A Portuguese Love

It's not difficult to make a list of films that are about or otherwise related to the Christmas holiday. With the cold weather staying home and watching a movie with our family is a good idea for sure. I have some titles I watched over Christmas and every time I think about them they remind me of Christmas, it's movies like About a boy or Bridget Jone's Diary , or Edward Scissor's Hands . This week I had the chance to watch Warrior and I think it will fall into that category also. It's an excellent movie, you can watch it any time of the year. Even if Warrior it's about the world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighting, this movie it's also about family. It has a good story. Even if you don't like fighting I dare you to watch it. It will surprise you, I really loved it. Well, I just read that the Critics' Circle announced the nominations for its 33rd Film Awards. Michael Haneke’s Amour and Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master lead the nominations. I ...

Nativity Scene Christmas Party Invitation Hello friends! The upcoming holidays and New Year celebrations are about spending quality time with your loved ones, gathering around the dinner table, and unwrapping gifts!! I want to wish you all Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Maybe you are wondering how's Christmas in Portugal. Well, in Portugal children and adults get their Christmas gifts either at midnight on Christmas Eve or on early Christmas Day morning. It was like this when I was a child and with my nephew, it's just the same. Shoes are placed near the fireplace and that's where we place the presents. For many years I lived in houses without a fireplace. So the shoes were placed under the Christmas tree after they were properly cleaned and shiny to please the Pai Natal (=Father Christmas) - he's the guy who delivers the presents along with the help of Baby Jesus. Have you got all your Christmas gifts already? Well, I have. I bought several books because tha...

Portugal in photos - Belém Tower Postcard  by  aportugueselove Browse other  Portugal photo Postcards Belém Tower was completed in 1521. Imagine the sailors who crossed the Atlantic or rounded the Cape of Good Hope to India returning home in their ships and preparing to enter the big Tagus river mouth - that would be the first sign of land they saw. In 1983 UNESCO classified it as a World Heritage Site . Belém Tower was built in the Age of the Discoveries as a tribute to the patron saint of the city, Saint Vicente. That's why she's called Saint Vicente's Tower. But most people know it as Belém Tower. This tower planted in the water was part of Lisbon's defense by the time of King João II. It's a beautiful monument that contains North African Moorish-styled watchtowers, Manueline decorations, and symbols of the King’s power like cables encircling the building terminating knots, armillary spheres, and crosses of the Military Order of Christ. Also natural...

For the fifth year, GLOBE SPOTS have captured what's happening on the travel scene. Globe Spots focused on destinations they think will be hot! As they say, "all this is of course based on dubious rumors, crazy speculations, and a bit of travel experience." Well, it's nice to find Portugal on the Globe Spots' Top 10 for 2013! Portugal oozes 'old European charm. Medieval towns and historical quarters are full of squares, churches, and monasteries. Narrow lanes are flanked by old skew houses with crooked balconies draped in drying laundry. Here, neighbors still share the latest gossip or discuss politics from their windows. Pastry shops and taverns are found in such abundance it makes you wonder whether the Portuguese eat at home at all. The pace is soothingly slow and any day seems to be a good day for a drink. Chances are that after a few days in Portugal, you’ll find yourself sitting in a small square with a glass of tawny port in your hand, no matter w...

Do you remember this? I wrote about The 2013 Sketchbook project back in November. It's a creative project. I explained it here . So, as I wrote, I signed up so for the project. In three weeks, yesterday, I got the package containing a custom-designed Sketchbook Project sketchbook with a barcode on it and detailed instructions about the project. Now, I can start filling the white pages!! In January I'll send the sketchbook back to them and it will be archived in the Brooklyn Art Library and exhibited to the public! My idea is to share my sketch with you! What do you think?

Better late than never! Do you know MOVEMBER? During the month of November each year, Movember asks men across the world to grow a mustache with the aim of raising vital funds and awareness for men’s health issues. Movember mustaches were first grown in Australia back in 2003 and since that time word of Movember and its men’s health messages have spread across the globe. Movember currently runs official campaigns in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland, the US, Canada, South Africa, Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Spain, Hong Kong, Singapore, France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, and Austria. In addition, Movember is aware of supportive Mo Bros and Mo Sistas dotted around the world; all of whom have played an important role in growing Movember into what it is today. Registering at movember.com , guys then start Movember 1st with a clean-shaven face and for the remainder of the month dedicate themselves to growing a fine mustache. Support...

Photo by Mauricio Lima for The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2012/11/27/world/europe/20121128-PORTUGAL.html?smid=pl-share Portugal Passes Another Austere Budget is the title of a New York Times piece. It reads" Since the spring of 2010, Portugal has been battered by the debt crisis that began in Greece and has spread across much of Europe’s periphery. On Tuesday, it passed another round of tax increases and spending cuts." This appalling photo is just one of the 16 available at the photo gallery. This is my country one month before the year ends. Watch and read.

