- The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley, Austin Siegemund-Broka
- The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
- In A New York Minute by Kate Spencer
- House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas
- Some Mistakes Were Made by Kristin Dwyer
- Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
- Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Our Last Days in Barcelona by Chanel Cleeton
- Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay
- Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
For my recent girls trip to Paris, every single one of us intended to shop because of the better than usual exchange rate, lower prices, and of course, the VAT refund. I say all this up front because today's post includes all the purchases I made in Europe (the first four items in the graphic below!) and I realize it's a lot. It's not money I spent lightly and I absolutely budgeted for them knowing what a great deal it would be. These are all things that I'd had on my wishlist for a very long time and I even checked them out in person (in NYC) to make sure I didn't have any buyers' remorse when I got to Paris.
So, without further ado, here are the purchases I'm obsessed with lately:
Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra pendant | I've been in love with this necklace ever since I saw it a couple years ago. The white mother of pearl and black onyx versions are the ones most commonly seen (my friend got the black and it's more striking than the pearl) but this all gold version is my favorite. It is more expensive but this piece truly goes with everything I wear.
Celine Teen Triomphe Bag in Shiny Calfskin | As far as luxury designer brands go, Celine has moved to the top of my list in the last year. I wanted a more casual black crossbody bag and I loved it as soon as I tried it on. The size is perfect for me and fits more than you'd expect.
Longchamp Le Foulonne Hobo Bag | I have so many crossbody and tote bags but hardly any shoulder bags. The quality and minimalist nature of this bag is perfect! Truly, Longchamp is one of my absolute favorite brands. I find myself reaching for this one a lot.
Longchamp Pure Phone Bag | I'd been wanting a phone bag (literally can fit my phone, keys, card holder, and maybe a lip balm) to throw on when I don't need much and this immediately caught my eye when I saw it at the Charles de Gaulle airport. I honestly don't think I would pay US retail price for it but the duty-free Europe price? It was a steal.
A&F Air Cloud Puffer Parka | I haven't had a chance to wear this yet but I honestly can't wait to! The inside is the softest faux fur and the use of the word "cloud' to describe this parka is accurate.
J.Crew Teddy Sherpa Jacket | Even though I hate cold weather, I'm such a sucker for a good coat. I'd been wanting a sherpa jacket so that combine with my recent love of brown (you'll notice a trend with today's post) and the fact that they had petite sizing made this purchase a no-brainer.
Sam Edelman Loraine Woven Bit Loafer | I'm a huge fan of these loafers and I already own a pair in saddle. When I looking for brown shoes to add to my closet, I came across these on sale and I love them! The woven look adds a little something different to this classic pair of shoes. They're still on sale so if you're interested, buy them now!
Birkenstock Boston Shearling Suede Leather Mule | I saw someone in the city wearing these and immediately looked them up online. I've never been into Birkenstocks but something about this pair called to me! They're comfy and I love the brown color plus they're warm! They're a great alternative to my Uggs moccasins.
For the newcomers: Alexa, DJ, Kristin and I unofficially formed the Paranormal Book Club and the goal is to re-read (or in some cases, read for the first time) old YA paranormal books. The plan is to read a book/series per season (which I'm tracking here) and after, we'll answer five questions.
Here are my thoughts:
- What were your initial thoughts about the book? Were you excited to read it?
The last time I read this series was in 2013 as a buddy read with Alexa and I only had the fondest memories of it. I was extremely excited to reread it because I've always considered it to be Susan Dennard's best work and all these years later, I still feel the same way! It absolutely held up and in some ways, I think I appreciated the storytelling even more now because it truly stands out amongst its peers with its genre-mix of steampunk, historical, and paranormal. Not to mention, it's diverse (without trying too hard) and I still love the heroine, Eleanor Fitt, for her fiery, courageous spirit and her flaws. If you're looking for a zombie book that has all the elements I already mentioned plus a motley group of friends, a little bit of magic, travel (in the later books), and romance, this is a must-read. - What was your favorite quote or passage, and why did it resonate with you?
"'Miss Fitt, you know curiosity gets men killed.' I grinned. 'Then I daresay it's good I'm a woman.'"
I think this passage sets the tone for exactly who Eleanor is. I truly do love her sass and her unwillingness to submit to society's expectations of her as a woman. She's very much her own person and that is something that deeply resonates with me. - Which character did you relate to the most, and what was it about them that you connected with?
I related to Eleanor the most! I don't think I'd jump headfirst into a battle with zombies but I'm not someone who can sit idly by when there's a problem and we certainly have that in common. Not to mention, we both place importance on family, friendship, and independence. - Was there anything you wanted to see more of in the book, like more page time for a secondary character or a plot point you wish was explored more?
In the series, Eleanor teams up with the Spirit Hunters to battle their zombie problem (and more) and there's one particular person by the name of Daniel Sheridan that I will always want more of. - What are your final thoughts? Would you read this book again and/or continue with the series? Would you read another book written by the same author?
I still love this series and in fact, both Alexa and I ended up rereading the entire series. By the end, we both loved it as much as we did the first time around. I have read Susan Dennard's newer series, Truthwitch, but I only really enjoyed the first book and it went downhill (for me!) from there so I never finished it. I am interested in The Luminaries, which came out last month, so I may check that out.
