ALL GREAT THINGS MUST COME TO AN END…

I am sitting down now, thinking about this blog, and for once- I am at a loss for words. I can’t believe it has been three months already. WOW. I remember getting my acceptance letter for TWC, and thinking to myself… “July 1st going to take forever to get here…” But July 1st came…And went. And so did the rest of the summer. If I go through everything that I have done and learned this summer, I would be writing forever, and you would never read this blog. So, I am going to try my best to keep this short and sweet.

Going to miss walking by this.

I came to TWC at the very last minute. I swear, I sent in my application on the very last day. I didn’t know what to expect, but I had nothing else planned for the summer, so I thought... “Why not?” But since the first day, this program has given me so many opportunities. We went to the Newseum three different times, and I never get sick of going there. I toured ABC News with ABC production coordinator Kimberly Berryman and also sat with Kimberly for an interview. I got “face-time” and asked legendary CBS correspondent Bob Schieffer a question on C-SPAN’s “Close-Up.” My class, Media, Ethics and the Movies, was held at the AP News Bureau and taught by an AP News Reporter. We went to The Capitol, the Pentagon and a Nationals’ game. I totally appreciate everything TWC did for us this summer, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Kaite and me inside the Capitol

I do not know about the other interns in TWC, but my internship placement fit me perfectly. Book Hill Partners was a perfect fit because..well, baseball!! Duh. I mean, come on, Alex Rodriguez wished me Happy Birthday! Can you say that? I worked for the only non-profit, anti-steroid foundation working with MLB in the world. And I stepped on a Major League field. I met and worked alongside ESPN reporter Bonnie Bernstein on a campaign for Under Armour to fight childhood obesity. And thanks to the connection of our Partners, we (the interns) went to this super exclusive roof-top party, where we got to dance with Nancy Pelosi. Most importantly, I learned to appreciate the world of Public Relations. I know that my heart is set on journalism, but I think it was great for me to learn how PR functions.

BHP Forever!!! Haha

The best part of this experience has to be living in Washington, D.C. I fell in love with the city from the very first minute. The goal is to reach New York City, and that will never change, but I am totally fine with making a “pit stop” in DC for a few years. Being a history minor, I was in heaven with all the monuments and museums, and to top it off--they were mostly ALL FREE! This summer was also the longest I have been away from home. A quick little secret about me… (I am a spoiled brat). So, taking care of me is usually not a daily activity at home. But, I did survive this summer on my own. I might even start cooking at home….maybe.

The girls I will miss the most--and the cupcakes.

I can’t even start to mention the places I went this summer, but I will try: The National Zoo, American History Museum, Natural History Museum, Ford’s Theatre, Arlington Cemetery, The Holocaust Museum, Capitol Hill, The White House, The Library of Congress, The National Achieves, Annapolis, Hershey Park, The National Cathedral, Union Station, National Portrait Gallery, The Newseum, Georgetown, Adams Morgan, Chinatown, Old Town, The Caribbean Festival, The Sir. Paul McCartney Concert, on a bike from Alexandria, VA to Reagan National Airport, the National Mall on July 4th, ALL the Monuments (twice or three times), and a weekend trip to NYC. Wow! I did a lot.

The best concert ever…period.

But I couldn’t have done it without help. The friends I made this summer are…I can’t even put into words what they mean to me. I am beyond grateful for meeting each and every one of them. They made everyday special and interesting. And the memories we shared will last us a lifetime--or at least until we see each other again. And we will see each other again. I want to thank them (and you know who you are) for making this summer one to never forget. I love you all.

Hmmm…What’s missing here??

Leli’s recommendation of the week: To anyone thinking about doing this program--Do it. You won’t regret it.

Well, this is it. Thanks to everyone who followed and commented on my blog this summer. I hope it helped you. It’s not good-bye, but see you later!

