A breath of air
It's been a long, full, hectic week - make that nearly a week. I've been in California for 5 full days now, and everyday I've learned something new about the place and people. It's funny how you can have so many people telling you so many different and same things about one place and you never really get to prove or disprove those things until you're actually there. I'm actually here now and the weather's meh, the people are rarely beautiful (I definitely prefer Texans), and the shopping...it's better than I imagined!
So, there's good news and bad news to report from the west coast. The good news is that Gui and I finally found an apartment and I signed the lease yesterday. It's in a pretty nice area of Long Beach with beach and shops within walking distance. It's incredibly tiny (well, by Guillaume's French standards, it's standard size), the stove and fridge are tiny, but the closet space is ample (thank God). It's completely empty at the moment, so I'm making a trip to Target to pick up some essentials this afternoon before Gui gets back from San Fran [to update: he left on Monday and is in San Francisco until Sunday for work].
Now, to the bad news. I haven't had as much luck with the job search as I'd hoped. I went to a job interview on Monday with a placement firm, and they were completely pumped about getting me into a job. I had an interview with a hedgefund yesterday in Beverly Hills, which was an enlightening experience. I've never seen so many Bentleys, Benzes and Beamers on one level in a parking garage before in my life! I definitely felt sub-par driving around Santa Monica Blvd and Rodeo Drive in Guillaume's little, beat-up Saturn. :) But, the interview went well. I don't think I'd be up for such a long commute (about 2 hours each way) every single day, which brings me to another point. As much as I hate traffic, I defintely don't mind LA traffic. It's fast, full-speed traffic that only exploits the crappy, slow drivers. And, everyone uses their blinkers (indicators, for you Brits reading this)!!! That's certaintly a very welcome change to my commute.
I'm realizing that the strangest thing about where we're living is the very obvious mix of people - youngsters and old folks alike are all going to the same places. Example: during our St. Patty's celebration, we found that at every bar, there were people celebrating that were our age with folks my parents' ages! It was a little different, but defintely a fun time [will post pics soon]. This little coffee haven I found a few blocks from our place is another example; about half are 20-somethings and the other half late-fourties and older. It's another change that I think I'll start to get used to. Everyone's rather friendly here, too, which is a relief.
So, off for more exploration. Updates to be forthcoming!
So, there's good news and bad news to report from the west coast. The good news is that Gui and I finally found an apartment and I signed the lease yesterday. It's in a pretty nice area of Long Beach with beach and shops within walking distance. It's incredibly tiny (well, by Guillaume's French standards, it's standard size), the stove and fridge are tiny, but the closet space is ample (thank God). It's completely empty at the moment, so I'm making a trip to Target to pick up some essentials this afternoon before Gui gets back from San Fran [to update: he left on Monday and is in San Francisco until Sunday for work].
Now, to the bad news. I haven't had as much luck with the job search as I'd hoped. I went to a job interview on Monday with a placement firm, and they were completely pumped about getting me into a job. I had an interview with a hedgefund yesterday in Beverly Hills, which was an enlightening experience. I've never seen so many Bentleys, Benzes and Beamers on one level in a parking garage before in my life! I definitely felt sub-par driving around Santa Monica Blvd and Rodeo Drive in Guillaume's little, beat-up Saturn. :) But, the interview went well. I don't think I'd be up for such a long commute (about 2 hours each way) every single day, which brings me to another point. As much as I hate traffic, I defintely don't mind LA traffic. It's fast, full-speed traffic that only exploits the crappy, slow drivers. And, everyone uses their blinkers (indicators, for you Brits reading this)!!! That's certaintly a very welcome change to my commute.
I'm realizing that the strangest thing about where we're living is the very obvious mix of people - youngsters and old folks alike are all going to the same places. Example: during our St. Patty's celebration, we found that at every bar, there were people celebrating that were our age with folks my parents' ages! It was a little different, but defintely a fun time [will post pics soon]. This little coffee haven I found a few blocks from our place is another example; about half are 20-somethings and the other half late-fourties and older. It's another change that I think I'll start to get used to. Everyone's rather friendly here, too, which is a relief.
