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.
My love for unique watches is well-documented on this blog, so when the folks at Fossil invited me to a holiday preview at their Newbury Street shop, I was tempted. To be honest, though I walk by the store frequently, I hadn’t ventured inside. Would their watches be a fit for my somewhat eclectic taste? Let’s just say that I’m glad that I accepted the invitation, because the answer ended up being a big YES.
Yes, this is actually my hand!
Though I adore a good mani/pedi, some times a girl needs to paint her own nails. Over Halloween, I was short on time and snapped up a new OPI nail polish at CVS called, “William Tell Me About.” Described as a deep vampy purple, the shade looks nearly black after several coats. While I’m not sold on a color this dark on my fingernails due to my pale complexion, I did love it on my toenails.
After some digging, I found out that this color was part of OPI’s 2010 Swiss Collection. Seriously, a 2010 collection and CVS is just getting it?! Is that normal? Luckily, I like the color and the polish goes on just fine, so I’ll keep it in my nail polish rotation. Given that this color is apparently “outdated,” it’s challenging to find online, but I did manage to see some for sale on Amazon.com for $10 if you’re interested.
‘Tis the season for all things pumpkin. Though my passion for pumpkin flavored coffee, baked goods and savory recipes is not limited to the fall, it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of these special limited time items. Case and point – pumpkin beer! Recently, I met my dear friend Betsy, who was back in town visiting after (envious) jaunts in London and Hawaii, for a drink at the Pour House on Boylston Street in Boston’s Back Bay. Definitely more of a beer place (in my mind, anyway), so I had my sights set on a very pumpkin-y flavored beer. I went for the UFO Pumpkin on tap and much to my delight, the waitress asked if I would like a pumpkin spiced rim to go with. Ummm…yeah!? The rim was a lot of fun and really added to the pumpkin beer experience. Sure, a little messy, but 100 percent worth it.
The great thing about pumpkin beer with a spiced rim is that you can easily replicate it at home. After a quick google search, I stumbled upon a super quick pumpkin spice and brown sugar rim recipe from a cute blog called Small Kitchen College.
Join me in raising your glass to all things pumpkin!
The Pour House is located at 907 Boylston Street in Boston’s Back Bay.