France Planning

I finally have some time to post about how to plan a trip to Paris France and what I learned from my recent vacation to Paris with my very poor memory of my middle school French-Canadain Teacher from Quebec. This was an actual last-minute trip because of expiring flyer miles with Air Canada that needed to be used and I know a lot of influencers have been going to France in the last year not for sites but for skincare before it was the luxury bags or Fashion Week. I had a good time and found a lot of similarities to when I visited Korea and even Japan but I would not recommend going during summer due to the high amount of tourists but that's Europe in general. Another reason I wanted to go is because I used to be hugely into Madeline as a kid too, and even had my aunt take me to see the live-action for my birthday so that was probably a major factor in going now. I don't know what it is about Paris or the French but people who have never traveled there have a lot to say. 

Anyway, I will focus on Paris but I will also mention day trip suggestions and other places to visit. We stayed in the oldest part of the city called the Latin Quarter which is in the same neighborhood as the oldest building in Paris the Notre Dame. Another thing a lot of people claimed that the city smelled like "Piss" but to me, it smelled like any big metropolitan city so bring your favorite portable perfume samples if you are sensitive to smells.

FYI If don't know yet next year the EU which France is a part of will be requiring all visitors to apply for a visa we don't know when that will be instated but it probably be before or after the Summer Olympics.

Things to know...

• Prepare a list of sites you want to see on Google Maps and research what tour and day is best to book them.
• Unlike the USA where double occupancy is not an added cost, it is in France. And you pay a tax for each day you stay in the city center. (It is kind of similar to the Airport Tax when go rent a car here in some metropolitan cities).
• Learn some basic polite greetings/phrases and if you are buying items learn shopping phrases because they will come in really handy (also it is good to know how to haggle if you are at those souvenir shops). Some French people are very fluent speakers of English or they know very little English and some aren't willing to talk in English so manage your expectations. French people are blunt/direct like New Yorkers but are very polite and actually remind me of my mom.
• Plan on Flying over the weekend and arriving Monday/ Tuesday because weekly metro passes end on Sunday.
• Bring at least $100 per person for extra expenses 
• Bring a copy of your passport photo if you plan on getting a metro card once you land that lasts 10 years.
• LASTLY, France just like any major city has a Pickpocket problem so stay vigilant. (Every video watched on this topic made me think of Pink Panther cartoons because they don't like being caught red-handed).

Budget For France

France Diplomacy - Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs

https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/

Visting

https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/coming-to-france/requesting-a-visa/

Studying

https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/coming-to-france/studying-in-france/

Airport

When booking your Flight this is focused on North America, book your flight between Early Morning to Noon because you'll spend half a day traveling if you live in North America. We flew from LAX at 7:30 am to arrive in Montreal at 12:30 pm and had a 3-hour layover with the majority of it spent in Canadian Customs and went onward to arrive at CDG a little before 6:00 am. The majority of you will fly into and out of Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG). You can take the bus or train from there to Paris. I think Terminal 2 is where most International Flights land which is the last stop of their metro which is the RER Line B or you can take the RoissyBus. The terminal is long so make sure to have some good walking shoes and make sure where your airline is. 

When you get off the plane and exit the baggage claim to find transport you will pass the Tax-Free office/Kisoks make sure to pin it on your Google Maps. Once you get to the RER B line station you need to either buy a ticket at the machine or go to the "Billets Paris et Ile de France" office (they also have an app called "Île-de-France Mobilités" but it's only available on Apple store) to get an IC card called a Navigo Decouverte which is where your passport photo is needed. The photo image machines are a pain but they work best with Euros. I have heard you could get an IC card outside of the Airport but I think a lot are trying to stop this due to security reasons and it's only at select locations.

FYI If you plan on buying anything in France just know you have an allowance per person and when you claim your taxes everything is itemized electronically that's why so many influencers shocked when customs know what they bought. 

Transportation

It takes about an hour if you take public transportation and depending on the time of day it takes 45 to 60 minutes to get into the city.

