Needy is No-No

I have recently gotten HBO so of course I have been watching some old episodes of Girls. (I'm getting ready for the new season. Woohoo!) Obviously being a 31-year-old single woman who lives in New York, I can relate to that show. Even though I seem to have my life together a little (well, a lot)  more than the girls on the show, their real-life body, boy, job, and all-around life dramas are relatable and real. Especially all the boy stuff. For some reason, this show makes me really examine myself and the relationships I have. (And I use the term relationships VERY loosely.) Maybe it's because I'm comparing the girls' issues to my own or maybe not, but something always hits a little close to home.

Let me start this by saying that I believe I am one of the most independent people I know. Some might think I am too independent and because I enjoy doing things by myself waaaaayy too much. And they may be right. However, that doesn't mean I don't want a man by my side doing some (not all!) of this stuff with me. So here it goes... And it's hard to admit...but... I want a boyfriend. There, I said it. Blah. It just sounds so needy and pathetic. Like "waaaah, find me a man. I'm so lonely." I am so not that girl, but at the end of the day, its becoming less and less fun coming home to an empty apartment day after day. It would be nice to have someone to share my day with. Share my successes with. Send funny emails and pictures to. And to cry to, if need be.

Shameless Promotion

Over past three years while having this blog, I have shared a lot of things. Some of them funny and ridiculous. And some thoughtful and serious about my everyday life. And of course, I have honestly (and sometimes graphically) shared my struggles related to my Ulcerative Colitis. I have explained what happens to me when I have a UC flare, why I may get the flare, what happens when I am steroids to treat the flare, and how it affects my mental game too. When I am sick, it obviously affects me so much physically, but what some people don't realize is that when you get sick over and over again, its annoying because you can't live your life and therefore affects you a lot mentally too. When you are flaring, you can't do the things you love and sometimes, you can't even do the little everyday things you take for granted. To get sick, then better, then sick then better, over and over can be frustrating. You get knocked down and have to get back up over and over without fear of it happening again.

A Pain in the Mouth

I want to preface this post by saying one thing: It's my first post in a while AND it is kind of a vent. Actually, its a full on vent. Sorry. The last month for me has really sucked for my mouth. Okay, don't give me a "that's what she said" comeback because things have really been painful. Ugh.

Let's take it from the top, shall we... About a month ago I had two cavities filled. Three weeks ago I had two more filled. (Total cost: $740. And that's with insurance. So basically my wallet took a huge hit too. Don't even get me started on that because I am still bitter.)

Oh Housewives...

I have made no secret in the past for my love of most reality TV. I have no shame. If it's on Bravo, VH1, or MTV, I will most likely give it a try. Whether or not I stick with a show is debatable, but I will at least give it a shot. Usually a one or two episode trial. One show that I have stuck with year after year, season after season, and location after location, is the Real Housewives of _________ on Bravo. Thanks a lot Andy Cohen. He really hit a gold mine with this series and I have seen them all. Yes, ALL. From the OG's of the OC to the one-season DC women and everything else in between. (And of course a majority of the spin-offs as well!)

Bravo's Housewives franchise is far from real. These women are catty, immature, superficial, and often times delusional. Those traits I'm sure are very real, but sometimes the situations they are in are not totally authentic. And many of them want more screen time so take up their terrible traits a few notches to get more screen time. Very few of them are what I would consider "normal." But who am I to judge, right? (I mean, I do tune in week after week, don't I? So what does that make me?) Some of these women aren't even real housewives in the true definition of the word. Some aren't married and most don't actually participate in actual housewife duties. But guess what, almost all of them are laughing all the way to the bank and I am slaving away at work day after day and making peanuts.

I'm an Introvert?!?!

What do you hear when you someone uses the word introvert to describe someone? Do you think shy? Anti-social? Because that's what I think. Or what I use to think. But you know what? After reading the article "What's Is It Really Like to Be an Introvert" in the Huffington Post today, I realized I was totally wrong. And even though I consider to myself to be outgoing, I can often times be quite the little introvert.

I think if you polled those close to me to describe me in three adjectives, or even a hundred, introverted would never come up on that list. Athletic...Loud....Competitive....Driven. Independent... all come up (I can keep going if you want...), but never introverted. However, I do believe I can be considered to be a very introverted person. Now don't get me wrong, I can party and socialize with the best of them when I need and want to, and am often described as suuuuper outgoing, but more often than not, I just like to relax at home. Alone.

NYC 26.2: A Recap

Yesterday was my 4th New York City marathon, and my 7th marathon overall. And let me tell you, they do NOT get any easier. In fact, they seem to be taking more of a toll on my body (and my mind) each year. More my mind than my body I even hate to admit. However,  I just can't seem to stop doing them. As stressed and anxious as I was the weeks leading up to the big race, the feeling of crossing that finish line makes it all worthwhile. Each year, I sob pretty hard after doing that. And let's not even talk about the many tears shed the two to three weeks before the race, and then the ones during the actual race on numerous occasions. I have issues, okay? The amount of pressure I continually put on myself to better my best comes at a severe emotional price. I am trying to deal with it because it's not so healthy for me to stress and to cry at the drop of a hat when discussing how hard this is, the fact that I actually did it, and now, the fact that it's over. As someone who is super competitive, I don't know if I will ever ultimately be satisfied with any time, but trying to beat my current one is something I am keen on doing, even if it drives me temporarily insane for some parts of the year.

