Portugal
Recently, I headed over to Portugal for a little holiday. It was my first time in the country and I had absolutely no idea what to expect. Our first stop was Lisbon where we stayed at the Heritage Avenida Liberdade Hotel. It's located right in the center of town on a street lined with lots of luxury shops (perfect for browsing on a lazy afternoon).
Recently, I headed over to Portugal for a little holiday. It was my first time in the country and I had absolutely no idea what to expect.
Our first stop was Lisbon where we stayed at the Heritage Avenida Liberdade Hotel. It's located right in the center of town on a street lined with lots of luxury shops (perfect for browsing on a lazy afternoon). On one of our days there I came down with a nasty stomach bug so spent the day in bed. Thankfully the hotel had a big selection of TV channels (including TLC - yey) and so I got to watch my ultimate favourite guilty pleasure show. Lisbon was a pretty great city to explore. Everything was super cheap (hello beer for €1.50). The food was really good - we had loads of fish and way too many pastel de nata (you've got to try it if you're ever in Portugal).
On one day we took a short train ride to the nearby town of Belem. While there we visited the Berardo Museum - a modern art museum filled with a seriously impressive collection. It's an absolute must see as, not only does it house some of the world's best artists, it's virtually empty and free. The best bit though is that there's a mist water feature outside which you can run through. Absolutely perfect and essential in the scorching Portuguese heat. While there we also stopped by the Jeronimos Monastery. Belem is right on the coast so if you get tired of sightseeing just snatch up some food and enjoy it in the park where you can soak up the beautiful views (that's what we did).
I wore a Paul & Joe Sister top covered in tiny blue lips, Acne jeans, Havaianas and Mykita sunglasses.
Our next stop was Cascais - a little beachside town located about 20 miles away from Lisbon. I'd definitely recommend it if you're looking to get away from the city and you want to spend a little time sticking your toes in the sand. We stayed at the super chic Onyria Marinha Hotel. It has a minimalist design aesthetic and all feels very zen. Unfortunately the pool was so enticing (it was salt water) that I had little motivation to leave the resort and go explore the town. When we did though I was intrigued by all the beautiful tiles on buildings that were verging on falling apart.
Overall I really enjoyed my time in Portugal. It has a very laid back atmosphere. You can get everywhere by taxi (the most you'll pay is €6 to get across town) which makes navigating easy and stress free. The food is delicious and the people are friendly. It's perfect if you're looking for a low cost getaway. It feels a bit foreign and exotic but is still really close by (if you're in Europe). If you haven't been yet, I'd definitely recommend it.
A LITTLE VISUAL DIARY FROM BERLIN...
I can't wait to show you some of the photos from my weekend in Berlin with Muriee but until I get them here's a little visual diary. We stayed in an incredible loft, ate lots of food and played dress up with all the cashmere pieces from the brands new collection. It was loads of fun and I'm already excited for next season when we can do it again!
SUMMER LOVE'N...
Summer is my favorite season. I love bare legs and the feeling of the sun on my skin. I've been spending as much time as possible lying by the pool. Zurich is awesome in the summer. Everything feels clean and fresh plus we've been having the most insane thunder storms. I love waking up to find my balcony covered in golf-ball-sized pieces of hail. This week I'm off to London and then to Sweden. Cannot wait.
Hope you're having a great weekend! xx
HIPPITY HOP INTO SPRING...
Wahoo! March has been a very good month indeed. The flowers are blooming and the sun is shining. Getting to leave the house without a coat has felt like an absolute dream. Applying sunscreen (oh, the luxury), drooling over the bright colors at the grocery store (mmm, strawberries) and highlighting my tanned feetsies by wearing brighter-than-bright pink toe-nail polish... ah, yes. Spring, your arrival is warmly welcomed. Please, never leave.
Hope you're having a wonderful weekend. xx
JE NE PARLE PAS FRANÇAIS...
There is nothing I love more than stepping off a plane into an unknown place... when I don't know the language and have no idea where I am or what I'm doing, it's even better. 'Where are you staying?' Shrug. 'What shows are you going to?' Dunno. 'Why are you in Paris?' Hmmm...
Last minute trips are the best. I'm so glad that Shini twisted my arm and convinced me that going Paris was a good idea. I had so much fun - exploring the metro, eating loads and loads of food, freezing off my butt because I thought it was spring and didn't bring a coat... then going nutso in every shop because the rails were stupidly stocked with bikinis instead of gloves (even though it was three degrees outside). I remembered how much I love donuts, found a kids purple faux-suede jacket in H&M that has my name written all-the-freak over it and discovered a pair of printed shorts in Zara that would definitely see me right through summer (these are all things I could have done in Zurich, but nevermind that). I learnt that French people find no shame in staring, drive like lunatics, have archaic plumbing and are hilariously frank. Ladurée is good but so is McDonalds and, to be honest, I don't need to supersize my meal or get an extra portion of chicken nuggets (they aren't good the next day or at 3am when they're cold).
p.s. mark my words, Adidas gloves are making a comeback.
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