Paris, Howth and Everything in between!

Dear faithful, virtual audience consisting of all the people that I love the most,

As always, thank you for reading this! It truly means a lot to me and I very much hope this blog finds you all well! I am thinking of you often and sending loads of prayers your way!
And I do sincerely apologize for not blogging sooner but in my defense it really does require a certain mood to sit down and talk about myself for a few hours. Okay, I guess I just mean a certain mood in terms of the absence of a human to give me feedback and laugh at my corny jokes.You know, I really love the immediate, positive reinforcement.
But alas, here I go! Things here in Dublin are grand! I truly feel like a regular Dubliner! I am literally having the time of my life! I know Dublin like the back of my hand and feel really at home here in the city of leprechauns, literature, cheesy bread and Guinness. It's really odd, they love their cheesy bread here and big surprise- I love it too! I would say that I am fully immersed in my life here in Dublin! I've practically been here for two months and I can't believe my time here is half way over!

PARIS

Two weeks ago I went to Paris for two reasons; to take in the amazing culture and history with my friend Chelsea and to eat. I did both of these things thoroughly and enjoyably, if I do say so myself! I was so excited to return to Paris because the first time I went to Paris I absolutely loved it. When my mom took my brothers and I on a fabulous trip to Paris when I was 14 I remember being so overwhelmed and amazed by the history, art and culture that I knew I had to return! Flash forward through wonderful high school and college experiences that nurtured that little girl's love of history, new experiences that developed her strong sense of self, several more trips to Europe to give her some more culture and you find that same little girl all grown up, standing on a busy street in Paris at midnight. That girl was actually next to me on the flight over, we talked the whole flight. Just kidding, that little girl is me!

Chaloux children jetlagged at a cafe in Paris circa 2004

Go on, have a laugh at our expense. 

 

Puberty did wonders for me. 

As I said I took in Paris with my friend Chelsea who is studying abroad at the American University of Paris this fall. We are doing most of our European traveling together so I took advantage of her great flat in Paris for the weekend and made myself at home! Chelsea's apartment is a 10 minute walk to the Eiffel Tour and in a lovely area of Paris! Using that as our launching pad we explored the City of Lights! On Friday Chelsea and I got up fairly early and hit the ground running, walking all around the city. I do believe that simply walking around any city will give you an acute understanding and appreciation of life there. As Chelsea is living there she knew her way around and was able to give me a great tour of Paris. As I walked around so many things became familiar from when I was in Paris 7 years ago and I fell in love again. The beautiful architecture and aromatic cuisine made me nostalgic for my trip with my family but excited to explore with new eyes.

Bonjour from Paris! xoxo Kate

First Chelsea surprised me and took me to the Shakespeare and Company bookstore which is a lovely, eclectic bookstore in Paris that specializes in English literature and also serves as wonderful library. Now, if you're reading this you know that I love literature and Shakespeare in particular so I was in heaven here! As I looked around I felt like I was at home among the books truly never wanted to leave. The James Joyce section was particularly poignant for me as a lover of Joyce because Shakespeare and Company published Ulysses when no one else would! I have also recently decided that I would like to become a writer so I felt a particular kinship with this great bookstore!

Mecca for any literary nerd!

Laugh now, but when I'm a famous writer people are going to be wanting autographed copies of this picture!

I'll be happy to hook you up first because you supported me and read my blog when I was a nobody. 

Our second stop was the Pantheon which I had not actually seen on my first tour of Paris so it worked out wonderfully. The Pantheon in Paris was originally a church but now functions as a mausoleum filled with famous dead French people such as; Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Marie Curie, Louis Braille, et al. It was kind of creepy going through the crypt and the long corridors filled with various famous dead people's tombs but I liked it none the less. Each tomb had a historical account of each person which would have been great except I don't know French so I just took in the beauty and atmosphere of the Pantheon. The upstairs where the proper church part is, is beautiful and houses several great statues and paintings. There was a huge many depicting the coronation of Napoleon so of course I had to take a picture to make it look like I was getting coronated because I'm a tourist and a joker, but it was so cool to think about how many important things occurred in the Pantheon that have formed history. There are many paintings of Joan of Arc which I enjoyed observing and reflecting on because I always gotta pay respect to a strong woman in history no matter where I am!

Sorry I didn't invite you to my coronation. Please consider this my royal apology. 

Following our trip to the Pantheon Chelsea and I walked around some more taking in the lovely sights of Paris until we became hungry and then we looked for a cafe to eat in. I really wanted to have fondue and wine and be classy in Paris so we made that happen. Largely, the most significant difference about experiencing Paris from when I was 14 to now being 21 is that I can enjoy a glass of wine and feel like a fabulous, Parisian loving life at a cafe. The great part about me is that I'm always trying to be fabulous and classy, by virtue of me admitting it perhaps I am not, but alas I felt all of those things that I had wanted to feel at 14. As I sat across from my friend sipping a red wine, eating fondue at a cafe in Paris it was abundantly clear to me that I am the luckiest girl that ever lived and have grown into a lovely young woman. At that moment that only thing I wanted to do was share it with my mom because she would have loved it! This trip was so interesting and moving for me because I had feelings such as that. I also felt incredibly close to my family as I always do but missed them intensely on this trip and would have loved to share it with them.

