Let’s talk about something exciting . . . something like Paris.
I’ve been to Paris for work a few times, but never for play. I’m now getting extremely stoked because in a few weeks I’ll be traveling Paris with B for a long, fun weekend! As I’m a super-nuts-o-planner, I’ve spent the evening mapping out the must-dos, researching restaurants, and pinning some lovely Parisian spots – all while wearing my onesie, as you do. Usually I share my travel recommendations following the trip, but this time around, I wanted to share my plans ahead of time, incase you wanted to chime in with any recommendations as well!
So first things first – let’s talk location. We’ll be staying right by the Eiffel Tower. ^ ^ This is the view from our flat. The most important thing was to be in the center of it all . . . . to be able to look out the window and think ‘ah, this is Paris!’ I don’t plan on spending much time at the flat, but I’m excited to see the Eiffel Tower twinkle from my bed. I found this place on AirBnb. I’ll be traveling a lot in the next few months with Radisson Blu (as I mentioned here), so I thought it would be cool to switch it up a bit and stay in an apartment this time around. I love the luxuries of hotels – the deep tubs, fuzzy bathrobes, and well tucked sheets. But staying in a French dude’s flat for a weekend is also cool, because you get to pretend to be a local :)
Now on to the second most important thing, food.
I’ve been snooping through Timeout, as when I was in Lisbon they gave the absolute best restaurant recommendations. Here are a few food stops I’m contemplating:
1) Pierre Hermé – This stop is non-negotiable. Last time I was in Paris, I stocked up at Ladurée, so this time around I’m going for Hermé. If you’re going to go to Paris, you need to eat macaroons. I’m not just making this up. It’s the law.
2) Angelina – This is another stop I will definitely be making. Rumor has it Angelina has the thickest, most divine hot chocolate in all of Paris. You know I’m a sweets woman, so you know I will be at Angelina!
3) Pizza Chic – This is on the maybe list for lunch. Usually I only need to eat twice a day, especially if one of the meals is hot chocolate and macaroons. But B is a three times a day guy, and I know he’ll be starving by 1pm. So I’ve picked out a few lunch places, and Pizza Chic was top-recommended on Timeout.
4) L’As Du Fallafel – This is another lunch spot I picked out with B in mind, but hell, based on the reviews I may have to try it as well! Supposedly L’As du Fallafel has the best falafel in all of Paris. Going to have to test this theory . . .
5) Le Dauphin – I stumbled across this restaurant a while ago via another blogger, and have been wanting to give it a try. Vibrant and sexy, Le Dauphin is sister restaurant to Le Chateaubriand, which is *supposedly* the one of the best restaurants in the world. Le Dauphin is much more pocket-friendly, and is €23 for Starter+Main or €27 for Starter+Main+Dessert. Downside? It’s quite a hike from our flat.
6) Restaurant Astier – Right next door to Le Dauphin – also a bit of a trek from our flat. BUT Timeout gives it rave reviews, and Astier’s special menu is €45 and comes with a starter, a main, an unlimited cheese platter (!!!!) and desert. I know it’s a ways out, but I just keep thinking, unlimited cheese, unlimited cheese! (photo below).
7) Brasserie Mollard – Mollard is the third option for dinner on Saturday. They’re a bit closer to our accommodation and the interior is rockin’. They have all of the Parisian classics, and you can get the set menu – a first course, main course, and dessert for €33,70.
8) Au Pied de cochon – I’ve already told B we’re going to Au Pied de cochon for dinner on Friday night. They’re open 24/7, so even though our train doesn’t get in until 9.30pm, we can still have a late, stylish dinner. Hey, we’re only in Paris for two nights! You can get courses for €34.50. Au Pied de cochon are known for their delicious pork, but I’m more of a tartar lady myself. Decisions, decisions!
9) Moisan – One of the most popular bakeries in Paris. Always a line, the tarts are supposedly outstanding. Link here.
Next on the list are things to see – outdoor attractions, parks to walk by, monuments to photograph, bridges, etc.
