Côte d'Azur

    I was so excited to take a weekend trip to the French Riviera. I had done a mood board on the Côte d'Azur earlier in the year, so I was already familiar with what it represents. Though I was familiar, I did not except it to be as beautiful as it was. Gabby and I took a train from Paris to Nice, France. It was a very long way and there was not much to see in the beginning. At one point the train was stopped and an announcement was made in French, we asked a fellow traveler what was said and he told us that somebody was down on the tracks! We were so shocked and found it very funny that they were so casual about this. A few minutes later we kept moving as normal, I assume the person moved off the tracks, I hope. Anyway, as we reached closer to the coast line, the view was insanely beautiful. It was like nothing I had seen before. I did study abroad in Greece last summer, so I have seen beautiful beaches, but there is something different about the South of France. The colors are very earthy and the homes have more of a California feel. The sun shined the entire time as we passed through each little town, making our way to Nice at the end. We went straight to our hotel to drop our bags off and head to the beach. I was very surprised to see the little town of Nice because it was more advanced then I'd expect. It's so small and far away from everything else, yet they have McDonalds, Zara, and Starbucks. Greece was much different in this way because the towns are not advanced, consisting of mostly family owned, small businesses. The beach was all rocks, no sand, which also surprised me because I would expect such a famous beach town to be beautiful, soft sand. I do not really prefer rock beaches because they are sort of uncomfortable. Once you get down to the beach and look around though, you realize the view makes up for the rockiness. There are beautiful mountainsides filled with flowers and scattered with magnificent houses. The water is a crystal blue color and you can tell by looking at it that it is so clean and crisp. We relaxed on the beach and enjoyed the sunshine before we walked to roam the town a bit. The town consists of adorable streets of shops and restaurants. A very unique detail in Nice are the streets being made of stones or bricks. It is not like walking around a typical city with black roads and sidewalks. People are out and about everywhere, enjoying ice-cream or coffee and shopping. They were also street performers which surprised me as well, but I guess it makes a lot of sense since tourists are swarming the city. We went out for a nice meal and night on the town, overall it was very relaxing and the people had a happy vibe. Nice definitely was different than what I had expected, it was much more of a town than I thought it would be. I can definitely see why people love Nice so much. I hope to go back one day for sure!

When I learned my professor in London lived in the South of France, I expressed that we spent a weekend in Nice. He immediately made a face and said he doesn't like it there. I was surprised because Nice is so famous and beautiful. I asked him why he did not like it and he said that most Europeans do not like Nice because it has no soul. He also said, in true British fashion, that the beach there is rubbish and so small. I asked why it is so famous if people do not even like it and he explained that it is just "in fashion". It is close to Cannes where the Cannes Film Festival is each year. It has also just become a destination spot for people who are not European, but Europeans themselves do not enjoy Nice. It was an interest perspective to hear.

A typical street in Nice.

Beautiful fountain and statue in Nice.

The gorgeous beach of Nice.

Typical street performers in Nice.

Luxury Class in Paris- Cosmetic Innovation by L'Oreal

            We were asked to look at Product innovation in the cosmetic luxury world. L’Oreal is one of the leading groups in the cosmetic world, therefore I explored a new product and application called Makeup Genius.The application, Makeup Genius, was invented by L’Oreal to maximize the promotion for its products by offering customer a virtual experience on mobile. This creative invention provides solid benefits for both the customer and the company. The application saves time and energy with joyful shopping experience in terms of the customer’s perspective. Makeup Genius is the mobile application that people can easily access regardless of time and place. Therefore, the customers who do not want to get changed or leave home to shopping or have a busy working schedule can simply enjoy the virtual yet creative experience presented by the L’Oreal. Moreover, it simplifies the tiresome shopping process for makeup stuffs by eliminating the needs to remove makeup on either face or hands after trying only a few makeup stuffs. Also, the customers do no need to feel as if they were pressured to purchase at least an item after receiving a salesperson’s help in store. The last yet the most creative benefit of this application is that it can be personalized on behalf of the customer’s wish – customers can mix and match the wide range of colors presented by L’Oreal on the application.

            The packaging of this application is simple yet coherent to imply its message. The name is surrounded by harmony of different colors from red to black offered by the makeup products from L’Oreal. Also, the name, Makeup Genius, itself is also explanatory because the application is performing a genius work by recognizing different face shapes, eyelids, cheeks and lips of each customer and provides the best virtual makeup experience ever. This simply shows that it is smart application for smart customers especially the ones who value time and sensitive with changing trends. To add on, this innovative product or application makes the customer and brands communication feasible. By having the customers trying new or existing products at L’Oreal, the brand can keep their customers while expanding and reaching out to the new customers. This innovation can builds and enhances the relationship between customer and brand by improving the comfort shopping process for customers while saving the company’s budget on a payment to its workers. The merchandising process within this application is also unique because this application displays only the products form L’Oreal and thus can easily attract customers with more chances to appeal with more range of products on hand.

