Madrid

Okay so I know this is way past due but people keep asking me to update my Spain post.  I guess they really want to read about it rather than just talk to me, but whatever.  Here it is....

After a long xanax induced sleep we arrived in Madrid.  With the loss of six hours we were somewhat delirious but ready to go.  We met our first Airbnb landlord who spoke little to no English with much excitement.  It might have been important to listen or watch more carefully on how to actually open the door to the apartment.  Not doing this would cause Arianna and myself much frustration only a few days later in Madrid.  Ever have to go to the bathroom real real bad and get to your front door squeezing and clinching with your whole being to not have an accident?  Yeah, well imagine not being able to open the god damn door.  Not so fun.

Anyways, we dropped our stuff and head out to grab some food because we had not eaten a solid meal in like what felt like a day.  We walked around for about an hour just trying to decide where to go.  We had no idea where we were or what we wanted to eat, so finding somewhere was somewhat difficult.  Words of advice for future travel, bring a friend who can make decisions, traveling with four indecisive girls is a effin train wreck.  Regardless, we found the best spot.  We had our first round of patatas bravas and endless amounts of olives, wine, and espresso.  This stop was by far the most hilarious and delirious sit down I have ever experienced.  I never laughed so hard in my life.  Miss this so much. 

From this point forward there were many highlights to Madrid....

1.  We found a local spot, Ocean Bar.  Downright dirty and sweaty, but the biggest beers you can find.  And the most awesome people.  By the time we left Madrid we were friends with the owners and were being invited late night (aka early morning 6 am) to divulged in a couple more shots
before breakfast.  Locals were wondering why the hell we would spend our time in Ocean Bar while in Madrid, but it just fit us.  We felt at home  here, so that is exactly what we had made it.  When all else failed, we went to Ocean Bar.  And when you realize Club Nasty, is well, just Nasty, there's Ocean Bar. 

2.  Patatas Bravas is the most god damn delicious thing ever created.  After our first bite, we insisted on trying them every single meal we had for the rest of the trip.  Every place makes them differently, making it very difficult to choose your favorite. 

3.  Guys.  And lots of them.  Even though we were shooting to make out with the women in Madrid, we were all very fortunate to find some hotties while visiting.  Arianna fell in love.  Danielle, got cheated on.  And I...on the other hand, made out and got robbed.  Awesome.  Accusing the guy you are making out with of robbing you, however, NOT so awesome.  Fucking Americans. 

4.  We quickly learned that you do not eat dinner anytime before 8pm.  Americans are special.  We do not do it right.  The night is much more interesting when you can eat dinner at 8 pm and stay out until 7 am.  And these mother effers do not go light on the alcohol.  The looks on our faces with our very first pour was priceless.  Drinking in Spain is well worth the money. 

5.  McDonald's maps are the best thing McDonalds has ever produced. 

6.  Fuencarral.  Best street ever.  Do not stay anywhere else if you ever visit.  And it's fun to say, in any situation. 

7.  Tintas.  Another great find.  Red wine mixed with lemon seltzer.  Best ever.  Eff Sangria, Tintas is where its at.  Ohhhh and Mama Titas.  And Jose.  He was so amazing and helpful to us.  I wish I could have put him in my pocket and taken him home with me. 

8.  The churches in Madrid are absolutely gorgeous.  Not being super into organized religion my experience with churches in Spain were much different.  I did not anticipate myself entering a church and wanting to do anything but take photographs.  This was not the case.  I had one of the most eye opening spiritual experiences in my life while in Spain.  And while I still do not believe in organized religion, I was reminded there is something to believe in.  Whatever it is, or was, was emotionally overwhelming, but one of the most intense and beautiful things I have ever experienced.  I will forever hold Madrid in my heart for this. 

9.  Ocho y Medio.  After spending almost an entire night finding this club, we finally stumbled upon it.  Thanks to those at Ocean Bar.  Who knew the bar moved five thousand times before settling in a sister location.  Place was fucking ridiculous.  Even though I spent the majority of my night wanting to punch everyone in the face after realizing I was pick pocketed, the club was sick.  We had the best time here.  And wait, did I say, Arianna fell in love.  OH Fran.  "Why are you laughing?  Is my name funny or something."  What are the chances of a Fran falling in love with a Fran?  Shits ridiculous. 

