Mickey: The True Original Exhibition

I had the pleasure of attending the press preview of the Mickey: The True Original Exhibition in the city, located right next to the location of this summer’s Pint Shop, at 60 10th Avenue, New York, NY 10014. The cost of admission is $38 and it’s running from now until February 10, 2019. Like most pop-ups, the Mickey exhibit is available by time slot so you have to purchase your tickets in advance online and enter according to the time you selected. You do not have to purchase a ticket to access the retail store inside though if you just want to view and buy the merchandise.

I learned of this exhibit over the summer, when the walls were already heavily decorated outside, and Disney had started advertising heavily for Mickey’s birthday in advance through special Oreos, Goldfish and other food merchandise and such you can buy at your local supermarket. The Highline ended up being an area this summer that I would visit multiple times since this block is so popular for quick temporary pop-ups. I was even here a few weeks prior for the Brandless pop-up.

Upon checking in, you are given a limited edition set of Mickey ears and pin to commemorate the exhibit and Mickey’s birthday. The waiting area before you’re officially introduced into the exhibit has a map of all the rooms you can walk through, as well as a few quick backdrops for cute selfies. There’s also a list of all the artists who contributed to the exhibit. From there, you walk into a huge room where they play a quick video about Mickey and his contribution to the world over the years and his evolution. Videos and photos are highly encouraged throughout the entire exhibit so don’t worry about overdoing it. The next room showcased Walt’s Oscar from his work with Mickey and the Steamboat Willie film. You can watch two different versions of the film too in a dark room, the original and a modern day interpretation. There’s even a lifesize steamboat for you to walk on to and take photos. My gripe with this room and a few other rooms in the exhibit though, is the lighting isn’t that great. It was hard to take photos in some areas due to this. For pop-ups, this is a big faux pas. Lighting is key for grammable photos. One of my favorite rooms was the Ink and Paint room but it was hard to capture nice photos here because it was so dark and the light changed too quickly between patterns. Same thing with the Sorcerer’s Apprentice room. There was so much potential but dampered by low lighting.

As we walked through the exhibit, we saw many different variations of Mickey, seen through the eyes of all the artists that contributed to it, as well as original artwork and pieces. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable, as well as helpful if you need a hand with taking photos. I found some rooms were very monochromatic and some rooms were splashes of color. Of course, I enjoyed the splashes of color more. Towards the end of the exhibit, you’re given a sample of Ample Hills Creamery ice cream, with flavors designed specifically for the exhibit.

Towards the end, there’s a room where you can play Mickey trivia with other guests on the Google home Mickey, and then view a collection of old Mickey Mouse memorabilia and merchandise throughout the years. The exhibit finishes into the retail store, which hides the neon room, the psychedelic room of hidden Mickeys. The lighting in this room also makes it hard to capture photos nicely.

So what is my review of the exhibit? Honestly, compared to other pop-ups I’ve attended, I think the $38 price tag is a bit steep for the content. I appreciate all the art and displays you can view, but it’s lacking the interactive, fun aspect of pop-ups like The Color Factory and Rose Mansion. There wasn’t a lot of different, hands-on, fun things you could really do other than take photos, but even the photos felt a little flat. I felt there were a lot of missed opportunities. There was so much potential but this pop-up didn’t take full advantage of it. The only food sampling is the ice cream and we were given a very modest portion of it as you can see our cups weren’t even filled. They could’ve given away a lot of other Mickey shaped treats and food like the Oreos and Goldfish. Or even have the famous Mickey bar available, even if for purchase. I didn’t feel it had the magic of Disney in it or the fun factor. It’s more for the art and museum goers. It’s very “museum-like” than it is a pop-up, but with not enough content really to make the entrance price worth it, in my opinion. You are given ample time to walk through and view everything at your leisure, however. And I did feel that every one was very friendly. I never felt rushed. I went on press day so it wasn’t crazy crowded but I did read a few other reviews on Google stating that they’re very good at only allowing a limited amount of people in at a time so you never feel crowded or have the problem of other people in your photos or feel rushed to take your photos because someone’s waiting behind you.

