The steel magnolia

En route Shanghai, China 

Last night, I performed my first concert of two for this week. Regardless of where I am, what I'm playing and how many people I'm playing to, I get butterflies and jitters. Good jitters. It's that element of the unknown again, popping up. 

Standing backstage is nerve-racking, staring into the full length mirror with my headphones on, cranking Beyonce's Love On Top over and over. Yes it's my ritual. What better than a fiercely independent power woman singing a song with 5 key changes to gee me up?! :) 

The lights dim, the MC is heard over the speakers, applause and I step out, embracing the blinding light. Then it's a 45 minute work-out of playing, chatting, story-telling and utterly being in the zone! 

When I finally finish and half the house lights are up for my bow, I see faces for the first time. It's usually so dark I feel like I'm playing to a massive black hole. To my surprise, they're standing up.

It's a standing O! It's not like it hasn't happened before but it's always such a pleasant surprise. 

Then having audience members come up to you afterwards, genuinely congratulating you, giving you words of encouragement. 

'You've put craftsmanship and showmanship together ... Brilliant' through to 'not only is it virtuosic playing, you come across withconfidence and grace'.... My favorite is 'you are a steel magnolia'. 

Some of these audiences are true poets and so lovely and I'm not writing out of ego or anything close to that but I am truly surprised at these comments, people going out of their way to tell me these things. 

In the words of Lao Tzu:

That is exactly what I've been doing and will continue to do so. 

I feel so blessed that playing piano can even be called a job because it's truly the icing on the cake! 

With confidence and grace,

Van-Anh 

Xoxo

Halloween Horrors

OSAKA, JAPAN

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT: This blog is NOT about Osaka. It’s about Universal Studios Japan J I only had a day and a half here and wanted to not be a typical tourist and see a temple, see a market, do some shopping, eat some Japanese food. I wanted HELLO KITTY INVASION! Hahaha!

Having been to Universal Studios LA, I knew it was no Disneyland. Let’s remind ourselves though that it IS October 21^st, 10 days before Halloween. This turned Universal Studios Japan into a WHOLE different theme park.

When it’s theme park day for me, it’s GAME-ON! I want to be there from the moment it opens to the very moment it closes. If you’re not ready to do that, don’t bother coming with me! We left the port at 9:30am to get the ferry across to USJ (yes, totes using the acronym already like the locals). Got to the queue which looked monstrous and wasn’t sure why because it couldn’t have been peak season, surely. WRONG. The rest of the day was queue after queue after queue. I DON’T DO queues for ANYTHING but when it’s theme parks, even with express passes in hand, we were still in queues.

Halloween turns USJ into a wild playground, a jungle, character-dress-up heaven. I know Japan has the Harajuku girls but Harajuku, move aside. If you want to see wild costumes, just come to USJ during Halloween. Groups of girls dress up as pumpkins, fairies, nurses, maids, red-riding hood … you name it, they had it. Couples matching from head to toe. And I don’t mean just a costume, I mean the FULL ON special effects make up, hair … some dressed up as characters of Sesame Street and I swear the could have been employees at USJ!

The rides themselves like The Mummy Museum, Terminator and Jurassic Park were fun but the streets of Universal were where all the action happened. Just people watching was enough! Street performers were fantastic, conjuring flashmobs by the Japanese (cue to watch my VLOG!). Hello Kitty DOMINATED the place and I couldn’t help but catch kitty-fever! I mean, 40 minute wait to see Hello Kitty in Hello Kitty land? Are you serious?

They had hello kitty & snoopy bread buns, elmo popcorn buckets, blood-bag drinks … their merchandise store seriously kicks the butts of any other theme park stores!

The best came out after 6pm. As soon as it got dark, the whole theme park became Halloween Horror Nights themed – zombies and sets quasi Walking Dead were erected, zombies set loose scaring everyone. Fantastic special FX make up and street-dancing choreography to ‘Thriller-esque’ routines turned the theme park into a wild adult zoo! It seemed like the adults were out to play.

A lot of the rides became horror themed and The Ring made appearances pretty much on every screen possible. The Terminator ride turned into ‘The Ring’ ride.

It is true that pictures say a thousand words so enjoy! Highly recommend USJ over Halloween. It sure beats any other Halloween I’ve had! When the Japanese do something, it’s never half arsed and this Halloween was everything with strings attached, steak knives thrown in AND MORE.

On that note, it’s time for a feed. Next stop is indeed Nagasaki and here’s to hoping we survive the escape of this forecasted Category 5 typhoon!

