Paris en Printemps

It's a gorgeous, blue skies and sun kind of day here in Vancouver... the kind of day that reminds me of Paris in late February. There are innumerable things I love about the French capital, but its climate is high on the list. I can't think of anything more agreeable that clear skies and mild temperatures (nearly) all year long.

In honour of my pining for Paris, I've compiled a list of my new favourite apartments for rent from Ah Paris. (You'll probably notice that a lot of them are in the same arrondissements... I have to admit, I did concentrate on areas I'd want to stay while spending my springtime in Paris. Many are also more expensive than my usual picks, but let's face it; I'm fantasising.) Their list of vacation rentals is modified and added to constantly... so much so that they have added a See our Latest Listing feature on their homepage.

If you're lucky enough to be spending springtime in Paris, consider renting one of these apartments...

#102 4eme arrondissement (M) Rambuteau Sleeps 4 41m²

120€ night/800€/2400€ month Minimum stay: 3 nights

Amenities include: TV, Telephone, WiFi, oven, dishwasher, washer, dryer

Everything about this apartment is lovely, but the bathroom is particularly inspired... still a rare thing in Paris!

#225 4eme arrondissement (M) Hôtel-de-Ville Sleeps 2 25m²

95€ night/580€/1600€ month Minimum stay: 3 nights

Amenities include: TV, DVD, telephone, WiFi

This apartment has so much Parisian charm that I'm willing to overlook the almost total lack of amenities.

#277 4eme arrondissement (M) Saint-Paul Sleeps 5 32m²

108€ night/750€/2835€ month Minimum stay: 5 nights

Amenities include: TV, internet access, oven




#317 12eme arrondissement (M) Reuilly-Diderot Sleeps 4 38m²

94€ night/658€/1974€ month Minimum stay: 3 nights

Amenities include: TV, DVD, WiFi, oven, dishwasher, washer, dryer

Between the loft bed, stylish decor and immaculate bathroom, I really can't decide what my favourite part of this apartment is... probably all of it!

#332 4eme arrondissement (M) Bastille Sleeps 4 42m²

120€ night/800€/2500€ month Minimum stay: 3 nights

Amenities include: TV, DVD, telephone, WiFi, oven, dishwasher, washer, dryer, bathtub

This apartment comes with a veritable library... what more need I say?

#351 2eme arrondissement (M) Réaumur-Sébastopol Sleeps 4 40m

160€ night/935€/2265€ month Minimum stay: 3 nights

Amenities include: TV, WiFi, oven, dishwasher, washer, dryer, bathtub

I just love the turquoise accents!

#352 4eme arrondissement (M) Rambuteau Sleeps 3 30m²

125€ night/875€/2625€ month Minimum stay: 3 nights

Amenities include: TV, telephone, WiFi, oven, bathtub




#360 9eme arrondissement (M) Pigalle Sleeps 2 15m²

85€ night/595€/1785€ month Minimum stay: 3 nights

Amenities include: TV, DVD, WiFi, oven

I admit, this one is pretty tiny... but it's immaculate and adorable, perfect for a girls weekend away.

#399 18eme arrondissement (M) Jules-Joffrin Sleeps 2 35m²

100€ night/700€/2100€ month Minimum stay: 2 nights

What this apartment lacks in amenities- and there are virtually none- it more than makes up in style.

Seattle: Where to Stay [Hotels]

Staying in a luxury hotel in Seattle is a waste of money. There is so much to do in the city that you will scarcely see the inside of your hotel room. Forget the swimming pool, sauna and name-brand bath products- all you really need is a place to rest your head at night.

Seattle is a beautiful city that people want to visit. It should follow that all accommodations will be expensive, particularly if you're travelling between May 1st and September 30th. [Prices also go up on long weekends. If you can, for more reasons that just the price flux, avoid travelling on President's Day (the third Monday in February), Memorial Day (the last Monday in May), Independence Day (July 4th) and- I cannot stress this enough- Thanksgiving (November 11th).] Even if you really only need a place to sleep, rather than a place to stay, it's important that you get what you pay for. While most hotels in a similar price range are created equally, they are not all maintained equally... And more than a nice hotel, you want to book one that doesn't have fleas, bedbugs or other vermin.

With that in mind, I've picked out a few places to stay in Seattle that are worth every penny. And a few that should pay guests for suffering with them.

When visiting Seattle, try booking a hotel room at...

Marriott Residence Inn - Seattle Downtown Lake Union 800 Fairview Avenue North

This is hands down my favourite hotel in Seattle. The location, next to Lake Union and near- but not right in- downtown is unbeatable. While the outside of the building is nothing extraordinary, the interior is impressive- rooms are all along the outside of the building, leaving an almost breathtaking cylindrical, high-ceiling lobby that is far more imaginative than anything you'll find in most large chain hotels. The rooms are magnificent; comfortable, spacious and never anything less than immaculately clean. Complimentary continental breakfast is served daily in the tiered common area- the spread includes, but is not limited to, a waffle station, fresh local pastry, fruit, oatmeal and eggs. Parking is available, but there is also a transit stop right outside. Although expensive during high season, the Residence Inn offers excellent prices in the winter and cannot be matched for price/quality parity by any other hotel I have ever stayed at. As far as I'm concerned, it deserves five stars.

Silver Cloud Inn - Seattle Lake Union 1150 Fairview Avenue North

The Silver Cloud Inn at Lake Union has unadulterated views of Lake Union, lovely accommodations and a generous complimentary breakfast. But what won me over was none of those things... it was the giant, jewel-encrusted pig in the lobby. I have heard it called an art-pig. Frankly, I'm not sure how I feel about that term, but the pig goes a long way to distinguish the Silver Cloud Inn from other mid-range, mid-priced hotels. The Silver Cloud Inn is no Holiday Inn. The chain is local, with no hotels outside Washington and Oregon, and their participation in the Pigs on Parade event (held in both 2001 and 2007, in honour of the pig who has long graced the Pike Place Market) is a testament to that. For an authentic Seattle experience, this is the place to stay.

Capitol Hill Guesthouse 1808 East Denny Way

Part bed-and-breakfast, part-vacation apartment, Capitol Hill Guesthouse is located in a character home on Denny Way. Offering both short- and long-term rentals, this guesthouse is not for travellers who need a lot of attention. However, if you want a nice place to stay with access to kitchen facilities (and if you're looking for something affordable that isn't in Everett or Tacoma), Capitol Hill Guesthouse may be the place for you. Some rooms have private baths, some do not. I have not stayed here personally, but have been in contact with the staff on several occasions and find them very helpful. Best of all, parking is available at no extra cost! Although all rooms are well-kept, I would advise tall travellers to avoid the basement rooms... the ceilings are reportedly quite low.

When in Seattle, you must not stay at...

Sixth Avenue Inn 2000 6th Avenue

My brief stay at the Sixth Avenue Inn is the only bad experience I have had with anything in Seattle. Ideally located within walking distance of Pike Place Market and Seattle's downtown shopping area, this hotel has nothing going for it other than its street address. To say it is dingy is diplomatic. The entrance, located below street level, is poorly lit and has not been updated since the early 1980s. A pervasive smell of stale cigarette smoke fills the entire building. The beds are hard, the sheets scratchy and the approach to cleanliness cavalier at best. One night here is too much. No matter how low the price, just remember... you get what you pay for.

Know a fabulous place to stay in Seattle... ? Make sure to share it in the comments section!

Welcome to the Emerald City!

I think I love Seattle because I believe if the city were a girl, she would be much like me. Outwardly pretty and stylish but undeniably quirky and brainy, at times too smart for her own good... attracted to brick architecture, a fan of old school punk, always dressed in skinny jeans and positively allergic to anything remotely resembling a trend.

I can identify with Seattle.

Seattle illustrates perfectly what I find most fascinating about the United States. I grew up in Central-Eastern Canada, and spend my childhood visiting the Dakotas, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Florida. Each of those states is utterly distinct... Florida is a deep south as can be; all gators and grits, while Minnesota is a subtle, sprawling land of unassuming wealth and unexpected sophistication. But the dichotomy between East and West is even more polarised, almost as much as the gulf between South and North.

I will grant that each Canadian province is distinct from all of the others, but our country simply has not been around long enough to develop the kind of history with which the United States is imbued. We have never fought a civil war. Our politicians strive to unite us by choosing the least widely offensive course of action in any given situation (hence Mr. Harper's recent decision not to include safe and legal abortion in his G8 maternal health plan, claiming that the abortion issue- in spite of having been a non-issue since it became legal in the 1970s- is too divisive.) Provincial cuisine is limited to carnival food like poutine and beavertails. But I digress...

The American West Coast is not the laid-back hippie paradise that it has been painted by stereotypes. Seattle likely has twice as many burger joints as health food stores. But year round fresh air and mild temperatures do allow for an sense of pervasive healthy activity. People walk. They bike. They climb. Public transit is a well-used resource rather than a sadly neglected neccessity. Relatively isolated from much of the country and culturally distant from neighbouring Idaho, Washington- and Seattle in particular- vibrates with the kind of creativity bred from a sense difference. The city is a veritable hot bed of independent music, a haven for writers and the birthplace of Amazon.com. It counts Jimi Hendrix and Gypsy Rose Lee among its native children.

What makes Seattle truly unique is that it is a small city that feels big. Although the metropolitan area is home to less than 600,000 people- few enough that the concept of a public market is not only feasible but successful- that has never held back its progress or expansion. Seattle has everything that bigger cities have- world class cuisine, breathtaking landscapes, buildings in various fascinating states of decay... - but its size allows for an intimacy that New York and Los Angeles have long since lost. It will at once captivate and embrace you.

Getting ready for a wild ride... Seattle is like nowhere you've ever been.

Adios Barcelona!

