Daily Life in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Swanky Christmas and New Year's Plans in Rio - Copacabana Palace

If you are looking to blow some cash have a fine dining experience over the holidays in Rio, here are some of your options at the Copacabana Palace:

Christmas:

Copacabana Palace - Christmas Eve Dinner starts at R$420 per person.  Christmas Day Brunch is $R220 per person. Includes drinks.

New Year's:

Copacabana Palace - room rates start at US $1,040 per night.

Dinner/Parties at the Copacabana Palace start at R$1,200 per person including drinks. Click here for more details.

My quote of the day...

Although I have never dated a supermodel, I think living in Rio is probably a lot like it. Meaning? You put up with a lot of crazy sh*t because it is just so darn gorgeous.

Brazilian Diet Secrets

These are all diet tips I have been told/friends of mine have been told by Brazilians. You be the judge...

1) The crust of bread is good for you but the middle, soft part is fattening.

2) Mangoes and acai should be avoided because they are too high in calories (this was told to me by someone with a plate full of deep fried salgados in front of them...)

3) When you are on a diet you should eat minas cheese and processed turkey breast with bread for breakfast. 

Tonight, On Oprah...

If you are here in Rio, try and catch The Oprah Winfrey Show on GNT at 8 pm. It will feature a segment on Rio de Janeiro. As Oprah runs about 2 weeks behind here in Brazil, I've already heard different things about this episode from a number of people back home, and therefore have had to try not to form too many opinions about what was featured until I see it for myself...  it is an episode about women around the world, and apparently a woman from Ipanema and her maid were interviewed for the Rio portion. To view some "after the show" questions asked, click here.

Also on Oprah's site about Rio - a guide to traveling here (there is one for each of the Olympic 2016 Candidate cities) 

I'm hoping some of you come back and let me know what you thought of the episode and how Rio and its women were portrayed. Can't wait to watch!

Pretty Pretty Nuance

It's been awhile since I posted a Nuance photo

Keepsake of the fruit in Brazil?

In my survey of Rio expats, I ask what everyone's favorite Brazilian treat is but inadvertently forgot to include the fruit as an option. Luckily many of you reminded me by adding the option.

Although the fruit will never be as fresh tasting back home, there is a way to preserve its beauty in your memory. Jann La Pointe is one of Rio's most talented photographers (we had our maternity photos done with her and have had a couple of sets of portraits of Canadoca done with her as well), and she has put together a beautiful book of photos of Brazil's tropical fruit treats - check it out here. 

To schedule your own portrait session with Jann, or to see more of her work, access her site here.

Lots to do...

My to do list is long these days, as is the list of things to do in and around Rio this weekend. Two high profile picks:

• Oi Fashion Rocks Rio. The event features a performance by Mariah Carey, and a show by Calvin Klein, who apparently spends a lot of time here in RIo. At the Jockey Club.
• If you want to then escape the city, the Buzios food festival is on this weekend as well. So many great spots in Buzios to eat, so this is sure to be stellar.

Travel Notes

A few random thoughts after about half of my 24 day trip in Southwestern South America:

• Finally, it's not just in Brazil that everyone insists on standing pretty much TOUCHING the luggage carousel. I think that I might have to make an instructional video on how to behave at the luggage carousel and sell it to airports here. It will start with obvious things like don't climb on it and finish with what you'd think would be obvious things like if everyone stands 2 feet away from it and simply steps forward to pick up a piece of their luggage when it is actually coming down the carousel, it would make a lot more sense and be a lot more courteous... until then I loudly yell com licensa and then brute in between the people and yank out my luggage...
• It seems to me that in Rio we really have the short end of the stick when it comes to grocery shopping. It was shocking to me that PERU has FAR SUPERIOR grocery stores to Rio. Not at all what I expected.
• Traveling with Canadoca ROCKS. Not only do we have constant entertainment, but people are so much nicer to us, especially the airlines. We get put in special lineups everywhere - wonderful service.
• I have yet to be on any flight in South America where I haven't been fed. Even if it's just cookies. It's a good thing.
• The variety of consumer products and vehicles available in different countries in South America is really something... what dictates this exactly? Relationships with other countries? Import taxes?
• The more cities I see in South America, the more wild I think Rio is...

Rio 2016 video

I knew this would be good. Here is Rio's little promo video as part of the submission for hosting the 2016 games. I remember when I watched Vancouver's a few years back and it brought tears to my eyes it was so beautiful. Rio's doesn't disappoint. One observation I do have is that it seems incredibly tranquil - and given Rio's reputation internationally, I venture to guess that this is deliberate. Check out the video, it's beautiful, and I am proud to say that I've been almost everywhere that is featured.

Back in Rio

I'm currently re-acclimatizing to the "Daily Rio Life"... back in Rio after a great trip home. Canadoca met a number of our friends, three of her four sets of grandparents, one set of great-grandparents and numerous members of the extended family as well. She did a bit of a tour of Western Canada, starting in Calgary then heading into the interior of BC, Vancouver and Vancouver Island.

Traveling alone with a 4 month old was easier than one might think. She was a trooper no matter where I took her or how many new people mauled her in one day (I think the record was 45).  This kid wants to see the world.

