P365: Lola's House [061]

Spent the weekend at my Lola’s* house.  The last time I was there was before I went to NYC. It was great to be back and to spend time with family…

*Lola = grandmother in Tagalog

P365: Kitty! [060]

Found a kitten in front of my cousins’ house. We cleaned it up a bit and fed it.  Hope it’s doing alright.

P365: Lil' BK [059]

C-Unit #16 has the cutest smile! Loved playing with her this weekend. Yay! ;D

Reflection: Harry Potter

So it's been a dozen days since the release of the final installment of the Harry Potter series, but even so, people are still reblogging HP material on Tumblr, still tweeting about it on Twitter and definitely still posting about it on Facebook.  Let's face it...Harry Potter was a huge part of this generation.  Well not just huge...it was:

Monumental.  Phenomenal.  Fantastic. Mesmerizing. Magical. 

While people have been saying this is the end of an era, is it really? I mean I understand you won't be anxiously awaiting the midnight release of another Harry Potter book or the midnight showing of another Harry Potter movie.  However, you'll ALWAYS be able to revisit those adventures at Hogwarts, managing mischief flipping through over 4000 pages, soaring on broomsticks through over 1000 minutes and defeating You-Know-Who over and over again.

The magic continues on with the fans and 
everyone who continues to bring it to life.

"I don't think the end of the story happens tonight. Each and every person...will  carry this story throughout the rest of their lives and it will effect what they do."

- Daniel Radcliffe

It's synonymous to how Star Wars effected a generation 30+ years ago.  While the film series ended, the story continues with its fans, the conventions, the cartoons, the books,the toys and much more! And who could forget Star Tours at Disneyland?!  Especially since they just updated that so guests can experience over 50 different tours.

Like Star Wars, Harry Potter will be passed on from generation to generation, keeping the magic alive at Hogwarts...always.

"Stories we love best, do live in us forever.  Whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home."

- J.K. Rowling

P.S. And just for good fun, I took a Sorting House Quiz.  Usually I'm sorted into Hufflepuff (yeah, yeah, yeah), but this time I got Ravenclaw.  Definitely not complaining.  I feel like I fit into either house really.

Which Hogwarts house will you be sorted into?

P365: Hello Baby D! [058]

Welcome home to my new cousin, Darnell Jayden! :)

P365: Sunflowers [057]

The flower of the season! So pretty! :)

Taken on Sony Cybershot.

P365: Downtown Plaza [056]

I hardly go to the downtown mall, so this was a random adventure there.  The parking garage had a huge butterfly mosaic on it.  Nice way to artistically decorate it! :)

Taken on Sony Cybershot.

P365: California State Fair [055]

Fun times at the State Fair! We walked through all the exhibits, checked out the animals (where were the sheep and pigs though?!), and ate some fair food - a blooming onion, popcorn chicken, french fries, gyros, funnel cake, Icee, frozen banana, etc. 

While I took lots of pictures of all this stuff, I felt that the entrance summed up our day because the Golden Bear is iconic for the entire California State Fair. :)

Taken on Sony Cybershot.

P365: Pool Time! [054]

After a busy weekend in San Jose, it was nice to just relax for a bit in the pool.  It was my first time swimming since last year.  Lovin’ it under the California sun! ;)

P365: Baby Shower [053]

Cupcakes are all the rage nowadays! Who needs cake when you can miniaturize it into cupcake form?! haha

For my aunt’s baby shower, I baked about four dozen cupcakes and topped them with my sister’s homemade icing and blue sprinkles.  Can you tell we’re welcoming a baby boy to the family? ;)

P365: Party Favors [052]

We got creative with the party favors for my aunt’s baby shower.  Ever won a potted plant for winning a game at a baby shower? Didn’t think so…

P.S. I noticed I’m kinda addicted to this “antique” feature when I’m editing photos. I just like that retro feel…

P365: Cowboys & Aliens [051]

I won tickets to see a preview of Cowboys & Aliens, but by the time we got to the theater, it already reached full capacity. Lame…

P365: Lantern [050]

In the backyard, the pool is lined with sun lanterns, which start to light up around twilight.  It makes the backyard look pretty magical. :)

P.S. Happy birthday Papa! :)

P365: Thank You! [049]

Following good etiquette after finishing an interview by writing thank you cards!  It’s courtesy and helps you stand out in the interview process.  Hopefully these do the trick! ;)

P365: Driving [048]

Back in the driver’s seat!  Woot! :D

Although it’s been a long time since I’ve last driven a car (thanks New York subway!), I got back into the groove of things rather quickly.  It’s like riding a bike - all the skills and motions just come back to you as soon as you sit down.

P365: National Ice Cream Day! [047]

July 17 is National Ice Cream Day, so what better way to celebrate than with an ice cream sundae?! Wahoo! ;D

Did you know July is actually National Ice Cream MONTH!? Go out and celebrate because you know…

I scream!

