Bonjour, Paris!

Gotta make this quick as it's already 12 p.m., and i'm still in bed eating oatmeal and willing myself to get dressed. Arrived in Paris early yesterday, found my way to my darling apartment (really cute inside, but in a terribly touristy area - will not make this mistake again), and was soon out the door to enjoy my favorite city in the world. First stop was Chez Hanna for the best falafel i've ever had, then down to St. Germain to visit the incredible woman behind La Cerise Sur Le Chapeau for my own custom-made hat. Visited a lovely paper store, L'Art du Papier, picked up my hat, stopped by Monoprix for some water, cheese, and chocolate, and then finally made my way back home. Was quickly on my way back out when i realized i needed a baguette. It's hard to find a charming boulangerie in such a tourist-heavy area, but luckily i was able to find one still open, and bustling with the French, pas Americaines. Picked up a baguette (and eclair!), then stumbled across a lovely bookstore where i purchased a copy of Marie Claire pour la Maison (can't get enough of French interiors) and DARLING Hello Kitty children's books in FRENCH! Tooo cute, one's called Une Surprise Pour Maman. Love love LOVE French children's books. Came home, soaked in a very hot bath, ate my baguette and cheese and eclair, and then passed out. After sleeping a glorious 12 hours i'm ready to take on a new day. I think Versailles is on the menu, although who knows what adventures this magical city will bring aujourd'hui...

Atonement

Incredible book. Incredible movie. Be still, my heart... i LOVE James McAvoy.

Jivamukti

What a fantastic day! I attended the 2-hour Jivamukti Workshop with David Life and Sharon Gannon and honestly didn't know what to expect. I'd heard great things about Jivamukti from Kimberly Wilson and other yogis, and i knew they had a strong following in NYC (including Mr. Russell Simmons), but that was about it. It was one of the best practices i've had! Included chanting, sun salutations, backbends, all kinds of twisty turny poses, and a shoulder-stand that i swear we held for like...15 minutes. Also were able to get a glimpse into David and Sharon's yoga philosophy and lifestyle. The best part was at the end when Sharon had us repeat after her... "I...will...be...vegan...for the peace of the world." Giggles went around the room once we heard the "vegan" part, but for me it really struck a chord. I've been listening to the Vegetarian Food for Thought podcast on iTunes, and vegetarianism is something i've been toying with for quite some time. It wasn't long ago that i said i could NEVER be a vegetarian b/c that would mean i was not a true foodie. But really.. what does that mean?? Well there's much more to say, and i've got to hit the hay (long day of babysitting ahead!), but more to come later.

xoxo, darlings

My Thanksgiving

I realize i should've written this ages ago (more like 2 days..), but it somehow escaped my mind. What did i do on Thanksgiving? Well i scored front row tickets to Les Miserables for half-price! So i took myself on a date on the evening of Thanksgiving to celebrate, sans turkey and pumpkin pie, giving thanks. The show was I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E. If i had to recommend one must-see show in London, i would recommend Les Miserables. The talent was beyond compare, and the entire show was captivating. I was incredibly moved and found myself wiping away tears in the last 10 minutes of the show (i wasn't alone either!). Loved it loved it LOVED IT. I can't say enough good things about. Being the longest running musical in business, Les Mis is truly organic - no fancy schmancy props or lights or special effects or wiring. Just brilliant performers on stage doing what they do best to an incredible masterpiece by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Bravo a million times over.

Nesting

It's cold, grey, and rainy out there, and so i've decided to spend the majority of my day warm and cozy in front of my beloved MacBook. I've got hot green tea, fabulous study music (think Aqualung, Perishers, Feist), and an illegal candle burning. :-) My sleep schedule is so frustratingly off. I took an impromptu nap last night around 8, woke up around 9:30, and then couldn't go back to sleep until around 6:30 a.m. Needless to say, i finally arose for the day close to noon and am determined to get to sleep at a decent hour tonight. (Haven't we heard this before...?)

