Thankful

As we all know, British people do not celebrate Thanksgiving. And while pubs may serve a “thanksgiving day” platter recognizing the American tourists staying here on the day, it is simply not the same. There is something about being with your family that commemorates the day – no matter how dysfunctional or crazy they all are when forced to sit around one table to endure a long meal of sharing, talking and giving thanks. This is probably because family is paramount in most people’s lives, and mine is no exception. Because I was across the pond (which is starting to feel smaller and smaller as the days inch nearer to going home), I was sad I could not eat sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie and turkey, and my favorite – watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but most of all, I was sad to be without my family.

This got me to thinking. There are certain days every year – holidays labeled on the calendar – that dictate how we are supposed to feel and what traditions we are supposed to have. These events become familiar and comfortable, and we often forget how special they really are until one year, things are out of place. Stick yourself in a foreign country miles away from your family and those days become something entirely different. Without family, Thanksgiving was a very different day then if I were to be home, which of course was very weird. But what was wonderful is that at the same time, being away made me very aware of something else. I am extremely fortunate to have very strong and lasting friendships in my life, which made this day in rainy London feel a little more like home.

 

[Foreword: for the sake of this blog I will be calling Brezny ‘B’, not because I think it sounds cool - which is does because they happen to say it on ‘Gossip Girl’ J - but because it is much easier to not type out her whole name]

Thursday morning Ike, B and I woke up at about 9 am, got showered and ready and began our first full day together in London! We started our day (as explained in the thorough itinerary I mapped out two weeks prior to their arrival, which I can proudly say had few revisions) by getting off at the Westminster tube stop so that they could see classic London - Parliament Square, The London Eye, Westminster Abbey, the Thames River and of course take pictures with Big Ben.

As we exited the tube, it began to rain, which really shouldn’t surprise anyone at this point, but it was a bit of a bummer since we were trying to get pictures. The drizzle and I have become intimate friends, and so we charged through and did not let it hold us back. After debating as to whether or not Ike and B wanted to pay the 12 pounds to go into the Abbey (decision: no) or whether or not we should get an early lunch before buying our bus tour tickets (decision: yes. but uprooted upon realizing the pub we went to did not serve lunch until 12pm), we ignored our hungry tummies and walked to the ticket stand and got our 48 hour Original Bus Tour Hop on, Hop off London Bus Tour Ticket (I have no idea if that whole phrase had to be capitalized…but it makes it sound more official so go with it).

 

We walked a block to get to the bus stop, where we ran into a man trying to sell The Big Bus Tour – do not be be confused…original and big are not the same… But this guy, who seemed unassuming and only slightly disappointed we chose the other tour company advised us to go across the street to pick up the yellow line (there were two lines for the tour bus – red and yellow) because it had the live tour. He said the stop was just around the corner, and we thanked him for his help, and walked…. And walked…. And walked some more, completely unable to find this so called “stop” the enemy was referring to. We ended up walking to Trafalgar Square, and since it was now 12pm, we stopped in a very cute pub along that main street. Everything is decorated for Christmas – especially pubs – so it was a very festive atmosphere. We all had lunch and then journeyed to find the yellow line bus stop.

 

Trafalgar Square is the hub for all bus systems – city and tour company. So, I figured it would not be hard to find the stop. But I also underestimate my directional dysfunction and inability to read a map, but we finally found one of the stops. The buses only run every twenty minutes, so we waited in the drizzle for the bus to come… and then we saw the bus in the distance 20 minutes later. Diet cokes in hand, and anxious smiles in tact, we stood up ready to board and watched in surprise as the bus flew right on by us. Confused, figuring it was not the right bus, we sat back down. Another 20 minutes later, like deju vu, here comes another bus and this time we flag it down, validate our ticket on board and climb to the top, finally able to start our tour.

 

Despite the wind and the light rain, we rode around the city on the top of the double decker bus, trying to keep warm as we took in the many different sights and listened to the commentary (which was slightly hard to hear maybe because of the wind, but probably because the live tour guide we made such an effort to have could not have been any more unenthusiastic, literally bordering on monotone). Right after getting on the bus we passed St. Paul’s Cathedral, which was on the itinerary to get off and see, but we had just gotten on, so we decided to keep riding and come back to it. About 45 minutes later, it was about 2:30pm and the bus stopped at the Tower of London which Ike and B really wanted to tour. Since I have already and the fee is not cheap, they hopped off and did a tour of the tower while I stayed on the bus for another 20 minutes just riding around (for historical details on the Tower of London reference my blog when I went J).

 

The bus stopped at Piccadilly Circus and I got off to do some shopping around the London gift shops. I realized I had a lot of gifts from other countries but nothing from the touristy London shops, so that was good to get done.

 

We all met back up at the flat around 4:45pm, and they loved the Tower. After hanging out and debriefing from the day, Ike, Brezny, Laura, Kelsey, Jen, Katie and I went to Warwick Castle Pub (our favorite local pub just a five minute walk away) for our Thanksgiving Dinner. We sat in this room in the back next to the fire place and had wine and pub food (my thanksgiving feast was bangers and mash (sausage and mashed potatoes… unfortunately there was no turkey, but it will make Christmas dinner that much more exciting) while going around and giving thanks for not only the opportunity to be in London but for the fact that we have each other. Among the things I am thankful for is first and foremost: HSM 3 (KIDDING!) my health and safety, London, Celine Dion, Disney World, grilled cheese sandwiches, and of course my incredible family and friends who make my life as blessed and amazing as it is. Laura always makes fun of me for saying ‘my best friend _____’ but I have so many best friends and I feel so lucky to have these great relationships in my life. While I realize nothing and no one is perfect and I sometimes fall into the ‘my life sucks’ pity fest, as we all do, looking back on just these 19 years and 360 days (hint hint… 20 is so close!), I could not ask for much more – except to marry Zac Efron…but good things come to those who wait J.

 

After our lovely dinner I decided to show Ike and B a fun night out on the town, so we got all dolled up, took tons of pictures and videos, and had a really fun time dancing the night away at the club OnAnon (which for a while I thought was called On and On…apparently not.) It was all a very different way to spend Thanksgiving, but I am thankful for it nonetheless. Brezny met a very cute boy who was kind of short, but our little 5’1 B – who worked her butt off to keep up with Ike and I, who are naturally very fast walkers, as we walked around the city - did not even notice. I think we all had a really great night… and let’s be honest…we looked fierce J.

 

Friday morning we woke up and had a delicious breakfast at my favorite place for breakfast –Raouls. Laura came along and it was delicious. We then got on the tube and walked in the rain (whomp whomp) to Buckingham Palace. I had planned for them to see the Changing of the Guard, so we got there early, took pictures despite the rain, and huddled under our umbrellas waiting for the guard change parade to stroll down the street. We saw some movement happen behind the gate, and some of the guards filed out, but then all the crowds dissipated, leaving me confused – what happened to the tiny anti-climatic parade? I assume because of the rain it did not happen, which was a bummer. From there, Laura went home while Ike, B and I got back on the bus tour after looking through the Queen’s gift shop, which was all decorated for Christmas.

