Monthly Archives: September 2014

Portugal in an Instagram: Porto Edition

September 28, 2014

Here’s Part Two of our beautiful summer vacation, in the picturesque Porto, Portugal. The bridges are absolutely stunning! Also, the whole city is in layers as it’s on a hill. Makes for amazing views and tired legs!We were lucky to have 3 beautiful days in this amazing city.

The cathedral. I love this photo because of the sky. I mean, have you ever seen a sky more blue?Super Bock is one of the major beer companies in Portugal. Refreshing and very light, so drinkable! A dish that needs a bit of explanation: The Francesinha. It is a Portuguese sandwich made from bread, ham, sausage, steak and roasted pork covered with melted cheese and a tomato based beer sauce. Sometimes also topped with a fried egg. Sounds strange, but I wish they had this in San Diego for those mornings after a few too many drinks!

The inside of the Francesinha! We had this meal down by the Douro river at a Francesinha festival. There were muiltple restaurants, famous for serving this Portuguese delight, with pop ups open. It was an amazing way to introduce ourselves to Porto! Continue reading →

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Portugal in an Instagram: Lisbon Edition

September 13, 2014

Our summer vacation was in beautiful, sunny Portugal this year! As a country I have never been to before, I was SUPER excited to explore the picturesque sights and the delicious food. Here are some snaps from half of our trip, in the lovely Lisbon!

Arriving in Lisbon!

I think I love this place already…

One of the simplest Metro systems I have ever used. Helps that the map is so pretty!

The famous Tram! Also useful as a canvas for street artists.

We were lucky enough to be walking by when the Tour de Portugal was coming through the square. They go properly fast!

The Bairro Alto! The streets that lie atop the hill that burst with life at night. This is where all the bars are and where you can go see the sorrowful Fado singers.

There’s lots more photos after the jump! Continue reading →

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Strawberry Rhubarb Sangria

September 1, 2014

It’s official, summer is over. This week I go back into the classroom and I look at the calendar, longing for the next holiday break. So this weekend we wanted to really enjoy ourselves before we say goodbye to another lovely summer. And what better way to enjoy yourself than a fruity, sparkly sangria?

My husbands godparents started their own allotment. Here in Britain, most people don’t have back gardens large enough to grow fruit and veg, so they rent a plot of land to do their gardening. We went to have a look and it was absolutely amazing! From corn to raspberries and potatoes to rainbow chard, they have truly begun a beautiful and fruitful garden. They had been so successful that we actually came away with about 5 bags chock full of the freshest, organic, most loved veg in the country. So obviously on the long drive home my mind was spinning with ideas for how we could put all these lovely veg to good use. The overflowing bag of rhubarb got me thinking…

I’ve made cakes, muffins and crumbles before, so how else could I use the perfectly pink hued, tart and tangy rhubarb? I’d seen it used in recipes for sangria before, and thought it would be a spot on combination. Most sangrias can be sickly sweet, but the sour notes in the rhubarb would take it to a whole new level. But- the fruit that soaks up the booze can be quite delicious, too. So go ahead, throw some strawberries in there! And while you’re at it, forget the wine, use some bubbly! We want this Strawberry Rhubarb Sangria to be special. And now a toast: To summer, you were great while you were here, and you will be missed. Until next time. Cheers!

Continue reading →