Christmastime in Londontown

It's official. Not only is it December (and finally cold in London), but as of tomorrow, I will only have one week left until I am back in the States. I couldn't be more excited to be with my family and friends once again, but I'm so sad to be leaving such a great place with some wonderful people who I will never have the opportunity to interact with quite like this again. Commence mourning period in 3...2...1...

But this is no time to be sad! London is finally getting into the Christmas spirit. Hot, mulled cider and wine, lights everywhere, store windows decorated with fake snow and mannequins dressed in beautiful Christmas gowns. There's a change in people too. You might have to look carefully, but you can almost see a glimpse of a smile on all the people walking by on Oxford Street.

My beautiful sorority sister, Allison, turned up this weekend from Perugia, Italy to spend some time in London with us. We've taken her to all the usual London sites, from Buckingham Palace to Big Ben, and had such a good time embracing the reasons why we came to this city in the first place. It's been really great having her here, and having that taste of home is making me all the more excited to return to my family. It's too bittersweet.

So the countdown continues, more quickly then I would like to think. Some things that I still need to fit into my schedule: visit Abbey Road, go to the British Museum, not starve to death because my meal plan ran out of money, pass my exams (while actually finding time to sleep), spend as much time with the people I've met here, live, live, LIVE. It's coming to quickly! To my "readers" in the States: see you in one week!

Love Always!

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Tick tock, tick tock.

Time is flying by at the speed of light and I don't know how to handle it. As of today, I only have two solid weeks left. 14 days, people. 336 hours. 20,160 minutes, give or take a few. It's completely surreal. My entire college career so far has been leading up to this semester, this grand adventure. It felt like it was never going to arrive, and, more recently, it felt like it was never going to end. I can't even envision getting on a plane to go home yet. None of it is real.

That's not to say that I haven't been feeling home-sick. This past week was Thanksgiving and I missed my family and friends more than anything that day. I find that I've always taken for granted how lucky I was to be able to go home for a long weekend to spend time with the people in this world who have gotten me through the most.

What has been most fortunate for me, is the fact that I did get to spend time with some really phenomenal friends, who turned out to be even better chefs, this holiday. The entire day was spent making dinner on a budget, and everyone delivered. Even in the cramped kitchens, with limited resources we all managed to throw together something absolutely beautiful, that turned out to be a little taste of home. It was one of those rare days that can be looked back on as something perfect.

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for my supportive, loving and strong family. My wonderful friends, home and abroad. The opportunity to be in London and travel Europe, which has opened my eyes to so many new things and changed me, most certainly for the better. For having been able to know Jacob D. Dannels, an amazing person, friend and gifted singer and thespian. May he rest in peace.

The countdown is on, once again, my friends. This time, to a sorrowful goodbye to an incredible city. Here's to living as much as possible for the next two weeks!

Love Always!

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Éire, I ♥ You ♧

I promised a quick blog update and, people, I delivered. (Because I'd rather be doing this than finish the research paper on the comorbidity of  bi-polar disorder and impulsivity. Yeah, you would too.)

I saved the best trip for last in every way, shape, and form. I was more excited for Ireland than any other place by far. So excited, in fact, that I didn't sleep at all the night before. Granted, we had to be on a bus to the airport at 2:30 in the morning, which is my normal bed time. But still, it was like being a small child the night before leaving for Disney World. I was downright giddy.

My travel companion on this particular venture was my sorority sister and childhood friend, Jen Wilson. We had no plans except for a couple of plane tickets, a hostel (that was booked for the wrong day), a desperate need to tour the Guinness Factory, and just a few Euros in our pockets. I just want to throw it out there that if you are a relaxed, go-with-the-flow person, you are going to have so much more fun traveling than one of those people that neurotically plans every moment. That's when you get the chance to see a city for what it is. Get lost for a few minutes. I mean, maybe not in the projects of NYC, but maybe in Dublin. And here's why:

1. The people there are the most friendly people I've ever met. No one was rude or giving us dirty looks. People actually wanted to help us before we even asked. And they were always laughing and having a good time. They all had so much pride in the city and would spout out a list of places for us to go that I knew I would never remember. They just wanted us to see and do everything.
2. The city is super easy to navigate. If you have a map, you can easily walk anywhere. I am just not used to that in London. I mean, you look at a London map and think, "yeah, I can totally walk that." Two and a half hours later you find yourself on the sidewalk in front of a park you passed 3 times, about to burst into tears. We met one Irishman who said he loved London but it was too big to live in. I was partially inclined to agree with him.
3. All roads lead back to Temple Bar. It's true. And once you're in Temple Bar, you really don't want to leave, so it's fine. Just hang out and eat some good Irish food and drink a pint before you begin round two of your journey. And, of course, someone there will always be willing to point you in the right direction.

