Another Saturday morning with no lie-in, but it’s ok – we’re off to Paris! My friend P has been working in the city and I couldn’t not visit.

I met my friend P for brunch at Bob’s Kitchen – from the outside it is totally miss-able, not even a name above the door! I would have walked past it if P hadn’t been inside calling my name. Bob’s is well worth seeking out (two minutes from Arts et Metiers metro stop) for its famous for its LA-style cold pressed juices and delicious vegan food. We shared the fukomaki and I had a macha cookie – so good! The prices are really reasonable for Paris and they do take-out, too. I wish I had been feeling hungrier as the bagels and veggie stews looked so good! Bob’s definitely doesn’t feel very Parisien but its a little piece of LA freshness in the city and definitely worth a visit.

 After brunch we headed towards Place Vendome as we’d heard there was an “interesting” sculpture there – sadly it had been deflated by vandals, quelle horreur!

After a wander we headed to our hotel at Porte de Versaille for some spa and pool time – bliss! My school friend C lives in Paris so we headed out for a night on the town planning on stopping by her house party. I felt a bit bad about taking P along to a party where she wouldn’t know anyone until we realised that my friend C lives with one of her school friends – its a crazy small world!

Dinner was at Cafe Ginger, a teeny tiny vegan restaurant by Bastille. There is no menu as only two options are offered each day and they change daily. This was such a good meal – everything tasted so fresh and so healthy. P and I both had the enpanadas – South American pastries filled with roasted vegetables and vegan cheese. These came with the trendiest salads ever (quinoa and kale on the same plate – so 2014!). I normally skip dessert or eat it while feeling guilty but the desserts at Cafe Ginger just had to be tried and are all vegan and free from nasties – P had the raw mango cheese cake and I had the spiced chocolate. Cafe Ginger is very different to Bob’s despite them both being vegan – Bob’s has a much more Californian vibe with bench seating and minimal decor while Ginger is a proper restaurant but definitely one with a vegan hippie vibe!

Breakfast in the sunshine. 

Everything is shut in Paris on a Sunday – but not the Marais, traditionally a Jewish area but now home to cute boutique shops, tiny cafes and the best falafal ever. Really (no, really, I sampled probably every falafal stall at Glastonbury this year so think I’m qualified to say that). I visited L’as Du Falafal last October and remembered how amazing it was – P and I made it to the tiny cafe at around 4pm, thinking we’d missed the lunchtime rush but there was still a massive queue. Starving after a hard morning at the hotel spa we waited as the line crept slowly forwards – finally we were at the front and it was so worth it. Really, it’s a good thing I don’t live in Paris as I would literally turn into a ball of falafal as I’d be here every day (apart from Saturday when it is shut).

Looking for other things to do in Paris? Past visits here and here and here. Non-vegan food here and here, and the cat cafe here (cats to make friends with not to eat).