April 9-April 18 Liz Visits NYC!

Monday morning I headed back to the city but I was very excited because my best friend Liz had off from student teaching so she came with me to visit! We took the train into Penn Station and went to my apartment before dinner. I showed her around and then we met Sarah at Novita where we had delicious pasta dishes. Of course we had to get dessert and due to celebrating Liz being in the city we weren't shy about indulging! We enjoyed a frozen hazelnut nougat, a slice of 20 crepes layered with custard, and vanilla gelato covered with hot espresso. 

We went back to the apartment to change and we walked to Beauty & Essex restaurant/lounge to go out for a little while!

It is cool because if you look in the window or walk in you just see cases of different items like a pawn shop but then you go up to the bouncers at a door on the back wall and you walk into a beautiful huge place. 

First we hung out at the bar on the first floor and we noticed that one of the cocktail waitresses looked like Brooke Hogan's friend Ashley from the Brooke Knows Best television show and it turned out to be her. She was super nice and we got a picture with her.

Then we ventured around including upstairs where there was a nice lounge and bar area. We hung out for a while and had a good time there!

The next morning we took a nice walk to Soho where we went through some parks and Union Square. We did a little bit of shopping there and then we got hungry and went to Max Brenner restaurant! They are known for their chocolate dishes so we got a pizza for our meal and then chocolate pizza for dessert! We got one slice with chocolate, peanut butter and bananas and the other with chocolate, bananas and hazelnut crumbs. They were very sweet and so indescribably delicious!

Afterwards Liz said that she could go for some coffee since she drinks multiple cups a day haha so we went to a neat little cafe called The Grey Dog. It was really cute there and we hung out and chatted for a while.

Later we went to dinner at La Esquina Mexican restaurant that Ritz had told me about. The interior was really cool and the food was really good, especially their corn on the cob which is covered with a mixture of mayonnaise, salt, and a certain cheese... it was incredible!

When we left, outside there was a huge film crew and we found out that they were filming an Adidas commercial. We kept walking and looking around to see what we should do next and then we saw two females and a male modeling the Adidas shoes on the meridian of the street. The models were about my height so it gave me hope! haha

Then we saw a place that looked interesting because it had pictures of pirates on the outside and had a sign that said karaoke so we decided to stop in. It was a really cool place and we hung out for a little while and watched people sing karaoke which was really amusing!

The next morning we got up and went to see Times Square and some stores in the area with Sarah! We had a lot of fun in Toys R Us walking through the huge Barbie house store and The Avengers exhibit!

Before Liz had to catch her train home we decided to get something quick to eat so we went to Friday's near Times Square. Even though we ordered soup and salad we were sitting there for 20 minutes and we really had to go so our server told the kitchen to make our order to-go and we paid and ran! We should have known that Times Square is the worst area to try to get food quickly because there are so many people. We literally ran to the subway station and then through Penn Station and Liz made it on the train three minutes before it left!

I was so happy that she made a trip to visit me and it was a lot of fun!

The next few days I worked a lot and some of the guests we had were Maya Thurman-Hawke who is Uma Thurman's daughter and that same night the actor Spencer Boldman.

April 15th was Tax Day so I made sure previously that I had everything turned in and I also opened up a Roth IRA to start saving for retirement. Later I went to the gym with Sarah because she gave me a free three day pass to see if I like it there. We signed up for a class called Chisel and it was so intense! About fifteen minutes into the class I had to walk out and breath for a minute. I am proud that we stayed for the whole class but I woke up the next morning extremely sore.

Since the pass had to be used for three consecutive days we went back to the gym the very next day and took a bike riding class. It was cool because the class is in a room with all black fluorescent lights and they play music with good beats. Again it was very intense and difficult to get through the whole class, but we did and the next morning I woke up and it hurt so badly to even walk or sit or do anything!

It was difficult going back to work being so sore but finally the pain went away and it felt good to have worked out!

Mar19-Apr8 - Birthdays Galore!

On Monday I went to yoga at Yoga to the People and it was a great class! It was challenging but really fun. Later, I made sure that I was home for the premiere of Dancing With The Stars! I love watching how great the dancers are and even the stars all did really well!

The next day I had an on-camera interview for ABS-CBN that the woman Ritz I met at Ford Models set me up with. It is a television channel and website based out of the Philippines and they were interested in interviewing me as a part Filipina American going after my dream of modeling in New York City.

I met Ritz at the park at Union Square and reporter Don Tagala came there with a video camera. It was a beautiful day out and the interview went well. Don asked me questions about what I have been doing in the city, what my passions are, and what my Filipina background is. Then Sam Milby, the entertainer from the Philippines, stopped by the interview. Afterwards I showed Ritz and Don my portfolio, we all talked and then they were so nice to walk me to work.

That night at work it was very exciting because I saw a couple walk in and the man had a very cool ora to him and I saw his face and it was Jon Bon Jovi! We were not expecting him but they were joining Kenneth Cole the designer's reservation. On their way out I wished them a good night and Jon Bon Jovi was very nice.

Later in the week Gary Ross the director of The Hunger Games came in for a breakfast meeting. I still have not seen that movie but I will probably rent it some day.

That weekend Mike was supposed to travel from Miami to Atlanta but he had to delay his flight because he woke up one morning and could not hear out of one of his ears. That would be scary for anyone but him being a music producer made it 100X worse. We were all so worried for him but we were so thankful that the doctor gave him medicine and now he can hear perfectly fine!