 So, back to the point. What did I actually do in Dublin, you ask? Well, we got out of the airport by about eight in the morning and, after getting lost for a few minutes, we made it to our hotel at around nine. We dropped off our bags and began our very long day. Since neither of us had gotten a moment of sleep we were both a bit delirious. I grabbed a quick cup of coffee and we fumbled our way through the mist to St. Patrick's Cathedral, Trinity College, some lovely antique stores, Temple Bar and then to the most anticipated site of all, the Guinness Factory and Storehouse.

It was everything I dreamed of and more. Is there a more "Irish" thing to see than a rainbow over the Guinness Factory? I think not. Jen wanted to follow it and find the Leprechaun's pot of gold, but I promptly reminded her that we probably didn't have quite that much time.

One guidebook described the attitude of the Irish toward Guinness in a way that I think is very accurate. It said something like, "Guinness is worshiped with a reverence normally only reserved for the Holy Trinity." Yep. It's like that. Pouring a pint it literally an art-form and a science that they have broken down to the millisecond that it takes to do it properly and the exact temperature at which it should be served. We got to pour one ourselves in the storehouse and were awarded a certificate that will most certainly be framed and hug on my wall at some point. Many of you think I might be joking. Guess again. Haha.

We had some really nice food for dinner and then ran off to a pub crawl where were met some really awesome people and had just the best time. Good friends, good music, good drinks: all for the low, low price of €12 and all of this one guy's dignity.

We finally got a full night's sleep at the Bunk House Hostel on Parnell Street, which was beyond necessary. The next morning we went to the Old Jameson Distillery, another great pride of Ireland. You can definitely tell when they begin to compare their whiskey to others. There's no point in arguing with anyone. Don't even try. Haha!

Another night of some good food and great music and we said our farewell to Dublin. The next morning we got on a flight home and I got tears in my eyes when the plane lifted off the ground. It was heart-breaking for me to leave, because there was so much more that I wanted to see. I would have been more than happy to wander around the country for all of my fall break. The only comfort to me was knowing that I would do everything in my power to come back one day and do it right. There's no doubt in my mind.

Any new purchases? I'm glad you asked. I bought a Claddagh Ring at a jewelry story that I haven't taken off yet and don't actually plan to. It's one of those things that makes me really proud of my heritage. I was incredibly fortunate to be able to go to Germany and Ireland on this trip and get just a taste of what it's all about. I'm so very, very happy that I saved this trip for last, because, for me, it was by far the best.

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great seasonal playlist my friend made on spotify

Love Always!

Meeting My Doppelganger in Amsterdam (and other tales from The Netherlands)

Photo Credit

Ah, Amsterdam. If it hadn't been for my amazing roommates, I don't think I would have ventured there during my trip. For my birthday, they "surprised" me with tickets to see Foster the People at Melkweg in The Netherlands. Needless to say, I was thrilled. Not only was I blessed with the most incredible roommates in the world,  but they gave me an excuse to travel to a place where I normally wouldn't have gone, and I had the most incredible time.


Amsterdam is one of those places that I don't think I will ever quite understand. The people there are so interesting and fun. Everyone rides their bikes all over the city. Not only do you have to be watching out for cars driving by, but bikes zipping past you left and right, which is something I was having trouble getting used to. I did try my best. I was not about to get run over by a bicycle for the second time in my life.

Melkweg was such a cool little club that was only about two blocks away from our hostel where my roommates Martha and Liz were staying with our friend Clara, Martha's brother Mats, and his friend Lars. Granted, this hostel room was three bunk beds and a sink crammed into a room no bigger than the bathroom of my sorority house. We were a little crowded for space, but it was a great time nevertheless.

So, night number one we grabbed a quick bite of dinner and went to Melkweg to see the band. Links to performances from the show and the band that opened for them are going to be at the end of this blog (as per usual). I highly recommend both of the bands. Zulu Winter is a bit different, but highly enjoyable. If you've been living under a rock and haven't heard anything by Foster the People, allow me to be the first to introduce you. They're a really interesting new band with a sound that's totally unique. Fun to listen to, AMAZING to see live.

