Style Hoopla

I am in love with Paris - it offers everything one could want and more. There is amazing food, wonderful sites, beautiful architecture, mystery, vibrant culture, and effortless style. There was always so much to do and I was never bored. There were markets to wander through everyday - full of incredible, fresh food and freshly baked goods. There were areas with old, winding roads that were worth getting lost in. There were fun boutiques with unique, Parisian items. I always wanted to be out and about in this city.

At night, you could go sit by the Seine with an ice cream cone and chat with friends or wander over to the more popular part of the Seine (near the Invalides metro stop and the Champs Élysées) to drink a bottle of wine and socialize with many other young people out looking to enjoy the night.

Through my exploration I found some pretty cool places to eat and shop (mostly eat because, well, food is the greatest...). I hope you enjoy my findings and can use them to help you explore the city.

First off, let me start by saying, I do not care which part of Paris you are in. If you walk by a boulangerie, go in and grab something! Be adventurous because every single boulangerie is incredible. Below are pictures from two boulangeries that I went to that were fabulous. The picture on the right is a toffee cake with salted caramel sauce in the middle, it was to die for (from Artisan Boulanger (1 Rue Cler).

But anyways, you CANNOT go wrong at a Parisian boulangerie because they are all perfect.

Now, Ladurée tends to be on people's bucket list for when they come to Paris and while it is a great idea, I recommend some other places to go for macarons and tea. The thing with Ladurée is that you can find in New York, London, and other big cities which makes it a little less authentic.

I chose to try Pierre Hermé (macarons are pictured below). His macarons are rumored to be the best in the world and after trying them, I support this claim. The flavor was unbelievable. My favorite flavors (well I loved them all, but if you are asking me to choose) were Huile D'Olive and Vanille, Infiniment Rose, and Mogador (which is chocolate and passionfruit, yum!).

If you are looking for breakfast at a tea room, I recommend Angelina, but do not expect to be getting tea with your meal because the hot chocolate is so good! The hot chocolate (pictured below) is basically liquid chocolate, it is served with a unsweetened, fresh whipped cream. The drink is so decadent and wonderful. Also, if you go to Angelina make sure to try a Mont Blanc, trust me, you won't regret it.

Lets start talking neighborhoods now...

Batignolles:

This is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Paris. It feels more like you are in a town. There is a little town center with cafes and restaurants and there is a little, beautiful park off to the side. It is the perfect place to go have a relaxing evening out with your friends or family. In this part of Batignolles I discovered my FAVORITE cookie store EVER.

Scoop Me a Cookie:

When I found this place, I could not stop raving about it. I told everyone. It was like walking into Heaven. The cookies were huge and fresh and the chocolate was gooey. The first cookie I had was peanut butter with chocolate chunks and pretzels. The pretzels were still crunchy, the cookie was so soft and buttery, it was full of flavor, and it just left me wanting more. The second time I came back, I tried the Bog cookie (pictured below). It was a chocolate cookie with globs of peanut butter in it. WOW. Anyways, GO TO THIS PLACE! IF YOU DO NOT, YOU ARE MISSING OUT AND I DO NOT SAY THAT LIGHTLY!

Le Tout Petit:

This is one of the local restaurants of Batignolles that we went to. We went around 8:30pm for dinner and had to wait for an hour for a table. It is a small restaurant with mostly outdoor seating and had a wonderful menu. Somethings on the menu were very French, which is what I choose. I got duck with potatoes on top, this was one of my favorite dishes to order in Paris. There was also a selection of non-French food. My friends got a tuna tartar and a lasagna. They both LOVED their meals. And dessert was AMAZING. We got a Nutella, chocolate cake. It was chocolate cake that oozed warm chocolate after you broke through the thin, crunchy layer of the cake on top and it had a dollop of warm Nutella to stir in. We were simply in awe at this dessert. Duck and chocolate cake pictured below.

Le Marais:

This is the cool, hip shopping area of Paris. It is a lot like Soho in New York but honestly, I think its better with its cobble stone streets and unique, Parisian boutiques. Here are some boutiques you should definitely take a look at:

Merci:

It is hard to describe because there is nothing like it in the States. It is tucked away behind a coffee shop (which is part of Merci). When you walk in, there is an array of incredible clothing and jewelry and shoes. The upper and lower levels contain fun home decor. Worth stopping in.

Fluo:

I stumbled upon this place accidentally and I was so glad when I found it. It is a quaint, little boutique. It is mainly a shoe store with really cool shoes of different varieties. This is the kind of store you want to find in Paris, a place you can buy something that is unlike anything that you can find at home.