Last year, Hurricane Sandy cancelled the marathon and it was supposed to be my year. I ran Harrisburg and was four minutes off my PR and was happy with that. After the year I had had with my numerous UC flares and hospitilization, I was just happy to finish. Because NYC 2012 didn't happen, that made this year "my year." But it wasn't. Sad face. I didn't race the race that I wanted yesterday. I missed a PR by 3 minutes and 3 seconds and although that was upsetting, I still felt a huge sense of accomplishment. With headwinds the first 20 miles of the race and some quad cramping the last three miles, it wasn't ideal, but I fought through it all as I knew I could. This race was fun though. Running down 4th Avenue in Brooklyn and 1st Avenue in Manhattan is just the best. Like you can't describe that feeling to others that haven't experienced it.  Strangers are genuinely excited to cheer for you. Someone they have never met. As corny as it is, the human spirit is alive and well on this day. It's incredible and something truly special. The whole day is amazing and that's why its one of the best days of the year in NYC.  It's the reason they call the NYC Marathon "A race like no other." There is no comparison. The city is filled with such positive energy and unification. It really makes me appreciate the city even more than I do on a regular basis.

I am not one to really recap my race like many runners do on their runner's blogs because this is not a running blog. Even though many of my posts have been about running lately, I will start discussing other stuff again. Dating. Men. Poop. Reality TV. Don't you worry. But since I did run this race and it was such an enormous part of my life, why not write a brief recap? Okay? Super!

A Guide to Running Vocab

As per usual, if I am training for a marathon, this time of year is usually all about one thing for me: Running. That's right, it pretty much consumes my life. Does it have to? No. Do I make it? Yes. That's just me I guess. When I put my mind to something, I really have dedication and discipline toward it, especially in the home stretch. And that's what this time of year is. The home stretch. T-3 weeks until the NYC marathon so of course its pretty much all I can think about. I eat, drink, and sleep for this race. Because of that, I decided to dedicate this post to some terms that have taken over my life as of recently, but some for as much as the last 4 and a half months. Geez, this really is a big commitment when I really think about it. And that's why I am so intense about it.

Those people that are runners are probably familiar with some of these terms. While some are more common than others, many of them are used often enough in the running community (at least the one I am a part of) and are commonplace. Others might hear us nut-job runners talking and think we are speaking our own bizarre language. So without further ado, here is a little vocab lesson on some runner terminology.

One Day: Ironwoman!

Many of us have a bucket list. Places we want to go to and see and things we want to do or accomplish. My bucket list is quite long, but one of the things on top of my list is to complete an Ironman Triathlon. (And yes, its spelled Triathlon, not with the "a" between the "t" and the "h." Weird, I know!) An Ironman is a crazy distance of 140.6 miles comprised of a 2.4 mile swim, then a 112 mile bicycle portion, and, finally, 26.2 mile run. That's right, after swimming almost two and a half miles and biking over 100 miles, you get to run a full marathon. Sounds awesome, right? Why yes, yes it does. To me.

But seriously, I know this sounds absolutely crazy, maybe even torturous to some people, but to me, it is the ultimate endurance challenge and one I want to complete at some point in my life. One day. And at the very minimum I would want to do the half Ironman. I mean, that's only 70.3 total miles.

All That Goes Into a Race

The New York City Marathon is almost upon us again (one month from today!!) and I once again have mixed emotions of nervousness and excitement. I have worked so hard training for this bad boy and I want my hard work to pay off and have a great race. Duh! If you know me, you know that running has taken over the last 4 months of my life so the end has to justify the means. It has to.

But I am not the only person that has worked hard and is part of this great race. There are so many different components and different people that make the marathon so incredible. There is all the stuff happening behind the scenes months in advance and the stuff right in front of our very own eyes on race day into this. And to be honest, its more than a race, its an event. 26.2 miles is no joke. And when its 26.2 miles through the five boroughs of NYC, its totally one of the best things to ever experience.

Miley: Moving On...

Full admission: I DVR’ed the Miley Cyrus documentary “Miley: The Movement” on MTV Wednesday. Don’t judge. I was curious. And I was finally able to watch it yesterday morning and man, it was interesting to say the least. Miley’s just being Miley I guess you could say.

Now, I am not a fan of Miley per se, but I’m not gonna lie, I like some of her music. Seriously, I love “We Can’t Stop” and I was always a huge fan of “Party in the USA” and the older “See You Again.” And I can dig “Wrecking Ball” and “23.” Since I am too old to have ever watched “Hannah Montana,” I really don’t have a clue what that show was about or even Miley pre-“movement,” as she calls it. (Except that she snagged the gorge Liam Hemsworth for a long time.) Much of the knowledge I have of Miley Cyrus I get from my US Weekly and the other tabloids and blogs I read.

These will NEVER get old

Yesterday I ran 20 miles. Solo. Well, just me and my iPod. We get along so well because I trained her so well. She has new jams and old jams. Some hip hop, some pop, some R&B, and some electronica. There is quite an electic selection of songs on there but since I have freaking fantastic taste in music, all the songs are great. Obvs. There are some songs though, that I get much more excited to hear than others and really get me going. No matter how old these songs are, I will never get sick of them. They were songs I played over and over when they first came out and now when they randomly show up on my shuffle, I am thrilled and get totally pumped.

