Gettin’ Carried Away

Women in Paris: The Wicked and the Revolutionary.

This is the title of a literature course I decided to take in college. Why did I take it?

1. It fulfilled a requirement for my major.
2. It met once a week.
3. One of the requirements was to travel to Paris, France for one week in the summer.

~* Carrie in front of the Louvre Museum in Paris, France *~

Taught by two of the most amazing women I have ever met in my life, Women in Paris was led by Dr. Gina Rossetti, Assistant Professor of English, and Dr. Kathleen Waller, Associate Professor of religious studies. Along with about 15 other classmates, I explored how Paris served as a site for women’s radical movements for centuries.

Prior to the trip, I explored texts and films about Joan of Arc, and I thoroughly examined excerpts from Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary. I also read William A. Shack’s Harlem in Montmartre, and I imagined myself living in Paris during World War I, as jazz music started thriving in the Montmartre district in the 20s and 30s. Little did I know, I was about to embark on a journey and see everything that these female historical figures and fictional characters had spoke of so vividly.

When the time came to travel to City of Lights, my professors, my classmates and I piled into a coach bus and head to O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. I packed lightly, and I had a passport for over five years already, so I really had no problem getting through to security. However, my professors were horrified to discover that a few of the students somehow were not even registered on the flight! Because of this, our entire group was upgraded to First Class! This is the one and only time I have ever flown in this cabin. And if you have the money — it’s worth it!

The seats recline almost completely flat to simulate a bed! This really helped me sleep through the almost nine-hour flight. And while airplane food is not my favorite thing in the world, you do get a slightly better meal in first class. However, I have flown to and from Europe four times, sitting in regular ol’ Economy, and it really isn’t all that bad. I recommend getting a window seat! Sure, you have to climb over someone to get to the lavatory, but you can rest your head near the window and get a bit more comfy if you’d like to fall asleep.

I will spare you the details of going through customs and checking into the hotel, as most of us have already been there. My next post will explore my fantastic journey to France, including sites like Notre Dame, the Louvre, Montmatre and Versailles!

I’m not technically in London right now. This Thanksgiving is my first one at home in two years; I had spent time in England during the holiday in 2006 and 2007.  So on this day, I will always fondly recall my time in England, and the dinner I cooked for 17 people!

Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the United States. We celebrate escaping persecution in England and finding health, wealth and happiness in the New World. So, it’s pretty obvious why there would be no Thanksgiving celebration in New Cross, London… of all places. While studying abroad, us Americans decided we were going to have our own Thanksgiving. And surprisingly, our British friends wanted in on the action.

I assume that most of our friends wanted to participate since they would be eating a huge, home-cooked meal. Nevertheless, I was absolutely ecstatic at the thought of making a banquet-sized feast for 17 of my newest, dearest friends. My friend Lindsey and I headed to Sainsbury’s to pick up everything we needed for a nice Thanksgiving dinner: two turkeys, stuffing mix, potatoes, asparagus, corn, milk, butter, salt, spices and… apple pie!

After receiving some instructions from my mother, I learned that it’s not really that difficult to prepare a “traditional” Thanksgiving dinner. Once you defrost the turkey (and make sure to clear it of gizzards), you don’t have to do much else. My mom’s secret: take  two sticks of butter, cut them in half, and place the four pieces in the corners of the pan, around the bird. Once the butter melts, use a baster the make sure the turkey stays moist as it cooks.

When all was said and done, it did take me all day to cook dinner. However, everything turned out perfect! We created a “banquet table” using the round table already in the kitchen, along with four ironing boards borrowed from various flats in our building. Covered with golden table cloths, we made place mats for every guest, and we added red candles and white flowers for ambiance. The turkey was golden brown, the asparagus boasted lovely grill marks, the creamy potatoes were whipped, the corn smelled amazing and the rolls melted in your mouth. The apple pie also infused the entire kitchen with a sweet scent.

What a unique and memorable experience! The first Thanksgiving dinner I ever prepared was for my new London family. I will never, ever forget it.

How would I spend a single day in the City the Never Sleeps? I’d splurge on purchases from my favorite Broadway shops. I’d grab a sanwich at my favorite cafe. I’d take one of my newest friends to her favorite jazz club in the world. And I’d end the whole night by visiting an old high school friend at my old college roommate’s bar. Whoa — that’s a lot in one day!

My Friday in New York began with breakfast at a charming little restaruant in Williamsburg (Brooklyn). Then, after getting some frozen hot chocolate, Becky and I headed for Central Park to take some fall photos. I lived in New York in the winter. I’ve visited Manhattan in during the spring and summer. But I had never been to the city in the fall. Strolling through Central Park, I couldn’t help but be in complete amazement of the bright reds, the warm oranges and the beautiful browns surrounding me. Colorful leaves delecately fell to the ground, exposing thick, strong tree branches. Talk about a photo op!

Upon leaving the park, we decided to walk down 5th Ave, through Rockefeller center and past Times Square. No matter how cliche it might be, Times Square is the epicenter of Manhattan. And it’s one of the best places to take a picture (besides Central Park)! Eventually, we hopped a downtown Q train to Canal Street to begin my shopping spree.

After buying jewelry at SoGood and more jewelry at Laila Rowe, Becky and I were getting pretty hungry again, and headed to Miro Cafe for a sandwich. Located at 594 Broadway, Miro serves up a ton of options for even the pickiest of eaters. Choose from delightful desserts, scrumptious sushi, create-you-own salads and flat bread sandwiches! My #1 pick is a grilled chicken sandwich with lettuce and fresh mozzarella. It’s simple, it’s tasty… it’s simply fantastic! While a meal at Miro could run you between $10 and $20, it is completely worth it.

After walking around for almost 10 hours, we were super excited to take a rest and enjoy some smooth jazz music at the Blue Note. Since the club does not allow flash photography during performances, I’ll have to rely on the power of written word. A piece of advice: it’s always cheaper to sit at the bar for a performance. The beautiful wood bar offers you the perfect line of sight to the small stage. Dimly lit, the entire club exudes a calm, soulful mood perfect for enjoying smooth saxophones, funky keyboards and lovely voices. Ivan Lins and the New York Voices put on a phenomenal show!

Exhausted, but still going strong, Becky and I had one more stop to make before calling it a night. We hopped on an L train at 6th Ave and 14th to go back to Brooklyn. Georgie, my old college roommate, works at Spike Hill, across the street from her apartment. One of the best features of the bar is that it’s basically two different places in one! The left side hosts nightly music entertainment, while the right side boasts a little more room and bit of a restaurant feel. I was fortunate to meet up with my friend Jim from high school. While someone’s controlling music from an iPod, the restaurant side is a bit quieter than the band side. Insider information: Watch out for Spike Hill on the next Real World: Brooklyn on MTV!