Just to give you an idea of the Institution in which i am living, below are photos of my very colorful and cozy room. And trust me, the rest of the place does not look quite so... cheerful. Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

The Yoga Show: Day 1

Bonjour from a very enlightened moi. Ok, not really, but i did attend the first day of The Yoga Show today and indulged in quite a bit of yogic retail therapy. The pic above shows off my goodies, which include 2 books (Meditation Bliss and 1001 Pearls of Buddhist Wisdom), 2 CDs (Yoga Rhythms and Mantra Girl), awesome mala beads, 2 yoga headbands, a yoga top, a neti pot (left mine in Dallas), and a beautiful pashmina made by those in Tamil Nadu, South India. Now, i know what you're thinking, way to go to a yoga show and shop... isn't that very anti-yoga? Well, believe me, i wasn't the only one shopping up a storm. With hundreds and hundreds of booths, it's hard not to walk away with a bag in hand. BUT, i did partake in a little free activity as well. I made it to a short class by Claire Missingham, a UK-based yoga teacher who specializes in Vinyasa Flow. She is an adorable little thing, and i really enjoyed her class, as short as it was. It gave me a little taste of something i've been missing for a REALLY long time - some serious yoga, man. I've tried practicing in the Institution, but my arms hit furniture or the walls (our rooms are quite narrow), and the idea of getting that close to this disgusting carpet... well, it's just not very zen. Tomorrow I plan on attending a workshop on Dru Yoga and on Sunday, i have a 2-hour workshop with David Life and Shannon Gannon from Jivamukti. I can't WAIT!!

Won't You Be My Clementine?

Are clementines not one of the most perfect fruits ever? Easy to peel, perfectly sweet, seedless, portable... Love them! Just bought two big bags full at M&S Simply Food yesterday, as they were buy 1 get 1 free. Also spent the afternoon at the glorious Whole Foods Market on High Street Kensington... just being there cheers me up. Indulged in a chair massage, bought some yummy teas, tasted a myriad of tasty fromage and purchased three of my favorites... Got caught in the rain sans umbrella on my way home, but it was OK, eco-friendly reusable bags were packed with goodies so i was fine with it. Once home and sufficiently dry, i made myself a lovely cheese plate for dinner, complete with fresh baguette and juicy red grapes straight from Italia. Pretty soon afterwards I curled up in bed to read the Body + Soul (ma soeur sent it to me from the States...LOVE this magazine!) and fell asleep around... 9:30 maybe? Ridiculous huh? I woke up at 3:45 a.m. tres confused. Brushed my teeth, turned out the lights, and tried to fall asleep once again, but surprise surprise, have been unable to. So I called Momma Park, chatted for a bit, and have since been surfing the internet and eating clementines. Not a bad start to Thanksgiving, eh?

Mrs. Matt Hales...?

I don't understand people who aren't into music. I mean... did God not give us ears so that we could hear the sweet, sweet sounds of artists comme Monsieur Matt Hales? Last night i had the pleasure of attending the Aqualung concert at Kings College. Small venue, relatively inexpensive bar, and one incredible performance after another. I've been a fan of Aqualung for a couple of years now, but last night really blew me away. And despite the annoying and what i think to be inconsiderate 6'+ guy standing smack in the middle of the crowd, I couldn't keep my eyes off of Matt as he worked his magic on that keyboard and into that microphone. Favorites from last night included: Glimmer, Another Little Hole, Something to Believe In, Breaking My Heart, Strange & Beautiful, Garden of Love... i mean, it was ALL good. If you appreciate good music at all, go forth and download immediately.

On a slightly sadder note, it turns out Mr. Hales has been happily married for more than 10 years and has a child... just my luck.

On the saddest note ever, Mr. Hales informed us that about 2 months ago, his record label dropped Aqualung. WHAT?? I don't understand. I did a little online research and turns out, Columbia Records (yes the AMERICAN label) were the ones behind Memory Man, Aqualung's third album. Go figure it'd be the stupid Americans to drop such precious talent...

Ok i'm done being anti-American. ;-) In short, i heart Aqualung and Matt Hales and hope that it won't be too long before i hear him live again.

Night Owl

I'm having one of those nights... those nights that you just don't want to go to sleep! First off, i'm not sleepy. After my 20-hour slumber marathon the other day, i slept from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. (yup, you read that correctly) this morning and then got up refreshed and ready to start my day. Took a much-needed hot shower, actually put some makeup on, and ventured out into the gloomy cold to hit up the Victoria & Albert museum. Oh i'd almost forgotten how much i adore museums! Esp. this one - specializes in art and design, yummy! Bought my ticket for the Golden Age of Couture exhibition and then decided to kill some time in the incredible museum shop. Goodies galore!! Got prezzies for Mom, Sister, and Pony (and ok yes, maybe a lil sumthin' pour moi) and discovered, on my way to the exhibit, ANOTHER SHOP! This one specialized in the Museum's featured exhibitions - HELLO COUTURE! Even more goodies got popped in the sack, and then finally i was on my way to the main event. Only downside to the experience was that it was so PACKED. I guess rainy day + Sunday + gorgeous vintage Dior make for a good combination. Needless to say, i loved it and can't wait to return to the V&A to explore the rest of the (FREE!) collections.