Do you have songs like that? You must, right? In no particular order, these are the songs that never, ever get old for me. I know all the words to them and all have great beats. Just take a listen and see if they get you as hyped and excited as they do for me.

I'm never drinking again...Psych!

I usually wake up after a night of heavy drinking dehydrated, in a panic, and race out of my bed making sure that I have my cell phone and my wallet. You know you've been there? I assume I have my keys because I am in my own apartment so I had to get in somehow. After I recover these (phew!), I realize my head is pounding, and I need to quickly get back in bed and go right back to sleep before my head explodes. Sounds awful, right? Well even though this feeling totally sucks, its usually the result of a great night. Yup, feeling like shit the next day usually means I had a pretty fucking fabulous night out. Sometimes this happens on a weekday and I have to drag my ass to work and sometimes this happens on the weekends where I can lay in bed all day long. Hangovers suck, but sometimes they are just worth it.

Those mornings where you are like "I am never drinking again" seem to happen to me quite often. With my "go hard or go home" personality, sometimes I tend to drink a bit too much. Eh, what can you do? I'm still (semi) young and fun and want to party. And sometimes, because of my habit of overindulging, things can happen.

My Scoop on Poop

When I was in college, one of my guy friends insisted that girls didn’t poop. He truly believed that when girls went to the bathroom, they released little pink pellets. I mean, this was a 20-year old guy who still refused to believe that us females don’t go to the bathroom and take a giant dump. Apparently his mother never read “Everybody Poops” to him as a child because man, did this kid need a wake-up. Or she read it to him and he was traumatized from that point on. Whatever the case may be, this kid needed a reality check. And so do so many other guys. It may not be  that ridiculous of a point as the pink pellet kid, but I don’t know why there is such a double standard between guys and girls regarding burping, farting and pooping. It’s hilarious when they do it or talk about it, but gross when we do. Not okay.

I don’t know what it is about some guys, but they absolutely refuse to believe that girls poop, fart, or burp and some even try to make us feel bad about it. Well guess what gentleman? Surprise, surprise, us girls are just like you! We go number two. We let ‘em rip. And we belch. And I am not going to ever pretend that I don’t do these things or apologize for doing them. They are part of nature and I for one, am not embarrassed by them. I poop. I fart. And man-oh-man do I burp. But why are some people so weird about this stuff? I really have no idea. We all do it. Spend a few hours with me and I am sure the topic of poop will come up, I I will most def impress the hell out of you with one of my monster burps, and I may even crop dust as we walk down the street. (Don’t worry guys, there’s plenty of me to go around, so don’t all line up at once to request a day to hang.)

18 Miles and LOTS of Thoughts

I am once again training for the NYC Marathon this year. November 3 can't come fast enough because I am so ready to end this training period. Seven weeks from today is the big day. I am going to nail this 26.2. I have to.

This morning I ran the ING Tune-Up, an 18-mile race in Central Park. It consists of three loops of the park. If you've ever run that outer loop of Central Park, you know it's hilly. In a nutshell, doing three of them sucks balls. But hey, it's gotta be done. It's good practice after all.

A Few Do's and Don'ts of Online Dating

Over the last two weeks, the topic of online dating has come up in a number of conversations with quite a few of my friends and even some colleagues. Many of them are on Match, JDate, OKCupid, Tindr, and perhaps even a few others. Some of my good friends will show me me pictures and profiles of guys and ask my opinion. I even love getting a text from some of them with a screenshot of a picture of a potential suitor or complete wacko. I will get a screenshot with the text "Thoughts?" Or they will forward a bizarre or creepy message that someone sent them. And some even screenshot and share the creepiest ones on FB or Insta for a good laugh. There are a lot of freaking weird-ass people out there who use online dating sites. And they tend to give a bad name to all the normal ones who do it too. Confession: I have tried Match before.  I hated it. It just wasn't for me. I wanted to be open minded to it, and at first I was. But I lasted maybe four weeks before I finally called it quits and let the rest of my subscription run out. By week two, I knew I was over it, but figured I would do a full month. Meh. A lot of the people emailing me clearly weren't reading my profile and what I was interested in and looking for. Like, I am not looking for a 54-year-old divorceé who loves cats and chess and lives deep in Staten Island, so please don't write me. It's never gonna happen. Oh, and one dude asked me to meet him in Florida for a "quick trip." Um, we have never met. Psycho.

Sorry I'm not Sorry

Since I live alone and do a lot of things alone, I am not use to that much judgement by some of my actions. If I ever do live with someone again I will either have to hide these "weird" habits, stop doing them all together (not likely), or just do them and hope the other person still wants to stick around. None of these are abnormal, per se, but they might not be everyone's cup of tea and may think I'm a little cray-cray.

I am someone who is very stuck in her ways and routines and habits and am not ashamed of any of them. They make me who I am and those that know and love me, accept these things. They may make fun of me or call me out on them sometimes if it becomes excessive, but they know it is part of who I am. However, I make no apologies for some of my behavior.  So you know what, sorry I'm not sorry for these.