You scream!

We call scream for ICE CREAM! :D

P365: Waffles [046]

Thank you Little Red Bike Cafe for changing how I eat waffles!  Now it seems necessary to eat waffles with Nutella (yay!), peanut butter, maple syrup and fruit.  Such a wonderful combination! Yum! :P

P365: Harry Potter tickets [045]

Back home just in time for the opening day of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 with my family! Win!!

We even bought tickets in advanced to be part of this momentous movie moment. Yay! :)

P365: Crepes [044]

Being at home means KITCHEN ADVENTURES!! This time around my sister and I made crepes, complete with Nutella (yes!), strawberries, bananas, powdered sugar and whipped cream! Booya! ;D

P365: LaGuardia Airport [043]

Flying out of LaGuardia brought my NYC adventure full circle. When I first came to New York on that one-way ticket in September 2010, I arrived in LaGuardia. Now, it’s come to an end, and I’m leaving from the same airport.

This is sunrise while I was on the plane. The last sunrise I saw in New York…

Taken on Sony Cybershot.

Dear NYC: Last Day

It's coming down to the wire.  These are my last 24 hours in New York City (for now at least).

• I shipped my stuff to California.
• I finished my last day at the Disney Store.
• I said farewell more than I needed to my friends (didn't realize this until last weekend...whoops).
• Now it's down to a few more goodbyes while exploring the city...
• Oh and finish packing.

This week has been a roller coaster of emotions.

With one week left to go, I was all excited to go home, but then my emotions took a sharp downward spiral. I was conflicted with myself about whether I was happy to go home or sad to be leaving NYC.  In fact, I broke down at one point, crying on the steps of the Lincoln Center - just the whole realization of leaving hit me all of a sudden. Kinda harsh.

At first, I was like, "YAY! I'm going home!!" (^o^)

Then I was like, "OMG! I'm leaving New York City!!" (O_O)

Then it didn't help that I kept getting asked, "Are you sure you want to leave?" (Yeah, thanks Mike.)

This scene from Tangled illustrates my emotions perfectly.

I'm positive that I'm leaving.  Do I want to leave?  Not really but I feel that going home at this point in my life is a good choice, healthy even.

After seeing friends and exploring parts of the city I haven't seen before, I feel content with going home, accomplished and with friends and memories that I will cherish for years to come.

I know I'll be back in New York City. I'm not sure if it's just going to be a visit or to move back, but I'm glad that I have friends who will be waiting for me to return.

And if they ever decide to come to California, they should let me know!! :)

Thanks for the memories! These final hours are going to be awesome!

P365: Top of the Rock [042]

On my final day in New York City, I went to the Top of the Rock observatory to see an amazing 360-degree view of city.  It was the perfect way to end this 10-month NYC adventure!  While I was gazing out and enjoying the view, I saw all the different places I went to while I was here, and a rush of memories came to me.  Then I got all teary-eyed thinking of all the people I met and how much I would miss them.  Another reality check that I was leaving New York…

P365: The Meatball Shop [041]

While interning at Baltz & Co., I learned of a restaurant called The Meatball Shop.  I was always wanted to try it because I thought the concept of it was quite interesting.

“Pick your balls and then your sides…”

Luckily, I did get a chance to go with my friend, Elena.

This picture is of their sliders.  We ordered:

1. Classic Beef with Tomato Sauce
2. Spicy Pork with Mushroom
3. Chicken with Parmesan Cheese
4. Reuben with Thousand Island Sauce and Sauerkraut

P365: Coney Island [040]

Thanks to my friend, Ramona, I got a quick tour of some awesome sights around Brooklyn, including Coney Island, before leaving NYC!  It was so fun!

Here’s some highlights from Coney Island:

• Ambling on the pier and in the Atlantic Ocean
• Speeding down the historic wooden coaster - Cyclone!
• Chowing on Nathan’s corn dogs
• Sipping “medium-sized” lemonades
• Watching “swingers” on the Wonder Wheel while viewing the sparkling lights of the night
• “Time traveling” ;)

Good times during my last weekend in NYC!

Taken on Sony CyberShot.

P365: 34th Street [039]

Honestly, I spend way too much time on this street…’nuff said.

P365: Sandals [038]

My favorite summer sandals for 2011, even though they give me interesting tan lines. haha ;)

P365: Lincoln Center [037]

After running into and spending time with friends from Macy’s, I was hit with the realization of leaving New York City.  Sitting on the steps of the beautiful Lincoln Center, my eyes were filled tears, but then after some comforting, it also became apparent that I should think positively by remembering the wonderful memories with good friends.  :)

P365: Winnie the Pooh [036]

Finally! I found a room in the library that actually has books - the Children’s room!

Not only does this book house all the children’s books, but it also had the original collection of Winnie the Pooh and friends that were originally owned by Christopher Robin.