1) Parks – On my list are Monceau Park, Tuileries Garden, Luxembourg Gardens, and Parc De Bagatelle. This is a hard one, because loving a park is so subjective. Some people like trees, some people like quiet, and some people like people watching! From what I can see Monceau Park seems to be the most beautiful, and a trip to Luxembourg Gardens is the thing to do. I’ve saved all my park-picks on a map, and I’ll probably make it to whichever just so happens to be nearby at the time.
2) Monuments – This list is obvious, but yell at me if I’ve missed anything important! I’m going to make a point of visiting the Eiffel Tower, the Place des Vosges, and the Arc de Triomphe. 
3) Love Lock Bridge – You can’t go to Paris with your partner without locking your love on the bridge. I mean, if you’re in love, and you’re in Paris, this is just the ultimate cliche-cherry on the incredibly delicious cliche-sunday.
Second to last on the list is history. Paris has such a rich and romantic culture, from the Mona Lisa to the Renaissance architecture. On the list I have . . 
1) Orsay Museum – I did some research, as I wasn’t sure if I would have enough time to go to both the Musée d’Orsay and the Louvre. When asked, most people chose the Musée d’Orsay. I was still a bit torn, but then saw that the special exhibit at the Musée d’Orsay is Gustave Doré (1832–1883): Master of Imagination. Sold.
2) The Louvre – Ok, so in the end I couldn’t choose just one. I am going to have to apply my ‘when in Rome’ mentality, and get up at 8am on Sunday to go to the Louvre. I will be there at 9am when the doors open, I will make a B-line for the Mona Lisa. If it gets crowded and overwhelming, I will leave. But you can’t go to Paris without seeing the Mona Lisa. She’s almost as important culturally as Pierre Hermé.
3) Notre Dame Cathedral – The only other history-related attraction I feel like I HAVE to see in Paris is the Notre Dame Cathedral. If we have time, we’ll climb it, if not, I’m happy gazing from the ground :)
Last on my to-do in Paris list is shopping . . . 
I have a few places picked out, but they’re not the high-street shops as you might expect. Sure, maybe some gals dream of Chanel and Louis Vitton when they envision a trip to Paris. But personally, I’m more excited for thrifting!! Thrifting and books.
1) Marche aux Puces de Saint-Ouen – This is the biggest flea market in Paris. Hell, it’s the biggest flea market in the world. I’ve heard people say they spent three days at the Marche aux Puces de Saint-Ouen and they STILL did not manage to see the whole thing. My goal is to come early on Saturday morning, even though it’s by far the furthest attraction from our flat. I’m going to buy junk. Lots and lots of junk. I’m a thrifting lady, and I’m not ashamed. Hence the next spot on the list . . .
2) Vintage stores – There are three or four vintage stores I want to check out in Paris, one of which is a pay by the kilo shop!! Kiloshop, Free’p’n Star, and Rag & Vertiges are all located in the same shopping district, conveniently close to the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Love Lock bridge. So I will be dragging B into a few thrifty stores, if only to momentarily satisfy my bargin-hunting-heart.
3) Shakespeare & Company – Also located nearby is Shakespeare & Company, the most famous bookstore in Paris – a book-worm’s dream. This is the kind of place you buy a book, just to say you bought a book. And then you treasure that book and pass it down to your kids and say, hey, this book is from Shakespeare & Company in Paris. Yes, I want to be able to say that!
If I’ve missed anything, please let me know!! I want to hear your Paris favorites and top recommendations :)
Now, maybe you’re wondering why the title of this post mentions Paris and a onesie . . .
I’m not feeling very well tonight, which is fine. I’m happy snuggled in bed drinking hot cocoa, surfing the web and mindlessly absorbing the internet. Any other night this might be considered boring, but not tonight. Tonight I have something special. Tonight, I’m wearing a brand new onesie.
My dork level has risen about 10% thanks to this new wardrobe piece. I’d had my eye on the jumpsuits at OnePiece for a while, and was totally working up the courage to spend €2oo on a pair of pajamas. The running dialogue in my head went something like this . . . You’ll have this jumpsuit for the rest of your life. You can wear it all winter. You’ll never need to buy another pair of pajams ever again. You’re alway cold. It will be totally worth it. I was very close to turning my online shopping basket into a reality. But then, at lunch time on Friday, I was walking down the Albert Cuyp Market and I came across a onesie blowout sale! Off all the things . .
