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Showing posts with label Rain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rain. Show all posts

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Las Vegas...desert sizzle off! Thunderstorms loom on the horizon!







Whew!

Yesterday, it was like a steaming-hot oven on the strip in Las Vegas!

In fact - outside - the mercury soared to 111 whopping degrees.

"The hottest day of the year," some weatherman reported, while inside tourists and locals alike scurried indoors to escape the sweltering uncomfortable heatwave.

But, a different dilemma awaited 4th of July revelers inside the packed Casinos, sleek malls, and comfy Hotel lobbies.

Uh-huh!

The air-conditioning was so high the experience was downright chilling.

Was there no balance "in between" to found anywhere?

Fortunately, storm clouds drifted in this morning and the sizzle was off.

In fact, weathermen (and women!) are predicting there may be torrential afternoon thundershowers.

If so, I'll be out "singing and dancing" in the rain.

With a nod to Gene Kelly, of course!

http://www.thetattler.biz



Thursday, October 2, 2008

Chinese New Year...Dragon Dance. UCLA students practice Ancient Art!

On campus at UCLA last night, I came across an attentive group of Asian Students in the courtyard studying the ancient ritual of the Dragon Dance.

The Chinese have a long-held belief they are descendants of the dragon, a conviction which is firmly embedded in their customs and traditions.

On these shores (in our Western Culture) dragons are usually feared.

In China, however, the dragon is held in high esteem because of its fertility, supernatural power, vigilance and poise.

In fact, the dragon dance at Chinese New Year, symbolizes the bringing of good luck and success in the coming year for all human beings on earth.

In China, where the majority of people depend on agriculture for their livelihood, the timely arrival of rains is of utmost importance.

The legends say that the dragon dance was first performed as a means of making peace with the "Dragon King" so that he would release rain onto the drought stricken lands of the farmers.

In essence, Dragons are the governors of rain.

Dragon dances are also performed at New Year to scare away evil spirits.

During the dance the performers hold poles and raise and lower the Dragon.

I witnessed the young students painstakingly learning how to perform that task last evening under a cloudless star-lit sky.

Sometimes a participant attaches a "Pearl of Wisdom" to the pole - and then entices the Dragon to follow him to the beat of a drum - as if searching for wisdom and knowledge.

Maybe the students were in the early throes of staging the Dragon Dance, because this portion of the performance was not in evidence during the rehearsal I caught quietly from the sidelines.

Dragons used in the dances vary in length from a few metres to up to 100m long.

Longer Dragons are thought to be more lucky than shorter ones, though.

The dragon dances are performed during the day or night.

If night has fallen, a blazing torch will be carried to light the way.

In the actual ceremony - which I saw performed in old Chinatown in San Francisco during Chinese New Year a few months ago - a team of dancers carry an image of the dragon on poles.

The skilled dancers - lift, dip, thrust, and sweep the head - which may contain animated features controlled by a dancer and is sometimes rigged to blow out smoke from pyrotechnic devices.

In Frisco, firecrackers were also tossed into the street, which effected a theatrical quality to the performance that was electric!

The dance team mimics the supposed movements of the river spirit in a sinuous undulating manner, too.

Since the dragon dance is a highlight and a main focal point for the celebrations, great expense goes into fashioning the costumes so they are magical and beautiful in every facet of their creation.

The costumes used in these celebrations are usually made in specialty craft shops.

Often, they are imported at great cost, using funds raised through pledges at local cultural and business associations.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

CineVegas Film Festival...Paris Hilton and Bijou Phillips at Charity Event to Benefit Katrina. Dark Streets premieres! Rain smash after-party...
















Bijou Phillips sang her little heart out, Paris strode through to say hi to Johnny Brenden, and Genevieve Waite wantonly danced with a curious smile on her face among an entourage of females.




Bijou, by the way, is half-sister of China Phillips who is the daughter of Michelle Phillips of "Momma & Poppa's fame".




Later, guests of the fundraiser were treated to quite the adrenalin rush at the trendy watering hole - "Rain" - at the Palms Resort.

The setting for the stage show was exotic.


The sun fell behind the horizon in a ball of fury, palms whispered in a gentle desert breeze, and party-goers dangled their feet in the refreshing cool waters of the romantic reflecting pool as they rocked to the bluesy notes of the night's talented line-up.

At an open bar the liquor flowed freely.

The party guests (for the most part) were a select mix of young professionals and industry-types with quite a number of pretty young ladies and well-dressed handsome men thrown in for good measure.

The benefit was to raise funds for the Katrina hurricane victims and the "Louisiana Cultural Economic Foundation".

On the red carpet earlier, Bijou was excited about the unveiling of her new feature, "Dark Streets".

"This is the role I have wanted to play since I was a little girl," she confided in me last night.

"I used to walk the streets in the rain in New York when I was younger with my umbrella in hand and sing the blues out loud as I strolled along," she recalled wistfully.


But, it wasn't easy landing the part. No sir, she had to fight for the opportunity to play one of two femme fatales playing opposite dashing young actor Gabriel Mann.

While she may not be starring in lead roles in big budget features, she's comfortable in her shoes none-the-less, she assured me.

"I have the chance to do a wide range of work in the Independent film area."

"Dark Streets" was directed by Rachel Samuels.

The hot auteur's last turn at the helm was for a Gothic period drama called - "Suicide Club" - starring Jonathyn Rice and Paul Morissey (shot in Ireland).

"Streets" is a period piece with a killer soundtrack featuring blues contemporary artists such as Natalie Cole, Aaron Neville, and Solomon Burke.

Also, there were contributions from B.B. King and Richie Sambora.

The neo-classic - is a "music-driven feast for the eyes and ears" which "stimulates the senses" - according to the producers.

Industry buzz is leaning towards a prediction there will be good receipts at the box office.

We'll see.

The after-bash at "RAIN" was wild and frenetic; in fact, downright electric.

When the gyrating dancers on the packed floor were treated to their first jolt of pyrotechnic wizardly - fire ball blasts that burst exuberantly over their heads - they roared out loud.

Every slithering body in the joint was moving to the mesmerizing beat.

The pulsating mood was fast, furious, freeing.

A feature writer for movie web was blown away when we strode in the door, initially.

"I've never seen anything like this in Missouri or Ohio," he exclaimed excitedly. "Just amazing."

Well, "Rain" is described as a multi-sensory experience.

It is that, and then some.

As I departed around 1 a.m., throngs of excited party-goers were still in a line - itching to get in - in a queue that snaked all the back way into the main foyer of the casino.

For those who missed the party extravaganza, there is always next year.

Same time. Same place.

Right Trevor?




 
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