See Dave Do

Author: Dave

  • #MDVPSUMMER19: Everything you need for a Portuguese adventure!

    #MDVPSUMMER19: Everything you need for a Portuguese adventure!

    What is up, all you wonderful humans?! The gang and I are back with another instalment of our #MDVP adventures, this time we hit up Portugal and all it has to offer. Together with some old and new partners, we got to explore all there is to do in the Algarves in the South to the beautiful vistas of Lisboa. A little backstory about myself, I am half Portuguese half Angolan, born in Canada! I hadn’t been back to Portugal since I was a kid and was super stoked to get back and experience it again considering I don’t remember much. So without further ado, let’s get right into it.

    Mel and I met up with Vic and Peter in Lisbon for a night, then got ourselves a rental and drove the scenic route to the city of Lagos in the Algarve. An extremely popular area at the southernmost part of Portugal. Here you can find Vacationers from all around Europe, beautiful beaches, scenic vistas, and cool refreshing waters that will most definitely wake you up after taking a dip. That being said, If there are beaches on the menu I always like to have some good reading material to fill my downtime when I’m hanging out on the beach. This trip I teamed up with Chapters Indigo and got my hands on one of my summer reads I’ve been looking forward to.

    A copy of Fire & Blood: 300 Years Before A Game of Thrones (A Targaryen History). Now that the TV series is sadly over it was time to get into the prequel and see what the next iteration may look like. Having a good book with the backdrop of cliffside engulfed beaches and the sounds of the waves crashing on the beach, few things make me happy. You can find all of Chapters Indigo summer must-reads ->HERE<-! Don’t want to carry around a 400+ page book? No problem, Get a Kobo! I have one for those trips I’m not in the mood to bring a physical copy. And I can bring my whole library along with me!

    So you’re want to check out Algarve but don’t know where to go? Here are a few places that WILL NOT DISAPPOINT!

    1. PONTA DA PIEDADE
      With one of the most beautiful vistas on the southern coast, Ponta Da Piedade will take your breath away. Standing on barrier-free cliffsides overlooking the ocean. It is definitely not for people that are afraid of heights though!
    2. GRUTAS DE BENEGIL
      For me, this is should be number 1, but won’t be accessible by everybody due to the fact that you literally have to swim and or kayak from the beach next door to this beautiful cave roughly 5 minutes away. With a perfectly placed hole up top giving you possibly the most epic photo you will get on your trip.
    3. PALACIO DE ESTOI
      A boutique hotel in the small town of Estoi. This Palace was built in 1840, and has all the charm you would expect from a small town in Algarve. Although it is a hotel, it is open to the public, however, you may run into it being closed to private events as it is a hot spot for weddings and swanky gatherings. On the grounds, you will find beautiful blue azulejo adorned walls, perfectly manicured hedges, as well as two sculptures of real-sized women imported from Italy in 2006. the Pink main building complimenting all the different colours is very pleasing to the eye.

    We made Lagos our home base while we explored the many beachside towns with our rental car. Lagos is a beauty in itself and I highly recommend it to anyone planning on staying in Algarve. Summertime weather calls for one thing when it comes to my wardrobe. Linen shirts and shorts! I found a perfect pair of cream-coloured shorts from the gap as well and a salmon coloured linen button-up that went perfectly for a stroll along the beach at dusk.

    Gap has really stepped up their game recently and I’ve really started to dig a lot of their pieces! But definitely get yourself some well-structured shorts that can be both dressed down for a casual afternoon or dressed up with a pair of loafers for a night out on the town. Pair that with a few linen button-ups and you are set! everything you need for a summer trip.

    Lagos is set right on the beach, and on low tide, you can take an amazing walk on the beach and through natural grottos and caves that you normally wouldn’t be able to access during the day. Staying at Airbnb would be the best option in my opinion as there is nothing like having a full kitchen and feeling like you live there during your stay. This also gives you access to rooftops, spacious rooms, and possibilities of meeting locals and other travels along your day. It’s a cheap alternative to staying in a hotel and I honestly couldn’t tell you the last time I booked a hotel when I travelled somewhere.

