shell chic’d abroad
Taking a step out of New England this week to share some photos + experiences from out 8 days in France and Switzerland! See more real-time snaps on my Instagram.

Nichole Robertson’s Paris in Color is the coffee table book I could sit down with every morning and probably never grow sick of. And while I tried to go into our honeymoon abroad using my eyes and not just my camera lens {I think this was my downfall while studying abroad in college… I spent too much time focussing on getting great photos and not enough about experiencing the moment}, I couldn’t resist looking for + doing everything I could to capture all the colorful [read:: blue] doors + buildings + cafes + other little corners hidden amongst all of Paris’s, albeit beautiful, monochromatic architecture.

I also told MJF we could restrain from documenting any outfits but a) I need content, and b) THE BLUE DOORS.

Pink Flounce Dress, J.O.A. [similar 1; 2] | Denim Jacket, Old Navy (30% off today!) | Cedar Street Mini Maise Purse, Kate Spade | Black Strappy Heels, LC Lauren Conrad (20% off today!)

Going into this trip, I thought OF COURSE I’ll come back and give you few loyal readers a guide to Paris, but how do I really have any authority to do that? Every block of Paris has something to offer, and despite this being my third trip there, and one in which we tried to avoid most of the “tourist traps” and do as the locals do, we still only experienced about 0.9%.

Here are a few things I will suggest::
[ Walk down Rue Crémieux, the colorful street pictured above, in the 12th Arrondissement. It is gram-heaven and so whimsy; I felt like we were in Notting Hill. ]
[ Have a petit déjeuner at Carette. ]
[ Stay on, or at least visit, Ile St. Louis— the “other” island on the Seine. This is where our apartment was and I could not have imagined a more perfect location. And while I wouldn’t call it busy or tourist-y at all, it is home to the famous Berthillon ice cream shop. ]
[ Have a drink outside at Chez Francis while watching the Eiffel Tower light up at night (9pm). ]
[ Tourist destinations we found to be worth it:: The Eiffel Tower {walk up the first two flights to save money + time in line}, Luxembourg Gardens, and Versailles. ]
{I would also take the time to do the Louvre if this is your first visit!}

The best choice we made the entire trip was hooking up with the team at INSIDR Paris. If you want to do as the locals do, this is your ticket. An 8-euro-a-day smartphone loaded with every map, guide, and review you’ll need. Let me tell you– free WiFi is not as easy to find as you might think, and, honestly, what did we do before we had LTE internet at our fingertips everywhere? This trip would have been a lot more stressful without access to GPS. #millenials #firstworldproblems

One of the best features? Their staff is always “on” and available for you to text when you have questions or need suggestions. “What’s a good restaurant we don’t need reservations for by Notre Dame?” “What’s the best time of day to visit the Eiffel Tower?” “How do we get to Versailles from central Paris?” I abused this feature. I asked them how to order a latte to go because when I tried on my own I ended up ordering a tall glass of cold milk.

Tell them where and when you want the phone, and they deliver it right to you. Read my review, as it’ll explain more– this is NOT a sponsored endorsement; I just really loved everything about this company and what they’re offering.

In any event, don’t be surprised if I announce I’m becoming an expat in the near future.

[ follow along love! instagram | twitter | rss | bloglovin ]

shop the post::