That was acting....thank you

this is going to be a long one...because I have been so so busy I havent been able to update. Tonight finally, I am having a relaxing night in my room all alone! So here is the blog update of the year:

To start off, Patricia and Sam came to visit over Thanksgiving break which you all know. The week ended up being a lot of fun! Unfortunately I still had class and work so I couldnt be with them the whole time, but I tried to show them a good time as best as I could. The got to Paris in the early morning on Saturday..november ???th...and I picked them up at the airport. The first thing we did was go back to my place so they could drop off their stuff, then we headed to the 5th arrondisement because it's close and easy. We walked around Luxembourg garden and down to Notre Dame. I obviously took them to get my favorite ice cream (Berthillon) and...lucky me!...Sam loved it too! So that was one of our many visits to the île-saint-louis that week for some yummy ice cream. At this point, they were both pretty exhausted from the flight and the time difference so we headed back to my place to take a long nap before we went out. That night was one of the first Tokyo Decadence parties of the year..basically a Manga themed party...and the frenchies really get into it! We all dressed as "Sailor Moon"-ish as possible and Sam even made his own outfit...and ended up wearing a pretty sweet pair of Jérôme's yellow pants. The party was fun, and we danced until about 2 or 3 am, then we were all beat. Sunday, I took them to Versailles...and of course it ended being the coldest day of the year, thus far. We got there early and went to the Westin Hotel next door for some bangin hot chocolate and it started snowing! It was FREEZING! Inside the château there is this modern art exhibit if this sculpter, Jeff Koons, which was actually really neat. Trish and Sam both enjoyed the château even though the weather was a little chilly. Starting on monday I had to go to school and stuff, so during the day they went sight-seeing. That night I took them to one of my favorite restaurants on Rue Mouffetard called La Brouette. Caroline came with us also and we had a wonderful (not too expensive) meal with some awesome onion soup. On Tuesday, after work..we made dinner at the Cité then headed out to this old wine bar by Saint Germain des Pres called Chez George! It is now one of my favorite places. It's an old jazz cave from the 1920s, and they play crazy old french jazz music and everyone dances on the tables and it's a lot of fun. Wednesday is my only day off, so I decided to take them to one of my favorite parts of the city, Montmartre. We hung out around up there and ate some yummy crèpes then went down by the Opéra to see the Palais Garnier and the Christmas windows at the Galeries Lafayette. Thursdays and Fridays I have to work ALL DAY...blows. Thursday after work we had Thanksgiving dinner at my director's apt..and it was pretty tasty, and Friday night after work we decided to go to the Louvre because it's free and open until 10. I was exhausted, but Trish and Sam got to see all the main attractions. On Saturday we went shopping during the day, I got most of my Christmas shopping done and Trish got some really cute clothes! Since it was their last night in Paris I took them out to eat at a raclette and fondue restaurant and we ate so much cheese and potatoes, but it was amazing..they even tried escargots! Afterwards, we went to Favela Chic! My first time back there since last year, and it was so much fun...we danced until 3-4 in the morning, even though they had to get up pretty early to catch the plane back to the states. Well, there is a quick summary of my week with Sam and Trish...I am so glad they visited and I hope they had as much fun as I did!

As for the rest of November, I have been working my little butt off. I'm so glad that my Christmas break starts on Friday...I'm actually exhausted! I feel like I havent gotten to enjoy the Christmas decorations and everything because I have been so freaking busy. This past weekend I spent like every waking moment with Caroline..we went to Saint Sulpice and walked around the Christmas market. It was super cute with lots of candies, cakes, hot wine, cider etc...they even had Morrocan pastries..which I love.

Many of you know, or I think so anyway, that I am moving into a new apartment on January 6th after I get back from my trip in Spain. It's so beautiful and it is located in the 12th arrondissment on Avenue Daumesnil near Nation...for those of you who don't know Paris by heart that is the south eastern part of the city. Jérôme, me and Caroline are moving in together...and the apt. is huge so everyone should come and visit! I am leaving for Spain this Friday (the 19th) and I wont be back until January 4th. Jérôme and I are going to Barcelona for a week, and spending Christmas there then backpacking around the Catalonia region. I am very excited to see all the contemporary spanish art...and Gaudi architecture. We leave Friday night after work...FINALLY. So I wont be able to update again, until next year anyway! This time it will be sooner rather than later!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

ciao:):):)