PARISIAN LIVING.

Bonjour mes amis!

I am finally settled in Paris and ready to document my time in this beautiful city. Yesterday I moved out of my temporary hostel room and into my apartment in Le Marais, which has been described as a "trendy gay" neighborhood in the 3rd arrondissement. I live on Cité Dupetit Thouars, a quiet little dead end that is near many inciting restaurants (I've already had the pleasure of eating at 2 amazing ones!). At first I was apprehensive about living in what would be considered an ally in America but my fears quickly diminished after my landlord opened the door to a serene and well decorated apartment. 

The doorway is covered by this floral tapestry. I love the light fixture that hangs above the entryway it is one of the many antique touches in the apartment. 

This is the kitchen table. It is bursting with light and has gorgeous exposed brick and wood beams.  

I love the clock and the light fixture covered with fake ivy.  (My roommate said the ivy reminds her of the craft store Michael's haha. I agree, but it works!)

 The kitchen has everything you could possibly need and more. Dishwasher, Stove/Oven, a washer and dryer all in one, slow cooker, even a fondue pot that I'm dying to test out! 

 The bathroom  has an antique mirror, a wooden sink top, and these cute lantern style lights. The tub has handles for chaud and froid and the shower head rests on a hook that reminds me of an old rotary phone.  

This is the living room. It has beautiful big windows and a quaint fireplace. I really like the ornate frame on the mirror in this room.  The bookshelves have a lot of books that I'm interested in reading even though my french is not very strong. 

The master bedroom feels very peaceful. It also has large windows and tons of natural light. The dresser has this interesting abstract statue made of marble.  The curtains are a vibrant orange color which always catches my eye when I walk in.  

Here is my room. Even though it is the smallest room I knew it was the one for me as soon as I walked in.  The bright purple color makes me happy especially after living in so many dorm rooms with drab eggshell walls. The room has tons of storage including two closets (one is covered by a purple curtain) a dresser, and under the bed drawers. On the dresser I put some of my favorite nail polishes from home and my new favorite perfume.   The landlord also gave me these white woven baskets which are so useful for my many toiletries.  I love the chandelier's hanging crystals; it gives the room a luminous glow. The bed is  very comfortable and can be pulled out to make a larger bed. All of the rooms are connected so I am happy that I was able to get a room on the end and I don't have to walk through anyone else's room to get to mine. 

Hope you enjoyed the grand tour! I am getting ready to start the day at 430 PM, I can't wait for this jetlag to go away. Thanks for reading. There will be more to come, I promise :-). 

CENTRAL PARK.

On Monday I went to Whole Foods and Central Park with my boyfriend Chris.  I had a really great time just walking around and relaxing in the grass.  For the first time since school closed it feels like summer. I love central park. It doesn't matter how busy or stressful life in the city gets, the park is one place where everyone can stop, breathe, and actually enjoy the simplicities of life.  

I wore a blue racerback tank, fringe chain necklace, and grey flats (all Banana Republic) and Levi's 501 Boyfriend Jeans that I am currently obsessed with. They are the perfect summer denim and a nice break from my usual skinny jeans.




Summer is here, I hope you are enjoying it!

THE POWER OF BROWS.

some of my favorite eyebrows: Arlenis Sosa, Hilary Rhoda, and Audrey Hepburn.

In many ways the eyebrow is a direct reflection of the soul. Those two masses of hair resting mysteriously above our eyes are a key part of our face, which is cemented into the memories of our friends and family. They are also an extension of the many idiosyncrasies that makes us who we are.

I didn't know the value of eyebrows when I was younger. I just saw mine as thick unruly blocks of hair that didn't match the thin and unnaturally arched brows of my middle school peers. So I waxed them, I even let my mom "shape" them with a razor.  I'd do anything to get rid of my "undesirable" brows. But now when I look back at those pictures from middle school I barely recognize myself. I can only see a girl whose generic eyebrows fail to reflect the ideas, passions, and emotions that make her an individual.

Today I celebrate my thick eyebrows. I brush and darken them with pride.  I don't try to change their shape to match someone else's ideal of beauty because my eyebrows are me. They're not perfect, but they're real, natural, and never afraid to stand out.