Photo by joiseyshowaa

Our offices will be closed on Thursday, November 26th and Friday, November 27 in observance of the Thanksgiving Day holiday. We will reopen on Monday, November 30.

If you are in town for the weekend, NYC has a plethora of events to celebrate the Holiday weekend! Here are a few favorites:

Macy’s Balloon Inflation on Thanksgiving Eve:
What’s better than watching the floating giants rise? For details and the inflation map click here. For information on the balloons, please click here.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade:
Be part of the more than 3.5 million spectators lining the streets of New York City, and more than 50 million viewers tuning in nationwide to watch the famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The Parade boasts approximately 8,000 participants including balloon handlers, float escorts, clowns, marching bands, cheerleaders, dance groups and other performers.

The 2009 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade route will, for the first time in its history, bypass Broadway on it’s way to Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street. This is the sixth route change in the 83 years of the Macy’s Parade. However, this is the first time that the Parade will not travel through Broadway.

The Parade will begin at the traditional 77th Street and Central Park West kick off, it will travel down Central Park West to Columbus Circle, where it will veer towards 7th Avenue and march down 7th through Times Square. It will then turn onto 42nd Street to 6th Avenue marching down the Avenue of the Americas to 34th Street where it will turn and end at 34th Street and 7th Avenue.

Thanksgiving Meal
Eater.com compiled the best list of restaurants with reservations left, from fancy to down home cooking (and the prices to match), from the Upper West Side to Carroll Gardens – and a few right here in the neighborhood! Click here.

The Polar Express™ 4-D Experience at Madame Tussauds
The Polar Express™ 4-D Experience is back at Madame Tussauds New York, just in time for the holidays! This unique cinematic experience will enable you to smell the aroma of hot chocolate, feel the icy chill of snow brushing past your face, hear the roar of the locomotive and feel as though you are a passenger aboard the magical Polar Express as you follow the story of a young boy who takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole on Christmas Eve! It’s a full-sensory adventure that is perfect for the entire family. (Trailer)

Holiday hours are 10am to 10pm from Thursday, November 26-Saturday, January 2. Purchase your all access pass online, which includes general admission to Madame Tussauds NY, SCREAM, Polar Express, Madame Tussauds Story, and Behind the Scenes, to save up to 20%.

NYC Service:
Give thanks by sacrificing some of your time. NYC Service, run by the City of New York, knows that everyone has something to offer. They can assist you with using your time, passion, skills and willingness to help address New York’s most pressing needs. Simply visit their website, and answer this question: I want to help New York with: ________. You can search volunteer opportunities by a variety of variables such as date, area, and your specialties.

Ice Skating:
Ice skating in the City is a beloved seasonal tradition. Whether you are participating or watching, the only problem is which of our World famous rinks do you choose from?

Rockefeller Ice Rink is closed on Wednesday, and has a schedule change on Thursday, November 26, with sessions from 9am-12pm, 12:30-2, 2:30-4, 4:30-6, 6:30-8, 8:30-10, 10:30-Midnight. Normal sessions resume on Friday from 8:30am-1000, 1030-12 1230-2, 2:30-4, 4:30-6, 6:30-8, 8:30-10, 10:30-Midnight. Pricing for adults $19, children under eleven and seniors $12.50. Skate rental is $9 per session. The Christmas Tree is up, but not lit. The lighting ceremony is on December 2.

The Pond at Bryant Park is open from 8am-10pm. Admission and lockers are free. Skate rentals are $12, lock rentals are $9, small bag check is $7 and large bag check is $10. The line tends to be longer on holidays – but you can make a reservation online and skip the line!

The Wollman Rink in Central Park is open from Monday & Tuesday from 10:00am – 2:30pm, Wednesday & Thursday from 10:00am – 10:00pm, Friday & Saturday 10:00am – 11:00pm, and on Sunday from 10:00am – 9:00pm. Adults are $10.25 Monday-Thursday and $14.75 Friday-Sunday. Children are $5.50 Monday-Thursday and $5.75 Friday-Sunday. Seniors are $4.75 Monday-Thursday and $8.25 Friday-Sunday. Skate rentals are $6.25. Lock rentals are $4.50 with a a $6 deposit. The spectator fee is $5.

Flatiron High and Low:
Our very own Flatiron District’s rich architectural heritage is on display with an exhibition at the Van Alen Institute. The exhibit spotlights two centuries of building culture in the Flatiron district The exhibition is free and is open from M-F from 12-5pm at 30 West 22nd Street – through December 11.

Enjoy!

If you place an order for virtual office service online via our secure order form, please note that orders completed on a Holiday will be reviewed the following business day.

Make sure to check out our specials page for November’s NYC virtual office promotion.

With regards,
The Team at VH International Business Solutions, Inc.

Please contact us with any questions:
Tel: 1.212.627.8900
Fax: 1.646.861.6610
Manhattan Virtual Office

Since 1990.

VH International Business Solutions, Inc.
Follow us on Twitter: @ManhattanOffice

ცვილის ფიგურების მუზეუმი ლონდონის რაიონში მერილებონში, რომელსაც აქვს ფილიალები: ამსტერდამში, ლას-ვეგასში, კოპენჰაგენში, ნიუ-იორკში, ჰონკონგში და ბერლინში. ის არის მადამ ტიუსოს მიერ შექმნილი.

მარია ტიუსიო (1761—1850)ნამდვილი გვარია გროსტჰოლცი, დედამისი მუშაობდა ეკონომისტად თან რომელიც ქმნიდა ცვილის ფიგურებს. მან ასწავლა მარიას ცვილზე მუშაობა. 1765 წელს დოქტორის პირველი ქმნილება იყო ლუდოვიკ XV-ს საყვარლის მარი ჟანი დიუბარის.

პირველი გამოფენადოქტორ ფილიპ კიორტის ჩატარდა 1770 წელს და დიდი წარმატება მოიპოვა . 1776 წელს გამოფენა ჩატარდა პარიზში. 1782 წელს შექმნა „შიშის კაბინეტი“-ს ფიგურები .

1777 წელს მარიამ შექმნა პირველი ფიგურა ფრანგი განმანათლებლის ვოლტერის, რასაც მოყვა ჟან ჟაკ რუსო,ბენჟამენ ფრანკლინი. 1794 წელს ფილიპის გარდაცვალების შემდეგ მისი კოლექციები გადავიდა მარიას მფლობელობაში.

