California Dreamin'

Not gonna lie, now that I've been here for 2 months, the weather's getting a little gloomy, combined with the fact I've had some down time, and trying to avoid studying for midterms, I find myself missing a few things from home!

• FOOTBALL. No, not soccer, I get enough of that here, and I could care less (except some of the players are beautiful so I don't mind watching them prance around the field for a while). With the start of NFL regular season & college football, I'm going absolutely insane not being able to plop on a couch for Sunday football, or venturing to SJSU south campus for tailgating shenanigans an some sub-par Spartan football. With SJSU's homecoming football game this past weekend and missing out on what sounds like one of the most epic tailgates in a while, I find myself missing my SJ family SO much. But I always keep it in the back of my mind that I'll be back in a matter of months to wreak havoc with my SJ loves again :)
• DRYERS. Doing laundry here sucks, as I've stated before, even more so when it takes even longer for clothes to dry in the winter, making it exponentially more sucky. 
• FOOD. mainly BAGELS: There's an entire section for Philadelphia cream cheese in the super market, but no bagels, ANYWHERE. I have never missed Goldsteins or House of Bagels more than I do now. However, Mary, Casey, & Jules have discovered a bagel shop owned by American expats, which I am determined to find. BURRITOS: Both the regular & breakfast varieties. I crave them constantly. I've failed miserably in my attempt to recreate them in my own kitchen here. What do I have to do to get some Lucky Boy or La Vics up in here? IN-N-OUT: I don't know how you out of staters do it, but I miss it, OH SO much. There's also other various food items, none of which I can recall at the moment, but obviously local food establishments like Imports, Franks Famous, Lucky Boy, Kogi truck, Dish ect. ect.
• SWEAT PANTS. There are some days I wish it was socially acceptable to wear a pair of yoga pants to class, or in public in general.  Wore a pair the other day just to run into VeCo to print some homework out, and people definitely judged me. Damn you Europe and your affinity for always looking put together! My new favorite thing is wearing my sweats on the metro in the midst of rush hour on my way to yoga. Take THAT fashonistas!
• INDIAN SUMMERS. I know you all have been complaining about the 100+ degree days you've been having in California, but I am letting you know how unbelievably jealous I am. All I can think of at the moment is the fact that I'll be on a beach in the Canary Islands in 10 days soaking up the 75+ degree sunshine in my now ill fitting bikini. 
• FRIENDS/FAMILY. I cannot tell you how weird it is not seeing my friends and family on a regular basis. Skyping makes it easier, but it's weird that I can only see them via internet and they're half way across the world! Don't get me wrong, I have made some AMAZING friends here in Brussels, but I miss my besties, and the shenanigans we get into in SJ and LA. And my family, well as much as I hate to admit it, I kinda like them, and I do miss them. Especially my puppy dog Margieee! The cat, well, I don't really care one way or the other, he's kind of obnoxious and I don't think he likes me either. My hamster, is adorable, and makes me smile, so I miss her too! 

I think that's enough whining for now. I know I'm in BELGIUM, traveling all over EUROPE and I'm complaining about things I miss about America in my blog. Anyway. Now for some Brussels updates! I didn't do any traveling this weekend, being moderately responsible because midterms are this week, but it didn't stop me from enjoying myself! Every year, the City of Brussels puts on a music and arts festival called Nuit Blanche. It's an all night festival that goes till 5 a.m.  & originated in Paris. Translated exactly it means white night but I guess it's a French phrase that means "sleepless night" so their marketing campaign is "you won't have to count any sheep tonight" and there are sheep all over their advertisements.


Earlier that night I had gone over to Casey's house for her host mom Maria's birthday dinner, which was homemade Paella, and I was in heaven. We finally left there at 11, and hit the streets of St. Catharine in downtown Bruxelles, for some all night shenanigans! There were art displays, some really creepy ones, street performers, interactive art, DJs, bands, and it was AMAZING.

Brendan on the stilts that were some sort of exhibit. Lots of fun, but not a stellar idea with the level of inebriation of the festivals participants!

Some of the artwork. Bicycless!

Everyone was drunk, and beer cans littered the streets. I have NEVER seen so many empty beer cans in my LIFE.

Beer.

We found a super sick DJ and listened and danced and drank for almost 2 hours! Mary, Will, Brendan, Laura and I stayed out all night till 5:30 in the morning when the metros started back up again. The man next to me on the metro who asked if I was from England cracked open another tall can of Juplier on the Metro on his way home. Definition rage train. It was an awesomely fun night, and another one of the million reasons I love Brussles.

This man was our hero. Richard Simmons-esque dance moves that could not be rivaled by anyone in the crowd!

The super sick DJ.