October 11, 2012

Portugal did well at the World Travel Awards


Portugal did very well at the 19th World Travel Awards, known as the ‘Oscars of the travel industry' by the global media by travel agents worldwide. This is the most comprehensive, the biggest and the most prestigious awards program in the travel industry worldwide.WTA was launched in 1993 to acknowledge and recognize excellence in the global travel and tourism industry. Now celebrating its 19th anniversary, it is regarded as the very highest achievement that a travel product could hope to receive. NOMINEES FROM the Algarve scooped three national awards and one European category win at the World Travel Awards in the UK on Tuesday. Hotels, spas, golf resorts and a water park from the region were nominated in a total of six national categories and six European categories for the prestigious travel and tourism industry awards. At a national level, The Sheraton Algarve Hotel Pine Cliffs Resort won the Leading Golf Resort in Portugal category. Portugal’s leading suite was won by Vila Joya for its suites 1001 and 2001, while Quinta da Bela Vista won Portugal’s Best Boutique Hotel. Pestana Palace in Lisbon took two awards at a national level for Best Conference Hotel and Best Hotel in Portugal. Best Resort was won by the Praia D’El Rey Marriott Golf and Beach Resort, with Convento do Espinheiro beating all of the nominations from the Algarve to take the Best Spa in Portugal award.


Graham E. Cooke, President & Founder, WTA, underlined the depth and quality of the travel and tourism sector across Europe. He says: “During times of economic austerity world-class brands come into their own, and the winners at our Europe Ceremony represent the cream of the continent. These organizations will undoubtedly fare strongly in our Grand Final, which takes place in New Delhi, India on 12 December 2012.”He adds: “The ceremony has also served as a fitting spotlight for the Algarve, reflecting the vital role of tourism in the region and its overall contribution to the Portuguese economy. The Algarve is also one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the world, and the new Conrad Algarve has set a new precedent for luxury.”The luxury resort enjoys a prime location at Quinta do Lago, the home of world-class golf courses and beautiful beaches.
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October 1, 2012

Today is World Vegetarian Day!


Today is World Vegetarian Day, October 1, the annual kick-off of Vegetarian Awareness Month. I just spent the last 15 days of September without eating any fish or meat as an experience to learn more about alternative diets. I read a lot about it, saw documentaries and tried some new recipes. This does not mean I will turn vegetarian immediately. No one changes their lives in 15 days. I think that it is important ro read about it. Even if we don't change to a vegetarian diet 100% we can learn a lot about food and change some things to start. As a result of my green experience, I introduced new daily practices and developed a new awareness of what means to eat healthily.


Vegetarian diets have proven health benefits, save animals’ lives and help to preserve the Earth. Get involved in the discussion. You don't need to stop eating the food of fish altogether. Leave meat, then leave fish. Or start eating less meat and less fish. Just try it for one day, one week one month. Start a discussion about the benefits of vegetarianism with the people in your life, your family, friends and work colleagues. Check World Vegetarian Day!
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September 14, 2012

Lamprey with rice recipe



Lamprey is not a fish and have cartilaginous skeleton. Local fishermen tie the lamprey by the head and pour it in and out of boiling water several times to kill it. Then they scrub the skin up and down with the help of hard cloth to remove dirt but to keep the skin intact. They remove a nerve in the head and they make an incision in the animal’s belly. From there they make several cuts in tail’s direction along the surface of the lamprey’s body. This will help to reach and remove intestine and bill through the first incision. This is a delicate operation. The flesh will taste bitter and the dish will be spoiled if they don’t remove it intact. They keep the blood that drains to a recipient. The blood will be used to prepare this famous dish. They pour a glass of wine or vinegar in the recipient so the blood does not coagulate. This dish is typical from Baixo Mondego region-lampreys go up this river that meets the sea at Figueira da Foz. Rice production takes place in Baixo Mondego fields. This region offers a magnificent changeable landscape along the year due to different rice cultivation stages. From January to March restaurants from Baixo Mondego offer this highly prized and expensive dish and attract people from everywhere.

