Accepting Donations

.... for a Nikki goes to Paris fund, will foxtrot for money.

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Frenchy Friday Quinze: Touring le Tour Eiffel

(source: World City Photos)

Bonne Anniversaire le Tour Eiffel! (hier)

(Happy Birthday Eiffel Tower! - yesterday)

The Eiffel Tower turned 121 yesterday, May 6th. It was built in 1889, and was only supposed to stand for 20 years. However, from the popularity, and radio signal technology, the tower stayed. It has now become one of the most recognizable french icons ever.

I love the Eiffel Tower. I'm glad they kept it!

I visited the Tour Eiffel on my trip to Paris in 2005. It was the beginning of June, and it was kind of windy. Those elevators scared the living {beep!} out of me!

Looking down from the Elevator..

They're so rickety.. and creepy.. and then you go half way to the top and the tower sways a little as you step out onto the platform and look down on the city of Paris. I loved it.. and as soon as that eep! feeling leaves your stomach, you look up and think, "now I have to get to the top" your feeling of nausea, anxiety, and excitement returns instantly.

The view from the top is even better.

Some random history of the tower..

Tower Happenings

During its period of existence, the Eiffel Tower has witnessed a number of strange scenes, including being scaled by a mountaineer in 1954 and two Englishmen parachuting off it in 1984. The arrest of the infamous World War I German Spy, the Danish dancer Mata Hari, was due to the interception of one of her radio messages by the tower's radiotelegraphic center.

In 1923, the journalist Pierre Labric [who was later to become mayor of Montmartre] rode a bicycle down from the first level. Some accounts say he rode down the stairs while others suggest that he rode on the exterior of one of the tower's four legs which slope outward.

In 1925, a con artist by the name of Victor Lustig, managed to sell the tower for scrap.

Politics have also played a role in its life. During World War II, the Germans hung a sign on it that read: "Deutschland Siegt Auf Allen Fronten" ["Germany is victorious on all fronts"]. In 1958, a few months before Fidel Castro's rise to power, Cuban revolutionaries hung their red-and-black flag from the first level and, in 1979, an American from Greenpeace hung a sign reading: "Save the Seals". In 1989, the Tower celebrated its centennial with music and fireworks [the show lasted 89 minutes].

(source: ClaudonLake)

Je l'aime, vous l'aimez?

(I love it, do you love it?)

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Frenchy Friday Douze: devoirs

Ce soir, j'ai fait un publicité pour devoirs de mon cours de francais... Voila

Maintenant, nous allons à Nice !


Apprécier votre vendredi !

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Europe, I miss thee.

View from the Reichstag
Berlin, Germany - July 2008

Tour Eiffel
Paris, France - June 2005

View from Mr. Eiffel's Tower
Paris, France - June 2005

Trevi Fountain at Night
Rome, Italy - June 2005

My favorite English Gentlemen, Big Ben
Houses of Parliament
London, England - June 2005

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Frenchy Friday Huit

Where I wish I was today..

LES JARDIN DES TUILERIES

Paris, France

(photo from aviewtoahill)

Nous allons!

(Let's go!)

Heureux Vendredi!

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Travel Wish: Paris in the Fall

J'adore l'automne! Je voudrais, non,

J'AIMERAIS aller à Paris en l'automne!

(I adore Autumn, I would like, no, I would LOVE to go to Paris in the Autumn!)

awe, un jour
(awe, someday)

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Happy 25th Harry!

Today is this man's 25th birthday...

I've always loved him..

...But seriously, what's not to Love?

my favoritest picture of him, of all time

Happy 25th Birthday Prince Harry!
Welcome to the Quarter Club!

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Travel Wish: St Petersburg, Russia

I've always wanted to visit Russia. Maybe its because it seems so ominous. Russia. USSR. The Soviet Union. Or maybe its just that it has so many names? But, I have really always wanted to get one of these..

Matryoshka Dolls
(aka Russian "nesting dolls")

and see all of this..

The Church of our Savior on Spilled Blood

Armenian Church

St. Isaac's Cathedral
known as the 3rd largest dome in the world

Winter Palace

Petrodvorets

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Travel Wish: Cannes

I love movies. I loved the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and I get giddy over beaches. So it shouldn't come as any surprise that I wish I could have gone to the Cannes Film Festival that ended on Sunday.

Brad Pit in Inglourious Basterds

I would have tried so hard to see this man.. I love me some Brad Pitt. Its a disease, I have to admit. {picture credit: Telegraph.co.uk}

Look at that Beach!

