Just a light lunch on arrival at Hotel Amour....
Perhaps one of the most instagrammed bits of Paris, but lovely none the less.
Apt graffiti in the Marais at dusk.
The leafy dining room at Hotel Amour
Ready for exploring in comfy New Balance and duvet-like Woolrich Arctic Parka
Delicious brunch at the unassuming but always great Rose Bakery on Rue des Martyrs
Saint-Georges, our local metro stop
Favourite little find of the trip, Musee de la Vie Romantique near Pigalle (more at the bottom).
Lights galore at Merci
We pass through Paris at least a couple of time a year to spend time with family in France, and after getting the Eurostar we inevitably end up racing across town to catch another train south, catching glimpses of Belle Paree as we go, seeing nothing but the Gare du Nord and perhaps the inside of a cab.
So this time, we decided to stop-off and spend one night in Paris before heading down for a few days of nothingness over New Years. We were quite literally there for 24 hours which was lovely but gone in a flash. Unlike previous trips to Paris where I've created week-long itineraries to cram into a weekend culminating in being disappointed and knackered as a result, this time we arrived pretty much plan free and simply wandered. While it was short, it was definitely sweet, and was more than enough time for a few great meals, an exhibition and a bit of shopping.
We Stayed.... at Hotel Amour in the old red light district, Pigalle. It's one of my favourite areas and hotels so it was a real treat to be back. We very sweetly got upgraded to a suite after waiting half an hour for our room which made for an extra nice start to our stay. Every room is different and, being an old brothel and all, some rooms have pretty, ahem, daring decor. You might end up in a black room with mirrors on the ceiling but its all part of the fun....
We ate.... Lunch at Hotel Amour, dinner at the beautiful but expensive Brasserie Thomieux and brunch at one of my favourites Rose Bakery on Rue des Martyrs, just over the road from Hotel Amour. Eggs, plenty of bread and one of the few places in Paris you can get a good juice. Good for tea and cake too (the carrot cake came highly recommended on Instagram).
We Went.... Musee de la Vie Romantique. It's an old, Italian-style villa tucked away down a passage near Saint-Georges that's now a small museum for Romantic art and pieces of jewellery and artefacts that belonged to the creative family who lived there. There's also a really sweet garden and conservatory that you can take a moment in and get coffee and tea in the summer. After attempting to visit Musee de L'Orangerie and witnessing the 200 people deep queues, this was a breath of fresh air. Small but perfectly formed.
I Bought.... First point of call was concept store Merci. I picked up a treat from Isabel Marant and few new jewels but I'll make sure to show you exactly what I bought in the next post. Those of you who follow me on insta will have already seen the Marant piece in question....
I Wore.... Lived in my new Woolrich arctic parka and new New Balance 574 kicks, both of which were pretty much made for sightseeing. Also wearing my Blake LDN beanie, Gucci bag, Gap jumper and Zara jeans.
Don't forget, there's some new bits and pieces on my Tictail store including Iro, Isabel Marant and vintage pieces picked up from my travels. Going to be having a bit of New Year clear out so keep checking back for more...
All photos taken on iPhone 5 - apologies for any slightly pixelated ones