Holy Ship 9.0: Slow Magic is Bae

Holy Ship 9.0 and Nassau, Bahamas

From January 10 to the 14 I embarked on the Norwegian Cruise Line Epic for Holy Ship 9.0. An Electronic Dance Music Cruise filled with good vibes for like minded music lovers. The cruise hosted artist such as Fatboy Slim, Golf Clap, Slow Magic, and Dita von Teese, and others. The cruise line was grand and beautiful as for the beaches in the Bahamas, clear as glass. The ship was suppose to land at a private island, however due to weather conditions the party continued on the boat.

With every EDM concert there will be the usage of substances, which can make or break the vibes. So party wisely and responsibly. Do not go to the island for drugs. For now I have photos, but in a bit there will be a special treat.

Before leaving for Holy Ship I spend two day at Cocoa Beach less than 5 miles from departure at Cape Canaveral, FL. I stayed at the International Palm Hotel and by coincidence the pre parties were hosted by this hotel. I payed about 30 $ total to participate in Holystrip, a bar crawl with a twist. A shuttle transported guests from two location in which were strip clubs. So as a female, it was my first encounter at such a place. I'm rather open minded and with my boyfriend we enjoyed the night. I ended up getting the most attention because if there are females at the clubs, attention to them can lead to more money on the dance floor.  The next day followed strolls on the beach, a pool side party, and meeting new people.

On departure day people were chugging drinks before they hit the boat. There is a lack of content on my part because honestly I wanted to have fun and not worry about getting a good shot. But I got some stuff in. I"m working on a video, but I feel like writing my post first, so let's get down to business.

The cruise line was more expensive in regards to service compared Carnival line. Drinks ranged from 6 to 15 on average. There was a drink deal, 13 drinks for about 125$. Doing the math you are only getting one free drink. The pools at the boat were closed to make room for the Djs and there was some maintenance occurring because right after this cruise was a normal cruise adventure.  The cleaning day after was amazing I have to say. With the damages of people raging, the clean up was as if nothing even happened. The staff were friendly and the food was amazing. The quality of the cruise did go beyond my expectations.

At the Island of course I'd be bombarded by people trying to sell their service. With my prior international travel I easily manage myself. I managed to reach the free beach which was a 15 minute walk from the port. Many people congregated from the ship to that area to set their own party. Drinks were amazingly priced, unlimited drinks for about 20 USD. The water was beauty and I was able to get some color from the sun.

Back to the party, it's important to pace yourself and you know people will do what they want. People have different intentions from trying to get laid or doing as much drugs as they want. I met alot of people like that, however I went on the cruise to enjoy with my boyfriend, but most importantly enjoy good music and express myself as a person. If that attracts like minded people thus let it be. I may have missed my chances to connect with some very awesome people due to my shy nature. But I know there are many chances to connect with amazing people. This cruise was a big step outside my comfort zone and I'm grateful to have a chance to experience such a trip.

Paper Factory Hotel NYE

For NYE the Paper Factory Hotel housed an event by Junxion. Junxion is a community of creatives from New York dedicated to music, the art, and good vibes with the association of the Burning Man flow. Though this creative establishment fosters the sense of community, to be in the network it's rather exclusive to other demographics that I will not mention. 

The event had 5 rooms with various types of music from deep house, some tropical bass music, and other domains of music with the electronic twist. The music was wonderful and the performances. However, the number of tickets sold and the space was so wrong. I know that many places that sell "Foster community" and "We are creatives deviating from social norms" it is still a business with a different marketing vantage for a business. I may be wrong but this is how I personally feel at the emotional and logical level. Money to fund people's lives, to fund the owners, and to fund future events they are all valid points to why so many tickets were sold yet it's not an excuse to let the place pack up so much where it's very uncomfortable. The saying quality over quantity is so relevant to this event. Overall I enjoyed myself ringing the new year with someone I love. If you are ever in the need for a good party in the NYC and Brooklyn area I do recommend Junxion.

Winter at The Lobster Place in Chelsea Market and Eco at Cielo, The Wolves Experience 6 Hour Trance Set

Chelsea Market

I was browsing Facebook for something to do this weekend and I came across an event at Cielo in which Eco was playing. He's a Jersey City based Trance artist I think. I accidentally found him on Soundcloud awhile back and it was awesome he was playing at Cielo. I really like the beats he creates. This time around I drove into the city because by the time I got out of the club the trains back to Jersey stop running. I found parking near Chelsea Market and the Highline. I use to often hang around the area, so it was pleasant to go back during this time of year. 