And finally.....

10.  Don't ever go to Madrid with the expectation that you will ever want to leave.  This city is amazing and just short of paradise. 

We learned a lot during our first couple of days...I can sum it up right here.  Madrid is beautiful.  The people in Madrid are even more beautiful.  And we wanted to sleep with everyone.  And by everyone I mean everyone. 

We all added Madrid to our top ten favorite places, ranking between 1 and 2.  Our love for Madrid gave the rest of Spain a lot to live up to.

Next up....Valenthhhhheeeeaaa. 

the road

Close your eyes.  Listen.  Then write how you feel.




Amazing, huh?

If you wanna share....lala4416@yahoo.com

ATTn fellers (and....mmmhmm women)

Okay so recently I have been talking with my one girlfriend a lot about what you deserve when it comes to love.  And fuck if I should be giving people advice on this topic because I have set myself up with a long list of assholes in my life.  But I guess these assholes have helped me realize just a bit about what I deserve and to stop for once "accepting the love I think I deserve."  Cause ya know what, that is just shit. 

So anyways ladies, stop being such pussies.  And no, I do not care that I just wrote that word.  Stop being so naive and accepting of absolute shit. 

So here it is ladies, here's some advice for ya.
1.  If I guy does not call you, or get in contact with you, he does not like you.  Point blank.  Did we all not read that stupid ass book, "He's just not that into you?"  If he gives you some excuse as to why he could not contact you, well, he is 1. an asshole, and 2. you are stupid for believing him.  If someone wants to get in contact with you, they can. 
2.  If you want to call a guy, or text in this generation today, then do it.  If you have to worry about whether he is going to respond, or if he will be annoyed by you, then obviously you should not talk to him.  This game shit is for the birds.  The whole two day rule of calling after your first date, or again in our generation, first night with a dude, is for fucktards I swear.  If he/she is thinking about you, after your first whatever, they should call, if they don't, well they are yes, see above.  I said it, I swear.
3.  If he/she likes your shit on FB as the only means of showing you they are interested, well again, they have issues.  So run.  Run now.  You will eventually be one of those annoying married couples who expose their entire relationship for the world to see.  And you are doomed. 
4.  If you sleep with someone, and they run out in the morning, well, sorry to say, you are now a victim of a one night stand.   Don't even spend the next three days anticipating a call and overanalyzing what the whiskey had to do with anything.  Get over it.  Take it for what it was.  You got laid.
5.  And finally, there are people out there that will treat you right.  Stop settling for the next worst thing.  Value yourself.  Please.  I promise you are worth it.  If you feel like I am talking about you, well, I probably am.  So again, you are awesome.  Stop thinking otherwise.
6.  Ohhhh and a final after the final.  You do not need a relationship to give you what you need sexually.  Most men are not that good anyway.  I'm pretty sure you know your way around much better.  Get on it ladies.  The most important relationship you will ever have, is the one you have with yourself. 

And for the guys, let me tell ya something....
1.  It is still cool to act like a gentlemen.  If your father did not teach you right, well read a fucking book.  There are plenty out there. 
2.  Take a girl out.  I am totally one that is okay with splitting a bill, all that bullshit, but for reals splurge like one or two times. 
3.  Do not tell a girl you are broke.  I swear to whomever, the last fifteen guys I have talked to told me they were broke within the first conversation.  REally, are you serious?  I am as far from a gold digger can get, but shut up.  Stop telling people that.  It is 100% positively not in any way attractive. 
4.  Don't be too nice.  There is not one girl (that I know) that will like you for this.  Do not carry her purse, or order her dinner for her, or even call her 35 times a day.  Tell her that she is beautiful and stop there.  It's enough I promise.
5.  If something is bothering you, just say it.  Stop running everytime an emotion comes out of your poor little selfless self.  I'm pretty sure we can listen.  And most of the time, we might even understand. 
6.  Girls are bitches.  Get over it.  Or start dating men.  Enough said.

Thank you very much for your time now.  Have a nice day.

super awesome

You know what?  I bought a whole bunch of shit this morning and for once was super excited with some new debt of mine. 
A new camera, external batteries, external flash, external hard drives, 8g cards.  Boom.  I am happy.

