Travel Diaries: PARIS

Last weekend the boy and I decided to get out of town for a few lovely days in Paris. Although we've both been before this was our first time there together, and it was so nice to just take it easy and stroll around town with no real agenda other than to eat and drink our faces off. We re-visited some old favourites and discovered new gems - always the best part of any trip.  Here's a little bit of what we saw over 3 magical days in the city of light..

Le Marais

Le Marais is undoubtledly everybody's favourite area of Paris, and perhaps the best people-watching neighbourhood in all of Europe. Park yourself under some heat lamps in a corner cafe and you will see droves of the most stylish people you have ever seen in your LIFE.  We did this at Le Perle on the fabulous Rue Vieille du Temple, which had been recommended by a friend with the following caveat: "It's the place where Galliano had his anti-semetic freak out, but it's also one of my favourite cafes in Paris."  Obviously I spent most of the time we were there telling Jon how I am so not cool with Galliano, and after a while was told to "get off my soap box." But I like it so much up here!

My friend had been right about it being the perfect spot for people-watching, and each person that walked by was the best-dressed person I'd ever seen, until the next person walked by. We played a game where we had to choose one to be our mom and one to be our dad, but we kept fighting over who got to have which supremely dapper older gentleman as their dad.  Had it been later in the day we would've made a drinking game out of it. Noted for next time.

No visit to Paris would be complete without popping into the stunning "Merci", 3 floors of design, fashion, housewears, even a cafe and bookstore. I could stay in there forever. 

  The displays are works of art. 

 

 And then there's THIS. We were laughing too hard to go in.

Overall the shopping along Rue Vielle du Temple and neighbouring streets is to die for. Jon bought a sweater he has yet to take off.  Le Marais is also full of hidden gems. For example, step off the street into a little courtyard and you'll see this. But like, everywhere.

We had lunch at a typically French restaurant where all the servers were middle aged men, and it's conceivable this could have been the place where Brenda and Donna accidentally ordered brains that time.   

 

We also spotted (ok I spotted her and Jon was all like, who? And I was all like, SONG OF STYLE, duh!) blogger beauty Aimee Song on a photo shoot (it was fashion week, but more on that later).

We walked by the crazy cool Pompidou Centre but didn't go in because we hadn't eaten yet and we were (I was) getting hangry. Stupid hanger, ruining everything.

 

 We had our best meal of the trip at the laid back but trendy (read: packed with fashion week editors) Chez Janou, where the wait till 10:30 pm for a table was totally worth it while they stuffed us with wine and olives. (#hangrybutcalmingdown)




It's such a gorgeous little spot and surprisingly romantic, despite being packed to the brim even at midnight on a Sunday.  Best creme brulee I've EVER HAD.

Night walks in the alleyways of Le Marais. (Take me back!)

Other than that we did some light shopping and nomming at Laduree (because when in Rome), stopped by Colette to take a selfie, and frequented the most stunning patisserie I've ever seen. We went back so many times. They were even open late for NIGHT CROISSANTS. Yessssss.

In between there was a lot of just general Paris browsing and eating, eating and browsing. Heaven.

This was apparently the oldest sweet shop in Paris, La Mere de Famille, dating back to 1761.

This was wrong on so many levels but it made me laugh.

Fashion Week

We were there during fashion week, and I happened to stumble upon the fracas of photographers and editors doing the whole picture party thing outside the Stella McCartney show at the Opera House, which was right next to where we were staying. The scene in Paris was next level to anything I saw in London. People were yelling and screaming, black sedans were causing traffic jams, horns were honking, photographers were running, pushing, shoving.  In all the commotion I somehow missed Rihanna but did catch Clemence Poesy making a run for it through the crowds.  It was the closest thing I've seen to Beber Fever. Is that still a thing?  

One thing I did not know about Anna Dello Russo is that she is frighteningly thin in real life.  No croissants for that lady.  I really wanted to give her one. She was super friendly with the photographers though. Seems like a fun gal. Another thing I learned is that Scott Schuman is about up to my waist. I almost tripped over him trying to snap this pic of Garance. Totally worth it.

Just a few photographers.

The stunning Opera House, which no one seemed to notice.

Bill! I smiled and he smiled back! True story.

Night Life.

I'm generally an in-bed-by-10 kind of person, but decided to stay up later because it was Paris, and no one even goes out till 11. After a jaw-dropping sunset and a stroll along the canal we found several perfect little wine bars, each more quaint and hipster-perfect than the last.  The area along the canal is replete with them.

Any bar filled with books is the place for me, and clearly French hipsters know their audience.

Probably the highlight of our trip was going to see Haim at a beautiful old theatre in Montmartre.

The girls absolutely killed it. At some points we thought the floors were going to cave in from people dancing so hard. I haven't felt that kind of energy at a gig in way too long.

Normally we do Airbnb when traveling but decided to switch it up this time and try a hotel for a change. We stayed at the adorable Hotel Jules which we choose based on the most important factors:  iphone docks and good tiling in the bathrooms. It was also very close to the Metro and has a peacock in the window, so... all boxes ticked.

Overall the whole trip was a dream, and we can't wait to go back. Lucky for me it's just a short train ride away.  Is it wrong to say the best thing about living in London is Paris? Or maybe that's just the pre-train champagne talking...