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- Du Pain et des Idées - get the escargot chocolat pistache
- Mamiche / Boulangerie de quartier - try the roule jambon fromage but nowhere to sit
- LIBERTÉ - second best croissant that we had
- HolyBelly 19 - amazing breakfast tapas spot
- Hardware Société - my second time there and it's a must; they had the best croissants of all the places we tried
- Le Plomb du Cantal Rive Droite - known for their aligot
- Café de Flore - quintessential French bistro
- Comptoir des Archives - we only got appetizers here so I can't speak to the entrees
- Angelina - I dream about their white hot chocolate but the croque monsieur was excellent as well
- Le Bistro - cozy little bistro
- Kitchen - the one and only time I didn't have French food in Paris; great for a quick meal!
- Au Metro - do not recommend for dinner (breakfast looked better but we didn't try)
- Le Flore en l'Ile - best escargot we had on the entire trip (we had it like 3-4 times), my first time trying foie gras (I'm a fan!), and they have Berthillon ice cream
- La Bécane À Gaston - one of my favorite dinner spots
- Comptoir Breizh - if you need a crepe and coffee break
- La Marine - beautiful restaurant and really good food
- Dunes Blanches Chez Pascal Paris Marais - incredible cream puffs
- Ritz Paris Le Comptoir - buy a box of madeleines
- Musée d'Orsay - I've been there twice and it's my favorite museum in Paris
- Louvre - I hadn't been here since 2011 and it still gets claustrophobic quickly (at least for me); we had a list of 5-6 things we wanted to see which I highly recommend doing.
- La Galerie Dior - I was just there for the dresses and while certain parts of it were certainly beautiful, I wasn't overly impressed but it's a fun little stop that takes under an hour to peruse.
- Eiffel Tower - an absolute must; we only saw it during the day but I have seen it sparkle at night
- Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris - unfortunately still under construction
- Sainte-Chapelle - I've seen it three times and it never fails to take my breath away
- Sacré-Cœur - it's an iconic church I recommend seeing at least once plus it's in one on my favorite areas, Montmartre
- Palais-Royal - great spot for photos
- Tuileries Garden - peaceful garden if you want to sit down and relax
- La Grande Epicerie de Paris - we kept calling it the fancy grocery store but we could've easily spent a whole afternoon there buying goodies
- Shakespeare & Company Bookstore - my favorite bookstore in Paris
- Librairie Galignani - my other favorite bookstore
- E.Dehillerin - this shop was frequented by Julia Child so a must-stop for cooking/baking lovers
- Place Vendôme - beautiful plaza with surrounded by luxury stores
- Champs-Élysées - the street for shopping
- Ile Saint-Louis - quaint little island with lots of shops and places to eat at, plus it's surrounded by the Seine
- Telle Mère Telle Fille - best fashion jewelry boutique (IMHO!); I shopped there during my last trip to Paris and loved their pieces so much I continued to order online (even though paying the shipping hurt). I was so happy to shop in person again!
- Pharmacie - they're everywhere (go for the skincare products!) but the best one is located at the Gare de 'lest train station.
- Tuileries Garden Holiday Market - cute but definitely geared more towards kids
- Abbesses Christmas Market in Montmartre - exactly what we were looking for in a Parisian Christmas Market! We loved all the local vendors and shopped quite a bit.
- Unless you plan to visit holiday or flea markets, you can pretty much rely entirely on your credit cards and not exchange money beforehand (but if you do -- do it through your bank weeks ahead of your trip).
- If luxury shopping is on your agenda, download the app Global Blue. It tracks your VAT refunds automatically and shows updates on when you'll get your money. Plus it made getting through customs 100x faster. (Note: You have to spent > 100 euros to get a refund)
- Along the lines of shopping, always check how the euro compares to the dollar. Right before our trip, the dollar was stronger but by the time we went it was more or less equal. Which is honestly still amazing! The price difference between US and Europe is wild. It was totally worth it to splurge because it was so much cheaper.
- This was the first time I did serious luxury shopping on a trip. Weeks beforehand, I went into the city to check out all the things I was interested in buying because I didn't want to have any buyers remorse (wishing I had or hadn't gotten something). I'm so glad I did this! In Paris, the wait at each luxury store can be up to an hour or longer (this shocked me!) but because I knew exactly what I wanted and didn't need to aimlessly browse, it allowed me to be really efficient and not waste precious time that could be spent seeing Paris.
- Set up mobile passport control. I was most worried about entering the US thinking it would take forever but the airline told us to download this app as we were landing to make exiting the airport faster and wow, what a tip! It only took me 20 minutes to get through. Although, if you can get Global Entry like my friend did, that's definitely the way to go.
- I said this already but if there are specific museums you absolutely know you're going to see, don't wait in line. Buy your tickets ahead of time!
- Louvre Tip: To enter, go to the "Carrousel du Louvre" aka mall entrance. You can gain entry directly from the Palais Royal-Musee du Louvre Metro Line 1 and 7 and it saves you a ton of time compared to lining up at the Pyramid, which is ridiculously long.
- I finally understand duty-free shopping! Seeing the stores at the Charles de Gaulle airport is worth it.
- Beware of train strikes. We originally planned to go to Amboise for a few days but our train tickets got cancelled and we ended up just staying in Paris (which I preferred anyway!). If you plan to visit other towns, have a backup plan or rent a car.

Hi, I’m Rachel! New Yorker at heart, Francophile in spirit, and forever wanderlusting. I’m passionate about books, ice cream, photography and finding creativity in my every day life.
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