Graphic details from my walk

A view from the window in the place I work

This is what I see when I am not looking at the computer screen - not bad!

The pantry

Spring cleaning in the pantry area - it was a lot of work, but looks much better now. I decided to store grains in glass jars, rather then leaving them in semi-opened plastic bags (even painted the lids of some of them, recycled from a previous use). It looks much nicer and easier to access, now.
I also began to buy in advance some of the things I plan to use in my soon-to-come summer salads - olives, seaweed, corn, peppers, seeds and so on. Whenever possible, fresh veggies will be used, of course.

Inspiration: the best thing I heard today... from the movie "Memento"

“I have to believe in a world outside my own mind. I have to believe that my actions still have meaning, even if I can't remember them. I have to believe that when my eyes are closed, the world's still there. Do I believe the world's still there? Is it still out there?... Yeah. We all need mirrors to remind ourselves who we are. I'm no different." in Memento

My new bike - part 1

Last year we had our brand new bikes stolen and decided to wait a while before getting new ones. With summer just around the corner it seems time has come to... buy new bikes again (preferably 2nd hand ones this time...)

I started with this: bought the bike bell! The rest will come, soon...

Spring cleaning!

Every year I feel the need to reorganize, clean, select and separate what I no longer need.
Every year this happens in Spring.
It's official: spring-cleaning-season has begun!

Pot holders

An original way to present and old craft. Great choice of colours. Found here.

Whishlist: Burel Factory Design

This iPad cover is an innovative product made with a traditional portuguese material called ´burel´ and can be found in the recently opened shop in Chiado, 'Loja da Burel' the interface of 'Burel Factory' in Penhas Douradas. A nice item of portuguese design combined with a traditional material.

'Slunch' with friends on a Sunday evening

For those of you unfamiliar with the expression 'slunch' recently discovered, it is the new equivalent to brunch but between lunch and supper.
Its a bit like snacking, so as to say my kind of meal!
So, we had a wonderful evening 'slunch-ing' with good friends, followed by a Jazz concert in Theater S. Luís - this was the weekend of the OutJazz event. A great way to end this sunny Sunday :-)

Olives with grated orange peel, clove, oregano, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Best if refrigerated overnight, to allow flavours to blend.

Beetroot and orange salad (recipe adapted from here, using only the fresh ingredients).

A view of Massimo Cavalli's performance "Varandas do Chiado".

A Blog I like: Sandra Juto

She lives in Berlin, takes great pictures and sells online her handmade 'wrist worms' (photo 2).
Check it out here.

Whishlist: magazine storage table

I wish I new were I saw this, but can't remember... however I find it such an great idea that I can't resist posting it here (promise to give credits to the author once I find him)

New projects: custom made cushions

A year ago I saw this great idea (photo1) here and decided to try it someday.
I had made the cushions a while ago, but only last week I managed to buy the stripped cotton ribbon (photo 2). Now its impossible for the cat to sharpen her nails on the chair (of course the pillow will be the easy target)!

Whishlist: tradicional portuguese medals

Inspiration: the best thing I read today...

“Not to judge. All faults are the same. There is only one fault: incapacity to feed upon light, for where capacity to do this has been lost all faults are possible.”  Simone Weil in "Gravity and Grace"

Inspiration: the best thing I read today... when we walk to the edge

When we walk to the edge
of all the light we have
and take the step into the
darkness of the unknown,
we must believe that
one of two things will happen....
There will be something
solid for us to stand on
or we will be taught to fly.

Patrick Overton

I love wooden spoons

I can't explain it, really, as far as I can recall I love wooden spoons. I find them beautiful. Some are handmade, some were gifts, some have been used to serve a particular food. They came from different places: Japan, Dubai, Holand, Portugal.

These are (some of) mine:

These I found on the internet, also beautiful:

Remembering Sussex: lunch @ farm coffeeshop and fluffly sheep

As I was browsing through our summer holidays photos, I came across these and remembered a wonderful day spent in the East Sussex area, in England, as we were visiting some very good friends.
It was lunch time when we arrived at the farm shop, drawn inside by the amazing smell of homecooked pastries. Our noses were quite right and of course we couldn't resist to try some of them!

We had veggie pastries straight out of the oven, with potato salad and also tomato and spinach salad.

It turns out we couldn't resist desert, and so I ate a delicious raspberry sponge cake (one of my favorite english cakes)...

... and J had a marvelous chocolate brownie!

We then, took a digestive walk through the barns, where all the sheep (and baby sheep) seemed happy and healthy.

Mummy-sheep wasn't so happy when I got too close to her babies to take a picture...