How To Spend 48 Hours In Paris
Over the summer I went on an 18 day road-trip around Europe. My mom, brother, and I managed to visit 7 different countries in less than three weeks and had the best time in the world.
I had just adjusted back to the time zone and I was about to head off again. Another round of procrastinated packing, a trip to an all-too-familiar airport, and we were off to Paris.
There's always time for a quick flat-lay of my essentials instead of actually packing my things. And then all the procrastination leads to 3am selfie videos of me finishing up...
Pretty sure I was out cold under my covers right after that.
13 hours of sleep and static-filled hair later, we were in Paris!
Day One
I'm proud at how alive we look in this photo. Claps that we were able to keep it together after an overnight flight.
We chose to stay at Hôtel des Comédie — not too fancy, but really cute, elegant, and incredibly convenient. Everyone who rotated shifts at the front desk were so friendly and helpful. They also had these hard candies at the counter that I might have taken full advantage of every time I passed.
I was so impressed with the detail of the wallpaper that I have more than 10 photos of just the wall saved on my camera. Maybe because it''s pink and anything pink tends to make me giddy.
After a quick change from our airplane clothes to something better suited to the weather (it was boiling and my lulu's were not helping), we hopped out for a Parisian afternoon.
I forgot how it felt to be in Paris. There's a vibe you get when walking through the city that is very difficult to explain. It's both slow and fast. No matter how busy the day may be, it seems like there is always time to grab a drink and people watch at a sidewalk cafe.
Paris is also intimidating. It's huge and there are countless things demanding your attention. Whether it is a patisserie you pass that has the most mouthwatering pastries on display, the many hidden sidewalks or alleyways, or the street artist in front of the Palais Garnier, there's always things to see and not strong enough multi-tasking skills to do it.
I also find Parisians incredibly intimidating. They all look effortlessly put-together, leaving me feeling like a slob if I am not dressed like a girl from a Saint Laurent ad. But, oh well. I'll find my own touch of je ne se quoi to rock.
It was time for a late lunch. We were jet lagged and not feeling very adventurous, so we settled for one right in the middle of the tourist area called Le Grand Cafe.
I'm almost positive I ate here years ago as well. Like many restaurants that are tailored for tourists instead of locals, the food was eh. Not bad, but not too great either.
The spinach that came with my salmon was really nice, but I wouldn't recommend this place if you're looking for authentic or exceptional food. It's more of a "too tired and don't care where we eat" kind of place.
The first day in Paris was quickly over. Our drowsiness brought us back to the hotel quite early so we could get some well deserved rest.
Day Two
Next morning we got up bright and early. This happens when you all snooze before 9pm.
First stop was for some breakfast at the Brasserie Cafe Folliet.
Quick, easy, and so yummy. I had a fresh strawberry and banana smoothie with basic crepes.
Instead of Ubering to our next destination my mom suggested we walk so we could check out some of the stores nearby. Unfortunately for me the one store that caught our eye was this one.
My vision was telling my stomach to suck it up and have one, but my two smoothies (yes, I ordered two) were way too filling to allow space.
I said bye to the brightly colored desserts and we were back on the Google Maps route.
We made it to the Lourve Museum!
Mom and I took some pictures and sent Larry on his way to visit Mona Lisa. We spent an entire day at the Lourve last time we were here. With only one day to spare this time around we were going to do some shopping instead. Heh.
Tip: Get your tickets online the day before because the ticketing line is insanely long even early in the morning. It's horrible waiting for more than an hour in such harsh sun. OR if you forget to do that, check out the nearby souvenir shops. A lot of them sell museum passes (if you're planning to go to more than one museum) for no line at all.
That day was extraordinarily hot. The mom daughter cooled down with drinks before hitting up the Galeries Lafayette shopping mall.
Check out the crazy interior. Not a bad place to shop all day in amiright?
Psst, here's a secret that's not really a secret: Go up to the roof of Lafayette if you want a place to sit or chill. The view is gorgeous and overlooks the city.
I was feeling a bit under the weather halfway through the afternoon, so we got a sushi fix at Paris Tokyo in hopes of energizing my mood.
Not feeling a drive to shop for clothes, Mom suggested we go to the Galeries Lafayete Gourmet across the street instead. She always manages to read my mind even when I'm not sure what I want. Food shopping is the best kind of shopping.
We went home after snagging some of the peaches and berries for home.
I took a quick nap while waiting for Larry to come back for dinner.
Wanting to stay close, we roaamed around the hotel and spotted La Criee. We had a much better time than the night before.
It was not crowded and was really cozy. Their menu also looked delicious.
I would really recommend this place if you are staying in the area. The service was fantastic and the customers all looked like locals. The seafood we ordered was pretty bomb as well.
Five years ago we spent a night in Paris after a week at the Angoulême International Comics Convention in the South of France. We only arrived in time for a quick dinner and trip to the Eiffel Tower.
It was in the middle of December, super cold, and a bit dizzly, so there were only two or three other people at the base when we arrived. Suddenly, out of nowhere the Eiffel Tower starts glittering like something out of Disneyland. Mind you my brother and I are obsessed with all things DIsneyland, so we were both in awe. Even better, the rain started dissipating and snow started to fall instead.
My brother and I made sure that we were going to see it again. This time was a bit different. When we got arrived there was no snow and there were six times the amount of people.
It was still freezing.
We stood there waiting for it to light up, not entirely sure if we missed it or not.
And then it happened.
And it was beautiful.
The next morning we would get up and drive out towards Germany. Our two days in Paris ended in a pretty magical evening. I'm happy we were able to fit this city in our travel itinerary once again.