Starting with recycled paper, cardboard and other materials, ended up reusing plastic bags to create new bags, wallets, lamps, laptop cases and much more… Sandra’s Myspace

Plastic bags were chosen just because they ‘’grow up’’ like mushrooms in our kitchens… everybody knows, and Sandra really had the feeling to do something with that !! Such a waste of material… But it wasn’t easy: the very first experience didn’t go very well…

Sandra took one month to grab it again and finally she created something attractive, useful and satisfactory: a small purse. The feedback was fantastic!She just had to think about how to improve a few things.

I bought this beautiful wallet (13 euro). You can also find Sandra’s work at ‘Ladra Alternativa’  (Alternative Fair), where very creative Portuguese designers show their work like jewellery, arts and fashion accessories.

Atelier Sandra Guerreiro: Rua Augusta, Lisbon. Mail Sandra. Phone (00351) 962344385.

You can see all models and sizes in Sandra’s album ‘’WORK’’ at Facebook… 

Sandra’s website  (not ready yet) 

SHOPS: LISBON Embaixada Lomográfica – Rua da Atalaia, 31 (Bairro Alto), Fabrica Features Lisboa – Megastore United Colors of Benetton, Rua Garrett, 83

More shops in Portugal: PORTO: ‘Muuda’ – Rua do Rosário, 294 ‘Corações Habitados’ – Rua Nova da Algândega, 65. SINTRA: ‘Maria Saudade’ – Rua da Ferraria, 15. COIMBRA: ‘Mau Feitio’ – Rua do Quebra-Costas, 42/44. TOMAR: ‘Uff Portugal’ – Rua Serpa Pinto, 139. BRAGA: ‘Conceito X’ – Rua Nova de Sta. Cruz, 30 – loja 5. FARO: ‘Líbido’ – Rua Concelheiro Bivar, 81/83. LAGOS: ‘Portugal the Best Of’ – Rua Cândido dos Reis, 47. MADRID: Reina Sofia Museum. NEW YORK: MoMA (soon).

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Rua da Prata, December 2009

National Theatre Teatro Nacional Doña Maria II. Christmas time in Lisbon is similar to everywhere else in the world, except that the decorations has a higher kitsch factor.

Rua da Palma, lingerie shop close to one of my favorite restaurants RAMIRO

Hermes, Largo do Chiado 9. They really love  Christmas window dressing with animals! (Christmas  2008)

Watch-guard shop near Rossio, Praça da Figueira

Further, there’s a giant 44m Christmas tree, set up on the highest point of Eduardo VII  park, with 1.625.000 (!) mini lights, lighting up the tree’s decorations from 17:30 pm – 1am. Of course, children love it!

YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi7h-qLRflc

Lisbon’s unique & original Ladra Alternativa (Alternative Flea Market ). Christmas decoration made from Nespresso caps (3 euro)

A creative idea to make some money at Christmas time……

Benetton shop,  Rua Garrett 

The clothing market shrinked this year because of the crisis, as well as the sweaters of  Benetton

And Maria & Jesus? You can make a reservation in their restaurant in Mouraria, “Tentações (Temptations) de Goa”

NEW YEAR: on the night of December 31, Lisbon is one big street party! Live music and a fantastic fireworks display (Parque das Nações  , EXPO 98). According to the Portuguese tradition, twelve wishes are made to the sound of the twelve bell tolls, toasting with champaign to the new year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! FELIZ ANO NOVO!

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March 2009

This outdoor market is held every Sunday from 9am to 3pm (summer hours are 8am to 2pm) at Lisbon’s most famous square, near the Tagus river, with imposing arcades, close to the majestic Triumphal Arch (Arco do Triunfo), the gateway onto the interior of ‘downtown’ Lisbon.

June 2009 Carlos Lages - erotic fantasy art ‘Father of the Humanity’ , 8 euro

Manuela Nunes creates hand made jewellery (website Bijutaria Artesanal) and very beautiful recycled shopping bags (10 euro)

Fernando del Pretti - video on his blog with a wonderful vintage magnetic collection (from 2 euro) and 20th Century Portuguese magazines. Mail: ffcc15@hotmail.com

You can also see Fernando del Pretti’s work on Saturdays at the legendary flea market ‘Feira da Ladra’

June 2009

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All creations have in mind the reutilization and recycling of materials. At this Fair in Alfama, the Ladra Alternativa, you’ll find very creative Portuguese designers showing their work like jewellery, arts, crafts and fashion accessories.

You might have been visited Lisbon’s legendary ‘Feira da Ladra” flea market. Although this flea market has slightly the same name, “alternativa” (alternative) points to a different way of approaching this kind of market.

A few years ago (2006) a group of young creators came together to present their work. The market started out as an experiment, but it has really become a great success.

