Board Games, Doggo & Business Gang in Ericeira
Find yaaaa gang - it's the only thing that matters in the end. While there are always many events going on in Ericeira, I think it's niceee that most of the gangs below have regular weekly/monthly gatherings, so you can make proper long-term friendz.
The Board Games Gang
I don't game that much any more in Eri, but I definitely had my SET, The Mind, Shithead, Cards Against Humanity, and Cabo times. There are just so many (even more) fun sports things going on - but I still game on some random restaurant evenings. I think it's a pretty good way to properly get to know people compared to playing sports with them, where you might not talk as much. So let's goooo, and ping me if you wanna challenge me in SET - 99% you have no fcking chance.
Also, I've been pondering for a while what could be the best public place for playing board games in Eri - and then one day, I walked past Hurley and saw people gaming.
Then I saw this happening more and more at Hurley, even in the evenings. In the end, I also donated some games (that my mum bombarded me with) to them - they are now waiting for ya in Hurley's official games corner (yes!).
The Doggo Gang
How about going for a walk every Thursday with a friend at 6 pm? And you basically can’t cancel that walking date because another living creature, a doggo, would be massively disappointed if you two don’t walk her? The local animal shelter may not hand you 2 cute puppies like the ones below, sry.
But the dogs at the shelter really need you, which makes them master-cute. Especially when they recognise you after week 3 and wiggle their tails like they’re crazy in love with you.
Basically, they can be your accountability partner to do ya steps at least once a week. And on top of that, if you bring a friend, you’ve got guaranteed catch-up time with them every week at a set time. Win-win, right? As in dating, you can just commit for about 4 weeks or so and then see if they're cute enough for you to keep going. Don't ever cAtcH feEliNgs and take them home!!!
I know several people who have helped out at this animal shelter near Mafra. I can add you to the doggo WhatsApp group to see exact times when they need volunteers. Plus, you can find others to join in at the same time and make some new long-term friendz.
The Business Gang
I always cry inside when I hear someone say: ah, we're moving to Lisbon again. We didn't really find our people here. Like tech/business people - everyone is just talking about surf.
Well, if everyone didn’t move away, “we business people” would find each other and could have it all, including a nice nature life, which you simply can't have in Lisbon. The hardest try I’ve seen to bring business/money/tech people together is made by a woman who hosts “fire circles”. I’ve been there twice, and while there are always a few body practitioners (who are kind of the opposite of tech people), there are some successful founders who show up.
Even though during these events usually no crazy deals are made, I did meet some people with whom I did regular non-business stuff afterwards, and I just like their minds slightly more than “just surf & yoga people". Ping me if you're just about to move back to Lisbon, plz, and I'll invite you to a fire circle (where we actually sit around a fire, yes).
The Women Circle Gang
Also called the talk-about-your-feelings gang :) Which is niceee and cool to do a few times per year (or every month if you like). I also know 2 guys who go to a men’s circle <3 The concept for any of these women’s or men’s circles is most of the time: everyone sits in a circle and shares what they're struggling with - so you have a guaranteed deep talk afternoon and likely feel somewhat relieved afterwards. So let me know if you feel like it, and I'll add you :)
The Coworking & Spa Gang
Not everyone erijoys paying €175+ per month for full-time coworking at Kelp or Coastal, but still erijoys getting out of the house occasionally. If you're not everyone, then you can join The Coworking & Spa Gang just one day per week.
On Thursdays, you get for €15 at You and the sea a fancy starter+lunch+drink and if you're lucky, interesting coworkers. Yes, you can take calls in a separate room.
You and the sea has not only a fancy garden with a nice market during summer times, but also one of the few saunas for the winter times. You can use that one from 4 pm onwards for €15 instead of €23 - and have special sauna conversations.
From April to October, this gang magically transforms into The Coworking & Tennis Gang. Then you work during the day at the tennis club called Breakpoint and can play on the tennis court later on for a discount. Ah, and have fancy lunch in between altogether.
I joined the very first tennis version, just to try out tennis for freeeee back then 🤓 Then concluded that I have no clue why I never tried tennis before getting hooked on padel. So this gang is an easy way to get your foot into tennissss :)
Kate started this gang, because she's building an actual new house for a coliving in town. These pop-up events are her way of testing out some coliving/coworking vibes before opening up the actual house.
The Church Gang
When I passed by the church in town and some event happened there, I got curious what kind of people go there. Then I randomly heard that they also do English masses/ceremonies, so now I am still debating with myself if I should or should not go to one of these.
Just to soak up the atmosphere there and maybe feel a bit more of the “old Ericeira” as I assume I would be around a lot of old Ericeira OGs. Let's see - if you want, let me know, I'll add you to the chat, and maybe we can go together.
The Lucky Dip Gang
Also called the fck-it-let's-just-do-it gang, which takes an icy cold ocean dip every morning. It's one of the very first gangs I've heard about and also one of the biggest ones.
They're meeting at 8:30 am, Monday to Sunday, at Praia de Sol. I've seen them a few times, but never went there myself because I prefer having a dip on weekends after soaking up the sun or after being sweaty from a run.
The Meditation Gang
There is a m o n a s t e r y in Ericeira where people come together and meditate every day at 5 am and 7:30pm. It's free, simple and no registration is needed.
I know 1 friend who specifically moved to Fonte Boa dos Nabos to live extra close to the monastery to easy-peasily go there to wind down in the evenings.
Plus, several people have used these set meditation times to at least commit to calming down/letting go at least once per week - e.g. every Friday 7:30pm. Especially when they were going through a hard time. That hard time in your life might lead you into the Meditation Gang and later to starting your own 5am-Gang doing ?XYZ? 🙃
Also, after you’ve been in town for a few months, you might come across a monk in an orange robe strolling through town. Chances are, he escaped the monastery for a bit to have a .. burger?haircut?avocado toast?pedicure?
The Wild Women Artsy Gang
Got all that stuff in your drawer for aqua colouring, charcoal drawing, sewing, embroidery, or clothes colouring? But can’t find the time for it?
Well, instead of deciding after a long day at work between the quick dopamine from your phone and the tedious cortisol from digging that stuff out of your dusty drawer, tell The Wild Women Artsy Gang you’ll join a gathering. I can push some buttons on a screen to add you to the chat.
After you join, it won't take long until one of the artsy girls initiates a meetup at her home, her farm, her garden, the beach, or wherever :) Imagine if there were a regular artsy meetup every 2nd Sunday 🤯
Then you would have a very official reasonable objective reason to pass by Papigoma, Tricot-Lãs, or god forbid, Mega China every other week to buy 6-69 new cute artsy building pieces. And not even hide them in your drawer - but create beautiful, meaningful art out of them and completely forget about your phone while being in flow together with others.
PS: Let me know what other kind of people you want to surround yourself with, and I'll do my best to find out if there's an existing gang you can join.
