Oh my god, I'm WORKING. (Like for money, not for free like usual.)

It's only been a week, but already everything is different. Besides the fact that I'm getting up 3 hours earlier than I was during the slob life, my mentality has shifted. I feel....well, confused. I was so looking forward to graduating and going off on my own into the working world, and now that it's happening, it's pretty scary. There were a few times that I looked around the office and thought, "So this is it? I have to dress up EVERY WEEKDAY?" But then I stop and think about how much I appreciate having an actual reason to wake up in the morning and I think about how the money I make will finance all my future exotic travels, and I think about how exciting my work is going to be as I continue to learn, and I know I'm really lucky. Especially in this economy. Ask anyone.

Eurotrip 2010 Post #3: NONSENSE

Anyone that has ever travelled with me or Tracey knows that even in the presence of serious history, serious historical instituions, and serious situations, we really have a hard time keeping it serious. This post is dedicated to the moments where we really just couldn't help ourselves.

The ultimate silliness took place on the trip to Versailles. It all started when I fell asleep on the train cradling the baguette in my arms, and got significantly more absurd from there. See below.

I'm probably dreaming about all of the carbs I'm going to allow myself to consume this trip.

The nonsense really all started with this crazy boat ride. The storm was abrewing and there were ameatuer paddlers at the helm.

We all had to try this statue's helmet. Obviously.

Then Graham and I had way too much fun in this little gazebo. This was pre-picnic, so I blame the low blood sugar for our shenanigans.

If you don't think these are funny, then we probably aren't that good of friends. Oh, Versilly.

Once the storm hit, no umbrellas=the babushkas came out to play.

So you know how in the beginning of Glamour mag they have that section "Where has your Glamour been?" with pics of girls holding the magazine in exotic locations? Well I had the genius idea that I was going to get myself into the magazine by taking this pic in Aegina. I actually wanted to bring it to the Acropolis, but I think that would have landed me in the Tourist Hall of Shame FOR SURE so I refrained.

Of course we took photos like this at the Parthenon. Duh.

ALWAYS RAIN. ALWAYS.

Pretending to be Asian tourists is one of our favorite things.

 

Other favorite thing besides pretending to be Asians: pretending to be monuments.

Europe, you know you'll miss us.

Eurotrip 2010 Post #2: SISTERS, SISTERS

Ok so it's no secret that Tracey and I are very different people, and there are definitely times that we want to lock eachother in a padded room---with that said, we managed to go ten full days enjoying eachother's company (pretty much) and we have the smiling pics to prove it. The funny thing about travelling with just one other person is that you end up taking a bunch of pics of one another, so those are thrown in here too:

Day #1: Walking around Par-ee.

Night #1 in Paris: drinks at the Piano Vache and a walk home along the river.

Day #2: Versailles. Of course it rained, I was there after all. We rented a boat---Trac and I have a long history of paddleboating together which usually resulting in shouted obscenitie, but since Tracey basically told me I need to be quiet in Paris because I cause scenes, we refrained from a screaming match this time. Then we took some senior pictures by a statue, naturally. (And, yes, I am also wondering what possessed me to wear white jeans to Versailles. Fashion fail. Sorry, Zac.)

Day #3 in Paris: We went to Orsay (no pics allowed) and some other museum that has "orange" in the name and houses the gigantor Monet lilies.

Day #4: Tracey's final and the flight to Athens...not many Kodak moments this day. Clearly.

Day #5 Aegina: Beach day! We were sooo in our element.

Theater of Odeon

Day #6 Acropolis in Athens: This was the day we really cubstyled it out---I'm talking nike shorts and both of us in Mizzou tees (bad choice when these crazy Missourians got superexcited when they saw us). Whatever, it was raining, and we were tourists. Duh.

Night #6: After a day of exploring, we got pretty (as pretty as you can get in a hostel on a humid rainy day) and set out on a mission to see Sex and the City 2 at an outdoor movie theater. While we waited for our movie we stopped by the Olympic stadium (so inspiring!) and the National Gardens (where we poured red wine into coca cola light bottles to sneak it into our movie and where we met our fav character of the trip: the oldest Greek man ever selling popcorn from a cart).

Day 7 Athens: This day was pretty chill, we went to a huge flea market in Thioso and walked all over Athens shopping and eating. There was a street on the map called "Shelley," and Trac insisted that we find it, which we did. We were pretty proud of the great success of the trip at this point, and we were just kind of basking in it.

Back in Paris:

View of Opera Garnier from the top of Gallery Lafayette (basically the Paris version of Harrods), the most beautiful department store ever.

