The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Since I've returned to the States several things have come to mind about my trip...

The Good:
- Now that I'm home in the US, public restrooms are available...anywhere, and at no cost!
- Air conditioning is at my disposal, whenever and if ever I need it.
- The blisters on my feet have a chance to heal
- I get free refills on all fountain drinks.
- Ice is present in all my drinks
- I'm not living out of a suitcase

The Bad:
- I crave my margharita pizza from Italy...and nothing can replace it
- I still can't sit for too long without thinking I should be walking 20 miles a day
- I feel weird being home...almost like I'm homesick for another adventure
- I want some macaroons...enough said...
- I miss walking to the nearest cafe and getting a tomato and mozzarella sandwich on French bread.

The Ugly:
- I still have band-aid glue on my achilles tendons that covered my blisters...like really, it won't come off...I think its a permanent part of me now ;-)
- I still have a sore on my knee where Bambi's luggage decided to trip me in the middle of the night.

All in all, I'm already planning next years trip...it's the only thing that keeps me going...;-D

Europe 2011: Paris, France

Travel Companions: Two coworkers, Abbey and Bambi

Total Trip Time: 3 days (technically 2.5 because we got in at 12pm on the first day)

Hotel Accommodations: Tim Hotel Berthier Boulevard (northwest of the city center). The sleeping quarters were very small for three people, and the bathroom was quite spacious.

First thing we did in Paris: We stopped off in a café and bought some sandwiches. We took our first trip on the very extensive Paris Metro to the Eiffel Tower. Once there, we ate lunch, had crepes, and rode the elevator up to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Other Activities during the trip: We visited Saint Michel Cathedral, toured the Cathedral of Notre Dame, explored the Louvre (saw the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo), hiked up the mountain to the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, walked down the Avenue des Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe, toured the Catacombs, saw the Le Moulin Rouge, and journeyed to the Chateau of Versailles on the outskirts of town.

Favorite starter: Escargot (snails). I think I got Abbey hooked J

Favorite meal: Our first dinner in Paris we ate at a place called ABC near our hotel. I got escargot, the recommended dish (not sure what it was), and a chocolaty dessert.

Favorite dessert: Oh gosh, there were so many. One time we ordered 3 desserts, one espresso, and 4 cappuccinos for snack time. They consisted of a strawberry and custard-type dessert, an apricot pie of sorts, and a slice of chocolate cake. YUM! But of course, nutella crepes were the bomb-diggity.

Best thing about Paris: We loved the Toilettes on the street. Stores and restaurants do not allow you to use their restrooms unless you are a customer, so the public toilettes were quite handy and sanitary. Also, the Metro covered everywhere for very fast and efficient travel.

Worst thing about Paris: Many of the streets are cobblestone and walking around was difficult, tiresome, and quite painful at times.

Recommended Dos: I recommend you try the awesome sandwiches from the cafés, buy some macaroons, and buy a Paris Combopass for use on the Metro, Buses, and RER trains.

Recommended Don’ts: We got lost on the buses for hours (literally 4 hours), so I don’t recommend the buses.

Last Thing we did in Paris: Ate dinner near the Eiffel Tower to view it sparkle at night. Abbey and I drank some wine, got tipsy, and started dancing around the Eiffel Tower in circles.

Common Misconceptions of Paris: the Parisians aren’t actually rude; they just expect you to move at a faster pace. Also, the majority of the people speak French! Duh! So, if you are visiting Paris, don’t expect anyone to know any English. There was a definite communication barrier at times.

Favorite Memory of Paris: riding the Metro back to our hotel at 1 am and having a street performer bust out Toni Braxton’s song “Un-Break My Heart” in ENGLISH!! Abbey, Bambi, and I were the only people singing along with her and breaking it down on the Metro.

