Joie de Vivre

Writing, Reading, Running, Living, Traveling, Discovering, Cooking, Eating, Singing, Being, Laughing, Loving, Exploring, Sunbathing, Skiing, Trying, Failing, Tweeting, Posting, Finding, Losing, Experiencing, Working, Sleeping, Blogging, Visiting, Changing, Helping, Teaching, Learning, Dreaming, Going, Hoping, Driving, Wishing, Sharing, BBMing, Playing, Wandering, Biking, Imagining, Shopping, Storytelling, Dog Walking, Waiting, Creating, Gift Wrapping, Gift Unwrapping, Chatting, Jogging, Picture Taking, Smiling

American Girl in the 50s taken by Pierre Boulat

Joie de Vivre is a blog dedicated to all of the pleasures of life, whether it be art, recipes, running, or just simple discoveries in a new place.  I am back in the world of blogging with a new blog: 

Joie de Vivre

Pierre Boulat Paris: 100 Photos Exhibit at the Petit Palais

After my fist blogging experience this past spring studying abroad in Paris (Same Girls, New Continent) I do not want to stop!  I have fallen in love with the writing/picture taking aspect of blogging and want to continue to share with the world my discoveries, no matter how big or small.  I am going into my fourth year at University of Virginia but before the start of school in late August, I will be spending my summer days interning in Pittsburgh.  It has been over 10 years since I have lived in the Steel City and I could not be more excited about returning.  Please stay tuned to Joie de Vivre for many pictures, stories, and discoveries on the simple joys of living.

"I've always admitted that I am ruled by my passions."

--Elizabeth Taylor

Bisous bisous,
Mary

A Day for the Arts

"Everything you can imagine is real."

-Pablo Picasso

About a month ago, a few friends and I took the 40 minute trainride outside of the city to Humlebæk, home of the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art! This is the most visited museum in Denmark and hosts an extensive collection of modern and contemporary art from 1945 to the present.

My favorite exhibit was the Picasso exhibit, titled PEACE & FREEDOM. Before this exhibit I wasn't sure that I liked Picasso's art, but after my visit to Lousiana I have a new respect and understanding for Picasso's works, as well as modern art as a whole.

Thought this one might be a different name, but "Eyes" by Louise Bourgeois can be seen from all four, glass corridors of the museum.

 Below are two advertisements for the exhibit. Fred & Frihed meaning peace and freedom.

The second ad features my favorite of his paintings. Here is a larger view...

Nature morte au bougeoir; Still life with a candlestick

still life on pedestal table

Le déjeuner sur l’herbe

 

Louisiana also hosts a pretty large Andy Warhol exhibit!

This was one of my favorites, playing off of the Danish obsession with the Little Mermaid statue.



View from the museum of the Oresund sound



We had a great time at Louisiana, and now I can't wait to see the Picasso exhibit in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts once I return home.

Last weekend in Copenhagen...I can't believe it!!!! At least my sister is here to share it with me! I really have fallen in love with Denmark, and it is going to be way harder than I imagined to leave it.

Look for a post soon covering the adventures of my spring break backpacking around Europe!

Hej hej,

Kelly

Austrian Countryside!

"There is pleasure in the pathless woods;

There is rapture on the lonely shore

There is society where none intrudes

By the deep sea and the music in its roar:

I love not the man less,

but Nature more..."

                                                                                                                 

 -Lord Byron  

Our second day in Austria we decided to leave the city behind and explore the countryside of the Danube River Valley. This was a last minute decision, but probably the best one we made all trip. Our bus tour took us to 5 quaint towns wedged in the hills of the valley, all perched right next to the Danube River. It was such  a beautiful and picturesque scene in every direction.




Vineyards cover the hills in between each of the towns



The first town we stopped at was Krems, Austria. Built on a hill, many of the roads are windy and steep and the houses have the appearance that they were literally built up on top of each other.



My mom and I in Krems



The next town we went to was called Durnstein.

parents at lunch!

