PARIS BABY - with the lovely Emily in Paris
September 2022
Alright here we are! First week of 2023 and I am STILL DREAMING of this once in a life time experience I had.
Along with some extraordinary women, my momma and the one and only Emily Parsons ( with EJP Photography)
how it all started!
My whirlwind 10 day trip to France ( Paris) was nothing short of amazing. Nope I had never been to Europe before and didn’t have too much of an interest in going to Paris imparticular. Paris was to typical Europe for me, it seemed commercialized. The Eiffel tower appears on any T-shirt or key chain you can buy here in North America and although it was iconic it wasn’t on my bucket list. Europe YES but I wanted to experience Europe in a different way, not as just a tourist…. I was TOTALLY WRONG! I never EVER expected to have the experience I did! The only people I know that go to Paris and get professionally photographed are famous people, not ME! When Emily extended this invitation to me I couldn’t say no, even though I didn't really know what to expect. I have trusted this girl for 11 years photographing me and my big time life moments so there wasn’t any part of me that new this wouldn’t be short of life changing!
A little back story on Emily and I, we met many many years ago in Dawson Creek in the dance world, and she was my very first photographer when I was pregnant with my son and I was one of her very first clients. Since 2011 she has photographed and been a part of many milestones with me and since shes moved to Prince George has been a mentor for me in business. It’s safe to say I love ALL things Emily, she exudes class, inspiration, creativity and grabs life by the balls and says BRING IT! So when she invited me on this Dream trip to Paris, it only took me a couple hours to say IM IN!
I would also like to say that the timing of this couldn’t have been better. Personally for me and my family, I also celebrated my 35th birthday in September and what better way to do that then a Fairytale photoshoot in PARIS!!
nice, FRANCE
Once it was set that I was going, I knew I wanted to bring my Mom along for the experience, neither her or I have ever been to Europe and my mom and I used to go on trips together every few years before I had kids and it had been 13 years since we went away just the two of us.
My mom has also battled a lot over the past few years and made big changes in her life and it was time to do something special with her, so like I mentioned all stars aligned!
My mom and I decided to extend the 7 day trip to Paris with a few extra days in the South of France which was GLORIOUS! My mom and I could of spent all day everyday people watching and laying on our beach chairs at the beach club drinking cocktails but we were in the South of France so, we had to see IT ALL. We spent half the day on a beach and the other 2 and a half days exploring all of the wonderful culture, food, architecture, people, extravagance and perfume the south of France has to offer!
paris, france
We arrived from Nice to Paris on September 3, 2022 around 5pm. We had a town car pick us up, ready for us at the airport holding a sign my name on it! We drove through some heavy traffic to our home for the week Champs-Elysees ( a district downtown Paris) Surrounded by quant coffee and bake shops, restaurants, tall ornate doors to enter every residence building, and very large buildings made of various stone and detailed with the most intricate design you only see in history books. I very strongly and strangely felt like I was home…
Every building we walked through felt nothing short of what you would expect in a 18th century castle, even if it was just the shopping mall we were walking through. Every meal was bursting with rich flavour, every sip of coffee or glass of wine was a little piece of heaven in my mouth! The fresh and flavourful ingredients in everything they eat or drink is so foreign to what we are used to in North America, its really a whole other way of living. Parisians briskly walk the streets in couture clothing and baskets full of fresh baguettes on one arm and fresh espresso on the other. They go to work later in the morning, don’t eat dinner until 8pm and between 3pm-6pm nothing is opened. What a life!
“He said, There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called Yesterday and the other is called Tomorrow, so today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live.”
photoshoot day 09.07.2022
Then came the day I had been waiting for, we were up at 4am on Wednesday September 7th, walked to the Lancaster Hotel in the Champs Elysees just a short few blocks from where we were staying.
Took the (very small) elevator up to the 4th floor where we entered into the Marline Dietrich suite (a actress and icon from the 1950’s) They named it after her because this is where she stayed every time she was in Paris. Now, in the suite remains her grande piano and a portrait of her.
The suite had old time charm and elegance, everything from the original herringbone hardwood floors to the stone fireplace, coffered ceilings, crystal chandeliers and walls lined with gowns for us to where for our photoshoot! WHAT A DREAM!
Two Girls from Dawson Creek in Paris
Our first stop on our photoshoot tour 7am
Our suite for the day
Im not sure how a person moves on from an experience like this…the women I spent my time with, the experience of the day, the gowns, tears, laughs, memories was nothing short of magical and It was nothing I could have ever dreamed for myself.
I could go through every detail of the day but words wont come close to the energy or feelings I experienced on this day, so I am going to let the photo’s speak for themselves.
Goals, Dreams, Success, Planning all helps us push forward day after day year after year. I am a planner, I have life goals, things I want to do and want to accomplish. I have spent the last 15 years living my life out as to how I pretty much planned it ( I don’t love surprises I like to be prepared). The greatest lesson I have learnt and what has given me so much joy are the things in life that happen when I have least expected it. Say YES when life come knocking with an opportunity even if it scares the SHIT out of you, it’ll either turn out to be a good life lesson OR the BEST THING YOU HAVE EVER DONE! This was Paris for me! I took an opportunity life granted me and instead of talking myself out of it, i jumped in and said lets do it!
I Hope you read this blog and feel inspired, I hope you find your moment this year that gives you chills, and makes you nervous and it takes you to new heights that you could not have dreamed for yourself. Sharing this experience with 5 other women I had never met before was the icing on the cake, all from different backgrounds, a variety of ages and one common passion our week in Paris!
I have no words for the time in France I had with my mom, except grateful!
AND last but certainly not least, Emily. We walked out of the hotel the morning of the shoot together before getting into the car and she said, “ Look at us, two girls from Dawson Creek in Paris” as I am standing there hair and makeup done, in a beautiful ball gown.. cue the ugly cry!
Thank you Emily for giving me a Dream I never knew I had. Thank you for being an inspiration to me as a women in business and for bringing me along on all your adventures I can’t wait for the next one!
“Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. If you get a chance take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said it would be easy they just promised it would be worth it.”
Have More Questions about Paris Id love to answer them! Leave me a comment in my “LETS CHAT” box located at the top of this page and I will answer you on my socials or through an email!
Thank you for being here
Much Love,
Alison