X2: Times Square

Was chatting with Roxie and she mentioned this pizza place called Lombardi's that was one of the stops in the Amazing Race. Decided to try it out for lunch. Ordered a thin crust pizza topped with pepperoni, sausage, mushroom and spinach. It wasn't the best pizza, actually there's nothing really special about it. But with its claim to fame as the first pizzeria in the US, it was worth the try.

We then grabbed some dessert at Rice to Riches. The place serves nothing but rice pudding in various flavors. Pizza for lunch + rice for dessert. That's one very bad equation but what the hell! Haha. Shared a bowl with Candice. I got the Chocolate Chip Flirt while she got the Hazelnut Chocolate Bear Hug, I think.

Cands headed back home while I jumped on a train to Times Square. I wanted to hit the flagship stores that line the streets and my first stop was every kid's wonderland, Toys"R"Us. I completely lost track of time going through all three floors of toys, toys and even more toys. Was hoping to find my precious Pinkys on the shelves, but no luck. I did, however, found some One Direction merchandise that I could sell in Manila for double the price. Hahah.

Next stop was the Disney Store! First thing I grabbed was a 7" figurine of Mickey Mouse holding an apple! Sooo cute! It's a pretty small store but I think I spent an hour just rummaging through all the cute stuff there. Ended up with a bag full of magnets, keychains and baby clothes!

Off to the sweetest and probably the most colorful attraction in Times Square, the M&M's World store! Love the cool dispensers and the wall of tubes filled with M&M's in a rainbow of colors! The pastels are so pretty but I still want my candies in orange!

Just around the corner is the Hershey's store. Despite the huge candy bar signs that adorn the building, the store itself was very small and wasn't as impressive compared to M&M's World. Bought a Hershey's flavored lip balm just because I left my ChapStick at the hotel and my lips started to feel windburned. And being the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup lover that I am, I also got me some cups in dark and white chocolate!

Another sort of "attraction" in Times Square are the people wearing costumes that roam the streets and pose for a dollar or two. Most of them looked very different from the real thing, though. There's not-quite-Mickey and not-quite-Minnie with their slightly deformed heads, creepy incarnations of Elmo and Cookie Monster, and a group of retired superheroes who need to get back in shape. Hehe. But not everyone looked like cheap imitations. Like the Stormtrooper and Chewbacca costumes that I think were really cool!

Last stop was Grand Slam where I bought some souvenir items for friends and family. I then met up with Candice for another movie. Warm Bodies is a romantic comedy about a zombie who falls in love with a human and slowly regains his humanity. It was funny and creative and gory and sweet. R, the charming undead played by Nicholas Hoult, stole my heart with his undying promise: "Keep you safe." It also had a very nice soundtrack that'll definitely be on my iPod once I return to Manila. Hehe.

After the movie, we waited for a while to catch The Midnight Moment for the month of February. This month's artist is Tracey Emin. Her digital artwork entitled "I Promise To Love You" is a visual valentine that displays neon love notes on the billboards in Times Square. I thought ALL of the digital billboards will be synchronized and display only that, but it turned out to be just a few and you wouldn't really notice it unless you are aware of it.

"There's certain things in life I cannot take
And I will wait
I hope you know I care."
--- Yamaha, Delta Spirit

Shezzo Wicked!

Met up with Candice at the Grand Central Terminal. Tasted all them Apple goodness at the Apple Store while waiting for her to arrive. The colors of the iPod Touch 5th Gen were candy yummy and the iPhone 5 was sinfully delectable. Must control growing appetite! Haha.

The Grand Central Terminal is one of the most photographed landmarks in NYC, no wonder why. The ceiling is a mural of constellations with tiny bulbs that twinkle like stars. Probably the only place in Manhattan where I can see the stars. Any astronomy geek would notice that the constellations were painted backwards. Needless to say, I didn't notice that myself. Hehe. I actually picked that information up from the movie "Arthur". They say it's not supposed to be our view of the sky when we look up, rather it is God's view of the of the sky when He looks down. Hmm, clever. I excitedly jumped on the bandwagon and pulled out my camera. The flow of people was quite frustrating at first, but I later learned to work them into my compositions. Cumu-composition talaga? Haha. Took more photos when Candice arrived. This time, with my face in it.

