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How Are We Coping With Self Isolation: Insight From Around the Country And The World With Mauna Kea Chan

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Mauna Kea Chan (Kea Chan) most recently played a CSI Photographer on the Amazon Prime TV series, Homicide City.

Performing since she was 11, Kea was Philippine Child Performer of the Year when she was 13. She has been a featured guest performer in The Charlie Romo And Friends, Asian Artists Step Forward and Serving Up Sondheim 2 concerts at Green Room 42 in NYC. She was featured in a story in Times Square Chronicles as “A Performer to Keep Your Eye On” after moving to New York from her native Philippines, where she made an immediate impact within the American entertainment community as she was a finalist for the lead role of Kim in the recent Broadway revival of Miss Saigon.  

Kea Chan – I’m Not Getting Married (Company) as a Rap with Beat Box from Step Forward Entertainment on Vimeo.

Ms. Chan also performed in Las Vegas twice as a featured performer in musical shows at major hotels; did two live off-Broadway children’s shows for PlayNice Productions, was featured in Steppin’ Forward! at The Triad, and has had numerous guest appearances in concert and cabaret shows since moving to New York. Her work was seen in Scott Siegel’s Broadway’s Greatest Hits at Feinstein’s /54 Below; An Evening About Whatever Gets You Through the Day at the Hudson Guild Theater and has had the honor of singing for the Presidents and/or Ambassadors of the Philippines, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong.  

Kea Chan

Kea is the “Other Girl’ in the Indie Short that is touring the Film Festival circuit. She portrays a murdered, underage “Asian Prostitute” in the Amazon Prime TV series, Bronx SIU; and Step Forward Entertainment has a TV ‘dramedy’ in development loosely based on Kea’s life in the Philippines and her journey to America entitled That Manila Girl! 

Lea Salonga, Kea Chan and Marya Coburn

Mauna Kea a/k/a Kea is represented Theatrically and Commercially by Amy Lord of Eris Talent Agency in Los Angeles/London/New York/Mexico City and managed worldwide by Robert R. Blume of Step Forward Entertainment NY/LA.

T2C: How are you dealing with home containment in Elmhurst?

Kea Chan: it’s really alarming, especially right now. Elmhurst has been called the Epicenter of the Epicenter. Im just staying home and trying to be optimistic with everything that is happening right now. 

Bob Blume and Kea Chan at the Drama Desk Awards

T2C: What would you say is the difference of being in self lockdown between Queens and LA?

Kea Chan: I believe at this time ,most of the states in the US have almost the same precautions from the government. But being the epicenter of the virus and living in a tiny apartment where people have less freedom to walk around, I have to be more careful and take extra precautions.

Charlie Romo and Kea Chan

T2C: What have you been able to accomplish in this time?

Kea Chan: Actually, I get to have more time to work on my craft, learn new songs and preparing myself for upcoming projects. I was able to focus and work on my self tapes more than ever before. My attention was kind of scattered, since I was working, taking classes, doing shows and auditioning all at the same time. I have more time for myself which is really good. 

Kea Chan

T2C: What has this time stopped you from accomplishing? 

Kea Chan: Other than cancelled shows, I would say the ability to do live musical theatre auditions, which helps me to get more experience as a musical theatre person. I didn’t get much training in the Philippines for this. They have self tapes here and there for musical and TV shows, but it is still different than here where I can be seen live by casting directors.

Kea Chan

T2C: What kind of emotions does this time bringing out of you?

Kea Chan: Honestly sometimes, I can’t help but think what will happen after all of this, like “will everything be back to what it was before?”Will I still have my job?” Will I still be able to eat in my favorite diner or will it be closed for good because of the economic crisis?” But, I am trying to remain positive and hope that everything will go back to normal soon and that everyone will have their job back and people will be more appreciative of everything they have. 

You’ll Never Walk Alone-Kea Chan from Step Forward Entertainment on Vimeo.

T2C: If you were to equate this time to a song or song cycle what would it be? 

Kea Chan: I can’t think of a song that is a better fit for this time than “You’ll Never walk Alone” which is one of my favorite broadway songs from Carousel. Like the lyrics say “ at the end of the storm is a golden sky” which reminds us to not give up and stay strong because there is a beautiful tomorrow that is waiting for us. 

