New York, New York

...and I don't mean Cubao, yo!

I've been here five days and I'm still jetlagged! Hassle!

Highlights:

Being reunited with my relatives again. I especially missed my sort-of big bro, Kuya Vic (my uber-protective cousin). It's been so cool just catching up with him. I feel like I could tell him anything, and it's nice that he's constantly checking in on me. A little frustrating sometimes, but touching for the most part, knowing that someone cares about me that much.

Funny convo:

Me: I'm engaged!
Kuya Vic: What? What are you doin' gettin' married? You're 12!

With Kuya Vic, one of my most favorite people ever

It's also funny how we're now fodder for Glen Cove gossip! We've been out a few times, just the two of us, and in their area, everyone pretty much knows everyone. One night, the two of us were waiting for Chinese takeout. He had his arm around me and their cleaning lady walked in. She really couldn't look at us! I guess she thought he was stepping out on his wife! (P.S. The wife found this story hilarious!) He intro'd me, as usual, as his "little cousin" but she still looked a bit weirded out. Haha.

Met up with college friend King, who took me to Cupcake Cafe, Shake Shack, DB Bistro Moderne...all of which I shall write about in my food blog. We also went to Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center), which supposedly offers a better view of New York than the top of the Empire State Building.

A view of the Empire State Building from the Top of the Rock. It was mighty windy up there! Brrr!

The highlight of this highlight: I finally got to go to MOMA to see the painting I've been waiting 10 years to see: Van Gogh's Starry Night. My English prof Doreen Fernandez intro'd it to me freshman year, and it had been my mission to see it up close and personal since I first saw a postcard of it. The last time I was in NY, MOMA was under renovation, and this particular painting was in transit to the temporary location. I thought I wasn't going to be able to see it again this time since there were special timed tickets to the Van Gogh exhibit, and they had run out by the time we got there! But we got in line anyway, and the guy just let us in! Woohoo!

Thanksgiving, my tita was tamad to cook, so we ended up eating at a Chinese resto. Haha. Afterwards, my bro and I met up with my cousin Ate Udes and my nephew Gedo and we just went to the city, and took touristy pics at Times Square. Today, we went to Wall Street, rode the Staten Island ferry just to get a better look at the Statue of Liberty, had lunch at Little Italy, paid homage to Joey Ramone, and went on my bro's "one-dollar tour" of the Met!

Token turista shot at Times Square with Ate Udes, Carlos, and Gedo (who's in NY for the first time!). Wala na 'yung iconic Cup Noodles!

No, I haven't gone clubbing, nor do I intend to (sorry, Yog). I'm happy enough just spending time with the people that matter, and eating my way through New York! (And I've got the chunky arms to prove it. Daymn.) Will update again soon!

Somebody save me

Rackets will be the death of me.

Monday night, Ninjacq, Czar, Roy, Nana, and I joined the Monster training. I couldn't really run because I twisted my ankle the Friday before that. (Oh, I didn't blog about that. Was playing disc Friday night, jumped and made a block, and landed really badly. The result. "Mukhang chicken lollipop!" according to H. It was that swollen.) So I just did throws and tried to help out a little frog that had gotten ensnared in some net on the field. Yipee, my fear of frogs is gone!

So anyway, afterwards, Jacq and I hung out with some of the disc peeps at Mag:Net High Street, where it was rockeoke night. It's like videoke, but with a live band. Fun! And it's not about being a kick-ass singer--it's really just about having a good time. I would love to go back with Ena and Apple in tow though. They would blow that place apart!

Meli, Karen, Binky, and Gali sing Britney's Baby One More Time

The rest of the week was just filled with stress, work-related and otherwise. On the work front, I have shoots scheduled every single weekday, beginning last Tuesday (I had to shoot this fashion thing for a mag, and the stylist said she "wanted to show off my legs." And I came with one leg all bandaged up. Hahaha!) all the way til next Friday. Why oh why do I do this to myself? As a result, I've barely had time to think about my trip--I don't know what to pack yet, I haven't shopped for the stuff I need (because I haven't sat down long enough to actually figure out what I need), I haven't emailed and called who I'm supposed to have emailed and called...

AAAAAAHHHHH!!!

On the bright side: My skin looks so awesome now, if I do say so myself! I figured out that it's coz I've been using the Olay Total Effects sampler. Am convinced that I should buy a whole bottle. And no, this is not a paid advertisement. But it'd be cool if they did throw some money my way.

To Tagaytay and back

Last night at 7:40 pm...

Me: I think we should go out of town.
H: OK. Wanna go to Tagaytay?
Me: Tonight? Hmmm...OK.

Next scene: the two of us having coffee, white hot chocolate, and Oreo cheesecake at Starbucks in Tagaytay. I wanted a crepe but Breton was closed by the time we got there. We stayed on the deck of the coffee shop, enveloped by fog as we listened to showband standards from a nearby bar. We talked. About silly things, about the future. We caught up on stories we neglected to tell throughout the week, as our schedules didn't jive.

We were back in Manila before midnight.

I heart my spontaneous boyfriend. The impromptu trip was just what I needed.

October 2008 highlights

The two things that stood out came at the tail-end of the month:

Monster Halloween Hat

My team: Team Manay. Photo from here

A few of the Warriors joined Monster's Halloween Hat at Philsports Arena. Those who came in costume would get a discount, so I just dressed up as Gogo Yubari (or a Battle Royale character). I lost my weapon though, and ditched the bow, so I ended being a regular schoolgirl.

My Team Manay teammates: Mike, Fel, and Cel (who decided to play at the last minute). Other notables: Gali, Team Pilipinas captain Derek, and of course Manay. Gali was hilarious as usual, leading the team's warmup, and totally tearin' it up on the field. He ended up getting the MVP award. Quotable quotes:

Gali: Sumama ka na sa Tagaytay.
Me: Ummm...
Gali: Kung si Derek magtanong sa 'yo, hindi ka makakatanggi!
Derek: Tara, Tagaytay!
Me: Ummm...
Gali: Pare, dati bilib ako sa 'yo eh. Pero ngayon hinihindian ka na!

This started an evening of the two of them saying stuff like, "Hindi ka pupunta? Hindi kita papasahan!" And...

(Derek passes the disc to me but I wasn't able to catch it)
Derek: Hindi ka na nga sasama sa Tagaytay, hindi mo pa sasaluhin ang pasa ko! (in front of everyone! And then he leans in and says...) Sorry, it was short! (Geez.)

My favorite line of the night was from Gali: "Sino ka, si Rumpelstilstkin?" Hahaha.

I had a couple of points, which was cool. Gali and I were planning a play wherein I would just run to the end zone and he would huck it, but it ended up being the other way around: I caught an awkward pass then passed it to him for a point! Woohoo! Anyhoo, my team won the tourney! So Mike and I are now 3-of-3 when it comes to hats! Yay!

Halloween at the office

Tatamaps in her Venetian mask, Coni as Malena (or Marimar), and me as a fallen angel with really muscular legs (Damn! But I earned those muscles!)

It was cool that people gamely came in costume. I was an angel for the day, but Nicole remarked, "Angel ba 'yan? Ang ikli ng palda!" So I ended up being a fallen angel! Haha. It was cool seeing costumed people on our floor, but it was funny when I had to get something from another floor--where no one was in costume! Oh well.

Just another reason why I love my job.:)

How I Met Your Mother: "Nothing good ever happens after 2 AM."

Fuckin' a.