Honestly, I was so excited to be there that I was unable to savor the amazing collection of photographs and memorabilia on display. Curator Kristin Morris, of the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society, did an outstanding job of organizing the exhibit, which exceeded by leaps and bounds my already high expectations. Besides the images that appear in Trina's book, there were fantastic photos from the collection of the Chinese Historical Society of America, as well as two from my own collection.
As for the performances, I don't think I stopped grinning the whole time the show was going on. The Grant Avenue Follies performed three numbers ("Chinatown, My Chinatown", "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing", and "All that Jazz"); Jimmy Borges, who flew in from Hawaii, rocked the mike with two tunes (including one he wrote just for the occasion, "I Found My Heart in San Francisco"), and The Shanghai Pearl turned up the heat with a classic striptease and fan dance. Emcee Ben Fong-Torres kept the proceedings smooth, spontaneous, and funny.
I took lots of pictures, but unfortunately I wasn't able to make the best of my brand new 100-buck Kodak. Here are a few that came out all right.
The Grant Avenue Follies proving that you're never too old to swing
Burlesque bird of paradise The Shanghai Pearl flashing her feathers
Two photos from my own collection, showing choreographer Walton Biggerstaff
Yours truly with the truly wonderful Trina Robbins
The exhibit is only open for seven days: Friday, February 12 to Monday, February 15 and Friday, February 19 to Sunday, February 21; noon to 5pm. If you live nearby or are passing through the area, do not miss this rare and precious glimpse of the Golden Age of Chinese Nightclubs. I know I'll be making another visit!
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