Foodie Monster Special: Paris & Food Art

Of course my stay in Paris would not go unnoticed food-wise. C'MON! If there is something French are good at (apart from fashion) is food. Ok, sometimes too many baguettes and too much butter for some, but I am a sucker for both! 

As I was there during fashion week, it almost felt necessary to do an upgrade on my dining options and therefore we chose to have french cuisine most of our nights. 

There was only one night when we made an exception, Ober Mamma was a must. A perfect Italian in the heart of Paris, that not only has a great bar set up, its food is incroyable. Pizzas are beyond delicious, the cured meats as a starter are sublime and to top that you've got lovely waiters to guide you on your menu choices. Not to mention is the hot-spot at the moment, ofc...

As for our french bistros, we've tried many, but there are a few that are worth mentioning: 

Chez Janou for a classic french bistro, pretty chairs outside, low-light restaurant, busy as hell and serving all the french dishes you were thinking about before getting there. Au Petit Fer a Cheval has also become our special favourite for a pre or post-dinner drink. 

Les Déserteurs if you want a twist on what you would call french cuisine. It is still very french, the products are mega fresh and the display is just beautiful. It is recommended in the Michelin Guide, which is always a good indicator, however I am always afraid that I am going to leave the restaurant feeling hungry. NOT THE CASE. 

We had a set menu including 2 starters, a main and dessert (see below!) and I could not have been more happily stuffed. The waiters usually help you pair your food with wine and you are offered some cheese in between dishes, which I would highly recommend. 

Now, sweet tooths out there, I haven't forgotten you. I've been trying to be good since I will be travelling to Philippines in less than a month. But hey ho, you can't go to Paris and not indulge some sweet delicacies. As I tried to go for "healthier options" I've realised that the parisiennes have also taken on board the matcha-kraze. So much they even have a whole restaurant for it! Umami Matcha Cafe. LOVE-IT. 

Other than that and the usual suspects such as Sadaharu Aoki or Eclair de Genie, I've also found Pain de Sucre at Le Marais. A bakery and patisserie offering the right amount of sugar you need in your body!

Don't miss out...and bon appetit!

TCB xx

Shop Til' You Drop

Forget Century21 and all those outlets an hour away of the city. If you come to New York is not to shop cheap, my friend, it's to shop RIGHT!

If your idea of shopping is to go to all places commoners go, then stop reading right away. If you like unique pieces that stand out wherever you go, then continue. Don’t get me wrong, I love Zara and all the high-street stores, but I can get that at home and probably cheaper than in the states, so why bother?

If you are in the same mindset as moi and you’ve got some dollah to spend, you’ve landed at the right site. Happy shopping gurrrrL

LOWER MANHATTAN & EAST VILLAGE

• Maiyet - Their flagship store on Crosby St is most beautiful and minimal store I've seen in a long time. Not to mention their handcrafted bags are SO DREAMY. Also, you've got the Nomo Hotel for a quick drink and the Egg Shop for the perfect brunch stopover.
• American Two Shot - Also around the corner from Maiyet, a Super Cool Store for Super Cool People. Not only clothing but also home stuff and creative little items that are probably useless but SO cool. I mean, really.
• V Files – You faaancy! Hood by Air and the likes, properly set up in the nicest and coolest way.
• Reformation – Need to explain myself on this one? You have IG and claim you are into fashion, right? Then all has been said.
• Frankie shop (aka Pixie Market) – Same thing as reformation. But if you need a bit of info…all those catwalk pieces you wanted? Here, for you, and at affordable prices.
• 3NY – This shop I discovered on my last trip to the city. And I love it! Remember my Valentino lookalike? I got it here. Really funky and unique finds, with a variety of prices. Much better to go in-store than online. 
• Warby Parker and Moscot for great eye-glasses and sunglasses. Warby Parker has more of a young vibe, with lots of different styles and frames and good for every budget. Moscot is a NY staple. It’s a family business that’s been running for centuries and their frames have been worn by many famous people.
• Aritzia and J. Crew– OK,OK, OK these are sort of chains. But we don’t have them in Europe! Minimalist concept store with great evergreen pieces. Great steal of the season: suede pants for less than $100!
• The Market NYC (on Broadway w/ Broome St) – Probably quite touristy but I found true gems in these warehouse: great if you are looking for good (gold-plated) jewelry and leather goods

