Bold statement: Paris is potentially the only city I could live in aside from New York. It seems as if the whole world (and many Parisians themselves) are overly obsessed with the idea of "being Parisian." How many damn articles can there be on dressing like a Parisian girl? But I have to give the city credit--nowhere feels as effortlessly chic as Paris. Befriend a local and ask where they like to eat and go out (ask "parlez-vous anglais?" first, s'il vous plaît). In an old, established city such as this it's easy to get caught up in the endless list of touristy "must-sees." But in Paris, history is all around you--there is no need to constantly seek it out. My general rule of thumb is to save two days maximum for museums and other main attractions, and spend the others getting lost in the city. Uber is available and reliable, and the Paris Métro is clean, very easy to navigate and a great way to get to know your way around.
Where to Stay: Live like a local and rent an apartment in Le Marais. Try and find one with a balcony so you can fulfill your own Parisian fantasies of sitting in a silk romper and cozy knit robe, gazing out your window whilst enjoying un café (just me? Okay). I should probably be embarrassed by this, but when I am deciding which neighborhood to stay in a new city I often try to figure out what the "West Village" would be (historic/trendy/a bit hipster/not too touristy). Unanimously, Le Marais is the answer to this question in Paris. Stroll the narrow cobblestone streets and you'll walk by plenty of fantastic restaurants, funky bars and great boutiques amongst a backdrop of one of the most historic neighborhoods in the city. Alternatively, Montmarte is absolutely magical, but a bit removed from the city center with hills that rival San Fran (steep hills are my sworn enemy, so not for me).
Where to Eat: I can honestly say that we did not have a bad meal in Paris, and I think you can stumble in to nearly any restaurant [that is not completely filled with tourists] and have a good meal (at least for someone like me who loves French food). For an incredibly historic setting along with your dinner, visit Auberge Nicholas Flamel in Le Marais. J and I found this place completely by accident after arriving too late to be seated at another restaurant, and I am so glad we did. It is on the ground floor of the oldest standing home in Paris, and the multicourse menu was phenomenal. Qui Plume la Lune is a modern, Michelin starred restaurant, where we enjoyed an elaborate but contemporary tasting menu. We also really liked Le Hide in the Champs-Elysees, which had an intimate setting and delicious, innovative menu. In the more-obvious-but-still-recommended category, spend some time at Café de Flore, one of the oldest cafés in Paris, located in Saint-Germain. For a classic brasserie, enjoy a croque madame or beef tartare at Le Bonaparte. During our most recent trip, Pottoka was our favorite meal.
What to Buy: Citypharma in Saint-Germain is a must-visit. Endless aisles of magical French skincare products await you. I could easily spend an entire day here. For clothing, Le Marais and Saint Germain have innumerable boutiques to wander into.
