On my recent trip to Paris, the selfie was a much indulged photographic style. Short of asking strangers to take our picture every ten minutes, turning the iphone around and snapping away was a much easier way to control the happy snaps, get the picture we wanted and make sure we got our best angle. Then I was taking selfies to send to my boyfriend (strictly headshots and he started it!) and then it was about the outfits I was getting around the most fashionable city in the world in. The selfie was a big part of our trip. 

Now Westfield want to make the selfie a big part of your trip – naturally, to Paris – by giving you the chance to win a holiday. And all you have to do is take a picture of yourself. Seriously. You are taking those pictures anyway!

The team at Westfield have even put together a list of handy hints on how to take your best selfie. 

1. Work the angles 
For the best shot, hold your phone slightly above your eye level and away from you at a 45 degree angle. This decreases the possibility of double chins and creates a slim and trim image in your ‘selfie’.

2. Duck, duck GOOSE
How the “duck face” became a go-to pose for many ‘selfies’ is a question for the ages, as the result often leaves the subject of the pic looking like an utter goose! Just give a natural smile and let your individuality shine through!

3. Be a turtle! 
Stand tall, with your neck extended upwards; extend your neck out and then bring it down ever so slightly. Lean in a bit forward and look up if you’re sitting. 

4. Mirror, mirror?
This comes down to personal choice: can you steadily hold your smartphone at arm’s length while working your best angles?  If not, experiment in front of the mirror to determine which angles are most pleasing for your face and use this as a guide for your shot. 
Using a full length mirror allows to you show your outfit head-to-toe. Hold your camera or phone with one hand, slightly to the side and angle in, to capture both your outfit and your smiling face.

5. Let there be light!
Natural light is by far the most flattering and ensure your light source (i.e. the sun) is behind the camera, so that it illuminates you in your best light.  If you are taking your selfie after the sun has gone down, make sure your light source is slightly higher than your face, as shots lit from below can give a ghoulish look (the technique is popular in horror films – probably not the look you’re aiming for). 

6. Wear something you LOVE
Your body naturally sets itself in a posture that radiates confidence when you feel amazing and this will enhance your look even further. Choose something that fits you well and keep in mind that patterns can flatter you if there are some parts of your body you’re less confident with, while bright and bold tones add colour to your features.

Easy, right? And did I mention the $5000 spendning money? With 62% of women aged 18-35 taking selfies (The Westfield ‘Style It, Snap It, Share It’ Report, Launch date 11 March 2013, sample size 1000 people), you better start working those angles and smiling in the mirror. Good luck!

Find out more here.

I’m now back on home soil, the ground has stopped moving (did you know that happens after a long haul flight?!) and I’m already over the 30 degree plus weather Melbourne is experiencing. Yes, it’s good to be back.

Our final two days in Paris were special because I got an, albeit small, taste of Paris Fashion Week and the sun finally came back out for our last day, shining a spectacular light on the city. 

My fashion experiences in Paris were somewhat hindered by the fact that a) I live in Australia and b) Paris Fashion Week is for the really big names – the Anna Wintour’s and Anna Dello Russo’s of the world. Whilst seeing fashion anywhere in the world is exciting, Paris is truly one of the greats and my invitation to a showing was wonderful enough to have me be grateful for any involvement whatsoever.

Saturday morning, Sarah and I put on our fashionable best and headed to the showroom of Basil Soda, a contemporary Couture Fashion House from Beirut. Held at the very sophisticated Hotel de Crillon, the sumptuous surrounds of the hotel and the gorgeous dresses made for stunning and opulent experence. A model showed a number of buyers the collection whilst we were at the venue, and the PR liaison informed us about the many time consuming techniques involved in creating the beautiful garments. We popped into the original Chanel store on Rue Cambon for a visit (when in Paris…) and finished off our fashionable morning with a call past the Paris Fashion Week collections marquees in the park.

Our final night in Paris was fabulous – we were invited by our newest friend Kasia Dietz to her friend’s house, who lived on the street we were staying in. Kasia, Delphine, another friend Suzanne, together with Sarah and I, enjoyed Moet champagne and canapes of the fancy variety in Delphine’s magazine worthy Marais apartment and chatted all things French, love, real estate and film. It was a wonderful end to our vacation.

