5 Reasons to Love Paris in August – INSPIRELLE

Leave a comment August 1, 2016 Elsa Fridl

Source: 5 Reasons to Love Paris in August – INSPIRELLE

Paris plage (beach) along the Seine River.

Oh, how good it feels to be back! After a long absence, today I’m sharing Inspirelle’s post on why you should love Paris in August, along with a few suggestions for activities.

1. Fewer people in the city, period. When I was in Paris during the month of August, it was nearly a ghost town; the only Parisians I remember seeing were mostly older men playing boules in a park. Parisians, like all French people, take their holiday time (vacation) seriously, and August is the traditional month for it. In addition, tourists seemed few and far between. While some tourist attractions, shops, and restaurants close during August, much of Paris is still open, and since there are fewer people in the city, there are few, if any, lines to wait in.

2. Not much car traffic. If you want to drive in and around Paris, you won’t have to dodge traffic or worry about finding a parking space. Fewer cars on the road is also better for pedestrians: Remember, in Europe, cars have the right of way!

3. Much of Paris stays open. Many people believe that New York is Paris’s sister city in the U.S. But if New York never sleeps, then Paris always loves – there is always something to do to make you fall in love with the city, and for the city to love you back. The links below speak to how much of Paris stays open.

Restaurants open during August (per ParisByMouth.com)

Museums and cultural sites closed during August (per Paris Tourist Office)

4. Summer-only activities heat up. Since 2002, 5,000 tons of sand are trucked in every July to create two stretches of beaches: one that starts at the Louvre to Pont Sully along the Seine River, and the other on the Bassin de La Villete in the 19th arrondissement. The beaches are open from July 20 to September 4 in 2016, and are free to the public. Ice cream or a sandwich from a beachside cafe is extra. (!)

Port de Suffren in Paris, France.

After enjoying the sun by the beach during the day, why not dance the night away at Port de Suffren or attend the Paris Quartiers d’Ete festival? From July 14 – August 7, each arrondissement offers their own live entertainment, exhibits and theatre performances. Click here for the full guide.

5. Classical and rock concerts will make you want to sing. Rock en Seine is an annual, 3-day rock-n-roll event that features some artists I’ve heard of (Iggy Pop) and some I haven’t (Massive Attack, The Temper Trap), but no matter, it’s really geared to the younger set, anyway. It runs from Friday, August 26 through Sunday, August 28 in the Domaine Nationale de St. Cloud. Tickets: 3-day tickets cost 119 euros, single day for 49 euros. Click here to purchase tickets from Rock en Seine’s website.

If a rock concert isn’t your style anymore, perhaps a classical concert in a botanical garden is. The Festival Classique au Vert (“Classic Green Festival”) runs from August 6 to September 18 in the Parc Floral in the 12th arrondissement. Admission to the parc is 6 euros. Orchestras and international artists play at Parc Floral.

I believe Paris is always a good idea. Don’t you?

Au revoir!

Elsa

Image of Paris Plage along the Seine River by Laura Cuttler, 2013, Flickr, CCBY 2.0.

Paris for $34 a Night? 24-hour Sale on Hostelbookers!

Madeleine LeBeau, French actress who sang ‘La Marseillaise’ in ‘Casablanca,’ dies at 92 – The Washington Post

Beauty Secrets of French Women…Aren’t So Secret

Leave a comment April 29, 2016 Elsa Fridl

Have you ever noticed how effortlessly beautiful French women are? Gorgeous hair, perfect skin, beautiful figures… and the best look of all: killer confidence. How DO they do it?

Post adapted from Source: French Girl Beauty Secrets: 11 Tips To Look Parisian Pretty – Beauty Guide – Livingly

French women have an allure all their own. It is my experience that many people believe they are simply born beautiful, and that there is nothing that the rest of us mortals can do to attain their beauty and glamour. After working in the beauty industry, however, and upon close inspection, I believe I can offer insights into how to achieve at least a smidgen of French elegance. While I do believe genes you are born with have something to do with how attractive you are, it’s what you do with what you’re born with that matters in the long run. To me, this last point is crucial in understanding “how French women do it.” They take care of themselves today in ways that benefit them tomorrow.

