Tag Archives: paris

Oh, The Places You’ll Go.

I was looking through my photos the other day and some made me laugh while others made me say “what was that?!” Either way, they all bring back great memories and I thought I would share some of my favorites with you.

20130401-175300.jpg
(Intently using the iPad while Brian watches the Super Bowl in the background!)

20130401-175430.jpg
(Testing, is this thing on?!)

20130401-175522.jpg
(Pier destruction!)

20130401-175614.jpg
(The two best friends that anyone could ever have!)

20130401-175730.jpg
(If I ever dared to doubt if our friendship is legit, I just have to look at this)

20130401-175834.jpg
(One amazing year)

wedding

(My beautiful co-workers)

paris(Paris)

bordeaux(Wine tasting in St. Michele)

Capital Cities(Just another day at the office)

wolf pack(Wolves)

MOMA(My favorite frequency)

daffodils(Spring)

Snapping pictures with my phone has become one of my favorite hobbies. You never know what moment you’re going to capture.

Back To The Grind.

work outfitRunning out the door can be nerve wrecking on a workday, did I forget something at home?! Am I wearing the right color belt? Did I remember my walking shoes? Where’s my underwear?! Ok, that doesn’t really happen but here is a cute go-to work outfit to inspire you.

work outfit(White boat neck tee- Old Navy, French neck scarf- Paris, rolled up skinny pants- Target, long strapped purse- TopShop, and camel heels- Banana Republic)

purse topshop(I love natural colors paired with bright colors, it brings out the best shades in each of them)

french scarf(I picked up this scarf from a Parisian vendor across from the Louvre. It is silky and I love the print!)

studded belt(The perfect accessory- a studded belt)

banana republic heels(A true rarity- comfy heels! They are still a little high for me but I love the way they work perfectly with every outfit!)

Parisian Scarf(I miss you Paris)

Sometimes the outfit is about the accessories. Load them up and have fun with your look!

France’s Culture Club.

DSC_0435Trying to soak in all of the culture that France has to offer was no easy task but I sure enjoyed trying! From the food to the fashion to the GIANT buildings, I was in love. I am sad to report that this is my last post on France because it means that I have to come to terms with the reality that I don’t live there.

French Street(This picture was taken on a Monday evening around 7:30. So many people were out and about, grabbing drinks, dinner, and socializing)

Rue de Rivoli

(This picture was taken at 9 am when the sun was rising. We were in awe of how beautiful the streets were as we were searching for croissants)

Metro(We took the Paris Metro everywhere. It was pretty easy to figure out and a lot of fun too. One time there was a musician playing the accordion on the train!)

2013(The New Year is a big event in France. This was taken of a store window in Bordeaux)

bikes in Bordeaux(Just a few picturesque bicycles hanging out)

Arc de Triomphe(Finally, this statue belongs to the outside of the Arc de Triomphe. Monuments are part of the daily culture in France;  they are so lucky to be surrounded by beauty every day)

I can’t wait to go back to Europe! I had such a blast in France and thank my lucky stars that I had the opportunity to visit. I was able to learn so much about their culture and work on learning more about mine.

You Gotta Have Faith.

DSC_0125Let’s start at the beginning. Notre Dame de Paris. It is MAGNIFICENT! I have never in my life seen something so spectacular and moving, the moment I entered the building I was literally speechless. My art history classes in college could not prepare me for how overwhelmed I would be. To think that this church was built 850 years ago leaves me with so many thoughts but mostly “how did they do it?”

DSC_0123(The exterior holds hundreds of statues that depict passages of the bible and because it was Winter, garlands were placed around the church adding something special)

DSC_0138(The stained glass is intricate and delicate as the light passes through to illuminate the interior)

DSC_0141(There are nooks that display different pieces of art, this was one of my favorites)

Sacre-Couer, Paris

DSC_0381(At the top of a large stairway sits Sacre-Coeur. At night it is a place of gathering for young  people who spend the evening drinking wine, singing, and gazing at the view of Paris in it’s entirety)

DSC_0395(Behind Sacre-Coeur lies an alley of vendors and restaurants)

Basilica of St. Michael, Bordeaux

DSC_0548(Basilica of St. Michael  is not at the caliber of Notre Dame but it is also very breathtaking inside. The ceilings are higher than I can count and the hall stretches hundreds of feet long. It is very grand)

DSC_0551(It was so bright inside which gave this church a softer feeling)

France does not mess around when it comes to their churches. Aside from being incomparable inside, they are also very welcoming. Each church was a nice place to walk around quietly in peace, and take in all of the history that the walls held. I liked to think of who sat in the pews hundreds of years ago and what they were wearing, praying about, and hoping for.

Can You Feel My Bones?

Ever since I was a young girl I was drawing; art has always been my very first love. Paris was filled with life, color or something outrageously beautiful and perfect everywhere I turned.

Marc Chagall(The unbelievable Paris Opera has ceiling art created by the modernist painter Marc Chagall. I was in awe of my surroundings as I watched the ballet perform)

Paris Opera(Every turn was accompanied by magical costumes once worn in past performances)

DSC_0364(The Tuileries Gardens outside of the Louvre holds amazing statues, pictures cannot do them justice)

Palace of Versailles(One of my favorite rooms in  the Palace of Versailles held a hall full of statues. The way the light peeked in cast amazing shadows)

There were also bits of darkness as the city has a history of death and disease which ultimately will inspire as a result. Take a look at what I mean.