First in line was food! Chelsea Market was the destination of choice because of the options. I was feeling something on the semi-healthy side after a week of not having fresh veggies at home. I decided to visit two locations Takumi Taco and Cull and Pistol . At Takumi it was fish tacos as the point of interest. They have a Bento Box special which includes 2 tacos of your choice and a side at about 12$. They have an array of options from adobe spiced meat to fresh cut tuna. I ended up getting the Spicy Tuna Tacos that contain sashimi grade big eye tuna, fresh avocado, and radish in a spicy mayo sauce. The side dish was Charred Corn Salad with kale, corn, shisito peppers, tomato, radish, edamame, brussels sprouts, and napa/rad cabbage all in a miso vinaigrette. Man, it was good. Before that I was at The Lobster Place, a fish market in where you can get prepared lobster, sashimi, and other seafood delicacies of your wishes. I know it's a market for food but the mass consumption of seafood by a particular group of people freaks me out because they just eat and eat voraciously despite never looking unpleasant. I get a great negative visceral reaction when I watch them eat, so I tried my best to look away. 

I really enjoy looking around seafood market and observe different species of aquatic life being prepped for consumption. I made my way to the Cull and Pistol kiosk, located in the back of the market to get some Salmon Poke, oh yes. It would be the first I have poke and I was so excited. I waited longer then most people because the cooks forgot about my order, however they gave me a free cookie for waiting so patiently. They cooks were really nice, with big smiles and that's something I enjoy when I interact with anyone. The Poke bowl was fresh with a homemade sauce, sushi rice, some dried seaweed, radish, and edamame. I in my happy place and adding some more soy sauce just topped the poke experience.

Chelsea Market is the place for anyone who wants to go on an unique food adventure. The location contains thai food, fresh noodles, mexican, fusion, wine and beer shops, and so really good desert shop. If you are in the city and want to eat it all, come to this place.

Biergarten at the Standard/Highline, Cielo, and Pizza

After eating a bit, I walked around the Chelsea area which moves into the Meatpacking District. The area tends to be on the higher end with shopping and artwork. It's a fashionable place and so nice to look around at night. In the area you can go up to the Highline which contains different art installations during the year and various plants and events. Once you hit the end you are greeted by the Whitney Museum, The Standard Hotel, and below the Biergarten. This establishment is a hall where you can merrily drink with friends. You pay 9$ for ticket and you can get a boot of beer or something to eat like some Bratwerst or large Pretzels. During the winter it's close in so you stay warm.

Looking street side of Biergarten, if you go down to the right you find a few bars and to you left will be Cielo, an intimate nightclub for your dancing pleasure. The cost of the event this time around was about 10$, such a steal. The place was not to crowded. 

After that was late night pizza, at of course Artichoke Basille. This time around was the Chelsea location where you can sit down to enjoy pizza and a few drinks. Because it was late night they have a security guards to make sure no drunk idiots mess up the night. If you are respectful and in the right state of mind, they are very nice and extremely accommodating. Because of this location I was able to order the sampler set, 3 slices of your choice at 18$.  I opted for the white, vodka sauce, and the classic artichoke. It was a nice note to end the night in. 

I hope you have a great Christmas eve and day filled with food, music, friends, and family. Till the next adventure! 

A trance night out

I've been into many domains of music in my life from the sounds of pain in emo and screamo music to the tasteful and refined sounds of classical music. In the last three years I really gotten into Electronic Dance Music (EDM). There is a need to make some clarification about the genre, the main set is called EDM which breaks down into other subsets like trance, psytrance, goatrance, techno, hardstyle, trap, and so on. Each subset has it's own culture. In this post I'm diving more into the Trance rabbit hole, as noted in my title. I'm not seasoned, I'm not an expert. Just someone who enjoys the good vibes.

In the past year many of the events related to Trance  I've attended took place in Brooklyn. Conveniently, a nice drive from Jersey if there is no construction and if you beat rush hour. In Williamsburg, a hub of hipster creatives and the subset of alternative lifestyles. It's a perfect place for such events. Filled with empty warehouses waiting to be impregnated with hypnotic tunes, the convenience of bars walking distance from each other, and the heavily graffitied streets. It's a night to take in and enjoy.

Last night, Aly and Fila played in the area and it was a pleasant and intimate venue. The last time I listened to them play was at Future Sounds of Egypt in New York. The 8 hour set was wonderful, I did not have the stamina to last the full set. The music ranged from melodic to foot stomping beats. Before heading to the venue, I grabbed some drinks from "The Wells" a spacious bar with outdoor seating. It had the vibe of a beer garden, but was quiet for a Friday night. The outdoor region was decorated with lights and graffiti. Drinks range from moderate pricing to high end pricing. I had a shot of tequila and Tiki punch a drink special they had which totaled to about 20 bucks. Not that cost efficient, but enjoyable. Around the area I was in, I was reminded of the other events I attended over the years and the memories I've made. I was solo for about two years, meeting with new faces. This time around I was able to share it with a new love who enjoys my tastes. Sharing it with someone I really care about add even more to the experience.

Oh! Before I forget. For eats, I was looking for a place with fish taco. I was really craving them after having them a while ago. It was hard to find parking and I eventually was able to find a random spot called "Yola's Cafe Mexican Food" it's not to far from Union ave. The food and pricing were very reasonable. I ended up getting shrimp quesedilla and for my other party he got chicken and chorizo fajitas which were only 4$! It was so worth the walking and getting super grumpy from walking around.