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Bonjour!

The crazy thing about being an adult with a credit card is that nobody can stop me from buying a last-minute plane ticket to Paris. No one. Not a single, solitary person can beat my a$$ about it. And that's precisely how I ended up with a Lorazepam scrip in one hand and an over weight carry-on ever in the other on Christmas Eve…

My besties, Derel and Nia, plus their mama, who shall forever be known as the "Mommarazzzi" - she took most of the photos, spent eight days and seven nights sightseeing, shopping, eating, and drinking our way through the arrondissements and it was glorious.

It's been a month since I returned, and I am ready to reflect on the things we did right (staying in an Airbnb) and wrong (buying a last-minute ticket; $1400 for a coach seat is crazy), so let's get into my list of dos and don'ts, Homies!

Dos

Get a Cross-Body Bag

Paris is not the place for tote bags - pickpockets are real, and no one has time for a missing phone or wallet. The best travel bags have zippers, closed flaps, and a cross-body strap - bonus points if it transitions day to night. I carried my burgundy Coach Beat bag and the Uniqlo Round Mini Shoulder Bag for the entire trip, and they worked perfectly. I was hands-free but felt secure enough to walk around with my passport since I needed it for tax-free shopping at the luxury stores. 

If you're carrying around cash, always stash it in several places. A little in the purse, a $20 in the bra, and more in your phone case. That way, if you get pickpocketed, you'll have enough money to get somewhere safely. 

Think About Your Feet

I have my daddy's feet - they're wide, flat, and guaranteed to work my nerves if I walk more than 3 miles. I needed comfortable sneakers with a wide toe box that wouldn't break the bank, and Dr. Scholl's Time Off Sneaker was the answer. I bought these months before this trip after seeing a review on TikTok, and they are as good (if not better) than the girl said. 

After walking 15-20,000 steps per day, my feet felt good enough to slip into my favorite Stuart Weitzman booties or platform Dr. Martens for all the nighttime festivities. And by nighttime festivities, I do mean carefully walking along pee, poo, and cigarette-butt-lined streets with uneven surfaces to get to sexy little cocktail bars like Le Syndicat.

Most people in Paris wore practical and stylish shoes like combat boots, trainers (hehe) or loafers. Should you bring sky-high stilettos? Yes, of course, but save them for those Uber there and back type of nights. If you're really about it - bring travel-size disinfecting spray and travel shoe bags so your soles don't touch any of your clothes.

Go to CityPhama

City Pharma is part pharmacy, part skincare heaven, selling the best French skincare brands for a fraction of the cost. I wanted to try the, Caudilie Vinoperfect Radiance Dark Spot Serum after seeing Eni Poppla use it, but I paying $82 in the States felt like a lot. It’s much cheaper to take an Uber, a flight, and another Uber to buy it in Paris for €42. #girlmath

The NUXE Gold body oil and EMBRYOLISSE Concentrated Cream-Milk moisturizer are must buys, but don’t forget to chat with the sales associates for their recommendations. Things are often sold out, but they were able to find alternatives that would work better for my skin type. Don't worry if you don't speak French; most of them speak English. 

Be warned - it's total mad house in there - go in early on a weekday for the most chill experience and bring a list of what you want - going in bling was incredibly overwhelming. Oh, and be prepared to Plan to check a bag on your way home; some deals are too good to pass up and are well over 100 ml. 

Citypharma is located at 26 Rue du Four, 75006, Paris, France. There are several pharmacies in Paris, but this specific store had the best selection and prices.

Do Drink Water

It seems the French do not believe in drinking water. Like, at all...

At most restaurants, eau (water) was available upon request, but it cost money - at least $7 for a 500 mL bottle of San Pellegrino. Understandable, for sparkling, but for still? Why are you not complimentary. Our Airbnb hosts were thoughtful enough to leave us a 6-pack of water, but after two days we were out - good thing there was a grocery store on ever corner. I just don’t understand what the French have against a Brita filter and reusable water bottle. 🤷🏾‍♀️

Carry a Hydroflask with at all times as a reminder to drink water because between cocktails and coffee, it’s very easy to get dehydrated and that could easily derail your trip.

Do Shop Vintage

A good 75% of this trip was spent inside a thrift store. The other 25% was split between walking to said stores or sleeping because vintage shopping is exhausting. As a US size 16, shopping in Paris made me nervous, but the experience was better than I expected. Of course, t were shops where I could only fit jackets and accessories, but that happens to me in the USA, too, so overall, I'd give shopping there a solid B. The items I came home with were so unique and wonderful editions to my close - check out the leather jacket below.

Make sure you hit the dry cleaner as soon as you come home tho.

I’ve saved all the vintage stores I visited in this Google guide, but Nice Piece Vintage, Ritchie Vintage at the Paris Flea, and Super Vintage were my favorites.

Do Print Your Photos

Printing photos at a CVS feels very 2004, but, I did it and love the results. I simply couldn’t let this amazing trip fall victim to the deleting spree I go on 2x a year when I run out of storage, and it was weirdly affordable. I got 12 prints for $40, plus six 12x16”RIBBA frames from IKEA ($12 each) to creat this beautiful gallery wall behind my sofa and now I can’t stop thinking about making my living room the next room makeover. What do you think?

DONTS

Don't Go To The Eiffel Tower

I went to the Eiffel Tower once in 2012, and it was lackluster. Unless you are interested in walking up hundreds of stairs, or taking the elevator, or having dinner at the top, I can promise you... It won't be the highlight of your trip. Seeing the Eiffel Tower is best done from a hotel, bar or shopping mall.

Instead of going to see that weird statue, take a train or rent a car and head to Versailles. We rented a vehicle using Free2Move and the 45-minute drive was sooo beautiful once you hit the little towns. For 24 euros each, we booked “The Passport”, which gained us access to the whole estate of Versailles, including the Palace, Estate of Trianon and the gardens. Even in winter when the fountains were off and the trees were missing leaves, I could totally understand how Louis 14th went so hard for Versailles… it was a beautiful place to be.

Don't be a D*ck

I know people like to make the French seem like they're horrid for no reason, but I found most people to be incredibly friendly - just different from Americans. For example, restaurant service is less present - servers leave you alone to enjoy your food, and relax. There's no pressure talk or rizz up a stranger. Often this means a place will have one or two serves for the entire 20 seat restaurant, but I kinda enjoying having ample time to chill and recount the day with my travel buddies.

I received the best service when I showed appreciation for the culture — saying 'Bonjour' when walking in and 'Au revoir' when leaving. Try to learn a few phrases and use the photo feature on Google Translate to help you decipher signs, menus, etc.

Now - let me be clear. Racism in France is very much alive... An Uber driver shared several clubs to steer clear of and recounted stories about police shooting innocent people. There's no amount of kindness and understanding you can give to stop a racist from being racist. Trust your gut when traveling and keep your wits about you!

Don't Stick Together

If you're comfortable doing so, I recommend breaking off from the group to do an activity on your own. Often, I would wake up before everyone else and take a lazy stroll around the neighborhood. It was nice to be on my own time, enjoying everything the city had to offer without worrying about what the person next to me might want to do…

Traveling with people can get tricky. We all someone who went on one trip to Miami and suddenly a 6-year long relationship is over. Don’t be that girl. Decide what activities are for the group and which ones are just for you before you leave the States. Oh, and please… Don’t go to Paris with no money. I’d say have at least $2,500 in your account. More if you want to do Michelin dining and luxury shopping.

Not sure what to bring? See my travel essentials saved here!

xoxo,

Imani

MY PARIS GOOGLE GUIDE