Sorry girls, I just had to…hehe

New York...Part Dos

I woke up to realize that I was half off the bed, because the girls sleeping on one sofa bed is never a good idea. After a very long day and night, the last thing I wanted to do was get up. But we were in New York City, and we pretty much only had half the day to see the rest of it. Everyone got up and dressed. We had to be at the Ferry at 11:00 a.m. We made it just in time, and we got to skip the entire line because we got our tickets the day before...Sweet!! We got on the ferry, and went straight to the top to get the best view. It was a typical New York summer morning. HOT! But it was nice to feel the breeze coming from the water. The trip on the ferry was short but nice. The first stop was Liberty Island.

Me with The Lady

As we were walking, we saw this pretty huge line, and we assumed it was to go up. Some of the workers started screaming to the public to make sure that our tickets said we were allowed to enter. We looked at our tickets and we it said that we could go up to the pedestal! I had never gone up Lady Liberty. My first trip we did go to Liberty Island but decided not to go up. And then 9/11 happened and they closed it, until now. So, we stood in one line, then another line and then another freaking line. Wow! One hour and 45 minutes! We waited in line longer than our trip up and around the pedestal lasted. But I have to say, it was so worth it. The view is incredible! As you can see from the pictures. Haha. The really cool part was inside. They had these glass squares on the roof that allowed you to look up into The Lady. We were able to see all the metal and poles which holds her together. Pretty neat.

My favorite picture

After spending almost the entire morning/early afternoon at Lady Liberty, we needed to put our butts in gear and see the rest of the city. But first, FOOD. Which meant: a hotdog and a pretzel. Oh, heaven…I could live of this stuff! Yummy! We made our way to the subway and took the train uptown to Central Park. I swear Central Park is as much nature as I need to survive. I am a total city girl, and I do not need the great outdoors to live. Give me the concrete jungle! But I do love the Park. The best part is that you can walk inside but always look up to see a huge skyscraper in the distance. We walked the park, and I got my dose of nature for the month. From there we walked to a location that fits me better: 5th Avenue! Gucci, Prada, Louis, Ferragamo, Tiffany’s, Cartier, Yves Saint Laurent, and the list goes on! Awwwww!! Get the picture? Of course, I cannot afford anything at any of these stores, but it is still nice to look at.

Central Park

Ok, so we passed the torture street and end up at Rockefeller Center. So Pretty! Time was running out so we took a quick lap around the center and ended up in a movie scene. “Get Him to the Greek” was being filmed outside the NBC studios. And we really saw Jonah Hill on set!!! Last but not least, we walked to Grand Central Station. I really think it could be called “The Center of U.S.” Every train and subway runs thru Grand Central and to top it off, it is absolutely beautiful.

Lights, Camera, Action!

We made it to the Chinatown Bus in time. But when we got back to DC, we missed the last Metro! What a mess. We had to take a cab all the way home. Not a great ending, but overall one amazing weekend!

My favorite girls

Leli’s recommendation of the week: DON’T MISS THE LAST METRO...EVER.

NYC = HOME!

We are here, we are here! I see the buildings and the people out on the streets. I taste the street hotdogs and the hot, salty pretzels. The sound of fire trucks and car alarms fill my ears with a calming feeling. I feel the energy of the city from inside this Chinatown bus. I smell… I smell… old Chinese food that probably has been on this bus for a couple of weeks...YUCK. Whatever, nothing is going to spoil my mood right now. We park. We are sitting in the back, and the people ahead of us are taking their sweet time getting off the bus. Don’t they understand..I NEED TO GET OUTSIDE. Finally, people start moving. The guy next to us lets us pass in front of him. I am getting closer to the door. My heart is racing. I want/need to touch the ground and to smell anything else that’s not nasty Chinese food. I get to the door, one step, two steps. HOME!

Painting in my room at home

Yes, I know that I have never lived in New York City, but it is the one place where I feel like I truly belong. All my senses are on high here. Everything just feels right. I am officially the happiest person in the world! Wondering why I feel like this? Long story short… It’s October 2001 at 5:30 a.m. and I am in eighth grade. Suddenly, my mother starts screaming that we are late for school. I am still half asleep walking to the bathroom, when I hear her say: “Don’t put on your uniforms. Start packing, we are leaving to New York!” AHHHHHH! Of course, the first thing that pops into my head was…OMG! The Subway Series. Yankee vs. Mets. We land in NYC and something hits me, hard. It’s the same feeling I get every time I step foot in the city. HOME. Even since then, my family has traveled “Home” at least once a year.

