Holiday Weekends

It's Memorial Day here in MI. In fact, it's supposedly May around here.
Needless to say, the weather hasn't really agreed. We've had a few really nice days mind you, but this is possibly the wettest May I remember.
Ever.
This weekend is slated to be rainy and hot, and it's just a bummer. It makes the idea of doing anything, like planting flowers, so unappealing.

I spent last week in Atlanta with my mom. At first I wasn't too thrilled to visit, but we ended up having a fabulous time. We took our car and drove to Charleston, SC and rocked that town. They had the most amazing food I've eaten of vacation as of late. It's rare that absolutely every place you eat on a vacation has stellar food, not just "kinda good".
Needless to say, I have to get back ASAP. If only to eat all of the food I didn't eat the first time, you know?

Now it's time for me to finish my glass of wine, listen to my parents bicker (lovingly) with their friends as it's card night, and take a nap. I was up too early this morning to buy flowers and stuff.

Christmastime Is Here

The other night I watched "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and was struck by the fact that Christmastime is, in fact, here.

Also, Michigan got dumped on in a little mini-blizzard and that too, brought home the whole "Christmas" thing. We didn't get it as bad as Minnesota, but still. It took my dad nearly an hour to go ONE mile.
Needless to say, I stayed home.

Now, for those keeping score at home, I have been posting photos of the holiday shenanigans going on here in the Great White North on my brand new Tumblr. I've been posting some of the more choice ones, and we've moved from the library to the kitchen in the geography of the house.

Later this week is our annual trip to Chicago to go visit the people who still live in the city. I'm really looking forward to it, it's always fun to see a real city all lit up and busy for the holidays.

Also, we eat tons of delicious food.

More Paris

I suppose I had finish the updates on Paris, because while Emily hasn't asked for them, I really should record it all as best I can.

This takes us back to last Tuesday. On Tuesday I slept even later (which was really nice) although awkward, as I was totally interrupted by French room service trying to clean.

I finally dragged my sorry ass out of bed and wandered over to L'arc de Triomphe. I stood in line for a bit and then walked up the 284 steps to the top.
Let us ponder that for a moment.
284 STEPS.
Man is that a lot of steps. It nearly killed me, but the view is worth it once you make it. I took many many photos. Taking pictures was a great way to record the trip and gave me time to recover.

I walked down the 284 steps (which is easier than going up) and had lunch. At McDonalds. Yes, I know, I ate at McDonalds. The McD's on the Champs-Elysees no less. It was delicious and unbelievably busy. Busier than I have ever seen any fast food place ever. I only went there out of convenience and price. I spent way too much on dinner the night before (at a nice place on the Champs) and this was my way of making up for it.

I wrote a few postcards while I ate and then moved on to La Tour Eiffel. I waited a long, long time to go up, bit seeing as I had promised a friend of mine I would, I waited. Although once I got to the top, I kind of wondered why I did (being vaguely afraid of heights and all).

Dinner was quite the affair that night, as we went out with her work crew. Mom and I tried Fois Gras, which wasn't that bad. I don't think I'd jump to have it again, but it was an experience and now i can say I've done it. Mom had ratatouille, I had a pot of fish. Literally. It was delicious. For dessert I also had Creme Brulee on a Waffle. Best decision ever. Better than everyone else's lame-o ice creams. The only thing potentially better than the food was one of Mom's work friends kind of getting in a snit with the waiter. But I would've done the same thing-the waiter was all...I guess "uppity" is the word.

We got back super, super late.

Wednesday entails going out with her work peoples around the city. Stay tuned.

Short Paris Recap

So back to that whole "I went to Paris" thing. We shall recap briefly.

So on Monday I went around the city by myself, while my mom worked.
I slept a bit late (which was nice) and took the metro into the city. I started at Notre Dame, the first stop of the day. The church is gorgeous. Just so stunning. I took photos as best I can. I also caught the end of a tour in English (which was nice too) and informative. I wandered around the church and spent about an hour and a half there.

Upon leaving the church I decided to find this street that my mom read about in the Delta Flight Magazine. It's the Rue Sainte-Louis en L'ile. It's a charming little street with boutiques and little restaurants. I didn't eat there, I instead had a yummy sandwich from a take-away vendor and ate in the park behind Notre Dame.

Wandering over to the Lourve took longer than expected, but I found it. I feel that's impressive, being as I'm completely and utterly geographically challenged. I pretty much closed the place down, seeing everything as best I could. I did the high points, even taking time to see La Joconde (AKA the Mona Lisa). She's impressive, although smaller than most people realize.

After closing the Lourve, I walked further than I should have. I ate at a restaurant off the Champs-Elysees, which was delicious. It took me a long time to get there and got rained on pretty hardcore in the proccess. The waiter was nice to me, especially seeing as I was alone, kinda gross and American.

And thusly ends my Monday in Paris. I will include pictures and return for Tuesday soon. With pictures.

