Holiday memories

So here I am, end of July in an uncertain London weather, my summer holiday a long gone memory. It's been a very Mediterranean one though, with Greece, Italy and Southern France's sun, sea and food doing some real good to my body and mind. A little tan, I think, makes one always feel confident and happy. Plus I have been to some of the simplest, yet fantastic, accomodations and small restaurants. So here they are, my memories and suggestions for relaxing, eating and sleeping....

Paros Island, Greece

What a surprise this island in the Cyclades, so close to the very crowded and less authentic Mykonos (although lovely in early July and I guess in September too)! We stayed in Naoussa, such a charming village which retains some of its picturesque style with the little port and the fishing boats, but at the same time offers nice accomodation, tavernas with authentic food and nice shops. We stayed at Heaven Naoussa, the loveliest b&b where Alexandra the owner is such a host! Everything from the rooms to the breakfast served in the morning on the terrace and all the suggestions for beaches and restaurants was perfect. Here are a few pics but the website shows more details for the rooms (I understand Alexandra's dad is a local architect with such taste!).

The best way to travel on Paros is with public transport from Naoussa if you go to the most famous beaches (Monastiri, Livadia...) or with a car if one wants to find untouched places such as the ones below (Agia Irini on the western side, while on the eastern side the whole route from Santa Maria down to Golden Beach is a succession of sandy beaches and turquoise sea)

Athens, Gazi quarter
If one is obliged to stay in Athens for a night to catch the ferry or a flight to the islands, the Baby Grand Hotel is a good option, but the real surprise of the trip was the Gazi quarter, a trendy area around the old gasworks of the city with restaurants and bars where to enjoy classics such as fried squids, roasted sardines with oregano at Sardeles sipping a local beer that was surprisingly crisp and refreshing or local lamb and other cured meats at The Butcher Shop.

Naples, Pasticceria Scaturchio
On the piazza San Domenico, this traditional Pasticceria serves all the delicious classics: pastiera, baba', sfogliatella, and even a chocolate medallion called Ministeriale. yum!!

Bologna, Amerigo dal 1934
I have dedicated an hommage to this place on the hills outside of Bologna a few months ago. I wanted Oscar to try it too, as the food was so delicious. This time we also stayed at their Locanda, in room n. 1 and I can only confirm what I previously wrote about the food. Outstanding!

copyright Amerigo dal 1934

copyright Amerigo dal 1934

Nice, Bistrot Antoine
The place to go for authentic southern France food in a frendly and casual bistro. Great food and great value for money in a city and area (the old town) that rarely satifies the real foodies. Very hard to get a reservation though! The unmissable from my list are the Tomatoes salad "a' la Antoine" (tomatoes of different shapes and colours simply with basil and extra virgin olive oil), the Cocotte de Cochon (stewed pork served in its pan on a bed a soft polenta), Fresh sardines on toast and even a Risotto with Truffle Oil! There is a daily market menu which features specials both "de terre" and "de la mer". and featuring the most fantastic greens from the nearby daily market of Cours Saleya. Sipping rose' wine from Ramatuelle.

Nice, Desert and Autour du monde
After all this sun and sea and food (loads of food), I found time for a little shopping in Nice. Two of my favourites are Desert (rue Alphonse Karr) which features the French effortless icons Isabel Marant, Vanessa Bruno, Chloe', Repetto...) and more cool fashion brands. And Autour du monde, the shop of iconic Bensimon sneakers that celebrities such as Jane Birkin or more recently Naomi Watts all have worn. I have one for each of my favourite summery colours: blue, sand, coral!

Eze, Anjouna restaurant
Before flying back to London, a touch of super (expensive) chic on the lovely Anjuna beach and restaurant in Eze, a small village nearby Nice. Cool people, great food! We've had the most amazing Poulet fermier roti and Baked Seabass ever! Sipping an organic rose from the area of Cassis.

Nice, Lucy in the sun
And finally a small and well deserved tribute to Lucy, my 11 years old Jack Russel Terrier, who enjoys the seaside just like a labrador would do. As a matter of fact, her "sister" is Emma, my parents' black lab!

Merci, Paris

I almost had an argument with a friend the other day. He wondered why during my 1.5 day stay in Paris I had not been to the Palais de Tokyo and unmissable exhibitions in town. I answered that no, I had not been to any closed space for more than 10 minutes as all I wanted was to stroll around, enjoying the mix of Parisian charme, early spring temperatures and the fashion crowd (it was still fashion week), only to stop and feed myself.
I've spent most of the time in the enchanting Marais district, where several art galleries hade been turned into fashion ateliers for international buyers. My friend Maria was showing her collection for the second time in Paris and I thought it would be nice to be there. The first new place I discovered (I still wonder how I could have missed it on previous trips) was the Marche' des Enfants Rouges, an indoor market and the oldest in town. I found myself in the area just in time for lunch: besides a few fruit and veg stalls, there were queues of people in front of the stands preparing fresh food to eat in or take away. I chose the Moroccan one (the following day I went for the Japanese) and it was just perfect: a lovely chicken pastilla, some couscous and vegetable, and a mint tea was all I enjoyed while sitting amongst a crowd of intellectuals and fashionistas.

The second highight of my trip has been Merci, the fantastic concept store on Boulevard Beaumarchais that since its opening in 2009 has been a point of reference for trends in clothing, design and homeware. This time I visited the shop for breakfast, where I enjoyed  a traditional baguette-beurre-confiture at the Used Book Cafe with my friend and ex colleague Fiona.

While sneeking around, something made me smile. What was considered a trend for the spring season, something in between gardening and homeware, was London's Columbia Rd Flower Market bag.  How funny...

And finally, following a long afternoon walk that took me to the less busy Quai de Jenmapes canal area, I went back to the Marais and sipped a refreshing drink in pure French style at Cafe Au Petit Fer a Cheval, where Parisians were meeting for a Pastis pre dinner.

So this is what I eventually explained to my friend. Paris - just like London or any major capital that one has the luxury of visiting more than other destinations -, can still be a surprise for the traveller. There are indeed some iconic spots one wouldn't want to miss, however the real charme is not giving oneself a pre-organised plan but rather discover the "arrondissements" (the boroughs), all the little corners, the cafes and the small shops, and even the people, who by the way are getting more and more rude.