5th CISM Military World Games in Rio

The 5th CISM Military World Games will be the largest military sporting event ever held in Brazil. The event will take place in Rio de Janeiro from July 16th to July 24th It will bring together about 8,000 participants. There will be approximately 6,000 athletes and 2,000 delegates from more than 100 countries. Twenty sports will be played, some unprecedented in military world games such as beach volleyball.  Brazil will participate with 250 athletes.

The cool thing about the Military Games,  that starts next Saturday, are the sports. Besides the traditional athletic games, soccer and volleyball, there are some  games that we never see in the Olympic Games, such as the military pentathlon  (shooting, swimming with obstacles,  cross-country racing through fields, launching grenades and an obstacle race).

There is also aeronautical pentathlon (shooting, fencing, swimming with obstacles, basketball, evasion and as further proof, the aircraft pentathlon , an air rally in order to test the piloting skills in planning a mission,  in low-altitude navigation and the time to meet various checkpoints) . There will be also skydiving, naval pentathlon and lots of fun games!

Anyone who wants to learn more about the event,  just go to www.rio2011.mil.br

Rio 21ºC/70ºF
Beautiful winter sunny days!!

MNBA hosts the exhibition Rio: the art of animation

Who saw the movie Rio (and even those who did not see it) now have the chance to also see the exhibition . Behind the scenes of the worldwide success animation that so well represented our “Marvelous City”,  there is an exquisite creation process. And it is this differentiated experience that awaits visitors at the Rio: the art of animation exhibition , which will be open from July 8th to September 4th at the National Museum of Fine Arts. The opening show on the 7th, will be attended by the film's director, the carioca Carlos  Saldanha .

 

The exhibits range from the first pages of the script to the final film as has come to the screen. There you will be able to see storyboards , sketches of characters and scenarios, and the whole process of computer assembly, showing that the art of  computer graphics programs  join craft techniques  such as gouache, pastel, charcoal and clay modeling, that  still needed to make the quality aesthetic seen on screen.

Besides the Rio exhibition, you should take time to visit de museum. With a collection of abut 16,000 pieces, the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes MNBA (National Museum of Fine Arts) in Rio de Janeiro presents itself as the leading art museum in Brazil, notably with regard to the production of the nineteenth century.

More information: www.mnba.gov.br

199 Rio Branco ave. - Centro

Tuesdays to Fridays from 10am to 6pm

Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 12pm to  5pm.

To get there is very easy, just take the subway to carioca station!

Rio 19°C/66ºF

Cloudy!

Golf is the new olympic sport!

It is official, golf will be played for the first time since 1904 in the Summer Olympics, right here in Rio for the 2016 Olympic Games. The 2009 decision from the International Olympic Commission (IOC) came much to the delight of golf fans around the world. While the current options for golf courses are limited, Rio’s two eighteen-hole courses are top-rate and have unforgettable views of the city.

The Itanhangá Golf Club in Barra da Tijuca sits nestled between hills and the Tijuca National Park. The private country club offers memberships for those who have come to Rio for the long term, but those just passing through can buy day passes for R$250 on weekdays, or R$350 on weekends. Discounts are given for seven-day passes and to groups.

Spanning between Tijuca National Park and the beach at São Conrado, the Gávea Golf & Country Club is the city’s other golfing option. Built in 1926, the club offers a par 69 course and a clubhouse with a nostalgic ambiance of the grand old days. Visitors to the club can take-in the views of both Pedra da Gávea and the Morro Dois Irmãos hills between holes of golf. The country club offers limited memberships but golfers can buy eighteen-hole day passes for R$350 on weekdays and R$400 on weekends.

Earlier this year, the Itanhangá Golf Club and Gávea Golf & Country Club stepped forward and put their courses in the hat to host the golf tournament of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. But the news came through that they had not won the bid. The IOC did not pick either of Rio’s existing courses, but instead decided to build a third one specifically for the Olympics near Lagoa de Marapendi in Barra da Tijuca.

Visitors to Brazil who want to get out of the busy city and try the relaxed feel of one of Rio de Janeiro State’s resort towns, should head up the coast to luxurious Búzios. The Búzios Golf Club offers day passes for R$165, or seven-day golf passes for R$808. Golfers can also save some time and money for the beaches and bars in Búzios by practicing on the driving range for only R$18.

