travel
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Un bon week-end
We spent the holiday weekend with friends in Normandy. The last time I was in Normandy was on my first trip to France - two years ago. This year, we were able to visit with our old friends from Texas and a couple of friends who came to visit us last year in California. It was really cool catching up with everyone, and it was as if time had never passed. I love that.
I discovered a few things about myself while visiting Normandy, too. 1) My new favorite sport is bike-riding, and I plan on entertaining myself with a few rides a week in the huge park just near us...once I find a bike. 2) I no longer think that the only place in France I can live is Paris; give me familiar faces, sea and sand and I'll pack my bags and head anywhere around this lovely country. I can't express how great it was to be back around good friends. I even spoke French for 90% of the weekend without wearing myself out. 3) After eating three glorious meals a day, I've found myself spoiled rotten but totally motivated to keep up the habit. And finally, 4) I can make a mean mayonnaise.
I couldn't upload all the pictures (and videos) tonight, so you'll have to wait until tomorrow for the album. For now, here are a few of my favorites from a perfect weekend.
I discovered a few things about myself while visiting Normandy, too. 1) My new favorite sport is bike-riding, and I plan on entertaining myself with a few rides a week in the huge park just near us...once I find a bike. 2) I no longer think that the only place in France I can live is Paris; give me familiar faces, sea and sand and I'll pack my bags and head anywhere around this lovely country. I can't express how great it was to be back around good friends. I even spoke French for 90% of the weekend without wearing myself out. 3) After eating three glorious meals a day, I've found myself spoiled rotten but totally motivated to keep up the habit. And finally, 4) I can make a mean mayonnaise.
I couldn't upload all the pictures (and videos) tonight, so you'll have to wait until tomorrow for the album. For now, here are a few of my favorites from a perfect weekend.
My first pesto
My most memorable dining experience while living in Italy for a summer was the seafood pesto ravioli that I had at a friendly trattoria in Genoa while visiting my former Italian professor. In fact, perhaps it's my most memorable dining experience ever since I mention it every time I have pesto pasta, which is pretty often. Since then, I've had good pestos, my favorite being the Trader Joe's store brand jar that's vibrant green and flavored to near perfection.
I've always wanted to try making my own sauce, but I wanted to wait until I had my own supply of basil. Last weekend Gui and I picked up a couple of plants to keep in our kitchen (I've since moved the chive plant to the outdoors for some much needed fun in the sun), and thus began my search for the perfect pesto recipe. Naturally, for my first experience making pesto, I chose the most physically-challenging (and most authentic) recipe I could find. It was a bit of a challenge, and I should have waited until I had a mezzaluna like the recipe calls for (I looked in two stores in our 'hood and didn't find one...booo).. But, it was worth it in the end. My hard work and sore arm were not in vain because I ended up with a very fresh and tasty pesto linguine. Next time, I'm trying pesto-stuffed chicken...or maybe I'll even give seafood ravioli a try.
I've always wanted to try making my own sauce, but I wanted to wait until I had my own supply of basil. Last weekend Gui and I picked up a couple of plants to keep in our kitchen (I've since moved the chive plant to the outdoors for some much needed fun in the sun), and thus began my search for the perfect pesto recipe. Naturally, for my first experience making pesto, I chose the most physically-challenging (and most authentic) recipe I could find. It was a bit of a challenge, and I should have waited until I had a mezzaluna like the recipe calls for (I looked in two stores in our 'hood and didn't find one...booo).. But, it was worth it in the end. My hard work and sore arm were not in vain because I ended up with a very fresh and tasty pesto linguine. Next time, I'm trying pesto-stuffed chicken...or maybe I'll even give seafood ravioli a try.
LOVING this!
hehe...Kanye says "rubbish."
I've had a busy week
I've been over-indulging in everything I love this past week, including the following:
Tex-Mex breakfast in bed - huevos rancheros, refried beans, potatoes and homemade tortillas on our first morning in San Antonio (yes, there was complimentary champagne, too).
The Mexican Plate (cheese enchilada, beef taco, tamale, rice and beans) at Mi Tierra - man, this place is so good.
I'll blog about more specifics of our trip soon. It was such a fun week, but much too short. I wish I could have brought everyone back to Paris with me. There's never enough time to catch up, but I guess that just means I'll have to make more trips back!
Tex-Mex breakfast in bed - huevos rancheros, refried beans, potatoes and homemade tortillas on our first morning in San Antonio (yes, there was complimentary champagne, too).
Beef and Chicken nachos on the Riverwalk (beef always wins), complete with the tastiest Herradura margarita I've ever tasted!
The Mexican Plate (cheese enchilada, beef taco, tamale, rice and beans) at Mi Tierra - man, this place is so good.
Breakfast at Joe's Bakery, starting with Menudo and amazing (constantly refilled!) coffee, ending with a delicious carne guisada taco. YUM!
Sushi with friends at Maiko - downtown Austin. The crab-filled fried avocado with habanero sauce was TO. DIE. FOR. I've dreamt about it ever since.
Mom's homemade tortillas - I still get the little one...this time in a heart shape!
Guillaume pretending he had something to do with the creation of the delicious goodness that is my mom's tortilla. It was still a sweet thought.
Being around the two cutest faces in the world.
I'll blog about more specifics of our trip soon. It was such a fun week, but much too short. I wish I could have brought everyone back to Paris with me. There's never enough time to catch up, but I guess that just means I'll have to make more trips back!
