home

paris was amazing. beautiful & exciting.

but i sure am relieved to be back in an english-speaking country.
being in paris made me realize how much i appreciate london.

being in london made me realize how much i appreciate home.

& i mean my REAL HOME.

don't get me wrong, london will always be my 2nd home. it's everything i imagined & more. i feel like somehow london, it's culture, & the accents were created simply to fit my lifestyle (haha) if that's even possible.

you know when you go on a trip? somewhere far far away. you expect to go home right after the trip, right? well that's how i felt as the 4 day trip was coming to a close. for the first time since i've been abroad, i felt the pangs of homesickness. 

not that i haven't wished i was back in the states-- but i've kind of resisted the feelings of missing home, just because there's no point in being miserable wishing i was home while being in one of the largest & most amazing cities. & wishing i was back in london when i'm back in the states.

i might as well enjoy being where i am, while i'm in it. carpe diem, right?

but. 

england doesn't have thanksgiving. 

they drive on the left side of the road.

everything is expensive.

they don't get snow until february.

everyone i really cannot live without is not here.

in short. i'll allowing myself to miss home for 5 seconds.

cheers

going to sleep in london, to wake up in paris

it's finally the start of mid-semester break here!

all of my flatmates have already departed for their vacation; the three girls i am traveling with, and myself included of course, are the last to leave the flat.. it's a bit sad in such an empty, quiet flat (typically there are 13 of us).

it's going to be a LONG bus ride, & i mean LOOOOOONNNNNGGGGG.

giving me plenty of time to sleep... ponder.... read perhaps? i'll probably just be sleeping though.

it's cheerio to london, & bonjour paris!

(for 4 days! yipeee)

sometime tomorrow i'll be sword-fighting with baguettes in front of the eiffel tower.

cheers !

adam levine. sex on legs.

that would be the definition if his name was in the webster dictionary.
but i believe the urbandictionary definition appears as 'sex on a stick'

misery

so apparently i am supposed to study while i am "studying abroad" ?
that is most outrageous idea i have ever heard in my life!
i thought this was a playtime for me; a time to travel, galavant about with british boys, and to fill my stomach full of cornish pasties?

no you say?
{mind you, all the above is a joke, as is this blog i keep.}
but seriously, i feel like 'study abroad' is just a euphemism for 'let's take bullshit classes and just dick around'
not just for me, but for everyone.
not that i'm complaining at all.  :)

but i've only recently felt the need to really buckle down & do work, as it is the last week of classes for me. i've got 3 (4 if you count the in-class essay for the exam) papers due within the early portion of the upcoming week as well as an additional presentation, not to mention 2 more exams.
to which i drag a very unenthusiastic huzzah from my mouth.
& THEN I BEGIN MY INTERNSHIP WITH THE VERY COOL AMY FLEURIOT OF CYCLODELIC. 
{she's amazing by the way, as well as her adorable shiba inu pup, hiro.... although he gets easily excited, if you know what i mean. pictures to come}

but for now i'm attempting to write some papers WHILE MY EARS JAM OUT TO THE ORGASMIC SOUNDS OF MAROON 5.
{maroon 5 - hands all over 2010}
i'm thoroughly enjoying every song thus far. esp NEVER GONNA LEAVE THIS BED

which i wish i could do on this dreary london afternoon.

cheers !

food, food, food. (my) world revolves around food.

fettucini with tomatoes, green onions, mushrooms,
chili peppers, & grilled chicken in carbonara sauce

so since i've been living on my own (if you don't count 12 other girls in my flat) --- cooking on my own, i've come to realize it isn't so hard!

... then again, all i've been making essentially is variations of pasta, fried rice, stir fry, & omelets....

but at least it looks good, smells good, & tastes good to me!

but living in london, like i said before, everything is so small ! so all the packages of food are smaller, because they expect you to use it up faster because it won't be preserved as long as i'm used to in the states. (NO COSTCOS HERE) 

the raw resources before they are turned to
a beauteous meal ! & yes i used wine ! :)

i mean there are the positives about it, but i can't really think about those when i have to throw out half a small bag of salad & 5 whole mushrooms 

(YES I'M BECOMING MORE OF A MISER THAN I ALREADY WAS... BUT I CAN'T HELP IT ! I'M A POOR AMERICAN IN EXPENSIVE LONDON !!) but i can definitely see how this is a growing experience for me, not only with exploring the city, but just really having to make for myself. of course college at marist did a bit of the training, but i didn't have pay for laundry there (2 pounds to wash, 1 pound to dry here!!!!), or cook anything really (besides the occasional cup ramen or soup). ho hum. i guess i really am spoiled in more ways than i thought!

bon appetit ! somewhat.

