oasis

I'm pretty sure I should be banned from the Internet during dead week and finals week. I have been so unproductive today! I have two papers due on Friday and the most I got done was a little outlining. I did go to the gym and did a bit of reading today, but I've also done a lot of lazing about.

I did however decide that at some point in my life I would love to live in a building with a cool rooftop.Whether it has a fantastic view, like this one in NYC,
(image via wandermelon.com)

or a modern, relaxing feel like this one,
(also in Manhattan, image via inhabitat.com)

or an exotic vibe, like this one in Marrakesh, Morocco.
(That's me!)

I love this picture, it reminds me of such a dreamy experience I had when I was in Morocco. My tiny, adorable hostel had this rooftop oasis that I escaped to on my first day in Marrakesh. I was tired and dusty and culturally shocked, and I simply needed a quiet place to relax. I lazed on that couch all afternoon and wrote in my journal, and the owner of the hostel brought up a tray with fresh, homemade Moroccan mint tea served in the most ornate tea set. She also gave me a little bowl full of semi-sweet crumbly biscuits that tasted like heaven. I watched a beautiful sunset and as a hush fell over the incredibly loud and chaotic city, the eerie, mysterious prayer call in Arabic echoed through a PA system across the entire city. The prayer call must have lasted for about five minutes, and the whole time I was sitting in the near dark with tiny lanterns lit all around me, and goosebumps on my skin. The whole experience was magical and I cherish it as one of the most profound during my entire time abroad.

Ahh I just got kinda sad thinking about that for some reason. It's really windy here, I hate the wind for some reason, and it makes all the windows in this old house rattle like crazy, which puts me on edge. I'm going to go make a tuna melt. Hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing weekend. Back to the daily grind tomorrow.

birthday girl

So I'm celebrating my 22nd birthday today! I feel super lucky because having a February birthday usually means rain, but today it is super sunny and warm! I love birthdays because everyone is so nice! I got some really sweet gifts from my roommates. Thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes! My day has been pretty laid back, I went to class, finished the crossword puzzle in the paper, and then got lunch from my favorite sandwich place with a friend. We took our sandwiches down to the beach and had a little picnic. It was so nice! I have to go back to class in a little bit and unfortunately I have to do a little work on a take-home midterm, but it should be pretty painless. Tonight I'm going bowling with a big group of friends. The local bowling alley has over 40 beers on tap. I love throwing heavy things around when I'm drunk!

It's weird to think of where I was a year ago on my birthday. I celebrated my 21st in Paris, and I had such a blast. I went with a big group of friends to a funky little fondue restaurant that served wine in baby bottles, then we went dancing at a club on the Seine. It was such a fun experience and I have such fond memories of my birthday abroad. Here are some pics from exactly a year ago that I love to look at. The Eiffel Tower never gets old.

ah Paris...

It's been foreeevvver so I won't bore you with the little details, just thought you should see my gems from my 21st birthday weekend in Paris! A couple are from the Centre de Pompidou (the amazing modern art museum in Paris). Oh and I just couldn't resist a few classic Eiffel Tower shots either. Both happened to be taken from a speeding metro car, so be impressed. Or not.

I think this is the coolest picture I've ever taken. It was just a plaster ad in the metro, but I love the angle I captured it from so you can see down the entire row of them. I think I'll call it Multiple Monas?

Check out that old man. I asked him to take his picture and then we talked (in French) about his daughter who lives in Miami. Later I saw him pull out an old tobacco pipe and I thought he was the cutest thing ever. So classic.

philanges

Just a few things I'm temporarily obsessed with! (Sorry I'm not writing anything amazing/dramatic/noteworthy, but this is some fab baggage that have been on my mind, so enjoy! PS, I have awesome plans for my 21st in France, I'll fill you in soon. Can't wait!)

The movie The Virgin Suicides, directed by Sofia Coppola, with Kirsten Dunst and Josh Hartnett. Can I just say, chilling? Oh and also, "You're a stone fox."

http://www.urbandictionary.com/ It's so clever. If I need a little pick-me-up, I just rely on this!

Lucid dreaming, aka a conscious dream, aka a dream that a person is capable of controlling/participating in. Been trying to learn how to accomplish this...here are some steps and hints!

Múm=awesome mostly instrumental Icelandic group that puts me in the best mood ever. I zone out to it on the tram tous les jours.

La Plana, un café dans la place de la Victoire, which is a huge square (octagon?) in the middle of Bordeaux. Delicious house wine and the cutest waiters, plus warm bread all the time!