Passport to Fitness

It's no secret I love to workout. I run and spin at least five times a week. It keeps me sane, helps me sleep, and I'd like to think keeps me healthy. I always wish I had the time and money to try all the fun and cool fitness crazes constantly popping up in New York City. I've jumped on the SoulCycle bandwagon but beyond that and a few others here and there (Flywheel, Revolve, PedalNYC, Yoga to the People), I've never really ventured out into other fitness classes because of location, timing, and money.

These classes are located in all different neighborhoods around the city and there truly is so much to be offered.  Classes I am interested in range from yoga to pilates to crossfit to HIT training to other spin classes to all around body conditioning and so much more. The thing is, in New York City, many of these awesome 45-55 minute classes range anywhere from 20-40 dollars a class. To quench my curiosity into some of these classes on a budget, I recently I purchased something called the Classtivity Passport. This passport is $49 and in a 30 day period you can try out ten classes of your choice from their long list of boutique fitness gyms and clubs. Sounds awesome, right? Well it is! 

What NOT to do on the Subway

I wrote about subway etiquette about two years ago on this blog and its a topic of conversation often between myself and my friends. Because we ride the subway so frequently we see lot of very rude and inconsiderate people doing ridiculous (and sometimes very gross things.) This past weekend, I saw something on the train that I have thankfully never seen before, but was horrifying. Of course I felt the need to write about it. It's also posted on Jones and B. Enjoy!

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I’ve lived in New York for nine years now and have seen my fair share of weird and gross things happening on the subway. I’ve seen someone walk in, take a piss, and walk out. I’ve seen a child lick a subway pole up and down. I’ve seen someone light up a joint. I've seen someone projectile vomit. You get it, I've seen some nasty stuff. However, my ride Friday night on the uptown 6 train had to take the cake of the most horrifying subway sight I’ve seen. My family was in town and we were heading back home from dinner downtown. We all got on the train at Bleecker Street and then around 33^rd street, a guy got on the train on his motor scooter. He appeared to be homeless based on his clothing and apparent lack of personal hygiene. He then covered his lap and his arms with his jacket and his right arm began pumping. Yup, this dude started jacking off on his scooter while on the train. My dad and I looked at each other with wide shocked eyes. No words needed to be exchanged. We simply couldn’t believe what we were witnessing. We looked around to see if anyone else was seeing what we thought we were seeing, and based on some of the other people’s facial expressions they most certainly were. This guy was clearly masturbating. Holy shit. It was like a solar eclipse in the sense where you shouldn’t stare, but you can’t look away. Besides my dad and I, there seemed to be about another ten or so other people that knew exactly what was going on and we were all exchanging glances and mouthing words to each other. Was this for real? Um, yes. Yes, it was.

A Girl's Guide to Football Sunday

Exciting news everyone: I am now also writing for the website Jones and B. Def click that link and check it out. It's a really fun, new blog on a number of topics and I am super excited to be writing for them, as well as continuing to post here. Everyone here knows I am a big sports fan so as long as football season just started, why not write a post about a female's point of view of Sunday Funday during football season? So without further adieu, here is my first post for the Jones and B website that I am also posting here. Why you ask am I posting here too? Because I wrote it, I like it, and I want peeps to not only read it here, but check out all the other awesome posts over there! Enjoy. 

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Well ladies, summer is basically over which pretty much blows. It’s getting darker earlier, our tans are fading, and it’s almost time to retire the sandals for the season. Blah. On the plus side, the weather is getting crisper, Halloween candy is out in stores, and football has finally started up again. Woohoo. As a female, many might not think I care that much about it football, but newsflash: I care. Born and bred in Chicago, I am a Bears fan through and through. And I know and love my football. Although the Bears continually disappoint me season after season, it does not stop me from rocking my Urlacher jersey every Sunday, talking shit to whomever will listen, and enjoying the game. Whether I am out at a bar or in the confines of my own apartment, football Sundays pretty much rule. (And a MNF isn’t so bad either.) I mean, what beats a day of watching jacked, grown men in tight white pants running around a field? Dayum.

Slow your "Role"

Okay, Okay, we all know I watch a lot of TV. And a lot of it is what some would consider trash-TV. Most of it is reality TV and I tend to find most of it supremely entertaining and totally worthwhile which is why I tune in week after week. It gives me joy and I'm so not ashamed to admit it.

There are many people that "hate-watch" many of the shows I like because so many people are unlikeable, but I watch simply because I enjoy them. (And yeah, maybe a miniscule amount of hate-watching too. You got me there.) In my opinion, many of these shows have likeable people for the most part and even those who you root for; however, there are some people who, when they come on my screen, make me want to punch them in the face. And since I can't do that, they make me want to change the channel. But do I do that? Of course not! That would just be silly.

Happy 2nd Blogiversary to Me!!

Today is the second anniversary of Someone Will Appreciate! Woohoo. Two full years of writing my most thoughtful, ridiculous, serious, and hilarious thoughts on TV/movies, guy/dating, working out, traveling, poop, etc... You know, just the usual stuff for me.

Who would have thought I had another year of this in me? Perhaps I did. I enjoy writing and often find it therapeutic. Sometimes I have blocks and have nothing to say so I don't force it. There was definitely a dry spell with the posts this year when things got busy and hectic and I just didn't have much to write about or even time to write. There were others where I couldn't wait to sit down and get writing. It happens.

I AM Strong

Hudson River Path. Love it.

