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Hi, nice to meet you.
I'm Hallie, a Midwest native, New York City transplant and the mind behind corals + cognacs. If you're looking for an online destination for stylish inspiration and musings on Manhattan living, you've come to the right place.
Here's a bit more about me (and if you'd like to keep in touch, you can find me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook).
I hope you enjoy reading corals + cognacs as much as I enjoy writing it.
FAQ //LOCATION: New York, New York •BY WAY OF: The Midwest (Cleveland/Chicago) •HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE? Attainable, trendy and fun. I’m constantly wearing unexpected pairings – like statement pumps and a graphic tee. •FAVORITE ITEM IN YOUR CLOSET? The vintage Gucci clutch I thrifted for $40. •ANY OBSESSIONS? I like my coffee black, my heels high and my martinis dirty. •GUILTY PLEASURES? Complex carbohydrates and shoe shopping -- both in excess. (And SoulCycle, as a result.)
ARE YOU A FULL-TIME BLOGGER? No, I work as a Development Manager and Contributing Editor at Glam.com. •WHY DID YOU START YOUR BLOG? I've spent nearly seven years on the corporate grind, where sartorial humor and an expertly crafted color-block can get lost in the boardroom. As a result, I decided to create a blog -- a space where I’d hoped my writing, styling and excessive shoe collection would be better comprehended. •WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Living stylish and spontaneously in New York City – and beyond. I aim to inspire others to have fun with fashion and to live lightheartedly •HOW’D YOU THINK OF THE NAME? To be honest, the name just came to me. I’m a big color-blocker and a sucker for alliteration in writing. It just fit. •WHAT’S THE CORRECT WAY TO WRITE IT? corals + cognacs.
HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE IT? corals and cone-yaks. •WHAT KIND OF CAMERA DO YOU USE? A Canon T3i with a 50mm f/1.4 lens. •DON’T YOU FEEL WEIRD TAKING PHOTOS OF YOURSELF? Absolutely. Everyone looks at me like I’m insane – especially when it’s cold. Wouldn’t you? •DO YOU WORK WITH ADVERTISERS/SPONSORS? Yep! Shoot me an e-mail and let’s talk. •HOW ELSE CAN WE KEEP IN TOUCH? On Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
I’ve got lots of photos to share for today’s installment of Postcards from Paris — from the Louvre to the Tuileries Gardens and more — so grab that coffee and let’s get to it.
For starters, though, let’s talk about where we stayed.
Rather than paying an arm-and-a-leg for a hotel, we went the AirBNB route. And let me tell you guys: I’m never doing it differently!
We really lucked out with our place – it was super central, in a safe neighborhood (the seventh arrondissement), and adjacent to one of our favorite streets – Rue Cler (where we picked up most of our daily picnic supplies). We were steps from the Eiffel Tower, too!
If you look at the photo below, we’re in the middle building – second floor from the top.
On the corner of our street was the Bedford Diner, which is also a Brooklyn-based restaurant. This helped us to feel a little close to home, even though we preferred to stay off the beaten path and go “where the American’s don’t go,” as it was worded. Have I mentioned the French really don’t like us much (at first)?
One night, we ended up at a nearby dive – a smoke-filled, hole-in-the-wall bar with really quirky, vintage decor. (Think typewriters, floor lamps and sofas.) It was kinda charming, actually. I asked – in broken French – for three glasses of wine, and the bartender ignored me and gave us a bottle. No complaints there, obvi.
He spent the rest of the night throwing ice at us constantly, but I think that’s just because he didn’t know how to wink.
It’s hard to resist an autumn walk through the parks of Paris. And there are a lot of them.
Among my favorites were the beautiful Tuileries Gardens (below), which stretch their chic French lawns along the grand Seine river between the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay. A close second is the lovely Luxembourg Gardens.
The Arc de Triopmhe is perhaps the most iconic of all French monuments. The traffic is mayhem and it’s crawling with tourists, but it’s a sight that thrills nonetheless. Kinda like Times Square if you’re not from New York, I suppose?
The Arc stands at the center of Place de l’Étoile, which is the hub from which all 12 grand avenues meet and radiate to form the star for which the Place de l’Étoile is named.
Another one of my favorite landmark locations was the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris. I grew up in an Irish-Catholic household, so exploring and experiencing one of world’s most renowned religious centers was a bucket list item of sorts.
Notre-Dame is technically known as the heart of Paris.