Catacombs of Paris(The Catacombs of Paris holds 6 million skeletons delicately placed throughout since the late 1700’s. While this is not technically art it is very amazing to look at )

catacombs skeletons(There are so many interesting things to look at but I tried my very best to not forget that this was a cemetery and these bones belonged to people alive over 200 years ago. It is a testament to how preserved France’s history is)

France has art all around, from the canal to the sky, there is always something to see and admire.

City of Lights.

Eiffel TowerWell, they definitely call Paris the “City of Lights” for a reason, especially in the Winter. I can’t imagine what the energy bill looks like!

Wine Bottles(One of my favorite parts of Paris were the window displays. Twinkle lights make everything a little more beautiful!)

DSC_0045(A statue outside of the Paris Opera)

DSC_0012(The city is alive even late at night and lights cover the street tops)

DSC_0209(Champs-Elysees illuminates the way to the glorious Arc de Triomphe)

DSC_0196(While I didn’t get a chance to ride it, I imagine there was no better view of the city than on this glowing Ferris Wheel)

DSC_0409(Flashy flash! Moulin Rouge was awesome and you could see it from blocks away! Ooh la la!)

DSC_0483(Bordeaux was gearing up for the Arlette Gruss circus. Look at the glowing trees in the background!)

DSC_0631(Lastly, Bordeaux has little bulbs of light everywhere you can imagine. It is beautiful)

I feel so lucky to have experienced France in the Winter, while it is the down time I can’t imagine it gets any better!

Love in Paris.

VersaillesEveryone said that I would love France but no one ever said I would fall in love with it. How could someone love a city so much? I had never been to Europe before and I am so glad I went on this trip, it absolutely changed my life for the better. For my first France post, I want to share a few photos that mean “love” to me.

Paris Candy(Everywhere I turned were perfectly wrapped candy and treats, something I love no matter where I am!)

DSC_0528(Along the same lines these macaroon cookies are delicious; I always had a purse full at all times!)

love lock bridge(My friend told me about the Pont des Arts where couples “lock” their love to the chain links and throw the keys into the water below as a romantic gesture)

DSC_0347(I surprised Nick with a lock that I had brought from the states. Our lock faces the Eiffel Tower)

DSC_0601(A literal take on love)

After this trip I love a lot of things even more than I thought I ever could: buildings, cookies, padlocks, and an amazing city with so much fiery history. But most of all one bearded man.

Parisian Style.

Beret

I recently returned from the most amazing trip to France and have been truly inspired by the culture, art, and most importantly fashion! I got a few cute pieces for Christmas this year and felt that they fit Parisian living fairly well. Allow me to try to bring out the French in this San Francisco girl.

Calvin Klein Beret(My mom got me this cute studded Calvin Klein beret before my trip. It accessorizes this outfit)

Bebe dress(My aunt and cousins got me this Bebe dress and gothic style lace jacket. I took off the beret in order to wear this all together. Parisians love to layer but you don’t want to over do it)

gothic jacket(This jacket reminds me of the gothic architecture in Paris, it is very pretty)

gothic close up(close up of the lace)

Jacket(As I mentioned before, in the Winter French girls simply layer and wear tights and jackets. They don’t dress too bulky at all even if it is very cold outside. This is a thin jacket my mom gave me for Christmas and a new pair of San Marina shoes I picked up in the St. Michel shopping district of Paris)

San Francisco(Lunch is over, back to work!)

I look forward to sharing my trip with you soon!

You May Say I’m A Dreamer.

Dreamboards are supposed to be these inspirational sheets you create to remind you of all the accomplishments that you want to have in your life. They sometimes remind you of who you want to be but always remind you of who you are not. Is that awful- looking at a board to remind yourself that you could be better? I understand that staring at a picture of a skinny girl in a bikini can motivate you to go to the gym but how long do you stare at it until you understand that this model you idealize is never going to be you? And honestly, that is a good thing. You should be happy with the skin that you are in because you are f@#*ing awesome.

I decided to make my own dream boards full of instances that will NEVER happen to me. But I can look at them and laugh at how ridiculous they seem and that makes me feel a whole lot better than wishing I was thinner, prettier, and perfect in every way.

Dreamboard #1: Out Of This World

Out of this world(I am riding a unicorn in outer space while Damon from the Vampire Diaries confesses his love for Elena on loop projected onto the galaxy. You’ve seen that episode, right? Oh, you haven’t? Don’t worry, it’s one click away- let’s watch it together right now. Oh, and the words “If you dream it..” are written in the sky because that seems fitting)

Dreamboard #2: Torn Between Love and Desire

(Ok, in this dreamboard, I am wearing a flowy citrine dress and am in Paris as it is pouring rain but I am totally dry. Weird, right? No, it’s my dreamboard so it is totally normal. Anyway, Robert Pattinson is floating in the sky. But not modern day Robert Pattinson, it is 2008 Robert Pattinson from the first Twilight movie when he was really hot. I am on my cell phone texting someone (probably Robert Pattinson) but then out of nowhere dangles these super cute blue shoes with little hearts on the toes. What do I do?! We’ll never know because I wake up from this dream before I get to the end. I hate that, don’t you?)

Dreamboard #3: Forbidden Fruit

(For my final dreamboard, I am part of a raccoon gang who perform dangerous cupcake heists. This is the crown jewel of all cupcakes though, it is golden and is said to give you the ability to create new fashion trends. But it is guarded by the recently gone viral “grumpy cat” and with one grumpy glare can cast you into fashion hell for all of eternity. Yes, a permanent fanny pack will grow out of your belly. The terror)

These dreamboards are silly, weird, and mean absolutely nothing. But always dream big and never settle for the norm because the great thing about being an individual is the ability to think differently and pursue your personal interests. And if you like dreamboards, make them! And if you like cupcakes, bake them! Just make sure you share them. With me.