We then ventured to a local bar, where red wine together with cheeses and meats made for a late supper. Sarah and I toasted our trip, and met several locals – one who insisted we do shots of absinythe and chartreuse with him. Not being one for shots, I declined, but did enjoy the laughs over the following hours with our companion, finally falling into bed close to 3am.

The sun finally returned after a week of grey days on Sunday and Sarah and I, together with hangovers, headed up to Montmartre when the Sacre Coeur and an unmissable view of Paris awaited. Several hundred stairs (and a brilliant breakfast at American diner, Koff) later, the watery sunlight shined over all of Paris, barely allowing us to see the Eiffel Tower from the top – a perfect end to our travels.

Many hours of packing and repacking later, one very long drive to the airport and exactly 22 hours spent on planes later, we arrived back in Melbourne, dying for a decent cup of coffee. Greeted (very enthusiastically!) by my boyfriend and our friend Marissa, bearing signwork and floral offerings, it was wonderful to be so welcomed by our loved ones – we missed them too. While Paris is always a good idea, there is nothing like coming home.

My thanks to you, dear reader, for following my travels in Paris! More thanks to Sarah for having the idea to go in the first place and for managing to put up with my general lack of common sense and inability to read maps for two weeks. But most of all, thanks to Breece for the most amazing gift I have ever received, for your ongoing love and support, and for always making me feel special. I am truly the luckiest girl in the world.

It feels as although our trip has flown by, when in actual fact there have been periods of time while we have been in Paris where I thought the moment would never end.

Most of these moments come when I’m so cold I can no longer feel my feet and wonder if I will ever be warm again, but really, the magic of Paris still enchants me and when we head home in 2 days time, I know I will be counting the days until I can return.

Our second week has been busy, but not in the same way the first week was. Our sleep ins are longer; we have done less work. Our days start later, but go into the night. We’ve walked miles, met new people and finally reached a point where we feel perhaps we’ve done enough shopping. Skype chats with home stretch to over an hour and afternoon naps are a necessity. 

We miss Melboune coffee, a good brunch and the warmth of the sun. There is no denying Paris in winter is beautiful, but I do love the sparkle of the sun on the Yarra in Melbourne, and I relish the thought of wearing only one layer of clothing.

On Wednesday the weather thwarted our plans to visit Sacre Coeur, and after a hearty brunch at Breakfast in America (think eggs, bacon, pancakes, milkshakes, burgers and fries), and more shopping, we enjoyed a quiet afternoon. Sarah had a massage booked for Wednesday evening, at the most divine Nuxe spa, and given I was just crashing in the waiting room for the hour, the staff were more than accomodating.

Thursday was the only morning on the entire trip we have left the house before 11am. Walking out the door to join the peak hour commuters at 9.30am was quite the novelty, and while nothing is actually open in Paris at that hour (I have no idea where they were all going), it was fun to imagine what it would be like to be heading to work in Paris.

Our destination was the Sugar Daze cupcakes, a New York style bakery, where we would particiapte in the Kasia Dietz bag making workshop – a new friend we had found on Twitter. Kasia and the other four girls participating made us feel more than welcome and we set to sketching and mocking up what we wanted our calico bags to look like.

Paint, texta, stencils and scissors adorned the table, and three hours (and 2 pieces of cake) later, we each went home with our very own personalized bag design. Riding the bus back to le Marais was a treat, rather than the Metro that runs underground. It might take a touch longer but worth it just for the sights.

Thursday night we popped to the bar across the road to meet Jennifer from L’amour or Less, and Alex (from Melbourne), whom Sarah had met in Paris on her last visit. Following a bottle of champagne at home, and several glasses at the bar, it was safe to say that when we returned home several hours later, I was very happy to see my bed (after Sarah whipped up some fries in our oven. My hero!)

Our last weekday in Paris took us to Cafe Charlot to meet Kasia for brunch where I was delighted to discover it was the same cafe I had brunched in with Jennie when I was in Paris two years ago. We even sat at the same table! Our eggs and bacon really hit the spot for my hangover and the fresh air was quite the blessing in hindsight. We wandered the streets of le Marais, disovered just how very Fitzroy it is here, and finally ended up back at our apartment where I napped, had a bath and read for three hours. 

