1st of April 2017 - WELCOME TO MY PROJECT ROBOOT + REBOOST! I’d like to share this 4 week experience with you because to be frank, this is completely new to me too, never have I had a complete month of discipline/determination. So every week, I will be checking-in with progress shots (as below) and an update of how I’m feeling or what new things I have incorporated into my routine! I’m so excited! And here’s Check-in A for you today & what Project Reboot + Reboost means to me. *PS. I'm focussing on how I'm feeling rather than how I look. I feel like that's the intrinsic motivation needed for discipline. Progress shots WHY AM I DOING PROJECT REBOOT + REBOOST So I decided a couple months ago that April would be my month of complete discipline and detox because it was also a couple months ago that I booked all my travels for March, which to my surprise ended up being the entire month with only a couple days of breaks in between trips (at max)! As a student, I was also quite determined to go to as many countries as possible for as cheap as possible and that took a toll on my body. 10 hour bus rides, 6 hour layovers, sleeping on benches, late nights, broken sections of sleep each night for transport changes… As fun as the trips were (As you can probably tell from my travel posts, so I’m not complaining) for the whole month, I was running on adrenaline. Not once could I say that I was feeling 100%. Moreover, I was also in different countries, with lots of food temptations, which I enjoyed and as I have previously mentioned/as a massive foodie, I will NOT pass on an opportunity to try food for the sake of my ‘diet’ because that’s just silly. Trips are temporary, you can always go home and ‘reboot' but memories are a lifetime. So having come back to Germany only a couple days ago, I noticed that regardless of how many hours I slept I was still tired, I got sick, I felt bloated, I had water retention, I felt sore/stiff - BASICALLY, GROSS! WHAT IS PROJECT REBOOT + REBOOST
HOW AM I DOING PROJECT REBOOT + REBOOST
Go to products In light of the travel month, I knew I was going to overindulge on too much sugary foods, refined carbs and excessive amounts of sodium from eating out, so, I ordered the Tropeaka Lean protein, Spirulina and a few other items to make my go-to anti-inflammatory 'Golden Latte' 1. Tropeaka Lean protein: Vegan protein that assists with metabolism, stops cravings, sugar free, easily digested & helps with the toning/building of lean muscle. But I primarily decided to choose the Tropeaka lean protein is because it doesn't have any dairy, soy, gluten, lactose, wheat or anything that could possibly cause bloating/inflammation (largest concern this month). 2. Spirulina: Superfood that contains incredible amounts of protein, great for detoxification with it's high concentration of chlorophyll, packed with vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, C, D, A and E) and is also anti-inflammatory. It does taste a lot like seaweed which you could either love or hate but I usually incorporate it into my fruit smoothies/protein shakes so you can't really taste it, just makes your blend look extra green! 3. Ground Turmeric: Star of the show - known for it's anti inflammatory properties whilst increasing antioxidant capacity of the body, protective against free radicals. (I don't only use ground turmeric for my golden lattes, I also try to incorporate it into my cooking as much as possible) 4. Black Pepper: Helps with absorption of the ground turmeric into the blood stream aka. activates the turmeric in the human body. 5. Cinnamon: Not only does it taste incredible and make food taste like Christmas, it is also filled with medicinal properties that also helps with inflammation, the metabolism of glucose and hence helps with the storage of fat. 6. Agave Syrup: A natural form of sweetener that makes the Golden Latte taste more like a treat in a healthy way 7. Unsweetened Almond Milk: Forms the base to my Golden Latte. I could use water but I like the extra creaminess and body it gives. 8. Coconut Oil: If it's a hungry day or if I just wanted extra smoothness/substance to my drink, I would add a little bit of coconut oil as a source of healthy fat to curb hunger. 9. Maca Powder: I personally love it for it's nutty aroma but it also is another beneficial superfood packed with vitamins, balancing of hormones for better skin or general mood and can increase energy levels/stamina (Very much needed for post holiday workouts). 10. Ground Ginger: Last but not least, my best friend when it comes to bloating is ginger since it gets rid of gassiness but also improves inflammatory conditions! Surprise Surprise! *PS. I eyeball the amount that I put into the drink but I pour a cup of almond milk into the pot then roughly put in a tea spoon of everything (except the black pepper and ginger because then it gets a bit too spicy and strong). Last but not least, I am also making an effort to use this 'Pure Clay Glow Mask' from L'oreal, which is essentially a Red Algae mask that has been proved to enhance the barrier functions of the skin to keep it healthy and fight against pollution, replenish hydration whilst retaining moisture. So on top of drinking heaps and heaps of water, eating healthily, I will also religiously use this mask three times a week to regain a healthy glow in my skin! All in all, I know I had a naughty month but it’s perfectly fine. I learned a lot about my body at it’s natural habitat, I created many beautiful memories that are irreplaceable but most importantly, I’ve had my fun and I know that it’s time to REBOOT + REBOOST.