French women are careful in the sun. Think about the pictures of French women you’ve admired: how many have a tan? Probably not many, if any. French women are not sun worshipers because they learn early on about the long-term effects of sun on the skin. Being careful in the sun, which means using plenty of SPF when you are out and avoiding the hottest sun during the day, is the number one thing people can do to avoid premature aging. Many girls and women don’t accept this until it’s too late. While working in the beauty industry, several women I knew from high school came in to my store and were desperate for something to alleviate their dry skin. They were all sun worshipers back in the day. Unfortunately, when they were younger, they didn’t understand that a tan is for the moment; skin is for a lifetime.

French women are not work-out obsessed. Of course, they have better eating habits — fresh food, little if any of it processed, portions in moderation — and they have friends who are likely to gently nudge each other if they notice one of their group putting on weight. They also walk a lot. It makes sense that French women are not work-out obsessed because they don’t have to be. As the French culture is focused on pleasurable experiences, French women choose activities to stay in shape that are fun, such as water aerobics.

French women love water. What is your approach to water? Do you drink it on occasion only because you know you should? Would you rather have iced tea or a diet drink? For French women, water isn’t just a beverage that they drink plenty of, it’s a beauty product, because they know that well-hydrated skin glistens from within, which no rouge can match. As France is well-known from their mineral springs, water and its benefits are incorporated into French cosmetics and skin care lines.

French women get enough sleep. Like water, sleep is acknowledged as the beauty treatment that it is. While you sleep, skin produces collagen, a necessary ingredient for cell turnover. The better your cell turnover, the more radiant your complexion will be. If you chronically deny yourself enough sleep, your skin is deprived of collagen while increasing the amount of cortisol, a stress hormone that leads to inflammation: the result is dull, lifeless skin that is prone to wrinkles. Sleep is crucial to overall good health; it should not be regarded as a luxury or unnecessary. I often cringed when I had clients come in for a product to hide the dark circles under their eyes while telling me about how they deprive themselves of sleep like it was a badge of honor. It isn’t.

French women love masks. If my experience working for Sephora is any indication, American women want beautiful skin without putting in the time to get it. Great skin doesn’t just happen; you have to work at it. French women know this, and learn to do one or two masks a week. Nothing says you have to use the same mask every time, though I would be careful about doing two types of active ingredient masks in one week. This means that if you do a glycolic acid-based mask one day (for its anti-aging benefits), it would be better to use something like Clinique’s Even Better Brightening Moisture Mask for the next one, rather than a different anti-aging mask using retinol or sulfur, for example: your skin might react from using the two active ingredients close together.

French women trust kitchen remedies. Since French women have mothers and grandmothers with beautiful skin, they trust what their elders tell them, and that is, kitchen remedies work. Why buy the latest product if your mother has beautiful skin using a homemade remedy? I use a mask that consists of 3 tablespoons of cooked white rice, 1 tablespoon of honey, and 1 tablespoon of milk. This softens my skin, makes it glow, and helps with wrinkles. In addition, I save the water that I cooked the rice in and wash with it. It makes my skin silky smooth.

French women believe less is more. French women like to look the same with makeup as without, only fresher. Since they have great skin, a little mascara, rouge, eyeliner, and lipstick go a long way to enhancing their looks. That said, if you don’t have great skin, high-end makeup brands such as Dior and Lancome can give you the look of little makeup while covering flaws and enhancing your natural beauty.

French women spend more time on skin care. I would add to this, French women take a pro-active approach to their skin and prevent problem skin rather than try to conceal bad life habits with make up.

Red lipstick makes you stand out. There is a red for every lip.