In case you are curious, I traveled with her on a Canadian passport only, since we still do not have a Brazilian one. Initially when we started all these processes the Canadian consulate here in Rio said that we must have both passports in order to travel. However, something recently changed, and now the Brazilian officials are allowing Brazilian born children of foreign descent to travel on the passports of the parents' home country. (Confusing much!?) The airline officials raised an eyebrow but when they consulted the federal police, they said it was a-okay. I did have to have her Brazilian birth certificate along with a letter from Mr. DRL (actually, truth be told it was a court order) saying that I was allowed to leave the country with her.  Whatever works!

So now we are back, safe and sound, and ready for the next adventures... which include Uruguay, Chile, Argentina & Peru! 

Regular posts will follow... and responses to comments and emails, too. Just as soon as I get started on my laundry pile...

It's good to be back.

Kayaking in the Amazon: Part II

Part II of an entry about our friends' kayaking trip in Amazonas in July.

We slept in hammocks and fell asleep each night and woke up each morning to the sounds of the Jungle.




The Urubu river is a black water river. Because of the acidic water mosquitoes were not a problem (I think I got one bite the entire time), but this also meant that the animal and plant life was not as diverse as on the Amazon river.  We were lucky to spot three different types of monkeys, a pig, snakes, frogs, lizards, a multitude of birds, and catch a piranha.  
 



 

The entire experience was magical- we would really recommend the adventure!

http://www.amazon-outdoor.com/textos.php?MENU=Home

Kayaking in the Amazon: Part 1

Our good friends who visited us in July took a kayak trip in Amazonas - here is the first of two guest posts on their trip:

Our Kayak trip in the Amazon of the Urubu river was fantastic! 

We flew four hours from Rio to Manaus on TAM airlines (although we would not recommend TAM, as they cancelled both of our originally scheduled flights to and from Rio without contacting us).

Manaus a city of almost two million is a manufacturing hub and a jumping off point for Amazon tourism.  The city is not nearly as aesthetic, modern or developed as Rio, but it has a lovely central plaza, some interesting Museums, a large port, and intriguing markets at every corner.  We had two days in Manaus and found that we had more than enough time to explore the city.  Hotels and Restaurants are very limited.  We stayed at the Dez De Julho Hotel. Our room was very basic but was in a good central location, had air conditioning, a fridge and was relatively clean.  Jungle lodges outside of the city are a popular attraction but are expensive (especially if you enjoy hot water) and crowded with tourists. 

The company Amazon Mystery Tours was really great, answering all of our questions and concerns before hand and making us feel safe, comfortable and well taken care of during our time in the Jungle.
We ventured deep into the Jungle, and had an authentic, natural wilderness experience.  It was just us and the animals and apart from meeting a local family we did not see any other people during our five day 4 night adventure. 




Our transportation to the river.  Between our two guides, the two of us, our driver, and all of our gear it was loaded!

We were the only ones on the adventure, along with two highly experienced professional guides.   Fabio spoke English and was a wealth of knowledge and information about the area, plants, animal, history, local customs, traditions and way of life. 

Josue set up our camp, carried many of our supplies in a canoe and cooked us yummy meals, he also made fantastic capahrinas.   After kayaking between 3 and five hours each day, exploring waterfalls, caves and hiking through the jungle we were ready for a drink when we made it to our camp.

Store Windows Series - Cantao

Current window at Cantao...

Ok so I saw a photo of Gwen Stefani wearing pants similar to these hangy-crotch pants that have been a hit here in Brazil since I arrived here like a year and a half ago. Every so often I ask my friends back home if the pants have hit North America yet and the answer is always a resounding "NO! And please don't start the trend!"

But if Gwen is wearing them...

Scary

This isn't a great photo but this little girl could not have been older than 10 years old, and was wearing makeup, little heels, a tanktop and miniskirt... plus a purse. wow.

Selaron's new tile

As I mentioned awhile back, my mother in law sent down a wonderful tile for Selaron that belonged to Mr. DRL's grandfather, who passed away in January. We finally delivered it to the artist himself:

Perfect day in the Peapod Pop Tent!

The Canadoca has earned the "oca" (from Carioca) in her name... she offically loves the beach. Even if it IS "winter"...  Last Friday we took her and our guests out to Recreio to the beach for a little sun, frescoball and R&R. Mr. DRL even took the day off!

We bought the Canadoca a little Peapod Pop Tent/Travel Bed thing that folds up super small and protects her from some elements (sun, wind, insects, etc.) while engaging in outdoor pursuits. Almost like a pack & play but much lighter and smaller (less than 5 lbs, and measures 14x14x5 - easily put in a suitcase)! Friday was the first time we used it so we weren't sure how it would go but she seemed mesmerized by the red interior and with the exception of coming out for feedings, she spent the better part of 5 hours of the afternoon in there!

Pera, anyone?

Pera = pear in Portuguese.

But this post is not about fruit, rather about body types and body image.

You have to hand it to the Brazilians - to generalize, they are incredibly laid back and accepting people. Internationally, the women have the reputation of being the most beautiful in the world and TALL (??) In reality there are as many beautiful people here as there are elsewhere, and literally every one of our visitors is surprised to find that your average Brazilian woman is quite short, and pear shaped. Or should I say - Pear shaped & Proud of it!

