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.
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.
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?
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!
Love the bowl and the view! 😁
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?
Beautiful bowl!!!!
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.
What was your experience asking locals about this «where to buy .......? » thing?
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?
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 :)
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.