A Restover in the City of Lights

I always dread long flights with Elowen, since even perfect toddlers such as herself are unpredictable, but she was an angel on the way to Paris--she played on my phone for about two hours, ate her disgusting plane meal, and then slept until Charles de Gaulle!

Unfortunately we landed to learn that DFW had never scanned my bag in and American Airlines didn't know where it was...then eventually it made it to NYC...and then they didn't scan it AGAIN but it mysteriously made it to Paris on the second day. I never knew how deeply important having my own underwear was to me until this first-world trial, but you'd better believe every pocket of my carry-on in the future will be stuffed with that, deodorant, and my makeup. 

But despite that trauma that sent me into an adult temper tantrum (having only a belt and my retainer), our hotel (Hotel de Berri) was amazing and located right off the Champs Elysee. I'd describe the decor as modernism meets Greek statues meets Honey I Blew Up the Kids? It used to be a mansion and the residence of Princess Matilde and the designer Elsa Schiaparelli!  The bartenders were so kind to Elowen, bringing her free sweets and lemonade, and our room was cozy and chic. We also learned we'll need two rooms in the future because apparently France has VERY strict occupancy laws for hotel rooms. They let us stay in a king bed room with Elowen, but told us to hide her as it's not allowed to have three people in a room with a single bed. 

I don't know why some of these are sideways but there's no option to fix it in the app so just crane your neck!

Since Taylor and I have both visited Paris a few times before, there wasn't much on the agenda besides resting up for the next leg of the trip. And since Elowen and I didn't have my carefully planned coordinating tulle outfits for the Eiffel Tower, that freed up some time too. We did walk over to the Eiffel Tower, and in seeing it from afar Elowen gasped "Mama it a TOWER!" She's really old enough now to grasp what travel is and is so enthusiastic--she also kept yelling "I'm in PARIS FRANCE" and just was in a jolly mood despite being jet lagged and exhausted.

My new Zara dress, bought in haste as I will not run around Paris in leggings and a Tshirt. The horror. 

For dinner our first night we ate at Les Cocettes, a one-star Michelin restaurant that's kid friendly and known for cooking its entrees in a single dish. We started with the white asparagus in a citrus mustard grain sauce, then Taylor had squid ink pasta and Elowen and I shared a steak with bernaise and frites. By shared, I mean she ate 2/3 of the steak and then enjoyed a chocolate almond pie with Chantilly cream that was presented by the waiter to "mademoiselle." We also met a fascinating couple beside us who were fitting in all their travel later in life--she had come the week before for the Eras Tour and he followed later. He told us all about his travels implementing software around the world, including Nigeria--which he said was the roughest place he'd been, where the Sheraron was in a walled and armed compound.

White asparagus season is a BIG DEAL in Europe.

After that, we enjoyed truffle chips and a delicious cranberry and vanilla cocktail before falling exhausted into bed.

The happiest little tourist with her Paw Patrol magic coloring kit.

The next morning we were determined to be more productive and touristy, and ended up walking 12 miles! We started in Marais, which was once the city's Jewish Quarter and is now home to shops, bars, and restaurants. The streets are narrow and packed with treasures, and we stopped to pick up a few of my favorite jars of jam before moving on. We also got macarons and beautiful pastries from Pierre Herme and ate lunch at a vegetarian Italian place called BigLove. BigLove was a little disappointing as they didn't start servicing pizza till lunch, and most of the courses were bread heavy. I had a zucchini benedict with yogurt sauce and herbs, as well as a basil oil stracciatella. 

Pasta queen!

I love this store and it's unique jams, from vanilla pear to violet blackcurrant. 

Then the march continued--to include the famed bookstore Shakespeare and Company, which was much too crowded and we'll try again on the way back--and Luzembourg Gardens, where it started to rain and we'll also visit on the way back. (But as a preview, the gardens and the palace were started in 1612, for Maria de Medici, wife of King Henry IV; the grounds contain both French and English gardens, an orchard, an apiary, and a carousel). 

Omg the Madagascar vanilla eclair! 

Requested a picture with this bear and then made a very normal face! 

We also walked through the Tulieries and over to the opera house, which is obviously historic in its own right but...let's be honest, I love it because of The Phantom of the Opera. Elowen had time to enjoy a carousel (free for kids!) and we had dinner at Cafe de la Paix, which sits outside the opera house and has been open since 1862 with guests such as Victor Hugo and Ernest Hemingway (though honestly where hasn't Hemingway been). The inside is gorgeous and opulent, and our waiter (like most Europeans) could not have been kinder to Elowen. She of course had chicken nuggets, while Taylor had oysters and French onion soup and I had steak and potato gnocchi. 

The famed Berthillon ice cream shop...I had salted butter caramel. We won't speak of all the sweets I had in this single day--I was stressed about my bag, okay??

Next up, Venice!

So happy to be reunited with our clothes!!!