Back home, being pear shaped is not something one strives for. (Most prefer an hourglass). It's not seen as being a desirable body type. Here, there are special exercises at the gym that women do to beef up their bums and thighs. Back home, a pear shaped woman would be encouraged to wear a-line skirts. Here they wear a little belt to accent their waist and upper body, and the most skin tight bottoms they can to make their bundas look even bigger. After over a year, I am still not quite used to it.

That said, I think the more accepting Brazilian attitude towards body image is refreshing and much healthier. If I could pass just one "Brazilian" lesson on to my little Brasileira (Canadoca), I hope that's it!

Therapy for Frustrating, Homesick Days

It's sad that people get spoiled. I'm one of them. You know it's bad when you realize what a great place you live in when you look at your guest's vacation photos from when they came to visit:

 

 

Walking to Arpoador is good for the soul.

Signs of Winter in Rio - II

I should also mention that I spotted someone rollerblading in ear muffs recently. To be fair, I believe that day it was a low of +22 (c) with windchill.

Last year around this time, I left Rio to go home to Canada for a few weeks. Mr. DRL joined me later in August, but told me that all of the leaves fell from the trees while I was gone, only to miraculously reappear before I returned. I have always joked with him that he must have been lying and that winter could not possibly have been so short but now the leaves sure seem to have turned and are falling from the trees at a quick pace!

Girls on the Beach

This is a shallow attempt to retain some male readership who are likely getting a bit sick of the "baby coverage"...

Dealing with the Boss' wife

... is apparently much different here in Brazil!

A couple of years ago, I had an idea to do a book about the phenomenon of the boss' wife in small, family-owned businesses. The idea stemmed from observing the behaviour of my boss at the time's wife, and also looking at the wife of a family member's boss and a friend of the family whose husband owned and ran his own company.  In all three examples, the boss' wife was not an integral part of the day to day business activities from the staff's point of view, but felt as though they were because of their contributions in various ways. The stress of owning or running a business is rarely left at work, and often taken home. Usually they "knew too much" - notably the negatives of the staff's performances, as their husbands would vent frustrations at home.  Yet they didn't get the full perspective or both sides, as they weren't in the office on a daily basis.

In my opinion, all three women at times felt as though they did not get enough respect from their husband's staff or acknowledgment for their contributions, sacrifices or involvement. This, combined with only hearing the negatives, caused them to at times treat the staff members coldly. That said, the smart employee in any of these three organizations knew that to mess with her was worse than messing with the boss himself. Not that it stopped people. Soooo not a smart move.

That said, despite their frustrations, I don't think any of these three wives ever experienced what I did on Saturday night.

Here in Brazil, my husband is second in command in the company he works for.  So here, I find myself in the role I was so interested in before - yet from a different perspective - the boss' wife.

Before I get into it - I realize there are some significant cultural differences between women back home and women here in Brazil. I realize it is considered kosher to talk openly and directly about people's weight and looks here in Brazil, whereas back home the same conversation could be considered catty, judgemental, inappropriate and in poor taste.

I can't imagine this ever happening back home: one of my husband's employees asked me how much weight I have gained over the course of my pregnancy. I responded. Her response was that it was too much, I had gained 5 kilos more than I should have. This was in a social setting, in front of several people. Days from my due date.

Maybe it's just me, but back home, I think that most people would be wayyyy too terrified to say something like that to their boss' wife. 

As a sidenote, I have gained more than the Brazilian doctor's recommendations. However, I am still well within the North American recommendations. I realize that I am not exactly looking my best these days, and did not need reminding, especially not from a member of Mr. DRL's staff.

Saaiiiiling

We had pretty much the perfect day yesterday - went sailing to Itaipu (sp?) with friends.... just loved it. I mentioned recently that we'd found a service for those wanting to go sailing in Rio de Janeiro  - I highly highly recommend seeing Rio by boat if you are coming down, it gives you a different perspective, money very well spent - we were out for almost 7 hours!

We stopped in Itaipu to have lunch and swim - the cool, clean, calm water felt incredibly good....

Fort outside of Niteroi
Looking back towards Rio from Itaipu
Love it.
Our neighbourhood & one of the brothers & Pedra de Gavea from the water.
A bit of a different vista of the Cristo on Corcovado mountain.

City lights at night... 

Muscle Beach

I've been meaning to post about this for awhile!

Muscle Beach has set up in Rio for 3 months - the "summer" - is free of charge, offers lots of classes!  To use the facilities you do have to register and it is open to tourists as well, but what I don't know is whether or not it is still open to registration.  Anyway there are a lot of outdoor "gyms" in Rio along the beach but this one is certainly the most state of the art I've seen, apparently there is also one in Barra.

To read more about Amil's Muscle Beach on Ipanema or Barra beaches, click here.

Here is the class schedule for the one in Ipanema:
 

Pretty!

A reminder to never give up... against all odds one of the orchids I thought I'd for sure killed is blooming again!

Green Bows & Painted Toes...

I frequently comment on the "extremes" of Brazil; how everything seems to be black & white, no shades of grey.  Here is an example, except it's er... green.

It seems that more and more I see dogs around that fit in one of two categories:  poor little scrawny street dogs, or over-indulged princess pups.

