What Undine did in Amstedam!

Since I do everything the other way around, I'm posting about my September trip only now and later will post about the first 4  months of the year... but in any case, enjoy and don't mind the topsy-turvy nature of my post-timeline! 

            I love travelling. I like the process of getting places, the journey and the anticipation it brings. Moreover I love planes. Since I live on an island in the middle of the Mediterranean, for me every trip starts and finishes with a plane.

            The plane is always a very positive experience for me, I sit there topped up on coffee and write or look out of the window or read the occasional sonnet; and that is exactly how my Amsterdam trip started.

            I am no stranger to Amsterdam, we’re quite well acquainted and I have no trouble finding my way around. So once I got to Station Centraal, I went on a nice walk around the centre. Made my way to Rembrandtplein where I relaxed and had a coffee and finally realised I was in one of my favourite cities! On my way there I stumbled upon the cutest little shop – Lee’s Imporium chuck full of lovely burlesque, pin-up and vintage stuff!! Love sweet little detours like that! <3

Coffee and writing at Rembrandtplein.

When in Amsterdam I am always hosted by my friends Ed Infidel Amsterdam and Jose Roza – they are wonderful, fun and truly some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet! Their cat, however, is a force truly evil who’s always on the lookout, hunting for anything that is shiny, makes noise or even moves – no wire, foot or rhinestone stands a chance against this seemingly “flying” little monster; and rightly so, he is named Ozzy... seriously, no wonder! Guys, couldn’t you have named him Fluffy?!! 

OZZY the cat!

One of my all time favourite things to do when on holiday is to just walk. Walk wherever and look around, take in the surroundings, observe and be part of life. It’s a wonderful thing to feel the beat of the city, to become one with it and pour oneself into its life. And that is how I normally spend my days – I walk, I look, I stop for a coffee, then I walk some more and shop. I ended up buying books and latex... typical of me. Now I can read in latex, I concluded at the end of the day!

AMSTERDAM!

When Friday came about, the day of the Wonder Salon show at De Nieuwe Anita , I was ready for it, excited to take the stage. That night I performed alongside a crazy, ridiculously hysterical and incredibly cool duo – OlifanTTakeoverTeatro!! They performed a very bizarre number about an infatuated doctor which I thoroughly enjoyed!  My acts for the night were both very new. First off – a debut – my take on Alice in Madness, styled and based on the game that me and my best friend are quite crazy about! The second act – “Lavender Dream” was first debuted in Malta in July but this was its new and improved, International debut!  It was an exciting night – two very different numbers, I brought a little crazy and a little classical class to the night - it was awesome. After the show, I danced the night away with Jose and the party people at the event to the awesome soundtrack provided by Marco "Charley" Buschman and DJ Dion "Dionysius" Spiekerman! I also got to eat vagina shaped cupcakes by Kinkycute Cupcakes and sign various body parts, including abs!! :D The night was a total success!!

"Wonder Salon" Friday 13th show. September.

Crew of "Wonder Salon" at the Nieuwe Anita! <3

            Saturday was my first day at the Amsterdam Fringe Festival, helping out my very talented friends with their wacky and sexy show “Lazaret Immorale” – entertaining, thrilling and teasingly naughty. I was a naughty nurse through the play and got to perform my “Lavender Dream” act after the show, as a kind of desert after a delicious meal! ;)

It was such a pleasure working with the people of Le Directeur Entertainment, I love their crazy style and their aim to open people’s minds and push boundaries. My convictions and very close to their own an it is a known fact that birds of a feather stick together... from the very moment I saw these guys perform alongside me in Amsterdam’s “Burlesque FreakOut” in November 2012 I realized – our feathers are of the same kind! And I love every single person of that cast and crew!! <3

Crew of "Lazaret Immorale", you guys are the best! <3

After the show we took on the city, went to see other Fringe performances. I finished off the night by walking all the way home, unfortunately accompanied for a while by a very creepy man who wouldn't stop singing Whitney Huston songs!

Sunday was the craziest day full of running around Amsterdam, meeting awesome people. Had breakfast with Jose, one of a thousand coffees I’ve had with Ed on this trip and ran out the door. First I met talented and interesting bartender/artist Erik Verkoyen. I posed for a painting from his upcoming series of paintings of Burlesque dancers, from what I’ve seen so far the paintings are going to be amazing, I’m honoured to be part of his projects and can’t wait to see the outcome – he’s one to watch! After I rushed to Station Centraal to meet with the wonderful Joany! I so adore that girl, what a fireball of positivity and love she is; she’s a true artist and a beautiful person. Was a pleasure, walking, talking and having a lovely Chinese lunch! Then we ran back to the Fringe Location where we played out “lazaret Immorale” all over again. The actors blew the crowd away; in the break I brought the people back to their senses with my fantastic nurse skills, only to have their senses violated ever more by the second part of the play which teases the brain to the excess!! After the show, I performer my “Lavender Dream” act to a fantastic audience who showed me infinite love and were just real darlings! <3

The close of the evening was having dinner with the beautiful ladies – Joany, Justine, Josephine and Rowan! Good drinks, good food, chatty waiter and deep conversations about life, love, truth and dreams! It was just the perfect finale!