მუზეუმს ყველა ქალაქში ალამაზებს სხვადასხვა პროფესიის ცნობილი ადამიანების ფიგურები: მომღერლების, მსახიოების, სპორტმენების, პოლიტიკოსების, საზოგადო მოღვაწეების. აქ შეხვდებით ეიშვარია რაის, ბრედ პიტს, ანჯელინა ჯოლის და დაჟე ცნობილ კინოგმირებსაც.

http://www.madametussauds.com

…to use vacation: A trip to NYC !!!

…

Es war also wieder Montag (09.11.) was bedeuten würde, Aufstehen, fertig machen und ab an die Arbeit. Aber nicht diese Woche, Nick was on vacation Nach einem sehr leckeren Frühstück mit dem Import-Pärchen, hatte ich nur noch ein Ziel vor Augen: New York City! Yes, I know… again again and again but there is soo much to see and to experience… So let’s get it on!!!

In NYC angekommen, startete ich am Union Square (Nördlich der 14th Street, ecke Broadway). Ein wirklich sehr schöner kleiner Park mit vielen Bänken, Eichhörnchen und einem gemütlichen kleinen Markt der sich an der Nördlichen Ecke befindet. Nach einem kleinen Stück auf dem Broadway, zeigte sich zur meiner Linken das…

… genau, Flatiron Buildiung. Einfach lustig anzuschauen dieses „Bügeleisen“ Nebenan, im Madison Square Park hab ich dann noch Fahim kennengelernt. Ein Unternehmer aus Bangladesh der mit T-Shirt und Chemie Exporten sein Geld verdient. Isss, klar Mit ihm bin ich noch ein weiteres Stück den Broadway hinauf gelaufen. Bis ich links ins Empire State Building abgebogen bin. Wirklich beeindruckend diese Eingangshalle…

Aber on top gehen wollt ich dann auch nicht, ich musste ja weiter, Madame Tussauds am Time Square stand auf meinem Plan. Ticket gekauft und nix wie rinn…

Wiedersehen mit einigen alten Bekannten…

… aber auch einigen neuen.

Nun war aber Zeit was zu essen, nur was und wo? Subways und Time Square geht immer! Also sub geholt, Tisch klar gemacht und guten Appetit! Lustig ist, was da immer so alles vor sich geht, wilde Diskussionen zwischen zwei Männern „that’s what I’m talking about…“ oder „that’s my business, man!“ wirklich spannend! Auf dem Weg zur U-Bahn hat dann noch eine Motorradgang mit wildem Motoraufheulen den Time Square aufgemischt und mich fast taub werden lassen Aber war sowieso Zeit ins Hostel zu fahren, also nicht wie ab nach Harlem

Ähm, jo wie ihr ja seht, also überlebt hab ichs Beim Hostel war sogar Frühstück dabei… Croissants, Nutella, Kaffee, Muffins… Geilo!!! Da hab ich mich erst mal gestärkt und mir noch nen Muffin für später klar gemacht Also los, westlich durch Harlem ging es dann am Dienstag (10.11.) in Richtung General Grant Memorial…

… dann vorbei an der Riverside Church, wo der Glockenturm für Besichtigungen momentan leider gesperrt war. Als nächstes ging es wieder etwas Östlich, auf das Gelände der Columbia University. Mitten im Gebiet der Upper West Side liegend, wirklich ein schöner Campus, der sehr viele ältere und sehr massive Gebäude beherbergt.

Von den Studiengebühren wollen wir jetzt nicht Sprechen… Den letzten Stopp, legte ich an der St. John the Devine Cathedral ein, auf dem weg dorthin musste ich aber kurz erneut stoppen, grund dafür war…

…was sonst

Dann ging es aber Downtown und zwar bis zur Houston Str., schon war ich in Greenwich Village und setzte dort meine Sightseeing tour fort. In meinem Reiseführer ist eine Route vorgeschlagen, genau dieser widmete ich mich… Dieses Viertel ist wirklich atemberaubend schön, überall stehen kleine 3 oder 4 geschossige Häuser, welche teils mit kleinen Gärten ausgestattet…

… oder mit Efeu bewachsen…

…aber auch durch kleine Gärten getrennt sind, welche man in einer Art Hinterhof entdecken kann.

Wir haben hier nun auch schon Winterliche Stimmung und daher ist nicht alles so schön grün wie im Sommer, dann ist dieses Viertel sicherlich der absolute Traum! Der Muffin wurde in Kombination mit nem Käffchen im Christopher Park als Mittagessen vernichtet Kleiner gemütlicher Platz um eine kleine rast zu machen. Bekannt ist dieser Park aber für die Skulptur des Schwulen- und Lesbenpärchens…

… dies erklärt auch diese Straße, die man ein wenig weiter Östlich finden kann…

Ich entschloss mich dazu, meine Tour nach East Village zu erweitern. Auf dem Weg dorthin begab ich mich in das Gebiet der New York University (NYU) welche sehr verteilt ist… Immer wieder tauchte ein Gebäude mit NYU Zeichen auf aber auch an den vielen Studenten die mir begegnet sind konnte ich erkennen, knowledge development in process In East Village angekommen fand ich sehr viele Malereien…

… aber auch perfekt in Szene gesetzte Verschalungen von Häusern.

Dann war die Energie von meiner Kamera und meine aber auch total am Ende und ich entschloss mich den Heimweg an zu treten… Freitag sollte es ja wieder: „… now u’re in NY, these streets will make u feel brand new…“ heißen

For ur convenience, some impressions…

The London Treasure Hunt is one of the most popular treasure hunts because so many clients are based in London and it is a fabulous location full of history and interesting sights.

One might assume that a London Treasure Hunt would take in locations such as The Tower of London and Madame Tussauds, however the skill of the writer is to choose locations where there is plenty to see and do but where queues are avoided.

If you feel like badmouthing Scientology to Tom Cruise without having to hear his ridiculous tirades, then Madame Tussaud’s in D.C. is a place to get your rocks off. Even the wax version of Tom Cruise seems like a dink to me.

One of my favorite pastimes is taking pictures of people that I don’t know while they are getting their pictures taken by someone else. Madame Tussaud’s is the perfect place to satisfy that urge.

Madame Tussaud’s in D.C. was $25 a ticket and you get to freely roam the place. I’m surprised that I’m saying it, but it’s worth the money. There are some great photo ops here that will trip your friends out. Dance with Beyonce, stare lovingly into the eyes of Sam Jackson, or pet the hair of M. Ali. If you want to take a break from all the serious tourist stuff and check out something that’s a little creepy, this is a nice break.