Got so excited when we walked past the Whispering Gallery! Asked Cands to stand in one corner while I stood in the opposite corner dozens of feet away. Faced the walls and started whispering and it was as if we were whispering to each other's ear! It was soo cool! And I got it from the movie as well! Hehe.

Stepped outside to check out its facade. There's a clock with a really fine sculpture of Hercules, Mercury and Minerva. At midnight, they reach down and stop time and go out swimming in Hudson, cavort in the zoo and go to strip clubs even! Oh, the things I learn from the movies!

Stopped by the New York Public Library. Part of me wanted to step inside and browse through the collection of books and smell the aroma of the pages but another part of me just wanted to stay outside and snap a few shots. The latter won. Maybe next time. If there's a "next time". Haha.

A couple of steps away from the library is Bryant Park. Its centerpiece is a fountain that was a bit frozen but was still running. And there's also a skating rink! I think it's larger compared to the one in Rockefeller Center. And the skates look nicer, too.

My love for broadway musicals started five years ago with West Side Story. I fell in love with the perfect combination of music, singing, dancing, acting, storytelling and stagecraft. Caught a couple more shows since then and I'm just so elated that now, I got to taste the real thing!

Went to Gershwin Theater to watch one of the most pop-yuhuu-lar shows ever produced! Glinda was sooo cute and hilarious! She owned the stage everytime she's on it. I love her! Elphaba was just as amazing and who would forget the handsome prince that was Fiyero! Haha. The staging and the costumes were really something to see. Everything was just visually and auditorily spellbinding! Wicked, indeed!


Favorite shots:




"I'm through accepting limits
'Cause someone says they're so
Some things I cannot change
But till I try I'll never know."
--- Defying Gravity, Wicked OST

Hillsong NYC

Attended a Hillsong church service today at Irving Plaza. We arrived a bit late so the place was already packed and had to stand at the back for about an hour and a half. But that was a small sacrifice for a such an opportunity, I should say.

Praise and worship was very powerful. The band, the songs, the passion and energy were so contagious; it was amazing. Minus the original compositions and the albums, I'm proud that I can say the same about our church's worship team in Manila. Naks! Hehe. Today's message was given by Pastor Josh Kimes.

"If you lose confidence in yourself, put your confidence in God."

Thank you, Lord.  That's just what I needed to hear and that's exactly what I'm gonna do.

"Like a mighty storm
Stir within my soul
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me."
--- I Surrender, Hillsong

Yo MoMA So Phat!

Went to the Museum of Modern Art, also known as MoMA, in midtown Manhattan. It features six full floors of paintings, sculptures, photographs and mixed media artworks of contemporary artists.

The first few floors were, in my opinion, a bit of a bore. Some of the pieces I think I could do myself, some I'm surprised made it in the museum, and some I wouldn't even call art. I'm not an artist but seriously, how much artistic talent do I need to doodle random shapes, let alone leave a canvas blank? Or maybe, I just didn't stare long enough to figure out the meaning behind the brush strokes, or the lack thereof. Haha.

The following installations I found quite interesting. "R.S.V.P.1" by Senga Nengudi, which is composed of suspended pantyhoses filled with sand and "Will the Russians Go to War" by Georg Herold, which is made of planks of wood with little notes stapled around them.

Couldn't wait to go back to my hotel and come up with my own installation! A bubblewrap-covered room, perhaps? Heheh.

The highlight of my visit was seeing the "Starry Night" by Vincent Van Gogh and "The Scream" by Edvard Munch face to face, or rather face to canvas. Hehe. There's always a crowd of tourists surrounding the famous paintings so it really took me a while to capture these unobstructed shots.

Next stop was the Rockefeller Center. As much as I wanted to put on a pair of skates and experience ice skating in the midst of New York's skyscrapers, it was freezing cold and Candice wasn't up for it either. Maybe next time? Wehe.

Stopped by the Lego Store and the NBC Experience Store where merchandise from the different NBC shows are on sale. While I didn't really purchase anything, I had fun window shopping. Haha. And Cands got me an SNL magnet! Weee!