My walk to school (I'll attach a picture.) Takes about 14 minutes, it's always cold, but rarely foggy (it was a freak day when I took this picture). The funniest part of the walk is me sliding around trying not to fall down because the leaves covering the ground are all so icy and treacherous.

Oh one more, I think everyone knows about this, but http://www.stumbleupon.com/
is an awesome connection to so many websites. The internet is insane, it's crazy to think all this stuff exists. I guess you never really know what's out there!

PS-Scott Schuman, where have you been? I've been looking quite chic lately if I dare say so myself. Got a new plaid shirt at H&M. SO cute. Can't wait to show it off. I'll have a photo of it up soon.



PSS-This is a picture from my walk to school! No altercations to this photo. Where do I get the amazing blur effect you ask? I call it the "freak fog+trying to take a picture while walking+attempting to not slip and fall down+not exposing philanges to the outside air all at the same time" effect.


Listening to: The Virgin Suicides sountrack

Hi hi hi!

AH I know it's been forever, but I finally have time to upload some shots I took today. It was so warm and sunny, thought it would be perfect, and it was! Hope you enjoy the photos, I know they're up on fb too, but I tried to add some more meaningful captions here, so enjoy!

Got me some new walkin' boots. They're quite fab.

In front of Cathédrale Saint-André. Notice my periwinkle jeans! I know what you're thinking..."Geez Jenny, I've already seen your dumb purple pants..." But alas! These are not the same! A new pair I acquired right before I left for France, and quite a steal too! The French may think I'm crazy, but I'm still hoping Scott Schuman will stumble upon me and feature me on his blog. Hey, one can always dream, eh?

This was in the cathedral, just a tiny chapel sort of hidden off to the side, but the way the light was streaming in made it look spectacular.

This carousel was so cool because it was so random and colorful compared to all the old gray buildings surrounding it.

This hallway was infinitely long and dreamy.

Not much to say about this building besides the fact that it's so skinny! Love it!

This statue/fountain was really cool, until you realized the horses had claw feet and were actually terrifying.

Hmm don't ask how I got this picture taken without getting my camera stolen or being completely humiliated. It basically entailed lots of hand gestures and a nice old French man willing to put up with a stupid tourist. AKA moi.

The quai along the River Gironde. So pretty, such a good spot to people-watch. Plus there's an open market they have every Sunday (just out of the frame) with tons of cheeses, wines, jams, seafood, and fresh crepes!

Man, these trees were so cool even without leaves! Can't wait for spring!

Un café au lait with a lump of sugar and a little bar of chocolat! Such a nice way to end a busy afternoon.

Listening to: Tricycle by Psapp

rando

So it's been a few days. Here are some things that have happened...

-finished finals, didn't fail out of college
-got my VISA=great success
-visited Marianne and Paige
-saw the fam
-moved all my crap home in preparation for departure
-hung out with some old chums

Basically it's been a good couple of weeks. I'm looking forward to Christmas. Can't believe I leave for France in two weeks. Time is flying. Here's a picture that I took in spring of some poppies. I'm gonna miss you Cali!


Coming soon: the infamous tiger pic! I just stumbled across it and it made me happy.


Listening to: the rain (!!!)

excursion+more beach

Went on a little drive down to Carpinteria. The sky had me agog it was so blue. Got my car washed even though I think it's going to rain. Came home and watched Forest Gump. Sushi later?

Tried to hug the sky.

The clouds were ridic.

Low tide.

The train was going by when I was leaving.

Squished a quarter and a nickel.

Listening to: múm-Green Grass Of Tunnel

I love this place.

Hey. So I was running some errands this afternoon but I really wanted to watch the sunset because the clouds had been really cool today and I was hoping it would be pretty. So somehow I raced home and strolled down to the beach and caught it just in time. Can't believe I'm leaving here in a couple of weeks.

I love this one especially. I think the juxtaposition of the kayaker with the oil platform is oh-so-artistic.

[Edit-when you click on the images they get HUGE and look even more spectacular. ]

Listening to: Feist-Mushaboom (one of my faves)

Things we did...

We drank coffee and ate pastries.

We saw pretty buildings.

We took pictures in front of them.

We went and sat by the ocean.

We contemplated life.

We gazed off into the distance.

We got creeped on.

We watched the sunset.

Come play with me

This is the miroir d'eau in Bordeaux. It's the largest water mirror in the world, and I LOVE IT. The mirror reflects the 18th century Stock Exchange building. Its level surface holds two centimeters of water and filters through to an underground water system. Each time a water cycle is complete, the system builds up a fog bank.

I will be here in 47 days, and cannot contain myself. Come play hide-and-seek in the fog with me.