Taking a train to Austin
That's right, Gui and I are taking a train to Austin. No, it's not the Polar Express, but we booked tickets on the Amtrak Texas Eagle to get to Austin after spending a weekend in San Antonio. It's a real, live, breathing passenger train that serves the central Texas area! We thought we'd save ourselves the hassle of renting a car one-way and spare our friends or family a boring drive from Austin to pick us up, as well as be conscious of our ecological footprint by sticking to public transportation. Plus, it's so much nicer to have someone else in charge of the driving.
When Gui first asked me if we could take a train to Austin from San Antonio, my cynical American response was, "yeah right." But, lo and behold, there actually is a train in Texas that transports more than cattle and horses! With the rising cost of gas (I heard it's something like $3.78/gallon on average today), it's worth taking a look to see if Amtrak serves the places you're traveling to around the States - our tickets were only 15 bucks a piece (less than gas would have been). The only downside to our ride is that we'll have to leave super early in the morning (luckily, the best tacos in San Antonio are available 24-hours, so we'll be stopping by at 5 a.m to scoop some up), and there's only one departure per day. Maybe with all the demand for public transport in the States, they'll finally put into place the so-called Texas T-Bone Corridor that would connect some Texas cities by rail and make taking the train more convenient for travelers. Or, maybe I've just become a silly, optimistic European already.
When Gui first asked me if we could take a train to Austin from San Antonio, my cynical American response was, "yeah right." But, lo and behold, there actually is a train in Texas that transports more than cattle and horses! With the rising cost of gas (I heard it's something like $3.78/gallon on average today), it's worth taking a look to see if Amtrak serves the places you're traveling to around the States - our tickets were only 15 bucks a piece (less than gas would have been). The only downside to our ride is that we'll have to leave super early in the morning (luckily, the best tacos in San Antonio are available 24-hours, so we'll be stopping by at 5 a.m to scoop some up), and there's only one departure per day. Maybe with all the demand for public transport in the States, they'll finally put into place the so-called Texas T-Bone Corridor that would connect some Texas cities by rail and make taking the train more convenient for travelers. Or, maybe I've just become a silly, optimistic European already.
Smuggler
So, I've started a list. A list of things I must bring back from Texas. They mostly consist of sauce or other bottled and jarred goods that I can't easily (or cheaply) get here and that I'm already starting to miss or know it's only a matter of time. Besides the few bottles of yellow mustard (a la French's), peanut butter (especially with honey) and BBQ sauce, Guillaume and I are hoping to pick up a few household items we can't find here (or can't find cheaply). Most important, and perhaps most interesting on that list is the Roomba, which is sold in France, but for the not-so-bargain price of 300Euros (that's like $450!!). I've seen them as cheap as $200 at Target, and I hear Costco has 'em even cheaper. We'll have to find a plug converter, but I think it'll be worth saving a couple hundred bucks to get it in the States. I think every single friend we have owns a Roomba or two, so we know it's tried and tested. I just hope we don't get stopped at customs!
Home sweet Paris
Can I start out by first saying that OMG, that was a LONG, BORING, TIRING flight, and what in the world was I thinking when I decided to save $500+ by making two connections - one in a totally different country - instead of one?
So, my flight out of DFW was canceled, which I thought for a second would mean the cancellation of my entire voyage. There we were, sitting in line on the tarmac, when the pilot informs us that we are 22nd in line to use the runway. 22nd!! My mind starts to calculate the time in my head...22 times at least 3 minutes per plane to take-off, plus an additional minute or 2 to taxi there...whoa...that's like at least an hour and a half, yo! I patted myself on the back at that moment for allowing myself a 3-hour layover in Philadelphia to make my flight to London. I'll have plenty of time...I'm brilliant! Ten minutes later, the captain comes on again and says, "Folks, I've got some bad news..." which, of course, provokes an inward sigh from the entire plane. "I've been flying for over 16 hours now, and FAA regulations only permit me to fly [some-odd number] of hours , and waiting here will push me beyond my allowed flying hours, so we're going back to the gate"...and outward sighs/moans/expletives commence. I stay pretty calm, knowing that I can always try to reschedule my flight, but as my brilliant self booked an entirely different carrier from London to Paris, I was pretty much stuck with taking that flight and knew my options were limited with changing it. So, I check the numbers on the boarding pass card that I usually toss in the trash, and give US Airways a ring while we head back towards the gate. My quick thinking pays off and I get a flight out of Dallas just 2 hours later and avoid the mad, angry rush for the gate when we get back, as passengers try to frantically get to their destinations. I feel a little guilty for my wily move, but nonetheless content. I'm still praying that my flight makes it to Philly in time to catch my next flight - this new flight from DFW will only give me 40 minutes to make it to my London flight on time - and that's if there are no further delays!
It's a miracle, but we somehow made it to Philadelphia with nearly one hour to spare before my next flight. I even had time to make a desperately-needed pit stop to release my ginger-ale-filled bladder and had time to cool off at the gate before piling onto the 80s-inspired vessel.
Arriving in London was another story...I had to go through customs, get my luggage and get on and off a train before checking into my flight. The new and (thankfully) improved Terminal 5 was beautiful. I couldn't help but fall in love with the Chanel, Tiffany, Dior and Starbucks-lined halls and wonderful assortments of food-stands and restaurants. I had just enough time to grab a bite (dumplings and japanese rice) at Wagamama, which I hadn't visited since my first trip to London more than 5 years ago. The weather was perfect, too - at least mid-70s, bright and sunny.
