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.

 

Human's Best Friend

Behold! There is now a dog pop-up in NYC for both dog owners and dog lovers, and well, your dog too if you have one. Unfortunately for me, I do not own one - yet! Similar to the subject of a child, we have yet to decide when the “time” is right. We’re still struggling to get on a regular set schedule aligned with one another, and I’m still too much on the go. But alas, one of these days, I’ll slow down. One. Of. These. Days.

And on top of that, we can’t compromise on what we want. I want a cute little teacup baby while he basically wants a dog the size of a bear. I want something cute and cuddly and he wants something huge and monstrous. Clearly, we are on extreme opposites of the matter. Regardless of what we end up with, like a baby, we’ll probably love it nonetheless. We’ll see what happens when the time comes. And you bet your bottom dollar I have my puppy name picked out.

Anyway, back to the main attraction! I stopped by Human’s Best Friend, the new dog pop-up with my sisters. We got there around 1pm on Saturday and there wasn’t a long line. When we left, the line was down the block with everyone bringing their dog. Word got out fast since it’s so easily visible from the street walking or driving by. Check-in was quick and easy, you sign a waiver, they go over rules and you enter in small groups a few at a time so it never feels congested. It also gives the dogs enough space to play freely the way they allow people in a few at a time. It is a one-way experience, however. Once you leave a room, you can’t go back, only forward until you come full circle. And they don’t precisely time you but you are limited on time so that people behind you get their own chance to come in. I would say, you’ll probably spend about 30-45 minutes inside on the experience.

Oh yes, and if you don’t have your own dog, there are adoptable babies there too for you to play with, from local rescue organizations. And of course, everyone else’s dogs that people bring in as well, so long as the owners/other guests are okay with it. Always ask!

We played with both other owner’s dogs and the rescued babies and they were all so sweet. A lot of them are hams! They are just ready to pose it up or melt into your arms and force you to love them forever.

The actual space is small compared to other major pop-ups I’ve been to, but still pretty big for what it is, and has tons of room for all the dogs to run around in freely. And the time lapse in between each entry helps to make it so. There are plenty of cute photo ops all over the spaces for you and your dog and each room is gated so no one space gets congested. They have people in each room to make sure it’s ok to move onto the next space, in case the dogs don’t play well with each other. They also do their best to separate the big dogs from the small dogs when entering, for safety reasons.

The rooms are really cute. The entrance looks like a dog house and leads to a living room couch, with a cute dinner table and toilet seat fire hydrants. From there you walk into a purple room with glitter bones hanging from the ceiling. There are treats in this room for the dogs, which I thought was really nice for the pop-up to have. (They were supplied by the Ollie company, which I found is a brand dedicated to making healthier food for dogs, basically ‘cleaner’ ingredients, and they can tailor it to your dog. They’re also an online only brand though so it gets delivered straight to your door.) From there, you go through the rainbow bridge into a room with a pool full of squeaky toys. The rainbow bridge was really pretty but a little loud so I found some smaller dogs sensitive to loud sounds were not particularly fond of it, while other dogs ran up and down the bridge to their delight. From that room, you walk into another room with a different pool of toys. This room had 4 different walls for you to take photos from, with different splashes of color. The last room before re-entering the room with the dog house gate has a big ramp for dogs to run up and down.

The wall opposite the ramp has the pop-up’s mission statement displayed, basically explaining the pop-up was designed to celebrate dogs and bring people in to help rescue and adopt more dogs. There are so many dogs out there in need of a home and once you see that adorable face, how could you not? I see the main idea and it’s a really great way to get it done. Pop-ups are really trending right now and it’s a great tool to leverage exposure of rescue dogs in need of a family to take them home and give them some much needed love, attention and care. And for once, this is also a pop-up designed to be pet-friendly for those always traveling with their best friend. The rescue dogs are different from day to day as they get adopted and are also from several local animal rescue organizations, thereby giving back to the community when you help out.

So if you’re looking to adopt or if you have a dog already, if you’re in the NYC area this fall, definitely stop by and check it out. Even if pop-ups aren’t your thing, this was super cute. It was fun playing with all the dogs. Just be mindful of your time slot and if the time you choose to come by. If you choose a busier time of day, you may get rushed through the experience to allow for other guests and dogs to come through. But if it’s a little slower, than you can take your time, I’d imagine since there’s no reason to rush you if there’s no one waiting behind you. I was here for about 45 minutes before being asked to leave so that more guests may enter. It’s $29 for just humans to enter, but $39 for you and your pet, which can be quite pricey for the experience and the pop-up’s allotment of time. Tickets are also only available online, not at the door since it’s all time slotted entry, not first-come, first-serve. Don’t expect to be able to walk in if you walk by the area and decide you want to just walk in. The weekends definitely get busy since more people are out with their babies on the weekends and time off.

If you go though, have lots of fun and remember to give some love to the adoptable pups too!