Munching Around

While once again you find me hiding from the copious amounts of work that this MA requires it is lovely to have time to remind me that I am in Paris and need to get outside my bedroom (or Pret aka my study), away from my laptop and the mounting pressure of writing papers.

In that spirit, I feel like I have somehow eaten my way around Paris (there goes that diet!) and it has been epic.

The first stop on this week's food tour was Iovine's (75001).

All the Margarita!

Shine bright like a Kate

I had walked past Iovine's nearly every day as it is right round the corner from my apartment (on the way to Pret haha) and always wanted to try it. From the outside, it is kinda hard to tell what this place is all about but once inside it is clear that it is all about authentic pizza from the Italian/French menu to the beautiful smells oozing from the pizza oven. It might be a bold claim but it was definitely the best pizza I've had in Paris, and quite possibly the best pizza ever! Certainly up there in the top 3 for sure. Wine and pizza followed by surprise birthday cake with friends definitely one of the better Wednesday nights I've had in a while. 

Big Boy Pain du perdu et What the Fluff Pancakes

The next stop was a favourite that featured on the blog back in November, Big Love Caffe (75003) is in Le Marais.

I had been going on about this place a lot to Harley and Cesca so on Saturday morning we faced the bitter coldness for a brunch of epic proportions. While I think Harley still regrets not having the eggs and truffles (although it's given her an excuse to go back again) the piles of pancakes and the liquid chocolate chocolat chaud will have me returning again and again. While this place might be a bit touristy due to its low prices and cute af decor (and waiters!) it is so completely delicious and insta-worthy that it is worth it.

C'etait delicieux! 

The endpoint of the food tour this weekend was brunch with my wonderful flatmates to Jake's favourite place, Season, (75003). This place is such a find - a plate of salmon, eggs and avocado for €14! They have options for everyone and the beautifully presented plate is to die for. Make sure you get here early though, after about 10:30 there are queues out the door! I'm coming back here if not to try the green pancakes (as modelled by Juliette) or the Shashushka which Jake had, a hot pan full of rich tomatoes, onion and baked egg with a basket full of bread - it's making my mouth water just thinking about it!

If you have any brunch recommendations in Paris let me know! I've got Josie and Emma visiting this weekend so I'm excited to explore Paris some more!

Have a good week my loves!

Lots of Love, Kate xxx

Paris in the Snow

SNOW! PARIS HAS SNOW! SO MUCH SNOW!

Can you tell I am just a little bit excited about the fact it has been snowing in Paris for the last couple of days?!

Jardin des Tuileries

So when I said it was cold back in November, that was a complete understatement, it's about to hit -3 and Paris is covered in a thick white blanket of snow. The city has also done what always happens in the UK when it snows just even a tiny bit, a basic and complete shutdown, although lucky for me my metro line is still running!

Snow over the Louvre

I decided to attempt to walk to uni - big mistake, I basically just slid through the Tuileries and gave up halfway through, although it was pretty cool to see everything covered in snow. With all the history of Paris, it has turned into a Winter Wonderland beyond belief! If it wasn't the fact I have class tomorrow I think I would love to wrap up, grab a hot chocolate at Angelina and then head over to Shakespeare and Co with a good book, ah, sounds like heaven and the ideal day, but those econ papers won't write themselves!

The corner of my street!

Happy Snow Days!

Have a good week my loves!

Lots of Love, Kate xxx

Matamata: A Review

Today's post features a visit to Matamata Coffee Shop in the 2nd Arrondissement of Paris. This little cafe is a stone throw away from the Louvre and the features on the stylish streets of Etienne Marcel, perfect after a long day shopping!

Coffee really helped with the writing!

While space is a premium in Paris, Matamata has a large basement with a coffee bar for those who want to set up shop for the day with their laptop and a large sharing table for bigger groups, I'm told this can be booked out for private groups too!

Matamata, 75002

The coffee in Matamata is divine and at an average of 3 euro a cup is very affordable, especially for this area of Paris. Open 7 days a week, Matamata serves breakfast and lunch ranging from typical Parisian pastries to famous Aussie avocado on toast and take artisanal pride in their homemade cakes and coffee!

Even the bathroom was beautiful!

The interior of Matamata is beautifully designed and clearly thought has been put into every aspect of this place. From the chalkboard menus to the rustic style bathroom, Matamata is an idyllic coffee shop in the heart of Paris. I would highly recommend venturing out to the 2nd to check it out but beware, it gets very busy at the weekends and although unlike other boutique coffee shops in Paris that have 'no laptop rules' at the weekend your laptop has to be limited to the basement bar.

Have a good week my loves!

Lots of Love, Kate xxx

Market-ing about in Paris

It was a cold wintery February Sunday this past weekend and after a broken nights sleep thanks to the party going on downstairs with threats from our landlord to call the police I gave up on sleep and headed out to the streets of Paris to the marche d'aligre in the 12th arrondissement.

 

Tucked down a little side street, so much so that you wouldn't know it was there, marche d'aligre is close to the Gare de Lyon and is open every morning except Mondays. As you can see from my amateur photography, the street is filled with sellers offering their fruit and vegetables for minimum prices compared to the supermarket prices of Paris. They call to you in French offering the best deals in avocados and lemons and limes by the kilo for less than a euro!

Inside in the covered market, you'll find trinkets and souvenirs of Paris along with meats, fish and typical French cheeses, an assault on the senses and it feels like a scene from Midnight in Paris. 

If you ever find yourself on this side of Paris it is worth a trip to Aligre! Let me know if you find any bargains whilst you are there. 

Have a good week my loves!

Lots of Love, Kate xxx

The Big Re-Brand

As you might be able to tell I have had a little bit of a re-design and re-brand of my site - I am now officially operating under the banner of 'The Basic Traveller' and within the next month (28th February) will be moving over to the site of www.thebasictraveller.co.uk and this site will no longer be operating, so bookmark your calendar and save the address. This rebrand comes with making the direction of my blog more streamlined, while I will still be providing the same content based on lifestyle and travel pieces but hopefully with a bit more direction and professionalism!

With this, some of the new features you can find is a page purely dedicated to 'Links and Discounts' which is looking a bit bare at the moment but will be where I collect all my travel links to get you all some money off or extra loyalty points when you sign up for different schemes. At the moment you can find my Airbnb and Amex sign up links which will get you credit with Airbnb if you are a new customer and up to a 4,000 point bonus when signing up for an Avios Amex card. 

Another new feature is the 'Donations' button at the side of this page as one of my new projects is to start working with Help Refugees UK. While I write content and maintain this blog for the love of it, it would be amazing to make it something bigger than myself so please consider donating to them. The first 10 people to donate will receive the first samples of 'The Basic Traveller' merchandise which is also my other plan in the works! This is going to be a long-term project to the online store section up and running with 20% of profits going directly to Help Refugees UK. 

Finally, I want to say a big thank you to everyone that has stuck with me since 2012 reading and sharing my posts, I couldn't be even considering a re-brand as big as this without you all!

Have a good week my loves!

Lots of Love, Kate xxx