Today I discovered this funny, amazing and so realistic 5 steps of awesomeness.
Well I tried only 4 steps, because I didn't felt the need of step number 4... I didn't really need to cry!
But nevertheless, Band of Horses are awesome and rainymood is also awesome!
Try it yourself!


Step 1.) Play this:



Step 2.) Immediately or simultaneously go to www.rainymood.com
Step 3.) Contemplate existence of world and self
Step 4.) Cry a little (optional!)
Step 5.) Go to sleep.

On my last trip (read the first part here), part of saturday was spent visiting one of my favourite museums, The National Gallery!

But this time, I also spent some free time wandering around without agenda between Soho, Covent Garden, etc.
Funny thing, I lost a great deal of time, looking for an illustration of London theme for my house. When I first bought my house I decided I should get a picture/illustration, something about the places I go to. And finally I found one illustration numbered from a british illustrator Dorothy Griffiths, at Covent Garden. And the best thing I bought one piece of her watercolour work that is not available online.






But getting back to the point!
Whenever I go to somewhere and I have the opportunity to meet a friend, obviously I will meet up. Vera, one of my best friends lives in London for a couple of years and we arranged a dinner at this fancy new oriental restaurant near Piccadilly, Inamo.

I was not familiar with Inamo concept but in the minute I sitted down the waitress explained everything and I was WOW!
Although the restaurant have waitress the menu is seen directly at your table by a small projector on the top of your table. You actually choose the dishes with the help of a touch pad. This is very interesting because you can see at your plat every single dish, along with a short description aside and you know what to expect.
You can even choose your own virtual 'towel'!!
LOVE IT!!

The virtual dish!

The real deal at the table!

Desserts

I advise you to go to Inamo, if you are near London City or planning to to there, but please book online in advance. Is a very busy place, but is very good and worst it!
Check the video of how do you see the menu at Inamo.

On the other day (well by now is more likely months ago!!) while my sister and myself were waiting for my grandmother dog to be operated, we went walking around this nearby shopping mall named Fórum Sintra, just to kill time. We didn't had anything in mind so we just entered and get out of shops.

We started to talk about clothing and fashion and end up talking about the low prices of clothes and accessories and how we all promote this system that has very low salaries and bad work conditions.
People going for extremely low price clothing, ridiculous low prices in some cases and we start to think: "How companies manage to practice this prices?" Well that is the main core of this issue! A certain piece of cloth is very cheap because every single part of the manufacture process as very low costs, including transportation, resources and of course manwork.
This became a cycle of promoting or not social welfare and being socially responsible.
I know, many of you will start arguing about the crisis, how this days spending money is not easy, and so on.
In fact, a piece of cloth that cost 40euros, last at least 5 or 6 times more then a piece that cost 6 euros.
Next year, this 6 euros item will be good to clean the dust of your house while the 40 euros piece is in perfect condition and will last more 4 years, just to throw a number.

Its all about buying in intelligent manner and realizing quantity is not the same as quality. Therefore, today I bring you People Tree and their social responsibility.


People Tree is very proud of their responsibility and it shows in every newsletter. Everytime I read them I think how we all should improve social and nature awareness responsibility and how if so, things would turn better for all one day. Specially for poor countries and poor families who live with a stupid low salary.

But getting back to People Tree... I already bought one piece of a Vivienne Westwood collection and surprisely was kind of cheap, is super cool and I already have it for at least 4 years and is in excellent condition.



Well, lets weight! In favor: very low price considering the quality and its from a designer, timeless piece and I have something from Vivienne Westwood.
Against: didn't cost only 6 euros....

So everything I can, I do a responsible purchase, even if instead of buying 2 pieces at low price I buy one at not so low price.

Check People Tree collections, which are on sale, read their newsletter and all stories behind the manufacture, artists, workers, even tips of how to take care of your clothing, etc. Its very interesting!

This year my journeys had started pretty early, in January.
I had an invitation to go to London for a weekend and meet up some people who want to donate and volunteer who want to came to Portugal and spend a couple of days at Bianca.
So I went!
Travelled on friday afternoon and even that I arrived at London, Heathrow airport really late (flight was delay almost one hour!!) I know I had two days to enjoy London.

As usual I manage to schedule a date with my friend Vera, who is living in London for a couple of years and we had a blast!! But that I will tell you all about it in another post... stay tune!

On saturday morning my friend Aysa took me to Great Foster for a late breakfast.



This luxurious hotel was one of the favourites sites of King Henry VIII to hunt and you truly can see the magnificent of its architecture and decoration. Every room is greatly decorated and every detail counts. Detailed ceilings overwhelmed you while you that the tour inside this hotel (see Great Foster brochure here!).
Big fireplaces, fine arts... it is beautiful!




If you are thinking about going to London and going to Windsor, take a small detour and go to Great Foster. Is quite close to Windsor and its Palace and the famous school Eton College which deserves a visit too.

Sorry about the pictures quality but I didn't took my camera and all this was shoot with my smartphone.

First of all, Happy New Year!
Another year gone by and personally I'm not that kind of person that write new year resolutions, like read more, make more exercise, etc... No! Maybe because I do have a very active professional and social life (at least I think so!) so I don't feel the need to make new year resolutions.

However, wanting or not, we always review our life and this year I 'saw myself' reviewing my life, my professional life as designer and realise this needed a reformulation.

Freelance market is full and cracking down, customers are asking less and less budgets, don't want to spend money or, even, don't want to pay... For those who work just as freelance is a very dramatic situation but unfortunately not my case.
Soon! So this year I do have new year resolution/wishes.
Happy new year and hope you all started 2015 with both feet on the ground and very stylish!

Meanwhile discover more about artist Sarah, creator of 'Flowerwork', plants arranged as firework here!