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On the third day of my trip to Paris, I made it a mission to try out as many cafés as possible but of course, healthy and clean options were my top choice. I was also very much in love with the 3rd and 4th arrondissement of Paris as it seemed very clean, felt very safe at all times and had a broader range of "modern" eateries rather than the traditional. So on the one day I had, I got to try out a few cafés/restaurants that I will share later in this post. There are certainly however, a few more on my list that I would like to have tried but unfortunately time did not permit and neither did my stomach, though I already went all out seeing that the food consumed today was very much 'guilt free! :) 1. Wild & The Moon Wild Bar I sat at this cafe for a total of 4 hours. I was working away on my laptop, enjoying my food and when I check my watch, it was already 2pm.... First impressions 1. Very welcoming and comforting interior design - The total design of the place was very work friendly with natural lighting. 2. Very good music taste - calming yet uplifting (again, perfect to work to) 3. The staff were all very friendly, willing to help with the ordering. Also, I guess because of the nature of the restaurant, the staff spoke very good English as well. So in conclusion, I loved this café a lot! Probably one of my favourite cafés of all time to be honest.... ps. I spotted quite a few French models enjoying their breakfast there! Acai Bowl @ Wild & The Moon Wild Bar Acai berry, Homemade granola acai mixes, coconut flakes and fresh banana Definitely one of the best Acai bowls I have had - perfect in terms of consistency, sweetness and the acai granola mix was a great combination Banana cake @ Wild & The Moon Wild Bar Banana, Grated coconut, cinnamon, vanilla, hazelnuts, rice flour, buckwheat flakes sapphires poppy sheaths - Served up with vanilla sauce with more poppy seeds Very moist + Very Nutty = 100% up my alley Just wish I could have bought a loaf and took it home... honestly, the density! The flavour! Arghhh!!! Homed Buckwheat Granola @ Wild & The Moon Wild Bar Buckwheat, vanilla, Goji berries, apple, Cinnamon, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds & dates I loved the Granola so much from the Acai bowl that I decided to buy a big pack of their homemade mix and bring it home, because who doesn't know that my favourite thing to snack on is Granola... Just look at all the ingredients of this one! Packed with healthy fats, grains, nothing you wouldn't want in your body! Perfection! Golden Milk@ Wild & The Moon Wild Bar Almond milk, chai spices, turmeric roots, vanilla, dates & black pepper Honestly, I didn't read the ingredients label before I tasted it and had no idea what to expect since so many cafes and juiceries are making tumeric drinks with a heap ton of sugar/honey/agave/juice it was truely quite refreshing to taste a bottle of purity, only sweetened by the tiniest amount of dates - I loved it! Also, kudos to them to them for the black pepper, which is essential to activating the absorption of turmeric. 2. Café Pinson After spending some time at Wild & The Moon Wild Bar, my expectation for these cafés were definitely set much higher. You can see on the right photo however, that the café was definitely a lot darker, still comfortable but definitely not a place cut for work First impressions 1. Very cosy environment with ambient yellow lights- great place for meeting up with friends for a quick juice and chat 2. Music was quite loud and someone behind the bar kept cutting the music and changing it... 3. It was generally much louder with the music, the crowd and the blenders that never stopped Also, I arrived at this café at about 3:00pm, which unfortunately was when their kitchen closed for lunch so I didn't get to try out their proper food items (In particular, I wanted to try their curry) and had to settle for a dessert. Because I still had my Golden Milk from Wild & The Moon Wild Bar, I wasn't ready to get another juice, which was a total bummer because I later read that they had the best juices/cold drink options in town.... should have known from the continuous blending eh? Chia Pudding@ Café Pinson Chia seeds with Soy yogurt - topped with cranberries and spices Definitely a perfect later afternoon pick me up since Chia seeds