PARIS DARLING

Outfit Details

Pink beret: (similar) Urban Outfitters // Paris Sweater: (similar) Saks // Pink Tutu: Etsy // Pink Quilted Bag: (similar) Nordstrom // Nude Pumps: (exact) Barneys New York ; (similar) DSW 

Bonjour mes amours! It's no secret that I absolutely love Paris! I have shared my love for the city of lights ever since I visited in 2016. Shortly after we were married, my Hubby whisked me away on a week long trip to Paris and I must say, that's when my French love affair began. I didn't want to come back. I loved Paris way more than I could have imagined. I knew I would love it but I didn't know just how much. The sights, the sounds, the smells, and the romance. Oui Oui darling. I just fell in love with the romance of the city. It was everything I saw in movies and more. For me, it was the French way of life that I loved most. I immediately noticed how "in the moment" Parisians live and I decided to enjoy my vacation that same way. Have you ever gone somewhere and thought wow, this is so me? I love this place! I could live here! Well that was me in Paris however, I didn't want to leave my family in Texas so I knew I had to take in as much as I could. As soon as we walked into our hotel, we were adorned by pink roses everywhere. You know how much I love pink roses. When I looked up, I saw the most beautiful crystal chandeliers dripping in elegance. The lighting was very dim because there were candles lighting the way for us. Soft french music hummed throughout the vintage glam lobby. The perfect touch to this grand entrance was the soft decadent fragrance that filled the air. It was like a perfect scene from an old romance movie. I felt immediately at home and enveloped by this atmosphere that was so chic. It was so Paris... it was so moi! We lived as Parisians for the entire week and I told my Husband that I wanted to incorporate our vacation living into our daily lives when we returned to Houston. I'm happy to say we have done just that. I always bring a bit of vacation inspiration home with me but this time, I brought a lot. I noticed when we sat down to dine al fresco at our first meal in Paris, we were naturally in such a hurry and for what? We were on vacation! I observed the locals around us and not only were they enjoying their meal but most importantly, they were enjoying each other. Each table was so engaged in soft French conversation and laughter. It was so refreshing to see that. Since we ate so fast (it's a bad habit of mine) we had time to sit back, relax and take it all in. I was in awe of how every table enjoyed their bread basket! Some enjoyed two even three bread baskets before even ordering their meal. I was always use to passing on the bread basket but not in Paris. After that first meal, I made sure to eat the bread basket at every meal! Can you please pass the bread mon amour? May I share my excitement in sharing that rosé is a staple with every meal in Paris! I could not believe my eyes or the menus when I would see a long list of rosé and see the pink bottles decorating each table. I knew I was right where I belonged! Rosé s'il vous plait? Right down the street from our hotel was the famous dessert restaurant known for it's famous macarons, Laduree Paris. The pastel colored shop was so happy and inviting and we made sure to stock up on macarons until our hearts and tummies were content. We enjoyed them every morning with our coffee and every evening with rosé. Let me eat macarons! We shamelessly indulged in all of the bread, rosé and macarons that we wanted because we knew we were going to walk or bike it all off. I love how walking or biking to your destination in Paris is the norm. I had so much fun walking hand in hand with mon amour everywhere we went because I got to see all of Paris. We also had fun riding bikes around and even unexpectedly stumbled upon the Eiffel Tower during one of our morning runs. I enjoyed every single second of Paris and can't wait to go back! Until then, I brought some of my favorite French inspired items into our home to provide me with the perfect French ambiance that I so love. I am sharing them with you so you too can enjoy a chic French chateau. 

My Favorite Paris Inspired Items

1. Macarons - I have always loved macarons! We had them for our wedding guests before our Paris trip but I fell in love with them even more after Paris. We made a stop at Laduree everyday while we were there! We ate them for breakfast and dessert and now when I want to satisfy my sweet tooth I enjoy a few, I mean one macaron. My favorite flavors are vanilla, raspberry and caramel. Bon appetit!

2. Rosé - Now you know my love for rosé! I've never met a rosé I didn't like but a French rosé in Paris... now I'm one happy girl! I enjoyed rosé with every lunch and dinner, sometimes sparkling, sometimes non-sparkling. When I am home at Villa Dugat, I like to turn on my French music (my favorite is Hotel Costes on Pandora) and open a nice bottle of rosé. I got my Hubby to start enjoying it as well because it's not too sweet. My favorite non-sparkling is Miraval Provence and my favorite sparkling is Veuve Clicquot Brut Rose. Rosé all day!

3. Paris Books - Not only do they look great on your coffee table, you can get lost in their pages and be taken away on a little journey. A fun read is  How to be Parisian wherever you are. I love this book, it's so chic and and empowering! Just read it for yourself! Another one of my favorites is Paris in Bloom. Each page is so beautiful and makes you feel like you are right in the middle of Paris in the Spring. 

4. Bikes - Biking around Paris is a way of life and I loved it! Each bike basket was filled with something different such as flowers, bread and even puppies! I put my macarons in mine after our many Laduree stops! One of the first things I had to do when we returned from Paris was get a bike! A pink bike I might add! I really enjoy my bike more than I thought I would. I put everything in my bike basket including Sir Bentley! He loves to sit in the basket and enjoy the city views as we ride around. You can see my pink Schwinn Cruiser Bike here and hopefully enjoy for yourself.  

5. The Enchantment Box - I can't say enough how much I enjoy this monthly subscription box! When I go get the mail and see this colorful unicorn box sitting there, I immediately get excited. Each month has a different theme and February's theme is "From Paris With Love" and let me tell you, I really felt like I escaped to Paris for a moment as I opened each item in the box. I highly recommend you subscribe and see for yourself! 

6. Candles - I have a candle obsession! Always have, always will. When I think of certain places, vacations or good times in my life, I always relate a familiar smell with them. Most of the time it's good food but when I think of Paris, I remember the decadent fragrance of candles. Our hotel lobby had candles lit everywhere and it smelled divine. I also smelled fresh roses in the lobby and on our walks so I now love floral scented candles. The sweet smell of macarons would fill the air as we passed the boulangeries and of course, I had to go in. I am sharing some of my favorite candles that remind me of my sweet love for Paris. My favorite floral candle is by Jo Malone . The yummiest scented candle that smells just like a French bakery is so appropriately titled Sweet Almond & Macaroon. Enjoy and try not to eat it! The candle that smells just like our Paris hotel lobby and fills our home with chic fragrance is by Molton Brown. Light them up and let the ambiance take you away. 

7. Eiffel Tower Sculptures - My favorite sight on our trip was seeing the Eiffel Tower. We stumbled upon it during one of our morning runs and my heart skipped a beat. I was running and trying to watch the traffic when all of a sudden I saw my Husband point up and right there, in front of me was the Eiffel Tower.  It was such an awesome moment to see it in person after seeing it in movies my entire life. We made a point to run by it everyday and that was the only tour that we did on our trip. Ever since then, I collect mini Eiffel Towers. I have them in my living room, bedroom and my rose garden. 

I hope you enjoyed reading my love for Paris and why it's so special to me. Now get your bike ready, we have a trip to take! First stop, macarons! Have a chic day and remember to always be Running on Rosé! Bonjour!