& now that i've found that i have become quite a little chef (JUST LET ME HAVE MY CHEF MOMENT PLEASE BEFORE I REALIZE IT'S NOTHING SPECIAL!) i know i will be expected to cook at home now.. or something. 
well. at least i know i can survive? more food pictures to come perhaps; unless i become too lazy & revert back to heating up canned soup !
& i do see a relapse somewhere in the horizon as i am a bit ill right now. i find a good soup to be real comfort.. if only i had my mug with me to eat it in. all they have in the flat are bowls & little bitty mugs that are hardly fit to drink my-big-american-portioned tea in...... oh well, boo hoo. you move on & i am left to eat hot soup in a bowl whilst burning my fingertips.

OH. i almost forgot. i tried for the first time, (tadaaamm!) strawberry beer at the queen's arms in south kensington!
i really don't enjoy beer, but this one was very fizzy and sweet, almost like a juice. highly recommend it; although if you're a dude, you might feel a bit sheepish in ordering it, as it is a bit of a girl drink. but hey, get your girlfriend or girl friends to order it & mooch off them!

(ignore my stubby arm & wrist...)
i'm not sure if they have this in the states... it's definitely the first i've heard of it. but if there is, that is definitely on my list of drinks.

cheers !

hey awesome !

well lookee here, i sign on & i see i've got 3 followers! huzzah!
that's much much more than the 0 i had before--- so thank you for making me feel appreciated amber, rebekah, & hanna :)

so as i maybe very briefly mentioned in my previous entry, fashion night out london 2010. although i didn't as many pictures as i should have, but i'm not going to post them here, because everyone who reads this will most likely be my friends, so you can peruse them on facebook :)
the atmosphere was awesome. although i didn't see anyone famous, or get tons of free stuff like some of my friends did {THEY SAW MANOLO BLAHNIK AT LIBERTY.. jealous so much so} it was still an amazing night. just to say i've been to the event is still nice. & we did hit up a number of places {didn't get to snag the tshirts at gap though! darn} including coast, gap, all saints, etc. everyone was so fashionable & just... cool, i guess for lack of better terms.

i suppose {as i've mentioned before} it's the atmosphere and attitude here, but everything seems more relaxed and taken in stride, that i feel like i'm some kind of rushed, crazy person. {although i feel like i'm like that anyway}
but i absolutely LOVE that kind of thing. & i am IN LOVE with london itself; & i am already sad to think i will have to leave here {as much as i want to be home & be with everyone again in oregon & new york} !
it's crazy, but i've never felt such a joy for a place in such a short time. i could actually picture myself living here, once i acquire a small fortune lol.

other than fashion night out, it's been eventful here. 2nd night out in london's nightlife = not such a win. it's a very very entertaining story, as frustrating & ridiculous as it was during though. but all that matters is that we made it back safe & sound & it makes for a hilarious story. according to flat mates, their nights were equally as... exciting. (;
finally went to CAMDEN MARKET today. was amazed.
it's basically a huge marketplace with some food carts, dessert carts, vegetable stands, LOTS of cheap clothes & jewelry & shoes. like a flea market. there were so many things to look at, as well as people.
definitely going to go back many many times, as there are many photo opportunities there.

well this has been an EXTRA long entry for myself. so ta for now it's tea time.
oh by the way, anyone who reads & cares to leave a comment----- where are the top places i should check out in london?? i need more places to explore !

& why yes, i am a witch & was on my way to hogwarts today via platform 9&3/4 !
{it was just something i HAD TO DO. i don't think you could understand the excitement upon finding it at king's cross}

cheers !

button ups & cardigans {the proper way}

like i said, London is popping with their fashion & everyone's got their own style
literally i see 10 guys walk by me a day with button down shirts buttoned allllll the way up, even that little button that everyone ignores unless they've got a tie on. & i must say it's stylish beyond belief & kinda hot. will try to snap a photo as creeper-ly as i can (:

i wish guys in the states would dress a little bit like they do here {can i get a hallelujah??}

anyway, totes digging this trend, which i've applied to myself as well {works fine on the ladies as well}
this is just a short blurb today. maybe more later tonight & update on sept 8 london fashion night out.

cheers!