Hi Mom! Wish you were here! Love, Mini-Me

Oh how original! An action shot of me eating!

For the rest of the day Chelsea and I walked around more exploring. We mostly walked everywhere not just so I could see the city but also because there have been terrorists threats against France so we just tried to be safe and avoid the metro. We happened into a lovely vintage shop where I found a great vintage bag and Chelsea found a few great sequined items and we ended up at a funky bar where we had inventive mojitos and laughed the night away!

So this is me at a gay mojito bar with my fake smile!

On Saturday morning we took a more touristy approach to Paris at my behest and saw the Eiffel Tower up close and personal as well as the Louvre. I cannot describe my sincere adoration for the Eiffel Tower. Every time I see it, it is grander than I had remembered or imagined. It is such a lovely landmark and wonderful icon for the world. We actually didn't go up to the top because I had already done that and the terrorist threat is always something to be mindful of. However, I was thinking of Tim the whole time because he loves Paris and the Eiffel Tower especially! After snapping some great shots and fighting through swarms of people we made our way away from the Eiffel Tower and continued our day with a lovely walk along the Seine River.

This one is a little bit more about the Eiffel Tower and a little less about me. 

Best Friends at the Eiffel Tower! 

Our next stop was a famous macaroon place called Laduree. Marie Antoinette used to go there because she loved their scrumptious macaroons, and who could blame her! The shop is absolutely lovely inside! You weren't supposed to take pictures but I obviously snapped a few! I quite enjoyed my vanilla, chocolate, and hazelnut macaroons! Chelsea got a few different ones including violet and rose and I must say I had a bite of each and they truly tasted exactly what you might think violet and rose should taste like! Following our little snack Chelsea and I walked along the beautiful Champs Elysees, which is a very famous avenue in Paris, where I snapped photos of the fabulous storefronts of luxurious perfume, lingerie, and clothing stores!

Me being a sneaky photographer inside Laudree. 

I laugh in the face of no photography signs. 

Let's just put it on the table- this is not my best picture,

But this picture is not about my face but my hands! Look at that right claw ready to open up that bag!

Look what that claw found! 

They're almost too cute and dainty to eat; the key word here being almost. 

Next we made our way down the Tuileries Gardens and into the Louvre. The Tuileries are famous public gardens in Paris that lead into the courtyard of the Louvre. It was a stop that I had wanted to make on the trip because I had fond memories from my previous trip. Outside of the Tuileries Chelsea and I had a lovely cup of hot chocolate, perhaps the greatest hot chocolate I've ever had! Upon approaching the Louvre all I could think of was how goofy that modern pyramid looks outside such a grand building as the Louvre, but it certainly didn't stop me from taking a photo with it!

This is the casual me posing in front of the Louvre photo. 

Note the great bag! This is the one I got in that vintage shop!

If you're in the neighborhood of the Louvre I just feel like you're obliged to say hello to Mona so Chelsea and I endured the long line and ventured into the Louvre. I think I just have a much greater appreciation for art these days because I was appreciating the Louvre more than I had when I was younger. I stood in absolute admiration and fascination of the grandiose Winged Victory statue and fell in love with a few paintings. One of the paintings I most loved is Elisabeth- Louise Vigee- Le Bruns famous painting of her and her daughter. It is so incredibly tender and loving that I might have teared up a little thinking about my own mom and how much I missed her. Mom, I know you're reading this and thinking "that daughter of mine is a nut" and I am but it's just us! Now of course the da Vinci's Mona Lisa never ceases to amaze me for a few reasons; she's always looking at you no matter where you stand and she's about the size of a postage stamp. Okay, she's not that tiny but she's really dwarfed by my huge nose as you can see featured below!

So this one is a little more about me and a little less about Mona. 

But get over it Mona, you're always the center of attention. 

Look Mom, this is the brunette version of us!

Now here's the thing, I flew Ryanair. Now for those of you who know about Ryanair this airline name comes with a connotation-a bad one. However, for those of you who don't know, Ryanair is a discount European airline that flies throughout Europe. The flights are real cheap because they offer absolutely no amenities such as assigned seats so there I am a fairly peaceful gal aggressively running for a good seat as soon as I catch on to the mad dash for good seats. Just let that marinate as you picture me with latte in hand running down the tarmac. However, on the way home due to the strikes in France I wasn't sure that I would get back to Dublin because my flight was super delayed because they weren't sure if they had enough gas. Classic Ryanair.

DUBLIN 

Flash forward through a week of classes and Chelsea Ullman shows up at my doorstep a week later for a grand tour of Dublin! Of course, who better to give a tour of Dublin than a literary and historical nerd who loves Irish history! I actually could not find anyone so I decided to step in and give Chelsea my grand tour! We all know I have a burning passion for Ireland that has only been nurtured this semester by spending loads of time in Dublin and taking many classes concerning Irish history. So I took Chelsea on my tour of all of the monuments and basically gave her a play by play of the Irish Revolution starting at St. Stephen's Green down along O'Connell Street. If you are lucky enough to come visit me, you too will get this great tour!

