Paris (August 2022)
Not ones to take a break on this vacation, Carleigh and I started the day with a walk to Citypharma, the largest pharmacy in Paris. We were on a mission to find shampoo, hair products and makeup. We hit the jackpot! On our way we came across the most surprising store of the trip~ the Carhartt WIP (Work in Progress) Boutique. Here at home, if you want Carhartt, you hit the local Rural King. Imagine our surprise when we found a boutique version of the clothing line in Paris! Imagine regular Carhartt clothing made from more luxurious fabrics. We loved it!
From there, we hit a few more stores and dropped our bags back at the hotel. We headed Northwest along the Seine. It continued to be unusually hot (in the upper 90’s) but we agreed that walking would give us the best vantage point to take in the architecture.
As we walked along the banks of the Seine between Pont Alexandre III and Pont de la Concorde we stopped at a bronze monument dedicated to the statesman and former Prime Minister of France, Aristide pierre Henri Briand (1862-1932). It was quite intricate. We passed Les Invalides, the American Church in Paris, and ended our walk at the Eiffel Tower. It was fun because we were coming up along the side of it and as we turned the corner and Carleigh saw it for the first time, she gasped. It’s quite a sight!
It was far too hot to trek to the top of the Eiffel Tower, so we opted for some ice cream (Peppa Pig) and water as we rode the boat back down the river toward our hotel. We stopped at my favorite museum, Muesée d’orsay. Our goal was to see as much as we could in a few hours. To do that, it’s best to start with the most famous artists displayed on the 5th floor. We found some new favorites including:
– Chaumes de Cordeville by Vincent van Gogh
– Roses and Anemones, 1980 by Vincent van Gogh
– Nature morte du lilas by Meijer de Haan
– Entrance of La Rochelle Harbor by Paul Signac
– The Card Players by Paul Cézanna
– The Seine and Louvre by Camille Pissarro
– La Place Valhubert, Paris, by Jean- Baptiste- Armand
– La Rue Montorgueil by Claude Monet
– The Turkeys, 1876 by Claude Monet
– Narcissi and tulips by Henri Fantin Latour
The reason we found some new favorites is because the crowds are so thick around the well-known paintings. We saw them but wanted to avoid the crowds. Instead, we appreciated many we would have never noticed. My theory is that if we found a painting no one was looking at, and we began to talk about it (loudly) as if we were in awe, other people would come see it. IT WORKED! The painting was Bateaux à l’écluse de Bougival by Alfred Sisley. We actually liked it and started to draw a few people to admire it too.
We ended our visit with dessert before dinner (always eat dessert first!). We stopped at our hotel for a quick nap and ended our evening at Moulin Rouge. It was one of the most fun days I’ve ever had and I’m blessed to have Carleigh by my side for it.
Paris (July 2022)
Moulin Rouge. If you are ever in Paris, DO NOT miss it! It was two hours of the most gorgeous showgirls, singing, dancing, acrobats, and more. We bought the “Champagne package” and were in the front row! We had no idea we would be- it was the perfect ending to our time in Paris.
London (July 2022)
As if the past two days of walking more than I’m used to wasn’t enough, we chose to make day 3 a walk from the Tower Bridge west up the River Thames, the longest river in England. There are so many sights to see. We took pictures all along the way.
We especially loved the Great Hall (remnants) of Winchester Palace. This was one of the largest and most important buildings of medieval London. Founded in the 12th century by Bishop Henry de Blois, the Palace was built to house the bishops when staying in London on royal or administrative business.
From there, we stopped at Clink Prison then Shakespeare’s Globe Theater (the 3rd one). This version opened in 1997 and is a perfect replica of the original that burned down in the 1600’s. We left there and had an impromptu photo shoot at the skate park. We bought prints depicting my Dad’s ancestors’ homes in Kent, walked to the London Eye and Big Ben.
Next stop was my absolute favorite bar~ Gordon’s Wine Bar. It is the oldest bar in London and likely, all of England (or so they claim). If you’re lucky, you get to sit down in the cave and have amazing wines while eating charcuterie boards. Chef Kiss! Carleigh is enjoying finding and posing with all the Corgi art installations. We ended the afternoon with shopping on Regent’s street.
After a brief nap (much needed for this momma!), we were off to a delicious dinner at Ave Mario. This is a MUST VISIT restaurant. My tip is book a month in advance of your trip for the best seats. The vibe is vibrant, yet cozy.
We ordered two of the best drinks. Our antipasti was Heatwave beef carpaccio with watermelon, goat cheese, frisee salad and toasted hazelnuts, drizzled with balsamic reduction. It was sweet and savory at the same time. Dinner was a comprised of two pizza napoletana: a platinum jubilee with included fior di latte mozzarella, rocket prosciutto di Parma and confit cherry tomato. The second was a Looking for Truffle Pizza made with fior di latte, provola affumicata, truffle cream, sauteed mushrooms, and prosciutto di Parma. Dessert was a Giant Stracciatella Gelato.
We ended the evening by finding another Corgi.
London (July 2022)
After a 12 hour sleep to convert to the time here, we got a late start. Our plan was to have a brisk walk up to Oxford Street to Alto by San Carlo at Selfridge’s. Carleigh’s Alto Fizz had artwork of a woman on the top. It was almost too pretty to drink. The mojito was fresh and better than most. We tried the Yellowfin Tuna Tartare served with capers, avocado and spiced mayonnaise. Added on a caprese salad. Both were summery and fresh. We skipped dessert and opted for some honeycomb chocolates from Selfridge’s.
Next stop was Harrod’s to end our day of shopping. We explored so many amazing sights. Carleigh’s favorite were the new Versace platform pumps. Instead she opted for some Versace sunglasses which will definitely get more use. I grabbed some sunnies too (D&G) and then we headed for some coffee and Victoria sponge in the food halls.
After a couple more hours of exploring, we decided on dinner at Harrod’s Sushi Bar. The Wagyu Ramen with egg, red ginger, spring onion, spicy Wagyu, meat stock and menma was unreal! Carleigh enjoyed the Spicy Chutoro Tuna Oshizushi with avocado, takuan radish and shiso leaves with spicy mayonnaise. We shared edamame with lava salt. Perfect meal!
We ended the night at Good Godfrey’s Bar and Lounge for a little nightcap. Superb!
London (July 2022)
We started our trip to London when we landed at 9am. The next 14 hours were a whirlwind as we tried to see as much as possible (and stay awake to help us adjust to London time).
First stop was the Waldorf Hotel to drop off our luggage. Then, we were off to Covent Garden for afternoon tea at Laduree’ London. Next came shopping at Ted Baker London, Liberty London, and Reformation, three of our faves. Carleigh found a leather blazer that will be a staple in her college wardrobe.
We wrapped up the night in Chinatown. Dinner at One+ was beyond all belief. The lamb dumplings were like nothing we had ever eaten. We shared a Peking Duck and spring rolls. We ended dinner with entree’s of Beef in black bean w/ fried noodles (A++) and fried noodles with shredded BBQ pork (Yum!). Last stop was the Chinese bakery for so many treats.
A little travel, a little tech, a splash of watercolor—and probably snacks. 