This soft grey onesie was on sale for only €10! I used to avoid buying clothes from the Albert Cuyp Market. All of the shops and stalls just feel a bit synthetic. But then, just before Christmas, I found some lovely, handmade Italian leather purses. They would have been beautiful Christmas gifts, but as they were only €15 I was worried they were a bit cheap or fake. I didn’t buy them. About a month later, I saw the exact same purses for sale on the nine-streets, going for €85!! So I’m learning to go with my gut when it comes to the Albret Cuyp Market, as many retailers shop with the same vendors and then just package and price items differently. The second my hand grazed the inside of this onesie, I knew I’d found something special. It was soft and felt-like, and incredibly plush. It also had a hood and pockets – score! So not only do I look stylin’, I was able to do so on the cheap, and I’m super comfy to boot!
Anyways, that’s enough about my onesie. It’s getting late and I’m off to bed. Paris dreaming time. . .
xo Ali
*FYI – Although I take most of the photos on Pressed Words, the lovely Paris photos in this post are not mine. I’ll report back soon enough with some of my own. In the meantime, hats off to these lovely Parisian photographers!
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While I have some pretty photos to share, I don’t have much to tell you about Morzine. Sometimes you go on a vacation and the destination is so foreign and exciting, you simply MUST sample all of the local cuisine, fully embrace the nightlife, shop to your heart’s content, and wander all of the major landmarks endlessly until you feel you’ve truly consumed the place. Well, going to Morzine was kind of the opposite. I tagged along with Kai and his friends, we stayed in a cute little Lincoln-Log-like condo at the base of the mountains, and just chilled. We had breakfast and lunch at home, we climbed the hills, we went swimming, we took adequate beer breaks, and we walked through the little town of Morzine. Continue reading 
A hundred steps away from the Notre-Dame is the Pont de l’Archevêché (in English, the Archbishop’s Bridge). The Pont de l’Archevêchéis crosses over the Seine, and is the narrowest road bridge in Paris.
. . . . and hum’d and ha’d and twirled about outside. 
The museum is housed in the former Gare d’Orsay, a Beaux-Arts railway station built in 1898. A lot of the original architecture, including the large roman numeral time clocks, has been preserved.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen such big Nutella jars in my entire life!!
Goodnight sun, see you tomorrow!
Our first stop of the day was 
We were a bit intimidated at first, but once we got bartering, we found it hard to stop. Everything is for sale, and all of the prices are negotiable. Aim low, bargain hard, and you can leave with some lovely treasures.
B and I scooped up a vintage cake knife for our wedding, and a glass candy dish for our home. I also bought a wool kilt and a leather fanny pack. 
Soon our pocket cash ran out and it was time to head back into central Paris. 
You can sit in or take away, but take away seemed to be the more popular option.
Despite the long line leading up to the window, we only waited about fifteen minutes before being served. Before you hop in line, make sure to go into the store and pay first. You’ll be given a receipt, and then directed into the line outside. We saw a few people get turned away at the window, after waiting in line for some time, because they hadn’t yet paid inside. So remember to pay inside first!
Which is dangerous, as the shelves are stacked with delicious looking treats.
B took this next photo – I have to say, he somehow manages to always get the best one in the bunch!
We were disoriented for maybe ten minutes, before hitting La Seine. We watched boats pass by, and I swear to you, I waved at every single one. Paris has this funny effect on me. . . where I want to smoke a sexy cigarette or dance in the streets to the buskers. Paris makes me feel carefree. Or maybe it’s just the first warm, sunny day of spring ;)
If you’ve never explored Paris after midnight, you’re missing out. It might not be as fun as a Woody Allen movie, but it’s peaceful and romantic.
^ ^ All streets in Paris tend to blend together, with tall, neutral color buildings, elegant columns, and elaborate wrought iron cresting. Our street was particularly pretty, with a cheeky view of the Eiffel Tower. v v 
^
