The week before Christmas I was in Germany for business, and decided that not only did I need a break from the working world, but that it would be foolish to fly all the way over there and not have a little fun. So I headed to Paris for the weekend!

Not only was the city as amazingly beautiful as I had remembered it from my last trip 10 years ago, it was incredible to see the trees along the Champs-Elysees lit up for Christmas. So gorgeous!

But one of my very favorite parts of the trip was my visit to Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido...better known to fragrance aficionadas as the Serge Lutens store.

This shop is the one place in all the world that stocks the Serge Lutens exclusive fragrances in their exquisite little "bell jar" bottles (you know, the ones that they won't ship to the US, ever...read more about them on this website). You walk in and there they are, on a little table just waiting to be sampled, purchased and taken home. I was in perfume heaven!

After about an hour of sniffing (we kept having to breathe into our coat sleeves to clear our noses and start over), my arms were covered in little dots of just about every scent in the Exclusive range, from Muscs Koublai Khan to Iris Silver Mist to Un Bois Sepia. I could have spent the day in there just sampling and sitting around, but there were other parts of the city to be explored, and I finally made a purchase decision.

While I had been wanting to love the new Sarrasins, it was jasmine overload on me, so I finally settled on Fleurs d'Oranger. I know, I know...you fragrance aficionadas know that this one is also in the Export range, available in the US in the oblong spray bottle. But the Paris shop is the only place to get it in that fab bell jar bottle! And honestly, that's really what I was after. Fleurs d'Oranger just happened to be my favorite of those available in the coveted flacon.

And it has got to be the best souvenir, from any of my travel destinations, ever. I've been dabbing my wrists with it since I got home, and that special little bottle has taken up residence on my dresser, a spot shared only with my beloved Chanel parfums.

I already can't wait to go back to Les Salons! The damn place is calling me back with its siren song. And I don't even care how bad the exchange rate gets...I'll still go there and gladly spend my Euros on another bottle...or two!