Continuando o post de Londres. Se vc está lá, um lugares que vc TEM que ir é na Oxford street que é a rua mais movimentada da Europa, são mais de 300 lojas, (quer dar uma olhadinha no movimento olha aqui). Vc desce na estação Oxford circus que é dá no centrinho mesmo, ou dê uma olhada aqui no site da rua e escolhe a estação de acordo com a loja que vc quer ir, que é dá no centrinho mesmo e dalí é pernar meeeeesmo! haha Se vc está ali no centrinho eu recomendo comer no restaurante italiano Spaghetti House, que é uma rede na verdade, mas como comemos só ali no centro é o que recomendo, o preço é muito bom, o serviço é rápido e a comida é ótima!

Madame Tussauds

Eu e Johnny Depp

British Museum

British Museum

If only there where a little Einstein or Hawking in me, I would solve so many problems…

Albert Einstein wax figure at Madame Tussauds'

Again, the reason why I look so beaten is because I and my London travel companions were sick with the cold.

Stephen Hawking wax figure at Madame Tussauds'

Karver’s Hong Kong 101 as a first-time HK Visitor

4 months ago I luckily chanced upon securing a promo ticket for a round trip Manila-Hong Kong flight (via Cebu Pacific Air) for 4 for only PHP 11, 292.00.  This brought individual tickets to only PHP 2823.00.  Great deal? DEFINITELY.  The only downside to the whole thing was having to withstand 4 long months of excitement and anticipation.

Being a group of “first-timers”, a friend and I decided to take the reins and spent countless hours of research on the net for any tips, secrets, dos, dont’s, must trys and what have yous we can find about HK-ing. Thanks to websites such as tripadvisor, pinoyexchange and loads of others (hit google and you’ll know what I mean), we were able to come up with a comprehensive (more or less) tourist guide for taking on our HK Adventure. And, after all the months of waiting, the date finally came ->

Sept 8-12, 2009

September 8

- A day dedicated to exploring MACAU.  I will be writing a separate 101 for this, so stay tuned!

September 9

<Start>

Itinerary:

• Settle in at our HK Hotel
• Visit Victoria Peak/Madame Tussauds

Being the long sleepers that we all were (and after jam-packed prior day in Macau), we woke up pretty late, took our time dressing up, and finally got to check out at the hotel at half-past 12. Immediately after this, we rode the free hotel shuttle to the Macau Ferry Pier to head back to Hong Kong Island.  We rode the Turbo Jet for HKD 142.00 each and were already back in Sheung Wan ready to take the MTR to Causeway Bay.  Coming out of Causeway Bay, we made our way to our hotel to check in and freshen up at sometime past 2PM-3PM.  After confirming the directions to the Victoria Peak from our front desk, we trooped on out down to the world down under (aka the MTR) at around 5.

To get to Victoria Peak from Sharp Street East, Causeway Bay (Times Square Mall):

Signs to the Peak!

1. Ride the MTR From Causeway Bay to Admiralty (Island Line)
2. Get out at Exit B or C to Hong Kong Park
3. Trek around the park (follow the signs, they’re everywhere!)
4. Trek around the park (I’ll repeat this step since this is a LOOOONG walk – no kidding)
5. 

   Peak Terminal

   Arrive at the Peak Tram Station!

Once at the Peak Tram Station, we all bought our Combo tickets (2-way tram ride and Madame Tussaud’s entrance) for HKD 190.00. Once you get there you’ll pass by souvenir shops (The Peak Market), food stalls/restaurants before getting to the view deck.  Since we wanted to get the day/night view of the HK skyline, we headed straight up to the view deck and “wrestled” with all the tourists up there for a spot at the deck where we could take a picture of view.

TIPS!

1. Watch out for the official photographers of the Peak.  Theyre in the middle of the viewing deck where you can pay to get your pictures taken. For non-Chinese speaking people, the way they ask people to move away from the spot where they will be taking the pictures, would seem awfully rude (like they were shouting). Anyway, I’m sure they weren’t.  I didn’t have a Chinese-speaking interpreter to tell me what they were saying, but anyway, just don’t take things personally
2. People generally  crowd around in the area towards the right of the doorway, along with the deck there.  BUT, if you go to the left side of the doorway instead, you’ll still get good angles for your shots, with a LOT less hustle and bustle.

Since Madame Tussauds closes at 10, we decided to head on there around 2-3 hours before their closing time to allow for sufficient time to take pics with the figures.  I can only imagine what Madame Tussauds in the US must be like (all those famous celebs must be there!) but the Madame Tussauds in HK does not disappoint.  There are some who are not so known to me personally but I especially liked gawking at celebrity images of some more than the others   Here are my Top 15 (not in order):

1. Nicole Kidman (such a beautiful woman!)
   

   Nicole Kidman!

2. Brangelina (I’m not a fan of the Missus, but hey, its Brad!!)
3. The British Royalty
4. Princess Diana
5. William Shakespeare
6. The American Presidents
7. Einstein
8. Pierce Brosnan (Be a Bond Girl!)
9. Marilyn Monroe
10. Johnny Depp
11. Indiana Jones (okay okay, Harrison Ford)
12. DAVID BECKHAM (need I say more?)
13. Yao Ming
14. Michael Jackson
15. The Beatles

You’d need to mind the time though since most food places are closed (both at the Peak and the Galleria), or about to close at around the closing time of Madame Tussauds.  If you can’t wait any longer, there are fastfood restos (like Burger King) there that can tide you over.  When we headed back down to the bottom of the Peak (aww), we were too tired to do any more walking that we decided to take a cab back to Causeway Bay for HKD 60.00 (Hong Kong residents – was that price too much??)

<End >

September 10 – DISNEY DAY!!!

<Start>

We left earlier this day.   We headed over to Central via MTR to visit the World Wide House Bldg for cheap-er Disneyland Tickets.  I believe we could have gotten a better deal somewhere in Kowloon but since that was too far from where we are, we decided to go for the HKD 320.00 offer from the Travel Easy Agency. After getting our tickets, we were all set to go to Lantau so we headed back down, walked the long walk to the Tung Chung line from the Island Line, and got to the Citygate Outlet Mall for a little bit of shopping before Disney.  Getting there at nearly 12, we barely had time to really look around before we had to get a quick lunch and leave Citygate at 2pm.  Although  we didn’t really get to see much stuff to buy at the Outlet shops as things were pretty much more expensive than we had expected.  Reading up on a lot of raves about the place, we had expected to see drop down discounts and low prices but were quite diasppointed to find that this was not the case.  But then again, maybe its just me being kuripot (translation: too thrifty).  So for those with bulkier pockets, it is still recommended to go to the place and check it out for yourself

Disney Train!

