PARIS

A couple months ago, Mckenzie, a photographer based out of Florida, reached out to me about making an "about me" video for her. In the video she wanted to include a part about her love for traveling and teaching photography in workshops. She had one coming up in Paris and of course I jumped at the opportunity to film these parts for her. About a week before the trip Mckenzie contacted me about one of the models having passport issues and not being able to come anymore. She asked me if I'd be able to but of course I asked her if she'd want me to pass over some of my recommendations. And who better to model than the one and only Syd Stagg!? Within a few days Syd had her plane ticket bought and all the details were worked out! I'm so happy that we got to go on another amazing adventure together!! I'm sorry that this is such a lengthy post- I mostly like to keep it so long for my own memories to look back on.

*video and vlog at the end of this post!

I couldn't get over these amazing views on the way ther. SLC > CDG

after we first arrived in Paris! A few hours before this picture was taken we were hauling our suitcases through those cobblestone streets haha! Such tourists!!

FIRST TIME VIEW OF THE EIFFEL TOWER!!!

Eiffel Tower crepes- what dreams are made of

3/7- today is the day we technically touched down in Paris and started our trip. Me and syd were in such a funny mood when we were at the airport just because of lack of sleep and excitement for the trip. It took us 2 hours to finally make our way to the loft that we are staying at. We hauled our suitcases through the metro, got lost and had to turn around a couple times, and carried our suitcases up and down several stair bridges. We looked like such tourists I'm sure but we just laughed at ourselves. We met everybody who is a part of the collective and had french burgers from uber eats delivered to us while we worked out all the plans for the week. In the evening we headed out to see the Eiffel Tower. It was honestly surreal to just walk out the steps of the metro to a view that I've dreamed about literally for my whole life. Like out of nowhere it just popped up right in front of us and was right there!! We walked around and got a yummy banana Nutella crepe and it was so good. Probably one of the happiest moments of my life right there. I think that's part of the reason why me and syd are such good friends- because we've spent so many of our lives happiest/coolest moments together. 

About to have lunch IN the Eiffel Tower. IN not AT. There's a huge difference.

The picture we'll show our daughters someday^ such a classic Paris Pic

Posting this one on the blog mainly because I was so proud of my ascot outfit. I can only pull something like that off in France.

MONA LISA!!

If you ever find yourself in Paris, please treat yourself to Angelinas hot chocolate. It's such a charming little place and the hot chocolate is literally melted chocolate. We had it for dinner. It was SO good!

Stood in the middle of the road to get that shot please appreciate it^

3/8- we started the day off with a bus tour (not our favorite because no pic opportunities) and then a cruise along the siene river. On the cruise was the first time syd started modeling officially on this trip and it was so fun to see all the photographers pose her and swarm around her. She's so in her element and I'm so glad she's here! Afterwards we went to lunch IN the Eiffel Tower. Big difference between in and at- we were in. While we were there we took tons of pictures too of course and it felt like a dream of course. The next stop was the louvre which was awesome. It's not like any other museum I've ever been to- all the art was so curated and (obviously) European. There's nothing else like it! My favorite piece was the oath of the Horatii because it's literally the only low key one that I knew from my art history class. I was so proud of myself! We split off after the louvre with another girl so it was just the three of us to get hot chocolate at Angelina's. It was SO decedent and thick no other hot chocolate will ever live up to it. We literally ate it for dinner haha! Zara was within walking distance and since it's a European store we just had to check it out here in Europe. Last stop was a metro ride away- to the arc de triomp to enjoy the night time view and take some pictures quick. I think the hilight of the day was possibly when the group split off and one of the girls came with just me and syd to get hot chocolate. On our way back to the loft she said something along the lines of "I'm so happy I came with you guys! I had much more fun than I would've with the other group!" It shook us because we thought we literally were the groups most hated since we're the youngest and can be a little exclusive sometimes and have our own sense of humor. We literally said a prayer this morning to be able to reach out and make new friends so it was almost a tender mercy to hear that.

Pure happiness moment: walking down the streets of Versailles with a delicious croissant, hot chocolate, and my best friend.

VERSAILLES!

All 300 stairs to the top of the Arc were worth it for this view!

3/9- at the beginning of today we took a long metro ride out to Versailles. It was so pretty and seriously unreal outside of the city! The happiest moment of today was walking around with a croissant and hot chocolate looking at all the darling little houses on our way to Versailles. Me and Syd couldn't stop laughing at the velvet walls and how "extra" it was. It was cool to wonder what the equivalent of it will be 200 years from now... will people tour the White House and listen to schpiels about how the presidents used to live there or things like that. Syd modeled for a while at Versailles while I took a ton of videos. After that was all done we broke off from the group and came across the most adorable boutique ever. We splurged on a couple timeless Paris pieces and then got lunch at a little pizza place. It was the best feeling because we just stumbled upon the PERFECT and exact things we were looking for with no agenda for the rest of the day either- just walking around and exploring. We took the metro back to the arc de triump and walked up all 273 steps to the top. It was such a beautiful view of the city and so cool to see all of the streets going out of it. The stairs or something really got us tired because after that we couldn't help but stop back at the loft to freshen up and sleep for a sec. For dinner we had crepès for "appetizers" and then Indian food after we decided we weren't full. It was quite the combo but so yummy! 

Breakfast at LADUREE!!!!! It definitely lives up to every bit of hype that it's given!

Locked our luvvv. S+M 2017 Travel Partners In Crime

FAVE musée was the musée de l'orangerie (aka the Orange museum). It's the only museum me or Syd has gotten through the ENTIRE thing and still wanted more. It's so lovely!!

Watch the vlog for the story on this little bike cart thingy. It's rough.

CREPES AT THE EIFFEL TOWER PART 1,000 ARE YOU EVEN SURPRISED?

3/12- church in France is so much fun. Satan really didn't want us to come though- when we tried to get on the metro nearly everything that could have gone wrong did. Our metro passes expired, the line we were supposed to take was closed, and we were running late to meet the sister missionaries. But we made it! When we bought new metro passes we accidentally just bought one way ones so we didn't think they'd work when we got on the next train after meeting the sisters but it magically did! The church is true haha! Something I have strengthened my testimony of whenever I find myself in a foreign congregation is that the church is true wherever you go. This was the first time I haven't been to an English ward though and it was so weird to have to be the one getting translated to. I really liked it though because the wording is different and made whatever anybody was saying seem fresh and new! Plus what the speakers said was exactly what I needed to hear even though it was in french. 

our last stop was Laduree for some macaroons to go!

Paris thoughts overall:
There is no other place in the world that I've looked forward to or dreamed about going to more than Paris. There aren't very many other moments I'll have in my life like the ones I did seeing the Eiffel Tower, Arc De Triomphe, and all the other sights in my favorite city. It’s literally the most magical place because it’s everything that I expected it to be. You think you’ll eat delicious bread and see couples kissing on benches and cute ladies riding bikes and that’s exactly what it is. It’s so charming. Also, no PDA is gross in Paris. For some reason it’s all cute.

This vlog is 5 billion years long so I'm really sorry about that. I decided before leaving that I wanted to vlog mostly for my own memories and to look back on. So if you want some serious behind the scenes pop some popcorn and get comfy or just watch the little hilight reel below!

PARIS from Madison Pritt