Sidenotes:
I have not ever seen even one street dog in my neighbourhood.  Which makes me wonder how that is being enforced...

Also: don''t get me wrong - I see many responsible well adjusted pet owners in my community who clean up after their dogs, run them, and spend time outdoors.  You know, take care of them without overindulging them or making them look ridiculous!

Which is a challenge, as at times it seems unavoidable to over-indulge dogs here; most people live in apartments, and then without a lot of effort on the owner's part (or dog-walker's) receive minimal exercise, and then there are the appointments at the doggie-spa, where they are pampered.  In some cases I am not sure which is worse, the overindulged or the overindulged... my case below...

A friend recently sent her dog to the doggie spa to find she'd been returned wearing these: Those little green things are bows which were GLUED onto the dog's ears. 

No one asked her if she wanted her dog to be... er... decorated.  And I certainly don't imagine anyone asked the dog, either. 

I realize it looks pretty funny but when you consider that these were GLUED onto her little ears it seems a bit cruel for the benefit of what? Entertaining a few people? My friend was not very impressed when it came time to remove the bows. (Nor was the poor dog!)

However, these are not as bad as the fake doggie eyelashes I've seen a few little dogs wearing...

Oh the Vanity of it all... First Impressions...

I wrote this as a draft on September 26th, the day after I found out I was "for sure" pregnant and had my first prenatal visit... now that the cat's out of the bag, here are some genuine first impressions, not to mention advice for anyone finding themselves "knocked up" in Brazil...

First thoughts on finding out one is pregnant or "gravida" in Brazil

1) I am not sure if I was really "just a little bit pregnant" (I know, there is no such thing) but I did multiple at home pregnancy tests which were inconclusive.  Just FYI. The first was negative, a week later the second and third were neither positive nor negative (was supposed to have 2 stripes on one side for prego or two stripes on the other side for not prego. What did I get? One stripe on each side... TWICE. Two separate tests.) Then finally I bought a "Clear Blue" and it was positive. Go for the North American pregnancy tests, in my experience they were accurate and the other local brand was not!

2) If you think you might be expecting, go for a blood test right away, it will cost R$20 at Sergio Franco clinic - which has many locations - and they say you will have the results within 8 hours.  My first thought should have been: "this was too good to be true..." no, the results were not ready until the next morning (after I had called two additional times and frantically tried to check them online in the bathroom while we were out for dinner, on my blackberry)... but once I did get them the next morning, they were accurate and at only $R20 it is a steal of a deal. Most at-home pregnancy tests here are in the $R30 range, and not necessarily reliable (see point 1!).  Which gets expensive in comparison, when you have to buy 4 of them like I did... And then you know sooner. I felt certain I was pregnant 3 weeks before I found out for sure but thanks to the faulty tests, did not get confirmation until I was 9 weeks along.

3) After all this runaround, I really needed to hear it from someone in a white coat, in English, that I was pregnant in order to believe it.  As soon as he did, he gave me supreme sh*t for getting too much sun the day before and told me I would have to be very careful in the sun while pregnant and went on and on about what kind of cream to use to prevent stretch marks and to help my skin heal itself afterwards. As much as I thought: wow this is his main concern? I also think: wow I might be lucky to be having my kid here!  Sounds like some good stretch mark cream! Note that despite he mentioned the cream no less than 5 times when I was there and even provided samples, he did not once tell me anything about diet, drinking (ok maybe because it's obvious! But still...), exercise or any restricted activities.  Or my health other than my skin health...

Thanks to the mayo clinic web site I now am all up to date on that stuff anyway... but good to know where his priorities lie.

Meu amor

For the past 6 months or so my husband and I have been stalking watching this painter at the hippie fair in Ipanema.  We knew he was our favorite, he uses such vivid colors, such texture... unreal.  But were waiting for the "right painting"... they were either too small - ideally I wanted a large piece from this painter to go above my couch - or it was just difficult to decide between them as they all featured  different, separate aspects and places of the city and I wanted them all.  The markets, the bonde, sugarloaf, corcovado...

Then, last Sunday, we saw it... the painting that had it all. It was big, too.  I love love love love love it... it was worth the wait. Now all I need is to actually hang it...

Want one? Go check out the feira in Ipanema tomorrow -  he typically is in the middle with the rest of the art, on the side closest to the beach, towards the right if you are facing the beach.  (Now how's that for directions - ha!)

Shoulda gone for sushi (earlier in the night)...

It has come to my attention that Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves were in my hood on Friday night.  As in about 2 blocks from my house, people....

Here is a photo which I poached from www.gossipgirls.com Please don't sue me.

They had dinner at sushi leblon, which is one of our favorite spots.  We actually were just down the same street that night, meeting friends for drinks.  We even grabbed a KONI later (see, we ate sushi too... Just like a block away...)

In my neighbourhood, the paparazzi are often lurking around, taking photos of people who I have never seen before (Brazilian stars). Being that I have no idea who these people are, they don't really get any special treatment from me.  But Matthew McConaughey, yeah I think I'd recognize him.

They also ate at Zozo at the base of the sugarloaf gondola, another one of my favorite spots (and incidentally, where I told my dad he was going to be a Gramps!)...

