Amazingly enough, Pilar did raise the funds to make it to New York and, as thanks to me and another model, Emma, (whose mother had also really helped fundraise) Pilar asked the producer if we could model in her show! The rest of the models were cast from New York, of course, and we had to submit pictures and say what agency we were with before we were cast. It was pretty amazing to think that at my age I was going to walk in a New York runway show! To walk or work in New York for any model is top-notch so I was pretty pleased to have this opportunity.
Of course going to New York also meant I got to briefly visit some old friends. After taking the red eye on a Tuesday night I settled into the very cosy Fitzpatrick-Gerald hotel in Uptown Manhattan. It was pricey but a great location only 4 blocks from the show. Plus it was Irish with a sister-hotel in Dublin. I couldn't believe how many Irish nationals were actually staying at the hotel - - what a kick in the pants!
My dear friend, Joseph Anthony, from The Hair Lab, in San Diego also flew out separately to do hair for Pilar's show. He had thrown her her final fundraiser back in San Diego and helped her with a sizeable final check to help get her to NY. Joseph was such a sweetheart and did my hair in the hotel whenever I went out to meet friends. He didn't have to but he is so generous like that. I felt like what the celebs must feel like having their own hair person entourage travel with them. :)
The first night I met for early dinner my old friend, Duke - who was kind enough to drive a couple hours down from CT. He does a lot of business in the City and of course had us hooked up at the swanky rooftop hotel lounge bar that we went to. He also likes to see me eat and kept feeding me - dang it!! It was lovely to see him and he always makes me laugh heartily. His humor and style is so East-Coast- it just amuses the heck out of me.
After dinner I returned to my hotel where my old actor friend, Jimmy, met me after his work at the lobby bar for a couple drinks. Jimmy was one of my best buddies from the "Selena" musical national tour 10 years ago. I pretty much see him every year in San Diego as he is a total Comic Con nerd and has a big podcast about the industry. I've evidently met many VIP industry people through him when we go out in San Diego but I never know who they are and how important they are! (I know they like that about me, by the way).
The next day I had lunch at a very trendy hotel at the Meat-Packing District with my best gay friend in the world - Jose. I met "Fina" when she was only 18 - fresh out of graduating from the High School of Performing Arts. We both got our professional start in theater together in San Diego and did several shows together, also including the national tour of "Selena". When that ended Fina first moved to Chicago and then New York and got some more work around the world before retiring (as dancers must) and ended up by God's Grace as an agent for Ford and Wilhelmina Modeling agencies. It is amazing and I am so proud! We had a short but delicious lunch as Fina was going to Milan for some bookings. What a life!
That evening, young model Emma from San Diego (she is in many of my fashion blogs on here) took the train from Brown University in Boston where she just started school 2 weeks prior. Joseph Anthony, his friend Russell, and I met up with her and did free dinner thanks to Duke at a client restaurant and walked around shortly before hitting the hay for our busy next day!
Click on slideshow below:
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