The morning of day 2, I booked myself for a perfume workshop at L’ABC de Parfum. My teacher was an industry expert who teaches at the renowned Perfumery in Versailles and consults on international brands like L’Oreal on creating their scents. It was a really fun, unique, 2 hour experience, where I learned about the history of perfume, the different primary scent families and finally how to blend and create my own perfume by experimenting with different mixes until I got exactly the scent I wanted! Then she put my new creation in a beautiful, antique looking perfume bottle to take home – possibly the best souvenir ever!
“That’s Lunch!”, as they say in my industry, so off I went to L’Avenue, a Parisian classic for the Jetset and chic fashion crowd. This sexy all day supper club is a scene from breakfast through 2 AM. Opposite Christian Dior on Ave. Montaigne, it has been visited by virtually every celebrity and VIP from Kanye west to royalty. After lunch, I simply can’t help myself, I’m already on this fantastic shopping street, so.. don’t mind if I do! I’m a girl, I’m in Paris, I wanna Shop! Don’t forget to hit a really well curated store on Ave. Montaigne called Montaigne Market, it is fantastic!
I didn’t spend too much time here, because my goal for today was to wander through the Marais district. The Marais has become the new cultural trendy, sought after district for hip, avant-garde fashion boutiques, art galleries, great restaurants, tea rooms, antiques, and accessories. Make sure you to stop into Merci, a fair trade, three story show room concept store that is a coffee shop, restaurant, clothing store, bookstore hybrid. It is filled with great looking people and super cute French dogs, and it’s right near the National Picasso museum so it’s a win-win!
Great thing about the Marais, among many great things, is that many streets are for pedestrians only and it’s the only area in Paris that’s shops are open on a Sunday! Also, on Saturdays, there is the largest weekly art market in Paris, starting at the Place de la Bastille and extending all along the Blvd Richard Lenoir.
I was so excited about my Day Two dinner! Been planning to eat at this restaurant for ages! Possibly the best restaurant location on the planet! On the second story of the Eiffel Tower, is Le Jules Verne, the Alain Ducasse, Michelin starred restaurant that looks out over the city and the Seine. A stupidly hard reservation to get because of the location and pedigree but worth the struggle because it lives up to every expectation! Such a beautiful, rare, magical experience that it made we want to sing the soundtrack to LaLa Land at the top of my lungs out on the balcony! The six course, 3 hour, culinary journey is unbelievably delicious, with excellent wine pairings, and the service was astounding. I fell in love with all the staff, and promised to return. At the end of the night, stuffed to the hilt like a rotisserie pig, I fell into my bed and into a food coma. Fat and happy!
