Sometimes I experience Europe-withdrawals.

When that happens I either look back through my study abroad pictures and sink further into depression, or listen to the Les Mis soundtrack and think about how I am going to see the musical again in May when it will be playing at the Capitol Theater in Salt Lake (more about that later).

However sometimes I get really lucky and Jean Paul takes me to the French Bakery on State street in Orem! And let me tell you, this place is pretty legit.

It doesn't even have soda on tap -- you have to buy a bottled drink. Whoa. (But luckily their bottled water costs 50 cents not 4 euros...)

Anyways, last week I was exhibiting these withdrawal symptoms so Jean Paul whisked me away for a lovely lunch at this little bakery.

Jean chatted away with the owner in French and I smiled and nodded like I understood while actually eyeing the pile of meringues under the counter.

We feasted on quiche and pan au chocolat and I pretended like I was in Paris again.

However I am afraid this will only satisfy me temporarily...

Anyone up for a trip soon?

Multitasking.

Meringue!!

Best. Thing. Ever.

aaaand this is what happens when you eat shortly after applying red lipstick...

"It is very strange that the years teach us patience - that the shorter our time, the greater our capacity for waiting."

This witty, charismatic legend died earlier this morning at the age of 79.

She won two academy awards for best actress

"Everything makes me nervous - except making films."

She was appointed 'Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.'

"If it is not to make the world better what is money for?"

She started the American foundation for AIDS research

and raised over $50 million to fight the disease:

"It is bad enough that people are dying of AIDS, but no one should die of ignorance."

She had a self-described "love affair with jewelry."

"My mother says I didn't open my eyes for eight days after I was born,

but when I did, the first thing I saw was an engagement ring. I was hooked."

She attended Michael Jackson's private funeral:

"In my estimation he is the true King of Rock Pop and Soul."

She was married 8 times to 7 men:

I've only slept with men I've been married to. How many women can make that claim?

Unequaled in beauty and stardom, Elizabeth Taylor was described as

"loved by women and adored by men."

I've always admired her fascinating views of life and love -- the world has now lost one of the most iconic women of the last century.

Soo I've been craving seafood for about a week now and last night I was FINALLY satisfied.

Jean Paul took me to the one, the only, The Red Lobster.

Turns out if you live in Utah county and want seafood: Red Lobster = your only option.

I have not been to that place in years but, luckily for me, it hasn't changed one bit haha.

So Jean and I ate and talked and laughed until we were the last ones in the restaurant.

He drank one glass of water, I drank six glasses of diet coke (they just kept bringing more out!)

He ordered a steak, I ordered lobster and crab.

He scarred me by showing me the lobster tank in the front of the restaurant and informing me that "I probably just ate one of their best friends."

So I got him back by explaining my family's oh-so-classy annual tradition of using raw chicken legs to catch crayfish/crawdads at Strawberry Reservoir lake.

haha. and he has to come with us this summer.

And then we sword-fought with the crab legs... sometimes we think we're 5 years old.

Oh, and we celebrated 18-months of dating! Woohoo!

Forgive the picture quality... They were taken on my phone. Obviously.

Like the whole rest of the country, this week my life has revolved around basketball.

Not necessarily of my own free will... My boyfriend has decided that "quality time" spent together entails 6 hours of watching college basketball.

I don't know much about the NCAA at all (I had Vanderbilt winning it all, and they lost in the first round... oops)

but when it comes to BYU basketball, that's a different story all together.

I am a full fledged participant in JIMMERMANIA. The man is incredible!

Kevin Durrant agrees, President Obama agrees, and the list could go on.

If you're not on the band wagon already...

WELCOME ABOARD, it'll be the best decision you've ever made.

Did I miss a single home game this season? Nope.

Did I drive to Vegas last weekend in the middle of the night to watch our cougars play? Yep.

Have I looked up how much plane tickets to New Orleans cost? Maybe...

GO COUGARS!! SWEET SIXTEEN BABY!

B Y U

Wow sorry its been ages since I've posted on here!

I just thought that Joshua Radin deserved to have the spotlight for a week and a half...

but guess what, he just got his tonsils out which means no singing for 6 weeks! :(

Let the dark ages begin...

On a happier note... this weekend was CRAZY.

To start it off, we decided at 9:30 PM friday night that we wanted to go to Vegas to watch BYU in the championship basketball game (which was on Saturday at four...)

....cue packing frantically while madly purchasing tickets online....

Unfortunately BYU didn't pull through, but we got to experience some warm weather and got some shopping done (of course).

AND guess who we ran into at Cafe Rio in St. George?!

THAT'S RIGHT!

Michelle Money from "The Bachelor."

Highlight. Of. Our. Trip.

We arrived home at about 3 AM Sunday morning (daylight savings really wasn't our friend) and the next morning it was this guy's birthday:

awww.... He's a quarter of a century old!

And then to make the day even better, later that night

MY FRIEND BETH GOT ENGAGED!!!

I've known her since freshman year of high school and her fiancee is Jean's good friend so that makes us doubly excited. :)

Aren't they so precious?

And by precious I mean the best looking couple I've ever seen.

Remember when we saw Joshua Radin perform in London? If not, refer to this post.

Well he performed in Salt Lake this last week so, naturally, we had to go see him again!

Just in case he forgot ;)

Laura Jansen was Joshua's opener (she's the one with brown hair) and she is AMAZING!!

If you haven't heard any of her songs, then you should definitely listen to this one, because you will fall in love with her voice, and plus she's super adorable.

Now get this:

One thing that was different this time around was that...

we got to meet him!

If you bought a shirt, you got to hang out with him after the concert!!

Best. Moment. Of. My. Life.

London is magic. I'm especially missing it on this rainy day!

...

I

L O V E

M Y

W E L L I E S

(not my picture)