Shrove Tuesday!

Today is pancake day in the UK. Well, not the traditional pancakes we are used to in the United States, they are more like crepes. Ollie is in the kitchen making some now.  I had an early start today- had a viewing for one of my modules. We watched the film In The Mood For Love (2000) which was made in Hong Kong. We watched with English subtitles. It was a good film, however the film kept using this same song over and over again and it sounded so familiar. I feel like I'd heard the song before, but cannot place it. Any ideas? Listen here.

Today Ollie received a package from Adagio Tea and I received a package from my cousin Emmy. She gave me 4 different kinds of  David's teas, a card and 2 lovely tea towels. I love tea exchanges! The only problem is that I don't know which tea to review for my tea blog first.  I think it'll be the coco chai rooibos! Yummy. I was recently told that it might be a good idea to also have articles on tea related things in addition to tea reviews and so that is what I shall do. I just need to think of ideas of what articles I need to write. Yesterday I wrote one on how to brew the perfect cup of tea.

Ollie and I decided on our holiday and booked it this past Sunday. Next month we're going to an all inclusive resort in Malta. I'm so excited! We're going for 4 nights and the island is beautiful. Here's a photo I found of one of the harbors there. Photo credit

Look how beautiful Malta is. The beautiful oceans and blue skies get me every time. Plus what I love about Malta is the historical aspect of the land. There are many ancient temples as well as archaeological sites.

I'm going to go eat some pancakes now!

Leah

Ahoy!

It's been a while! I haven't posted since January. I posted a photo today on my Facebook page of La Jolla (pronounced La hoy-ya), California-which is in Southern California, right near San Diego. It's known for it's beautiful beaches and caves as well as the local sea lions. However a beautiful place with sea lions has one draw back- those cute creatures smell terrible. Here's the photo:

Beautiful place, isn't it? I'm lucky to have lived in California, a state so beautiful. I lived in San Francisco, but I did visit southern California a few times. In comparison, here is a photo of the town where I live now, another oceanside town:

The photo above is breathtaking. Also, it's copyrighted by Leah K Nadeau Photo, just so you know. :) This is the top of Constitution Hill, the mountain closest to our house. Only in Wales do they call mountains "hills." Ollie and I went to the castle last night and it was very beautiful to see the promenade all lit up at night. The Castle is very dark though and it's necessary to bring a flashlight, or your phone's built in flashlight. Or, as they call flashlights here, torches. This always makes me giggle because I think of the Olympic Torch. Then I think of British people walking around with little torches with fire coming out of them. Silly.

I am 30 minutes in to the Martin Scorsese film After Hours. The supporting character Marcy, played by Rosanna Arquette, is so weird. If I was Paul, the main character, I'd have left that apartment the second I arrived and saw a half naked woman doing paper mâché in the middle of the place. He's supposedly on a date with Marcy, but then he offers the half naked woman a massage. There was nothing innocent about a massage when a woman isn't wearing a shirt. I'm watching this film for my Case Studies in Film History class. Hey, it's better than last week! We watched The Ox Bow Incident. 

I just finished having some Irish Breakfast tea (at 6 pm) and in the process of dunking I lost two biscuit halves. That's like the number one problem of British citizens across the nation. We will never forget you, lost biscuits. Although you were lost in the murky waters of Irish Breakfast, we will remember you as you once were-a full, malted-milk tasty biscuit. We salute you.

Have a good night

Leah

Great Bargains, Toilet Paper Mix up and Birthday Plans

Earlier Ollie and I went to Starbucks with the egift cards my mom got us for Christmas. The cashier had never seen them before. When they worked she thought they were magic or something. We had our grande lattes and were on our way. But first I dragged Ollie into Accessorize-I've been looking for a laptop bag for a few days, but I'm really picky. Until I came across a bag that said £5, sold as is. The zipper pull was broken, but it still zipped if you pulled it with one finger on top and my thumb on the bottom. It was gorgeous, I had to have it. So I walked out of the store with this:

Don't mind the model in the background holding the handbag. Just kidding, it's not a model, it's Ollie wearing his new Detroit hoodie that I brought back for him. Thanks mom!

So I have some awesome news! Ollie and I have decided to take a vacation this summer. We live in Europe right now, so why not take advantage of our geographical location and go somewhere cool to explore? We'd love to go to Prague, but I've already been there. However I'd go again in a heartbeat. That city is so rich with history. Plus the architecture is gorgeous. Also we're looking at Italy, Sweden, Iceland and Spain. Any other recommendations? We're going to think about where we want to go for the next week and then we're going to decide and book the trip. I'm so excited! I really do love traveling. I have my mom to thank for that, she's a world traveler. She's been everywhere! I've never been on vacation with a partner and nor has Ollie, really- unless you count our trip to London over Christmas, but that was in the country so I don't count it. So yeah, please-if you have been to any cities that you've traveled to and you loved please let me know!