By 5:30 p.m., London is pitch black, so after exiting, i dashed down the street to the Laduree in Harrod's in an effort to cross off at least 2 of my "To Do's." Sadly i would not be seated, as the line was literally out the door, but i did manage to purchase some macaroons and a darling little notebook. Every little detail inside the patisserie and even in their wrapping and presentation of the treats is incredible. Gotta LOVE the French for that! It screams French royalty, and it's like i have my own little personal Versailles... mmm love it. Can't wait to go back and indulge in a cup of chocolat chaud and sink into the plush red velvet chairs... Geez there are SO many more things i need to do in this city! Sadly the weather is NOT behaving, and the 10-day forecast says rain rain and more rain. Bleh.

In good news, my stomach has fully recovered, and my head cold appears to be on its way out as well. Yay! Food in my belly makes me sooo happy. In even better news, i'm thrilled to report that i made my first...blogger introduction?? Hmm how to explain.. basically, i virtually introduced the fabulous Kimberly Wilson (of hiptranquilchick.com) to the awesome Claudia (of theparisapartment.com), and now it seems that KW will be doing a podcast with Claud! This is why i love love the blogging world. I've been lucky enough to meet and actually spend face-to-face time with these two incredible women. I mean... who am i? A 24-year old law student who still cries for her Mommy when she's sick. But at least i've got some kickass chicks on my side.

2:33 a.m. and not a single yawn. OK. Gonna listen to some HTC podcasts, tidy up a bit, journal, and mayyybe try to sleep. xoxo, darlings

Mmm...Divine

Made it to the V&A, absolutely LOVED the Golden Age Couture exhibit, adored the museum shops (i know i know), and made it over to Laduree to at least purchase some of their famous macaroons, but could not sit and eat as it was freezing cold and raining outside so there was a line out the door. Still, a wonderful afternoon! Will blog more later, but first, MUST EAT.

Ups and Downs and...Ups?

I'm hesitant to say for sure, but i think my stomach has taken a turn for the better. As for my cold and fever, i'm not sure. My head still feels like it's trapped in a fishbowl, my ears still won't stop popping, and after 20 hours of sleep, you'd think my body would feel well-rested... Nonetheless i am grateful that whatever nasty stomach bug i had has left me alone. I was finally able to eat today, although i was still bedridden for most of it. In an effort to amuse myself, i watched Becoming Jane and, to my surprise, enjoyed it immensely. Suddenly in the mood for period pieces, i hunted and scoured the internet and iTunes for Little Women and Elizabeth, but alas, had to settle for a second viewing of Becoming Jane... I'm really quite disappointed with iTunes' selection of movies. In another effort to cheer myself up, i found and purchased Amy Grant's 1992 Christmas album. I LOVE this album. I played it nonstop when I got it for Christmas (duh) back then, when i was just nine years old. It's playing now, my roomies are all asleep or avec their boyfriends, and i'm still in my uber-comfy, very well-slept-in pink twin bed. Sigh. At least I've got the American December issues of Allure and Glamour to keep me company (thank G for roomie's visiting boyfriend!).

Am wanting very much to spend tomorrow at the V&A and then at Laduree... Sigh. *fingers crossed*

Woe Is Me

Greetings from my uber-comfy (thanks to ma soeur) twin bed in the Institution. I've been in this bed pretty much all day, dozing in and out of sleep, clutching my stomach in pain, and wanting my Mommy very very much. Yes, it appears i have some sort of stomach bug or virus that has pretty much left me incapable of doing anything today. (and yes, it was a beautiful sunny day here in London) This morning, after getting about 2 hours of sleep, i headed down to Leicester Square to get discount tickets to Les Miserables, only to discover that they weren't even being offered. Argh! As i made my way back home, i realized just how not right my stomach was. As soon as i got home, i crawled into bed, slept, whined to my roomies, and have been here ever since. S was kind enough to get me some 7Up, and i am currently eating a banana (apparently good for upset stomachs), but other than that, i haven't had a thing to eat. Tres miserable. If you know me at all, you know that food = comfort, joy, and love so not being able to eat it is just awful. I am hoping this bug leaves me before tomorrow so that i can take myself on an Artist Date to the V&A Museum. Sigh.

