Beauty, Lifestyle Blog in London, UK

Wednesday, 30 November 2016

A Weekend Break Guide: Paris

There are a 1,000 reasons why Paris is a great location for a weekend break. Its close to the UK and Europe by air or the Eurotunnel, its super romantic if you are going with a loved one or fabulous shopping if you are going with friends and its got some very instagrammable places to snap. So this is a little guide to what I got up to on my weekend break.

Be Aware: It's not known for being cheap.

How To Get There

So there are a few options to get to Paris you can Eurostar it or you can take a leaf out of my book and fly. I popped to Heathrow after work and got a flight with Air France which was pretty simple and one of the shortest, short haul flights you can get and with prices from £78 return you can't really complain. I also have 8 Tips to flying short haul, if your interested in taking a gander.

When you land in Paris its best to already have your transport planned as the most easiest and cost effective way is via Viator with there airport roundtrip transfer, the cars are lush and the drivers are so polite which is just want you need when you get off the plane. There got us to our hotel with ease and then we had the same driver back again - I cant recommend enough.

Where To Stay

When you get to Paris you need to do it in style and for a bit of luxury you can't go wrong with InterContiental, Paris Le Grand. The hotel is pure luxury with regal style rooms to make you feel like a princess. There are plenty of deals online to get the best price but I threw in the Luxury Spa Package which gets you get a 25 minute body massage and a 50 minute radiance facial (you can move the timings around) for two people. This was definitely needed after a full days work being a tourist.

Get ready for some stunning views and as I popped my head outside the hotel there was the world-famous Palais Garnier or home to Paris Opera. Thats one tourist attraction ticked off your list. If you head to this hotel I recommend getting the buffet breakfast as part of your deal at the famous Café de la Paix which is a stunning location filled with pain au chocolate and baguettes galore.

What To Do

For a weekend break in Paris there are a few key places to go but if you are stuck for choices you can use the Air France Paris City Guide which has everything from the current time to tasty strolls.

Palais Garnier, Opera

8 Rue Scribe, 75009, Paris

Price: Free to look, price varies depending on show.

As mentioned if you end up staying at the InterContiental, Paris Le Fran then the Opera is outside your window but if not its definitely worth the journey to have a look at the intricate architecture and the sheer size of this magnificent building.

Love Lock Bridge

Ponts des Arts, 75006, Paris

Price: Free to look, a few £ for a lock which are sold at the bridge.

Tourists renamed Ponts des Arts in 2008 as Love Lock Bridge where loved-up couples fixed locks as tokens of their love. The Ponts des Arts bridge crosses the river Seine so its a lovely walk and links up with Palais du Louvre if you are walking in that direction.

Eiffel Tower

Champ de Mars, 5 Avneue Anatole France, 75007, Paris

Price: 17

You can't come to Paris and not visit the Eiffel Tower, even if you have visited it multiple times before. Somehow, Adam and I ended up going the back way and I can defiantly say its worth walking around the Eiffel tower, there are some beautiful gardens and I got a totally different perspective of the tower. You don't need to pay the entry to take in the view from down below.

Parks & Gardens

We were lucky enough to have the sun shining and what better way to explore than a walk through the parks and gardens around Paris. Air Frances' city guide can tell you all the best places.

The Louvre

Musee du Louvre, 75001, Paris

Price: 15

The Musee du Louvre is just BEAUTIFUL with that glass pyramid in the centre is just draws you in but we warned the queues can be crazy! Best to pre-purchase tickets. If you're after a art and culture hit whilst is Paris the Louvre is the one for you where you can see the Mona Lisa!

Le Palais Royal

8 Rue de Montpensier, 75001, Paris

Price: Free to walk around the gardens.

If you go on the a little 5 minute walk you can come upon the the blogger location spot of dreams at Le Palais Royal. There are just some stunning gardens where everything seems to be symmetrical and then an area full of black and white stumps of all different sizes. If you get out your Olympus Pen and that 45 mm lens you are on to winner.

Notre-Dame de Paris

6 Parvis Notre-Dame, 75004, Paris

The Notre-Dame Cathedral just takes me back to my youth and reminds me of the Disney classic, The Huntchback of Notre-Dame. It is a site to be seen and its huge.

Where to Eat & Drink

InterContinental for cocktails; they are pricey but damn they are tasty and anywhere that gives free nuts is a winner is my eyes.

Champeaux

Forum des Halles La Canopee, 75001, Paris

££

In an open air shopping centre so you can get your Sepora fix before you head in for food. Fashioned in a contemporary canteen style, this restaurant is light and airy, perfect for a lunch in Paris when its a bit too cold to sit outside.