So at around 3PM we arrive at Disney (after a fab time at the Disney train! – real cute!) only to be greeted by the park attendants with “All outdoor rides are closed due to the typhoon signal, would you still want to go in?”  FYI, the signal was at no. 3 by then.  Hmm.. that really made us think.  But seeing as how we headed all the way out there and with not much HK days left on our calendar, we decided to go for it.

I can say that the decision was a good choice even with the setbacks.  We still got to enjoy the parade, shopping and photo ops around the park (albeit the rain), Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters (this was fun!), Small World, Philharmagic, the Golden Mickeys, Stitch Encounter, and of course, the Fireworks. I have been to Disneys in the US, so for those who have as well, just keep an open mind and try to start fresh with the HK version.  It’s a bit smaller than the other parks, you’d have to read some translations as some are spoken in Chinese, the parade is shorter, the fireworks are less grand… – but I would not discount the fact that it was a magical experience nonetheless.

After Disney, we headed back to Causeway Bay for a late dinner (again!) at City Super, Times Square at the Triple O.  I would have to give a thumbs up to this place for serving us food even until their closing and for their large and yummy combo meals.

<End >

September 11 – SHOPPING

<Start>

And so I got a bit sick the night before – colds, cough, a slight fever (no, it was not H1N1), and it was still raining a bit, that we decided to relax and just get through the day at a slow pace.  At around 130PM, we headed out (umbrellas at hand) and decided to cross to Kowloon to do a bit of shopping.  Once in Kowloon, we first looked for the famous HK street food or what we tourists would call auth dimsum! Finding one very near the Tsim Sha Tsui MTR Station (just across Kowloon Park), we took our seats in the small Golden Lake restaurant and ordered our noodle soups and dimsum plates. I would have to say give the ff. reviews:

• their dimsum IS very good
• the service is really fast
• the prices are reasonable
• the place is really small
• you’d have to eat fast so as not to keep the table for too long

After we’ve had our fill of dimsum, we decided to walk the streets of Kowloon specifically going down Nathan Road, and around the area of Granville Road.  We went in and out of the shops as quickly as we could searching for the best possible deals. Not all the boutiques in

Kowloon streets

the area would suit the Filipino budget shopper.  Where tops and dresses are at an average of HKD 100-150, I believe this is not the bargains one would be looking for. BUT, if you’re patient enough and meticulous enough, you’d be able to buy dresses for HKD 50-80 , flip flops for HKD 25, men’s polo shirts for HKD 75-80.  Not bad right?  All in all, I think our shopping time was either or both too short and bad timing (since the sales are over?).  Again, I expected to buy a LOT more than the ones I did.  Mind you I was able to buy 18-20+ items, but I think that a trip down to the markets (temple street, ladies market, etc) would have made me more satisfied.  On a side note, I wish the acid throwing in Mongkok would stop so that tourists would no longer be afraid to head to the area.

Eggettes?

After snacking on Egg Balls (are these the same as the eggettes?), we ended our shopping craze at around 7 (our legs were tired and our bags were heavy) and decided to eat dinner at the Charlie Brown Cafe on Cameron Road(this makes for great pictures!).  After some last minute shopping on the shops we passed by on the way to the MTR station, we headed back to the our hotel at around 10:30 PM and decided to do some packing and sleeping since our flight leaves really early the next day.

Thus, my adventure in the Hong Kong streets ends here (some of my companions went around Causeway Bay after we got back to the hotel, but then, that’s their story ).

<End >

Random Tips:

• If you can, plot out your itinerary and destinations, mode of transportation, etc. ahead of time so you could estimate how much it would take to get there.  For those riding the MTRs a lot in 1 day, consider getting the 1-day unlimited passes since it might give you some savings.
• Settle on an area of concentration, if your agenda are mostly in the Kowloon area, get a hotel there, if its in Hong Kong, then stay there. This will reduce your travel time and cost between the islands.
• Make sure to get a map (if you can, prior to your trip), or up0n arriving – at the HK airport.  No tourist should leave their hotels without it!

On a final note, I would just like to commend how organized and orderly everything is in Hong Kong – this is from the point of view of a tourist.  Their public transportation is so efficient that one could do away with the tour guides and just plan a trip themselves.  With their intricate and very safe and newbie-friendly MTR lines, along with an organized bus route, going places in Hong Kong is a cinch!  I seriously had a lot of fun, and would definitely plan a trip back here sometime soon.  I most probably will be going back for better shopping the next time around too

For any tips on hotels, shopping places, or anything HK, feel free to drop me a message so I could plan my trip even better on my next visit

This story is a sequel to AntiZiotics!. Haven’t read the prequel yet? Read it here.

_________________________________________________________________________

Two years have passed since the historical demise of the Rick Band, but things have never got normal again. Three ultra-curious men in hoods are looking close at the wax statues of the late Rick Band members, here at the Madame Tussauds Museum in London. Looking at them, no one can really say much what they’re actually trying to do. The three are equipped with unusual stuff like micro digital cameras, measuring tapes and of course, a pair of eagle eyes on their faces. In one of these men’s hands, is held the TIME magazine’s latest publication, which is getting unprecedented worldwide attention for one of the articles that it holds within…Here’s a brief view of what this article says:

The Rickshaw Vs the DAVID’S STAR: The After Ef‘FACTS’ Unveiled!

September 15

– 4 days from the death of the Rick Band: A top level Jewish Technology Professor at M.I.T., Arqam Gadit, confesses that ‘the movement’ is a terrorist movement with inhumane motives.

September 23

– 12 days from the death of the Rick Band: The UN Representative of Palestine, Amna Ali, is kidnapped, just after two hours and 13 minutes, from the time she reveals the testament of the latest US Aid to Israel, in the UN Security Council. The testament states how the funded money is to be used to buy the new SS-18 Satan missile technology, in order to infiltrate the Gaza Strip.

October 6

– 25 days from the death of the Rick Band: Lev Leviv’s airplane wanders on the border of Iran for 19 minutes, after not being allowed to enter the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The list goes on and on, but the two most recent developments have turned every one head over heels:

7 days ago, on September 4, ’09, this is what Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda messaged their fans on the Official Charity Campaign website of Linkin Park, MusicForRelief.org:

“The Rick Band will be back…”

The next day, the JIDF [Jewish Internet Defense Force] website got hacked and the only message the hackers left was “The Rick Band will be back…”

Is this time, the Auto Rickshaw is going to collide with the David’s Star?

YOU decide.

-Adil Bawany,

Associate Writer,

TIME Magazine.”