L'as du Fallafel:

This place was constantly recommended to me left and right, so of course I had to go. Immediately I learned what all the hype was about. It is simply just REALLY GOOD falafel. LIKE REALLY GOOD. Anyway, if you get tired of boutique shopping in Le Marais and need a place to refuel, definitely stop here. I mean, just look at this picture of the falafel I got (below).

Marché des Enfants Rouges:

This is the oldest covered market in Paris. It is super cool. It is full of cuisines from different cultures. When I went, I got couscous which was incredible. I am sad I only was able to go here once because it had so many exciting food stands to try. I plan on going back when I return to Paris.

Bastille:

This borders Le Marais and is also full of fun boutiques but is also a center for nightlife in Paris. It is a great place to walk through at night if you are looking for a fun bar to hang out at. It also has some pretty great places to eat. I have two favorites in this neighborhood.

Bistro Les Sans Culottes:

This has really good French food and at a great price. I came here twice while in Paris because I really loved it (obviously!). It is clearly a local hangout, you will not find too many foreigners here because the menu is entirely in French. My friends and I had to use Google Translate to discover what we wanted. I had duck with potatoes (pictured below) and it was so, so amazing. The first time I got steak with home fries (THE FRIES THO!!). The tiramisu (pictured below with profiteroles) is also fantastic. I have never been a tiramisu fan in the past, but this place converted me.

The Grilled Cheese Factory:

I know, I know, such an American place to go to! But this was a Parisian owned brand and one can only find it in Paris, so in the end it is still pretty French. Basically, I walked by it one day and made a mental note to go back and I am so glad I did. I got the Fabrication Mac & Cheese (pictured below). It was so, so good. I am a mac and cheese fanatic and therefore am very harsh about this kind of thing and I give it a A+ rating, so you know its good.

7th Arrondissement:

I was taking classes at the American University of Paris and this is where I spend most of my time in Paris. Its a really fun neighborhood, a lot of boutiques and restaurants, its also right by the Eiffel Tower, so its a pretty fun location.

Truffes Folies:

Guys, I don't know how you feel about truffles but I LOVE them. They are simply orgasmic. This restaurant is all truffles, they are in literally every dish. The bread is even served with truffle salt and two types of truffle oil (black and white truffle). I had the lobster macaroni (pictured below) and it was pretty special. Dessert was the best part of the meal. My friends and I all ordered the bread pudding (pictured below). It was brioche that was so buttery, drizzled with salted caramel sauce and topped with truffle ice cream (weird sounding, but a quality flavor). This restaurant is worth a stop for any truffle lover. There are plenty of truffle souvenirs here, too, to bring home with you.

La Fabrique Cookies:

There are a few of these shops in Paris. The cookies are are pretty great. I got the Oreo flavor (pictured below) and there plenty of other wonderful flavors. I definitely think these cookies are worth a try. If you pass by a location, go in!

Rue Montorgueil:

This is a fun street. It is so vibrant and full of restaurants.

La Cevicheria Bachaumont:

If you are looking for a lighter meal and a place with a fun atmosphere, come here. The ceviche is so good. It is perfect for a hot summer night. Try the mango salmon, my friends and I really enjoyed that one!

Odette:

Odette has two locations in Paris. I went to the one on Rue Montorgueil. I got 6 cream puffs (pictured below) to try and they were so good! My favorite flavor was the vanilla, the cream was just so custardy and yummy! The cream puffs are absolutely adorable and have fun flavors. I really loved this place and wish they would open up shop in New York City!!

This last week in NYC has been disgusting and causing me to basically hate everything I put on. I think it is because I am so ready to start wearing my cut-offs and espadrilles. But another reason that damp, dark weather bothers me is because all I want is to be comfortable all day. While I think denim is one of the most comfy things in the world, there is something about walking through the rain in denim that makes me feel stiff and uncomfortable.

I have never been so thankful that the silk pajama shirt is currently trending. Today I paired it with culottes and I felt comfortable all day - like I was walking around in my pajamas. It made me think back to my favorite school day - PJ day, when it was acceptable to wake up and go to school in my matching PJ set. I added a pair of heels to look put together, but a pair of sneakers or slip-ons would have worked great too. Today was the first day all week that I genuinely felt good in what I was wearing. I'm hoping the sun will come out soon!!

Top: Zara

Culottes: Zara

Shoes: Topshop

Style Hoopla

Monday, October 17, 2016

October

Friday, August 19, 2016

The Slip Dress

Friday, July 15, 2016

Travel: Where to Go in Paris

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

The First of Many Sunny Days

Sunday, June 5, 2016

Pardon My French

Monday, May 9, 2016

The Extra Large Shirt

Saturday, May 7, 2016

The PJ Shirt

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