Back on the bus, we rode around as the rain fell around us, listening to the morning’s much more enthusiastic and audible tour guide. After a short while we got off at St. Paul’s Cathedral. B decided to get a coffee and skip the fee, while Ike and I explored the beautiful church and climbed up the hundreds of steps to the whispering gallery and the viewing deck overlooking the city of London. Even though it was a misty day, the sights were still beautiful, and I really loved the church. I have been in my fair share of churches, but there was something about this one that I really enjoyed. Ike and I tried to do the thing where you whisper and from across the dome the other person is supposed to be able to hear it, but it didn’t work. I think it may be because it was noisy and Ike is not the best whisperer, but it was fun to just sit together, take it all in, and see the excitement in his face – he’s like a kid on Christmas morning. He gets so excited by history. He just loves it, and because I do not really share his enthusiasm or knowledge, it was funny to be there with him – me trying to move on… him staring for ages at one single monument. I guess I am just shallow seeing as I freak out about HSM and not so much about history, but this church was an exception – I really did appreciate how incredibly elaborate and stunning it was.

 

We met up with Brezny and then went to get lunch at Pizza Express and I had a delicious salad (but I must admit, spending money on three meals a day though certainly broke the bank). We got back on the bus and decided to ride it around for a bit and make the most of the guide. I wish we had a personal guide with us 24/7 because Ike is very inquisitive and asked me a new question every five minutes about that obscure building that “looked important” and me – not being a human google – had no idea. I think he forgets that I just live here – I did not discover the city. I am not a British historian. I am a visitor. So staying on the bus allowed him to hear all about those obscure buildings. Meanwhile, Brezny and I took a nap. (haha, kidding – I mean we did doze for a bit but in our defense she had jet lag and I had been taking them around in the rain which can get exhausting)

 

Two hours later, we got off at Trafalgar Square and I let them head off out of the rain into the National Gallery. I have done that already, so I headed back to the flat. They came back about an hour later, and we decided on dinner plans. Andrea and Laura joined us for dinner at Giraffe, my favorite burger place over the Thames River on the south side of Embankment – my absolute FAVORITE PLACE in London at night. We walked across the footbridge and had a delicious dinner and then walked along the river peering in and out of the booths set up for the Christmas Market. I made a couple of purchases and we headed home. But only after witnessing an insance lady walk right up to a candy display, steal some peanuts, eat them, and then violently spit them out because she was allergic to nuts – clearly the peanut allergy is not her only medical issue… what an idiot.

 

After a beer run to Tesco, a very long debate as to whether to go out or stay in (decision: stay in) followed by a chocolate run to Tesco, we all sat down and decided to watch Sweet Home Alabama. I was so tired and fell asleep halfway through. We all went to bed at a decent hour, and thank goodness because our busiest day was yet to come.

TAKE A DEEP BREATH! You can do this – I know it is a lot to read, but I believe in you. And just think how long it took me to rehash, write and edit. You really have the easy part in this transaction J.

 

Saturday morning marked their last full day in London and we had a lot to fit in. We woke up, had a quick breakfast at the flat and headed with Laura to Camden Market. We decided to brave the freezing cold (I think I had five layers on… brr!) and walk the 2.5 mile journey along the canal, but on the way Laura mentioned seeing Abbey Rd, so we took a 25 minute walk detour and went there first. We took pictures and then headed to the nearest tube in the interest of time to get to Camden Market. But the St. John Woods tube was closed AND I forgot my tube pass. So, completely frustrated, I walked back to the flat to get it and then get the Warwick Avenue tube to Camden Market (the longest and most frustrating tube journey of MY LIFE because all the lines I needed were closed… it was an intense and strategic process) while Laura, Ike and B took the bus to the market and walked around. 90 minutes (ugh) later, I met up with them, we had lunch at Pret, walked around a little more, and then got on the tube for Kings Cross Station so B could take her picture with the famous Harry Potter Platform 9 ¾ sign.

 

We then headed back on the tube (Audrey- I miss you [my car]), and ventured to High St. Kensington. We toured Kensington Palace and I can say without a doubt it was one of my most favorite things I have seen in London. While the staterooms were nice, the best part was that the palace housed a special Debutante exhibition inside, which was amazing! It was all about fashion and the London high society process of being a Deb in the 1950’s. There was also a section where Princess Diana’s actual dresses were displayed and on the walls were videos of her dancing in them. What I loved was that it was all dedicated to fashion. There were historical rooms in the beginning that showed what the dress for a Deb would be in the 1800’s and how a dress shop would have been set up, and deeper in there were interactive rooms where you could practice the etiquette of a Deb – setting the table, doing the waltz, walking a straight line with a book on your head, and of course practice the proper curtsey. We could look through magazines and practice typing on a typewriter and watch interviews with women who were Debs. It was so interesting. All the dresses were incredible. It reminded me of how beautiful and classy my Mimi was. She had dresses just like the ones I saw.  I remember her wedding dress was SOO stunning! She would have loved this exhibition. See I guess I get excited about fashion the way Ike gets excited about artifacts and buildings, so I can relate. I just love the style of the 1950’s and I am pretty sure I ended up in the wrong era.

 

After the palace we walked about 25 minutes to Harrods, passing the King Albert Memorial, which was another sight to check off the list. Harrods is magical all on its own because it’s Harrods at Christmas, but as we were walking around the impressive department store, Ike stopped me suddenly and said, “Oh my God, Jenny – is that Keith Urban?” And I was like... “Oh my God, where?” The man, about 5’ 10 had his exact trademark hair, and looked exactly like Keith Urban, but after pointing him out to Brezny, we were super skeptical. So, in true stalker fashion, we followed him around the men’s department of Harrods. Finally, after much coaxing from Ike, I decided to go up to him. I politely said, “I am so sorry to interrupt your shopping, but …are you Keith Urban?” I was practically shaking, which only increased when he said in his soft Australian accent, “Yes I am.” With an excited nod of my head, Ike and Brezny circled around my new friend Keith and I and he shook all of our hands – he has a very firm handshake, which I like. To eliminate the “he said, she said” I will write the script below (no, I did not do ALL the talking, but all I can remember is what I said because the rest is just a blur):

Jenny: Oh my goodness, I am such a big fan of yours!

Keith: Oh thank you, where are you guys from?

In unison: North Carolina (except Ike said the USA…. which was special)

Jenny: Would you mind if we took a quick picture with you?

Keith: No, not at all!

All of us: Oh, thanks so much

Ike took a picture of me and Brezny and him, and then I took a picture of Keith and Ike!

Jenny: Oh and congratulations on the baby!

Keith: Oh, yeah, thanks so much guys (he was sooo cool!)

Jenny: Well, rush off before people notice - we will let you get back to your shopping! And I promise, we won’t tell anyone it’s you. Thank you so much!

Keith: No, thank you guys, take care.

