A few weeks ago Tourisme Irlandais (Tourism Ireland in Paris) asked me if I was interested in teaming up with French website My Little Paris on a tourism campaign. I'm always up for spreading my love for Dublin and I'm a huge fan of My Little Paris so I was delighted to work with them.
My Little Paris started in 2008 when two sisters and their two friends created a newsletter to share the hidden gems and cool events in the French capital with their friends. They use a very informal voice, like they are talking to one of their friends... It went viral and My Little Paris became one of the most successful French start-ups ever. They have now over 1.2 million subscribers, 70 employees, a website for men and a flourishing box subscription business in France, Japan and London. Such an inspiring success story!
For Tourism Ireland, My Little Paris asked four bloggers (Pikalily, Jude Malone, Brand New Retro and I), to each give five recommendations for places to go in their city and created a mini website to promote Dublin and Belfast as a weekend destination for their readers. It's in French and it's titled '48 hours in the skin of...' for each blogger.
I had in mind that the campaign was aimed at ladies in my age bracket who live, for most of them, in Paris. I wanted to recommend places that locals go to, avoid the clichés and show that Dublin can be as cool even cooler than Paris.
The Pepperpot is one of my favourite places for brunch/lunch in Dublin. I love the cuteness of the café but also the tasty food options that are available. The scrambled eggs are divine and I can't resist their bacon and pear sandwich. Plus the Powerscourt Centre is a beautiful place, I still remember the first time I saw it after I arrived from Paris!
I visited this place recently and loved it. I think it's a fantastic spot to learn about Dublin, regardless of whether you're a visitor or a local. The museum is full of random objets donated by Dubliners and if you're lucky to have Adam as your guide, you'll love Dublin even more after the tour.
Every single tourist will want to go to Temple Bar but I wanted to recommend a place that is not easy to find if you don't live here. I think if a group of ladies are travelling from Paris and want a good cocktail they'd be charmed by VCC.
I wanted to recommend a food place that offers Irish food with a modern twist and which is also good value for money. The menu is extensive in the Woollen Mills and I've been a few times to eat and buy baked goods. I think it's a great spot and love the eating house concept.
I fully believe visitors to Dublin should go to the Jam Art Factory instead of the tacky souvenir shops. They have so many stylish Irish designed products that would make great gifts to bring back to friends and family. If you're a local, it's perfect for quirky presents on any occasion.
Obviously there are so many other places I wanted to recommend but I had to choose five. There is also a link to my blog anyway, just in case the Frenchies are hungry for more.
