Oh, Gato Preto was a dangerous store for me. You nailed the description about it being a store for people who care more about shopping for their home goods than their clothes! And from the Loja Chinese we have plastic takeaway containers with lids that do not seal, door stoppers that don't hold doors open, and two wine stoppers that are not even remotely air tight lol. It's such a gamble at those stores!
I love your “finding things” post. I have done a ton of exploring with IWP (International women of Portugal) and have seriously expanded my shopping options beyond Campo de Ourique where I live (I have found some wonderful clothing and kitchen items here!) and also the mall, El Corte de Ingles and Decathalon for outside and sporting goods (next to ECdI) as well. Always turned onto new options by the Women of IWP and our chats! Thanks as always for your shares.
That's too bad it's so far. I found Ikea to be the place I turned to for bedding and household items I'd normally buy at Wal-Mart. It helped that it was only about 2 miles from where we lived in Cyprus.
Well, sounds very interesting, and you will never be bored there. Sometimes hard to find the right thing here, too. I think it's great that you can manage without a car, wish I could! Glad you finally got your bean can open on the second try.
Love this post. Your posts sharing your experiences of getting acclimated are just great. We went through the same thing on Madeira, except shipping things here is a whole 'nother learning experience (as in, lots of cancelled orders from Amazon.DE and Amazon.ES after you were counting on receiving stuff). Now that we, too, have found our way around, and now have a cute little electric car to help with the heavy lifting, we go to stores only to find that we don't really NEED anything anymore.
Asking locals, implies a level of Portuguese I don't currently have. We did have a lovely neighbor next to us when we first arrived who did speak English and recommended the places she would think we would want to go. Not the place that she would shop I suspect. Amoreiras Mall and Cortes Inglês. I have since been mentioning to people where we've been shopping - Humana, Primark - and that has gotten thumbs up.
Well, I'm portuguese (and from Lisbon) and I would be very happy to help you (and whoever will need this kind of help) when looking for particular (on not so particular) items. From big to small (marta.m.cancelaatgmail.com). I'm at your service!
(I must say that "shopping scouting trips" can be exhausting - and boring, when one doesn't find what one is looking for - and they do steal time to visit much more interesting places.)
Well... I do agree, definitely. I do admit that sometimes I enjoy (a lot) window shopping - especially when I haven't the urge to buy anything. (I'm very self-critical when it comes to spending money.) «Places that are unique» (to me) are local monuments, museums, landscapes, fairs, events, traditions... People are not places, I know, but they can be unique too. (And by this I cut off all the world big brand stores, omnipresent everywhere... with shops in all the big cities' malls and elsewhere, you know, the ones we can find all over the world looking all alike and having all the same products). [I do love this blog!]
Wonderful post. I have gotten to know a few stores when shopping to replace belongings left in the US and things I didn’t know we needed. (Estendal? O quê ...?) Rather exhausting but educational. I avoided malls until I moved here. Too much clothing not enough home goods. Colombo? Amorais? No words. None. ECdI, though costly, has spared me many a trip seeking something I knew they had provided I surrendered a limb or two. Plus I typically can carry it home! (Because the estendal is nearly as long as I am tall, I suspect I was a bit of an entertaining sight.) I love the variety of products, especially Auchan where we buy most of our groceries.
Those pasta bowls are super cute! I am also not big on shopping. Since covid started, we mostly shop online now. I will say we recently bought an electric can opener. We had one in our old apartment, but it was cheap and had gotten discolored. I promised myself to leave it behind when we moved because [affirmation] "I deserve nice things."
We use beans at least once a week, most often for burritos, but once winter comes there will be more chili. Ansel has hummus almost every day, but I'm sad to say it is never homemade.
This is reassuring. In the land of no flavor (Denmark), your shopping is pretty limited. Danes seem pretty okay with what we Americans consider pretty scarce options. The closest megastore is a Bilka near the airport--sort of like a really, really sad Walmart that carries the exact same meagre selection you find everywhere in Copenhagen...just in one store instead of six. There's another weird thing here where some specific types of stores create a maze of aisles that force you past every article they sell. All I can think is if there's fire anytime near one of those, there's going to be a problem.
Loja Chinese sounds like a Dollar Store riff, except...maybe everything going to the Dollar Store was damaged in shipping and now Loja sells it?
I went to a store here called Flying Tiger ... maybe? ... that purports to be from Copenhagen and had a maze of aisles that forced me past everything in the place. I did buy a hat there for 6 euros but it kept blowing off my head so I eventually placed it in one of the clothing collection boxes.
Yes!, they are indeed from here. There’s another store called “Normal”—basically think beauty, personal care, and…snacks? It takes the maze concept and adds in a nice smattering of claustrophobia.
It is anything but Normal. I don’t go in a weekend because it’s a theme park queue without the fun.