Starter: Charcuterie board with a mixture of cured ham, saucisson, terrine and grattons (Perfect to share)

Main: Fillet steak with peppered sauce and green beans

Dessert: Creme Brulee

Les Pinces 2

43 Rue Mazarine, Paris

££

Lobster or Steak, that is the question...there is not much else to it. This simple but tasty menu pulls in the tourists and locals alike for a relaxed atmosphere. You can feast on a lobster, lobster roll or steak (of course I went for the lobster) and the good value and delicious taste means I will be back again. Oooo and the homemade french fries were tasty!

Prescription Cocktail Club

23 Rue Mazarine, 75006, Paris

£££

This is so close to Les Pinces you would be silly not to give it a whirl. There are no photos because this place is so dark you can barley see the cocktail in front of you but with its speakeasy style and pretty drinks you are instantly drawn in.

Angelina Paris

226 Rue de Rivoli, 70051, Paris

£££

Looking for a sweat treat or just somewhere to take a delicious looking photo? Look no further than Angelina Paris. I have heard the hot chocolate tastes incredible but the eclairs, macaroons and cakes just look like they were made for a royal - I had two, but I will let the photos do the talking.

What to wear

Be Parisian chic with both of these outfits.

What am I wearing:

What am I wearing: Dress: House of Frazer (BIBA), Sunglasses: Gucci | Handbag: Monnier Freres, Philip Lim | Watch: Links of London

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8 tips for flying short haul

Oh hello! So with five flights before the end of the year I thought I would dedicate a blog to flying and hopefully impart some wisdom to make your flight a little more enjoyable. Sometimes I feel like an airplane is my second home! My latest flight was with Air France to the beautiful, Paris and with a little over an hour it is one of the shortest, short haul flights you can get. Air France have fab flight times if you are planning on not taking any extra holiday off work for just a weekend getaway. The Friday flight was at 8:30 pm from Heathrow and we headed home at 8 pm on the Sunday which was just perfect and you can get flights from £78 return from Heathrow.

Okay so let’s get to the reason for this article: Tips to make your short haul flight more enjoyable.

1. Be Comfortable

It’s still a flight babe, not a fashion show! Get comfy, it may be your Abercrombie comfy pants or a cute comfy t-shirt dress; I wore a t-shirt dress from Primark with tights and ankle boots (because its finally autumn in the UK) and remember a jumper! TIP: Take a pair of slipper socks. Flights usually have the air-con blasting and it is always nice to be cosy whilst sitting down for an hour.

2. Make use of the free WIFI

It is not just on the plane you have to keep yourself busy, the majority is waiting around for your flight at the airport and you want to save your pennies for Paris. So make use of the free WIFI, (it also uses less battery). For me I spent my time eating and planning my trip in Paris with the Air France city guide, which is so easy to use and has heaps of useful tips, so you can plan your perfect weekend.

3. Choose the perfect seat

When picking your seats go for where you are most comfortable I find for short haul, window is best as I can rest against it or Adam. I find the seats at the front and the back of the plane are a NO NO, you get people loitering near the toilet and staff going back and forth and the back row is usually smaller so that is a definite NO GO AREA.

4. Hand luggage

If you are going on a short haul flight just take hand luggage – but don’t go OTT. Most people will have some type of hand luggage and the overhead storage is usually full if you are last to get on the plane. Also if you are lucky enough to take a handbag which is not considered as hand luggage (thanks Air France) then take something compact so it does not take up all your precious leg room, and that you don’t put shoe marks over your lovely bag.

5. See if there are any cheap upgrades

With your flight being in the next 30 minutes there may be some extra leg room seats or VIP spots that didn't end get snapped up and you might end up getting something a litter cheaper – it is worth a cheeky ask. Also listen out whilst I was flying home there was a call out for a flight to Japan for £250. I didn’t realise airlines still offered last minute flights anymore, it’s a shame I had to get back to the UK.

6. Do not buy a Samsung Note 7

If you are a frequent flyer you may have heard that the Samsung Note 7 has one major flaw it blows up whilst on charge and it has to be turned off on an airplane, I am surprised they even let people on! If you have one, change it now – they say any PR is good PR but not sure every flight announcing this can be considered good PR…

7. Key beauty essentials

You will know what key beauty essentials you need for an airport visit and a short haul flight but I take my Nivea tinted moisturiser as the flight can dry out your skin. I also have an obsession with hand cream for me it is an essential for any flight, a roll on, I actually brought a newbie is Sephora and it smells divine. You can never go wrong with a good lippy to make sure you look on point when you step off the flight, even if you are in joggers.