So, off for more exploration. Updates to be forthcoming!
I'm here!
Ok, I don't have much time to write about everything right now, but I've made it safely to Long Beach...it's very nice! It was so great to see Guillaume at the airport, and the weather has turned out to be really nice for my first day in town. The bad news is that my interview with Bloomie's went really crappy....well, actually it didn't go crappy, but I was informed that they had just filled the position that I had applied for. They wanted me to consider other positions (floor positions like sales, cust. service, merchandising, etc.), but I'm not going to sell my self out like that. I don't have the desire to work in retail, and I'm just going to wait it out and hope for the best. We'll see how things go Monday with my other interview. Right now, Gui and I are having a coffee/muffin break while we look around for apartments. It's really nice in this area - very trendy with starbucks all around and a few small bars and pubs. We still need to find a place to have a green beer!! I'm not even wearing green today!!!! So, off we go...I'll keep things updated soon. I'm sorry if I haven't called anyone, my stupid phone is roaming and likely charging me out the a** to talk on it.....I need Ely to hook me up! : ) I'm gonna see about getting another plan while I'm here, maybe. So, y'all have fun for me tonight...don't forget the ICBs and kilts! TAKE PICTURES! All my love to everyone back home!
Lucky in love
I never realized how great a relationship could be until I met Guillaume - we mesh well, we talk, we argue, we compliment eachother and he makes me laugh so much. I've had my unlucky streaks with relationships - a fair share if you ask me, but who hasn't? What I love about my relationship with Guillaume is that we talk to eachother like friends - we tell eachother everything, and he knows how to pick me up when I'm down and make me believe when I'm doubting. I hope that he feels the same about me. We definitely have our differences, but we never disrespect eachother for those differences, and that's such a novelty in a relationship these days. I'm sure there will be times when we'll need time apart from eachother or we'll completely butt heads on a topic (that actually happens often now), but I think we've both learned that our time together should never be taken for granted, and that's what will get us through. If I never hit the lottery or get to drive that Continental GTC I've always dreamed of owning, I will still be such a lucky girl.
The forces of the world are united against us
Yesterday I met up with the ladies for my going-away brunch at Taverna, where we gossipped about our jobs, gushed about our futures, ran into unwelcomed old flames, and toasted to new beginnings. It was a wonderful feast of food with friends that even a little rain couldn't ruin. After we were satisfied with the amount of food (and champagne) in our bellies, we made our way across the street to the local gelateria; I had a craving for gelato and coffee, so I was delighted to see a gelato cappuccino on the menu. Just as I was placing my order, I answered a call from Guillaume, expecting to hear some good news about finding a car or an apartment, but I was sadly disappointed when he gave me the news that he's going to be in San Francisco for the entire time I'll be in town to interview for jobs. What the heck?!! We knew he'd have to go to San Fran for work on occasion at some point, but we didn't expect him to be leaving for the Golden Gate City just 2 weeks into the internship! Grrrr. I was completely bummed that our reunion after 2 months is going to have to be consolidated into one measly day. Booooo. It just seems that everything is starting to go against us, and it totally sucks. Well, maybe I'm over-exaggerating a bit, but come on! Now I'm not sure if I should change my flight to come back earlier, if I should keep my flight and just hang around LA with out him, or if I should change my flight to come back later and spend some time in SF with him. Decisions, decisions. I'll have to make up my mind soon enough and will be sure to share it here when it's made.