Dinner was at Sapporo. I got a bowl of gyudon beef and shared a bowl of edamame with Cands. I only managed to finish half of my meal so we all know what's for dinner tomorrow. Hehe. Grabbed some sweet treats at the famous Magnolia Bakery. Everything on display looked so yummy and pretty. And HolyMotherOfSweetBabyJesus!  The cupcakes tasted as good as they looked!  Food orgasm at its best!!! Hmmm! =P~

Excelsior!

Weekend starts Friday night. That's something I've recently learned from Candice. Hehe. So instead of just staying home after work, we went out for some food and some Silver Linings Playbook! :)

Killed some time at the World Financial Center. There was this beautiful Winter Garden with a grand staircase and a bunch of towering palm trees. And since it was already pretty late, we had the place to ourselves! Well almost, except for a couple of men who were trimming the trees. Hehe.

Steps away is the Conrad Hotel, which has a really cool lobby. The pieces hanging from the ceiling plus the couches create an ensemble of patterns splashed with vibrant shades of blue and yellow.

Dinner was at Shake Shack. It is the burger joint in the movie Something Borrowed where Rachel and Ethan would regularly meet for lunch. I actually couldn't recall seeing its name in the movie, so I browsed through it again just now and wow, talk about product placement! Hehe. Got a serving of fries and cheeseburger with all the fixings but got rid of the tomatoes and the pickles. It was a delicious experience and I love how their menu includes something for the dogs!

The Silver Linings Playbook was so dysfunctional, it was fun. I love Bradley Cooper, I love Jennifer Lawrence, and I love how their characters are a little bit odd and crazy. Okay, maybe more than a little bit. Hehe.

Sometimes, life will put you in situations where silver linings are hard to find. And during those times, you just have to create your own.

Excelsior!

Bridging Oceans

Got up early to Skype with Franz and my family. This, versus chatting over YM, requires a different set of muscles. 'Twas my first time to see their faces and hear their voices again since I've landed. And that reminded me of just how much I miss them. Tried to swallow every lump that formed in my throat with every word that I spoke.

Me: "Mico! Bakit ang gulo ng kama ko?! Ayusin mooo!!"
Mico: "Si Kuya Dino yun! Hindi ako!"

Haha. Yea, I miss nagging my little brother to fix my bed.

Ended the call around 11am. Was supposed to have lunch with Cands but was still too sleepy to move my butt. Texted her that I'll have late lunch instead and headed back to bed. Woke up at around 3pm. So much for late lunch. Haha.

Attended mass at St. Andrew's Church. Then we had a Chinese dinner at Shanghai Cafe located at the heart of China Town!

Me: "Bakit halos lahat ng bansa may Chinatown?"
Cands: "Kasi madaming Chinese sa mundo kaya gumagawa sila ng sarili nilang community."
Me: "Aaahh.."

Had a follow-up question in mind, "Sa China ba may Philippinetown?" But the senseless thought chose to just stay in my head.

The place was very busy. Had to wait for a while to be seated but it was worth every second! The Pan Fried Noodles was ten times better than the crispy noodles that we usually have during night shift lunch outs at Tiananmen Bar. The Soup Dumpling was sooo yummy but eating it was hard work. I had to use a chopsticks, which I'm not particularly good at to begin with, and carefully grab the dumpling from the basket to my spoon, then nibble a tiny hole at its tip, slurp up the hot soup, go in for a bigger bite, chew and savor the mix of meat and broth and finally, swallow. Grab. Nibble. Slurp. Bite. Chew. Swallow. Repeat seductively. Or however you choose. Heheh.

NYC: Take A Bite

Met up with Candice at around 11am for lunch. Decided to grab some fastfood so we could hit some spots before 1pm. No, we didn't dine at McDonalds. We went for something more... calorie-packed? Haha. Burger King! But because it takes hours daw for me to finish a meal, we just stayed there for a while to catch up and talk about the "crazy" life of a New Yorker. Naks! I had a Whopper, by the way. Jinustify? Haha.

Cands had to attend a birthday party so I just walked around the busy sidewalks of the city. Except for the tourists snapping photos of every block, every building everywhere, everyone else seems to be moving at top speed. I took my relaxed stroll to the sides lest I become roadkill! x_x

First stop was Wall Street, which is home to the New York Stock Exchange...

the Federal Hall...

the Trump Building and our office!