Apparently they stayed at the Hotel Fasano down the beach in Ipanema/Arpoador.

Brazil + Beauty on the Oprah Show

On the Oprah Winfrey Show on Thursday - an episode titled Beauty Around the World -  featured a segment on Brazil.

The segment said among other things that:

• The average Brazilian woman is 110-125 pounds
• Brazil is the biggest consumer of diet pills in the world
• Some women in Brazil spend up to half their income on beauty treatments (there is a spot featuring Rocinha!)

My comments:
I have a hard time believing the average Brazilian woman is between 110 - 125 lbs. I'm no expert at guessing people's weight or anything but.... I realize Brazil does not have the obesity issues North America does but just from my observations walking around for 8 months, I still don't believe this is the "average" here.  But really how accurate could those stats ever be? We don't even have a sure count on how many people live here let alone a mass weigh-in... 

On the other hand, I don't have a hard time believing that Brazil is a huge consumer of diet pills - every "health food store" in Rio is filled with diet cookies, diet pills, diet everything.  Diet cookies... oh and diet cheesecake too! Oh it just kills me! There is certainly a lack of education about proper eating and health, these so called shortcuts seem to be the preferred methods...

It is sad that any woman would feel the need to spend half their income on beauty treatments, but not really surprising given the hand-to-mouth attitude most people have about money here (and as I've addressed many times, having lived through so many inflation crises, why would Brazilians value saving their money?), not to mention the focus on vanity and beauty.

That said... yep a lot of these Brazilian women are hot mama's! Especially on the beach :)

Nails

I responded to a comment today and mentioned how women's nails nearly always seem to be done in Brazil. I enjoy fairly regular manicures and pedicures but I never make an appointment ahead of time. I just wander over to Werner's and enjoy the show.  Curious as to what I mean?

Without fail, there will be a lineup at the front. Mass pandemonium if you will. Stylists and estheticians barking at receptionists, then calmly taking clients into the back. Paper everywhere. I finally make it up to the front after at least 4 local women have budged in front of my, usually about half of them have appointments, and half don't. When I request whichever services I need I am met with a pained looking smile, nod, then a furrow of the eyebrows followed by anxiously flipping through the scribbled pages looking for an opening. Scrambling would be a good word to describe the body language.

Every single time I've been there, I have managed to be seated with an esthetician in under five minutes, despite the display I've just described. In fact, there have been times I have managed to get SIX of us in simultaneously despite the display I've just described. It's a big show.  But it's funny.

Iguazu: The Views from the Brazilian Side

To fully appreciate the falls, I think it's essential to see them from both sides of the border.  The views are quite different. 

As you can see, the views are quite different from the Brazilian side, and eventually you get to a point where you are standing virtually underneath the falls.

Iguazu: The Views from the Argentinian Side

Without further adieu, the views of Iguazu.

From the Argentinian side:

 

 

Beaches of Brazil.

I found a great little post on the Travelocity blog about a feature on The Travel Channel released a top 10 list of the world's sexiest beaches and the winner of the top spot is none other than Ipanema Beach. I've been to five of the beaches below...

No. 21: Venice Beach, Los Angeles, Calif.
Sex Appeal: Easy access from downtown Los Angeles and hours of funky entertainment. 

No. 20: Maundays Bay, Anguilla
Sex Appeal: Intimate destination with soft sand and luxury accommodations.

No. 19: Bikini Beach, Punta del Este, Uruguay
Sex Appeal: One of South America's trendiest spots. Draws a big beach crowd that likes to party! 

No. 18: Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Sex Appeal: Cosmopolitan vibe yet family-friendly. Close to Cancun and the Mayan ruins of Tulum.

No. 17: Crane Beach, Barbados
Sex Appeal: Dramatic cliffs, active surf and cooling trade winds. 

No. 16: Seven Mile Beach, Negril, Jamaica 

Sex Appeal: Calm and warm waters, where swimwear is optional!

   

No. 15: Matira Beach, Bora Bora
Sex Appeal: Crystal-clear water and the famous Mount Otemanu.

No. 14: Macaroni Beach, Mustique, Grenadines
Sex Appeal: A beautiful beach encompassing only 1,400 acres. Located a quick flight from St. Vincent.

No. 13: Clifton Beach, South Africa

Sex Appeal: Diverse and friendly crowds, plus amazing views of the Twelve Apostles mountain range. Clifton is also recognized for being a "green" beach.

No. 12: Sunset Beach, Oahu, Hawaii
Sex Appeal: The epicenter for big surfing and jaw-dropping action.

No. 11: Pink Sands Beach, Harbour Island, Bahamas
Sex Appeal: An ultra-sexy beach that stretches for 3.5 miles. Tiny shelled creatures called Foraminifera

give the sand its pink color.

 

No. 10: Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Sex Appeal: A sought-after location for surfers, kite-boarders and windsurfers.

No. 9: Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles, Calif.
Sex Appeal: Home to beach volleyball, great waves, watersports, and toned and tan bodies.

No. 8: St. Jean Beach, St. Barths
Sex Appeal: It's wealthy inhabitants and celebrity visitors. It's a place to show off your yacht and let loose. 

No. 7: Ko Phi Phi Islands, Thailand
Sex Appeal: A nature lover's paradise, with limestone cliffs and clear waters.