So, 4 planes, a train, a coach and 27 hours later, I made it to Paris. It was a great day in the city - people were people-watching, sipping coffee on the terrace, couples were making out on a bench in the park and tired business folks were resting in the grass and soaking up the sun. Ah, Paris.
Thursday's a holiday, Friday is a bridged holiday and Monday is another holiday, so Gui and I are planning to spend some time in the city, taking in the amazing weather and doing things that Parisians do. I'm happy to be home!
So, my flight out of DFW was canceled, which I thought for a second would mean the cancellation of my entire voyage. There we were, sitting in line on the tarmac, when the pilot informs us that we are 22nd in line to use the runway. 22nd!! My mind starts to calculate the time in my head...22 times at least 3 minutes per plane to take-off, plus an additional minute or 2 to taxi there...whoa...that's like at least an hour and a half, yo! I patted myself on the back at that moment for allowing myself a 3-hour layover in Philadelphia to make my flight to London. I'll have plenty of time...I'm brilliant! Ten minutes later, the captain comes on again and says, "Folks, I've got some bad news..." which, of course, provokes an inward sigh from the entire plane. "I've been flying for over 16 hours now, and FAA regulations only permit me to fly [some-odd number] of hours , and waiting here will push me beyond my allowed flying hours, so we're going back to the gate"...and outward sighs/moans/expletives commence. I stay pretty calm, knowing that I can always try to reschedule my flight, but as my brilliant self booked an entirely different carrier from London to Paris, I was pretty much stuck with taking that flight and knew my options were limited with changing it. So, I check the numbers on the boarding pass card that I usually toss in the trash, and give US Airways a ring while we head back towards the gate. My quick thinking pays off and I get a flight out of Dallas just 2 hours later and avoid the mad, angry rush for the gate when we get back, as passengers try to frantically get to their destinations. I feel a little guilty for my wily move, but nonetheless content. I'm still praying that my flight makes it to Philly in time to catch my next flight - this new flight from DFW will only give me 40 minutes to make it to my London flight on time - and that's if there are no further delays!
It's a miracle, but we somehow made it to Philadelphia with nearly one hour to spare before my next flight. I even had time to make a desperately-needed pit stop to release my ginger-ale-filled bladder and had time to cool off at the gate before piling onto the 80s-inspired vessel.
Arriving in London was another story...I had to go through customs, get my luggage and get on and off a train before checking into my flight. The new and (thankfully) improved Terminal 5 was beautiful. I couldn't help but fall in love with the Chanel, Tiffany, Dior and Starbucks-lined halls and wonderful assortments of food-stands and restaurants. I had just enough time to grab a bite (dumplings and japanese rice) at Wagamama, which I hadn't visited since my first trip to London more than 5 years ago. The weather was perfect, too - at least mid-70s, bright and sunny.
So, 4 planes, a train, a coach and 27 hours later, I made it to Paris. It was a great day in the city - people were people-watching, sipping coffee on the terrace, couples were making out on a bench in the park and tired business folks were resting in the grass and soaking up the sun. Ah, Paris.
Thursday's a holiday, Friday is a bridged holiday and Monday is another holiday, so Gui and I are planning to spend some time in the city, taking in the amazing weather and doing things that Parisians do. I'm happy to be home!
Two
There are two important things I need to blog about.
Firstly, Guillaume and I will be heading to Austin for some fun with friends and famille from June 1st-8th. But, first, we're going to be spending the weekend of May 30th in San Antonio (can you believe Gui's never been?!), enjoying some yummy food at Mi Tierra, the Riverwalk and who knows, maybe even a [pitcher of] margarita[s] or ten. We're super-stoked about a Texas visit, so if you're going to be in Austin for that week, make plans for breakfast, lunch, dinner, steak-night, brunch, happy-hour, or whatever other event that involves food and drink (Texas-style, of course) with Guillaume and me. I'm really excited about him finally returning to Texas (this time as my husband...OMG!) to catch up with friends, but I'm still a little nervous about his first encounter with all my aunts, uncles and cousins! He seems to be looking forward to it, and I know it's going to be a good time, but my family can be a bit...hmmm...loud...crazy...strange! I mean, look at me for goodness' sake!
Now for my second bit of news. I'M NOW AN OFFICIAL FRENCH FAMILY MEMBER! Well, at least according to France. I got my visa today that certifies me as a "family of French," which is probably more appropriately translated as "family to a French person," but seriously it says famille de francais. Anyway, all I know is I'm official. I have two months to get my resident card from the local prefecture in Boulogne-Billancourt (where Gui and I have decided to get an apartment...oh dear, I think I need to add another bit of news here, but it's not really official yet, so I'll wait until we actually have a signed lease, but either way we're living in Boulogne so I'm still going to their prefecture), then I'll be set to work, study and altogether settle in France! We plan to make a visit to the prefecture within two weeks of my arrival in Paris so we can get the ball rolling asap. I need to work, yo. Well, I need to study French first, actually, but I still need my resident card before I can do that, so there you go.
I must add that the French consulate in Houston is really nice, as are the two women who work there. Of course, there was a bit of paperwork that they required that was indicated NO WHERE on their website as required for my particular visa, but it was no biggie. Thank the heavens I way over-prepared and brought copies of just about any paperwork with my or Gui's name on it, just in case.
It was a really pleasant ordeal, actually. I was an hour and a half early for my appointment, but they saw me within an hour and I was out of there with a shiny, new visa glued in my passport before my appointment was supposed to commence. Good stuff. It was a far cry from the near mayhem and crazy lines I saw at the American Embassy in Paris, but I guess the US is slightly bigger than France, so...
