DREAMY PARIS - josephine ellen

Oh how I wish time would stand still for me, even for just a little while! For many people, such as me, poor Monday is known as the worst day of the week. While that may be true (sorry Monday, the first day of a full week really is a drag!), I have to say that the worst Mondays are the Mondays that mark the first day of work right after a vacation.

I returned from Europe last Thursday on Thanksgiving evening, but I spent the entire weekend at home with family and there was always something that needed to be done (something to clean, someone to greet, something to buy, some meal to cook, something to prep…). Don’t get me wrong – it’s always time well spent with family, but it wasn’t exactly the ideal post-vacation detox situation. In fact, I still haven’t experienced that ideal situation, because it’s 11:ooPM, Sunday night, and I just returned to my apartment (finally!) and blew through unpacking my suitcases, organizing paperwork and closet, and tending to my dog, in addition to taking care of some business from my online store and updating Jayeeaych. I haven’t even begun to mentally prepare myself for tomorrow’s full day of work!

These photos were taken while H and I were touring the Palace of Versailles. It’s as magnificent as all the history books say, and the gardens are no less grand. I was an avid reader of Marie Antoinette books when I was younger, so it felt so surreal for me to be visiting Versailles. Perhaps the most famous room in the palace is the Galerie des Glaces (“Hall of Mirrors”), also known as the room in which the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919. I was already anticipating the majestic beauty of it, but when I saw the room in person, my jaw literally dropped in response to its ineffably mesmerizing effect. 17 wide, arcaded mirrors stand opposite 17 windows, flanking giant glass chandeliers that hang from the arched, painted ceiling and gold gilded statues that are assembled against the walls. I’m clearly a fan of juxtapositions, as I’ve mentioned and implied so many times on Jayeeaych, and so it will come as no surprise that I deeply appreciated the contrast of the room placements on either side of the hall – on one end is the Salon de la Guerre (Salon of War), and on the opposite end stands the Salon de la Paix (Salon of Peace).

But the Hall of Mirrors wasn’t the only thing I fell in love with at Versailles; the gardens were like the settings from a fairytale-themed dream! Peaceful and charming, it was the perfect scenery for a romantic afternoon walk. Luck was on our side that day – the sun was out but not overly bright, and the temperature rose just warm enough for me to shed my giant coat and instead opt for my Zara sweater layered underneath my Mango leather jacket, finished off by my favorite Louise et Cie over-the-knee leather boots.

Stay tuned for more posts from Europe, including a detailed photo journal from Paris!

In the meantime, don’t forget to check out my other posts from my European tour:
Milan Holiday: Outfit Article
Milan Photo Journal
Monaco Photo Journal
Autumn in Paris: Outfit Article

Have a great Monday! Thank you for reading!