The Penultimate

   I cannot believe that yesterday was my second to last full day in Cannes. It seems unbelievable that it's been 15 days since I got to the lovely French Riviera and started what has turned out to be one of the best/most unforgettable trips of my entire life. Though we are all (well, me and Hayley at least) completely exhausted and wiped out, we obviously managed to have another amazing day yesterday. Every minute counts now. We had a meeting with our Penn professors (oh right- this is actually an academic credit?) at noon so we slept in and skipped out on morning movies. We discussed our essays that we have to write (LOL) for about two hours and then went on our merry way. Hayley and I tanned on the picnic benches and ate chicken nuggets outside the college waiting for the boys to get ready. We walked into town to hit up a shoe store we noticed the other day and Hayley bought a super cool pair of Oxfords. Tres bien.

   Then, we went to Amorino, an au natural gelato place that has caught our eye since Day 1 which we had yet to try. Well, not only did we try it, we literally conquered that place. Rather than make ice creams in scoops, they make cones into flowers, with one flavor at the center and as many others as you want in petals around it. With fresh whipped cream on top as an option - which I obviously took advantage of. It was AMAZING. Hayley and I walked back in and were on the verge of ordering a second one when Adam stopped us. Thanks Adam. Instead, we ended up at McDonald's...Supposedly they're better in Europe and so it was on our bucket list. Turns out, the chicken nuggets and fries taste exactly the same. SHOCKER. Adam did get a fried goat cheese wrap though, and they do have McBaguettes- kinda cool I guess.

   It started to rain, but we toughed it out sans umbrellas and walked back to the dorms. I stopped to get a coffee because I was literally about to fall asleep on the sidewalk, but the coffee did nothing and I took a nice nap in my bed anyways. We woke up at 5:30 to make it down to the Palais by 6:15 to beg for tickets to the premiere of Robert Pattinson's new movie Cosmopolis. For the first time, I had an orchestra ticket and was sitting with Rawson. Despite the pouring rain, Adam and Hayley both got tickets and red carpet number 10 proved to be the best one yet- this time inside, not outside of the Grand Lumiere Theater. The row Rawson and I were assigned to had a bunch of signs on seats that said "RESERVE JURY" on them, which was so exciting because Diane Kruger, Ewan McGregor, and Alexander Payne, among tons of other extremelyyyyy talented folks are among the judges. Instead of sitting next to those seats though, we moved all the way to the aisle next to the row all the cast members walk down as they enter/exit the theater. Turned out to be the BEST DECISION WE EVER MADE. Casually, Alexander Payne, judge and director/writer of Academy Award winning screenplay, The Descendants, sat down RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. Kristen Stewart (looking fabulous) was at the premiere to support Robert Pattinson and paused in the aisle RIGHT NEXT TO ME. Rawson can attest to how much I died. Then, as if it was fate, Ewan McGregor sits down right in front of Rawson, next to Alexander Payne, and they start chit chatting. Rawson and I are in awe of our luck. Diane Kruger and Joshua Jackson also file into the row in front of us, and I could not believe it. Seriously such unbelievable luck. The cast filed in, and R. Pattz was inches from my face. Honestly- no words. Just so so so amazing.

   Sadly, Cosmopolis was ehh. It is about one of the wealthiest men on Earth trying to make his way across town in his limo, determined to get a haircut, despite multiple threats to his life. It was way too wordy and hard to understand, but the cinematography was some of the best I've seen yet. And I thought Pattinson did a great job in the role, and Paul Giamatti in his role as the person threatening his life. But overall, meh. Experience was WAY BETTER than the movie itself.

                                    Special shoutout to Ab & Arthur for this fab ensemble!

   The cast filed out, Robert Pattinson mere inches from me again. Swoon. Afterwards, I left on cloud nine and Adam, Hayley, and I grabbed quick sandwiches before hitting up red carpet 11- the second Nicole Kidman premiere (she looked outstanding both nights) we had in two days. This time, it was for an out of competition movie made for HBO (YAY!!!) starring her and Clive Owen called Hemingway and Gellhorn about the life of the esteemed author Ernest Hemingway and his lover/future wife/fellow writer, Martha Gelhorn. I loved it, thought it was so fabulously well done--- to anyone with HBO (which you should all have ;)), watch it if it's on!!!! That movie was done after 1 am, and so we came back (Hayley and I did the walk in heels- so impressed with us still Hayls) and all passed out. Such an incredible night. We were chatting on the walk home about how normalized being on the red carpet has become and what a weird feeling it is to be leaving this life we have made for ourselves here. The transition back to my purple, cream, and ligth blue checkered carpet tomorrow will definitely be weird....