Friday Favorites: Residency, Football, and Vacation

Phew, what a week. Is it just me, or do four-day weeks seem more chaotic? Work was so busy this week that I felt like breathing was optional.  Needless to say, I am so glad it is Friday. Here are five things that made me happy this week.

/ / One: 

Chris and I spent hours narrowing down his list of residency programs. It is tough because there are so many factors, but I finally feel like we’re in a good place with it (which is a good thing since his application is due in less than two weeks).

/ / Two:

I am about 25 percent of the way through The Escape Artist by Diane Chamberlain, and I really like it so far.It is not one of my favorite books by her, (that honor goes to The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes) but it is keeping me interested.This one is about a mother who loses a custody battle for her son and decides to run away with him instead of give him up. Diane Chamberlain’s books are quick and easy reads with many twists and turns (some are obvious, but others have blown my mind).

/ / Three: 

I finally feel like we are getting closer to our vacation! I can't wait to be back on a boat. We booked it back in May so it has been a long time coming. We love traveling with family so we haven’t taken a “just us” trip in years. We are also celebrating our fifth anniversary late, and this is our last hurrah before Chris starts traveling all over the country for interviews so I am ready to get this party started.

/ / Four: 

I am so excited to watch football this weekend (both college and NFL football) and to play fantasy football for this first time. I have no idea what I’m doing, but it should be fun!

/ / Five: 

Speaking of our vacation, I am in full fall clothing and formal dress shopping mode right now. Never mind that it’s 100 degrees outside. A girl can dream, right? 

Linking up with Lauren, Amanda, Karli, and Amy.

Texas, Our Texas: Pros of Living in The Lone Star State

Fall is a popular topic in the blogosphere right now, but I am having trouble thinking about fall as I sit in an apartment with broken air conditioning and 100 degrees outside. This is the time of the year when living in Texas makes this Siberian feel like she’s about to melt the minute she walks out the door so I thought it is also a good time to remind myself what I love about this crazy state.

The food: 

If Chris and I ever leave Texas, the food is what we will miss the most (other than our families, of course). We are not alone—our friends who have moved away always ask to stop for Tex-Mex, barbecue, or Whataburger when we pick them up from the airport. I could seriously alternate between Tex-Mex and barbecue every single day and not get sick of it. That brisket gets me every time, and Blue Bell Ice Cream is the best. You get the point—I need to stop talking about the food before I have to drive over to Rudy’s to get some barbecue.

The people: 

Oh, Texans, how I love you. The people here are so friendly and down to earth. One of the things I missed when we lived in Europe was smiling at everyone we passed on the street. I know there are friendly people everywhere, but Texans are their own breed, especially when it comes to state pride.

The sun: 

One of these days I’ll write a list of the things I dislike about living in Texas, and the weather will be high on that list (tornadoes and persistent 100 degree heat, anyone?) One of the things I do love about the weather is the abundance of blue skies and gorgeous sunsets. Other than our crazy spring, we don’t get a lot of rain, and nothing makes me happier than a blue sky, especially in the winter.

The State Fair of Texas: 

I look forward to the State Fair of Texas every year. From the insane food options (fried Thanksgiving dinner, anyone?) to the pig races, the Texas Star Ferris wheel, and the fun shopping, the fair is one of my favorite events. I am already trying to figure out what weekend I can go this year.

Football:

In Texas, football is way more than a sport. The atmosphere is incredible and is something you have to see to believe. My first experience with Texas football was at my large high school, and I was shocked at the commitment of the fans…and I quickly became one of those fans. Football is taken seriously, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The closer it gets to the possibility of us leaving, the less I want to leave. Texas is home, 100 degree heat and all. 

Three Cities to Visit in France (Besides Paris)

Paris is almost on everyone’s bucket list. If you haven’t been, you want to go. If you’ve been, you likely want to go back. Though I can’t deny the magic of Paris, I think France has so much more to offer. To be honest, I love so many places in France that I could have written a “Ten Cities to Visit in France” list. For your sake (and mine!), I decided to stick to three.

Marseille

I was honestly surprised by how much I loved the city of Marseille. Before I left for three months in Europe, I asked my French professor for a list of cities in France to visit. He gave me 20. I don’t know why, but Marseille caught my eye. The city is right on the Mediterranean Sea, and the views are phenomenal (especially if you huff and puff (or is that just me?) up to the Basilique de Notre Dame de la Garde. The view from the top of the cathedral is breathtaking). 

Then there’s the calanques. I had never heard of the Marseille calanques before, but I am so glad we hiked to them. I could have sat there for hours and admired the view of the formations. To top it all off, we took a boat ride to the Chateau d’If, made famous by Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo. Unlike Edmond Dantès, no one ever escaped the prison, but it is worth seeing for the history and the views.

See: Basilique de Notre Dame de la Garde, Marseille calanques, Chateau d’If (boat ride from Marseile’s Vieux Port).

Strasbourg

Strasbourg instantly captured my heart. This adorable city on the border of France and Germany is a great blend of the two cultures and is a place I would want to visit again and again. (Especially during Christmas time for the Christmas market!)

