Can we just talk about this weekend. So much goodness.
Friday, I went to The Happy Show at the Chicago Cultural Center. It is free and runs until end of September, so if you are in Chicago, you must must go. I loved the simplicity and truth, and there were interactive elements as well, including riding a bicycle and free gum. Always a plus.
Saturday, my high school friend visited me and somehow scored two free One Direction tickets! We joined preteen girls screaming over five boys who were not all that enthusiastic about their songs and seemed slightly hungover and grumpy. However seeing my friend for a day and dancing was so much fun. It made me slightly jealous of these preteen girls who seem to have no worries in my eyes, but then I remembered they were in middle school and all jealousy vanished.
Sunday, I went to see the Oh Hellos. Let me tell you, the Oh Hellos are great live! Maybe the best I've ever seen. They danced, laughed, jumped, and seemed so genuinely enthusiastic and joyful to play music with each other. I would definitely see them again, and I've been listening to their songs on repeat all day at work. The Lament of Eustace Scrubb was amazing live. Oh man that energy. The post title is from Second Child, Restless Child.
So that was a high. After reading my friends' blogs about their summers in Athens, Greece and cross country biking, I gotta be proud of my little moments of excitement even if they pale in comparison :)
Some things I miss about the US.
To-go coffee.
Big showers.
Nice people.
Wearing sweatshirts in public.
Zoning out in class. Or really just understanding what is going on in class.
Feeling at home.
But then there are things in Paris I know I will miss when I return.
So many cafés.
Cheap crêpes.
Cheap wine.
Macarons.
The Seine.
Free museums.
Fast public transportation.
Attractive men who know how to dress.
Also if you have the time check out my new blog post for IES! It is about going to a class at the Sorbonne.
Post title from Love Love Love by Of Monsters and Men.
Today I had four hours to kill, so I decided to take some time alone. This was the first adventure I have taken alone in Paris so far. I felt a little nervous not using this time to be social, but then Paris is a place where you learn how to be alone and discover yourself, right? Cheesy I know, but I took this thought as an excuse to wander. Of course while I wandered, I looked as stylish as the Parisian woman above. If only.
I started with some shopping. I didn't buy anything, but I sure was tempted. Then this guy started following me. I thought I was being paranoid, so I stopped at a window for quite a bit of time, and he was still there. Awkward. Then he tried to talk to me, and being the nervous person I am, I gave him the Parisian hand brush off and power walked to the nearest metro stop.
I decided to get off at a random stop on the way home, and I chose Tuileries. I walked through the Tuileries Garden, and stopped at a bench under a tree. I sat there for almost 30 minutes, listening to folk music, eating dark chocolate, and watching the rain. I then wandered to the Louvre and had a hard time breathing because it was so beautiful. I didn't know which direction to look. I didn't go into the museum, but I discovered yesterday that most museums are free for students, so I will be coming back. Once it gets too cold to do homework in gardens, I'll just go to museums :)
Tonight I'm having dinner on a boat on the Seine. What is life. La vie est belle, oui?
Post title from Moon River from Breakfast at Tiffany's. Photo from The Sartorialist.
Yesterday I went to a museum by myself for the first time. The Art Institute of Chicago has had many free days, and I have been taking advantage of them. At the risk of sounding cheesy, I enjoyed every second of being alone, people watching on the el, walking downtown, and roaming the museum at my own pace. Evanston can feel so suffocating sometimes, it is nice to escape.
I recently discovered this lovely lady's blog, blushing ambitions. I love. Here are some outfits I wish I could've worn to the museum yesterday.
Post title from Lakehouse by Of Monsters and Men... I can't stop listening! Happy weekend :)
