prague is Lord-of-the-Rings-esque

One of my favorite film trilogies is The Lord of the Rings. I own the whole set, so I watch the films all the time. Of course Tolkien's story is magnificent, but I think the New Zealand backdrop is equally beautiful - rolling hills and old castles abundant. So much like Prague, which has the same magical, historical vibe. Some photo proof:

Prague is so very Lord-of-the-Rings-esque. The intricate, mythical details, little doors, sloping hills, ancient castles, and great halls made me immediately think "Ooh, that looks just like the Shire!" or "This could be Helms Deep. Right. NOW." I felt like I was living in a film fantasy world. It was amazing!

Okay, enough geeking around for now. Go watch LOTR if you haven't already, it's my favorite trilogy of all time. And do visit Prague, it's absolutely unforgettable. I'm so lucky to have studied abroad there.

(photos by me)

polaroids!

Eeps! I just found out about Poladroid, a free desktop application that turns normal photos into polaroids! Why haven't I heard of it before? Am I late on the bandwagon? Early? (The app is still in Beta.) Either way, it just made my day. It's genius. I have been poladroid-ing away on old travel pictures for the past hour. I love how authentically "polaroid" they look. Here are a few:

The Colosseum in Rome | Looking down from Gaudi's "Casa Mia" in Barcelona | Port Vell, Barcelona | Prague from a tram window | Friend & I posing in front of Prague Castle | Flowers at Vysehrad Cemetery in Prague | Drinking Irish coffee in Budapest!

best of prague!

While I can't really do much with this cold, I can think about Prague and organize all my past semester's memories. (Yup, blogging in bed with my glasses on... so chic.) So... voila! I humbly present my Best of Prague guide, a series of my recommendations on local attractions, day trips, food & drink, nightlife, and Czech specialties + souvenirs. You can take a girl out of Prague, but you can't take the Prague outta her! Hope you enjoy! xo

swan lake!

Most wonderful night ever! I sat in the 7th row for Swan Lake, and I think I held my breath the entire time. Tchaikovsky score + Incredibly, inhumanly graceful and gorgeous ballerinas = Absolutely unreal. I was so lucky to see every detail and gesture, every pirouette and lift. Swoon.

blackbird and the end of prague

Lately, all I want to do is wear sweaters and T-shirts and converses and be a boy. Is that weird? I haven't touched my jewelry, pretty shoes, or even makeup in a few weeks. It's nice to be so relaxed and natural, especially since that's the norm in Prague. People never dress up or wear heels, not even to clubs!

shirt-dress, t-shirt, and high tops at blackbird

Thank you Prague for being such an nonjudgmental place -- it will be bittersweet to leave you in four days! And thank you, Blackbird, for showcasing such effortless chic apparel and helping make me feel like less of a leggings-and-baggy-shirt wearing slob. Well, sort of.

František Kupka

Just an incredible Czech artist I was introduced to in my art history class. I visited one of Prague's national galleries earlier, and it was such a treat for the eyes! But now I have to write a paper on one of his pieces, which is not nearly as much fun.

cheeky czech poem

Misspelled

So restoration is not spelled au
I spelled it so thinking of the czech word restaurace
to restore
and go with a lady to the Room
like a unicorn in the mirror
all naked in the mirrors
so that I could see the blood trickling.

-- Ivan Blatný

art in real life

Water on the side of my street...