LOVE & GRACE,

Van-Anh J

And for the right nows:

Wearing: NVMN LF skirt, bassike tee, Ralph Lauren boyfriend fit cardi, Kenneth Cole loafers

Favorite food: ronnefeldt green tea with honey (I know it’s not food but it’s so good!)

Listening to: Teach U A Lesson – Robin Thicke (oh old-school Robin Thicke is velvet! SO good!)

Favorite smell: D’issey Miyake – summer fragrance.

Reading: David & Goliath (seriously taking too long to read this but it’s a good book I promise you)

Wishlist: a mighty purse (look it up)

Next city: Nagasaki, Japan

Missing: piercing sunshine. Thoughts do go out to the people affected at home in the Blue Mountains area. So sad L

TOKYO DRIFTIN'

TOKYO, JAPAN

I’ve always said that Tokyo would be the city I would move to in Asia if I had to move to a city in Asia. Well, that’s been reconfirmed. In the 4 days that I spent there, performing in Tokyo literally the moment I got off the plane to the few days in between trying to fit in as many touristy and cultural experiences as possible, I grew to love Tokyo even more. Everywhere I turn my head, I see something that spurs an inspiration. Music is played everywhere, whether it is hip-hop through to J-Pop through to classical music. Even upon arriving at a train station, there’ll be a ‘game-music-like-song’ that greets you and apparently each station has a different song according to what that area is famous for (one station has the Astroboy theme playing!).

What do I like to do as a tourist? I love to eat. I love to try something super high end, then I love to try something super down and dirty. I then want something quirky and something local. Then I love to get lost in a city – literally be thrown into an area and just explore that area because you never know what you’ll stumble into. Throw some designer shopping in terms of local designers and I’m a happy girl! With local friends, even better. I had Hiro and Nick show me around during those few days. I’m going to divide into areas that I spent time in J

Shibuya/Ebisu – Centre

Of course, this is the most famous crossing with all the neon lights and the statue of the dog that apparently back in the day, the dog would come to the station with his owner, wait at the station all day until his owner came back at the end of the day and come home with him. The people of the area got to know this dog so it was named after the dog. Anyways, walking around here, there are just awesome shops. You’ll have your cheap knock-offs, you’ll have your boutiques, plenty of hat stores, hip-hop clothing stores, urban clothing stores and branded stores like SuperDry, Bershka, Zara, Levis, UNIQLO etc.

TO EAT

Genki Sushi – you’ll have to watch my vlog for the full experience of this. Everything is basically electronic from ordering your meal to your sushi coming out at rocket speed on a monorail and sending your dish back on a monorail too! Definitely not a place that breaks the bank, dishes start at about 160 Yen, which is really like $2 a dish. Super reasonable and good sushi with a fun experience!

A lot of super cool shops including this headphones/stereo/speakers store which Nick and I spent a solid hour in I reckon. That’s one thing I’d spend money on. Good sound! J

WGT – along the train-tracks between Ebisu and Shibuya, we were walking and stumbled on a recently-opened café. Half the menu was in Japanese so we just basically did a stab in the dark as to what we wanted to eat and it all turned out pretty swell. It reminded me of Surry Hills/Alexandria quasi Kitchen by Mike with the mismatched furniture and industrial feel of the venue. They had live local music every Tuesday, which would have been cool to check out if I was around for longer.

Shopping

To be honest, I can’t remember the names of where I stepped in because I stepped into quite a few random stores but they offer SUCH a variety of things that if you love fashion like I do, you’re pretty much in heaven. Shop to your hearts content and be creative with what you want to wear, how you want to wear it and how much you want to spend as well!

Shirokane – Centre-West

This is one of Tokyo’s richest areas. A lot of nice cars driving around, you’ll spot casually a Lambo zipping around the narrow roads.

Shimbashi – East

I was staying at the Shiodome Tokyo Royal Park Hotel. This in itself is a gorgeous hotel. Its lobby is on Level 24. Why? Because they want a view to start with so why put it on street level but utilize the floors in between as office buildings and start at Level 24! BRILLIANT! Amazing views! Great staff, beautiful hotel bar, fantastic room service (p.s ordering on screens of course!)

A coffee DOES cost you $10 but most of the alcoholic drinks are fine and they do offer fine wines from Italy and France including one of my favorites, Chateuneuf-du-Pape.

Just outside the hotel is a big area for shopping along with a very large TV station is situated with a theatre showing Wicked right now!

