dinner, friends, & party at the Louvre

I happened to get off the metro at a different stop to visit the ATM and pick up more Euros, this stop was "Madeleine." I got out and was immediately wowed by the neighborhood. It's clearly upscale, and the shops were quite impressive. There was more than one Fauchon, a French gourmet food company. I believe one was a chocolate shop, another the boulangerie (bread store), and also a cafe! I also spotted the Maille store! They make fantastic mustard which you can buy in the U.S. though their French products are apparently different and better. Unfortunately they had closed shop for the night so I didn't get to purchase anything :(

I had to hurry on my way as I had only 3 hours until my party at the Louvre! But if I find some extra time tonight I think I'll head back to the neighborhood for some more perusing. 

My hotel recommended a local French restaurant nearby. I had a great salad with goat cheese and a filet of beef with potatoes for dinner. They also served a really nice glass of Bordeaux! The table next to me was a mother and daughter from New York! They just arrived in Paris for a weeklong trip so I shared recommendations based on my time here so far. They're going to take the Chunnel to London for a day trip next week... I'm quite jealous as this is something I have always wanted to do. ...next time! 

While at dinner I also met an American woman that recently moved to Paris for her husband's job. She doesn't speak French yet and is having a hard time integrating into the culture here. So I reached out to my friend here and also the nice woman that invited me to eat dinner with her friends and family on Tuesday night. Hopefully something clicks ...I love connecting people!!

I quickly got prepped for the party. Thankfully I threw a Diane Von Furstenberg  dress in my suitcase just in case! It takes up almost no space and it's so pretty, one of my favorites... aubergine, to the knee with a deep V in the front and back. I paired it with a pearl necklace (tripled up at the neck), black cut-out tights from We Love Colors, and my Prada black patent leather peep-toe pumps.

The party was at the Carrousel du Louvre. There was a live band, some really cool DJ's that wore cat masks, and an Absolute sponsored bar! They were making tasty cocktails and had a neat set-up. It was mostly networking, no dancing, but fun none-the-less! I was nervous I'd be more dressed up than everyone else... After all, most people are sporting jeans during the day. Turns out it worked, attire really spanned the entire spectrum and I wasn't the only female in a dress.

It was a late night and it will be an early morning, but I'm looking forward to the interviews and discussions at the final day of LeWeb. Followed by a fondue dinner with Natalie (where the wine is served in baby bottles), and possibly a trip to the Louvre!