JSL Travel Guide Archives

La Nouvelle Vague est lá!

10/21/2018 By Sarah 1 Comment

In the last couple years I’ve really redefined my style. Some of you may remember when I left behind the “boho” and went “French”… (People were asking me why I would do such a thing!) While maybe deviating a few times in experimentation, I’ve found a kinship to one style that I think defines my personality and artistic temperament. It may be somewhat underrated, but I feel the French New Wave style is beginning to get recognition in the fashion industry once again. And personally, I’m so happy about this because its at this very time that it feels right for me to lock down into one style for the unforeseeable future.

I’ve always been an advocate for freedom of expression and style to shift as often as the artist desires. And I can’t promise I won’t change my style sooner or later. But I’m most excited about dedicating myself to this look that feels the most like, well, me. But it’s more than just a style. Nouvelle Vague (aka New Wave) represents a time and culture that puts value on the passion and carefully stylized mood of the content. For the directors of New Wave cinema, it was all about being independent directors, shooting gorilla style and bringing something new to the table. They were film critics who felt something was lacking from film at the time, and wanted to take the matter into their own hands and put their own spin on things. It wasn’t about celebrities or having big producers. It was about the art of it all. And that’s something I’m very aligned with as an independent artist and content creator.

I’ve been dissecting my best work to improve myself as an artist. This photoshoot has remained one of the best reflections of my personal style and mood, and you guys loved this shoot as much as I did! Which further proves to me it is the most “true to me” content I’ve created- and I want to spend time making more authentic work like this! (It would be so much easier if I always lived in Paris, though…!)

With style and mood being number 1 priority with my work going forward, I am excited to use each shoot to basically create an ongoing story. One strung together between each Instagram/blog post. I want to build a tangible world within my posts that draws me in deeper, inspired for every next shoot. And I hope this story continues to inspire you, while remaining authentic! I desire to inspire not only with my fashion and style choices, but with my lifestyle choices, too.

It may all sound like a complicated concept, but I can truly envision it and I’m so excited to bring it to life and show you a deeper side of myself (and Josh)! And I think the industry could really use a dose of deeper meaning at this stage.

So I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I know I will!

Click Read More to see all the photos and get the outfit details!

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A Day at Luxembourg Gardens

04/25/2018 By Sarah 1 Comment

When the sun comes out in Paris, you can be sure you’ll see all the Parisians emerge to sun bathe in the many gardens of Paris. Lounging in the iconic park chairs around the fountains, people soak up the rays they’ve been missing during the long rainy periods. You’ll find people tanning to the best of their ability within the midst of this big city!

There’s something comforting about this garden. With all its different areas, one could get really accustomed to spending time here every day, in their own little corner of the park.

On the east side of the palace, you’ll wander into the rows of trees to a little cafe stand, where you can grab un café, un baguette sandwich, et un macaron. I recommend sitting at the little green cafe tables, beneath the trees in the speckled light. You can stare out from the canopy of leaves that perfectly frame the palace gardens, and people watch while listening to the murmur of French conversation, and birds singing.

It’s one of the more blissful memories I have, stopping here for a bite to eat during a busy day of exploring and shooting. Perfect for a romantic day with a lover, or Me Time with a good book. If you want to live like a true Parisian, spending time in the gardens is essential to your week!

Read More to see all the photos from my Day at Jardins du Luxembourg!

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JSL Paris Guide: Where to Stay

04/02/2018 By Sarah Leave a Comment

I’ve been getting many requests for tips on Paris, from where to stay, what arrondissements are best, where to shop, what to see, and more! So it only makes sense to start a SJL Travel guide segment specifically for Paris. It’s been a long overdue series!

Having spent a decent amount of time in the city, this will be a series based on all that I’ve learned and my personal experiences. I may not know everything about this special city, but what I do know will be very helpful to get the groundwork done so you know what to expect when visiting Paris!

Read more to hear my recommendations on where to stay and why!

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Paris from my Window

12/01/2017 By Sarah Leave a Comment

Our last days in Paris brought us to the coziest little hotel in Bonne Nouvelle. It wasn’t planned, we ended up here on a whim. The hotel was tucked away on a quiet street. It was Sunday morning, and it had just rained. The church bells were ringing through the empty streets, and I couldn’t have been more in love or more at home, there in that moment.