After I got my purse, Ollie and I went to Savers down the street for paper towel, or as they call it in this country, kitchen paper. We found a great deal, 2 pounds for 9 rolls. We walked out and as soon as we got home Ollie turned around and said "Uhh...Leah?" and I said what? It turned out we bought cheap toilet paper rather than the paper towels that we needed. We were both too lazy to go back so I'll be heading back after my lectures tonight.

Ollie's birthday is on Sunday and I've been treating it as his "birthday week" and I've let him open a present every day this week. His biggest gift, which I will be giving to him tomorrow, I will be putting together while he's at work. Jilly was going to help me, but she's going home for the weekend. I've got this! I'm excited to see Ollie's reaction. It's a great gift and I know nobody's given it to him before. Well, at least I don't think. I will tell you guys after I give it to him, because he reads my blog and I don't want him to be spoiled on what it is! So far I've given him 4 types of loose leaf teas, a spoon specifically to scoop tea (called the perfect tea spoon), a USB cup warmer because his tea gets cold when he's working and now he can just put it on a little mount that warms his mug, and a few other things that are escaping my mind. The best is yet to come! It's time I get ready for my 4 pm lecture; Case Studies in Film History.
Adios!
Leah

I'm back!

Today I began my second term of grad school. I was 10 minutes late, but I thought it was a miracle I even showed up to my seminar because of my massive jetlag hangover. Getting out of bed this morning was not fun. I missed the UK. I missed my friends in Wales. Of course I missed by boyfriend. Last night my friends and I met up for Indian food to celebrate the end of the first term's assignments finishing. Jilly dipped her sleeve in Korma. Dan ordered the Indian version of spaghetti bolognese. Nothing Peter or Ollie did was noteworthy. However I felt like I had to mention their existence. Oh, Ollie just pointed out that he did do something cool, he ordered a sizzler. Basically this hot platter that comes out with the food still sizzling. I thought it was going to be a spectacle, kind of how fajitas are when you order them at a restaurant. The sizzling steak and peppers on the platter, the warm tortillas and all the fillings on the plate. I don't personally like fajitas, never have. Just wanted to put that out there. 

My first flight was 8 hours-a red eye. It left at 9:30 pm and arrived into Paris at 10:00 am. I had a nice layover in Paris for about an hour and a half and then took a plane to England. Was I done in England? No sir. I then took a train all the way from England to Wales for 3.5 hours. Luckily Ollie met me at the airport (he trekked 3.5 hours to pick me up, awwwwh) so the train ride wasn't as bad. So it's awesome I can say that I've been in 4 countries in 24 hours. How badass!

I brought Ollie over 20 boxes of Kraft Mac and Cheese from America. We have an entire cabinet dedicated to mac and cheese in our kitchen. While I type this Ollie is pacing (he paces all the time, it's an Ollie-ism) and drinking the tea I just reviewed on my tea reviewing blog. I didn't really like the tea and I don't need the caffeine. When Ollie paces he talks to me at the same time but usually I don't listen carefully enough and just agree with whatever he's saying. Then after I've registered what he's actually said I say "what???" and make him repeat whatever he's saying. I think that's the ADD part of me. I'm shocked he's never been frustrated with me over that, honestly.

Oh, so tomorrow I will be watching 2 silent films for my Case Studies in Film History module. I've never watched a silent film without being forced to. Honestly, silent films creep me out a bit. Especially the one we're watching tomorrow, it's a silent horror film. I think it's something to do with the music used in silent films in the background to add effect that creeps me out. I can't put my finger on it. 

I'd just like to point out that I've brought back over 7 kinds of tea from America to Wales. Ollie and I are in tea heaven. Also my cousin and I are mailing each other tea, like a tea pen pal. How great is that? She lives in New Jersey. Okay, time to finish watching American Horror Story, season 4. Only two episodes left!

Talk soon!

Leah

Be Back Soon

I'm traveling back to Wales tomorrow and I will be back with more stories soon!

-Leah

A New Blog

The other day I was on Google Plus (yeah it still exists) and in the tea community I was discussing my love of tea. Another member of the community asked me if I could teach her all about tea. I told her of course, and then I realized-why don't I tell the world about tea?

