Thanksgiving in London... With A Dash of Paris Sprinkled In For Good Measure

When most people think of the start of the holiday season, they think of spending time with family at home - resting, relaxing and enjoying all the comforts of home.

I guess my parents got a little bored with the notion of a "normal" holiday at home... they decided to mix things up this year by proposing we spend Thanksgiving in London.

Naturally.

As much as I love traveling, I've actually never visited London- I've only flown through Heathrow a couple of times which, to be fair, is an experience in and of itself. (I actually LOVE spending time in airports, so long as I'm not traveling for work.) London's just one of those places that is so close to the US, and so easily accessible, that I've always figured "I'd get to it eventually".

Well... welcome to "eventually". My parents had spent weeks upon weeks mapping out our whirlwind trip to London... which apparently included a quick day trip to Paris (I love saying that- sounds so GLAM, right?!). What can I say? My parents really wanted to experience that whole Chunnel thing, I guess.

So... welcome to my Thanksgiving.

In short, "whirlwind" is about as much of an understatement as one can expect considering our trip consisted of a redeye to London, two full days in London and one full day in Paris. And here is what we saw:

London
Westminster Abbey - included a live tour with tour guide
Parliament - included listening in on a Parliament session (for about 10 minutes... which is when I fell asleep because, quite frankly, it was boring AND I was experiencing a combination of jet lag and redeye fatigue)
Churchill Museum - included an audio guided tour and was, quite frankly, SUCH an awesome museum
Trafalgar Square - we literally just walked through it on the way to lunch
River Cruise - just to see the sights from a body of water, I guess
London Eye - included a trip on the Eye which provided some spectacular views
London Bridge - storybook-lookin', if you will
Tower of London - included an audio tour AND a viewing of the royal jewels (!!)
St. Paul's Cathedral - included an audio tour and some serious stair-climbing to get to the top and see some legit views of London
Buckingham Palace - just saw the outside because we were primarily there to see the changing of the guard
Windsor Castle - unfortunately, we got here too late to actually do a tour but it's like a whole different world...

Paris
Eiffel Tower - we actually went up the tower, which was something I'd never done despite having been to Paris a couple of times before
Notre Dame Cathedral - if there are any Notre Damers reading this blog post, I sure hope you are happy... I thought of each and every one of you (some liberties taken) as I perused this cathedral's hallowed halls
Arc de Triomphe / Champs Elysee - oh, you know, just another day in Paris ;)
Lafayette Gallery - HUGE shopping center in the midst of Paris

God, just typing the above list exhausted me... you can only imagine how perpetually exhausted I was throughout the ENTIRE trip (what can I say? I need my rest!).

It's interesting though... London's got some SERIOUS history (it makes the US seem brand-new in comparison), right? And yet... yet, the only thoughts I was really having as I was touring through Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle (all of which date back hundreds and hundreds of years) were along the lines of:

"OMG, this is the spot where Kate stepped out of the car and is the last spot where she was officially a "commoner"" (at Westminster Abbey)
"OMG, this is the aisle Kate walked down and likely when she saw Will's back for the first time during the wedding ceremony" (at Westminster Abbey)
"OMG, this is the spot where Harry and Will stood and Harry whispered something funny to Will which made both boys chuckle as as Kate walked down the aisle" (at Westminster Abbey)
"OMG, I can't believe Kate, Will, Harry, the Queen herself have all walked these steps more than like" (at Windsor Castle)
"OMG, I wonder if our tour guide was HERE for the wedding?!?!?!" (at Westminster Abbey - I actually asked our tour guide, who was a Westminster Abbey monk, this and he indicated that he was not because he had another abbey or something to be at that day. But he also added "But the way I look at it, every day that I spend at Westminster Abbey is a special day... whether it's with a large royal wedding or even by myself within the abbey's hallowed halls." Not gonna lie, it took a fair amount of self-control for me to refrain from openly judging him and responding with "Listen... even YOU have to admit some days are more special than OTHERS within Westminster Abbey's hallowed halls, bud".)

