Thursday, December 11, 2008

Brasil! Estou morrendo de saudades!


AQUARELA DO BRASIL

Brasil
terra boa e gostosa
Da morena sestrosa
De olhar indiscreto
Ô Brasil, verde que dá
Para o mundo se admirá
Ô Brasil do meu amor
Terra de Nosso Senhor
Brasil! Brasil!
Prá mim... prá mim...

Ô, esse coqueiro que dá côco
Oi, onde amarro a minha rêde
E as noites claras de luar
Brasil! Brasil!
Ah, ouve essas fontes murmurantes
Aonde eu mato a minha sede
E onde a lua vem brincá
Ah, este Brasil lindo e trigueiro
É o meu Brasil brasileiro
Terra de samba e pandeiro
Brasil! Brasil!
Prá mim... prá mim...

This afternoon I leave Buenos Aires to go 'home' to Brazil. Oh, how I miss it! I have not seen my dad in 2 years, and home-country in almost five! Brazil...how many countries have a 'love song' written about them? Brazilians truly love their country, and although I'm not technically Brazilian (I was born in London, UK), I consider myself Brazilian, as I was raised here from the age of 1. What do I miss most about Brazil? Ooh, where do I start?

  1. The food: pao de queijo (little cheese breads made with tapioca flour, giving them an incredible gummy texture), brigadeiro (chocolate 'truffles' made with condensed milk), pasteis de palmito (palm heart 'pastries'), feijoada & arroz brasileiro (the national dish made of black turtle beans & pork, and even the rice is more delicious here, fried with onions & garlic before cooking), fresh young coconut juice, churrasco (chagrilled cuts of meat & fish), I could go on & on & on...
  2. The people: Brazilians are generally warm & easy-going people, who work hard but are always up for a party.
  3. The drinks: my favourite soft drink in the whole wide world is Guarana Antartica (light), great beers, cachaca and most importantly: the caipirinha cocktail (made with cachaca).
  4. The beaches! Coconut-tree-lined beaches, soft sand & clear waters.
  5. The music: I love Bossa Nova, Tom Jobim, Joao Gilberto, Miucha, Astrud Gilberto (I've always liked 'older' music more), and MPB (musica popular brasileira): Milton Nacimento, Gal Costa, Caetano Veloso...
  6. The lush green that is everywhere...you appreciate it even more when you move to the driest state in Australia.
  7. The weather: warm & humid...perfect for relaxing in a coconut-tree-lined beach.

Brasil has also made several contributions to fashion: such as the Havaiana sandal (I have this in countless colours to my mother's amazement, as when I was growing up, the humble Havaiana was deemed too daggy to even wear at home). Brasil is also the home of the 'dental floss biquini', not as popular now as it was a few years ago, now replaced with gorgeous offerings from Rosa Cha, Poko Pano, Salinas, & so many others. And it's not just swimwear, Brasilian designers have also been garnering international appreciation: including designers Alexandre Herchcovitch, Carlos Miele, and my favourite Brasilian designer: Francisco Costa, who, in my humble opinion has been doing amazing things as creative director for Calvin Klein . During a trip to Portugal this year I also discovered a Brazilian label called Osklen, and I loved everything instore, which has reignited my love for Brazilian fashion. And of course, Brazil has certainly also made its mark with our beautiful Brazilian models, my favourite being Caroline Ribeiro (pics of her to come in the next week or so), and pictured below on Alexandre Herchkovitch & Carlos Miele is Bruna Tenorio (google tells me she is part Japanese part Chinese part Brazilian). (*n.b. - I have been corrected, she is of Brazilian indigenous origin, hence her exotic looks, NOT Asian)

(www.style.com) - Rosa Cha, Carlos Miele & Alexandre Herchcovitch


(Osklen www.firstview.com)


(www.vogue.co.uk)

This is one of my favourite dresses by Francisco Costa, from his debut collection for Calvin Klein SS2004.

14 comments:

  1. Ahhh you made me so homesick!!!! You are a true Brazilian. Only we can appreciate the food, drinks and music as much.

    I wish you were visiting while I was there... what a shame!

    Give my people big hugs from me.

    I'm like you a girl with multiple nationalities.

    Enjoy your time and all the pao de queijo, caipirinha, brigadeiro, cocada, suco de caju, guarana antartica, mouse de maracuja, pave, arroz & feijao, farinha de mandioca, vitamina de banana e mamao, beijinho, sorvete de abacate, suco de uva, I can go on, and on, and on...

    XX

    For Fashion's Sake - Grazi

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  2. Sorry... just a quick question. Are you still selling your fab clothes? Because I'm very interested if you have any cast offs you want to get rid of. I'm not that impressed with the options in NZ!!!

    Grazi

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  3. welcome home! que vc aproveite muuuuuito sua estada por aqui! bjs!!!

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  4. Oh wow, that floaty dress is so dreamy and goddess-like! I hope you have an awesome time in Brasilia! xx

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  5. And there is also interesting shoe designers in Brazil... Have a nice stay.

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  6. i hope you had fun in buenos aires.
    this place seems to be so colourful.
    i guess you will be very happy to see your dad as you didn't see him for a long time.
    a friend of mine is portuguese and has brazilian friends who made feijoada for us for a huge summer birthday party, it was delicious !!! they played music and soccer, we really had fun !!! you are right, they are always up for a party :)

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  7. I've never been to Brazil but it sounds amazing! Obviously, you are having a great time and I hope you continue to do so!

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  8. That calvin klein dress is so fairytale amazing, just divine!

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  9. Glad your loving it! I'm off to Sao Paulo tonight, can't wait to do some last minute Christmas shopping! And visiting my favourite restaurants...yummy!

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  10. Interesting fact about Bruna Tenorio! No wonder she looks so exotic, I love her look.

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  11. hello! about bruna tenório: she's of indigenous descendence, not japanese/chinese.
    Great blog!

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  12. guido Really? That's what my sister told me, but I looked it up and that's what several websites stated, guess they were wrong...I have a family friend from Goias who looks similar to Bruna, and is of indigenous descent too...so that's why I initially thought Bruna was also indigenous...Boo to misinformation on the internet! :)

    PS. Thx for the correction ;)

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  13. Hello again, Brigadeiro! Bruna is from Alagoas,a state with no tradition of immigration, besides the portuguese and african from the colonial era. there's an article that refers to her ethnicity:
    http://www.rfi.fr/actubr/articles/084/article_10135.asp

    xoxo

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  14. Obrigada Guido! (I assume you speak Portuguese? I am corrected).

    Sei que fora de Sao Paulo nao tem muitos orientais, pois sempre me chamam de 'japonesinha' apesar de ser uma 'chinesinha'...

    Obrigada por ter me corrigido ;)
    xx

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