French women appreciate a simple red lip. Women have been wearing red lip color since the Mesopatamia time, about 3,000 B.C. Perhaps the red lip became French during the 1700s, when upper class French women were encouraged to wear cosmetics, which differed from their arch-rival England, whose anti-cosmetics laws left only the prostitutes to wear them. Certainly, French actress Sarah Bernhardt helped to solidify the red lip as French when she wore it in early films in the late 1800s; red lipstick helped her lips to be seen on black-and-white film. In our modern time, there’s something about red lipstick that just says “classic,” and with so many reds available, it is easy to find a hue you can call your own.

French women don’t fuss with their hair. They don’t wash their hair every day because it strips the hair of natural oils. They set their hair once in the morning and don’t touch it during the day; if a few hairs fall out of a twist, they let it go. After all, a few fallen hairs is sexy.

French women have a signature fragrance. The American women I waited on working at Sephora always seemed to want the latest in everything — skincare, makeup, even fragrance. Conversely, French women stick with what works: they find a fragrance they love and call it their own. It becomes part of their identity, and they aren’t dressed without it. My favorite is Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue. What is your favorite scent? Let it become part of you and wear it every day.

Au revoir!

Image of French actress used by permission. Evian designer water bottles by Stella Yoda, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Red lipstick by Wen Chen, Flickr, CCBY 2.0.

As a Blogger on Paris, I Went ‘Missing.’ Here’s Why.

Leave a comment April 15, 2016 Elsa Fridl

Aaaarrrrrrggggghhhhhhhhhhh. Not another technological glitch. Not again.

I am a blogger on Paris. I write about travelling there, navigating the City of Light, recommend hotels and restaurants, and cultural misunderstandings. I started to do this after I suffered a major blow in my life and lost everything. As luck would have it, I came into a windfall not long afterwards, and I decided what I needed most was a change of surroundings — to travel — and nowhere else speaks to my heart like Paris.

So off to Paris for a month I went. Since it was my third time there, I had already seen the major sites, but I revisited many of them, especially the Eiffel Tower, since my pictures of Paris were among my many possessions that were lost. I savored every French sign, every cappuccino, every meal, every daybreak, as though it would be my last. While there, I decided that what I wanted most was to be involved with France in any way I could. Although I had travelled prepared with my resume on a USB to apply for jobs while in Paris, when I went to print it, the resume disappeared without a trace from my USB and the computer. So I decided when I got back to the U.S., I would get involved with France in any way I could. Since I like to write, I decided to blog about Paris, with the hope that it would open a door for me to live and work in France.

I love what I do, though I admit I’m doing a different kind of writing than I imagined. Blogging about my experiences in Paris, like I did when I published my travel journal last July, is a different kind of writing than writing recommendations on travel gadgets I haven’t used and hotels I haven’t stayed in. Still, I wanted to expand my blog’s horizons by featuring a monthly series on Fridays: first on destination weddings in Paris, and then on adding French flair to your home. While writing the third post in the latter’s series, the post seemed to acquire a mind of its own and decided, unequivocally, it didn’t want to be finished. I lost the internet connection every two minutes (I know the timing because WordPress helpfully lets me know). Images wouldn’t load. The post wouldn’t update. Oddly, I didn’t have much trouble visiting other sites. Sure, my computer seemed a bit slower than usual, but I didn’t lose the internet connection while visiting other sites. I checked EVERYTHING, especially with my web host. They said, Nope. No trouble here. I was left scratching my head trying to figure out why I couldn’t finish this post….because, no, I DON’T actually believe a post can have a mind of its own.

Then I remembered I had recently acquired a new smartphone, because, SURPRISE, my 16-month old smartphone decided to STOP WORKING ON THE EXACT SAME DAY AS MY TIME RAN OUT ON MY PAY-AS-YOU-GO PHONE that I’ve had since 2008. Talk about coincidence. My life is full of them!! (Take that, my fellow Seinfeldians.) And I use the smartphone’s HotSpot for my blog, because the owner of my house can’t tell me how to use the FIOS internet connection. Which I pay for. God, I love my life.

Anyway, I digress. I called my phone carrier, and sure enough, after we deleted the settings for my HotSpot and re-selected them, my phone became so fast that the technician helping me told me my phone was “so blazing fast” that it was faster than his — and his building has a cell tower on top of it! Naturally, the pages don’t continue to load as fast as when I had him on the phone, because a car never works the same way after you leave the mechanic. But at least I’ll be able to finish the post that I had to table.

