6 Days in Paris Part Deux

DAY 4-6

So, I’ve already taken you through Day 1-3 of my Paris trip and my expenses. A common question I got was why did I change hotels so many times. And to that I say, unless you have a pretty significant following or are some sort of celebrity most hotels aren’t going to give you a whole week of free accommodations. The first two hotels each gave me one day and the third gave me two. I cut cost pretty dramatically with those complimentary accommodations which would have cost me anywhere from $1500-2000 if I had to pay out of pocket. Although keeping cost down was absolutely at the forefront of my mind, I also wanted to experience the different neighborhoods in Paris and what they had to offer.

The last few times I’ve gone to Paris in 2013 and 2014, I stayed in Airbnb apartments only in the Canal St. Martin neighborhood. This stay I got to experience The Madeleine area at Hotel Chavanel, and the Grands Boulevards area while at Hotel Adele & Jules and finally the Republique neighborhood while staying in my final accommodations at Renaissance Paris Republique. All three hotels were beyond amazing and offered different things. It was nice to get to know another side of Paris. Now let’s get to the goods.

WEDNESDAY DAY 4
8am I have a show today and luckily after I ate that horrible KFC meal last night I stayed up doing a blog post and twisting my hair. I wrap my two strand twists in a scarf and make my way down to the dinning room for a complimentary breakfast of eggs with salmon and chives, fresh orange juice and an assortment of breads. There is coffee as well of course but remember what I told you about Paris coffee…I haven’t met a cup that I’ve liked. I feel slightly out of place. The dining room is full of business men in suits. But nobody pays me any mind as I snap photos of my breakfast. I have a few hours to burn before my first Paris Fashion Week Show, Guy Laroche at 4pm, so I head back to my room and crank out a few blog posts. Breakfast is complimentary.

12:30pm I get dressed and head to Chez Prune. Yes, I eat there just about every damn day and luckily Renaissance Paris Republique is a quick 5 minute walk to the Canal. I stop in a novelty store and buy a cool pair of colorful hoop pom pom earrings that I think will look fantastic for my trip to Bermuda in 2 weeks. (Earrings $21.23 and I’m charged a .64 cent international fee for using my debit card Total: $21.87)

1pm The waiter knows me now, as soon as he sees me he grabs a menu and leads me back to a small table. For some reason, I can’t for the life of me remember what I ordered on this day. I’m sure it was delicious though. (Lunch at Chez Prune $20 and I leave a $5 tip TOTAL $25, I pay in cash)

2:30pm I head back to the hotel and shower in the amazing water fall shower that is built into the ceiling. Renaissance Paris Republique is truly decadent. I’m in there thinking about life and promptly lose track of time. I hop out of the shower and untwist my hair, do my makeup and don my all black everything look for the Guy Laroche Fashion Show that starts at 4pm.

3:30pm I call an Uber to take me across town to Palais de Tokyo where the show will take place. (UBER POOL $13.46)

3:45pm I am stuck in traffic. Why the hell did I choose Uber pool? We go to another destination to pick someone up who doesn’t show up. I am fidgeting in my Balenciaga skirt. Another person is then picked up. He is an older gentleman and ask if he could roll down the window a bit and does so before I have a chance to reply, but I don’t care. I am beyond annoyed. I arrive at Palais de Tokyo at 4:15pm and there is a large commotion of photographers running and darting in between cars to get the perfect shot of this seasons street style stars.

4:17pm I rush past the commotion and am stopped about 3 times to have my photo taken. I rush up the stairs and into the venue where I’m quickly escorted to me seat. The show starts not 3 minutes later. Its a rush of sheer fabrics and barely there bottoms.

4:30pm I’m stuck in the mad dash to get out of the venue. Once I’m finally out I make my way to to the food cart inside the venue and I run into my good friend Georgiana Boboc who I met 3 years ago during my first visit to Paris and Paris Fashion Week. She introduces me to her very beautiful crowd of fashionable friends and we all wait to indulge in cakes and coconut waters. (Snacks $8.77 and I’m charged a .40 cents for using my debit card, Total: $9.17)

4:45pm I hang around inside Palais de Tokyo and notice them preparing for the Rochas Fashion Show. So I did what any person without a ticket would do, I went and stood in the standing line and finagled my way into the show! It was actually one of the best shows of Paris Fashion Week hands down.

5:30pm Call another Uber back to my hotel and splurge on a solo trip. I really can’t do another pool fiasco. (UBER $19.70)

6:30pm I get back to my hotel and relax a little but I am indeed starving. I crank out a few blog post and head over to a restaurant across the street from the hotel. I order steak and french fries and I devour it. It may have been the best steak and fries I’ve ever had. It came with a delicious pepper and sweet mustard sauce. After eating I make my way back to my hotel to wait on Trisha and Krystin. We are meeting for drinks at Bar Martin (The Bar at Renaissance Paris Republique) to catch up on their recent trip from Greece and Turkey. (DINNER $25 I pay in cash)

8:15pm I meet Trisha and Krystin downstairs at the hotel bar. I order a Mojito that comes with a bunch of delicious nuts and olives to snack on. Krystin gets an expresso and I can’t remember what Trisha had. But we sit in the plush chairs and catch up. The last time we were all in Paris together was 2 years ago. (Drinks at Bar Martin $15 I pay in cash and leave a $5 tip Total $20)

11pm I head to my room and spend the evening writing and whatsappin’ my beloved. Tomorrow I have Issey Miyaki and I’m ready! But before that I have another 4 outfit shoot planned with Tatyana.

DAY 4 Expenses: $64.20 (Drinks and the Hotel, Dinner at the restaurant and Lunch at Chez Prune are paid for in cash that I took out on Day 3)

THURSDAY DAY 5
8am I am awoken by a whatsapp “Good Morning” message from my boo who’s currently in Texas. I find it super cute that he coordinates my good morning messages even though I’m 7 hours ahead of him. But really it’s just 12 am there so, not that big of a deal. LOL. I am exhausted. I forgo the complimentary breakfast, ready my bag of outfits and get dressed in my borrowed duds from Fatoumata’s Gueras Fatim line.

8:45am I Uber Pool to the Tuileries dressed to the nines in my Gueras Fatim and a bag with my second outfit. I am set to meet Tatyana at the children’s carousel, only she can’t find it. By a stroke of pure luck, considering how large the Tuileries are we find each other after 5 minutes. We quickly shoot the Gueras Fatim look and I change in-between two barrels of machinery in a secluded corner of the gardens into my next outfit, The Stella Jean Skirt. After shooting for about 40 minutes we wrap and I change again into my Rachel Comey jeans and we walk to Le Muerice Hotel where I order an Uber. (UBER Pool $21.48 There was a surcharge FML)

10am We Uber Pool back to Renaissance Paris Republique Hotel. Along the way Tatyana tells me about her life in Russia and how she met her very handsome Parisian husband and married him after only a few months. She’d been living in Paris for a few years and she loves it just as much as I do. I love how she talks about love. How her grandmother worried about her because she wasn’t married by 25. She tells me about how romantic her husband is and how she loves his family. It makes me smile. I don’t even mind when the Uber driver makes a wrong turn and we end up going in a circle that costs us 8 minutes. (UBER Pool $8.64)

10:15 We shoot around my room and the hotel and then I change into my final look and we shoot in the streets around the hotel. I’m tapped out of physical cash so I stop at the ATM around the corner from the hotel and again take out 200 Euros which actually costs me $224.76 and a $5 International ATM Fee. I pay Tatyana her 150 Euro fee (for a 2 hour shoot) and upload the photos. We kiss cheeks and say goodbye, until next year. (Cash from ATM & Fees $229.76)

11:15 I’ve planned to meet Trisha and Krystin for lunch at none other than Chez Prune at 12:30pm. So I wash up, change and go meet them in the lobby. We walk over to Chez Prune and I prepare them for the amazingness that are going to experience.

12:45pm We walk into Chez Prune and my waiter says “Yes, you again” and tries to led me to a table for one, although there are clearly 3 people with me. It was actually quite funny. So then we are seated at a table for four, Trisha’s husband has joined us as well. And we proceed to having a delicious meal. I have some kind of beef with potatoes and something else and a coke followed by a coffee. I don’t even know why I ordered a coffee. Le sigh. (Chez Prune deliciousness $22, I pay in cash)

2pm We go our separate ways, I have photos to edit and the girls wanna get some street style shots done. I decide to stop by the hotel and grab my laptop and head to Jardin du Luxembourg to enjoy some sun. On my way back to the hotel I stop at a boulangerie and pick up a pistachio eclair. (Pistachio Eclair $4, I pay in cash)

2:40pm I took 3 effing trains to get to this garden! It better be gorgeous. And it completely and totally is. I sit and realize I have no cutery to eat my eclair. Damn Damn Damn! I go to a concession stand and have to pay 1 Euro for a f*cking fork. Blah. (Fork $1.10)

3pm I spend an hour and a half under a palm tree relaxing and editing photos and sending sending videos of the garden to my boss back in New York. He told me no less than 30x before I left that it was his favorite garden in Paris and was surprised I’ve never been. Then head back to my hotel to nap.

6pm I head to Ari’s bagels and pick up a delicious salmon bagel, a piece of caramel and banana cheese cake, and a bag of salt and vinegar chips. (Early Dinner $15, I pay in cash)

DAY 5 Expenses: $259.88 (Chez Prune lunch, The Eclair, Fork and Dinner were paid with the remaining cash I took out of the ATM)

FRIDAY DAY 6
8:30am I wake up and skip breakfast. I have Issey Miyaki today at 10:30am. I shower and steam my Stella Jean skirt while showering.

