Minois Paris natural baby products

Our lovely Paris City Guide writer Lara, has a beautiful baby boy called Oscar and like every new mama, she is getting to know all the wonderful products that are out there for young babies. After all, there is nothing like a sweet smelling baby! Lara recently discovered a new French label called Minois Paris, a natural skincare brand for babies.

In French, minois literally means “sweet little face” and it fits perfectly. Hélène, the founder, chose this name for her brand and just reading the name you immediately know how much love and care was put into each product. Not only is the whole Minois range made in France of natural ingredients (certified with no paraben, no sulfates, no phenoxyethanol, no silicone and no colorants) but they also smell divine! It is the perfect definition of a soft, clean and fresh fragrance.

Lara has tested the Delicate Gel and the Gentle Cream,  The cleansing gel, enriched with organic orange blossom water and organic honey, has a light and clear texture forming into an airy foam when rubbed on your baby’s body. It can be used as a shampoo too and save the time and clutter of having too many products for such a little person!
The moisturizing cream contains organic orange blossom water, organic shea butter, organic sweet almond and organic calendula. It has a soft, non-greasy texture and smells slightly stronger in the beginning but quickly fades a little, leaving just the perfect delicate fresh smell on your baby’s skin.

The complete range consists of 5 products that can all be used from birth onwards: a cleansing milk, a cleansing gel, a moisturizing cream, a perfumed alcohol-free water and a bubble bath.

Thank you Lara for taking the time to test these lovely products and thank you, baby Oscar, for being our little sweet guinea pig.

Emilie

PS in the UK, you can find the Minois products at the lovely boutique Rue des Petits!

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Surf House

The Surf House is a trendy restaurant on the edge of the Barceloneta, looking out over the coastline of Barcelona. Although not a Spanish restaurant, this popular eatery serves comfort food for those who seek a little home away from home, as well as some delicious and original fruit juices and smoothies.

What is special about Surf House, is that not only do they serve food, but they also organise fun beach activities. Amongst others and my favourite is the Paddle surf & Brunch. For €25 per person, they offer a a paddle surf session with an instructor followed by a well earned brunch on their terrace. They also offer a free juice to anyone who helps keep the beach clean!

Enjoy!

x Claudia Sanchiz

A few notes:

Address: Carrer l’Almirall Aixada, 22, 08003 Barcelona, Spain

Phone:+34 932 50 70 23

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Vinitus – a favourite restaurant

Nestled in the heart of the city, within walking distance to several places of interest and just off the Rambla de Catalunya, Vinitus has to be my main go-to restaurant in Barcelona. I feel however, like I am shooting myself in the foot by sharing it, but this eatery is too good to miss.

Apart from having a great quality/price ratio, the service is fantastic, and the staff are the definition of friendly. Most if not all the produce they serve comes from the Catalunya area, and although not all the shellfish come directly from here, they mostly come from the Spanish coastline.

With three different seating areas, an outdoor terrace, and two indoor floors you would think it would be easy to find a seat, but it’s best to come early as you can’t reserve and the locals start flooding in around 2pm. The waiters are good at making suggestions for your orders if you are a little lost for thought, and will happily get you a child’s seat if need be.

My favourite dishes are:

-salteado de verduras (Mixed vegetable saute)

-Huevos Cabreados (Cabreaos eggs style) – which means angry eggs due to the slightly spicy sauce

-Mini hamburguesa (mini hamburger)

-Pulpo a la gallega (Galician octopus)

-Brocheta de langostino y camaron (King prawn and squid skewer)

-Alcachofas laminadas fritas (fried artichokes)

For desert : Torrija (french toast)

Make sure to save room for desert, they have an excellent selection, although their catalan take on french toast is delicious!

Bon Appetite!

x Claudia

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Cuines Santa Caterina

Attached to the Sant Caterina market this popular eatery boasts of its fresh produce and local veggies. Most of their food is made with products from the market itself, and if not the few things that aren’t are mainly from the region.

The restaurant, Cuines Santa Caterina, has a large variety of cuisines, so you can eat Spanish food, Japanese dishes, and English deserts, which makes it easier since there is something for everyone here. What is nice about this restaurant is that there is an open kitchen so you can see the artists at work and the interiors are fresh and well lit, but if you would like to sit outside they have a cute terrace with parasols if it’s not too hot outside.

Located a few minutes walk away from the Barcelona Cathedral, and from the commercial shopping area of the Portal del Angel, Cuines Santa Caterina is perfectly placed to be easily accessible, but away from the larger crowds.

The rations at the Cuines Santa Caterina are on the larger side, so if you want to make it to dessert, (which we suggest you do) make sure not to order too many dishes!

Enjoy

x Claudia.

A few notes:
Address: Mercado de Santa Caterina, Av. de Francesc Cambó, 16, 08003 Barcelona
Phone number: 0034 932 68 99 18
Opening hours: May vary per season so have a look on their site before going.
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Locals usually eat around 14:00 14:30, so if you don´t want to have to queue maybe arrive early

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Pinham Cafe

Nestled between the trees and gardens of the Turo Park, is this cute little cafe called Pinhan. Recently redesigned, this is a place where you can have the typical ‘aperitivo’ (snack before a meal like olives and a shandy), a coffee with a friend, or a quick meal with the kids.