Then we scurried off, clearly star struck, freaking out. It is so crazy because no one else really noticed him probably because he was all by himself and he is a country star and country is not so big here. The cool thing is I know why he is London because Kelly Management has a client that is staring in the movie ‘Nine’ with Nicole Kidman, which is filming here - now if Nicole were with him it would be a completely different story! Imagine the mob of people! But he was just walking around and doing his thing. It is crazy, things like this remind you that we are all just people – even celebrities. Keith was really hot in person, shorter than I expected, but so kind! I mean he was like thanking us and I thinking to myself… no Keith Urban thank YOU! It was just an amazing unexpected surprise to the day and I really am a big fan of his music and there he was in person, ON MY CAMERA! My mom saw him in concert and I just saw him in my Us Weekly Magazine frolicking on the beach with Nicole and then there he is shopping in Harrods! This right place at the right time moment gets added to my list of things I am thankful for!

After this meet and greet, Harrods was complete, so we walked around outside aimlessly, still star struck, for a minute, and I of course called my mom and sister to gush about it. We then headed back on the tube one stop (because poor B could not walk any longer, and it was beginning to mist) to see Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland. But after we got off the tube, it began to really rain and I was not in the mood to huddle under an umbrella so we saw the lights and walked down for a little and then turned back around to get back on the tube and out of the rain to meet Andrea for dinner at Nando’s – my favorite chicken restaurant, which was DELICIOUS, and it was GREAT to sit down.

 

After Nando’s we headed back to the flat to get ready to go out. We got them all packed up (which was great because they were able to take a lot of my stuff home) and then we got dressed and headed out to Sports Café, which is the American sports bar that has great dancing that I went to the night I met scarf boy  - who NEVER called. Little did he know I would become best friends with Keith Urban and could have totally hooked him up with concert tickets – clearly his loss.

 

Especially after last night, this is officially MY FAVORITE place to go dancing in London – the music is always so good and the cover was only 5 pounds (when usually on Saturday nights we spend about 10 pounds, not including the coat check) and it was one of the best nights I have had. There was this Latin guy who danced like a professional Latin dancer and we danced the whole night! He spun me, dipped me – we were like actually salsa dancing like in Dirty Dancing. It was so much fun and while I think I may need a neck and back brace this morning from all the back bends and the whopping, it was totally worth it. Brezny also met this adorable guy who was so sweet and Laura danced the night away with another Latin guy (who I think was friends with the guy I was dancing with). Ike took tons of pictures and danced with us too, and it was a blast. He is such a trooper, letting us girls have our fun and making sure we all got home safely.

 

This morning, I woke Ike and Brezny up at 7:30 am and after a hug they headed on the tube for Heathrow Airport. It was really great having them here. I think we all had a blast despite the cold and rainy weather and it was a perfect opportunity to see parts of London I may not head back to before leaving one week from Monday – and to meet Keith Urban was just the cherry on top J.

 

So suddenly my semester in London is down to one final week. One week – that is like a vacation. I cannot believe this is all coming to an end. This week – MY OFFICIAL BIRTHDAY WEEK – we only have two classes on Tuesday and the rest is free time to live it up in London, and live it up we will J.

Love and hugs (and a present for reading this blog – but don’t lie, you enjoyed it J)

Jenny

ps- that took me 5 hours.... just an fyi, so thank you for reading :)

A piece of home arrived today....

Ike and Brezny are finally here!!!

I woke up this morning and got ready at 7:15am... aka WAY TOO EARLY! I do no know what I was thinking getting up so early knowing they weren't landing until 9:30am and only being a tube stop away, but regardless, I waited for the call and just like clock work, they arrived. 

Ike came running to me with his suit case and gave me one of those hugs where you are practically picked off the ground, with sweet Brezny walking quickly behind him. It was so great and kind of surreal to see them both. I just couldn't believe that here they were...in London...to see me! All the talk and anticipation for it to finally begin today. 

We went back to the flat to get them settled and then we headed off to Holborn (where I have school) to go to the bank, get a quick lunch at Pret, and then go to the British History Museum which is right down the road. 

We walked around for about and hour  in and out of all the rooms, and while I wish I could say it was the artifacts that made it all worth while, it was really being with the two of them. The museum itself was like a tour around the world, and while it was informative and historical, it certainly was not my favorite - but then again, my last museum was the Louvre...so it is hard to compare. 

Afterward, we wen to the Silver Vaults - just a ten minute walk from the museum on Chancery Lane. Here we walked in and out of the stores and tried on a couple of very expensive antique rings that were absolutely stunning. It was very fun to pretend like we had a bunch of money... like we were princesses who declined the rings because they were simply not what we were looking for, instead of the fact that they were 6,000 pounds.... wrap your head around that one :)

After the vaults we did some shopping up Oxford Street and then went to Kelly Management to show them my office and introduce them to the boys. It was so good to have my friends from home finally meet the two people that had made this trip so complete. I just feel like I have so much to brag about and show off because my internship has been so amazing. Rob and Gordon joined us for a lovely dinner at Slug and Lettuce (my favorite restaurant here). We had great food and wine, and tons of laughs. I miss Rob and Gordon so much when I am not with them, and when I do spend time with them, I miss them still, simply because I know we do not have a lot of time left. I just hope they know how much they mean to me. 

Ike, Brezny and I then took the long way (oh my poor sense of direction...) to the acting workshop for my final session with the kids! I was a bit tired some this point, and a little woozy from the wine, but we did the class as usual and B and Ike loved meeting the kids and seeing them act. The older kids were great too, and we took pictures and said our goodbyes. 

Tomorrow we are going on the London Sight-seeing Bus Tour, which will be great :) I am so glad they are here and I know tomorrow has even more in store - seeing as we will all be well-rested and ready to take on London - just me, Ike and Brezny....the original three musketeers....

In case I do not have a chance to blog tomorrow, HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I hope you all know how thankful I am for all of you..... and my "inspirational" thanksgiving day saga will be posted soon enough :)

love and hugs,

Jenny

Free as the wind blows.... (and boy is it windy :)

I am a free woman! Today I handed in my last two papers for class, and I have the rest of the week off to play around London with Ike and Brezny who arrive tomorrow at about 10 am. I am very excited to have them come and we have quite the itinerary planned, so hopefully the rain will continue to hold out (It was a gorgeous and sunny, but very cold, day in London today) and everything will go smoothly – and if not… I have learned to roll with the punches believe it or not… okay well not entirely, but I am working on it J

 

Today we had theatre class where we discussed the show we saw last night – In A Dark Dark House. It was a very disturbing play about two brothers dealing with a sexually abusive childhood. It was actually really engaging to talk through it all, and I feel like I had some interesting things to say. So, for once, I actually enjoyed the class, even though the show was not my favorite. Only one more theatre class left next week, and no more plays…. Man, this really is coming to an end, isn’t it?

 

In history class I handed in my final paper and then organized some pictures while he went on about something historical…. However, be proud…today in class I actually raised my hand to answer a question he asked (which he never does – he likes to hear himself talk to much to let others get a word in…), so my class participation was solid for the day J.

 

After class, some of us stayed after and worked on different things and then headed back to the flat. 

