A Springtime Visit to Paris and the Chic Le Royal Monceau
Last month we had the pleasure of returning to one of our favorite destinations, Paris. It was a quick stop over on our way to Provence and the French Riviera but we made the most of time. We checked into the Le Royal Monceau and were immediately taken with the touch of whimsy (note upside down flower pot arrangement) and sleek, modern vibe of this Philippe Starck designed hotel. Our suite came complete with delicious welcoming macaroons, plush robes, linens and Clarins bath products and even a guitar for Mr. C.T. They thought of everything!
A Sunny Afternoon at the Parisian Flea Market - Porte Vanves
Paris is adorned with a number of colorful flea markets or brocantes as they are often called. On our first trip to Paris, in 2003, Scott and I spent an afternoon at the famed Clignancourt flea market, also known as the Marché aux Puces de St-Ouen, and thought to be the largest flea market in the world. We shipped home a small container filled to the brim with chandeliers, sconces, trays, perfume bottles, prints and charms from Paris long ago.
A Parisian Apartment Style Brunch
One of the most alluring reasons to stay in a Parisian apartment while visiting Paris is savoring a taste of the French way of life. With a boulangerie, fruit market, grocery, patisserie, butcher and international market on nearly every block, it’s easy to gather the freshest, tastiest ingredients each day to create memorable bites.
Our Stay in a Romantic Parisian Apartment
With sparkling crystal chandeliers, vintage velvet couches, luxurious linens, time-worn books, a pastel collection of vintage plates, whimsical accents like a jaunty top hat, and a touch of animal print, the details of this apartment are charming. The skeleton wall, meticulously restored, is a nod to the early history of this charming space.
Curated Travel: Packing Tips - Edited Accessories + New Favorites from grayc glass
I've learned to minimize and refine my packing style through trial and error. I believe it was that three-week vacation to Italy and France in 2011, lugging an overweight suitcase on and off train platforms, up tiny staircases of hotels, and out of taxi cabs, that finally made me a believer in the less is more approach to packing and traveling. I was also grateful that neither Scott or I developed a hernia hoisting that bag up and down for three weeks.
The Fascinating Thing About Travel
The fascinating thing about long distance travel is how you can pack a bag, cue up in line, enter a veritable cylinder for a ride in the sky and hours later the door opens to an entirely different world. The language, the architecture, the smells, even the pace of life around you. It is a bit surreal, especially after a long flight -- or two or three -- and being awake 30+ hours, but I always love that moment. It feels like re-entry to the world or time travel, and I'm hooked on the experience. Long distance travel is grueling, but the reward is definitely worth it.
Scott and I used to whisper it to each other over the years: “We aren’t really cruisers.” We happily schlepped our way through cobblestoned Italian hill towns, wandered along Mediterranean seafronts, and checked into luxurious beachfront resorts, proudly proclaiming ourselves land‑lovers through and through. But after one too many grueling European trips spent hauling luggage from place to place every few days, we realized that small‑ship cruising deserved a place in our travel repertoire.