A Lesson in Romantics

When the Boeing 777 landed on the runway in Paris, I took a deep breath and laughed because my dream of wandering the streets of Paris had just come true.  Yes I always thought my first trip would be as someones fancy and broke assistant tagging along to fashion week, but here I was with my best friend in the seat next to me, and I thought, "I have arrived".  I needed this moment so much more than I thought I had.  I needed this great escape.  I pictured myself living here from the moment we stepped off the plane.  Every building we passed could be my potential new flat, observing the locals thinking I might know them one day and trying my best to not look like a tourist because for too long I had admired the french and would hate for them to hate me.  I had no makeup on, besides the bright red lipstick that every Parisienne has and my bitch face had been perfected.  They would love me here!

As I write this I am cup number 3 of coffee and I know they would be proud.  I had coffee with every meal...meals took over an hour and it was great.  In this magically place I was the happiest I had felt in months.  This new year had brought me a lot more tears than I had imagined and I needed to feel like my old self, until that moment I hadn't been sure how to get back to there.  They say if you are going to be sad, be sad in Paris.

Our hotel was situated right in the Champs Elysees.  This meant we were surrounded by it all, the Arc de Triomphe  was a block away, all the designer shopping you could want steps away, delightful cafes on every corner, and our hotel was the most charming place we could've ever asked for (way to go Hotels Tonight).  As we made our way through the city we stopped in a cafe for breakfast and indulged in cafe au lait with a chocolate croissant.  Then headed towards the Louvre, stopping in museums, taking pictures of everything we laid our eyes on and eventually stopping in a little cafe built from floor to ceiling windows smack dab in the middle of the Jardin de Tuilerie.  We sat there for about two hours sipping coffee, talking about why the french hate americans so much and observing all the other people in the restaurant.  We ended our meal with the most delicious Nutella crepe we could have ever imagined.  My camera couldn't capture the beauty that is the Louvre.  I tried to photograph every inch and angle but not a single picture did it justice.  This is a place you couldn't photograph you had to just experience it for yourself.  We wandered through the exhibits, climbing countless numbers of stairs and admiring every piece of art, every sculpture and even the staircases and rooms themselves.  Of course we found the Mona Lisa, marveled at the marble statues, but for me the most glorious of the exhibits was the recreation of Napoleon's apartment.  It was like touring a mini Versailles.  The glitz, the gold, the extravagance...it made me wonder why no one decorates like that anymore.  The chandeliers alone made me envious that I didn't get to experience that time period for myself.  Not to mention I probably could've been married off to a prince and had my own estate filled with this kind of glamour.  As the sun began to set, the lights began to turn on and the museum took on a completely different lighting than it had before when the lighting was au natural and dimmed due to the grey skies that had been present all day.  As we worked our way back towards the front we came across a Stars Wars exhibit and that was fabulous...I mean Darth Vader in the Louvre!  We didn't get to see everything that this extravagant palace of art had to offer but we got a taste that left me wanting to come back and spend an entire day there just marveling at the art and maybe I would have a prince fall in love with me while I gazed the way Blair Waldorf did in Gossip Girl (a girl can dream, especially in Paris).  

Being that I am severely addicted to the finer things in life, we couldn't leave paris without getting Laduree.  We walked down the most quintessentially Parisienne street lined with fabulous shops and tiny cafes to find ourselves staring into the pastel lined windows of the world renowned macaron shop.  We stepped inside and I knew it was meant to be because they had special edition Alice in Wonderland boxes, so I immediately began filling those little boxes with pieces of heaven.  After leaving what might be the second happiest place on earth we headed towards the Eiffel Tower to watch it sparkle.  And watch it sparkle we did!  It glittered and gleamed and it was the perfect way to end our stay in this magical place.

I figured at some point during this trip I would feel lonely, being that we were in the most romantic place on earth and knowing just how single I was.  Funny thing though, not once did I feel this way.  Not once did I wish I was there with a boy instead of my best friend.  I realized for the first time in maybe forever I was happy with who I was, alone and all.  I was in love, with me!  I found the girl I was looking for among the architecture, and the coffee, and the art.  And somewhere between that first cup and the last I was happy again.

That next morning we grabbed our bags and stepped outside, I felt sad to be leaving.  Breathing in that cold crisp air , walking those cobbled streets, taking in all the art and architecture and fashion was everything I needed.  It brought me back to life.  For a brief moment, before I stepped into our cab, I thought of never coming back to the states.  Just leaving it all behind and living the rest of my life with a swipe of red lipstick and my hunter boots.  But I got in the cab and said goodbye, but not forever.  Sometimes all you need is a little magic in life and an escape route.  Paris I love you and I will see you soon.

xxx

B