The San Diego Asian Film Festival (http://www.sdaff.org/) is ready to open up for its week-long festivities and screenings for the eleventh time this October 21-28th. The San Diego Film Foundation behind the Festival had put together a video contest (http://sdaff.org/festival/reel-in-the-vote.php) this past summer to get people armed with a camera to create 30 second PSA’s for the promotion of API votes. To encourage submissions and voter turn-out, Randall Park, along with a string of other Asian American celebrities released this video:

Beyond Tacobell and diarrhea, in all seriousness, Randall Park shares with us why it’s critical for the API community to vote— to raise our voices to be heard tomorrow.

“I believe that there is no community without it’s voice. And anyone who chooses to not be heard deserves to have their choices made for them. This includes mute people. If the mute community chooses not to be heard, then they deserve to have the blind community speak for them. They deserve to have their signs in braille. They deserve to be provided seeing-eye dogs, free of charge. They deserve to have Stevie Wonder be the President of the United States. (Which actually would be pretty cool.) But my point is, we as a community should not be mute. Even mute people can vote. It’s a basic and essential duty. The upcoming election is critical for all the obvious reasons, but I’d argue that every election is critical. Our inaction years ago is a big reason why everything is so “critical” today. Our action today will shape tomorrow.” – - Randall Park

You can enjoy more of Randall and his funniness at this year’s Unforgettable hosted by KoreAm Journal on November 20, 2010.

If you thought the new Facebook movie, The Social Network just consisted of a bunch of dorky white guys talking about the internet, think again!

The movie also has plenty of eye candy, namely pretty (Eur)asian girls, infiltrating the scenes. The blogosphere is already all a flutter over whether these ladies are acceptable or not, objectified or not, stereotyped or not.

Whether or not the females in the film are just useless sex objects conveying a misrepresented stereotype, we know the actresses portraying the parts are anything but useless.  Let’s get to know them a little better.

Brenda Song

22-year old Brenda Song is Christy Lee, a girlfriend of one of the main characters, Eduardo Saverin, in the flick.  Within minutes of meeting Christy, she is off in a bathroom stall, giving Eduardo some…special favors in a restroom stall – something that completely contradicts the Disney Channels princess image the actress is most known for, playing London Tipton on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Song, who is Hmong, has been in the limelight since she was 5 and has more films in the works, including the indie Little Sister and The Suite Life Movie.

Malese Jow

Another tween darling, Jow’s age makes us blush a little as she played Song’s friend, Alice who gives main character Marc Zuckerburg (played by Jesse Eisenberg) the same…special favors that Christy Lee was giving Eduardo. The girl is only 19! The Chinese-Native American Jow has taken on plenty of TV roles, her breakout one being Emma Roberts’ best friend in Unfabulous.  She was also part of The Vampire Diaries’ first season. We’re not sure where Jow will pop up next but with that striking face, we won’t be surprised if it’s sometime soon.

Courtney Arndt

Model Courtney Arndt is none other than our Fall cover girl!  Still a newcomer to the industry, Arndt (who also goes by Courtney Jane) plays the “Victoria’s Secret Model” on Napster founder Sean Parker’s (played by Justin Timberlake) arms. The 21-year old Korean-German-Irish-Native American was discovered in Korea and has been modeling in Hawaii but we really just need more of her hotness over here!

“I like it on” Facebook has virally infected more people than the common cold, but has it actually discolored the “go pink” celebration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month? For those who have yet to be hit by the status update, it’s a movement by females to announce their purse location without revealing the word itself. Even if the general public has abused the real meaning of the cause, here are some celebrities who give a brighter light to the dark matter.

Community star, Ken Jeong made a debut on The Ellen Show this week, and he admitted that he couldn’t have made an appearance at a better time than during Breast Cancer Awareness month. He discussed how his wife discovered a lump, while breastfeeding one of their twins. Check out his emotional conversation here:

According to the National Cancer Institute, there have been 207,090 new cases for 2010. As Jeong said, even if you have the slightest of questions regarding breast cancer, don’t be afraid to ask your doctor!

We’d love to hear Audrey readers’ own experiences with breast cancer.  If you’d like to share with us, please comment below or email us at editor@audreymagazine.com with subject line: My Breast Cancer Story. Let’s raise awareness for the cause together!

We here at Audrey are huge fans of Lynn Chen. She made a red carpet and catwalk appearance at Audrey’s Night Out, and blogged about her experience here. Instead of participating in the debauchery of the after party, she went around posing with the vintage cars at the Petersen Automotive Museum. She is so refreshing!

Her turn as the uptight older sister to Karin Anna Cheung’s more … shall we say … morally carefree sister in The People I’ve Slept With (the title says it all) was classic, but if you want to see another side of Chen, you have to go get White on Rice, out on DVD today.