Alexa wins

While I was walking out the door for work this morning, Alexa was being way cooler than anyone:

"I am at the top of the eiffel tower. I can have champaign for 10 euro. I may never come home," said her text message.

What else can be said about that?

Je Suis A Paris

So I'm in Paris. I got in yesterday after a long day of traveling. Packing went (surprisingly) a whole lot easier than I thought it would. Just a load of laundry and a brief debate about whether or not to take the raincoat (which is also lightweight and cute).
(the coat stayed home)

My mom and I flew from Flint to Atlanta. The Flint Airport actually had pretty good muzak, which surprised me. It also had free WiFi, allowing me to feed the compulsion and check both the Facebook and the Twitter. One thing about the Flint Airport that was weird was its size. It's small. Real small. Like, Dude Where All The People, small. I found it unsettling.

The flight was uneventful and fairly short. We then got off the airplane to enter a gigantic airport, the size of which did not freak me out at all. We had a long time between flights and all the hustling and bustling about made me feel more at home. The food court that we found near our gate (one of many I'm sure) had tons of food, as well as an actual person playing the piano. I found it hilarious once I realized she was going through movie and tv theme songs for a while, hitting on Star Wars, Star Trek, Superman and probably The Facts Of Life.
My mother and I ate at a TGIFridays. It was...fine.

The flight to Paris was LONG. And originally, my mom and I weren't sitting together (due to booking shenans that aren't worth going over). So we get on the plane, I've got a window, there's a seat next to me (for Matt Damon?) and then the aisle, and then my mother. Before this French dude could sit down my mom was all "HIMYDAUGHTERANDICAN'TSITTOGETHERDOYOUMINDMOVING?NO?GREAT" and was in his seat before he knew what hit him.
This was made all the funnier because we were A)totally punchy and B)He was vaguely cute (albeit wearing one of the stupidest hats I have ever seen) and all "Yes! Sit next to a young and pretty girl! Score for the French Dude!". And then my mom took all that away from him.

Other than the flight being long, the high point of our first day in France was landing. We land and then get the announcement that there aren't enough gates, so don't trip down the stairs as you walk out. Okay Fine. We walk down the stairs to see a bus, waitiing to bus us to the gate. Which apparently you can't get to in a direct or timely fashion. I swear we drove in circles for like...15 minutes for little to no reason. It struck me as hilarious.

Then jet lag hit hard and we got to our hotel and ate and whatevs. Day 2 tomorrow? With pictures, since I actually took a few.

ALEXA IS GOING TO PARIS ON FRIDAY

Me: Remind me when you're leaving on Fri
Me: so I don't hit you with 50 international texts over the weekend
Alexa: lol
Alexa: werd
Me: One full week?
Alexa: yup
Alexa: I like the idea of lounging through the day
Me: Are you going to Paris proper?
Alexa: yup
Me: PLZ LOUVRE FOR ME
Alexa: Oh GOD I will
Alexa: Multiple times
Me: and eat delectable pastries
Me: and good cheeses
Alexa: And drink good wine
Me: Eiffel Tower it up once
Me: WRITE MY POSTCARD AT THE LOUVRE OR EIFFEL TOWER
Alexa: Promise
Me: Those are my vicarious requests
Alexa: No worries-consider it done

Sunday in LA-Hollywood (with words)

As Emily and I have just agreed, I shall give you a verbal recap of our time here in LA. And by "our time", I mean my time.

So on Sunday we woke up early-ish to go eat lunch at Aroma Cafe. It is this delicious little cafe on...a street. Which I can't remember. But anyway. They apparently are a hot place as the line always was long. Emily and I hopped in line, grabbed a menu and made our selections. I had the chicken and prosciutto panini with the curly fries. Emily had a turkey one with hummus and a small salad and we split some amazing roasted potatoes. I generally don't hold with waiting in line too long, but it was great. They serve you a little like the Corner Bakery in Chicago would, where you order at the counter and then take a number and then they bring you the food.

It was yummy, cute and worth it.

We hop the bus again to head down to Hollywood. We get off, hop the train and magically appear on the Walk of Fame. (see the previous post for photos of us)

For a moment I spent more time staring at the ground and didn't even realize that I was standing outside Grauman's Chinese Theater. But Emily said "HEY LOOK UP" and I did and it was "WOW. WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?"

And then it was an awesome photo montage of us and the handprints in the cement and stuff. Emily will be quick to point out that I am Matt Damon's biggest/only fangirl to which I say "LIES LIES LIES". And anyway, the world is a big place and if Tom Cruise can have deranged fans, so can Matt Damon.
Moving on

Emily and I then present ourselves for the suckers we are and get sucked into a "Tour of the Stars' Homes". And it was awesomely, deliciously tacky. We took photos of Leonardo DiCaprio's front gate, one part of the Playboy Mansion, Bob Barkers' house (among others). It was awesome and absurd and we even went down to Rodeo Drive and felt unbelievably poor.