On the 27th it was Mariah Carey's Anniversary (what she calls her birthday, like anniversary of being born) and it was so nice that people thought of me that day because they know that I admire her.

The next day was another amazing woman's birthday, Mike's Mom Helen! I was sad that I could not be home for this day but we had plans to celebrate soon after! I was also wishing I could have made it home sooner to attend the St. John Fisher Dance recital. I miss being on the dance team and I had such a great experience being the president my senior year.

I could not make it home sooner because I had plans to go home April 2nd and making arrangements at work was difficult. Those couple of days at work though we had Lisa Diruocco from IMG Models come in with a group of people as well as Laura Cunningham who is the wife of Thomas Keller who is a chef and owns The French Laundry which is one of the top restaurants in the world.

On the 2nd I took a train to Rochester, NY and I spent most of the week just hanging out at home and then on Thursday I had a casting through my agency Mary Therese Friel, LLC for Jazz Fest advertisements. I was one of the first ones there and they were just taking shots smiling and being serious so it was quick and easy.

The next day it was Mike's Dad Scott's birthday and Passover so they were going to have a big celebration with the family that night. I wanted to be there but that same day we were driving to Connecticut to visit my family and we were actually throwing a surprise party for my Mom's 50th birthday!

We got to my Uncle's house in Connecticut to meet his new puppy and we passed time there while everyone was at my Aunt's house setting up for my Mom's party. My Mom thought we were just going to a pizza place but my Aunt told her to stop by her house before going. My Mom just wanted to go to the pizza place so my Aunt had to come up with excuses for her to stop by the house since that's where the surprise party was. Then my Mom asked if we were throwing a party, she's just too smart but I acted like I didn't know what she was talking about haha. When we were driving to my Aunt's I told her that my Mom pretty much knew we were throwing a party so I told her to not have everyone jump out and instead pretend like nothing was happening and act like we were getting ready to go to the pizza place haha she did it for a minute and then everyone jumped out...

It was so good to see a bunch of my family! It was so cute I helped my little cousin Cassie learn Happy Birthday on the piano and she gathered everyone around and played it for my Mom. It was a fun night of food, black jack, cake, and family love! I love when my family gets together and we actually all got together again the next day for my cousin Maria's birthday party that we stopped by at before heading back to Rochester. 

When I got home I went to dinner with Mike, his family, his Uncle and cousins including my roomie Dennise! We went to Sinbad's Mediterranean Restaurant and celebrated Scott and Helen's birthdays and Passover!

The next day was Easter!

I saw this and thought it was so cute and funny haha

In the morning Mike and his family and I had a breakfast at their house where Helen made her incredible pancakes! It was my Mom's actual birthday so I was home for the rest of the day celebrating Easter and her birthday :) My Mom's birthday is a special day to me and all who love her because we get to celebrate her life and her being in ours! It was so nice to be home and to celebrate these special occasions! 

Mar9-Mar18 -Second Interview with FORD Models!

The next couple of days I worked at Maialino and Sunday night we had a party in our private dining room that hosted guests such as Vanessa Williams and Terry O'Quinn who plays John Locke on the television series Lost. Terry was very nice to me but I did not know who he was until after he went back to the private dining room and my coworkers informed me. My Mom loves the show Lost so she thought that was exciting. Vanessa Williams looked just like she does on television and after the event she stayed in our bar area and dined with her daughter Jillian who was really cute.

     

The next day I spent getting ready for my second interview with FORD Models! The reason why I was going back for another interview is because the Lifestyle division booker left the agency and so they never got to make a decision about me. 

I went into the agency and the booker who I was supposed to meet with was in a meeting so I waited in the lobby. After waiting for a while I sat down next to a woman named Ritz and we talked until they called me in. Ritz was telling me how she is Filipina and was there to help represent Sam Milby who is an entertainer in the Philippines. I told her how I am a small part Filipina on my Father's side and she was very nice and gave me her card after talking.

I got called in to interview and I went to an office and met with a booker and another worker. They were very nice and we talked while they went through my portfolio. They already had taken my digitals last time so they said that they would look back at those and let us know what they decided!

After I got back to the apartment I went for a peaceful walk by the water. I really got a feeling that if Ford wanted me that would be amazing but if they did not then God knows that a different agency would represent me better at this time in my life.

The next few days I worked and then on Friday Mike came to the city to visit! I had to work a little bit that night but afterwards we ate at La Follia which I love!

Saturday was St. Patrick's Day!

I used to always go to the parade which was great memories but this year I made a reservation at Maialino to do a brunch. My roommate Dennise and her date went with Mike and I and we had a great meal together. Maialino was very generous sending us out amazing complimentary pastries and fried artichokes!

Later for dinner we went to Eleven B near my apartment because I had to go to work for a little bit after. When I got out we tried to go to see 21 Jump Street in the theatre but it was sold out so we went to T.G.I. Friday's for a snack and I was the most full I have ever felt from eating all day.

The next morning Mike had to leave for appointements in Atlanta and Miami and I went to work later. That night television host Ty Pennington came in the restaurant with his friend riding on their skateboards!...okay not literally skating in on them but they came in holding them and had me check them while they had dinner.

It was a very fun, exciting week!