So after a weekend of much needed rest and repose I am back to the blogging board with a little post on some of the things we did during our last days in Lisbon. If you ever get a chance to visit this incredible city, here’s a few things you might want to consider when you’re there…Although I never found the fashion culture I was so keenly expecting, we did come across Lisbon’s Design & Fashion Museum: MUDE, ‘Museu do Design e da Moda’. They just recently opened a new permanent exhibition of the changes in design – both in interiors and in fashion – over the last two centuries. It was an interesting concept to see the changes in interior design alongside the changes in fashion over the different decades, each with its own distinct personality. The best thing? It is a free! And it is right in the middle of downtown just off of the main square, Placa do Comercio.

On our last night of the sales meeting, before everyone had to leave each for their own country, a special dinner was organized for everyone in an alley way in the Bairro Alto of Lisboa. Last week happened to be the week of Lisbon’s annual Fete de la Sardhina (translated: The Sardine Festival). Over the course of our stay we saw decorations of colorful garlands, images of saints, and printed posters of sardines go up all over town. On our last night we were incredibly fortunate to be able to share in a little piece of this local Portuguese culture and have grilled sardines and plenty of sangria, accompanied by the country’s traditional music, Fado.  It was a truly magical evening, with this melancholic music playing, all of us crowded around paper tablecloths in a hidden, but beautifully decorated alley way of old Lisboa. Neighobours peered out of their windows and perched on their balconies to see the band and singer performing below, and everyone stopped their mindless chatter to dedicate 20 minutes to the talented musicians. No doubt the most special part of the trip.