FIRST Film Fest for The New Paper

Just a couple of days ago, my very good friend Cynthia Lee MacQuarrie (Official Website HERE) and I were invited to present an award for a filmmakers competition that was hosted by The New Paper - a local newspaper in Singapore. I was very excited to go - a love grassroots endeavors and chances for people to be recognized for their skill and efforts. Despite a niggling sinus infection, i even went shopping with Cynthia to pick out a dress for the night, then hurried home to get ready myself before we were to meet at the Park Hotel.

The effort for the night was to make it as glam as possible. We were to arrive at the venue, The Shanghai Dolly, chauffered in white cars - and we were dressed to the nines. I'm proud to say my dress came from Warehouse, and it was lovely. So we met at the lobby of the Park Hotel. Cynthia and I were to present 8 awards together, and we were going to just go and have a great time.

We were to arrive in separate cars tho. I was to ride in a car with a girl named Tania, she is Miss Singapore Universe 2010 - and she had an escort and was very tall. We took a foto together. Now i'm a tall gal, but she was in taller heels and i felt absolutely dwarfed! As soon as we got out of the car (I was first) there was a huge CRUSH of papparazzi - it was so intimidating! That's happened to me twice in the past week, and the flash bulbs going off like crazy feel like little explosions after a while, and becomes a not so pleasant experience. But i smiled through it - like i always do.

Me, Tania, and her escort

So while i was waiting for Cynthia to arrive, i ran into a new acquaintance, George who is a talent signed with Fly Artiste Management, and we took a photo together too.

Me and George in front of the photo wall

So we went inside the venue - and it was packed! the event was running late already - and i honestly hated that the VIP's were the reason it was running late. That is one of my pet peeves about Singapore - no matter the show, they'll always hold up the event for the VIP's. and then some VIP's don't bother to show. As a model when i used to do runway shows, i would curse every single one of them for making us wait for over an hour. We were on time. Even those people who weren't labeled VIP's were on time. Why couldn't the so called VIP's be on time too? To me, the people who showed on time WERE the VIP's.

Anyway, i digress. We were seated in the roped off area and given champagne and food and choice seats. George and I chatted until Cynthia and the rest of the VIP's arrived. Then we were whisked backstage to get ready for our awards presentation. Cynthia and i rehearsed nothing - but as soon as we were on stage... it was...

THE CYN AND LIN SHOW!!!!

I introduced Cynthia, and she introduced me, and we got down to business. I ripped open the envelope and started announcing winners. Our first winner came up and there was a flash from a camera. Cynthia said, "hey, do you wanna take some pictures?" - meaning, take some more! and we had loads of fun posing with the winners! Here are some of the pics....

Yeah, good times

There was plenty of laughter, and our goal was to be entertaining. Some of the winners were shy, some were totally game, some were a bit tipsy. All in all - super fun!

After, Cynthia and i went back to our seat, had a few more drinks, and got to watch the rest of the show. We had a great time, and were shown a first class time as well. Thanks goes to all the winners, presenters, and everyone who submitted a film to make this the success it was. Also, great thanks goes to The New Paper for making this event a class act, and for letting me be involved. 

A Class Act

 PAPPED!!!

Me on the left on the red carpet, and Cynthia in the green dress on the upper right panel.

**Link to The Electric New Paper Story**

Mosaic Music Fest - or how i came to appreciate other kinds of music

Last night i dragged my good friend Zurina Bryant out to the Esplanade to catch a showing of d.v.d - a Japanese percussive/visual music group. I'm not a music fest kind of person, and i don't go to concerts. Since i was 19 and able to go, i've only been to two - the Cranberries when i was 19, and The Singapore Music Fest just last year. I'm not into big crowds of people, shouting to be heard, and long lines for the toilet. I have such an eclectic taste in music that i deem it only to be shared with consenting adults. nevertheless, i was offered some tickets to go, so i thought it would be a good opportunity to broaden my musical horizons, so i went.

Zurina and I went to the esplanade, i with a raging sinus infection and she with a raging case of exhaustion. But we soldiered down for a night of enlightenment. We both are open to new arts and enriching our lives with theater, ballet, and yes even music festivals.

Like this one

We met Siti who directed us where to go, and we were shepherded into the recital hall at the Esplanade. There weren't too many people seated, so we settled in the middle, turned off our fones, and got ready.

We were going to see d.v.d - a band of 3 guys from Japan. The only thing on stage was 2 drum sets facing each other, and a table at the back with 2 macs on it. That was it. What followed for the next hour was a percussive assault on the ears that was interpreted by visual cues on a screen. At first i found it jarring, then hypnotic (as in there is a long string of clear drool hanging from the corner of my lip), then soothing and sleep inducing - but in a good way! I felt totally relaxed in some of the songs, drawn in by the jumping squares, triangles, and pentagon shapes - like a refresher for geometry class. I soon found myself wondering if i was somehow growing more intelligent by watching the visual cues controlled by the drum beats. Or at least i was hoping i was. Each song had a different theme, and a different visual "cartoon" of sorts. some were dots of paint like colors running up the screen... some were tron like lines racing through space. Some were dots and lines. Some were jumping lines and flashing dots... you get the idea.

Look close enough and you can see the drool.

Then there was one that like a clock. I could clearly see hands, a face, and lines where the numbers would be. Then superimposed on that was a digital timer: hour, minutes, seconds. and a melodic midi music background and soft drumbeats. it was very fun! that one was my favorite.

Then.... there was a little ball with squatty legs running thru a field of lines. as the beats progressed, the ball was bent out of shape until it became an abstract little beast on squatty legs running through a field of lines and craggy rocks - most disconcerting actually. i found myself wincing, flinching, and feeling a most uncomfortable emotion, like a cat with its fur rubbed the wrong way.

There were 10 songs in total played, with an encore of 1. The audience was most appreciative, and zurina and i were a bit stunned actually. Stunned to realize the noise was over, and second... that it had been such a pleasant experience. We both promptly bought the, well... dvd of d.v.d and a cd as well.

We were ushered to a little VIP area of Barossa and met the other two bloggers, Pierre and Benjamin - really nice guys actually. We were treated to free nibbles and drinks, tho I was not doing well by this time with my terrible head that i only had Sprite (i was driving after all). Zurina and i got to meet Tze of Tze n Looking Glass, a Singapore based quartet, and we were given a copy of their album. I'm so excited to get to listen to it! We also met some of the band members of True Live, a Melbourne based band that we unfortunately didn't get to see in time.

Zurina, doing her thang.

By this time i had to call it a night, as i was starting to feel woozy. But i went home feeling as if my own eyes had been opened, and that to appreciate music is to appreciate art. And i love art :)

Random art. Appreciate it!

Thanks to The Right Spin for thinking of me, HTC for the passes, d.v.d for opening my mind, Tze for the album, Benjamin and Pierre for being fellow bloggers, Siti for the hospitality, the guys from True Live who dined with us, and of course to Zurina - for letting me take her out even when she was tired :).

From left: Benjamin, Pierre, Tze, me and Z

PS - CHEESE!