So, moving on...the rest of the day was spent shopping (btw, the new Anthropologie store on Lamar and 6th is the shiznit!), shopping, shopping, shopping and having dinner with the ladies. It was a very long day, and when dinner was over and I was ready to head home, I decided to live in the moment and joined Irisa to hear our fave local band (well, non-emotional local band...hehe) play a free SXSW show, which was just divine! The open bar may have had something to do with it, but the music was certainly the high-point of the night. I know I mentioned this before, but I'm really gonna miss Austin and all it has to offer. I mean, where else is it common practice to hold a live music event open to the public with open bar all night? Not to mention that the bands playing (The Lemurs & What Made Milwaukee Famous) are some of cream of the local talent crop in Austin. While we were waiting for the doors to open to the party, we had a drink at the pub just down the street, where we chatted with the bartender who's an aspiring musician himself. He even gave us one of his CDs! I'm definitely going to miss this place, especially in March and September, when the great city opens its doors to people from all over the world to share some of its envied treasures. I really hope that when I return home to Austin that those same treasures will still be here.
So, moving on...the rest of the day was spent shopping (btw, the new Anthropologie store on Lamar and 6th is the shiznit!), shopping, shopping, shopping and having dinner with the ladies. It was a very long day, and when dinner was over and I was ready to head home, I decided to live in the moment and joined Irisa to hear our fave local band (well, non-emotional local band...hehe) play a free SXSW show, which was just divine! The open bar may have had something to do with it, but the music was certainly the high-point of the night. I know I mentioned this before, but I'm really gonna miss Austin and all it has to offer. I mean, where else is it common practice to hold a live music event open to the public with open bar all night? Not to mention that the bands playing (The Lemurs & What Made Milwaukee Famous) are some of cream of the local talent crop in Austin. While we were waiting for the doors to open to the party, we had a drink at the pub just down the street, where we chatted with the bartender who's an aspiring musician himself. He even gave us one of his CDs! I'm definitely going to miss this place, especially in March and September, when the great city opens its doors to people from all over the world to share some of its envied treasures. I really hope that when I return home to Austin that those same treasures will still be here.
Exhaustive Progress
Exhaustion has set in. After a long, full day of shopping for work clothes and sandals, I finally headed home around 6pm with a pair of *yawn* black slacks. Boooo. I also scored a $12 sweater at The Limited and a cute tank from Strut, but nothing that was on my list. I kept thinking while I was shopping, "Now, I could buy this pretty cute top for $58 or save my money and spend it on a really cute top at Zara once I get to LA next week." I hope LA doesn't disappoint in the fashion department, but what am I saying?...it's ELLLL AAAAAY...of course it won't disappoint here. Geesh, I must be really tired.
So, after a long day of shopping, I contemplated going out for a drink, but then realized I was just not in the mood to put together an outfit and try to doll myself up. I decided to veg-out, but couldn't help but feel guilty that I wasn't doing something in preparation for this horrid week of packing and cleaning and organizing. About half-way through the opening act of SNL, I jumped off the couch and went straight for the garage to sift through the mountain of Rubbermaid storage boxes. Man, I have a lot of shiznit! After going through the first 3 boxes, I figured I would soon start seeing ornaments and tinsel when I lifted the next box lid, but nope...more kitchen stuff, more purses, more shoes, more JUNK!! Today is the day I decide to ditch my pack-rat ways and turn over a new leaf of purging! It felt good to narrow my box count down from 8 boxes to 4! Woohoo!! My mom could definitely take some hints from the new me; her organization skills are, shall I say, reprehensible and I think she could do with a little purging herself. In fact, it's obvious that her bad pack-ratting habits were passed along to me in the womb. So, alas, I've managed to pack up the kitchen stuffs (as Gui likes to pluralize it) and a few other items to take along, while at the same time making some space in the garage for more of Mom's junk ;)