Firstly, Guillaume and I will be heading to Austin for some fun with friends and famille from June 1st-8th. But, first, we're going to be spending the weekend of May 30th in San Antonio (can you believe Gui's never been?!), enjoying some yummy food at Mi Tierra, the Riverwalk and who knows, maybe even a [pitcher of] margarita[s] or ten. We're super-stoked about a Texas visit, so if you're going to be in Austin for that week, make plans for breakfast, lunch, dinner, steak-night, brunch, happy-hour, or whatever other event that involves food and drink (Texas-style, of course) with Guillaume and me. I'm really excited about him finally returning to Texas (this time as my husband...OMG!) to catch up with friends, but I'm still a little nervous about his first encounter with all my aunts, uncles and cousins! He seems to be looking forward to it, and I know it's going to be a good time, but my family can be a bit...hmmm...loud...crazy...strange! I mean, look at me for goodness' sake!
Now for my second bit of news. I'M NOW AN OFFICIAL FRENCH FAMILY MEMBER! Well, at least according to France. I got my visa today that certifies me as a "family of French," which is probably more appropriately translated as "family to a French person," but seriously it says famille de francais. Anyway, all I know is I'm official. I have two months to get my resident card from the local prefecture in Boulogne-Billancourt (where Gui and I have decided to get an apartment...oh dear, I think I need to add another bit of news here, but it's not really official yet, so I'll wait until we actually have a signed lease, but either way we're living in Boulogne so I'm still going to their prefecture), then I'll be set to work, study and altogether settle in France! We plan to make a visit to the prefecture within two weeks of my arrival in Paris so we can get the ball rolling asap. I need to work, yo. Well, I need to study French first, actually, but I still need my resident card before I can do that, so there you go.
I must add that the French consulate in Houston is really nice, as are the two women who work there. Of course, there was a bit of paperwork that they required that was indicated NO WHERE on their website as required for my particular visa, but it was no biggie. Thank the heavens I way over-prepared and brought copies of just about any paperwork with my or Gui's name on it, just in case.
It was a really pleasant ordeal, actually. I was an hour and a half early for my appointment, but they saw me within an hour and I was out of there with a shiny, new visa glued in my passport before my appointment was supposed to commence. Good stuff. It was a far cry from the near mayhem and crazy lines I saw at the American Embassy in Paris, but I guess the US is slightly bigger than France, so...
I'm like OMG!
My mama is coming to Paris and I'm SO stoked! I can't believe in just 12 short hours I'll be waiting for her at the Charles de Gaulle baggage claim, ready to drag her around this crazy city with me. It will be surreal. It's her first trip across the pond - across any pond, really, and I feel blessed that I get to take her places she's only read about in books. I love my mom beyond words, and this will no doubt be an experience of a lifetime for me - for us both!
Can you believe this is the ONLY picture I have on my computer of me with my mom?!! We will just have to do something about that, now won't we?! Geesh!
Homelessness
I left London with a few coins (which, in the UK could mean anything from 2 pennies to 20 pounds) in my pocket, but not because I wanted to. Typically, I try to spend all my pounds before leaving England so I don't wind up with a jar full of change that I'll eventually forget about. I think I had about 3 pounds (read: over 6 bucks) of loose change that I had every intention of offering to the first peddler/beggar/homeless dude or dudess that I crossed on my way to Heathrow. But, for some reason, I never crossed one. How, in a city of over 7 million peeps can it be that in the last 24 hours not one person stopped to ask me for change - not in front of a grocery store, not on the street, not even on any of the tube stops!?
So, here I am, back in Paris with a pocket full of useless change (that I'll probably forget to bring back with me when I visit next), when who should I cross on the train to Paris at my first stop? Yep, a peddler - a violinist, actually, and get this, his SON (or some adorable little kid pretending to be his son) walks through the train, begs everyone for some coins, and what can I give him when he puts that paper cup in my face? Nada. Rien. Niente. I guess I could have opened up my pocket, pulled out a fist-full of pounds and pence and filled his cup with coins he's probably never seen before, but how rude would that be? I mean, I'd totally be pissed if I went to buy some groceries, paid with a $20 bill and was given change back in Euros. What in the hell am I supposed to do with that? So, I guess what this boils down to is if, upon leaving England, I have extra change to give away, I should convert it from Pounds to Euros before leaving the UK because, let's be honest, all the poor people live in Paris. That sucks.
So, here I am, back in Paris with a pocket full of useless change (that I'll probably forget to bring back with me when I visit next), when who should I cross on the train to Paris at my first stop? Yep, a peddler - a violinist, actually, and get this, his SON (or some adorable little kid pretending to be his son) walks through the train, begs everyone for some coins, and what can I give him when he puts that paper cup in my face? Nada. Rien. Niente. I guess I could have opened up my pocket, pulled out a fist-full of pounds and pence and filled his cup with coins he's probably never seen before, but how rude would that be? I mean, I'd totally be pissed if I went to buy some groceries, paid with a $20 bill and was given change back in Euros. What in the hell am I supposed to do with that? So, I guess what this boils down to is if, upon leaving England, I have extra change to give away, I should convert it from Pounds to Euros before leaving the UK because, let's be honest, all the poor people live in Paris. That sucks.
