paris in 4 days: photo diary part 2

Paris, continued.

Finally I can get around to sharing the second part of my Paris diary! It's now been about a month since my trip, and I'm missing the city pretty badly. It was such a beautiful city and a relaxing weekend, I just can't seem to let it go. I might have to make Paris a once-a-year trip!

The second half of the trip was fairly similar to the first; lots of shopping, eating delicious food, and exploring the sights. I don't want to bore you with the details, so needless to say we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and took plenty of pictures in the process! Peep the pictures above, and let me know what you think of my 'Parisian' style. Check out the spots below for an idea of what we got into while there. 

Have you been to Paris? Let me know in the comments!

Where We Stayed

Hotel Paradis

Where We Went

The River Seine

The Louvre

The Eiffel Tower

Ponte Alexandre III

Where We Ate

Le Mary Celeste

Clover Grill

Where We Shopped

Dior Parfums

Colette

Saint Laurent Paris

Paris in 4 Days: Photo Diary Part 1

Hotel Paradis

Shoes courtesy of Fratelli Rossetti

Les Chouettes

Maison Lautrec

Paris.

Is there a city as magical, or with as much romance attached to simply its name? Arguably not - and my extended weekend trip to Paris this last week revived my love for the magical city of light.

I've traveled to Paris once before, about 5 years ago while studying abroad in Rome. But that trip was a study in inexperience; being one of the first cities we ever visited in Europe, or abroad at all, my friends and I ate at the wrong restaurants, rushed from tourist site to tourist site, and spent a hurried weekend frantically fitting in experiences that should have lasted a week-long visit.

This time around I knew what I wanted to do. Having been to Europe multiple times in the last few years, and living in a major city now as an adult, I was excited to experience Paris more like a Parisian. With little more than a hotel reservation and some restaurant recommendations, my friend Alyssa Clare and I made our way to the city. The beautiful boutique Hotel Paradis welcomed us during our stay, and the spot was the perfect middle ground in the 8th Arrondissement. 

For four days straight we ate, shopped, explored, and of course shot tons of content in the beautiful city. I could probably go on for days about what we did, but I'd rather share these photos with you and let you see for yourself. Below, a little rundown of some of my new favorite Paris haunts that I'll definitely be returning to!

Where We Stayed

Hotel Paradis

Where We Went

Les Deux Palais

Le Marais

Where We Ate

Ellsworth

Allard

Les Chouettes

Maison Lautrec

Where We Shopped

The Broken Arm

Alice Balas

Nice Piece

way out east

This past week I had the opportunity to try out a local new restaurant I have been absolutely dying to go to, Out East. I stumbled upon this little haven a few weeks back when I was wandering around the East Village. Tons of new restaurants are opening up here and in Alphabet City, so there are always new places to try. But for some reason this place immediately caught my eye - maybe it was the white brick wall, or maybe it was the neon sign that drew me in.

This spot is a cute seafood restaurant inspired by coastal New York. The menu is light but flavorful, and everything about the space makes me feel like I'm in a beautiful getaway outside the city, not the center of the Village. I had a fantastic experience; everything from the service to the food was perfect, and the restaurant makes for a great date spot! I highly recommend to anyone wanting to try a new place in the city, or to someone visiting who wants something outside the box.

Check out my review of Out East below, and try not to drool over the food pics. I'll be sure to return here soon!

the space

The decor at Out East is simply stunning. It's a beautiful mix of industrial elements and vintage New York style. Lush blue velvet chairs contrast so nicely with the concrete walls in the outdoor dining space, and the bar on the lower floor is surrounded by warm wood bookcases, bouncing off the dim light from the bar shelves. The colors of the space are so my personal vibe - blues, golds, warm dark walnut browns, cold grey concrete. I honestly want to redecorate my whole home with only this palette. It really works to give you that city-meets-country vibe. I felt simultaneously as if I was in the city, but also visiting a spot along the water in the Hamptons. Such an amazing combination!

the drinks

I love a good cocktail, that goes without saying, and the cocktail list at Out East does not disappoint. The bartender was kind enough to listen to our favorite flavors and suggest two drinks he made in front of us - the Pink Pooch and the Sideroad Sumac. Being a tequila fan, I went for the latter, which was a delicious mix of tequila, blood orange, and sumac (a tart and lemony spice). Honestly I could have had about 5 of them, but wanting to try more variety we also sampled the Pink Pooch. For those who love drinks on the sweeter side, this mix of gin, grapefruit, and hibiscus is perfect!

the food

Let's not forget the most important part of the visit - the food. Absolutely everything we sampled was terrific - for real. I love seafood, so this menu was perfect, but they also have plenty of choices for those who are a little less inclined to shellfish or seafood.

To start we tried the Diver Scallops, Tuna Tartare, Fluke Ceviche, and the Heirloom Tomato Salad. Each dish was better than the last. My personal favorite had to be the Diver Scallops from the raw bar. Light, buttery scallops topped with salmon roe, shiso, and ponzu for that kick of tart saltiness to compliment the fish was a perfect start to the meal. The Fluke was similarly delicious and flavorful, with a hint of citrus that felt like a palate cleanser.

For our main course we paired a dry rosé with Seared Scallops (ok, so I'm a scallop fan), Striped Bass, and Rohan Duck Breast. Everything was plated so beautifully we didn't want to touch it, but our appetites took over and we had to dig in. The duck was exceptional, and a nice contrast to the lighter fish fare we enjoyed. Of our choices, the Striped Bass was tasty but not my favorite, and would be a good choice for someone who enjoys white fish.

All in all the food was spectacular, and to be honest I'm dreaming of those raw bar scallops as I finish writing this...

My visit to Out East was perfect from top to bottom - and I'd like to give a special shoutout to the team at Becca PR, and the staff at Out East for their exceptional service. I'll be sure to return, so if you happen to see me be sure to give a shout!

What are some of your favorite restaurants lately? Let me know in the comments!

the perfect new york city summer hangout: grand banks

There’s nothing better during one of New York City’s famously hot and sticky summer days than a cold drink on the water. Relaxing with friends, taking in the harbor views, and drinking rosé really make the best summer memories!

My favorite spot in the city to do just that is Grand Banks – an oyster bar aboard the Sherman Zwicker ship sitting right along the bank of the Hudson River. It’s a beautiful spot that gets really busy during warm summer days – I guess a lot of people in the city have the same idea! There’s always a good crowd there enjoying the sun, sea, and delicious food and drinks.

I recently stopped by the bar with my good friend for a few drinks and lite bites. We ended up staying for four hours sipping cocktails, like the Fracas, an amazing tequila cocktail with pineapple, lime, and a hint of nutmeg! We had to treat ourselves to a bit of food as well, after a few drinks on a swaying boat I was in need of a little something solid. Try as I might, I am actually not an oyster fan, so we ended up sharing a few small plates, including a delicious burrata, tomato and watermelon salad, and of course some French fries; I just can’t stay away from fries, even while drinking wine!

Grand Banks is gorgeous on a sunny summer day, but even on the cloudy day we visited we had a great time. I think the hours of conversation and yummy food really made up for it! I figured an easy, early summer outfit would be the perfect fit for this visit, so I kept it pretty simple. Since it was a little chilly, especially right on the water, I threw a distressed Iro bomber jacket over a white tee and paired that with cropped jeans and my new pink Common Projects. Topping the look off with pink-tinted sunglasses, I think I look pretty ready for summer!

What are some of your favorite things to do in the summer? Let me know in the comments!

jacket Iro // shoes Common Projects via Mr. Porter // sunglasses Sunglass.la

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