• Rentals (I don't recommend renting a car unless you are staying 30 miles outside the city or planning to travel to another province just make sure you have toll tags). If you live in the States then there isn't much of an issue because they drive on the same side as we do but just be aware of bus and bike lanes.
• RER (Réseau Express Régional) is co-ownded by RATP and SNCF. RATP has an app called Bonjour RATP which was recommended by a Parisian but make sure to create an account before you arrive. SNCF is the National Society of the French Railways and the app is called "SNCFConnect" which is another recommendation from Americans living in France.
• RoissyBus drops you off on the Rive Droite of the Seine River in the heart of the City and a shopping hotspot.
• Disney Shuttle: If you plan on staying at a Disney Resorts, I suggest contacting Disney about getting picked up from the airport.
• Uber: If you are not comfortable with speaking French or don't want to be taken advantage of this is a great option
• Taxis are good options for getting around the city but use them at your own risk.
• Bikes and Scooters (even electric unicycles) are available but I'm not sure how you can rent them while we are there I didn't know the laws of the land but they did have bike lanes on major streets but it's still a work in progress. Uber also has the option to rent their scooters.
• Private Car pick up

Data & Wifi

It's pretty secure in terms of security in Paris so finding public wifi will be pretty hard. If your phone is unlocked you can buy eSIM and top up as you go just make sure you can contact them if you have an issue. The other option is to see if your Cell phone provider has an international add-on which is what I did but for the first full day, I didn't know to turn on roaming to get it to work.

Stay Accommodations

When I was doing my research the Latin Quarter was the best area because it was on some people's itineraries and it was one of the oldest neighborhoods since it has some ruins dating back to Ancient Rome. However, if you want to be Central then staying near the Louvre is highly recommended. Another thing to note closer you are to the Eiffel Tower the more you pay so make sure you learn about the Neighborhood you are staying in if you want to visit further out. The third-party booking locations I suggest below are near the Roissybus and RER to the airport which will make for easy transfers from other lines. It is easier to remember where you want to go to other Arrondissements (Districts/Neighborhood). 

Third-party Booking locations and nearby sight-seeing

AirB&B
I would recommend this if you are confortable traveling in Europe or it is your second or third time visiting France. 

1st & 2nd Arrondissements, the Heart of Paris
To/From the Airport: RER B Line to Chatelet Les Halles for the 2nd Arrondissement or transfer to Metro 1 (yellow) exit station at Tuileries 1st Arrondissement

• Lourve and Tuileries Garden
• Shopping 

3rd & 4th Arrondissements, The Marais
To/From the Airport: RER B Line to Gare Du Nord transfer to Metro 5 (orange) exit station at Rebulique 3rd Arrondissement

RER B Line to Chatelet Les Halles transfer to Metro 1 (yellow) exit at station Hôtel de Ville 4th Arrondissement

• National Archives
• Cognacq Museum
• Picasso Museum
• Notre Dame
• Sainte-Chapelle
• House of Victor Hugo & Place des Vosges
• The Bastille
• Parish Church of Saint-Paul of Saint-Louis

5th Arrondissement, the Latin Quarter

To/From the Airport: RER B Line exit station at Saint Michel Notre Dame transfer to Bus 47 (pink) at Petit Pont and get off at Censier Daubenton for the 5th Arrondissement

• Curie Museum/ Curie Musee 
• Cluny Museum/ 
• National History Museum 
• The Grand Gallery of Evolution
• Jardín des Plantes/ Garden of Plants

6th Arrondissement, Saint-Germain-des-Prés
To/From the Airport: RER B Line exit station at Saint Michel Notre Dame transfer to Bus 96 (mustard yellow) or Bus 4 (purple) at Saint Michel and get off at Rennes-d'Assas for the 6th Arrondissement

• Luxembourg Palace & Gardens
• Saint-Germain-des-Prés
• Panthèon

9th arrondissement

To/From the Airport: Walk to Terminal 2b-2d get on the RossiyBus to the final stop Opéra

• Palais Garnier
• Musee du Parfum
• Quarter Pigalle
• Musee de la Vie Romantique
• Siege Galaries Lafayette
• Printemps Haussmann
• Chaussée d'Antin — La Fayette

Terminal 2b-2d

Terminal 2b-2d

Sight-Seeing
I say this upfront because if you are older or have mobility issues you may need to book through all paid inclusive touring site that can drop you off in front of the venues because Paris has a very hilly geography and requires calves of steal at points. The other option is to get a City Pass for Tour Buses like Tootbus or BigBus Tour but it's only good if you are just staying 24-48 hours in the city.

Next, I suggest you create an account with GetYourGuide which has an office in Paris and HQ based in Germany so they are the go-to for European sightseeing if you are not sure what to book their algorithm keeps track of the top sights. Also, I suggest getting Skip-the-line or Group Guided Tour Tickets.