Even the less famous buildings are picture-worthy! With unique architecture and intricate details that give each one its own character. New York really is a concrete jungle. (Where dreams are made of, there's nothing you can't dooooo...)

I had to reschedule my 9/11 memorial visit to a later time because I forgot my confirmation number and was too tired to go to Vesey St. for the visitor pass. Too tired kaagad? Hahah. Went back to the hotel to print my pass instead. Rested for a while before heading to the memorial's entrance, which is just a tumbling away from where I stay.

There was a long queue but as soon as it started moving, it moved quickly. The memorial is composed of two massive waterfalls/pools that mark the spots where the twin towers once stood. The names of nearly 3000 victims are inscribed around them. It was breathtaking and heartbreaking at the same time especially when I saw this woman crying while touching one of the inscriptions. And that hit me. I was standing on the very ground where senseless violence took place that claimed the lives of thousands. I may be a tourist, a stranger to the scene, but the person standing right next to me could be someone who lost a loved one on that fateful day. Posing and smiling for a photo suddenly seemed inappropriate. But it was too late a realization.

Off to Times Square to catch Les Misérables with Cands. Shalaaa! Haha. Took my first NYC subway ride to 42nd Street! Unlike the MRTs in Manila where people just hop on and off the trains, there's so much happening in the subway trains and stations here. There are street performers who sing, dance, play unusual instruments or play usual instruments in an unusual way. There's just so much talent, I feel so talentless! Haha.

Got tickets for the 7:20pm showtime. We were basically rushing to get to the theater on time. I was in awe of the bright lights but cannot stop for photos! The movie ran for 2.5 hours and I stepped out with a heavy heart. It was deliciously sad and tragically beautiful. Someone shed a tear and that someone wasn't me! Heheh.

Standing in the middle of all these towering advertisements, the flashing lights, the yellow cabs, the vibrant mix of different people - it was just surreal. Like I was at the center of the universe. (Big lights will inspire you...) Am I hearing Alicia Keys again? Haha. Thanks Kandisu for taking on the role as my photographer! Willingly and graciously so! Heheh.


Now it's time to show off my favorite shots!

Designer Skyline

Met up with Toan at 50 Broadway. Grabbed a quick breakfast at Pret. Headed to the Path and took a train going to Exchange Place in New Jersey. It was a long walk but the ride only took less than 5 minutes. Arrived at the client's office a little past 9am. Steve, the project manager, welcomed us. Gave a quick introduction of myself and the projects that I've worked on. He then gave me an overview of the project. Mayank later joined us in the meeting. They discussed the enhancements that the business requested for, the timeline, etc.

After the meeting, Toan had to leave and I was caged left alone in a room with a PC and a laptop with no internet connection. Seriously, what did they expect me to do?  Nganga?  It was torture!  I had to pretend to be working on... stuff.  For hours!  Haha.

Mayank lent me his discount card that I could use at the Harborside Club to get a 30% off on lunch! I had a huge slice of pepperoni pizza that was enough to keep me full the entire day and a chewy chocolate chip cookie!  And now I have my own discount card! Weee!

Here's a nice view of the New York City skyline from Jersey City:

CS:NY

Reported for work at our New York office today. Ty first introduced me to the team then we went through the training document to give me an overview of what the project is all about. Then I had KT sessions with Jeff, Mason and Nhu for each of their tracks. It was pretty high-level so it wasn't that hard to digest. Hopefully, I will be able to say the same when I start looking at the code. Haha.

Toan arrived and introduced me to a couple more people. I'm trying to recall their names and their faces but all I can remember are blue long sleeves and a green polo shirt. Or was it yellow? Argh.

Spent the rest of the day browsing through a virtual stack of documents. Was trying real hard to fight off sleep. Had no idea that my eyes were bloodshot until...

Nick: "Kringle! You're falling asleep! Go home! Now!
Me: "I'm not!"
Nick: "Ty, send her home! Look at her! She needs to sleep!"

E di ako na ang mukhang haggard! Hahah.

Contrary to what Enrik and Ivan experienced, there were actually quite a lot of people in the office today. Cands wasn't around though but she'll be back tomorrow. Yey! :)  And I'll be at the client's office!  Nyah. :(

Went home at around 5pm. Looked at myself in the mirror and I really looked like I could use some sleep! That and a lot of eye cream! Ugh.

