUMMER... mostly because am not interested in getting a SUNBURN like I do each and every year.... But yesterday, David invited me to trek a couple of hours outside Taipei, for a late afternoon/evening swim in the OCEAN -- the OCEAN, No SUN, a BREAK FROM WORK - AM THERE!!!

Place is LONGDONG Ocean Park - a HAVEN for SNORKELERS && SCUBA DIVERS.... but need not go through those extremes - simply put on your GOGGLES and DIVE IN - lots of FISH IN THE OCEAN - REALLY!!!
Complete Photos Here:Longdong Ocean Bay Park

What's Wrong With This Picture???

Just got home from a WONDERFUL SUNDAY outing... David & I trekked a couple of hours away to LONGDONG BAY to swimn in the ocean, and then top the nite out at the famous KEELUNG Night Market (halfway back to Taipei) for some GREAT SNACKS.... have not had time to go through all the photos yet but this one caught my eyes and made me laugh... CAN U SPOT WHAT ABOUT IT THAT MADE ME LAUGH??? Hope you all are having a Great Weekend!!!

I Want! I Want!

Just 4 things am HOPING someone will be KIND ENOUGH to help me get - PRETTY PLEASE!!!!CLOCKWISE FROM TOP:People Magazine Tribute (should be out now!); Hallmark Charlie's Angels Greeting Card; TV GUIDE (not sure which week but should be recent?); Charlie's Angels Season 4 DVD. THANKS IN ADVANCE!

What A Friday!

Whew!!! where do I even start - how about the weird weather??? Got up about 5:30 to get an early run but the sun was shining so brightly already - so we opted to go to the GYM instead....

Then it was a whole day of waiting for DHL to come and deliver... did it happen??? OF COURSE NOT!!! So it was a whole day wasted indoors waiting for something that did not come... and those of you who know me well, knows that there is nothing I HATE MORE in this world than WAITING - waiting for anyone or anything....

On the brighter siode to that, i was able to work and POST a couple of entries in my R&D SPOTLIGHT blog page.... new Photos of Susies and all...

Tonite, knowing that there is no us anymore of waiting for DHL - I ventured to run... then it started drizzling with the wind really blowing... so I Had to run back home... Guess, the TYPHOON will really hit us - as they said in the news....

So you tell me, AM I GETTING LUCKY yet??? GOOD THING I had a box of SEE's Chocolates, courtesy of my Nephew Ace, to keep me company and put me in a brighter mood.... hais, just glad it is almost over.... as the box of chocolates is almost all gone, too!!!

DOLLY TIME!!!

Okie Dokie - been asked enough times that am breaking down... am FINALLY starting a BLOG to highlight all the dolls that comes the R&D way: Susie, Angels, Mensajero, Momoko, FR, Nikki & Odeco-chan, Jenny, and many, many more...

We will keep you current on Upcoming & New Releases, Magazines, Pictorials, LINKS of Interests, etc.... So pls STAY TUNED and SUBSCRIBE so as to not miss out on the latest NEWS & Photos of your Favorite Dolls.

So without further yada, yada, yada - I give you all: R&D Spotlight

8th World Games Starts Today!

Kaohsiung, Taiwan is the PROUD host of the 10 day (from the 16th thru the 26th) 8th World Games... Wishing I can snag tickets... but am sure that is a long shot as they are too pricey and am sure will sell out fast!!!Gao Mei & Syong Ge, the World Games' Official Mascots
Official Site Here

Molly X tokidoki

Coming August 2009: Kennyswork MOLLY X tokidoki

Have always been fascinated with MOLLY - ever since I visited, MONSTER GEAR, when it first opened... lots of Mollys there... actually the shop seems to highlight Molly the most.... but at that time, I said to myself - I do not need to start another collection... and BOY, it would be another BIG collection for sure...

So what happens??? tokidoki collaborates with Molly...waaah! Of course, I have to order this 10" bundle of cuteness... and while doing so with my friend, Juliana, a couple of days ago (July 14th), we (MISERY TRULY LOVES COMPANY!!!) ended up picking up both the Molly Be@rbrick and the Molly Qee, Monster Gear's -- which would puts us both to having 3 Mollys each in our collections -- so does that make us Molly Collectors already? Am Afraid so!!!

Related Links:
-Monster Gear
-Monster Gear Visit W/Juliana Photos
-Kennyswork
-Be@rbrick in WIKI