In a nutshell, Paris—to me—is the most magical place I’ve ever been. Before I delve deep into what we did on our 5-day vacation there, I figured I’d start with the most quintessential part of our trip: the Eiffel Tower. We took the metro there, and as we rounded the corner past the subway exit, we looked up and there it was. As many times as I’ve seen the Eiffel Tower in movies and photos, and talked about it throughout eight years of studying French, nothing could have prepared me for how magnificent it looks up close. 

Per the advice of a friend, we watched the forecast to pick the sunniest day and waited in line to take the elevator to the top. I loved the rickety feel of the elevator as it slowly made the climb up. Then, in minutes, we were stepping through the doors and out onto a platform to take in unlimited views of Paris—the rooftops, the gardens, the Seine. Like I said, nothing could have prepared me for the beauty of that sight. 

After an hour or so, we decided to skip the elevator and slowly make the climb down. Matt managed to snap the somewhat awkward, somewhat cool photo of me above. I mean, who wouldn’t want a shot of themselves inside a leg of the Eiffel Tower? It’s a pic I’m happy to have, and a memory I’m happy to share.

Have you been to the Eiffel Tower? What did you think? More Paris tomorrow!

If you read yesterday’s post, you saw incredible photos from my friends’ Irish wedding. Hard to believe that was only day one of our trip! From Clifden, we drove back to Galway, where we checked into the most lovely B&B I’ve ever stayed at: the Kilcullen House. If you ever find yourself in Ireland, book a room at this place—it’s reasonably priced, centrally located, and run by the most welcoming staff you could possibly imagine. We dropped our bags, and got back on the road—this time, traveling down to see the Cliffs of Moher. We took the scenic route, which made for a tight squeeze when passing others on the road, but was completely worth it since it meant we could drive along Ireland’s beautiful coast.

Other Ireland favorites:

*The Guinness Factory tour in Dublin was touristy, yes, but tons of fun. It also features one of the most impressive views of the entire city!
*The castles. I felt like I fell into an episode of Downton Abbey every time we passed a magnificent castle, like the one pictured above near Clifden.
*I grew up in a small town, but I couldn’t get enough of the cows, sheep and horses, roaming in the sweeping fields along the roads as we drove by. Also, amazing—the stone walls! It’s incredible to think about how long ago they were built, and how they’ve withstood the test of time…and inclement weather.
*The food. We had the pleasure of dining at Kai, a delightful spot in Galway, where I enjoyed one of the best meals of the entire trip. Matt’s steak—pictured above—was so tasty, with all organic ingredients, too.
*Last, the very best part of Ireland is the small town vibe of a country so lush, green, friendly and kind. Everywhere we went we either made friends or ran into them, which is exactly why I posted the pic of myself and my friend (and fellow wedding guest) Stephanie. Matt and I ran into Steph and her husband Tom the last night of our trip at a pub in Dublin. Together, we walked over to the Ha’penny Bridge over the Liffey River — a magical way to say goodbye to the city, and get ready for our next destination: Paris!

At last! Time to update you on my lovely and delightful trip across the pond. First stop: an Irish wedding. Our friends Shalah and Christian got married just outside of Clifden on the western coast of Ireland. We were amazed at how green and gorgeous everything was as we made our way from Dublin to Galway. 

The wedding took place at Rosleague Manor, a stunning spot with breathtaking views of the Irish countryside. After an outdoor ceremony, we enjoyed a five-course meal, and dancing late into the night. The biggest struggle for Matt and I? Our jet lag! We took the red eye into Dublin the night before the wedding, and managed a couple of hours of sleep before the ceremony began. But it was absolutely worth it! The pics above should give you a glimpse of the day—the beautiful bride, the map filled with place settings, the blessing I got to read during the ceremony right after the couple said ‘I do’.

Have you ever been to Ireland? More to come on my travels this week!

The weekend! At last! How was your week, my darling readers? I hope it was lovely, despite the humid, foggy, rainy weather we’ve been having this week. I’m ready for that crisp fall air — aren’t you? The next couple of days are devoted to baseball (go Giants!) and catching up with friends. What do you have planned? Here, to get your weekend started right, a few happy posts from around the web:

Girly pink bathroom. (Remember mine?)

More storm porn.

Pretty aprons. (And one more from Elephantine!)

Purple and pink by design.

DIY spaghetti sauce.

J’adore this lady in blue. (Plus: I want this lovely tee.)

On intelligence.

Beautiful tissue paper garlands.

Do you speak shellfish?

An October playlist, a la Note to Self.

(Image via Pinterest)

Thanks to Pinterest, I stumbled upon the work of Chelsea, the talented artist behind the Etsy shop Oh My Deer. Her gorgeous prints — pictured above — are available to buy and frame, each a wonderful sentiment to share and keep close to your heart. More of her work can be seen here.

I must admit — I adore the e.e. cummings line. Do you have a favorite quote about love?

(Images via Oh My Deer)