paris city guide: montmartre

{you can do the cancan dance}

The lovely folks at Schmap were kind enough to include my photo of the Moulin Rouge in their Paris city guide! Be sure to check out the section on Montmartre... it was one of our favorite neighborhoods in Paris.

*You can see more photos from our Paris honeymoon here.

we'll always have paris...

{home on rue elvezir}

{saturday in the park}

{bubbly at the opera}

{we love the louvre}

{cafe break}

{la belle epoque}

{smooching on the seine}

{the city of light}

It's hard to put into worlds how much we loved Paris... We loved our little apartment, Christmas Eve at the opera and exploring the Louvre. We loved sipping cafe au lait, eating crepes and climbing the steps of the Arc de Triomphe. We loved strolling in the sculpture garden at the Musee Rodin, sipping cocktails at the Hotel Keppler and spending our last night gazing up at the lights of the Eiffel Tower. It was the perfect honeymoon.

We'll always have Paris...

*If you're not totally sick of our love fest... there are more photos here.

paris at your feet

{notre dame}

{winter wonderland}

{saint george}

{knock knock}

{melancholy gargoyle}

We loved exploring the cool, dark chambers of Notre Dame.... There is such a sense of peace within the walls. The normally boisterous tourists suddenly hush in awe of the vaulted ceilings and the beautiful rose window. It's always amazing to think of how many people have passed through those doors over the years. Kiwi and I decided to climb the 387 steps to the top of the towers... and it was well worth the hike. Even on a cloudy day we could see the Eiffel Tower in the distance and Sacre Coeur tucked away in the hills of Montmartre.

Victor Hugo said it best...

"All Paris was spread out at his feet, with her thousand turrets, her undulating horizon, her river winding under the bridges, her stream of people flowing to and fro in the streets; with the cloud of smoke rising from her many chimneys; with her chain of crested roofs pressing in ever tightening coils round about Notre Dame."

a moveable feast

{coquilles st jacques}

{market bounty}

{fresh sea urchin}

{fromage}

{clementines}

Our first day in Paris we signed up for a market walk with the lovely Meg Zimbeck and Context Travel. Meg introduced us to the wonders of Ble Sucre {the most amazing bakery} and Le Baron Rouge {a fabulous local oyster and wine bar}. We even sampled some fresh sea urchin, straight from the shell!

To top off our amazing tour she took a moment to write down the names and addresses of her favorite restaurants in Paris. Kiwi and I loved all of her picks... We had the best meal of our trip at Chez Janou {the scallops were to die for} per her fabulous recommendation. Thank you for a wonderful tour Meg, it was the perfect way to kick off our honeymoon!

"If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast."

-Ernest Hemingway

*Kiwi and I chose to take Mr. Hemingway literally on this one... Paris did not disappoint.

bon voyage!

{airplane picnic found here}

we're off to paris!

wishing you and yours a very merry christmas and the happiest new year!

how to pack like a french woman

{image via the experience parisienne}

we are leaving for paris in just a few short days and i haven't even thought about packing. i was starting to panic, so i looked to the lovely joanna and the experience parisienne for some helpful tips. any other suggestions on what i should bring? it is going to be pretty chilly!

*i have also been practicing my messy french bun. tres chic.

katy's guide to paris

{images via little brown pen, found here and here}

A dear family friend of ours was lucky enough to live in Paris {jealous} while she was in college. She sent me this fantastic guide the last time I was there in the summer of 2005. Sadly, I only got to spend a few days in Paris {I was doing a very short study abroad in Austria} and we didn't get to do anything on her list. This time Kiwi and I are definitely going to check out some of her amazing suggestions!

GOING OUT:

Buddha Bar - the original, it is on the rue d'Anglais, right by the U.S. Embassy. Fun to say that you've been there, but the rest of the places that I'll talk about are better, in my opinion. Buddha Bar has become really touristy.

Man Ray - THIS is a fabulous place. It is on rue Marboeuf, right off the Champs Elysees. Owned by John Malkovich and Johnny Depp. Really fun, and lots of models/famous people go there. I think that they have food early, but I've never been there for that. Drinks and dancing later.

Poona Lounge - Just down the street (further off the Champs) from Man Ray, this is a very laid back place that is very swanky at the same time. Drinks - I don't think that they have anywhere to dance.

Chez Georges - Completely different from the ones above. This is in the Latin Quarter between Saint Germain and the Seine and is underground in some caves that have been there for centuries. Super small, hole-in-the-wall type place, but ultra French. Has the drippy candles on tables in one cave, jazz and dancing with the locals in the adjoining cave. I can't remember the street name, and I'm at work, but you may be able to look it up? If you can't find it, Caveau de la Huchette is a very similar experience and is very popular (and I think actually may be pretty close to Chez Georges). It is on rue de la Huchette.

Alcazar - fabulous restaurant, and has a great bar upstairs. On Rue Mazarine. Right next door is WAGG, which is formerly known as Whisky A Go Go, where Jim Morrison had his last night out. Pretty fun place too.

All over the city there are fabulous bars that you can just sit out on the sidewalk - more low key but still very fun.

MUSEUMS

All of the museums are fairly well-known. My favorite is the Musee Rodin, on the Left Bank. No one ever goes there and it has amazing sculptures and grounds. One of my fave places in Paris. My next favorite is the Musee d'Orsay, which is on the left bank right across from the Louvre. And actually, one of my favorites that has been closed for years just opened again the other day - the L'Orangerie, located in the Tuileries very close to the Place de la Concorde. This is where all of Monet's Waterlilies are - whole rooms of them.

GREAT PLACES, JUST IN GENERAL:

My favorite pastries in Paris are at Yamazaki, on Chausee de la Muette in the 16th Arrondissement. It is way out of the way, but to die for.

Somewhere that is just incredible is the Bon Marche, in the 6th Arrondissement. Incredible store, and right next to it is its version of a supermarket - simply incredible, even if you're just going in to look.

If you're up for brunch on Sunday, which is sometimes difficult to squeeze in when travelling but a very local thing to do, you MUST go to Le Fumoir. It is on rue Amiral Coligny, which is the street that runs just east of the Louvre (towards Notre Dame and the Hotel d'Ville). It is the most amazing brunch ever, with bloody marys and champagne.

My favorite area to shop is in the 6th Arrondissement, right around the Bon Marche and east of there. I'm not such a fan of the shopping on the Champs Elysses, but that is kind of a thing that everyone needs to do at one point or another.

*Katy, thank you for the phenomenal tips. We will think of you while we are in Paris. If anyone else has suggestions on where to go or what to do we'd love to hear them!

paris here we come!

{images via haven in paris}

kiwi and i finally booked our honeymoon and we are leaving next week! we are staying in this fabulous apartment from haven in paris and could not be more excited. i am most looking forward to...

1. walks along the seine

2. cozy cafes

3. getting lost in the rooms of the louvre

4. having the love of my life all to myself for two weeks

*christmas in paris, is there anything more romantic?

i think not.