Kea at 13 Philippine Child Performer of the Year

T2C: What message would you like to give the world right now?

Kea Chan: To all of us, hold on and have faith”. I once read a quote “Challenges are what makes life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful” This is a tough time, but we are not defined by a single virus, as we are stronger than that!. Let’s help each other by staying home and staying healthy! 

Kea at 11 performing

T2C: What is the first thing you will do when we are no longer self quarantined? 

Kea Chan: I will definitely give my family and friends a big warm hug! As much as I ‘wanna’ say I ‘wanna’ go shopping and eat in my favorite restaurant, but I’m not ‘gonna’ do that. lol.  I will get back to work, take classes, do some shows and keep auditioning. I’m just going to continue my life as how it was before. 

Kea performing at PopImpreska Fashion Show

T2C: What are the things that are getting you through this time?

Kea Chan: I would say, my passion, my dreams and never ending hope, especially with my family and friends continuing to believe in me. I just think of them and I have all the reasons to keep going. 

T2C: What haven’t we asked you that you would like to say?

Kea Chan: I hope, that after this pandemic, everyone will appreciate life more and continue to help each other. Also understand how important a simple hug is and to just shake hands., a simple shake hands.

Suzanna, co-owns and publishes the newspaper Times Square Chronicles or T2C. At one point a working actress, she has performed in numerous productions in film, TV, cabaret, opera and theatre. She has performed at The New Orleans Jazz festival, The United Nations and Carnegie Hall. She has a screenplay and a TV show in the works, which she developed with her mentor and friend the late Arthur Herzog. She is a proud member of the Drama Desk and the Outer Critics Circle and was a nominator. Email: suzanna@t2conline.com

Family

‘The Best Hug in The World’ is a Terrific Tale of Love

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Tommy Feight’s “The Best Hug in the World”  is a tale of magical moments that will appeal to both children and their parents. Illustrated by graphic designer Daniel Klein, the charming book tells the story of a young boy’s love of hugging.

Rather than being a celebration of heartfelt moments, however, this emotional journey is anything but straightforward for young Shams and his father. The sweet, brown-eyed boy at the center of the story is determined to become the world’s best hugger, but his noble quest is fraught with setbacks.

Join Shams and his father as their father-son relationship is tested like never before. “The Best Hug in the World” is packed with endearing characters, genuine love, and a profound message that will resonate with parents and children alike.

Buy this book online today, and share heartfelt story times with your children that teach invaluable life lessons.

Kids these days have so many distractions and things available to keep or occupy their attention and unfortunately, books are probably way down on that list and they should not be,” says Feight. “With video readily available in all formats I fear soon we will have a nation of idiots who can not read and can only speak in little pictures. That is why I decided a book club would be a good idea. Just imagine being the first person to put a computer in Steve Jobs’s hands? He would never have been able to build Apple without reading and books, so now take some of our brightest and innovative minds and imagine you were the one who helped put the knowledge in their head. When you do that you could help someone who may grow up to change the world! When you think of it on that level such a little egg corn could grow into an extremely powerful oak that could one day yield a Forrest. This is why I feel this is something we all have to do. Feight Club is fully registered and approved as a 501c3 Nonprofit.”
To order your copy today please visit HERE.
 

 

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Entertainment

Macy’s, The 4th and The Drones

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Macy’s had a drone show for the first time ahead of the start of its 4th of July Fireworks this year. Spectators cheered when 500 drones formed the shape of the Statue of Liberty on East River.


The drone show took place before the Macy’s fireworks celebrating the United States’ 247th independence day.

The drones formed LL Kool J, a radio, Stars and Stripes, a turning Statue of Liberty, an American flag and spelled out the word “Macy’s,” all while Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” blared along the water.

It truly was spectacular.

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Featured

How to Clean a Disposable Vape

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If you’re one of the many former smokers around the world who has made the switch to vaping, it’s likely that your vaping device is in your mouth dozens of times every day – so if cleaning your disposable vape isn’t something that has crossed your mind before, it’s probably time to start thinking about it. After all, you clean your silverware every time you use it; why should your vape be any different?