Ever since the revolution in the human race, triggered by the anti-sentiments invoked by the Rick Band, ‘the movement’ has really changed gears in the struggle for its dream, the Greater Israel. In a mere two years time, almost 87% of the Palestinian territory, 63% area of Lebanon and 53% area of Jordan has been illegitimately invaded by Israel, on the basis of gun. Seeker of the restoration of the Solomon Empire, the Zio-Jewish nation, that has been destined to live in exile on Earth by God, is now all set to bother any country, any entity, any time it wants. With a robust ‘Patriot’ missile defense system deployed around ‘the illegal occupied territory’, the Star has got each and every major Arab city ready on target. The World now has two genders to classify into, the Ricks, and the ‘Zio-Illuminati’. This, in fact… is the New World Order. Despite the Ricks being in majority, the Zio’s are in vast control of planet Earth.

Suddenly, the wax statue of the late drummer of the Rick Band, Hassan Ahmed, is seen burning in fire. Thousands of visitors gather around the statue, and get to witness the most unusual findings of their lives. This is what a several thousand people get to witness on the back of the burning statue’s neck engraved:

The David’s Star

9/11

8:46:40

The chaos is extraordinarily propagating… The authorities are trying to push the people back and evacuate the area for investigation purposes, but the mob is now havoc and mayhem! The emblem of the Zio’s, the David’s star’s engraving on the back of the statue’s neck, is raising millions of questions on the curious minds at unrest, while the authorities are totally perplexed at where the three men in hoods have gone…

As minutes spare, the two wax statues of the Rick Band’s vocalist and guitarist, Farrukh Zafar and Osama Khalid respectively, explode! The greatest wax statue museum of the world is now flaming in fire, all across its breadth and width. Madame Tussauds London – now a yesterday’s jam. Hitler, Mandela, Napoleon, Lincoln, Diana, The Rock, Tom Cruise, Pelé, Beckham – You name it – all burning..!

“Each and every term here is important. Remember the name of the magazine held in one of the suspicious men in hoods? “T-I-M-E”!! So watch out for how ‘time’ might play a role in this cameo! The engraving on the statue’s neck shows it were the Zio’s, not to forget that the TIME magazine also belongs to the same man-eater Z movement.

Today is the 11^th of September 2009, 8 years ago, this very same date, the Zio-Illuminati changed the world with a serially planned collapse on the World Trade Center, followed by another.” This is all that the two elite detective squad members of MI6, Umer Farooq and Ali Iftikhar Qazi have jot down to paper.

In the wink of an eye, Umer Farooq gets the timeline of the 9.11.01 attacks to study. Here’s the major timeline:

8:46:40 AM: Flight 11 crashes at roughly 490 mph into the north face of the North Tower (1 WTC) of the World Trade Center, between floors 93 and 99.

9:03 AM: Flight 175 crashes at about 590 mph into the south face of the South Tower (2 WTC) of the World Trade Center, banked between floors 78 and 85.

9:37:46 AM: Flight 77 crashes into the western side of the Pentagon and starts a violent fire.

“Dammit! That’s exactly what matches the happenings here:

8:46:40 AM: The time that was engraved on the Rick Band’s guitarist’s burning statue’s neck!

9:03 AM: The time which the digital clock of the museum is showing, after halting as a result of the great explosion caused by the bombs planted in the tummies of the statues, of the rest of the two Rick Rockers.

So 9:37:46 AM it is! We’re just 3 damn minutes away! What’s next? Lord! Mercy!”, are the words of Umer.

Is this another 9/11 to change the world unkind? 8 years the span, from Twin Towers to Madame Tussauds, the next 3 minutes shall tell, as the glories unwind…

Continued in episode II – AntiZiotics II – Coming Soon…!

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I know our regular Flickr followers might have already seen most (or all) of these pics online, but, since I never officially blogged about it here, I now bring you back in time to August 1st, 2009, opening day at the groovy new Madame Tussauds Wax Musuem in Hollywood.

Located next to the Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Blvd., Madame Tussauds is the newest must-see attraction in a city full of them. And while many Angelenos worried at first about this newer, grander museum slamming the final nail in the coffin of the aging Hollywood Wax Musuem up the street…rest assured, amigos, there is more than enough room for both houses of wax on the boulevard.

For one thing, that old-ass Hollywood Wax Musuem is scary as shit. I mean it, we went at night one time and just about jumped out of our skin in the horror film wing. And though the Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter statue at Tussauds is incredibly unnerving — especially if you stand, Clarice-like, on the marked dot on the floor! — overall, the newer museum is pretty much scare free.

But that’s not to say it doesn’t rock, because, well, it totally does. Not only does Madame Tussauds have the most lifelike statues I’ve seen anywhere, but you also get to do all kinds of goofy stuff with them.

That’s right, every statue at Madame Tussauds is there for the fondling. And while the hair and the eyes are strictly off limits in the touch department, everything else on these statues is fair game…and I do mean everything.

Yikes…my brother and I got so raunchy with that poor Halle Berry statue that I’m surprised she didn’t come to life and slap us silly. But tastelessness aside, touching and posing for endless cheesy pics with the statues is part of what make the experience so cool in the first place.

And if you run out of ideas for pictures, each wing of the museum is equipped with props to help you out. Wanna pose as a “Sister Act” nun with Whoopi Goldberg, grab a habit. Feel like chilling with Butch and Sundance, slap on a cowboy hat. And though I think some of that stuff might get kinda gross and germy over time, on opening day, those props were spotless!

My only complaint is that the bathrooms are located in very weird places. One on the top floor and one on the bottom with nothing in between. I had to take the elevator down to the lower level and exit through the gift shop, then reenter through the main lobby to get to the bathroom from the second floor with Greta.

Even worse than that is the fact that the lower level restrooms have no diaper changing stations for babies…not even the women’s! Lame, huh? I realize that not everyone needs these things, but, come on, you spend a gazillion dollars on this joint and you can’t slap up some changing stations in the can? Please…

But other than that, and the slightly highish price tag — same day adult tickets run $25 a pop! — the musuem is a very cool place to visit. And seeing as they have plenty of room to expand and loads of new figures on the way — I think they added a Michael Jackson right after our visit — the museum should do a pretty killer job of getting people to come back for repeat visits down the road.

Hell, I’d go back for Halle Berry alone!

“the grabbing hands grab all they can“

.josette day and the walls of arms in the 1946 film la belle et la bête (beauty and the beast) directed by jean cocteau.

.catherine deneuve and the hall of arms in the 1965 film repulsion directed by roman polanski.

.cover art for the 1981 ultravox single the thin wall from the album rage in eden.

.lori cardille and the wall of arms in the 1985 film day of the dead directed by george a. romero.