Photo Credit: Mads Gausdal

One mildly amusing story was that I think I met my evil twin at the concert. I have never in my life experienced a moment where I've looked across a room and thought, "gosh, that girl looks an awful lot like me." Until now. It was honestly like looking into a mirror. I wish more than anything that I had gotten a picture with her or at least snuck one when she wasn't looking. Even my roommates thought it was incredibly strange. At least I wasn't losing my mind.

Naturally we wandered around Amsterdam the next two days, seeing everything we possibly could. The Van Gogh Museum was really great. I was awestruck by the intensity of his artwork and passion that he put into it.  We walked around the center and the North part of town (the red light district may or may not have been there, and it may or may not have been the strangest thing I may or may not have ever seen). The Heineken Factory seems to be one of the pride and joys of this city and they take their beer very seriously, serving all of it at a specific temperature after "sealing" the top of the glass by taking a flat piece of plastic across the top. It's all very amusing to watch.

I had another amazing time in a gorgeous city. I would recommend the journey to anyone and everyone. Liefde!

Until next time! (which will hopefully be soon!)

Love Always!

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Zulu Winter FTP Houdini FTP Pumped Up Kicks

Adventures in Italy!

This blog is coming to you a bit late, but I have been spending a considerable amount of time traveling recently without my laptop or even a working phone for that matter. The most extensive trip I have embarked on during my time in Europe was spending a solid nine days traveling one of the most beautiful countries in existence, Italy. My travel companions varied from city to city, but always by my side was the lovely Ally Shuell, my sorority sister and good friend. I'll link to her personal fashion blog at the bottom of the page!

Deja vu all over again. When I was fortunate enough to travel abroad my senior year of high school, Rome was hands down my favorite city. Being able to walk down the same streets, see the same landmarks, breathe the same air, was like something out of a dream. It was surreal. The Colosseum was still proudly standing. The Spanish Steps were still covered in Asian tourists. The Trevi Fountain was still full of the loose change that had been someone's deepest wishes once upon a time.

Apart from the places mentioned a moment ago, I also got to see the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, the Alrare della Patria (better known as "the wedding cake") the Pantheon, and the Piazza Navona. I met up with a good friend of mine from home, Samantha Spangler, who happens to be studying in Rome right now and she took me to her Roma, known as Trastevere. I know that I've been here once before, but seeing Rome as an independent traveler, was seeing Rome through a whole new set of eyes. Everything was more vibrant.

We all ate too much pasta, drank a bit too much cheap wine and met a ton of other awesome travelers in the strangest insane asylum hostel on the planet. Needless to say, Rome was an amazing time,  but it was still only the first two days.














Next stop, Perugia. If the first thing that comes to your mind is Amanda Knox, go straight to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200 (no pun intended...okay, maybe pun intended). Ally and I said goodbye to her roommate Kaitlyn, who had joined us for the first leg of our Italian tour, and hopped on a cheap train Northbound. Nothing like a bit of Italian countryside to lift your spirits when you're sad about leaving such a gorgeous city. We met another one of our sorority sisters, Allison, at the train station while she was on her lunch break from school. She took us on a short tour of Perugia and to the chocolate festival. That's right. Chocolate festival. How did we happen upon such perfect timing? She was also kind enough to put us up for two nights and let us sleep on her couch. She introduced us to her awesome friends and even took us out on the town.

Despite the reputation that Perugia may currently hold in many parts of the world, it is more of what Italy is truly all about. It's situated on top of a beautiful hill that overlooks Italy for miles and miles. No one there speaks English and, despite Amanda Knox and the very intrusive chocolate festival, it was still light years away from being as touristy as anywhere else that we went in Italy.




Two days of too much chocolate went by entirely too quickly. We left Perugia and hopped the next train to Florence. It's a city to die for, my friends. There is a rich history of the Medici family, so much amazing food, surreal architecture, blah, blah, blah. In one word, beautiful. Ally and I happened upon some familiar faces from Regent's College as we checked into our hostel which turned out to be an awesome stroke of luck. We went to the Duomo, Medici museum and the markets together. The highlight of my food tour of Italy so far happened that afternoon, with a really lovely cheese plate served with a dish of thick honey. Heavenly. We followed up our rainy day in Florence with a "wine tour" in our hostel where we talked about everything and nothing over a few bottles of cheap vino. It was the shortest leg of our tour, but it definitely holds some of my fondest memories.