The more than 2,700 members of the European Film Academy - filmmakers from across Europe - have voted for this year’s European Film Awards. At the awards ceremony in Malta AMOUR won as EUROPEAN FILM of 2012. It's a France, Germany, and Austria ensemble, produced by Margaret Menegoz, Stefan Arndt, Veit Heiduschka, and Michael Katz. "Amour" , by director Michael Haneke won at EFA all the way. Best movie, best director, best actor ( Jean-Louis Trintignant ) best actress ( Emmanuelle Riva )! Here's the full Awards list. Haneke's movies are very good and often not easy because they document the not-so-beautiful side of our society. I watched La pianiste a long time ago. It's about a woman that works as a piano teacher. She still lives with her mother. She secretly watches porn movies and plays sadomasochistic games with herself. When a student falls in love with her, she wants to play her games with him, but he's disgusted. This year I watched The whit...

Video ! "For this last Saturday, December 1st, World AIDS Day, an incredible group of people have shared the reason why they're in the fight against AIDS with ONE. These are their stories. Watch one. Share one. Join ONE. On World AIDS Day, Saturday 1 December, we should all pledge to speak out,  sign and share the petition , share one film, and tell one friend that the world must get back on track towards the beginning of the end of AIDS: it starts with you .T his year also marks thirty years in the fight against HIV and AIDS, and One's latest report shows that global progress is way off track – at this rate, we won’t see the beginning of the end of AIDS until 2022. That’s not for the lack of thousands of activists trying, tirelessly, in the face of prejudice, discrimination, ignorance, and often a lack of political will. " The evolution of AIDS epidemic in Portugal. The first case was detected in 1983, a man, Hospital Curry Cabral, Lisbon. Source:...

The Rooster of Portugal Accent Pillow by aportugueselove Hi Zazzlers and friends! I'll be short in words today because my cold got worse and I am about to go to bed with a cup of hot tea, honey, and cinnamon. This Rooster=Galo is the national non-official symbol of Portugal and its stands for honesty , faith , justice , and luck . I forgot if I ever told you the legend of the Rooster of Barcelos on this blog. Barcelos is a small town in the north of Portugal . It is known for its pottery and clay sculptures. The most famous is the colorful clay rooster!! There are several versions of the legend of the Rooster of Barcelos but they are all more or less the same. It goes like this. Once upon a time, Barcelos's inhabitants were alarmed by a crime - someone had stolen a silver piece from an important landowner. Suspicion fell on a stranger from the neighboring Spanish province of Galiza. He was just passing by on his way to worship St. Tiago of Compostela following a pilg...

Photo of one of the bags ready to be delivered! Today I learned that two young American teen children (13 and 16 years old) from Florida are working to help the homeless in their residence area with small gift bags filled with necessities they want to deliver the weekend before Christmas. Their mother is a fellow Zazzler. As I opened my Facebook today I was appalled by what I read. The kid's mother sent a message to a local online newspaper and asked if they'd be interested in running a story on her 2 boys. They need a little exposure to their cause, of course. The message must go out as far as possible. It's not just about asking for money. It's about putting together concrete actions to help people have a better Christmas. The online newspaper guy just wasn't interested. First, because kids are just using Facebook and somehow Facebook must be an instrument of the devil, it seems the online newspaper guy disapproves of its use to do good. Then he considere...

While browsing the internet I found this page about adopting a star . It's almost Christmas. What better gift to offer ourselves than a star? The idea is so lovely and funds go for star research. It was just 10$. 10$ for a star...not much is it? Who's the father of this idea? Travis Metcalfe. Travis Metcalfe is an astronomer at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado. He started White Dwarf Research Corporation in 1999, while he was a graduate student at the University of Texas-Austin. There are no paid employees - WDRC is run entirely on a volunteer basis by himself and the board of directors . The Pale Blue Dot project was launched in January 2008 to help raise research funds for the Kepler Asteroseismic Science Consortium , which does not receive any funding from NASA even though our work is central to the science goals of the Kepler mission. The KASC is an international collaboration, and NASA is not allowed to fund foreign organizations. That's where you ...

Hello friends and Zazzlers! I'm with a big cold and no patience for Zazzle or anything. But I just came across this fresh campaign and felt like showing it here. A bit shocking, it really makes you stop to think about it. It reads: Until death does us part. On November 25th International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is celebrated so Portuguese APAV - The Portuguese Association for Victim Support marked the anniversary by launching this tremendous awareness campaign on violence against women. What do you think about it? How do you imagine domestic violence across Europe? - 98% of people are now aware of domestic violence across the EU compared to 94% in the previous survey. - Awareness of domestic violence against women is very high across the EU, thanks to media such as television (92%), newspapers, and magazines (59%) informing the vast majority of EU citizens about the problem. - Domestic violence remains very common: one respondent in four across t...

French Flower And Honey Cinch Bag  by  Spin_the_Globe See another  Drawstring backpack Hello! So you have a problem. You are romantic. You like to offer flowers on special occasions. But the lady in your life says it's a waste of money. Flowers soon will die. She says that flowers belong in the garden! She is a practical woman that loves Nature. She may have a point! No problem. There are plenty of Zazzle products with beautiful illustrations of flowers or flower photography! These are great products to offer on a special occasion, like an anniversary, Valentine's or just because you enjoy making a nice surprise now and then. If your girlfriend, wife, or lady friend does not like flowers here's the perfect list of gifts! You will find backpacks, Messenger small bags, tote bags, Samsung iPhone 6 Cases, and beautiful notebooks - and don't forget you can customize the words - mugs, plates, pillows, keepsake boxes, luggage tags, and more! Lots of ideas for a gift...