            To sum up, this genius application can be considered the best communication method a brand can take due to the current technology implementation while eliminating the unique uncomfortable makeup shopping process for customers. Such creative invention can not only enhances the relationship with the brand’s customers, but also improves the brand’s public reputation and recognition.

South Kensington

If London weren’t so beautiful, I probably wouldn't have the same relationship I do with it. This city is literally a breath fresh air from my previous home on the island of Manhattan. Mostly because, it is exceptionally clean city and the public transportation is on point (double decker buses are my transportation mode of choice).

Waiting for the Bus Towards Oxford Circus

Having never been to London before this, the only expectations I had was based off of what others had told me about the city. Everyone said that I would have an amazing summer and now that I have settled in I would be lying if I said say they weren’t right. Between studying at the London College of Fashion and the location of my summer flat in South Kensington with Hyde Park as my backyard, I am one lucky student.

Hyde Park Gate Flat

The flat we live in is probably my favorite part about the Londoner lifestyle. It is a Victorian style townhouse neighboring Kensington Palace. Yes I said Kensington Palace, where Kate Middleton and Prince Charles call home. I strongly believe that your living situation will determine the experience you have in a new place, because it ultimately sets the tone. So, I am very fortunate to have found comfort in my new home, and I can thank Drexel and FIE (Foundation for International Education) for making that possible.

Our Room

Yesterday for example, I was walking down Kensington High Street and admiring the architecture of all the homes with the modern shops and restaurants below them. My favorite restaurant in the area is called Memories of India it has been here decades. I actually just went there today and ordered the Vegetable Masala with Garlic Naan bread; it is my favorite dish in the house! You may or may not know this, but London is known for their Indian restaurants and to be honest it is over saturated it with them. But, this particular gem is actually worth going to, the food is prepared fresh (not overwhelming with spices) and the ambiance is cool, calm, and collective.

Aside from my neighborhood, I have found that living in London is the gateway for traveling around Europe. Just to name a few, I love how accessible Paris, Spain, and Germany are. With that said I have really taken advantage of traveling and I will share these experiences with you in the posts to come.

Paris Impressions

   I was so excited to arrive in Paris, as any girl who majors/works in fashion would be. I have dreamed of going to Paris and seeing the Eiffel Tower my whole life. I was so excited when we pulled in on the train to go and explore. As soon as I got off the train I was so happy. Paris is beautiful and has amazing architecture, even more impressive than Geneva. Every single building is so old, detailed, and gorgeous. It is something I could definitely get used to seeing on a daily basis. As we tried to find a cab to school for the opening day ceremony, we were already being scammed because we are American. A man offered us a ride for 50 Euros. Luckily we realized this sounded like too much so we took another cab from the street that was using his meter. It ended up being about a 14 Euro ride, so I am glad we thought to second guess the first offer. This made me realize the rumors are true that they take advantage of tourists. I can't say this about all the service in Paris, but it definitely holds true for taxis. I learned quickly that the metro is the best option to get around the city. It is convenient and not too expensive. I lived in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. The arrondissements go in a snail shape with 1 at the center. The 7th, my neighborhood, is said to be on of the nicest areas of Paris. It was mostly quiet with the occasional rush of kids with parents after school was released. There were some nice restaurants and shops in the area so it was perfect for us. It was not the spot for lively nightlife, but we also learned that crazy nightlife is not very big in Paris at all. It is more of a day time city, where you can walk around various parks, museums, or just outdoor shopping not the Champs Elysees. I wouldn't say Paris is a very young city either, a lot of people on the streets are older with children. If you like art, Paris has so much to see. The amazing, impressive museums can take up your entire vacation. Museums like D'Orsay or the Louvre cannot be seen in one day, unless you are running through it. It is also important to see famous sites like Notre Dame or the Eiffel Tower up close. They are just something magnificent and definitely for me something I have never witnessed. The Eiffel Tower at night was my favorite thing. I could stare at the sparkling lights forever, but sadly they go off hourly for only a few minutes. A lot of people say that the French people hate Americans, but I truly did not experience this at all. The people were so nice and inviting. They always tried to help translate with us and give us advice. I did notice that almost every person in France can speak a bit of English, but most Americans cannot speak any French at all. It bothers and embarrasses me that we look so uneducated and it appears that we only care about our own country. I hope one day this will change as the world evolves. I suggest everyone gets to Paris and sees the amazing sights. The stereotypes of American haters is very exaggerated and not worth to hold you back from seeing this amazing city. 

