AMSTERDAM EATS

so, basically all i did in amsterdam was go from restaurant to restaurant. but to be fair, what else am i supposed to do on a super windy and rainy day? i couldn't walk around all day like i was normally doing in every other city so naturally the next thing to do is eat...a lot. 

i think most of my amsterdam meals were great. the two places that i won't be forgetting anytime soon are harvest & co. as well as upstairs pannenkoeken. 

i definitely loved how great each store was set up. their interiors were killing it. a life goal of mine is to open up my own little restaurant and amsterdam definitely had me day dreaming about my dream place like crazy. who knows, maybe one day i'll surprise us all and open up my dream place.

Harvest & Co.

Tweede Helmersstraat 96 (Helmersbuurt)

+31 611 641654

Harvest & Co. is a curated shop containing vintage and new items for your home, travel, and to wear. their storefront is a coffee shop that brews speciality drinks which are delicious. i highly advise you to order their cortadito (it is one of the best i've had so far), browse through a magazine that's lying around, and hang out for a while. one of the owners took my coffee order while the other was hanging out at the front and i really loved that. i regret not striking up a real conversation with them, i bet they have some awesome stories to share.

this is definitely a shop worth checking out. i'm very into the concept they have going on. an environment of celebrating quality and honest craftsmanship truly comes to life at harvest & company which is something i admire deeply. i cannot say enough great things about this place, just simply that you must check it out.

Pazzi

1e Looiersdwarsstraat 4-BG (Jordaan)

+31 20 3202800

this first place i ate at was pazzi. it was a few steps away from my apartment and my friends and i were starving so naturally we decided not to walk very far to get some food in our mouths! they were closing soon, but the guy outside taking a smoking break happened to be the pizza maker and he told us to go in and that he'd take care of us. 

we ordered the two pizzas to go and grabbed ourselves a bottle of wine and some salads from the nearest market. maybe it was because i was so hungry or maybe they make a mean pizza, but they were both really great! the prosciutto and arugula was my favorite, but the mozzarella and cheese was also good. the crust was the best in my opinion. i love good crust and this pizza had good crust! i would go back to this restaurant, but i would order one of the more complex pizzas on the menu and probably eat in.

Phone number+31 20 3202800

Vinnies Deli
Haarlemmerstraat 46 (Centrum)
+31 20 7713086

i visited this cute organic cafe on my last day in amsterdam. it seemed to be a locals only kind of place which is my favorite! i ordered poached eggs on toast and a coffee and kind of wish i would've gone a little crazy and tried a few items off of their menu...as well as a piece of cake. unfortunately i was in a "i'm going to be healthy today" mood which truthfully didn't last very long. 

i suggest ordering one of their open-faced sandwiches and some coffee! the instagram photos of all their food definitely make me wish i could hop on a plane and grab a sandwich to-go (man, i wish that was a thing). last suggestion is to go eat upstairs and hangout by the window to people watch! heads up, they only take card which is a bummer!

Petit Gateau

Haarlemmerstraat 80 (Centrum)

+31 624 205631

this quote on their website sums this place up quite nicely "there once was a girl who wanted to be a pastry chef. she started a patisserie in paris, and after six successful years, she moved to amsterdam to do the same." a little bit of paris in amsterdam. this pastry shop is photogenic and is beautifully laid out. they have an open kitchen plan so you can watch the pastry chefs at work while ordering your espresso and tart (if you're like me you'll order at least two). 

i suggest ordering one of everything, but if you a normal human and cannot handle quite that many calories in one sitting then get the apricot and pistachio tart and something else. it was delicious and that crust is one to not forget. 

Jay's Juices
Haarlemmerstraat 14 (Centrum)
+31 20 6231267

somehow my traveling friend managed to get sick and it was not fun. i felt for her. the health nut in me came out and i started blurting out things we needed to get her to help her regain strength and feel better. while we were walking around waiting for our train to london we came across this gem. we entered and i very bluntly told the man behind the counter, "my friend is sick, we must make her feel better." he just laughed at us and eventually concocted some green juices for the both of us. he made her one which would help her out in her time of need and i specifically asked for a detox juice with lots of greens!

the drinks were really great and reminded me of home and sunny southern california weather! jay is clearly very knowledgable and you can tell by all the different magazine and newspaper articles written about him which he has posted on a wall in the tiny shop. so, if you are under the weather, want a really great juice, or are feeling guilty for all of the pastries and not so healthy food you have ingested...go here. 

Upstairs pannenkoeken

1012 GA Amsterdam (Centrum)

+31 20 6265603

let me start off by letting you know that this place is nestled between some other shops and is a little hard to find. keep your head up and look for their sign above a random door. once you are enter you will be surprised to see that you have to walk up these strange steep stairs to get inside the restaurant (it's all part of the experience, trust me). the interior feels like a dutch flea market. tea pots all over the ceiling and old photographs covering the walls. it's really cute in a "dutch grandma" kind of way.

let's talk about the meal. i'm still dreaming about the pancake i had. anthony bourdain (my forever crush) visited this place and said great things so obviously i would have to check the place out. thank god i did because the pancake with salami, cheese, and tomatoes will forever be one of the best meals i've had from some tiny hole in the wall. "this ain't no ihop" is what came out of my friend's mouth and she was damn right. these are dutch pancakes cooked to perfection. their menu is pretty extensive, but i think going with something simple is probably your best bet. 

