Paris Day 2: Food glorious food...along with a spot of sightseeing

Saturday dawned and I was exhausted, which wasn't ideal as we had a full day planned. I dragged my ass out of bed, hopped in the shower and before I had even woken up properly The Boy had me on the bus ready for a tour of the city.

The Hop On, Hop Off bus tours had been recommended to us by Zsa as a perfect way to see all the sights in a really short space of time and as we had planned to spend Sunday wandering, Saturday seemed like to perfect time to cram in some sightseeing.

We started at Montmartre and Sacre Coeur which, as Sophie mentioned in her post on Wednesday, seems to be the hotspot for dodgy men trying to steal your valuables. The gangs of men can be quite intimidating, even leading me to respond to the question of "Hey lady, where you from?" with "London. So f*** off".* 

Once you get past them the site is quite magical with fantastic views of the city. Sadly for us it was a bit drizzly but it was still incredibly romantic. 

We hopped back on the bus and headed back into the main part of the city for lunch and a walk along the river.

It was a lovely morning and we actually managed to fit a lot in; the Louvre, Notre Dame, and the locks at Pont de l'Archeveche, it was amazing.

Believe it or not the image above wasn't lunch, it was an afternoon snack. It's amazing how easily the fat girl in me comes out when I'm on holiday! Fondue and wine in the afternoon with The Boy, it was so romantic.

After a whizz around the Eiffel Tower we went for a stroll around L'Hôtel national des Invalides where there was loads of military personal taking part in a ceremony of some kind. It was awe inspiring, and the uniforms were pretty fantastic.

It was getting late so we decided to head back to the hotel and get ready for dinner at Unico, an Argentinian restaurant nearby.

They specialised in steak and it was delicious. The Boy was in his element. 

Although I enjoyed it, white wine is more my thing but I couldn't fault the food, it was a lovely evening of good conversation to round off our Saturday in the city.

*Apologies Mum, I know you don't like the swearing but on this occasion I think even you would have been alright with it.

Paris Day 1: My girl, my guy and my new found love

There really is nothing like a weekend away.

An excuse to forget about any work troubles, wear the clothes you normally save for "best" and use up some of the beauty samples that always accumulate in the bathroom cabinet. 

Weekends away are the best.

This past Friday I left my little flat in London for an adventure into the unknown, to visit a city I'd always dreamt of visiting: Paris.

It was a wonderful few days, with lots of walking, sightseeing, food and wine, here's a few pictures from our first day in France.

 Me and my gal Zsa Zsa, looking surprisingly sprightly after a 4.30am wake up call.

We went for a wander near the hotel before heading into the city for a spot of lunch. Wine and bread on a Friday lunchtime, you just can't beat it.

 Checking out the local art, before getting told off for sitting in the wrong place, standard.

We took a breather in the sunshine (which we definitely weren't prepared for) before strolling to the Arc de Triomphe.

We called in at Printemps and stopped for a drink at Le Deli-Cieux, an amazing rooftop cafe with 360 degree views of the city. I'd really recommend a pit stop here if it's a clear day and you need a beverage. It only costs you the price of a drink of your choice and you can relax in the sunshine with the few other locals and tourists that seem to know that this magical place exists. It was a wonderful place to while away the afternoon.

After heading back to the hotel Zsa made tracks back into the city to catch her train whilst The Boy and I freshened up for dinner.

 The hotel was nothing short of fantastic. The staff were really welcoming and they recommended several restaurants for dinner. Our room even had a balcony overlooking a pretty Parisian side street, I couldn't have wished for anything more; The Boy did good. It was the perfect place to set up base camp for the next few days.

After a quick change we headed out to one of the recommended local restaurants, Au Petit Panisse a traditional french bistro with delicious food at a reasonable price, that was conveniently just around the corner from the hotel.

 I went for pate to start.

Whilst The Boy went for Octopus and Chorizo salad.

 For main I had Tuna steak and Gnocchi, which was delicious let me tell you.

 Whilst The Boy had Steak Tartare, which also tasted amazing.

It was a lovely romantic evening and the perfect start to the holiday.

To be continued...