Travel Caper: Raiding the French Pharmacy

In February, I escaped the confines of London for a Valentine's trip to Paris. While it was lovely to show Matt my favorite spots and spend time with my friends Laure and Vaite, one of the best reasons to visit France has to be the opportunity to raid their pharmacies! For years I've seen beauty bloggers extolling the wonders of these shops and I have to say, they were right. All you have to do is step into one of the many pharmacies around the city to see what all the fuss is about. I think it's fair to say that skincare is a major focus within these shops and the sheer volume of products is astounding. I wanted to get a photo within the shop but the pharmacist's expression suggested that might not be welcome... 

Anyway, I picked up six treats this time and have had a month and a half to test them out. Just as a preface, I'm not a beauty blogger by any means and am definitely more comfortable discussing different dishes and spices. My opinions below are from the point of view of a consumer rather than an expert so I'll probably not cover things as well as someone else might. However, so far, I'm really pleased with all of them and am looking forward to my next opportunity to check out more products. 

Bioderma Micellar Water 

I've used this product about a million times before and I really love it. It's billed as a great way to remove makeup and pollution from your skin after a day of wear and tear and it's built up a huge cult following as a result. I find it really gets every last bit of makeup off and I tend to use just a little on a cotton pad after washing my face at night. It also offers a nice refresh during the day - particularly in the summer heat. I was a bit greedy and couldn't resist the special offer so I went ahead and got two bottles. I think Bioderma is available in most places outside of France but with a hefty markup. I've also seen that micellar waters are very popular at the moment and so there are a lot of other ones out there on the market. If you haven't tried it yet, I definitely recommend it! 

Next up, I have three new facial skincare creams - I'd never tried these before so I wasn't sure what to expect. So far, they seem to all be very nourishing without being greasy or leaving too much residue. Additionally, I was glad I went with these three because they seem to have very different uses. 

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre 

This was another item that I'd heard a lot about through beauty blogs and the media. About a year ago (I think), this brand was released in Britain and there were tons of articles about it since it's such a cult favorite. I'd never tried it before and so was really curious about what kind of impact it might have on my skin. After using it for a month, I think the best way to describe it is as a light facial moisturizer. I find it goes on really smoothly and sinks in quickly. However, if you had dry skin or any other issue, this might not be the right one for you. I know they make a different version and I'm wondering if maybe that one is more heavy duty. All in all, I do like this cream but I'm not sure if I like it more than my old favorites. 

Lierac Diopticalm 

I'd been thinking of switching up my eye cream for a while and, when I came across this product online before my trip, I thought I'd give it a go if I could find it. So far, I like the packaging since you have the option of a fine tip applicator or you can unscrew the lower level if you want to apply a larger amount. Also, it does seem to be nicely moisturizing around the eye area so I'll definitely keep using it. However, I'm still on the fence about whether I'd want to repurchase this one or if I should hunt around the pharmacies here in London for an alternative. 

Avene Cold Cream

Growing up, my mom always extolled the virtues of cold cream as a makeup remover and moisturizer so this product was not exactly new to me. Also, my former flatmate Laure would always tell me about Avene products and how great they were. So, I thought this could be a nice opportunity to combine these recommendations. I've been using this cream in conjunction with the Embryolisse and Lierac products for areas that need a bit more love - such as around my eyes and on any dry areas. This one is definitely the heaviest of the three and does have a slightly greasy residue (although this dissipates pretty quickly). I don't think I'd ever use this as my sole face cream but I will definitely keep it on hand as an extra level of moisture when needed. However, I should point out that Avene products have the most noticeable scent of any of the items I bought on this trip and I can see why that might be a bit of a turn off for some people. If possible, I definitely suggest testing them out so you can see what I mean before purchasing. I believe Avene products are available here in the UK but again, I think you pay a bit extra for them. 

Finally, I rounded out this shopping trip with two products for the body. At the time, my skin was strangely dry (considering how much water I drink in a day) and so I was hunting for something to fight the winter weather. Fortunately, these two items really saved the day! 

Topicrem Ultra-Hydratant Lait Corps

I'll admit, I took a bit of a chance on this one. I'd done some research prior to my trip and seen this body cream listed on a lot of blogs. However, when I went to find it, I only found it packaged in duos. It seemed silly to go to another store so I went ahead and bought it. Luckily, it's just as good as expected! Really light but still nicely moisturizing - it's perfect for putting on quickly while getting ready for work. Completely non-greasy, I find it sinks in almost immediately. Definitely glad I went with the two pack! 