Now the final two days are here and while I still think there is so much of Paris to see and do, I can’t help but want to save something for next time – not that I will need a reason to return!

Paris Fashion Week kicks off tomorrow, Tuesday 26 February, and while I have managed to squirm my way into one or two events, I really do feel that there is nothing like watching the fashions on the street, or browsing the aisles in the major chain stores of Europe.

Things I’ve noticed? Emerald might be the Pantone colour of the year but mint is to be the colour of the season (Spring/Summer 13). It’s everywhere, together with a healthy dose of lemon.

                                                                          Mint and florals at H&M

Second trend? The mottled colour jumper. If it’s a knit, even better. I command you all to find a speckled jumper immediately – it’s best in pastels.

          
                              The mottled jumper – EVERYWHERE in Paris – at Monoprix

Those runners with a wedge heel, so loved by Isabel Marant, are all over Paris and try as I might to hate them, it seems they are here to stay.

Brights and fluro accents don’t seem to be going anywhere either. Orange and pink are attached to 90% of the clothes this side of the world, so don’t go throwing anything away just yet.

As for on the streets, it’s so cold here, everyone is covered up – today it rained and while the snow was pretty, water pouring from the sky is just miserable. All I can think of is soup and tracksuit pants, two things really not very Parisian. 

We ventured over to Galeries Lafayette today (the architecture of that building alone was worth the trip!) and I may or may not have put us on the wrong Metro back to the Hotel de Ville. All was not lost though; a wrong train means opportunity and this one saw us watching a man with a saxaphone entertain a carriage full of peak hour travellers. You don’t see that in Melbourne!

It snowed. It snowed in Paris. WHILE I WAS HERE. 

I think I can now lock myself in Australia for the rest of my life and die happy knowing I saw it snow in Paris.

Note this is not how much snow we got today. We had 30 minutes of flakes. But this picture was prettier. Thanks to I’m Just Saying blog.

Also, I think I could stop writing this blog here and you could all be happy knowing I saw it snow in Paris. But many more things have happened that make my trip fabulous that you should read about (and based on the comments on my latest Onya Magazine piece, I want everyone to know just how crazy lucky I know I am that I’m here at all).

I didn’t get much work done this morning after the excitement of the snow – it’s hard to concentrate whilst sitting at your kitchen table watching the flakes fall onto the street ouside, in Paris(!), and I was far too distracted by just how warm and fuzzy it made me feel (as opposed to actually feeling warm when it’s -3 degrees outside). Sarah volunteered to do the coffee run again (bless her!) and after many vin rouge last night, I think we needed it (though I could really have smashed some Vegemite toast).

The plan today was to visit a gluten free cafe in the 10th, NoGlu (get it?? No Gluten!!) and later, see a film. Breakfast at Tiffanys and Roman Holiday are both playing in the city, but we elected to head to the little independent cinema at the end of our street, La Pagode, to see Silver Linings Playbook (known here at Happiness Therapy).

But first – food. At minus 1 degrees when we stepped outside rugged up, it was a chilly walk to the Metro and a brief train ride to the right bank where we emerged onto the street, right in front of an Australian pub. Serving VB, Fosters and Tooheys, the Oz cafe screens all your favourite AFL games and has a Collingwood poster on the wall (vomit). Our wanderings took us down a laneway arcade (similar to Melbourne’s Royal Arcade), where we literally accidentally stumbled across the gluten free cafe.

NoGlu greeted us with with a buffet of cake and a quaint dining room where we quickly decided we were here for lunch rather than just some sweets. A club sandwich and roast pork ordered, we settled in for a lovely afternoon. The food was amazing, and by gluten free standards, incredible. I haven’t had bread that good in years – in Melbourne or Paris – and by the time we put our forks down, noting how full we were, dessert was on the table. The chocolate tart was too good for words. I can’t wait to return to this spot.