are known to be quite filling but in terms of flavours, it was rather good! I particularly like the thickness that that yogurt gave and there also seemed to be a hint of cacao in there somewhere, so sweetness wasn't overwhelming - just right. The toppings were also a perfect combination, adding that bit of crunch with the 'epices' that the waitress couldn't really tell me about and the extra chewiness/sweetness with the dried cranberries! Definitely wish I could have tried more of their items... so please let me know how it goes if you ever stop by! 3. The Broken Arm Known for their purple ombre cheesecake and clean food options with an incredibly ambient setting, I was definitely looking forward to try it out but unfortunately I was there a little too late and it was shut for the day. Note to self - cafés close at 6pm.....duh! As much as I would love to have squish in another café before dinner, I unfortunately had no choice since most modern cafés in the area closed at around 6pm/didn't open on a Monday since they were open on Sunday. Below are however, a list of cafés I'd love to visit when I return to Paris - hopefully not too much later.... 4. My Free Kitchen So last meal of the day, I travelled a little out of the 3rd/4th arrondissement to the 9th since I was going to catch the bus that night near Arc de Triomphe, logistics just worked out that way. So after a bit of research I found My Free Kitchen, serving up gluten free options with a every changing daily menu. On this particular day, I got to try the coco-curry, salad served with balsamic vinegar and couple selection of gluten free breads for the hummus. Although not special or 'hard to make' foods, I personally did enjoy the curry and the hummus. ooooo, did I mention? I also enjoyed a bit of the Apple crumble they had on offer that night - fantastic!! First impressions 1. Loved the interior design - definitely an open and welcoming space 2. Friendly staff that was prepared to serve english speaking clients Cafés I missed out on
1. The Broken Arm (Ombre cheesecake!!) 2. Boot Café (Incredible homemade granola? Someone let me know please!) 3. Fondation Café (All for the Coffee served in the mint green cups) Restaurants I missed out on 4. Bob's Kitchen (Salad bar but most interestingly, 'Mr Bob' also has a series of other eateries in close proximity) 5. Breizh Café (Crêperie that cooks with organic flour and other good ingredients, sounds like a rare mixture of French cuisine & health) On my short weekend getaway to Paris for that was only supposed to be two days short consisted of a lot of travelling on the metro, getting (aka rushing) from one destination to the next, really not my kind of trip. If you don’t already know, I’m the type that is ready to take things slow, sit a café chatting or just strolling the city and really just take my sweet time to absorb the vibe of the places that I travel to… especially in Paris! What am I doing rushing about... However, I do have a good explanation for this and a very good mitigation plan. First - I have a confession to make, I didn’t like Paris from three years ago, full stop. I thought it was overrated, everything closed at 4pm, it didn’t feel safe, the streets were dirty, there was nothing to do but goodness am I glad that I let my friend persuade me into coming back a second time with a completely different mindset towards travelling! I absolutely love the the tranquility of it! For one, everyone has been extremely friendly even though I’ve been walking around with my camera around me neck, which screams “HEY THERE! I’M A TOURIST!”, despite the stereotypical expectation of Parisians being somewhat “unfriendly” to tourists - definitely NOT the case this time round. Second - My friend had an exam right after she returns, so of course, being the good influence that I am we had to dedicate at least 2 hours a day to study, hence all the rushing around with not a minute to waste! Third - My mitigation plan for this was to extend the trip and with the booming café culture here in Paris, I have decided to dedicate this day to working on my blog (hence the complete change in layout), try out the many many hip cafés in town, especially around the 3rd/4th arrondissement, which has easily become my favourite areas of Paris since it is a relatively posh area - clean, safe and not to mention, area with an