dwayne blogged

I really don’t think it’s because there’s not much to do in Auburn that I have fallen in love with Wegmans as a supermarket. If you want, feel free to dispute this. After all, I have… "not much to do". The first thing I noticed was their deli. I grabbed a wonderful peach smoothie for only $2.75! And they have a good variety of salads, wraps and sandwiches freshly made everyday. Then, I discovered the trail mix section. Tons to choose from to make your very own bag of trail mix. Wegmans is also environmentally friend. They sell sturdy grocery bags for only 99 cents to encourage cut-downs on plastic and paper bags.

Even more exciting, is the fact that Wegmans has their own products. Their Berry Granola Crunch piled atop plain vanilla yoghurt is what I have for breakfast every morning. Their stuffed pasta selection is also pretty cool. It’s a bit of a toss up now which chain I prefer. Wegmans or Trader Joe’s? 

Being in Auburn has taken me away from the busy and congested city living in Manhattan and Singapore (and recently, the hundreds of Junie B. Jones fans). I have almost forgotten what jostling through crowds every day is like. Someone needs to remind me why I am going back to that. The weather here is so ideal. It’s summer but the day brings a comfortable warmth and the night are cool enough to snuggle under a blanket.

There are no distractions here either. It’s perfect for learning the show. And it helps that I love the script, the music, the comedy, the choreography, the direction and the cast! My co-actors are extremely good at what they do and are so generous, enthusiastic and professional. The team is top notch… musicians, wardrobe, hair, housing, stage management, you name it. This is the kind of production I gave up thinking existed. Can you tell I’m delighted?

I lied. So maybe there are some distractions. Actually, a good one. I strolled into the 24/7 supermarket at 11:45pm and there were only about 15 people in line for Harry Potter book 7. No such thing in Singapore or Manhattan, I bet. So now, there’s a new script at rehearsals. Thoroughly Auburn Harry anyone?

Warning. This is a very pink entry. Please stay clear if you may develop adverse reactions to pinkness. The Stupid Smelly Bus pulled into its final stop in Chicago on July 11th. Junie B. Jones and Mr. Woo performed in the outdoors to an audience of hundreds. Prior to the performance, customers were involved in Junie B activities which included games and workshops.

It was a unique event because most of the performances were mostly in bookstores or theatre spaces. We also probably had more people attend than any show before. What an end to the 4th year of the Stupid Smelly Bus Tour! It was fun you guys… and that’s everyone who was involved with the show in any way. Thank you for coming to watch, taking pictures with us, interviewing us, following us, laughing at us and taking care of us. And as Junie B. would say.. "I’ll never forget you!" Goodbye Junie B.

I spent 14 hours at Cedar Point on the 4th of July. If you click on many of the links (followed by video links) from this entry, you will experience at least 50% of what I did without having to leave your seat at home. Here are some of my favourites! First ride was the Top Thrill Dragster. I was in fear just looking at it. But that didn’t even prepare me for the shock when it accelerated up to 120 miles an hour within 4 seconds and shot me up 450 feet.

The fun rides for me were the Wicked Twister and the Maverick (which is my favourite roller coaster of all). They were both fun because of the element of surprise in the sudden drops and twists. Yet there was just enough breathing space for one to savour the moments in between. Both rides were smooth and didn’t shake you up too badly or poison you with fear like some other rides did.

There were also the non rollercoaster rides which were equally scary… the maXair and Skyhawk. Both operate like a pendulum. They swings you around with such force at such great heights, it’s frightening! The day ended with lovely fireworks for the 4th of July celebrations. I didn’t expect to see anything different from normal firework displays, but they really shot more fireworks into the sky at a time than I have ever seen in my life. It was a grand spectacle.

Annapolis, Maryland is one of the few spots on the tour I found extremely unique. It’s got a quaint old town feel but with a modern twist. Cars are allowed to drive through but there are no traffic lights downtown. It is law to stop for pedestrians. There are also horses around. And that’s not forgetting the boats all docked by the bay. Unlike Times Square, locals and tourists enjoy Annapolis. The locals seem very at home on their boats playing board games, sunbathing or having a light aperitif, undisturbed by the milling crowds.

I had a lovely seafood gumbo at Buddy’s Crabs and Ribs, then a drink at Marriott Hotel’s Pusser’s Landing by the water. I suddenly remembered there was a movie released not to long ago about Annapolis, starring James Franco. I just might catch it just to find out more about this lovely city.