This alternative flea market introduces local Portuguese creators in jewellery, painting, fashion, photography and others. It’s an informal interpretation of art and you will be impressed with the very creative designs!

I bought Christmas decoration made from used Nespresso caps, price: 3 euro.

Alexis’ website , mail: alexis7218@gmail.com

You’ll have the chance to talk to the person who created what you’re buying, change ideas, thoughts and experiences.

The initiators of this Fair are Antonio Azevedo (l), and Patricia Brizido,

Ladra Alternativa, email ladralternativa@gmail.com

(See website).Opening hours: Sat 9am-9pm; Sun 10am-7pm. Price: free, there’s no ATM machine, so bring cash.

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Maria de Jesus Silva. The shop opened in 1930 under the name ‘Mercearia do Minho’and changed it’s name to Conserveira de Lisboa in 1942. In the beginning days the company sold all kinds of alimentation, concentrating on canned foods.

Luís Vieira. In 1942 the company applied for the registration of the first two brands of conserves: TRICANA and PRATO DO MAR. Tricana was registered in 1948 and Prata do Mar in 1956.

Macquerel (filetes de cavala), tunny (atum), squid (polvo) and cod (bacalhau).

During the second world war the industry of conserved fish products developed rapidly and it helped the company to evolve quickly, reaching it’s peak with the colonial war in ‘74. After this period, the conserves market shrinked steadily, frozen food became a more common way of conservation.

Confronted with this perspective of a further declining market, the Conserveira chose to remain operating on this niche market and offer only quality products. This way the shop also survived the agressive low prices by the supermarkets.

 Two nice ladies in the shop are wrapping the various preserves: Manuela Pereira….

…..and Maria Manuela Henriques Nunes

I bought 4 cans: 2 fillets macquerel (€ 4,54) and 2 tummy fillets (€ 3,63). Happily no plastic bags! If you like you can write a nice note in the guestbook.

In June 2004 Armando Jose Cabral Ferreira and Regina Maria da Silva Monteiro Baptista Cabral Ferreira became the owners of the shop.

Conserveira de Lisboa,  Rua dos Bacalhoeiros, 34 (’street of the cod fish sellers’……). More…

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In case you want to take more than funny souvenirs from Lisbon, this shop is absolutely worth a visit. Cláudio Silva created this new deli, selling all type of products that you can’t wait to try or to give to somebody.

Cláudio Silva: “I worked 14 years as a sales representative for a multinational, but I always dreamed that one day I would open a shop like this. The selection of products is sometimes based on memory. Happily young Portuguese people who start their own business nowadays are proud of traditional Portuguese products, but with a new, natural approach”.

All products are translated in English.

Cláudio Silva: “This olive oil (Herdade da Calada) from Alentejo is really good, first cold press, price € 6,50. The most expensive ones are not always the best! Besides, ‘Herdade da Calada’ are very good and cheap wine producers: from € 6 to € 30″.

While we’re talking two eldery people enter the shop to buy dr. Bayard cough candies (since 1949, the tradition remains the same, generation after generation).

Rebuçados de ovo de Portalegre (candied egg yolks). This typical Portugese candy was disappearing, but due to a new procedure you can keep them for one month instead of 3 or 4 days.

T-shirts, an example ’Portugal regrets inventing fado’

Cláudio Silva “ I’m very happy with my new shop in this area’, close to the most beautiful square of Lisbon: Praça do Comércio.

‘Meio da Praça’, (’Halfway the Square’). This shop just moved to Rua da Prata, nº 78,’ From Monday to Saturday, 11am to 20pm. Phone 00351 21347 6013.

http://www.meiodapraca.blogspot.com/ more than funny souvenirs…

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Products in cork stand out for their quality and beauty. They are practical, malleable and pleasant to touch, as well as easily cleaned and long-lasting.

Shop owner Natalia Silva shows a client how to clean a product made of cork. Even Natalia’s business card is made of cork skin….

Beautiful handbags and much more… all products are made from a raw material of nature.

History: Everything begins with Novacortiça, a company specialized in the production of natural cork disks for champagne…Sandra Correia, the manager of the company , decorates a stand during an event with an umbrella produced entirely in cork oak skin. So popular was it, that it spawned a company in 2003, Pelcor. Based in the Algarve, in São Brás de Alportel, a city known as the cradle of cork industry in Algarve, Pelcor was born as a trade mark of products in cork, represented in about 80 stores in Portugal.

Portugal produces about half the world output of commercial cork, and its exports over recent years have accounted for around 70 percent of world trade.

Pelcor, Rua da Pedras Negas 30, Baixa, Lisbon. Open Monday to Friday 10h – 19h. Saturday 10h -13h. Tel. (00351) 21 304 9727. Email: loja.lisboa@pelcor.pt

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