Parlez-Vous Anglais?

I have the travel bug but no trips in the works. So instead, I’ll blog about THE trip in my books.

It’s a trip I always knew I’d take; Paris in the fall. Maybe it came from watching season six of SATC one too many times. Seeing Carrie traipse around the city of bridges, eating French desserts under grey skies. I had attempted to take this trip many times over the years, with many different people. But despite these efforts, it just never seemed to work out. And to be honest, it was a trip I had always envisioned taking alone anyways.

So as circumstance would have it, I found myself in the right time and place this past October and took my trip to Paris, one week after my 26^th birthday.

notre dame

arc de triomphe

i know, right

gardens at the chateau versailles

at the louvre

my expression may not be telling enough, but this was a HUGE moment for me

jardin des tuileries

night life

the one and only

Just a few here. Please excuse my poor quality photos. I’m working with a sub-par point and shoot.

My time in Paris was everything to me. It was exactly what I’d hoped it would be, and yet surpassed all of my expectations at the same time. The city, sights, art, people, food, shops, gardens, beauty, just all of it. Oh, and the men, my god. I have never seen so many beautiful, well-dressed men all in one place. Really.

And there is definitely something to be said about traveling a city this beautiful, all alone. You’re given the opportunity to make your time only your own, and absorb every aspect of every experience so fully. Especially considering my understanding of the French language, or lack thereof. Being tongue-tied for a good 8 days will definitely heighten the rest of your senses. From the intoxicating French music playing during my boat ride along the Seine River, to standing underneath an illuminated Eiffel Tower, and every bite I took of a chocolate croissant. I reveled in it all. Then there’s the romance. Whether you’re walking alone or hand in hand, you’re falling more in love with every step.

Before I left, everyone wished me well and sent me off with love. I promised I’d check-in when I landed and come home with a laundry list of stories to tell. Except what I arrived home with eight days later was a suitcase full of goodies and a smile. It was too good, too much, too beautiful for me to give all of the details. After all, it’s taken me nearly 8 months to post this. These memories are all mine, and I think about them all of the time.

I know I’ll go back to France sometime and visit Paris. I’ll go back to my fav spots from this first trip and discover a million more. In the meantime, I'll start working on my french. Mais oui!

UPDATES

I need to blog more. Write, photograph, share, post MORE. That way, every post will be less of a catch up and more caught up.

But since we're catching up, here's me ~

Work is still craziness to the max with a hint of fun, and the peeps are swell. Fashion intimates is a crazy business full of bras and panties and pj's, oh my!

Home life is good and settled. Great place, good family, and a peaceful view! It's hard to hate the long(er) commute to Kleinberg, when you get to wake up to this. . .

Friends, come visit. We've got to take advantage while the weather's good. Although the inside's not so bad either!

Relationship status, single. Enjoying this, that, and the other with friends. I think I'm supposed to say I'm single and ready to mingle, so let's go with that.

On this point, I do have a bunch of friends in lovestruck bliss who have recently or will soon take a trip down the aisle.

Blushing beautiful brides and handsome grooms! I couldn't be happier for each and every one of you. Can't wait for Lisa and Tony's big day, you're up next kids!

Got a few new things coming up and into 2012, but I'll save it. Since I'll be blogging more often now, I'll catch you on the regular ;)

Shops

I am a real shopper. It goes far beyond my tastes or whatever’s on my shopping list. For me, it really comes down to a love for the physical act of shopping; sifting through racks, scooting from store to store, checking out new trends, window displays, the whole lot. Whether it’s finding a MUST-HAVE or picking up something as basic as black mascara, I’m into it. 100%. I look so forward to a Saturday or Sunday morning when I can wake-up, grab a latte, and take a trip to Yorkdale (it’s really a home away from home), Queen Street (East and/or West), Kensington, or even Value Village (tried, tested, and true).

With all this shop-talk, you must assume I have deep pockets. Not so. Anyone who works in corporate retail will tell you; fun times on the job front, entirely different story in the bank account. So what is an avid shopper – working in fashion (trend reports from the Paris/London/NYC shows are like mini-shots to the heart when you can barely afford to read the email) – with a taste for the finer things TO DO? Get thrifty!

