So I know that most of you didn’t even know that I was gone (cause I didn’t want someone to come and steal my awesome new couch) but we have been gone the last 2 weeks in Salt Lake (for a few days so I could be famous on Studio 5, you can see my segment on unexpected use of color here) and then Court and I flew to PARIS!!!!
We had SUCH an amazing time. Paris is so different from the US. Its mind boggling to think how young our country is. We did everything we could think of, we got gypsied, and we took lots of crappy pictures.
Now. Everyone knows how boring it can be to look at pictures of other peoples vacays so we decided to take awesomely awesome pictures in front of everything you know…to make things more exciting. Here are a few of my faves.
At the top of Notre Dame
Once a year Parisisans have a White Picnic flash mob. It was incredible to see people pouring into the courtyard at Notre Dame dressed head to toe in white.
In front of the Arc De Triomphe
Our hotel was right by the Eiffel Tower so we ended up there quite a few times.
My favorite cathedral was Saint Chappelle, it was breath taking.
It was shocking to see how opulently people lived. Versailles was…well there is just not words for Versailles. And HELLO that floor!!!!
One place that we went that was a little less touristy (but still sort of touristy) was the Catacombes. If you make it to Paris try and visit them.
It is impossible to put into one post all of the fun things that we did and saw in 8 days. The food was amazing. The people were very nice and most spoke English, which was awesome. I loved how relaxed everything was but I did not love how all of the stores closed at 6. It was the trip of a lifetime and we loved every second of it.
When I started my blog I had no idea that so many wonderful things could happen to me because of it. I want to give a HUGE thank you to Social Spark (if you have not signed up with their network DO IT!) I am SO excited to work with a company that does such fun contests with killer prizes like this trip and work so hard for bloggers.
I missed you guys and I hope that you can forgive my lack of posting last week! I will be back tomorrow with a really fun project (here is a hint…Vicki is back.)
Have you been to Paris? What was your favorite part? Did you miss me?
Love Your Guts, Mandi
Great photos!! I went to Paris last year and my favorite part was Versailles…well, OK, it was the champagne really!
Love the photos! Looks like you guys had a great time! I loooove Paris! I’ve been 2.5 times (the 0.5 was for 2 days but we stayed in the suburbs), the most recently being 2010 and I basically only ate duck confit for dinner. So good. The food and history/architecture are my fave parts!
HI, Mandi
Great pics of your trip. I am so glad you had a great time. It’s always fun to get away from home and relax.
Vanessa
Awesome! So happy for your success as a blogger…You have inspired me to follow my heart!…and your a Utah gal so I have a soft spot for my roots :)Keep up the awesomeness!
Jenn @JennyFromTheBlogs
Great pictures! Makes me want to go back!!!!!
Total randomness…yes you were missed. Your hubby is a total cutey. You are such a well matched couple, at least you “look” complimentary. I went to Paris in grade 12, about 14 years ago :(. Now married and 4 kids later I’m counting the days, or rather years, until we get to go again. I went to Italy as well and LOVED it even more than France. I’d love to move their for like six months, work in a little bakery or something and just travel all over for kicks. Glad you and your man got a little downtime, so important!
this is amazing!!! I love that first picture of you two – you’re gorgeous!! Looks like you two had an amazing time – maybe this will convince my hubby to take me on a trip to Paris someday 😉
Oh Mandi, you are killing me!! I had just made up my mind that I was going to NOT go on the trip to France with our high school French department over spring break when you come back with these pictures…. now I’m torn again!! Do I apply the money to helping put in the new well on our property in NY? or I do go to France with our 16 year old son & some of his classmate? Argh the indecision! I’ll be honest if I thought I could I would do both but there is no way. and the farm does desperately need a new well before we can start our remodeling projects… and it is such a cool place in the “mountains” of the southern tier in NY. a tiny babbling stream, original hardwood floors, original plaster walls covered in bubble gum pink paint… oh yeah that is part of the remodel work… paint the walls.
I am so glad you had this opportunity!! And I truly am happy for you!! Love, love, love it when someone else gets to experience some of my childhood memories (lived in germany for 6 years… still love, love, love it!)
Have a wonderful day! (now i know why i didn’t hear back from you! you poor thing you probably have tons of e-mails!!)
Take are now!
Peggy@piglogsandtaterberries
Oh wow! Looks amazing, and I love the goofy pictures. Those are perfect.
Looks like you had FUN!!!!!!!!!!!
i missed you the most.
(i totally would have jacked yo couch if i had known you were m.i.a.)
Oh.how.awesome!! I’m dying to go to Paris!! Lucky girl! Glad you had fun!
Thank you for those goofy pictures!
LOVE the photos! So glad you had a great time! Can’t wait to hear more…;)!! I would love to go to Paris someday!
Missed you tons! What an amazing experience for ya’ll. I love that you and the hubby take funny face pics. My hubby and I always try to phototbomb the other one by doing the same thing. (whoever makes a regular face is the loser..lol).
PS-Who would Harry Potter the far left skull? Rude much?
Aaaaaah! Dream trip! You look so fabulous in all your pictures. But I’m glad you’re back because I miss your posts when you’re gone.
Lisa
A Farewell To Can’t
Paris! Such an awesome city! I’ve been there twice…the first time with family, the second time with my boyfriend of 10 months (now husband). I laughed when you said you were gypsied b/c that is by far one of our favorite stories from our last visit! After warning my husband about the gypsies, one approached him outside of Notre Dame, showed him an index card with writing on it (to distract him) & asked if he spoke english. To which he replied (very proud) “why yes I do!”. I pulled him away before he had a chance to be swindled…but I swear, there’s a sucker born every day! (and I also swear that story is way less lame when told in person). Looks like you guys had an awesome trip!