It's hardly an international move, but I've been surprised and dismayed by how long its taken to figure out "where to shop" after moving a mere 50 km. from Norwood, Massachusetts to Medford, Massachusetts! Forty-three years in one place is a lot. You soak up a lot of local knowledge, slowly, over the years.
One good pick is to hit the "reduced price" shelves of the "Ceramicas na linha" pottery store: they often have beautiful, designer cups and plates, wit a tiny defect, for few euro each. I bought all my everyday cups and mugs and plates there, and they are Portuguese artisanal! Here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/NwFM4aZtAn9jUVpF8
Another good tip for you I haver is to hit the best alternative to Corte Ingles - and WAY cheaper. It is called POLLUX, and it features all things compare, and good prices and excellent service. Plus side, on the rooftop they have opened a very cute restaurant (Terrace Editorial) with a nice young Portuguese Chef, and it has the most beautiful view in town! Here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/bdjrKquhwCdc9d599 to sit, have a snack, and enjoy the prettiest view on the Elevador!
Third up, it is the cheap alternative for homeware, but the quality is way better than any Chinese store: Vicriliana is my to go store when I look for everyday kitchen stuff: https://maps.app.goo.gl/QAzvhryupKb9G8gW8
Last but not least, if you want to hit the best Chinese groceries and have the freshest fruits and veggies, plus some real Chinese food (like in NYC): Hua Ta Li https://maps.app.goo.gl/rTyCsanf6nkfKFSL7 in Martim Moniz :)
Oh, Gato Preto was a dangerous store for me. You nailed the description about it being a store for people who care more about shopping for their home goods than their clothes! And from the Loja Chinese we have plastic takeaway containers with lids that do not seal, door stoppers that don't hold doors open, and two wine stoppers that are not even remotely air tight lol. It's such a gamble at those stores!
Indeed. Got to Prato is seriously dangerous 😉
Loja Chinese are definitely hit or miss. We also have door stoppers that don't hold doors open and containers with lids that do not seal 🤷🏼♀️
Love the bowl and the view! 😁
I am in love with the views and how artistic things are here
I love your “finding things” post. I have done a ton of exploring with IWP (International women of Portugal) and have seriously expanded my shopping options beyond Campo de Ourique where I live (I have found some wonderful clothing and kitchen items here!) and also the mall, El Corte de Ingles and Decathalon for outside and sporting goods (next to ECdI) as well. Always turned onto new options by the Women of IWP and our chats! Thanks as always for your shares.
Do you have an Ikea?
Two! Both of them are equally far. A 9 euro bolt will get us there, or a nearly 1 hour bus ride
That's too bad it's so far. I found Ikea to be the place I turned to for bedding and household items I'd normally buy at Wal-Mart. It helped that it was only about 2 miles from where we lived in Cyprus.
We came up fairly short in IKEA (ick-e-a here) here. Havev their sheets, etc. gotten cheaper and blander, or have I gotten pickier?
They seemed fine for us when we needed them. Maybe they've changed? I still have beach towels from them that I love.
Oo beach towels. We do need those. Thanks!
Beautiful bowl!!!!
I was going for a thick ceramic all white bowl. You see how that worked out ;-)
Well, sounds very interesting, and you will never be bored there. Sometimes hard to find the right thing here, too. I think it's great that you can manage without a car, wish I could! Glad you finally got your bean can open on the second try.
And it's a great can opener too!
Love this post. Your posts sharing your experiences of getting acclimated are just great. We went through the same thing on Madeira, except shipping things here is a whole 'nother learning experience (as in, lots of cancelled orders from Amazon.DE and Amazon.ES after you were counting on receiving stuff). Now that we, too, have found our way around, and now have a cute little electric car to help with the heavy lifting, we go to stores only to find that we don't really NEED anything anymore.
I can't believe amazon would cancel a delivery on you. We usually get canceled when we go to the checkout cart.
What was your experience asking locals about this «where to buy .......? » thing?
Asking locals, implies a level of Portuguese I don't currently have. We did have a lovely neighbor next to us when we first arrived who did speak English and recommended the places she would think we would want to go. Not the place that she would shop I suspect. Amoreiras Mall and Cortes Inglês. I have since been mentioning to people where we've been shopping - Humana, Primark - and that has gotten thumbs up.
Well, I'm portuguese (and from Lisbon) and I would be very happy to help you (and whoever will need this kind of help) when looking for particular (on not so particular) items. From big to small (marta.m.cancelaatgmail.com). I'm at your service!
(I must say that "shopping scouting trips" can be exhausting - and boring, when one doesn't find what one is looking for - and they do steal time to visit much more interesting places.)
Besides, we are almost neighbours.
There are more interesting places here than grocery stores and shopping malls? Sign me up! 😁
Well... I do agree, definitely. I do admit that sometimes I enjoy (a lot) window shopping - especially when I haven't the urge to buy anything. (I'm very self-critical when it comes to spending money.) «Places that are unique» (to me) are local monuments, museums, landscapes, fairs, events, traditions... People are not places, I know, but they can be unique too. (And by this I cut off all the world big brand stores, omnipresent everywhere... with shops in all the big cities' malls and elsewhere, you know, the ones we can find all over the world looking all alike and having all the same products). [I do love this blog!]
You are sooo kind!
Thank you for the very kind offer. But be careful what you wish for ... 😂
Wonderful post. I have gotten to know a few stores when shopping to replace belongings left in the US and things I didn’t know we needed. (Estendal? O quê ...?) Rather exhausting but educational. I avoided malls until I moved here. Too much clothing not enough home goods. Colombo? Amorais? No words. None. ECdI, though costly, has spared me many a trip seeking something I knew they had provided I surrendered a limb or two. Plus I typically can carry it home! (Because the estendal is nearly as long as I am tall, I suspect I was a bit of an entertaining sight.) I love the variety of products, especially Auchan where we buy most of our groceries.
Hang on for the groceries post!
Those pasta bowls are super cute! I am also not big on shopping. Since covid started, we mostly shop online now. I will say we recently bought an electric can opener. We had one in our old apartment, but it was cheap and had gotten discolored. I promised myself to leave it behind when we moved because [affirmation] "I deserve nice things."
We use beans at least once a week, most often for burritos, but once winter comes there will be more chili. Ansel has hummus almost every day, but I'm sad to say it is never homemade.
I was not prepared for the percentage of my time that would be taken up with shopping! But, if you don't bring anything with you, it makes sense!
This is reassuring. In the land of no flavor (Denmark), your shopping is pretty limited. Danes seem pretty okay with what we Americans consider pretty scarce options. The closest megastore is a Bilka near the airport--sort of like a really, really sad Walmart that carries the exact same meagre selection you find everywhere in Copenhagen...just in one store instead of six. There's another weird thing here where some specific types of stores create a maze of aisles that force you past every article they sell. All I can think is if there's fire anytime near one of those, there's going to be a problem.
Loja Chinese sounds like a Dollar Store riff, except...maybe everything going to the Dollar Store was damaged in shipping and now Loja sells it?
I went to a store here called Flying Tiger ... maybe? ... that purports to be from Copenhagen and had a maze of aisles that forced me past everything in the place. I did buy a hat there for 6 euros but it kept blowing off my head so I eventually placed it in one of the clothing collection boxes.
Yes!, they are indeed from here. There’s another store called “Normal”—basically think beauty, personal care, and…snacks? It takes the maze concept and adds in a nice smattering of claustrophobia.
It is anything but Normal. I don’t go in a weekend because it’s a theme park queue without the fun.
Sounds... um ... awful?
100%. Denmark is very rigid about what stores sell—with limited such options in a grocery store, you’re forced into these types of stores.
Fascinating. I love that we're writing about Portugal and learning about Denmark!!!!!
That maze, maybe like IKEA?
It's hardly an international move, but I've been surprised and dismayed by how long its taken to figure out "where to shop" after moving a mere 50 km. from Norwood, Massachusetts to Medford, Massachusetts! Forty-three years in one place is a lot. You soak up a lot of local knowledge, slowly, over the years.
One good pick is to hit the "reduced price" shelves of the "Ceramicas na linha" pottery store: they often have beautiful, designer cups and plates, wit a tiny defect, for few euro each. I bought all my everyday cups and mugs and plates there, and they are Portuguese artisanal! Here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/NwFM4aZtAn9jUVpF8
Another good tip for you I haver is to hit the best alternative to Corte Ingles - and WAY cheaper. It is called POLLUX, and it features all things compare, and good prices and excellent service. Plus side, on the rooftop they have opened a very cute restaurant (Terrace Editorial) with a nice young Portuguese Chef, and it has the most beautiful view in town! Here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/bdjrKquhwCdc9d599 to sit, have a snack, and enjoy the prettiest view on the Elevador!
Third up, it is the cheap alternative for homeware, but the quality is way better than any Chinese store: Vicriliana is my to go store when I look for everyday kitchen stuff: https://maps.app.goo.gl/QAzvhryupKb9G8gW8
Last but not least, if you want to hit the best Chinese groceries and have the freshest fruits and veggies, plus some real Chinese food (like in NYC): Hua Ta Li https://maps.app.goo.gl/rTyCsanf6nkfKFSL7 in Martim Moniz :)
AWESOME tips! Thanks!
You are likely too polite to say it, but the Chinese stores are mostly junk and I find them a little bit depressing. Others swear by them.
Pingo Doce has beans in jars.
Thanks for the input!