Hey did you guys see the girl today on the Hudson River path crying and trying to catch her breath while running? She was in a neon yellow top. And kind of smiling even though tears were running down her face. Oh you didn't? Well, spoiler alert, it was me.

This morning was my longest training run thus far of my current marathon training. I had to do 15 miles and was up bright and early to do so. I decided to cross Central Park and head to the west side path to run up to the George Washington Bridge and then back down to where I needed to be in order to hit 15. I started off kind of slow and dragging, but after about mile five I started to feel comfortable. I had downloaded some new music last night as well to add to my iPod for this run. New music always gets me going. One of the new songs I downloaded was Katy Perry's Roar. Have you heard this jam? It's pretty great and is going to become a staple on long runs. It's inspiring and I love that. Some lyrics include "I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire...Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me ROAR" and "Now I’m floating like a butterfly... Stinging like a bee...I earned my stripes... I went from zero, to my own hero." Great, right?  It's def a song I want to save for the end of long runs when I really need a push. That's what I did with it today. I saved the song for the last mile of today's run and as it played and as I listened to the lyrics, I started to cry. While running. Tears running down my face. I was almost done with my run and I lost it. I started wiping away the tears and wheezing to catch my breath from the crying. WTF is wrong with me? Let me count the ways... Just kidding. But seriously, it's okay for me to cry during the last mile of the marathon out of sheer happiness and joy, but at mile 15 of a long training run? It's too early for this shit.

Chicago Still Has my Heart

All my summer blog posts have been about my travels, so why not write another one on that topic, huh? This time, it will be about my trip home to Chicago this past week. I go home every summer since I have the time off, but this was by far my shortest summer trip. It was only seven days long. Sigh. Because my mom went back to work already and both my dad and brother work everyday and I don't have a car there, they didn't think it was a good idea I stay much longer than a week. Usually I would disagree with that and fight to stay longer but because I was gone for so much of the summer already, I wanted to have some free time in NYC to just relax before work starts again. This summer sure flew by. Eight weeks just isn't enough!!

Everyone that knows me, knows that I love going home. I love hanging out with my family and basically lounging around the house. It's like I never left when I am there. I immediately make myself at home while at home. Obvs. Of course there is pool time and downtown time, and plenty of eating time included too. Even though it was a relatively short visit home, there were many highlights this vacay as per usual.

Back to Reality

I've been back in NYC for a full week now and unfortunately my trip seems like a distant memory. In typical me fashion, I had a giant to-do list for when I got back here.  And in typical me fashion, I got it all done immediately. Duh. I am now just starting to feel settled, but I am off to Chicago on Thursday for a week. Geez, I am such a jet-setter this summer!

As soon as I got home last Saturday, I knew what had to be done. First things first, I needed to do all my laundry, unpack my suitcase fully and put everything away. I can't go to bed without being fully unpacked, organized, and settled. It's the little OCD in me. I also ordered myself a nice juicy cheeseburger since I missed that American meal oh-so-much while away. And for the record, it tasted incredible. I then immediately downloaded all my pictures from my camera and phone but got super overwhelmed to go through them right away since there were about 1800 pictures. Eventually, a couple days later I got to it and even ordered some pics and made my photo album. It came in the mail yesterday and is awesome. I looked it over and over. And over again. I wanna go back. 

Europe By the Numbers

So, my trip is officially over. Waaaaah. I really can't believe it. I simply had an amazing time. I know I've said it before (and I'll probably say it a few more times) but this was most def the trip of a lifetime. I cannot believe how much I saw and did in such a short period of time.

I think going on a group tour was the best way for me to explore Europe my first time around. And going at it solo gave me the confidence to plan a trip by myself in the future.  I also know that I can go by myself for an extended period of time and be just fine. After all, I am my own best friend and my own favorite company.

All good things must come to an end

DAY 24

The final day. Dun dun dun dun. Nooooo. I don't want this trip to end. It had been the best experience of my life and if I could keep going for another couple of weeks (or months!), I would. But all good things must come to end as they say, so its back to New York and back to reality tomorrow. Blah! 

Today started like pretty much every other day. Up early. Hotel breakfast. Bus. The uzche basically. There were only 10 people on the bus, three of whom were getting dropped off at the airport and then rest of us were heading back to London. Unfortunately we were not taking the Chunnel back, but taking the Dover Ferry again.  This time at the ferry, we went on as individuals, not on the bus. We also had to go through customs entering England. This meant another stamp on the passport. A France one. Woohoo! It's the little things in life that please me. We caught the early ferry because we had so few people which was fantastic because had we missed it, we would have had to wait another hour. That would have driven me insane.  I had also forgotten we gained an hour back! I'll take any extra time I can! 

Obsessed with the Eiffel Tower

DAY 23

Well folks, today was the last official day of the tour.  Sad face. Tomorrow I am off to London for one more solo day and then back to NYC.  But for now, lets focus on today! That's right, the day in the City of Lights, Paris. Oui Oui.

The day started off with breakfast in the hotel as per usual. I had a croissant and tried another pain au chocolate and some eggs. Once again, not thrilled with the pain au chocolate. Maybe they aren't for me?! Then it was off to the bus to head over to the Eiffel Tower. This is what I was obviously most excited about seeing. On they way there we passed the Igles Dedome that had to do something with Napoleon. I think he may be buried there. I suck for not listening carefully and not paying full attention. His mention along with a Joan of Arc mention last night got me thinking of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure again as this movie has basically given me most of the history on these two historic icons. Ah yes, it's not only entertaining, but educational as well. 

Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir

DAY 22

It was rise and shine very early this morn to head on over to gay Paris. Of course pronounced Pair-E! Duh. Almost the entire day was a travel day and my allergies/sinuses are really starting to bother me. I don't know if it was the horses yesterday or a coincidence, but with the hot/cold temps in Switzerland yesterday and lack of sleep, I'm not surprised I am feeling some kind of unwell. I'm just glad it's not my stomach. Knock on wood. I've been so lucky! 

 About three hours (and one nap) into the drive we stopped at our first French comfort stop. It was by far the nicest truck stop we have been to all trip and had free bathroom. Score. I got a pain au chocolate which I was unimpressed with, but had wanted to try. I had never had one before and this one looked way better than it tasted. That usually seems to case with pastries. This stop also had a mini mart just like all the other stops in the other countries. I love looking at all the local snacks (chips and candy) at these. This one had a of cookies and chips I wanted to try, but I refrained. Perhaps the most interesting chips I saw were Cheeseburger Lays potato chips and Roasted Chicken Lays potato chips. They were both large bags so I didn't buy them. One surprise here was that I finally spotted Vitamin Water, but no Vitamin Water Zero. Bummer. In a few more days I can drink as much as I want!!

More Cowbell Please

DAY 21

I slept like a baby last night and woke up to a rainy Lucerne. I ate breakfast and then the bus headed to Mt. Pilatus. This mountain sits 7000 feet above sea level, so it now beats out the Eagle's Nest as the highest I've ever been. (Mountain wise that is. Nudge, nudge.) We took a cog train up the mountain and got spectacular views along the way, until we started getting to the very top. On the way up we saw cows on the mountain too. And, they had cow bells on. We heard them! Real cow bells. On real cows. Woohoo. It was awesome to hear cow bells in their real setting and not just "fake ones" along a race course which I love hearing also. Of course all I could think of when hearing these bells was Christopher Walken on an old famous SNL sketch saying he had a fever and the only prescription was more cowbell. Love it!

As we got further up the mountain the clouds got thicker and thicker and the views hazier and hazier. By the time we reached the top of the mountain we were smack in the middle of a cloud. My head was literally in the clouds. As cool as that sounds and actually was, there was no view from the top of the mountain. This was a slight bummer but you can't win them all and it was still awesome to be up there. 

Rain rain go away!

DAY 20

OMG. Have I really been traveling Europe for 20 days now? I can't believe it.  20 amazing days. With four more to go, I don't want this trip to end. With Switzerland today and tomorrow, then Paris for two days, then back to London for one day, I am going to continue to take it all in and enjoy every minute of it. 

This morning we were up pretty early again because today was mostly a travel day. I am so glad we are leaving Nice today because it was stormy.  (What's interesting is that yesterday, our tour guide told us Nice gets as much rain as London. However, it rains more often in London with less accumulation. In Nice it doesn't rain that often, but when it does, it really comes down.) When I woke up the sky was dark, the trees were swaying, and I knew a storm was-a-coming. By the time breakfast was over, it was torrentially pouring. Or more like monsooning. If that happened yesterday I would have been so upset, but it didn't, so booyah! I got my incredible beach day on the French Riviera and am so grateful to have had it. What a difference a day makes. 

I'm getting spoiled

DAY 19

After sleeping like shit after drinking way too much last night, I surprised myself by getting up at eight, (we had no wake-up call this morn for the first time all trip!) and getting ready for my run along the promenade of the French Riviera. Hangover or no hangover, (no hangover thank you very much!) I was not missing this opportunity to run along the Mediterranean. First things first though, water, water, and more water. I was def still dehydrated. Then I had to go ahead and re-check what I wrote last night at the end of yesterday's post. I had written 90 percent of it before I started drinking, but decided it would be okay to finish before going to bed. Turns out, I'm an okay drunk writer. I didn't have to fix anything. Alrighty. Since I didn't eat dinner last night, I knew I had to eat something for breakfast before my run. And because I am in France, I had a croissant. But of course. And a piece of cheese. Look how French I am! Both were fabulous. Then I drank some more water and headed out for my run. Our hotel is literally across the street from the Mediterranean Sea and the Riviera promenade. There was no shade or water to be found along the way, but the scenery was unreal. It put my gorgeous Hudson River runs to shame. I am getting spoiled here. 

After my run, I did a quick hand wash of some clothes and then headed out to the beach. Although the hotel has a great roof deck pool, I wanted to hit the beach and take full advantage of being here. How could I not? I  could have either lied on the rocks on a towel (um...yeah...no thanks!) or rent a chair with a cushion and an umbrella for 19 euro. (For the record, in South Beach its $10 to rent a cushioned chair and an extra $15 for an umbrella so this wasn't bad at all. Especially because my mom and I buy the chairs for the day in SoBe every time we go.) I know it's sounds a little expensive but I am on vacay! And besides the additional excursions I have paid for, I have spent very little money thus far. A majority the money spent has been on meals. And a girl's gotta eat. Especially this girl! So I went for the chair!! I got out there at 10:15 and had to leave around 1:30 (since we are leaving for an excursion at 2:00) so it was worth it to me. In case anyone doesn't know me well, I LOVE the beach so I couldn't not do this. I passed up the opportunity to go into town to just chill at the beach all day. My first relaxing day all trip and I welcomed it. It was heaven. I had a solid three hours out there and loved every minute of it. And as long as I was treating myself to the beach day, I ordered lunch too delivered right to my beach chair (Beef carpaccio with pesto and parmesan cheese hunks. Ummm, yum!). Living it up a bit today. If not today, then when? You know? That's why I went on this trip after all; to do things I haven't ever done or wouldn't necessarily normally do. 