Here you will be able to relax since the kids have plenty to entertain themselves with, and no cars in the close vicinity… With a table and chairs of their own size and paper and crayons to colour, it might be you asking to leave instead of the kids.

If you like lemonade, this is the place to order one, they have two variations — one made with rose and the other with Basil. Although basil in lemonade might sound funny, it is actually very good — in fact it is my favourite.

Make sure to leave a little time to play in the park, and in the park’s playground as it’s nice and cool since it’s mostly in the shade!

Hope you like it!

x Claudia

A few notes:
tel: 0034 610415144
web: www.pinhan.es
Breakfast is served from 8:30 – 13:00
Lunch is from 13:00 – 16:30

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Al Agua Patos

This cute little shop, Al Agua Patos, located in the area of the parc Turo is sweet family run business. Originally this shop only tailored to young childrens beach wear, today it has expanded not only to having a winter collection, but also for mothers and fathers to have matching beach caftans and swimwear.

What is cute about this boutique is that they design collections from espadrilles, to bags in matching prints for boys and girls, so if you like to have your children in coordinated outfits, this is the place to go. With a renovated quintessential Spanish roots, the designs of Al aqua patos (which means all ducks to the water an expressions to say lets go swimming) make it difficult to leave with just one piece.

x Claudia

A few notes
Address: C/ Laforja 79, Barcelona
Closest tube: Muntaner
Opening hours
Monday to Friday 10am-1:30pm 5pm-8:30pm Saturday 10am-2pm Sunday closed
Nearby there is a very cute little garden called the Turo Parc where they have a small coffee and cake caravan.

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Manual Alpargateria – for espadrilles!

Although this shop may look like a tourist trap since it appears in the odd guide, this is actually a shop all the locals go to to buy their alpargatas, or espadrilles as they are known in English. Manual Alpargatera is the only espadrille workshop still remaining in Barcelona, and has been there since 1940.

For those that are unsure of what espadrilles are, they are shoes made with a natural vegetal fiber (hemp, jute) sole, and a cotton or linen upper. These are the typical in Catalunya, mostly due to the warm weather, and although they were originally known to be the poor workman shoe, today they are remade and redesigned by haute couture brands like Chanel, and Yves Saint Laurent!

Even though espadrilles are not the prettiest shoe on the market, they are very practical, very reasonably priced, and I have yet to meet someone who has achy feet or blisters with their new espadrilles. Manual provides shoes for the Catalan police’s holiday dress, and has provided espadrilles for the Pope Johannes Paulus II, as well as people like Jack Nicholsonn, Michael Douglas, Jane Moreau, Penelope Cruz, Tyra Banks, Julianne Moore, Salvador Dalí, and countless others.

The fun thing about Manual Alpargatera is that you almost feel like you are in a market, you get a number when you come in and when your number comes up you are hurried to pick and size and style. And even though the decor isn´t the most modern, it has an element of charm to it, there is a wall as you come in on the left that from floor to ceiling is covered in cubby holes filled with different sized and coloured espadrilles. What was originally meant to be a practical storage space has turned into the icon of the shop.

Hope the shoe fits!

x Claudia

A few notes:

Opening times:   Monday – Friday 9:30-13:30 16:30 – 20:00, Saturday 10 – 13:30 16:30 – 20:00 Sunday closed

Tel 0034 933 01 01 72

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Turo Park, Barcelona

When the extension of Barcelona was designed by Urban architect Ildefonso Cerdá he had originally planned for each block to have a garden in the middle, and so had planned very few parks in the city since every house would have a type of communal garden. His plans where later changed against his will, which left Barcelona with few gardens and fewer parks.

The Turo Park is a very sweet little park located in the Sant Gervasi area above diagonal, which is not typically touristic but is a nice place to take the kids for a run around and play in the playground, also a good place to get away from the large crowds.

One thing I like about this park is that although it isn’t very big there is a vast selection of trees and plants making a large part of the park and playground be under shade and thus stays quite cool even in the hot summer months. Even here you will often find the chatty parrots making a racket in the palm trees above.

Enjoy!

xx Claudia

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Montjuic Gardens

Although part of the point of visiting a city is being in the heart of the metropolis, and seeing what it has to offer, sometimes you also need a little bit of perspective to appreciate the overall body of what it is that you are visiting. From the verandas of the Jardins Mossèn Costa i Llobera, and the mirador of Poble sec you are given an array of views from the Barcelona industrial loading port, to the rooftops, and hilltops of Barcelona.

Only a quarter of an hour walk or a 10 minute bus ride away from the Castle of Montjuic, these gardens boast of almost 800 different types of Cacti. From Baloos prickly pears, to the small round prickly ball (Echinocactus grusonii) which in Catalunya is also known as the mother in Laws seat since you don´t want her getting too comfy. This garden has the luxury of being close enough to the city to be able to come and go in one morning whilst being large enough for the children to be able to run a little. Here the journey to the park is almost as enjoyable as the destination, being able to take a cable car to the top crossing over the port, of Barcelona, and being able to see the ramble de Catalunya from a different perspective.

Be aware of the queues to come and go with the cable car, as we know hungry children can be difficult to manage.

Enjoy!

A few notes:

Schedules vary according to the time of year so make sure to look at the opening and closing times

Price one way €11 one way €16.50 return

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