New Years Eve in Paris

Hi everyone. I'm sitting in my studio taking a little break before heading into Paris to meet my friends. I have 3 girls staying at the house with me from IDAHO! Erin Johnson, Stacey Sode, and Nicole...all just graduated from U of I and are travelling Europe for 25 days. They arrived 2 nights ago (after a big fiasco of "train-ing" and trying to find me) and will leave Sunday. It's been really nice to have friends to hang with and visit. I've had to work too, but now it's Friday and I have the whole afternoon and weekend to hang with them in the city! Unfortunately, I found out from the doctor yesterday that I have another sinus infection :( Yesterday I felt AWFUL, and Nicole had a bad sore throat so we both went to the doctor in Bougival and got antibiotics. But I'm feeling a bit better and rested today.

New Years Eve in Paris was wonderful. I saw the Nutcracker at the Opera Bastille and LOVED IT! I was sitting high up but right in the middle with a great view. As soon as the orchestra started the music I was so excited. The costumes and dancing were incredible and it was soo much fun to see the little mice and the young girls dancing at the Christmas party (because I danced these same roles as a little girl), so those were my favorite parts. The dancers who played Clara and the Prince were also amazing and I just had a great time. I'm so glad I went and it was a great way to spend the evening. After that I met up with a couple friends and we took a bottle of champagne to a bridge on the Seine, where TONS of people were gathering for midnight. Cars were honking their horns, everyone popped champagne and the boats all stopped on the Seine to see the Eiffel tower twinkle. It was so pretty. But unfortunately no major fireworks show, just some little ones from the Louvre. After that we walked to the Champs Elysees. The streets were blocked off from cars so it was packed of people. We were towards the end of the Champs Elysees, near Place de la Concorde, and looking all the way down to the Arc de Triomphe it was just a haze of people. It was pretty incredible. Everyone was just drinking and having a good time people watching.

The night kind of faded from that point, but that's okay. I had a really nice time and will always remember it.

Okay, off for a small nap and then on to meet the girls in the city. I think we're going to a wine bar tonight at Palais Royale.