All smiles for our annual family Manhattan Beach vacation. Took a day trip into the city to walk around Melrose Place where I grabbed a little refresher from Alfred’s Tea Room. My go-to order is their iced vanilla earl grey milk tea. Style update: I have been living in light weight Reformation dresses and these thin Dior wire framed sunglasses all summer long.
Where to Shop in Aix-en-Provence
Make sure to stop by the Sézane in Aix for a more relaxed assortment compared to their Paris location, I picked up a pink vintage inspired sweatshirt for my airplane ride home. Right across the street is the beautiful Bastide fragrance boutique, my favorite scent was their Rose Olivier Eau de Toilette.
Window Shopping in Cannes
Summer in Provence
After spending the week in Paris, Patrick and I hopped on a train and headed to the south of France. I have been to the Provence region in the past, but never had a chance to explore Gordes which is where we rented a house for our stay. From there we spent each day exploring different towns and even made a trip over to the French Riviera.
Where to Shop
Each day in Provence there is a different market in a different town, which is always a fun excuse to do some shopping. We planned our days around where the market was going to be, picking up fresh produce for dinner while keeping our eyes out for pretty linens and homemade jams. The market in Aix-en-Provence had the best selection of billowy eyelet and printed dresses in my opinion and one of my favorite market days was in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue which is known for its antique shopping.
Where to Eat
Our first meal of the trip was at Clover, a new restaurant at La Bastide de Gorde which has an amazing view looking out over their lush vineyards. Each dish was so fresh and unique, I ordered the “puff” pizza which came out looking like a savory pastry dish. For lunch one day we went to their Italian spot La Bastide de Pierres just around the corner where Patrick and I split a pizza and a pasta dish.
Where to Explore
One of our more adventurous days we headed to the Côte d'Azur where we spent the morning walking around Saint-Paul-de-Vence, one of the oldest Medieval towns in France. Its windy cobblestone pathways are charmingly filled with art galleries, boutiques and perfumeries. Just a short drive from there is Antibes where we visited the Musée Picasso, and then on to Cannes where we ate lunch on the beach.
The Yves Saint Laurent Atelier
If you are ever in Paris be sure to spend an afternoon at the original haute couture house where Yves Saint Laurent spent nearly 30 years designing his collections, now known as the Musée Yves Saint Laurent. I spent the majority of my time there lingering in the atelier which has been kept exactly as Yves left it. From experience I know a fashion studio can be stressful, chaotic and fast paced, but there was something very peaceful about this room in the afternoon Parisian light.