GREENWICH VILLAGE (BLEECKER ST)

The list of shops across this street is LONG. It is mainly luxury firms, but also independent designers (up and coming, of course), so if you come from the UK, it is probably worth checking them out, since your pounds are worth more overseas.

If you are coming from anywhere else, I still think it is worth for you to have a stroll around the area. It is my favourite neighborhood for a reason, not only the shopping.

TCB x

Girls Gotta Eat - Manhattan Edition

Breaky, Brunch & Cafes ($$)

that are worth tones of insta pics

(I mean, why else would you eat THAT much?)

Breakfast, the most important meal of the day, should be served in style. And that is why you should head for a cup of coffee (or a cold brew, if you like) at Ralph's Coffee, located on the second floor at Ralph Lauren's flagship store on Madison Avenue. Kick start your morning before heading to your shopping spree downstairs!

P.S.: Check out their adjacent teeny tiny merchandise store, that's the sort of souvenir your friends will keep. 

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

If you are not a morning person, then brunch is certainly your thing; and if you've been in Manhattan for a while, you know that best insta-meals are Downtown. 

Vegan lovers have By Chloe on the ever trendy Bleecker St, serving juices, baked goodies and cocktails in funky digs. You know I ain't no veggie but everything on their menu is so yummt! My personal fave were the sweet potato fries and the veggie burger.

Jacks Wife Freda, on Lafayette St, serves a meal for champions. Curated with cutesie-healthy drinks like watermelon tea, this bistro is an american fare share mixed with Middle Eastern cuisine, my old time favourite.

Lupe’s LA East Kitchen on 6th with Broome St, certainly takes me back to LA style. Great for those who love proper mexican and a good selection of drinks. 

Egg Shop serves everything with EGGS, of course. Their service is amazingly friendly, and despite being quite a small spot, it is definitely worth the wait. Their classic B.E.C. is the perfect hangover cure.

Like a good spaniard, italian or french, coffee is needed after a meal, or anytime, really. So if you want to take some snaps while enjoying one of those little cups (or rather large one), then you should try:

• Cafe Henrie for all things pink, or Cha Cha Matcha for the same reason, though Matcha is all you'll find here, or all you should try, at least!

• Spreadhouse has amazingly great coffee, and their "Turn Me On" logan on the toilets is definitely a must.

• Least, but not last, The Doughnut Project or Clinton St Baking Co., for a great afternoon snack (that is doughnuts or waffles) before dinner. Make sure you've got space on that belly!

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Dinner ($$$)

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

 If you are one of those people who love people watching, the first three restaurants are definitely ticking your box. 

•    Dirty French is FABULOUS. From stylish people at reception to the barman everything is cared to detail. Not only that, the food is also delicious. WATCH OUT: Oysters on the menu. 

•    Budakkan, aka that dinner place on SATC, yes! The Pan-Asian restaurant is defo a must visit. Specially if you love japanese/chinese/thai and all those cuisines.

•    Polo Bar is certainly where you want to be seen, regardless of eating or not.

Lombardi’s Pizza is one of the classic pizza spots in the city. Not for people watching, or for being glam, but because their pizzas are pretty damn good. And you gotta have pizza, right?

After-party treats ($)

Living in NYC makes it quite difficult to actually indulge dinner sometimes. Not because there aren't enough options to dine, but because a liquid meal usually falls more into place. Afterwork rooftop drinks, tinder dates, working til late followed by that party on that hotel, and last thing you know its 1AM and you are no longer hungry but drunk. 