Ugh.

Sadly am not feeling much better. Hoped that a trip to Whole Foods on High Street Kensington would relieve my body aches and congestion, but sadly it did nothing of the sort. SO if i wake up feeling poopy, then i still definitely be having a stay-in-bed day until i feel better. Keep your fingers crossed!

On a brighter note, I've started The Artist's Way again and intend on actually following through on each week's activities. So far, i've been pretty satisfied with my progress. Yay pour moi.

A Night in India

Had sooo much fun on my girl date tonight!! Finally saw a Bollywood movie at a cinema here, the beautiful, insanely aesthetically pleasing Saawariya. Despite the absence of Ashwarya Rai, it was quite a delight. Afterwards, we headed to the famous Brick Lane for some truly delicious Indian food. Yum! It's one of the best and most inexpensive meals i've had in London. I'll definitely be going back! And there are plenty more Bollywood films to see... ;-)

My fun quickly died once i got home and realized that my dry mouth/throat was turning into a sore throat. Then came the sniffly nose, body aches, and slight fever... And here i am, sipping Theraflu, crying to Mommy, and hoping this passes soon.

Back from Praha

Am happy to report that i survived the brutal cold of Prague and have since returned to a less cold, though still pretty chilly, London. Didn't sleep at ALL last night, as our driver picked us up at 5 a.m. for our 6:50 a.m. flight. Needless to say, as soon as I got back to the Institution (aka the dorm), i crawled right into bed, croissant hanging out of my mouth, and passed out. It was a delicious, warm, and deep sleep. (And yes - i woke up to use the loo and therefore removed the croissant before returning to bed.)

Am feeling very... something. Descriptive, huh? I guess i just feel like i've neglected my journey of self-discovery and creativity since i've been here, which is of no surprise since there are just so many things to do and see in Europe. About to head to a movie (Elizabeth!!) with the roomies, but will definitely be blogging about this later... for now, enjoy this pic of C and M in Praha!

Things to Ponder...

1. The American economy and possible recession. (I firmly believe this is a direct result of me being in London this Holiday season...)
2. Why the new French President is so in love with the USA.
3. Why FEMA still sux.
4. How Americans will survive sans new TV episodes...

Itchin' to Travel

Bonsoir, mes amies! I am happy to report that after a long hiatus from traveling, i am finally leavin' (on a jet plane) to Prague tomorrow afternoon!! I could not be more excited, as Prague is definitely high on my list of places to see and be seen. I'm going with my darling Martur, and we are staying at Wencenslas Square in a gorgeous **** hotel for quite a deal. Seeing as how the American dollar keeps plummeting to new lows, it's nice to be going somewhere that doesn't use the freaking pound. Before packing, i looked up the weather forecast for the weekend, and um... well it appears that the highs will be in the upper 30's and lows in the lower 30's... and rain/snow is on the menu for each day we are there. I haven't decided whether this is a good thing, as Prague and especially Charles Bridge are rumored to be gorgeous in the snow, or a bad bad thing as i have not had to deal with weather that cold in quite some time, and as many of you know, i have a major aversion to wearing pants (despite my many, many pairs of designer denim). Sooo i bought some long underwear from the ever-trusty M&S and will most definitely be sporting my raspberry pink Uggs, and I think i'll be okay. :-)

Life's been a series of ups and downs lately. Ups include the fact that i'm living in freaking London (YAY!), doing zero schoolwork and not having to feel (that) guilty about it at all, and have just been having an amazing time abroad. Downs, however, include Mom's health and my occasional feelings of fatigue and ickiness. It seems, however, that my Mom's situation is best-case scenario so i guess that's a little comforting. And my ickiness is just a natural result of this radical weather, and as long as i don't get the flu, i'm happy. It gets dark around these parts at, like, 4 p.m. now. It's crazy weird!! Really, it makes you not want to leave the house past 5 because it's so cold and dark outside, and so i've been pretty content snuggling up in my now cozy bed, in my now very homey room, reading some great books. Just finished "The Almost Moon" by Alice Sebold, which i very much enjoyed and have since started "Atonement" by Ian McEwan (quite an unfortunate name, eh?). Today i also started re-reading my beloved "Hip Tranquil Chick" and fell in love all over again. I actually read a semi-nasty review of HTC on Amazon.com and kind of wanted to punch the reviewer in the face. OK not really, but her attitude was very "holier than thou," and she CLEARLY was not a girly girl. So why did you buy a pink and leopard print embellished book entitled "Hip Tranquil Chick??" Oh well, guess you can't win 'em all!