So ultimately do I think this pop-up is worth a visit? Yes if you’re an art lover and museum goer and don’t mind paying a steeper price for pop-ups. But no, if you’re looking for something more interactive with that wow-factor. I’m more on the interactive, fun, wow-factor spectrum for pop-ups, so I wasn’t really impressed to be honest, nor in love with the palette of colors used in this exhibit. It felt like a lot of red, white and black, instead of the pop of color world that I prefer for Mickey. And for the price, I think we could’ve received a few more freebies and cute Mickey treats, like the Sugarfina candy. I’ve also read that Mickey sometimes makes appearances for photos, but that’s not always guaranteed so I do feel that should be more consistent in the pricing as well.

Regardless, I did enjoy attending the preview day and being able to experience it to find out what the exhibit was all about. And again, Happy Birthday to a true icon that I grew up with, Mickey Mouse. Without him, the Disney World of imagination would not have been possible. It all started with a mouse to launch one man’s amazing dream that he wanted to share with the world.

Thanksgiving 2018

I spent Thanksgiving morning with my family watching the Macy's parade in Manhattan and then the evening having dinner with my husband and his family. This is the first Thanksgiving in years where I haven't worked. I actually prefer to work but no one took me up on the offer this year when I asked at work if anyone wanted me to cover. With the exception of Halloween, I actually don't mind working holidays because I am greedy for that holiday pay and banking more vacation hours. But Halloween isn't a paid holiday anyway.

I also hadn't seen the parade in person since I was like 10. All I remember is cold and I couldn't see anything because I was tiny. Well, I'm still tiny so not much has changed. And also this year it was basically 19° outside, which I'm told was the coldest it's ever been on Thanksgiving in years. Luckily, my viewing point was NOT outside. One of my sisters works in Manhattan and her office building invites all their employees and families every year to view the parade from their perspective work floors. We were fortunate enough to view from the 14th floor, which was a nice comfortable temperature as well as still a decent view. 

I am NOT a morning person so you can imagine my struggle with waking up at 5am to get into the city on time to get into the building before the parade started at 9am. I complained the whole morning. It was SO DAMN EARLY. But I picked up a dozen bagels to numb my pain. My friend picked up donuts as well. In the end, it worked out nicely. We viewed the parade from the comfort of a warm office building and had munchies during the whole procession, while watching hundreds of civilians battle it out in the cold. It was brick out there walking just the one block from the subway stop to the building so I can't imagine how terrible it was for these people watching outside and standing for what was probably hours before it started, all the way til 11:30 when it ended. And it didn't even come down our block until around 9:30. It wouldn't have been worth it for my bitch ass if I had to stand outside North of the Wall like that. I am not a wildling. It's not in my blood.

But watching the parade from up high, in a comfortable setting, despite how tired I was, made me realize not only how fortunate I was, but how far my family has come along since our much more humble days back when every penny was pinched. But again, also reminded me how my dad tried so hard to make us still feel normal by taking us to the parade like every other American family. My mom even learned to cook an entire American Thanksgiving with the church donated food we were given every year during our struggling times.

It's funny because growing up in such a strict household where my parents wouldn't let me do anything "American" like hang out with friends, go to the movies or to the mall, I always felt stifled through their traditional homeland ways when all I wanted to be was normal like my school friends. I just wanted to be allowed to go to sleepovers and birthday parties and talk on the phone with my friends. I looked at my parents as the enemy who were trying to "ruin my life," as every dramatic teenager would say. But looking back, I see now they were actually doing a lot of things to let me be "American," but what they specifically wouldn't let me do, wasn't punishment, but out of love. They were protecting me from a lot. It's really hard to navigate the American waters as immigrants, let alone raise first generation children up in it. I give my parents a lot of credit for all they had to do, raising 5 kids alone in a foreign country, trying to assimilate and learn the culture, as well as struggle to preserve their own culture through their children. I can speak Vietnamese but I don't read it as easily (unless it's food) and I wish I had paid more attention when my mom tried to teach me when I was younger. She even had relatives bring back school workbooks from Vietnam to teach me to read and write, but being a stubborn child, I didn't put any effort into my lessons. I was too bitter about not being allowed to have outside friends. My siblings "were my friends" as she would say. But when you're that young, you want friends outside your home. Of your own choosing. And it's so ironic that years later, I would end up finally wanting to spend time with my siblings and my family. Life is funny that way. I ended up being close to my family anyway after all these years, when I was always trying to push them away in exchange for a more American one.

