Bought Out The Restaurant - Leisurely Sunday

Ever had a whole restaurant to yourselves for Sunday lunch? We did yesterday. We had the most relaxing day, again in Lisbon. We decided that we'd make a trip to the botanic gardens and lie under the trees reading our books. We left the B+B around 12:30 after a very leisurely breakfast, a little nap, ages getting ready and then strolling out the door - heaven when you're used to doing everything to a tight schedule. We walked for about ten minutes and then the overpowering heat meant we needed to sit down for beer, water and coffee! Those who know us well will never believe who had what. After a lovely hour on the Lisbon version of the Champs Elysees - Avenida de Libertade, we ambled a little further, though we were under strict instructions from my sister that lunch had better be soon or crankiness would ensue. When Sinead and I began to see the approaching signs, we were in the middle of the commercial district with very few food choices unless we were prepared to pay 99 Euro a kilo for lobster and unfortunately that isn't in our price range just at the moment. Anyway we spotted a potential neighbourhood restaurant with a sign outside which said open and the prices looked reasonable, but we couldn't open the door. We kept rattling the handle, but nothing. We tried calling in the window as we could hear life inside - nothing. In desperation, because my sister was getting seriously ratty now, we even attempted climbing in the open French windows which were about 3 feet off the ground to the delight of the old lady cleaning her front step, just next door. Sinead is the most athletic of the three of us, but even she found the table and chair arrangement just by the French window impossible to hurdle. Some higher power obviously took pity on us then, as they decided the eejit foreigners had been tortured enough and the door was opened.

We arrived in to a very traditional Portuguese restaurant, a big long room with linen covered tables, a tv at one end of the room and an aquarium at the other. We ate a very pleasant meal and had a great girly chat, one of many on this holiday and had the whole restaurant to ourselves for about 3 hours. There wasn't a single other paying customer in there. The waiter told us, it's August and his regular Sunday clientele is at the beach for the day or on holiday themselves. Their main business he said is Monday to Friday. I was amazed they bothered opening for three foreigners only, but it was fantastic. Just in case you want a similar experience Forno Velho .

We did make it to the botanic gardens at around 5:30pm and it was dim and cool and quiet with lovely woody smells and we wandered around aimlessly for a while. Perfect!

Cool, Funky, Great, Restaurant - Bica do Sapato

Back to Lisbon. Our big girl's night out was Saturday and the guys in the B+B recommended Bica do Sapato opposite the Santa Apolonia metro station : http://www.golisbon.com/food/restaurants/Bica-do-Sapato.html . We got all glammed up and weren't disappointed. The food was really good - high end, without being too nouvelle cuisine, like you'd get in Eden restuarant in Dublin. The atmosphere and decor though really made it for us. It was extremely funky and cool, yet very relaxing. It catered for everyone. Men in dungarees (although I think they were more a fashion statement than straight off the allotment), children, older couples, younger couples, groups and three gorgeous Irish women out for the night!

Lovely linen, heavy cutlery, fine glasses, stripey wallpaper, pink walls, tiled and wooden floors and straw garden furniture on the terrace. It is a very large restaurant with a sea view. When the restaurant is full, there's a busy buzzy chatter, but not overpoweringly so. We had a sea view, a sense of privacy and at the same time a feeling of being part of cool Saturday night Lisbon. Lisbon seems to be a city for lovers who openly revel in their sexuality. We'll be back with our partners!

Great B+B Totally Relaxing Lisbon

Like I said my sister, friend and myself are on holiday in Lisbon for the last week. I wanted some place I hadn't been before and my sister wanted some place that would fit all our budgets, and still delivered a little bit more. She's a brilliant researcher and we ended up in the Casa do Bairro in Lisbon http://casadobairro.pt/en/ . If you like the mix of getting to know people at a hostel, but you want privacy at the same time and something a bit more up market, then this is the place for you. We are staying in a modern combined with traditional, stylish, architect designed B+B where we can mix with all nationalities over breakfast and then head away for the day or loll around in the communal library and terrace area if that's your thing. The three of us are having the most relaxing time. Lisbon has that effect on you. The people here are really laid back, speak great English and are very genuinely nice to you. I cannot recommend the city and the B+B highly enough.

Quick Snack When You Get In From Work

Like all women, I want to look my best. On holiday at the moment in Lisbon with my sister and a friend and having a fab time. Lisbon is a fantastic city and the three of us of are having lots of time to talk and relax. We are giving each other loads of advice about what we all do at home to stay on top of things. A quick snack tip from my sister if you come home from work starving and know you need to eat something fast and ideally healthy before you start making dinner, or you'll eat everything in sight you shouldn't -Greek tzatziki: cut up a 1\3 of a cucumber, mix with a few tablespoons of Greek or any plain yoghurt you like and add finely chopped garlic, lemon juice and dried dill from something like the Schwartz's herb range to taste. Spread lavishly on 3 sesame seed Ryvita pieces. You have a practically instant, quick, healthy snack to take the edge off, before you start thinking about your main meal. You can be even healthier and drink water or herbal tea with it, but maybe diet coke is more your thing.