Avene Cold Cream for Hands 

This little hand cream was a bit of a last minute grab. I had been looking for something to bring back for my flatmate and I stumbled across these cute little hand creams. They're the perfect size to throw in a purse and are really rich. My hands get super dry during the colder months and this has been great for combating that annoyance. Again, it has the same scent as the facial cream so I can see that being a drawback for some people. However, the perfume wears off quickly while the cream lasts for ages. 

I had so much fun poking around the pharmacy (I went to a medium sized one on Rue de Commerce) and I do think it was worth dragging them back across the channel. While several of these items are supposedly available here in the UK (although I haven't seen them in my local shops), I think there's something so fun about trying out new products in a different setting. Can't wait for the next Parisian adventure so that I can find some more hidden gems! 

A Taste of Seville: Salmorejo

As it has been quite a while since my last post, it should be no surprise that this recipe is a throw back to slightly warmer times... Specifically, the lovely girls weekend I spent in Seville with three fabulous friends. 

Ladies in line for the cathedral

On our first night, we'd all arrived at different times with myself and Nicola arriving last around ten that evening. Naturally, we quickly dropped our things off at the flat and headed out to enjoy a little tapas restaurant down the street. This soup was one of our first dishes and became an instant group favorite.

The one and only photo I managed to snap of our lovely little flat! 

A quick note on Seville: it's fabulous! We rented a flat via Friendly Rentals, a website similar to Airbnb. It was the perfect size with a bedroom and a mezzanine with two twin beds. Split between the four of us, it ended up being only twenty-five pounds a night. This was fantastic as it left plenty of cash for more important things... FOOD. 

NOMS!

As evidenced by the photo above, I wasted no time in getting properly stuck into the lovely tapas and Andalusian dishes. While many restaurants offer the usual tapas options, such as chorizo al vino or croquetas de jamon, there are also many local specialities to chose from. The recipe in this post is one of those dishes and would have been my favorite meal from our trip if we hadn't lucked into trying the dish above - a phenomenal rice and duck dish that was the unanimous winner. Served in a little restaurant down the street from our rented flat, it was one of several wonderful dishes. We took turns and each chose a dish to share which led to a nice variety of options. A chorizo and manchego starter, a spanish version of salmon tartare, fresh and light sautéed octopus and finally, the duck. I've been searching the internet for a similar recipe and promise to share if I find it! 

Plaza de Espana

What made this trip such a lovely adventure was the simplicity: we neglected to plan out any of our days and just went along with whatever we felt like doing. This meant that while we wandered the halls of more cultural sites such as the Catedral de Sevilla, Alcazar de Sevilla and the Plaza de Espana, there was also plenty of time for shopping, meandering and sunbathing. Perfection.  

Purple passport posse

Additionally, this trip was the first outing for my brand new Italian passport. It felt so strange to finally get to go through passport control with my friends instead of having to go through the "all other passports" line alone. Final verdict: Seville was lovely - easy to navigate, delicious and thoroughly enjoyable. Now... back to the soup! 

Blended soup ready to chill in the refrigerator 

I've never been a major fan of tomato soup but this was perfect and completely made me a convert. Very similar to gazpacho, this soup is served cold with a drizzle of olive oil and some crispy bits of bacon scattered on top. Heavenly. And, even better, it's so simple to create that you can throw it together in minutes. By grating the tomatoes, you avoid having to blanch them to remove the skins since the grating process will separate the skins for you. 

Ready to eat!

Recipe via www.foodandwine.com

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: N/A

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients: 

2lbs tomatoes, grated and skins discarded. 

1 baguette, cubed into small pieces 

2 garlic cloves, chopped
Dash of vinegar

1/4-1/2 cup olive oil

Bacon lardons, fried until crisp

Method: 

Starting with the tomatoes, cut each one in half and then grate the cut side over a coarse grater. Discard the skins as you go along before mixing all of the tomato pulp in a bowl. Add in the baguette and allow the bread to soak up the tomato juices before adding the mixture to a blender. The bread should be softened by this point.

Pulse gentle to combine the tomato and bread mixture further before adding the garlic and vinegar. Continue pulsing until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Allow the blender to run on a low setting while drizzling in the olive oil until your soup has a light color and smooth consistency. Move to the refrigerator to cool while you fry the bacon.

Finally, ladle into bowls and drizzle with olive oil before topping with the bacon lardons. Enjoy! 

Travel Caper: Rome Restaurants

Buon giorno! This is a bit of a different caper as it's not a recipe, but rather a quick guide to my favorite places to eat in Rome. I've been popping back and forth between Rome and London for a few years now as my parents have been living there. However, with their move to Naples looming on the horizon, I thought now would be a good time to tally up all the lovely meals we've had into this list. It's by no means an exhaustive list but I hope it will be useful to any Rome visitors who'd like to have a tasty and authentic meal without breaking the bank (which is very easy to do in Rome... so many overpriced and underwhelming restaurants!). I'm also including a few non-restaurant additions which are my favorite food purchases within the supermarket. Let's get started!