AMSTERDAM IN ABOUT 40 HOURS

my stay in amsterdam was quite short, but it was still fun. it's such a beautiful city. everywhere you turn you are met by some cool looking building. i definitely did not expect it to be so trendy. the fashion there is pretty on point, the boutiques are great, and the cafes are definitely instagram worthy. overall amsterdam is a city based around art and i love that.

since i have been starting every post with a few tips on each city here are a few for amsterdam:

- be careful of the cyclist. they're not going to stop if you're in their way. they're kings of the road.

- walk everywhere. ride the bus as little as possible, it's not cheap and walking will allow you to find cool like alleyways, cute cafes, and just get a better look of the city.

- ride a bike at least once. i was not able to because of how insanely windy and rainy it was, but we were told by a local that it's really easy to bike there. 

- take a hop on, hop off boat ride. you'll get to learn some cool things you never would've learned by just walking around.
- check out the covered flower market.
- look up, you'll be surprised by all the cool details you will see. 

- coffee shops are where you go to smoke weed, cafes are bars and actual coffee drinking and food eating cafes. 

- stay out late. that's when you meet the most interesting characters and be amongst the locals.

PARIS VIDEO

before leaving for europe my friend emily and i decided we would take videos throughout our whole trip using the 8mm app. we shot a few hours worth of footage and turned it into an almost 8 minute video. 

we danced everywhere, ate tasty food, and drank a lot. i hope you fall even a little bit in love with paris via this video. enjoy. 

PARIS EATS

the food. oh man. let me start off by saying that i ate so much food during this europe adventure. i didn't even think it was possible for someone my size to consume so much, but somehow it happened. it was very much worth it, but if you need me i'll be at the gym burning off every last meal until summer.

before i start naming some places you definitely must check out, i want to give you some suggestions:

- if you are staying at a place with a kitchen then start off by roaming around and scoping out a few markets. buy some produce to cook with back at your place. paris gets expensive so cooking a few meals will save you some money. (a baguette, eggs, yogurt, a local jam, and some fruit)

- stay away from the touristy restaurant spots. look for places packed with locals. eat on the terrace, best people watching.

- learn how to say a few words to help you out when ordering. try and speak some french. the parisians will appreciate it and you won't look like such an ass. 

- most of the time you will have to pay at the register. don't act surprised if they never come pick up your bill. you go to them. 

- you don't leave a tip unless you feel like the service was amazing. i know, it's weird, but once you realize how much you are paying in taxes you'll be glad you don't have to cash out any more money.

- take your sweet time when eating. they are all about socializing over food so if you hangout for over two hours they won't care.

- try out different things from the bakeries. don't go to chain ones. you want the mom and pop bakery, trust me.

- wine and coffee are acceptable at any time of the day. go for it, you only live once. (yup, that happened)

- always order from the whole in the walls. you'll get some of the best bread and meals.

Merci

111 Boulevard Beaumarchais (Le Marais)

a wonderful place to shop, eat, and hangout in. two stories, three restaurants, and lots of beautiful items. this boutique store is filled with great items from earrings to dining room tables. it's fun to hangout in and grab a few items and also day dream about owning some of their stuff. like i said, they have three restaurants. two are first come first serve and the other is with a reservation. we visited the used book cafe. we did have to wait about half an hour as it was full to the brim. 

you must get their cafe creme. it's served in this big pitcher like mugs and it's good. we decided to order something small (biscuits and coffee) and eat a real meal elsewhere. we looked around and people's meals looked really wonderful so i'm pretty positive everything on the menu is good. this is a fun lounge around and catch up for hours with an old friend kind of place. afterwards you can stop by bonton the children's boutique (it's a few shops down) and jump into their old school photobooth and take some fun photos. 

Coquelicot 
24 Rue des Abbesses, 75018 Paris, France (Montmartre) 
+33 1 46 06 18 77

this place is small, absolutely lovely, and you'll most likely be sitting extremely close to your neighbor. i read somewhere that this place has been around since 1978! maybe that's why their food is absolutely amazing, they know what works and what doesn't. this is one of the restaurants that leaves you the check at your table, but you pay at the register. the cute old lady who served us spoke just a few words of english. so if you aren't lucky enough to travel with someone who speaks french you'll be okay at this restaurant.  

now about the food…incredible breakfast. i had a simple breakfast and i'm not exaggerating when i say it was the best breakfast i have ever had. the bread was baked to perfection (no exaggeration here), the eggs tasted fresh and the yolk poured out so damn beautifully, and that ham was quite tasty. simple is sometimes all you need. i suggest that you don't order their regular coffee. an espresso might have been a better choice or find a cafe after and order a coffee at the bar.