 

For dinner, Andrea, Laura, Katie and I went to have Thai Food at Ben’s Thai Restaurant right up the road and we sat by a warm fireplace and had a very lovely and delicious dinner. Now I am off to get my room clean and ready for Ike and Brezny’s arrival! With them here this week, I am not sure how often I will be able to post – but no worries, you will be totally filled in sooner or later. I hope you are having a good week – on Thursday I think we all have a lot to be thankful for…so during this time of family, friends and togetherness, try to step back from all the negative components of your life – work, money, stress (perhaps the crazy construction going on in your home or the boss that will not get off your back…) because in the end, it is our family and friends that really matter, I think…. But in the interest of not sounding redundant, we can save the rest of this cheesy, inspirational crap for Thursday… are you excited or what?

 

Love and hugs,

Jenny

The beginning of the end...

Two weeks from today I will be home. This concept is very emotional to grasp. One part of me is so excited to be home and even be back at Elon, back in touch with all of my friends and family. But the other half of me is really sad that this is over. I just cannot believe how fast it all flew by. Today was one of many ‘lasts’ I will be experiencing in the next couple of weeks, and even wrapping my head around the beginning of the end has been putting me in a weird mood. I am not ready to leave, but I can’t say I would want to stay much longer either. It’s like I am stuck somewhere in between homesick and heartbroken to have this become a memory. I don’t want to stay, but I don’t know if I am ready to leave either. It is a very weird emotional purgatory in which I am drifting between what is and what will be, and I am starting to wonder when I am going to land and feel okay with both.

Today was my final day in the office at Kelly Management. This is a very bittersweet occasion because I have really enjoyed working at the agency. My knowledge in the industry has grown tremendously, and in addition to the contacts I have made and the fantastic work experience I have gained, I have learned a lot about my strengths, weaknesses and future career goals. This placement was truly perfect for what I not only was looking for in a working environment, but also the kind of people I was hoping to work with. Robert and Gordon have been fantastic mentors, leaders and friends and I could not have asked to work with a more patient, passionate and amazing team.

The administrative tasks of my final day began with finishing the Contacts update of the database. This took me about an hour to complete. The rest of the day I did email responses, booked prospective client meetings – two for Friday with actors Rob and Gordon saw at a showcase performance on Friday night. We are still waiting for two others to call back to be scheduled in for general meetings. After I sent emails with directions to confirm.

I reviewed show reel DVDs of one of our clients, labeled and filed them. One of our newer clients just moved to London from Korea where she was a big musical star. She is looking to break into the West End, but her English is extremely weak. She has recently been cast in The Lion King and so to resolve the translation barrier, I researched foreign language tutors and courses to get her up to par. It is truly incredible how talented she is, but until her English improves, her career choices are extremely limited, so hopefully this will help. But her voice is like a Korean Celine…she is amazing.

The rest of the day was quite slow because the industry is always dead during this time of year. I fielded phone calls and took messages while Rob and Gordon held four general meetings. The first three were pretty statu quo, but the fourth meeting was with this guy whose picures made him look like an Abercrombie and Fitch model, but when he actually came through the door (with Rob, Gordon and I all giggling and nervous like 12 year old girls – hey, at least I am actually a girl… ) it was kind of a let down. I mean he was cute, but he was not very intelligent, and not nearly as stunning as his pictures – just goes to show the power of a picture. He was very green actor who is an x-boxer. He was extremely timid and inexperienced. He did not know industry jargon and his answers to Rob’s questions about the industry were raw and unprepared. However, there was something special about him and Rob sees potential, so he is giving him a recall audition next week, in which he will come with a rehearsed script. What I love about this agency is that they take a chance on actors that may not have all the fancy training, but have a true talent and passion for acting. There are few people in this industry that run their business like Rob and Gordon – with a relaxed and approachable attitude and yet an extremely knowledgeable background. I can only hope that when I am in this business I have a similar demeanor because it is admirable and a hard balance to maintain.

At about 4:30pm, Gordon and I decorated our cute little Charlie Brown Christmas tree and strung lights up around the office, before having a Jenny, Gordon, Robert photo shoot…. It was tons of fun, and much needed since I have barely taken any pics of us. It was a very great way to end my last working day with the boys. But no worries, I plan to see them tons before I leave. I am actually having lunch with them both on Wednesday so that they can meet Ike and Brezny,plus we have a bunch of things planned before I leave, so it is not the last you will hear of the adventures of Kelly Management!

In the end, I can say without a doubt that this experience has been more valuable than I could have ever expected and while I am sad to start my many goodbyes, I know in a lot of ways this exciting adventure is just the beginning for all that is ahead. Two weeks from now, sure, I might be a little sad, but I will also have so much to look forward to. And until then, being in between is not a bad place to be when the journey is closing a chapter I will never forget and the destination is home.

 

Love and hugs,

Jenny

One Word: Magical

Warning: this blog entry has the word ‘magical’ in it a whole lot…. I could have used thesaurus, but no word has quite the same ring as ‘magical’ so embrace it…. embrace the magic, because nothing is more magical than a Christmas Weekend in London!

All week I have been looking forward a little event I have had planned since before Halloween – a little event I like to call (drum roll please…) Christmas Weekend. And, Friday morning this most anticipated three-day affair officially began.

To begin my day, I woke up early and went on a beautiful walk around Regent Park with Brooke (my faculty advisor). It was a very chilly crisp morning, but it was refreshing to be outside with the clouds cushioning the golden hues of the leftover leaves that have not yet fallen from the trees. I love walking around that park – it is one of the things I will miss most about this city. We walked for about an hour and a half, and it was exactly what I needed to feel invigorated and energized for the days ahead.

On my way back from the walk, I stopped into a hairdresser just a block from my flat. We live on a very ‘posh’ street and so when I asked what they charge for a bang trim (upon which the French woman corrected me and said – you mean a fringe trim – which I thought was funny…) she said in her French accent – ‘I do that fo you-ah fo free…!” I was so excited, I hopped in the chair and ten minutes later it was like I had a brand new haircut simply by trimming my ‘fringe’ and nothing is free in this city, so this was my lucky morning J.

After the walk and the trim, I came home and showered and got right back into my sweats. I lay in bed and wrote my history paper (the last one!) for a little while, but as 2pm rolled around, all homework was put on hold for event 1 of Christmas weekend – our Christmas movie marathon!

We first put some brownies in the oven (a crucial element to the marathon…), then Kristy, Katie, Laura and I watched Eloise At Christmastime – one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE Christmas movies…even though the target audience is five year old girls… but they all loved it, which is confirmation for just how magical it really is J. As we ate our warm brownies, and the credits rolled on Eloise, Kelsey joined and we decided to next watch How The Grinch Stole Christmas – the cartoon classic! It had been a while since I had seen this one, so again…the magic just kept on growing J.

After The Grinch we sat around and played a game of BS (the card game) while listening to Christmas music until Brooke’s family arrived. We decided the best way to really up the Christmas spirit of Christmas weekend was to bake cookies with her children – there is something about little ones that just make everything more exciting. So I invited Lily (8), Jack (4), Brooke and her husband Tom to come over to our flat for event 2: a cookie baking and decorating party! As Christmas classics played in the background – from my Christmas itunes playlist of course – we rolled out the dough that Tom made (he is really domestic..) and preheated the oven. It was so much fun – batch after batch, we frosted and decorated and danced around to Mariah and Whitney and Aretha (whose rendition of Joy to The World – which is featured in the remake of Miracle of 34^th St. during the part where they are putting up the ‘We Believe’ signs – is truly the most uplifting song ever… J ) singing my favorite Christmas songs.