 

No. 6: Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia

Sex Appeal: Thirty minutes from Sydney. An international hot spot known for clear blue waters and active surf.

 

No. 5: Godahl Beach, Canouan, Grenadines 

Sex Appeal: A serene location and perhaps the Caribbean's best-kept secret.

 

No. 4: Patong Beach, Phuket, Thailand 

Sex Appeal: Its notorious night club scene.

 

No. 3: Waikiki Beach, Hawaii

 

Sex Appeal: Great surf and a stunning landscape made famous by Hollywood films. 

No. 2: South Beach, Miami, Fla. 

Sex Appeal: Constant energy and a hot nightlife.

 

No. 1: Ipanema Beach, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Sex Appeal: Beautiful people, tiny swimsuits and mountain views.

 

The Ass Bra

It seems to me that a big, gravity defying bunda is all the rage in Brazil but unsightly saddlebags are just inexcusable... I wonder if this puppy helps...?

Thanks to Shefinds.com I now know all about the ass bra, a device that pushes those cheeks skyward... there are even some with "control top" to keep the tummy in and the tush out.

I guess this is a cheaper alternative to the Brazilian Butt lift, and an easier alternative than squats?

They are at it again...

A while back I posted about how I look out my window into a beauty shop where waxes regularly occur with blinds open.  And how violated it makes me feel. Thank god I have curtains now that I can close.  But still, WTF? And what is wrong with these patrons that they are a-okay with this? I literally made eye contact with a guy getting his butt crack waxed one day and he gave me a double eyebrow raise... nice.

That's it, today I decided to start taking photos...  here is a lady getting a bikini wax... nice. Yes, unfortunately I CAN see more than what shows in this photo from my place, but I thought I would spare you.  This blog is only rated about PG-13 I've decided, and I'd like to keep it that way.

Sunscreen

If this site does not inspire you to use it, nothing will.  Just in case you were wondering what you might look like in 30 yrs.. or as a chimp.

"Self Assurance" in Rio de Janeiro

Great article in this Atlanta paper about how women can feel traveling to Rio. 

"Almost instantly, the captivating beauty of Rio's beaches washes away your inhibitions and self-doubt. When the tide recedes, what is left are joy and security that can't be clouded by graying hair or pockets of cellulite. When you see white-haired women with body parts that have become lengthened and leathery rocking bandeau tops and barely there bottoms, you want to give a shout out to their poise and self-assurance."

This apparently comes from a trio of women who "Calculated the time that had passed since we'd worn bikinis. Total: More than 45 years" and proceeded to invest in Brazilian bikinis and strut up and down the beach in them. 

I love this!

And can totally relate... I still can't believe some of the beach wear I am comfortably sporting these days...

The Brazilian Mani-Pedi

I get a lot of hits from people searching for Brazilian Beauty Secrets or tips... so far I don't have a ton other than eating acai, going to crazy classes at gyms where you do like 500 squats with a weight belt and a bar (seriously... ) and walking your butt off.  I will work on this section and try to even do some uh "research" on cellulite reducing solutions in Brazil (but check out Dr. Murad's shake if you want a cellulite reducer, it's great!) and get back to you on that.  Because I am so dedicated to my blog readers...

For now, all I can offer you is the quick tip of Werner's for a $R38 mani-pedi.  It's quick, it seems pretty safe, it is not the best mani pedi you've ever had but for R$38 you are not in much of a position to complain.  Seems to last pretty well! And Werner's is easy to find, there are locations everywhere throughout the Zona Sul.  The people watching is pretty good there too...

Aha! Moment

So I think I've figured out why people come to Brazil expecting everyone to look like "La Bundchen" (PS this is a MYTH, although yes there are many beautiful people here, much like anywhere!) -articles like this one....

It's fashion week in Sao Paulo and apparently the Brazilian media attacked Czech Victoria's Secret model Karolina Kurkova for looking "too fat" in her bikini... specifically commenting on her back fat, love handles and cellulite... oh dear.

For a reality check - here she is, one of the world's highest-earning models at said show, glance to the right...

The article - in a Brazilian newspaper - described how “shocked” the audience was when she appeared looking uncharacteristically chubby with “cellulite on her butt.”I am probably going to get attacked for saying this but I highly doubt the Brazilian press would be as vicious with one of their own...

In my experience, Brazilians take great pride in their "beautiful women" - several people (mostly women) have asked my husband what he thinks of the women here - right in front of me!  I think that Brazilians are so used to hearing about how beautiful the Brazilian women are that they don't think that they exist elsewhere... especially those who have not traveled outside of Brazil - and this is why I say this:

On more than one occasion since I've been here, when introduced to either female Brazilian coworkers of my husband or girlfriends of his colleagues, the women have exclaimed in shock (in Portuguese) to my husband, "She is beautiful!" - but it somehow did not seem at all complimentary, as it was said as though I was not there, and with such genuine surprise that it seemed as though they expected some sort of troll or something...

But I digress...
Articles like this don't accomplish much, or do anything for anyone's self esteem! I think she looks amazing.   

A Little Bit Brazil Related

2 reasons this post is relevant...