.jennifer connelly and the helping hands in the 1986 film labyrinth directed by jim henson.

.ave maria circa 2007 by maurizio cattelan.

.hand in the wall at madame tussauds wax museum.

this is really funny.

kathy griffin while at the random house (the publisher of her own book) to see the possible covers that the execs picked. pictures above are her own wishes to land the cover. you can just imagine how the layout people were shaking their heads every single griffin pick. also in this episode is the unveiling of her Madame Tussauds wax figure. super funny!

you better watch episode 9 of her reality show on Bravo, My Life on the D-List (the wackiest reality on TV, let me just say).

A se citi Sir Sângerică, nu “io săr bă Sângerică!”.

Încep cu părerea făcută despre Londra. Într-un cuvânt: Ooooaaaauuuuuuuuuu!

În mai multe cuvinte: ‘Ai să’mi bag pula, că pizdă mai e!

Da’ pentru că spusei în titlu că’s săr, o să mă rezum la a spune doar: o experienţă minunată într’unul din marile oraşe ale lumii, în capitala unui fost imperiu, în “centru’” lumii…o civilizaţie diferită de a noastră (poate şi pentru că e civilizaţie mai mult ca la noi) în care te simţi străin doar pentru câteva secunde…ş’o bere a naibii de bună!

Aşadar, joi dimineaţa cu ochii împăiănjeniţi de somn şi urdori, târşâindu’mi picioarele pe gresia rece din casă şi lovindu’mi repetat deştele de tocuri de uşi şi colţuri de pereţi ajung in baie. Mă spăl cu apă foarte rece pe faţă, fac un duş – şi el foarte rece, că_conducta de apă caldă e spartă în faţa blocului – şi încep să cânt de bucurie că plec în Londra. Ajung la aeroport, check in, control, avion, zbor, aterizare şi…pula transport de la aeroport către hotel, hotel situat la o aruncătură de minge de cricket de Hyde Park. Sun la agenţia de turism din România ce se ocupase de tot, mi se dă un număr de telefon de la o agenţie din Anglia şi începe cearta. De ce nu erau şoferii în aeroport ca să ne ducă la hotel. După 15 minute ne dumirim, io şi englezoaica, că româncele încurcaseră numărul zborului. Ş’uite aşa am pornit cu metrou’.

Soare, câmpii verzi, bulevarde primitoare şi ajungem la hotel. Ne cazăm, ni se dau cardurile pentru acces cameră şi pornim cu liftu’. Impropriu spus, că eram singur în lift. Şi’n plus, fiind un săr nu ştiam că trebe introdusă cartela în fanta neagră (dacă era roz era altă şmecherie) din lift. Aşa că fiind posedat de un calm latin apăs pe 2, etaju’ unde eram cazat, de nebun, încep să înjur – la început printre dinţi iar pe urmă în gura mare – în timp ce vocea din lift spunea ceva. La un moment dat uşile se închid, liftu’ porneşte iar io mă sprijin satisfăcut de oglinzi crezând că am învins. Când colo…mă trezesc la etaju’ patru. Urcă 2 tăntici în lift, introduc ele cartela apasă pe la parter şi când nu se uitau la mine întind deştu’ arătător tremurând către butoane şi apăs scurt 2. Cobor la etaj în viteză, mă îndrept către cameră şi…4 stele, my arse!, vorba lor. O cameră de mă loveam tot timpu’ la genunchi şi mâini de mobilier. Las toate aruncate într’un pat, mă spăl un pic pe faţă ca să fiu sigur că nu visez, scot capu’ uşor din baie şi, într’adevăr, camera este de tot râsu’.

Ajung în recepţie, direcţia restaurant hotel şi mâncare că puiu’ cu paste din avion  nu îmi intrase nici măcar între măsele. Comandăm ceva specific: fish’n'chips şi bere. Na să vezi beleaua! Întreb ospătăriţa ce bere au convins fiind că o să înceapă cu Guinness şi apoi o să’mi trântească în urechi vro 10 nume de care nu auzisem. Când colo o auzii: Stela Artoa, Becks…

- No cucoană, îi zic io, ceva local aveţi?

- Guinness, da’ e irlandeză.

- Bun…şi am băut Peroni.

Am mers apoi un pic prin oraş…200m până la metrou, am luat Sightseeing Bus şi am făcut turu’. După dooji de minute deja eram cu ochii cât cepele şi mă visam mutat în Londra. Ne plimbarăm cu autobuzu’ până am îngheţat pe ceas de seară când autobuzu’ ne lăsă la câteva staţii bune de hotel. Aşa că o virarăm către Tottenham Court, via puburi, băurăm bere multă şi bună şi am şi mâncat ceva că io iar îmi adusei aminte de puiu’ cu paste din avion.

Ziua următoare fu destinată plimbării pe jos: Picadilly Circus, House Guard, St. James Park, Buckingham cu schimbu’ gărzii, Regent Street pentru cumpărături, London Eye, Parlamentu’, Big Ben, Westminster Abey ş’apoi vro 3-4 puburi şi vro câteva beri. Astea după micu’ dejun tipic englezesc: ou ochi – că mă vazură cu ochelari, cârnaţ, burger, fasole, ceva brânză pane, roşii la grătar, ceai şi fructe. Ce am reţinut din această zi: la metrou, aglomeraţie mare, mare. Io nu mai aveam loc să intru şi vazându’mă aşa plouat 2 tanti îmi făcură loc să urc în vagon între ele. 2 nemţoaice. Ş’am urcat între ele. Vorba aia: între 2 nu te plouă da’ nici bine nu’ţi e. Că aveau ele, fiecare, câte o pereche de ţâţe de ziceai că’s mingi de handbal, lipite de pieptu’ si spatele meu, de mă trecură năduşelile. Aşa că decisei să le arăt că’s săr şi ridicai catargu’ pentru a flutura steagu’. Ş’uite aşa n’am mai putut coborî io din metru vro 3 staţii din cauza englejilor ce nu făcură uşile mai late.

Sâmbătă fusei prin British Museum, puburi ş’apoi Madame Tussaud. Unde vazui ceva fantastic, la muzeu’ ăsta al cerii: nou’ Nissan Skyline GT-R circulând. Iarăşi cumpărături, cină şi multă bere. Şi ieri am aterizat. Câteva poze să vă simteţi bine, ş’o să revin cu poza vedetă de îndată ce mailu’ ăsta de 2 lei de munci o s’o ia din loc.