And... well, you get the idea. I guess my idea of "London history" really only began last April ;)

And Paris... oh, Paris. Sigh, I just don't know what it is about this city. I know some people LOVE it, but I simply do not. I mean, it's fine for a trip or two, but even as I was wandering about (okay, hurtling about.. it was a CRAZY whirlwind of activity), I literally could not stop myself from wondering why in heaven's name it was my third time in this city. I just don't think I appreciate it as much as some other people do.

And to be fair, our day trip to Paris was pure, unadulterated CHAOS this go-around. I don't know WHAT was going on, but the vehicle traffic was simply unreal and the pedestrian traffic... to be honest, it kind of took my breath away. You literally got SWEPT up in the pandemonium of the streets and I just don't remember it being like that in past visits... I was SO ANNOYED by the end of that day trip because, quite frankly, there were just way too many people every which way you turned. Needless to say, if I never go back to Paris, I wouldn't be too concerned.

All in all, it was... an interesting experience with the fam, to say the least. Definitely... unique. I've included a few pictures I took on my phone during our 72 hour sojourn, but I can safely say these are a VERY select few pictures taken (majority were taken on my parents' cameras).

Although I'm not the biggest fan of Paris, I have to say, I was smitten with London and would LOVE to go back again to get to know it just a bit better.. and if I happen to become BFF with Will and Kate upon running into them by stalking pure coincidence... well, stranger things HAVE happened, right? Right.

Buckingham Palace - just after the changing of the guard which, to be honest, was a bit anti-climactic

View from the London Eye - spectacular

More views from the London Eye - more spectacularity (not a word, but I like it)

View from St. Paul's Cathedral

More Views from St. Paul's Cathedral... I feel like this screams "London" for some reason

Even more views from St. Paul's Cathedral - clearly, I couldn't get enough

Night view of London, with Big Ben front and center

London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down...

View from Westminster Abbey, right in the heart of London... I just love Big Ben

View from the Eiffel Tower in Paris

More views from the Eiffel Tower in Paris

Even more views of Paris from the Eiffel Tower

There she is

Up close and personal... the Eiffel Tower, in all its glory

Saks & Dunkin' Donuts... Good Times.

Most people are quite surprised when they hear about how low-key my holidays at home actually are. For a girl who believes it her true mission in life to spend the last three months of the year actively spreading holiday cheer to all who will hear, my actual holiday festivities are fairly mellow. This Thanksgiving was no exception.

My sister and I arrived in Cincinnati around the same time on Thanksgiving afternoon. While Thanksgiving typically consists of my parents cooking up a variety of dishes (most concoctions a derivation of some Food Network idea or other), this year was... slightly different. Let's just say my sister and I entered our house to the sight of... well, this:


A readymade meal from the local grocery store. Haha- good times. If you're going to go, go all out, right? Sure, this meal was huge and complete with all the trimmings but, well... there was just some necessary supplementation that HAD to take place. No better way to supplement than by...


Heading to the local Boston Market. Well, hell, if you're going to go, go all out, right? I mean, have you HAD Boston Market's cornbread?? A-maze.

Anyway! Now that Thanksgiving is outta the way, we can FINALLY focus on the REAL holiday at hand... ljfaldsfkjl!! Welcome to Christiemas!!!! While many individuals also assume that I would be all OVER Black Friday (because of that Christiemas zest I tend to spread to all the land), I actually can't. stand. Black Friday. Sure, I can appreciate an economic boost as much as the next person. But seriously? Pepper spray? Trampling people in lines?

I. Do. Not. Think So.

Therefore, when my parents had the brilliant idea of getting out of our house today to do some shopping, I was the first to nix it. As if shopping isn't annoying enough on a regular basis, you better BELIEVE that I have zero interest in shopping on today of all days.

Rather, we decided to head to downtown Cincinnati, since my sister had to return something at Saks. (I know, right? Don't ask. I'm not sure how we are related, myself.)

What better way to start off an afternoon of high-class downtown shopping than with a cozy cup of coffee? I mean, there's nothing like a cozy little latte or espresso to sip on whilst perusing those high-end shops, right? This explains how we ended up at our first stop of the day...


Sigh. Way to really plummet those classy levels, I know. But oh WELL! Dunkin Donuts coffee is just so darn delicious it surpasses all rules of classiness.

