Morning

Opening up the balcony doors of my pied-a-terre in the 7th is always magic, with the morning sun streaming in and the smells from the bakery wafting up through the air. I enjoy a cup of hot coffee as I take in my view of the large avenue lined with beautiful Haussmannian buildings, then change into a pair of blue jeans and a silk button down blouse; it's an unusually pleasant day in Paris today with the sun shining and skies clear.

I make my way to the Boulangerie des Invalides and order another café allongé along with a fresh croissant. I watch the woman behind the counter place the croissant on a plate, flakes of the pastry falling off from the grip of her tongs. I can tell it's going to be an exceptionally good croissant this morning.

I eat breakfast at a corner table inside the boulangerie as I watch people come in and out, partaking in the French morning ritual of picking up fresh bread and viennoiserie. When I finish my own breakfast, I say a quick merci and bonne journée before I make my way out onto the narrow street of Rue de Babylone. At the end of the street sits the beautiful Le Bon Marché department store, and I can't resist popping my head in to see what's new and stunning, and most definitely going to make a dent in my wallet!

Mid-Morning & Lunch

Just as I suspect, the Diptyque stand has their collection of city candles on display, and of course I purchase the Paris aroma. I finish up my shopping and make my way down Rue de Sèvres towards St. Germain.

I love walking this path to St. Germain. Not only do I get to window shop all the stores that I pass by, but I'm treated to a spectacular view at the end of my walk: the St. Germain church. It's the oldest church in Paris and it's a beauty, especially on a sunny day with blue skies as its backdrop. I fondly remember the Vivaldi concert I attended there as I make my way across the street to the famous Les Deux Magots cafe. It's one of those spots that's heavily frequented by tourists, but the view and croque monsieur are too good to pass up on so I line up among them to get a table.

I use my French and pray that, along with my polished appearance and positive intention, the waiter will give me a good table on the patio deck. He doesn't disappoint as he offers me a prime spot in the corner, providing a little bit of shade from the sun with a splendid view of the St. Germain church. I order a glass of wine as well as a croque monsieur and a side of French fries. Fries are always a must for me and the croque monsieur here is particularly delicious. It's made with one slice of artisan toast, so it doesn't feel as heavy and overwhelming as other cafes that typically use two slices of bread.

I bask in my long lunch before I pay the bill and make my way down Rue Bonaparte, towards Ladurée. Thankfully, there's only one or two people ahead of me, and I'm able to quickly pick up my favorite flavor macarons: pistachio, citron, framboise, and the newer Marie Antoinette, which tastes like rose and earl grey; it's just heavenly. Since macarons are best eaten fresh from the shop, I immediately pop one into my mouth and make a plan to sit down and consume the rest shortly.

Afternoon & Evening

I decide that the perfect spot to do this is the Jardin des Tuileries, not too far from where I'm at. I walk towards the Seine, making my way down the stairs from the street onto the cobblestone path along the river. Sunshine in Paris is rare, so I absorb all the vitamin D I can as I walk about 20 minutes to the Passerelle Leopold bridge, crossing over right to the entrance of the park. Here, along with the Jardin du Luxembourg, are my favorite parks in Paris. I find one of the iconic, green Fermob chairs to sit down on with a view of the Louvre, and take out the rest of my macarons to eat. Life in Paris sure does taste sweet.

After some people watching at the park, I walk back across the river towards Rue de Bellechasse to arrive at the Musée d'Orsay. This is my preferred museum in Paris, full of impressionist works from Monet, Renoir, and Cezanne, just to name a few. I take out my airpods and iPhone, and start listening to a classical playlist on Spotify. This is my ultimate museum tip. I know some people prefer the audio tours, but for me, part of feeling the art come to life in a museum is having music that can support the emotions and beauty of the visuals on display. The classical music makes me feel like I'm in my own world, drowning out chatter from other museum go-ers and instead adding cinematic effect to the whole experience.

A couple of hours later, I leave the museum and take Rue de Grenelle back home, stopping on Rue Cler to pick up flowers from the Cler Fleurs shop. I love how friendly they are at this shop and how attentively they prepare and wrap up my bouquet. The flowers look gorgeous as I place them in a vase on my dining table.

I wash up and change into a simple black dress, grab a light jacket, and some kitten heels before touching up my makeup. I have dinner reservations at a locals' spot in my neighborhood, Au Petit Tonneau. It's a family-run business that delivers home-style, authentic French food but it's made and presented with the finesse of a formal establishment. I order one of their specialties, the blanquette de veau, with a glass of Sancerre, and chat with the host and owner, a jovial man who always seems to be in a good mood. When I leave the restaurant, I walk to the end of the street and stop to take a photo of the sparkling Eiffel Tower. The view from this spot is iconic, with many Instagram and Pinterest photos existing as proof.

It's days like this that I swear I can hear La Vie en Rose by Edith Piaf playing everywhere I go. There's truly no place like Paris!