Şi uitai să vă zic o fază cu o fătucă afumată bine (săr’na  Cocoană că’mi amintişi):

Cum mergeam io cătinel aşa cu grupu’ meu de români către un pub, sâmbătă seara, mă simţii la un moment dat prins de mână. Mă întorc să vad ce e şi văd o bruneţică cu ochi verzi ce’mi zâmbea fermecător iar ochii ei luceau mirific în lumina becurilor de pe stradă lăsând să se vadă alcoolu’ consumat. Io, incheiat la geacă până’n gât, ea în mini, cizmuliţe lungi şi o gecuţă ce nu prea exista. Se uită ea la mine galeş aşa, chinuindu’se să stea dreaptă, îmi zâmbeşte după care o ia la pas înainte şi mă trage după ea. În clipa aia io în mintea mea făceam inventaru’: gumă n’am – da’ e muci gajica, prezervativ n’am – da’s în toalete, duş făcui dimineaţa – nu’i bai că e muci. Şi’n timp ce mă trăgea de mână, zice:

- Hey…

- Hey…zic io.

- Ooo, you’re not speakin’ english!

- No…i can speak..

- Nooooo…i really can speak in english!

- So do i…zic io zâmbind.

- You’re cute and i…hey…you’re not my boy!

- No, i’m not but i could be…zic io râzând.

Apare o mână din spatele meu, mână de bărbat, care o trage pe gajică de o parte…ş’aud:

- Sorry mate…she’s really drunk. I hope she doesn’t offend you!

So…my mother was here last week, which means I got to indulge in a New York lifestyle drastically different from the norm. To wit: I got up and dressed every single day and didn’t once look for a job or do any copywriting or tinker with my book proposal. Instead, I went to restaurants under the purview of celebrity chefs and saw shows on Broadway. I would imagine I would eventually run out of shows and/or get bored if this was my regular life, but…from here, the grass looks pretty green.

Our first stop was Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill. I’ve probably walked by this place a million times, but I’ve never been inside. However, I’ve been meaning to ever since I was at work (or in a class) once and my mom was exploring the city on her own and stumbled upon it and was super-excited and ended up doing a big, brave thing and eating there on her own. So…after six years, I finally ate there. I was really happy with my chile relleno — stuffed with eggplant and rolled in cornmeal! — but my mom was a little disappointed with her sweet potato ravioli…which was a shame as it is the one dish that jumped out on the menu to me, too. I’ve sort of had a complex about chile rellenos since eating at a Mexican restaurant in Wisconsin that served an extremely eggy one. As we all know, I HATE EGGS. So…it freaked me out and sort of put me off chile rellenos for a while. But my mother quoted somebody — possibly Bobby Flay — who said that you really shouldn’t be able to taste the egg in a good chile relleno…and she/he was right. (I also really enjoyed the barbed-wire tiles in the bathroom. Nice touch, BF.)

That night we went to the Grand Central Oyster House…which is another one of those places I have heard about for ages but have never actually tried. I don’t honestly remember where all of the oysters came from — although I’m pretty sure two were from the East coast and two were from the West. Either way, it came with mignonette…which is my favorite part about oysters. I had it for the first time at Elliott’s Oyster House in Seattle years ago…and that was it. I was sold. I also had scallops (which I am told my father liked…which is worth mentioning solely because the whole reason my mom came out to NY was to walk with me in the Light the Night Walk in his memory/honor and so I could perhaps exorcise a demon or two) and my mom got a white fish that came with chunks of bacon on top. Both, again, were very, very good…and we were early because we had tickets to Jersey Boys (still hadn’t seen it!) and I imagine it gets pretty cozy in there as the night goes on, but it seems like it would be fun to meet up there for drinks and oysters after work someday. (Also? There is a red lip-shaped couch in the bathroom.) After the show, we hit up Junior’s for cheesecake…and my mom was very excited to see an autographed photo from Bobby Flay. So…it was like the whole day came full circle.

The next day we got lunch at Bagels by the Park and headed out for the God of Carnage matinee. (Loved it! So good! And so funny! Despite the sort of Heart-of-Darkness point of it all…) We had some time to kill afterward, so we hit up the Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum in Times Square (it was either that or Madame Tussaud’s…and the guy at the door gave us $5 off each ticket)…and I guess we should have known better as it was pretty much a huge letdown. Or, rather, there was a lot of uncomfortable stuff: people with really unfortunate physical abnormalities; a room that traps you inside; torture devices; and weird medical situations. There was one breast implant display with a pair of boobs that inflated at the push of a button…otherwise, a big miss. Then I tried to take Ma to the Rainbow Room, but it’s apparently closed for awhile? (Kind of ironic that the Web site says, “Then. Now. Forever,” eh?) And so we opted instead for the revolving lounge atop the Marriott Marquis…and wouldn’t you know it? Florence Henderson was there. Small world. So…we had a drink there and tried to determine which building was which and whether Florence did anything besides the Brady Bunch and Wesson Oil (I have a “Christmas Carols” refrigerator magnet that includes Ms. Henderson, Carol Burnett, Carol Channing and Carroll O’Connor).

THEN we went to Mario Batali’s Spotted Pig as my mom really, really, REALLY likes Mario Batali. We had to wait at the bar for a bit, but it wasn’t a big deal as two seats opened up right away…almost like fate! We had oysters *again* and my mom was thinking about getting pork belly, but our server told us it was pretty fatty…so she ended up with a fish again and I got chorizo-stuffed quail with goat cheese pudding. Pretty amazing. Although the kitchen was churning out burger/fries like they were going out of style. And the guy at the table next to us could not have been any more smarmy and sort of reminded me why I’ve vowed to be the Lone Wolf for awhile. (We also finished things off with a stop by Magnolia Bakery so my mother could have one of the cupcakes made famous by you-know-what.)

On our last full day, we had a late lunch at Chevy’s and dinner after the walk (So cold! But Tina Fey was there!) at an Italian restaurant in my neighborhood that Guilia Melucci wrote about in “I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti.” We had tried to get in to Buttermilk Channel, which used to be a place called Cafe Scaramouche where I had brunch sort of on a regular basis with my friend Bob and ordered pancakes with caramelized orange peel that he called “pancakes in drag.” But it’s apparently quite a hot spot as the wait was an hour and we were cold, starving walkers, so we sought out the quiet Italian joint.

And then that was it. Mom went back to Tucson and I went back to reality. Still have a little linguine left over…but then it really is back to my own cookin’. Good thing I’m still really excited about my Trader-Joe’s-in-the-middle-of-the-day epiphany…

Second day in London….
Date: July 2, 2009

9.10am – Left Y’s apartment after having cereal for breakfast. Got on the train from South Ealing station to Madame Tussauds on Baker Street.