But then.  I decide to ruin my happiness by opening my cell phone bill.  $400 fucking dollars.  Go Fuck yourself ATT.  I have nothing else to say. 

Surprise!!!

Okay well I am officially old (according to what I always have said) and I actually kind of feel great about it.  30 has been amazing so far.  I mean, I pre-celebrated my birthday with a trip to Spain.  What could be better than that?  After returning from Spain I had no expectations, yes, for once in my life, of what my birthday should have been.  This is a major problem of mine.  Expectations.  I expect too much and am constantly let down.  While in Spain I somehwhat had a melt down regarding this issue.  A great friend of mine talked me through this and now I am honestly working to have less expectations and to be more appreciative of what comes to me rather than what I think I deserve.  It is work in progress for sure. 

Anyways back to 30.  So I came home with absolutely no expectations for what my 30th birthday should have been.  I told my friends (Philly girls) that I just wanted to go out and hop around town.  My only requirement was that I had no involvement in deciding what I wanted to do.  I gave them a list of "please don't take me here's" and left it at that. 

While in Spain my sister Michele contacted me to let me know she decided to have a little birthday party for me at her house on Saturday.  I tried to explain to her that my friends would be planning something for me Saturday and it might not be the best day.  I did not want to have to rush around and cut short time with either my family or my friends.  My sister told me it was not an option to change the day and I just had to suck it up.  I was annoyed yes, and bitched about it in every way, but recognized of course that my sister was doing something nice for me, and I needed to stop being a brat.  So I went, and it was amazing.  I love my family so much.  Little did I know, they were just trying to get me out of the city for the day.  So the following could take place....

Upon returning to the city I was informed that I needed to be ready by 9pm.  Problem #1.  I do not like to go out before 10pm...earliest.  Didn't my friends know this by now?  I have a slight drinking problem and going out at 9 would for sure leave me for dead by 2am.  So I bitched about that.  Then I was told that I was going to dinner at 9pm.  Problem #2.  I hate eating out prior to a night of drinking.  Okay.  So I am vegan now and the food I eat fucking stinks.  I need to like brush my teeth six times and shower afterwards just not to smell like a ball of garlic.  How was I gonna score the perfect birthday dude smelling like garlic.  I was annoyed.  And bitched again.  So of course, I get my ass up and ready by 9pm, 8:30 to be exact, so that no one else could join in my bitching party.  I was then informed that at 9:30pm I had to wait on Shanna.  Problem #3.  I hate waiting.  Not on my birthday.  No fucking way.  So I bitched some more.  Oh and on top of it I had to walk to get Shanna, so we could take cab to the same place.  Problem #4.  Doesn't anyone understand I am in heels.  Super mother effing High Heels.  There is no compromise to my heels.  So I bitched, yes, a little bit more.

My god.  My poor friends.  I am such a little brat.

Anyways, I thought that I was going to Vedge for dinner since I have not yet been.  Danielle informed me that I was going to have a nice little evening with many places to visit, starting with dinner.  She promised that I would not be thrown into a bar to just take 10 pickle backs in a row (which secretly I would not have minded).  I accepted and we started on our trek to Shanna's apartment so we can be on our way to dinner.

And.....SURPRISE!! There was a party waiting for me.  I was so surprised, I mean maybe I should have had an idea that this would happen, but I really did not.  My friends, across the board, played this really well.  They all had little lies to make me not even think that this was NOT happening. 

I have to say everything was just perfect.  The Asian theme, the homeade vegan food, my entire family, all my friends, the originals, and those to date.  I am so gosh darn lucky.  I smiled from ear to ear all night. 

Allison made a comment to me on Monday saying that she was so satisfied with the turnout just because I was beaming.  The.Entire.Time.  Honestly, I could not have had a more perfect night.  Even though my bridesmaids did not have their kimono's on, it was truly the wedding (to myself) I have always wanted.  Life celebration, yes!  I would say. 

So here is my thank you.  Thank you for all being you and for making me feel so incredibly lucky to be me.  Each and every minute of that night I will remember as being some of the best.  You have officially started my decade off with a bang (no pun intended) and I love you all so very much. 

