What a Wonderful Life

Yes, a movie I have yet to see... but I feel like I'm living it now without the Christmas bit. So this past week has been absolutely odd. First off I've had the weirdest schedule of not sleeping for two days and then sleeping an entire day. Wednesday night I went out with Tal and David to Mojito and soon after, because it was Wednesday, we ended up meeting Laura at my place and just getting more smashed until like 5 am. Then Laura and I marched up to the Comeseria to wait 5.5 hours to register with the fucking Spanish government as students. Not to mention we were still pretty drunk at 5:30 am. Instead of going home and passing out, like I should've, at 11 I went to class. Then to work and when I got home there was a couch surfer waiting for me. For those of you who don't know what couch surfing is, it is a website where people all over the world can find friends and places to crash while traveling. So Toni, my couch surfer, was waiting for me and I was practically dead. He's a great guy who is traveling around Europe on his bicycle and making money by playing accordian in the streets! Unbelievable. So, we've had a great time together this past weekend and we might link up in Rome, which is both of our next destinations tomorrow. So I was exhausted and not in the mood for guests at all! Especially since my flatmates don't know about couch surfing, which made for a bit of an awkward experience. Most of Friday I slept or at least until 2pm (about 14 hours). Then Toni and I walked around Passeig de Gracia and I showed him La casa Mila, better known as La Pedrera. Laura, soon after, called me wanting to go to the Champagneria, a place where you can get cheap food and, more importantly, cheap champagne! Around 2-3 euro a bottle, yes a bottle. We had three between the three of us! Then we went off to Mily's house to drink more and go to Shoko and Catwalk, two very pijo clubs by the beach. Mily got us in for free in both of them, which saved us a good 30 euro each! Eventually I got tired, yes I know... but I had to wake up at 7 Saturday so you know. We got home at 5am and I passed out at 6ish waking up an hour later then going to the uni to meet everyone because we were all off on a grand exurscion! Ok, not that grand but it was pretty damn cool. First we piled into a bus and went to El Monasterio de Sant Pere de Rodes which is absolutely gorgeous. The view was amazing... the tour, however super boring. Prof. Losado, a sweet old man came with us but he kinda sounds like Ben Stein but with a quieter voice! Os tio! It was impossible to pay attention even though he was saying interesting things. One really cool thing was the rocks in the crypt. People would spend hours crying on these rocks praying to false relics for a miracle cure for whatever had ailed them or their loved ones. They are filled with so much hope and sadness it was so beautiful to see. They don't look like much, but try to picture it. It's absolutely amazing. JQ, Nick, and I wondered off to the top of the monastery to smoke and then I got coffee... running on an hour of sleep, it's necessary. Anyway, this is getting long and I have loads more to say. We went to the Dali museum in Figueras which is always great. Being in his house is like being in a new world of surreal magic. It's unbelievable this guy's work and such, he's so amazing! The works I'll show you speak for themselves...

Ok so after the long drive back to Barcelona, I bolted back to my house to quickly change and grab my ticket to MUSE!!!!!! How fucking awesome! By the time we all got back it was 7:30pm and I was still running on one hour of sleep. So I jetted over to Kirsten's piso where she, Natalia, Colette, and I got smashed... well, enough to be happy until Muse made us happier. The concert was perfect! They played so amazingly and, not to mention, everyone and their mother were there. I couldn't believe it... I really needed some amazing live music to boost the glum out of me... and the exhaustion. I loved every minute of it and they played the best songs. It's amazing what three people can do to a crowd of avid listeners. After a few hours of constant musical orgasm I took the metro home, made some pasta, and passed the fuck out. This time sleeping for 16 hours! Holy shit on a stick. About two hours later Chelsea came over so for me to cut her hair and then the rest of the night Toni and I just talked and played a little music. Phew!

Well, tomorrow morning I leave with Laura to Roma, where we are staying... we still don't know! Wish me luck... bad enough that Laura's insane and not responsible. It should be some wild weekend. Aside from above stated, Laura and I get on very well and I'm really stoked on traveling with her... just a little scared. Toni is also going to Rome because he needs to catch a ferry to Sardinia or Sicily. So he's taking an entire day to get to Rome by boat, whereas Laura and I will be there in two hours or so by plane! Oh well... until next time my little ones!

