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!