Holiday Destination: Paris

Paris has always been somewhere I'd love to visit and celebrating my 21st was the ideal excuse to head there for a few nights away. I hadn't looked into the city too much, meaning that our itinerary was quite spontaneous but I had spoken to a few people about their highlights and looked through recommendations, in order to make it the perfect city break. Here's what we got up to during our 3 night French excursion...

WHAT TO DO

Landmarks are always high on my to-do list when visiting a new city and Paris was no exception. Our bus transfer from the airport dropped us at the doorstep of the Eiffel Tower - a great first impression. Later in the week, we also climbed the Tower (when in Paris, right?!) to admire the greatness of the architecture, as well as the incredible views across the city.

We visited all of the landmarks over two days which was a great way to hit everything in one go but in over 30 degree heat, I would definitely choose the metro next time, rather than walking. The first day consisted of the Notre Dame and Ile Saint-Louis, allowing us to explore more of the traditional Paris, mingling with the locals in delicatessens and down the quiet streets.
The following day accounted for Moulin Rouge, Arc de Triomphe, The Louvre and Champs-Elysees. We went FULL tourist.

One of my itinerary highlights was the second night of the trip, when we visited Parc de Princes to watch a PSG game. We both love watching football and seeing this was Neymar's first game, we couldn't miss it. The tickets were easy to book and print online and cost us around £35 each for pretty good seats. It was such a fun night and definitely something I would do again, if visiting an iconic European football club.

Eating and culture

I have a real soft spot for French food and always enjoy finding a local patisserie for lunch (and post-dinner pastries!). The cakes in Paris are like no other and just looking at the pastel perfect window displays will tempt you to visit.

We ate at two amazing restaurants while in Paris which I thought I would share with you. On our first night, we headed to a simple restaurant, 'Bistro Chez France', where we indulged in steak, fish, lots of vin and the most sublime apple tart tatin. The restaurant was a short walk from the Eiffel Tower, hidden in the back streets, but seemed very popular with locals and the service was fantastic and personal.

'Le Grand Colbert' finalised our trip in the most spectacular style. The brasserie style restaurant impressed as soon as we entered - the art-deco lighting, mosaic flooring and attention to detail was not to be missed. We had no idea that this restaurant was a setting for the film 'Something's Gotta Give', but luckily, it wasn't tacky with any memorabilia or Jack Nicholson enthusiasts. If you head here, definitely try the classic french onion soup and make sure you save room for pudding - their pavlova is to die for!

February Favourites

This year, February has definitely exceeded expectations.
However much I've stressed over assignments and revision, seeing friends, planning for the summer and a having a lovely Valentine's weekend have made it so much better.
So, here's my February favourites...

New music:

February has been a killer month with music across the board. Huge festival announcements, tour dates and new music, we've had it all. But, nobody could predict the TWO album drops we've had from Rihanna and Beyoncé. Both of their new singles have taken over the charts and I'm not the only one who cannot wait to see what these two artists have in store for the rest of 2016.

London Fashion Week:

Unless you've been hiding away over the past week, you couldn't miss the beautiful designs and pieces that London Fashion Week has given us. Hands down, my 3 favourite shows have been Alexander McQueen, Sophia Webster and Mary Katantzou. Their attention to detail combines beautifully with colours and textures. I couldn't take my eyes off their shows and will be longing after their designs for years to come.

Brit Awards:

Adele dominated the 2016 awards, winning 4 prizes including best album and best British female solo artist. Another winners included James Bay for best male, Justin Bieber for best international male and Catfish and the Battlement, who claimed British breakthrough act.

The night was filled with outstanding performances, designer dresses and an incredible tribute to Bowie.

Loving London

I love visiting London. Compared to the small town I live in, everything is exaggerated! The people, atmosphere, shopping, attractions and things to do leave you wanting more and more; it's never a boring trip.

Before I went on holiday, I went to London for the day with Ollie and his family. We headed off really early so I slept most of the way down but we decided to park at Westfields and walk into town. I'd never been to Westfields shopping centre and didn't know what to expect but it's great; probably the same size as the bullring with loads of variety of shops and tens of restaurants to choose from.

Walking into town was fun. It was such a warm day which was lovely as we strolled through Kensington and Hyde Park - ending up at Harrods. I could really spend all day in Harrods, I love everything and if I had enough money, would absolutely love to walk in and buy a couple of really nice items. There's just so much choice and everything is amazing!

Once we'd finished browsing, we walked from Harrods to Piccadilly Circus and from there to Trafalgar Square. We wish we'd have had a look around Carnaby Street now but at the time, it was nice to just walk around, taking it all in. Neither of us bought anything but we go shopping so much that being somewhere different, it really didn't make a difference to us! Ollie's family had gone to look at the Audrey Hepburn exhibition which sounded fascinating so we met up with everyone else just before our restaurant reservation, so we could talk about it all there.

Finishing off the day with a huge meal at Planet Hollywood, we were too tired (and full!) for the walk back, so grabbed a taxi back to the car and headed home! It was a brilliant day and I can't wait to go back again at Christmas time - making sure we don't forget that bit of extra shopping time!!