God Dammit

Last Monday I went to an Erasmus party with my flatmate and her Argentinan friend. Erasmus is the foreign exchange student program for Europe. So we went and I met a really cute Italian. Long story short Elli, Mali, and I went back to our piso and Mali, the Argentinan, kinda forced his way into my room and the rest of this week I've been the butt of many jokes because he's a little ridiculous. Blah anyway, more importantly, last night was fabulous. Laura and I went to Gracia to meet up with Elli and her friends from Finland. After drinking around Gracia with our box of Don Simon we finally found them. Laura soon after left to chill with Mily and Lorena. I stayed and as we were walking home down Passeig de Gracia we ran into Kirsten, Natalia, Chelsea and Jon Jew. So I left the Finnish to hang out with them. We hung out briefly and then parted. I waited with Chelsea to get her a cab, because she lives in Born and that's far from Gracia. This guy came up and asked for a light so he can roll a porro. He smoked us out and then Chelsea got her cab and I walked home. Then Laura calls me at quarter to 12 and tells me to get over to Mily's pronto. I get up and throw on clothes and get to Mily's all discombobulated and everyone there is still partying from the night before boozing it up etc. We stayed until four and the went back. Lorena and Mily are fucking great... sweetest craziest girls ever. I'll have to get pics of them next time. They were surprised at how young I am, thinking I was 25. I, as usual, was the baby of the crowd. All in all a successful time. I don't know if I'll be partying tonight because I'm still disorientated from partying this afternoon. By the bye, sorry for the drunk dial Mira, but I love you too much not to! Besos a todos.

Madrid

Wow, I've got so much to tell. I've got to start writing more often! Anyway, so Tal and I left Wednesday night to Madrid for a 7.5 hour bus ride. Unfortunately the ride was ridiculously long and we were delayed 4.5 hours in the middle of nowhere an hour and a half away from Madrid. We were sitting in the front with the door of the bus open and were freezing because it was like 5 am.

Finally they brought a tow truck and took us to a gas station where we were delayed the last hour. We finally made it to Madrid after 12 hours! Our only salvation was when we got on the metro and made a friend that we called Esteban and he looks like this:


For some reason this is absolutely hilarious to me. Is he dancing? Falling? Retarded? What the fuck? Anyway the remainder of our weekend was absolutely amazing. We had so much fun; Madrid is fucking amazing. It's kinda like the NYC of "E"spain. I almost wish I went there instead of Barca, but I'd probably be saying the same if the situ was reversed. We did a lot of random walking through the city, so beautiful and perfect weather. The first night we were to zonked to do anything so we just ate Chinese and went to a pub to play some pool, then passed the fuck out.

Friday we went to El Prado. Wow... that's pretty much all I can say in it's amazement. I fell in love with a Rembrandt painting and a Goya one that helped me succeed in making Tal think I'm more strange and crazy. I had to go back and look at them again after we finished the entire museum. Afterwards we went to a street called Fuencarral which is very similar to Melrose. I love streets like that so it was awesome. That night Tal and I had a lovely date. I should say "date" rather. We went to tapas in Plaza Mayor (oldest part of Madrid) and spent about 50 euros! We both learned valuable lessons: Tal doesn't like veal and Alyse can't eat Sopa de Ajo because it has meat in it and makes her vomit! At least the Sangria was good. We totally splurged, but it's all good because we didn't pay for dinner the night before and we got free drinks the rest of the night. We went to the hostal where Jon Jew, Brooke, Alan and Nacho were staying. Then got pretty smashed drinking and smoking hookah. Laura and some other Chicago girls were there and we had a wonderful time. Alan and I bonded over speaking Spanish and cute boys...

Laura was couch surfing and her host was throwing a party so we all went and it was absolutely amazing. The flat was full of madrilenos and looked almost like an art gallery with loads of books and paintings everywhere. We got trashed and made funny faces and had odd conversations all night. Also, we were smoking on the balcony and across the way there was a magical blue light coming from a window where the blinds were half shut. We stared into it like hungry mosquitos until suddenly appeared the thrusting upper body of a male figure with female-like legs on his shoulders. Ok enough with the crappy prosey description. Basically, wasted we were watching people having sex and laughing hysterically. It was hilarious.

Later we were loitering downstairs and Alan and I were talking about something that wasn't important and started making out because we were bored or something... I don't know I was drunk. It was incredibly awkward because who in the right mind makes out with a homosexual? Whatever it was funny, and it probably hadn't been the first and won't be the last, I'm sure. I'm so weird. Whatever, what else are gay friends for anyway? We walked all the way back to Jack's flat and Danille made us some pasta... of course the Italian makes the Americans pasta so cliche. I swear it was the best pasta ever!

The following day we were so hungover it took us all day to get out of the house in which case we walked around Madrid and the caught the bus back to Barca. Thank god it went smoothly and we had plenty of room to stretch out. Phew. Thus ends this episode of Alyse in wondrously wonderful wonderland.