A wander through the arcades and laneways filled with bookstores and cafes saw us invited to dinner by an older gentlemen (in a totally non creepy way, he really was quite lovely) as we explored the other side of the river. Our final return to Saint Germain and a quick look though the ‘posh’ supermarket (think David Jones foodhall on steroids) and the spectacular Conran Shop before we back arrived at our apartment. 

Our film started at 7pm tonight, our last evening in Saint Germain. Amusingly, the cinema heating was broken and we sat in our coats and gloves with blankets in the theatre, while it was minus one outside. Tomorrow we move to le Marais – a whole new district to explore, get lost in and fall in love with.

When in Melbourne, a take away coffee cup is the accessory de jour. When in Paris, a take away coffee cup is frowned upon and audible gasps can be heard if, god forbid you should enter a store, lest the sales assistant fall over herself to swipe it from your hands and place it safely on the counter. After two days of shopping and walking, Sarah and I decided that today, we would take our coffee to the park, eat pastries and read (aka: look at the pictures) fashion magazines. But if the gods deem it to be so, shopping is always on the agenda.

Whilst this morning dawned cloudy, we decided to kick things off with some yoga in the hope the weather might brighten for our trip to the park. Forty-five minutes into the hour and a half class, I was more than ready to throw in the towel (I’m not the ‘sportiest’ person going round) and essentially gave up, lying on the floor of our living room in awe as Sarah continued to bend in ways I ddn’t think possible. I went to make breakfast – and as we established in Melbourne, I’m not the savviest cook but very good with a microwave.

Moral of the story? I’m good with microwaves in Melbourne – not so much in France. But all was not lost as we transferred to the hot plate, ate, and headed out for some time in the sun. The Jardin du Luxembourg gardens seemed close on the map but as we wound our way through the streets of Paris, it appeared that perhaps it was slightly further than we anticipated.

The reward however was the magnificent Paris architecture, glimpses of the Eiffel Tower from afar and inadvertent shopping in chic boutiques that we never intended to come across. Suddenly in possession of a new coat and boots, we found ourselves on Rue de Rennes where a second H&M (far more organised than the first) came across our path. I was able to purchase a skirt I had seen on the Champs Elysees not available in my size and it is my FAVOURITE Paris purchase to date. I’m ecstatic!

Further wanderings took us to a second hand store where I found a very French clutch in navy and white, and it seemed the gardens were never going to happen. Several hours after we left our apartment, we entered the Jardin de Luxembourg and strolled through green grass, old men playing chess, small children running and people sunning themselves. It was beautiful in the pale sunshine on this gorgeous February afternoon.

Beyond the gardens was the Pantheon, and around the corner from this, the stairs Owen Wilson sits on in Midnight in Paris. If you haven’t seen the film (what is WRONG with you), go find a copy. Now. 

Photo op done and my fingers close to falling off with cold, we set up camp at le Petite Cafe around 4pm for a very late lunch, our first wine of the day and a well earned rest. More steak and fries followed (my iron levels are going to be awesome after this trip) before we decided it was too cold to walk home and hitched a ride on the Metro – but not before a quick visit to the fromagerie and the wine store next door.

Hope your hump day was as good as mine!

Note to anyone keeping count: I know we have shopped A LOT in the past three days. I checked the credit card balance tonight – the bank isn’t panicking yet so neither am I. Thanks for your concern 😉

Our apartment on Rue de Babylone is directly above a very popular patisserie, and the smell of baked goods has woken me up the past two mornings. This is a truly lovely part of my day – until I remember that I am gluten intolerant and can’t actually eat anything they are cooking in that shop.

Instead, Sarah made me toast with banana just after noon this morning (this afternoon?), after I had already worked for several hours in bed. Whilst Skyping with my boyfriend in Melbourne (and his best mate in Brazil – seriously, how cool is Skype!?) it really was amazing to realize four things – it was Tuesday, after midday, I was still in bed AND I WAS IN PARIS.

At 8am in Brazil, noon in Paris and 10pm in Melbourne, I loved being able to realize just how brilliant life – and technology – can be. And with that, Sarah and I started our day in Paris by grabbing coffee from the café across the road and heading off for another afternoon of shopping.

