Dee in Paris (Inspired by Emily)

A few weeks ago when I needed a bit of an escape from reality, I watched the Netflix series Emily in Paris.  I saw all ten episodes over a weekend. Emily in Paris follows a young Chicago marketing executive, Emily Cooper, as she unexpectedly lands a dream job in Paris and embraces this fabulous new life while juggling work, friends, and romance.

Yes, it is a bit unrealistic/too good to be true in parts, and it enforces some stereotypes about Americans and Parisians. Moving abroad is not that fabulous for 99.999% for people. But, it is a life changing and enriching experience for 99.999% of people, including Emily. With that being said, I absolutely enjoyed the series, and I’ll be honest, I was NOT looking for reality. Watching the series reminded me of my first time in Paris, so here I am dusting off the cobwebs that have gathered on the blog to share about my whirlwind first trip to Paris. This was before I started this blog, so here we go!

Paris? No Way, but Actually Yes Way!

It was July 2016, and I was living in Edinburgh, Scotland. Although I had finally secured my Schengen visa that would allow me to travel through Europe, I had no plans to visit Paris (yet). No plans until I got a call. My friend and former colleague based in the US was going to be in Paris on a weeklong work trip. She asked if I could come on a Saturday morning and we would hang out for the weekend before she started her assignment in Paris on Monday. All I had to do was buy my ticket (thank the Lord for cheap flights within Europe), and I could share her room. You didn’t have to tell me twice!!!

Bonjour Paris (please read this in a newly acquired Parisian accent)!

Mini twist, my friend ended up arriving one day later than planned, so I arrived in Paris and spent Saturday by myself before she could join on Sunday morning. Thankfully, the hotel let me check in without my friend or your girl would have been writing about being homeless in Paris.

Postcard Worthy Views

One minute I’m chilling in my flat in Edinburgh, the next minute I’m on my way to the hotel in Paris. BTW, the hotel has spectacular views of the Eiffel Tower. If this wasn’t living the dream of any first time visitor to Paris, I don’t know what is.

Pinch me somebody!!!

The summer weather was perfect and so while I waited for my friend, I decided to wander through Paris without a plan! This was probably one of my first unplanned trips. I grabbed my kindle, sunglasses, purse, and a pair of wedges and explored the area around the hotel.  When I got tired of walking, I sauntered into a café, fumbled a few French phrases together and ordered a sandwich to go.

Picnic At The Eiffel Tower

Where else would I eat the tastiest sandwich ever than on the lawn of the Eiffel tower? People watching, reading a book, taking a nap, and occasionally (okay more like every 5 minutes) staring up at the Eiffel tower and wondering if this was really happening to me, or if I was living someone else’s life. Oh and that baguette, it was so good I could cry! I spent a few hours here, and I didn’t even attempt to go up the tower, I couldn’t be bothered to stand in any lines. I was happy laying in that grass, talking to strangers, and doing my thing.

PS. I don’t care how cliché it may sound, picnicking at the Eiffel tower in the summer is a must do! Yes, there are other beautiful parks in Paris but this is pretty special.

When darkness falls, the Eiffel tower takes on a golden glow that can be seen from miles away. And that’s not all, for five magical minutes every hours, sparkling lights super impose the golden lights. Yup! Magical is the word, and I got to witness that magic on my first night in Paris.

Tip For Night Owls: The last sparkling lights at 1 am have a special little feature, the golden lights go out and the Tower is left only to sparkle for 10 minutes!

More Food, Wine, and Friendship

To be honest, we’d planned to do more but with my friend arriving Sunday morning we decided to just do ‘light’ tourism for the day. We kicked off the day by stuffing our faces with a delicious brunch buffet set in a courtyard at the restaurant. Honestly, I could have just sat there all day talking, eating croissants (and so much more, that menu was extensive!!), and drinking champagne. 

This is the life the Lord promised me!

We did leave the hotel. We went back to the Eiffel Tower to take pictures, and then we got on the train to check out the Montmartre (the neighborhood around Sacre Coeur – The Sacred Cathedral of Paris). Cobblestone streets, artists, bistros, windmills, and a stunning Basilica on a hill make Montmartre the most famous Parisian district. After walking around and checking out the Basilica, we wrapped up our time in the district by having lunch at a restaurant in the area.

At this point, I was wondering if I really NEEDED to catch my flight back to Edinburgh that night. Why spoil a good thing? This Parisian life was good for me!

We made one more stop before I had to leave. We stopped at another bistro for wine and cheese. I’m not even that big of a cheese fan, but for the first time in my life everything tasted great to me. We toasted to our super short but enjoyable time!

Before I Could Say Un, Deux, Trois It Was Au Revoire!

I stayed until I absolutely had to head back to the airport. Before I knew it, I was in an Uber heading back to CDG airport (okay, one thing I do not like about Paris is this airport!). I went to Paris without expectations, without a plan and truly had a weekend I’ll remember for a lifetime. Perhaps it’s was the spontaneity of it all, or the lack of pressure to check any boxes, or the fact that I let myself feel the city. Super cheesy, but there are certain beautiful moments that I experience where I tell myself to take a mental picture of the place, the time, and the emotions. This trip had a few of those. 

There are so many opinions about cities like Paris. Some love it, some hate it, and others are indifferent. Hey, to each their own. In all the three times that I’ve been to Paris, I still haven’t seen even 20% of the city but I thoroughly enjoyed every visit. Two of my three trips were spontaneous, and the most time I’ve spent in Paris at a time is 48 hours. So, while I am not writing a Parisian travel guide anytime soon, I am definitely a fan of the city.

I’ve always had ‘spend a month in France’ on my bucket list, but now moving to Paris sounds wonderful. One thing I’d do differently from Emily though, I’d put a little effort into learning the language before making the move. If you are considering a move abroad, here are my best tips on what to expect when you move abroad. 

Have you seen Emily In Paris? Did the show make you feel like moving abroad? Have you been to Paris? What was your experience? If you’ve moved abroad, what was your experience? Let’s gist (talk)!

PS: I’m so glad I got out of my travel blogging rut, thanks to this show. I’ve missed sharing here, thank you for hanging with me via the newsletters!

Till next time, 

Dee O O (Ms. Heels)