Syrena Legacy | Book Review

1:07 PM Ally M.G. 3 Comments

Imagine the possibility of talk to fish, swimming to the depths of the ocean without your ears popping and maybe even having a fin tale to help get past harsh currents.

Imagine the idea of mermaids or merefolk singing Under the Sea (not really).

The Syrena Legacy by Anna Banks is a trilogy that consists of:

Of Poseidon
Of Triton
Of Neptune

that follows these merepeople, except they call themselves Syrenas.(much cooler name if you ask me)

In this story you follow the life of a young girl named Emma as she discovers that she isn't exactly all human...*hinthint* Along side with the Prince of the Triton Kingdom, Galen, who has been sent to land to find a girl who can apparently communicate with fish (iwonderwhothatis). When Emma and Galen crash into each other --literally - an adventure brews as Emma helps Galen save his Kingdom from COMPLETE DESTRUCTION! Not really, but Emma aids Galen with the troubles that are bubbling under the sea.

Disclaimer: Romance sparks between Emma and Galen....duh.

I do not want to give too much about the story plot because I want you lovely people to actually go on and read it but...the story begins with a very heart wrenching scene since someone dies and you're are just like "Whoa what".  Once all that is over with and the story rolls along between Emma's and Galen's point you will be in for some craziness...be prepared for a few plot twists (that you can see coming if you pay attention closely to the clues Banks gives).

I really enjoyed that the story did not focus on the romance between Galen and Emma, their relationship was part of the story and made it move forward, but it was not the main point. Banks goes into vast detail creating the world of the Syrena; how they work, what they do, how they look and where they live. On land and under water, she even gives readers bit of history of the Syrena that helps the story move along, and keep it going.

She even makes you fall in love with a whale...yup that's right... a whale. The cutest whale of the world (you'll see).

So go to your nearest bookstore or library and pick up a copy Of Poseidon and dive into -hah get it?- the word of the Syrenas.

New Orleans, Louisiana | Travel

11:40 PM Ally M.G. 5 Comments

I just returned from a quick "business" trip. I went to the marvelous city of New Orleans, Louisiana. It was a very out of the blue trip, but it was an experience I will never forget. I entered the city with a very opened mind since all I knew about New Orleans was what I had seen from Disney's: Princess and the Frog... and that New Orleans is famous for its Mardi Grass festival. When I arrived the first thing I did was visit Bourbon Street (after checking in to the hotel of course). Bourbon Street is one of wildest street in the French Quarter. There was bars everywhere, alcohol everywhere, strip clubs everywhere, live music everywhere, street performances everywhere, life in every corner. I immediately understood why people made such a big deal about visiting New Orleans.

I have not travel very far in the states, and living in Miami I have never experienced anything like New Orleans. It is hard to compare Miami to New Orleans since I have never actually tried to experience Miami as a tourist...anyways.

There is a well define difference between the night life and the day life in New Orleans. Just like any major city, but the music was always alive and flowing in New Orleans. Whether is was mid-day with the sun right smack in the middle of the sky or late evening with the dimming of the lights as shops close for the day...the music was always pouring out on the streets. There were all sorts of performers on the street...from saxophone players, trumpet players, trombone players, violin players, guitars, ukeleles, banjos, kazoos. Someone, somewhere, was playing and bringing life to the world.

After the business aspect of the "business" trip was done and settled with, I explored the city the best I could in about a 12-hour time span. In these 12 hours, I was blown away by the architecture; modern metropolis buildings mixed in with vintage like buildings. Right along side with art shown off around the streets: musically, artistically and performances.

I also visited Cafe du Monde, a coffee shop that has been open since the 1800s. Then had some of their world famous beignets (rectangular powdered doughnuts). If I could have... I would have probably eaten like twenty beignets, because they were heavenly. Once you take the first bite of the warm beignet and watch the white powdered sugar fall over the itty bitty plate in front of you...nothing matters...other the fact that you don't want to share with anyone else.

There was also the Mississippi River, (it was nice to be able to see the only river you know in the USA map). It was massive...and murky. I would definitely never want to swim in there...but having it's fog engulf you entirely is something to add to any bucket list. It was an odd sensation, having your vision suddenly become opec as the fog...well fog your vision and having random wisps of cold air tickle your skin and the fog continues on rolling into port...to only desaperate minutes later.

Boutiques are another must see when exploring New Orleans. I love boutiques more than a regular shop because you are able to find more unique items...like candles that smell like famous book authors or vintage furniture or high quality hats or even voodoo dolls.

One day I will return to New Orleans with more than 24 hours to spare and with more spending money, because it is definitely one of those cities one must visit and explore before settling down and disappearing into the ground.

New Orleans

Some of the amazing architecture

Cute little book shop I found

Mississippi River

Lunch: Gumbo and Crabcake

Author Candles

Beignets at Cafe du Monde

Street performers

Beautiful church

When the river, the fog and the sky became one

Sloan's Ice Cream Shop

12:02 PM Ally M.G. 5 Comments

There is the cutest ice cream shop hidden in West Palm Beach. It resides in an open plaza where music is always ringing and people flood in and out. Tourists and residents.

Q&A A Day Journal | Review | YouTube

8:21 PM Ally M.G. 0 Comments

Warby Parker Glasses | Review

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Study Abroad l Summer 2015

2:27 PM Ally M.G. 1 Comments