10am I request an Uber pool to Rue de Bercy where the Issey Miyaki show will take place and Trisha and Krystin are waiting for me. On the way we pick up another blogger who is heading to the same show. (UBER Pool $17.57)

10:45am I love Issey Miyaki. The shows are always super fun and unique with live music. I’m loving the designs and that there is so much black girl magic on the runway. They are all rocking natural hair too. I’m so proud I could dab and shed a tear.

11:30am I hang out with Trisha and Krystin for awhile before ordering another Uber back to the hotel. Only when I finally find him, the cops are question him. Clearly he has done something illegal and I have neither the time nor the patience so he cancels my ride and I order another Uber. This one arrives quickly and takes me back to Renaissance Paris Republique. (UBER Pool $9.36)

12:15pm I pack and prepare to check out of the hotel. My flight leaves tonight at 8pm so I have some time to burn. I check out and have my bags held at concierge. I was given 2 days complimentary but I have to pay for my third day as well as taxes for that 1 day. (1 Night Stay+ Taxes $317.61 and I’m charged a $9.52 fee for using my debit card Total: $327.13)

1pm I walk to Chez Prune for my last and final lunch. I am somber. This is my favorite restaurant in the world and now I have to wait damn near a year to eat here again. I order the salmon steak and it comes with a delicious citrus pasta in some green cheese like cream sauce with sauteed spinach and arugula and a salmon ceviche. I also eat about 3 pieces of bread and a coke. I savor every morsel. (Lunch at Chez Prune $19.69 +.59 cent fee Total 20.28)

2:30pm I decide to head to Reciproque the only designer consignment shop in Paris. I take the train using my metro tickets bought earlier during the trip. I end up buying a pair of vintage Chanel large 1 inch pearl earrings. (Vintage Chanel Earrings: $117.01 + $3.51 International Transaction Fee Total: $120.52)

3:15pm I head to Trocadero and admire the Eiffel Tower. I took the train. I then head back to Republique.

4pm I take another trip to Ari’s bagels and get a bagel and a cookie. (Lunch: $8.10 + $.24 cent fee Total: $8.34)

4:30pm I sit in the hotel lobby and devour my bagel and relax a bit before calling an Uber Pool to Charles de Gualle airport. The ride is long, mainly because it starts to rain and we get stuck on one tiny street for 20 minutes. (UBER Pool to CDG Airport $42.53)

10pm On the flight home, I order 2 expresso’s to stay awake the entire flight to acclimate myself back to New York time. I write 4 blog post in pages and read 2 magazines. I then watch 2 tv shows and chat with my two seat mates who spent 2 weeks traveling through Rome, Greece and Paris. Everyone on the plane seems to have the same intentions of staying awake the entire 7 hour flight, because no one goes to sleep. (2 Expresso’s $4)

*I should also note that I paid $10 per day on my international Verizon plan to basically have the exact same plan I have in the states. It renewed everyday I was abroad and cost me an additional $60.

DAY 6 Expenses: $609.73

TOTAL PARIS EXPENSES:
Day 1-3 $557.59
Day 4-6: $933.81
Total Paris Expenses: 1,491.40 this doesn’t include the $423.16 I used to pay for the flight back in June.

My total budget for my week in Paris was $1500 and I came up with $8 to spare which I will later put toward magazine money. I hope you all enjoyed this series! Thank goodness I kept all my receipts and text messages and whats app conversations to help remind me of all my movements during those awesome 6 Days in Paris!

xx

Monroe

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6 Comments

  1. October 18, 2016 / 3:54 pm

    Loooved reading about your fashion trip!! Do you intened on attending Milan or London fashion weeks? If so, I’d love to read about how you document it!

    xoxo, Jenn

    • monroesteele
      Author
      October 19, 2016 / 5:06 pm

      Hi Jenn,
      Yes I’ve actually attended Milan Fashion Week as well. You can check out my Fashion Week tab under categories to read how Milan Fashion Week was for me!

      xx
      Monroe

  2. AJ
    October 21, 2016 / 7:34 pm

    I loved this entire write up. I read days 1-6! It read so whimsical, so parisian, elegant, refined,and chic. I enjoy seeing an African American woman in this light, slay on girl! You looked great and seemed to be a natural now in paris.

    I wuld have enjoyed the different hotels (different decor,location, n atmosphere) especially, since all of it is on the hotel n comp breakfasts,um, yes please. Lol very dope and economical!

    I laughed out loud about you having to buy that darn fork, because I would have felt the same. Oh that Uber driver and the cop !

    This was dope thanks for some behind the scenes commentary on your six day stay.

    • monroesteele
      Author
      October 22, 2016 / 7:54 am

      Thanks so much Alisha! I’m really glad you enjoyed it. I had such a good time and I like to provide as much information for those traveling too. I appreciate you reading and commenting and following along in my journey.

      xx
      Monroe

  3. February 18, 2017 / 8:52 am

    I love your writing style. This was such a treat to read and brought back memories of when I was last in Paris. Can’t wait to read more of your blog. http://inexpensivechic.com

    • monroesteele
      Author
      February 18, 2017 / 3:35 pm

      Thank you so much.

      xx
      Monroe

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