Enjoying croissants on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées

In the Eiffel Tower

At the Arc de Triomphe

At Notre Dame Cathedral

Bambi and I at the Chateau of Versailles

At Sacre Coeur Basilique

Europe 2011: Rome, Italy

Travel Companions: The same two coworkers, Abbey and Bambi

Total Trip Time: 3 days (technically 2.75 because we got in at 10am on the first day)

Hotel Accommodations: Donatello Hotel (20-25 minute walk from the Colosseum). The room was nice; it had marble floors, a soaring ceiling, a bathroom with bidet (no we didn’t use it), and enough room for all three of us and our luggage.

First thing we did in Rome: We took the Metro to the Colosseum, took pictures, and walked to a nearby restaurant. I ordered a giant Italian beer, bruschetta, and a whole Margherita pizza. I ate the entire pizza by myself J It was the best thing I’ve ever devoured in my entire life. This pizza alone was worth the trip to Rome.

Other Activities during the trip: We toured the Colosseum, saw the Arc of Constantine, walked through the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, viewed the Trevi Fountain during the day and at night, walked up the Spanish Steps, explored the Pantheon, went to the Vatican and toured the Sistine Chapel and St. Peters Basilica, and walked around the entire city.

Favorite starter: Bruschetta, I think it’s the only appetizer I ever got J

Favorite meal: Anytime we ate pizza…specifically the first time.

Favorite dessert: Gelato! We ate it everyday!

Best thing about Rome: The food and the sites. One night for dinner, we literally were across the street from the Colosseum while eating spaghetti, ravioli, and spaghetti with clams. Great view!

Worst thing about Rome: All of the streets were cobblestone and it was very difficult, tiresome, and painful to walk. Also, there are no public restrooms. You have to buy something to get access to the shops restroom.

Recommended Dos: Get a margherita pizza from Trattoria Luzzi (the restaurant is like 2 blocks from the Colosseum), and eat the entire thing. Second, wear comfortable shoes. Third, get lost in the streets surrounding the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and the Pantheon. It was the most beautiful city ever! Walk around!

Recommended Don’ts: We got lost on the buses for hours (literally 2 hours), so I don’t recommend the buses. Buses suck.

Last Thing we did in Rome: Went to the Trevi Fountain and followed the ritual of throwing a coin in over our shoulder (this supposedly guarantees you will return to Rome). Then, we went to a recommended restaurant called Augustan and chowed down on some more pizza. Yes, I ate the whole thing again.

Common Misconceptions of Rome: We didn’t see any fat Italians…their food is made with the finest, freshest ingredients. Everything is made from scratch.

Favorite Memory of Rome/Vatican City: the entire visit to this area was amazing. I loved every minute of Rome…definitely going back soon…

Pizza sent from Heaven

The Colosseum (Glorious!)

Inside the Colosseum

Abbey at the Trevi Fountain

At the Spanish Steps

Leaving the Roman Forum

St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican

I Can't Believe it's March...

I can't believe it's March already. A little over four months ago, two friends and I decided to book a trip to Europe and now that time has come. By this time next week I will be in Paris, and I'm not the only one freaking out. We already exchanged some cash for Euros, which by the way, is quite the hassle, and Bambi had already packed everything this past Monday. LOL! Cannot wait for next week!

This past week, my bathing suit was delivered and I tried it on. My new swimsuit looks amazing! Let’s just say my body needs some work; got to work off the winter coat ;-) So, I joined the UT Med Center gym this week and its go time. I'm so freaking serious about getting my body into shape for the upcoming boating season. I had my coworker, Pam, write out a weight training routine for me (by the way, she's a workout fanatic, so she's very helpful in this department). I started my fitness schedule Tuesday and every single night I've been sore. Like a good sore though. I feel great, and this is the first time I've incorporated weights so frequently in my normally cardio routine (I love the burn). You don't realize how many muscles you have until they're all hurting every time you move. I do walk like a 90 year old lady from my sore muscles, but then I think of why I'm in pain and I just smile. Nothing motivates you quite as much as seeing yourself in a bikini...

