From Paris, With Love...

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Even before I dubbed myself "The Urban Carrie", I had long dreamt of the day that I would visit Paris, France. It has been on my bucket list for forever so when my friend Chase invited me, I could not turn him down. Chase had friends living in the city so I got more of a local experience and had a blast! Something I noticed immediately  when arriving at CDG airport, was the number of black people. I was pleasantly surprised to see so many African and African American people engulfed in the language and culture of Paris. The locals were so nice that many of them would strike up random conversations with my friends and I. I never felt uncomfortable nor did I experience disrespect or rudeness. I'll also add that the locals were extremely patient with us given the language barrier. That's rare from what I hear.

Tourist Life: I stayed at Eiffel Villa Garibaldi Hotel which I DO NOT RECOMMEND! The neighborhood (15th district) was lovely, safe, walkable, and close to the subway stations. The hotel itself was TRASH. The customer service was subpar and the rooms left a lot to be desired. The Metro was pretty reliable but could be confusing at times. After dropping my things at the hotel and having lunch, I got some tourism out of the way. We went to the Eiffel Tower and I had no clue that it was in a park where people could sit on the lawn and hangout. I have to come back when I'm in love and have a picnic there with my lover. Next, we met up with some friends at the Arc de Triomphe and a few nights later we stumbled upon the statue of Marianne in the Place de la République.

Foodie Heaven: The thing that I did the most while in Paris was EAT! While there I ate all kinds of food including Chinese, American, and French cuisines. My absolute favorite meal was at Chez Fernand. I had the beef carpaccio with potatoes while sampling the very rich and delicious beef bourguignon off of my friends plates. The red wine was incredible and so was the dessert sampler. The soft baked chocolate souffle (not pictured) was to die for.

In summary, my trip to Paris was nothing short of remarkable. I can't wait to return!  The weather during my visit was warm and slightly humid during the day, yet cool at night. Even with shops on every corner I didn't do much shopping with the exception of buying a dress from a boutique called Emarobe. The street fashion in Paris is simple, understated, but very stylish. Some of my favorite sightings were the masses of beautiful men in tailored suits and nice shoes. If I had to think of a phrase to sum up French fashion, it would be: Less is more.

During one of my days there, I had the chance to go apartment shopping with friends and see firsthand what real estate in Paris is like: Expensive, cozy, and unique. I didn't indulge much into the nightlife besides going to my very first gay bar with friends. The experience was an interesting one considering that I was a heterosexual woman surrounded by lots of attractive gay men in their element, lol. The after-club experience was one that was all too familiar though. After a late night of clubbing, tipsy and tired, my friends and I went looking for food. The only restaurant open was McDonald's. I really can't make these things up.