Rome Food Shopping Favorites: 

Apertif anyone?

When I'm in Rome, we have a lovely supermarket just down the street from our house... which gives me ample opportunity to pick up two of my favorite things: gorgonzola and prosecco! I prefer prosecco to champagne because it's slightly sweeter and, often, cheaper. It's one of those things I only really have in Rome since it would be pricier back in London and feel a bit over indulgent in our little London flat! The gorgonzola is "gorgonzola dolci" the older, sweeter version they sell. There is also a 'gorgonzola piccante" but that's a bit too sharp for my liking. If you're in Italy, or even just in a great supermarket where you live, try out the dolci version. Even if you're not a fan of blue cheese, I think you'd be hard pressed not to like this one! 

Izzy approves of prosecco! 

The Local: La Balestra (2, Via Simeto, Rome, 00198)

Inside La Balestra

This little restaurant is our local favorite in our area of Rome. My parents stumbled upon it and have been returning customers ever since. The place is family owned and judging by the fact that it's packed every night, obviously a neighborhood favorite. The menu is extensive with great pasta and meat options. I also had the pannacotta (my favorite dessert) and it was delicious. I highly recommend a stop here if you're in the Villa Borghese.

Steak with green peppercorn sauce

Asparagus with lemon and olive oil

Roman artichoke

Steak with balsamic vinegar glaze 

Pannacotta with blueberry sauce

The Cafe: Bar Ristorante Tre Scalini (Piazza Navonna)

Aperol Spritz! 

This was just a quick stop with Laure and Anna for a coffee in the lovely Piazza Navonna. What made it special was that Anna and I tried out the delicious Aperol Spritz - a combination of Aperol and prosecco. I'd never had it before and was pleasantly surprised. It's the perfect drink to enjoy on a hot afternoon. While Tre Scalini is hardly unique among the tons of restaurants and cafes in the piazza, it gets my vote because the managers were the only ones clever enough to take down a few umbrellas to create an area of outdoor seating in the sun (which was exactly what we were looking for).

The Pizzeria: Dar Poeta (33 Vicolo del Bologna, Rome, 00153)

Laure's mushroom pizza 

This restaurant is my hands down favorite pizza place in all of Rome. The prices are phenomenally reasonable (7-8 euro a pizza compared to closer to 20 elsewhere), the toppings are very original (buffalo mozzarella and courgette cream for example) and the staff are friendly. The restaurant is deceptively large with outdoor seating and two floors of tables inside. My absolute favorite pizza is the Lingua de Foco, a spicy option with tons of flavor. If you're in the Trastevere neighborhood and need a break from seeing the beautiful Santa Maria church, then this is a great place to have a quick snack.

Anna's buffalo mozzarella and artichoke pizza

The Gelateria: Pompi Srl (82, Via della Croce, Rome)

This gem in the heart of the touristy district in Rome was a complete surprise to me. Recommended by a colleague of Laure's in London, we decided to search it out since it's so close to several of the sites we wanted to take Anna to (Spanish Steps, Piazza Popolo, etc). The shop is also close to the Via del Corso, one of the main shopping streets in Rome so it makes for a nice stop off after running errands. The prices were really surprising with our fairly large ice cream cones coming in at only 3 euros each. The only downside is that there isn't any attached seating so you'll have to wander with your treat. However, we found a nice side street with some places to sit nearby. Highly recommend this gelateria for it's wide range of flavors and generous portions. I went for a lemon, strawberry and peach combo, Laure chose chocolate and vanilla, while Anna decided nutella and chocolate sounded best. We were three very happy customers!

Gelato power! 

The Overall Option: San Marco (38, Via Sardegna, Rome, 00187)

Spicy bread they bring before the starters

San Marco gets my vote for overall winning option because I've never had a disappointing meal here, despite trying several different dishes on the menu. This is close to the Embassy so it's often where I'll meet my Dad for lunch. They have pizza, pasta and meat options so it's a great place if you aren't sure what you're craving. This last visit had an extra bonus: Mom joined us! She had the best dish that day: lemon pasta. If it's still on the menu next time you're in Rome, I can't stress how much you need to order it. The pannacotta wasn't as nice as they've had in the past so next time I think tiramisu will be on the cards...

Wine and bread 

Pannacotta with strawberry sauce

Phew! Sorry for such a long post but I wanted to give the best picture of Rome dining as possible. I hope this helps for any future trips to Rome. While I'm sad that my parents will be moving in July, I'm looking forward to future food adventures in Naples!