F ASHION LIFESTYLE ART ENTERTAINMENT SEPTEMBER 2010 FREE Miss Chinatown USA Pays Us a Visit Houston Stars in Mao’s Last Dancer Bistro Lancaster Remains a Landmark Old World vs. New World Wine yellowmags.com FROM THE EDITOR IN CHIEF August was a month filled with beauty. I chatted with the reigning Miss Chinatown USA, Miss Crystal Lee, while she was in town to attend the Miss Chinatown Houston pageant. This year marked the 40th anniversary of the pageant and a majority of the past beauty queens appeared on stage to mark the momentous occasion. The newly crowned Houston queen, Miss Joy Le, will represent Houston in the national competition in San Francisco next February. Congratulations! New York City has been getting a lot of press recently in connection with the proposed mosque near Ground Zero. Last year, the city was the center of attention because of the country’s economic woes and the big bonuses that gushed from the big Wall Street firms. We decided to focus on New York, too, but our sights were on the sites to see. There are many that have gone ignored by the mainstream media but which are a lot more interesting and fun (and certainly, much less controversial). It was a big month for the Houston art community, especially for those who love ballet. Li Cunxin was in town to promote the opening of Mao’s Last Dancer, the exquisite new movie based on his best selling autobiography that chronicled his life from provincial China to the stages of Houston’s Wortham Center and Jones Hall. The film was partially filmed in Houston which was immersed in international drama when he decided to defect to the United States in 1981. Houston immigration attorney, Charles Foster, played a pivotal role in securing Li’s position. (Charles is portrayed by Kyle MacLachlan, who was in town with Li, Bruce Greenwood, Joan Chen, and others to celebrate the film’s premiere). As the many layers of the film unfold, the audience’s interest is captured for almost two hours. In a word, the film is inspirational. While I am on the subject of entertainment, very close to where Li performed in Houston is a restaurant at which many who applauded him assuredly dined. The Bistro Lancaster is situated in The Lancaster Hotel across the street from Jones Hall in the theater district. Photo by Collin Kelly It has been a while since we last reviewed a hotel based restaurant and we believe The Bistro offers a menu that is fit for theatergoers as well as those who are simply looking for a very satisfying dining destination. I have noticed that the days have finally begun to grow shorter which reminded me that fall will begin on September 22nd. Even though it is 100 degrees at the moment, just knowing that fall is so close makes it feel just a little bit cooler. Thank goodness that fall fashions are just around the corner! V. Van Hoang The color yellow has played a recurrent symbolic role throughout the history of Asian culture. It symbolizes the earth that sustains all life, yet has been embraced by Buddhist monks as an expression of unchallenged power. Such is the role of yellow: always revered but in different ways under different circumstances. The mission of Yellow Magazine is to introduce our readers to the artistic , fashion, lifestyle and entertainment contributions made by Asian Americans. It is our hope that the depth and breadth of the topics and events we cover do justice to the pride that the color yellow has represented throughout the millennia. As the editor in chief of Yellow Magazine, my last name is Hoang, which also means yellow. Just as I am proud of my name, I am proud of my heritage, and proud of Yellow Magazine. Editor in Chief V. 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Mail check to: Yellow Magazine, 3040 Post Oak Blvd., Suite 1440, Houston, TX 77056. © 2010 MV Media On the cover Studded Cape by Naaem Khan $4790, available at Neiman Marcus Velvet Cropped Blazer by Rebecca Taylor $495, available at Neiman Marcus Metallic Lame bowtie blouse by Marni $522, available at Saks Fifth Avenue Brocade Lace belt by Streets Ahead $77, available at Saks Fifth Avenue Model Jeany Ngo September 2010 THE ARTS A True Story Rooted in Houston Mao’s Last Dancer by HENRI MERCERON I am what you may consider to be a devoted moviegoer. I love movies. On a rainy Sunday, I have been known to sit through three consecutive movies without experiencing even the slightest restlessness or fatigue. I enjoy the gamut of genres from comedy to drama, sci-fi to romance, and everything in between. Even though I enjoy serious films Amanda Schull as Liz and Chi Cao as Li in Mao’s Last Dancer as well as silly ones, I own very few because there are not that many that I would consider watching multiple times. Having said that, I would not hesitate to rank Mao’s of the American culture. Intoxicated by the adoration of the local audiences who cheered him exuberantly, the love of a beautiful American woman, Last Dancer as one of my favorite films, and I will purchase the DVD as soon as it and the freedom to which he had grown fond, Li decided to defect. He married his American girlfriend to seal his right to remain in America to becomes available. the chagrin of the Chinese consul who forcibly held him captive at the embassy. It was at this time that Houston’s very own attorney There are so many things to like about this film, some of which are extraordinaire, Charles Foster, was called upon to intervene on Li’s behalf. particular to me and others that are more universal. It is based upon a What ensued was a 21 hour standoff that had all the signs of becoming true story as written by the principal character, Li Cunxin. A significant an international incident as the media from around the world descended portion of the story takes place in Houston and is filmed here. I really upon Houston to chronicle the developments. Ultimately, Charles enjoy seeing Houston in films; we are America’s fourth largest city and persevered and Li’s freedom was legally secured. In the years that followed, receive precious little exposure in television and cinema. As to the content Li was the sweetheart of the Houston artistic community. of the film itself, it offers the audience a rich story that hits all the high notes that define riveting entertainment. Only at the end of the 117th minute did I realize to what extent I had been totally engaged in the plot; The legendary director of the while I did not want the movie to end, I was completely satisfied with what I had seen when it did. Houston Ballet, Ben Stevensen, The film draws contrasts on multiple levels; east versus west, poverty versus wealth, conformity versus non-conformity, traditional versus brought Li to Houston as part of progressive, Cultural Revolution versus post-Cultural Revolution ideology, and socialist versus democratic social structures. At different times, I was the first cultural exchange program drawn into the drama and found myself anxious one moment and exuberant the next. between China and America. Mao’s Last Dancer is now During Mao’s Cultural Revolution, scouts descended upon schools showing at the Landmark throughout the country in search of children who demonstrated the Throughout the better part of the film, the director maintains a River Oaks Theater potential to develop into great ballet dancers. Once selected, parents constant strand of tension by not letting us forget that Li had not seen proudly allowed them to leave their homes and families to take up his parents and family since he was removed from his village as a child. For more information, visit residence in Madame Mao’s Beijing Dance Academy where they trained During his formative years, he did not venture from the dance academy; maoslastdancermovie.com tirelessly in pursuit of the destiny for which they had been selected. after he defected, the Chinese government forbade him from returning At the academy, artistic tensions arise within the ideological context to China. Following the death of Mao, the government’s stance regarding of the Cultural Revolution. One teacher exposes the students to the raw many hard line matters began to soften.