Lucky Streak
Guillaume and I headed for London via Charles de Gaulle airport on Friday evening with little expectation for the necessary trip outside of the Schengen area. We had to book our flights separately on Expedia because we were leaving on different dates (Gui on Sunday, me on Tuesday), so naturally, we didn't have the opportunity to choose seats together on the plane. We asked the lovely lady at the ticket counter if we could somehow sit with each other on the plane, and after a phone call, she was able to upgrade us to a "Tempo" seat on the plane. I've never flown on Air France, but it was my assumption that we'd just be sitting a little closer to the front of the plane, and maybe be offered a glass of wine or something; after all, the flight is a measley 45 minutes long from Paris to London. Anyway, so we get on the plane - it ends up being delayed by nearly an hour - and shortly after take off we are served practically an entire meal - ratatouille tarte (a bit strange, but good), salad, a triangle camembert, a baguette, chocolate fondant cake and a small chocolate. We both chuckled at our good luck and just blamed it on the gods of love wanting to make this hectic side-trip a little easier on us.
We stayed the first night with Gui's sister, but only for the night (we arrived around 11pm, so it was barely even a night). On Saturday, we headed out to west London where we had booked a hotel for the night. The hotel itself seemed a bit dated, but it was decent. Except, that when we arrived, we were given a room with 2 twin beds instead of one double bed. It wouldn't have been a big deal to put the beds together, but Gui just called down to see if we could possibly change rooms. They agreed without hesitation and we somehow ended up in the hotel suite at the top floor with a double bed AND a twin bed, a sitting area, closet and even a bidet in the bathroom! It wasn't the fanciest of places, but we still felt pretty lucky to have scored the unsolicited upgrade!
Today, we met up for brunch with an old friend of mine that I know from Texas, Rob. The restaurant we brunched at was really great, and only 2 tube stops away from our hotel! It was really great catching up with Rob, reminiscing about old times, and talking about future plans for each other's visits to Paris and London. I can't believe how long it's been (nearly 8 years) since we've known each other, and although we've both changed quite a bit, we still have so much to chat about. Rob showed us around his 'hood and took us in for a coffee at his flat, which was really adorable! The sun came out just in time for us to have a cup on the balcony and continue our catching up. Hopefully, he'll come visit when we have our place in Paris all sorted out.
Before we had brunch, Gui and I had to purchase another tube ticket for the day. For some reason, we decided to get into 2 different lines and purchase them separately. Well, after Gui got his ticket and while he was waiting for me, a very sweet Danish (I think) man offered his travelcard to him because he wasn't going to need it any longer!! Luckily, I hadn't bought my ticket yet! What's so perfect about the ticket (besides it saving us £10.70) is that it's good until the 22nd, which is when I leave! It really couldn't have been more perfect.
Guillaume left today and I'm going to be in London for a couple more nights, so I'm just hoping this lucky streak continues. I told Guillaume that I really hope we're not having all this good luck because something awful is ahead...but I know that's just my ugly, pessimistic side trying to convince me of my inability to attract goodness. I guess I should know by now that I really am a lucky person - I have the friends, family and fiance to prove that!
We stayed the first night with Gui's sister, but only for the night (we arrived around 11pm, so it was barely even a night). On Saturday, we headed out to west London where we had booked a hotel for the night. The hotel itself seemed a bit dated, but it was decent. Except, that when we arrived, we were given a room with 2 twin beds instead of one double bed. It wouldn't have been a big deal to put the beds together, but Gui just called down to see if we could possibly change rooms. They agreed without hesitation and we somehow ended up in the hotel suite at the top floor with a double bed AND a twin bed, a sitting area, closet and even a bidet in the bathroom! It wasn't the fanciest of places, but we still felt pretty lucky to have scored the unsolicited upgrade!
Today, we met up for brunch with an old friend of mine that I know from Texas, Rob. The restaurant we brunched at was really great, and only 2 tube stops away from our hotel! It was really great catching up with Rob, reminiscing about old times, and talking about future plans for each other's visits to Paris and London. I can't believe how long it's been (nearly 8 years) since we've known each other, and although we've both changed quite a bit, we still have so much to chat about. Rob showed us around his 'hood and took us in for a coffee at his flat, which was really adorable! The sun came out just in time for us to have a cup on the balcony and continue our catching up. Hopefully, he'll come visit when we have our place in Paris all sorted out.
Before we had brunch, Gui and I had to purchase another tube ticket for the day. For some reason, we decided to get into 2 different lines and purchase them separately. Well, after Gui got his ticket and while he was waiting for me, a very sweet Danish (I think) man offered his travelcard to him because he wasn't going to need it any longer!! Luckily, I hadn't bought my ticket yet! What's so perfect about the ticket (besides it saving us £10.70) is that it's good until the 22nd, which is when I leave! It really couldn't have been more perfect.
Guillaume left today and I'm going to be in London for a couple more nights, so I'm just hoping this lucky streak continues. I told Guillaume that I really hope we're not having all this good luck because something awful is ahead...but I know that's just my ugly, pessimistic side trying to convince me of my inability to attract goodness. I guess I should know by now that I really am a lucky person - I have the friends, family and fiance to prove that!
Way overdue photos
I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to post these - I've had them uploaded for at least 2 weeks! But, alas, here they are at last.
PARIS WITH FRIENDS
BRUSSELS & AMSTERDAM
BACK IN THE STATES
PARIS WITH FRIENDS
BRUSSELS & AMSTERDAM
BACK IN THE STATES
I'm baaack!
I don't even know where to begin. So much has happened since my last posting. My wonderful friends came to visit me and Gui in Paris. We had such a great time here and really enjoyed the short side-trips to Brussels and Amsterdam. Brussels is my new favorite place...whoever created that city has my greatest thanks. We all kept a beer diary throughout our trip and filled our diary with entries of every new beer we could treat our taste-buds to. Of course no trip to Belgium could be complete without indulging in chocolate and of course, mussels in Brussels!
