Guest Post: Caterina of Not Just a Pretty Dress

Eat, Shop, Walk (in Paris)

Hello! It's Caterina from Not Just A Pretty Dress and I'm very happy to be here today while Cee is spending her first week in Paris. When Cee asked me to do a post I felt honored because Coco & Vera is a personal daily reading, and I thought I would share some of my favourite French & Parisian things with you.

Ready for a walk in Paris, wearing: COS navy dress, Spazio Manassei Gioielli necklace, Sans Arcidet  straw bag, Roger Vivier Chips Buckle Laque flats

Eat - There are so many delicious things to taste in Paris, starting from the famous macarons, the 'national dessert'. Everybody praises Pierre Hermé, but my favourite addresses in Paris are Gérard Mulot and La Grande Epicerie de Paris (where you can find every kind of food, not to mention that it is strategically located next to that fashion paradise that is Le Bon Marché.

When it comes to places to eat, my suggestions are: Les Deux Magots for a classic & classy Parisian breakfast, Rose Bakery (30 rue Debelleyme) if you prefer your breakfast the English style, Les Philosophes (28 rue Vieille du Temple) for delicious French brunches and Jaja for relaxing dinners in Le Marais.

Shop - The list of quirky Parisian boutiques and very well known French maisons can be never-ending. Furthermore, a Parisian shopping tour should include a visit to a pharmacy as French pharmacy brands offer an amazing range of products at very convenient prices, and personal must haves include Klorane shampoos, Nuxe skincare, Avene Eau Thermale water, and the great moisturiser Embryolisse's Lait-Crème Concentré.

Here I would like to share my latest French obsession, a label that is very close to Cee's (fashion) heart: Les Composantes. The concept behind Les Composantes is to create a small capsule collection of 'essentials' - the perfect black dress, the classic 'cabas' bags, the stylish pumps in different shades, etc. - which are made with quality materials and are available in small quantities that are sold online every month for 48 hours. I can guarantee you it's like a fashion race, but the joy of getting one of their Nola bags (my favourite model) makes it totally worth it.

Walk - I love wandering through the streets of Paris. While Saint Germain (especially the small streets behind the Musée d'Orsay) and Le Marais (the place to visit on Sunday as everything is open) remain my favourite areas, there are so many beautiful spots that one of the best things to do is to explore the city by walking around. Of course a map is always essential and, thanks to my friend Jess, I recently came across the cutest maps ever: Herb Lester's "Paris for Pleasure-seekers" and "It's Nice to Be Alone In Paris". They are both pretty and very useful to plan and enjoy your trip.

I hope you have enjoyed it and Cee, I hope to see you in Brussels very soon!