Otomesando Hills –

Ritzy, like Paddington in Sydney. A LOT of stylish people. What I really love about Tokyo is that everyone has their own style. Not conformed to anything. Mainly late 20s to 40s shop around here! The Sartorialist would go to TOWN here. I found myself taking photos of all sorts of people.

Designer shops, not like Ginza where the super rich shop but there are all the stores like Coach, Gucci, local high end designers then the more quirky boutiques on the back streets – just like Paddington. Great restaurants, built up and modern, I had lunch here at Miyashita. GREAT Tomato juice (and I’m not even a tomato juice lover).

You’ll also see a lot of nice cars zipping around, customized like matte-black Porsches.

Roppongi

This is the party area of Tokyo. A lot of Nigerians are around trying to lure you into clubs apparently. I wasn’t in the mood for crazy clubbing but indeed, I visited bars and restaurants.

Bar Ho – listed on worldsbestbars.com , this is a whiskey bar. In the basement level of the Backborn House building, the bar is corridor sized. 

Then there's Gonpachi! The restaurant Quentin Tarantino was inspired by to make that fighting scene in Kill Bill! 

All in all, i heart Japan! I truly do! I will write more because there is so much to cover.

BIG LOVE,

V-A xoxo

And for the RIGHT NOWS:

Fav food: sashimi, yuzu mojitos!!!!

Reading: David & Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell 

Wishlist: Frends headphones

Current city: Tokyo, Japan

Listening to: Back Seat Lover, Mayer Hawthorne

Fav clothing item: Claude Maus sweater

Wearing: sally hansen pink nail polish, nicholas shorts, LF daisy top, Kenneth Cole loafers.

Next destination: Osaka, Japan

The Unknown

HONG KONG, HONG KONG

The last two weeks of shows, travels and chasing after flights has been exhausting. Anyone who knows me well enough knows that I am very spirited, almost always with a smile on my dial and seizing every moment as a positive rather than a negative. 

Like right now! Being put in at the Regal Airport Hotel because the scheduled 1am flight out of HK to Tokyo was cancelled due to the typhoon. Positive: not being stuck in the air in a typhoon. Negative: feeling stranded and that panic-stricken moment of wondering what to do for a 10 hour overnight transit. Positive: they put me in a hotel and instead of an overnight flight which I would barely get any sleep on, I can now sleep in a bed in my own room, quiet and content before a morning flight into Tokyo. Negative: It takes 2 hours to get from Narita airport to Tokyo CBD and then by that time, i will just have had enough time to drop off my bags at the next hotel and go straight into soundcheck.

See the circle of events? It's been like that ever since I left Sacramento! Who would have thought. Its all been close shaves but in the end, it's all one big adventure right? And in Mr. Chow's words: 'BUT DID YOU DIE?' well, no. Technically I didn't. But it sure felt like death during the process! I lived to tell the tale though. More tales to be told from where THAT came from :)

Sitting on the plane is pondering time for me and reflecting on the last week on the ocean. From just dodging that horrifying cyclone off the coast of India (mind you i did a show that night and wondered why the swells in the ocean were so BIG! I had NO IDEA!), to seeing Sri Lanka for the first time and spontaneously running into and catching up with old friends I had worked with over the past few years, you realise how small the world truly is! 

Last night, I was in the bar saying goodbye to a couple of friends and was not really in the mood to be making new friends to be honest. I was leaving the next day. A few people sat around our group and a guy across from me asked me if I was from Vietnam. I answered 'no, i'm Australian but my heritage, my parents, yes, they are from Vietnam'. He smiled. I smiled back. His name badge showed he was from Italy. Usually I'd strike up a conversation particularly if it involves Italy but I just couldn't be bothered. I checked my phone. 12:10am. I had told my friends I was only to stay til midnight before I turned into a pumpkin. So I gave them hugs and goodbyes but not to him and at that, I left. This morning, I was out and about in Singapore, catching up with another friend and then he so kindly drove me from the Marina Bay Cruise Centre to Changi Airport. As we left in the zippy light blue limited edition Fiat500, I saw a minivan full of suitcases and people staring out at it. It was some of the crew and there he was. Straw hat, shades on and smiling. I turned to my friend and said we'd race them of which we took another road and ended up seeing them about 15 minutes later, zipping by, I waved and he waved and that was that. I don't think I'd ever see him again. There was nothing there. I'm not talking about chemistry here. Nor am I talking about any feelings towards someone, but just merely having met someone, exchanged smiles, a few words not knowing their name and probably never seeing them again was a weird feeling!

