Imports from overseas

This weekend I went on a tour of Europe. I'm not lying to you... it was a figurative tour, but a tour nevertheless. Because I've been trapped inside for three days I did what any sane person would do and watched a ridiculous amount of foreign films. If foreign films aren't your thing this post will also be covering food, and my favorite British dramas.

Amélie

Amélie, an innocent and naive girl in Paris, with her own sense of justice, decides to help those around her and along the way, discovers love.

I nominate Amélie as feelgood movie of the year. I've only seen this movie once, but I think it was enough to know that it is my favorite movie of all time. The plot was just so clever and intricately crafted. It left me in awe, and for once if someone were to ask me what the movie was about I could tell them. Audrey Tautou does a wonderful job of portraying a quirky yet shy woman who by the end of the movie comes to terms with who she is. At some part during the movie she encounters a young man at a photo booth. She's intrigued by him, but says nothing because she's crippled by shyness. He ends up leaving behind a photo album; one of his most valuable possessions. Because Amelie has adapted "do gooder" ways, she feels compelled to return the album. Along the way she drops clues and hints about her identity but the man remains oblivious. The ending's pretty predictable, but I'll save that for you to enjoy. My explanation doesn't do the movie justice AT ALL, but if anyone's interested you can watch it here.

Doctor Who

Doctor Who in all of its entirety is a brilliant series. It's actually unbelievable how intellectual this show gets. If sci-fi's not usually your thing... I can see why you might be hesitant. I was never all too enthused about time traveling, air bending, galaxy splitting and WHAT NOT but I actually took quite a liking to Doctor Who. I think it has a bit of everything, romance, comedy, and of course sci-fi. I'm not saying you should go and netflix all thirty-one seasons but if anything watch this episode. Warning; may cause slight eye watering. "The Doctor" (aka Matt Smith, the man of my dreams) travels back into the post-impressionist time period and meets with Vincent Van Gough. I'm sure it's not wildly accurate... but the episode explores the tormented and tortured individual Van Gough was (yes he was the man who cut off his own ear). Oh and in the midst of everything Van Gough and The Doctor battle off a space bird demon.

Croque Monsieur

Now my cooking skills are nothing to brag about. I think it's successful when I can break an egg without getting the shells in the yolk, or when I'm baking a cake I don't mix the salt with sugar (that was a disaster). "I just froze some grapes. That's as involved as my cooking gets these days" this explains my life so well. Anyways today I decided to get fancy and bake myself a croque monsieur. In other words, it's basically grilled cheese and ham sandwich, BUT BETTER. Though my sandwich looked nothing like the one pictured above... I like to imagine they both tasted equally as satisfying. Recipe

50% Chance of scattered thunderstorms

Okay, so I don't actually believe all this May 21st "Judgement day" nonsense. Though if tomorrow were to be my very last day on this planet, it would only make sense to go out with a bang. Hence the phrase, "live each day as if it was your last". Tomorrow I'm heading into Philadelphia to see Panic at the Disco and Fun preform at Festival Pier. It's apparently going to pour, "50% chance of thunderstorms". Rain or shine the show's going on... I'm thrilled. Personally I'm more of a Fun fan... but there's no denying my undying attraction for PATD frontman Brendon Urie. My reaction to their collaborative single C'mon was a mixture of "OH MY GOD" and I THINK I NEED TO CHANGE PANTS because my bodily functions couldn't handle the extremity of this event. Though I have no idea how I'm going to make it through the end of tomorrow. The concert starts at 5:30, and isn't over until 11:00. If I had a heart monitor my body would probably register a flatline because I'm going have as much energy as a corpse coming home. Redbulls anyone?

I'm here to repair that empty feeling inside your soul with what can only be filled by the heavenly and gravity defying sounds of Bon Iver. If you really want to rack up some easy points on the pretentious scale, you can do all the hipsters a favor by pronouncing his name as such "BOhn E-vair". Don't ask me when that will come in handy. You can download the full album here. Caution; heaven will invade your speakers.

EF - Live The Language - Paris from Albin Holmqvist on Vimeo.

So when can I travel to Paris? HAHA, okay Leah and by what means of communication do you hope to navigate your way around. Alright I admit my French isn't exactly up to par, but I do know how to order food and ask where restrooms are. What more could you ask for? My conversational skills are basic at best. Then again I don't talk much, so perhaps that would work in my favor. My catchphrase throughout my entire schooling years = je ne comprends pas. Yes my vast foreign language skills are extremely impressive. Feel inferior. This summer I may possibly be doing a French exchange student program. The student would be staying with me of course. I would hope that with that experience my French would improve somewhat. I just don't if I could bear the responsibility of corrupting some poor girls mind.

Blog update; About me page is fully functional. Oh yes, I image map like it's my job.