BLONDE ATLAS GIVEAWAY FOR THE TRAVEL LOVER
In need of some last minute gifts for the traveler in your life? I've teamed up with some of my favorite bands and companies that I believe in and will be gifting one of you some awesome products just in time for Christmas! Enter the giveaway below for your chance to recieve:
CUSTOM IRISH CORAL NECKLACE BY DOXAHLOGY
My friend Danica owns Doxahology: an amazing jewelry line that specializes in custom one-of-a-kind pieces. When I found this beautiful coral along the coastline of Connemara National Park in Ireland during my trip in September, I knew she could do something beautiful with it. Sure enough, she created this beautiful coral-in-a-bottle piece that will let you carry a little piece of Ireland with you every day.
TIE-UP TEE BY THREAD CO.
My friend Gracie just launched Thread Co. -- an amazing clothing company that specializes in basically, your favorite basics. I LOVE my tie-up tee and find myself wearing it on pretty much every travel day. It's flattering + comfortable and great to wear while you're on the go. The winner will be able to select the size + color of their choice, so go ahead and take a peek at their website to see your options (and do a little shopping in the meantime!)
SOY CANDLE BY HOLBROOK CANDLE CO.
I was connected to Courtney from Holbrook Candle Co. last year, and I just love her amazing candles. Not only do they all smell amazing, but they're all inspired by destinations around the world. The winner will receive a full size candle of my favorite scent: French Chateau.
FASHIONABLE TIRHAS SADDLEBAG
This Tirhas Saddlebag is one of my go-to purses. Aside from the fact that it looks beautiful, it's made of classic leather and handcrafted in Ethiopia. It can be worn cross-body or on one shoulder and is great for keeping all your on-the-go essentials organized + secure.
HOW TO ENTER:
1. Tag 3 friends in this Instagram post.
2. 'Like' Blonde Atlas on Facebook
3. Follow @blonde_atlas on Twitter
Contest ends at 12pm CST on Thursday, December 22nd. A winner will be announced on the blog on Friday, December 23rd.
No purchase necessary. By participating in the contest, each entrant agree
SWEEPSTAKES PERIOD
The Sweepstakes begins at TIME and ends on Tuesday Dec. 13 at noon CST.
The 10 Best Places to Shop in Paris
Paris is one of my favorite shopping destinations in the world— and probably not for the reasons you’re thinking. Yes, it’s the fashion capital of the world and home to some of the most reputable designer brands… but there’s far more to the story. Whether you prefer to buy new or antique, clothes or home goods- Paris has plenty to offer. While my full list of favorite recommendations are reserved for my travel planning clients, below are 10 of the best places to shop in Paris.
Paris is one of my favorite shopping destinations in the world— and probably not for the reasons you’re thinking. Yes, it’s the fashion capital of the world and home to some of the most reputable designer brands… but there’s far more to the story. Whether you prefer to buy new or antique, clothes or home goods- Paris has plenty to offer. While my full list of favorite recommendations are reserved for my travel planning clients, below are 10 of the best places to shop in Paris.
1.SAMARITAIN:
This is right outside of Samaritan, overlooking Pont Neuf
This is one of the most beloved department stores in Paris that recently underwent a massive renovation (it's spectacular!) I came for some Celiné perfume I've wanted for a while but lingered a lot longer at all there is to see. If you hire my team to plan your trip, our clients receive access to enjoy a personalized private shopping experience here. You’ll receive a session with the Samaritain personal stylist, accompanied by a drink in the comfort of their private lounge (plus a simplified checkout and tax refund!)
LOCATION: 9 R. de la Monnaie, 75001 Paris, France
2. OFFICINE UNIVERSELLE BULY 1803:
Officine Universelle Buly 1803 is an iconic perfume store in Saint Germain. They can emboss your initials on their hand soaps or on a lip balm case (makes for a great souvenir). They also have amazing scented match sticks, bath salts and body oils (amongst other treasures!) It’s very old world and delightful!
LOCATION: There are multiple, but the original is 6 Rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris, France
3. SÉZANE
Easily one of my favorite stores of all time—with a very popular online store! Sézane offers timeless, classics, as well as chic, contemporary pieces. The quality is great for the very reasonable price-point, and they recently became B Corp certified! They have multiple stores across Paris, but I always prefer their L'Appartement in the 2nd.
LOCATION: 1 Rue Saint-Fiacre, 75002 Paris, France
4. LE BON MARCHÉ
Located right in the heart of Saint Germain (my favorite neighborhood in Paris!) is Le Bon Marche. This was one of the first modern department stores and is still wildly popular amongst Parisians and tourists alike.
LOCATION: 24 Rue de Sèvres, 75007 Paris, France
5. ASTIER DE VILLATTE
This beautiful ceramics store (yes, I did seek out more ceramics #IYKYK) is in the heart of the city. They are a Parisian-based artisanal workshop and are known for their unique and unmistakably French home wear & milky white ceramics. They also have an online shop if you want to browse (I am eyeing some of their dinner plates, but this trip I purchased a small medallion for our walls that resembles what people used to collect on their Grand Tours.
LOCATION: 173 Rue Saint-Honoré, 75001 Paris, France
6. MARCHÉ AUX PUCES / PARIS FLEA MARKET
This is a sprawling antiques & vintage street market with over 2,500 sellers (you could spend a full day here and still not see everything!) I know of shop owners who come here to get stock for their stores (as well as interior designers who come to source antiques). I found some great artwork I loved - among other things!) It’s open on weekends & Mondays (but double check before you go to be safe, as things can always change).