Do not worry! The answer to all your queries is called Artichoke Pizza. There's no way around it!  

Portugal's Sleeping Beauty's Castle

If you´d like to visit Disneyland gone dark, you certainly need to visit Sintra. This World Heritage site helds some of the most incredible castles I've ever seen. 

There´s plenty to do in this town (which by the way, is only an hour away from Lisboa, on the train): exquisite palaces to visit, extravagant residences and decorative gardens to admire and astonishing beaches to relax at about 20 minutes away.  

The sights are spread across the hills of the region, and there are a series of challenging hiking trails, so if you are not very sporty, hold your breath. 

As you get into town, you reach the historic centre, where pretty cobbled streets meet with traditional shops and cafes, all centred around the Gothic styled National Palace. 

If I had limited time and I could only visit one sight though, that would be Quinta da Regaleira. I feel this stately home is slightly underrated as you have to walk for a long while but it is certainly worth it.  The gardens are filled with mystic symbolism and hidden features which include secret tunnels, Gothic towers and stone fortified walls. I mean, hello?

To finish our day, we took the bus like the locals and ended up at a tiny village by the sea. Little we know there were local festivities and we would end up dancing samba with the Portuguese...SO MUCH FUN, that´s all I will say.

Stay tuned, 

TCB xx

View fullsize

Scorching Lisboa

Lisboa is exactly what they've told you: colourful, vibrant, mesmerizing and HOT! The city is full of energy, day and night, and that's exactly what I was looking for. Plus a good company always makes a trip better, and British-Irish squad and I had a blast. 

I'd say you probably need at least 2-3 days to get to know Lisbon properly. More than that, and you are in for a treat of discovering local gems. 

Portuguese are very Mediterranean in their food culture, therefore if you are visiting the city, you are in for a treat. I particularly enjoyed having lunch at Pharmacia, a pharmacy-inspired restaurant by the museum of Pharmacy. You can enjoy some seriously delicious petiscos (tapas) and a good wine for a very decent price (€25-€35 average).

As for sweets: PASTEIS DE BELEM. I mean, what else do you need? I must tell you that it is also my favourite dessert of all times. Can you imagine how hard it was to keep myself at bay? They are so goddamn good! My favorite were the originals from Belem, but you can literally find them at every corner.  Manteigaria is really good if you are in downtown Lisboa. 

Of course you need your postcard picture by the Elevador de Bica, but make sure you stop along the way and enjoy a drink at Park, a rooftop terrace in a car-park. Yes, you may think you are at Frank's in Peckham, but the temperature and the price of your bill will tell you differently.

Views from the Rooftop at Park

To top up your visit to the city, I highly recommend visiting LX Factory, which you could also visit on your way to Belem (a must). 

A bit hidden in the middle of nowhere, this village is full of up and coming artists. Whether you are looking for a great bar or you'd like to get some home furniture or souvenirs, this is your kinda place. 

Grafitti Wall at LX Factory

View fullsize

Views from Rio Maravilha Rooftop, at LX Factory

Ibiza, Island of Fun

I've been trying to think about how to express my feelings about this island for the last couple of days. So many words come to my mind but I guess my favourite is FREEDOM. Never have I been at a place where 'everything goes' and 'nobody gives a damn', literally.

On the course of five days, I've seen such a variety of people: a naked old man parading all over Ibiza with a pair of House of Holland sunglasses and an umbrella (fancy!), numerous girls in underwear just chilling in the streets, and of course, a lot of hippies.  What do they have in common? That they could care less about it, they were doing what they wanted.

Ibiza is also a place where you can have it all. Party? Check. Relax? Check. Great Food? Check. Great Beaches? Check. Great Bitches? Check, Check. 

You say beachy spots, I say Cala d'Hort. It takes a bit to get there but it is SO dreamy you should not miss out. Crystal clear water, beautiful layout AND a great restaurant serving what is probably the best Paella I had in a long time. 

