An Australian + An American in Paris

As you might have seen on Instagram, a couple of weeks ago I went to Paris with my friend Meghan. Meghan and I met through mutual friends and our blogs, and within an hour of meeting felt like long-lost sisters! Since we sadly don’t live in the same city (she’s in New York, I’m in Cambridge) and she’s the only person I know who loves Paris with the same passion as I do, we knew we had to plan a trip together. Although I’ve been to Paris many times with my husband (and we always have a wonderful time), I think visiting with a like-minded girlfriend is my favourite (you might remember this post from my trip with Grace last February).

We’d both been to Paris more times than we could count by this point (she even studied abroad there), but no matter how many times you visit a city like Paris, there’s always something wonderful you haven’t done before. We both made a list of favourite things we always try to do, as well as new things we wanted to do, and luckily our lists were nearly identical. Top of mine was getting all dressed up and going to the newly-reopened Ritz for cocktails at the Bar Hemingway (I rarely drink, so when I do I like to do it in style).

Wearing: Dress // Shoes // Bag // Earrings // Sunglasses // Lipstick

So on Friday evening, after a day of park and museum-hopping, we went back to our hotel room to quickly change. Most days our outfits were perfectly coordinated completely by accident (other than the fact we like basically all the same things), but we definitely planned this one. We’re both unabashed Kate Spade enthusiasts, and it’s always my go-to label for evenings I want to remember, so we knew this had to be a ‘Kate’ moment. I love this dress so much that I know I’ll wear it for countless holiday parties and for years to come, but now every time I do I’ll always think of this first time I wore it in Paris.

All dressed up with somewhere to go, we got a car across the river to Place Vendome. The sky had just started to turn pink and the square was bathed in golden October light and it felt like one of those magical Parisian moments. We couldn’t help but do a twirl around the square (if there was ever a dress made for twirling, it was this one…), and count our blessings that we were there on that perfect evening.

We arrived just as they were opening at 6pm (places don’t get much more legendary than Bar Hemingway, so we knew the secret was to either arrive early or late), and were immediately seated at the best table in the back. The waiters – all so handsome in crisp white tie – were utterly charming, and brought us roses and snacks and the most exquisitely executed cocktails (I had the ‘Serendipity’, Meghan the ‘Clean Dirty Martini’) made by legendary barman Peter Field. Admittedly not cheap, but worth every penny for two of the best hours I’ve ever spent in Paris.

Although we could have happily sat there all night, we were craving something more substantial than liquid sustenance, so headed back to the Left Bank for supper. Two orders of the salad du chèvre (essentially just warm goats cheese on hot buttery Poilane bread – with a little guilt-reducing salad on the side) and tarte tartin at Les Deux Magots and our perfect Parisian evening was complete.

Oh Paris, you sure do know how to romance a girl!

Wearing: Kate Spade dress c/- // Kate Spade shoes (past season but similar style here + here) // CHANEL bag // J. CREW earrings // CELINE sunglasses // Charlotte Tilbury ‘Electric Poppy’ lipstick.
On Meghan: Kate Spade dress + shoes + bag.

What is your favourite way to spend a perfect evening in Paris?

Photos by Anna Lebedeva