    Speaking about saving money, I would highly recommend signing up for Ebates.ca to earn Cash Back on your everyday purchases (including your flight and accommodations!) It’s really simple, create an account (use THIS link for a $5 bonus after your first purchase) and then search their extensive list of retailers where you can get Cash Back on everything from that hot summer outfit you’re looking for to that camera you needed to pick up to get those beautiful travel shots. I love shopping at H&M and they just so happen to be on of Ebates retailers, getting me 1.5% cashback on my order. Be sure to signup for their email list so you can be notified when they are having their flash deals that can score you rates up to 30% Cash Back! I’ve only started using them recently but finding myself always checking out what special offers they have so I can save that money and travel more!

    After spending 5 days in Algarve we headed back to Lisbon to take on the Capitol. We happened to be there during Portugal Day (Month really). We stayed in the Alfama district which is the birthplace of Fado, basically the music of Portugal, known for being expressive in its nature and soulful in its delivery.  Alfama is “old lisbon” with its cobbled streets, steep hills, nightly street parties, and open flame barbecues. Be sure to have yourself a bifana no pão, some freshly grilled sardines, and grilled choriço. You can thank me later! The soul of Lisbon comes out at dusk and can be experienced in the month of June until the early hours of the morning. There is no shortage of places to eat, drink, and meet new friends! Spending all day in the sun and all night around BBQ smoke my skin wasn’t loving me for a minute.

     

    Enter some solid skincare! Underrated by most guys but for me it’s a big proponent people think I’m 10 years younger than I actually am lol. First off is always always ALWAYS a good cleansing bar! I’ve always been partial to bars vs other forms of cleansers and the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar was exactly what I needed every night when I hit the shower! With 5% of the bar being CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, I am all over this. after drying off the first thing iI reach for is my CeraVe Moisturizing Cream! My skin is normally dried out and having a non-greasy hydrating cream is super important. I throw it in my checked luggage after locking the pump and I’m all set to go. I’ve been using CereVe on an off for a little while now and I’m pretty happy with how it feels on my skin. It’s easy to use, doesn’t look fancy, and gets the job done!

    Lisbon and Portugal generally isn’t known for shopping so you will find yourself spending more time actually enjoying the city and eating A LOT OF DELICIOUS FOOD!

    PRO TIP: stay away from anyone trying to get you to teat at their establishment. If the joint needs a promoter to get you in, generally it is overpriced and the food will most likely suck! Find yourself a little hole in the wall or a spot that has a fair amount of people already eating there. 

    Must visit places to visit around Lisbon:

    1. Pasteis de Belem
      if you want what is probably the most iconic pastry to come out of Portugal find this bakery sit down and spend an hour ordering freshly made pasteis de nata, bolas de berlim, and a galão to bring it all together.
    2. LX Factory
      An artists paradise is probably the best way to describe this place, with a huge library housed in an old printing factory. With a local inventor giving free tours of the interesting creations he’s put together on the second floor. Artisans selling their wares, live music, and fusion foods and strong drinks! This place is a fantastic day or night out.
    3. Jeronimos Monastery
      A gothic monastery, that is on such a grand scale that you would be kicking yourself for not visiting!
    4.  Praça do Comerćio
      An area in Lisbon that you will probably end up in without even looking for it, it’s essentially the court of commerce where you will find basically all the shopping you will do while you are there.

     

    So, my thoughts on Portugal? I will definitely be going back sooner than later. Having been to a few other European cities this year, Portugal is cheap in comparison, the food is excellent, the people are funny, accommodating and always friendly. The ENTIRE country is beautiful and there is always something to eat, see, do at any hour of the day/night! I highly recommend it to anyone that is looking to go to Europe without breaking the bank and want to have a great time!

    Hit me up if you’re looking for stuff to do or places to visit!

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • How I Keep Healthy During My Travels

    How I Keep Healthy During My Travels

    Travelling as often as I do, it’s easy to start feeling under the weather. Feeling tired from all the walking around and exploring. Spending extended time in airports and airplanes. keeping my immune system strong is super important to me.  My secret is supplementing my vitamin D intake. Simple as that!

    for most people you ask they will tell you that “I don’t need to supplement Vitamin D, I get all I need from the sun”. The truth is if you are covering up and wearing sunscreen to protect yourself from cancer causing UV rays you are also blocking your bodies ability to make vitamin D from the sun. On top of that there are only a few food sources that contain this nutrient-making it especially important that you obtain enough vitamin D by taking a daily supplement. My supplement of choice is Jamieson Vitamin D3 Tablets, they are inexpensive and are available at most pharmacies as well as grocery and health food stores. So what do these Vitamin D3 supplements do for you?