While i've been here, i've also been fortunate enough to make a little extra cash babysitting for a fellow UT law student's adorable children. S and L are DARLING, and i love every moment i have with them. (Ok - maybe not the dirty diaper ones.) It had actually been awhile since i babysat, and so tonight was quite a treat. We cooked penne and bolognese sauce for dinner and then cuddled on the couch watching Mario & Luigi kick some ass on TV. It was sweet. I can't wait to have babies! (I know i know... i'm only 24...)

Um so, like a fool, i forgot to put all my Christmas tunes on my macbook, soooo if anyone has fun holiday music to share... please do!! Thus far, i've successfully fought the temptation to buy Christmas decor... i hope it stays that way. In the meantime, i will be enjoying the beautiful winter wonderland that is Prague!!

Pics!

Just a few pics of PARK SISTERS REUNITED: London 2007. The two of us post-Lord of the Rings musical madness, me gazing longingly into the windows of Laduree, me striking a pose avec a Harrods display mannequin, and sisters in front of the beautifully lit Harrods.

Oops!

My baaad... my (dorkier) sister gently pointed out that i mispelled/misnamed like all the characters from Lord of the Rings. My bad!!!

Over It

I am a little over London today. I'm over the inefficiency. I'm over the crowded streets. I'm over the freaking pound. And most of all, i am OVER the food.

That being said, I am enjoying the crisp weather and smell of Christmas.

Wicked

God i LOVE the theatre. This morning J, L, and i went down to Victoria to get student discounts to Wicked and managed to score 3 badass seats. And yes, it really IS that good! I was skeptical, at first, and I must admit that most of of the First Act was, like, OK, but by the end of the First Act, i was hooked. And then the show just got better and better.. I even teared up at the end! And the two witches certainly deserved that standing ovation b/c they were FANTASTIC! Comedy's tough to do in musical theatre, but they nailed it. I can't wait for more.

On another note entirely, i've been feeling a bit down lately as my sister brought me some not-so-great news regarding my mother's health. My parents are both really healthy, and besides my dad's gout, they've never had any major health problems. But it seems that not all is right with my mom's heart, and she's been seeing a doctor and cardiologist to pin down the problem. It seems to be best case scenario, meaning she'll only need a minimally invasive outpatient surgery, but surgery is surgery, and anything to do with the heart terrifies me. (Blame it on Grey's Anatomy.) Anyway, that's definitely been weighing heavily on my mind, and the fact that i'm not there to see how bad it really is.. well, that's been really hard on me. Sigh. I know she'll be ok. She'll be ok.. right? Yes, she'll be okay. My mom's in great health. And if this is what's going to force her into early retirement, then it's kind of a blessing in disguise. But i am undeniably 100% totally and completely freaked out. I haven't been able to sleep lately. And life in London is good, reallly good, and i had an incredible time with my sister, but... man this really sucks.

Dorktastic!

Yesterday i got half-price tickets, 10 rows from the stage, to... THE LORD OF THE RINGS MUSICAL!! I know what you're thinking, how lame can you be, but considering my sister and i have seen Les Mis, Phantom, etc. at least 2x each, we were looking for something a little different. Plus we both are huge dorks (especially her) and love Lord of the Rings so... I was really curious to see how they'd built the set, and i KNEW the music would be fantastic, and off we went! It was AWESOME! Granted there were a couple of snooze parts, but the set, the music, the lights, the costumes, everything was great! I LOVED Lady Loth Lorry and Smeagle (sp?) was INCREDIBLE and sounded just like the movie character. Act II actually opened with Smeagle crawling down the screen! The hobbits had a fantastic song/dance number in the first Act that was standing ovation-worthy, and the trees on stilts, dark knights, and even ginormous spider were all CLASSIC. Oh and at one point, the orgs were in the audience, and it was TERRIFYING. In any case, if you're a Lord of the Rings fan or just enjoy theatrical fun, i would highly recommend this musical.