As some of you might have guessed, I've been avoiding this post. There's something heartbreaking about leaving a beautiful city behind, even if it is only in writing. Saying good-bye to Paris after spending months expounding on all that I love about it was almost more than I could bear. I know the cliché about all good things coming to an end, but frankly, I think that's unfair and, rather than accepting it as a fact, will continue to rail against it for the rest of my adult life. I can't help it; that's just me.

All that said, I have run out of valuable information about Barcelona to share with you all. At the end of the day, my recommendations are a place to start, but they won't get you all the way there. Travelling is about discovering things for yourself and making your own memories. I challenge you all to find your own favourite hotels, restaurants and shops in Barcelona - or wherever it is that you're going next. (And, of course, tell me what they are so I can test them, too!) There's no feeling quite like walking through a dingy little doorway and finding a beautiful, aromatic restaurant on the other side. Not every little dingy doorway you find will open onto that kind of wonderful mystery. But turn those doorknobs, anyway... because you never know what glorious experiences you might miss out on if you don't.

That said, farewell Barcelona!

Our next stop on the One Suitcase, Seven Shopping Bags tour is London, England. I must admit, I had some misgivings about even including London as a voting option. It has never been my favourite city, which I believe can be explained by the simple fact that I like my foreign destinations to be truly foreign. Without a language barrier, unusual architecture or unfamiliar cuisine, London seems- to me, anyway- like home, with an accent. But since the capital of the United Kingdom won the vote, I've had nothing but enthusiastic responses... and I'm intrigued to find out what all the fuss is about.

But before London, we're going on a little detour... to Seattle, Washington. Since my first visit in 2006, I have not been able to contain my enthusiasm for the Emerald City. Vancouver is my home, and I love it, but I can't help thinking of Seattle as its prettier, more sophisticated older sister. I'm going to spend the next few weeks telling you all about my favourite Seattle hotels, shops, restaurants and attractions.

And then, for a special twist, I will actually be travelling to Seattle. Look for daily updates about my new discoveries starting on May 26th!

Bisous!

And the winner is...

...London! One Suitcase, Seven Shopping Bags will be travelling to the capital of the United Kingdom in a few short weeks. But first...

*DRUM ROLL*

...we will be taking a somewhat unscheduled detour to one of my favourite cities in North America, if not the entire world; Seattle, Washington!

Check back for a farewell to Barcelona in the next few days. After that, we're heading stateside!

Bisous,
Cee.

Musings on the European Economy...

...with a travel theme, of course!

After reading about how the economy in the Euro zone has ground to a complete halt (you can see what I was reading about here...), I found myself- very selfishly- pondering what it would be like if the Euro was deemed a failure as a universal currency, and thus abolished.

The first time I travelled to Europe, the French still sold things in Francs and the Germans in Marks. Five French Francs were equal to approximately one Canadian dollar in those days. Travelling in France still wasn't cheap, but the debts you incurred were the pleasant, manageable kind that, although not exactly fun to repay, brought back a sense of happy nostalgia for baguettes and cheese with each installment. I don't think I even need to mention the joy that travellers experienced while on the continent, knowing that their spending money was going further than it would have at home. I have never met a woman who didn't relish a memory of returning to North America with a gorgeous Parisian dress, and smiling quietly at all the compliments she received, knowing her je ne sais quoi ensemble cost little more than 20$? It was glorious! But beyond that, using Francs was a part of experiencing French culture, whereas spending Euros- which belong to everyone and therefore cannot be sentimentally tied to anyone- is a soulless, wholly economic endeavour. There is little, if any novelty in it. Francs were French. Euros are money.

From the perspective of a very amateur economist, I can see that why the Euro seemed like a brilliant idea. But history and game shows have shown an old proverb to be true: a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The strongest economies in the Euro zone, rather than buoying the weaker ones, have been dragged down. In another, Euro-free world, smaller economies might have suffered smaller losses, and been equipped to shoulder them alone. In the reality in which we now live, a recession in the entire Euro zone has already proven a crushing blow.

I know it's crazy to dream that the French will return to trading in Francs. But I can't help wishing that maybe one day I'll be able to pull my old collectors' items out of the piggy bank where I store useless money- devalued Mexican pesos, African bills once given out as cereal box prizes and, alas, my old Francs- and use them to buy myself an Orangina at a café in Paris.

It doesn't seem all that likely. I'm just saying...

Bisous,

Cee

PS: Don't forget to vote for where One Suitcase, Seven Shopping Bags will go next! Polls close April 15th, 2010!

Travelling along...

Our time in Barcelona is nearing an end... in fact, all that really remains is a fond farewell to the Spanish city by the beach. With that in mind, it's time for you, my dear readers, to decide where One Suitcase, Seven Shopping Bags will go next.

That's right, it's time to vote!

Vote for your favourite city as often as you like- but do it soon! Polls close on April 15th, 2010!

Berlin, Germany          0 votes
Sofia, Bulgaria            2 votes
Vienna, Austria           2 votes
London, England        6 votes