The 2nd Arrondissement

The 2nd Arrondissement is the smallest of them all, but is packed with gems. Its location in the heart of Paris allows you to conveniently spend a morning sipping a café at Le Vaudeville while watching the world wake up across the street at the Bourse (the Paris Stock Exchange). Or, you could take a mid-day stroll down Rue Montorgueil, one of Paris's most famous market streets (a stop at world-renowned patissier Stohrer is mandatory). The Rue Etienne-Marcel, Rue Montmartre, and Rue du Louvre will lead you to a bevy of shops, cafés, and restaurants. History buffs take note as one of Paris' last remaining vestiges of the Middle Ages, La Tour Jean Sans Peur is tucked away behind a square on the Rue Etienne-Marcel. Additionally, if you find yourself looking for shelter during one of Paris's frequent rainshowers, the 2nd is home to some of the most stunning galeries the city has to offer.

Custom Map Murals by Wallpapered

Something I think about frequently is how I am going to design my next apartment (Is this really weird? Does anyone else do this?? Don't answer that.). I've been living in a dorm room since August, and I am having growing pains. I've added a few things here and there to make the space more "me", but knowing that everything has to fit in a suitcase at the end of the day has really impacted my purchasing decisions (actually, it hasn't... so going home will be interesting.). However, this has given me more time to find inspiration and continue developing the aesthetic for my future home.

In my free time I peruse Design Milk, Apartment Therapy, and a host of other websites for inspiration (yes, Pinterest too). One day, I stumbled upon these Custom Map Murals by Wallpapered.  

And I love them.

YOLO

Me, loving on Montpellier.

These past couple of weeks have been very exciting. I snuck in a couple of wonderful weekend trips, and have made some solid plans for the next few months. My internship has been extended through the end of June, so I will be staying in Paris until then. I could not be more excited to spend the next couple of months exploring this amazing city while continuing to work. After that, I will be traveling for a couple of weeks to cities that have long been on my "to-visit" list (!!!), and then celebrating Bastille Day, or as the Frenchies say Le Quatorze, in true Parisian fashion. After reveling in the French Revolution (and maybe taking advantage of the summer sales...), my visa will have expired so I will pack up my things and head back to the US. 

Zee Alps!

I went to the Alps in February, and it was incredible. Backstory: I was talking to some friends in studio earlier in the semester, and said that I really wanted to go to the Alps, but didn't know any other skiers/boarders. My friend Julie was like, "I go for three weeks every winter, come visit me!" And I was like, "Um. I'll book my train now." So, after my first week of work, I packed up my bags and headed to St. Gervais-les-Bains, which is located southeast of Geneva (but is in France). For the ski buffs out there: it is very close to Chamonix/Mont Blanc. 

I haven't had the opportunity to ski in the mountains (Lutsen I love you, but we both know you don't count!) since I was studying abroad in Montpellier four years ago. Then, I went to Pelvoux-Vallouise, and it was great, but a little small for what I was expecting from the Alps. This time, I went to Megève and Les Contamines Montjoie, and OMG it was amazing. I was a tad rusty, but I was on cloud nine the entire time.

Snow.

Rarely does it snow in Paris... and actually stay. One day after a snowfall in January, I walked around the 4th to snap a few pictures. We ended up getting a few more snowy days, but I think it is safe to say that they are behind us until next year. Fingers crossed - I am from Minnesota after all. ;) 

PS It feels really weird writing this post right now, because we are in the middle of some insanely beautiful spring weather.

The fence enclosing the Luxembourg Gardens 

Give The People What They Want!

So, about this "blog thing". My mom has now openly pestered me on Facebook about my absence, so I guess you can count that as rock bottom. (Love you mom!) Since I last left off, I've been busy with work, more work, and a little exploring! I'll get some real posts up soon (please don't hold your breath...), but here's a little taste of what's been going on:

It snowed! I love snow.

A Christmas Treat!

We are fast-forwarding from Thanksgiving (and going back in time???) to one of my favorite moments this past year, Printemps and the Galeries Lafayette at Christmas. A friend tipped me off on their fabulous window displays, so on a sunny (a delight in rainy Paris winter times) afternoon I headed over to check them out. One word: magnifique.