Checklist Item Crossed #1: Madame Tussauds

With Shrek!!

9.45am – Queued up at Madame Tussaud’s entrance. Since I was alone, I decided to befriend the girl standing alone in front of me. Her name was Zabrina, a young German girl who was travelling around Europe on her own. We decided it would be more fun to go around checking out Madame Tussauds together and save ourselves from asking perfect strangers to help take our photos while we pose with the wax celebs;  10am – Went around Madame Tussauds, starting with the A-List Celebrities section. Zabrina and I had fun taking pics of each other with Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Shrek, The Hulk, David Beckham, Princes William and Harry and the Royal Family, and other famous figures; 12pm – Took pics with Barack Obama that I eventually paid £8.00 for when I bought it as a souvenir photo. I also took a pic with Michael Jackson’s wax figure (although I didn’t really think it looked that much like him…) and signed the condolence book that was available for the public to leave their mark in. Later on, at the souvenir shop, I bought a £4.50 photo frame for my mum.

Checklist Item Crossed #2: London Eye, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament & Westminster Abbey

London Eye

1pm – Took the train to Westminster, walked to the London Eye….oh, frig…the camera battery just died (and it’s only midday)!!! 1.30pm – I had purchased the tickets for Madame Tussauds+London Eye package via online before I left KL. It had cost me about £35.30 to get the tickets online, but otherwise it would’ve cost me £42.50 to get it on-site. Anyway, back to the itinerary…I redeemed my ticket for the London Eye attraction, bought £9.00 disposable cameras at a 2for1 deal from one of the independent vendors located at the site, and proceeded to join the queue; 2pm – Rode the London Eye, took lots of pics of Westminster area (particularly the Big Ben and Houses of Parliament) from bird’s-eye view. Skipped lunch; 2.40pm – Got off the London Eye and purchased a couple of items from the souvenir shop, walked towards Westminster Abbey for a photo op, while snapping a few more pics of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament along the way.

Big Ben & the Houses of Parliament

Checklist Item Crossed #3: Marble Arch, window shopping along Oxford St.
3.45pm – Took pics at the Marble Arch. There were many people there, and more were starting to show up for an apparent outdoor concert or festival or something; 4pm - Walked down the famous Oxford Street, checked out some souvenir stores and Selfridges (my £230/5days budget did not permit me to make any purchase although some of the things there were rather nice…); 5pm – Met up with Y at Tenezis, located in a corner where Oxford St. and Regent St. crossed; 5.45pm – Had dinner at a Japanese restaurant – Y’s treat!

Checklist Item Crossed #4: West End Theatre

7.30pm – Watched “We Will Rock You” at the Dominion Theatre, my birthday treat for Y. Like most of the attractions tickets, I had paid for the show with my credit card online. I love how convenient travelling is these days!! 9pm – The show was okay so far, except for a few lame/boring bits. Felt too thirsty, so I bought a gigantic cup of pepsi for £3.00(!) during the midshow break; 10.30pm – The show ended with a nice and energetic full-cast rendition of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Walked around the West End/near Chinatown area, shopped for a few souvenirs. 11.3opm – Arrived home with feet on the brink of death. Showered and Zzzz….

My Show Ticket and the Theatre Stage

Outside the Dominion Theatre

A few blogs ago I mentioned having a mild fascination with wax museums. I’m bringing this topic to light because a friend of mine recently took her two nieces to Madame Tussaud’s in New York and came back cackling about how Jessica Simpson’s wax head looked monstrously large, and that Michael Jackson looked like his sister Janet and that the two were interchangeable.

There’s something about wax and life-like figures that has always fascinated me. I find them simultaneously interesting and disturbing. The best wax figures, of course, manage to look lifelike, but even if accurate they look decerebrated and like the souls have been sucked out of them. I discovered them when I was a little girl while visiting Freedomland (or as the area is known today, Co-op City). I just had to get my picture taken next to any life-size character, whether it was a pioneer, an Indian, or a skeleton. At the ‘64 World’s Fair in Queens I got to pass through UNICEF’s It’s a Small World ride dozens of times because my aunt worked the gate. I was just gaga over those little moving figures, and I phonetically butchered the theme song in all of the languages. And after I saw the swaying and blinking audio-animatronic Abe Lincoln address us you’d think I was all but ready to declare a career as a taxidermist, or a mortician’s make-up artist  like Whoopie Goldberg. I was transfixed.

As an adult I visited Madame Tussaud’s in London and NY, and hit the Hollywood Wax Museum (HWM) when I was out west on a business trip. The HWM had an impressive Mario Lanza from The Great Caruso, a movie that I love. It was wonderful to see Dorothy Kirsten and Jarmila Novotna in a time when I was not yet born to see them on stage. Last November the HWM sold off some of their figures. You could have walked away with a Tom Cruise, or a Whoopie, or an Anthony Hopkins strapped to a chair, wearing an anti-fava-bean-spitting mask. None of the figures I saw for auction looked accurate. And no, I wasn’t going to bid on one although it would be cool to have the Alien movie alien wax figure guarding the shrubs by my front door on Halloween. They suffer so, once a year.

This past July I revisited the Madame’s fine institution in New York just to kill some time before the Times Talk with Meryl Streep, Nora Ephron, and Stanley Tucci. I had seen Meryl Streep’s wax figure there on a previous visit and was happy to discover that she had disappeared and Susan Sarandon had been moved into her place. Happy because Meryl ‘s wax figure looked — well — dreadful. To wax poetic for a moment,

her cheeks were Himalayan,
her neck was too long,
her complexion was ailin’
And her hair was just wrong.

It would behoove Tussauds to get a better Meryl wax figure and stick her out on the floor dressed like Donna Sheridan during Super Trouper. It would appeal to the tourists and the locals. Unfortunately, my NY Meryl wax photograph is long gone. However, on this visit I was more interested in people-watching than wax-watching. I noticed a very curious thing happening upstairs in the grand hall where there are great figures in history such as American presidents, heads of State, the Pope, Helen Keller, etc. In the middle of the room was a diminutive, well-suited man who looked remarkably real. I stared at him for several minutes, perhaps hoping he would speak, and then I stepped back to watch. He blended in so well that he was all but ignored by the crowd. At one point a teenage boy bumped hard enough into this figure to shake him on his stand. He then stepped back and looked at him, puzzled. There was no recognition. Dr. Martin Luther King was all but forgotten and ignored by the young throngs of people eager to get their picture taken with their new hero, Barack Obama. I can only hope that teachers and parents will remind their young about the events and people that preceded Mr. Obama to make his tenure as President possible.