Ok ok

Alright I've finally decided to write again. It's been a struggle since this blogger thing has been on the fritz lately. Ok so, I'm going to skip over Thurs. night. Friday I was super hung over and stayed in all day and then tried to get tickets to Madrid with Tal at the train station only to find out that they were completo! So we went back to my house bought cheap bus tickets (over seven hours traveling yikes!) and then got greasy Chinese food. We separated for a few hours and then met up again. We were supposed to go to Razzmatazz with Kirsten, Natalia, and Jenny. First we had to get Jon Jew and pre-drink. Instead of making it down to the club, we just got buzzed and really fucking high... ridiculous. Then we thought it would be a good idea to make hummus because Jon Jew had garbanzos and his dad who was visiting brought him tahini from Israel. It was a true disaster. Tal, who can't cook for shit was just staring at us eating fruit salad and occasionally feeding me some while I was being traumatized by the garlic I was cutting. It was so much fun. Tal and I left Jon Jew's house at like 5 am and on the way home these two guys came up to us and in slurred spanish asked where there was a place open to get something to drink. This guy had to be on E or something, there was no way he was just drunk. Of course this awkward creepiness occured right at the split point for Tal and I, but I made Tal walk with me farther because those guys were shady motherfuckers and I've had too many run-ins with those these last few weeks.

Saturday I was supposed to wake up earlier than normal and go to the beach with Ocea. So much for that, I woke up at 2:45 because Laura texted me saying that her couch surfer was here and she wanted me to come over for a wine and cheese party at 5:30. It was awesome, we bought plates upon plates of tapas and it was the best feast ever. The night after that was a little but of a disaster. We went back to my house to change and to then go to a club in Gracia. Tal texted me wanting to come out with us, but we didn't get to his house until 2! So he was pissed at me, as usual. Then we didn't even go into the club. After we walked down Passeig de Gracia to find some food. Craig was desperate for a Kebab house, which doesn't exist in Spain, just shwarma... damn New Yorkers! There was nothing open so Craig and Laura soon after hopped on the bus to go home and Tal and I were left to search for something to do at 4 am. Everything was closed, but we were so awake and desperate. So we found these clubs on Aribau and I asked in my best sweetest American voice to ask how much it costs (in English) of course we got in for free, because we are just dumb "tourists" and spent until 7 am dancing and making fun of the electronica music by dancing ridiculously. After a few songs this drunk guy decided to get all over me... bah! He was cute at least. The club closed and he wanted me to go home with him, I had barely gotten his name and was beginning to curse Tal for disappearing to the bathroom. I was able to get away and we went across the street to this bar. I found ten euro on the ground and we bought some beers. As soon as we sat down we see a restaurant across from us called "Kebab House" how ironic. We took a picture to show Craig later. We were so persistent on the fact that it didn't exist! Then we left and went home as the night was a success.

Sunday I woke up at 5 and lounged around watching TV. Craig stayed the night because Laura needed to get shit done and we just had a mellow evening of drinking wine and watching TV. Some weekend eh? Well, I finally have pictures for you. To the left is the lake in front of Buckingham Palace and the Palace on the right, got to love gloomy London weather eh? Here are my cousins Josh and Aron before going out. So cute! and look nothing like me... haha. The other pic is of Josh's friends, Paul and Dom, and me.



Ok, here is one of my favs! My cousin David has kids now! So ridiculous, I still can't get over it. He's been a bachelor until 40 and now kids! I know he had kids last time I saw him two years ago, but I still can't get over it. Especially since he didn't come to my cousin Zach's Bar Mitzvah in April, because he comes to Every family event, but now he has kids! Ok I'm done complaining.

The one on right is Emily and Dominic, old old family friend. Their so big now, well at least Dom. Last time I saw him he was half his size. He's so cute and might be coming with Jo to Barca to visit. Emily, some of you might remember when she was in LA before she got sent off to boot camp in Utah. By the bye, Jo has written a book about it and my family and I are in it. If you get the chance pick it up, it's called Laughing Star by Jo Nisbet and it comes out October 15. Get it on Amazon! Do it, if you still want to be my friend! Bah! Off to Madrid tonight to see Jackie Pumpkin King! Nalani if you are reading this, you know who I'm talking about cuz... hahaha!

London Calling

I've tried to post like three times already and it's being really obnoxious, so I'm not going to write too much. I went to London last weekend and it was awesome to see the cousins and my mom's best friend Joana. It quelled a bit of the homesickness. I went out with Josh and Aron saturday night and I got some old, drunk Columbian to buy us drinks just by asking him for a light! How random. Ok, I'm going to see if this posts and then I'll write more.