Weekend in Geneva, Switzerland

     After spending an amazing few days in Italy, Gabby and I headed for Paris. We still had the weekend off before our program began so we decided to make a pit stop in Geneva, Switzerland along the way. I was excited to see Geneva because my father has done business here before and says it is beautiful. He is in the watch industry, which is huge in Geneva, so I was excited to see it for myself. We dropped off our bags and headed for the famous Lake Geneva. I was so impressed by how beautiful all the buildings were along the water. Mostly hotels, with amazing details and pretty black gates on all the windows (photo below). Lake Geneva was different than I expected only because I saw you were allowed to swim in it in a certain area and there was a diving board. Sort of funny to see in a big lake, but nice on a hot day. It was very cloudy for the two days we were there, but beautiful nonetheless. I obviously noticed the big water fountain in the center of the lake. Across the lake I could see the major name watch brands across the tops of all the buildings. This really represented Geneva to me and what they are all about it. It is very luxurious and things are more expensive than most other countries. For example, at McDonalds, a packet of ketchup costs about 50 cents. I was so surprised at this because I am not used to paying for condiments. The McDonalds was also very fancy inside and clean. If you cannot tell by now, we did eat a McDonalds. I know this is bad, but we could not find something quick and cheap in the area so McDonalds seemed like the answer. The people seem to be very relaxed and wealthy. They all wear designer clothing, watches, and sun glasses. I noticed a lot of people sitting at outdoor cafes just having a coffee or beer. This seems to be very common all over Europe, which is a big difference from the United States. In the United States, in a major city like New York, the sidewalks do not have room for tables nor would be very relaxing considering how crowded and loud it is. One of my favorite moments was when we walked in to a little pastry shop and I saw adorable little birds on top of the counter enjoying a pastry. It made me realize the people are very laid-back because they did not even mind the birds being indoor. Apparently the birds are laid-back as well because they did not fear the humans at all. We got Movenpick ice cream, highly recommended by Gabby. I had to agree with her, it was very delicious. For dinner we enjoyed cheese fondue with bread. We also ordered pesto pasta, but by the time it arrived we were too full. The cheese fondue was very good, I wondered if it was a typical thing to order there. We also saw so many fans from Brazil cheering for the world cup game. Brazil had just won and people were driving through the streets honking horns and yelling in there jerseys. I was so surprised when we were told that a lot of Brazilians live in Geneva. I would never have guessed that. Geneva was definitely beautiful, but I can honestly say two days was enough time for me. There is not much to do and it is so expensive. 

Hotel in Geneva by the Lake front.

Luxury watch advertisement.

Baby birds eating cake off the counter inside a pastry shop.

Enjoying cheese fondue and pesto pasta.

Tips for Parisian Living

Tips!

• Most Places take Credit Cards, our school suggestions not carrying a lot of cash
• Most Cabs only take cash, have cash for your way home at night, Metro does not stay open late
•Uber is also available in Paris if you want/need to use a credit card
•Most restaurants offer wifi, so always ask! they pronounce it "wee - fee"
• It might make sense to get a monthly metro pass if you must use the metro to get to class, especially because my classes required us to take the metro for daily field trips
•Make meals at home to save money
•When traveling via train from Paris to London leave enough time because you will be required to go through customs! we missed our train, luckily there was no fee to be put on the next train
•Don't rush to get food before getting on trains to travel, the wraps and sandwiches are pretty delicious in the dining car
•Don't over tip, tipping is not as necessary in Europe
•Bring clothes that are nice for class, especially if you are in the luxury program, they except you to look nice
•I can't stress comfortable walking shoes, you definitely walk A LOT
•I handbag that zippers fully is also very useful, that way you do not have anxiety about getting things stolen when in the metro
•July is sale season in France. "Soldes" means sales, and even every high end designer has items on sale
•Start seeing all the tourist sites you want to see early on, don't put it off, your time goes by so quickly!

Bastille Day Paris

Bastille Day in France is the equivalent to the 4th of July in the US. Three years ago I was in Paris for Bastille Day and the Fireworks were the most amazing sight to be seen, therefore I was blown away with excitement when I realized I would be witnessing them for the second time. In the early evening everybody makes their way to the Eiffel Tower with blankets, baguettes, cheese, meats, and wine, yes those are the Parisian essentials. Amanda and I arrived slightly later, making it a tad bit challenging to find a seat with a good view of the tower. Opera music was sang live as we snacked on some shrimp cocktail with the view of the tower. We waited patiently as the sun began to set, lower and lower. As the sunlight began to disappear, as it stays light out very late in Paris, our eagerness began to set in. As the first firework was set off a strange feeling came across me, I was watching one of the most beautiful sites in all of the world, more extraordinary than most, spectacular in every way. Below I have posted photos that don't even begin to describe how amazing the experience truly is, everybody should see the Bastille Day Fireworks at the Eiffel Tower at least once in their lives.

Below is link to video of Fireworks:

https://fbcdn-video-a.akamaihd.net/hvideo-ak-xfp1/v/t42.1790-2/10274478_10204458292238403_1122114296_n.mp4?oh=a60f70c4cac47ded736f81bf1b873154&oe=53D67F97&__gda__=1406566946_6d72a8ebbc4301aba4e293abef8697de