Paris, France

We've fallen in love with Paris after a few visits, but the visit that sealed the deal was when Elena was invited as a guest of Chanel to attend fashion week in Paris. Chanel hosted us from pick up at the airport until the day we left with a personal driver and a series of activities around the famous Via Montaigne Street. We met with Chanel artisans and learned their craft alongside them including the artists that make each individual camellia flower on their fashion wear. There is beauty around every corner of Paris in the architecture, fashion, flowers, and food. The Parisians take pride in their craft no matter what that craft might be.

After a few frequent visits, we decided to get our own pied de terre in Paris a few steps from the Seine River. We have a view of the Seine River on one side of the apartment and the Eiffel Tower on the other. We've used the apartment as a hub to spend a few weeks at a time in Paris every month or two. It has allowed us to explore each arrondissement and learn the unique features of each. We've fallen in love with the 7th, 8th, and 16th, but each has its own appeal. We spend a lot of time on via Montaigne enjoying the high fashion boutiques, but also enjoy the fresh neighborhood market that pops up right outside our apartment every Wednesday and Saturday. Le Grand Epicurie is also the grocery store of grocery stores and an experience to visit in itself.  

The joie of what we do is truly live. We live as a Parisian lives. We walk everywhere or take public transit and Uber. We eat locally. We cook using the freshest ingredients and drink wine as it should be with minimal sulfites where you can taste the terre in every sip.      

We have made some amazing friends in Paris that help make it feel more like home. Among our new friends are His and Her Royal Highness (HRH) Princess Yasmine Murat and Prince Joachin Murat. The Murats are direct descendants and carry on the legacy of Napolean Bonaparte. Their ancestor, Grand Duke Joachin Murat was the King of Naples and husband to Napolean's sister. The prince and princess have befriended us and are delightful. Both work in the Defense industry as does Erick, and the prince spent his early career in the military as did Erick. Our commonalities and desire to bridge our cultures have led to our friendship.

My recommendation to travel to Paris is to make sure you go there for the right reasons and attempt to immerse yourself in the culture. If you are going there for a week and your goal is to hit all the Instagram famous sites, then consider a different approach. There is so much to experience by just living. Wake up and walk to a cafe for coffee and a croissant. From there, pick a part or museum to walk to and enjoy the stroll. Stop when you see something beautiful. Try to say bonjour and bonsoir, say Merci and au revoir. Stop at a bakery and buy a baguette, stop at a butcher or market and buy some meat and cheese, grab some wine, and have a picnic. Just live and watch the world. Before dinner, get dressed like you want to be seen, or like your mom is watching. Make a reservation at one of the amazing restaurants and go enjoy the evening with hopefully someone you love, then recount the amazing day you just lived.

Our beautiful dog Lela has been able to travel with us to Paris. Paris was built for dogs. Lela has literally been welcomed into the finest boutiques on Via Montaigne where she tried on a gold Chanel choker necklace that she's considering giving her mother for Christmas. Lela also strutted the hallways of the Ritz hotel and sat alongside us at lunch in their restaurant, where the servers made sure she was well accommodated. So, bring your pet to Paris and expect them to be able to enjoy the experience as well.