Paris: the enchantress.

It’s almost impossible to fathom beauty at every corner, history breathing in the walls, and culture dripping from the sky… until you come to Paris. At every turn, there is something beautiful, delicious, and concrete.

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Modern artists tend to take advantage of their landscapes, including those pieces left by predecessors. There are still painters in front of the Louvre, however they seem quaint compared to what I imagine of the boastful artists of yesteryear. The archways into the enormous museum are filled with musicians, vying for attention, filling the air with sweet acoustics.

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Immensely grand, the Louvre beckons you with detail, the Palace in which it resides giving art to the masses.

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Detail will not escape any other structure in Paris, and as you take a short walk down the Seine, you will see layers of beauty, including the exquisite Notre Dame.

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With saints looking on, it’s possible to feel peace and solace while inside the Cathedral. Relics surround you, and while sculptures whisper prayers, chandeliers glow with heavenly eyes.

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There is beauty all around you here in Paris. Behind every door a new surprise. A new beginning. A chance to renew your senses, your eyes, ears, and heart. A city of love.

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I wonder what tomorrow will bring.

Sante!

toning it down in Paris: realizing and embracing my true self.

As a tourist, it’s hard to feel comfortable in your own skin. Even when you try to blend in, the red of your hair or the bright purple gingham underneath your sweater gives you away; as if the Nikon camera in your messenger bag wasn’t enough.

I learned straight away that I am too loud, less pronunciated, and less confident then most French women. Those who know me will defy my recent learnings preposterous: why, I am confident! However.. I may be learning my sense of confidence may border on the line of narcissism, rather than true self acceptance.

The beauty in all that surrounds me is breathtaking. As we turn every corner, my mind exalts, and my senses turn into overdrive.

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I imagine women in petticoats, lace, and shoestring heels walking in cobblestone streets to the latest opera or after party. Mirages of white curls and wigs flood my mind.

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Today I learned that I am so very capable of mediating my tone to match my environment; this will come in handy stateside, if I choose to remember to follow it. Even though I am bold, with layers of gold and exquisite precious metals, if not kept polished, I may turn green with overgrowth and tarnish.

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By choice then, I must remember to meander through life forever conforming to the space I inhabit, in whichever facet of discovery I wish to explore.

jusqu’a demain.
xoxo

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Cuvée Chamapgne is my favorite because it blends all of the three main grapes traditionally used in fermentation together; slightly sweet and creamy, it will pair with almost any meal.

An afternoon Paris must.

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