We had the time of our lives in Belgium, which might explain my lukewarm experience in Amsterdam. The city, history and architecture are beautiful; the people and the atmosphere are another story. My two favorite moments in Amsterdam were 1) the trip to Anne Frank's old house (I didn't want to leave - so amazing), and 2) the canal boat ride through the city at sundown. Overall, the trip was a great success. We had a ton of fun, and it was great to see my friends on the other side of the pond.
(pictures from the trips to come soon...)
I spent my last 10 days in France sharing as much of my time with Guillaume as possible and trying to organize my affairs for my return back to the States. I've been back now for 3 weeks, and it feels like so much longer. Being apart from Gui never gets any easier. This time was particularly difficult. In the past, we'd always managed to work out a way to spend most of the year together, but this time was a little different. We had come to a crossroads where both of us were embarking on journeys towards our long-term goals, and neither of us knew when we'd see the other next. For us, it made no sense to make plans for our futures without considering how the other would fit in it. So, long story short, we are now making plans for me to indefinitely return to Paris in May after we exchange our vows on April 26th this year. It's the most wonderful feeling to be on the same path with the person I love, and to know that we'll no longer have to tailor our separate lives to be together. I'll be posting my experiences and obstacles throughout the transition, many of which I'm sure will be very difficult and frustrating. But, it is almost an understatement to say that these days I'm a very happy girl.
We had the time of our lives in Belgium, which might explain my lukewarm experience in Amsterdam. The city, history and architecture are beautiful; the people and the atmosphere are another story. My two favorite moments in Amsterdam were 1) the trip to Anne Frank's old house (I didn't want to leave - so amazing), and 2) the canal boat ride through the city at sundown. Overall, the trip was a great success. We had a ton of fun, and it was great to see my friends on the other side of the pond.
(pictures from the trips to come soon...)
I spent my last 10 days in France sharing as much of my time with Guillaume as possible and trying to organize my affairs for my return back to the States. I've been back now for 3 weeks, and it feels like so much longer. Being apart from Gui never gets any easier. This time was particularly difficult. In the past, we'd always managed to work out a way to spend most of the year together, but this time was a little different. We had come to a crossroads where both of us were embarking on journeys towards our long-term goals, and neither of us knew when we'd see the other next. For us, it made no sense to make plans for our futures without considering how the other would fit in it. So, long story short, we are now making plans for me to indefinitely return to Paris in May after we exchange our vows on April 26th this year. It's the most wonderful feeling to be on the same path with the person I love, and to know that we'll no longer have to tailor our separate lives to be together. I'll be posting my experiences and obstacles throughout the transition, many of which I'm sure will be very difficult and frustrating. But, it is almost an understatement to say that these days I'm a very happy girl.
LONDON
As predicted, we had a really great visit to London. After answering a few questions at customs in Paris, we boarded our train and headed north toward the big city. It was a bit of a culture shock when I arrived - everyone spoke English, but it took me a while to get used to the British accent. I even thanked someone who held a door for me with a firm "Merci!" before realizing I wasn't required to use my French. We had a great time visiting Buckingham Palace, Parliament, Big Ben, Abbey Road, Brick Lane, the Texas Embassy, and taking a ride on a double-decker. We also spent some time at Oxford Circus drooling over the sales at Top Shop and French Connection (I somehow managed to come away with only a pair of tights - my self-control is improving)!
I finally reunited with my long-time friends over dinner. The Lebanese food was fantastic, but the company was better! It had been nearly 5 years since I saw them last, and they all looked like the same, young Texas Six that I remembered! I wish I could have spent more time catching up with them, but it gives me an excuse to return soon. We also, of course, visited with Gui's sister and boyfriend who have a nice place in Shoreditch. They showed us around their 'hood and took us to a few cool places - one to which I will remember to return. The time we spent in London pretty much reconfirmed my sentiments about the city - it's AMAZING.
I finally reunited with my long-time friends over dinner. The Lebanese food was fantastic, but the company was better! It had been nearly 5 years since I saw them last, and they all looked like the same, young Texas Six that I remembered! I wish I could have spent more time catching up with them, but it gives me an excuse to return soon. We also, of course, visited with Gui's sister and boyfriend who have a nice place in Shoreditch. They showed us around their 'hood and took us to a few cool places - one to which I will remember to return. The time we spent in London pretty much reconfirmed my sentiments about the city - it's AMAZING.
A la prochaine
à la prochaine = until next time
Guillaume and I will be in London from tomorrow afternoon until Sunday. We don't really have an itinerary or even a list of places to see or things to do, so we're pretty much just taking a vacation from vacation. (Not to rub it in or anything.) I guess you could say we're taking a vacation from Paris. It'll be nice to be in an English-speaking country again, and I'm hoping to catch up with some old friends of mine that I've managed to lose touch with over the past few years. Oh, and I love London. I don't think it'll be very difficult to have a nice time in my favorite city, but we're going to try to stick to the low- or no-cost entertainment while we're in the Second-most expensive city in the world.
PS: I've posted a couple more entries below. See you soon!
Guillaume and I will be in London from tomorrow afternoon until Sunday. We don't really have an itinerary or even a list of places to see or things to do, so we're pretty much just taking a vacation from vacation. (Not to rub it in or anything.) I guess you could say we're taking a vacation from Paris. It'll be nice to be in an English-speaking country again, and I'm hoping to catch up with some old friends of mine that I've managed to lose touch with over the past few years. Oh, and I love London. I don't think it'll be very difficult to have a nice time in my favorite city, but we're going to try to stick to the low- or no-cost entertainment while we're in the Second-most expensive city in the world.