Whether scouting locations for the Summer Olympic or just trying to work-off their handicap, golfers in Rio have some great options, each with their own awe inspiring views.

For further information:

www.gaveagolfclub.com.br

www.itanhanga.com.br

www.buziosgolf.com.br

Rio 19ºC/66ºF

Cold and rainy!!

Hitchcock Film Festival in Rio

A wave of terror has washed over the Centro Cultural Banco do Brazil (CCBB) recently Alfred Hitchcock’s film festival. Their tribute to the Master of Suspense, which began on June 1st and runs through until July 14th, will showcase a retrospective of his work and, much to the delight of film buffs and thrill seekers alike, will include 59 films, 127 television episodes, and 8,954 minutes of suspense.

All of Hitchcock’s classics will be featured, including famous titles such as Psycho, The Birds, Vertigo, Rear Window, and North by Northwest.

Born in the late 1800’s, the British filmmaker had a modest upbringing. He worked as a draftsman and an advertising director at a cable company before dabbling in writing. He began publishing short stories in his company’s in-house publication and in 1920, landed a full time job as a title card designer in a film studio in London.

Hitchcock helped in title design, art direction, and writing until he got his first big break when a director fell ill and he was asked to complete his film. His career rose from title designer to director and producer in a span of only 5 years, and in the 1940’s he made the move to Hollywood.

A pioneer in the filmmaking world, he crafted haunting psychological thrillers and evocative mysteries. Although his films received fifty Oscar nominations in total, including five Best Director nods, Hitchcock himself won none. He died in his sleep in 1980 due to renal failure.

The CCBB tribute is fitting for Brazil. In 1945 Hitchcock directed and produced a thriller entitled Notorious, starring actors Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, and Claude Rains. The plot centers around Bergman, an American woman sent to Brazil to infiltrate a gang of Nazis. While awaiting assignment in Rio, Bergman falls in love with Grant, an American government agent.

When asked why his films were so popular, Hitchcock declared that, “everybody likes to be scared.”

For further information  visit the CCBB Hitchcock site at www.mostrahitchcock.com.br

Place: Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB),

66 Primeiro de Março st,  Centro

 Date: June 1st through July 14th

 Time: Tuesday through Sunday, from 9AM to 9PM

Rio 22°c/72°F
Beautiful first days of winter, lots of sun!!!

In love with Rio

Made by producer Makulele the video "Poetry in motion" reveals a city full of rhythm that breathes and pulses in the poetry of their shapes, colors, lights, people and words. This little declaration of love for Rio de Janeiro shows how its natural beauty is fluid and how each moment is so beautiful and unique and is lived intensely by cariocas, the native people from Rio.








Rio 22ºC/72°F
Beautiful sunny day

FotoRio 2011

FotoRio began as a photographers movement and today has more than 200 involved. Together  they managed to create one of the biggest festivals in the world of photography in the footsteps of events like the Mois de la Photo in Paris, and PhotoEspaña in Madrid. Coordinated by the photographer and anthropologist Milton Guran, the biennial international festival is now in its fifth edition.
The festival has had a great impact and quickly became  an important milestone in the field of Brazilian photographic production. It offers a wide range of performances, exhibitions, talks, urban interventions, workshops, seminars in cultural centers and museums and also in commercial galleries spaces.

                                                                     Self-portrait of Tatiana Parcero from Mexico

The Centro Cultural Banco do Brazil marks the opening of FotoRio 2011 - International Photography of Rio de Janeiro, with the exhibition I unfold myself in many - the self-representation in contemporary photography on May 30 at 7pm.

The exhibition is the result of partnership between the FotoRio 2011 and MEP - Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris, it is the result of mining work carried out by curators Joan Mazza and Milton Guran in various countries and different events over the past two years.

I unfold in many - the self-representation in contemporary photography features 69 physical works of 7 Brazilians artists and 14 foreigners, among the most important writers of the vanguard of photography in the field of contemporary art in the world. Complement the exhibition a selection of five short videos curated by Jean-Luc Monterosso, director of MEP, and also the installation "Stereoscopia" of Rio André Parente.