We had pizza and cookies and then even broke out the ice cream and cupcakes… it was a feast of junk food, but that was the best part! And then we all sat down and watched Elf together. The kids loved the movie, and we all huddled around Katie’s laptop on our two couches laughing and relaxing – Christmas style. It was so nice.

Saturday morning – which was magical all on its own simply because it was LYNNIE’S 22^nd BIRTHDAY – whoop whoop! - officially began day two of our Christmas weekend. Laura and I woke up and went for a walk around Regent Park (yes two days in a row… I had to run off all those cookies J ) and as we were walking IT BEGAN TO SNOW!!!! MAGIC…. It was so beautiful, and the sun was shining over the lake, and the swans were swimming as the light flurries sprinkled to the ground. It only lasted for about ten minutes, but it was a perfect way to start the morning.

When we got home, we showered and got ready. Then Katie, Kristy, Laura, Kelsey and I headed to Hyde Park for the opening day of the Winter Wonderland Christmas Festival! It was like the State Fair only SANTA-FIED… it was so exciting. They had Christmas music playing and tons of Christmas themed carnival rides, a huge snowflake Ferris wheel (and it was so big that for a split second I thought it was the London Eye … I know!). There were tons of food stands set up with cider, hot cocoa, mulled wine, chestnuts roasting on an open fire (legit…), trees lit, an ice skating rink with tons of people circling around – it was like out of a movie! We took tons of pictures (check facebook) and enjoyed the atmosphere. We are saving the ice-skating for Somerset House (which is a mansion that gets all decked out for Christmas and has a rink that we hear is the best one to skate on), so we simply walked around, had a pretzel, looked at all the specialty crafts and gifts and then headed to event 4 – Harrods at Christmas!

It is just a ten-minute walk from Winter Wonderland to Harrods. The streets were packed with busy shoppers and tourists, the storefront windows were all decorated, lights were strung through the trees – it looked just like New York City at Christmas (although New York City will always have a special feeling that not even London can trump – speaking of which - Mom, please Tivo the Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting for me, I need to see that when I come home – thanks mama boo J ), but it is simply stunning. As we approached Harrods we saw the elaborate white lights outlining the façade and knew it was just the beginning of what was to come on the inside.

Floor after floor (which Harrods all on its own is pretty magical) every inch was decorated for the holidays. In the bakery next to the donuts and croissants were elaborate Christmas cakes and gingerbread houses that were ALMOST as good as the ones Lynnie and I used to make every year. We walked all around looking at the glamorous clothes and all the Christmas themed displays. It was so busy and packed – as is the entire city this time of year. But it was so much fun.

After exploring every inch, which took some time, we had worked up quite the appetite. So we took the tube to Piccadilly Circus and had some Chinese food in China Town. While it took a while for the food to come out, and the meal was slighting interrupted by some unwanted fruit flies, and a crying child who would not calm down – it was a delicious meal of sweet and sour chicken and egg fried rice – a needed culinary vacation from the usual TV dinner. Then we made our way through the crowded, frigid streets back home to get ready for the night.

Because we had such a family- oriented, G-rated evening last night, we decided to live up one of our last few Saturday nights here in London and go out to the club Tiger Tiger. We got all ready, danced around the flat a little while to ‘N Sync and Backstreet Boys (we were in an old school boy band kind of mood) and then headed out into the freezing cold night to Leicester Square, dolled up and ready to dance.

The evening had its ups and downs, but overall – the club cover charge was outrageous, the coat line was longer than the line for freaking Splash Mountain – basically, it was PACKED wall to wall with people, the dance floor had absolutely no breathing room, but worst of all – WORST WORST WORST OF ALL…. the music was complete crap. And that just kills it for me…. So after a couple of hours of being pushed and pulled around, having to turn away the creepy guys (including one who kept following me around and kept popping up behind me like Where’s Waldo no matter what I did), we took the bus home. I think there were maybe two songs I even recognized the whole night….which is weird because we have been there before and the music was great, so I guess the DJ was just on crack last night or something… and so that was a bit of a magic killer…. But today certainly made up for it!

We crashed the minute we got home – freezing of course from the cold commute. What we did not know was that all that cold weather was foreshadowing the surprise we would get in the morning.

This morning we woke up and day 3 of Christmas Weekend began, and on the agenda was a guided tour of the beautiful English college town, Cambridge. As we stepped outside to walk to the tube, we were greeted by large flakes of snow falling from the sky! It was so beautiful to see the roofs of cars coated in white and the light flurries were a welcome relief from the constant rain…that is until the temperature went up a bit above freezing, and I – without an umbrella for the first time in forever….began to realize that our day trip to Cambridge could be hijacked by some freezing cold rain.

We met with our small tour group – two girls and our guide Rob joined Laura, Kelsey and me to make six – and then we boarded the train (only after taking the classic Harry Potter picture at Platform 9 ¾) as the snow turned to rain. An hour later, we arrived in Cambridge, and despite it being about 5 degrees colder (keep in mind this is Celsius) than London, it was still pouring down freezing cold rain. Laura and I only had one BROKEN umbrella (remember Dublin…. apparently we did not learn our lesson and buy a strong enough umbrella this time either) to shelter us for the 30-minute walk into central Cambridge, which was miserable. I was literally about to turn around and get back on the train, about to cry because my Uggs were soaked through to my feet and with every step there was freezing rain shooting into my face and down the back of my coast as we battled with the umbrella to stay upright, and searched for a store that sold umbrellas (which was simply NOT HAPPENING…). I became more and more sad that our final day of Christmas weekend in Cambridge (a tour we paid good money for) was being ruined. It was hard to appreciate the information of the history of the place because we were all just so miserable standing in the pouring rain. So I stepped up and asked if we could please seek some shelter and wait it out, and everyone agreed. So we stopped in a breakfast café, warmed up – aired out my socks in the bathroom because I was just drenched – and had a hearty English breakfast and the most delicious hot mocha. That certainly lifted my spirits, and as we headed back out into the cold, we finally found a place to buy umbrellas. Rob then took us around a bit showing us all the different colleges, which are so beautiful and historic, and then left us for free time at Queen Mary’s Church.

We entered the church, getting out of the cold drizzle, and headed up over 100 winding steps to the top to see the best views of Cambridge. And as we made our way up carefully, praying our wet shoes did not slip on the stairs, I am convinced God made a deal with Mother Nature to halt her fury for a little while for all of our sanity. As we turned the last corner and emerged at the top – the sun was out, and there were blue skies everywhere… it was like some miracle – a Christmas miracle if you will! And the view was spectacular!

