surprise!

So here's the surprise I was talking about...

When I was down, I used to go onto the Why We Write blog to get inspired by all these film and tv writers who wrote essays on why they wrote. Then they said that you can send in your own essay on why you write. So, at 1 in the morning I was typing furiously on why I wrote in the context of being abroad. I've always had many reasons to write, but after being in France, more reasons seem to have cropped up. I sent in my essay, not thinking it would be featured, just wanting to have it written out.

It was great news when Charlie of the site wanted to feature mine! I nearly died of heart attack. Check it!

I want to thank Charlie Craig and Thania St. John for creating this website in the midst of the strikes in LA. And to all the writers who shared their writing experience. It was uplifting and inspirational. I love reading about other writers. Special thanks to Charlie who picked mine.

too tired to write, too sick to write

I'm sick again: third time this year. Won't have a proper post until after London, and might even have to forgo the whole London re-cap for a while.

In summation: watching C. shopping at Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Goyard were most exciting. Would never walk into these stores. Holding purses and bags that cost more than an arm and a leg on the black market. Staying in a sweet hotel room that felt like a museum and costs more than one month's rent for my Parisian studio. Also stayed next door to where they filmed "Hotel Chevalier". Taking a bubble bath. Room service. Drinking champagne on the balcony, then dancing to the Beatles and Bloc Party among others.

Will definitely re-cap my fun week with C.--it was most interesting.

is this really happening?

C. and I came back from Pigalle. Hung out with Susie and Melissa with Maximators (tall beer can with 11.6% alcohol). I had half a Navigator which is 8.6%. Went up Sacre Coeur--lovely at night, but not too many lights. An ambulance was up there, facing the view too and playing loud rap. It was interesting. If I was an EMT in Paris on my break, I'd do that too.

Before that, the opera. Pretty sweet! My first time at the opera, probably not my last, it was pretty cool. The male lead looked like the drug dealer in Pulp Fiction, the actor, not the character. We had espressos beforehand down the street and window shopped.

This morning, C., on one of her crazy, "spontaneous" turns got a deluxe suite for one night at the Hotel Raphael where they filmed Hotel Chevalier. She wanted us to stay in a room just like the one Jason Schwartzman stayed in. She made the reservation while using my cell phone, and I just stood there, jaw dropped. She said that I deserved a vacation. So after Versailles tomorrow, we're checking in there for the night--insanity!

entourage

Today was strangely out of this world. Catherine kept saying, "Are we in a movie?" with my landlord playing his accordion and singing outside, the people dancing, the merchants yelling about strawberries on sale...I feel like I've been taking it for granted.

Went to Notre Dame, St. Michel, Tuileries, and walked up the Champs. Took Catherine to Louis Vuitton since she's into that. Catherine asked to see a duffel bag, and I felt like I was on "Entourage" or something just shopping with her and commenting on bags, wallets, and things. I'd never step into Louis Vuitton or anything like that, it kind of depresses me to see expensive things, really nice expensive things and I hate myself for liking them just because there are more important things in the world than a nice leather bag and after trying to go all Tyler Durden this year, I am so close to throwing all that shit out the window. Louis Vuitton bags are effing nice. And, man, did they treat us well!

We got complimentary champagne. Twice. I just sat on a chair while C. held various travel bags in front of a mirror. I kept asking myself, "Is this really happening?" C. tried the red (too bold), the black (eh), the brown leather (plain), then the brown checkered which is quintessential LV, not like the monogram. She went with the brown checkered one which looks amazing. Marly, our salesperson, took us on a little tour of the showroom and brought us upstairs where you can order luggage. C. got a complimentary monogram, and we discussed options: colors of the monogram, 2 or 3 initials, vertical or horizontal. She went with green, 2, and vertical. It was really fun. It felt like when Mom and I'd go to Cartier at South Coast Plaza, and she'd get her watch cleaned there or a new strap, and I'd pretend I was some rich OC girl wearing a Lacoste tennis shirt dress that Kuya bought me for my birthday and I only wear for really special things. I don't know, stupid stuff like that, it was fun, I was young.

I was happy that she got some thing off the Champs, especially something from a French designer at the flagship store. Then we went to Lacoste because her Dad texted her about wanting shirts, so she got him shirts.

Had dinner in front of the Tour Eiffel and then met up with Susie and Melissa. Got a drink at Shywawa and walked home in the rain. It was nice. I think she had fun. I forgot how tiring sightseeing is.

success!

Successfully picked up Catherine at the airport. She was tired and not feeling well--drank 2 small bottles of wine on the plane ("Why not? It was free. It was like happy hour on a plane!" --C.) and completely regretted it. Airplane food did not help either. So she took a later flight and rested at Heathrow.

Right off the metro, she took out her SLR camera and took pics. Back to my place, I made her tea while she plopped on my bed and took a breather. Lucia dropped by for some GREAT news about Italy.