8. Entertainment

The flight is short so you don’t need too much to keep yourself entertained, it could be write a blog post, read a book, colour in or have an hours nap.

What are your tips to flying short haul?

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Parisian Style

When in Paris, designer stores line the streets and nearly everyone has something fabulous on their body or draped over an arm. From the latest Burberry mac to the latest, Valentino handbag and it is slightly depressing (I am not jealous at all, HONEST). A gal has to make the best of what she has; I have the odd designer purchase which is nice to bring a £30 outfit up to an acceptable level in the Paris style stakes.

So I popped down to my fave photo spot at Le Palais Royal and posed till my boyfriend told me he had enough and wanted his own photo. It was a sunny but crisp day and I love this casual outfit, it is a perfect mix of style and comfort with my fave brands. The Zara t-shirt is slightly cropped so it works great with high waisted shorts. My new Lacoste shoes are the perfect shade, a matte, off pink, these on-trend beauties kept me going for over 30,000 steps that day, the cushioned backs were a necessity for that much walking...luxe.

My Michael Kors backpack was not really big enough for a full day of city sightseeing but it kept all my essentials in. I am also building up my jewellery collection at the moment and got this amazing necklace from a Mawi sample sale for £50 and also a few bits from a new brand called Astrid & Miyu they have the prettiest packaging. And oldie but a goodie is Jewellery Box you have probably seen me feature them a few times now and the price and quality is just amazing with prices from £3 you can’t argue. I have also added a bit of bling with my Links of London watch I would never think of them normally for watches but I just love it and its rose gold, hello!

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#OOTD: Winter Warmer

Whilst is Paris I couldn't miss an opportunity to do an impromptu outfit shoot with the beautiful wintry scenery. With winter settling in, layers are definitely a must but you have got to keep your style coming through amongst the layers of warmth and this is why today’s #OOTD is all about feeling warm yet stylish. I do love the holiday season and being able to cozy my outfits up is so much fun, although when it pours with rain, not so much…

Starting with my brand spanking new simple black coat with a faux fur collar, which was a bargain BTW only £35, thanks America for Black Friday. I sneaked in a fun sweater from Markus Lupfer – warm yet cute with paw prints and I teamed this with a simple denim skirt and my (I wear them every day) Ted & Muffy boots. To keep me extra warm I have added a faux fur ear warmer which I think makes the whole outfit look a tad more designer esq.

Talking of designer I have finished the look off with my Phillip Lim mini satchel which is amazing for how much stuff it can fit in it, I am talking camera, phone, money and even makeup.

Stay warm yet stylish this winter lovelies.

Have a fab day!

Outfit:

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What to visit with 24 hours in Paris

Just the other week I headed to Paris for 24 hours and it's beautiful with so many places to visit I thought I would share what I got up to and where I recommend you visit. As a warning, this blog post is jam packed with photos.

What I did in Paris for 24 hours

My trip began at Kings Cross to meet some other lovely bloggers and the Crabtree & Evelyn team, and then we headed to Paris on the Eurostar. I couldn’t quite belive the journey was only 2 hours going to Paris more often has made my New Year resolution list. The reason we were visiting Paris was to visit Crabtree & Evelyn at the Feel Unique pop-up store, themed; The Best of British Beauty, promoting the launch over Feel Unique in France. Crabtree and Evelyn were, of course, featured as one of the core brands for British beauty showcasing some of their key products like their hand therapy creams, Noel candle as one for my faves from the Christmas range and many others. There was also free hand massages and manicures, I went for something quite festive with gold leaf and the Crabtree and Evelyn nail polish in Cardinal. So to all my readers in France head to FeelUnique.fr and get your hands on Crabtree & Evelyn goodies.

If you are in Paris for just a Day I recommend saving a tiny bit of time for some shops, unfortunately, I didn't get time to pop in but they have a one of the largest Sephora’s I have ever seen and I visit Texas annually. I also really wish I had time to visit some of the incredible bakeries. If you are looking to do a quick tour of Paris you can rent little cars or get the bus, some must see tourist attractions are:

Louvre Pyramid
Pont Des Arts or Love Lock Bridge
Champs-Elysees
Eiffel Tower

If you are looking for a spot of lunch head to Le Dome du Marais it's so Parisian and has beautiful interior look at the ceiling!!! I had the salmon and a pretty extravagant chocolate bomb dessert that melted away after hot chocolate had been poured over it - lush!

Have a lovely Tuesday lovelies
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