Around the World in 80 Days......Kinda

Bonjour! Salve! Salama! Howdy! Yo!

These are just a few of the greetings I heard this past summer as i traveled around the globe from the U.S. to France to Italy and back to the U.S.. This summer I got the chance to study and live in the city of Lyon, France! Lyon, France is a beautiful city located in the Rhône-Alpes region of France. It's the second largest city in France and, as any true gastronome knows, the food capital of THE WORLD.

This was actually my second time living there, but this time I got to experience what Lyon really has to offer. I traveled to beautiful European cities, ate delicious food, and did hood-rat things with my friends! This time I was there for a summer program my school (LSU Law) offers every year in collaboration with Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3. The program offers LSU Law students (as well as law students from other schools) to immerse themselves in the diverse culture of Lyon while taking comparative law classes on topics like Competition, Intellectual Property, and Family Law.

That's great and all, but we all know no one goes for the classes! We go for the wine, food, travel, wine, shopping, fun, and did i mention WINE??? For most of us, this is our last shot at bumming around Europe before being forced to become "responsible adults" with real jobs and other obligations.

I began my adventure at BTR. From there, I caught a two hour flight to DFW and from there, an eleven hour flight to London Heathrow. In London, I had THE LONGEST layover in the history of layovers.......NINE HOURS O_O What on earth did I do to amuse myself for nine hours you ask?? Search the airport for Dr. Who of course ;) I finally made it to Lyon at 11:30 pm. When I got in, I went straight to my furnished rental apartment in the center of Lyon which would serve as my temporary home for the next two months. Little did I know, this would be the beginning of the greatest summer ever AND I would share countless adventures with two girls who would become very good friends by the end of it all :)

When I got back home, I also got to do a little traveling. First, me and the bestie (b.k.a Courtni.) went to visit Ketra in Dallas. Then, it was of to New York for family-vaca 2011!

I had tons of adventures this summer, so there's no way I could write about all of them in one post. I'll be posting a part 2 and 3 very soon, but here's a little preview!

Dallas Shopping and WTW

Omg. Omg. Omg. So, Dallas shopping is amazing to me. Besides the fact that I'm from the sm
allest place in the world, I know some good shopping when i see it! Good shopping, isn't just about great malls, although they play a 50% role in the whole thing. Besides the Galleria and Shops at Willow Bend, we found some cool places to thrift and antique shop. I fell in deep love with Deep Ellum Texas. This is an arts and entertainment district of Dallas, established 1884. To the left is a couple of pictures from my visit. The top is the sign at Lula B's. I'd have babies for this antique and retro shop! They have everything! Great furniture, clothes, and vintage everything. Underneath the sign is the giant Robot. I call him Hurb, although I'm sure the artist has named it.

When doing great shopping, it is important to wear easy clothing. Dallas was HOT. Like, baby in a microwave, HOT. If you're anything like me, you prefer little clothing, minus the whore-ish persona. It's important to carry little items as possible too.look1:Cute dress from LuLus. Handbag and hair pinned back!look2:Black dress, black sandals, sling bag, and red hair rose!pink lace shirt, shorts, sling bag, hair waves

Bienvenue sur le Magnolia Plantation

This week-end, en route to Texas, Lacey and I stopped to explore this awesome Plantation. This isnt the first, and definitely won't be the last. I absolutely love this place, minus the eerie feelings.
Magnolia Plantation is apart of the Cane River Creole National Historical Park in the cute, little town of Natchez, Louisiana.
I didn't even know they had a Natchez in Louisiana. I want go into too much detail but this plantation was established by Ambrose LeComte II and his wife Julia Buard LeCompte. By 1860 the plantation had reached over 6,000 acres.
There are plenty benefits to this plantation being a National Park, and not just some "Plantation Tour". Firstly, it's FREE! can i get an amen. Secondly, you're able to explore at your leisure. No stupid tour guide going on, and on about the kitchen, and somehow forgets to offer some orderves. Lastly, it's park! The place is huge. If you love history, good or bad, you'll love this too.

This first photo set, are shots from the slave hospital that later became the overseers house for some time, after a mysterious fire occurred in the original overseers house.
The second photo set is of the slave homes and fields. Also, a few photos of cotton and old pics.

There is a book in reference to this area of Louisiana. It's quite old but a great read. The book is idealy called, Cane River [lol, im not sure why that was funny]. The book is by Lalita Tademy, and it follows four generations of African American women from slavery to the early twentieth century as they struggle for economic security and the future of their families along the Cane River in rural Louisiana.