The exhibition is proposed as self-representation of artistic achievement. The picture is perhaps the most important aspect of photography, as it was to paintings for several centuries. It gave a face and individuality for the population that use the word "portrait" as synonymous of photography.

Self-portrait of Helenbar from Brazil

                       

                                                                                                                  

EU ME DESDOBRO EM MUITOS – A AUTO-REPRESENTAÇÃO NA FOTOGRAFIA CONTEMPORÂNEA

www.bb.com.br

Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil – 66 Primeiro de Março st – Centro

May 31st to July 10th 2011

From Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 9pm

Rio22°C/72ºF
Cloudy and cold

Paul McCartney rocked Rio with two incredible concerts!!

Paul brought Rio de Janeiro to a standstill this week with two staggering concerts in the city, playing to 90,000 delighted fans. The concerts on Sunday (22) and Monday (23) night were Paul’s first in twenty-one years in the city.

Paul McCartney posted on Friday (27) on his Facebook page a video thanking his stay in Rio de Janeiro. The singer was in town for two shows with the tour "Up and Coming" 21 years after his last appearance in Rio.

With 1:14 minutes, the video begins with the message "Thank you Rio". Then shows the moment that Paul leaves the hotel Copacabana Palace toward the airport. Recorded from inside the car, you can see he thanking the hotel staff and waving to the legion of fans that awaited him. On the way he also took the opportunity to take some pictures from Rio.

Last Tuesday (24), Paul also published a text on his blog talking about the shows and the Brazilian public.

“Being in Rio was fantastic from the minute we landed. The crowds around the hotel were bananas! They were just crazy and then it built and built until we did the shows. I love Brazil. I love the fact that they love music, it is a very musical nation. I love music, they love music, so it's a natural connection. The fans were of all ages at the shows. There was a huge young fanbase, which I love, and then there was their parents and even their grandparents, so it is a great spread. The enthusiasm for my music was just mind blowing. So all of us in the band had a fantastic time and we thank the fans for making it all so exciting.

While doing 'Hey Jude' when I handed over to the audience to sing the 'na na na na's' suddenly the audience produced these signs. It was such a visual thing. It was very emotional because the fans had gone to all that trouble. They could have just come to the show and watched it but they all communicated before hand to make the special moment happen. They connected with each other, then connected with us and the entire crew. Everyone felt connected. It was very exciting and emotional to see that people care so much."

All we have to say is THANK YOU PAUL!!!!!

Rio 20°C/68°F

Rainy day and lots of cold, for us!

VI International Harp Festival in Rio

Rio de Janeiro is one of the cities that every year receive the world harp circuit. May of 2011, is the month where renowned harpists, from over 20 countries,  are playing in the spetaculars scenarios of the city. The first concert was at "Forte de Copacabana" with harp and instrumental music.

Consolidated at Rio's cultural agenda, the Rio Harp Festival reaches its sixth edition this year, promoting its usual trip around the sounds of the harp, one of the oldest and most beautiful musical instruments.

This year the big attraction is Claire Jones the Official Harpist to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. With 150 performances for Royalty including a performance at the Royal Wedding, for Prince William and Catherine Middleton. She will play here, at Pavão-Pavazinho favela next Sunday at 4pm the same concert performed at the Royal wedding.

Carol McLaughlin, Mario Falcao, the young harpists Benjamin Creighton an English, 13 years old, and the Brazilian Lucena,12 years old, are also this year's great stars.

All concerts are free and will be held at the most diverse and important venues in the city, such as Ilha Fiscal, Corcovado, Academia Brasileira de Letras , Real Gabinete Portugues de Leitura , Arquivo Nacional and at subway stations. The VI Rio Harp Festival, with its outstanding autumn's concerts, is part of the project Music in the Museum. The Festival goes until may 31st.

Enjoy and have fun!!!

Here are this weekend schedule:

Saturday May 21st, 11:30 am

Museu Parque das Ruínas

Musician: Gabriela Russo, harpa – Argentina

Program: Julián Aguirre, Angel Lasala, Juis Gianneo, Carlos Gardel, Astor

Piazzolla.