Winnie the Pooh turns 90 this summer and will also be in theaters on July 15. :)

Dear NYC: Thank you for the adventure!

Chrysler Building

Today marks my 10th month in New York City.  Can you believe I've been here that long?!  So close to making it one year.  However, that won't happen this year...

Today also marks the beginning of my last week in New York City.  I will be moving back home on July 13.

As some of you may know, I've been struggling to figure out which coast to live on.  In fact, this struggle initiated way back in October.  I fought to stay here, but after much deliberation, I've concluded that it would be best to move home for the time being.

As much as I have enjoyed living in New York City, I've noticed that my heart is still on the West Coast with my family and friends.  After visiting home at the end of May, it became even more apparent that I should move back to California.  I missed being with my family, but I feel like it's mostly because I was so tired of feeling so lonely in NYC.

That's right. I felt loneliness in a city with over 8 million people, but even though I was constantly surrounded by people, I was often exploring the city by myself (probably my fault for not reaching out to the friends I've made here).

Anyway, when I was at the airport, I cried before boarding the plane to NYC.  The tears just flowed out of my eyes as I thought about my family that I was leaving again.  I had no idea when I would be returning home at that time or what the future held for me, especially since I was not getting any leads for jobs.  Little did I know that I would be booking a ticket back less than a month after returning.

My 10-month adventure in New York City as been filled with amazing experiences and wonderful relationships that I will never forget.  I'm going to highlight some of those in a couple posts, which will be part of a segment called, "Dear NYC."

I did not expect to be here for nearly a year.  Remembering back to when I first came here in September, I only came to NYC to help my Lola (grandma) travel across the country to see new granddaughter.  At that time, I only planned to stay for 4 to 6 weeks, considering the amount of clothes I packed.  But with a job and internship, I was prompted to stay much longer than anticipated.

Throughout my time here, one question kept coming up - "How long will you be here?" I always had the same answer - "I don't know," which was usually followed by an excuse of why I needed to stay (job/internship).  But even though I had some legit reasons for staying, do you know how hard it was to live with such uncertainty?  I was basically taking it one day at a time, hoping for new opportunities.

Ah! But that's all over now!  I feel so relieved that I finally decided where to go.  I already feel 100 times happier, knowing that I will be home during the summer.  Although I may not know how long I'm staying there, I'm glad I don't have to worry about all the expenses I had to worry about in New York.  Although I'm happy for going home, I'm also sad to say farewell to everyone I met here.  It's a bittersweet moment.

Peace out, NYC! 

I hope to return to New York City, but this time it will be on my own terms.  It won't be a spontaneous trip as a travel companion.  It will be well-thought out and planned in advanced.  Time constraints and living situations will be determined.  Career paths will be paved.  It will be a more enriching experience to enjoy the city and time spent with friends, rather than working all the time (because you know how I'm a workaholic).  My next time in the Big Apple, whether it's just a visit or a move back, I will do it my way.

Thank you for the memories, New York! It's been a blast...!

P.S. Look out for the next "Dear NYC" post...

P365: Mini Cupcakes! [035]

First introduced to Baked by Melissa cupcakes at SummerStage, I was determined to find them to try all the flavors (or at least the ones I thought would be super yummy)!

In this batch of six, I tried:

• Red Velvet
• Firecracker (July’s monthly special)
• Mint Chocolate Chip
• Cookie Dough
• S’mores
• Peanut Butter Cup

P365: Fourth of July [034]

Rockefeller Center was definitely in the patriotic spirit with American flags waving in the breeze in place of the flags of the world that usually surround the plaza.

In case you haven’t noticed, I have a thing for “flare,” where the sun’s rays reach out in a photograph.  It’s definitely an influence from Star Trek (check out the special features and you’ll know what I’m talking about).

P.S. Reason for not having a classic fireworks shot: I was at work...

P365: The View (Brooklyn, NY) [033]

On a rainy day, there wasn’t much to do but stay indoors. Eh…what the heck, I totally took a walk in the rain, and it was rather refreshing actually! ;)

But anyway, here’s a view from my window. Brownstones, trees and cars line the streets in Brooklyn.

P365: Patriotism [032]

In commemoration of Fourth of July weekend, there was a street festival happening on the Avenue of the Americas (yes, quite appropriate).

There were these ladies singing patriotic tunes in the middle of the festival, such as “America the Beautiful,” “God Bless the USA,” and “America.” Hearing those songs stirred something inside me.  As we celebrated our independence and freedom, I just felt something prideful about being lucky to be part of such a great country that stands for such values. It’s something American citizens should be grateful for because it’s something unique.

I’m proud to be an American. :)

P365: Burger Heaven [031]

Lunch time with Sin! Yay! It was so great to meet up with her and talk to her about my decision to move home among other things.

I had a Burger Heaven Burger Special, while Sin had a patty melt.

Really hit the spot! Yay for the classic combo of burgers and fries! :)