We returned to our Walk of Fame and the Disney Soda Shoppe for some ice cream and a Pre-Disneyland Kickoff Extravaganza. AKA A coke float and an ice cream sandwich.
WHATEVER, IT WAS AMAZING.

And soon I will tell about Disneyland, most likely after our Santa Monica/Venice Beach/Getty Museum adventure.

Still in LA.

But we're not talking about today yet. We're still on Saturday.

So let us begin.

After sleeping for a good long while, I woke up to remember that Emily was at work for a while. I then got dressed (being as quiet as I could to not wake sleeping roomies) and headed out. It was like...hot out and I ended up wandering to the vaguely outdoor mall that is near her apartment. I ate a delicious lunch at the Cheesecake Factory and then sat outside for a while and "did Russian Homework".

And by "did Russian Homework" I mean "read and listened to music". I really did bring my Russian stuff with me and I brought it out and I even wrote a few answers. But then the whole *SUNSHINE* thing got to me and then I decided that thinking was for losers. And I am not a loser. Or at least I wasn't planning on thinking.

Emily got off work at like...3? We then wandered back to her apartment where I dropped my stuff off and then took another tour down the other side of the street. We went in some really cool shops before returning. I'm still contemplating buying something shiny and pretty from one of them, but that's a tomorrow project.

We then came back to the apartment, ate some leftovers (I still had some pasta from The Cheesecake Factory) and then went to bed. Because the following day we went to Hollywood.

I have photos from that day and will post them.

Until then, I'm in LA until Friday.

A good update for once

So I know I totes suck at updating and there's that. But here's an update.
I AM IN FREAKING L.A. BITCHES.

So we'll go back, way back, to like...Friday. The prospect of leaving Michigan was enough to make my head pop off with pure joy. My mom drove me to the airport, but not before eating a yummy breakfast and then stopping off at my coffee shop for a beverage. And a lecture from my boss's mom.

Then off to DTW where I tried to stalk George Clooney (he's supposedly filming a movie at our airport). I left on a noon flight to LA. IN FIRST CLASS. It was AMAZING. Big seats, tons of room...the flight attendants were all "CAN I GET YOU A BEVERAGE?" And by beverage, I mean liquor. More importantly, we ate lunch. A real lunch, with real food, on real plates with real glasses and real silverware. AND it was edible. So colour me impressed.

Emily then picked me up at the airport and we went to the apartment. Her roommate, Lizzy, was kind enoough to drive us which meant Emily didn't have to rent a car. We made it to the apartment in one piece where I had to pee like a pregnant lady, and then we set out on investigating the town.

A delicious Chinese meal later, a brief tour of Sherman Oaks and 2 Tylenol PM later (as I had reached a second wind with it being like...2 am in Michigan and only 11 here) I crashed for the evening.

Saturday awaits. And Sunday. Tomorrow? DISNEYLAND. I even promise photos....

ALEXA IS COMING TO VISIT ME

YES. THAT IS RIGHT. Alexa has booked a flight to Los Angeles for February 27 - March 6.


Alexa: I AM GOING FIRST CLASS BIATCH

Me: DO IT
Alexa: Really?
Alexa: are you sure?
Alexa: AM I SIPPING CHAMPAGNE IN FIRST CLASS?


Now I have a few weeks to start a list of things Alexa has to see, as she prepares her tourist ideas to explore as well.


Alexa: Talk to you a lot later when we can compulsively plan every second
Alexa: And then throw it all out the window when I get there

I'm Leaving (left and came back) on a Jet Plane

But I came back in a car.

Not one, but two whole weekends ago I went to Chicago for the weekend. And of course it was so cold I could die. Most of the trip was non eventful, hung out with friends, did some shopping, ate food. You know-the usual.

But the highlight of the trip was A)Getting the hell out of Detroit. I loved every second being in a place easily described as "NOT HERE".
And B)I saw Twilight. For free (thank you lara's roommate, jeanette). AND IT WAS HILARIOUS. However, I must admit something. I think if I saw it under different circumstances...nah. Nevermind. I thought I could say I would like it otherwise, but it's just not true. Well, when I say "like" I mean get all like, invested and whatever in the characters. It wasn't the worst movie but the moments I laughed at I most certainly was not supposed to. But I will say this-main vampire boy who is all "I AM INTENSE, SPARKLY, PALE AND HARDCORE" is vaguely attractive. And tall.

I like tall.

The dad in the movie is a lot like mine. Drinking a beer and cleaning his shotgun when said boy shows up to take out his daughter.

CHARLIE (dad): YOU WANNA HELP ME CLEAN MY SHOTGUN?
EDWARD (vampire boy): NO, I'M OKAY, THANKS.

So there's that. Also, please read the whole parody where I laughed till I cried here.
It's worth every moment.

And with that, I think I'm done. For now. Merry early Christmas?