Daily Life in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Travel Footwear

How to spot the Brazilian on your flight? Besides how close they are standing to the luggage carousel (see my rant on this from a year ago) after the flight of course?

The answer is: look at their feet! I think that flying might be the most impractical time to wear heels (carrying luggage, swelling from altitude, long days, lots of walking), but not everyone agrees! Within about three minutes I captured the following photos at the airport the other day:

This woman even had a BABY! Extra points for coordination - I don't even like to hold the Canadoca wearing heels at the HOUSE let alone while trying to juggle luggage...

Ok, maybe I understand this last one. It's important for your shoes to match your bag AND carry-on.
 

Shoes, Shoes, more Shoes

It really amazes me how much traffic I get just for the shoe posts...

Well, I have a few things to make the shoe people happy today. If you don't care about shoes, you probably don't want to read this post, consider yourself warned.

First, a shot of the storefront of the Andrea Puglia store, the prices are pretty nice!

Next, some VERY cute Tory Burch knockoff shoes for KIDS - which I found at the always-cute kids shoe store Pé de Dragão, web site here, located in Shopping Leblon (Note that the Ipanema location recently closed down). When I was in Canada, we were out one day with a family friend and I was wearing my Tory Burch flats, the Canadoca was quite intrigued with the gold medallions on them, the friend kept saying "she needs her own pair"... well, looks like she'll get them now!

Ok speaking of Tory Burch shoes, they are made in Brazil, but I commented to a friend last week that despite this fact, I hadn't ever seen Tory Burch flats sold anywhere here in Brazil. Maybe department stores in Sao Paulo or something, but I have not seen them in Rio. Well, except for at Manufact, a very nice shoe store that has some knockoffs that are likely made at the same factory or something...

Anyway my friend told me that she had found Tory Burch shoes online here in Brazil from a site called Sapato Online - click here to link - where you can often find designer shoes heavily discounted before they even hit the states (a couple seasons ahead of schedule, folks). Bags too. You're welcome. Don't forget that your friend DRL sent you...

Back to matching mom and kid shoes - yes there was a time I thought this was cheesy but now I am all about the matching bathing suits and shoes. So far I am drawing the line there. Maybe jewellery would be cute too.... focus, DRL.

New store in Ipanema has GORGEOUS matching mom and little-girl shoes. The store? Patricia Veiga, Ipanema 444, Loja 128. Web site here, but so far there is nothing on it so my terrible bb photos will have to suffice. Canadoca's feet are still slightly too small for these which bodes well for us finishing the year on budget ;)

A-MA-ZING.

 

 

 

This one's for the Canasta Ladies

At Dot's here in Rio

Shorts and Tights

The past week or so, temperatures have dipped a bit. A trend I've captured on a few occasions and spotted more than I can count? Shorts with tights.

Before you blow it off as a Brazil-only thing, remember that I've been showing you the baggy-crotch pant and short look for two years now, which seems to finally have made its way into the closets of North Americans this season. Check out my friend Jill here wearing them (and you know if she is, soon others will be too):

   

I still am not the biggest fan of this look but it caught on here right away. Brazilians seem much less focused on dressing for their body types than keeping up with the latest fashions. This can be both a good and a bad thing of course, depending on what's in style. I think it's wonderful to have so much self confidence. I also think it's a shame for petite pear shaped women to wear tight fitting low cut skinny jeans. When there's that much junk in the trunk, this look makes them look heavier than they actually are!

Anyway! Here are my photos of some tights-and-shorts wearers I've spotted and captured... taking blackberry photos of unsuspecting tights-and-shorts-wearers while on the move with the Canadoca doesn't make for the best photography but you get the idea.

 

 

In the Gallerias

Awhile back, before I headed to Canada in May, I was in one of my favorite Gallerias in Ipanema, located at V. de Piraja 351. I was shocked to see how many stores had closed on the upper levels. Brazil may be booming but this photo is telling:

   

This is prime Ipanema real estate, folks. Second floor of a popular Galleria. Looks pretty deserted!

There still are some treasures to be had there, though. Such as this new addition, a maternity store, Zazou:

 

This store had fantastic world cup gear and balloons galore. If you are looking for party supplies in Ipanema, look no further than Parabens pra voce:
 

Parceria Carioca is a fantastic spot for unique Rio gifts and mementos.
 

All above in the 351 V de Piraja address.

Little old ladies and storeclerks in Rio, this one's for you!

So... even upon arriving back in Rio, I was tsk tsk ed by a couple of old ladies for having the Canadoca in the refrigerator aisle... right. Um, did I mention we saw snow in Canada? Or that we took her on a zodiak boat in Patagonia when she was 4 months old?

Now - I will unleash my secret weapon in shutting these people up. A precious gift from my grandmother:

In Canada, we call this a toque. If you see a kid rocking out this one in the freezer section of a grocery store while being carried in a baby bjorn, chances are you've spotted me. Come say hi! Tell me she's cold, I dare you! ;)

BTW - you may be wondering what it will take for me to not be irritated by these "she's cold" people. Well, put it this way, once I stop seeing much bigger atrocities happening to children in Rio I might agree that people should make ensuring the Canadoca's temperature is stable a priority... these are the same people who turn a blind eye to kids selling stuff on the street, being mistreated, not having enough to eat, living in favelas, not getting adequate education, living on the streets.

Instead, my wish is that they would spend that energy doing something about those kids, please.

Maclaren & Anthropologie's Rio Sets

I was online looking for an umbrella stroller for the Canadoca yesterday morning when I came across this photo on Maclaren's web site:

Shot in Rio! Distinctively Copacabana.

I'd also been told months ago about this catalogue from Anthropologie (April) that was shot here, it's gorgeous... here are some of my favorite photos from it:

In Lapa below the aqueduct

I think the one on the left is in Santa Teresa, the one on the right is of course somewhere in Ipanema or Leblon.

On the left we have the escadaria selaron, anyone know where the one on the right was taken?

Dois Irmaos.

The clothes are pretty darn cute too...

Wild Sugarloaf Legs

Actual leggings at an actual store in Rio:

 

@ the Hippie Fair

Art and fun treasures to be found. Sundays. Also if you need anything stretched or framed, the place to go!

Beautiful intricate leather art (check out the light fixture!)

Love these, but just don't know where I'd put one...

For the cowgirl in your life:

Also Worth Noting While Window Shopping

Molded cups on kids' bikinis? Really? It's hard to even find molded cups here for ADULT bikinis...

Note that this was taken from the window of a store that is mainly BABY clothes!

Window Shopping in Ipanema

For those wondering what current fashions are like in Brazil, what to wear in Rio, and the like. The Canadoca and I did a little window shopping the other day and thanks to the camera on my blackberry, you can feel like you came along for the walk (sem getting caught in the rain like we did!)....

Enjoy~

Bigamia:

Mercatto:

ATEEN:

ANIMALE:

 

bumbum:

FOLIC:

Blueman:

British Colony:

 

Body Up

Chifon:

Sandpiper (the guy's shirt says "Don't Waist Your Time I'm Ready")

Myth:

Cavendish:

Checklist:

Totem:

Sacada:

Oh, Boy!

Shop 126

Of course I included some shoes as well but really these should be a separate post... will get on that soon! Just the window at Mr. Cat for now: