In the third installment of her guest blog, Erika from Mikodesign talks about her love for Paris and shares her homemade travel guide with us.
Audrey Hepburn once said: “Paris is always a good idea.” And I totally agree. Ever since my primary-school days, I’ve been going to Paris on a regular basis and, in having done so, I’ve gotten to know the city pretty well by now. I love strolling through the streets of Paris, looking for beautiful boutiques. Of course, I also visit one of the city’s many museums, and in between, I like to take a little break and enjoy a baguette whilst sitting on a bench in one of the beautiful parks that Paris has to offer.
You will see my love for Paris reflected in my collection—like the Paris rabbit and doll, for example, with a Breton sweater, Parisian skirt and Paris tote bag—or the items I make using a “Souvenirs de Paris” fabric, such as bags and tea towels. But Paris’ influence and inspiration is not only apparent in my collection; it’s also evident in our home, with vintage Parisian prints adorning the walls and a collection of Eiffel towers displayed on the shelf. Or in the special breakfast I make for my daughters.
I always make sure I’m well prepared for my visit to Paris before I go. I look up nice new addresses and I mark out routes so that I can see as much as possible in one day. Any cute shops I find—which are sometimes hidden away in back streets—I share on my blog Carnet de Paris, so that others can find them, too.
After my last visit to Paris, I made some illustrations of the shops I had visited and created a little Carnet de Paris. You can download it and print it out to take with you on your next trip there.
Print the pages and cut them in the center. Fold them in half and—if you want to—staple them at the centerfold. Tip: print pages 2 and 3 as double-sided, and use the blank page for your own notes or to paste the business cards of your favorite shops onto.
Bon voyage!
