Today you can find macaron shops all over the world, from a growing number of brands who all specialize in the ultimate Parisian cookie. Always a fan of a chic sweet, I’ve tried many of these. And for me, none quite compares to the original.

In the 1930s, Ladurée invented the ganache-filled macaron as we know it today. They’ve been perfecting the pillowy, flavorful and lightly crisp cookies for nearly a century. More recently, they’ve been releasing exotic new flavors every year inspired by destinations, fashion designers, and perfumes, opening gorgeous patisseries all over the world, and even branching out into cosmetics and home goods.

There’s nothing better than my darling husband Glenn greeting me at the hotel bar in Paris after a day of shopping
with a beautiful pastel and gold-embossed box from Ladurée, tied in a brightly colored ribbon. Beyond the patisserie’s delicious and artful confections, I’ve always been captivated by their feminine branding that evokes the luxurious Versailles parties of Marie Antoinette (so much so that Ladurée actually created all the sweets for Sofia Coppola’s acclaimed biopic!) The look is timeless Parisian-chic meets modern sophistication and I cannot get enough of the ornate, yet elegant design details.

While in Paris I always make sure to stop by one of Ladurée’s iconic shops, perhaps for coffee, tea, and macarons to go. Around the turn of the century, Ladurée’s original patisserie first found success by creating a place where Parisian women loved to meet and mingle, and to this day their locations are perfect for an intimate afternoon chat with a girlfriend. Their flagship location on the Champs Elysée truly takes the cake,elaborately done in the brand’s upscale Art Nouveau style, with the iconic celadon green awning calling you in from far across the boulevard.