Itinerary
Ticket - (T)

Day 1 / Monday

• Shopping: 
• Paris Flea Market 
• Larudee (pastries)
• CityPharma
• Monoprix

Day 2 / Tuesday Day Trip

• Full-day visit to Palace of Versailles (w/ Marie Antoinette's Estate) & Gardens (Make sure to try the Ice Cream and Laudree pop-up shop's Macaroons) (T)
• Giverny

Day 3 / Wednesday

• Perfume Making & Musée du Parfum Tour (T) and Shop
• Opera Garnier (T)
• Galerie Lafayette 
• Printemps Department Store

Day 4 / Thursdays 

• Musée de la Vie Romantiquez

• The Basilica of Sacré Coeur de Montmartre (T)

• Dinner Show at the Moulin Rouge (T)

Day 5 / Friday 

• Sainte Chapelle (T)
• Notre Dame
• Orsay Museum (T)
• Louvre Museum Guided Tour (Night Tour is after 6 p.m.) FYI The Egyptian section is currently under renovation. (T)

Day 6 / Saturday Day Trip Options: 

• Mont-Saint-Michel (Normandy) (T)
• Normandy Landing 
• Loire Valley

Day 7 / Sunday Paris: 

• Eiffel Tower (T) and Trocadéro
• Place de la Concorde
• Arc de Triomphe (T)
• Seine Cruise/ Dinner Cruise (T)

Shopping & Dining 

Most tourist areas around Paris have those "gift shops" but you better know how to haggle also helps if you live in a Touristy city these shops are pretty much the same all around the world. In the Department Stores and Boutique shops they usually have Tax-free options but has higher spending requirement than I have seen in other countries. Also, check your customs claim requirements because there are spending limits per person but can be combined based on the number of people in the household. 

I got a lot of recommendations from four YouTube channels; One for Packing, Cosmetics/Shopping, and All of the Above. There is also Rick Steves which is mom's favorite to watch on PBS and YouTube. In addition, I would skip the restaurant recommendations during the tourist season which is between May and September because there will be a wait. But if you really want to eat at one of the recommendations you can make reservations via Google and the hotel can make reservations if you have time. I suggest eating near your hotel or at your hotel.

Other Locations

Orleans

Lyon

Boudreaux

French Riveria:

Còsta d'Azur (Occitan)

Marseille

Saint-Tropez

Cannes

Nice

Monaco

 

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Life Update: #KCONLA2023...Sorrows, Sorrows and Prayers

 Hi Subbies,

This month has been a roller coaster for me but this week I'm actually feeling worse than weeks before. I went to Head In the Cloud for the first time and had a fantastic time with my K-pop friend who is just amazing. I had planned the accommodation but it was hard for us to choose which package to get. The only downside was my allergies went into overdrive and I blamed Coachella because ever since I can't do more than one day at an outdoor festival without heaving over and gasping for air. Then I went on vacation from work because I had flyer miles that needed to be used before the end of the month. My co-worker was confused by the flyer miles expiration which yes is a thing. I took my mom with me but she didn't expect all the walking. 

Anyway, I wanted to talk about KCONLA2023 which I attended last weekend. I was delighted because I got to see old acquaintances and my K-pop Concert Friends whom I chat with daily on Instagram. However this year as a veteran KCONNER, I was very disappointed. Let me give y'all some background, I am a 2-generation K-pop (SM and YG were my gateways) Boomer lol, I attended the very first KCON when it was in Irvine, CA. Last year was by far the best KCON I have attended but this year CJ E&M really dropped the ball which should not be surprising because they run Mnet. Everyone I talked to I had to apologize to them because they had so many hardships at the convention including myself. I'm currently seeking a refund because the staff and security could not communicate thus me waiting in line for over 2 hours to miss the very first Meet&Greet w/ the High Wave that I paid out of pocket just to be told to get in an already long line. Mind you I did the regular M&G and Red Carpet all weekend last year with no problems because there was a pre-check. Also, there were a lot of newbies to KCONLA, and KCON on the East Coast was pretty nonexistent so we had a lot of out-of-state KCONNERs who deserved better if they only knew which is why I'm writing this post.  

Side note: Why are all these news outlets coming out about Rain (Bi) after all these years of NOW holding him accountable It is just hilarious to me ad they waited until after his performance to distract international fandoms from actual news going on in South Korea. Meanwhile the big 3 accountability where are y'all at!? If you want change hit them where it hurt, their pockets in my Orbit voice. Oh, I didn't forget the backlash from the job posting again for KCON. They forgot this America nor South Korea. 

