Pinterest is the best worst thing that’s ever happened to me

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I’m not sure if you’ve discovered the magical wonderland that is Pinterest yet, but I must strongly advise against it. Restrain yourself. Don’t go down that road. You’ll never come back.

You want to travel? Well Pinterest has that covered. Even I have a Wanderlust board full of photos of places that I have been, and many more that I have yet to tackle. But looking at those pictures doesn’t come close to actually going. Browsing through someone else’s boards with captions like #50thingsbeforeIdie doesn’t help you book that ticket. It just makes your eyes glaze over and five hours later you realize that you’re still sitting at a desk and not on a plane.

Oh, do you want to lose weight? Well Pinterest just became your new personal trainer. There are countless ab exercises, squats you’ve never even heard of, all attached to amazing, rock hard bodied models who have 5% body fat, do yoga every morning after their 13 mile run and only eat kale and quinoa, unless they’re juicing. Oh, and don’t worry, there are quotes times a bajillion for any moment of weakness (just pain leaving the body) to help you stay motivated. Don’t even think about eating that cookie, because a moment on the lips isn’t worth the 6 hours of interval sprints on the treadmill that you’d need to burn if off. Don’t go near that pumpkin spice donut with buttermilk spiced glaze…

And OMG did you see those Pumpkin flavored rice krispy treats? Right next to the autumn white wine sangria, the flourless chocolate cake with raspberry whipped Chantilly and the chicken potpie that you can make in less than 23 minutes? And yeah those Red Velvet Crepes might not be the healthiest but if you eat them as a dessert after that super healthy BUT WAIT GRILLED CHEESE MAKEOVERS? And after that killer workout this morning you can definitely afford to eat all the perfect crockpot mac and cheese that you want and still fit into those amazing…

Chanel tweed pants and Tory Burch flats. Oh, you don’t make a million dollars a year? You can’t afford to buy out the top floor of Barneys? Don’t worry, after you’ve searched through every Vogue Fashion week pin, Etsy will show you how to sew your own peppermint buttons and pin them on your own handcrafted wooden corkboard to go on the whitewashed walls of your dream kitchen overlaid with fur rugs and decorated with the best art possible while your five puppies and commercial ready small children walk hand in hand through flower filled gardens.

I give up.  

An ode to Barcelona

I know I’ve written about the fact that I like being a tourist, but this weekend really nailed that sentiment shut. Being able to guide the trip to Barcelona was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

There is nothing like going around a city in which you live with someone new. Someone who hasn’t seen the mosaic tiles of Casa Batlló. Someone who hasn’t had their breath taken away when walking into Catedral de Santa Maria del Mar. Someone who has never tasted patatas bravas.

There’s something magical about the small winding streets of the Gotico and El Borne. There’s something exhilarating about the wind in your hair while biking through the Parc of the Citadel. Something youthful about the candy land that is Parc Guell.

When you show someone around your city, and you see their amazement, their excitement, when you experience their physical response, it affects you as well. Maybe subconsciously, maybe blatantly, but all I know is I fell in love with Barcelona all over again this weekend. 

Hindsight

Being in Barcelona as a college graduate is undoubtedly much different than being here as a student studying abroad. Hanging around with college kids will definitely throw waves of nostalgia at you, and also make you rethink your time abroad. I hear all of these plans and new questions, and can’t help but to think of things that I would have done differently.

1. I would have spent my time traveling to those places I will probably never go again. Not to say in any way that I didn’t love the traveling that I did in Europe – there wasn’t a city I didn’t like or an experience that I regret. But I wish I had been a little more adventurous, and chosen the places like Istanbul, Morocco, Hungary. Those are all places that I will most likely never go with my family later on in life, and even with the best job in the world some of them may not work out.

2.     I would have spent more time exploring Paris and less time being hungover. Granted, most Barcelona kids go out during the week so they’re just hungover during class, but I had my fair share of Fridays and Saturdays that were spent watching tv online instead of out and about learning the city in which I was living. I am so lucky that I have gotten to go back to Paris, but if I could say anything to my study abroad self, it would be “the whole bottle isn’t worth it."

