The plan was to meet at the Maison de la culture du Japon until my Franco-Asian friend informed me that it’s closed on Sunday. So we ended up in a different part of the city (the Marais) to immerse ourselves in Italian culture rather than Japanese. EATALY is like taking a day trip to Italy.

I make home-made pizza a lot and needed special flour. Considered the gold standard for pasta and pizza dough, 00 is a finely ground Italian flour.

A bottle of balsamic vinegar? An entire aisle is devoted to this product. Same with olive oil, pesto, pasta, tomato sauce, etc.  In North America, you can find Eataly in New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and Toronto.

Right beside EATALY, located at 37 Rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie, 75004, is the Brazilian cosmetic and skin-care store, NATURA. Plant-based and eco-friendly, their beautiful products exude an exotic fragrance that enhances the bath, shampoo and skincare experience. Fresh, floral and citrusy (vegan formula, rich in Omega 9 and 96% ingredients of natural origin).