In the past, keeping your vaping device clean was only necessary if you used a refillable device. If you used a disposable vape, you didn’t really have to worry because you’d be replacing your device after a day or two anyway. Today, though, the most popular disposable vapes have the ability to last thousands of puffs. That’s as long as an entire carton of cigarettes or even longer. If anything is going to be in your mouth thousands of times before you’re done with it, you definitely want to keep it clean.

Knowing how to clean a disposable vape isn’t just a matter of preventing microbial growth and germ transmission. When you’re not using your disposable vape, it’s going to be in your pocket and is likely to pick up plenty of dust and pocket lint along the way. Failing to keep your device clean could affect its flavor and may even impact its ability to charge when the battery dies.

The next time you buy a disposable vape from a high-end vape shop like Cloud City, you’ll need to know how to maintain it. Here’s how to clean a disposable vape.

How to Clean the Body of a Disposable Vape

If your disposable vape has collected a few fingerprints and stains while you’ve used it, you can remove those contaminants without any trouble by rubbing the body of the device with a soft lint-free cloth.

When you clean your disposable vape, you should never use any harsh solvent or other liquid on the main body of the device, and you should never immerse the device in water. That’s partially because water could get inside the device and damage its internal components. It’s also because many disposable vapes have decorative stickers – and if you clean your device with a solvent, it could cause the sticker to peel and come off.

How to Clean the Mouthpiece of a Disposable Vape

The mouthpiece is the part of a disposable vape that collects the most germs from use, so it’s the most important part to clean properly. While you’re cleaning the rest of your disposable vape with a soft cloth, you can use the same cloth to clean the device’s mouthpiece and remove old lip balm and other contaminants. You can disinfect your disposable vape’s mouthpiece using a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. Be careful not to get any of the alcohol inside the mouthpiece’s opening. Allow the alcohol to dry completely before using your disposable vape again.

Remember that alcohol vaporizes at a temperature of just 173 degrees Fahrenheit, which is much lower than the temperature at which the coil in a disposable vape operates. You definitely don’t want to inhale alcohol vapor – so after you clean your disposable vape’s mouthpiece, it’s very important to wait until the alcohol has evaporated completely.

For complete disinfection of a surface, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using alcohol with a purity of at least 70 percent. At that concentration, alcohol can kill most viruses, bacteria and fungi. In order to completely kill any germs that may be lurking on your disposable vape’s mouthpiece, the rubbing alcohol needs to remain on the surface of the mouthpiece for at least 30 seconds.

After cleaning the mouthpiece of your disposable vape, it’s a good idea to complete the project by rubbing the mouthpiece with a cotton swab that you’ve dipped in water. That’s especially the case if you’re using rubbing alcohol with a strength of 70 percent because the impurities in the alcohol may not evaporate completely when you’re done cleaning your device – and you might get a bit of a nasty taste in your mouth when you go back to vaping.

How to Clean a Disposable Vape’s Charging Port

The charging port is the final component that you’ll need to address when cleaning your disposable vape. It’s very likely that you carry your device in your pocket when you aren’t using it – and when you do that, the charging port can get clogged with dust and lint. If that happens, your device may charge more slowly than it should and may not even charge at all. If you have a disposable vape that isn’t lighting up and charging when you connect it to your computer, the charging port is the first thing you should address.

To clean your disposable vape’s charging port, you need to use a thin tool that isn’t made of metal. A USB port typically uses gold-plated contacts to ensure reliable power transmission – and if you use a metal tool to clean the charging port, you could scrape the metal away accidentally. In that case, the charging port may stop working. You’ll find that a toothpick is usually the best tool to use in this situation. Insert the toothpick into the charging port and use it to carefully scrape the contaminants out. If your disposable vape still isn’t charging after you’ve cleaned the USB port, you should try replacing the USB cable.

