Wanderer

My semester spent studying abroad in Paris were some of the best months of my life. Living on a student budget (aka nothing) and traveling with my friends on a whim. What more could a hopeless romantic like myself want?

So I thought I’d share some of my favorite places in and around Paris. My camera is cheap and my photography skills are limited, but I thought I’d share my own personal photos. Plus, it lends some character to the whole experience.

The Eiffel Tower

The obvious choice, but for obvious reasons. By day the Eiffel Tower is a majestic piece of architecture. But by night it transforms into a magical, sparkling, enchanted beacon in the center of the city of light. My friends and I spent many a night enjoying the hourly sparkles with a bottle of champagne. Oh la la!

Sorry for the blur!

Versailles

It took a short train ride out of the city to reach this destination, but it was totally worth it for a Marie Antoinette addict like myself. The palace itself is gorgeous and opulent, but I was surprised how much I enjoyed exploring the grounds, gardens, and Petite Trianon. And of course, I couldn’t get enough of the amazing chandeliers.

Hall of Mirrors

*drool*

Relaxing by the lake

Giverny

Monet’s home and gardens had been a dream destination for years, so I was beyond excited to visit this Garden of Eden. It was crazy to see the inspiration for many of Monet’s paintings in real life. I spent hours there snapping pictures of the gorgeous flowers. I only wish we had been allowed to take photos inside Monet’s home. Each room was painted a different bright hue that lit up the room.

The beached rowboat featured in many of Monet’s paintings

Musee L’Orangerie

This tiny museum that was formerly the royal orange tree greenhouse was probably the museum/art gallery that I visited the most, even though it was the smallest. Its main exhibit features 8 of Monet’s water lily paintings, inspired by his lily pond at Giverny. The two huge rooms were oval shaped, with the long, rectangular canvases curving along with the walls. It created this amazing infinite feeling, like one painting flowed into the next and continued on forever.

 

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Shine Bright, Shine Far

I have always been attracted to bright, shiny objects, which is why it’s probably not surprising that I an enamored with chandeliers. When we bought this house in Texas, I knew I was on a tight decorating budget, so I hit up garage and estate sales for furniture. My parents were so happy with my dirt cheap finds that they decided to buy one new item for me for the house. Obviously, I decided on a chandelier to hang over the kitchen table. Here it is below, all small and shiny and glowy.

My beautiful chandelier

I think my chandelier obsession began when I was studying abroad my sophomore year in Paris. I went to visit Versailles and was completely awestruck by the hundreds of chandeliers there, especially in the hall of mirrors. Below are some of my favorite from that palace.

Hall of Mirrors

In one of the bedrooms

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