Carbs won’t make you fat. And other things I learned in Paris.

No matter how well you did on the AP French exam, you’re not fluent.

Sure, you might be 31, but when you first see the Eiffel Tower, you’ll squeal. Then, you’ll cry.

You have not had a croissant until you’ve had one – fresh out of the oven – from that little bakery on the corner in Montmartre.

When the streets smell like urine, just look up and see everything surrounding you. The urine smell will then, somehow, appear charming.

You might spend more time at The Louvre trying to find your way out than actually looking at art.

Drinking half a bottle of champagne after a few glasses of wine is never a good idea. Even in Paris.

Sometimes, all you need is a baguette under your arm.

Restaurant portions in America are four-times larger than portions in Paris.

Concierge is just a fancy-sounding word for someone who will charge you 30 euros to make a reservation on your behalf.

If you are going to walk 10 miles a day, wear comfortable shoes.

Details matter. On 300-year-old buildings and on a plate of foie gras and smoked duck.

The way a city breathes and moves inspires creativity.

Always have a notebook in your backpack.

Jessi Hamilton's favorite things include words and ideas, bacon and new running shoes. She is currently a senior copywriter at Kuhn & Wittenborn. Before that she was at AdFarm and Barkley, before that VML. And before that, Jessi waded through the waters of journalism. She also blogs, runs half marathons and writes poems and personal essays that make her mom cry.