Enjoy the weekend peeps, 

TCB xx

The Unknown LIC

Photography By Steph from City And Palm

I think y'all know how much I love New York. It's been a long-time affair and the more I visit the Big Apple, the more I want to get to know her better. 

I love visiting my usual shops and restaurants. getting my bagel from Black Seed and my matcha fix from Cha Cha Matcha, not without stopping at the uber cool and girl power shop Bulletin. But hipster stereotypes aside, every time I am there I like to discover something different. That's what keeps things interesting, right? 

So, I decided to venture out and discover what I feel many New Yorkers don't even visit much: Long Island City, or LIC. It was surprising to see how empty most of it was on a Saturday morning! That, or everybody was still sleeping off their hangovers...Lucky them. 

In any case, while wandering the streets of this yet to be trendy spot, we encounter ourselves with Magic - A HUGE Cola sign. I must admit, I love Coca-cola. It's definitely one of my weaknesses, along with fries and ice-cream (seriously, such a healthy diet). Unfortunately the sign was for Pepsi-Cola, its eternal enemy, but nevertheless a great photo op we couldn't miss. 

Lolita #outfitrole ON, glasses and lips on point, and here we go! The weather nearly melt us along the way, but it was totes worth it.

TCB xx

WHAT I WORE:

Copenhagen Symmetry

If there is one word that summarises Copenhagen it is symmetry. Just as I was landing into this nordic country I could tell everything here id done to perfection. And it is, indeed. 

It particularly stroked me how great the food was. I could expect the danish to excel in interior design and home déco (which they do) but food? That I wouldn't know.

We all know Noma is the best restaurant in the world but that's an exception to the rule, or so I thought. Truth is, keeping Noma aside the Danish still have great stuff on offer. Every dish I tried here not only was delicious but it seemed out of a design catalogue. From the infamous avocado on rye toast at Atelier September to a 3-dish tasting menu turned 10-dish extravaganza at Höst, everything tasted delightful and it made you feel as if you were having not only a great meal but a great experience. 

Nørrebro was also one of my preferred wander areas. Apparently the hip neighborhood these days, it helds plenty of foodie offers. My fave have to be Mirabelle for brunch and Bæst pizza for dinner. They are own by the same peeps and there's a brewery in front of it and an Empire cinema. Could you have more in less than 50m distance? Well, if you walk about 200m you have Acne Archive, which is obvs a must if you are a fashionista in need of a scandi touch.

I am not a fab of going through touristy bits but if you had more time and wanted to...Tivoli Gardens are always a good laugh, and its one of the oldest theme parks ever. That's gotta count for something, right? 

TCB x

WHAT I WORE:

Day 1:
Tommy Jeans Logo T-shirt
ZARA Black Playsuit
Skinnydip London Kisses Clutch (old)
ZARA Gold Sandals

Day 2:
Topshop Mom Jeans
Mango Crochet Top
Taylor Morris ZERO Sunglasses
Marc Jacobs Snapshot bag
Warby Parker Glasses
Stan Smith Adidas Trainers

Who needs the Upper East Side?

Greenwich Village, Soho, Nolita, East Village...anywhere Lower Manhattan, you name it, and I'll be there.

It wasn't until my last trip to New York that I've realized the more I come here, the less I need to go uptown. I mean, why would you? I get it if you want to have a cultural day but otherwise, it's too much of a subway trip. You've got everything downtown.

I could literally spend my whole day walking around Bleecker St, to be honest. Yes, it is such a cliche but I love it there. Plus there are not one but three Marc Jacobs stores. Hello? Is it me you are looking for? 

On Saturday, I had a shopping spree myself: Kate Spade, J.Crew, Coach...basically every single american brand you could think of, plus few more that I discovered on the day. There was particularly one new designer that I felt in love with: Maiyet. Their flagship store (the only one worldwide!) is fantastic, so minimal yet so cool. Their bags are to die for and I cannot wait to wear one myself! 