Best Picture of the Trip!

This trip was a Birthday gift from my mom to me. She told me that I could bring some friends and we would spend the weekend in NYC. Kaite, Molly and Jorden made the cut. Haha. Kaite and Molly had both been to New York, but it was Jorden’s first time. We were pretty much all broke, so extreme shopping was out of the question. We decided to do what we have been doing in D.C. for the last two months... be tourist. I really hadn’t done the touristy stuff since my first trip, but it was nice to see everything. We went to Ground Zero to see if anything new was going on. I really wish they would finish the new buildings. After, we decided to go see if we could go see Lady Liberty. The lines were ridiculous! But we got reserved tickets for the following day. We walked from Battery Park to South Sea Port. The view from Sea Port to the Brooklyn Bridge is one of my favorites.

The Girls with the Brooklyn Bridge

Jorden had his first New York City hotdog and I had my...Well...I have had a lot. After enjoying our hotdogs, we went to 34th Street Herald Square and of course the first thing I see is Macy’s…no, no, turn around, Leilani! We walked around (and away from Macy’s), and we went to see if we could go up the Empire State Building..Yah rightttt 30 freaking dollars! After spending the entire summer in D.C. where everything is free, there is no way I would pay that. I guess we have been spoiled! But it was just as pretty from the outside. So, we took pictures and looked like tourist, and then we got hungry. Food in New York has to be my favorite part. We decided to go to the Original’s John Pizzeria in the Village. There was a wait…Duh. But oh so worth it! By far the best pizza in New York City. After three slices of yummy yummy pizza…I needed desert. Only place for desert is Rocco’s, this little hole-in-the-wall Italian deli. God bless their Italian hearts for making the most amazing strawberry tarts in the world. And I have been to Italy.

On the way to Times Square

Night was falling in the city, and it was time to visit Times Square. My first trip to NYC, I saw Times Square at night for the first time, and I believe that is the best way to see it. We all got pretty (minus Jorden..boys don’t get “pretty’) and we headed to UpTown. Have you ever been anywhere at night where there were so many lights it looked like it was daytime? And have you been anywhere at night where there were more people and families walking the street than in the daytime? Well, that is Times Square. My favorite part about Times Square is that there are always people there. No matter at what time! I believe Frank Sinatra was talking about Times Square when he said New York was The City That Never Sleeps.

Jorden and I in Times Square

Leli's Recommendation: Travel. Bus ticket to NYC: $35 round trip. Tony's Bus Service.

Until next time, Ciao!

Happy 1 year anniversary of turning 21 to ME!

Yes friends, Today is my Birthday! I was born July 24, 1987 at South Miami Hospital. According to my birth date…today I am 22 years old. But since I enjoy being 21 so much, I decided that I am turning 21 again today. My friends keep on telling me that I am 22, but I rather not believe them. HAHA. I know it is stupid to be bothered by turning 22, but after turning 21…what do you look forward to? Nothing. Ok, ok… I will shut up now, and I will get excited for my birthday.

Birthday cupcake from my coworkers

This is the first year that I am not home for my birthday, and I do miss my friends. But I have a really great group of friends here in D.C. that I know will make my birthday really special. They haven’t let me forget that I turned 22 today. Yes, I am talking to Kaite Bonneville, Molly Burke and Jorden Beatty. Thanks guys! Also, my mami came up from Miami to spend the weekend with me, and I am really happy she came. So, what are the plans you may ask…

Well, as much as I LOVE Washington, D.C, my heart lives in New York City. I truly believe someone upstairs (god) messed up and placed me in Miami instead of NYC (thanks, god!). So my annoying but great friends, my mom, my cousin and I are spending the weekend in NYC. We are leaving tomorrow (or lateeeee tonight) at 3:30 am!!!! on the Chinatown bus to get to NYC tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. Yes, sleep will be overrated this weekend, but we will be in The City That Never Sleeps!

Leli’s Recommendation for the week: Sushi Go Round. I will be eating lunch there today. Cheap and great sushi! Yummy. Located at the Verzion Center in Chinatown.

