To Market

My return home is imminent. But I still have so many food memories to share. And, even worse, there are so many yet to be discovered.

One unexpected joy of my trip has been my love of self-catering. France would have to be the best place in the world to hit the aisles or, better yet, the markets.

Thinking about this tomato and buffalo mozzarella salad still makes my mouth water. All the produce thanks to Marché Avenue du Président Wilson and assembly attributed to multi-talented friend, W (whose skills extend to some the best pizzas around).



My next self-catering feat (and feast) to be presented is a charcuterie plate, complete with Beaujolais. This was collected on a fashion excursion, turned picnic extravaganza at Le Bon Marche.

Bagel in France? Get In!

I'm here to answer a question that I know has been bothering you.

But before I start I need to clear the way.

I am sick of travel blogs that seem to think that listing 20 million coffee shops or restaurants is helpful and expect me to somehow believe that there are 20 great places in the touristy part of town to get a coffee. And because I hate reading a travel blog that says: "I didn't go there but it looked pretty". Thanks for that useless tip, blogger! Let's face it: travel blogs suck because you can't trust anyone.

Except me. Because I'm always right.

I digress. Apparently, that rant had been building up.

Your question, of course, was "Where in Nice can I possibly find great coffee?"  I spent two weeks in Nice and spent a lot of that time searching for good coffee, thus consider myself qualified to answer. Below are three places that I found serving non-hideous coffee.

1. Emilie's Cookies
You know what? Nice is HOT in summer Frenchies and this Aussie girl prefers air con when it's 30 degrees outside, not an outside table right in the boiling sun. Also, I hate rubbish Niçoise salads. Emilie's Cookies understands so instead there's air con, bagels, cookies and good coffee. Thanks Emilie!*

2. Cafe Marche
In the old town. Great coffee. Cute wait staff. Air con. Boxes ticked.

3. 20 sur Vin
Not actually a coffee shop, a restaurant. Lunch is amaze. Also good coffee. Close to shops with air con. Obviously, their thing is more wine, so get a rosé while you're at it.

Trust me, people. I'm a blogger.


* (Apparently there is more than 1 location in Nice but I wouldn't know as I am a tourist)

The Germans Know Strange

I don't know how it started. One day, I arrived in Europe and the next, I kept finding Europe's strangest statues.

I never set out on a mission to find them. They find me.

But There Was A Bee...

Consumption of Charcuterie

A tribute to my favourite meal. You know it'll be good when it comes with a whole jar of pickles.

I devoured this deliciousness in Reims, France. The restaurant is Les Cornichons. Clearly a jar of pickles is their favourite too.

Lights in Turkey

Small World

Another European appearance by Australian Royalty. Eddie loves Le Tour Almost as much as AFL... I never knew...

Welcome, New Friend

After my disappointment in Galaries Lafayette, you'd be forgiven for thinking I might never return to another shop in Paris. Surprisingly, this was not the case.

I did, in fact, venture out again. Back into the tourist-packed shopping wilderness. This time would be different, I told myself. I was armed with knowledge and an urgent requirement for a new handbag. I would not fail.

My first tip came from V, in my French class. She'd hated Galaries Lafayette too and recommended BHV instead. Turns out it's owned by Galaries Lafayette but seems to have fewer tourists. And fewer tourists is a major improvement. One of my favourite high end chains, Maje, has followed from Galaries but sadly no Sessun. I guess no store is perfect. And even sadder, no new bag found either...

Next, my new favourite city guide, unlike.net, recommended Merci. Merci is a non-profit grand-magasin concept store. What a department store should be but never will. Glamourous. Spacious. Filled with products that make you feel like you just saved the world with one purchase. The only disappointment is the lack of world-saving handbags.

No, my new handbag came from a gorgeous little shop in the Marais. The chic storekeeper allowed me to persist with my terrible French. The store was stocked with predominantly French and European high end ready-to wear brands like See by Chloe and Sonia by Sonia Rykiel. Perfection.

My handbag and I are very happy together, thanks for asking.

The French Don't Have A Word for Schnitzel

The best schnitzel of your life, where was it?

I've been lucky enough to have eaten a lot of great schnitzel in my life. Vienna, Berlin and I'd still recommend another in Munich at Paulaner Im Tal. Perfection.

And the great Bavarian taste didn't stop there. Great pork knuckle with spicy sauerkraut.

Thank me later, it was another hot tip from unlike.net.

Do the French even know what they're missing?

The Biscuits Are Better in Turkey

Mainly because they fill them with nutella. Genius.

Possessed Cherubs

Who knows what you'll see next in the streets of Freiburg...

Hello Summer

Wimbledon Highlights

Seeing the tennis live was so much fun. Pimm's-induced fun, but that's probably the best kind. It even rained so much on the first day we went that we saw absolutely no tennis. We ran into friends though and went to the pub, so everyone was a winner.

In a shock turn, watching Lleyton Hewitt play made me like him more. Like him at all. My traveling friend, C, started cheering when she decided that he mustn't be making much money anymore because Bec's hair extensions needed a re-do.

He could always do another Sorbent ad.

Jose

I've got some catching up to do. My last month of travel adventures are undocumented, so forgive me if I jump back and forth in time and space.