Cambridge is just a classic English town, and reminds me a lot of the little town featured in the movie The Holiday – only bigger and grander. The streets are all so sweet and winding, lined with stores independent and chain, whose storefronts were all decorated for the holidays. The lamppost had snowflake lights and once the sun came out, I immediately fell in the love with the town. It made me wonder how different my experience would have been had I studied in a true English college town. While I love London, I do not really feel like I have lived here. I still have to carry a map with me everywhere (and of course…an umbrella, but that is besides the point), I am constantly seeing and trying new things, which is great, but I certainly do not feel at all like a local. I don’t have a favorite café where I know the owners like the Italy girls, and I certainly do not know my way around as well as I would had I studied in a smaller town. I just loved Cambridge – the architecture, the history – it was so stunning and exactly what you think of when you think of a classic English town. Studying there would be absolutely incredible. But then again, London has its own amazing advantages and I wouldn’t trade a thing – it just showed me how different studying in a smaller setting would have been in comparison to my experience here.

After our cold day of shopping in and out of stores, trying all the while to stay warm and not catch…I think I am on cold15…. of this trip, we got back on the train and headed back into central London. While Christmas weekend ended in freezing rain, it began with a flurry in the park and a flurry this morning, and that is what I will choose to remember of the weather this weekend – a weekend that was exactly what I needed. I got to be home, hang out with the girls, and enjoy London, but most of all, I got to do it all during the most wonderful time of the year in one of the greatest cities on Earth – now that is pretty magical.

Love and hugs (and if you read through all of that, I think YOU are pretty magical…),

Jenny

It's the most wonderful time of the year :)

I love Christmas and today in between class and work, I listened to my Christmas music and tried to get in the spirit :) Laura and I also decorated our flat for two hours using only Christmas plates, Christmas tree gift tags, wrapping paper and a lot of imagination - we were basically the Christmas elves of Flat B :)

Tomorrow is the start of our Christmas weekend! YAY! 

As for today, I went into work, then I had history class and I paid attention since the class was about our final paper due, which I plan to write tomorrow morning before our christmas movie marathon :) 

It was a really boring day of database entries...literally all day. And I really have nothing too exciting to say about all of that, so Lynn - have a party - this entry is almost over :)

I will write more on the weekend on Saturday or Sunday, but my little brain is ready for a rest and of course, some more Christmas fun :)

SATURDAY IS LYNNIE'S BIRTHDAY!!! WHOOP WHOOP! So pumped :) 22 on the 22nd... how exciting is that! Love you boo :)

Love and hugs,

Jenny

Kelly Management Idol

            I love American Idol. Some people think that it is just a silly talent competition or it is not a legitimate way of becoming famous, but if you ask me, it is one of the most entertaining and exciting reality shows we have. I would simply love to be a judge on that show because to be there live, front and center every week and have my input matter would be really cool. But since that will never happen, I seek joy participating in a slightly more low profile panel at the kids acting workshop, which can be just as entertaining.

It is so funny because Rob, Gordon and I truly fit into the roles of the American Idol judges when critiquing the kids. You have Robert who is clearly Randy because, while he is does not start his sentences with “yo yo yo,” or reference any dawg pounds, he is always pretty middle of the road and passes it quickly off to me and Gordon. Then there is me, the sweet Paula, because I just feel for the effort these kids are putting in and while I critique, I always emphasize the positive. I think I even said today -  joking of course -  that I wanted the older kids to make the monologue have wings – a Paula moment indeed. And then you have Gordon…dun dun dun… (ominous sound) he is without a doubt the Simon. You can just see the fear in the kids eyes when it gets to Gordon’s turn to speak. They just look so scared, and Gordon certainly tells it how it is, but I think the kids really respect him for that. And to be honest, he is always right. But what I love most about Kelly Management Idol is that one night a week I get to critique these kids, laugh with my boys, and be on the inside of all the jokes and secret notes we write to each other. It makes me feel like I have valuable things to say and that the kids look up to me, and all of that is very fun! When the kids forget their lines, won’t shut up, or are just plain mumbling and not taking direction – that part is not so fun. But neither was listening to Nikki McKibbon (1^st season American Idol….anyone remember that awful rocker chick?) attempt to sing after the amazing Kelly Clarkson, but I still tuned in!

Before the workshop, my day at the office began with sorting through the daily emails and finishing making the photo labels for the adult clients. We stick these labels on the back of client’s headshots and CV’s so that they are easily identified by casting directors when they go out for castings. It is a tedious job, but it did not take me too long to complete.

            We had three meetings today. The first was with a client we saw in an Arts Education Production of the Drowsy Chaperone on Thursday night. He is extremely talented but he is clearly in love with Robert, which made for a very tense meeting – tense meaning sexually tense J . Even when Gordon and I were talking to him, he would not take his eyes off Robert, who could care less about him. It was so hilarious. He is actually an extremely impressive actor and played his role so well, but in front of Rob he just went all gaga….so funny to witness. After Rob got a series of text messages from him, basically asking him out…. How unprofessional – you just interviewed with the guy for representation man, lock it up! Anyways, it made for comic relief throughout the whole day every time he would get another text.

The second meeting was with our current client Leanne who is playing Tracy in Hairspray. She had some contracts to sign and we had a big discussion on the future of her career. I just love her! She is 23 and she is so sweet! She gave me a big hug hello, and she is like the Idina of London. Her contract for Hairspray is up in April, and she is really excited to go out and do something new since she has been doing the same show eight times a week for over a year. I love picking her brain about the behind the scenes elements of the cast and the production, and so it was a fun break to have her in the office.

            The third meeting was with another perspective client who we saw in the show Grease last week. She came on very strong and Robert and Gordon were not sure that she was different enough to take on. As I mentioned before, having a versatile client list is crucial, and she was too much like the actresses we already have. Therefore, she would be up against a lot of our current female clients in auditions, and so it would not be in her best interest or the companies to sign her.

In between meetings, I went on a wild goose chase throughout London to run a bunch of errands for the guys. BUT, it was such a beautiful day – FINALLY! Blue skies, all day, the sun shining, not to hot, not too cold. IT WAS WONDERFUL!!! And I am glad I got to get out of the office for a bit to enjoy it.

After work we went to the workshop. The younger kids all gave me a big hug hello since I was absent last week to attend a safety meeting, which was really sweet. The younger kid’s class was actually really boring, but I love the older class (age 13 – 18) – which is when Kelly Management Idol really begins. We did improv, which is always hilarious, and then they did their monologues for us, and we all get to say a bit and critique which is fun. I am really going to miss the class, and of course Rob and Gordon. It is so hard that I am going to have to leave two best friends behind with no idea as to when I am ever going to see them again. But I try not to think about that. Like the emotional Paula, it will just make me weep J. Tomorrow I am going back in the office before and after history since next week I am missing next Wednesday to spend the day with Ike and Brezny. One week from today they will be here – how crazy is that?! It will be so great to see them and spend Thanksgiving with them – it will be like having a piece of home with me. And in a couple of weeks I will actually be home…. Now that is even more crazy.

 

Love and hugs,

Jenny

sunlight is the best medicine

Yesterday, I spoke too soon….

