Enough for a title: The Donald said I was good looking

So I have two weeks to pull my life together before I leave New York and graduate from college. Totally fine. I did have the opportunity to shake Donald Trump's hand this past week, so with his magic touch, bleak definately isn't a word I'd like to use for my future. I've had a few job interviews and made a few contacts, but man oh man is kicking off my career a trying task! I've mainly been looking for jobs in the city. I could be a New Yorker-- but I DO need to get some thicker skin, stop being so nice to everyone, and slough off the feeling of offense when men don't hold doors for me (one good thing about the country of Texas.)



A good idea.

I met the Donald. And he told me I was good looking. Well, he told the interns we were "a good-lookin' bunch." Ohhh close enough. Four of the Alison Brod interns went to Herald Square's Macys for the launch of the new fragrance, Success by Trump. When Donald actually came out to face the cameras, we were standing in the roped off press section feeling pretty cool and snapping candids with our so legit camera phones. I tried to get a snap of the gal who started crying when she met Donald, but a bald man who had a hair patch sprouting a long braid got in the way. We were told to moniter the chaos of the crowd, so when a random ipad user came in trying to snap shots I asked her if she was press. She wasn’t, and there was an awkward moment where I didn’t know what to do and just stood there (“Oh, umm, ok.”), and then she was asked to leave by security. The Macy’s public relations manager thanked me, and said I was too cute (underline awkward/embarrassed/flustered #internproblems). Come on New York I thought you were supposed to give me a backbone.
One of the funnier moments of the evening occurred when Ximena Navarrete, Miss Universe 2010, said her significant speech of “this is the best lotion ever” confirming that looks are more powerful than words. She meant men’s cologne, but hey, she’s foreign and gorgeous so who cares. They probably have different words for fragrances anyway; everyone forgave her pretty quickly. Ximena was there because she is the face of Success by Trump, aka the hot woman in the ad that gets people to stop flipping mag pages for a second to a) hate themselves and put down whatever they're eating and b) notice Trump's cologne. Success. Us four ABPR gals were in the last press shot with Trump and got to meet the suit who trademarked "You're fired." Pretty stellar feeling. I need to be a celeb.

This week I also attended a fall 2012 fashion launch event for Old Navy. Editors of Cosmo, Women's Health, More, etc were there to begin planning stories for their fall issues and having pictures on file of the not yet released trends. I checked them in and sampled the catering. Was totally stoked to leave with a cute swimsuit cover-up, beach bag, and full stomach. I find it bizarre that some media people think events like these are such a chore. Even if the newest trends and products don't catch interest, free stuff is always given, the catering is usually good, and cocktails are chic. Where are the down-sides?

In a couple of days I am going to be a dress model for the Old Navy Collection on an NBC New York Live segment which will feature a maxi dress worn in four different styles. All smiles and 45 degree angle arm poses. Hopefully Oscar Blandi won't be there to tell everyone on national television that my scalp is oily (like he did in my Wall Street Journal experience as a hair model) -- charming.
It's pretty bizarre that I have TWO days of my internship left. WHAT a semester it's been. I've been able to do so much from New York Fashion Week to playing model to meeting incredible people to using FAB beauty products.

I don't know if you knew this, but New York people are a different breed. The other week I witnessed a scantily dressed man dancing to the rhythms of LSD while another man played the bagpipes and a dreadlocked gal saturated in tie-dye sat on her rainbow blanket and soaked it all in. The gathered crowds watched the dude pick up random objects which consisted of a doll head on a crutch, a large duck helmet, bicycles, and other necesities to put on a good show. Last night I was sitting across from a gypsy-type wearing a sparkly head band, cat ears, a Harry Potter belt buckle, green hair wig, nail polish, and several other beautifying trinkets. He was shaking a maraca and I was creeping camera phone pics. I must say it is people like this that keep public transportation exciting.

 Last weekend some friends and I ventured into Hoboken to experience what my birth state had to offer in seafood restaurants. I met some people on the train over to Jersey (of course I did, I could talk to a wall) who recommended a spot that overlooked the NY skyline--pretty prime. Hoboken is cute, trendy, so different than what I expected. AND it is the home of Carlos Bake Shop. While we didn't get tickets and wait in line to get inside, it was cool to see where the creative genius of Cake Boss takes place.

CAKE BOSS!