I need to marry rich

DAY 18

Today we woke up the earliest we have in a while to hit the road to The French Riviera. We will be making stops in three different countries today which is pretty cool, if I do say so myself.And today, it finally happened... I had to repeat an outfit. After 18 days, it was time to re-wear a dress. Aaaahhhh! Oh the humanity!  I actually have a few others I haven't worn yet, but they are nicer and I don't want to stretch or sweat through them so repeating is my option. I think I'll survive though. At least they are clean from laundry. 

After breakfast, (yummy fresh ricotta for me again) we headed out to Pisa. We got there pretty early to beat the crowds and headed over to their Duomo and the famous Leaning Tower. It was pretty incredible to see in person. What wasn't so incredible was trying to get the perfect picture there. The sun was out right over the tower which made it rather difficult to get a non-dark photo. Eventually the sun got behind the tower and we were able to get some decent pics. It was extremely hard to get the perfect angle for the cliche holding-the-tower pic. After many many takes, I finally got one. Nothing great, but it'll do. 

Under the Tuscan Sun

DAY 17

Today is one of the days I was most excited about since the start of this trip. Tuscany. All I could think about was the movie Under the Tuscan Sun and how I wanted to see that beautiful countryside and eat that delicious food.

I slept a full eight hours last night which was the most sleep I have gotten all trip. For breakfast this morn there was fresh ricotta cheese. I ate it plain and it was so good! A great start to the day. Some fuel in this engine. Then it was on to bus on our way to the hilltop Tuscan town of San Gimignano. On our way there we stopped at a viewpoint of the Florentine skyline called Piazzale Michelangelo. As I've previously stated, I am a sucker for an aerial view and this didn't disappoint. It was really clear out and I could see all the major sites of Florence from up there. Stunning. Then it was off to San Gimignano. 

Big hands does not equal you know what...

DAY 16

Off to Florence we go! On our way to Florence we basically backtracked a bit the way we came into Rome. We made our usual coffee/bathroom break. This one had free bathrooms and no toilet seats. However, this was the first place this entire trip that finally had a zero calorie beverage besides Diet Coke and water. They had Powerade Zero! I was so excited to see it that I bought two. Apparently zero calorie juices don't exist here and it's been pretty irritating for me. Sometimes I just want something besides water (Like Vitamin Water Zero) to drink and I hate drinking my calories (unless its alcohol. Duh). On a trip like this too, where I am eating so much, I like to save any calories I can. So basically, this was a treat. 

From the comfort stop, it was about another hour to Florence and we were ready to start the day. When we got to our drop off point, Santa Croce Basilica, we were introduced to some local specialities. Since Florence is known for its gold and its leather, we got orientations on both of them at two local stores. Similar to Rome, Florence also has a lot of work by Michelangelo. Dude got around! This afternoon we had three hours of free time to do our own thing. Of course I wanted to explore and sight see on my own. I had my map and list of places I wanted to see so I went in my merry way. Florence isn't a very big city so I didn't have too much ground to cover or even that many places to see. But first things first, I had to grab lunch. I once again didn't want to waste time at a sit down place so I grabbed a tomato and mozzarella sandwich on focaccia and ate it on the go. 

No lines, No problem

DAY 15

Good morning Rome. Today I got to hang with three out of four of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Well not really, but I got to see the work of their namesakes. And man, that Michelangelo fellow sure got shit done around here. Although I slept like crap, I had a pretty good breakfast at the hotel. I had some fruit and this Nutella filled, cinnamon sugar coated mini donut. Heaven. Our first trip this morning was to the Vatican City. We were told last night that we need to have our knees and shoulders covered. Um, none of my dresses go below my knees. I have a pashmina for my shoulders so no big deal but I figured I'd be okay with my longest dress. As soon as I got down to breakfast, about four women asked me if I had anything longer and offered to lend me leggings. All the mommies were so worried for me. I told them I'm sure it would be fine but I'd grab my yoga capris just in case. As soon as I went down to the bus, our leader Andi gave me a look immediately and I knew I had to put on the capris. Fine fine. I just looked a bit tacky but it wasn't for too long so I survived. 

For part of our included tour package for this trip, we got to use a separate private priority entrance (no line to wait in) to the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica,  a private tour, and access to the Bramante Staircase (which is not open to the public). The Pope was not in town today so there was not a chance of a sighting, but it also made the Vatican a little less crowded. A little. It was still a zoo. Our tour guide moved kind of slow and it was pretty annoying. When I go to places like that I like to move at my own pace and sometimes guided tours are too slow for me. For the average person I'm sure it's totally normal, but for ADD me, not okay.  However, to not have to wait in the long ass lines to enter made it worth it. The most impressive part of the Vatican tour was obviously The Sistene Chapel. It's pretty amazing to think how old it was, how long it took, all the details put into it, and how it was actually physically done. 

