Paris on the mind {a tiny guide to my favorite place on Earth}

Hemingway once said 'if you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a movable feast.' The city of light is constantly on my mind. It's my favorite place on Earth, everything is beautiful there: the art, fashion, even the food looks like it should be in a museum. Well, being that I've been fortunate enough to have lived and re-visited the city a few times, I wanted to put together a simple guide and I hope you find it a little helpful.

*How to Get There:

A plane ticket is definitely not cheap however there are some ways to make the travel expense lighter on your wallet. Always try to buy your ticket 4-6 months in advance, the further in advance the better deal you get. Also, try to buy your ticket on a Tuesday because airlines have the best rates on this day.

*Where to Stay:

When I lived there for a summer I stayed in one of the extended stay hotels, Citadines, which I loved and is decently affordable. However if you're going for a short stay, and traveling alone,  I'd definitely recommend staying in a hostel. It's a great way to meet other travelers and most hostels have connections to tours and great suggestions of which cafes in the respective area are tasty. Hostelworld is great. 

*Where to Eat:

Every arrondissement and neighborhood is different. The countless boulangeries are great for petit déjeuner (breakfast) and are farely inexpensive, my favorite is Jean-Paul Hévin in the 3rd arrondissement, their macaroons are beyond amaze. Joy in Food is a great vegetarian restaurant in the 17th arrondissement (where I lived) that has a veggie chilli to die for. 

 It's also cheaper to eat at the bar rather than eating at a table at any restaurant so that's always a way to cut a corner. The majority of restaurants offer a "formule," a meal combo that comes with a drink, a side (dessert or something), plus a main course so always ask to see their fixed priced menu first. As far as dinner goes, my friend Xavier has many great restaurants around the city but my favorite of his is the Les Philosophes Cafe in the 4th arrondissement.  

+ Joy Cho's adorable guide of where to eat in Paris and getting bread dough from Paris bakeries {genius} and the best places to eat in Paris for under 10 euros.

*What to Do:

Paris has the most beautiful parks, just gorgeous, so try and see most of them. My favorite is the Jardin du Luxemborg, it's like heaven on Earth. Make sure to stop by all of the wonderful museums and after spending hours moseying around Le Lourve make sure to take a nap on their comfy sofas {it's a tradition of mine, hehe}. Have many, many picnics under the Eiffel Tower, walk along the Seine, check out the Montmarte flea market on Sundays, row the boats in Versailles, and you must, must dance to wonderful jazz music at le caveau de la huchette.

Oh Paris, you're always a good idea. Time to plan my next visit? :)

+ Time's guide for what to do in Paris and many pictures of my adventures below if you'd like to see.