We checked in at Hôtel Bonne Nouvelle and rode the lift to the 4th floor, where we had to climb the spiraling stairway with whimsical, dizzying striped carpet to our room on the 5th floor. I asked for a top floor room so we would be away from street noise and have a view of the rooftops (a must!)

It was so quaint, quiet, and warm. Not like the somewhat old and drafty, street-noise-ridden places one might equate with this city that never sleeps. It felt like we had the whole hotel… no, the whole neighborhood to ourselves! The only person we saw in the hotel was the lovely lady concierge, who was so helpful to us.

It was one of the moments we got to slow down during the craziness of Fashion Week. I spent a while leaning out the window, staring out across the rooftops, watching the Eiffel Tower disappear and reappear again from the low clouds. Parisians came and went from their windows. Because window life is an actual thing in this city. Below, a young man smoked a cigarette out the window across from us. And when he left, his lover appeared to cut fruit and cheese on the table. Pigeons cooed on windowsills, and voices echoed softly down the cobblestone streets, but the somber sleepiness of Paris on Sunday filled the rainy air.

We had to run for baguettes and cheese, of course, but on Sundays almost everywhere is closed in Paris. So we had to forgo the iPhone GPS and follow our instinct. Or, well, stalk people who were walking the streets with baguettes under their arm, until we found our way to the nearest Boulangerie that was still open. We were pretty stoked, considering we didn’t bring any food with us to our hotel, and had to head to a fashion show in the evening.

The baguette expedition led us to Rue de Petits Carreaux- one of the prettiest streets one thinks of as the iconic Paris. Well, Paris if full of so many types of areas and cliches. But I suppose this is the vibe that sings the same frequency as my soul, because I was so utterly happy. The area really took hold of my heart with it’s timeless vibes, and I’m so glad we got to experience it. Our baguette adventure and a walk through the streets of Bonne Nouvelle will be coming up next to the blog, so stay tuned!

Read More to see the photos from our Parisian window, and get the outfit details at the bottom of the post!

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JSL Travel Guide: Cobblestone Paris

10/13/2017 By Sarah Leave a Comment

My stay with Cobblestone Paris during my recent trip was probably the best experience! It’s very easy to talk about because it was literally perfect. So I’ll just share a bit about our days while staying at their Le Passage Du Marais apartment.

We met up with David, the charming Cobblestone Greeter who took us through the passageway to our building. It was hidden away in a private, quiet passageway that was like out of The Secret Garden! Climbing the spiral stairway led us to our apartment on the second floor. We were immediately in love with the absolute coziness of the place! It felt like a welcoming hug after all the Airport madness.

If you’ve traveled to Paris before, you’ll know the all the buildings are very old. So even some of the best places to stay have that aged feel and can be just a bit grungy. Well it was literally the best surprise to find that Passage Du Marais was like brand new inside, except for the beautifully exposed, original wood beams. The bathroom was a dream, and the kitchen spotless. Everything was so quaint. I thank Cobblestone Paris for having the most impeccable standards for their rentals, creating for literally the most comfortable and effortless stay that is what you dream of in Paris!

I was also so excited about the area our apartment was located in. It is central to all the important Paris sights, and the area is one of the nicer neighborhoods. The vibes there in Marais are probably my favorite! Right down the street were the Franprix market, lots of cafes and restaurants, and the hustle of Parisians going about their day. But the absolute quiet of the apartment made you feel completely safe and tucked away like on a retreat. And trust me, that is rare, because there is a LOT of city noise in Paris!

Right around the corner was the Cafe we ate dinner, called Le Grand Cerf. Naturally I was drawn to it, sitting on the corner with it’s striped awning catching the golden hour sunlight. Everything was smiling and enjoying their meal, so we sat down in the corner and ordered our meal. Josh was determined to be bold this trip and try lots of new things, so Escargot it was! I never in my life thought I’d eat snails, but I was pleasantly surprised that it tasted warm and buttery with herbs, with texture similar to a cooked mushroom. I ate maybe a total of 6 snails while in Paris… baby steps! I ordered a mushroom flatbread, and we celebrated our arrival in Paris with some champagne and people watching.

Read more to see the photos from our stay at Cobblestone Paris – Le Passage Du Marais

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