    • Helps support a healthy immune system and bone health
    • Helps the absorption of calcium and phosphorus
    • Helps maintain overall health
    • D3 is the same vitamin D produced by our bodies whereas D2 is derived from mushrooms

    I have been paying more attention to my supplements and overall health. Especially since I’m now in my mid 30’s (Although I wish I had started paying attention a bit sooner). Not so fun fact: 1 in 3 Canadians in Winter, and 1 in 4 in the Summer are vitamin D deficient and are not getting optimal levels of vitamin D! Crazy right?! The biggest reasons why Vitamin D is so important is the tremendous support it provides to both bone health and immune function.

    As you all know I LOVE TO TRAVEL, and I just can’t afford to get sick. There is nothing I hate more than getting sick while I’m away trying to do what I love. Although I generally take the Jamieson Vitamin D3 Tablets, Sometimes you want something a bit more portable that you can just throw into your bag. I normally carry Jamieson Vitamin D Spray  in my camera bag.

    So you don’t like taking tablet supplements. I get it, everyone is different in how they like to consume their vitamins. Luckily Jamieson offers a few options in order to ensure that you are getting that wonderful “Sunshine Vitamin”.

    Jamieson Vitamin D Gummies

    • Delicious and all-natural orange, strawberry and lemon flavours
    • Helps in the maintenance and development of bones and teeth
    • Helps the absorption of calcium and phosphorus
    • Helps maintain and support your immune system and overall health
    • No salt (NaCL), gluten, lactose, aspartame, artificial colours or flavours

    Jamieson Vitamin D3 Chewables

    • Supports a healthy immune system and bone health
    • Helps in the absorption and use of calcium
    • No artificial flavours or colours
    • Fun and delicious chewable tablet for those who prefer not to swallow pills

    So for all you wonderfully beautiful people who think you’re getting all the vitamin D you need just by spending time outdoors in the sun. Think again and take your health to the next level. Your body will definitely thank you! Spend more time enjoying your travels and less time getting sick. If you’re looking for more information surrounding vitamin D and how to efficiently supplement head over to Jamieson Vitamins website and find out how to get the most out of the sunshine vitamin!

  • 10 Days In Amsterdam! What You Need To Know (#MDVPSpring19 Edition)

    10 Days In Amsterdam! What You Need To Know (#MDVPSpring19 Edition)

    MDVP Spring 19 has wrapped and here are some tips to maximize your time in Amsterdam and the Netherlands. First things first are travel essentials that I never leave home without:

    Grooming Goodness:

    My toiletry bag changes all the time as I like to try new products but still like to make sure that I have my bases covered. This trip I got to try out a few new Estee Lauder products including:
    Estee Lauder Nutritious Micro-Algae ,Pore Purifying Cleansing Jelly, Pore Purifying Shake Tonic, and Pore Minimizing Hydra Lotion. Keeping my skin fresh and clean and looking good has become more and more of a focus for me as I get older. Especially when travelling I find my skin can get a bit tired when spending extended time in airplanes and with increased sun exposure. Gents if I have one piece of advice is take care of your skin, it’s so easy to overlook but worth the time to invest in.

    Comfy Kicks:

    Every time I have a trip planned, one of the first things that comes to mind is footwear! having an extensive collection of shoes, It can sometimes be hard to decide what to take. The single most important pair that I take are my day to day kicks. Walking 15-25km per day, the last thing I want are sore feet and blisters. Not having proper footwear is hands down one of the fastest ways to ruin a trip! Basically the entire Amsterdam trip you could find me rocking my Merrell MQM Flex Gore-Tex hiking shoes. Weighing just 648 grams, breathable, includes a waterproof membrane, it’s honestly the perfect travel shoe.

    Solid Timepiece:

    As you may know I’m a huge fan of a good watch! More recently I have been really into Citizen pieces. Specifically any of the Eco-Drive pieces, I have been in the market for a good dive watch as I tend to visit a lot of beach destinations so getting a jump on it I picked up the Citizen Promaster Aqualand it’s a clean piece that goes with a variety of outfits. But above that, functionality is key for me. Being Eco-Drive, it’s a solar face which means i never have to worry about replacing batteries just go about your day and it will charge automatically with the power of the sun! Water resistant to 200m which is perfect for when i’m snorkeling or just diving for shells.