Yum, yum, yum. But I digress. Next stop...


While I could not care LESS about anything high-end retail, I have to admit it was more than a little entertaining partaking in this shopping experience with my parents. While most of this experience involved my parents picking up various items and commenting in hushed (and not-so-hushed) tones on some of the ridiculous prices, at least my sister got some decent shopping done...

Haha- she WISHES. It was at this point in this little shopping experience that my parents shifted their attention from the exorbitant prices to... well, health and safety issues. I believe the words "Will you take those shoes off? You are just going to fall and break your leg" (complete with genuinely concerned tones and "looks" exchanged between my mom and dad) occupied the majority of the conversation at this point in the shopping experience.

Ahh- good times. Welcome to Thanksgiving and Black Friday festivities, Maliyacks-style. Classiness, at its finest.

all about the christiemas spirit... or lack thereof

(just an FYI- this post is de-flipping-pressing. dont say i didnt warn you...)

so i really dont understand. WHY cant i just flipping get into the christiemas spirit already? im getting impatient, here! (stamp of foot)

i mean, ive taken all the necessary preparatory steps: the passage of that minor hump that some people like to call thanksgiving... complete and total immersion with the starbucks christiemas cups- filled with holiday flavors (holy mother... that caramel brulee latte? divinity in a christiemas cup, if you will)... holiday music a'playing on the itunes (when i have earphones, that is)... the conversion of some new friends here to the somewhat sacrilegious but still oh so delightful term "christiemas"... the ksjafls!-ly imminent prospect of SNOW (first time in a couple of YEARS!!! yessss!)... the (earlier than expected) hibernation of the flipflops (i mean. chicago's weather and i are going to exchange a few words soon)... the perfection of the lights on michigan avenue (literal. perfection.)... the introduction to the polo store gone so christiemas it's not even funny (trust me, a new holiday tradition has since been enacted)... my apartment's mini-christiemas tree (complete with ornaments, mind you!) and holiday wine (yum! yes!) c/o the one and only laurenh... the prospect of christiemas movies aplenty (LOVE FLIPPING ACTUALLY!!! it's a wonderful life. home alone. among others.)... the introduction to the starbucks christiemas cd (norah jones/willie nelson: baby please come home.. i instantaneously. just. melt. every. single. time.)... sigh.

i. just. dont. KNOW. to be perfectly honest, ive actually kind of slightly stressed myself out over this (sad, but true). but HELLO. usually, festivities are in full SWING pre-halloween. i mean, by this point, i should already be starting to feel the christiemas burnout! i can only hope that anthonyc's christiemas spirit is double what it normally is in order to make up for my pathetic showing this year. i apologize for the additional pressure, man.

maybe it's being in a new place. a new apartment, a new city, new friends, new workplace... but still. it really doesnt make sense. i mean, i love it here! (apparently, i glow when i talk about living here...? haha nice, i guess? but please. michelle obama glows. i merely have a too-large-for-my-darn-face smile.) i love the apartment, the city, the new friends, the workplace... hmm maybe that's what it is. god, at triage, i could just have christiemas throw up right and left and merriment would simply reign! i cant do that here- (establishment of the professional persona and all that). no christiemas tree lighting ceremony in a random office conference room... no liberties taken with miss mariah just blasting away for all surrounding tables to hear (okay. so maybe that was just early morning christiemas fridays but whatever)... no creepy christie's-face-on-mariah's-santa-claus'ed-body christiemas snowglobes... no itunes sharing for the mariah holiday playlist to reach maximum capacity (hahah laurenw, remember? maybe not, but i certainly do!)... no 'twere the weeks before christiemas mass emailed poetry (and what fine poetry it was... probably one of the things i will certainly miss most, actually)...

oh god, im really working myself into a sad, sad state just thinking of all the "no"s this holiday season.. well, now this is just plain pathetic.

sigh. my blog was supposed to be filled with happiness and sunshine. i guess even sunshine personified gets the blues from time to time. and oh, what a blue christiemas season it's been so far.

(i know, right? i bet you were expecting this to end with an upside. oops. maybe next time.)