This week I took an exam to be certified to ship HAZMAT material. Yeah, you actually have to be certified to ship dangerous and infectious substances. Good to know. I just received an email saying I should get my certificate early next week. Awesome! Racking in those certificates ;-) I think I'm starting to become an invaluable employee.

I’m so excited about hitting up the Women Today Expo on Sunday with some girlfriends. If you’re in Knoxville this is such a fun event to participate in and they have so many activities to keep you busy for hours. Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!!

http://womentoday.com/entertainment/

A Few Updates...

So, I haven't written a blog post in a while, so I figured I have to mention something this week. Well, nothing extraordinary has really happened. Being Rob's roomie has been great, and we haven't had any fights about designated space yet ;-) I'm currently trying to talk him into rearranging the bedroom furniture to create a more open floor plan, so we'll see how that goes. Apparently if we move the bed we need to move the TV, but it’s mounted to the wall, so we would need to buy a swivel mount, and by then we might as well upgrade the TV. HAHA! So, what seems like a pretty simple switch-aroo might turn into a home makeover. Stay tuned!

This past weekend was Jamie & Jessica's Couples Baby Shower. It was so much fun! We decorated onesies, played bingo, had prizes, food, and they got some really great presents for their baby boy. He's due at the beginning of April, and he had better not arrive before I get back from Europe. I'm ecstatic for them!

As for work, I can't complain ;-) I've been putting in some extra hours so I'll have extra cash when I leave for Europe. Which, by the way, is in 17 days!! Holy crap! Bambi, Abbey, and I are freaking out! We've been watching travel videos of the places we're visiting, taking notes, and shopping like crazy ;-) I'm just praying for good weather. That's all; I don't care if it’s cold or overcast, I just don't want rain. The temperatures between the two cities are a high of 60 degrees and low of 40 degrees. That's awesome! Now, just give me some sun, Dear Lord!

This upcoming weekend I'm visiting my older sister in Nashville to make some jewelry, and then hit up the Flea Market. I love making jewelry now! Abbey hosted a jewelry-making party a couple of weeks ago, and now she has me totally engrossed with this newfound hobby. I love that I can pick whatever color and design I want, and it looks so professional when I'm done. I went out after the jewelry party and bought like $100 in beads and tools to start my own kit. HAHA! I feel so crafty ;-) Mom and I have already made some great pieces, so I know Christine will love it.

I'm starting to realize that my "melodramatic" life isn't so melodramatic, more so just fun to write about ;-)

A pearl set I made

Mom and the jewelry she designed

The earrings I made at the party

Unhealthy Eating...

This past week has been crazy hectic and I'm ashamed to admit that I've been eating out way too much. I'm the type of person who usually eats a small breakfast, followed by a lean cuisine or salad for lunch, a sensible dinner, and a few snacks throughout the day. Don't get me wrong, I do have a piece of chocolate after lunch and occasionally stray from my normal eating habits, but I pretty much stick to this routine. One week ago (last Thursday), Rob and I ate at Chili's for a quick dinner before we did some grocery shopping. This past Friday, my favorite girlies and I had dinner out at Olive Garden, followed by watching Eat, Pray, Love and Investigation Discovery. Word to the wise, don't watch this show late at night when you are by yourself, have no weapons, and are easily scared. Anyways, on Saturday Rob and I ate at Soups and Scoops for lunch, although it’s like a home-style family-owned business I still consider it 'eating out.' Then, we traveled to Cherokee, N.C. where we ate at the casino buffet for dinner. This was after Rob won over $4500 on a slot machine! HA! It was awesome, and I couldn't have cared at the time where we ate dinner. The next morning, we ate at Paula Dean's Kitchen for breakfast, which was great but heavily stuffed with all sorts of carbs and unhealthy-feeling foods. This is when all of the eating out started to catch up with me. I felt sluggish and just generally unhealthy. The food was so heavy on my system I didn't even eat a lunch. For dinner, we went to Lauren and TJ's house to watch the Superbowl and had homemade petros, which is the most normal dinner I've had this week. Monday night was Jessica's birthday and we all went and ate at Wasabi. Tuesday night, I met up with my good friend, Nikki, and her baby boy for dinner at Applebee's. I hadn't seen her in like four months, so I was really just there to catch up with her, but of course I ate. Last night, I had my Europe-traveling buddies come over to watch videos on the locations we'll be traveling to, and Rob brought home a pizza from Pizza Hut. Ok, so basically I feel disgusting. It's not so much I feel guilty, or that I'm gaining weight (surprisingly I'm not....at least not yet), but I feel gross and sluggish. So, starting tonight I'm getting back in the swing of things. Rob and I need to get back to making more dinners at home. I enjoy his cooking much better than any restaurant we've gone too anyway, so it shouldn't be too hard. We've even planned this year's Valentine's Day meal at home, our own homemade fondue dinner. Yummo!

