Annie Brasil

It was Annie Brasil’s last night at the Cucina Stagionale Restaurant and Bar here in the Big Apple. Olwen, Chief and I first went to the Village Vanguard, one of the more popular jazz bars here in Manhattan. There was a long line for the 10:30 show. Using Ben’s portable GPS, we tracked down a couple of other jazz bars in the area but somehow, our steps led us to Cucina Stagionale.

This place is located at 289 Bleecker Street corner of 7th Avenue. The place was not really full and the crowd were mostly watching the Giants and Patriots football game.

A nearly-bald guy floor manager greeted us and pointed us to Annie who was at the end of the bar with other friends. She moved up to us and greeted us. Kababayans!

She sung her last set for tonight and the past ten years (as she would later reveal to us!). Yes, this was her last night. Photos. Photos. Photos.


Now, who is Annie Brasil. Yes, she is the mother of Richard Merck and Rachel Anne Wolfe. Cecile would later describe more of Annie. Her contemporaries include Pilita Corrales, Mercy Molina. And that she used to be a regular guest at “Seeing Stars with Joe Quirino.”

She joined us after her last song. Guess, we were the only Filipinos in the place now. “Huwag na kayong babalik dito” she whispered us as she described her next career move to Florida for a gig.

God brought us to Cucina Stagionale for a reason and I guess, to hear and listen Annie sing on her last night, after a ten-year stint here, was the reason. And am sure she smiled in her heart to meet us!

Pistons Win

Yes, Chief and I watched our very first ever live NBA gane yesterday at the Continental Airlines Arena (Izod Center). East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Bhutto's Presence

Today, Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan was assasinated and her physical presence taken away from the hearts of many Pakistanis.

Below is the news from Yahoo News By SADAQAT JAN and ZARAR KHAN, Associated Press Writers

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan -
Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated Thursday in a suicide attack at a campaign rally that also killed at least 20 others, aides said.

Bhutto's supporters erupted in anger and grief after her death, attacking police and burning tires and election campaign posters in several cities. At the hospital where she died, some smashed glass and wailed, chanting slogans against President Pervez Musharraf.

The death of the charismatic 54-year-old former prime minister threw the campaign for the Jan. 8 parliamentary elections into chaos and created fears of mass protests and violence across the nuclear-armed nation, an important U.S. ally in the war on terrorism.

Celebrities @ Universal

Scribbles of people around Universal Studios to come.

Back In Los Angeles

Will post scrbbles and pictures soon.

Carla, Geneve and Nicole

They are the three nephews Cecile and I are visiting here in Hayward, California, which is in Northern California, easily a 10-hour drive from Los Angeles.

Will post pictures of shopping and dining out soon!

Abangan!