My adventure started in style, with a business class ticket on an Air France flight to Charles de Gaulle. Then it was off to Paris’ other airport, Orly, for the unveiling of JonOne’s revamping of Air France’s classic red “l’accent” logo.
Before JonOne made his grand entrance, however, several journalists (myself included) decided to do an impromptu photo shoot while we waited. I’ve never been so close to an airplane before and the sheer size of it humbled me. Sometimes you forget how small you really are.
I’m not usually a huge fan of swag…well, let me clarify that. I love swag but until very recently, I didn’t have a place to put anything because we were constantly on-the-go. Moving makes me anxious and since I’ve moved so many time over the last few years, giving away possessions (and not accumulating more) became the solution. That said, I couldn’t resist taking these notebooks back with me. After all, one can never have too many notebooks, especially when they’re decked out in red, white and blue graffiti.
I always try to practice gratitude wherever I go and for whatever reason, I was feeling especially grateful in Paris. Even though I work so hard and like to think I deserve the life I’ve built, I know that luck has played a role in my happiness. Some people wait their whole lives to visit a city like Paris and I hope it’s as special for them as it is for me. If you’re wondering about the pretty backdrop, it’s a peek into my room at the Hilton Paris Opera. I’m standing on heated black and white tile floors.
As if Montmartre couldn’t get any more gorgeous, a bright pink car drives past. Montmartre is my favorite neighborhood in Paris, as I’m sure it is for thousands of others. There’s something so special about hearing the sound of your shoes hit the pavement…or in this case, cobblestone. It might have been the Sacré-Cœur basilica that motivated me to walk up the hill my first trip to Paris but I need no motivation anymore because I know exactly what awaits me at the top. Pure beauty.
I snapped this right at the edge of Montmartre. I was meeting my friend Leah for a stroll through the neighborhood and since I was ahead of time, I slowed down my pace and snapped a few photos. Even though Paris is such a photogenic city, I found myself rarely pulling out my camera. It’s like I just know that any picture I take isn’t going to compare to what the naked eye sees. Only Paris can make me literally stop and stare in wonder. Not instinctively reaching for my iPhone was a refreshing change.
During my first “free” day in Paris (as in, no work commitments), I walked along the Seine to the Museum of Modern Art. There’s an Andy Warhol exhibit there right now and naturally, I wanted to check it out. It was about a thirty-minute walk there from my hotel and I zig-zagged my way there. I wasn’t in a rush and the streets of Paris are therapeutic for me. I guess that is one of the reasons why the Paris attacks made me so sad. People shouldn’t be scared in their own home, wherever that may be.
Air France sponsored my flights to and from Paris and the Hilton Paris Opera Hotel hosted me during my stay. All opinions are my own.
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