27. New Orleans

So, an ode to my hometown and favorite city (besides London duhhh): New Orleans.

NOLA.

N'awlins.

Silly that I did not fully appreciate New Orleans for the longest time. That I wanted to move to New York!! Or Chicago! Or some other "big city."

Well, A. I would freeze in Chicago. I could wear flip-flops from like June to September only, as opposed to, well, year-round if I'm crazy enough at home.

B. While a lot of cities in America have great attributes, and I would enjoy visiting many of them, they are just not home. Simple as that.

But I think enough time away from home has really changed my viewpoint. How could I not want to go back to this little big city??

Don't even get me started on food and restaurants. But there's that certain something I would really miss out on in any other place.

And not to be cheesy but I think this Chris Rose bit has to be included:

She is a New Orleans girl and New Orleans girls never live anywhere else and even if they do, they always come back.

Yeah, pretty much.

See ya in December, NOLA!

26. Peanut Butter

The fact that I have gone through more than one jar of peanut butter while here in London attests to how much I love it, it's such a staple in my diet here:

PB & J (didn't even like jam/jelly until recently...what the heck was I thinking??)

Apples & peanut butter

Peanut butter straight from the jar (but that's only on special occasions)

At home we are STRICTLY a Jif family ... however given that Jif ain't in the local market I've had to branch out. I've always wanted to look into natural PB so I thought now was a good time. It ain't bad! And it's better for your health (yet I think I'm negating any health issues when I eat it with a spoon).

GO CLUB PEANUT BUTTER!

Thank you George Washington Carver - seriously, had you invented this I would be eating half the food in my diet naked, and that's just not right.

Photo Credit: mariononline.com

Addendum: PB and chocolate is one of the best combinations ever. After PB divorced Jelly it married chocolate. However, PB and Jelly are still shacking up on the weekends obviously. And sometimes PB flies to France just to have a weekend fling with Nutella.

25. Vegetables

Long time, no blog! Well I thought now (2:30 a.m. my time), would make the perfect time to blog. Since I can't sleep.



This is a lame favorite thing, I know. Who likes vegetables??



(Who wants to kiss Matt Damon?) Right here! Is the girl who likes her vegetables.



Ok, so I love carrots. Everyone knows that. I ate carrots practically everyday with my lunch since Kindergarten (thanks Mom!) and I truly believe I have the eyesight to prove it.

Photo Credit: files.myopera.com


I also love a whole rainbow of veggies: LOVE tomatoes (especially with mozzarella and pesto aka my favorite DHall panini which I sorely miss). And ya can't beat sugar snap beans and sno peas. And sweet potatoes are soooo tasty, too bad I have to toss mine because things were growing out of them!



But really. I don't look a gift vegetable in the mouth. It's nature's candy!

24. Seinfeld, Friends & Sex and the City re-runs

This post is a tad painful to write, since while studying abroad I don't have access to a TV. (I know, I know, I'm in London, I don't need TV! And you're right! But...you know).

Friends was the only one of these shows that I watched while it was actually on the air. But only for the last couple of seasons. So for me, all of these shows really only exist in their syndicated state.

There's something so comforting about knowing that you have seen about 99 percent of these episodes already, and when you do see the odd "new" one - it's like stumbling upon buried treasure!

And I know, if I really wanted to I could watch these shows somewhere online. But 1. I don't watch shows online unless necessary because staring at the small screen hurts my eyes. And 2. I'd rather just snuggle up on the couch and let TBS pick which episode I'll watch. Because I am lazy.

23. Long Bus Rides

This post is inspired by the fact that I spend upwards of seven hours on a bus today, going to and from Goldsmith's, Stonehenge and Bath!

And it's more than rocks.

Anyway, this post is about transportation, not rock formations.

I've taken many a long bus ride in my life. Kanuga and the DC trip in ninth grade stand out. There was also two Disneyworld trips, a ride to Tulsa (in which a large rock (but not Stonehenge) was thrown at the bus and we had to stop for like an hour). Also, "You kids can call me Daddy!" Scariest moment of my life, for those (un)fortunate enough to be there.

So, yes there are downsides to bus trips: limited bathroom breaks (unless you want to brave the complaints if you use the small one in the back), boredom, strange ladies joining the group. Gah and when they're overnight and you just can't get comfortable...

But nonetheless, I do enjoy them. If you're lucky enough to be sitting with a good friend you can chat away and maybe share an iPod. And I've had some really interesting bus ride conversations (anyone remember the intense conversation about the vastness of the universe while in DC?).

But what I love most is probably just the chilling out part. You put on your headphones, or maybe not. Maybe you just stare out the window. And it's awesome. Everyone understands that there's a certain point that you stop talking and everyone daydreams.

Also, I almost always fall asleep during this time. I swear, it's the rocking of the Greyhound - I become a baby and I'm OUT.

22. Themed Parties

What's more fun than getting together with all your friends (and their friends too) and partying it up?

Partying it up with a common theme!