I woke up this morning, got ready, had my oatmeal and headed off to class on my own with N Sync’s Christmas CD playing in my ears. I was at class about 20 minutes early, so I caught up with some emails and then everyone finally arrived to class. This morning it was pretty gloomy outside to start, and we had to spend all of theatre class discussing that horrible show we saw last night, so it was not a very uplifting morning. But as each hour passed the clouds began to roll away. By lunchtime, the sun peaked out from behind the clouds and, as if the heavens parted, we finally saw some sunlight in London!

 

The only problem is, we were stuck in our history class! But it was still so nice to be able to look out the window and see the sun and blue skies. Throughout history class I caught up with facebook and emailed Lynnie – who claims my blog entries are much too long for her to handle – so this one is for you Lynnie – pretty short and sweet.

 

After history class, we hung around and used the free Internet while Laura met with the internship coordinators to settle all the logistics of the incident. Everything is fine, I think she is slowly starting to feel closure on everything and seeing as the rest of us only have 3 internship days left all together, I am pretty sure she will enjoy the few days off to relax and enjoy London. Once she was done with her meeting we went grocery shopping to pick up a bunch of goodies for our Christmas Weekend – this weekend we are doing a bunch of Christmas activities including a movie marathon, cookie baking, decorating and going to the opening day of Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland festival. And on Sunday we are going to go to Cambridge, so that will be a fun day trip right here in England.

 

Tonight I am just hanging out. Most of my papers are done except for history, which I will start working on later this week. It is nice to have a night to do nothing but silly things like paint my nails and youtube Zac Efron videos, and even listen to some more Christmas music!

 

Birthdays are coming! YAY! Lynnie’s is on Saturday and mine is two weeks after that! Whoop whoop! I can finally say I am 20 without, well…. lying. That will be very fun, and it will mean one year until I am legal! It will be so weird to go back to London and not be able to order a casual glass of wine with dinner… total bummer! But good things come to those who wait…

 

So I am better now – Laura said that after last night’s blog you all must think we are slashing our wrists or something, but no no no, we are better now, we just needed a new day and a bit of sunlight – and of course, some Christmas cheer! Still, I miss you all so much and I cannot wait to see you soon….very soon!

 

Love and hugs,

Jenny

Christmas carols can cure all

It has been a very strange 24 hours. There was an incident over the weekend with Laura and her internship – she was in charge of all of the press for the 2008 Urban Music Awards (an award show the small media company she interns with was  hosting). During the show - in which she was in charge of all of the press BY HERSELF, there were 3 stabbings by gang members, which unleashed hysteria in the building. Blood was everywhere and to make a long story short, Laura and the two other Elon interns she was with, Ashley and Michelle, were abandoned by their supervisor (who left with the celebrities) to deal with the press and the police all on their own. It was obviously traumatic and scary, and it was the last straw to a series of scary happenings since being here. Trying to be there for her and support her through this emotional whirlwind right upon getting back from Paris has been really tough. I want to do something to make her feel better, but she is understandably a mess, and I feel so helpless. I wish I could tell her that the sun will come out tomorrow…. But not even Annie could make me believe that. Always rain and gloomy skies here in London... we could all use a pick me up.

 

So, when I went into the office today, Gordon came up with a brilliant idea to cheer me up – Christmas music day in the office! All day long we youtubed every holiday song you could imagine from Celine to Whitney to Mariah, and of course all of the classics that make me feel safe and warm. The office was really quiet, I think the phone rang four times the entire day so we were able to get a lot of administrative work done uninterrupted. Of course, busy is always good because busy means business, but I do appreciate the days when we can all breathe without the phone ringing every two seconds.

 

My daily activities were pretty boring. I began with doing some research on the child clients, searching through their files to figure out which components they were missing be it a photo, CV, CV email, contract, or document sheet with their personal details. We recently took on about ten new clients from the School of Comedy, and so many of them had missing information that had to be documented so that everything is order for the New Year.

I also went through all of the adult files and took down a list of when the client’s contracts expired so that we could make sure all contracts were renewed and in order for 2009. I was surprised to find that many of the clients had contracts that were already expired. This is mostly because a lot of Robert’s clients are friends and so some of the business side of their relationship has not been maintained. But, of course, to ensure the business is going to move forward, Robert intends to get the contracts in order, because in the end friends are no guarantee.

       

After sorting through the files and compiling this list, I sat down to organize piles of receipts that have dated back to 2006! I, again was shocked by the major pile up, but luckily we are getting all the finances in order now so that can be all taken care of before starting a whole new pile of receipts in 2009. And even though it was monotonous, sorting to the sounds of Michael Buble’s Winter Wonderland made it worthwhile J.

       

Castings are very few and far between, however we have a client, Lara Martin, who I recently saw in the production of Blues Brothers in Dublin, who was called in for the final stage of casting for the upcoming West End production of Sister Act and we are really hoping she gets the part. It is a very exciting new production that has had a lot of hype surrounding it, so it would be great for the company to have a client in the show. Also Gavin Alex is on the short list for the show Never Forget, which means he is being highly considered for the final stages of casting.

       

Last week we auditioned Chris Robson, an older man who has tremendous clients, and he decided to come on board with us today, which was very exciting news. He will be a great asset to the company not only because he is talented, but because he fits the profile of none of our other clients because he is middle-aged, which means we now have a client to put up for older roles. The more versatile our client list is, the more role descriptions we are able to submit our actors for, which increases the opportunities for the company.

 

So work was good, and the boys and I had a lot of laughs. Then I headed off on my own to the Hammersmith Lyric Theatre – which is about a 45 minutes commute away, by myself. And I just do not like being by myself in the city – especially not now, and especially since it gets dark here literally at 4:30pm. I called my mom when I got to the theatre, wishing she could give me a hug. I am starting to really itch to be home, and while I love it here, there is nothing like the safety of your own home and having your parents there to protect you. I know I am all grown up now, but that need will never go away.

 

The show we saw was horrible – it was a modern day version of Othello set in a bar in North Liverpool. The accents made the already difficult to understand language unbearable and I was so bored. There was no interval, I had a splitting headache, yearned for friggin subtitles, burnt my mouth on my soup just before the show and to top it off, the ending was the most gruesome and gory death of each main character – including stabbings and a slashing of the jugular with blood that gushed everywhere.  This is exactly what happened at the awards show Laura and the girls witnessed. So they all left crying. It was horrible timing. I think everything will get better soon, just right now we all just want to go home. 

But if I have learned anything from being here, it is that you can never predict what tomorrow is going to bring, and for every moment I have wanted to go home, there have been ten in which I have been so happy and content. It is those moments I will take with me. The rest can drown in all the rain.

 

Love and hugs,

Jenny

Under a white Parisian sky

What makes a masterpiece? Is it the color used, the technique, the process or the end result? Is it the artist, the design, the message, or a combination of each element? Is it the way the painting makes you feel or the way the painting is supposed to make you feel? As I walked through the Louvre this morning, I thought about these questions. Sometimes I wonder why certain pieces are so esteemed, while others are simply portraits hanging on a wall that barely receive a lasting glance. Why is the Mona Lisa such a phenomenon, and yet a painting 50 times its size, more detailed and far more grand hanging on the adjacent wall is one I have never heard of before? How is it that we let fame so easily distort the critical eye? Look at Britney Spears – the woman cannot sing for the life of her, and yet the infatuation with her is relentless, whereas an actress on Broadway with pipes that could rival Mariah remains unrecognized to the masses. In a world where art is subjective and beauty is in the eye of the beholder, how come we are so easily told what is art and what is beautiful?