The disc is loaded with never-before-seen features, including a documentary film of the Japanese premiere, deleted scenes, and a voice cameo by legendary actor Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead, Spider-Man 3). White on Rice was born of collaboration between Dave Boyle (Big Dreams Little Tokyo) and lead actor Hiroshi Watanabe (Letters from Iwo Jima, The Last Samurai), who worked together in Boyle’s first film. “I knew right away [Watanabe] had the comic charisma to carry a lead role in a comedy. He’s the only guy who could pull of this role, and I’m proud of our work together on the film,” said Boyle.

The Honolulu Advertiser calls the film “A Satisfying Comedic Feast,” while the San Francisco Chronicle said the film was “A cinematic milestone.”

Check out our interview with Lynn Chen here. Chen plays the love interest of Jimmy, a misguided 40-year-old divorceé trying to navigate his way through a new life (and find a new wife) in America out of his sister’s basement.

Hiroshi Watanabe (Jimmy) on the left and Justin Kwong (Bob) from Dave Boyle's "White on Rice."

Check out the trailer here: WHITE ON RICE-THEATRICAL TRAILER from Dave Boyle on Vimeo.

For more information on the film, visit: http://whiteonricethemovie.com

To watch the first five minutes of the movie go to:
http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/whiteonrice/

Many people wish they can turn back the hands of time. Go back to their youth. Go back to their youthful body, youthful thoughts and most importantly, youthful skin. But alas, sometimes time and the sun does take its toll on us. That’s why it’s important to use products that are healthy for our skin. This Lavere anti-aging SOLUTION facial toner mist is pretty awesome because it not only hydrates your skin but it also brings about an anti-aging effect. It’s like killing two birds with one stone?

This is definitely one solution you should add to your day and night skin ritual.

A continuing series by former ER writer Shannon Goss.

If I could travel back in time and have a tête-à-tête with my kid-self, I would say, “While in college, go on a study abroad. You’ll think your world revolves around what happens stateside, but it doesn’t. And while you’re at it, learn a foreign language. Oh, and take more creative writing classes.”

I would also add: “There are guys who won’t treat you right and will break your heart. Wait it out. Good things happen during the writers’ strike of ’07.”

At that point, my kid-self would ask, “What do you have to do with a writers’ strike?” And that’s where I, self-proclaimed nerdy square-pants, get to look cool in front of my younger self.

As a kid, I had Tiger Beat posters on my wall.  I wrote fan letters and, like Joanie, I loved Chachi. According to my diary, I also loved John Stamos.

So, when I joined the ER writing staff, I got to meet the guy I first knew as Blackie on another hospital show. After dropping the “John Stamos is my co-worker” bombshell, I imagine my kid-self would gloss over the fact that I landed a coveted job I had long pursued and go straight to, “Why aren’t you two married?” My kid-self apparently has an inflated sense of how much mojo I have as a grown-up.

I would explain that I have a boyfriend who I love very much. Boyfriend? As recently as college I imagined my 30s to include a husband and children, to which I say “boyfriend and dog” are the new “husband and children.”

So while my kid-self bombards me with questions about why I’m not yet married, I would distract her with tidbits such as: The man who created your favorite show, Laverne & Shirley, guest starred on this ER show (which made Jo Polniaczek’s boyfriend on The Facts of Life a huge star). And during a table read you will get to read opposite him. That’s right, kid-self; you will run lines with Garry Marshall.

And speaking of The Facts of Life, your second episode of ER featured Charlotte Rae, TV’s Mrs. Garrett. You will have and use Mrs. Garrett’s phone number.

I’m not sure how my starry-eyed younger self would handle this onslaught of awesomeness. To know that as an adult I would live blocks away from the man who played Jameson Parker’s brother on the TV show Simon & Simon?

“You mean, the guy who played AJ Simon’s brother? The AJ Simon I named my gerbil after?”

“Yes, that guy.”

Side note: I just realized Jameson Parker is two years younger than my parents. It’s a little weird to think that had things worked out as I had once hoped, I’d be married to a full-fledged member of the AARP.

Life is funny. I may not be able to hold a conversation in any other language or say I have ever lived abroad, but I can say that I’ve met Judd Nelson. And that’s saying something.

– Shannon Goss

My favorite t-shirts are the old junky ones that you want to throw out but can’t bare because they just have great memories in them. The ones that are faded and torn and stretched and sweated. The ones that in no way looks like it did the first time you ever saw it. Those are my favorite. This Mickey and Minnie Tee by Junk Food Clothing brings back all those lovely oldies. It’s got that cool gray washed-so-many-times look that completely works with the vintage print. And who doesn’t like Mickey and Minnie mouse? They ALWAYS bring up great memories! Totally don this if you want to seem like you just rolled out of bed but still look this stylish.

I was marinating in my long time friend’s raves about jazz band Pink Martini during our bi-monthly double-date at The Corner Place Korean BBQ House in Koreatown, Los Angeles. Living in Seoul together, we had both missed the atmosphere of smoke, clanking soju bottles, and the jib jab busy sounds of Korean.