Or Matisse's Icarus?

candle-bright

On my walk to a classical concert, I passed by two lovely candles flickering cheerfully outside in the streets of Prague. Candles sure can make a girl feel cozy, even in the rain and cold. PS: Can you believe it's December already? Amazing.

have a happy thanksgiving

This picture makes me feel warm and happy. And isn't that what Thanksgiving is about? (Via Ruby PR)

Even though I'm in Prague (where people don't celebrate Thanksgiving), I have so much to be thankful for. Here's just a few reasons:

1. Friends here in NYU in Prague who are as fanatical about Thanksgiving as I am! We had the most scrumptious potluck dinner, and I am still stuffed!
2. My family who are 134156 miles away... but I always feel close to them. Thank goodness for technology! (I loooove skype.)
3. My amazing friends from home and New York. Thank you so much for being part of my life. You are all over the globe right now, studying abroad like me. And I'm so glad that we are always present in each others' lives.
4. Prague. It's sometimes emotionally and physically hard to live here. But I am never one to shrink from the challenge! I've learned so much, grown so much. Thank you, Prague, for that.
5. Food! I just had delicious turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, you name it. I am just in food heaven!

Hope you all have a terrific Thanksgiving! Kisses from Prague. :)

mexi-coma

Oh my god. I just had the most incredible Mexican food of my life, and in Prague of all places! Tonight, I took my friend Liz, who's visiting me from Milan, to a new Mexican restaurant that just opened last month. We had tasty mojitos, spicy enchiladas and quesadillas, and delicious strawberries in wine. Good food just makes me so happy! :)

sometimes a girl just needs...

via ruby pr

A large hunk of a chocolate! Totally craving some, it's been stressful catching up to real life in Prague, post-Italy. This weekend, I'm hosting three friends from NYU in my cozy little room (it'll be a total slumber party), devoting time to sleep and classwork, and hopefully seeing Swan Lake! With less than a month here in Prague, I still feel like there's so much to do...

the secret garden

I think I just found my own little winter wonderland, and it's called Wallenstein Palace and Gardens. Such a beautiful, breathtaking place. Great for long walks. (The "cave" wall in the last picture is artificially created, but isn't it magnificent?)

PS: I leave for my fall break tomorrow night! See you in 10 days?

winter meals

Sometimes I feel like such an animal.

No, not in that way! I like to hibernate. I'm so afraid of the cold -- my fingers freeze, my nose trickles (gross!) -- that all I want to do in the winter time is stay inside, turn up the heat, and curl up on a nice, fluffy couch. Also, I always, always crave soup in chilly weather. My favorite here in Prague is a creamy potato soup with bacon bits. Yes, bacon bits! Oh how you make my stomach warm and happy, bacon! What do you love to eat in the wintertime?

(photo via simply breakfast)

souvenirs and things

I have the toughest time buying souvenirs for people. Mostly because I'm so picky and want every gift to be just right for the recipient. Lately I've been seeing these sweet little tin cups everywhere in Prague! They're a little childish, but we all have a bit of "kid" in us, right? (Or maybe only my 12-yr-old sister will like them...) What do you think? (Photo from here)

an icecream break with hare krishnas

A neighborhood in Karlovy Vary | Near Prague Castle -- an absinthe icecream shop!? | My comfy study couch in the NYU center. (See my "H" tote bag?) | Hare Krishnas making their rounds in Old Town Square | The magnificent Loket Castle.

here and there in prague

hot water mugs between small hands,
before trains and trams take them
asking for trust and kroners,

salty goulash tongue befriending
euro dogs and praha pivo,
camera swinging like wings of june bugs,

gothic buildings slant with pretty girls
dancing alone in seedy clubs,
dressed in disco and buy-me-a-drink,

art-inspired goosebumps, inquired nostalgia,
required postcards, desired responses,
talking about books in coffee shops,

september, october, november
will unfold like unlaced fingers
tracing question marks on my arms.

dining with statues in castles

Burčák (a partially fermented wine that tastes like cider, but has alcohol content between 5% and 8%!) | Statues at the St. Agnes convent | Czech McDonald's | Lovely ceiling in an NYU in Prague classroom | View from Karlstejn Castle. As always, more pictures here!

dressing up for fruity dancing

Prague vintage | My local fruit/vegetable store | Dancing in front of the "Dancing Building" | Desserts (crepes and berry dumplings!) | My friend's collection of beer cans. (More here!)