As I arrived in Paris the fog was thick and gloomy—matching the somber temper I had fallen into the previous couple of weeks. I got here to Paris due to a promise I made to myself: after the following coronary heart wrenching breakup I used to be to expertise, I would purchase myself a airplane ticket to the town I’ve grown so keen on over the previous few years.
Staying in the identical place after a breakup can appear daunting with the same old dose of on a regular basis monotony. I wished to interrupt that mildew. Do one thing impulsive and attempt to expertise one thing for myself as an alternative of specializing in the ache of affection misplaced. However in addition to that, my journey had an even bigger function. It was to write down. I’ve been writing a sequence of issues and the toughest a part of the writing course of for me has all the time been the act of really sitting down to write down. In order that’s what I actually got here to Paris to do.
My first day in Paris started by ordering a plate of sentimental cheese and a glass of chardonnay at Café Saint Honoré, which was proper across the bend from the place I used to be staying. I made a decision to remain within the first arrondissement, as it’s the oldest district in Paris and its proximity to the Musée du Louvre was fairly favorable. The lodge I took short-term residence in was known as Hôtel Louvre Bons Enfants, it was painted a seductive crimson, adorned with gold {hardware}, and had ink drawings depicting the town’s notable buildings hung all all through the foray. After my lunch, I took consolation in my lodge room and took a nap after the lengthy flight that had simply preceded me. Afterwards, I handled myself to an expensive French and Italian dinner at Loulou throughout the Musée des Artwork Décoratifs. As I perused the menu, I made a decision on ordering a scrumptious bolognese with beef so tender it melted away in my mouth and a pleasant bottle of Chablis. However I didn’t splurge as different patrons did, as there was a bottle of crimson wine on the menu that price over €5,000. The room was full of restaurant goers dressed to the nines–I couldn’t assist however discover the older girls that sat close to me carrying an extended classic Alhambra necklace and earring set from Van Cleef and Arpels simply worth tagged at $30,000–making me really feel sorely misplaced carrying my classic finds and DKNY peacoat. I spent the remainder of the night strolling by the Carrousel Backyard trying on the Eiffel tower within the distance.
The subsequent morning I got down to write. I awoke early and started my journey to the notable Café de Flore. I walked by the Cour Napoléon, the plaza the place the Louvre Pyramid will be seen, and crossed the Seine on the Pont du Carrousel, which had tiny locks fixed to the bridge containing the initials of lovers. As soon as I acquired to the cafe, I ordered camomile tea and scribbled poems into my black beat up Moleskin journal. Sitting subsequent to me was one other woman solo touring. Her identify was Jill, and he or she was from Amsterdam and was a kids’s ebook author. We talked about our journey and shared our work with each other. I mentioned the play I used to be writing together with her and he or she wished me nicely, hoping to sooner or later see it carried out in New York. After our dialog, I left to go to the bookstore subsequent door to the cafe to purchase my cousin Claudia a ebook. For her I chosen a photograph ebook full of the images of Robert Doisneau, who captured along with his lens Paris of the Thirties-’50s and for myself I discovered a hardcover English model of Frankenstein that was adorned with anatomical hearts.
I returned to my lodge room after the morning got here and went, and sat down to start rewriting my play. It’s a Roman-Grecco quest story the place two heroes should conquer evil to save lots of all the things that they’ve ever identified. I lastly felt like I used to be really making headway for as soon as.
The subsequent morning I selected to do some classic purchasing with a view to compete with the fashion-forward Parisians. After strolling by the Jardin du Palais Royal, I discovered a corridor full of retailers known as Galerie Vivienne and stumbled into La Marelle, a classic retailer that had the sturdy scent of Chanel No. 5 lingering by. I appeared by racks of clothes solely to discover a metallic silver button up that had an imitation Versace gold chain print–it shortly turned mine.
That afternoon I lastly acquired to go to the Louvre. This expertise was lengthy awaited for me as I had been to France on a myriad of events, however all my plans to go to this epicenter of artwork and tradition had all the time been stifled. I went by the doorway that was situated contained in the Carrousel du Louvre, a shopping mall dwelling to shops resembling Maje, Pandora, Claudalie, and so on. As soon as I entered I discovered myself in an immense corridor full of present shops, meals spots and data facilities. I walked by and I discovered myself beneath the glass Louvre Pyramid which peered exterior to the Cour Napoléon. They scanned my ticket and I walked up the grand staircase which led me to the primary gallery which was full of an assortment of sculptures that ranged from Roman and Greek marble to close Jap antiques. After taking a liking to the statue of Roman Goddess Diana posed with a deer and reaching for her sheath of arrows, I migrated to the following degree to search out myself staring on the ornate adorned ceiling within the Galerie d’Apollon, higher often called the French Crown Jewels room, that I discovered to be essentially the most breathtaking murals that the Louvre contained. Meandering by the galleries, I discovered myself amongst the work of Nice Britain, the U.S., Spain, Italy and France and was lastly capable of catch a glimpse of the extremely coveted, and really small I would add, Mona Lisa. After my museum tour got here to a detailed, I visited the present store because it is part of an extended custom I proceed to carry each time I go to a spot full of treasured artistic endeavors—the custom being to purchase postcards of artwork that I felt moved by. I chosen postcards depicting the works L’Aurore et Céphale by Baron Pierre-Narcisse Guérin, Psyché et l’Amour by François Gérard, and Le jeune martyre by Paul Delaroche. I ended the night with dinner at one of many many cafes Paris has, which by no means disappoints and afterwards handled myself to an assortment of macaroons from Ladurée, ending the night in my lodge mattress typing away my play whereas holding the inspiration I’ve garnered from Louvre.
On my final day in Paris, I made a decision to go to one other landmark that has evaded me on earlier journeys–the Arc de Triomphe. I walked by the Tuileries Gardens taking within the lush shrubbery that continued to remain completely trimmed and inexperienced even by the winter air and a myriad of Greek and Roman statues together with depictions of mythological tales resembling Cassandra Inserting Herself beneath the Safety of Pallas and Nessus Abducting Deianira and Roman political figures resembling Julius Caesar. On the finish of the Gardens I discovered myself within the Place de la Concorde, the biggest sq. within the French capital, which contained an obelisk with Egyptian hieroglyphics carved into its stone. The Luxor Obelisk was initially situated on the entrance of the Luxor Temple in Egypt. Then the lengthy stretch on the Champs-Elysée started to the Arc de Triomphe. I went out and in of shops till I entered a luxurious retailer that impressed my pallet known as Galeries Lafayette. Inside I used to be met with designer manufacturers like Balenciaga, Off-White, Gianni, and Parda, and I discovered a beautiful ombre pink and orange scarf I purchased to fend off the chilly air that awaited me outdoor. Then I visited a French pharmacy to purchase magnificence merchandise that I desired–I all the time advocate the pharmacy shops to any vacationers visiting Europe as they include a few of the greatest skincare merchandise which can be unattainable in the united statesat low costs. My night ended with a glass of chardonnay, spicy antipasto, and a bowl of heat and delectable French onion soup.
The journey ended with a layover in Copenhagen and that’s the place my reflection started. On this solo journey I had the chance not solely to see some of the stunning capitals in Europe and to work on an editorial I’ve been desperately making an attempt to expel from me, however to course of the state of affairs I had discovered myself in. The Metropolis of Love has all the time been this romantic vacation spot to go to along with your companion, however for me it turned a metropolis the place I may be taught to like myself once more.