So much of the time, we live life thinking we KNOW what's going to happen, we schedule our timetables, my calendar is filled into the ends of 2014 yet there is still SO much that is the unknown. And it's pleasant that way! Whether it's being put in a hotel due to a natural disaster or exchanging a smile with a person you'll probably never meet again, it's things that are unplanned, undetermined and unknown. 

And with that, I am ready to go into a slumber.

With LOVE and GRACE,

Van-Anh 

And for the RIGHT NOWS:

Fav food: hainan chicken rice

Reading: David & Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell 

Wishlist: a safe flight to tokyo tomorrow

Current city: Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Listening to: silence. air conditioning. it's deafening.

Fav clothing item: Ralph Lauren boyfriend fit cardigan. Perfect travel cardi!

Wearing: Zara waxed jeans, Claude Maus tee, tanzanite ring, Tiffany & Co ring, 'beyond infinity' ring.

Next destination: Tokyo, Japan

Thanksgiving

I get to celebrate my very first Thanksgiving this year as I come back to Orange County, USA.  WOOHOO!!!!!! Turkey. Me. UP!!!!! super excited :) I also get to celebrate my birthday in America which i'm super excited about so what better way than combining my birthday, Thanksgiving, music and a PARTAYYYYYY all in one? 

Come join me Friday Nov 29th, 8:30pm at Lac Cam where i'll be playing a few bits and bobs, Hoai Phuong (saxophone) and Bich Van (singer) have so kindly agreed to come and be the amazing guest artists. Working with them last month was a treat and we all have such chemistry as musicians, performing together so i'm super excited to perform with them again!

For my Vietnamese readers:
Đây sẽ là một show rất đặc sắc với tài năng của cô nghệ sĩ dương cầm trẻ tuổi Vân Anh, người Việt sinh ra tại Úc. Khách mời Hoài Phương và Bích Vân sẽ phối hợp cùng Vân Anh trong những tiết mục đặc biệt hấp dẫn. Kính mời quý vị vè các bạn tới thưởng thức đêm nhạc thú vị này tại Hội Quán Lạc Cầm vào 8:30 pm ngày 29 tháng 11, 2013.

Tickets available NOW HERE: https://vananhsbirthday.eventbrite.com 

Get your PRE-SALE tix now: $35 or $45 VIP (includes drink)
At the door, general admission tickets will be $40.

And remember, money raised from this event through ticket sales all goes into helping me fund my next music video clip, to be released in 2014. 

Thanks so much! This would be the BEST birthday present EVER if you could all come and support! Spread the word. Share. Like the poster. 

Orange County, we're in for the party of the year!
BIG LOVE,
Van-Anh 

And for the RIGHT NOWs:

Fav food: cucumbers in red wine vinegar

Reading: David & Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell 

Wishlist: everyone to buy a ticket to my Birthday/Thanksgiving show

Current city: Port Klang, Malaysia

Listening to: Alicia Keys - The Life

Fav clothing item: BCBG Maxi romper

Next destination: Singapore, Singapore

Stranded in aiports

DUBAI, UAE

So embarking on what was a 25 hour trip from Sacramento to Cochin of which was 22 hours of flying time, I knew something was going to go wrong. Traveling by myself means one large suitcase and a carry-on. I decided that because I could check both bags in, I would because Sacramento-Atlanta-Dubai-Cochin sounds exhausting as it is, let alone dragging a fairly heavy carry-on. The bags were to be checked-in direct to Cochin (woohoo!). NOT so 'woohoo' when you get to Dubai and you've missed your connecting flight. Why did i miss it? No, I was not perusing stores for souvenirs or that next handbag. The flight from Atlanta had been delayed for almost an hour because firstly, the front of the plane was flooded due to the storm then no pun intended, when it rain it pours ... a passenger fell sick so they had to be removed from the plane along with their bags they had checked in which was to be searched for in the cockpit. A VERY turbulent flight, I managed to get 8 hours of broken sleep on a 14 hour flight. Not too bad if i don't mind saying so myself, coming from a person who finds it hard to get to sleep anywhere. 

