Bright Lights, Big City

After a 15 hour flight from Hong Kong, I found myself in NYC! Was I excited!? I could hardly wait to explore the city!! I last visited the Big Apple when I was eight years old, so coming here ten years later gave me a completely different take on it!

We stayed at the Wyndham New Yorker Hotel on 34th and 8th - right at the heart of Manhattan. The bright lights of Times Square was just a couple of blocks away! Also known as the "Center of the Universe", it was amazing how alive it still was when we got there close to midnight. The streets were packed with tourists and locals just taking in what it had to offer. "Artists" dressed as famous movie characters from Captain America to Elmo, women with nothing on but body paint luring tourists for a photo in exchange for a few dollars, electronic billboards and skyscrapers, famous retail stores, Broadway theatres, restaurants and food trucks - name it and Times Square definitely has it!

Indeed, by the looks of my first night here, New York is definitely a city that never sleeps! 

My Alma Mater

 

My alma mater. So much has changed and yet, it is still home. This is where I grew up - years spent wandering the halls, searching and finding "my spot", discovering a little bit of myself everyday. Much of my growth I owe to my teachers and friends.

The moment I set foot on the school grounds, the sense of comfort and familiarity was overwhelming. The cafeteria smelled like it always has and the food that I used to line up for was still being served!

The gym, where we held our weekly assemblies, intramurals and graduation rites looked exactly the same albeit a new air-conditioned one was standing right beside it now.

The oval, my "safe place" (I played for the football team) during my first two years of high school seemed smaller now but it still beckoned me to at least step on its rubberized tracks.

The theatre - my comfort and my joy for the last two years of school! I made lifelong friends and found myself here! Late night rehearsals, memorizing scripts, sharing boxed meals - they were the best of times!

Saving the best for last, I went to visit my teachers. Seeing them now, not merely as mentors but as friends, has given me a sense of inexplicable joy knowing that they will always be my constants.

Ateneo de Cebu - you will always be home. 

Makeup Essentials

      

A woman's makeup kit - be it a small one she can bring around or a huge one packed with products - is one of her most prized possessions. If someone were to take a look at mine, they wouldn't really find so much since I usually keep it in my bag. I opt to leave the bigger one - with the eye shadows, lipsticks and the like - at home. I've always been a big fan of the no makeup look, which, for me, is the best way to go most of the time! Plus it gives you such a fresh and young look! 

The most basic thing one must have is foundation, it is a skin coloured cosmetic used to create an even colour to the complexion. To enhance this, use concealer to get rid of dark circles and pimples. It may be a temporary fix, but do it properly, and you can hide them completely! Blush is also one of the must haves! With the right shade, it will look natural, and not like you're wearing makeup!

On to my favourite: mascara!! It enhances the shape of the eyes and defines the lashes. However, it only has this effect if it is seen, so I recommend you go for jet black! Don't forget to remove the clumps and keep it clean. And always, ALWAYS curl your lashes to make your eyes pop and appear wider and sexier! I use a pencil to fill in my brows; I simply follow the shape and blend it in to get a more defined shape and colour. Another option is to use brow gel. To finish the look, I swipe light coloured lip balm on my lips and I'm ready to go! 

This look can be achieved in a matter of minutes! So when you're pressed for time or if you don't feel like putting too much makeup on, you always have this option! But of course, we also have to chill with no makeup on! What are your makeup essentials?

MAC Foundation NC25
Bobbi Brown Blush
NARS Blush 
Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler
Clinique Lip Colour Balm in Woppin' Watermelon 

The Iconic Eiffel

The last stop for my trip was the famous iron lattice tower located on Champ de Mars. A global cultural icon of France, the Eiffel Tower is also one of the most recognizable structures in the world. We have the French Revolution to thank for this, since the tower was built to celebrate its centennial. It is safe to say that a trip to Paris wouldn't be complete without a visit to the Eiffel Tower!

There are three levels; with restaurants on the first and second, while the third is an observatory upper platform. Visitors have the choice of taking the lift or using the stairs to get up. However, there are approximately 300 steps to get to each floor (what a workout that would be!) Once you step foot on any of the levels, the view, which is the beautiful city of Paris, is stunning!

Across the Eiffel Tower is the Jardins du Trocadéro; the Palais de Chaillot is also within the vicinity. The main feature is the Fountain of Warsaw, which is a long basin with twelve fountain creating columns. This is where one can get an amazing view of the tower. Locals bring picnic baskets to the garden to have snacks and wine while enjoying the view. There are also carousels around the area for the young and the young at heart.

There is nothing quite like the Eiffel Tower. I guess we owe a part of the fascination to the media for portraying it ever so gloriously. It is nothing short of marvelous! For all its grandeur, it is truly an architectural wonder!

Paris

Wow! Paris! The opportunity to just be here again is surreal! The city of lights and love, of the River Seine and Quasimodo, of macarons (I will always be partial to Laduree) and baguettes! What is there not to be excited about!?

The moment one steps foot in the city, you just get a different vibe — close to magical! Started the day with a baguette in hand (what can be more Parisian than that!?) and I was off!

Taking the metro (tip: get a day pass to save both time and money) to reacquaint myself with the iconic sights, the first stop was the home of the Mona Lisa, the Louvre, which is one of the world's most largest museums. One can enter the Louvre Palace through the Pyramid, then you have access to three wings: Sully, Richelieu, and Denon. Located on the Right Bank of the Seine River, it used to be a royal palace. 

Fun fact: during the French Revolution, the Louvre became a national art museum and the private royal collection opened to the public. The museum has a collection of over one million works of art.

Next stop was the picturesque Avenue des Champs-Élysées. It is a boulevard famous for its theatres and restaurants; the Arc de Triomphe can be seen at the end. It is also dotted with luxury shops whose queues were so long because it was the start of the sale season. Despite at least a thirty minute wait, people patiently stood in line to satisfy their shopping fix!

Sabrina, you were right! Paris is always a good idea. 

More of this beautiful city on my next post!