abundance of new eateries! Full review of my day here. (Coming soon) So with how this trip panned out, I’m going to write this post up with a different style. Less talking, more pictures with just a short note here and there. Enjoy! *Ps . The way we planned the travelling was according to location of the monuments, so perhaps if you're planning a short trip to Paris, you could get an idea of the location of things from this post :) Day 1 We stayed at the 4th Arrondissement - La Marais area and right opposite was a little cafe called Fragments. With absolutely no research and hungry stomachs after landing into Paris at very very early hours, we finally found a few cafés near our area that were opening for the day and we happened to stumble upon Fragments that I HIGHLY recommend because their Avocado Toast was delicious and this is pretty rare for me to say having had billions of these Avocado Toasts in Melbourne - the land of brunches in my opinion. Right after checking into our accomodation, we were of course on a quest to find the Eiffel tower. Of course when we were there, it started raining, tourists crowded it and worst part is, the long grassy pathway leading to the Eiffel tower was fenced off for construction.... great way to ruin a photo. I was determined to make use of my new camera on this occasion, so we walked around the 4 sides of the Eiffel tower and this was definitely my favourite shot, taken from Champ de Mars - Go there for a completely unobstructed photo of the tower! After rounding the Eiffel tower a couple times, of course it was time for lunch and when in Paris, how could you say no to a Michelin Star meal eh? So we booked for lunch at this extremely affordable place La Fables de la Fontaine hoping to get the lunch set at only €29 but unfortunately, it was only available on weekdays.
Controversially, instead of feasting in a French meal as many expected us to, we went to have Vietnamese food at the very Famous Phô 13 near Chinatown. I've had French food in Vietnam but never thought I'd do it the other way round but boy! I'm glad I did! I didn't get a traditional Phô and got a dried vermicelli noodle dish but point it, PLEASE go try it. One of the best vietnamese dinners I have ever had. Not even joking. Day 2 Sunday called for an early morning visit to the Sacré-Coeur Basilica Of course Sacré-Coeur was beautiful but THIS, was my favourite part of the hike up, it was looking out into the city. We sat on a bench next a very cute couple as a four staring out with nothing said for 10 whole minutes. As per usual, this tranquility was once again broken by the call of food at Supernature (remember to book in advance online if you are planning to go!), a place that was highly recommended by my friend. This brunch is only available on Sundays in two time slots, 11:30am, 1:00pm for €26, but trust me, the amount of food you get is A LOT - I was filled to the point where I didn't eat until 7:30pm that night and we are talking about ME (I have a massive appetite). 1. Entreé was a juice, a granola with museli and a basket of country bread served with a selection of home made marmalade (jam) that were INCREDIBLY tasty. 2. A plate of salad greens, steamed veggies, quinoa mix, guacamole, goat's cheese and a 'quiche' kind of thing (that I will probably recreate one day) 3. A 'crêpe' served with some fruits Food is of course not your classic brunch food but it was definitely of quality, kept me full and feeling fresh for the rest of the day! Nearby was Le Louvre, so we walked over to be with a lovely surprise of being able to go in for free as students of Europe! Following a while spent at Le Louvre, we headed out to a café nearby to study for the rest of the day until dinner. How productive of us ;) So since we haven't really had anything "French" so to speak, we decided to go all out and find a crêperie near out home in the La Marais area. Trusting online reviews, we settled for Crêperie Suzette and this place, I recommend, the ham egg and cheese crêpe I ordered, had me calling out for for the menu halfway though my crêpe to get a dessert one! As seen, I was so excited I didn't even take a photo of it... whoops
So this marks the end of my two incredibly touristy days but come along with me on Part 2 of my Paris trip where I take you along on a café hopping tour around 3rd and 4th arrondissement! |