Good times with the girls! :)  <3

I got home to find Ed and Jose both home and we had a lovely evening just chatting about life and watching stupid movies!

I love Amsterdam, the city to me is full of philosophical ideas, full of air and space to run wild and free, it’s a cultural hub for the open minded, the freaks, artists and individuals, an atmosphere of inspiration and depth! I just wander there and breathe life! It was an amazing experience, thanks to the city and the unique people who’ve made those 5 days so special, even Ozzy the evil cat who ate my eyelashes!

On my flight back I could do nothing but smile and topped up on coffee start getting over what a fantastic trip I had had and register the memories in my mind! :)

A little peek of "Lavender Dream" in Amsterdam!

With love for ya’ll and Amsterdam,

XxxX

ULV.

So... when was Halloween?

The Maltese, at least many of the ones I know, enjoy dressing up for Halloween, going out, showing off their extravagant and imaginative costumes and having a great night. 

This year, I was kind of confused. All Hallow’s eve fell on a Wednesday, so being inventive and resourceful as the Maltese seem to become around this time of year, they high jacked both weekends around the feast!  Personally, all this dressing up and partying the weekend before the actual day caught me by surprise, I had shows planned for the weekends after the night of Samhain, so naturally I expected all the partying to take place then.

Halloween!

The perks of being a performer, namely in my case, a Burlesque dancer, is that I don’t have to think up and spend lots of money on or make an elaborate costume for Halloween...I do that on a daily basis. Jokes aside, I don’t really have to dress up because I always perform and therefore get to wear lots of outfits all in one night and if you ask me, that beats being stuck in one character all night long! I get to mix and match! And what girl doesn't enjoy a change of attire?! :P

            This year, following a Friday night  performance at Soho Lounge and an after party hanging out with so so many awesome people partying everywhere from “Level 22” to the “Old Keg” to “Nordic”; I was especially looking forward to performing at the “Hell o’ Ween” party at Club Pyramid on the island of Gozo on Saturday night! 

Friday night, "Club 22" with the ladies! :)

Hell o' Ween party in Gozo! 

Now for those who don’t know, Gozo is a considerably smaller island, situated right next to Malta and forming part of the Maltese archipelago! It’s quieter and greener than Malta, loved by tourists and the Maltese alike and Perfect for a weekend break. I love being there, I feel as if I'm abroad and completely at peace, away from the world! It’s awesome! And so many people who come to visit Malta end up falling inlove with Gozo! 

           

Costumes! 

            To get to Gozo, one must get the ferry from Malta and we did so at around 9 pm. Got to Club Pyramid - what an amazing place. Just as a side note, Iron Maiden performed there back in 1994. So yeah, the club is a great place with lots of potential, I wish they’d hold more gigs there. And the dressing room was awesome. Huge mirror, lots of space, light, AC... basically all a showgirl can ask for! <3 The stage – spacious, awesome. Well organised event, the club looked amazing with all the decorations and a good turnout, an awesome crowd who loved the show.

            I feel like painting the picture with my slightly dramatic colours, so here goes –

Having travelled across the water, with a huge suitcase packed chuck full of costumes, performed 6 numbers, all to metal music. Was most excited about a new number I’m working on called Phoenix, it’s still in the works. And always love performing my “Sex Dictator Lucifer” act which I had already performed in Malta, Moscow and even Gozo last year at a gig alongside Martyrium! J

I performed my “Alice in Madness” act, which premièred in Amsterdam at the Wonder Salon show on September 13^th. This was the second time I've performed this number which has been inspired by the video game which myself and my best friend Obscure are pretty crazy about! Also danced to Type-0 Negative and Blutengel! I really enjoy dancing at metal nights because mixing burlesque and metal / industrial, EBM, 80s goth (and such) is so awesome to me, it’s like mixing two of the awesomest thing ever!! And the audience was just delightful, responsive and super fun! Thank you guys!!

!"Alice in Madness"!

Me and my mum backstage!

I’m actually pretty sleep deprived. We got home at 7 am after taking the night ferry and morning bus home! Me and my partner in crime – my mum who’s my greatest supporter and my best friend came along with me on thus little journey and stayed up all night with me! <3


Today at noon I had a Kabuki Guns Burlesque Malta burlesque workshop, so I only got about 3 hours of sleep, which is really not nearly enough. So I better stop writing, as I can’t really reason properly or think straight any more, so here are some pictures of the show and of backstage silliness! 

Photos taken by: Alice Wolswijk!

But before I sign off – Big Well Done to DJ Toty for organizing an awesome event and for keeping those great tunes coming all night and firing up the people! And Christiana for decorating the place and making it look spookishly amazing! Brian Ozzy for DJin the first set! Everyone working and involved with making the night happen at Pyramid! And the audience for being loud and crazy and very cool!!

After the show with DJ Toty.

Happy Halloween! 

We here in Malta partied for 2 weekends straight, plus parties during the week... the Maltese just looooove to party, so much so that even I got confused, like.... so when was Halloween? 

XxxX

ULV..