So that's where that conversation lead me. I've made a new blog. The first post talks about the basics and tomorrow I will begin with my first tea review on a herbal blend called Strawberry Lemonade from Teavanna, which is owned by Starbucks and partnered by Oprah. I know, I know-very consumerist of me. It is what it is, I went to Teavanna before it was bought by Starbucks and partnered up with the billionaire. Still, good tea is good tea. Although it is very overpriced and the employees are pushy. I walked in with the intention of buying one tea and I walked out with 3 and a bill of nearly $50.

Enough of that though, wait until tomorrow for the full story. Just wanted to put it out there that I, Leah Nadeau, have a blog reviewing tea and I want you to be a reader!

Please check it out here: Leah Reviews Tea

My Facebook Page for my blog is ---> Here <---

PS, the new blog is connected to the old and this one isn't going away! I've just added it to my projects :)

Thanks!

Leah

Coffee, Tea and...Black Swan

I was a tea drinker before I was a coffee drinker.

Anyone who has known me only in my adult life would be surprised that I used to only drink tea. Today, I drink coffee every day. I spend way too much money in Starbucks and Costa and recently Ollie got me a french press for our flat. Here's the thing. After I graduated college and got a job, I realized that coffee would be what fueled me through my job, which was all physical labor. I used to work in a stable, cleaning out the horses stalls and feeding them. There were other aspects to the job, but basically I've always been an equestrian and I was offered the job without even a job interview straight out of college. With the economy and lack of jobs out there, I didn't bat an eye before accepting the job. But that's the past and I ended that job a year after I began it.

When I was 12, I began drinking black tea; English Breakfast. It all began when an acquaintance of mine in middle school brought some to class for an international foods day. She made the tea and asked if I wanted milk and sugar. I asked if that was how she would drink it and she said yes, so I gave it a shot. I was shocked that it tasted so good. At that age I thought tea would taste bitter, like coffee.

So that's what began my tea drinking. Of course I was very limited in what kind I drank. It wasn't until I was in college and discovered David's Tea and their amazing free samples and hundreds of options of loose leaf tea that I actually realized the many options I was missing out on. Eventually when I met Ollie he was SO impressed that I was a tea drinker. He thought tea drinkers in the US were rare. I wouldn't say they were too rare, but the only other person in my family that regularly drinks tea is my stepmother, who I'm having tea with right now. We both just tried Rooibos for the first time. I ordered some loose leaf teas from David's and they gave me 3 free samples, so we used her teapot. This Rooibos had cinnamon and cardamom, it's called Coco Chai. I had yet to try it because Ollie is hesitant to buy Rooibos, since it isn't actually real tea, it's part of the tea plant, but not the leaves.

Our tea collection in Wales is pretty extensive. Off the top of my head I can list the loose leaf we have: Irish breakfast, English breakfast, Glengettie, Mango Ceylon, Lapsang Souchong (although I'm too afraid to try it), Assam, Assam 'Adventure', green flowering tea and many more. I also have an extensive collection of bagged tea-I love fruit tea.

However, here's the thing with tea. I love it, but I love coffee more. However for me, what I want first thing in the morning is coffee. Until I get my coffee I can't have anything else hot to drink. At night though, I want tea. I use tea to wind down and coffee for caffeine. Where as Ollie drinks coffee when he craves chocolate, or something sweet and he gets a mocha latte. Then, in the morning he has his morning tea rather than my morning coffee. I love coffee and I love tea. Tea was my first love, and remains in my life, but coffee and I are more serious. :P

My dad, stepmother and I went to a Chinese restaurant for dinner. In the middle of our meal one of the waitresses began sweeping the carpet near us. I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of sweeping carpet in a restaurant. I was laughing so hard I began to cry and shake, something I do when something so funny I can't stand it. The last time this happened to me I was at a friends house and we were watching Black Swan-one of the parts where the bouts of schizophrenia was scaring the hell out of the audience and we paused the film to see a woman standing in the background. We thought it was so funny because we kept pausing the film to try and figure out who this woman was, but couldn't figure it out! Here, I took a photo of it at the time and you'll be able to see what I'm talking about. I'm not even entirely sure who this is. Is it Natalie Portman's character imagining her evil self? Is it Winona Ryder's character? Maybe one of you can figure it out. See below. Creepy. The woman who's back is to the camera is Natalie Portman's character, Nina. Spoiler alert: a lot of the film is her imagination and you have no idea what information that's given in the film is true or if it's Nina's schizophrenia.

Some of you think I might be crazy for posting that photo, but I'm honestly curious if anyone recognizes this part of the scene. Okay, I'm off to continue watching TV with my dad. I'm currently in the states until next weekend. Happy Saturday!