Until next time. Ciao!

Take me out to the...FIELD!

Front Gate at National’s Park

Have I told you how much I love my internship? Well, I LOVE MY INTERNSHIP! Let’s take a refresher course on what I do. I work for Book Hill Partners, which is a PR firm, and my special project is The Taylor Hooton Foundation. The THF is a non-profit organization which fights steroid use within children and teens. The foundation was started by Don Hooton, who lost his son Taylor to steroid use. Their main outreach program is called Hoot’s Chalk Talks. Don Hooton has partnered with MLB to go around the Nation visiting teams and talking to kids about the dangers of steroid use at the ballparks. My job consists of getting the media to the ballparks to cover the event. I use social networking to drive traffic to the program...You know...Facebook, Myspace, Twitter...etc. I write letters and make calls to pitch the event to the media. Well, my hard work finally paid off!

Don talking to the kids

On July 22, Hoot’s Chalk Talk came to the Nation’s Capital! The other interns and I were invited to the event at National’s Park. OMG! I was so excited! I had already been to the stadium for a game, but I had never been on the field of a MLB team. The event started at 10 a.m., and I finally got to meet Don in person. He is just as nice in person as on the phone. We were taken down to the field where we saw some people dressed in National’s gear waiting for us. Two of the men were the head athletic trainers for the team, and the two other were National’s players. Pitcher Garrett Mock and outfielder Willy Harris took the time to spend their day with the kids. They opened the gate for us and let us onto the field. Yes, I did feel like a kid at a candy shop! I think I was more excited to be on the field than some of the 10-year-olds who were part of the program.

On the field!

National’s trainer and players

Don gave a speech about the dangers of steroids and shared his personally story about his son to the kids and parents. The kids were then divided into three different groups: drills, health, and sports talk. One of the trainers showed the kids different drills and skills they can use to get better and quicker. The other talked to them about eating the right food and exercising. And the players talked to the kids about life as a professional baseball player and making the right choices in life. After the talks…it was time for the Home Run Derby! We all walked to right field (Man, these outfielders cover so much land..Holy Moly) where they set up a home plate and a pitcher’s mound. Each kid was given five outs to “hit the ball out of the park.” Harris pitched to all of them and a few were able to hit the ball out. The kids had a great time trying to catch the other balls. Personally, I wanted to go hit also…but I was in a skirt. It was a great day, and I will never forget it. Oh, and I am sure the kids won’t forget it either.

The Whole Group

Leli’s recommendation for the week: Get your butts of the couch and play catch outside.

Until next time..Ciao

Work Hard…Play Harder

Such a good title…right? We all talk about it, but do we walk the walk? I know after a week of class, lectures, tours and work you just want to die in bed and not get up until Monday comes around. But we are in the Nation’s Capital for just over two months- and the first month is already gone. What have you done? I know that if I would stay home all weekend and then start work again on Monday- I will go insane. Yes, I do love sleep…but there is time to sleep when we get back home and start school again. Also, there is so much to see in DC, we really do not have enough time! Besides going to the Smithsonians and the monuments, there are some other places to consider.

Chocolate World!

If you have a car…Hershey Park in Hershey, PA

Rollercoasters + Chocolate= HEAVEN! Hershey Park is the home of Hershey’s Chocolate..duh. My cousin and two of her friends got us tickets to spend the day at the park. We miscalculated the distance, and we left a little late. It’s a nice three hour drive to Hershey Park, but if you have the time, it’s a great place. Hershey Park features over 60 rides, entertainment, and fun for the whole family. I am a rollercoaster junkie. I love the speed, the drops, the turns and the flips. The faster, the better. We spent the day at the park. With 11 rollercoasters and 14 water rides, I was in heaven. My cousin was too scared to ride the rollercoasters, so I rode with her two friends. I did not appreciate having to ride solo in the two-seater rides, but it was so much fun. After a day of riding, we were ready for the main event- Chocolate World. We took a tour of the Hershey chocolate factory. It was one of those rides that you sit and it takes you on the tour. At the end of the ride- they give you free chocolate! By far the best part!