Of course every shopping tour needs foodie stopovers, so I had an amazing veggie brunch at By Chloe topped up with a super yum icecream from The Big Gay Ice-cream Shop. 

And when you thought this could not get any better...there was live soul music in the street. 

YOU GOTTA LOVE IT.

TCB x

WHAT I WORE:

H&M Stripes Dress
ZARA Gold Sandals
Taylor Morris ZERO sunglasses
Marc Jacobs American Flag Bag

Postcards From Manhattan

Brooklyn, You Are The Best

It is very hard to express with words how amazing New York has been to me. As I mentioned before, it has been a while since I was last here and I must say this place gets better every time.

First time staying in Williamsburg (and through AirBnB!) and both the people and the neighborhood were GREAT. So many little places to discover in so little time. 

Waking up to a glorious sunshine, I particularly liked a deli where I had breakfast everyday while there called Campbell's Cheese & Groceries. I literally would have had anything from that shop! Another favorite pitstop is the old-school Wythe Hotel where you can #treatyourself to a $15 cocktail while overseeing Manhattan. Next to it is the Brooklyn Brewery, which was such a delight to encounter considering that's my favourite beer. Smorgasburg on the Saturdays is a must if you are around but there are certainly many other places you could enjoy away from the crowd...

In fact, one of the most funky things I've found in a long time was a hidden gallery on a ground floor apartment at Lorimer St, where there was a Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen exhibit going on. Ha, that was pretty awesome.

But keeping the food and the sightseeing aside, it was the people I met along the way that made my stay in the city even better. There were many sleepless nights and lots of memories that I will treasure.

Who needs to sleep when you are in New York City?

TCB x

A Walk To Remember

Man, did I forget how great the states are. It is the first time back in Boston since I left Bentley 6 years ago but as I landed at Logan Airport and drove to the city I just felt right at home.

I thought coming back would be difficult. Most if my friends from uni are spread over the world and I would have a different feeling being there. Nevertheless, it's been awesome. Lots of shopping at Newbury street and strolls around the common and Chinatown. Not to forget the not-so-hidden street library near Macy's. Such a must!

Work has been treating us well and we had a fantastic getaway in the city AND a short trip to the Cape, which is always so great.

I didn't remember how XXXXXL portions are in the US and as a declared foodie I tried to finish every yummy meal I had. It just meant by the end of it I got a bit of indigestion. OOPS! Totally worth it, though. In fact, if you are in downtown Boston I suggest you go to Yvonne's. Such an amazing venue and the food is to die for.

One my trip to the Cape we stayed at Chatham Bars Inn. And let me tell you, there's not a better place than that! As it is still low season we had pretty much the whole condo to ourselves (and it is ginormous), which also includes a private pool club with a heated swimming pool. WINNING!

Not to mention the amount of fresh seafood on offer...DE-LIGHT-FUL.

Ah, how I missed you. It's going to be hard to go back.

TCB x

MOSTLY WEARING:

Topshop Mom Jeans
Topshop Black Joni Jeans
ZARA Gold Sandals
Taylor Morris ZERO sunglasses
Marc Jacobs Mirrored Hearts Bag (old)

The Sky is your Garden

Have I mentioned how deserted The City is on weekends? Perfect hotspot for a shoot.

Once again the Spanish Mafia went for a stroll and this time ended up having breakfast at the Sky Garden. It was long overdue!

Probably my favourite skyscraper to date in terms of what you can get out of it: best views and no entrance fee for it. The only drawback I'd highlight is that the food is not at its best unless you pay for an upgrade and go to the restaurant or the brasserie on top floors.

In any case, any excuse is a good excuse to dress up so I braved the weather (sunny but SO cold) and here is the result.

TCB xx

WHAT I WORE:  

ASOS White Monochrome Dress

Ouigal Heeled Glitter Sandals