Paris Faves:

Cafe:

Lina's

The perfect mix between modern-but-still-feels-like-you're-in-Paris, and plus -- they have free wi-fi and it's air conditioned! 

We're obsessed with all their sandwiches (you can build your own! That's unheard of in Paris!) and our favorite dessert they have is the raspberry white chocolate tart.

I think it's a chain but the one we always went to was in the 2nd arrondissement at 50 Rue Etienne Marcel!
I instagrammed our visit here if you want to check it out!

Bakery:

It's a toss up between Le Moulin de la Vierge in the 7th arrondissement (not a bad pit stop on your way to or from the eiffel tower!) and Legay Choc Boulangerie Patisserie in the 4th (literally a stone's throw away from the George Pompidou museum. Perfect afternoon in Paris: go to the Pompidou then go get as many pastries and baguettes as you can eat from this bakery.)

And yes, the second place is the gay-kery, and so a visit here is simultaneously entertaining [and a little scarring] AND delicious.

But let's be honest, you can't go wrong with hardly any bakery in Paris. 

Shopping area:

Get off at Les Halles or Etienne Marcel metro stop and wander! That whole area is fantastic for shopping. 

Best Ice Cream:

It has to be Berthillon and it has to come from one of the vendors on Ile de St Louis. 

And just accept the fact now that it's going to cost way more than you're comfortable paying for ice cream... and yes, you do need to get 3 scoops because France's definition of an ice cream scoop is about 1/4 the United States' definition of an ice cream scoop... 

But none of that will matter when you're like "WHOA" and realize you've never had pear ice cream taste this good (or salted caramel for that matter).

Traditional French Restaurant:
Au Pied du Sacre Coeur (in Montmartre, right below Sacre Coeur)
Amazing french food, atmosphere, and evening (it's really a french meal -- we were there for over 3 hours!)

Favorite view:

Another toss up... I love the view from the top of the Arc de Triomphe (you can see all the boulevards- including the famous Champs Elysees- and have a stunning view of the eiffel tower, not to mention you can watch all the cars below you trying to not get in a car accident while navigating the largest roundabout in Paris, sans lanes, called La Place de l'etoile. It's so entertaining, I could watch for hours.)

OR if you want a free view, head up to Montmartre and sit on the steps in front of the Sacre Coeur!

I mentioned in this post how much a love that part of the city. 

Strolling/hanging out: {Top 3}

We love the Tuileries!

For a variety of reasons:

a)  they used to be the French Royals backyard, so they're beautiful and if you're there around dusk it's incredibly magical, really I mean that.

b) there's been a carnival going on in the middle of them (see pictures of said carnival in this post) all July and they have the best licorice candies. JP and I somehow found ourselves walking through there a few times a week to buy these specific licorice ropes, they're that good. And we have no self control.

Okay and we LOVE walking along the Seine at night! Crisscrossing the bridges, waving to people on the boats (JP doesn't wave, I do, remember our attitude toward the boats from this post? :), and really just getting a feel of the city coming alive after the sun has gone down is so much fun. 

Also, if you're a runner (Yeah, I had great ambitions of getting into shape while I've been here and I could count the number of times I've actually gone running on my hands haha) you should run along the Seine or on the dirt path around the Eiffel Tower! Both are great views and not full of people. 

And last but not least, you have to, HAVE TO, go watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle. 
Grab some drinks and treats and go sit at the park (champs de mars) in front of the tower and starting at 10 PM, it sparkles every hour on the hour for about 5 minutes. It's magical. 
Everyone erupts into cheers when it starts and then it's like this mad race to enjoy it but also get as many good pictures as possible while it's still sparkling... Very entertaining to watch. 

JP and I would walk to the Eiffel Tower probably 5 times a week to watch it sparkle! (we live just a ten minute walk away, remember?)


And those are my faves! If you have any of your own, please add them in the comments! 
I found most of these places from recommendations from other blogs so please, share your knowledge and then it's a win-win! 

And that concludes our time in Paris! Which is sad/happy because next up is London for a few days! Hooray!