The Notre Dame de Strasbourg is a towering presence as one of the tallest gothic cathedrals in the world. The inside is just as beautiful as the outside, and an astronomical clock showcases an animation of the apostles every day at 12:30 p.m. (€1 to see the animation, €4.40 to enter the cathedral). You can also climb 300 steps to the cathedral platform for magnificent views of the Black Forest. (€3)

The must-see for me in Strasbourg is La Petite France.  With its cobblestone streets and beautiful medieval buildings, La Petite France was such a cute place for us to shop, eat, and just stroll along the riverside.

See: Notre Dame de Strasbourg, La Petite France, Rue Rohan (by the cathedral, for lots of shops and restaurants. This is also where the Christmas market is held during the winter.)

Annecy

It was so hard for me to pick the third city for this post. There’s the foodie heaven of Lyon, the gorgeous French Riveria city of Nice, and Dijon, famous for Dijon mustard. I feel like the city of Annecy isn’t talked about as often as the others so I wanted to talk about my love for this beautiful city nestled in the French Alps.

Annecy has so much to see and do, but one of my favorite things was just to take a stroll by Lac d’Annecy. The lake offers so many water sports and boat rides, but I was mostly impressed by its beauty. With crystal clear water and views of the French Alps, Chris and I spent hours relaxing by the water.

We also loved exploring the lovely La Vieille Ville (the old city) area, the Chateau d’Annecy, and the romantic Pont des Amours (Lovers’ Bridge)

See: Lac d’Annecy, La Vieille Ville, Chateau d’Annecy, Pont des Amours. 

Five Reasons College Football Season Is My Favorite Time of the Year

It’s no secret—I love sports.  College football is my favorite, and I have been counting down the days till Saturday since January. I can’t wait to spend my Saturdays at the stadium or screaming at the TV with family and friends. Here’s why football season is my favorite time of the year:

Team spirit: 
There’s nothing better than cheering for my team. It is also quality family time—I have taken my dad and brother to games, and Chris and I love going to games together. If I can’t make it to a game, it is also fun to go to alumni watch parties. It’s a great way to make friends because we enjoy cheering for the same team.
The food:  Whether it’s tailgating barbecue or pizza in front of a TV, food just tastes better when watching college football.
The atmosphere is amazing:  College football is exciting. I’m a huge fan of explosive offenses and big plays. Though I also watch the NFL, I prefer college football because I feel like the players have something to prove to make it to the NFL. Plus, there’s nothing better than being part of a crowd, screaming and cheering with 60,000 other fans.

I have an excuse to spend my Saturday in front of the TV: 
I love going out and spending time with friends, but sometimes I just want to relax and spend my day in front of the TV. College football is the perfect excuse. If we can’t make it to the stadium, I also love to invite friends and family to watch the game with me.


This stadium:

Photo by Sean Doerre

I am not exaggerating when I say that Baylor has built one of the most beautiful stadiums in the country, and it opens on Sunday. I am absolutely giddy just thinking about it. I am still trying to figure out how I can make my way over there, which will be tough with my husband’s schedule. If I make to McLane Stadium this year, it will definitely be one of the best college football seasons ever.

I leave you with one last thing: Sic 'Em Bears!

Linking up with Lauren, Amanda, Karli, and Amy.

Cold Benches & Positive Perspectives

I had a fun travel post ready for today, but I couldn’t bring myself to post it. Yesterday was a hard day. A rip-my-hair-out type of day. Thankfully, it wasn’t anything huge or major.  It’s just that all of these crazy situations popped up this week that made me feel like I’m about to lose it.  A few minutes before I left work, a fly flew into my ear, and I burst out laughing because it was such a great indication of how my day went.

Here’s the thing: I am good at making multiple small problems ruin something really great. Recently, a friend told me that she had asked someone who had just returned from St. Petersburg, Russia how she enjoyed her trip. This person replied that she hated it because she had to sit on a cold bench one time. She let that one tiny moment ruin her entire experience.

I had a cold bench moment today: my JetBlue flight to Boston was cancelled, along with four other flights that day. There was only one option left. Instead of getting there at 11 a.m., the new flight would get us there at 11 p.m. It was going to be our only day in Boston, I was meeting a friend there, and to top it all off, I had to pay even more than usual for a hotel that day because there is a 10,000 person convention in Boston that weekend, and I wouldn’t get to enjoy the city.

When I heard this, I was ready to throw in the towel.  I started looking into how much of the trip we could refund. We had already had to pay a change fee to get the flight we wanted in the first place, and then they completely changed it for us. I thought that with this cold bench, I couldn’t enjoy my trip.

Long story short is that we were able to change airlines, but we had to pay even more money to do it. It wasn’t close to an ideal outcome, but it was the only option we had. Our trip is special for so many reasons: we are celebrating our fifth anniversary (way late) and want to enjoy a week together before Chris flies all over the country for interviews. I could let this cold bench ruin our entire time together right now…or I could just find a warmer bench to sit on and enjoy our vacation.