Our first trip on the Metro and we thrilled ourselves with our ability to purchase tickets with ease… unlike Melbourne’s Myki ;)… and change trains on the epic network of tunnels that make up Paris’ public transport system. Our destination was the Champs-Élysées, a shopping mecca and the home of the Arc de Triomphe.

We arrived around 2pm, walking through the park and the intersection with the Ferris Wheel to begin our afternoon shopping adventures. Within five minutes we were walking coat and scarf-less – four degrees in Paris is apparently quite warm when you are really putting your back into it. Ultimately? Shopping is hard work!!

With purchases at H&M, Promod and Sephora, we continued on to take in the sunset at the Arc de Triomph before joining the peak hour commute back to our apartment.

After last nights dinner of wine, cheese and crackers (I LOVE Paris!), we are heading out tonight for something more substantial. My jetlag has finally worn off and I’m ready to really give Paris my all. Au revoir pour l’instant!

One of the awesome things about being a freelancer is the ability to work anywhere in world. This fortnight in Paris I am continuing to work – sometimes early in the morning or late at night to satisfy time differences – whilst balancing touristy things and enjoying all the amazing thing Paris has to offer. While this is a learning experience for me too, today is proof that it can be done.

I turned the computer on at 6.30am this morning, checking emails, facebook posts and tweets in bed. Paris was a chilly zero degrees and it was certainly pleasant to be rugged up in the doona whilst I read about the soaring temperatures in Melbourne. I began writing around 8am, before Sarah got up and we did yoga in our living room for an hour around 9. 

The yoga was an instructional video we had downloaded, and whilst we had a good giggle at some of the buzz words the instructor used, the session was actually really good – I’m not really a ‘sporty’ person and I was certainly feeling it after about 30 minutes! After we layered up and headed out, it was time for a late breakfast/early lunch.

Our apartment in Paris is in the 7th Arr, a short walk to Saint Germain on the Left Bank. We strolled not 500metres to Cafe le Babylone – where I actually had lunch when I was in Paris 2 years ago! Diagonally opposite Le Bon Marche, we had steak and fries with champagne and red wine, sitting outside in the sun and 4 degree chill. 

It truly is amazing to be able to sit at a cafe in Paris at midday, drink champagne and watch the world go by. Lucky much?

A wander through Le Bon Marche (totally out of our price range!) and then we were off in search of the Bio Stores, aka the places where they sell gluten free goods. I also wanted to find a new coat and boots today but after trying on possibly EVERY pair of black boots on the Boulevard Saint Germain, I lucked out. I never had any intention of bringing the coat that I bought to Paris home – its a size 14 I bought in Year 12! – so it was a touch frustrating not to find a newie today (especially after I saw such a GORGEOUS coat at Reiss in London). (Style note: my coat looks TOTALLY 80s cause the shoulders are waaaaay too big and I’m cinching it in with a belt!)

So no luck with jackets or shoes but I did get two jumpers at the MonoPrix, together with a collection of assorted gluten free goodies, wine and cheese. We drank coffee at the Cafe de Flore and arrived home five hours after we set out, exhausted but pleased to have had such a full day. 

More work is lined up for this evening, before a we set out again in search of dinner. And tomorrow? Who knows….

We made it!!

One Cafe Vue meal and a billion plane dinners later, Sarah and I (yes, I’m travelling with another Sarah!) touched down in Paris Sunday morning at 11.25am and after our first few hours in the city, it’s hard to believe we were ever away.

The air is cool here (ok, it’s fricken FREEZING) but it’s sunny and crisp. Everyone is wearing coats and hats and scarves and gloves – a major change from the 35 degree heat we just left in Melbourne. We are bumping up the heater and planning our first day out tomorrow: shopping!!

Coffee was required as soon as humanely possible upon landing and we just happen to be staying across the road from one of the most fabulous coffee shops in Paris – they actually make GREAT coffee. Sarah discovered Coutume Cafe on her last visit to Paris and I’m pleased to report that it feels like having a little slice of Melbourne just downstairs.

Our apartment is quaint and cosy – the shower and a bed welcome relief from more than 30 hours in transit. Melbourne – Singapore – London – Paris may not have been the most direct route but at least now I can say I’ve been to two new countries (I do wish any of them would stamp my passport though!)

Let the adventures begin!