For 3 persons

Half a lamprey

A glass of fresh blood

5dl of red wine

4 garlic tooth

A small onion

Parsley

Salt

White pepper


For the rice

150 gr of rice

One medium onion

2 dl of olive oil

Nutmeg in powder to taste

Pepper to taste

Salt to taste

PREPARATION

Cut half lamprey in sections and put in recipient. Add minced garlic, parsley, and a small onion in pieces, white pepper and salt. Cover with red wine. Join the glass of fresh blood supplied by the fisherman. Let it rest for six hours in that “marinada”.

In a saucepan over the heat get the olive oil and the minced onion and let it fry until it looks kind of “blond”. (Cover the minced onion with oil.)Then add the lamprey sections and let it fry for 10 minutes. Keep turning the chunks in the saucepan. Add the “marinada” slowly, the juice where the lamprey has been resting. Let it boil slowly in low fire. Use a fork to assure the flesh is cooked; if it’s tender it is good. Now it’s time to check the flavoring- the “tempero”- and add more salt or pepper if necessary. Add the powder nutmeg. Nutmeg is main spice of this dish so it must be used generously.

Now for the rice: in a new saucepan pour some of the cooked lamprey’s sauce. Get all the sauce you can but do not leave the lamprey without any. Join water that is enough to cook the rice.(1 portion of rice/ 4 portions of water) Check the flavouring again and adjust salt, pepper and nutmeg if necessary. Let the rice cook for 15 minutes. The rice must be served very hot and soaked. It can be served separately or you can add the lamprey chunks to it. Enjoy! Bom apetite!

BUT many seem not to like the poor lamprey!

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September 3, 2012

Fire season in Portugal







Every Summer we watch this happen we know it will not be the last time. But yesterday, Mata Nacional de Fôja, between Santo Amaro da Boiça and Santana, was on fire. This is 10 minutes from where I live. Santana is just a few kilometers from Figueira da Foz. In the afternoon the sky got dark with the smoke. I could see it from my window. The air smelled of smoke and burning wood. The sun disappeared in the heavy brownish colored clouds of smoke. We're experiencing high temperatures and strong winds. This is the result. 130 fireman, 38 vehicles and plain dealing with hell. I don't know what set these fire hoods. Very sad. Photos were taken by Tiago Cação and there are more of it in his Facebook Album. This young man was moved by what he found." Se o inferno existe, é bem próximo daquilo que eu estava a assistir", he wrote. If hell exists, it must be close to what I'm watching.
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August 19, 2012

Praia da Rocha, Portugal, is one out of 10 breathtaking beaches



More Praia da Rocha photos, here!

Based on opinions from TripAdvisor’s users, a list of the top-10 most stunning beaches both in Europe and in the world has been compiled and Praia da Rocha, Algarve, was the only Portuguese beach to make either list and came within the top five on both. Praia da Rocha was described by one voter as “huge, clean and wonderful”. Well, that's my opinion too. I loved to spend some days there. It was August but I never felt like there were too many people around. It was incredible because each morning there were lots of persons on the sand and in the water, every day but the beach was always very clean - I liked that. Later I discovered that the team in charge of cleaning the beach starts the job at 4 in the night, every day.

TripAdvisor: Top 10 Breathtaking Beaches in Europe

1. Navagio, Zakynthos, Grécia
2. Whitehaven, Ilhas Whitsunday, Austrália
3. Flamenco, Culebra, Puerto Rico
4. Yapak (Puka), Boracay, Filipinas
5. Praia da Rocha, Portimão, Portugal
6. Lagoa Aitutaki, Aitutaki, Ilhas Cook
7. Baía do Sancho, Fernando de Noronha, Brasil
8. Piscine Naturelle, Île des Pins (piscina natural da Ilha dos Pinheiros), Nova Caledónia
9. Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turcos e Caicos
10. Geger, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonésia

TripAdvisor: Top 10 Beaches in Europe

1. Navagio, Zakynthos, Ilhas Jónicas, Grécia
2. Praia da Rocha, Portimão, Portugal
3. Praia dos Coelhos (Conigli), Lampedusa, Sicília, Itália
4. Illetes, Formentera, Baleares, Espanha
5. Egremni, Lefkada, Ilhas Jónicas, Grécia
6. Tropea, Itália
7. Elafonissi, Creta, Grécia
8. Lagoa Azul, Praia de Oludeniz, Oludeniz, Turquia
9. Ilhas Cíes, Galiza, Espanha
10. Zlatni Rat, ilha de Brac, Croácia
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August 17, 2012

RUTZ, Portuguese shoes made from cork!





These shoes are really cute! The designers found inspiration in Portuguese traditional motifs that you already know so well - the lover's handkerchiefs hearts and flowers. This is what they say about their brand:


"rutz was born from a passion for women’s footwear and a desire to go further and innovate, by uniting two of Portugal’s major industries: Footwear and Cork. However, its uniqueness is based on its design and color – a true passion for shoes as urban art pieces. The brand name recalls our “roots”, our Portuguese origins and traditions which will inspire our collections. On the other hand, the name shows us our “routes”, the paths we will follow towards to a better future: the eco-friendly choice of material and the concern with lightness and comfort. Rutz intends to bring together conflicting concepts past and future, tradition and modernity - a current trend known as “rurbanism”.Our proposal is simple: "to make women fall in love with this reinvention of cork, by introducing color and design in an urban, sexy, young and sophisticated footwear!"
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August 16, 2012

Munna Design is on the run for Design Awards




The International Product Design Awards is on and Munna Design, a Portuguese Company, is on the run for two prizes. The International Product Design Awards form part of The International Design and Architecture Awards celebrating the best in interior design, architecture and innovation from throughout the world. Their aim is to celebrate design, recognize talent, create opportunities and quite simply to offer inspiration.

Like other design and LUXE awards, the difference of these awards is that they will be judged online by other industry professionals, readers, and subscribers to the magazine and the general public. In other words, the people that matter and your new prospective clients. So, what do you think about Munna Design's proposals?

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August 15, 2012

Sangria - a refreshing way to drink fruit




Sandeman, the world’s leading port and sherry company, is celebrating warmer days and sunny skies with sangrias. It's a great drink for summer days so I picked two ways to prepare it and I am sharing it with you!

Watermelon and Strawberries Mint Sangria

Ingredients


1 bottle of Sandeman Porto wine

12 oz lemon-lime soda

1/4 watermelon, muddled and strained for juice

20 mint leaves

10-15 strawberries, halved


How to prepare it?


Slice strawberries in half and set aside. Slice watermelon, strain for juice.

Mix Porto Wine, lemon-lime soda and watermelon juice in pitcher.

Add strawberries and let sit for 8-12 hours (or overnight).

Muddle mint leaves and add to pitcher before serving.



Sweet and Salty Watermelon Sangria

Yield: Makes 1 large pitcher, about 12 cocktails

Ingredients:

6 cups cubed seedless watermelon, divided
2 cucumbers, peeled, divided
½ cup simple syrup
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 750-ml bottle Sandeman Founders Reserve Porto
12 ounces club soda
lime wedges
rimming salt or kosher salt
ice



How to prepare it:

Combine 5 cups watermelon and 1 ½ cucumber in a blender and puree until smooth. Strain into a large pitcher. Dice remaining cup of watermelon cubes. Seed and dice remaining cucumber half, then add watermelon and cucumber cubes to the pitcher. Add simple syrup, lime juice, and Sandeman Founders Reserve Porto, stir well, and chill.
To serve, add club soda to the pitcher. Run a lime wedge around the rim each glass and dip in rimming salt. Fill each glass with chilled sangria over ice and serve.

