Vintage Shopping (Paris, France)
Shopping in general is not one of my favorite pastimes but I do make a few exceptions. One is foreign grocery stores. How I love all the unknown foods, in interestingly designed packages and all the exotic smells. The other exception I make is for thrifting. I adore the idea of all the stories that lay behind vintage items, re-using and newly loving these pre-loved objects and I simply like the styles, prints and shapes of bygone eras. In France they take vintage shopping to an all new level. Here a few of the very best second-hand clothing stores in Paris, thanks to my good friend there who introduced me to them!
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| Retro-Chic |
Retro-Chic is a lovely little store to browse clothes from the 40’s to 80’s, with a nice mix of accessories (silk scarves, sunglasses, bags), affordable vintage and true gems by Chanel, Lanvin and Gucci. Most in tiny sizes, women’s clothes only.
Retro-Chic can be found at:
4, Place du Marche Sainte Catherine
Metro St Paul
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| FripesKetchup |
FripesKetchup is a store we ran into by accident, and is much more minimal in look and collection than most of the other vintage stores. Definitely more a 80’s vibe here but I’ve also seen some older pieces. They mainly sell clothes, but also some accessories. Definitely affordable and a wide range of sizes. Women’s clothes only.
FripesKetchup can be found at:
8, rue Dancourt
Metro: Abbesses or Anvers
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| Mamie |
Mamie and Mamie Blue are two stores by the same owners. I have honestly never seen a store so fully stuffed with vintage clothes, accessories and shoes. You can find things as old as from the 1900s as well as relatively new stuff from the 80’s. Take out some time in your schedule to rummage through it all and you are bound to find something worth your while. Lots of cute vintage children’s clothes and a large men’s section as well.
Mamie can be found at:
69 and 73, rue de Rochechouart
Metro: Anvers
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| Mam’zelle Swing |
Mam’zelle Swing has the sweetest store owner I’ve ever met in Paris and a great collection of mainly 50’s and 60’s clothes in all sizes and at very fair prizes. Women’s clothes only.
Mam’zelle Swing can be found at:
35, rue du Roi de Sicile
Metro: St Paul or Hotel de Ville
Sunday at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus (Athens, Greece)
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| Lazy afternoon at the slope of the Acropolis. |
The Cicada & The Ant (Athens, Greece)
The Cicada & The Ant (or Ο τζίτζικας κι ο μέρμηγκας in Greek)is a restaurant chain in Athens, with a few in the suburbs and one restaurant smack in the middle of the city centre. If you’re hungry, want a bit of good Greek food and don’t feel like straying too far from Athens’ constitution square, just turn the corner and you’ll find this cozy little place tucked inside a small street (12, Mitropoleos).
You’ll instantly feel welcome, being offered a glass of raki, some olives and fresh bread. Most of the food on the menu are Greek classics like meatballs and a Greek salad, all of good quality. It includes some surprises as well, like spicy cheeses out of the oven and my personal favorite: a veggie burger made of two thick slices of Mastelo cheese from Chios filled with grilled vegetables. Delicious!
Prices are very reasonable, albeit a bit pricier than your regular taverna in town. Atmosphere warm and service impeccable.
West End Farmer’s Market (Vancouver, Canada)
The other day I saw a lady with a big basket of lavender walking on Davie- when I asked where she had purchased it she directed me to the Saturday Farmer’s Market located by Nelson Park…
…and what a lovely little market it was. From food stands selling tacos to stands with local organic berries, veggies, lavender and honey. I managed to buy all my produce for the week from the market and the best part is: its ALL ORGANIC.
Cool Sunday (Athens, Greece)
Calabash Bistro (Vancouver, Canada)
Neighborhood: Gastown
Price range: $$$
If you crave Caribbean food, reggae music and a really fun night out then make your way over to Calabash Bistro. Calabash is yet another great addition to the burst of culinary venues in Gastown. It was quite the adventure walking over there from Water street including some interesting characters…but that’s happening more and more these days as restaurants expand outside of the downtown west side. Either way- the experience at Calabash is worth the trip through the neighborhood.
Traditional Caribbean food including goat curry, roti and jerk chicken are served at this bistro (see menu). Plus there is nightly live music downstairs which turns into a big party after 10pm.
If you want to combine food and fun then Calabash is the perfect way to spend the evening. Definitely try one of their many flavors of rum including some of their delicious creations.
We started with plantain chips and johnny cakes served with a side of Jamaican ketchup and the house hot sauce. For dinner I opted for the jerk chicken with a side of roti. The spices were just right and the chicken- soft and tender served with a side of rice. The roti was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside served with a side of hot sauce (yum). A friend recommended the oxtail claiming it to be the most amazing dish in town. I’ll have to try it next time.
For dessert another friend and I tried the coconut dumplings which were also very good. All in all, our party really enjoyed our night at Calabash so much that we ended up staying there all night. The food, art, drinks and music are all amazing. Really glad to see restaurants like this opening up in Vancouver adding a bit more excitement to the city.
Acacia Fillo Bar (Vancouver, Canada)
How is it possible that I have walked by this place a million times and never managed to take a peak inside? Over the weekend by pure chance (and luck) I ended up at Acacia Fillo Bar to grab a quick bite before the pride parade started.
I have been searching for good breakfast spots downtown for quiet sometime- and after trying the food here it has gone straight to the top of my list. It’s a very small Bulgarian/Eastern European restaurant and coffee shop nestled in between shops and restaurants on Denman street so it’s easy to miss. I’m just sad that I had not discovered it sooner.
First off, I ordered freshly squeezed orange juice (which was squeezed right before my very eyes). Next, I tried the spinach and feta fillo which was so fresh and delicious and unlike anything I’ve had before (similar to a Greek Spanakopita…but definitely better). You can really tell at a place like this that time, effort and quality is put into each and every meal. Next, I ordered the chocolate and berries fillo roll which was oozing with chocolate and berry from all sides. It was sooooo delicious that I think I may just have to go back for some more. You could tell that there were a lot of regulars there and I can see why (one regular told me that the pumpkin filled fillo is to die for- I’ll have to try it next. I even spoke to a Bulgarian friend afterwards who told me its a favorite amongst local Bulgarians (which is always a good thing. I definitely plan on going back to try their full breakfast menu. I’ll keep my beloved readers posted on the verdict.
Sunday at the Sea (Athens, Greece)
Rouge (Istanbul, Turkey)
After having read this article in the New York Times just before heading to Turkey, I was determined to try out one of the wine bars in Istanbul. While waiting for my travel partner one afternoon close to the large Taksim square, I headed to Rouge to check it out. As lovely as the place looked, as equally lovely was the service. Chatting with the waiter about the city, its people and its products, he offered me a glass to sample while perusing their menu.
Our meze-style dinner later that day consisted of small plates with Turkish cheeses, eggplant rolls, shrimp with a range of delicious sauces, sweet pies for dessert and more, all accompanied of course with, unknown to me before then, delicious Turkish wines. All in all it was a delightful evening, enjoying beautifully presented modern versions of traditional Mediterranean cuisine, surprisingly good wines (personally recommended to go with your meal by knowledgeable staff) and a relaxing atmosphere.
Rouge also includes a store downstairs to bring some bottles home as well as, as the friendly waiter told me, live jazz music once a week at their restaurant.
Rouge also includes a store downstairs to bring some bottles home as well as, as the friendly waiter told me, live jazz music once a week at their restaurant.