“Paris is always a good idea”

Audry Hepburn playing Sabrina said that and I of course agree.  Our big renovation project is already crazy amounts of work and we haven’t even made the first sledge hammer blow.  I know lots of more work is in store.  That is why the other day upon realizing I had almost 200,000 frequent flyer miles and my husband had almost the same in Marriott points, I started to concoct a plan for Paris.

Photos from our honeymoon there in 2009.

The Greater Journey

I had a long, hot week in Atlanta working on a project, so I was thrilled when my weekend calendar included almost nothing.  Dinner with friends, naps, walks around the city and lots of reading; it was the perfect rainy recovery weekend.  I picked up this book in the airport and have been devouring it.  Written by the same author of, John Adams, which was made into that amazing HBO mini-series, The Greater Journey, is history for sure, but it follows the lives and experiences of individuals being inspired by Paris.  I am in love with it.

The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris, by David McCullough

“Between 1830 and 1900, hundreds of Americans–many of them future household names like Oliver Wendell Holmes, Mark Twain, Samuel Morse, and Harriet Beecher Stowe–migrated to Paris. McCullough shows first how the City of Light affected each of them in turn, and how they helped shape American art, medicine, writing, science, and politics in profound ways when they came back to the United States.”

Paris part deux

Rive Gauche

We stayed in this darling little boutique hotel, Le Champlain Rive Gauche.  It is located right near the Luxembourg Garden on a quiet street in the left bank.  It was perfect, great design, great bathrooms and great price.

Just look at this lobby.

My only critique would be that the sheets could have been a little softer, but the price,  location and bathroom well made up for that minor mediocre amenity.

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Shops of the Left Bank

We spent the majority of our second day in Paris just walking around the left bank and popping into all the wonderful shops.  The Parisians certainly know how to do window displays.  I particularly loved this bakery, Gérard Mulot

Macarons!!

Yes Please

Baguettes

More goodies

There was also this amazing little candle shop right near the bakery with live parrots in a huge gilded cage in the front window.  Again…only in Paris.

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Notre Dame

No trip to Paris would be complete with out the obligatory stop at Notre Dame

The architectural details never cease to amaze.

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Le Jules Verne

Probably the one of greatest highlights of our whole honeymoon was dinner at the Eiffel tower at Le Jules Verne. I have to give so much credit to my wonderful husband for booking this dinner and giving us such a magical night.  Being able to just sit and enjoy the Eiffel tower and the city of Paris at 400 ft was beyond amazing, and the food French cuisine at its finest.  I am allergic to wheat and gluten and they were so accommodating that the chef even picked out each coarse for me.

More delicious French sweets

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As we ate, drank and laughed our way through Paris, I realized my husband and I would get to come back for the rest of our lives and have these honeymoon memories.  I can’t wait to go back.

Of course, no metropolitan city would be complete without the obligatory Irish Pub.  It cracks me up that you can go almost anywhere in the world and still find your Irish Pub.  Un Guinness s’il vous plaît.

Next stop Madrid!

Ahhhhh Paris!

There is nothing like Paris…and Paris on your honeymoon…sigh…it was wonderful.  We spent most of our days walking around, popping into lovely little cafes and just enjoying each other.   The honeymoon haze was in full effect and I just loved it all.

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We landed in early in the morning and thankfully our room was ready at 9 am!  We had a fabulous 4 hour nap before venturing our to see the city.

Espresso to help get us going that afternoon

(man I still look Jetlagged but who cares…I was on my honeymoon )

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The Louvre

We got to the Louvre late in the day (which I highly recommend).  We found that people were heading out long before the closing hours suggested and it didn’t seem as crowded as everyone always warns

While the group around the Mona Lisa was still quite large…

…the rest of the museum felt like our own private palace.  It was wonderful.  Adjacent to the Mona Lisa is Veronese’s Wedding at Canna and it is beyond impressive.  It is enormous and has so much other interesting things going on.

Good doggie

Bad kitty.

Spinone Italiano – I think we also spotted a Spinone Italiano dog in one of the many beautiful tapestries.

Doesn’t it look like my sister’s dog Jake?

First glimpse of the Eiffel tower from the Napoleon Apartments in the Richelieu wing.

Great photo by my husband

Fabulous jewelry

Reminds me so much of this gorgeous bracelet my siblings gave me last year for Christmas.  I love it so much.  I even wore it on my wedding day!

We had dinner that night at Café Marly which is located in the Louvre palace complex, just below the dramatic Napoleon Apartments. The restaurant was recommended to us by multiple people, and it did not disappoint.  After walking around the Louve all afternoon the atmosphere and location of the cafe made us feel like royal invited guest.  Well that and the delicious wine.

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After dinner, we walked back to our hotel in the Left Bank

This glossy rainy street scene just screams Paris to me.

Oh yes, and the amazing sancerre wine just completed to whole picture.

All of that in just day one.?!?!  Part deux tomorrow, I promise.  Until then…dreaming of Paris.  Bonne nuit