The parade itself was really nice to view. I enjoyed seeing all the different balloons come down the street, especially the Pikachu. I felt bad for all the people marching though, with how cold it was. Some of the girls in the parade were only in skirts with thin tights. The march itself was very slow and stopped a lot at certain intervals so I can't imagine they stayed very warm marching through. Even a regular temperature fall day is too cold for me to run through sometimes so 19° had to have been brutal. It takes some dedication and commitment to do this every year. God knows my bitch ass wouldn't do it. 

Afterwards, we walked down to Rockefeller Center for some quick pics and lunch before departing ways for the rest of the day. The last time my family did this was way back in my early college days, when my baby sister was still an actual baby. I realized in this short amount time together that morning, just like our family cruise earlier this year, I really do enjoy spending time with my whole family, doing the things I used to not really take notice of or care for. Maybe I'm finally growing up after all this time.

After lunch, I headed back to the island to try and make it in time for Thanksgiving dinner. My husband and I both ended up being late (him being stuck at work and I being stuck in Thanksgiving day traffic) but my sister-in-law thoughtfully made us both plates so we were able to just sit down and eat as soon as we walked through the door. My in-laws are so sweet and always thinking of us, even though we're always ghosts and MIA at family functions because work and busy lives. I ended up being really tired from being up so early and passing out on the couch by 5pm. I napped for an hour or so before heading home for the night.

 A few years ago, this would have never happened. My Thanksgiving routine consisted of me working the morning til 2-3pm, having dinner with my husband's family and then heading out for the night to go Black Friday shopping with my friends. One time we stayed out all night til like 5am. We stopped by the diner for breakfast before I went home, took a 4 hour nap and then headed into work. I was crazy. Nowadays, I prefer to sleep. But I also have slowed down a lot on my shopping. I don't go as crazy as I used to anymore. But there's also nothing left to buy. Victoria's Secret used to have the cutest Black Friday totes and a lot of great deals as well as super cute rhinestoned designs, girly prints and colors. Nowadays, their stuff has gotten really boring. I hate all the trends right now but at the same time, I can't talk because my taste in lingerie has simplified to be more versatile to my outfits. I hate seeing lines underneath or lace texture under a smooth fabric dress. Now I realize why the coupons used to be for basic white, black or nude colored items. They're staples for a reason. Looking back I don't know why I did what I did on Black Friday. Those "deals" aren't really deals. Especially if you don't need it. You just feel the urge to shop because herd mentality. And the shopaholic in me loved it. 

I haven't gone Black Friday shopping in years and it's funny because I actually don't miss it despite loving it so much at the time. My income from switching from retail to hospital had a role to play in that, I'm not gonna lie, since I've had to cut back on a lot. I still treat myself every now and then but I've cut down a lot on my recklessness. It's good and bad. I've learned to live without but I've also learned that I CAN live without. I was buying a lot of unnecessaries. I ended up with a lot of stuff I never used or wore. They still even had tags on them. In recent years, I've learned to try and buy what I REALLY want, to ask myself if I'll really used it and how many uses I will get out of it. I try to look for more classic pieces now, that I can see myself wearing over and over again. I do still buy into trends if I find them cute but I try not to go overboard. I'll try to see if they can incorporated into my regular style so it's not a one and done seasonal wear. If I can, I try to sleep on the decision and hold back on impulse purchases. I figure if I’m still thinking about it a week or a month later, then go for it.