Arriving in Dubai, I had approximately 40 minutes to get off the plane and to my next flight. I literally ran a kilometre to get to the B gate, huffing and puffing, i see the horrific LED sign 'GATE CLOSED'. I begged the man at the desk and he asked me where I had come from. I couldn't even answer it. What city had i flown from? What time was it? What day was it? Finally figuring it out, i mumbled Atlanta on Delta Airlines. He looked at me and knew i wasn't lying, scanned my ticket and i saw 2 names pop up, one of which was mine. He called to the plane and they said I could get on. He asked if I had checked in bags and I said 'yes, two'. The bags weren't going to make it on time. 

Luckily for me, there was a flight leaving in 5 hours. So guess what i'm doing now? waiting for that flight and crossing all fingers and toes that my two bags get transferred to the correct new plane and arrive in Cochin with me.

Distressed would be a word that would be PERFECT in describing this situation right now. I'm just glad i took my laptop out of my carry-on or else I'd be having a heart attack right about now. 

This has only happened to me one other time and they actually delayed the ship until I got on last year in January. There is no need to delay the ship this time but BAGS, PLEASE GET THERE!

Apart from this distressing story, my performance in Sacramento was definitely memorable. The Food & Wine Society friends were a delight, with special menu created by leading chef, Matt of Supper Club Sacramento. Free flowing bubbles, reds, whites, you name it occurred throughout the night and I was surrounded by Sacramento's finest for this private event! It was my first time in Sacramento and always a nice feeling when it is a performance that brings you to a new city.

I can't wait to get back to Sacramento again. I mean, I had my first ramen in 4 years (finally found a gluten free ramen) and then ice cream and then chicken skins with batter that wasn't wheat ... WINNING! :) 

That's all from me for now though.

Very tired, puffy eyes and another 3 hours til I can board the plane. 

BIG love and grace,

Van-Anh

THE RIGHT NOWS:

Fav food: real lattes

Reading: David & Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell 

Wishlist: Kate Spade clutch ... still! that popcorn clutch is TO DIE FOR!

Current city: Dubai, UAE

Listening to: trolleys in the airport ... music wise, Lorde.

Fav clothing item: Claude Maus sweater.

Next destination: Cochin, India

Missing: my luggage ... PLEASE arrive in Cochin for me!!!!

Denver Diaries

The last 48 hours was spent in Denver. Arriving to 80 degree weather, it was pleasant and as I got to downtown Denver, I soon found out it was a very arty city. I was to be playing at the Denver Performing arts Complex and littered around the city were larger-than-life sized sculptures! So cool!

Dining at fabulous places like Mizuna (French-Mediterranean cuisine), The Market (breakfast, fab coffee, pastries and gluten free friendly to my excitement), and Jing (Asian-Japanese cuisine - make sure you try the Buddha bud! A sechuan flower to spruce all senses) ... I was definitely taken care of beyond what I could have asked for. I can highly recommend all of those places. 

The performance itself was divine and received incredibly well which is always a nice feeling especially in a city debut. I met so many lovely people, full of wisdom and one of my favorite things is hearing what others have to say. Some had done their research and were curious as to what genre I was going to play that night. Of course, it was everything from my foundations of classical piano to what I'm developing now which is the classical crossover to bridge the disconnection between the youth and classical music. 

I wish I had more time to explore the city more and visit the incredible architecturally fascinating art museum. 

I did visit Idaho Springs, Georgetown and got to see snow today! Weather forecasts had said flurries and lows of -1 degrees Celsius which I was truly afraid of but mentally prepared ... It didn't snow downtown at 10:30am when I excited the Marriott but as we drove south, I started seeing white roofs ... They weren't white tiles... It was snow! As the day went by, flurries turned into full blown snow falling by the time I got to the Red Rock amphitheater. Unfortunately it was closed for a rehearsal as a band called Lotus was performing that night. It was truly snowing by then!!! 

Now at Denver International airport, I get ready to head to Sacramento, another new city for me! 

From the various conversations I had in the last 48 hours, one rang through loud and clear. You can make it happen, watch it happen or wonder what happened. I'm definitely down for making it happen. 

Living and speaking out my dreams everyday. I hope you are too!

With love and grace, 

Van-Anh

AND FOR THE RIGHT NOWS:

Fav food: salted caramel mocha

Reading: David & Goliath - Malcolm Gladwell

Wishlist: Kate Spade popcorn bag

Current city: Denver, Colorado

Listening to: David Phelps, Call You Mine

Fav clothing item: Kenneth Cole loafers

Next destination: Sacramento, California (yes, the capital of California apparently!)

Missing: boba tea .... yes, way to epitomise my asianess but the newyorker from tra teahouse is DELISH!!!