Au Revoir Paris

Today is the day I say au revoir to Paris. Or maybe I should say à bientôt since I will definitely be back again soon. Time really does fly when you're having fun. I am sad to be living the City of Light but I am also excited to get back to New York. I can't wait to get a proper manicure and pedicure and sleep in my own bed. I look forward to seeing my friends and getting a burger with them at JG Melon. It's funny that it feels like autumn here now and I'll be going back to hot summer temperatures. Thank goodness New York has air conditioning unlike Paris.
But there are so many things I will miss about Paris. I was buying a few last minutes gifts for friends yesterday and watched as the salesperson slowly and carefully wrapped each cadeau. The attention to detail over little things is always amazing and the biggest lesson I've learned in Paris is patience. In New York, I'm used to someone throwing your item in a bag and flinging it at you. In Paris, everything is a production from buying gifts to dining out. The city forces you to slow down.

The French have slowing down and relaxing to a science and I will miss watching them do it.

I will miss all the cobblestone streets and limestone buildings. There is something beautiful around every corner.

I will also miss all the small house museums like the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature above. I visited this unique museum with Tommy Smythe last week and highly recommend visiting if you are traveling with outdoorsy men and boys. It's devoted to hunting and nature.

Anyone who follows me on Instagram will know that I will miss all the great old cars in Paris like this Citroën.

If I had it to do all over again, I would probably not buy so many books. And even after I said this, I bought a old catalog from this bookseller in the Galerie Vivienne. My bags are most definitely going to be overweight at the airport.

I'll miss looking up to see marvelous things like the ceiling of the Opera Garnier.

You also have to look down in Paris. I've walked though the Palais-Royal hundreds of times but never saw this mosaic until a few days ago.

I'll miss catching people on their terrasse, especially when they're wearing striped shirts.

Most of all, I'll miss living next door to Le Bon Marché and seeing their sign from my windows. And shopping for groceries at Le Grande Epicerie. And speaking French with the sweet boys in the boulangerie. Le sigh.
À bientôt Paris !
HC