Sunday May 22nd, 11:30 am

Museu de Arte Moderna

Musician: Gabriela Russo, harpa – Argentina

Program: Julián Aguirre, Angel Lasala, Juis Gianneo, Carlos Gardel, Astor

Piazzolla.

Sunday May 22nd, 4 pm

Museu de Favela Pavão-Pavãozinho

Musician: Claire Jones, harpa  Galesa

Program: Patrick Hawes, John Parry, Mayaani, Tchaikovsky.

 

The Greatest Embrace of the World

The Affection of Truth campaign that was launched in october 2010, which was also known as "The Greatest Embrace of the World," just won a Silver Medal on the New York Festivals of International Advertising in categories Video Projections and place based media. The forecasts produced by Visualfarm created the optical illusion of movement of the statue of Christ the Redeemer, using high-power projectors synchronized with animations and 3D software, a technique known as projection maps or mapping.

The initiative was promoted by the National Council of SESI sexual violence against children and adolescents in Brazil, and was created by agency Monumenta to draw the attention of our society to the problem of sexual exploitation of children and adolescents and had direction of images of Fernando  Salis .

                            

                                          

The International Festival of New York, has voters in more than 65 countries and seeks to reward the best in the world in terms of content for TV, film, entertainment, advertising and promotional campaigns, among others, considered one of the most respected competitions in the area.

Congrats to Fernando Salis and his crew!!

Rio 22°C/72°F

Waiting for a sunny weekend!!!

McFly in Brazil

After two years without performing in Brazilian lands, McFly is finally back. The British band will show on five different dates the new tour, that has the name of their newest album: Above The Noise. "We'll do the best show possible," added Danny Jones, one of the vocalists of the group.

To the delight of fans, the set list of the shows will not be composed only of songs from the new CD. Successes of the other albums will also be remembered. "We will mix with the old songs and new," says Danny. But those who think they will hear the exact same thing as before are wrong. "We're a pop band that is on the road for seven years. In this new album we decided to change a few little things, we are working with new people and that was a success. No matter what you do, I believe it is always good if you reinvent ".

According to the singer, what led them to include Brazil, once again, in the route of his presentations is mainly that they feel the passion that fans have for the band. "Tickets were sold out the last time, fans had camped outside the shows in Sao Paulo. I believe we are on our way to become big in Brazil. The Brazilian fans are absolutely unbelievable. They are passionate. The last time we were there, we had a very good reaction from the fans. It's great to go to that part of the world and be greeted with such a good reaction” he adds.

But in other parts of the world the fans would not react the same way as the Brazilians? "There is a small difference. The Brazilians are not shy about being in love. We see the hysteria, the craziness of the fans. The UK fans are more restrained. We played here for seven years, so I guess they've become accustomed to it" he explains.

As recalled by the singer in the band's final passage by São Paulo in 2009, fans spent days waiting to see them on stage. Now, did you ever did that to any artist you like? "I've done it," says Danny. "It was at the concert of Bruce Springsteen. I slept two days in line."

Here is the schedule of the show. Have fun!!!

Belo Horizonte - May 20 (Friday)

Where: Chevrolet Hall

Address: Avenida Nossa Senhora do Carmo, 230 - Savassi

Time: 21h

Points of sales : Chevrolet Hall Box Office

Buying over the internet: premier.ticketsforfun.com.br

Rates: from $ 120 to $ 180 

Rio de Janeiro - May 21 (Saturday)

Location: HSBC Arena

Address: Avenida Ambassador Abelardo Bueno, 3401 - Barra da Tijuca

Time: 21h

Sales Points: Livepass

Internet shopping: www.livepass.com.br

Rates: From $ 200 to $ 300 

São Paulo - 23 and May 24 (Monday and Tuesday)

Where: HSBC Brazil

Address: R. Bragança Paulista, 1281 - Finca San Antonio

Time: 21h

Sales Points: box office of HSBC Brazil

Internet shopping: www.ingressorapido.com.br

Rates: from $ 160 to $ 300 

Porto Alegre - May 26 (Thursday)

Where: Teatro Bourbon Country

Address: Avenida Tulio de Rose, n º 80 - 301 A SUC

Time: 21h

Sales Points: My Tickets - Street Andradas, 1342 - Sala 46 - Centro

Internet shopping: www.ingressorapido.com.br

Rates: from $ 145 to $ 170

Rio 22ºC/72°F

Tomorrow lots of sun!!