1)Apparently Armani Exchange really likes shooting their ads in Brazil (including this one)
2)It is swimsuit weather year round in Brazil (for this gringo, anyway) and I think that yellow swimsuit is hot and just might have to get it.  I wonder if it comes in other colors. Luckily I can check, there are Armani Exchange stores here.  Oh! That makes three relevant reasons for this post.  Hooray!

Unique Brazilian Magazines

I love magazines. I often think I'd like to work for a magazine.  Apparently reading magazines is a  good way to learn a language so I indulge myself in the name of education (and getting our house decorated soon... I have bought many "Casa" magazines...)

On every block there are little magazine and news-stand shops - almost like kiosks in malls - where you can wander in and buy the latest magazines, newspapers, candy, postcards, etc.  You have to love the specialty shop here in Brazil.  I think the last "news stand" type store in the city I lived in before moving here went under...

Some of the more "unique" magazines you will find in these shops - and not at home- include:

Plastica e Beleza means "Plastic and Beauty" - its tagline is translated to "Small changes can make a difference"

Corpo e Plastica is another publication along the same lines... No, I have not been buying these... but more on Brazilian plastic surgery soon!

The Authentic Brazilian Brazilian Wax

If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me: "So do you plan to get a Brazilian Bikini Wax once you move?" I didn't have the heart to let most of them know that the I'd (faithfully for 4+ years) been there and done that long before ever dreaming of going to Brazil.  In fact, at one point, I thought the Brazilian wax might be the closest to Brazil I'd ever get.  So, language barrier and all, I was not all that nervous to get my first actually-in-Brazil-Brazilian-wax. It was not all that different from back home although the person I went to used the "hard" type of wax, which hardens on its own and does not require a cloth or paper strip to remove, new for me.  I must say she did an excellent job and what we did manage to communicate with one another was that she was shocked by how calm I was (in taking the pain), "Moito tranquilo, senhora!"  I just the idea of not being completely clear on what was expected (language barrier!) was scarier than actually being waxed but, hey it all went well.  I am sorry this post is so uneventful, but having an exciting story about this topic is not exactly something to brag about if you know what I mean.  And yes, with the biquinis here, the wax is mandatory... although apparently leg hair removal is completely optional.  Yesterday I was flipping through a Brazilian magazine and noticed a photo of a woman whose leg hair was not only apparent but long and glistening... this I do not understand.  

 

Here in Brazil, waxing is referred to as depilacao, and there are places absolutely everywhere, once I find a favorite I will post some recommendations.

More on Food

Wow I really do feel like an expat housewife, with all this talk about food and home/decorating... I promise that once we are settled my topics will become much more diverse - believe me I already have many in mind...

To continue my study of the mystery of the hot Brazilian body and the, er, diet...  truth be told I do believe people here eat a lot of fresh fruit and veggies and far less processed foods than in other regions.  Which is great.  But they also eat...
Rodizio....
Everything.

Rodizio directly translated means "rotation" - to me, it means "all you can eat"..

The very Brazilian thing to do is to go to a churrascaria, where a multitude of meat is served right off the cooking skewer and can include:
- Picanha (save room for this, it is the BEST)
- Filet mignon
- Sirloin steak
- Ribs
- Sausages
- Various chicken dishes

Churrascaria's have amazing salad bar/buffets.  The meat, however, comes around to you right at the table. We did the churrascaria thing on Saturday night at Marius (I am impressed the web site for Marius is actually quite good! Even has a virtual tour...) in Leme.  After walking there from Ipanema we felt slightly less guilty about the gluttony... it was good that's for sure.  The desserts are amazing there too... and of course buffet again.

It seems as though all you can eat or buffet is just the Brazilian way, everywhere you go you see Rodizio Pizza places, Sushi places, you name it.

It makes it a challenge to eat moderate portions, a lesson in will power if nothing else!  From an outsider's point of view it seems as though the Brazilians love to indulge... however, to look at them (some more than others!) they obviously have some sort of limits as well.

Beautiful Bodies with That Diet?

Living in Ipanema has its benefits.  Close to the beach and shopping (although all I have done so far is window shop... more on that soon), grocery stores, restaurants, cafe's. Apparently it is also where a lot of the models tend to live.  Every day I see amazingly beautiful women.

Brazil is home to the "sexiest people alive" - I am not sure who coined the phrase but I have seen this written several times...

And I would love to tell you what their secrets are... but I can't figure it out.  Especially when it comes to DIET.

Brazil has an obsession with the Baked Good.  Every four stores or so (in my hood, anyway), there are juice/bakery stands with savory baked good snacks. They are called salgados, or if they are very small, salgadinhos. I don't care to reinvent the wheel when in this case a very eloquent description of such baked goods has been put together by the lovely RioGringa of Adventures of A Gringa in Rio.  Besides, I could not tell you what each of these baked goods are like because I have not  yet tried them all!

In the photo: pao de queijo, or bread of cheese, which are little cheese balls inside of bread. Very popular.

To be fair, I don't see the models eating this stuff.  But everyone else does! None of these baked goods seem to have any fibre either and I find it hard to find whole grain bread here, though the grocery stores have it. The bakeries, not so much. But I guess the Brazilians make up for the lack of fibre in this area of their diet in other ways, namely...

