48 days

I have 48 days left in New York. There’s a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach every time I say that. The sadness is paired with certain suspense for what may occur between today and the last. I guess that’s what happens when you never thought you would have to leave eventually. And the road to the future is ever so hazy, but I’m going in for the ride anyway.

Can’t believe I’m done with grad school. Real world, please be gentle.

the rebirth of procrastination

Today, as I procrastinate over finishing my paper for the next 15 minutes, I would like to say thank you to New York, in general.  In April 2011, I ventured out into the big bad world of what some claim to be “the concrete jungle where dreams are made of”. If you asked me two years prior, I never in a million years would think of walking the streets of this city much less actually living here! I would like to pause and enumerate the things I’m thankful for since that faithful day when I first laid eyes on lady liberty herself. Attached is a video I made not too long ago, a collection of random shots I accumulated over the past year. Allow this to be my words (also because laziness consumes me at the moment).

One year from April Pascual on Vimeo.

A year and 7 months later, I’ve learned that it was never really the city. It was how I decided to live it. It’s never really where I was heading, but how I got there. Never really what I have, but who I share it with…So, I guess it was never really New York then. It was something far greater than that. All this time, it has always been YOU. Thank you.

I missed you.

I really did! I did not realize how long its been since my last post. and with that, I do apologize. the last few months have not been ideal for me. work. paper. work. paper. work - I can go on and on. But I did have 5 days off to spend at a friend's wedding. It was such a great break from the city. I've realized that being cooped up in the "concrete jungle" is not good for your mental well-being. at some point, you need to break free and go find yourself on top of a hill somewhere; or a lake - or in my case, Niagara falls. the down side though is you never want to go back where you came from (i.e Manhattan).

The city has been empty lately, I often find myself constantly at a search for something. I’m not quite sure what yet. But it’s beginning to feel like this more everyday and I’m not enjoying this whole "searching" thing. I wonder what He has in store for me.. I hope my next few posts will make sense of it all. If not for you, for me at least. Photo dump begins now.

scenes from before the wedding,the  memorial day weekend and Imani's visit. Let me know if anything stands out.

I was on Anderson!

I scored some really awesome tickets to be an audience member at the Anderson Cooper show a while back. It's a 30 minute daytime show on, well, just about anything really. for that show in particular, the topic was all about different types of Phobias and how to overcome them. there were some really weird phobia types out there. One that really stood out most was probably the fear of mannequins and statues - and I thought I was weird. I also witnessed Mr. Anderson Cooper himself being beaten by a 12 year old on a Spelling bee contest. It was all in good fun! Anderson Cooper does not look REAL in person, I mean he almost looks like something out of an animated movie with his incredibly blue eyes and silver hair. Very extra terrestrially HOT.

As evidence, I give you my World premiere on the Anderson Cooper show! HAHAHA! I'll try to smile on my next cameo, or at least look pleasant.  

First day heebie-jeebies

I just started work last week as the Editorial & Operations intern for Versace USA. Nothing could have prepared me for my first day; it was quite the story actually. The moment I walked into the office, my co-worker nervously imparted to me that Miss Donatella Versace aka Miss “DV” herself is on her way to our office for a quick visit. She doesn’t normally pay the New York office a visit since she’s almost always in the Milan headquarters. This unexpected VIP stopover sent out a sudden burst of anxiety in everyone at work - panic was palpable in the air. And here I was the newbie intern amidst all the fashion chaos. I still managed to survive my first day though. Yes, I was startled by the sheer bulk of work that’s handed to me but I’m taking it one day at a time. It’s been a week since last Wednesday, I must be doing something right! ;)

"Fashion is all about happiness. It's fun. It's important. But it's not medicine.''

- Donatella Versace

Let me explain myself

I know I’ve been MIA in the past month – but it is with good reason why I haven’t been piling up your newsfeeds with my blog posts. Let me give you 3 major reasons as to why I voluntarily had to go on blogger strike. The following reasons should articulate why I never had the time or energy to sit and reorganize my thoughts for a school paper let alone my blog! (1) Winter semester proved to be by far the most insanely chaotic semester in my entire student life in New York and thankfully the last (2) I went back home to the Philippines for 3 weeks after a long year in the states. I literally jumped on the next flight home after my last day of final exams and (3) as I immersed myself with everything Filipino (i.e, sun, food, beach, beer, etc.) I half-heartedly finished a take home paper through gaps in between road trips. I absolutely had an amazing time back home; it was exactly what I needed to fuel me up for the next 6 months of what I believe are my last in the big Apple. Can you believe it has been a year since April 2011? I certainly can’t.  

I promised myself to prepare a long litany of updates as soon as I get my normal routine back. It’s refreshing to know that people are actually taking the time to check out my blog from time to time. It’s flattering when people ask me when my next post is going to be. Actually, I feel guilt more than I do flattery especially when I get to thinking about how much backlog I’m gonna have to publish in the next couple of weeks. 

So to begin, Here’s me in all sun-kissed glory.

    Camiguin Island, Philippines Summer 2012

Days at the Met

It's one of those days when I just want to do some artistic excursion by myself in the city, "self dates" as I would like to call it. This time I went to the Metropolitan Museum and played art student for the day. Although I've been several times before, Its always good to retrace your steps and do things just because you can (I hope that made sense). I also added a few photos I took from the Alexander McQueen exhibit which was by the way, an amazing, phenomenal tribute to the fallen fashion genius.