I studied abroad there for 3 months during college. One of the best times of my life. I love it! I’m so glad you were able to experience it. (That’s way cool that SS sent you… how?)!!!! haha
Wow, I really didn’t think people thought “got gypsied” was a socially acceptable phrase. I will no longer be following this blog.
I’ve been to Paris twice, and loved every second of it. It’s in your blood now…you’ll be unsettled until you go back! 🙂 and DUDE, I’m on Social Spark and they aren’t sending me to paris!!?? how the french (har har) did that happen?!?!
It’s so good that you visited the catacombs! They were one of my all time favorite parts of Europe 🙂 [and the Paris ones are way better than the Italy ones].
I DID miss you (esp since I never get to see you when your in town) and I’m SO jealous! I’d love to go sometime, what a GREAT trip and I’m glad you had fun!
Ooh I missed you! Nobody knows how to write quite like you do to make me laugh out loud! I just watched your segment too! Could you be any more cute? You have the best style!
Looks like you had a fantastic time. I’d love to go to Paris someday, it’d be a dream come true.
Yeah, I was wondering where you were as I LOVE your blog posts! (A little brown-nosing there-lol) You looked so chic–especially in the white trench with red scarf. So happy for you and your husband!
Wait! Social Spark sent you to Paris? Wow! I have been to Paris and loved Versailles, as well. One thing I wish I had done, but didn’t was go to a Paris flea market. I was really disappointed in the food, though…except for the patisseries.
ummmm, WOW!!! first, your interview was great! and second- paris?!?! r u kidding?!?! how wonderful!
Okay, someone might have mentioned this elsewhere on the blog but I’m kinda lazy sooooooooo – that IS you on the TLC Craft Wars promo, yes?
Okay, someone might have mentioned this elsewhere on the blog but I’m kinda lazy sooooooooo – that IS you on the TLC Craft Wars promo, yes?
I saw her too!!!
I’ve been to Paris, and I stayed in a hostel there. Bad idea. The food was amazing. Looked like you had fun!
I love all you funny faces in the pics! And the hubs just there kind of smiling… cracked me up! 🙂 Looks like the trip of a lifetime! 🙂 Would love to know how you earned it! If you’ve already shared that… I’d like to read that post! Thanks girl!
How can I NOT miss the only blogger out there that says “Love your guts!”? Of course we missed you! The pictures look amazing- even with you all cross-eyed! Glad you and your honey were able to do this, you two deserve some nice things.
I LOVE Paris and this post! I visited there several years ago for a few weeks, just amazing. I was at a conference a few weeks ago and heard of the White Picnic flash mob and thought it was amazing. I love the French!
Ahh I love Paris! We were there 4 years ago! Only for 2 days though! It was our in between stop from London to Belgium! I wish we could have stayed longer! 🙂 Sunday was an awesome day to be there because of all of the vendors setup along the river! 🙂 I can’t wait to go back someday!! So glad you both got to go!!
Beth
Two of my girlfriends and I went to Paris for a week last May. We went because we’d always wanted to but life kept getting in the way … kids, work, you know. Then we lost one of our girlfriends at age 42 — and immediately following her memorial service, we booked our trip. I think lighting candles in Notre Dame was an amazing and moving experience, and I loved the Flea Market. So glad you made the time.
I can’t believe you were in Salt Lake and didn’t come to see me!!! lol I love the pic of you and Court in front of Eiffel Tower…so cute! And the cathedral…it’s awesome. I grew up in the midwest…Catholicism is big there…I am not Catholic, but there were sooooooo many beautiful churches there with awesome stained glass windows. I think my church (which is also yours) could stand to make our buildings a little more funky!!! : )
Paris is one of my fav cities (okay I have a lot of fav European cities!) My favorite thing to do in Paris is just wander. Everywhere you look you find beauty — from the way someone puts a pot of flowers on their balcony, to the incredible doors of Paris. And while wandering, you discover the most amazing things you wouldn’t find if following the tourist route. Last trip I brought my husband and daughter (our Valentine’s Day gift — who needs flowers when Paris awaits?) and they both fell in love too. My daughter was maybe 8 and enjoyed it thoroughly — I’ve found taking kids around the world they learn to be adaptable and accepting of other cultures. And my little world traveler (and partner in adventure) proves this. Oh and I SWORE one of the gargoyles on Notre Dame winked at me while I was taking his pic! Honest! I’m so happy you got to experience Paris and had a blast, you deserve it! XXX Suzanne
So happy for you! Paris is my favorite place in the whole world. I was there exactly two months ago, but my heart still aches for it! Looks like you guys got to do lots of cool stuff. The flash mob picnic must have been so cool. I’ll have to remember that for next time. We have an almost identical picture from the catacombes of the skull with the Harry Potter scar;).
Love the pictures! What an amazing trip! Here’s something random–I love your updo in the later pics…so cute! How did you do it? Glad you had a great time!
I went and toured London, England & France with my grandparents for my 8th grade graduation. (Don’t get me wrong here. I had to earn my part of the trip by babysitting and saving up. But it was so worth going!) My grandpa spoke french flutently and knew tons of ppl there (including relatives). We were there for an entire month. So we got to see most of everything. I think my favorite (besides the Effiel) was going the Mont Saint Michel in Normandy. I would like to go back someday with my husband and experience everything all over again with him.