Vanna White's got nothing on me. 

The next thing I took Chelsea to do in Dublin was to visit the Guinness Storehouse. I had done this a few years ago but was saving it for her trip on this visit. We went along with my good friend Fiona and her friend, Tasslem, who was visiting for the weekend. The Guinness factory is a very cool place full of history and scientific explanations of how Guinness is brewed. Arthur Guinness who founded Guinness was a visionary, he leased out the space for the factory on a 9,000 year lease which is prominently featured in the storehouse. I was loving the tour because I have really come somewhat of a connoisseur of Guinness throughout my study abroad experience. However, the best part of the tour is when you get to the top of the factory because it is literally the highest point in Dublin and you can see the entire city whilst enjoying your Guinness.

Fiona, Tasslem, Chelsea, and I on top of Dublin!

Following our trip to the factory we went to Fiona and I's favorite pub, Lannigans off O'Connell Street and ended the night in our favorite bar in the Temple Bar area listening to live music. The pub in Temple Bar that we went to, Farrington's, is usually where we go for some great live music. They play a combination of classic Irish folk songs and American classics. In short, a good time was definitely had by all on a perfect day in Dublin.

"Hey, if you could just go ahead and get me and this boat" picture. 

Chelsea and I in Howth

On Saturday my roommate Michelle, Chelsea and I went to the seaside town of Howth to see some beautiful sights. I had heard about Howth several times from friends who had been. It is actually still part of Dublin proper but definitely outside the confines of the City Centre as it is about a 25 minute bus ride outside of the city. It is absolutely breathtaking, truly beautiful! It is unreal to imagine that a tiny seaside village that looks like time hasn't changed it is so close to such a big international city. As it is right on the coast the whole town of Howth is basically a beautiful harbour full of picturesque boating scenery and lighthouses. When we were first walking around I was looking up at the beautiful blue sky as it was contrasted with the almost green ocean and felt that I was in some kind of fairy tale. There were also seals in the harbour which made the whole scene even more special! We walked around the piers and out to the lighthouse enduring the wind but feeling the warm sun on our backs! It truly is a most perfect setting!

Dad, This one is for you!

The Lighthouse is so beautiful in the background! 

Yes, this is me wearing sneakers out on the town.

Don't they just look funny?

However, I haven't even gotten to the most beautiful part the backdrop of this scenery are the majestic cliffs on Ireland in the background. We walked up the cliffs to get a more perfect view of the whole town. As I stood at a natural resting point between the harbour and the cliffs surveying my scenery I felt an indescribable awe and appreciation for the beauty of Ireland and felt a strong feeling of gratitude for being in Ireland and had a feeling that I am the luckiest girl in the world. I really wished that my dad had been with me because he would have loved the seaside town and the little fishing village feel of Howth! Don't worry, Dad, we will be voyaging to Howth when you are here! As we continued our walk up we passed a place that W.B. Yeats lived in! What a serendipitous little find I thought to myself, as I am taking a class on his poetry. However, it makes total sense that someone could write beautiful poetry from there because the views are absolutely breathtaking.

Hey, look I'm a midget wearing sneakers! 

"Hi, from Ireland" picture

And then, after a few more paces, it happened. I fell in love. Not with anyone, my luck is not that good. But with a place. I found the most beautiful, perfect house I have ever seen right on the edge of one of the cliffs. It is a big brown house that overlooks the water yet still manages to have a yard and remain elegant. I have decided that this will be my house when I am a famous writer and need to retreat from the world to work on a new novel. I kept on taking pictures of it because it felt like home. So hopefully, I will look back on this blog sometime and laugh as I sip tea from my beautiful house on the water!

This will be my future house and yard when I'm a famous writer. 

This is actually my resting pose. 

After a great day in Howth and a tasty dinner we headed back into the city to paint the town red! Okay, that is the glamorous version of what we did, we just got all dolled up and went out to a club. Chelsea and I got matching lace shirts at a discount store called Penny's that all Irish people love! I actually hadn't been out in awhile so it was just so nice to get all dressed up and go out!

We are actually wearing matching lace shirts!

I saw this place and thought of you, Dad!

Then on Sunday Chelsea and I got up and went to my favorite place in all of Dublin called Queen of Tarts. I know I have blogged about it before but it deserves to be mentioned again! Following our late lunch at the Queen of Tarts we went to the National Gallery so I could show Chelsea some of my favorite Irish and Dutch paintings at the Gallery. For some reason the National Gallery of Ireland has many Dutch paintings. Then the saddest part of my weekend came when I had to put Chelsea back on a bus to the airport but she had a great visit and I cannot wait for my next visitors and travels!

Lords of the Dance.

Thank you again for reading all of this! I love you all very much,
Kate