…and that's how it was …

I was born in Lisbon in 1971, but my heart has always been halfway between the city and the countryside. My parents were from Alentejo, and it was on a farm in Alentejo that I spent my childhood holidays: without running water, electricity, or gas. Everything was rustic, natural, and genuine. It was there that I learned to love the land, to respect the rhythm of the trees, to value the knowledge of those who "work" with nature. It was all sustainability, and I didn't even know it...

Life has led me down paths connected to natural restoration, to contact with producers, to genuine flavors. I've always had this link between the countryside and the table. But it took a time of pause—the time of the pandemic—to clearly hear the voice that was already calling me. After the silence imposed by Covid, the city seemed even noisier, more confusing, hurried, and full of angry people. I realized that Lisbon wasn't where I wanted to grow old.

Our children are grown and have stayed in Lisbon. This freedom allowed us to seek new beginnings. And it was in Vila de Rei that we found Recomeçar (Restart). A place that welcomed us with the tranquility of its landscapes and the generosity of its people.

Here, the Ugliest Chocolate Cake in Lisbon has become the Ugliest in Vila de Rei. We embraced the challenge of revitalizing the Geodesy Museum and, with it, a new chapter was born: the Tipicaria (traditional Portuguese shop).

Tipicaria is much more than an online store. It reflects a long-standing passion for the land, for nature, and for the hands that create with love. It's the desire to share flavors, traditions, and stories—always with the simplicity of those who know that life tastes better when it follows the rhythm of nature.

And that's how it was…
So I left Lisbon.
That's how I fell in love with Vila de Rei.
And so began this new life.