    So now that you have a few essentials time to get on the road and start exploring Amsterdam!

    Amsterdam is a city of cyclists! It’s much faster, cheaper, and much more convenient to get around the moderately sized city of Amsterdam. With a population of just over 800,000 people, you can essentially get to anywhere you want to get to via a 20 min bike ride. Bike rental stores are in abundance as it’s the most used form of transportation. It’s also the best way to see any city in my opinion. you get to experience all the sights, sounds, and smells with the ability to stop whenever you want and you won’t have to waste your time looking for parking and things like that. If you want to take a break from all the biking you’ve been doing, I would highly recommend taking an afternoon, renting a small canal boat and explore the vast canal system that Amsterdam has to offer. You don’t need a license for the boat and will cost you roughly 40 Euros.

    As the Netherlands is part of the European Union you will be using the Euro as currency, so depending where you are coming from you can find that the city might feel a bit expensive as is most of Europe. However you can always find cheaper eats on the street, famous for their frites and mayo as well as their pickled herring. You can’t go wrong eating most places. Amsterdam has a huge southeast asian influence, so the city is rich in authentic Indonesian, and Thai food that can be found in most neighbourhoods.

    Museums can be around all over Amsterdam and the art scene is amazing! I would highly recommend the Moco Museum for modern pop art which includes Banksy, Kaws, Kieth Herring, Yayoi Kusama, as well as a Lichtenstein room which is not to be missed!

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    If traditional art is more your speed I would definitely tell you to visit the Rijksmuseum where they showcase well known as well as not so well known Dutch artists. You can find pieces by Rembrandt such as the famous The Night Watch painted in 1642. You can lose yourself in history just walking around the museum.

    Now the real reason to go is tulips, hands down! A short drive outside the city you can find yourself in what seems like never ending fields of tulips. In every imaginable colour the tulips fields are a wonder to look as and experience. Just standing in one of the gigantic fields can make you feel lost and so small, it’s truly humbling.

     

    Everything from Keukenhof where you can view huge fields of tulips from a top a old renovated windmill, to a random field off the side of the road. It’s breathtaking to see and I 100% recommend to experience if you are there during tulip season.

    These are just some of the things that you can see and do while in Amsterdam! Just remember when you travel anywhere, always be safe and try to explore off the beaten path to truly experience what your destination has to offer!

    What’s your favourite place in Amsterdam?

     

     

     

     

  • Celebrating Everyday Wins With Eatable Popcorn

    Celebrating Everyday Wins With Eatable Popcorn

    I don’t know about you but having the perfect snacks handy when I need them is an absolute MUST! whether I’m hosting people or just having a quiet movie night in with the missus, there is nothing better than reaching for something delicious to enjoy time spent together with friends and family.

    Eatable reached out to let Mel and I try some of their gourmet popcorn flavours with mix the fun of popcorn with the party of drinks. I wasn’t sure how to feel about it at first, I mean scotch whiskey infused caramel popcorn does sound pretty damn good though. we received their connoisseur’s flight which included scotch whiskey caramel, champagne white chocolate, and merlot PB&J. I will say that personally being a scotch guy, I was instantly drawn to the scotch whiskey caramel bag and it didn’t disappoint.

    All of their products are

    • 100% all-natural ingredients
    • No artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives
    • Non-GMO corn kernels
    • Made without gluten
    • Vegetarian

    Eatable is also a local brand which I love because it is so important to help support the community and those around us creating amazing things. Charlene and Vince spent over 2 years trying to find a health conscious flavourful snack before coming up with their Whiskey on the Pops flavour. Also taking 2nd place in 2017 in a pitch competition in Boston. I’m excited to see what other alcohol-infused flavours they roll out in the future!

    For those of you looking to try some yourself, you can save 15% on your order by use promo code “INSPIRED15” or by following the link below:

    https://eatable.com/discount/INSPIRED15

     

  • Living it up in my Structube Bedroom

    Living it up in my Structube Bedroom

    With winter in full swing, I generally don’t feel motivated to go outside…..ever! One of the things Mel and I are fond of is the ULTRA rare lazy Sunday in bed where we sleep in, maybe have breakfast in bed. and watch a couple of movies and just vege out after a long week of events, meetings, and content production.