Please find above my latest hipster offering. I call it 'Torsos with Spanish Food'.

I hope to return later to the topic of 'How to Create A Hipster Photo' but for now I'll settle with this introductory picture.

This was taken at Jose in London. The food was amazeballs but the staff were even better. Super fun. Recommend: the Pluma Iberico.

Visit Jose Online

Happy Bastille Day! Bonne Fête!

My Little Paris

I'd like to thank my frenchie friend for the introduction to this super cute app.

Hot Paris tips with cute sparkling cartoons of the Eiffel Tower.

Happy return to Paris!

#firstworldproblem (aka a major issue)

I refuse to queue for Chanel.

My visit to Galaries Lafayette today did not open my eyes to a beautiful world of fashion. It only showed me that even money isn't really worth anything anymore. It certainly doesn't buy class.

A man barges past in Celine.

"Does this bag say 'Chanel'?"

"No, sir. This is Celine."

"Oh. How much is it?"

No wonder Parisians hate tourists.

Let Me Know If That's Weird...

NB. This Blog Supports Sun Protection.

I've run out of suncream. No big deal, I think... Sure you're in Turkey, but every shop seems to be selling it. It's probably a good price too.

Up close, reality is tough. SPF 2 must be some sort of joke, no? I know the European sun is gentler than what I'm used to down south but this seems crazy. It's practically the withdrawal method of suncream...

I think I'll settle with looking cool and SunSmart under my trusty umbrella instead.

I'm stocking up on Zinc when I get home.

Bill Murray is a Turk

In Turkey, I was confused...

Why is Bill Murray on the 100 lira note?

Oh, it isn't Bill Murray. It's his Turkish doppelgänger. It's uncanny, no?

I want a doppelgänger. Just like on How I Met Your Mother.

Hunters, Game, and Mystery Drawers

I took a tip from Time Out Paris when we were at a loose end one afternoon and decided to visit Musee de la Chasse et de la Nature (Museum of Hunting and Nature). It was recommended as a "Critics Choice" on the site and was, conveniently, only a few blocks from where I was at the time.

It was basically the weirdest museum that I've ever visited.

The strangest part, if I had to pick only one, was the set of drawers that each major game animal had dedicated to them. You could peer into some binoculars in the miraculous set of drawers and see the sort of landscape that a deer might have inhabited. Pull open another and there's some French poems written about a boar. Another small drawer might have footprints of a fox and yet another might have an example of its droppings, presumably to arm you with the knowledge to go animal tracking yourself, should the need arise.

All this, intermingled with a disturbing collection of hunting art (dogs savagely killing rabbits or similar), a French-speaking and animated hog's head, as well as a variety of more modern (but equally disturbing in their own way) hunting works.

Would I recommend this strange museum? I don't think I possibly could but, at the same time, if you ever get sick of art galleries...

Who Wears Short Shorts?

I don't want to ruin the suspense about where my 6 months of travel will take me, so if you hate spoilers tune out now... I'm going to spend Summer in Europe. Gasp.

After my brief time in Paris a few weeks ago, I've been considering what I want to wear this summer and how I can possibly fit in with these chic Parisians. People probably use Pinterest or something for this, right? I don't really know what it's for... Way too hipster.

I've blatantly stolen the photo below from net-a-porter and I'd love to look relaxed and casual but supremely cool as this.

The trouble is that I rarely wear shorts. Maybe this is why people use Pinterest?

Keep Calm And Eat Cupcakes

Can I start by saying that all those "Keep Calm and..." paraphernalia really annoy me? But that didn't stop me using it as a title for this post... I think it works. Judge me if you like.

Everywhere we went in the UK seems to be completely Diamond Jubilee bonkers. There's bunting, flags, and mugs with pictures of the Queen in every shop window and, for me, it was in no way over the top.

I judged the window at The Swallow Bakery in Chichester the best of them all and then had to go in for a delicious treat to celebrate. I picked a Banoffee Cupcake.. Fittingly British and Delicious.

And Before I Leave...

It was a fitting coincidence that the book I received as a birthday/leaving gift from my excellent friend J, should be set in Sussex. I didn't even realise that I was coming here when we left.

The excellent protagonist Flora Poste tries to tidy the lives of distant relatives, who all seem very dirty and live in the darkest depths of Sussex.

Unfortunately, I haven't seen anything like Cold Comfort Farm while I've been here but then perhaps, I've not seen the "darkest depths" of Sussex (I'm heading to Brighton this afternoon, but I don't think that's anywhere near the depths)

I'd seen the movie many years ago and have to say that despite Flora being played by Kate Beckinsale, I still think that it's worth seeing too.

(N.B. background is of my new green(!) jeans)

Man Ponders in Wood With Arm Raised

I loved this statue in Chichester, Sussex in the corner of the Priory Gardens.

The plaque underneath was too worn to read about who he was or why he was in the park, but I'm sure he appreciates that for eternity he is now positioned to face decades of the elderly playing bowls. Pondering which retirement village he might choose...

Rock Out with Your Croque Out

The inaugural post!

We here at Wayfaring Gourmand are very excited to launch the site with a delicious Croque Madame from the Marais in Paris.

Here's to many more delicious meals in the next 6 months!