When in Rome...and Paris!

I just have to say I am super-pumped about my trip to Europe in 35 days. HOLY COW...in 35 days I will be flying to Paris and Rome with my two girlfriends, and I will get to see some of the most historically significant architecture/monuments on the planet! Up to this point, I haven't really considered myself as having been out of the country. Yes, I've been to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Mexico, and some of the Virgin Islands, but I haven't really been out of the country. This is because I haven't slept in another country, ate several meals in another country, or experienced the culture in another country. I have only taken cruises out of the United States, and been on foreign land for eight hours at a time only to return to the safe haven of the boat. So, this trip to Europe is technically my first real experience traveling out of the country. Anything can happen. I could get mugged. I could get food poisoning. I could be sleeping in a dangerously-located hotel where they don't change the sheets. Sure, all of these things might possibly happen. Even Rob says, "You know the movie, Taken? If you get abducted and sold into the slave trade, I don't have the skills to get you back like Liam Neeson." I'm pretty sure my girlfriends and I are alittle old for anyone to want to put us in the slave trade, but we'll be smart and safe all the same. I like to think of all the lifelong memories I'm going to create just by taking a single eight day trip. In Paris, I'll sip a real cappuccino at a corner café. I'll see the Mona Lisa at the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Château of Versailles where Marie Antoinette resided, the Arc du Triomphe, the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Le Moulin Rouge, and I'll cruise on the Seine River. I'll try new things, like escargot and real champagne from France. In Rome, I'll see the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, the Pantheon, the Piazza de Spagna and Trevi Fountain, the Vatican, St. Peters Basilica, and the Sistine Chapel where Michelangelo famously painted the ceiling. I'll have real, genuine, authentic pizza, gelato, spaghetti, and so many more things I can't pronounce. I'll probably gain a ton of weight from all the food I'll be eating, but I'm excited about it all the same.

In the United States, the oldest man-made architectural monuments you can visit are around four hundred years old when explorers first arrived. In Paris and Rome, monuments and historic places have been around for centuries, and many places pre-date the time of Jesus. When put into perspective, it just makes me realize how much of the Old World I haven't seen. Matter of fact, I haven’t seen anything! As an anthropology major, there is nothing more exciting than studying the archaeological remnants of mans past. It's mind-blowing to think that the Colosseum was built in 79 A.D. and it's still around for my viewing pleasure. I'll see where gladiators once fought to the death just to entertain the Roman citizens! I’ve been researching each city, and the more I read the more excited I get. I might seriously stroke out. I recently learned if you dig three feet under the surface at any place in Rome, you will find ruins. Well, I say to my fellow travel buddies, be sure to pack a shovel!

The Eiffel Tower

Musée du Louvre

The Arc de Triomphe

The Roman Forum

The Trevi Fountain

The Colosseum

Real Italian Gelato!

The Sistine Chapel