There She Goes: Sunrises & Parisian Strolls
Hello From Paris!
At the top of Montmartre!
I can’t believe I’ve already been in Paris for a week! We’ve been spending lots of time strolling the streets, wandering, getting lost (yes those are two different things), and eating yummy foods. More on that later on! Personally, I’ve been taking more time to journal, day dream about the future, and get creative in the kitchen.
Songs To Stitch To, Sing To, Get You Through The Week
Love the look of this cafe
Set Aside Some Time This Week For Some Self-Care
Catch a sunrise. Waking up earlier becomes easier in the summer time, so why not take advantage and pick out a date with a good forecast and a spot to see night become day. No, you don’t need to be on a mountain top or on the East Coast facing the ocean— all you need is a bit of open sky so you can watch the colors change and the magic happen!
Take a “designated down day”. A friend taught me this term and I love it. Instead of feeling like you either need to give into social pressure or come up with an excuse for when you need a little me time, say that you have a designated down day and make sure you stick to it (or find someone to hold you accountable)! Even better if you pick the day out a week in advance, so it’s on officially on the calendar.
Sneak veggies into breakfast. As I mentioned, I’ve been getting more crafty in the kitchen and I recently revitalized an old recipe— overnight zotes. I love eating overnight oats in the summer because they are nice and cool plus the flavors have had time to marinate all night long. The oats become “zotes” when you toss in a zucchini! If you’ve never tried it, it may sound crazy but you’ll fall in love. Look up a recipe or craft your own! It can be simple — 1/2 cup old fashioned oats/muesli, 1 small shaved zucchini, cinnamon & salt to taste, then fill jar/ bowl with milk of choice until it’s just above the oat mix. Option to add nuts, protein powder, flax/chia seeds!
Sunday Salutations: This week, in French!
Spending time in the parks of Paris
Dans une grande âme tout est grand / In a great mind everything is great.
— Blaise Pascal
À vaillant coeur rien d’impossible / For a valiant heart nothing is impossible.
— Jacques Cœur
Le monde est un livre dont chaque pas nous ouvre une page / The world is a book—with each step we open a page. — Alphonse de Lamartine
There She Goes
When I was in Paris last summer with my mother, I did not expect that I would be back just a year later. This trip is bitter sweet, as I miss her when see spots we visited together but I get to create new exciting moments and memories. Moreover, my partner and I are so grateful to have the opportunity to live in a family friend’s apartment and really sink into the Parisian lifestyle.
Watching the sun set on Bastille Day, France’s Independence Day, when the whole city seems to surround the river.
Sights that have made me say “WOW”
I. Sunrise at the Eiffel Tower. As I mentioned, watching night become day is, in my opinion, a very therapeutic activity. Watching this magic happen at the Eiffel Tower just made it epic! We packed a breakfast picnic for the event and spent about 45 minutes alone at the park in front of the Eiffel Tower (a rarity especially in tourist season)!
II. Fluctuart. Man, I love this place. It’s an art gallery, resturant, and bar on the water of the Siene. They call it the “World’s first floating urban center” and it’s currently featuring awesome works of street artists like Banksy. Oh, and it’s FREE.
III. The Bastille Day sunset & fireworks. France does not skimp on their independence day celebrations. We were lucky enough to experience the (ahem) 11PM fireworks over the Eiffel Tower and were not disappointed in the show they put on, nor the professional-level picnic setup of many of the French onlookers.
The best way to discover the city and its secret spots— on foot!
Pan au chocolat
Good Eats
I. A market-fresh pan au chocolate (see above) and espresso along the river. Yes, the flow of the morning and the setting probably played a role in this unbelievable breakfast. En route to the river one morning, we happened across a market and picked up two chocolate croissants. These were perfect accompaniments to our espressos, which we made ourselves using our Wacaco Nanopresso.
II. Baguettes and cheese! This may be even more quintessential Paris. Though it’s hard to go wrong with any boulangerie (or bakery), we try to stick to ones that are authentic and have been around a while. Planning a trip to a boulangerie? Here’s a neat guide!
III. A sweet crepe. This is a quintessential indulgence in Paris! I decided to get a crepe while we were strolling around Montmartre, honestly because I saw a lot of people eating them and wanted one of my own! I chose a crepe with chocolate and pear. It was definitely a treat to remember.
Have a stellar week everyone!
Be well,
Sheila