Le Refuge des Fondues

17 rue des Trois Frères (Montmartre)

+33 1 42 55 22 65

reservations, make one. it's definitely not easy getting them on the phone, but you will not get a table without one. ask for the 7pm reservation or else you will end up waiting a long time for a table to open up. this was such a fun way to spend our last night in paris. we ordered the meat and cheese fondue and red wine. it's a fixed menu so don't go asking for anything fancy because they won't have it. simple as that.

le refuge des fondues is more about the atmosphere and experience. probably the least tasty meal in paris (but that's still pretty tasty), but it was the best time. we made friends with everyone at the restaurant and laughed so much. we drank our red wine out of baby bottles which was an experience in itself. expect to be touching elbows with your neighbor, but it's fun! definitely check this place out! 

La Maison Rose  
2 Rue De L'abreuvoir (Montmartre)

the walk up is nice, but long so wear comfortable shoes. pretty touristy area, but worth the view. make sure to keep walking up after you're done at the cafe, because there is a lot to check out. 

food is mediocre, but the espresso was pretty good. this is a good 'i'm hungover i can eat anything right now' kind of meal. it's honestly nothing special, but it's such a darling cafe that it's makes it worth it which is why i added it on this list. bring a journal, order yourself a coffee, and just let yourself be inspired by your surroundings. 

Farmers Markets & Super Markets

i already mentioned this in the list of tops above. go to the street markets, super markets, and farmers markets for produce. grab a few bottles of wine, some fruit, yogurt, baguettes...whatever it is you like. it will save you some money and their produce and items are my favorite. 

le marché des enfants rouges is a covered market in le marais that is great. i ate from a moroccan stand and was pleasantly surprised by my meal. it was cheap, delicious, and the owners were so nice. at this particular market there are wine vendors, fruit stands, and all sorts of different meal options. it's definitely a place you must check out. 

since the christmas markets were still open i was able to walk down champs-élysées and check out all of the different markets that were out. i walked by a stand with a long line so i went to check it out and was surprised to see that they were smoking the salmon right there for all to see so of course i had to get myself something. i had a smoked salmon sandwich that was topped with a seasoned mayonnaise (not normally a fan of that stuff) and it was definitely worth it. 

MY LOVE FOR PARIS

so, somehow i managed to get myself back to europe all in the same year. i landed in paris first and even though i was in paris a few months before it felt like it had been years since i had last visited that magical city. i will be completely honest and say that the last time i was in paris i was left with a bitter taste in my mouth. i didn't have the greatest time and left pretty disappointed. 

man am i glad that i went back. i get it. i completely understand the paris hype. i fell madly in love with the city. it's colors, it's smells, it's cafes lined with parisians drinking café crème...i could go on and on. 

i can't wait to go back to paris. i definitely want to explore the city when it's warm and sunny every day! i can already picture all the simple and tasty picnics i would have at their parks. some wine, cheese, baguettes and some seasonal fruit..oh man, what a good time.

here are a few suggestions for visiting paris:
- if you want to visit paris and and really experience it you need to go for a minimum of a week. why? because i don't think you'll be able to really experience paris in a short amount of time. this was my third time in paris and i feel like i am just beginning to experience paris. (yes this means i am already planning on going back). 
- don't go with an strict agenda. have a list of a few things you would like to see and do, but keep it short. plan on getting lost. like really lost. my friend and i lost each other while riding their city bikes and it was a beautiful experience.
- riding the city bike is much scarier than you would imagine. they're crazy out there so if you are riding to just ride around you are good, but don't try getting to a location if you are new at riding. it was a fright fest. worth it though. 
- pack light. simple as that. some good comfortable shoes (major), a few basic pieces, and cameras.
- walk as much as you can. yes, the metro is great and helpful but the best way to see and explore the city is by foot. see above suggestion. 
- you will still need to take the metro so buy the metro ticket book instead of individual tickets. it will save you money and time. 
- check out their grocery stores. you can find some great things there and stocking up on some snacks is always a money saver.
- always have smaller bills on you and loose change. much needed.
- take a lot of photos and keep a journal. you'll forget some of these moments and all their beautiful details one day. so you'll be glad you captured them to keep forever.
- take it all in. all of it. every single meal, every metro ride, every person you come across. they make up the beautiful city of paris and it'll all inspire you.

SNAP, EDIT, AND POST

let's take a moment to talk about how great instagram is. i've come across so many cool brands, photographer, artists...etc. via instagram. if you are a professional of some sort i think we can both agree that instagram is such an awesome way to really expand your brand/business. i also love seeing what my friends and family are up to. sometimes having so many different sites is pretty overwhelming, but staying in touch with old friends and family is a major perk.

these are some of my recent instagram posts. you can check out the rest of my photos here!

  

WANDERLUST

it's back. my itch to travel that is. to be honest it never left, but as of late i have been really desiring adventure and travel. my mind starts to wander and i catch myself daydreaming of beautiful places like bali, turkey, morocco, barcelona...ok i'll save you some time and stop there. 

traveling isn't for everyone. some people are more comfortable staying in one place and they are content with that. i personally could never see myself not traveling. the adventure that lies ahead excites me.

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