There is something to be said about that perfect hand covering. Sometimes you might want a fuzzy mitten, reminiscent of youthful times; other times you want something a little more elegant, to remind you of the woman/man you are now. And this is what I find at Luvaria Ulisses in Lisbon. This shop takes you back to when gloves weren't merely for utilitarian purposes but also a fashion statement. The experience of being fitted for the glove is also a throwback to days when boutiques specializing in a single craft were the norm. 
Today, I went to Ulisses Gloves shop to get my red and black gloves that I had ordered made a few weeks ago. When I visited them, they had not in stock any of those colours. 
It is a tiny shop in the Lisbon shopping district, barely large enough to fit more than 3 customers at a time. This small gem of a shop is the only one in Portugal selling just gloves. Hand sewn, they have a lifetime guarantee for repairs.
Gloves are displayed in their windows as well as within the counter and in a display case behind the counter. After you indicate which style you prefer, one of the two assistants pulls the appropriate size collection from a wall of boxes, never asking what size your hands are. They know their craft, and they pull the correct size for the customer.
The next step involves you holding your hand up to them as they glove you. The supple leather requires a bit of manoeuvring, but once that glove is on, you truly understood the expression, "Fits like a glove" or 'Fits like a second skin". Even better, these locally crafted little gems are surprisingly affordable (€60.0, the equivalent to US$84.0).
Once upon a time there was an old lady, Ms Carlota, who used to sit at the threshold of her herbs' little shop and make cloth dolls. There was a market nearby and, on those old days children always accompanied their parents or grandparents whenever they need to go to the market. It was an amusing activity, as much as it is nowadays going to a shopping mall or, perhaps, even more. There were ducklings, rabbits, chicken, pigeons, colourful fish. All these made a dramatic mixture of sounds and flavours together with bunches of carrots and smelly cabbages. Children were never afraid of getting lost. Everybody knew everybody by their names and Lisbon seemed to be a very small town.So, now and then, mornings were spent near Ms Carlota, looking at the dolls she used to make. Sometimes people referred to the illnesses of their own dolls and the old lady had always a word which might 'treat' them'. This is thought to have been the very beginning of Hospital de Bonecas that has been taking care of dolls since 1830. Years went by and the market was moved away. Children became adults – mums and grannies – who, by their turn, told their children about a small shop where time seemed to stop and children without being hurried, could role-play whenever they wanted. They are still doing the same even today! Photo of one of my teddy bears, after having been discharged from the Hospital.