3.     I would have sent more postcards. My boyfriend at the time’s Granny lived in the south of England, and had an entire wall of postcards from all of her family and friends and the places they’d been. I actually did send her a postcard from every place that I went, but I wish I had sent them to my family, to my friends, etc. How cool would it be for my 10 yr old sister to have a postcard timeline from my travels abroad? I’m definitely trying to make an effort now, but it won’t be the same.

4.     I would have done a homestay. Now, for anyone already abroad, this is moot, but for those of you considering it – there is nothing like the challenge of living with another family and their culture to really allow you to understand a new city. Living in France this summer was one of the most life-changing experiences I’ve ever had, and not only am I now fluent in French, but I feel like I can relate to the French people as a whole.

I’m sure there are more, but this isn’t meant to sound like a wave of regrets. I absolutely loved being abroad, which is why I came back to Europe this year - I couldn’t get it out of my system. It’s just a reminder to appreciate every single small detail and to see the bigger picture at the same time. This opportunity really is just once in a lifetime, and as Ferris tells us, don’t miss it.

A Foodie's Food Frustrations in Europe

A. Ketchup that isn't Heines. This might seem like a minor detail, but organic/knockoff ketchup is the bane of my existence.

B. Breakfast as we know and love it does not exist in the Schengen States. The UK comes decently close, but there is nothing worse than toast when all you want is an eggwhite omelette with mushrooms, fines herbs and goat cheese. Or huevos rancheros. Or home fries. Or french toast with a side of sausage. The worst part is, you would think opening up an amazing breakfast place would be the jackpot of all jackpots. But the only people who would go to it would be Americans if the faces my French family gave me this summer when I ate eggs at breakfast instead of dinner are any indication.

C. Speaking of huevos rancheros - how is Mexican cuisine the most challenging thing to come out of America? There are "tex mex" restaurants scattered throughout Spain, mostly to attract homesick and hungover American students but they just can't quite get to that level of flavor that I would describe as "simple" to accomplish.

D. Caesar salads. Have you ever ordered a Caesar salad in Italy? It comes with balsamic and olive oil. Just...no.

E. Sandwiches. England actually has a couple decent ones, and France has Pret-a-Manger, but typical, build your own sandwich places just don't exist. Neither do bagels. BAGELS.


All of this being said, there are definitely things that Europe has that the U.S. does not. Like French bread and pastry, Spanish Iberico ham, and just anything Italian in Italy. But that's for another post.

Love the one you're with

A girl I met studying in Ireland told me that she didn’t want to travel anywhere else but within her country during her semester abroad. I was dumbfounded – I couldn’t imagine not taking advantage of the opportunity to explore Europe as much as possible.

Upon discussing it with my Bus2alps roommates, however, who are all extensively well traveled and have all had their own European adventures, Grace said, “Well, technically that is the way you’re supposed to do it. Really just stay in one new place and get to know it the best you can.”

I in no way have any regrets about my study abroad experience, but Grace and this student have a point. I was so excited to be in Europe that when I studied in Paris, I was barely in Paris. I went to so many places on the weekends that by the end of the semester, I scarcely knew the city I was living in. My program offered day trips throughout France as well, but I only went on one of the two I was allowed to go on and didn’t even think to try and explore within the same country. It wasn’t until this summer that I saw the south of France – which is an entirely different place and absolutely amazing. I am obsessed with every inch of the French Riviera and cannot wait until I get the chance to explore Auvergne.

This is why if I could do it over again, I would take advantage of the Bus2alps day trips as much as possible. The day trips that we have leaving out of Barcelona are IN-CRED-IBLE, and I really can’t justify not going on them. I know this might seem like a shameless plug, but our trip to Montserrat & Cava tasting is probably going to be my favorite day this semester. I’m also counting down the days until our trip to Southern Spain – Barcelona is so different from the rest of the country, and the chance to experience that difference is an opportunity I refuse to let pass by.