Part of the reason that I like Film Festivals, are of course, for the movies. And when we saw the movie stars in Park City a few months ago, I almost died. But, the real reason I love the fests is for their pushing the envelope mentality. For example, this year at Cannes there was a director, Mr. Lou Ye, that despite censor bans in China, has a film at the festival featuring gay Chinese men in a sexual relationship. I'm not sure I would want to see the film necessarily, but I applaud him for standing on a free speech principle. Read his story: Censor-defying Chinese director back at Cannes.

Another interesting film shows the struggle of the people of Rwanda. After the genocide in 1994, the different groups have been trying to get along. The film, My Neighbor My Killer, featured in this article:Rwanda's killers and victims shown side by side at Cannes, shows how hard that must be, and the successes and the failures in the slowly healing African country.

Last but not least, Francis Ford Coppola, the man behind The Godfather , previewed his new film, Tetro ,in Cannes. See story here. I love The Godfather saga.

So I want to go! How cool would it be to be in Cannes when all of this is going on? Some day..

* To see more of my Travel Wishes, click here.

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Travel Wish: Europe, I love thee

Four years ago today I was on my way to my Study Abroad in London, England. It was one of my favorite experiences, ever. I wish all the time that I could go back. While we were there, we also traveled to Paris, and Rome, and had an awesome time. Here are some pictures from that trip, and here's to hoping that I can go again!
{and that it will be better than the last time I was in Europe: hurl}

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A giant pink inflatable mouse?

Jacques Rival, a French architect, made this contraption of a mouse and placed it in the Rhône river in Lyon, France. It is strange, yet awesome. His purpose was to inform people of the risk of floods.
{see other fun photos here}

Speaking of the French, they are a bit strange. Not really, I actually really enjoyed France when I was there a few years ago. Most of the French people were quite nice to us, they sure didn't live up to their rude snobby stereotype. The men did live up to their crazy, super forward image though. Perhaps I will tell that story another day. But man some of the French food...

Today was my last official day in my French 1010 class. Yay! We reviewed for our final a little but mostly we just ate French food. Croissants, French bread, Nutella, Éclairs.. YUM. For extra credit, our teacher wanted us to try pâté, let's just say Nicole will never try pâté again, and will never need to. Je detesté! It was like stinky salty pureed hot dogs or something. and I don't even like hot dogs. Ew. Ew. Ew. Did you know the French eat horse?

They are offering a French class this Summer, as kind of a Conversational community education class, where you don't get any credit. At first I was like, "well why would I want to do that?" but now I am thinking it might be a good idea, so I remember it and don't feel confused in August, especially since I have a different teacher next semester. Hmmm..

I do really like French, and think I am going to do the French minor. If it doesn't set me back too much. I have been playing with planning ideas for school, and am trying to get it done as soon as possible, without having a heart attack from too much school + homework while still working full time at The Rack. My adviser is having a baby in September, so I think I am going to meet with her soon, sometime this summer so that I can talk to her about plans and stuff and get everything all figured out for a year or so. I still regret never finishing school the right way. I truly should have just gone for it right after high school, continuously. But then I'm not even sure I would have gotten my degree in the right major, I truly feel that my major is what I truly want to do. I know so many people that have already gotten their degrees and now they're like like, "Crap, should've done _________" So as the French say, Autre temps, autres moeurs., translated: Other days (or times), other ways. Guess we all get to where we're going, sometime.

Ps ~ Happy 69th Birthday Al Pacino (on Friday), I love him as Michael in The Godfather. Perhaps I will watch it today to commemorate Al's birthday.

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Travel Wish: Majorca, Spain

Majorca {Mallorca in Catalan}, is an Island off of Spain that is simply BONITA. I have wanted to go there, ever since I knew it existed. And here is why..

• Beautiful beaches
• Awesome historic Castles and Cathedrals
• Yummy food
• Rafael Nadal was born in Majorca
• It never gets below 50'F!
  

Castell de Bellver


Le Sue

I'm a sucker for Sunsets..

Rafael Nadal

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Joyeuses Pâques

This Sunday is Easter, so I thought I'd share a few things I love about Easter -although I'm sure I will just post pictures of the events next week. I LOVE Coloring Eggs! It is one of my favorite things, and, a friend of mine was talking about the symbolism of Easter, and how some of them are pagan and others are Christian. I thought that was interesting, and since I love it so much I thought hey why not find out the reason we have the eggs at Easter.. and this is what I found:

The origin of the Easter egg is based on the fertility lore of the Indo-European races. To our pre-Christian ancestors it was a most startling event to see a new and live creature emerge from a seemingly dead object. The egg to them became a symbol of spring. Long ago in Persia people used to present each other with eggs at the spring equinox, which for them also marked the beginning of a new year.