LOCATION: 99 All. des Rosiers, 93400 Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine, France
7. LE GRAND EPICIERIE
Le Grand Epicierie is a fancy French grocery store (locations across the city) but makes for great souvenir shopping! I purchased the parmesan sablés, almond and hazelnut caramels and chocolate covered hazelnuts. Oh! Plus some French butter to bring home (you can even have it wrapped so you can fly it home in your checked bag!)
LOCATION: Multiple across the city- but I went to: 38 Rue de Sèvres, 75007 Paris, France
8. SIMRANE
Simrane is a haven for textile enthusiasts. I purchased our most used table napkins here a couple years ago, and on this most recent trip I purchased a bed quilt to use in lieu of a down comforter for warmer weather months.
LOCATION: 23&25 Rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris, France
9. ALIX D. REYNIS
A must-stop shopping spot in Saint Germain. Gorgeous ceramics and other home goods/ trinkets
LOCATION: 22 Rue Jacob, 75006 Paris, France
10. SHAKESPEARE & COMPANY
Probably not a secret to you, but in case you aren’t already familiar with the historic Shakespeare & Company, this independent bookstore is an icon in Paris (you can read more about the history here). If you’re looking for a fun souvenir, I always suggest to pick up a copy of Julia Child’s “The Art of French Cooking” from here (as she used to come here to purchase her cookbooks when she lived in Paris!) Whatever purchase you make, be sure to ask them to stamp the inside cover with their signature seal.
LOCATION: 37 Rue de la Bûcherie, 75005 Paris, France
While there is a lot more I could add to this, hopefully this list is enough to get you started. If you’d like help customizing a Paris itinerary that suits your interests, preferences and budget, my team would love to help! Learn more about our travel planning services HERE.
If you’d like to travel to Paris but can’t talk your friends into booking the trip, we’d love to have you join us on an Atlas Adventures trip! Our tours are designed to create fun experiences & facilitate meaningful connections with other like-minded travelers.
Merci for reading! I appreciate you being here.
xx
This Week in the World: February Edition
Hello from Thailand! This country is a beautiful place that's brimming with unique culture, incredibly kind people and delicious food. We’re about half way through our trip now, and I’ve really enjoyed so much about our visit. With that said, I've also been a bit caught off guard by some aspects— mainly regarding animal welfare. I know it’s an issue all across the globe, but it’s one I’m especially sensitive to. I’m still digesting and processing everything, and want to make sure I share everything in a way that respects nuance (so for now, I’m mainly sharing the highlight’s of the trip on Instagram stories… more to come soon about our full experience). Nevertheless, I’m so thankful for the gift of travel and the way it challenges our thinking, sparks some of our fiercest beliefs and invites us to have a more nuanced world view.
If you’re new here, ‘This Week in the World’ is a recap of content ranging from around the globe. Usually a weekly offering, this newsletter is currently sending as a monthly edition (hopefully will return to weekly eventually!) My hope is that no matter where you are in the world, you’ll be able to feel more connected to it: through news, travel, food & wine… really, anything that appeals to the culturally curious.
AROUND THE WORLD
There is a lot of doom and gloom lately: the train derailment in Ohio polluting terrible chemicals into the air, unidentified objects flying across North America, a catastrophic earthquake impacting Turkey/Syria…the list goes on. While I know it’s important to be informed, I also know it’s A LOT to digest (on top of all our own personal worries). I was pulling these articles while I’ve been processing some of my emotions regarding the animal welfare I referenced above, so you’ll notice this month most of the global issues are a). ways to help or b). some lighter topics in case it all feels a bit much right to you right now.
To my fellow animal lovers: Tattered Paws Golden Hearts is raising money to help rescue and care for the animals impacted by the earthquake in Syria/Turkey. You can DONATE HERE to support.
Another way for fellow animal lovers to help right now: Juniper Fox (an IG account I love to follow) has started a GoFundMe for animals injured & displaced by the train accident in Ohio.
White Lotus fans: here is a list of the best guesses for which hotel and location will be used to film Season 3 (one I visited the Golden Triangle one yesterday!)
#CaviarTok is trending on TikTok and GenZ is obsessed. In a world that feels like it’s falling apart in so many ways, it’s probably no surprise that we’re leaning into enjoying life’s little indulgences where we can.
TRAVEL NEWS + INSPIRATION
10 ways to reduce your flying footprint this year. I also would add “try to combine trips.” For example, I need to go to Puglia to do some final work before our Atlas Adventures trip in April… so I’m taking the train down when I’m in Rome next month for that Atlas trip. Even though it’s a longer stretch away from home, it saves me a journey back (meaning one less flight!)
I loved this list of 29 historic hotels you must visit before you die (includes one of the hotels where we just stayed in Bangkok!)
For those in my DM’s who have asked the very frequent question: “What are the best places to eat in London?” I’ve tried a handful of these spots and they were all delightful!
We’ve announced the rest of our Atlas Adventures trips for 2023! (Technically, only to alum and subscribers officially… this is still a soft launch. We’ll be announcing on social media in the weeks ahead). The first two are on sale now, and the rest will be on sale soon (details to come). Learn more about each trip below:
WEEKLY FAVORITES
If you’ve been to any of the Big Mamma restaurants, chances are you’ve tried their mafaldine al tartufo pasta (and if not, you should correct that swiftly). Here’s the recipe to recreate it yourself at home!
I discovered this ever-so-slightly oaked Sauvignon Blanc while I was in Africa… and it is DELIGHTFUL. Highly recommend getting your hands on a bottle!
There’s absolutely a time and a place for a white wall…but I love these colors!
I enjoyed this article: “A French girl on the problem with the French Girl Aesthetic”.
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That’s all for today. Happy reading and thanks for being here!
xx
Whitney