Seriously, what department store looks like this?!?! And yes, I did change my shirt in the fitting room, I was sweating. Judge me.

Day 8 Paris: After the Gallery Lafayette we hit up some markets (our fav pastime, seriously) to get stuff for the lovely homecooked meal I prepared since we were both really sick of eating out.

After a long day of packing up Tracey's room (and more shopping by me) we made our way to the ET for the nighttime sparklefest. This was a really perfect way to cap off the crazy adventure.

Day 10 Heading home: Needless to say, there were no pics captured during the grueling journey back to the Chi (seeing as we had separate flights) which included me carrying on a giant American Apparel bag full of clothes in addition to my backpacker backpack since the suitcase I took back for Trac was overweight while I sprinted to not one, but two flights (connection in Minneapolis---didn't see much Zac, but I'm sure it's lovely) in order to get on them with just minutes to spare. By the time I got home, I was pretty ready to be there.

Eurotrip 2010 Post #1: FOOD

Eurotrip was an epic success. Being out of the country, out of my element, and isolated from everyone I know with the exception of one Tracey Johnsen, I was able to get myself into a zone where I am truly excited to move forward with my new job and my post-grad life in Chicago. (One of my revelations included my new use of capitalization in this post---well see if that one sticks.) Since the trip was such a whirlwind, I'm gonna break up the posts a bit. Here goes nothing.

FOOD: WE ATE IT. LOTS OF IT. SEE BELOW.

Let's start with Paris. This is where my all-organic, sugar-free, flexitarian, no-dairy, locavore ways flew right out the window.

Nothing cures jet lag like beers, fries and haggis (sheep intestines cooked with barley) at a Scottish pub. Not at all ashamed to admit WE LOVED IT.

The most expensive treat in Paris: macaroons. Tracey dressed accordingly. LC and KK liked them too.

On the way to Athens:

Tracey raved about our airline food dinner on the way to Greece so much, you would have thought we ate at a four star restaurant.

The food in Greece really was the best I have ever eaten---anywhere in the world. This feta almost tasted a little like goat cheese it was so fresh, and Tracey and I have both been dreaming about greek salads since we've been back.

Our first day in Greece we went to Aegina, a tiny island that we reached by ferry. It's famous for the pistachios that they grow on the island (which store keepers will pour into your hands as you walk by), and the seafood that is caught (and beaten!) right off the harbor. We saw some fisherman guy beating the crap out of a bunch of octipuses (?) right before we left for Athens. (ps: Trac should be a food photographer, no?)

In addition to binge eating, we drank our fair share of Greek booze as well. Verdict: greek beer=yummy, ouzo=vomit in our mouths (sorry Tara, we tried!)

This was the 2euro wonderfood:

Greek fast food: Souvlaki (aka gyros) but instead of a scary meat hunk like in the USA, these are made with slabbed off real chunks of meat that rotate on these giant spits in tavern windows. (Did I mention that my vegetarianism took a hiatus in Greece?)

Thanks to our friend Lonely Planet, we found some hole-in-the-wall treasures like this little dive where we watched them hand make these donuts then douse them in honey. We ate them with real Greek yogurt. Are you salivating? I am.

One of my favorite things about Greece is that every single restaurant and cafe has outdoor seating and is open until the middle of the night. We did not eat a single meal indoors, and it is such fun people watching seeing the entire city outside at all hours of the day and night. America, take note.

The thing about Greece (and Paris for that matter) was that, yes, we ate a lot of really decadent junk foods, but we also ate a ton of fresh foods from the markets that seem to be on every corner. Again, America, are you getting this?

Trac and I made a verbal list of things we need to replicate in the states, and the frappe (above) is one of them. Coffee shaken with ice, sugar and milk until it becomes magically foamy. It was the ultimate pickmeup/dessert, and Greeks carry them around the way we do with Starbucks.

Back in the par-ee:

We celebrated Graham's 20th birthday with a tart and some wine after Trac and I had polished off our homemade ratatouille (so very Paris of us).

The last supper: Graham made us the most AMAZING soup ever. He's probs sitting in his Parisian culinary class as I type this. Love him. And his delicious creations.

This was only crepe I ate in Paris, and on the last day too. What was I thinking?!?

And the food post cannot possibly be completed without addressing the gems I found while I was cleaning our Tracey's fridge pre-moveout: A baggie full of moldy mac and cheese. If that's not my ticket into heaven, I don't know what is.

The whole time I was writing this I was sooo hungry---after that last pic, not so much.

Coming soon: sister glamour shots from Europe.