tips

I am not a Paris expert. I’ll say that right off that bat.

In fact, even though I’ve been to France before, I actively avoided Paris. It seemed too mainstream, too simple, too done. Everybody goes to Paris.

But on my way to Tanzania, I wanted a long layover to acquaint my body with different time zones (and possibly let my bags catch up with me, in the event of misplaced baggage). I also hoped to explore somewhere I’d never been, and when I mapped out all the flight options, Paris was the winner.

It turns out that people go to Paris because Paris is wonderful. There’s no other way to say it.

Everything looked like it had been plucked right out of my high school French textbook, which was cool because I genuinely enjoyed French class. (I don’t remember any French, mind you. But I enjoyed it.)

I was instantly charmed from the moment I opened my balcony window and gazed over the city. My love only grew from there.

Where to stay

I wanted to be within walking distance of Musée d’Orsay, my top priority of things to see. So I found Hôtel de l’Université, a sweet little place in Saint Germain des Prés. It’s on the left bank and nestled in a quiet section of the city but still close to good restaurants, shops, and many tourist sites. It was also well within my budget.

Next time I would probably stay somewhere in Le Marais, which is a bit livelier, has more of a foodie scene, and is historically known to be the LGBTQ+-friendly district.

Where to eat

The first mistake I made in Paris was something I do too often when I travel — I wait to eat until I become ravenous, then I find myself in a place with few options, and I snarf down something sub-par. And so it was at Musée Rodin, when I was about to eat my own hand. I ordered something from the on-site cafe, because sometimes museum cafes are terrific, but this one was very sad.

Now every time I see The Thinker, I will assume he’s pondering why the soup is cold and the pasta tastes like glue.

From that point on, I visited Paul each morning and kept a loaf of bread on me at all times. Kind of like a Boy Scout, but armed with a baguette instead of a pocket knife.

For really excellent Thai food, I loved Street Bangkok, which has locations all over the city. (Yes, I went all the way to Paris for Thai food, and it was delicious.)

I could’ve eaten the fresh dumplings every single day at Raviolis Nord Est.

While wandering, I was lucky enough to stumble across the oldest cafe in Paris, Le Procope, which serves traditional French fare.

Honestly, I don’t remember everything I consumed as I ate my way around the city. But there was one night where I walked through the Latin Quarter and ordered one small thing from nearly every place I encountered, from vegan fast food to tiny pastries, and it was one of the best nights of my life.

I also couldn’t resist these sweeties from Laouz.

What to do

With such a limited amount of time, I figured a tour would be the quickest and easiest way to see a lot of landmarks and orient myself.

• I booked a vintage motorcycle ride with Retro Tour Paris, which was so fun. My tour guide was kind and accommodating, customizing the tour to include everything I wanted to see. But the best thing about it was that so many people smiled and waved as we rode by. It felt like I was interacting with Paris rather than getting shepherded through it, which has been my experience with other kinds of tours.

• I also wanted to maximize my museum time, so I bought the Paris Museum Pass in advance and booked time slots whenever possible, so I could skip the lines and breeze right in.

While I risked getting museum-ed out, I’m impressed with the sheer amount of art and beauty I squeezed into my few days. Here’s a little taste. (Also I cried, because that’s what happens sometimes when I see magnificent things.)

• I’m a fragrance-phile, so I couldn’t leave Paris without visiting the Musée du Parfum and creating my own scent with Fragonard.

Tips

• I read way too many guidebooks in advance that warned against taking the Métro. So that was my next mistake. I spent my first two days clomping 15 miles/day all over Paris in my hiking boots, and I ended up injuring my right ankle to a point where I didn’t know if I could climb Kilimanjaro — the whole reason I was heading to Tanzania. When I finally gave in and took the Métro, it was so fast and easy, I felt foolish for not using it earlier.

That said, pickpocketing is a real problem in any city on any public transportation system, so be very aware of your belongings.

• I do advise getting the Paris Museum Pass. It was a great deal, and the sites are varied enough that you won’t get bored. It also saved time, since I avoided the massive lines.

• Finally, don’t be like me. My biggest mistake of all was that I didn’t give myself enough time in Paris.

Here’s what I’m NOT doing this year on Election Day: Buying a bottle of champagne for a party. Watching the results. Feeling hopeful.

I did all of those things in 2016, and now they are cursed. Yes, even hope.

This time around, I can’t do it again. I just can’t.

According to my research (that is, tweets from my friends), a lot of us are in this emotional place. Right about now we’re looking for healthy distractions and self-care strategies to cope with Election Day 2020.

Here are some ideas to keep from doomscrolling all Tuesday long:

Meditate. Maybe you’re wondering, “Why in the world would I want to sit with my own thoughts right now?”

Because it’s like the past several months have been the anxiety playoffs, and now it’s The Big Game. This is go time. Your stress just beer-bonged a Gatorade and is in top form.

Meditation helps counteract the stress response in the body, instantly decreasing the heart rate, dropping blood pressure, and quieting the mind. Headspace has a great explanation of this here.

If you’re new to meditation, Dan Harris has an election-themed starter pack here. I’m also a fan of the free app Insight Timer, which has a huge library of guided meditations, as well as a no-frills meditation timer. It’s also great for sleep, which brings me to …

Nap. I’m an emotional sleeper. Maybe you are too.

Sometimes when I feel myself shutting down from the world, the best thing to do is shut everything off and get some rest. Even a quick coffee nap can help. (What? You’ve never heard of coffee naps? Here, allow me to change your life.)

Get physical. Channel all that energy into something that will only makes you stronger. I’ve bookmarked some 90-minute Peloton classes. My friend Kristi is running her own half-marathon. Maybe there’s a mountain you can climb or a new trail to explore.

Snacks. Self-explanatory and entirely your choice. But I’m from the Midwest, so I lean toward anything that involves a potato.

Remind your friends and family to vote. Yeah, a lot of us have already voted, but give a nudge to your pals who haven’t.

Dive into a good book. I’m a fan of transportive nonfiction, so I recommend Catfish and Mandala, Spirit Run, and Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube. Also here’s a shameless plug for my own book.

If fiction is more your thing, I was blown away recently by Interior Chinatown and The Vanishing Half.

Vote. I mean, you’ve voted, right?

Scream. Did you know there’s a website where you can record yourself screaming and then someone will release your scream into the vast wilderness in Iceland?

It is precisely what I needed to tide me over until my Anger Barn (um … a barn where I can smash dishes) becomes a reality. Thank you, Internet.

Bathe. This is the day bath bombs were created for. Let those suckers fizz.

Get inspired. Read this letter from Heather Cox Richardson. It did give me a little bit of that h-word that rhymes with “nope.”

Do something. It’s not a total distraction from Election Day, but you can still help get out the vote in key states. Being part of the process is empowering.

Be patient. Remember that we probably won’t have results on Election Night. Don’t contribute to the noise, don’t spread of rumors and unverified news, and don’t panic. Axios has some good tips for navigating this time.

Please for the love of pete, go vote.