You know those moments in life that make you completely and absolutely believe in fate? Last week I received a phone call from my cousin Robby. The phone call itself wasn't anything extraordinary,he was just calling to catch up and find out when my next trip down to London would be. What was special about this particular phone call was the phone he was calling from, it was Olivia's. You may recall a few months back a little case of fraud I was involved with in London. Well Olivia was my flatmate, yes, the one who took Wanda to see Mark Ronson :) They had met briefly when Robby came to London to help me look for a new flat and never in a million years would I have imagined the two of them ending up together. Olivia, the outgoing social butterfly from Manchester and Robby, the laid back homebody from California who had just gone through a pretty rough break up. You see my cousin was married to the devil. If the devil were just sitting around in hell one day working on his suntan and decided to get some cheap thrills by taking the form of a woman and fucking with a descent and honest mans emotions ..... that would be his wife. Anyways, the point is he was going through a difficult period.... and then he met Olivia. You hear about people falling madly in love overnight and you see the fairytale romances in movies, but you rarely witness it in real life. I still cant believe how fast it all happened. I could hear her laughing in the background as I chatted with my cousin, and I could hear the happiness in his own voice as he talked. It was the Robby I remember before the divorce, and I knew he would be back, I just didn't know how long it would take. It's funny how my own misfortune could bring two people together who would have never met under any other circumstances, and I would go through it all over again just to see the smile on my cousins face :)
Ok, now that I have melted all of your hearts, a quick update! I woke up today hungover after what was my fourth night out in one week. Not that it wasn't a fun night, I saw the amazing Matt Belmont band and probably danced off about 2,000 calories, but it made me realize that I need to find things to do other than becoming Leeds own Lindsey Lohan while waiting for my next trip. So today I went and got a library card, it has been far too long since the last book I read. First up... Between the Bridge and the River by Craig Ferguson. I also wrote a song! Well... i wrote the chorus, and even if I finish it I would never play it in public... baby steps. Finally I have been looking into take a cooking course while I'm here. Who knows, maybe the culinary arts is my calling and I will become a world famous chef with my own restaurants in Los Angeles, New York, London and Paris!! haha... ok maybe not.
I also realized today that I can't actually remember the last time I felt homesick. Of course I miss my friends and family all the time, and I don't think I will ever get used to this weather, but I feel like I have actually set up a life here. Amsterdam is not for another few weeks, but I think I'll go up to York (the original) this weekend :)
xoxo
Danielle
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Paris, je t'aime
Paris.. city of lights... fashion capital of the world... and where Big finally told Carrie she was the one. I had been dreaming of visiting Paris since I was a little girl (not really but it makes it sound more magical) and it was everything I had expected and more. My dear friend Renaud, world famous rockstar and "the next George Clooney" as he says, invited me to come stay with him in his charming flat in in a small suburb right outside of Paris...
I finished unpacking and met Renaud and a few of his friends at a cafe down the street, however, after an hour of trying to join in the conversation with no success, I felt a little out of place. I'm not positive, but it could have been the fact that they were speaking french and "Bonjour! comment tale vous?" can only get you so far. To be honest I rather enjoyed just sitting there listening to them and sipping on my cappuccino. The first night out I was dying to see the Paris streets, taste the authentic French cuisine and drink fabulous French wine... so what did we do? We went to a Canadian pub for beer and cheesy fries of course!! I was perfectly fine with that though seeing as it was the only place around showing the playoffs...
The next day I woke up early and set off to see the sights! Now most people would choose the obvious historical landmarks to flock to, the Louvre...Champs De Elysee's...Notre dame, but not I. Being the traveler that I am, I did my research and discovered a little unknown gem called..... The Eiffel Tower!! Haha.. ok so I am a total tourist, but it is a must see, simply magnificent....
After visiting all the other previously mentioned landmarks (all just as breathtaking) I decided to spend the next few hours sitting at a beautiful little cafe overlooking Saint Michel. I stayed there for three hours, THREE hours, i drank four cups of coffee and smoked half a pack of cigarettes and just people watched. I drank, I smoked, drank, smoked... its a vicious circle really. I would begin to shake from the caffeine, so I would smoke a cigarette, which would in turn make me crave more coffee. Cigarette, coffee, cigarette, coffee. In between my caffeine and nicotine induced highs... an older French gentleman sat next to me and we ended up chatting for an hour. Turns out he was a film director who had a new documentary premiering at a local film festival. Oh... and he happened to be best friends with Sharon Stone.