Longest Wednesday Ever

Wed 3:00am (PHT)
My alarm went off. Time to get out of bed but was still very sleepy. Snooze.

Wed 3:30am (PHT)
Snooze some more.

Wed 3:45am (PHT)
And some more. Haha. Well, that's what the snooze button is for, right?

Wed 4:00am (PHT)
As much as I wanted to hit the snooze button one last time, my mom barged into my room and reminded me of my flight. I got into a little argument yesterday with my dad and out of anger, I told him that they don't need to drive me to the airport. He said fine so I was a bit touched to find him awake having breakfast. I really thank God for my parents. :)

Wed 6:07am (PHT)
Arrived at the airport just in time for check-in. Got an exit row window seat for my flight from Manila to Tokyo. Got out once more to say my goodbyes and take cares to my parents. I had to act like I was in a hurry coz I didn't want to cry and go all emotional on them.

Wed 7:18am (PHT)
Boarded the plane bound to Tokyo. Lucky to be seated next to a Filipino. He talked a lot about his family, their life in Canada, the Philippine economy, politics... and then he lost me. Hehe. I had to think of something else to talk about. Like how he likes his eggs. Coz I like mine sunny side up. :)

Wed 2:00pm (JST)
Stopover at the Narita airport in Tokyo. Had to go through another security check. Then we waited about an hour to board our plane. I still had a window seat but it was no longer next to the emergency exit. The legroom was not really a problem coz I'm smaller compared to most of the passengers.

Me: "Ok lang naman sakin na mang-istorbo, wag lang ako yung iistorbohin."

Haha. That, I'm taking back. I really felt bad having to wake up fellow passengers just so I could go to the restroom. Hell, I even felt bad interrupting their movies! Haha. Note to self: Always, and I mean ALWAYS, get an exit row.

Wed 2:08pm (EST)
Landed at the JFK International airport in New York. 12 hours later, it was still about 2pm on a Wednesday. It felt weirdly cool, like time just stood still. Bought a box of donuts to get smaller bills. Walked around the airport while munching on my munchkins, trying to find the taxi queue.

Wed 3:10pm (EST)
Hopped into a cab. Handed him the address to my hotel.

Driver: "140 Washington St. between Albany and Cedar streets... There's no Albany street in..."
Me: "Huh? Hmm.. Just take me to World Trade Center, I'll look for the hotel."
Driver: "... Oh, Albany! Right. I know where this is.."

It was a long loooooong drive. Started to wonder if he really knew where we're headed. Roaming still wasn't working so I couldn't get in touch with anyone. Killed time by looking at the surroundings, watching people, and spotting never-before-seen logos. Five more guesses to unlock Level 11! Yay! Hahah.

Wed 4:46pm (EST)
Arrived at the Club Quarters World Trade Center hotel. The room is nice and homey. Hopefully not haunted since the building is right next to Ground Zero. Wah. Think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts! There's cable TV, a fridge, a microwave, free water and free internet! Just enough to satisfy the first level of my hierarchy of needs. Haha.

First thing I did was to go online. Had to inform my loved ones that I've touched down safely and arrived at the hotel in one piece. They were bugging me to have someone pick me up from the airport. Told them that I could manage and I did! I'm sooo proud of myself! Haha.

Welcome to New York City! Welcome to my humble abode! For the next couple of weeks, at least. :)

The Fray Live In Manila

The long wait is finally over!! And thank God I was still able to catch Isaac, Joe King (Just have to say his full name every time. Hehe), Dave and Ben, collectively known as The Fray!

Got to our seats a few minutes before 8:30. Front act Moonstar88 was already at the middle of their set. Took a video of "Torete" but I accidentally closed the camera's cover while filming so the file got corrupted. :(

Isaac: "Give it up for the opening band, Moonrock88.. Moonstar88.. Moon-something.."

Hahah.

"And all at once the crowd begins to siiiiiiiing..."

Isaac didn't talk much and just belted out one hit after another. He would occasionally drop Filipino words like "Mabuhay!", "Kamusta?", and the ever-famous "Mahal kow kayow!" that would drive the crowd wild. Their set was a beautiful mix of the band's old and new hits; I could hardly put my camera down!