I've also learned that sometimes it's worth it to invest more in quality rather than quantity. I won't buy any drugstore makeup anymore because I know it's all garbage and low quality chemicals you're putting on your face. I'll spend a little more for skincare. I used to justify the cheapness of drugstore makeup saying for their prices, I can buy "more" but I wasn't really saving money. Your money is better spent on that quality eyeliner that won't run or smudge, than 10 of those drugstore tubes that will streak and smear before the day is done. You save more when you choose quality instead of buying so many little things instead because "it's a deal." I purged a lot of clothes and makeup from my closet this year and a lot of the makeup I got rid of was drugstore garbage.

I also usually put a wishlist together for my husband and for friends and family who request it because I'm not an easy person to shop for. Actually, I'm both easy and hard. Easy because I have so many things I do like, but hard because I tend to already have bought it for myself or because I'm particular. Just because I like Pokemon doesn't mean I want every piece of garbage merchandise out there. And that's the other thing, I stopped caring about small, dumb knick knacks. I don't care for tchotchkes and useless stocking stuffer gifts that I'll open and do nothing with. This year, I realized when trying to think of birthday gifts for my husband that there isn’t a lot I “want” anymore. And now that Christmas is upon us, I have nothing on my list for that either. At least, nothing I really want that can be wrapped in a box. There are things that I want, but they’re not materialistically attainable. They’re just my own personal goals that I have to work towards for myself. Like maintaining my gym routine and health/fitness habits I developed this year and staying on the wagon. Maybe lose a few more pounds so I’m at a more comfortable rubberbanding weight. I want to set aside more time to read more books. I want to save up for more adventures overseas. More Disney trips. I want to learn to sew my own skirts. I want to be able to run with ease and complete my half marathon next year. But most of all, I want to spend more time with my family. I want happiness and good health for my friends and family, as cheesy and traditionally Asian as it sounds. I want to have a beautiful holiday with my loved ones, sharing good times and laughter. Is this me growing up?

I’m so thankful for all the opportunities I had this year and all the times the stars aligned for me to spend it with the people I love. I hope that in 2019 this pattern continues and grows even more. Count your blessings.

 

OMG Dessert Goals

I didn't originally mean to attend OMG Dessert Goals til last minute, due to winning a pair of tickets literally 2 days before the event. Lately a lot of my adventures have been last minute, with invites dropping in my inbox with not enough heads up for me to plan them out, but my ambitiously forever gramming self ends up racing to do it all because some of these are such limited time events. Unfortunately I'm not a local NYC girl so it's not easy for me to get out there, which is why I limit my trips to the weekends I'm off work.

A lot of people wonder how I learn about a lot.of the pop-ups and events I attend. There's no secret. I simply switched gears and started following Instagrams that feature new pop-ups and new things to do in the city. Which is how I learned about OMG Dessert Goals. I knew about it from food bloggers but not the full extent of what it entailed. I never bought a ticket to it because I didn't know what I would be getting myself into and if it would be worth it. I entered a contest run by Fomofeed and got an email Friday morning that I won tickets into their Sunday morning slot. Looking at the lineup of vendors, I saw a few that were actually on my to-do list to try around the city, so I was excited to go and finally get to try these new desserts.

The one con I found about the event was how to get there. It wasn't exactly easy as it was in Long Island City and a lot of trains were either down or not operating on time that weekend. It was still a walk from the nearest station as well and it was a particularly cold day out. I noticed a lot of other attendees getting dropped off by Ubers. The location was in a big warehouse alongside the river, which was sketchy at first upon entering the area. My sisters and I all thought, is this where we come to die because we greedily wanted desserts?! Is this how we go?! Hansel and Gretel style? If it was a warmer day/season, the entrance may have been decorated a little nicer and further out to invite guests in but it was cold and windy by the water so the entrance was further in and hidden from the path in which you had to walk to get there.  BUT! Once inside, I am happy to report everything was fine and went well! There was a bit of a line to get in but in the waiting area there were a few cute walls and props to take photos while you waited. There was a cute photobooth with free Sparkling Ice water giveaways as well.

With your admission, you get a few free things. You get free water from Boxed Water, free candy from Sugarfina (They give you a small bag that you get to fill up at the candy bar, but honestly the bag they give you could’ve been bigger but maybe I’m just greedy. It was probably that size to keep the lines moving and keep people from staying there too long but there were only 3 candies to choose from so this could’ve been done better.), and free mochi from My/Mo Mochi ice cream. The free mochi was nice but there was only one flavor available - cookies and cream which is a generally well liked favor by the masses, but it would’ve been nice to have options to try something different.

In the vendor room, it was mayhem! But beautiful. There were so many people and so many beautiful desserts. There were lines everywhere. I scouted the room first to plan my attack.

I ended up trying quite a bit.

  1. ICE NY - They had a special rose lychee rolled ice cream special just for this event and it was delicious. I love anything rose and lychee flavored and it was totally grammable.

  2. Rebecca’s Cake Pops - These were the most adorable, cutest Instagrammable treat of the whole place! This booth easily had the longest line and you could tell it was a mom and pop run shop, with the parents taking orders as their children helped put together cute boxes for the treats to be packaged in. Regardless of the long line, they took their time and made sure every order was perfect and to your liking.

  3. Silk Cakes - I’ve seen these for a while now but the bakery is out of the way for me in Queens and I really hate going anywhere in Queens, honestly so I haven’t had a chance to try them so I was really excited they were a vendor here. Their cakes looked so perfect in real life and tasted so soft and mousse/cream-like. I hope they come to the next event!

  4. The Stackery - This was a new dessert I’ve never seen or heard of. At first I thought the cone was made of a sweet pastry-like dough but it was actually bread! It was a nice touch to the ice cream because it complemented the sweetness instead adding to it and making it too overly sweet. The vendors working the booth were absolutely sweet to us while putting together our order.

  5. Treat House - These were cute rice krispie treats decorated in the Halloween spirit. They were just too adorable and my sister bought a box of 6 of these to take home.

  6. Sugar & Water - I’ve seen their pretty glittery croissant donuts all over the gram. Another vendor I wanted to try but again, in Queens so it hindered me from visiting. Their pink dossant was as delicious as it was pretty.

  7. Kochin Desserts - Another brand new dessert I saw and was intrigued by so we obviously had to try. Flan, coffee ice cream, banana brulee, and coffee jelly, served with a Vietnamese espresso shot. It was quite a mix! I love desserts where there’s a little bit of everything. This was served in the cutest coconut shell too.

  8. Keki Modern Cakes - I’ve seen these all over but honestly I’d have to say this was a disappointment. They were selling by the slices so they didn’t jiggle as much as a full cake. Hype was gone.

Besides the booths, the event also had a few cute stations for your gramming needs. There was a bed, a cute pink room set up, and a balloon backdrop on the inside of the warehouse. Outside the event, towards the exit, were a few Instagrammable walls to serve as small backdrops for your dessert as well. I didn’t get to take photos of these as our time slot was coming to a close. Being my first time, I didn’t know to use my time more wisely to be able to gram it all. BUT, now I know for next time. Next to these walls, they also had a salt bar to help cleanse your palate in between desserts, with free snacks like pretzels, popcorn, and cheese balls. There was also a Zico bar with free samples of different flavors of coconut water.

All in all, I actually enjoyed this event a lot! I look forward to returning for the spring edition if they continue. When I go to comic conventions I’m always complaining about the lack of food vendors, the lack of variety and lack of cuteness. In reality, I just want to go to a food con. Like a big Costco where I go from booth to booth sampling food. This was pretty much that for desserts. I had a great time trying many different types of desserts and trying new things. The event was well put together, well organized and well executed. You can tell they put a lot of work into it with the decorations, backdrops and even thought of the Instagrammers. I would definitely recommend this if you’re a foodie as well as a #forthegram foodie. It’s worth the price of admission and worth your time.