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Rio de Janeiro on the top five destinations

TripAdvisor released their 2011 Travelers' Choice World Destinations. These awards reflect the top travel destinations worldwide as chosen by TripAdvisor users. The awards are based on criteria that include travelers' favorite places and overall destination popularity. Rio de Janeiro was considered one of the top five trip destinations in the world,  behind only from Cape Town, Sidney, Machu Pichu and Paris.

This award is great to show that Rio de Janeiro is not a stereotype city of naked women, carnaval, samba and crime. Unfortunately people think Rio is a very dangerous city! Of course we have problems, just like any other big city in the world, some a little bit more, some less than us. Rio has so much to offer!!!

Rio de Janeiro is all charm and beauty. Few cities in the world have such beautiful scenery. Situated between the mountains and the sea , the "Wonderful City" welcomes visitors with open arms. Copacabana, one of Brazil's most famous beaches, is the scene of one of the greatest New Year's celebration in the world. Ipanema and Leblon are permanent attraction during the day with lots of charming stores, and it also receive many habitués at night with excellent restaurants and nigh clubs. Barra da Tijuca, Prainha and Grumari are all great for surfing, windsurfing and body boarding.

Much of Rio de Janeiro's charm emanates from the hospitality of its people. The city is made up of a diverse mix of race, creed and culture blended into the most cosmopolitan experience that any incentive destination could provide.The people in Rio are always having fun and their personalities make the city an even more wonderful place than it already is.

Visiting Rio de Janeiro is a real treat for the adventurous tourist looking to experience a friendly and interesting culture.  Whether visiting the city during the popular celebrations, or just visiting at any of the other pleasant times of the year, a Rio de Janeiro vacation has the opportunity to be one of the most unforgettable vacations a traveler every takes.  The city offers a number of incredible experiences including everything from wonderful food, fantastic accommodations, beautiful beaches and scenery, interesting historical sites, museums and much more.

Whenever you visit Rio de Janeiro make sure you spend more than just few days. This city has much more to offer than just the traditional sightseeing spots. Enjoy the cultural spectacles of this stunning city and experience Rio de Janeiro just like the locals do. We have a solid public transportation network of buses and subway, and many neighborhoods are very walkable. Carry a map and take taxis if you're unfamiliar with the area or traveling around at night.

Rio de Janeiro is without a doubt one of the most popularly visited spots worldwide. If you think about it, it really has it all, the mountains, beaches, arts, museums, sophisticated and bargain shopping facilities of all kinds, historical sites, and the list goes on forever. And all this you will just discover being in Rio de Janeiro, so, don't delay, travel to Brazil! Rio is 100% your place and I promise you will not be disappointed!

And don't forget that I can guide you trhough the stylish stores!!

If you have ever been to Rio, I would love to know your opinion, please leave a comment!

For further information go to http://www.rioguiaoficial.com.br/en/home

Rio 23°C/73°F

Rain

Missoni loves Havaianas

After launching the Wellies the Bazilian brand Havaianas, one of the most popular names in summer sandals, closed a deal with the Italian house Missoni to design a limited edition for the 2011 summer collection. Missoni is a leader in fashion knitwear and it is known for using bold and graphic patterns. Havaianas couldn’t have chosen a better brand to design their ‘couture’ collection.The new styles bring Missoni’s signature tribal pattern in a multi coloured print with black as the background with orange and blue ocean in different designs on three types of flip flops, women’s and unisex slim regular, and the fabric of traditional espadrilles.

Angela Missoni, creative director of the House Missoni, said in a release that she have always had a real passion for Brazil, a country that has so many things in common with Italy, she also said “I love the Brazilian’s joyful colourful lifestyle, which I find so seductive, inspirational, and symbolic of the imagery and taste of Mission. It’s no coincidence that Missoni is one of Brazil’s best and loved Italian brands!”

