Fortunée The Fortunate

Amongst all the live music places I have been, this one has the most  unique atmosphere. Located minutes away from Camden tube station, the Jazz Cafe  is a fantastic live venue which focuses, not only on jazz, as the name would suggest, but also on soul, funk and R&B. You have everything you could be looking for to have a delightful night out: food, drinks and music! The venue is split into 2 floors: the ground floor with 2 bars, the main stage and a good sized standing area, right in front of the stage, and the upper floor with some seating and a great view of the stage.  The whole place is pretty small for a gig venue, so quite intimate, which makes it even more special and  I particularly liked the exposed brick walls decor!  That night started with a tribute to The Neptunes Greatest Hits, performed by some talented singers and an amazing band, and ended up with a disco/soul/funk party.  Johnny Voltik Performance They have great artists performing all

I just ate these pastries that I brought back from St-Rémy-de-Provence. I had previously tasted it when I was living in Avignon but had forgotten how good it was!  They're called " Navette " and are usually found in the Marseille/Provence area. It is a cylindrical sweet pastry, shaped like a navette boat. There are different types of Navettes. These ones, that I got from Maison Bergese Patisserie, were Orange blossom flavoured and simply delicious!  So, if you go to St-Rémy-de-Provence (see my previous post) make sure you stop at Maison Bergese to grab a bag of Navettes. They have both a patisserie and a boulangerie in St Rémy, and sell authentic traditional homemade Provençal delights which are much appreciated by the locals.  

During summer, a lot of outdoor cinemas are taking place across the city. Last year I tried the Somerset House one! I didn't love the movie - Funny Face with Audrey Hepburn, not really my kind of movies - but I enjoyed the whole atmosphere.  They will be doing it again this year, between the 10th and 23th of August.  Tickets are available in May.  The line-up will include  My Neighbour Totoro and I haven't seen this Ghibli movie yet , so I am really looking forward to it!  Picture by S.K. 

My company must have a thing for rooftops: both our London and Sevenoaks offices have a rooftop with a beautiful view.  I personally prefer looking at the Shard rather than PolHill.  Countryside or City, which view do you prefer?   London - The Shard Sevenoaks - Polhill

If you ever go to the south east of France, I would advise you to visit some villages in Provence.  One which is particularly worthwhile is St-R é my-de-Provence. Having lived in Avignon for several years, I ’ ve been there many times and would highly recommend it. It is a lively town in the Alpilles Natural Park, located 1h drive from Marseille.  There are plenty of stuff to do in St-R é my-de-Provence: museums, the Ruins of the Roman city, the Arenas, the Alpilles Park … However, what I like the most there (and possibly in all the town and cities in Provence) are the lovely paved pedestrian streets in the centre. T here is nothing better than to get lost in these streets and find some hidden gems …  According to my friend who was born and raised there, the town, despite the mass of tourists visiting it all year long kept most of its authenticity. D oes it not make you wanna get lost even more in these narrow streets? 

Every second Sunday of the month, there is a Brunch Market in Bath: just what you need to recover from a night out ;)   Located in Green Park Station, it used to be an artisan market only. Now, they also have food and drinks stalls: from Indian to Caribbean, Clean eating to Spanish, you will certainly find something to cure your hangover :D  I wasn’t too adventurous and went for the Caribbean curried mutton. I usually don’t like mutton but I loved it!  If you're not too hungry, you can grab a coffee (there is an excellent Colombian coffee stand) or a tea with some cakes (they even have gluten free and vegan options) and browse unique items sold by local artisans...  

If you think London is busy, here is what Bristol can look like on a sunny day.  King Street is a small pedestrian street, home to 2 popular pubs in Bristol, The Old Duke and Brewers Fayre. You never know when the sun will come out next so you need to make the most of it when it happens. Both pubs have tables and benches in the street so you can enjoy a pint in the sun. However, you might struggle to find some seats…

I had been wanting to go to Ceviche Soho/Old Street for a while. Unfortunately, for a last-minute person like myself it is nearly impossible to get a table during the weekend without booking way in advance (I even tried one week before). I was very happy when one of my colleagues told me about Casita Andina . It is actually from the founder of Ceviche restaurants, so a good alternative! I managed to get a table for a friday night at 9:30, by booking just the day before.  Casita Andina is a Peruvian restaurant which serves, amongst other Peruvian specialities, Ceviches. Ceviche is a traditional Latin American dish made of raw fish. Most of the dishes at Casita Andina are gluten free and there are a few vegetarian options. I tasted 2 of the ceviches: the Casita (with seabass & avocado) and the Tuna. I am a massive fan of seabass but I preferred the tuna one. The dessert, a purple maiz panna cotta, wAs-jUst-lUsh! A must-try address in Soho!  

If you're around Trafalgar Square and fancy a change of scenery, how about you try the other side of the Thames?  We had that brilliant idea with a friend one day when we were hanging out in Trafalgar square and looking for a nice area to sit down.  We grabbed a bottle of Prosecco and some nibbles in a supermarket near Charing Cross and crossed Golden Jubilee Bridge.  London Eye & Palace of Westminster Queen's Walk The weather was very enjoyable. After a nice walk along Queen's Walk with a beautiful view of the London Eye and the Palace of Westminster, we found a space to sit in the Jubilee Gardens (well..."Gardens" is a big word... It's just a bit of grass...) and enjoy the sunset while having a glass (or two...or three...).   In Jubilee Gardens With summer on its way, it's definitely a spot to think about for a pleasant walk with an interesting view of the Palace of Westminster and Charing Cross Station.