    That being said, having a comfortable bedroom to spend time in when we can is super important to us. Naturally, being big fans of the pieces we picked out for both our living room and dining room we went back to Structube to pick out our bedroom set. Sticking with the wood motifs we have going on in the house already only seemed logical. For the bed, we went with the Clarence frame pairing it with matching VINCI gold and marble side tables. We did get a painting to put above the bed however we weren’t thinking and it ended up being a touch too big to place there, so we ended up repurposing it for our kitchen/dining area which did end up working well in the end. I do enjoy the nook we have in our room, it lets in so much light especially in the morning and early afternoon. So I lobbied Mel to get a chair to keep there, where I can just sit and read a book from time to time! We landed on the KANJI chair and it was the one right from the moment I saw it. If you have the space to put a chair in your room, it just brings another reason to stay in your room haha.

    Being that we did purchase a very old house, storage is a huge issue for us. With closets being very narrow and deep, it’s hard to keep all our clothes as well as any other things we need to store. To mitigate a bit of that, we decided to get the Clarence 3 Drawer Chest for my day to day clothes that don’t require hanging. It saves me a bunch of space in my closets which I can use for other things, and the best part is that it matches with the Clarence bedframe we got. Next up, what room would be complete without a mirror of some sort? We picked up the Daniel Mirror that tends to move around the room quite often, especially when we are shooting.

    Now the thing with rooms is that once you have all your staples in there it’s time to accessorize and add a few extra touches to bring it all home. First off were our side table lamps, there is nothing worse than being in bed and having to get back up to turn off a light. Enter the THELMA table lamp, Mel has been obsessed with marble motifs for what feels like forever so we go one for each nightstand. If you have been following along with most of the decor in our house, it’s all very white! We picked up a faux Fiddle Leaf plant to bring a little pop of colour to the room which was very welcome. Oh and I almost forgot! Our dope light fixture, the Cassiopeia pendant actually has become the centrepiece the moment you walk in! Well, in any case, I just wanted to show you all how our space has transformed in the one and a half years we’ve been working on it. what do you think? I think the last piece for our room is finding another above the bed painting (that fits -_-) to just finish it all up.

     

    WHAT IS YOUR DREAM BEDROOM? WHAT ARE YOU FAVOURITE TONES, MOTIFS, AND STYLES?

  • Staying Home For The Holidays with MDVP18

    Staying Home For The Holidays with MDVP18

    Although going away for the holidays can be great, staying at home and enjoying the company of friends and family can be just as fun if not more. We spend all year working and getting our hustle on, that at times we just don’t have (or make time) for those around us. This year we did both, we got away AND we took some time to just hang out and enjoy each others company. We spent an entire day hanging out and enjoying the Canadian Tire House, where they had the entire house decked out for the holidays. Each room was outfitted with a different theme as well as a secret Christmas room which was pretty dope!

    Anytime I’m home (or away for that matter), the first thing I do every morning after I wake up is brush my teeth and give my mug a nice wash to start the day off right and wake myself up. For those that have been following me will know that (like most guys) I don’t don’t have a crazy regimen when it comes to skincare but I do tend to stick with the same brands.

     

    I have been using Kiehls products for a few years now, and I’m pretty happy with everything I’ve used. The first I’ve been on is the Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Brightening & Exfoliating Daily Cleanser it’s exactly what I need first thing in the morning! Second is the Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Clarity-Activating Toner. As much as I hate to say it, I’m getting older and every little bit helps.

    Since we did a stay for the holidays, anytime I’m at home you can generally catch me wearing comfy clothes. Generally, you can catch me in my Gap PJ’s lounging around the house or even when I’m working from home! Super comfy and I highly recommend for anyone looking for some nice PJ’s going into the holidays. You can shop our PJ sets here.

     

    Sadly though I do have to leave my house from time to time and getting into the festive season I did pick up a not so ugly Christmas sweater. I”m always looking for interesting pieces to add to my wardrobe and I’m pretty happy with this Striped sweater I found from the Gap.

    I think that regardless if you stay or go away for the holidays, at the end of the day just be sure to appreciate those important people around you and don’t forget to let them know that! Happy holidays yall!