Each pair of Missoni loves Havaianas is sold in a bag-shoes, made in Italy by Missoni fabric and decorated with patterns in the colours of the Italian and Brazilian flags. The white, red and green of the Italian flag merge and intersect with the green and yellow of the Brazilian in the pattern chosen for the packaging.

The prices of flip-flops and espadrilles range from 50 to 130 Euro and the entire collection is available in boutiques Missoni, from Luisa Via Roma in Florence and on the sites net-a-porter.com and havaianas-store.com.
Another must-have for next summer, don’t you think?

The new collection was launched in Brazil on April 25th. I really want one!!!

Rio 25°C/77°F

Cloudy

Coffee anyone?

Coffee in Brazil represents more than just a drink in the morning, it represents its wonderful culture and the significant influence of the country’s economy. Brazil is the largest producer of coffee in the entire world, growing various bean types such as Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, Mundo Novo and Arabica which is the most popular. Even though the coffee grain is not native to Brazil, it was only until 1727 when Francisco de Mello Palheta brought the first bush of coffee into the country that the history of our coffee started. He brought the coffee seeds from Cayenne, French Guiana by persuading a lady to give him some seeds which later changed the history of Brazil forever.

It wasn't only until the beginning of 18th century that coffee started to be planted in Brazilian lands, but only in 1820 it has got some importance, representing 43.8% of our exports, taking Brazil to the international scenery. This commercial rising has provided the appearing of the “Barões do Café” or the Coffee Barons, who were the biggest and most powerful farmers from the southeast of Brazil, more specifically from the states of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Coffee has become the most important export product in Brazil during the Empire age in the country, and until now it has a significant power in the commercial balance of the country.

Having a coffee is a habit. Wherever you go, the minute you walk in the door, someone will pop the question do you want a coffee? or a cafezinho as we say here, and they won't take no for an answer. Or maybe they won't even ask and the coffee will soon materialize on a tray brought in by someone. In offices they serve coffee to you at your desk, so don't be surprised if in the middle of a business discussion your Brazilian counterpart offers you a coffee too. And, at that point, the conversation may well switch to a non-business topic while you sip your coffee. Or you can go to any bar with a counter in Rio and enjoy your cafezinho in a traditional small cup!!  Even Starbucks at the chic Shopping Leblon in Rio gives you the option of having a real cup! Brazilian coffee is a standard in most coffee shops and in home coffee makers today! 

You can also have an espresso at one of many gourmet coffee shops around town, every shop has its unique charm and lots of different flavors that you can choose from, usually from different parts of Brazil. Every time you order a coffee it will always come with small cookies and different sweet delights to the side!

Gourmet coffee tends to have a range of prices and quality. There are gourmet beans that are offered at grocery stores that are only a step above the regular coffee you would buy and there is the coffee that is so rare and flavorful that they only make a few hundred kilos a year. And that is why café Jacu is a matter of taste. If you are scratching your head over that name, it may be because you have never heard of it. Café Jacu is in fact, one of the rarest coffees out there.
Native to the forests of Espirito Santo Jacu is a seed eating bird about the size of  a chicken. There are two types of Jacu, Rusty-margined Guan and Dusky-legged Guan. Jacu birds are very selective in their feeding, only picking and eating ripe berries. If you collect the droppings from a Jacu, you should have only ripe berries (that makes better coffee). After collected the droppings are dried, cleaned and rested in parchment for an extended period of up to 3 months. It sounds bizarre, but Jacu coffee has regularly won prizes and is one of the most highly prized coffees in the world. I can testify that it makes a very mild, delicious coffee!

If you want to know more about Jacu Bird Coffee go to http://www.camocimorganic.com/

Learning how to drink a good coffee is key! Coffee should have a natural sweetness to it. Lots of people cannot drink coffee without sugar, but part of the reason for this is to improve the taste of bad coffee. A properly made espresso will have a natural balanced sweetness to it and there will be less need to reach for the flavour enhancers. The more you drink good coffee the less you feel the need of sugar!

Among the things that make Brazil popular, the quality and selection of our coffee is surely on the top of the list, so if you’re visiting Brazil you should treat yourself to some of the magnificent flavors of coffee that we offer!! 

So grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!!!

Rio 26C°/77F°

Cloudy!!!