For more ideas, check Sandeman's Page on Facebook!
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August 6, 2012

The Portuguese Pera Rocha do Oeste

When you think pears, you think babies because pears are considered a safe and good fruit for the baby. I grew up enjoying eating fruit more than candy or cakes but many children do not like fruit very much. Especially if they have to peel it before eating it! This pear tastes good inside and outside. You can bite the outer skin because it tastes good. The pear is a very nutritious fruit, rich in vitamins and fiber. I don't know why apples are more popular! Pera Rocha is an excellent fruit to be eaten as a dessert or between meals. The Pera Rocha do Oeste can be eaten fresh, cooked (in syrup or boiled) or as an ingredient in all kinds of dishes. The Pera Rocha do Oeste - that's the name to keep in mind because this variety only grows in Portugal - is oval, the skin is fine and smooth,its color is green and yellow. Inside the white pulp is hard and firm, crunchy, juicy and sweet. Around 1836 this variety was identified in the municipality of Sintra, on the property of Mr. Pedro António Rocha, a horse dealer from Sintra, noticed fruits with a crusty texture, a sweet aroma, and a refreshing taste on some tree he had in his property. This was a different kind of pear, an unusual fruit, whose original name is now the Pera Rocha do Oeste because it grows in the west coastline of Portugal, from Sintra to Leiria.
And now, a curiosity! This is one of the most famous fruit spirits from Portugal. It's produced at Quinta do Meiral - Lousã, where this industry is located. Pears grow inside bottles! The bottles are placed in the branches when they pear trees are still in bloom. This eau-de-vie or aguardente has an excellent aroma and taste.
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August 1, 2012

The Dark Knight Rises posters!



The Dark Knight opened four years ago in 2008 and Christopher Nolan led the movie to transcend the comic book movie genre like I've never seen. He created a sophisticated, morally complex and intelligent movie. It was really awesome. Tomorrow The Dark Knight Rises in Portuguese theaters. Posters are advertising it everywhere on the streets. I want to watch it, of course. Possibly this is summer’s most grandiose superhero movie. I like superhero's movies, yes. So what? I also like Fellini's movies, and Bergman's and animation movies and a lot more.

There are a lot of superhero movies filling the summer market, I think it's a trend and it will fade. I've watched comic books adaptations since I remember and it took a while before some great movies were made. I enjoyed Iron Man and Thor very much. I think that anything that can stimulate a return to the cinema is a good thing, no matter what the genre. I have big expectations - like most fans must have - for Nolan’s last Dark Knight narrative. Besides that, there are great stars in addition to Bale and Hathaway, like Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, and Matthew Modine. Will the Dark Knight rises to the occasion again? I really hope so!

Meanwhile, I checked Zazzle for The Dark Knight Rises merchandise. I must say I love this kind of stuff...movie posters are real art!

This post was refreshed in 2015
If you don't like posters very much there's always something out there to please you! I do like the binders! The new products celebrating 75 years of Batman are also cool. Have a look!
Batman 75 - Metal Grid Tags For Bags
Batman 75 - Metal Grid Tags For Bags by batman
View another Luggage Tag online at zazzle.com
Batman Head Mantra Tags For Luggage
Batman Head Mantra Tags For Luggage by batman
Shop for another Luggage Tag online at Zazzle


Rise Up Collage Pattern Two-Tone Coffee Mug
Rise Up Collage Pattern Two-Tone Coffee Mug by JusticeLeague
Check out more Justice league heroes Mugs at Zazzle
Batman 75 - Street Comics Pillow
Batman 75 - Street Comics Pillow by batman
Browse more Batman 75 Pillows at Zazzle
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July 21, 2012

USA and Sports inspires cool products





In six days London 2012 Olympics will be here! London 2012’s ambition is to create a Games for everyone, where everyone is invited to take part, join in and enjoy the most exciting event in the world. The city of London will host the Games of the XXX Olympiad. This followed four rounds of voting by members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the 117th IOC Session in Singapore, where London beat Paris in the final round! Zazzle has lots of sports goodies and wearables so you can show your national team support in great style! Here's an example for USA folks!
USA Logo Bag Courier Bags
USA Logo Bag Courier Bags by Poptopia
Browse other commuter bag designs on Zazzle.





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