A company recently reached out to me asking if I’d be interested in sharing 10 places that I love and think are The Best! These places can be anywhere in the world and since I’m so fortunate to travel often + I adore finding & experiencing new foods, restaurants, studios & workouts, juice & smoothie shops, cafe’s, hotels and all of those wonderful things, naturally I accepted!
If your reading this and travel often, perhaps you can take this list & find it helpful if you happen to find yourself traveling to the same state/city/country as the places I’m sharing here! Something I love to do when it comes to travel & discovering new spots I’d love to take in, is add it to my ridiculous list of “Things & Places to Go/See/Do” in hopes of someday getting there. :)
So here are my Top 10, in no particular order. Picking just 10 was not easy – I’m so lucky to have been to so many amazing places, but that just means I’ll have to choose 10 more sometime soon!
Hope you enjoy & able to scope out these places if they happen to be something/somewhere up your alley! xx
PS: Quite the Francophile, you’ll begin to see a trend in my list here!
Much Love,
“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.”
1) Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme. Paris, FR.
So in love with this hotel! Located on Rue de la Paix, at Place Vendôme, you are within walking distance or a short taxi ride to the best shopping, restaurants & Paris sights – The Louvre, Eiffel Tower & Notre Dame – to name a few! You’ll want for nothing in this incredible, luxury hotel. I am obsessed with the magical scent you’ll smell all over the hotel, in your room + the lovely toiletries, exclusively designed for the hotel by Blaise Mautin, a Parisian ‘parfumeur’.
2) Barry’s Bootcamp. NYC/LA.
Coined as “The Best Workout In The World”, Barry’s is the ultimate ass kicking combining Treadmill HIIT (high intensity interval training) + strength training – I love every super sweaty minute of this heart pounding, push-your-limits workout! I’ve been to Barry’s in both NYC & LA but they have locations in multiple cities. You can ready more about Barry’s Bootcamp, here.
3) Customshop. Elizabeth/Charlotte, NC.
Showing some love for my city, this local haunt is a favorite of my boyfriend & I. Customshop is just a great neighborhood spot that you can always count on for really good food & wine with great service. We love this quaint, warm & cozy, upscale yet causal spot, serving handcrafted local fare. Sitting at the bar is kinda our thing, where you can watch as they put together their lovely cheese & charcuterie boards & desserts which include house-made ice creams!
Custom Must-Haves:
– yellow fin tuna crudo
– whichever yummy seasonal salad is currently available
– beef carpaccio
– skillet brussels sprouts
4) Cafe Gitane. NoLita, NYC.
Cafe Gitane is quite possibly one of my favorite cafe’s ever, in one of my favorite NYC neighborhoods. This casual-cool French cafe is always buzzing, serving delicious, healthy food, fabulous French wines, coffee, teas & fresh juices. Read more about this cool cafe + menu must-haves, here.
5) Toby’s Estate Coffee. NYC.
This top 10 wouldn’t be complete without a rad coffee shop! This small batch roaster located in Brooklyn, NY is on the top of my coffee-love list! Their coffee is just so good! You can enjoy Toby’s Coffee at their Brooklyn (Williamsburg) or Manhattan (Flatiron or W. Village) locations. I have only been to their Flatiron store (5th Avenue b/w W20th & 21st) which I adore. This location is one of those cozy, make-you-want-to-stay-for-hours places as it adjoins with Strand Bookstore + Club Monaco. The bookstore just draws you in with its beautiful collection of books, flowers, candles and such. And Club Monaco, no brainer — love this retailer. Toby’s itself, is a very small space but totally worth stopping in. I can’t wait to check out their newest W. Village location, where you can take part in their Brew School (fun!), next time I’m in the city.
6) Republique. LA.
I loved everything about this low-key, elegantly-cool, modern French LA eatery.
The restaurant: High ceilings, exposed brick, eclectic decor, lit perfectly with a mix of ambient lighting & candle light, (candles in mason jars!? Oui Oui!) various sections of seating – mixing high & low + community tables + fun bar with plenty of stools available, you can have a drink or stay put for your entire meal.
Food & Drink: beautiful, seasonal, health-forward menu serving local foods in a creative, yet simple manner + handcrafted cocktails. We had this incredible warm salad of Roasted Cauliflower with curry, dates, pistachios & mint. OMG — amazing! And healthy, too!
7) ModelFIT. NYC.
ModelFIT is a newish boutique studio that I had the opportunity to check out on my most recent trip to NYC. Combining all of my favorite forms of movement – yoga, pilates, barre techniques, balance & functional training – I loved the studio & the workout that left me sore all over. You can check out my review on ModelFIT, here.
8) The Louvre Museum. Paris, FR.
This historic French landmark is just amazing. Housed inside the Louvre Palace + the Tuileries Gardens nearby, you are surrounded by so much beauty & incredible architecture. The Louvre is home to the famous Mona Lisa and so many incredibly works of art. If you enjoy museums, be prepared to spend a fair amount of your day here! Crawling with tourists during the day, we just so happened to pass the museum at night on our way to dinner and it could not have been more gorgeous. On our way back to the hotel, we asked our driver to please stop so we could get out and just take it in — all lit up, with no one around. I’m so grateful I had the chance to see The Louvre in both lights. (no pun intended)
9) Juice Press. NYC.
So many juices, so little time, yes? There are so many amazing juice & smoothie shops all over but I am partial to JuicePress in part because I like the fact that they are not strictly on the juice bandwagon since I do lean more towards the smoothie side of this liquid health movement. With that being said, I do love juices as well and JuicePress just has really fantastic juice with some of the yummiest combinations I’ve seen + they come along with fun & catchy names! My other fave are their Immune Builders — I LOVE Ginger Fireball & Pink Punk! Next time you find yourself in the city definitely pop into one of their many locations!
10) Ladurée. NYC/Paris.
Oh la la! I adore Ladurée macarons. This French Patisserie is the most famous macaron maker in the world. If your so lucky to find yourself in Paris.. 1) I’m beyond envious! 2) Ladurée macarons & are a must-do/see/taste/experience/indulge. State side, you can get your hands on these decadent, beautifully colored, sweet puffs of air in NYC. I like to pop into the Broadway location, grab an almond latte + pick out a lovely selection of macrons to take back home with me! My ultimate fave is the Pistachio.
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