showing hollis why paris is forever the city of lights -

on their last night in town, lauren and hollis took us out to dinner
at an amazing cafe on the left bank,
le pret verre.

it was strolling in the twilight,
unexpected food suprises,
and learning that hollis still hadn't seen the city at night.



which, if you ask me, is half the reason to come to paris.
it is called the city of lights for a reason, my friends:


the city lives large, even after dark.
especially after dark.
they play petanque under streetlamps in front of notre dame:


the banks of the river glitter and gleam.
people stop and talk to strangers,
hold hands,
take pictures:


but the best part of the night was crossing back over the pont neuf at eleven o'clock,
right when the eiffel tower (as it does every night on the hour)
burst into lights:



it was the perfect way to send them off from paris,
and a reminder for us of the unexpected gifts life gives you every day.