I spent the rest of my time wandering the streets, completely in awe of my surroundings, Paris is truly one of the most beautiful cities in the world...filled with exquisite architecture, delicious cuisine and passionate people. I am already planning another trip for spring! Next up is Amsterdam... and we all know what happens there :)
xoxo
Danielle
I finished unpacking and met Renaud and a few of his friends at a cafe down the street, however, after an hour of trying to join in the conversation with no success, I felt a little out of place. I'm not positive, but it could have been the fact that they were speaking french and "Bonjour! comment tale vous?" can only get you so far. To be honest I rather enjoyed just sitting there listening to them and sipping on my cappuccino. The first night out I was dying to see the Paris streets, taste the authentic French cuisine and drink fabulous French wine... so what did we do? We went to a Canadian pub for beer and cheesy fries of course!! I was perfectly fine with that though seeing as it was the only place around showing the playoffs...
The next day I woke up early and set off to see the sights! Now most people would choose the obvious historical landmarks to flock to, the Louvre...Champs De Elysee's...Notre dame, but not I. Being the traveler that I am, I did my research and discovered a little unknown gem called..... The Eiffel Tower!! Haha.. ok so I am a total tourist, but it is a must see, simply magnificent....
, 
After visiting all the other previously mentioned landmarks (all just as breathtaking) I decided to spend the next few hours sitting at a beautiful little cafe overlooking Saint Michel. I stayed there for three hours, THREE hours, i drank four cups of coffee and smoked half a pack of cigarettes and just people watched. I drank, I smoked, drank, smoked... its a vicious circle really. I would begin to shake from the caffeine, so I would smoke a cigarette, which would in turn make me crave more coffee. Cigarette, coffee, cigarette, coffee. In between my caffeine and nicotine induced highs... an older French gentleman sat next to me and we ended up chatting for an hour. Turns out he was a film director who had a new documentary premiering at a local film festival. Oh... and he happened to be best friends with Sharon Stone.
I spent the rest of my time wandering the streets, completely in awe of my surroundings, Paris is truly one of the most beautiful cities in the world...filled with exquisite architecture, delicious cuisine and passionate people. I am already planning another trip for spring! Next up is Amsterdam... and we all know what happens there :)
xoxo
Danielle
Thursday, February 3, 2011
and this isn't even the good stuff...
Ok, so you're probably wondering why three weeks have passed and yet no blog update about my trip to Paris. I have been wondering a little myself.... as my trip was completely and totally blogworthy!I guess I will start with everything that has been going on since I've returned, no wait... everything since I missed my flight back to England......
Everyone who knows me knows that I am not the most responsible or punctual person in the world (this used to offend me but as the years have passed I have come to terms with my shortcomings). My flight was scheduled to leave at 2pm that afternoon from Charles De Gaulle airport, I had packed the evening before and set my alarm for 10 am. I woke up that morning, sad to leave but ready to get home. I made a cup of coffee and smoked a cigarette. Yes, I am a smoker in Paris... don't judge me. Fast forward to one late taxi, two hours of traffic and three asshole flight attendants later and I am left standing in the middle of the terminal crying hysterically and swearing at the poor girl working behind the check in counter. Did I overreact? Yes...yes I did, but anyone who knows me knows that I overreact and it is something I've come to terms with, along with irresponsibility, procrastination... and smoking (but only in Paris). Unfortunately, through gritted teeth, the girl at the check in desk informs me there's not another flight until the next day. At this point I would have just purchased another plane ticket and booked a room at the Hilton, but seeing as I only brought cash with me to Paris and spent the last of it on the taxi I came to the sudden realization that I could do neither. So I did what any other young girl alone in a foreign country with no money, food, or dignity (I threw that out the window when snot started running down my face during my public temper tantrum) would do..... I called my mother.
After my plane ticket was booked, the fact that I had to sleep in the airport sank in. Although I found some nice overnight camps set up by transients, and several offers from business men asking me to accompany them to their hotel room, I decided my safest bet was the Sherotan Hotel attached to Terminal 2. No I couldn't afford a room there... but I could at least sneak in and use their computers to chat with my friends. After about an hour I noticed the manager eyeing me from across the room. When he finally approached me at about 1 in the morning and asked if I was staying there, I began to apologize and grabbed my bags when to my surprise...he said I was welcome to stay as long as I wanted. After two glasses of wine, a bottle of Louis Roederer champagne and a marriage proposal, I realized his act of kindness was nothing more than attempt to get in my pants and I decided that the criminal infested terminals would be safer than the hotel lobby.