That's one big Salami

DAY 14

Everyday this trip, when wanting to do, eat, or, buy something I've been thinking to myself and sometimes saying out loud "When in Rome..." Today I could say it and really mean it! But it took a few hours to get there. We left Venice bright and early. A water taxi picked us up at the hotel after breakfast to take us off the island and to the bus. On the water taxi, as we pulled into the main dock, we saw all the boats loading up on produce, drinks, kegs, laundry and so much more. What a way of life! I can't even imagine. It's a lot of manual labor and to-and-froms. I guess if you are used to it, it's normal, but as beautiful as Venice is, I don't think I could live there. 

Along the way to Rome we made our usual morning comfort stop and a lunch stop. They both had free bathrooms, and for the second time in Italy, the toilet didn't have a seat. This must be decently common here but I just can't get on board with it. Its too low, and call me crazy, but I like the extra layer of seat between me and the bowl. At the second stop, we most def we were in Italy because of the ridic amount of Ferraris in the parking lot. Hot damn those cars are sexy. I want one. Or a Range Rover. Or both. K? Thanks!

Bring on more tan Italian Men

DAY 13

My first night sleep in Italy wasn't great but my first Italian breakfast tasted quite yummy. I had little mozzarella balls (bocconcinni), tomato, and some prosciutto for breakfast. Oh Italy, the way to my heart is definitely through my stomach. And your men. Your very tan, very handsome men. Sigh. I love a man with a tan and bright blue eyes. Now if only they spoke English. But really, who needs to speak anyway when you look that good? Kidding. Well...half kidding. 

After breakfast, we boarded a private boat over to St. Marks Square again. It was great seeing it not crowded again, but this time in the daylight. There was scaffolding on St. Marks Basilica which was kind of a bummer, but still awesome to finally see in person. 

But it's On Water. Water.

DAY 12

Off to Italy we go. I think Italy is the country I was most excited about from the start. Mostly for the food (have we met before?) but also for the sites and sounds. We were up bright and early (when are we not?) for our long drive to Venice. Almost the entire day today was a travel day. It was by far the most time spent on the bus thus far. And by far the most I have ever napped before. 

About an hour into the drive we stopped in the small Austrian town of Kindberg. This town is apparently known for their may poles. I am not totally clear on what that means because I was dozing in and out, but I think I caught it had to do with fertility and dancing around a pole to get pregnant. Not quite sure though. I totally just could have made that up. Because it was like nine in the morning on a Sunday, the town was pretty dead. I used the free bathrooms twice, and walked around the very small area before just sitting down at a cafe and taking in the view. Then we hit the road again for almost two more hours before we made our lunch stop near the Austrian border. I refrained from Burger King again and got some of the local food. It was meh but the scenery over Worthsee, a gorgeous blue lake with the mountains in their background, enhanced the experience. It was the best comfort stop view I've ever seen. And, wait for it, it was FREE to pee at this comfort stop. Such a treat. Then back on the road over the Italian border for another few hours, some more napping, and another comfort stop. And another free bathroom. Then more driving. Seeing a pattern here? 

I NEED my own Palace!

DAY 11

When I think of Austria, the first thing that comes to mind is Arnold Schwartzenagger ("It's not a tumor!") followed closely by Hans and Frans from very old SNL skits. ("I am Hans. And I am Frans. And we are here to pump. you. up." Anyone else remember this?) I was also reminded that Sigmound Freud is a very famous Austrian. I am sad to say that most of the little knowledge I have about him comes from Bill and Teds Excellent Adventure. However, now after spending a few days here in Austria, I know it is a very regal city with many enormous palaces and churches. This is now what I will think of when I think of Austria. Okay, okay, that's after I think of Arnold. 

Our day today began with a local tour guide meeting us at the hotel after breakfast. Our first destination was to Schonbrunn Palace where we were given a tour of this palatial estate. The palace is the summer palace, (not to be confused with the separate winter palace) of Empress Maria Theresa. We were given a tour of just a few of the 1441 rooms of the palace. (What does one do with that many rooms? And how long does it take to clean and dust? Oy.) The unique decor of the palace was incredible. The ornate detail to the wallpaper, chandeliers, and crown molding was definitely special. In the back of the palace were the Imperial Gardens. The landscaping of this enormous space was immaculate. I could easily see myself living there. 

Another bidet!!

DAY 10

Last night was not only the best shower I've had on the trip so far but the best night's sleep so far. A full 7.5 hours. At home, on the reg, that would certainly not be enough for me, but here, that seems to be a full night's sleep. Because it gets dark so late here, it's easy to lose track of time at night and it not to feel late.  After breakfast we boarded the bus and a local tour guy got on with us. We stopped at another Sound of Music locale which has zero significance to me but everyone else was excited about so I assume at least my mom or grandma will appreciate the pics I snapped there. Perhaps I should watch this when I get back? 

Our last stop in Salzburg, even though it wasn't really Austria (it's Germany) was Kehlsteinhaus, better known in English as the Eagle's Nest. This was a residence of Hitler and was actually given to him as a gift for his 50th birthday by the National Socialist Party. He didn't actually live there but had a mistress there and held many "business" meetings there.  I had never heard of this place before is trip but was looking forward to learning about it and seeing it.