PS: I've posted a couple more entries below. See you soon!
Insomnia
For the past few nights now, I haven't been able to find the right sleeping position or just the right spot on my pillow to keep myself sleeping through the night. Tonight, I think I slept for a couple of hours, but I found myself tossing and turning again right around 3 a.m. and I finally decided to hop out of bed and make some use of my sleepless night. I was thinking that I've been getting so much sleep lately - getting to bed by 1 or 2 a.m. and sleeping right through 11 or even noon most days - that my body doesn't know what to do with all the extra sleep I'm forcing myself to get. I guess I could also just be suffering from a long bout of jet-lag. Or maybe my usually-OK habit of having a coffee or tea or Hershey bar just before bed (and still be able to sleep like log) doesn't apply here to my after-dinner espressos..? Hmmmm.
Perhaps this a good opportunity for me start waking up early and being productive - doing things like working out, emailing friends, reading a book or studying for the grad-school exam I've been putting off. Yes, I think I'll turn this annoying occurrence into a productive habit! Now, I just need to convince Guillaume that I'll be interrupting his 10 hours of shut-eye for a worthy cause.
Perhaps this a good opportunity for me start waking up early and being productive - doing things like working out, emailing friends, reading a book or studying for the grad-school exam I've been putting off. Yes, I think I'll turn this annoying occurrence into a productive habit! Now, I just need to convince Guillaume that I'll be interrupting his 10 hours of shut-eye for a worthy cause.
Planes, trains and small cars
So, I made it! The flight from Memphis to Amsterdam wasn't awful, but I only managed a short nap for the entire 8-hour flight. Usually, I try to get some sleep on the plane ride over so I can adjust more easily to the time change, but this time my insomnia was in full-force.
I spent only a few hours in Amsterdam, but it was so early and the weather seemed so bad that I didn't mind that I spent those hours trying to catch some sleep. Finally, I got to Paris, and I was so stoked that I didn't have to go through customs! I guess since I'd entered a Schengen country already, it wasn't necessary for them to check us again. Guillaume arrived at the terminal a bit late - he got a little turned around at the airport - imagine that! But, nearly 3 hours later, I finally arrived in Chatillon - the traffic in Paris around 5pm was absurd!
We've pretty much been non-stop since I arrived last week. I feel like I've been here a month already, but there's still so much I want to do! Mostly, we've been meeting up with Guillaume's friends and family in Paris. On Sunday, I got to meet all of Guillaume's cousins from his father's side of the family, and also his grandmother, which was a little intimidating. Luckily, she was incredibly nice and patient with me. For the most part, everyone's been able to communicate with me on some level, but lately Guillaume's finding himself with a new profession as a translator. We met up with his family at his dad's apartment in Boulogne-Billancourt for delicious desserts including apple tart, pear cake, belgian chocolates, coffee, clementines and other sugary delights. It was very comfortable and everyone was so sweet - trying to speak English or teach me a bit a French, and I was able to understand quite a bit of their conversations in French. One of Guillaume's cousins and her husband have a gorgeous little girl named Margot, and we offered to babysit for them at any time. She's so sweet and I'll probably benefit more from babysitting her than anything else since most of her books are on the same level of comprehension that I'm on!!
On Sunday night, we met up with a friend to see the movie "We Own the Night" which was showing in English with French subtitles. It was actually a really cool movie, and I think watching it with subtitles was really good for me.
So, I guess that's kind of the update on what we've been doing. If there's one thing that I wish I could change about Paris, it's the smoking. I know things will change on February 1, but not one day passes when I don't inhale someone's secondhand smoke. And, unfortunately, all of the places we go to meet friends and have a drink are pretty much smoke-factories, so there's just no escaping it. I guess it's the price I'll pay (for now) for the perks that come with being here - like the food! I've eaten so well since I've arrived - maybe not as much as I'd like to, but definitely enough. :) I've had cheese galore, steak, ratatouille, saucisson, creamy soup, fresh fruit and veggies, good coffee and the most amazing panini baguette I've ever tasted! Oh, and one more thing I'd like to change about Paris is the selection of beer - man, I never realized how spoiled we are in the states with the beer selection! My goodness, it costs nearly $7 to get a decent-tasting beer anywhere around here!! I guess I'll have to wait until we make that trip to Belgium in February!!
A la prochaine...
I spent only a few hours in Amsterdam, but it was so early and the weather seemed so bad that I didn't mind that I spent those hours trying to catch some sleep. Finally, I got to Paris, and I was so stoked that I didn't have to go through customs! I guess since I'd entered a Schengen country already, it wasn't necessary for them to check us again. Guillaume arrived at the terminal a bit late - he got a little turned around at the airport - imagine that! But, nearly 3 hours later, I finally arrived in Chatillon - the traffic in Paris around 5pm was absurd!
We've pretty much been non-stop since I arrived last week. I feel like I've been here a month already, but there's still so much I want to do! Mostly, we've been meeting up with Guillaume's friends and family in Paris. On Sunday, I got to meet all of Guillaume's cousins from his father's side of the family, and also his grandmother, which was a little intimidating. Luckily, she was incredibly nice and patient with me. For the most part, everyone's been able to communicate with me on some level, but lately Guillaume's finding himself with a new profession as a translator. We met up with his family at his dad's apartment in Boulogne-Billancourt for delicious desserts including apple tart, pear cake, belgian chocolates, coffee, clementines and other sugary delights. It was very comfortable and everyone was so sweet - trying to speak English or teach me a bit a French, and I was able to understand quite a bit of their conversations in French. One of Guillaume's cousins and her husband have a gorgeous little girl named Margot, and we offered to babysit for them at any time. She's so sweet and I'll probably benefit more from babysitting her than anything else since most of her books are on the same level of comprehension that I'm on!!