We love Kisses!

As you already know, sports run my life. So when my program advisor said she got the Media and Comm. students tickets for a Nationals game, I was very excited. One of my life goals is to visit every ballpark in the U.S. We went to the Washington Nationals vs. Toronto Blue Jays at Nationals Park. I was quite upset, because my family went to the Marlins vs. Yankees game in Miami. I had tickets to the game, but I couldn’t make home, so I had to sell my ticket. Not that I wasn’t excited about the Nationals, but come on, it’s the Yankees! They are my favorite it (NO, I am not a bandwagon fan!). And they hadn’t been to Miami since the 2003 World Series.

Fellow interns enjoying the game

Ok, ok, back to the Nationals. The game started at 6:30pm, so there was no way that I would be able to go home change and get back in time. A few friends decided- hey, it’s Friday, let’s go to Happy Hour. So we found a place that is walking distance to the ballpark and has a good happy hour. The Ugly Mug-Yes, that’s the name- it’s cute and has a great casual atmosphere. It is very well known for its great happy hour, all-American food and 24 beers on tap. I highly recommend the pub if you like a laid-back mood. One tip- their happy hour food portions are huge, so share. Anyways, the stadium is new and there really isn’t a “bad” seat. For $10 you can sit in the 200 level. Nice seats. It was a great experience, and I recommend it to anyone that is sick of museums. Come on, its America’s National Pastime in the nation’s capital- can’t get any better. Closest Metro is the Navy Yard-Green Line.

Kaite and me at the ballgame

Leli’s recommendation of the week: The Ugly Mug- 24 beers on tap-enough said. Enjoy a few beers there, because you do not want to pay for a beer at the ballpark!

Location: 723 8th Street SE Washington, DC 20003

Until next time, Ciao!

ABC….ONE, TWO, THREE.

Thanks to TWC, we have the opportunity to visit different locations and people that we normally would not be able to. TWC Career Services hosts Brown Bag Lunches. These lunches are during the week (on Fridays mostly) and during lunch time..duh! They're open to all TWC interns and the best part…FREE. Interns love free anything! Anyways, I went to the Brown Bag Lunch at ABC News Studios. We met with TWC Alum Kimberly Berryman. She is a Production Coordinator at ABC and also helps coordinate the internship program, writes for ABCNews.com and books guests for various programs. She told us that her official title should be “professional floater.” Whatever needs to be done at anytime, Kimberly is usually the one to do it. She told us a story about Inauguration Day. The crew needed help putting on wires on the ground to broadcast live, so Kimberly went at 3 o’clock in the morning to help set up. I don’t want to imagine how cold it was. She did her job, and her reward? To go to one of the Inaugural balls which the president attended. She said it was totally worth freezing. Yah, I would guess that.

Kimberly with TWC interns

Kimberly spoke about her experience with TWC when she was an intern in 2006. She gave us some advice on things she wishes she would have known when she was an intern. She told us to get out of our desks, follow people around and network. Another piece of advice which I have been hearing from everyone is to write thank you letters. She showed us a cabinet of past interns, and she told us that out of the hundreds of interns that have interned at ABC- there are about five Thank You letters. So I am guessing they are kind of important. We also took a tour of the studios. I felt like a kid at a candy store. It’s funny, because they make it look so much bigger on TV. They use special tricks to make it look as if the studio has hundreds of people when actually there are about 10 people. Kimberly said the ABC Studios in New York are a lot bigger, because that is headquarters.

Me @ ABC

Kimberly said she really did not know she wanted to work in media while she was in school, and she tried a couple of different majors. She interned at a radio station, and thought she would like to be on-air. But as she learned more, she fell in love with production. Her goal is to be a producer working at ABC headquarters in New York. I was thinking about my own experiences at school. I always wanted to be a sports reporter, and I do not think that will ever change. What I am struggling with is print vs. broadcast. I love to write and be in front of the camera…why not do both? We shall see. “Lo que está pa'ti nadie te lo quita.”

Leli’s recommendation for the week: WRITE THANK YOU LETTERS! I will be writing one as soon as I am done here.

Until next time, Ciao.