Originally Published: November 28, 2011 on [the now defunct] American Airlines BlackAtlas.com. Screenshot above.
I’m at the end of my annual month long stay in Paris and I'm not ready to go home yet. Wah. Plus…I’ve been thinking. Yep. There I go thinking again.
I think Paris is hot. Smoking hot.
In fact, in addition to playing concierge every November to American women who want to experience some Paris hotness of their own, I would like to live here for 3 months out of the year and get to know the City of Light and the rest of France too…intimately. It could take years (smiling at the thought).
You see, every time I’m here I find something else I didn’t know about and hadn’t seen before. Last year, I wholesale shopped for my part-time boutique and this year I stumbled upon two more wholesale shopping areas I knew nothing about. Score! (Seven duffle bags later, I’m excited to share my French booty with my US customers.)
So here’s what I’d like to do. I’d like to share with you 10 ways that I think you can REALLY enjoy Paris…and make it hot.
1. Pack light and bring an empty duffle bag. The last thing you want to do is bring a bunch of stuff to Paris that you aren’t even going to wear or suitcases that will take up space. I packed one large suitcase for 30 days, so if I can, you can too. If it’s winter, pack black. You’ll always match, you’ll always be chic and you’ll always be appropriately dressed no matter where you go. No matter what time of year it is, wear flats. Paris is a walking city (see #3). I’m betting you can guess what the empty duffle bag is for.
2. Rent an apartment. Hotels are nice but only because someone makes your bed every day. Why not have a truly Parisian experience by staying in your very own pied-à-terre so you can live like a local, n’est-ce pas? Besides, it’s cheaper. Wake up in the middle of the night hungry (and you will) and walk into your own fully equipped kitchen and grab a baguette. Do your laundry in your apartment and take home clean clothes. (You’ll pack less too!) Enjoy the few extra square meters that your hotel room won’t offer. Live like a local.
3. Get a pocket sized map and walk. And walk and walk and walk. Paris has surprises around every corner and you certainly can’t see them all from a taxi or a car. After you take a Hop on Hop Off tour (I recommend it), take the Métro or the bus to one of 20 sections of town (known as arrondissements) and see what you can see. There are shopping opportunities EVERYWHERE you turn in small little French boutiques (which I’m partial to) and then in the Big Box Beauties too; the two most popular being Galeries Lafeyette and Printemps.
4. Speak French. Don’t be shy. Learn a few words. You certainly expect people to speak English when they get to America, right? So give it a try. Bonjour, bonsoir, merci, s’il vous plait. And while you will most certainly come across many who actually DO speak English, most people will respect your efforts if you give it a try. Other important phrases you should know? Où est la toilette? and Parlez-vous anglais? Note: WC stands for Water Closet which stands for restroom.
5. Mix it up. Walk a different way to the same location. Turn a corner or go in a door that is calling your name. Like my friend Kira says, get lost to get found.
6. Go to all of the famous monuments and museums. Every single one of them. If you go to Paris and don’t go to the Eiffel Tower or Sacre-Coeur or the Louvre, etc., then that is pure sacrilege.
7. Wear a scarf. Or buy one. Get into it. Just about everyone in Paris wears a scarf…even the men. And yes, it’ll keep you warm in cool weather, but it’s a fashion staple that spruces up any outfit no matter the season.
8. Slow the heck down. Sit at a sidewalk café and just watch the people go by. There’s a reason the French live a life full of joie de vivre. Among other things, they eat meals at a leisurely pace and OMG, they have full on conversations at the dinner table. Try it!
9. Eat and drink. Do not leave Paris without at least trying the following authentic French food/drink: Escargot, coq au vin, foie gras, Camembert cheese, the real champagne, roasted chestnuts, vin chaud, hot chocolate, a croissant from a boulangerie, French bread (baguette), macarons, sausage. Extra tip: If you order meat, be sure to say “bien cuit” pronounced "bee-yen kwee." It means well done. The French tend to like their meat pink. Oh. And if you order a hambuger, make sure it’s not cheval. That's French for horsemeat.
10. Be Nice and Don’t Complain. The French smoke. They live and function in small spaces. If you’re lucky to get an elevator in your apartment building, it’s going to be TINY. The toilet is typically separate from the bathroom. The Métro is PACKED at rush hour. The cars don’t always slow down for pedestrians. The exchange rate is horrible. But here's the thing: If you travel thousands of miles to complain, you should probably stay at home. It’s not America, it’s Paris!
BONUS: Enjoy every moment. Even though you won’t be able to capture the true essence of Paris in a photo, take your camera and snap away. Enjoy the parks and gardens. Admire the architecture. Take a cooking class. Check out your local Farmer’s Market. Go to a flea market. Go to a concert, the ballet, a jazz club, ride the Bateaux Mouche on the River Seine. Shop till you drop. Immerse yourself. Do. It. All.
And then come back and do it again. Now, that’s hot.
No comments:
Post a Comment