Decorations, music playlists, costumes, refreshments if we're so inclined, lighting schemes ... what a treat!

One of the highlights of the summer was our Diddy's White Party, which was a long time in the making and a lot of work. But to get everyone together, with the common goal of livin' the glam life and getting schwastey, and wearing white, of course, was completely worth it. I'd like to make it an annual event!


Photo Credit: Shelby Siegel

Best ever...

In other themed news, one of the best lodges I went to sophomore year was Kappa Sig's ESPN themed party, and it wasn't just because Hannah was visiting! I was a tennis player and got to wear comfy sneakers! Score!

(She was a spelling bee contestant. It was hot.)

Observation: You really have to commit to these shindigs. And why shouldn't you? It's fun to dress up!

Themed parties I would like to throw at some point in my party-hosting-ness:
-Real Housewives of New Jersey (tacky? You betcha.)
-Snooty French - I think this party should include lots of brie and stripes.
-Abba. Not that my party playlists don't include enough Abba as it is...

So get on your party pants and theme it up!

21. Shaving My Legs

I have an addiction. It's not smoking. It's not drinking. It ain't sex.



I'm addicted to shaving my legs.



I feel like I am in the minority of most girls (and the leg-shaving male population). Most girls I know seem to fall into the camp of "I'm lazy, so didn't shave." Or "I hate to shave my legs." That's quite alright, I don't normally go around stroking girls legs or anything.



But there's nothing quite like that silky smoothness of just shaving, and slathering on yummy smelling lotion. And then wearing short-shorts and showing them off!




Photo Credit: xomba.com

He gets the idea, but a little too much...

So in the summer (or until I can stomach it no longer and must wear pants/tights) I shave constantly. One fateful day I shaved twice...but that's because I was home alone and had nothing better to do than sit around and stroke my own legs I guess.

Fact: I used to be horrible at shaving my legs. Got cuts alllll the freakin' time. Not sure what changed. I guess with practice I just got better at it? But I can't remember the last time I cut myself whilst shaving!



Myth?: If you don't shave your legs before a night out, the chances of higher of having a fun time. So at pre-games, listen for the "tonight better be good, I shaved my legs so as not to jinx myself." This is all in the mind, I personally think, although the rare times I went out with stubble I convinced myself the night would be that much more fun.



Tip: A dry razor will last a lot longer, so I always dry mine off and don't store it in the shower. Yep, I know you're just dying for tips on how to be just like me. Sigh, such a burdern.



Other fact: I am one of those people who like to "see how far they can take things." We're descending into winter here in London. So I guess I'll find out!

20. Brinner

Who says that breakfast has to be served in the morning? I am a big proponent of the concept of "Brinner," aka breakfast at dinner.

We've talked about my love of cereal, however, did you know about my love for pancakes, eggs, waffles, bacon and all of that goodness? And let's not even get into toast...

The term came about from a memorable episode of Scrubs, in which Turk gets Brinner from Carla because he can secretly understand Spanish and thus cleans up the apartment. Hilarity ensues, and he gets his bacon ice cream.

While I would never manipulate anyone for Brinner, I can understand why he would. Who doesn't want an omelette anytime of the day??

This summer was the summer of Brinner. Often, before drinking (especially at Happy Hour) I would request from my mother a delicious omelette or scrambled eggs, with tomatos and cheese yumm. Sometimes a bit of bacon on the side. And toast! The toast oh man. The meal was of course incomplete without lots of ketchup, because that's how I roll.

Since coming to London, I have made a few Brinners for myself. Because they are delicious. And eggs is the only thing I know how to cook.

19. Excercise

This entry will probably make me sound a tool, just a disclaimer. Like, really, listing excercise as one of my favorite things?

One the one hand, I am really lazy. Like, some of my favorite days this summer were when my parents were out of town, I was hungover, and I just laid on the couch and read and watched TV and ate carbs while the cat and dog hung around with me.

One another hand, I don't like sports. Don't like watching 'em, don't like playing them (unless there's alcohol involved - hello, sloshball!). I barely made it through volleytennis in high school, I was a mess!

But I do enjoy excercise. I like walking the dog. I like walking in Audubon Park. One of my favorite things about studying abroad in London is all the walking I get to do.

I also really like going to the gym. I don't think I'd like it quite as much if all the elliptical machines (my fave) didn't have their own individual TV so I could watch Friends or CMT's Top 20 Countdown. Although for awhile the gym I went to at home didn't have working TVs and so I did get used to working out with just my iPod. Abba is SUCH good motivation!

Photo Credit: mississippifarian.files.wordpress.com

Also - excercise gives me (somewhat) more of an excuse to eat poorly. God I love me some Ben & Jerry's. Although, let's face it, I still will eat the cheeseburger even if I did not workout.

But the best part is right after you've stepped off the machine, and you're all gross and you just feel good. The high.

And it's true what Elle Woods said:

"Excercise gives you endorphins, and endorphins make you happy. And happy people don't kill their husbands. They just don't!"

Photo Credit: dailytarheelfashion.files.wordpress.com