TO BE

Zodiac sign: Gemini , with Gemini rising.

Season: They all have something that attracts me.

One color: the colors I associate with memories "celadon green", "Egyptian earth red", "off-white", "nude", "light grayish blue", desert ochre, saffron yellow... it depends on the day, the light and the place.

One book: no, three :) " Power of Now " by Elkhart Tolle, " Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself " by Joe Dispenza, and " Mindset " by Carol Dweck.

A film: lately, the play that has most inspired me is " Our Place " by Terry Gabbard. A very impactful play and story/message. A list of emotions that I had the opportunity to discover, performed at my children's school by 11th-grade students, including my son Gui in the cast. I ended up reading the book of the play and it stayed with me as inspiration for my work, also because of the message about the importance of the connection we have with ourselves and with others in "our places," that is, the places that I end up creating for others.

One song: " Vois sur ton chemin " techno mix version produced and performed by Bennet.

A podcast: I never miss Mel Robbins ' podcast every Monday and Thursday. And I'm increasingly drawn to apps like "Waking Up" or "Making Your Mind Matter." Because I work with lives, with people, and I'm very interested in understanding how design can contribute to elevating the spirit and mind, and for that I study mental health and self-development extensively in myself and others. The theory of epigenetics interests me a lot, and I like to better understand how everything is connected.

An object: an objet d'art that I created in my home collection which is an XL wooden chain in slightly burnt raw wood hanging from a hand-carved, bleached wooden hook entitled {let go}.

Favorite place in the world: Inside a hug from my husband or my children.

TO CREATE

Who and what inspires you? Places and people that take me out of my comfort zone.

What else do you want to create? Every day I think of something new to create.

How to maintain creativity: Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Experiment. Discover, do it again even if it's not the first time because it's always different. Don't worry about what others think. Instead of striving for perfection, practice authenticity. Distance yourself from what belongs to those who don't make you feel aligned with yourself, and get closer to and nurture connections with those who do. Practice and learn growth mindset tools and know that "it's always been this way" is the most dangerous phrase in humanity. Be a cycle breaker. Meditate in whatever way makes sense to you. Read and listen to other different ideas, other perspectives that show us other solutions and tools for life and creativity. Be flexible, curious.

TO LIVE

First thing to do when you wake up : Take a deep breath. Feel your heartbeat with your hand on your chest. Meditate. Smile. Move your body. Thinking about 5 things I like about myself and my life. Because they always exist.

How to relax at the end of the day: on my way home I call my children to tell them I'm arriving. I listen to a podcast or audiobook that's on my waiting list. At home, I try to listen to my family's laughter. I have 4 teenagers and the best time to connect with them (and when their brains are receptive) is in the late afternoon and evening, so I try to create moments of connection with cooking, music, wherever they are that day, and give them space for potential conversations, not in my way but in their way, not for me to talk but to listen to them. Relaxing for me is being with my husband and children, it's exercising and moving my body. Being at home is the ultimate relaxation :) I do this in the projects at Viterbo Interior Design and in my life too. Arriving home should always be about arriving home with ourselves. If we don't feel that way, we should stop and try to understand why. Nothing changes if nothing changes.

A place to disconnect: Yoga class specifically with @cocorainbowyoga . Muah Thai class with Master Nuno Neves @lucky_luke_neves . A signature full cupping massage by Vera at @velvet.elegance , a meeting with myself investing in my well-being and taking care of myself with Dr. Bernardo Pimentel at Avenida Clinic.

Favorite physical exercise: Muay Thai, Spinning, Yoga, riding a scooter or bicycle with my husband and children .

How do I relieve stress? I'm completely kinesthetic, so a good hug from my husband or children, or dancing to music, is enough to release any kind of tension...

A woman who inspires you . All of you. I admire all women so much. We rock ⚡️ And we should celebrate it every day.

NOURISH

Your ideal diet is… balanced. I like to feel that what I'm eating brings me life and doesn't take it away. I choose with that in mind.

What you always have in the fridge: blueberries, in the fridge and in the freezer because I love frozen blueberries :)

Dinner-saving recipe: Homemade fresh pesto. In our house, we almost never all eat the same thing for dinner; tastes are very different, and all my children have been cooking since they were very young. They're picky about recipes, but that's normal because we are too, and we like creative and different things. There's no reason to force everyone to eat the same thing... but we all like fresh pesto, and it's saved a few dinners :)

Favorite drink: my husband's iced latte every morning!!

Favorite snack: blueberries and walnuts

Favorite restaurant: In my area, Nicolau Cascais is one of my go-to places for breakfast and lunch. In the evenings we prefer to stay home and enjoy being with family.

My favorite cookbooks are Plant Paradox Cookbook by Dr. Steven Gundry, about cooking without lectins, and "The Glucose Goddess Method" by Jessie Inchauspé. But also pages like @la.cuisine.de.geraldine, @drmarkhyman, or reels my kids send me with great recipes if they cook at home. We're not really into... Traditional Portuguese recipes are not something anyone is forced to eat at home. Because I don't know anyone who would like to be forced to eat what they don't like. And the recipes for the best biscuits in the world are from my daughter Alice, the meat recipes are from my son Benjamin, the mega chef, the ramen at home is made by my son Gui, and the appetizers and breakfasts are recipes from my eldest son, the super healthy Santi.

TO CARE

Icon of beauty: Women of all ages, shapes, colors, nationalities, and personalities.

An essential piece of clothing: a turban or headscarf .

What's always in your beauty routine: A haircut or a visit by Helena Vaz Pereira and her team at Griffe Hairstyle in Lisbon, and a cold shower at the end of your shower for 20 seconds on your whole body.

Favorite MPL Product: And I'm loving the new face spray and the Repair one , I can't live without them anymore!

How do you feel most beautiful? With a smile on your face.