No coupon cutting involved, I assure you. Ask anyone who knows me, a deal and I never seem to meet at the same cash register. So how/what/where you wonder? I say browse OFTEN and shop ONLINE! Hit the malls, street shops, THE BAY. Browse, check out the displays, see what’s new and coming. THEN, wait a few weeks and suddenly, like magic, your fav items will start to appear online and at MUCH better prices. It’s a way to get the tangible + virtual shopping experience at a better price!

Don’t get me wrong. I realize this isn't the solution for everything on our shopping lists and perusing the malls often means time most of us don’t have. But for the right items, you can shop online in your pj’s before bed or over your breakfast cereal. Now for a real shopper like me, whether I’m ringing in at the cash or not, it’s the act of the SHOP that I can’t do without so a morning trip to the mall is a must. I need to touch the merchandise to fall in love. But for anyone who shops for necessity/to stay relatively on trend, online should tickle your fancy just fine.

Oh! One more thing. Important! Considering I work for the country’s oldest department store, you’d think I wouldn’t encourage the online shop (foot traffic and sales in-store pretty much equate to me having a future pay cheque). But guess what!?!? The Bay is launching online, WOOT!

Visit www.thebay.com to check out everything we’ve already got goin’ on, and into the spring/summer and fall for even more great items right at your finger tips.

And just for fun, although there are too many to count, here are a few great online sites for your shopping delights!

www.Shopbop.com
www.etsy.com
www.myideeli.com
www.dailycandy.com

Happy shops xo

H2R BF Blog Post

Sorry, that looks a bit cryptic. Let me explain...

There's a GREAT new website that launched a few weeks back, http://www.howtoraiseaboyfriend.com/

It all started with Rebecca Eckler's new book How to Raise a Boyfriend where she 'shows women everywhere that while they're busy offering not-so-casual advice and reprimands to the men in their life, they've lost sight of an important fact: they're not dating a boyfriend, they're raising a boyfriend'.

Be sure to pick up the book AND read through the site filled with lots of cool features/sign-up for the weekly newsletter online. Please make a pit stop at the Rant and Rave section where different guest bloggers (including me!) write about and discuss the hot and not so hot details of dating and relationships.

Enjoy!

And thanks for the opportunity on this one c. xx

Inspired

I'm feeling very inspired today. Strange, considering it's mid-January and it feels like at least -15 with the windchill out there. Maybe it's the sunshine. Whatever the temperature, it always feels a little warmer when you wake up to sunshine.

I think this feeling also has a lot to do with all of the reading I've been able to do lately. Not the fiction-type stuff, more the fashion/beauty/trends kind of thing.

Between the gazillion projects I've been tackling throughout my workday, I've managed to sneak in a read through of The Fashion File, a great new book full of advice and inspiration from Janie Bryant (aka - the costume designer for Mad Men). We were lucky enough to receive a copy right to our mailboxes here at work and it's definitely worth a looksie. I have to admit, I've barely watched an entire episode of this show (which has to change, immediately, I know), but the impact its had on fashion today is undeniable so I figured it was worth it. In addition to a foreword by the beautiful January Jones, this hardcover is full of style tips on everything from the right bra & panty, to the best way to store and keep your vintage pieces, and of course, how to dress right for you. That's all of my favorite shit right there, and I love when it comes to me all neat and tidy in one pretty little red & silver hardcover package!

'If you remain true to your own unique tastes and dabble only marginally in fads, your style will be both original and organic to your personality'. Just one of the many great quotes that stood out to me. Style as unique, original and organic, sounds about right. Be sure to check out this read the next time your in the area.

Oh! And one more adorably inspiring thing I have to post. A photo of Natalie Portman from this past weekend at the 2011 Golden Globes, just before her big win. She's beautifully embracing her pregnancy and just glowing, and I want to give her a big hug.

Cheers to more days that start off just like this xx