I was so relieved once my plane touched town in Leeds... but that all changed when within only matter of days I had to find a new place to live and a new job.... which brings me to the present! I am in a new apartment, not so much of an apartment as it is a dorm room shared with three students from Leeds University. Although I am rather enjoying it since I missed out on that experience due to working full time for the last five years. My new job at a local brewery/ live music venue is awesome, I even gathered the courage to perform at their open mic night last week! I'm not saying I'm going to be the next Ellie Goulding but a girl can dream :) On top of the stress of finding a new place to live/new job... my boss (please refer to my blog post dated 12/16/10) who I had been seeing broke things off stating the typical guy excuse of "I care about you...but I just don't want a relationship right now". Well DUH!!! I don't want a relationship either I am only here temporarily... so why am I so disappointed?? I guess I had more feelings for him than I thought, so probably for the best that it ended....
Anyways... I think I have gone on enough for one blog post, I will save all the details of my Paris trip for the next one along with all of my pictures! Next destination... Amsterdam March 19th!!!
xoxo
Danielle
Everyone who knows me knows that I am not the most responsible or punctual person in the world (this used to offend me but as the years have passed I have come to terms with my shortcomings). My flight was scheduled to leave at 2pm that afternoon from Charles De Gaulle airport, I had packed the evening before and set my alarm for 10 am. I woke up that morning, sad to leave but ready to get home. I made a cup of coffee and smoked a cigarette. Yes, I am a smoker in Paris... don't judge me. Fast forward to one late taxi, two hours of traffic and three asshole flight attendants later and I am left standing in the middle of the terminal crying hysterically and swearing at the poor girl working behind the check in counter. Did I overreact? Yes...yes I did, but anyone who knows me knows that I overreact and it is something I've come to terms with, along with irresponsibility, procrastination... and smoking (but only in Paris). Unfortunately, through gritted teeth, the girl at the check in desk informs me there's not another flight until the next day. At this point I would have just purchased another plane ticket and booked a room at the Hilton, but seeing as I only brought cash with me to Paris and spent the last of it on the taxi I came to the sudden realization that I could do neither. So I did what any other young girl alone in a foreign country with no money, food, or dignity (I threw that out the window when snot started running down my face during my public temper tantrum) would do..... I called my mother.
After my plane ticket was booked, the fact that I had to sleep in the airport sank in. Although I found some nice overnight camps set up by transients, and several offers from business men asking me to accompany them to their hotel room, I decided my safest bet was the Sherotan Hotel attached to Terminal 2. No I couldn't afford a room there... but I could at least sneak in and use their computers to chat with my friends. After about an hour I noticed the manager eyeing me from across the room. When he finally approached me at about 1 in the morning and asked if I was staying there, I began to apologize and grabbed my bags when to my surprise...he said I was welcome to stay as long as I wanted. After two glasses of wine, a bottle of Louis Roederer champagne and a marriage proposal, I realized his act of kindness was nothing more than attempt to get in my pants and I decided that the criminal infested terminals would be safer than the hotel lobby.
I was so relieved once my plane touched town in Leeds... but that all changed when within only matter of days I had to find a new place to live and a new job.... which brings me to the present! I am in a new apartment, not so much of an apartment as it is a dorm room shared with three students from Leeds University. Although I am rather enjoying it since I missed out on that experience due to working full time for the last five years. My new job at a local brewery/ live music venue is awesome, I even gathered the courage to perform at their open mic night last week! I'm not saying I'm going to be the next Ellie Goulding but a girl can dream :) On top of the stress of finding a new place to live/new job... my boss (please refer to my blog post dated 12/16/10) who I had been seeing broke things off stating the typical guy excuse of "I care about you...but I just don't want a relationship right now". Well DUH!!! I don't want a relationship either I am only here temporarily... so why am I so disappointed?? I guess I had more feelings for him than I thought, so probably for the best that it ended....
Anyways... I think I have gone on enough for one blog post, I will save all the details of my Paris trip for the next one along with all of my pictures! Next destination... Amsterdam March 19th!!!
xoxo
Danielle
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