A couple of years ago, I was talking with a Swedish friend that told me that, every six months, her husband and her plan everything that’s going to happen in the next six months of weekends. I was mind-blown.
How?
Why?
Isn’t that too much?
After collecting myself, I asked her, what if something new comes along and you want to do that? She told me that the idea is to always have a plan to fall back to. If they're going to do something else, they do. If they are out of ideas, they already have a plan.
My very Portuguese self finds this too much. Planning every weekend? Aren’t weekends supposed to be about spontaneity? About unplanned freedom? About doing wherever I want?
But the reality is that some of my best weekends are the ones that I have a plan for, and then everything changes, Like last weekend. I had a few errands to run, but I decided to do something different instead of going to the places I always go to. I ended up buying a pain au chocolat at Ogi by Euskalduna and buying some fresh tuna steaks at Peixaria by Euskalduna. At Peixaria by Euskalduna I saw seafood and fish I had never seen. Not only I had a great tuna steak for lunch, but I also learned something.
Going back to planning the weekends, I won’t be doing it. It’s too much. But it might not be that crazy to plan a few things in advance. Planning helps when we don’t have any more energy to make decisions. There are a limited number of decisions you can make every day. Maybe this can save you a few.
For the weekend of Feb 26th, here are my suggestions.
[Cuture] CINEMA TRINDADE
There aren’t many cinemas in downtown Porto, but they need to be preserved. Their value proposition is not the sound or screen quality. They offer you the chance to watch movies that you won’t find anywhere else. Why not give it a try?
[Book shop] LIVRARIA FLÂNEUR
I am a huge fan of Livraria Flâneur. Running an independent bookshop in 2022 is no small feat. Flâneur attracts a community of book lovers looking for quality books away from the bestsellers. They also have those, but their main value proposition is in helping you find hidden gems hard to find anywhere else.
[Drinks] COMBI COFFEE ROASTERS
I’m a regular at Combi. I used to go there every day. Now, I drink filter coffee at home, so I only visit Combi on the weekends. The coffee is excellent (roasted there), and the baristas are amazing. The best place in town to get a cappuccino, flat white or latte.
[Flea Market] FEIRA DA VANDOMA
If you want to be transported to an alternative universe, I recommend that you pay a visit to Feira da Vandoma. Happening every Saturday morning, you will find the weirdest and most picturesque objects in there. From the famous “Menino da Lágrima” painting to used nails polish bottles to vinyl and old radios and prints. You can find everything there. For the best buys, make sure to arrive early. The peak hour is around 8 am.
[Culture] CASA DE SÃO ROQUE
If you go to Feira da Vandoma, stop by Casa de São Roque. This is a beautiful house turned art museum. The house alone deserves a visit. The gardens are incredible. And you should check the exhibition.
That’s it for today. Enjoy the weekend, and let me know if you follow any of my suggestions.