It’s easy to miss, but there’s a brass star in the sidewalk across the street from the cathedral’s main entranc. This marks the exact location of Point Zéro des Routes de France, whereinall distances in France/from Paris are measured from this spot.
One of our favorite things to do in Paris was to walk. We spent countless hours and logged lots of miles strolling up and down the Seine, especially. Like a true tourist, I’m pretty sure I have 200 variations of the same photo!
… And all that walking was a good thing, because we often stopped for blueberry or Nutella crepes. And wine.
I am so freaking jealous of your trip it’s not even funny. You need to do a guide on how you were able to afford this trip + how you were able to see almost all of Paris in such a short amount of time! And art directing to strangers is also a specialty of mine… lol!
YES I second Larisa’s comment! I’d love to see a true travel guide post. We stayed in an AirBNB in NYC a few years ago and it was awful. Think cockroaches, dirty sheets, hair on the pillows, and a pipe in the bathroom that was always scalding hot (and un-protected- stepping out of the other you could just barely avoid burning yourself really badly). So glad you had a better experience! http://www.youtube.com/sparklesandsuch26
Ah! I’m so jealous that you were in Paris! I studied abroad in France in college and got to take a few trips to Paris. Walking all over is the best, I’m pretty sure one day we walked over 6 miles one day from our hostel all around Paris. I also love the Tuileries Gardens! It was actually Pret a Porter fashion week while we were there (it was March) and we happened to be walking through the garden when a show got out. It was crazy!
I’m loving all of these Postcards from Paris posts! It’s fueling my wanderlust even more!
There truly are no words to describe the incredibly beauty that is Paris that I see in these photos. I’m sure the photos don’t even due Paris justice (although they’re pretty close)! You said you had more to share, right? 😉 Look forward to it! Soooooo, sooooo beautiful!
I am so freaking jealous of your trip it’s not even funny. You need to do a guide on how you were able to afford this trip + how you were able to see almost all of Paris in such a short amount of time! And art directing to strangers is also a specialty of mine… lol!
xx Larisa @ weheartbeauty.com
Great idea, Larisa. Thanks! I’ll start gathering ideas for a post encompassing these things. x
Yay!! 🙂
Your pictures are stunning and I love your outfits!
xo
Kristin of LivingInColorPrint.com
YES I second Larisa’s comment! I’d love to see a true travel guide post. We stayed in an AirBNB in NYC a few years ago and it was awful. Think cockroaches, dirty sheets, hair on the pillows, and a pipe in the bathroom that was always scalding hot (and un-protected- stepping out of the other you could just barely avoid burning yourself really badly). So glad you had a better experience!
http://www.youtube.com/sparklesandsuch26
Oh gosh, EW. Sorry you had that experience in NYC. We would only consider AirBNB locations that had positive reviews, so that’s a good place to start.
I think a travel guide-centric post is a great idea. Appreciate your suggestions!
Fueling my case of wanderlust one post at a time… 😉
And there is more where that came from!
Ah! I’m so jealous that you were in Paris! I studied abroad in France in college and got to take a few trips to Paris. Walking all over is the best, I’m pretty sure one day we walked over 6 miles one day from our hostel all around Paris. I also love the Tuileries Gardens! It was actually Pret a Porter fashion week while we were there (it was March) and we happened to be walking through the garden when a show got out. It was crazy!
I’m loving all of these Postcards from Paris posts! It’s fueling my wanderlust even more!
Oh my gosh! Your photos are amazing! I need to get to Paris ASAP!
-Meg
http://www.smalltownsisters.blogspot.com
Wonderful pictures - I miss Paris!
Liz @ ShoppingMyCloset.com
A $300 Kate Spade giftcard giveaway on the blog
There truly are no words to describe the incredibly beauty that is Paris that I see in these photos. I’m sure the photos don’t even due Paris justice (although they’re pretty close)! You said you had more to share, right? 😉 Look forward to it! Soooooo, sooooo beautiful!
xo, Stephanie
http://glamslamblog.com
I do, yes. : ) Glad to hear you’re not sick of them just yet!
Oh take me back to Paris! Your photos just had me right back in one of my favorite places! Thank you for a gorgeous little escape 😉
Gorgeous photos Hallie!
xo,
Melissa
MissyOnMadison.com
Enter My Dora Landa NY Giveaway -> http://bit.ly/1wD8pIi
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Looks divine and makes me really want to go back to Paris soon!
oh I’m leaving for Paris in 120 days and it can’t come soon enough!!! Do you have a link on where you stayed?? the location looks perfect!
LOVE your blog 😉
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