Cleaning Your Disposable Vape Promotes Good Hygiene and Improves Your Vaping Experience

As you’ve learned from reading this article, cleaning a disposable vape is a simple task that only requires a few minutes of your time. It’s also worth the effort because a modern disposable device can easily last as long as a couple of weeks before it runs out of vape juice. If you’re going to use a vaping device for that long, it can easily pick up some germs along the way. In addition to being best for hygiene, cleaning a disposable vape is also the right thing to do for the quality of your vaping experience. It’ll ensure that your device works reliably and charges quickly until it’s time to replace it.

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Events

Happy Birthday, Grand Central!

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Today, Wednesday, February 2nd, is Grand Central Terminal’s 109th birthday, and the shops are helping them celebrate. Visit the below stores and eateries in Grand Central to take advantage of one-day-only deals* that either celebrate Grand Central’s age (109 years) or our birthday (1913)!

Café Grumpy: 8oz drip coffee is $1.09
Central Cellars: bottle of Banshee Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2019 or O.P.P. Other People Pinot Noir is $19.13 each
Doughnut Plant: Grand Central–exclusive GCT mini doughnuts are $1.09 each
Grand Central Watch: 18mm nylon straps (in various colors) are $1.09 each
Li-Lac Chocolates: a 9-piece truffle box is $19.13, and caramel squares are $1.09 each
Pescatore Seafood Company: jumbo lump crab cakes are $19.13 for 2 pieces
Spices and Tease: Indian spice trio – 1 pouch of Madras curry, 1 pouch of turmeric, and 1 pouch of Garam Masala – is $10.90

Grand Central Terminal’s construction lasted for ten years (from 1903 – 1913). The building was designed by a Francophile architect named Whitney Warren, who wanted to bring a whole lot of Parisian flair to New York City with his Beaux-Arts style.

Did you know 750,000 people pass through the station every day. That’s almost half the current population of Manhattan. The space occupies 48 acres.

The station has very few stairs, relying on a network of ramps. There are 2,500 stars painted on the ceiling; roughly sixty electric bulbs add to the twinkling effect of the stars. The constellations, with the exception of Orion, are painted backwards. The star-spangled ceiling  is 125 feet high.

During the filming of a scene in The Fisher King (1991), 400 extras waltzed around the main concourse from the evening until the first trains arrived at 5:30 the following morning.

Grand Central is the setting for the opening scenes of Gossip Girl.

In Alfred Hitchcock’s classic North by Northwest, Cary Grant makes an amazing escape through the terminal. Like The Fisher King, this scene was filmed at night to prevent disruptions to train service.

In Superman (1978), Clark Kent battles Lex Luthor, whose hideout is located under the terminal.

At the very end of Francis Ford Coppola’s Cotton Club, Richard Gere and Diane Lane escape their mobster lives through Grand Central.

Fire Power, starring Sophia Loren, was also filmed in Grand Central.

 

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Featured

Happy Chanukah or is it Hanukkah? Day 1

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Tonight Chanukah starts at sundown. The word Hanukkah means ‘rededication’ and commemorates the Jews’ struggle for religious freedom when, according to legend, the leaders of a Jewish rebel army called the Maccabees rose up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt of 167 BC (BCE).King Antiochus had taken over the Second Temple in Jerusalem and soon after ordered an altar to Zeus to be erected. Judaism was prohibited, circumcision was banned and pigs were ordered to be sacrificed at the altar.The Jewish rebellion that followed was led by Judah Maccabee, (or Y’hudhah HaMakabi, meaning “Judah the Hammer”).The uprising spanned three years until the Maccabees gained control of Jerusalem.They wanted to rededicate the desecrated temple, but could find only one container of the sacred oil they needed which had the seal of the high priest still intact.Judaism’s central text the Talmud, dictates only pure olive oil with the seal of the high priest can be used for the Hanukkah. The candelabrum is required to burn throughout the night every night but although there was only enough oil for one day, the candles miraculously stayed alight for eight days – the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of kosher oil for the menorah. This event became known as ‘the miracle of the oil’ and is now marked  with an eight-day festiva

l.

Is it Chanukah or Hanukkah? In Hebrew, Hanukkah is pronounced with the letter ‘chet’. The letter “H” makes the closest sound. So both names work.

We here at T2C wish you a holiday of lights, hope and health.

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