Tonight I kicked off the Tribeca Film Festival with my first red carpet appearance. Literally entering into the theater on the red carpet really make me wish I had taken my heels out of my purse in exchange for my fold up flats sooner (#classy?). The film, Struck By Lighting, is about a high school senior who is struck by lightning and dies within the first thirty seconds of the film which is hilarious at the beginning and tragic at the end after you've fallen in love with the character. Main character Carson, played by Glee sensation Chris Colfer (who also WROTE the script--genius), is an aspiring writer who has to turn to blackmailing the a-list high school seniors to be taken seriously. He is trying to create a literary magazine in order to complete his dream of going to Northwestern. The film was excellent, and the applause, laughter, tears, and exclamations of the watching audience proved that. The cast came out for a Q&A session at the end of the world premiere, and the last question belonged to Emma Watson, Harry Potter wonder, herself. My roommate Audrey had her greatest starstruck experience, and I was just soaking it all in. On our way out Audrey and I saw some more Glee cast members in black SUVs. I have three more films to see for class, and am so happy I get to be a part of this global excitement.


Cast of Struck by Lightning

So..... future New Yorker (minus maracas, tye dye and bagpipes) ? Future Australian (still haven't given up on that)? Future <fill in the blank> ???

Lion hair and turtlenecks=fail.

My hairstylist the other week told me I need some New York sass in my hair. He gave me an edgy cut with layers, bangs, volume, and SASSSS. But when I walked into work today and my cowoker: "Oh, your hair. Haha, do you need some product?" Sass gone. Will not be reaching for the hair gel and pretending to be rocker status mixed with beach babe anytime soon. It was windy outside? On the positive side, I now know how to get more beauty samples?

DIVINE Little Italy

SPRING in New York

Catie one of my girlfriends from Baylor flew into the Newark airport late Thursday night, and to prevent from getting stolen or mugged had a car take her to Grand Central where I met her with the biggest smile and an even bigger embrace. Friday we spent walking away from the five hour line to Ellis Island and instead moved north. We meandered through Manhattan and ran into the first New York public park to grace the skyscraper playground, the famous bronze bull that is in every other movie, the Freedom Tower's construction site (that will be 1776 square feet, and has the original architect of the Twin Towers on the design team working for free at his request), the serene Trinity Church, and other New York sites. I played tourist for the day, but in retrospect with how busy I've been this semester there haven't been many days I've pulled out the camera and large sunglasses and just wandered. Catie and I snapped pictures at Wallstreet and of the Trump tower before we fantasized and drooled over diamonds in the Tiffany's store just off the cobblestone streets. We walked all of the way up to Chinatown where we bartered for goods before settling down at a table on a street corner in Little Italy. Little Italy is being taken over by Chinatown, and now is confined to about two blocks of AH-MAYYY-ZING restaurants. Splitting a bottle of wine, great food, and even better conversation that was only interupted with our cute Italian waiters was the PERFECT way to spend a relaxing few hours.
We ended the night with Fuerza Bruta at the Daryl Roth Theatre in Union Square. The show happens above, around and among the standing audience and is a crazy sensory experience. There was a collapsing cieling made touchable to the audience with girls swimming through water, a sexy man running through boxes and gunshots, and a destructive dance involving throwing objects and tribal-looking movements. The CRAZIEST dancer however, was this grey-haired man standing next to us. He was just jammin'-- eyes closed, hands in the hair, hips rickety-rackin, and it was hilarious. If I'm still that lively when I'm 75 I'll be feeling pretty high on life. I think he may have been high on something else... The theater looks more like a dance club than a theater, and the show even ends with a DJ, lights, and me dancing in the rain streaming from the ceiling above the audience--awesome, AWESOME time, and everyone sopping wet leaving the theater kept the outsiders so outta the loop.

Saturday was spa day on fifth avenue. Massages and manicures later Catie and I went to a romantic dinner at Felice's wine bar. Being surrounded by lovers and candlight sure lit the mood for our friend date, and we even threw in a "toots" and "schnookums" here n there just to keep our waiter entertained. Dangerfield's Comedy Club after din was hilarious--but it sure did make the dude in the dead center front wearing the TIGHTEST TURTLE NECK second guess his attire choice. Between him and the swingers group next to us, the comedians were given enough material to work with. What an awkward answer of "Oh, I don't know" when the swinger gals were asked "So... how do you all know each other?"

Gorgeous Gal!!

Easter morning was spent at St. Patrick's Cathedral off 5th Avenue, gorgeous 19th century cathedral. While I'm not Catholic, I feel like that was a definite check off the bucket list. Afterwards, I was able to escape the city for a few hours and spend Easter lunch at my Aunt's in Pennsylvania. I should've sported my fake Chinatown Gucci bag to make her proud, but decided to spare her the embarrassment that a good barter can give a college student. She probably wouldn't have sent me home with the BEST leftovers an Easter din can give--success.

A MAC AND CHEESE BAR (um.. incredible), Ellis Island, and Lady Liberty ended a much needed girls' weekend. And even though Catie's grandfather's name was the first plaque within the construction site (seriously?), it was still an incredible experience to stand in the halls where thousands of people that started our country (and thousands of tourists since) stood.

Hello Delicious--at S'MAC

Cannot believe these months have flown by, leaving me with one more month to experience New York... until I move back (undergrad hopeful?). More interviews to come---