Discovering The Best Places to Visit in Europe
This is Zuzana’s 15 minute warm up routine which I did today before the 20 minute Tabata interval training cardio workout. I was going to do one of the latest abs workouts after the cardio but I was too exhausted to do it. I’ll have to do the abs workout tomorrow.
My legs now feel like jelly so I must be doing something right.
Friday is my day off which usually means movie day. F and I will normally see 2 movies in one day but today we just couldn’t agree on anything to see.
I wanted to see In The Air with George Clooney but F flat out refused to watch it because ‘all George Clooney movies are crap’, even though he’s never actually seen a movie with George Clooney in it. I bought tickets anyway (lol, poor F) but when I saw the huge queue to go in the cinema I decided to forget about it. I hate seeing movies in a crowded cinema. Who wants to sit next to other people!
We couldn’t agree on anything else to see so we just went home instead 
I might go up to La Defense next week and see the 11am session. It’s always dead over there at that time of the day. Anyone want to go with me? The ticket’s on me 
If anyone is a bit partial to crappy American TV shows, as I am, then you might be interested to know that season 7 of Project Runway started 3 weeks ago.
The new season of The Amazing Race will be starting on February 14 and ANTM on March 3.
I would fail at procrastinating if it wasn’t for these shows.
In related news, Desperate Housewives, Law and Order, and Law and Order SVU all seem to be on a break
I’ve been wanting to buy a property in Sydney for quite some time and while I was in Australia last July, I organised the finance and started looking for properties. I was looking in Manly, mainly because I think it’s a great location with its popular beach, loads of cafes, and easy ferry access into the city. Being such a popular suburb, I’m sure prices will go up steadily (the long term average increase is 8%) and it should be easy to rent.
The other thing is that even though I have no immediate plans to return to Australia, I’m sure I will one day, and I think I will probably move to Sydney or Melbourne if/when I do. It’ll be nice to have the option to live right near the beach.
I was working with a Perth real estate agent I know and he flew to Sydney in December to look at properties for me. He found an absolutely gorgeous art deco apartment which I desperately wanted but I got outbid at the last minute and had to let it go. It probably wasn’t a great investment anyway.
In the end I got a 2 bed, 2 bath, 1 car bay modern apartment (10 years old) just off the corso, half way between the beach and the harbour. Perfect!
The apartment never actually went on the market (which is why I think I got such a great deal) but an almost identical apartment in the same building was for sale. Here is how it was described in the listing:
Perfectly positioned between the beach and harbour, this stunning top floor, split level security apartment offers the perfect lifestyle choice. Showcasing the sophistication of an inner city apartment, an open plan lounge/dinning and designer kitchen with soaring 3 metre ceilings flows to an entertainers balcony, perfect for capturing sea breezes. Accommodation includes two spacious bedrooms with built-in robes, main with ensuite, internal laundry, storage, lift and security carspace. The apartment is tastefully appointed with stylish roller blinds, polished floorboards and stone feature walls. Step out to enjoy a superb selection of cafes and restaurants. This is Manly living at its best.
I don’t have photos of the actual apartment but it looks just like this:
I almost didn’t watch this movie because I’m not much of a fan of police movies but in the end I’m glad I did.
Complices starts with the death of Vince, a young guy from a poor family who was making a living in a high risk profession. We follow his story in flashback, as the police try to piece together his movements and find his killer.
Vince meets a girl (of course) which complicates his work life (of course) but they stick together and make plans to run away and start a new life. Of course nothing every works out as planned and it all turns to crap.
While that’s going on, you have the unusual relationship between the two single, 50 something, police officers on the case. Unfortunately their characters weren’t developed enough and we really didn’t get to know them. There was also the introduction of the male cop’s cheating brother which didn’t seem to serve any purpose.
Not a great movie but definitely worth watching.
Movie #: 8
La Merditude des Choses or The Shittiness of Things as it was called in the US.
I had thought this movie was going to be funny but it wasn’t. It was kinda sad and pathetic and quite gross at times too.
The story follows a young Belgian (Flemish) boy growing up in a small town, living in poverty, trying to make the best of his life living in the same house with his alcoholic father, 3 loser uncles, and loving grandmother.
The whole family is a bit of a disaster. The boy was conceived after his parents had a quickie out the back of a pub. The mother didn’t want anything to do with the kid so he was living with his father and grandmother who was like a mother to him. His father and 3 uncles are all losers without jobs, money, wives, girlfriends so they all end up living with their mother where she does everything for them while they get drunk and yell and fight.
It was kind of exhausting to watch. I just can’t relate to this kind of film and how people can be so stupid and cruel. At one point, the father realizes he’s an alcoholic who needs help so he goes into rehab. Good for him. He comes out of it a different man, much healthier and happier, with plans for the future. Then his brothers get angry with him for refusing to go to the pub and have a good time with them. They pushed him and pushed him until he gave in and that was the end of his sobriety. Nice.
Movie #: 7
I think I’m going to move to Greece.
I don’t know why, but I can’t stand that movie, especially with a Mexican playing a Greek, but at least it has the best Greek song of all time.
Here is a better version of the song but without the images:
Today is the 10 year anniversary of when F and I first met. I never imagined that on a weekend trip to London I would meet an Albanian refugee and have un coup de foudre! Stranger things have happened I suppose.
We celebrated today by enjoying Pierre Marcolini chocolates
I also can’t believe that it’s been just over 10 years since I first moved to Paris. Time flies when you’re having fun!
The Danes make great movies. Most of the Danish films I’ve seen are either police movies or thrillers which they seem to excel at. I’m not a huge fan of this genre but I really liked Just Another Love Story.
Basically you have a 40 something guy, married with 2 kids, who is bored with his routine life. He then finds himself tempted by another woman. Not that surprising but the story is quite unique, involving murder, amnesia, and the Triads.
Nikolaj Kaas is great as usual. He’s in like every other Danish film but that’s ok as he’s my favourite Danish actor by far.
Warning: This film is very violent in parts.
Movie #: 6