It was at Milk, a delectable ice cream parlor on La Brea, my friend continued to rave on with glittering eyes about how amazing this group was. So naturally, I went home that night to do a bit of research and came to find that I had glitter in my eyes as I listened to their music and found out that the cellist in the band is a Chinese American musician, Pansy Chang. Simply fantastique!

Chang is one of the twelve musicians in Pink Martini. Drawing inspiration from music all around the world, Pink Martini, the “little orchestra” as founder and bandleader Thomas Lauderdale calls it, has released four albums on the band’s own independent label, Heinz Records: Sympathique (1997), Hang on Little Tomato (2004), Hey Eugene! (2007) and Splendor In The Grass, (2009). They are a whimsical 1940’s and 50’s-esque jazz group that began when Lauderdale met fellow Crimson, China Forbes at Harvard. Their first song “Sympathique” became an overnight sensation in France, and was nominated for “Song of the Year” at France’s Victoires de la Musique Awards. In fact, the band has gone gold in many countries including Canada, Greece, and Turkey and is continuing with their international success.

Pink Martini performed last month at the Hollywood Bowl on September 10th through the 12th. They performed an impressive show full of “Gershwin meets the Girl from Ipanema meets peaceful Kyoto” and the audience was completely entranced under a night sky with the Bowl’s celebrated and loved fireworks finale. I loved the performance and was able to enjoy a much-needed night out with good music, good wine, and good company…three things that Americans need more of. My personal favorite song is “Hang on Little Tomato”. It has sort of become the theme song of my life whenever I’m typing away on my notebook…or paying the bills. Rufus Wainwright, another personal favorite, made a guest appearance, as well as Jane Powell, Ari Shapiro, and even the cast of Sesame Street.

Chang has performed in North America, Europe, and Israel and has appeared with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and Chamber Music Northwest, on Bob Sherman’s “Listening Room” – WQXR New York, and in both the Yale Spectrum Series and the Yale Faculty Artist Series in New Haven. Her impressive resume also includes performances with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC, the Oregon Symphony, and regional orchestras in the Washington, DC and Portland metropolitan areas. In 1992, Chang was awarded a Fulbright Grant for study in the United Kingdom, and was a semi-finalist in the 1993 Leonard Rose International Cello Competition. Much of her work now seems to be in part of the efforts for Pink Martini.

Chang, along with the other members of Pink Martini have performed with over 25 orchestras around the world, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, the Boston Pops, the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center and the BBC Concert Orchestra in London. Other appearances include the grand opening of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s new Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall, at Carnegie Hall; the opening party of the remodeled MoMA in New York; the Governor’s Ball at the 80th Annual Academy Awards in 2008; and the opening of the 2008 Sydney Festival in Australia.

Lauderdale said it best: “All of us in Pink Martini have studied different languages as well as different styles of music from different parts of the world. So inevitably, because everyone has participated at some point in the writing or arranging of songs, our repertoire is wildly diverse. At one moment, you feel like you’re in the middle of a samba parade in Rio de Janeiro, and in the next moment, you’re in a French music hall of the 1930s or a palazzo in Napoli. It’s a bit like an urban musical travelogue. We’re very much an American band, but we spend a lot of time abroad … and therefore have the incredible diplomatic opportunity to represent – through our repertoire and our concerts – a broader, more inclusive America … the America which remains the most heterogeneously populated country in the world … comprised of people of every country, every language, every religion. We’re a bit like musical archeologists, digging through recordings and scores of years past and rediscovering beautiful songs.”
The multilingual, virtuosic musicians of Pink Martini cross boundaries with each new album producing gifts of music for our ears. Hopefully with more fame, we will enjoy more of Pink Martini’s tunes. In fact, one day I’d love to have an actual pink martini with Ms. Pansy Chang.

For more information on Pink Martini or Pansy Chang, you can support them here at: www.pinkmartini.com

Simple. Classy. Elegant. That’s how I would describe this Buji New York Puppy Love I Necklace. Nice and long, it’ll spice up any old boring outfit. But the black beads on the side breaks it out of the norm. It’s delicate yet got a hard edge. I think I could probably wear it to my grandmother’s birthday and then out clubbing and it would fit in either way. That’s awesome, no?

Photo by Kiino Villand, courtesy of Style Section L.A.

Check out this cool story about the unofficial Filipino Fashion Club, made up of some of the hottest names in fashion on the West Coast, including Los Angeles Times fashion editor Melissa Magsaysay, WWD west coast chief Marcy Medina, designers Oliver Tolentino and Monique Lhullier, Michelle Ravelo-Santos, the west coast PR manager for W Hotels, and Decades owner Cameron Silver (who is not so much ethnically Filipino as he is culturally apparently):

http://www.stylesectionla.com/area/article/2010/10/08/filipino-fashion-club