After lunch and stopping at all 5 towns along the river the bus took us to the mideval Melk Abbey. This Austrian Benedictine abbey was built in 1089 but is still one of the world's most famous monastic sites. It's located in the town of Melk built up on a rocky peak overlooking the Danube river and Wachau valley in Lower Austria. This was such a beautiful and old place, and it was amazing to see that it was still functioning today much like it was a thousand years ago.

intricate chapel ceiling

picture of my postcard from Melk

The inside of the church was amazingly ornate, covered in intricate gold designs

Austria was such a beautiful country! I knew very little about it and wasn't sure what to expect at all when we chose it as our weekend destination. That's the thing I have fallen in love with in Europe....any country you end up in offers its own unique culture and hidden beauties that always surprise me. Every place I have visited is just as exciting and beautiful as the last.

I had such an amazing time with my parents during their time in Denmark and Austria. Lots of catching up and talking about the past and the future over some good, red wine. Thank you so much for coming to visit me, and especially for supporting me on this adventure abroad!! Love you both!





 Tomorrow I'll be posting about my trip to Louisiana, which is the most famous Modern Art Museum in Denmark, and home to a large Picasso exhibit!

Sending my love from Denmark

XOXO,

Kelly

McNally Parents come to Denmark!

Hello Again!

Now that Mary is safely back in the United States I guess it's my turn to keep the blog rolling! Sorry that it's been so long since I've posted, but I have been quite busy with my parents visiting, a three week spring break, and finals.

Tuesday March 29th in the Copenhagen airport I excitedly hugged my parents for the first time in almost 3 months! I can't explain how great it was to see their faces. My parents have only been to Europe once, so I was so excited to be their tour guide extraordinaire on their second European adventure!

With so many things for me to show them in my new home, I wanted to get started immediately showing them around Copenhagen. (I may have been a little over-ambitious, because I think by the end of the day they were about to pass out. I failed to remember that they had just flown 9 hours over the ocean and hadn't slept in 24 hours, woops ;-) But they were troopers. Here are some pictures of our first stop, a quaint little fishing village called Dragør right in the outskirts of Copenhagen.



  

Lunch at Cafe Blink

The next day we took the train out to Helsingor to the infamous Krongborg Castle; setting of Shakespeare's Hamlet!



Outside of Kronborg we met an old man who had been stationed at Kronborg during WW2 and was returning for the first time in 60 years. The moment brought tears to his eyes. We were happy to be able to share this experience with him.





With the sleeping Holger Danske; Legend says if Denmark is ever attacked Holger will wake up and save Denmark!



picnic lunch in the town square



 

Helsingor, Denmark


I had a blast showing them around Denmark, and some of our favorite places were Nyhavn (the harbor), the Botanical Gardens, Kings Gardens, Rosenborg Castle, and two of my favorite restaurants in Copenhagen (Flottenheimer, where I found with Mary when she visited and Dalle Valle).

A highlight of the trip however was having a beautiful dinner in the harbor area of Nyhavn which is famous for its antique multi color row houses that line the water.






My parents, my roomate Emily and I ate at a nice restaurant called Cap Horn. We prefaced our meal with a glass of red wine in the outdoor seating right next to the water in an amazingly picturesque setting with string lights and candles everywhere. The restaurant was very cozy and "hygge" as the Danish say. We had a wonderful time catching up and talking about the "catch of the day" of weaver fish that we all ended up ordering from the menu. I highly recommend ordering a weaver fish if you ever get the chance;it serves as a great meal, or at least a great story...  :)
Our seat for dinner was right in the window with a perfect view of the harbor. It was such a nice night and who better to share it with than family. 



  

some good ole' weever fish

After living up to my role as tour guide and showing them every possible thing I could in Copenhagen, we flew to Vienna, Austria for the weekend to get a taste of another European country. I have to say that Vienna is a hidden gem in Europe and one of the most beautiful and romantic cities that I have seen in Europe!

Welcome to Austria!

St. Stephen's Church (The Stephandom, 1147 AD)  is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna. It's known also for its intricately tiled roof.

View from the South Tower of St. Stephen's



Loving springtime in Vienna!

The Belvedere! An unbelievable old Baroque palace that now hosts an art museum

Vienna was full of history and beautiful old buildings. The architecture reminded me of Paris, so Mary Hepp this is a place I recommend you visiting if you ever get the chance! We had a great time exploring the city, but the next day we decided to venture into the Austrian countryside. My next post will show you all of the beautiful little towns we visited along the rolling hills of the Danube Valley.

Glad to be back on the blog; sorry for my long hiatus! Until tomorrow,

X's and O's. Hej hej! 

Kelly