What are your new year's resolutions?

Official welcome to 2009! Much has happened and is happening that I will have to comment on. First of all, our first black president just took office (yes, we can!). My sorority just added forty-five new pledges - our biggest turnout for rush... Classes have started; mine are looking over-the-top business-y. I will be going to Montreal this weekend for a Model UN conference. I just finished my applications to study abroad in Paris next fall! And I am now working on some designs for our department's end-of-the-semester fashion show (25th anniversary so it will be a major alumni-networking event). Pheuf. Can I take a break now? Definitely not. Before I forget about my winter break, here are some of the pictures:

My family started the vacation off with a (very expensive) Christmas dinner at Atmosphere. The restaurant is in the shape of a tower with a rotating top. So you get a 360 degree view of the city while you eat. Pretty incredible. 

Then, I went from drinking red wine to drinking TONS of mineral water. Yep. Spent the next three days in the rainforest on a camping trip. I look so thrilled in this picture. 

Took some beautiful pictures of the sunsets.

Hung out with old friends.

On New Years Day, we went over to Sutera Harbour resort to people watch and relax allll dayy in the pooool. I'm aware that I'm now in below freezing temperatures. 

Out for New Year's night: my introduction to house music (or "I feel like I'm in a German techno club.")

Artsy fartsy people always have such cool cameras. 

Looking tanned yet?

Donuts are a delicacy?

We actually woke up early one day to visit the islands! 

Packed a picnic: tuna sandwiches, melon, chicken wings, drool. 

More artsy cameras. 

It's normal to be swimming with a school of tropical fish. 

Lazy bum. 

Finally, finished with a birthday dinner with a zillion cousins! 

So, I apologize I have not been able to update since Malaysia but my New Year's resolution this year was actually to write more and be as up-to-date on interesting thoughts/opinions as possible. So, I will try my extra best. Right now, I feel the whirlwind of activity and personal goals schmoals coming along. January is perhaps the busiest month of the year; everyone is trying to accomplish as much as possible and get the year started (hopefully) on a good note. No worries, it won't be long before the studying, working out, dieting, saving the world one third-world country at a time attitude slows down. Overachieve much? Anyway, what are some of your new year's resolutions? 

Pumped for Malaysia

So, it's confirmed: I'm going to Malaysia for winter break! CAN'T WAIT. I haven't been back in almost a year - last summer... one that legitimately changed my life. I'm so looking forward to seeing some of my relatives, my fabulous photographer friend (featured many times in this blog), meeting ex-pats, drinks at the Atmosphere revolving restaurant, Rumba clubs, island hopping, and yummy roti canai. I was getting a bit of a traveler's itch... I'll keep you updated on this evolving trip planning!

Passi, the French Rapper

Passi is the name of a popular French rapper. I had bought his latest album Evolution while in Paris and really enjoyed the songs. They're unique, and include a lot of social-political commentary. But, for some reason I cannot find any of his lyrics online. Everywhere I look they've been taken off the sites. It's really frustrating. I learned that his album was extremely controversial and maybe that's a reason? But if anyone could help that would be kewl.

Cuisine and the French Alliance

15e arrondisement

"Everyone has two countries, his or her own-- and France."


A lot to write about since I last opened my journal, yesterday afternoon. After a dessert and cafe, I walked through the Eiffel Tower and took a metro back to the apartment for a siesta. Had tea, checked email and read somewhere that there's a flower market in front of Notre Dame. There was still plenty of time before dinner (9pm tonight...) so I went.


La Seine during the day.

Notre Dame and la Seine at night is a whole different experience. I couldn't find any sort of market and promptly got lost wandering the narrow streets of the 6th. Amazing places to eat there and a lot of bookstores- very artsy!

The apartment was smelling delicious when I returned. That's the strange thing about France: the men can cook. And not just like spaghetti with tomato sauce... or dialing the pizza delivery.

This kind of debate with Frantz for a while before we heard someone at the door: Pierre and his girlfriend, Jessica. Kisses all around and we stepped into the kitchen. Jessica is actually American and we started chatting right away, giggling at how the men are preparing the food. She's been in Paris three years now, one of which was a study abroad. I can tell she's thriving; her French sounds so natural. It made me wonder if I'll ever be that ambitious enough to completely adopt another culture as my own.

Great food, drink, conversation, and people. The next day, I had to wake up early to go to Alliance Francaise and take my registration exam. I was a little nervous to be honest but I got through all right (except for le sujonctif) and I've signed up to take an intensive course in General French next week (20hrs!). Wish me luck... classes start Monday.

Metro to Le Petit Palais

Le Petit Palais
8e Arrondisement

Le Petit Palais as opposed to Le Grand Palais?

Last night, I had a very good sleep and drifted off listening to some French couple arguing on the level below me. The walls are very thin... Woke up to Frantz's alarm going off in the next room quite a few times. Finally, he woke up and I joined him for some coffee and toast in the kitchen. he went off to work and I washed the dishes. Then, I washed myself up and went out. Beautiful, but cold, day!



I walked around aimlessly this morning until I found a metro (An image of the "Easy" button just appeared in my head: "That was easy!") I bought a weekly metro ticket and hopped on a train-- honestly having no clue where it was going to take me-- I ended up in Place de la Concorde!

I took a round about to the Champs Elysees until I reached Le Grand Palais: long line to see this train exhibition so I crossed the street and went into a smaller but equally beautiful building, le Petit Palais. Free exhibition today! One point for me...



I have to say the place was such a pleasant surprise. It was amazing! And all gratuit... I saw Monets in real life. I could practically reach out and kiss it if I wanted to (and promptly be dragged out by the museum guards). The best part was the diversity of the exhibitions. With museums, I can get bored fast if there's no variety. But Petit Palais had everything from ancient Greece to Modern and Contemporary. They even mixed in the contemporary with the classics under the same theme... really refreshing.



I spent forever in there. I had to drag myself away. Afterwards, I wandered into the left bank's 7th... always nice. I know it might be a tourist trap but the environment was so beautiful. Narrow alleys, cobblestone, boulangeries everywhere... I found myself right in front of Cafe Constant which I heard about before and so I decided to try it out. Turned out to be well worth it...