So today I put together all the issues that came up with KCONLA2023:

1. Schedule Conflicts/ LineCon

If you attended Anime Expo this year at least you may have had the crowd to contend with the first day as usual but at KCON that was not the case.  The Convention opened up at 10AM and the first M&G was at 10AM and there was no separation like last year where you had the Line to get into Con and one for M&G. Also they keep overbooking the M&Gs and I think 4-M&Gs per day are best and should be held 1 hour after the opening of the convention. The line for the first two days took over 2 hours and some people didn't know there were three lines on the first day so some people got into the venue in like 10 minutes. My friend ended up going back to her Hotel because of just standing for hours in that line each day to get into the venue. Also don't get me started on the food court line that was a mess by the end of the Con.

a. M&G Ticketing confusion

I literally got confused about which M&G artist numbering on the e-ticket versus the schedule, simply put the artist on the e-ticket. I was literally exhausted because I had to wake up early after attending the concert the night before to get in line to get into one after another just find out that my actual M&G for day three was at 2:30 PM. I've had an issue with scheduling for a minute but the security from the last couple of years actually knew what they were doing when it came to crowd control.

2. Paying more for less

As I said before compared to last year the quality of the convention was at its worst I have seen it. I was expecting the convention to start putting out info about the convention and ticketing by mid-May and by June the tickets would go on sale however I missed those emails and didn't have any long-form info since I was out of town when they went on sale I had to pay for second-hand concert tickets which weren't anything new for me however Convention didn't account for how natural disasters and the crowd but they were probably banking on the latter to cover cost and inflation. I would have looked back at older KCONs because when conventions start they have to be cost-effective. They didn't even have RFIDs this year so we had to get new wristbands every time we wanted access. 

Also, people thought the convention was bigger this year and I was like...

The convention hall in the South Hall is way bigger and there is even more space under the hall and their side hall for events which is where the M&G, Red Carpet, and Showcase used to be held. Don't get me wrong I like West Hall which is where the original convention used to be when they moved to LACC but I've seen it look way better than what I've seen. 

a. Food Street Scrapped

So usually KCON has Chick Hearn blocked off for food vendors and for queues to get into the Crypto Arena but this time around they had like 4-5 stalls with very overprice vegetarian options on the walkway next to the Pretree Hall and they closed down when the convention centered closed and I don't think they were available during the last day because of the storm.

3. KCON Staff vs. Security Management

Management and Programming/Event Planners should be on the same page when comes to planning a convention. It is important to brief your staff on the protocols and what is going on and there were new security staff who had no clue. The security felt like they could care less about your situation and were over their management demands. Whoever CJ E&M hired for security needs to be fired. I like observing security at conventions and events they pretty much get a D grade. Personally, they should hire the security that other big conventions use. Programming didn't even tell them the convention and concert at the Crypto Arena were connected events.

a. Pretree Hall & Crypto Arena vs. Hurricane Hillary 

Security didn't want attendees at an already crowded event to sit in the hallways so I got it, The FIRE MARSHALL would be big mad which brought back memories from volunteering at Anime Expo. Security kept directing attendees to the "unused" Pretree Hall but they were using it for the Dream Stage rehearsals which they picked attendee dancers for the special stage to get noticed with their favorite artists. They kept pushing us to the far end of the room and on the day that Hurricane Hilary hit and then they had to kick us out early. They allowed us to stay in the Hallway but eventually kicked us out of the convention. Also, they closed the convention center early and the Crypto Arena wasn't really accommodating that day so we had to wait in line for over an hour in the pouring rain carrying goodies from the convention.

4. Water bottle Polices

Before we could bring water bottles into the venue as long as they were empty which was true on the first day but on the following days Security management kept changing up in the worst way. And I couldn't even bring my bottle that I had filled up in the convention into the M&G even if it was empty. Plus the artist during the High Wave formerly High Touch is behind glass anyway and per CJ E&M policies we can't even film anyway. I guess they don't have water bottles thrown meanwhile, anything can be thrown at the artist but they're not even performing lol. Also from attendees I met while sitting hallway, I heard they had to get rid of their water bladders which are pretty much accepted at any event like the ones I mentioned before. I hate that we are forced to buy overpriced water and waste plastic like this.

a. Security even threw away people's gum without warning or more like collected gum.

5. Programming

This year was just so overwhelming and the attendee I met felt the same way and even gave up trying to do all the things she planned to do. A lady in front of me in the Olive Young line had literally written out the events she wanted to attend. (Side note: The lady and I had to make a new account with Olive Young to get the freebies which was really annoying.) They had so many events and secret events with artists. Also, It would be nice to see the big timetables of the convention so no one is confused and we can better manage expectations. And they need onsite Customer Service. The only person who did their job was the person getting the visas for the artist and the concert planner they really didn't give the info booth a chance this year.