So, after a long day of shopping, I contemplated going out for a drink, but then realized I was just not in the mood to put together an outfit and try to doll myself up. I decided to veg-out, but couldn't help but feel guilty that I wasn't doing something in preparation for this horrid week of packing and cleaning and organizing. About half-way through the opening act of SNL, I jumped off the couch and went straight for the garage to sift through the mountain of Rubbermaid storage boxes. Man, I have a lot of shiznit! After going through the first 3 boxes, I figured I would soon start seeing ornaments and tinsel when I lifted the next box lid, but nope...more kitchen stuff, more purses, more shoes, more JUNK!! Today is the day I decide to ditch my pack-rat ways and turn over a new leaf of purging! It felt good to narrow my box count down from 8 boxes to 4! Woohoo!! My mom could definitely take some hints from the new me; her organization skills are, shall I say, reprehensible and I think she could do with a little purging herself. In fact, it's obvious that her bad pack-ratting habits were passed along to me in the womb. So, alas, I've managed to pack up the kitchen stuffs (as Gui likes to pluralize it) and a few other items to take along, while at the same time making some space in the garage for more of Mom's junk ;)
Guillaume has made his way West
I finally received the much-anticipated phone call from Guillaume last night, while having coffee with friends, to inform me that he had arrived safely in the city of angels. It was about an hour after he arrived and you could tell his face was beaming with excitement the whole length of the conversation. The call was brief because he doesn't have a cell phone set-up yet and was running out of quarters for the pay phone. From what I gathered, he was picked up by two Canadians who he described as being "very, very cool" (a relief since I've never met a proper Canadian and was a little worried about what they'd think of a very American French guy...but, admittedly, my worry was slightly artificial, knowing that Guillaume gets along with everyone he meets). He said the flight was good and he's shacking up at the local Holiday Inn for now until he can arrange for an apartment (that's a whole other story that merits its own blog someday), but he made it clear to me that they were all going out to a bar and he was thrilled about it.
I was a little disappointed with such a short call, but I was very happy to hear that he arrived safely and was in very good spirits. I'm realizing, waking up this morning, that it's much more difficult to be apart from him when he's so freakin' close than when he's an ocean away. I've got to adapt for the next week to our new time difference. Instead of his schedule being 7 hours ahead, he's now 2 hours behind. So, for instance, waking up this morning, we'd usually have a nice long web-cam chat over Messenger or Skype, while he was in the late afternoon of his day; I'd go about my day afterwards, he'd go out with friends in the evening and we'd have another - much briefer - call anywhere between 5 and 8pm just as he was going to bed and I was getting ready to go out. Guillaume is, by no means, an early-to-rise kinda guy...he loves his sleep and could sleep for 18 hours straight if given the chance, so this new waiting game I'm going to have to play for the next week is going to be predictably torturous! Besides this, we will be in polar opposite mentalities this week as he begins a new job and exploring a new city, making new friends, while I'm wrapping up my time at work and with friends, hurriedly packing and preparing for interviews and the big move (which I'm totally unprepared for at the mo).
It's undoubtedly going to be a tough week, but I'll try to remain focused on the light at the end of the tunnel that's only 6 days away now. Wow.
I was a little disappointed with such a short call, but I was very happy to hear that he arrived safely and was in very good spirits. I'm realizing, waking up this morning, that it's much more difficult to be apart from him when he's so freakin' close than when he's an ocean away. I've got to adapt for the next week to our new time difference. Instead of his schedule being 7 hours ahead, he's now 2 hours behind. So, for instance, waking up this morning, we'd usually have a nice long web-cam chat over Messenger or Skype, while he was in the late afternoon of his day; I'd go about my day afterwards, he'd go out with friends in the evening and we'd have another - much briefer - call anywhere between 5 and 8pm just as he was going to bed and I was getting ready to go out. Guillaume is, by no means, an early-to-rise kinda guy...he loves his sleep and could sleep for 18 hours straight if given the chance, so this new waiting game I'm going to have to play for the next week is going to be predictably torturous! Besides this, we will be in polar opposite mentalities this week as he begins a new job and exploring a new city, making new friends, while I'm wrapping up my time at work and with friends, hurriedly packing and preparing for interviews and the big move (which I'm totally unprepared for at the mo).
It's undoubtedly going to be a tough week, but I'll try to remain focused on the light at the end of the tunnel that's only 6 days away now. Wow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)