Dear NYU,

I know your number: 212-998-1212. I have it memorized. How could I not when you call me everyday? You first started calling me when I was still IN school (hint, a college sophomore really doesn’t have money to donate; I was saving my $20 a week to buy ramen and beer). You call me when I’m shopping, during dinner, and while I’m sitting in client meetings. Everyday, like clockwork.

I don’t know if you think I have money, but just to be clear, I don’t. In fact, I’m still paying off loans. I’ll be paying off loans until I’m about 34. I know it’s probably a little confusing since I did go to Stern and Sternies have that reputation of being money makers, but this Sternie went the route of advertising and I did not end up making those banker salaries with the big year end bonus. So, hopefully this clears things up and you can stop calling me. I promise, once I make my big bucks, I’ll let you know what I can donate. Remember, don’t call me; I’ll call you!

Thanks!

Joy

Seems fitting that I came across this article just as I’m getting ready to leave for the Philippines on Sunday.

The Ad Age article describes how the Philippines has just built the world’s 3rd largest mall and also houses 4 of the top 12 biggest malls in the world.

Why does this matter? With the world going through a recession, it seems as though there might be something good happening in this tropical country… Read the rest below.

I definitely had my fair share of mall time the last time I went there. We spent one day in Manila visiting over 4 or 5 malls, each seeming to be bigger than the last – one even had an Olympic sized skating rink. I’m convinced everyone goes to the mall to escape the everday heat and humidity; I know I would if I lived there!

The Philippines: ‘One Big Mall’

The nation’s retail scene is expanding, even as tough times hit Asia

By Roger Pe

Published: December 18, 2008

Roger Pe

When SM City North Edsa’s expanded annex merged with the existing one, the world’s third biggest mall was born. The gates of the 425,000- square-meter behemoth officially opened last Friday, December 12, thus becoming the 4th Philippine mall in the World’s Top 12 list. Numbers 4, 7 and 11th are also located in the Philippines.

So what’s the big deal? A vote of confidence on the country’s economic prospects amidst continuing threats of global recession that aren’t going away; adding on to the tourist appeal; an eye-opener to those who have vague knowledge about the country’s countless investment possibilities and vibrant retail industry.

The event was carried globally by different news agencies on the same breath that Thailand and India were licking their wounds caused by recent tragedies.

Last weekend, horrendous bumper-to-bumper traffic scenes happened simultaneously around metro-Manila malls. Inside, people pushed and shoved, filling every nook and cranny as if there were no tomorrow. If these are indications that Manila still needs another mall of this humongous kind, it can perhaps build the planet’s biggest single-roof mall to pack all those mall rats in.

The world’s best-known brands are here. World-quality local produce comes in abundant fashion. “Manila, or the Philippines, for that matter, is just one big mall,” says a many-time European visitor who has several stakes in the mall business in the country. “From high-end to middle affluent to mass market, it’s just simply dizzying!” she said.

The Philippines has at least $36 billion in foreign exchange reserves, according to the Central Bank of the Philippines. This is almost four times higher than the level the country had when it faced the Asian financial crisis a decade ago. Proof of its strong fundamentals and ability to parry advances of recession.

Not a bad story to be telling in bad economic times.

I remember when I first came to New York as a freshman at NYU; I had so many things I wanted to get accomplished – bars to visit, Broadway shows to watch, stores to shop in. The longer I lived in the city, the more I put off doing some of those things – after all, I would tell myself, I can do that next weekend. Soon, weeks became months, months became years, and quickly the years started zooming by faster and faster. Coming into my 10th year in the city, I’ve finally been able to cross off one of the first things on my original list – ice skating in Rockefeller Center!

The last time I tried ice skating I was 10 and clung to the side for 2 hours. This time, I was actually able to venture closer to the middle and managed not to fall! Victory! Next item on the list…

I don’t know how I completely forgot this was happening today! Maybe it’s better I didn’t go. I’m little and fragile and these maniacs would have pushed me to the ground.

Check it:

Strangely, our recent concert outings have both happened with food and a show. First, we did Japanese (Morimoto) and then Madonna, and this time around, we did apple picking and then Janet Jackson.

After apple picking, we quickly headed home to drop off the apples (we didn’t think Janet would appreciate the 30 apples in our bag nor did we think the security guards would allow them through, “Yo! Are those apple bombs?!”) and then headed to MSG. Janet came on at exactly 8:45 and played one of the best shows I have ever seen! Not kidding, she played 37 songs and most of them were all her old school stuff – Escapade, Rhythm Nation, Control, she covered it all. I haven’t had this much fun at a show since I was 15. Yay Janet!

For the past 3 years, friends and I have gone on a fall foliage trip usually during October or whenever the leaves start changing color in New England. The first year we went to Sleepy Hollow in Upstate New York. The second year we again went to Sleepy Hollow but also went to another town for apple picking. We liked apple picking so much that this year, we did that first and then visited Bash Bish Falls in Massachusetts.

For apple picking, we went to LoveApple Farm, which interestingly is owned by the parents of Kristanna Loken, the girl from Terminator 3! (We discovered this as we were paying for apple muffins and saw a huge poster of Kristanna hanging on the wall). I did a quick Google search and even found some pictures of the terminator girl and her wedding on the farm.

After the apples, we headed to Bash Bish (in between, we went to a diner where we (we being 9 Asians in a small rural town) realized we were all thinking the same thing as we got out of the car, “Oh God, I hope they don’t shoot us”) and walked a very long 3/4 mile to a waterfall. 

All in all, I think this has been the best trip yet. We drove through 2 other states, came out with at least 30 apples each, and further bonded over a shared fear of small rural towns. What more can you ask for in a road trip?

After Morimoto, Jeff and I went back to Brooklyn to a take a quick nap before heading out to see Madonna at Madison Square (if you’ve been following the blog, you’ll know that Jeff and I had just gotten back from Canada the night before).

Madonna had an awesome show, she played a lot of old songs, but at one point she got really angry – angry at Sarah Palin, angry at Republicans, and angry at men in general (the next day we found out she was getting divorced). It was amazing how much Madonna still danced around, especially for a 50 year old! At one point, she did a double dutch routine for about 2 minutes!

In addition to taking pictures, I took some video too. Unfortunately, the bass of the show made the sound quality pretty crappy, but at least you can still watch Madonna move.