Leave it to Anna: We’ll Always Have Paris Edition
This week we're going to Paris - the exquisite stores, new French beauty finds, and Parisian street fashion. Also, a full report on what I've been reading and watching on the road.
Visiting Paris in January was definitely a good idea. The weather was chilly but the crowds were thin - and what can be better than escaping the cold in a cozy cafe with a café au lait and a croissant? The January sales were in full swing in Paris just like in Rome, which is another good reason to travel to Europe in January. While I only had a few days in Paris, I managed to check a few things off my Paris bucket list. I visited La Galerie Dior (ordered tickets online in advance), had lunch at a favorite restaurant (La Relais de l’Entrecôte in Saint Germain), and shopped at Sézane. The whole city was buzzing with Fashion Week energy and preparations for the Olympics was the topic du jour among the locals. In terms of street fashion, I saw lots of long overcoats (camel hair coats and black puffers were ubiquitous) paired with crossbody leather purses, Chelsea boots, and thick wool scarves. This iconic coat was everywhere and looked very chic with black pants and leather boots (if you don’t want to spend $1000+ for the Toteme scarf jacket, I found a great budget version here).
For Parisian Small Luxuries, I brought back a haul from my favorite pharmacy in Saint Germain: City Pharma. They have the best prices and the biggest selection - come first thing in the morning or right before they close to avoid the crowds. I always stock up on Klorane hair products in Paris - the dry shampoo for brown hair is my favorite. I also found the new lemon flavor of the Nuxe lip balm, the Avene cleaning gel, and Caudalie purifying clay mask. And I couldn’t leave Paris without a new Diptique candle in the Mimosa scent to commemorate all of the mimosas being sold all over Paris this time of year.
For Local Spotlights in Paris, it is hard to pick just one. La Galerie Dior is a fashion lover’s dream - and it is conveniently located adjacent to Dior’s flagship store in Paris. I ordered the tickets online ahead of time, but I also saw people line up and purchase tickets right there. I loved seeing the famous Dior dresses, including a floor length blue gown that Princess Diana wore. The exhibit tells the story of Christian Dior, his founding of the House of Dior, and his brief 10-year period at the helm before dying unexpectedly in 1957. I enjoyed learning about the history of the fashion house, seeing Christian’s desk, and catching a glimpse into the working atelier still producing dresses and accessories on location today. I made a pit stop at the Dior beauty counter and had the beautician pick out the perfect new foundation for me (this anti-aging serum foundation), new mascara, blush, and some lip oil and highlighter for my daughter. When in Paris… (at Dior)!
Next stop: Sézane. I’ve been admiring this brand from afar and finally got a chance to visit their store in Saint Germain (or appartement as they call it). Honestly, I could have stayed here all day and just moved into their dressing room. The selection of sweaters and accessories was superb - it seems like pink, green, and periwinkle are the projected colors for spring! I walked away with three sweaters and a white button down shirt to wear underneath - and filed for my 20% VAT refund at the airport (makes it a much better deal!)
And one final stop - Monoprix or the “French version of Target.” This is definitely my happy place and a store that I frequent every time we are in Paris. The location in Saint Germain has a big grocery store in the basement and women’s clothes are upstairs. This time they had a big sale on cashmere sweaters and overcoats (peacoats and longer cat coats in bright colors) - this is the place to try a new trend or a statement piece without spending much money. The prices are Target-adjacent but the selection is on brand for Paris. I also love their selection of Le Petit Marseillais soaps and chapsticks. Anything edible and not refrigerated from the grocery store would make a great souvenir to take home - French salt, mustard, kitchen towels, sardines, candy… the possibilities are endless. I also love that they have fresh flower bouquets at Monoprix and a bakery.
In terms of a Friend Recommendation, let’s talk books and movies. My husband sent me this article - How Well Do You Know Paris and Its Literary Landmarks? I got a 5/5 score and decided to read The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani during my trip. Slimani won the prestigious Prix Goncourt, France’s top literary award for this book in 2018. It is a a dark thriller which opens with the killing of two young children by their nanny. Things do not get any more uplifting from there. The novel is based on a true event that took place in New York in 2012. Read Your Way Through Paris has a list of books that Leila Slimani recommends for those readers that want to discover hidden parts of Paris through literary travel. In order to take a lighthearted break from serious content, I also read The Burnout by Sophie Kinsella on the trip, which was a hilarious delight. I will read anything that Kinsella writes at this point (do you guys remember the Shopaholic series?) This book has it all - a dilapidated British seaside resort, hilarious hijinks, and an “enemies to lovers” romance. I really enjoyed this one. Finally, I am currently reading The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue, which is described as “a brilliantly funny novel about friends, lovers, Ireland in chaos, and a young woman desperately trying to manage all three.” This books gives me major Normal People vibes - I am a sucker for Irish modern fiction.
Moving on to TV recs, I have used my time on the plane to watch two movies that’s been on my list. Past Lives follows two childhood friends, Nora and Hae Sung, who grew apart after Nora's family emigrates from South Korea. Decades later, they are reunited for one fateful week in New York as they reminisce and evaluate the choices that got them where they are today. Melancholy, nostalgic, and warm - I really liked this one. I also watched Anatomy of a Fall, a French legal drama that is nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture this year. Did the wife kill her husband - was it an accident or a premeditated murder? I was on the edge of my (plane) seat for the duration of this beautifully shot movie. Finally, I am watching True Detective: Night Country on Max - it is the fourth season of the True Detective series starring Jodie Foster. Set north of the Arctic Circle in a small town in Alaska, weird things happen during the endless Arctic night hours as the local detectives are called upon to solve the disappearance of a group of scientists from the research station. I am definitely sucked into this one and eagerly await new episodes, which drop every Sunday night.
On the Unexpected Treasure front, I want to tell you about Cadence magnetic capsules, which are small, leakproof containers that connect together for easy organizing on the road. I actually got these for my daughter, who traveled to Florida to visit her grandparents this month and was only allotted carry-on luggage. She has a very particular hair routine, so she welcomed the opportunity to bring samples of her regular shampoos and hair serums in these small jars that would not leak on the road. They are also good for organizing other small things you may need during travels, such as medicine and jewelry. I love the idea of picking out the sizes/colors that you like and the labels that go with them for products that you know you’ll need to bring. Sign up for their newsletter to get 15% off your first order!
Hope that you enjoyed this post and I will see you here on the Stack again next Sunday! Until then, you can follow Leave it to Anna on Instagram or Facebook. If you think your friends will like the recommendations that I sent your way, please share my newsletter. Leave it on Anna is also on Threads, so thread along here.
I read The Burnout on audio and really enjoyed it! Now desperate to get myself down to the Cornish coast before the tourist season starts.