This is not to say don’t go to the rest of Europe. Do. Go everywhere. Go to Prague and Croatia and Paris and Morocco. Fall in love with every city that you can. Just remember that you are here to live here too, and some of the best travels can be found just half an hour outside of your door.  

I like being a tourist

A friend of mine once said that her biggest fear was to be mistaken for a tourist. Now, she was probably trying to be slightly ironic, but for the most part I think she was serious. She really hated the idea of standing out and being recognized as someone who didn’t belong.

As in American living in Europe, it’s not hard to sympathize with both sides of that sentiment.  Americans speak so much more loudly than Europeans. An old boyfriend always used to “turn the volume down” on my American voice to the more appropriate European level. After a while, it’s easy to spot Americans by the way that they dress – there are always the people wearing jeans with sneakers and a t-shirt who really just add to the overall scenery. They come off as obnoxious when yelling in English to someone who primarily speaks another language or as ignorant when they can’t find their way anywhere.

Now, admittedly I do try my best not to do the above things. I have learned to speak softly, never to wear shorts in Paris, and I try my best to study maps and cultures before traveling. But there are aspects of being a tourist that I absolutely love and refuse to abandon.

I love sitting down in a restaurant in a new place and trying to sound out the words in the native language. Even if I butcher them horribly, I’ve found that a lot of waiters and locals appreciate the effort and generally have encouraging smiles at the ready.

I love getting lost in new cities. One of my favorite things to do is wake up early and go for a run without a clue as to where I’m headed.  It’s impossible not to find places you would never see on a general tour, and such a good way to get the feel of a city when the morning is still quiet and it’s just you and the stones.

Most importantly, I love the mentality of being a tourist. I wake up every morning so thankful for the opportunity to be where I am, and so excited to discover something new. Even after living in NYC for almost a year, I discovered something new every day and fell that much more in love with the city. I’ve only been in Barcelona for four days, but I can already tell that this is going to be a love affair to remember. 

So don’t be afraid to wake up tomorrow, even if it’s the same thing you’ve been doing for the past 20 years, and pretend like it’s your first day there. I promise that you will find something new, whether it’s about your neighborhood or about yourself.  

A Foodie's Guide to France

No surprises there, but France is dangerous for those of us who love to eat. I could write a thesis driven essay on the ways in which the bread is better, the cheese is legitimately life altering, and don’t even get me started on patisseries. I’ve been so lucky to be able to eat at some of the best restaurants in the country so far, and will be in a deep black hole of depression when I leave.

I started off my degustation in Paris. The Time Out Paris app helped to locate some of the best places to eat by area, and I helped myself to one of the best patisseries in Paris – Angelina. This was contrasted to Ladurée later on – they both are delicious and more than worth seeking out.

I hiked up to Montmartre to see Sacre Coeur and my favorite view of the city, and stopped in at a little restaurant called Le Mirroir. One of the best things I’ve ever tasted was the “poulet rôti” with mushrooms and fingerling potatoes. Prefaced by fresh asparagus with butter lettuce and mustard vinaigrette, the only thing missing was Owen Wilson and a journey to the 1920s.

We then went to one of the best restaurants in Paris off of the Champs-Elysées – L’Atelier Etoile de Joel Robuchon. The amuse bouche was actually the most flavorful, delicious thing I had tasted up to that point. A truly emotional response, and if you have the means, you can go there and get a prix-fixe lunch for under 45 euro. Do it.

Upon returning to Chateau Calisanne, we took a day trip up to Baux-de-Provence for a trip to Oustau de Beaumaniere. Now, if you are unfamiliar, this place is where Bill Gates used to spend a couple of weeks every summer. It is absolutely stunningly beautiful, but the view doesn’t come close to the food. Our main course was a lobster cooked with fresh local peaches. I can’t even talk about it without drooling. I wouldn’t have thought to put the two together, but the combination was pure ecstasy.

I know that I have being using very absolute statements thus far, but they aren’t exaggerations. These meals have literally been the best of my life. And that’s not to discredit the every day meals that we consume at the house – fresh baguettes, Niçoise salad, apricots and figs from the Chateau itself. Oh yes, and the wine.