So. I wanted the few readers I have out there in cyberspace that I DID NOT die, I WAS NOT kidnapped by aliens, and I DID NOT lose interest in my blog. Luckily, I had a draft ready to publish during this time. Afterwards, I concentrated on my French lessons (“Learn French with Alexa” on YouTube) to get re-energized and back on track. To this end, I decided that, from time to time, I am going to write a post about my experience as an American trying to get to France, as in, living and working there.

See you next week.

A bientot! (See you later!)

Elsa’s Recommendations on the Best Things To Do In Paris – April 2016 | From Paris Insiders Guide

Leave a comment March 31, 2016 Elsa Fridl

Foire de Paris is from April 29 – May 8 at Porte de Versailles.

Spring is in the air. How about a short trip to Paris? Take a bike tour or a new shopping tour of Paris, or if it rains, see “Founding Myths: From Hercules to Darth Vader” at the Louvre, or attend Foire de Paris at the Porte de Versailles, the largest home show in Paris for 111 years.

Source: The 36 Best Things To Do In Paris – April 2016 | Paris Insiders Guide

As my website says, it’s always the right time to travel to Paris; it’s just a matter of figuring out what you want to do while there. Here I’ve featured my top 5 picks from Paris Insiders Guide for April 2016.

April in Paris usually hovers around 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius), so it is still wise to wear layers. While you make think of London for sudden downpours, Paris is known for them too, so a sturdy umbrella and a pair of waterproof walking shoes are musts. Still, bring your sunglasses: You’ll experience the first spring sunshine, and if you go anywhere near the Seine River, you’ll need them!

A bike tour guide at Tuileries Gardens.

Paris Classic Bike Tour. See Paris like a local on a Paris Classic Bike Tour or Paris Nighttime Bike Tour. The Classic version is a 4-hour, 6-mile guided tour of the best sites the city has to offer. You’ll stop every few hundred yards for information and photo-ops, so children and non-cyclers can easily keep up. There is a break at a cafe in Tuileries Gardens. If you’re a night owl, or simply want to see the city lit up at night, consider the Nighttime Bike Tour, which is 4 hours 30 minutes: more riding and less information than the day tour, but it includes a 1-hour cruise on the Seine River with wine included.

Classic Bike Tour

If you would rather take your own bike tour of Paris, there are bike rentals all over the city.

Price:

Adult: $38.67 each

Child: $36.39 each (4-11 years)

Child: Free (0-3 years)

Reserve here

As you might imagine, the City of Light is so well lit at night, there is little problem seeing in the dark.

Nighttime Bike Tour

Price:

Adult: $50.04 each

Child: $47.77 each (4-11 years)

Child: Free (0-3 years)

Reserve here

Fashion-Savvy Paris Shopping Tour. Learn where to purchase couture brands like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Dior at discounted prices like a local Parisienne. This is a true insiders’ tour: you’ll visit shops owned by fashion editors and photographers where designer clothing and accessories are sold right off the catwalk. You’ll also attend one or more workshops held by up-and-coming designers trained in Paris fashion houses.

The tour is 3 hours for a small group, and begins and ends at a cafe in the 6th arrondissement.

Price:

Adult: $139.29

Child: $102.45 (ages 3-7 years)

Child: Free (ages 0-2)

Register here

The energy of the Latin Quarter comes alive at night.

St. Germain des Pres & Latin Quarter Walking Tour. Meet your guide near the Pantheon and walk through St. Germain des Pres and the Latin Quarter, a lively area and former bohemian quarter where artists of all types lived and worked. In a small group limited to 12, you will also eat charcuterie (cold cooked meats) and play a game of French boules, the ball game you often see children and older men playing. Before ending at the Notre Dame Cathedral, you’ll visit Shakespeare & Co., likely the most famous bookstore in Paris.

Price: Adult $53.85 This is a special price for travel until August 31. Click on link below for children’s rates.

