Paris, je t'aime | Days 3-5

Each day in Paris just got better and better (even as the weather got colder and rainier). We saw so much but at the same time, still relaxed in cafes and ate all the good food. I already shared the details of the first half of our trip, so I hope you're ready to hear about the rest!

Day 3

This day probably had the slowest start because our first stop was Galeries Vivienne, one of the covered passageways in Paris and a historical monument as a well as a shopping center, but we were strangely underwhelmed. It didn't help that it was under construction and we were both miserably cold (neither of us had the proper shoes for rain which we fixed by buying matching sneakers 😂). But things quickly started looking up after that! We got breakfast at Ob-La-Di (hole in the wall cafe that is delicious and worth checking out), stopped by Polene so I could buy a bag, and walked around Marais to make our way towards Sainte-Chapelle. I had visited before but it was a first for Alexa and still, we were both in awe. The upper chapel is breathtaking and what its most famous for. I consider this a must-see place in Paris if you ever go. (Note: We purchased skip-the-line tickets and personally thought it was worth it.)

Afterwards we started walking towards Notre-Dame but understandably, it was closed off to visitors. In spite of the damage, which was so sad to see, it's see a formidable structure and I really hope they can repair it somehow! Then we shopped at Shakespeare & Company (I got 5 books!), had lunch at the cutest kitschy spot called Au vieux Paris d'Arcole (the storefront = my aesthetic) and explored Île Saint-Louis. It's an extremely small island in the Seine River but a must for quaint shops (I recommend La Cure Gourmande and Diwali Paris) and their famous ice cream shop Berthillon. 

Next up was Rue Cremieux. I'll admit, this is totally an Instagram tourist trap but it's actually worth checking out. It's such a fun, colorful street and we were genuinely delighted at the sight of these houses. We went late afternoon while the sun was still out and luckily for us, hardly anyone was around! Then we went to Le Pure Cafe, which is the cafe the characters in my favorite movie, Before Sunset, go to for coffee. Luckily, I have a friend like Alexa who will indulge me because it meant a lot to go see it for myself. And lastly, we ended our day with seeing the Eiffel Tower light up and a delicious dinner at Carette. 

Day 4

When we reached day 4, neither of us could believe it was our last full day in Paris! We started off at Les Artisans (best croissants we had the entire trip), stopped by Palais Garnier (opera house but we didn't go inside because we couldn't get tickets – next time!) and went to the prettiest department store I've ever seen, Galeries Lafayette. On one of the levels, there's a very high platform that you can walk out on to take better photos and there was no way I was going to miss that (in spite of my fear of heights!). We shopped at Longchamp and their bookstore on the top floor (where I found a beautiful French edition of Ruin & Rising!). After we took a mini coffee break at Cafe Kitsune and stumbled upon Palais-Royal as we walked towards ...

.. The Louvre! It was just as chaotic as I remembered and nearly impossible to take photos. We'd both been before so we didn't go inside but we did want to catch a glimpse of the pyramid. Had our trip been longer, I definitely would've wanted to visit even for a little bit but I was happy just to see the outside this time around. From there we caught a late lunch at Angelina Cafe. The line is usually out the door but the wait is surprisingly short and they're very efficient. As you can see from all the pictures above, we ordered A LOT. The place lived up to the hype but shockingly, my favorite was the white hot chocolate. Neither of us could stop drinking it! If you ever go, definitely order a bunch of things to share because I guarantee you will want to try it all.

Then we ended our day by buying more things! We picked up macarons to go from Pierre Herme. They're considered one of the best macarons in Paris and while they were delicious, Laduree is still my fave. And we went to the new Chanel flagship store so I could try on my dream bag, which I didn't buy but I buy myself a little wallet which I adore. (That VAT refund you guys, take advantage.) We called it a night after that since we needed to wake up early and I think we were both ready to lounge in our Airbnb.

Day 5

Our actual last day in Paris! We woke up really early to see the Umbrella Sky project at Le Village Village Royal. It's a beautiful and colorful installation that feels so random but I love it. We originally planned to see it the day before but it was closed (note to self: always check when things are open). Then we had breakfast at Les Artisans, picked up our stuff, made the trek to Chanel again (I had to show my passport to get the VAT refund and luckily they were willing to hold the wallet for me) and then we finally headed towards the airport. We just used public transportation and if you've got the time, I recommend just using that. It's easy and convenient, not to mention way cheaper. Then we hung around the airport, lucked out with a whole row to ourselves on the plane and said goodbye to Paris!

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This trip to Paris was magical and I definitely foresee another trip in my future!