On Sunday night, we met up with a friend to see the movie "We Own the Night" which was showing in English with French subtitles. It was actually a really cool movie, and I think watching it with subtitles was really good for me.
So, I guess that's kind of the update on what we've been doing. If there's one thing that I wish I could change about Paris, it's the smoking. I know things will change on February 1, but not one day passes when I don't inhale someone's secondhand smoke. And, unfortunately, all of the places we go to meet friends and have a drink are pretty much smoke-factories, so there's just no escaping it. I guess it's the price I'll pay (for now) for the perks that come with being here - like the food! I've eaten so well since I've arrived - maybe not as much as I'd like to, but definitely enough. :) I've had cheese galore, steak, ratatouille, saucisson, creamy soup, fresh fruit and veggies, good coffee and the most amazing panini baguette I've ever tasted! Oh, and one more thing I'd like to change about Paris is the selection of beer - man, I never realized how spoiled we are in the states with the beer selection! My goodness, it costs nearly $7 to get a decent-tasting beer anywhere around here!! I guess I'll have to wait until we make that trip to Belgium in February!!
A la prochaine...
What I'm going to miss: Version 2.0
So, before I left to California I posted this entry about the things I'd miss while I was away from Texas. This newer version is definitely expanded, since so many little things I take for granted will surely be difficult or impossible to find when I'm abroad. These are just the material things...of course my family and friends are implicitly what I'll miss most while I'm gone!
1) Mom's home-cookin' - be that roast, enchiladas, rice, chalupas, or chicken salad, there's nothing that tastes quite as good as when mom makes it!
2) Driving - even though I won't miss traffic or driving to work during rush hour, I think I'll miss the control that I feel when I'm driving my car; it's almost like that freedom to escape...just get in your car when you feel like it and drive wherever you want to go.
3) Breakfast tacos
4) Wearing flip flops any time of the year - I know you can't do that everywhere here, but you surely can in LA and Austin!
5) American reality TV - especially the really geeky stuff like The Bachelor or SYTYCD
6) Knowing where to find what I need - out of shave gel? gotta go to Target! need some pasta? taking a trip to HEB or Trader Joe's!
7) Fast food - I know I'm going to be living in, arguably, the best city for food in the world, but sometimes all a girl needs is a nice taco combo from Taco Cabana, a biggie-sized chili from Wendy's or a strawberry limeade from Sonic!
8) Friendly people - France (especially Paris) doesn't exactly have a medal for being home to the most approachable people.
...... I'll post more as I think of them!
1) Mom's home-cookin' - be that roast, enchiladas, rice, chalupas, or chicken salad, there's nothing that tastes quite as good as when mom makes it!
2) Driving - even though I won't miss traffic or driving to work during rush hour, I think I'll miss the control that I feel when I'm driving my car; it's almost like that freedom to escape...just get in your car when you feel like it and drive wherever you want to go.
3) Breakfast tacos
4) Wearing flip flops any time of the year - I know you can't do that everywhere here, but you surely can in LA and Austin!
5) American reality TV - especially the really geeky stuff like The Bachelor or SYTYCD
6) Knowing where to find what I need - out of shave gel? gotta go to Target! need some pasta? taking a trip to HEB or Trader Joe's!
7) Fast food - I know I'm going to be living in, arguably, the best city for food in the world, but sometimes all a girl needs is a nice taco combo from Taco Cabana, a biggie-sized chili from Wendy's or a strawberry limeade from Sonic!
8) Friendly people - France (especially Paris) doesn't exactly have a medal for being home to the most approachable people.
...... I'll post more as I think of them!
Lame update
I'm not in Dallas anymore.
I'm temporarily working at my old job in Austin.
I'm spending quality time with most of the people I love.
I've become quite the gypsy.
I can't wait for Thanksgiving to see my nephews, sis and Georgia peaches.
I'm not going to London after all (for now).
I'm moving to Paris at the end of November.
How's that for an update? :)
More soon...
I'm temporarily working at my old job in Austin.
I'm spending quality time with most of the people I love.
I've become quite the gypsy.
I can't wait for Thanksgiving to see my nephews, sis and Georgia peaches.
I'm not going to London after all (for now).
I'm moving to Paris at the end of November.
How's that for an update? :)
More soon...
Movin', movin'
So, I'm in Dallas now. Well, not really Dallas, just north of it in Carrollton, but it's about a 20 minute drive to downtown Dallas, which I passed along the way. I got to do some thinking on the 3-hour drive, and before I got here I was thinking to myself that I was maybe making a mistake...maybe I should stay in Austin for a little longer...maybe forever. But, as I made it closer to Dallas, and after passing downtown, I felt a little jolt of excitement. I'm not sure where it came from or what it was for, but if I had to guess, it was the crazy, independent, thrill-seeking side of me anticipating all of the energy that's housed in a big city. It's like taking a trip to New York, and finally arriving at that little corner in Times Square where all the energy seems to be emerging from. Even though it only lasted a couple of seconds, I feel content that I've made it here and I'm going to give it all I've got to find some sort of success here. If not, at least I'll have tried.
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