 

Saturday morning we woke up to a white sky – almost as if the clouds were about to release snow into the chilly air, but it was much too misty for that actually to happen. We had a delicious breakfast buffet in the hotel lobby, met up with Katie, and then headed on the bus toward Montmarte. After a fifteen-minute journey through the streets of Paris, we were dropped off at a small street that was full of lower class people rummaging through boxes of used clothing – it was kind of sketchy. However, our eyes were guided upward to the top of a large hill where the Sacre Coeur stood. This beautiful white church was exteriorly one of my absolute favorites. It was so elegant and regal. The 150 + steps to get to the top were a welcome work-out, and once inside, we were amazed by the beautiful detailed stain glass and candles that lit the inside. It was stunning.

 

After viewing the church and having some free time to walk around the pretty cafes and explore the square full of amazing artists displaying their work (and of course, hounding us to draw our portrait), we walked with Andrew (our tour guide) through a series of streets passing all the famous moulins of Paris (who knew Moulin meant windmill?! Not me….) of course ending with the famous Moulin Rouge! We took tons of pictures and had a blast posing outside the façade – and naturally, appalled by all the sex shops surrounding the club – Paris is certainly not Disney World, that is for sure…. Being around all those disgusting stores felt a bit dirty. I will simply never understand any of that…. Yuck!

 

We then got back on the bus and headed to Notre Dame Cathedral, which was exquisite! The inside was so gothic and felt just like I had jumped into a scene from the Disney movie (The Hunch Back of Notre Dame)… this made Katie, Andrea and I all reflect as to how Disney movies really expose children to the world at a young age. I would not know about so many of the landmarks I have seen if it had not been for Disney – which is why Disney is the most magical – and educational – place on Earth J. Unfortunately, it was much too dark on the inside to get any good pictures, but it was beautiful and had a long aisle down the middle leading to an elaborate cross. The stain glass was formulated into large circular shapes above the columns, and it was simply breathtaking.

 

Before we knew it, our tummies were rumbling, and so we took the rest of the time to grab some French onion soup – very delicious – at this adorable café by the cathedral. We ate quickly in order to make it to our tour group on time, but little did we know, we could have had a five course meal…. Our bus driver got lost, which left us standing for 90 minutes in the freezing cold waiting for him to find his way back to us to bring us to the Palace of Versailles. After trying on tons of hats in a shop nearby and freezing our butts off waiting in the cold, the bus finally pulled up and after a 45 minute ride (and nap….) we were at Louie 14th’s humble abode – the 700 room Palace of Versailles.

 

The golden gates leading up to the largest palace I have ever seen in my life were incredible all on their own – but the building it gated was simply unbelievable. Its vast size in addition to the beautiful furnishing of the staterooms was totally worth the long and cold wait. There was a weird modern art exhibit going on throughout the palace rooms of large balloon animals, which kind of took away from the ambiance, but walking through the halls was like being transported back in time to the days of Louie’s reign – and reign he did. The man was so obsessed with himself! Hundreds of pictures just of him…. Unbelievable! To be among so much rich history…and when I say rich I mean it literally…. dating back centuries was really exciting.

 

And as if the interior of the palace was not enough – the gardens, even though shadowed by the gray sky and the darkening night, were out of this world! I cannot even imagine how beautiful they must be in full bloom. And to think Louie had all of this when the French people were starving… it just goes to show that the palace itself may be considered a masterpiece, but a selfish masterpiece at that.

 

As our toes began to freeze to the point of numbness, we headed back to the bus for the ride back to the hotel. As we drove back, we passed the site where the guillotine took the lives of over 3,000 citizens including Madame Bovary. Now there is an obelisk with a gold flame marking the deadly site forever. We also drove through the tunnel that took Princess Diana’s life, which was so surreal. Above the tunnel is an enlarged replica of the Liberty Flame (the flame held by the Statue of Liberty – there is also a small replica of the entire statue at the site along the Siene river where the it was originally constructed before gifting it to America) and even eleven years later, people still rest flowers on the flame in Diana’s memory. Now that to me, is a masterpiece.

 

Andrea was not feeling great, so Katie and I headed out on our own to a small pizzeria by our hotel. We were so tired from the long day and just needed some quick food not far from the hotel – walking alone at Paris at night is scary, so we just wanted to be close. The food was actually delicious, and when we got back to the hotel, we all cuddled up and watched hours of Friends episodes before falling to sleep. And what an amazing sleep it was! Our beds at the hotel were so comfortable!

 

And the breakfast the next day was just as filling and delicious as the first. We then checked out of the hotel and loaded up on the coach with our luggage to head to our last stop in Paris – the Louvre Museum. From the glass pyramids, to the sheer history of the building and the contents inside, it was a surreal experience. After purchasing our tickets and stowing our luggage, we headed straight for the Mona Lisa, of course the major tourist attraction of Paris. I already knew it was going to be small and “disappointing” because everyone told me so before hand, so I squeezed my way to the front, took my pictures, took in all 12 inches of it in (not really but it was pretty small….) and then made my way around the rest of the room. I have to admit, I was taken by other paintings so much more simply because they had color and life behind them – features I think the Mona Lisa lacked.  I know the Mona Lisa has a very controversial history, but the hype that surrounds the painting itself is much more grand than the actual canvas. If Mona only knew how famous she would become, maybe then she would have a reason to smile.

 

We walked around the rest of the Louvre for a little while, seeing the winged angel among other famous must-sees. We did our best to explore the overwhelming maze of art, and then went outside to take pictures of the exterior. After, we headed back inside and walked around the specialty stores that lined the entrance and had some lunch in the food court. Before we knew it, it was time to head to the train station, so we separated with Katie, who took the bus back, hailed a cab and headed to the train station to get the Eurostar back to London. With the exception of some rowdy Englishmen who kept trying to lick temporary tattoos on the girls on our trip, the train ride was pretty uneventful and I was able to get my final internship paper written, which is a load off. One more paper left to write for the whole semester, which is very exciting!

 

And just like that, I was back home in my flat in London, the city of love miles away. My traveling outside of London came to a close with a great weekend. From this point out it is just London and me until December 8^th, which is only weeks away. I still cannot believe how quickly this trip is passing by, and yet I am starting to really yearn for the comforts of home. Not to mention, I have so much left in life beyond this trip, and being in Paris made me really excited for that future. I really cannot wait to go back to Italy with my sister and Paris with my future husband – beyond all the sex shops, it really is a romantic city! I can picture it now – me and him (mister tall, dark and handsome….) standing at the top of the Eiffel tower with the sun shining warm against my face – now that is what I call a masterpiece J.

 

Love and hugs,

Jenny