During December, I snuck in a trip to Paris and London. In Paris, I spoke at prestigious Le Web Paris conference on the social business track and used my free time to enjoy the city in all of its Christmas glory. I left the United States with visions of meeting leaders in tech and social media, Parisian Christmas markets, festive lights, vin chaud (hot mulled wine) and holiday shopping. Here are a few snapshots and stories from the touristy portion of my Paris trip.
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Incredible lobby chandelier
Though my arrival into Paris wasn’t as smooth as I had hoped, it all washed away the minute I stepped into the cozy Hotel le Bellechasse. Booked through a Jetsetter flash sale, this hotel also had excellent ratings on TripAdvisor and I can see why. First, it’s in a prime location, just one half of a block from the Musée d’Orsay in the trendy St. Germain neighborhood. But, what would bring me back for another stay was the Hotel le Bellechasse’s excellent service and boutique hotel charm.
Have you ever landed at an airport to make your flight connection, only to find out that your connecting flight has been cancelled? After flying all night from Boston to London, I was notified via email by British Airways as I landed at 6:30 a.m. that my connection to Paris was cancelled due to fog. Though there was nothing that I could do to prevent the situation, here are a few things I learned to help you get on the next flight ASAP:
One of the (many, many) things I enjoy about London is when I order a cappuccino and a work of art arrives. The cappuccino in the photo is from the Tomtom Coffee House in Belgravia. A dear friend who knows all of the best cafes in the area brought me there and it’s lovely. In addition to being a charming coffee shop with indoor and outdoor seating, Tomtom has a full menu. In a unique twist, Tomtom also specializes in cigars and has a shop around the corner dedicated to selling them.
However, what really got me about Tomtom was the delicious cappuccino that I almost didn’t want to drink because it was so pretty. But, let’s be real, that didn’t last very long.
Tomtom Coffee House is located at 114 Ebury Street in Belgravia, London.
Olympic Rings in front of the New College on the Mound, Edinburgh.
When an opportunity presented itself to tag along with friends on a trip to Edinburgh, I jumped at the chance. While readers of this blog know that I consider London to be my second home, I’m sad to admit that I’ve never ventured north to Scotland. After a long weekend soaking up historic architecture and gorgeous scenery, I cannot believe I didn’t take the trip up sooner.