Duration: 3.5 hours

Unlikely bedfellows? This exhibit proves not.

Founding Myths – From Hercules to Darth Vader. The names of modern day heroes may change, but the mythological heroes they are based on don’t. Learn the connection between past and present heroes — from the Japanese manga to Star Wars — by viewing 70 pieces of artwork in 4 galleries at the Louvre. The last gallery is an exhibit of modern interpretations of these characters in television, film, and cartoons.

Location: The Louvre, La Petite Galerie, Richelieu Wing

Hours: Every day from 9:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M., except Tuesday. Open until 9:45 P.M. on Wednesday and Friday. Exhibit runs until July 4.

Admission: 15 euros (permanent collections & exhibitions)

Phone: +33 01 40 20 53 17

Metro: Louvre-Rivoli, Line 1

Exhibit Website You can purchase tickets here and download a pdf Exhibition booklet for children.

Foire de Paris at Porte de Versailles.

Foire de Paris – The Grand Paris Expo. The Foire de Paris (Paris Fair) is the largest general purpose retail fair in Europe. This year, it offers 3500 brands in Europe (in House & Lifestyle, as well as Arts & Crafts & Culture of the World, Well-Being Fashion & Accessories, Leisure & Everyday Life, and Wine & Gastronomy); many products are for sale at a discount to the general public. Be sure to click the link to the map of the pavilions before you go: the exhibit is huge! Oh, and registration is 100% online.

Location:
Porte de Versailles
1 Place de la Porte de Versailles
75015 Paris

Phone: +33 01 40 68 22 22

Cost: 12.50 euros, Registration online

Hours: April 29 – May 8, 10:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M. every day; closing time 10:00 P.M. on Tues May 3 and Fri May 6.

Metro: Porte de Versailles, Line 12

Map of Pavilions

Register here

Je pars pour jouer boules! (I’m off to play boules!)

Au revoir!

Foire de Paris from ParisInsidersGuide.com, CCBY 2.0. Tuileries Gardens, Fat Tire Bike Tour by David McKelvey, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of bikes for rent by CanStockPhoto. Boulevard St. Germain at night by Joao Andre O. Dias, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Fashion Savvy Beautiful Girl by CanStockPhoto. Latin Quarter by Miguel Bernas, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of Hercules, Japanese Manga & Darth Vader from ParisInsidersGuide.com, CCBY 2.0. Foire de Paris exhibit space by Jerome S., Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Game of Boules by Loki1973, Flickr, CCBY 2.0.

Adding French Flair to Your Home: Distress Furniture Using Chalk Paint and Vinegar

Leave a comment March 18, 2016 Elsa Fridl

No priming, no sanding. Just a little bit of effort can transform an every day piece of furniture to French Country. Visitors might think you’ve just been on a shopping trip to France! This is the second in a series on adding French flair to your home.

Source: How To Distress Furniture With Vinegar – White Lace Cottage

This piece was distressed using chalk paint.

French Country furniture often has a distressed look — like it’s been around the barn a few times. If you want to add a touch of French flair to your home, why not distress a piece you already own? Or one that you just bought at a garage sale and not sure of what to do with it? This method is super-easy.

Remove any hardware.
Clean piece with a damp rag.
Using chalk-type paint, paint the piece at least 2 coats, allowing the paint to dry between coats. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the can for drying time. PIECE MUST BE FULLY DRY BEFORE DISTRESSING.
Fill a spray bottle (after testing it first, to verify it has an even spray) with white vinegar and water, using a 1:1 ratio for vinegar to water.
Spray mixture onto piece. Using a white rag, wipe off the mixture using varied pressure so that some areas have more paint removed. Continue wiping and spraying as needed.
You might want to paint the hardware separately; lay hardware on a white surface, such as a rag.
After piece has dried, apply wax to seal the chalk paint. Wax isn’t needed all of the time, but your piece will wear better if you do.

Au revoir!

Image of distressed piece using chalk paint by 5023 Creations from Pinterest, CCBY 2.0.