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Our trip to Paris was such a whirlwind that it still feels kind of surreal. What we had planned as a romantic getaway to one of our shared favorite cities in the world, turned into our ENGAGEMENT TRIP! It was such a special way to make that promise to one another, and Paris really does feel like the most romantic city in the world. There are no bad angles, no bad meals, and every single place in the city feels exciting and elegant in its own way. It couldn’t have been a better place to spend some quality time just the two of us. Our main focus points of the trip were exploring and eating…and we did lots of both! Even though our trip was five days in total, it truly did go by in the blink of an eye. I think having the time difference to contend with, and the jetlag contributed to how fast it all went also. Unfortunately, Ian got food poisoning (really, really badly) halfway through our trip and was totally knocked out for a day and a half. We keep saying Paris owes us 36 hours! We will get it back someday! LOL. All in all, the trip was so fun and inspiring, and romantic. We even got to take some engagement photos with Katie Donnelly Photography, which I know we will treasure always. I’ll definitely share another post with all of those when I get them! Today I thought I would share some photos from our trip, as well as some places to eat, drink, shop, and visit that we LOVED.
Firstly, we stayed at Hotel Rochechouart, and absolutely loved it! It’s in the Pigalle district, right down the hill from Montmartre, and at the border of some amazing streets for food and shopping. The vibe is very chic and elegant, and the rooms are small but well-appointed. I recommend the Executive Suites! Breakfast is definitely worth paying for, it is wonderful and served in their gorgeous dining room. Hot Tip: The hotel is home to the Makado Room, which is a Latin dance club on the weekends! On Saturday night, the restaurant filled up with very cool, young Parisians who all went downstairs to dance. I was dying to go, but we had cabaret tickets that night! Try to go and report back if you make it to Paris!
TO EAT
- Hotel Rochechouart: Dinner here was a real treat. The best steak tartare I had in Paris, and delicious Oysters!
- Tsubame: a yummy Japanese bento spot, filled with locals!
- Le Paprika: We stumbled upon this Hungarian restaurant and I’m so glad we did. The food was fantastic!
- La Fontaine De Mars: We ate at this traditional french restaurant right after our engagement, and it was delicious with a very fun atmosphere. Classic Parisian vibes, with a great view of the Eiffel Tower.
- Frenchie Pigalle: This restaurant is a foodie heaven! The chef is very inventive and makes delicious, modern takes on french classics. Ian was super impressed.
- Le Christine: This was our second favorite meal in Paris! We enjoyed the tasting menu in this jewel box of a restaurant and were blown away by every dish. Highly recommend.
- Neko Ramen: If you want a break from french fare in Paris, I highly recommend this fabulous ramen spot that is a fan favorite!
- Le Pain Retrouvé: We bought sweets and pizzas from this beautiful organic bakery
- Assanabel: This upscale Lebanese establishment in the design district is a must-try
- Langosteria: Our favorite meal in Paris was at this very fancy, Italian seafood restaurant. I had the best Negroni of my life, along with mouthwatering Uni Pasta, and some fantastic crudo dishes. The view of the Eiffel Tower is stunning!
TO DRINK
- Lavomatic: This super cool speakeasy bar inside a “laundromat” is such a cool experience!
- Monsieur Bleu: DO NOT EAT HERE (food poisoning alert!) but I had to include it for drinks because they’re delicious, and beyond gorgeous, and the outdoor patio has the most stunning, close-up view of the Eiffel Tower.
TO DO
- Crazy Horse Cabaret Show: We went to the Moulin Rouge, instead of this one, and my Parisian friends tell me the Crazy Horse is so much better and sexier! I’m going to go next time. Moulin Rouge was meh. You can skip it.
- Rodin Museum: This is my most favorite museum in Paris, and where we got engaged! The grounds are gorgeous.
- Carnavelet Museum: This is a museum of the history of Paris and was SUCH a highlight for us. It’s also great for kids! It’s also FREE.
- Sézane: This was my favorite shopping I did while in Paris. The store is so chic!
- Octobre Editions: a super chic men’s store right across from Sézane
- The Socialite Family: I loved this design store. So many beautiful things to look at!
- Walking the Seine: We walked 4-5 miles every single day, and did many of them along the Seine. It was a beautiful way to see the city, and the houseboats are really fun to check out, too!
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Looks so fun! Congrats on your engagement ❤️❤️🔥
Thank you!
I can’t wait to visit Paris one day. When I studied in Italy, I used public transportation & walked a lot in Rome & Florence. Tuscany was too rural to walk to destinations. I definitely explored the countryside & rolling hills. Anyway I say all this to say 😂… after eating so much, it helps me burn some serious calories. Walking also lets me stop & interact with more people & places. The car zips by so fast lol
Walking in Europe is the best! Whether in the city or countryside there is so much character around every corner 🙂
And central Paris really isn’t that big. You can see most of what you want to walking. It might actually take longer to get where you want to go on the Metro.
By any chance did ian get sick after the bone marrow? We were in Paris last month and also all got sick! 2 days in bed. Bone marrow was the culprit!
No! He got sick from Miso Black Cod at Monsieur Bleu! Of course it was the fanciest dinner we went to and the most expensive. ugh!
a big congratulations to you guys 🍾 so so happy for you!
paris is literally one of the most romantic cities in the world
it’s so magical that you guys spent time in there 🤍
p.s. you did the right thing seeing moulin rouge —roxaaaaaaanne ♡ i love it!
congratulations again
i don’t know if we are gonna read the story of the ring design but hoping 🤞🏻 its so chic, elegant and unique (so much about your vibe eva).
sending positive vibes 🪄✨💝
Thank you! Yes I will share more about the engagement and the ring! Make sure you’re signed up for my Newsletter
So so so happy for you both. I can’t wait to see everything from your bride to be era.
Also, I need a blog post on Ian’s food poisoning stat.
OMG the food poisoning was heinous. I mentioned where it was in the post, but it was from Miso Cod. BARFFFF
I lived in Paris for two years and my heart is still there. I wanted to comment on how you captured the gorgeous merchandising in a few of the stores you visited. Even if a little place just sells canned goods, or cheeses or candles, or textbooks, you’ll never see such elegant displays. I love that a tiny boutique might only sell door knobs and it looks like art. The French “pride of place” is unmatched. And that it’s perfectly normal to walk two miles to a tiny store that only sells one type of item. Presentation is everything and your photos show that this applies to food, drink and art as well. So happy for your engagement. Perfectly executed plan, Ian!!!
Congratulations on your engagement to Ian. So happy for you both and the kids. Can’t wait to hear all about the wedding planning 🙂
Thank you Glenda! Yes, we are so excited to plan 🙂
Congratulations to the both of you! What a beautiful turn of events! Your photos are lovely; makes me want to plan a return trip to Paris xx
Thank you so much!
Huge congratulations! Don’t know if it’s just me, but Ian looks more French than the French in these photos 🤣
I have been a follower of yours since Marlowe was born- your Cali days. In fairness I started following you because of Kyle(I am a soccer fan) and y’all had the same wedding anniversary as us. But I want to tell you that I have truly been praying for your happiness for a long time. My kids are grown – going to be a grandmother soon- but you opening up your life has been so sweet and has helped me have conversations with my own kids. Your honesty about motherhood is refreshing and I appreciate what YOUR family looks like – with the kids being the focus – not Kyle or your demands but working as a team. Your children are so special and such individuals and that is what is going to make them so strong and successful. They will make their own decisions. This was just a long comment to really say Congratulations! I will continue to send my prayers to you and your family!
-Carol Anne