And if I didn't shove cake in your face, I apologize, and promise to get you in the future, to show my love and appreciation of course.

Thanks a millions times over.  All my love.  And some more. 

 

 

 

 ((sorry for those left outta pictures)) I really did not have as many as I would like. 

 

on my day.

It's only 10:30 am in the morning and I am so overwhelmed with reminders of how rich my life is.  How lucky I am to have such amazing people in my life.  And how extremely thankful to have had to opportunity to live all my experiences thus far in my life. 

I want to share a moment within the past week where I was completely overwhelmed with emotion and reflection on my life.  While in Madrid, I was robbed, my cell phone was stolen, and at the time it was the end of the world.  I was devasted.  I had just recently been robbed in Philadelphia and went through the same situation two months prior.  I was filled with, why me's, not fairs, and how could they's.  I just was so pissed at the world.  For someone who gives back so much, I could not understand how I was again experiencing a situation of extreme ignorance and negativity.  I took to throwing a pity party for myself for like hours.  I wanted to fight everyone and anyone who I came into contact with.

And then....

Now let me say this first.  The past couple of years I have come to change my religious perspective quite some bit.  I was raised in a Catholic family, who went to church every week, and who attended Catholic school.  I always questioned organized religion and with my own strength broke free from the guilt of not completely believing in what was taught and preached to me.  I felt an extreme sense of freedom being able to practice different religions freely with no judgement or questions of "what I am."  I am still confused with what to believe, or who to believe in, but I am okay with that.  For me it is most important to have spirituality within myself.  To believe in whatever I want to believe in and to feel what I give to this world will always matter regardless of whose "gates" I step upon at the time of death.  Okay, enough of that.

So back to the thing....when I was in Madrid. 

I entered a cathedral, and I am terrible with names so I don't even remember which it was.  Upon entering the church I was still disconnected, focusing more upon my photographs and the beauty of it as an establishment.  I did not sit and pray, as I was used to doing.  I did not feel as if I was worthy considering the catholic church shuns those who do not attend the sabbath weekly.  I began walking through the church, exploring, photo after photo.  I came to a private praying area, not for tourist, for those that wanted to sit in peace and pray.  Suddenly I had the urge to go in.  Well I did, and I can't even begin to put into words what came over me.  Within 15 seconds of entering the room, I was overwhelmed with emotion.  And I promise you tears are in my eyes at this very moment.  I felt so happy and so content but also so saddened by my ungrateful attitude I had exhibited in the 24 hours prior.  I sat there and I cried and cried and then cried somemore.  All with such thanks in my mind.

During these moments, in privacy, in my own peace, I was able to reflect and remember what is important in life.  My life is so rich and I am so thankful for everything that I have.  I have the best friends and family one could ever ask for.  The places, events, people, everything, I have experienced have been so special to me and sometimes it takes moments like these to remember that. 

So I just want to thank you to all those who have shaped me into this, yes, 30 year old I am today.  All my gratitude and love for everything you have given me. 

And I will always remember....that when I wake up in the morning, I will put my best love forward.  Each and every single day.   

to be back

Welp...yep it sucks.  To be back in the states blows a big donkey ya know.  This place is terrible.  I am going to try and get to my photos so I can post and show pics at the same time.  I have so much to talk about and will write about each city.  It will just take me a minute or 9000 to get to my 1500 pictures. 

So far back in 'Merica it has sucked....
I...
1.  Spoke with the most undereducated, unreliable, and super stupid ATT tech to get my phone turned back on 9 million minutes later. 
2.  Spilled my entire jug of Tom Yum Soup (after craving it for an entire 8 hr flight) all over my kitchen floor.
3.  Went "to sleep" (those words will forever be funny) before the sun went down.
4.  Had to remove a staff member from my staff
5.  Spent $2.75 on the worst tasting organic orange juice.
6.  Am dealing with a fever, sinus infection, and lack of taste buds
7.  Saw a Honda Civic with fake eyelashes on the headlights
8.  Spent a half hour within the first two hours of being awake discussing a drug addicted baby momma.
9.  Had to do wash.
10. Was reunited with the city of Chester.

FML.  Send me back to the unreal world...aka Spain.