This is a write-up of my experience attending Sleep No More in NYC. First off, I suggest reading a bit about it here and here. In a nutshell, Sleep No More is an eerie, immersive and modern take on Shakespeare's Macbeth. Instead of a stage with actors you watch in a series of acts, the "play" is set in the old abandoned McKittrick Hotel. Each audience member is handed a white mask, to be worn at all times within the "staging areas." First, we were ushered in batches into a large elevator where a handful were let out at different floors. From there, we were told not to speak at all, to each other or any of the actors, and were free to roam the hotel at our own pace. The amount of detail that was put into the set was astounding. We were free to rifle through drawers, papers, open doors, eat candy, and touch just about every single piece of prop. The place was both haunting and captivating all at the same time. There were definitely moments where I felt that I simply could not move on because of fear. I am deathly afraid of the dark or wherever "things" might be lurking in the shadows. Vien and I decided to separate soon after we got in so we could explore at our own pace without having to think about where the other person would like to go next. We would find each other a few times through the evening but would again separate until we met up later at the hotel bar that was made up to be set in the 1930s complete with a jazz band on a dimly lit and smoke-hazed stage and waitresses in flapper outfits.

Each audience member has their own unique experience. As I've mentioned earlier, there were parts wherein I felt the need to double back and look for Vien because I couldn't go pass the part where we had to walk through a space made to look like a graveyard. Once you get passed that, you will find a glass room with a claw foot tub set in the middle of a room on a pedestal. The tub is filled with blood stained water and the floor is littered with old handwritten letters. There was a room with empty, made beds and another with more claw foot tubs lined against the wall. There was a floor made to look like a small town at night, filled with random shops you could enter and go through stuff. There was an actual candy store filled with jars and jars of candy you can eat. One floor was an interior of an old house, each room was designed with careful detail that it felt like being in movie set of a very, very, scary movie. Vien led me to a room that looked like a child's room. Filled with old ragged toys and an unmade bed. It seemed very ordinary at first, until he led me to the mirror beside the bed. Looking through the mirror, you'll see everything in the room was the same, all except for the bed, which appeared  to have large bloodstain in the middle as if someone was stabbed in their sleep and their body carried away.

Every few minutes, actor/s would enter and exit the scene. You could tell they were actors because they were obviously not wearing masks. You can choose to follow any character you want through the rooms and floors until you stumble upon another actor that you may or may not want to follow next. There were so many things happening all at once that I felt like I was missing out on certain parts by staying in one space. It was all very surreal walking through a crowd of masked people trying to discern which ones were actors and which ones weren't. If you've seen the Stanley Kubrick movie Eyes Wide Shut then you can imagine how it was like in there.

It all ended in a final culminating scene that gathered all actors and audience members into a large ballroom. Vien and I missed most of what happened there because we were in another floor witnessing a bunch of witches dancing to drum and bass passing along what appeared to be a blood stained child. It was only when we followed one of the actors in that scene into the ballroom that we were able to witness the final scenes that led to one character being hanged in the middle of the room.

It's quite difficult to offer a more general write up for it since each individual has their own unique experience. I now understand why people who've been to the show and those who have written articles about it could not offer more detail. Sleep No More needs to be experienced, not narrated. It is meant to be felt, not be read.

Sleep No More runs until the first week of December 2011. I just might have another go before it ends.

Santi missed out on the next round of classes for his usual Music for Aardvarks class (www.musicforbrooklyn.com) but we still get to enjoy some weekly musical fun. The new apartment is now closer to the cafe that hosts a kiddie sing-a-long every Thursday morning. Led by the ashy blonde haired Lloyd (below), he sings, dances while playing both the guitar and harmonica to a group of enthusiastic younglings.

We've transitioned Santi to taking one longer nap in the afternoon as opposed to having one in the morning and another one later in the day. I've been pushing his nap time a little later than he's used to so he's usually groggy around 11am. Here he is after music class:

Mica texted me early morning yesterday asking to have some of the bangus I had in the freezer and that got me craving for bangus myself. Instead of the usual fried fish however, I decided to put a slight spin on my meal by cooking it like sisig, with onions, garlic and chili. I haven't had bangus sisig since 2008 back in Manila. Might have been late at night with Jammi after a closing shift at TPC Fort or after a late night drinking sloshfest with my Pilar buddies. I've missed eating at Gourmet, a late night cantina in the middle of BF Homes. If I ever find myself back home again, I shall pay a visit to this little hole in the wall.

I'd like to assume that Taco is sleeping off his Friday in preparation for a sleepless yet exciting weekend ahead of him. But really, it's me who's about to get no sleep this weekend. Nothing to complain about though. Vien and I have been excited for tonight's event. My fabulous Tita B from the UK, scored both of us tickets to Sleep No More, an interactive theater performance. I've been hearing and reading so much about it and I can't quite contain my excitement.

Tomorrow, I have lunch with both Omar and Santi and their respective parental units. For now, the plan is to have another pinoy feast in Queens as we usually do when we all get together. In the evening, I get to be V's plus one to his friend's birthday. However the rest of the evening pans out, I am anticipating another foodtrip trip on Sunday to help nurse the aftereffects of the previous night.

My weekends keep getting better and better. As mentioned in my Friday post, Vien made me a mussel dinner last Friday. The finished dish can be seen on the right. It was so good we did not have enough bread to mop up that yummy sauce.

We also had way too many Vietnamese bahn mis this weekend. We pretty much had one everyday from Friday until Monday. I think I'm taking a short break from those for a while.

Across the street from the bahn mi spot was this mural which was funny to me because my roommate's name is Caitlin.

Saturday was met with the first snowfall of this season. Usually, it starts with light flurries but that day, it snowed all day until late evening. It got so cold that Vien and I blew off three Halloween parties that we were supposed to attend and stayed in watching movies on Netflix.

 Snow on cars outside his bedroom window.

Halloween day was also moving day for Ana and Poy. I took Santi back to my apartment where we hung out with Vien while Ana, Poy and hired movers packed everything and moved all their stuff to the new apartment.

Later that day, Vien helped me while I took Santi trick or treating. He was such a cutie dressed up as Tigger. After an hour of candy begging, the three of us headed to Cornelius for Oyster Happy Hour. One year old Santi watched as his Nanny and her helper downed 18 oysters each with glasses of beer.

This is Vien when he was a baby. He hardly looks anything like he does today. This baby photo must be of someone else noh?

Monday night, I went out to see a Sandwich gig at the lower east side. I listened to them a lot in college and I was so happy to learn they were coming to NYC to perform. I got to see a few people from Manila I haven't seen in a long time and it was all very nostalgic and fun.

They let Rann play a couple of songs with them and he naturally ripped my ear drums off with his style of noise.

Snowy Saturday afternoon with this.

I can't remember the last time a guy ever cooked for me, if ever at all. It's so great to just sit and watch him do his business for once. I think I like this one, I just might keep him. Hahaha!

Jokes aside, I'm sitting with a bag of BBQ chips and a glass of bourbon waiting for my mussel dinner. I am not lifting a finger for this meal and after an 11-hour work day, I can't help but feel blessed.

This is going to be a fun, fun weekend. Enjoy Halloween!