Basically, we're going to spend 2 weeks in Italy--WOW! And the best thing is that almost half of our lodging will be FREE. AAAAHHH!!! Keisha knows some people there with vacation homes, and a lot of them won't be around, as well as her boyfriend's fam is willing to host us. We're hitting up Sicily, Rome, Naples, Florence, and Venice. You have no idea how excited I am about all this. Getting to spend time in the countryside in a house with an Italian family will be really cool and interesting. And the food, dear God, the food! Will try and learn some Italian basics.

Catherine people watched at my window, commenting on how lovely the boys are with their "coats and scarves and speaking French to each other". She is absolutely a doll to be with and it's interesting seeing Paris through her eyes. The three of us got dinner across the street. I had the tartiflette which is pretty much cheese, potatoes, and ham. Really good, but never again unless I want to die in 5 years. C. had roast chicken and fries and loved it. She also likes the Coke and how it came with a slice of lemon and a spoon.

Said bye to Lucia, then we sat at my window and talked till 2am about boys, philosophy (that's her major), and just did a running commentary on whoever was walking down our street. And then watched Wes Anderson's Hotel Chevalier to get in a Parisien mood. We also looked at prices on the internet for a room at where they filmed it. They were outrageous! 400 euros for a standard room. Insane. Good times.

Itinerary (things C. wants to do):
1. Versailles
2. Graves of Sartre and Beauvoir
3. Shopping
4. Opera
5. Sit in a cafe and work on her thesis (while I'm in class)
6. Bar/lounge
7. the outside of the Louvre
8. Tour Eiffel

I'm gonna do my best to be a good host so wish me luck! I'm really glad though she doesn't want to be a total tourist and see absolutely everything ("I'm being realistic."--C). By the way, she's sleeping still, dead tired, that's why I gots time to blog.

I am a liar

Okay, so I do have time to blog. Catherine's flight's been delayed maybe 5 hours.

Last night was loads of fun, Keisha's boys invited us bowling. What's nice is that they're working guys (Adriano, Yannu, and Laurent), so they paid for everything--woot. The game, shoes, and our first two drinks. I'm usually not okay with that stuff, I'd like to put in my share, but I'm poor in Paris so why the hell not? We had champagne and then I got a kir cassis and then during the game a demi pèche which is blonde beer (Heineken) and peach syrup. Tastiness. The whole bowling thing felt like America, except for drinking alcohol right on the lane. It was also cosmic bowling which I haven't done before, so that was cool, and under 16s not allowed so it's like going to a club. A bowling club. Weird thing is that Kuya got back to me from Grandma's funeral, and he said all the cousins went bowling afterward.

The guys made a wager. Whoever lost would have to make dinner next time. So us girls, Lucia, Kiesha, Laura, and I would taunt them whenever they threw gutter balls: "T'as d'espace chez toi?" (Do you have space at your house?) Laurent kept saying he'll make couscous and that's it. Lucia won with 121. I sucked in second to last place, and Adriano kept giving me tips while bowling which was nice. In the end, Laura has to cook. But we'll help her out.

Debating about skipping class on Tuesday. It's wrong, but what feels even more wrong is leaving my friend who came all the way out here to see me, to leave her wandering the city alone. I haven't seen her since my birthday. Will think about it. I'm already turning a paper in late and skipping Friday's class because I'm off to London. I think if I have a legitimate excuse for skipping class like traveling or being with an out-of-towner, that I should be off the hook. Last semester, there were a couple of classes I skipped because I was sad and genuinely didn't feel like going, but it's better now. I feel better now thank you God.

blog break

LOVELY!Above is an engagement photo of Kuya and his girl. I like this one too since it's quintessential SF:I'm going to take a blogging break, if that's possible (you know how much I love blogging here), because Catherine is arriving tomorrow, and she's going to have all my attention, and I leave for London the same day she leaves Paris. My laptoppy took a dump last night, so I think it needs some rest. I think it has become self-aware because Kuya and I were discussing computers this past week.

Keisha's French guy friends asked if we wanted to go bowling, so I'm doing that tonight. Yay! The boys are hilarious too, so it'll be a fun time. Then I have to do a crapload of homework tomorrow morning before picking up Catherine and showing her around town.

So I'll be gone for a week or so. Enjoy life, read some books, watch some movies, listen to musics, visit museums, take up a new hobby or interest (I've recently been interested in calligraphy). That's an order. Here are some books, musics, and movies that I've enjoyed abroad:

Books:
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
The Watchmen by Alan Moore
The Moviegoer's Companion

Musics: (not that extensive)
Thrice's The Alchemy Index Vol. 1 and 2
Wax Tailor: French hip hop artist
Radiohead everything

Movies:
To Kill A Mockingbird (Gregory Peck)
College (Buster Keaton)
2001: A Space Odyssey
Barton Fink
Paris (might not be out yet in US, but check it when it comes)

Museums: (Here are some of my faves in LA)
Getty
LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art)
National History Museum of Los Angeles county
Norton Simon Museum of Art in Pasadena
Bowers Museum in Orange County

Be well! Will probably pop in for a few updates, but other than that take care! loveelaine