Feijoada, the rice and beans dish that Brazilians typically eat every day for lunch. Often served with  accompaniments  such as salad, french fries and your choice of meat.  So rest assured Brazilians get their fibre (unlike 80% of North Americans) which certainly could contribute to their smokin'-bodi-ness. (Most weight loss programs encourage upping fibre intake).

And finally, what do I see these models trotting up and down the street eating on a daily basis (and every day I swear I am going to join them but I think I need to wait until I look like that BEFORE I engage in this next activity...) Eating ice cream for goodness sakes!  Sorvettes as they are called here, little ice cream cones. Now, recently I have been reading about the benefit of ingesting a high-calcium snack immediately after working out (apparently it helps your body to rid itself of more fat) but these girls don't look like they just went for a work out, rather that they just closed a big deal with Ford Models. Maybe there's something to eating the ice cream while on the move?

So what have we learned here today? My theory is that the brilliant brazillian bunda is not likely the product of diet.  Rather, of lifestyle (walking miles upon miles every day), portion control and that key hit of fibre.  Maybe it's the acai? It's definitely not from those cheese filled fried pastries! And don't even get me started on the Rodizio... (coming soon)

March 25 - Hair ALL WRONG in Rio

My hair is ALL WRONG in Rio. What was I thinking cutting it all off? A few months before we moved here, I cut my long hair off. it seemed like almost everyone had a similar version of the short bob or “pob” I’m rocking these days. So for the first while I enjoyed being different upon arrival in Brazil.  By this point, I’ve  started noticing... I've seen my hair a few times on others, but in all instances except two it was on elderly women…  perfect.

You’d think with the soccer and David Beckham obsession going on here, the pob (Victoria Beckham hair) would have caught on, but I guess not.

Now, looking exactly like everyone else has never been my thing, so only matching senior citizens in terms of hair style is not the real problem. Rather: my hair is so curly in this humidity that it has lost any semblance of my trendy ‘do, and it is frankly crazy looking.  So I think it’s either cut it SHORT or grow it out again, or get extensions which seems ridiculous after just chopping off over a foot of hair… 

My hair is ALL WRONG in Rio. What was I thinking cutting it all off? A few months before we moved here, I cut my long hair off. it seemed like almost everyone had a similar version of the short bob or “pob” I’m rocking these days. So for the first while I enjoyed being different upon arrival in Brazil.  By this point, I’ve  started noticing... I've seen my hair a few times on others, but in all instances except two it was on elderly women…  perfect.

You’d think with the soccer and David Beckham obsession going on here, the pob (Victoria Beckham hair) would have caught on, but I guess not.

Now, looking exactly like everyone else has never been my thing, so only matching senior citizens in terms of hair style is not the real problem. Rather: my hair is so curly in this humidity that it has lost any semblance of my trendy ‘do, and it is frankly crazy looking.  So I think it’s either cut it SHORT or grow it out again, or get extensions which seems ridiculous after just chopping off over a foot of hair… 

March 16 - BumBum Brazil

We found this at a store that specializes in "appliances" - it is, well, according to the label: "Brazillian Secret Underwear."  Forget Victoria's Secret I suppose...

Pardon the pun - butt implants are big here (even with the 19 year old crowd, apparently... maybe they should wait a few years as I am pretty sure I had no bunda when I was 19 either), to achieve that perfectly  high, straight out the back, invisible from the front (no width) bunda.

March 12: Staying in "The Moment"

Hold up. I never said I'd come up with all the content for this blog myself... besides I could not have said this any better (so why reinvent the wheel) and I thought this was funny.

Maybe it's just me, and the fact that I have known for awhile that I'd be moving here, but references to Brazil seem to be everywhere these days in mainstream North American media... both books I read on the way down unexpectedly had references to Brazil, and now one of my favorite blogs. Below you will find a March 10th entry from a blog I like, "The Moment" -  a daily blog on fashion, design, food and travel. 

Help Desk | Attractive People

By Jeffries Blackerby

(Romano Cagnoni/Getty)

In the Help Desk column, the editors of T: The New York Times Style Magazine answer questions from readers. Submit your queries on fashion, travel, design and entertaining to The Moment.

Question: I like to go to places known for having the most beautiful people. I’m just back from Budapest and often go to Brazil, but I find the most attractive people seem to be on the plane during the journey, not in evidence when I arrive. Why on Earth does this happen?

Answered by: Jeffries Blackerby, T travel features editor.

I’ll spare you the old beauty-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder line and take this question at, er, face value. On my first trip to Rio, I’ll admit I had internalized so much Brazilian mythology that I expected the entire city to be one giant Mario Testino shoot. So I was surprised to see among the bronzed, butt-flossed beauties in Ipanema more than a few beached whales. I quickly came to realize that Brazil was full — full — of regular people. And you know what? I’ve noticed those same pesky normal folks in Budapest too! Can’t countries have a stricter door policy? Where’s the bouncer from Bungalow 8 when you need him? You may detect a note of sarcasm here. Forgive me. The enjoyment of looking at attractive people, places, and things is certainly nothing to feel bad about — indeed, it’s at the heart of the travel experience for many people. But what also drives most of us to explore the world is the desire for experiences beyond our own little lives, however steeped in gorgeous fabulosity they may be. Try it sometime.