As for now, I'm still waiting for a response from AXS or KCON on the request for a refund for M&G but I might have to dispute it with my Bank because of AXS policies.

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16 BestSelling Black Owned Clothing & Accessories

Hey Subbies,

Just as promised here is more. Next will be skincare because I wanted to wait since a lot of my favorite skincare YT did reviews of their favorite black-owned brands. Also, Rihanna just came out with her highly awaited skincare line and I am looking at reviews currently. All people want is something ethically works and that will Cleanse, Treat, Hydrate, and Protect. Anyways, keep checking back at my list because I am continuing to add more brands to the list. Also, I still working on getting my photos from the trip from the beginning of the year done but I ran into some hiccups on top of almost losing my YT channel and now a nonfunctioning Instagram that is more a photo book that is spreading into my Facebook.

Cursive Zodiac Necklace
1929galore.com/

WAKANDA FOREVER" WOMEN'S SHORT SLEEVE T-SHIRT
shop.adornedbychi.com/

The Black Yoga Tummy Control Legging fits up to PLUS!
shopbabes.com/

Myth
www.castamira.com/

HAND COILED EGYPTIAN STYLE SWIRL LINK NECKLACE
www.eclecticallysimple.com/

Shalom Jumpsuit Navy
galerie.la/

COWRIE FLOWER BANANA BAG
indegoafrica.org/

Gaia Dress
kaicollective.com/

Fave Basic Crop Top
needmystyle.com/

Oryza Pearl Anklet
saintkojo.com/

XhaleLove Orange
xhaleswim.com/

Protect & Respect Black Women Tee
www.bydij.com/

Cerise Draped Midi Dress - Final Sale
www.cushnie.com/

Sai Mary Janes
www.koifootwear.com/

Muehleder Catherine Cross-back Flare Tope
www.muehleder.com/

Summer Vibes Two Piece Set
sveltestylez.com/

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Over 200 Amazing Black Owned Brands

Hey Subbies,

Since my first Black-Owned Makeup Brands Bomb post this post will be more in-depth than that. However, y'all missed the Juneteenth sales but I wanted to make another comprehensive list this time. I wanted to try to support the brands the best I can so I have been keeping bookmarks since the last post and now the list is crazy long. (Note: I've seen some brands be included in BOMB lists that say "Black or African" in brand name but they are NOT black-owned so always do the research.) My wish this year into 2021 is that I'm going to try to support these brands and some of them I had seen at CVS but I could not afford them at the time.  According to the Census Bureau, "the U.S. is home to roughly 2.5 million business."[1] Now, "Over 400,000 black-owned businesses shut in the pandemic says the Daily Mail. According to the NY Times, "Only 12% received government assistance during this time." Tell me if guys tried any of these brands before or do have any favorite brands.

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What did I get in Tokyo, Japan?

Hey Subbies,

The log awaited post a year in the making. But if you're following me on YT or Instagram at least then you can't keep up or don't care too but I've posted my wears from my trip last year plus I find it a bit easier to do so on IG. After Maria Kondo my room I had remembered where I put everything because everything is so neat now. At the end of last month, I upload a skincare haul from my trip so if I haven't seen it yet here it is.

I did this video early in the morning and my brain was not all there lol. Also, the brand I was trying to remember is Shiseido which is under the house brand Senka. I forgot to add the diamond lashes I brought from Donki so I added them in this post.

Shinjuku Tower Records Haul

Tip: A lot of stores don't allow you to leave one floor to another. It's not like here in the states where you shop from floor to floor. You pay on each floor you decide to pick up an item from or authorities will be called.

 Tokyo DisneySea Treats. I got some headbands but check out my blog post if you want to see more from the trip.

Fig & Viper World Tour Reversible Jacket I plan to take with me if I every go oversea again.

Love Charm from the Kimono Rental and Owl Cafe KeyChain 

Uniqlo Ginza UT x Sanrio and DBZ

This is from a collab from Cecil Mcbee x Disney.

Oh, I forgot to add these blinged-out flip flops from Doki. I wear a lot to do short runs out of the house.

BT21 KOYA SLEEP MASK

Tsutaya Bookstore Chain

JJxBlackPink | Popteen Magazine 

Stylenanda Lip balm tint.

A lot of Japanese brands have their own Insta so you check for each season what will be coming out especially around Tokyo Fashion week. You also head up a bookstore if you live in a big city like LA or NY to get your hands on Japanese magazines (that how found my style before I knew about the websites) from around the world. Start with looking at Shibuya109 and Laforet site/stores to find brands/styles you like. I have a handful of brands I like.

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