Very interesting, ey? I thought so.
Also, did you know the name Easter comes from the Anglo-Saxon goddess of Spring: Eostre? Yep, me neither.
Oh, and apparently, the Easter Bunny is German. No wonder he always creeped me out. Just kidding Just kidding.

Cadbury Mini eggs are also reason enough to love the holiday.
And Starburst Jelly beans..

Happy Easter Everyone! :)

PS ~ Thanks all for the haircut feedback! I am going to do it, sometime.. soon. I have to figure out if I can pay for it, and then yay. :)

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Fling off Thy Sadness!

I have been reading a lot lately. I got into a few girly~girly novels, and read one of them in just one day! So I have updated my 50 Books in 2009 list again. I've read 11 books now. I'm slowly creeping towards my goal. I hope I can really make it! Eek! At the rate I'm going, I don't know if it will work. Guess we will see. I think since I'm taking the Summer off from school I will have more time to read books and catch up.

Today is April 1st, and it still snowed here most of the day!!! WTF?! So not cool! Its like some sort of April Fools joke, by the Weather Guru or something. I don't know! But it better stop. This poem is perfect for today:

"Awake, thou wintry earth -
Fling off thy sadness!
Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth
Your ancient gladness!"
- Thomas Blackburn, An Easter Hymn

Tomorrow is The Grand Opening at The Rack. I hope there's not too many people! Ick. I worked at the Sugar House Rack on Saturday. It was interesting. I got to go with Lindsey from work, and she's pretty awesome, so it was good. I'm glad it was her I got to go with. The manager of that store, Bridget, took us out to a cafe nearby, and paid for our food. Way nice. The actual manager of the Accessories department was totally weird though. Our actual manager from the Sandy Rack called while we were on break and wanted us to call her back, the manager at Sugar House told us not to! She's like "oh, we need you to keep working, don't call her back." WHAT? So so strange. Yeah, here, let us disobey our actual manager, sure that makes sense..

I finally watched MILK the other day with Ashley, my sister. I can't believe how crazy this world is! WHY do some people think they are so important, and that they are so great and religious and wonderful, and think it is their right to belittle people that are "below" them!?!? I don't understand. It made me so mad.. and sad.. and happy that we are actually getting somewhere in the Gay Rights struggle. BUT at the same time, I was like dude! there was a proposition (Prop 6) that had similar arguments to Prop 8, and people are still so super bigoted?! Guess we haven't changed that much. I mean, Prop 6 was almost thirty years ago!! Ah, it just amazes me. My sister wrote more about the whole struggle, and the crazy woman, Anita Bryant that was the voice for the Religious Right during the movement. Click here for her blog post about it. All in all it was a good movie, and I am glad that it was made. We all need to be reminded of the different struggles for equality in this imperfect country.

In other current events, the G-20 starts tomorrow in London. I hope that people will protest for their causes peacefully, so that their voices can be heard, and not be overshadowed by not-needed violence and disruption. Although, I would love for someone to be like HEY Why didn't anyone arrest al-Bashir when he traveled out of The Sudan to Qatar, this past week?! Argh.

But the best news of today, I don't know if I said anything recently but I have been talking to my adviser at school about doing an Internship next Spring for my Social Work degree. It will get me so much closer to graduating. Well, last Wednesday, an opportunity came up in New Delhi. I thought it was a total long shot, but I thought what the hell, I'll apply. My adviser called me this afternoon to tell me I got in. So I will be in New Delhi, India from January 2010 to April 2010! Wahoo!! I've always wanted to go to Delhi! Now we're just trying to get my sister over there doing something, so we can go together. I'm so excited!
Just Kidding! APRIL FOOLS! :)

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Travel Wish: L-O-N-D-O-N

LONDON

Oh how I miss thee..

I have to go back to London. It has been by far my most favoritest city in the entire world. So how could I not include it in my Travel Wishlists? Sigh.. if only I were rich, and could pay for a nice British flat each summer.

Best things about London:

• RAIN - I love the rain, I know I know some people hate it. But I love the sound of it.. the freshness in the air, the funky clouds over the island and the green green grass.
• The Tube - Another thing people love to hate.. but I really loved it. I love the community feel of it, in such a big city. Mind The Gap
  
• Big Ben - best man of all time, hands down. I literally skipped down the street the first time I saw the big ol' clock.
• The History - I love history.. and I love all of the museums, and historical buildings!
  
• The Pomp and Circumstance - along with the Royal family's pictures always being on the front page of trashy magazines. haha. Love it.
• The Accents - make. me. swoon.
• The Shopping: Especially Covent Garden!!
  
• Cornish Pasties!!
  
• Crepes and fresh squeezed orange juice, right by big ben. YUM
  

You find no man (or woman), at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford."
~ Samuel Johnson

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