Time is passing so fast on this tour and the popularity of Junie B. Jones is growing so much that they had to put us in a theater in Charlotte, North Carolina. The publicity has also been strong. You can read a newspaper article if you click on this link (which will probably expire in due time). The book series is now number 4 on The New York Times’ Children’s Book Series list.

Speaking of time, I chanced upon a beautiful Guess watch while at Southpark Mall. I’m usually good about not getting luxurious items as long as I get to exclaim about it on my blog and keep a picture of it to remember it by. So no, I didn’t actually get the watch. But I did hop by the Bath & Body Works sale for some body pampering moisturiser, at really slashed prices! What?! I’m in showbiz. I need to look younger than I am! There you go. That’s my secret!

I was back again (for the 3rd time) in the state best known for its oranges and beaches. First stop… The Stupid Smelly Bus pulled over at the Florida Welcome Station. I’ll leave the pictures to explain it all. We visited cities like Pensacola, Sarasota, Miami and Orlando and explored the malls, beaches and nightlife. I caught and enjoyed the movie "TMNT" which I reviewed here.

At one of my favourite malls so far (Dolphin Mall in Miami, Florida), I found very interesting stores like the Disney’s Character Warehouse which I have never heard of before. The special thing about this mall is that a lot of the prices are slashed. I got a Disney t-shirt for $2.99! I saw one which described me really well. It read in Disney font, "I live in my own little world. But it’s okay. They know me here." Awww!

At the beach I had this cooler which tasted great but made me feel sick afterwards. It could have been my lunch. Who knew? Nonetheless, I was having quite "the life". I even upgraded to a suite at the Hampton Inn. Gorgeous! I couldn’t believe I had a kitchen and a microwave! But along with all that came a little price to pay. Not as bad as Paris Hilton (I can’t believe I mentioned her on my blog!), but we did and still do get followed and chased quite a bit too. But it’s still worth it! Cheers!

I knew I shouldn’t have had my suitcases full when I left for the tour. But it felt like I needed everything. That’s also how I feel when I go shopping. Unfortunately, despite the lack of storage space, I’ve bought 6 books and a pair of shoes so far. Pretty soon, I would need new bags too because the ones I have are bursting at the seams. I have to say I got real good deals on the purchases though. (Psst! Email me if you wanna know details! Hehe).

Speaking of wear and tear, my poor laptop has weathered many miles of travel and now the line across the middle of the screen has grown thicker and thicker. And did I mention while travelling from Lexington, Kentucky I got surrounded by tornados? It was so scary. It’s the summer and there was hail pelting down! I am just glad I came out of that alive. Phew! How about some shopping therapy?

The Stupid Smelly Bus Tour has taken off!! We’re going all around the US in Junie B. Jones’ bus (the PINK one in the picture!). I play Mr. Woo the bus driver in the show put up by Random House. The tour aims to promote the children’s book series written by Barbara Park. It’s already sold 43 million copies worldwide. If you can make any of the shows, do come. The schedule can be found on my Myspace page.

I’m really having a great time. Sometimes we get nice cushy hotel rooms which makes me feel right at home. We also have to be interviewed sometimes. Junie B. Jones and Mr Woo were interviewed right on those seats at NBC studios! If you’re wondering what this is all about, just grab a Junie B. Jones book at a bookstore and find out. She’s really adorable and funny!

P.S. More Singapore Day videos have been released. Check them out here!

It came to pass.. finally. More than anything, 5000 over Singaporeans living overseas flocked to Central Park in NY for a taste of free local food except… well, do you see the picture on the right? I’m the green guy on stage. And for me, it was a little hard to get to the food. I was the only Singaporean performing who wasn’t going back to Singapore with the rest. How like that?!? Well, I did what every hungry Singaporean would have done. I snuck out and ate lah! Then what? Ssshh! Don’t tell the stage manager.

The food was amazing. I crept up to the front of the queues and flashed my "I Heart SG" pass for immediate gratification. Laksa doesn’t do very much for my voice but again, I was a hungry Singaporean. I could write a book on how it was such a logistical nightmare, but I’d rather talk about how the Nasi Lemak made me forget it all, except my lyrics of course. Still, it was an exciting challenge to be fit into the show only 2 days before.

We had another performance at the New York Public Library later in the evening for dignitaries at dinner. Kit Chan sang the new National Day song for 2007. It was about Singaporeans having seen the world and still calling Singapore home. I was tearing by the side of the stage (about to go on stage myself after her song). I couldn’t deny that I missed Singapore and my family as much as I have enjoyed the experiences I have had here in New York.