PARIS RECAP!

A Beginners Guide:

How I Spent 72 Hours In Paris

With the Summer Olympics happening, Paris has been on my mind. The games wrap up today, and I thought I would do a quick roundup of our trip to Paris.

Earlier this year Sarah and I attended a few tradeshows in the city of light and then I stayed for a few days to explore. With such a tight timeline I really only had three goals:

Go to the Louvre (I know, I know, but you have to do it once!)
Go to the Saint Ouen Flea Market
Eat as many croissants as possible

The good news is I did all three things plus more! The bad news is I was incredibly sore from the 70k+ steps I did in three days :) Nevertheless, here is my beginner 72-hour guide to Paris.

Plus a few sneak peeks on incoming products we ordered at the tradeshows!

Art + Museums

Absolutely everyone told me not to prioritize the Louvre, but I was an art school kid and you have to do it at least once! Was it a zoo? Absolutely. Would I do it again? 100%. It requires some patience and planning, but it's an experience that shouldn't be missed. If you want my tips and tricks (I did a lot of research!) reach out.

I did manage to squeeze in a few other museums during my stay and here are two other favorites...

Musée de l'Orangerie

A tiny little museum, but very charming. After the chaos of the Louvre, this museum felt like a serene little oasis. A small but mighty collection of art from the great impressionist and post-impressionist masters. This was probably my favorite museum visit!

Musée d'Orsay

This was the most recommended Museum, and it did not disappoint. The building itself was just as cool as the art!

Saint Ouen Flea Market

This was also on my list of "must-do's"! I had an amazing time wandering the streets and seeing all the vendors. The flea market is composed of 14 different markets and pricing can range from 2-10,000+ euros (yes, I asked). I hear the best time to go is in September after all the vendors come back from Summer sourcing trips, but I was there in January and cannot confirm :)

Shopping

What everyone really wants to know about :) It's Paris - so the vintage is designer, every shop is an experience, and you can find anything and everything. I only had a limited amount of time, but here were a few of my favorites...

Officine Universelle Buly

Like I said, everything is an experience! Everything about this place says 1806 French perfumery. From the decor to the individual customer service to the handwritten calligraphy cards. I was able to customize cute lip balm cases for my mom, sisters and myself. Such a cute little gift!

Jermène

A cute home goods shop with a mix of vintage and new. I couldn't fit everything into my suitcase, and there's a set of glasses that are still haunting me!

Clothing / Accessories

I went to quite a few and they were all great! Here are a few to visit:

Thanx God I'm a V.I.P.

OFR Bookshop

A wide selection of any fashion/art/travel book or magazine you could think of!

Three things I am most excited we picked up at the Paris tradeshows.

We already have brands in the shop that we picked up at the show - like Manasi7, Hubsch, Klevering and more - but here are a few that will be here soon!

Mantas Ezcaray

I've been obsessed with these blankets for years, and was so excited to see them at the tradeshow. Beautiful wool/cashmere blankets made in Ezcaray, Spain.

These should be here by the end of September!

These Hats!

I'm not a huge hat person. I always think beanies look weird on me, but I loved these! Excellent shape, super toasty and made in Ireland.

They will be on the shop floor in September!

Posters

Okay, maybe not new, new, but we will have a restock of posters coming in the fall. New styles that we are excited about!