Playing Catch up.....

So....the internet in my apartment has been out for 4 days-and I feel really disconnected from the world. Isn't that sad?

Any hoot...lots to share. This past Wednesday my roommates and I went out to a really fun nightclub, and then had a really funny cab ride home in which our cab driver told us a story of how he tried to marry an American woman so he could stay and live in the states...and she was from Lafayette Hill, PA. Weird.......

Friday was a great day too. I went to Luxembourg Gardens with my roommate Jessie and we got a little sun. Of course, it's still very cold...so we tanned with coats and gloves on. But still, it was pretty out and it was nice to just sit under sunshine. After a bit of that (and some massive crepe eating....my official favorite food) we went to Le Pantheon and saw some dead people. Actually, I thought it was one of the most amazing buildings I have seen....in terms of architecture. Really incredible vaulting and coffered ceilings and all kinds of cool stuff. Also, I got to see Voltaire....sort of.....I thoought it was pretty cool.

After a little morning in the Latin Quarter I hiked back to the Marais, to my school CEA, for a wine and cheese tasting that I had signed up for. About 15 students came, and it was great. We sampled 7 different cheeses....and I loved them all...including Roquefort-stinky, but yummy. We also sampled some Bourgogne, Bordeaux, and a Loire Valley wine. Between this and my oenology class....I'm starting to get a good feel for the different wines and I really enjoy it. So, they ended the wine and cheese tasting but a bunch of us decided to stay...and continue to eat and drink. I might have taken some cheese to go in my purse...maybe......

After this a few of us went to a happy hour in the Marais at a place called Spaghetti Bar. The interior decor is really cool....and for a mere 3Euro you get a beer or mojito and then all you can eat pizza, olives, and salad. Pretty good deal! It was fun--and the food was really good. My life seems to revolve around food here...BIGGG surprise.......

Saturday CEA took us on a trip to the city Reims in the Champagne region. This was a really nice change of pace. We got up early and departed at 8:30AM for a two hour journey. In Reims we went to the Notre Dame there...which is gorgeous...and saw the stained glass window that Chagall did in the 70's. It's really beautiful. After a few of us went to lunch at a cafe in Reims...and had some pretty great food. We walked around and saw the city a bit...and it was sort of quaint but had a lot going on. It was cool to see. After this we got back on the bus and went to the GH Mumm factory to get a tour of their facility and then taste their champagne. This was only a little disapointing since my oenology professor had thought, and then told us, that we would actually see the press machines and all the real action--but we were really taken on more of a Disney-world-esque tour of Champagne-land...and didn't see that much action at all. It was ok though...because at the end we each got a glass to drink, and it was really good. Mostly everyone bought a bottle...including myself...which I plan to break open when my mom gets here!!!

Thats about it.....peace and love.