The Fray Setlist:
01. All At Once
02. You Found Me - Franz's favorite! :)
03. Turn Me On - Didn't know that Isaac also got the moves! Hihi.
04. Syndicate
05. The Fighter
06. Never Say Never
07. Ungodly Hour - Mesmerizing performance by Joe King! I've no video, though. My camera already felt hot so I decided to give it a few minutes break. I kinda regret it now.
08. Happiness - One of the very few times that Isaac talked. Hehe. Mentioned something about the rough summer that the country experienced, the torrential rain and the floods, about being sad and lost but smiling still. :)
09. Here We Are
10. Munich
11. Look After You
12. Ain't Too Proud To Beg
13. How To Save A Life
14. Over My Head
15. Heartbeat - Mi favorito! :) "If you can love somebody, love them all the same!"
16. Surrender - Isaac thanked everyone for a great show, Ben threw his drumsticks to the crowd, and they all left the stage. But there's no way they're gonna end the concert with a cover, right?
17. Be Still - The Big Dome echoed with the crowd chanting "We want more!". Isaac came back on stage and did a piano solo for this song.
18. Trust Me - The rest of the band returned on stage for this final song.

Franz: "Sayang, walang 'Heartless'"!
Me: "Walang 'Run For Your Life'"!

I overheard someone say she wanted to hear "Rainy Zurich" and I'm pretty sure almost everyone had other songs that they wanted to hear coz there's just so many!  Headed home with a concert hangover, a free poster and just like Mr. Slade... with much love! ♥

"Sometimes the hardest thing
And the right thing are the same."
--- All At Once, The Fray

Meet Shaia! ˁ˚ᴥ˚ˀ

The newest member of our family! :)

15 Seconds of Fame

Here's more reason to get kilig! Chico, Delle and Gino thanking me for the magnets on-air!! Waaah! *_*

The Kikay Barkada!

The Manly Men: Chico and Gino

KC Astroboy and Delamar

WAAAH!!! The Kikay Barkada looooved the magnets! Especially Delle who, according to Astroboy, incessantly thanked her for it! Nakakakilig. Hihi. :">

But wait, there's more!

Some Rushers who attended the EB will (hopefully) be placing their orders in the next few weeks, too! Wee! Thanks Astroboy!

Pwede na ba akong mag-resign?! Wehehe.

Like us on Facebook!  And order now!  ^_^

Jab! Straight! Hook!

I've always wanted to enroll in a boxing class. Coz I've always secretly wanted to punch certain people. Things! I meant things! Wehe.

Jhe and I bought a 50% off deal for ten sessions at Elorde Boxing Gym in Mandaluyong. Despite the gray, rainy weather, we managed to haul ourselves to the gym for our third session. Thanks to whatever that was that strengthened our will to work out a sweat coz we almost lost to our lazy butts for a minute there.

Hmm.

Now that I think about it, what really pushed me were the four Tim Tam bars that I mindlessly (although very happily) consumed the night before and the leche flan that I had for dessert! I don't usually count my calorie intake but that was roughly 600 effin' calories! Waah. Sweet yummy treats, why can't I resist you?!

Arrived at the gym around 8am. After a bit of stretching and warming up, our trainer helped me put on my hand wraps and gloves. After three sessions, I think my jabs are getting stronger and I'm now throwing better punches. Save for the jab-jab-block-block-bob-weave-uppercut-hook-straight combination that usually ends with me laughing. Hehe. And I finally got my rhythm on the speed ball too! Yippee!

My fingers are a bit sore; I could barely type or hold the mouse. But hell, I feel kinda bad ass. Haha.

Buying Happiness

They say money can't buy you happiness.  But with 250 pesos, you can buy a box of yummy carrot cupcakes home-baked by Derick's mom. And I tell you what, they're kinda the same thing! ^_^

Temporary Bliss

The weather could get unbearably hot these days hitting its hottest at 37 degrees celsius last Tuesday. To escape the summer heat, even for just 3 days, we all headed to the City of Pines, Baguio City!

Mnes View Park:

The Mansion:

50's Diner:

Burnham Park:

Igorot Street:

Lion's Head: