The Things That Matter

Ladies!

I'm so sorry I haven't written.  Rose, have you started that new job now?

Work has been mental with me.  I hardly have time to do anything personal and that includes catching up with friends and family.  It almost feels like I am living out someone else's life.  Do you guys ever feel like that?

I literally want to throw my work phone in the middle of the road and watch the NYC traffic obliterate it.

Help!  I'm drowning here in NYC!!!

Love you

Birthday with my Besties

Hola chicas!

Thank you so much for a fab birthday weekend!  I had an absolute blast, just what I needed to beat those post-vacay blues that were slowly creeping in!  I don't know if I can pick a highlight of the weekend but I have to say that cheesy tourist skating at Rockefeller Center (aka watching you two wipe out every 30 seconds) ranks high on the list of hilarious birthday memories!  High tea at the St Regis was also super fab... as was dinner at The East Pole!  All in all, it was the PERFECT way to celebrate my birthday!   Rose, did you make it back safe and sound?  I hope you weren't too upset that Ophelia decided to go to DC instead of heading back to Europe.  But then again, are we surprised?  Look up responsible in the dictionary and you do NOT see O's picture!  haha!

Anyway, mis amigas, I am on such a high from the incredible visit!  We were so overdue for a catch up and I am so so so happy you two little devils conspired to make it happen!  How many birthdays have we now celebrated together?!  We're getting up there, girls!

Miss you like crazy!

xoxo

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Hola chicas!

Rose, what's the latest, amiga?  Ophelia, are you back or have we lost you forever to Maine and Newspaper Nate?  SO glad to hear you're bouncing back from that Kevin disaster! That guy was always trouble!!!  I'll never forget one particularly boozy night in high school when we decided to go drunk skating at that rink behind your house.  I woke up all covered in bruises because Kevin thought it was funny to trip me on the ice!  Such a jerk!!!  Actually, speaking of memories... I took a serious trip down memory lane last weekend.  I went home to visit the family and went through some of my old photo albums.  I haven't laughed that hard in weeks!!  A few highlights (and don't worry, I won't post the pictures!)...

Montreal 2000:  Rose fell in love with that McGill guy we met at a bar and tried to pretend she was in college.  We so clearly were NOT.  Omg then he invited her back to his dorm (haha!) and she asked if we could come too!  haha!

Islamorada 2003:  Spring Break in the Keys.  I fell sleep in the sun and got the worst sunburn of my life!  And you jerks took pictures instead of waking me up!  (Hate you!).  Was that the same trip when we lost the house keys in the sand and spent hours looking for them so my parents wouldn't murder us?

Spain 2005:  Tagging along on Ophelia's family vacation.  Remember we met those three guapo dudes and we drank with them in a park by the hotel (Seemed like a great idea at the time!).  Ophelia got hammered and we had to convince her parents that we had gone out to dinner and she got food poisoning from bad paella!  As if they actually believed us!


Long story sort, we have had some good times!   Miss you!

xoxo

Easter with The Energizer Bunny

Thank goodness it is finally sunny in New York!  I can't take anymore wintery weather!  It's April... What the hell!!  Rose, Ophelia and I miss you so much!  Can you please come visit us?  She's here for a whole month and I have vowed to abandon my hermit ways and actually hang out with her!  I could really use you on my side since O is like the Energizer Bunny when it comes to going out!  

Last night we went for drinks at The Leadbelly followed by dinner at The Fat Radish.  Live music and oysters?  Yes Please!  We've got lots more on the social docket this week: our good friend and the gal behind Manhattan Roulette is celebrating her birthday tonight night.  Then a fab chica we know from high school, Kat Berkeley, is having her birthday party on tomorrow night!  And lastly, Easter brunch at Bistro La Promenade... could Alain Allegretti be any more dreamy?!

I'm not quite sure when I'm going to sleep but now that it is officially spring I am ready to get back out there!

xoxo,

Broke AGAIN!

Hi Ladies,
Thank goodness for Central Park!  What's a New Yorker to do without any $$$$ ???
Well.... I have been going on runs, walks, sleeping in the park in the sunshine, watching the beautiful men playing football in Sheep Meadow.....  You know... The usual....
I may be a broke New Yorker... but never have I been more at peace with doing nothing!!!!!
Although.... I think it is time I concentrate on my entrepreneural ventures that I abandoned when I was employed full time.  It's time I grab life by its balls! Who's with me?!!?
Ophelia, coffee tomorrow?

Kisses,

The Apologetic Intern

Guys,  I really am sorry for being such a bad friend this year and being MIA.  Taking some time away from everything was about me needing to be selfish for my own sanity and I hope you can understand that.  I love you both and you are my sisters.  Ophelia, I'm glad that we finally go to catch up in person and also that you are here for the rest of August!  Huge apologies from your troubled, little, unemployed friend.

Honey I'm Home !

Ladies!!!  Ophelia, hope your trip to New York is good, I just got back so let me know when you want to meet up for an epic catch up.  I can't believe you quit your job.  Rose you are back in LA!  I've missed so much!

Well... don't hate me... but after all the bullshit with work that went down, I had to go on a soul search.  So I went on a walkabout in the outback. That's right, the Australian Outback!  And after all that time with snakes, spiders, kangaroos and a whole lot of sand... I  am still as lost and confused as ever... At least I met some fit men along the way...  it wasn't all a waste of time ;)

I'm back now.  Unemployed and eternally an intern.  More updates soon.


Kisses,

Taking the Plunge

Hey girls!

OMG I know an update is long overdue!

Well what excuse can I give...no excuse actually! I've been travelling in Asia for the past month...yes girls a lot is new! A lot! I'm so sorry I didn't mention it...I kinda left "sur un coup de tete"...from on day to the next.

But, ok let's start at the beginning...I know this is gonna come as a shocker...but: I quit my job!!

Don't judge please! I quit for solid grounds - I promise! Things were not going well...the environment was too rotten...and I also just started questioning everything all of a sudden. Did I belong in this position? Was this job right for me? I had a knot in my stomach every morning as I walked to work...

So yes...it's a shock...to me too...but listen it's opened some doors to plenty of other things - including something I had always dreamed of doing: packing my bags and trekking throughout Asia! Well I did it! And I'm back! And I'm 10 pounds lighter...which is actually not that great a thing!!!  But what an eye opening experience it has been. Incredible! I have met the most interesting people, seen the most incredible sights and lived the most intense of experiences. Coming back to NY after all this was unreal...I mean we live in such a bubble - it's incredible and almost sickening.

I'll tell you all about my travels soon, but I have to admit I'm still not 100% recovered from the trip...I got sick right at the end!

But what I can say is that as scary as it is to find myself single, jobless and without much savings in the Big Apple...it is something I will over come and I know it. Even if I sometimes feel as though I'm standing at the edge of a cliff!

I was able to make it from being an Eternal Intern to a full-time employee with strength and I know that this experience will be the same!

So girls, I def won't be visiting any time soon! But you guys are more than welcome to come over to NY and visit whenever you please :)

Big kisses and speak soon!

xoxo

A Hairy Situation

Hey girls!

O and R! How I miss you girls! When are you coming to visit?? Please soon!

Omg today the most embarrassing thing ever officially hapenned! I've become addicted to groupon lately - do you guys know it and there was this amazing deal for this laser hair removal offer - my dream! 

Yes, I admit my absolute and utter dream! Good bye waxing, good bye epilady and shaving - I want to be hairless!!

Seeing the offer I couldn't resist it. I hit the link, took my credit card out and did everything to avoid missing losing the deal. A day later I got a confirmation email confirming the deal - yessss!! Legs, bikini and under arms for way too cheap! It was too good to be true - but it really wasn't - this was actually real and soon I would be hairless. 

That is...not before insane embarrassment.

I hit print to print my coupon and then called the salon right away. Someone finally came on the line, walked me through the process and then asked what zones I was going to work on...Leg...under arms...bik...i....and just then I saw an arm reach over my desk and hand me over my coupon that I had forgotten at the printer...Shiiiittt!! It was my big big boss....and just as I looked over at him and faked a smile...I finished my word...bikini...

I wanted to crawl under my desk...jump out the window...drown in my diet coke...

He had been standing there the entire time...

And then...he just walked away...OMG!!!! Talk about a horrible impression he must have of me! Not only am I clealry not working...but he overheard me schedule my bikini laser appointment!!

Ahhhhh!

A perturbed Flora xoxo

I love NYC

Well Merry belated Christmas and Happy New Year my friends!

How have your holidays been? How is it being home with the family?

I’ve been stuck in the city this holiday season…no vaca for me :( But to tell you the truth I don’t quite mind it. NY has been incredibly cozy and of all the places in the world, it’s the happiest place for me to be on Christmas!

My family was in town for the celebrations, and for the first time in such a long time we decided to take a carriage ride through Central Park. On any other day you have more horses waiting for a ride in the park than you have tourists ready to cash out for the expensive ride…But I couldn’t believe it! On Christmas day we literally had to wait over an hour to get a horse and carriage to take us for a stroll in the park! We waited in the cold…hot cocoa in hand…but it was well worth the fee and tip!

It was absolutely magical! You forget NY’s beauty, magic and Central Park’s serenity when you work in this city. You get so over consumed by everything: competition, money, positions, superficiality…you forget to open your eyes, stop a second, breath and see NY for what it really is! This was the highlight of my Xmas weekend and pretty much one of the best Xmas gifts I could have gotten!

Work started today again…but this time as I walked to work, down the park, past the zoo and the seals…I stopped…breathed…and savoured NY! I love this city!!

Happy holidays!

Flora xoxo

An Irresponsible Intern

Happy Belated Thanksgiving girls!!

How are u?! I headed down south this weekend to see my family, and I have to say I had enough Turkey to last a lifetime! I almost never thought I’d make it though! Wednesday morning I sat down with T, my intern who I have to say has turned into a real nightmare, to go over some last details for an event happening next week.

First of all, the prick gives me a ton of attitude since I asked him to come in early to ensure we get this down before the weekend.

Second, he arrives late.

Third, he comes striding in like there’s no problem at all and casually says hello to everyone in the office before coming over to impatient me waiting. Ahhhh! Already there I wanted to burst!

But wait….So he finally comes over. We start going over things…I stay calm, cool and collected…and then he has the nerve to tell me that he hasn’t finished everything yet. He says he needs the morning to go over a few things. What?!?!?! I exploded girls. The meeting room windows shook!! Every single thing I had asked him to do, he had fucked up on. From coming in on time, to getting his work done….nothing!! I would have never had the guts to do that when I was an intern.

I’ll spare you the details, but let me tell you, there’s a new Flora in the house, and this Flora won’t take any sh*t any longer!

T. the intern in fact spent Friday at the office finishing everything off as expected. Yes, this Friday after Thanksgiving T. had to learn his lesson and not taking his work, responsibilities and me for granted!

Flora

A “full-time” deception

Hey Rose! And I was hoping you’d come by NY one of these days L

I’m a little in the same situation as you… I mean when I look at the work we put into our jobs and what we get out of them I just go crazy! The sad thing is that there is nothing I can do about it right now…and regardless of the fact that I’m now working and no longer an intern, the pay is still shit.

I’m still struggling at the end of the month to pay my rent. I’m still not going out to restaurants as much as I could have dreamed I would. I’m still not gonna be going on a Caribbean vaca this year (I don’t even have the days for it…)…My piggy bank is empty! 

It just seems  as though so much that I was looking forward to in a full-time position has been a deception. And yes, I’m talking about the money. I relate to the “Occupy” movement…no I haven’t gone down and protested myself, but I’m totally there in spirit.

Our entire generation is working their asses off and what do we get in return? We get to pay off the debt we accumulated all throughout college for the rest of our lives…yup, that’s pretty much it right now…

Ok, I guess you can tell I’m clearly not having a hunky dory day today….my ex-obsession hot intern has turned into a nightmare….

To be continued ladies…

Flora xoxo

Fooled by the Intern

Ophelia, Damien sounds like a real a**! You got there first, don’t forget it and keep protecting your territory!

Monday is the day my new intern started as well. And has he ever spiced things up in the office since he arrived! As I mentioned, he has clearly been gifted by nature in both the brains and looks department, and on top of it all he’s one of the only non-gay guys on the floor…meaning I’m gonna have to keep a very close watch on my new recruit! I thought a hot, smart, interesting intern was going to be the perfect aide – and eye candy to stare at as I get over el novio – and yet, it turns out all of these qualities I so admired in him have turned into his greatest faults!!

The other interns (all girls I may add…) are always hovering around his desk waiting to speak with him…the assistants are all taking him on coffee breaks…and his super personable personality has even gotten the mail guys to call him down for cigarette breaks….all in all it’s impossible to get him to do any work! Monday and Tuesday I was pretty cool and tolerant since he had just started but by Wednesday I was about to burst – I hired the guy to help me out and work with me, not be the social rep for the floor… 

Thursday came around and by the 5^th “break” he had taken, I pulled him aside for a “meeting” and sat him down. I was about to start laying down the law, when low and behold out of nowhere he asked me how my friend M. was….from last week!! Last week at Dorian’s…when we accidentally bumped into each other as I was accompanied by my friend M. and I was in a rather “unprofessional” state…OMG! And it doesn’t stop there…he asked me if I minded if he Facebooked her!

What?? Are you kidding?? 

Number 1, we are having a meeting since you are clearly not performing your job well (after less than a week) so this is not the time or place to bring this up... obviously!

Number 2, I’m SINGLE!! PICK ME!!

I sat there baffled, feeling totally fooled by this so-called “perfect” intern…who now shows one too many cracks. He clearly had gotten the point that he had f****d up yet again…

Let’s see what next week holds…

Flora xoxo

An Embarrassing Coincidence

Ophelia you were in London! You lucky thing, I want to go so badly!

Rose how are you doing mi amiga??

As for me, the most random/embarassing coincidence happened last night! I went out for a few drinks with a girlfriend to Dorians…we hadn’t seen each other since college, she was in town visiting (Ophelia do you remember M? She’s now living in Chicago for some big designer…forgot the name oooops!!) and we decided to go to Dorians for old time sake…I reassure you!!!

We got there…stood at the bar…I had a cider…then another…and another…I guess I just didn’t realize how much I was drinking since we were reminiscing so much, I fully went over the break up with el novio and we actually had a hilarious time – that is, however, until I hear a voice behind me say:

“Flora X.?”

I turned around and to my utter embarrassment of incredibly horrifying surprise…..it was my soon to be, hot as hell, INTERN!!!!!

OMG how had I not put Dorians on my “never go to on a Tuesday night bar” list?!?!!? Of course he would be there! He’s an ivy leaguer, lives on the UES, just graduated…..Dorians is the ONLY place he could be at on a Tuesday night!

On top of it all, I was clearly a little buzzed…and clearly a little off my rocker….so I let my guard down and very randomly started chatting with him…and complementing him…in front of him…to my friend!!!!

Sooooo embarrassing!! Soooooooooooooo embarrassing!! Luckily the conversation between us only lasted max 10 minutes…but still!!!

Have I mentioned his internship starts next Monday!?!?! Ahhhh!

 Flora

Who Said Looks Don’t Count?

I have found him! Yes, me, ex-Eternal Intern has finally found her dream intern!

It’s been tough…long…fun! And now I have found him!

Not only is he totally qualified, has previous internship experience and has a great and fun personality, but he’s not gay (so rare in this industry and so good for me!!! just joking!!) and totally cute!

He came in for an interview last week and when I met him outside the elevator I nearly fainted….Clearly I was more nervous than him for the interview! He was super chill (but not too chill you know?) with a little touch of seriousness and seems super for the position, and as an office mate ;)

I don’t know what it is, but for the very first time since this f***ing break up, I’m finally starting to find happiness and joy again, and I gues the radar has started working again J

I reassure you this is strictly a professional hire ;) The cuteness only helped me make my decision to take him on…..

More news later…he starts next week!

Flora

Interview Central

O. it was amazing seeing you! You made the transition back to single life that much easier ;)

It’s still not super easy…and I have to admit that I’m still having a little trouble eating up my lunch, but I do feel 100x better!

Ironically so far another good therapy that’s been helping me find my smile again, is…believe it or not, interviewing candidates for a new intern position.

The interviews have been so unbelievably wacked out, that every time I walk in and out of one, I’m either smiling, laughing or crying (of laughter). It’s been like watching some good Comedy Central…or should I say Interview Central – the stand up comedy for job interviews.

So far, 2 candidates have arrived asking for a job (it’s an interview for an internship!!), another has asked where he can find job postings for the company (hmmm buddy you’re interviewing with me for an internship at the very company, shouldn’t you focus on that?), one asked for a coffee as he walked in the door (is that proper interview etiquette? Shouldn’t you wait to see if I ask you if you want one?), another spilled her glass of water she was so nervous (she had said one of her qualities was resistance to stress...hmmmm not quite...) and a last one ran out of the room at one point to use the bathroom (I guess it was an emergency!).

The good news, I’m feeling better! My sense of humour is back and so is my smile! The bad news, I’m having a hell of a hard time finding an intern! Today candidates are either far too qualified or too under-qualified!!

OMG! Now is when I wish I was still an intern and didn’t have all these responsibilities!!

Flora xoxo

The Eternal Betrayal

Hola O and R,

OGM O. are you serious?? That is unreal…so what happened yesterday?

Was it an awkward Monday back at the office? How do you feel?? Wait I can’t even believe I just asked that question – he’s your boss! Haha, well if you get a promotion anytime soon we’ll know why ;) just joking!

I don’t want to always be the bearer of bad news, but I may have to change the subject to a more sour note for a second…I’ve got a little more news about what went down with el novio. Yes after nearly 2 weeks I’ve finally been able to speak with el novio. He sounds shaken up as well….Why did he disappear, abandon, break up with me?

Allegedly, things were going to fast for him….bullshit.

After his internship in London he realized how much there is to life and how there is so much he has yet to see and discover. He loves me he says…bullshit….but he can’t be with me right now because he wants to experience so much more before he settles down…can you believe it??? Oh but he did end the conversation by saying that he hoped that in a few years I would still be around for him, because at that point he would finally be able to get married, have kids, settle down…..WTF?!!?!?!?!?

I heard that and hung up. I hung up about 10 minutes ago and since then I’ve been siting immobilized at my desk. I can’t believe it. How selfish. How egocentrical. How incredibly mean.

Ok I don’t know what to do. I think I may go out for some air…I think I am seriously going to start crying now….How the hell can I focus let alone work with all this bullshit going on?? 

When did break ups ever become so hurtful?? It literally feels as though my heart is being shred into slivers…

Guys, again, I’m so sorry to bore you with this…this is my last rant….I’m so sorry….

O. at least your story made me laugh and smile J I’m thankful to have such good friends! And Rose, keep it up and you'll be running down the beach like a Baywatch babe ;)

I’ll keep you guys posted... Right now I am fueling with anger like a crazy bull ahhhhhh!!!

Flora

The Abandoned Intern

Hey O, thanks so much for your support. I’m so happy to hear you had a great trip, and your weekend sounds like it was a real blast! I can’t wait for you to come over this side of the pond – maybe we can go to Montauk for the weekend?

I’ll admit that things are still tough…I’m not much closer to knowing exactly what happened…

I mean I’ve never really been broken up with like this…. abandoned really. I really feel lost and alone - alone in the sea of people that is NYC.

From one day to the next, the life I had been planning has just completely dissolved before me. All of the plans I had, the dreams and fantasies, they have all just evaporated into thin air.

How are you coping O? I don’t know, I just can’t seem to think about anything else right now. My mind, my thoughts, my energy are all consumed by this eternal longing for el novio…. I know he can’t be worth my time if he’s able to do this to me, but I do miss him…terribly!

Saturday night some friends from work took me out for drinks at Dorians…Dorians of all places!! I was surrounded by 21 year old frat boys, grinding around anything in their surroundings…it was fun…a good laugh…a nice hangover this morning…but I woke up with one thing of my mind: el novio.

I’m now also getting a little worried about work…all I think of is him and I’ve been incredibly absent minded at work. I hope I’m not going to mess up big time!

Flora wake up!!! Ahhhhh!!

A Rude Awakening

Ophelia, you are so lucky to be in Milan!

L.A was indeed a ton of fun Rose! I have to say, I wish I were back right now.

I’m back in NY and things could not be any worse…

I got home last Sunday night at 10pm expecting to go out for a quick bite to eat with el novio at our favourite Argentinian, El Libertador up around 89^th…only to find the apartment empty...

All I found was a note on my desk saying:

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry”.

What the fuck?!?! I mean come on what the hell is happening??

I started hyperventilating…I could feel a panic attack coming…I looked around to make sure that I wasn’t being filmed like they do on Candid Camera. Nothing. No camera. Nothing.

I haven’t spoken to you girls about this yet, because I was hoping he may show up by now… but still nada. I’ve called. I’ve emailed. I’ve stalked madly. But nothing. All I’ve gotten is a lousy text saying: “It’s not you, it’s me. I’m so sorry.”

The most peculiar thing is that things were going really well. He had just finished his internship in London….and now this? There were no signs of this coming…none… NADA!!

Ok, I can’t bare writing anymore, Ophelia can I give you a call? I think you must know how I feel.

Ttyl. Flora xoxo

East Coast, West Coast!

Rose! Huge news!! Huge huge news!

I’m coming to L.A. my friend! Sofia just sent me a bbm telling me that I’m confirmed to head out next week!
I’m gonna be working on an event at a private home in Beverly Hills…the home of some very wealthy philanthropist couple…he’s in the movie industry and she’s apparently your typical “real housewife of Beverly hills” ;) I can’t wait!

Anyways, they’re hosting this event in partnership with our magazine to raise money for a Cali-based children’s charity. It’s not a huge event, logistics-wise (we’re more there simply for the image), but it’s huge visibility and apparently there is going to be “la creme de la creme” in Hollywood society!

My role in all of this: make sure everything goes smoothly! I’ll be coordinating the event with an event-planning company that’s already there - less work and more fun for me! - and basically just boss people around! And…..yes….the secret “and”…I will be attending the party in lieu of my boss!

This is a huge opportunity for me to make my mark, show my skills and prove how capable I am…and how I need that deserved raise ;)

Rose - you’ll be in town right?? Please say yes! They are putting me up in the Beverly Hills Hotel…yes this is crazy and still just sinking in….and I’ll def be working around the clock, but I shoud be free for coffee!! Annnndddd if all goes well I can try and score you an invite to the party…good networking for you, no?

Ok enough with email! I’ll call you lates to plan! Ophelia I wish you could be there too!!

Bisousssss!!

Flora xoxo