If Only ...
dated 2008-09-30 | posted in Columns | permanent link
I wear my round Obama button on my right like a name badge. I hope, and truly believe, it won’t go the way of mine for Gore, Kerry and Hillary. So far, reactions from people abroad, from inside the airport in Paris to inside Jumbo have been overwhelmingly positive. “Who’s going to win?” the croissant maker asked at Orly last Monday afternoon. “I sure hope it’s Obama,” I said. With that he winked and gave me an extra pain au chocolate ...
Grey Matter Group
dated 2008-09-07 | posted in Columns | permanent link
We’ll call ourselves “The Grey Matter Group.” Six of us will meet monthly to discuss articles from journals, newspapers, books and reputable websites. The topics will range from science to finance, education to government. Hopefully, by the end of our meetings, we’ll emerge more enlightened than when we began.
The idea for the group evolved spontaneously over lunch one summer afternoon at the Guia. Mary expressed her angst: “Portugal’ ...
Defying the Dermatologist
dated 2008-08-26 | posted in Columns | permanent link
If Vitamin D3 is the longevity element, then the sun-worshipping Portuguese will live forever. Vitamin D3 is best absorbed from natural sunlight, during non-peak hours if possible ,so as not to incur premature aging or develop skin cancers. My dermatologist frowned when I came to her with one of many web-based articles on the hot topic of D3. She didn’t call it a fad but left me with more of a warning about sunshine exposure than encouragement. As ...
Will His Garden Grow
dated 2008-08-12 | posted in Columns | permanent link
Don left for the USA two hours ago. He’ll stay there for 27 days. I’m not sure whether to sulk or to celebrate, but I can tell you that my mood is closer to the latter than the former.
“Pat, you’re so lucky,” my golf partner, Susana, said yesterday. “My husband never travels.”
Of course I love my husband, but I also adore having time alone at home. I eat cereal for dinner, avocado for breakfast, sleep at one , wake at ten, and watch th ...
The Paris Blues
dated 2008-07-30 | posted in Columns | permanent link
I don’t expect sympathy. Let me stay with my melancholy commemorated in my poorly composed song devised the first night home after my recent trip:
I‘ve got the Paris Blues
But it’s no use
Cuz I’m in Cascais
And It’s real nice
But it ain’t Paree
Oh, dear, dear me
I’ve got the Paris Blues…
After several scintillating weeks in Paris I flew home to Lisbon leaving behind the shimmering Eiffel tower ( now ensconced in bl ...
Patricia Westheimer, author, teacher and business writing consultant, is originally from Baltimore, Maryland. She currently lives in Cascais, Portugal and in Paris, France. She is the principal author of Scott Foresman's Executive Writing Series. In addition, she writes a bi-weekly column for The Portugal NEWS (
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The mission of Americans in Portugal, founded in 2000, is to enhance the quality of life of expatriate Americans, their spouses, significant others living in the Lisbon area and to promote favorable relations between Americans residing in Portugal and the Portuguese community.