Last but not least, we ventured another three hours North to Milan. I wasn't quite sure what I was expecting before I arrived, but my heart was mildly crushed. It was neither the buzzing fashion capital some said that it was, nor was it overwhelmingly historical. No offence to anyone who loves this city, but I wasn't impressed. Everywhere else we had been seemed old, cultured and sophisticated. 

So certainly the highlight of Ally and my last stop was meeting up with another sorority sister, Stephanie, the day we arrived. We met up with her two hours later than planned (due to an inconvenient train strike) at the cheapest hostel money could buy, which was hilariously named the "Hostel California." Oh, yes, my friends. If I'm lying, I'm dying. How bad was it, you ask? Steph and I shared a bed. What kind of a hostel does that? I mean, everyone seemed nice enough and the place was clean, but why in the world would they have two queen beds and three bunk beds in a room? So awkward.

Feeling the need to escape this strange city, we jumped a train to Lake Como the day before we left. It's on the border of Switzerland and surrounded by the most gorgeous mountains I've ever seen. Photo credit in advance to Steph, who has a really fabulous camera. The entire day was an awesome vacation from our vacation. I felt so spoiled.

Overall, Italy was one of the best experiences of my life. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and forced me to make my way through a foreign country where I had no knowledge of the language. It was intense, amazing and occasionally very frustrating, but I wouldn't have done a minute of it differently.

Until next time! Love always!

Ally's Fashion Blog!

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Instead of my usual links to music, check out this playlist I made on Spotify!

OKTOBERFEST! (we survived with only a few stitches to our names)

Hallo! As one or two of you may know, I have just returned from the beautiful country of Germany. Munich, to be exact. To be even more specific, I just got back from the most incredible experience of my life: Oktoberfest. For those of you who aren't familiar with this tradition, it dates back over 200 years and is held for 16-18 days every fall. Currently there are 14 beer tents (I use the word "tent" quite loosely) which house approximately 5,000 people each. This year alone there were nearly 7 million people in attendance, who purchased 7.5 million liters of beer. At about €10 a piece, that is about €75,000,000 purchased in beer alone. Outstanding, no?

That being said, I will admit to embracing this pastime of enjoying a nice stein of beer (or two, or many) because it is more than just a silly carnival, it is the tradition for an entire culture. I met so many wonderful people, all of whom were so amazingly kind and welcoming. It may have just been the beer talking, but the friendliness of that place hit you like a wave the minute you walked in. It was intoxicating and you couldn't help but just smile and go with it.

The most wonderful part of this, by far, was being reunited with my incredible sorority sisters, many of whom I haven't seen since the end of last semester. We are all traveling and embracing these cultures. We came to Oktoberfest from England, Spain, Italy and France to see what this was all about, and I don't think a single one of us had any regrets about taking that trip. 

Thankfully we only had a few scrapes and bruises the whole weekend, the worst of which was six stitches in the bottom of a friend's foot due to some stray broken glass. We suffered through the chilly German nights, with nothing to protect us from the elements except for a tent and a few cheap sleeping bags. We even survived not having cell phones. Shocking, coming from girls who are all more than addicted to technology in the states. 

We lived, we laughed, we loved. We reveled in the celebrations and laughed a lot. You just can't help it. It's Oktoberfest.

If you ever are presented the opportunity to go, don't hesitate. No regrets. 

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"blog more, it's boring me."

At the request of one Kiley Ryan Bender, I will once again update this lovely blog-o-mine.

It's officially been three weeks of classes down, with only twelve remaining and it's kind of terrifying that this trip is already 1/5 of the way over. I can't tell yet if time is flying past me or just ticking by (the psychology classes here do seem to go on forever though...). All I know is that I'm trying to memorize every single minute of this journey.

Regardless of those dull psychology courses, I am loving this university. I couldn't have asked for more pertinent and interesting classes. I couldn't have been given two more fun and sarcastic roommates. I couldn't have been thrown into a more beautiful and inspiring part of London. I wish that every single person who reads this could have the same opportunity to have this experience.

So, where has the road taken me so far? I've been to Warwick Castle, which was much cheesier than it sounds, but still an absolutely beautiful piece of history that should be preserved forever. Stratford-upon-Avon was really nice. If not for the birthplace of William Shakespeare, it was a really lovely little town with some really nice places to shop. This coming Saturday I am hopping on a bus and going to Bath for free due to a delayed bus on our first trip, which caused us to be an hour and a half late to everywhere we went.

London has become my playground. There is so much to see and do that I will absolutely never get all of it done, but I'm sure as hell going to try.

More music and links and stuff.

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Cheers!