São Paulo - Day 1

Engraçado o que foi uma das primeiras coisas que me veio ao andar dentro de um taxi na Avenida Paulista: PRECISO escrever um post para depois no final da viagem ter uma fonte de comparação. Então vamos lá:

1) São Paulo está menos fedida e bem menos poluída. A rinite ainda não me atacou, e essa chuvarada que atrapalha os planos e a vida de tanta gente tem me ajudado muito e mantido os Claritins longe de vista.

2) São Paulo está bonita. Os prédios são bonitos, as árvores verdes que piscam. E nem estou falando das de Natal! Engraçado que a gente às vezes vai tão longe para ver construções que são tão encantadoras quanto as que estão ao redor. Pra que passar frio e ver a árvore do Rockefeller se temos um mundo natalino ali na Avenida Paulista, no Parque do Ibirapuera e até nas modestas casas do Elevado com suas luzinhas?

3) São Paulo está mais segura. Pelo menos foi assim que me senti nessas primeiras 36 horas na cidade. E também está simpática, nos pequenos comércio, nas lojas e principalmente nos taxis. Não sei se foi a necessidade que Nova-iorquino tem de usar taxi que deixou os motoristas tão mau-humorados, ou se o trânsito que te faz passar mal ao andar 4 quarteirões que piora o dia dos motoristas, mas como não tenho carro por aqui, tive duas experiências muito agradáveis em taxis, ao som de música sertaneja.

E vamos ver como os dias vão. Sei que a época ajuda na redução do volume de carros na rua, e que as festas deixam as pessoas mais alegres, mas São Paulo me deixou por enquanto com um sorriso de orelha a orelha.

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This post is mainly directed to those that would know a bit of São Paulo and my expectations before coming to my hometown. I found a very happy and pleasant city waiting for me, with its wonderful super green trees greeting me on my way to different situations. No matter where I was, all the beauty that surrounded me was breathtaking. And it made me smile and wonder.

Wonder about why one would go far away for Christmas decorations if you can find it so near on a stroll through Avenida Paulista and Parque do Ibirapuera. Wonder also about taxi drivers in NYC, those crazy drivers that make you sick in 2 blocks and barely greet you, if not bark at you. Since I do not have a car here, taxi has been my way of getting around, and couldn´t find anyone that wasn´t polite, that didn´t greet me with a smile and drove so nicely I could even take photos of the streets.

And it also made me wonder about all the safety, pollution and lack of transportation issues that were crossing my mind before arriving. I am aware that the holiday season might help that, but still I was very nicely surprised. For someone that depended on Claritins every single day in 2008, being 36 hours Claritin free makes me think we are much better than I thought and be optimistic about several other issues.

Até a volta! See ya!

Com chuva, calor, enchente, trânsito e com muito amor, muita história e muita gente, essa cidade vai nos receber já já. Para alguns, até breve numa calçada tomando chopp e comendo coxinha. Para outros, até a volta debaixo de neve. E para todos: Feliz Natal e bolo & brigadeiro em 2010.


I know what's expecting us: all the rain, summer temperatures, warm weather, traffic in the city, but also love, friends and family. For some of you, I say see you soon and let's drink some chopp around the city. For others, here I say keep warm and let's get a drink when we get back. And to all of you: Merry Christmas and Happy 2010!

First Hosh Hashanah

It all just started when Barbi told me she wasn't going to Montreal for the Jewish New Year. She said she would miss not only family, but also food. I do believe that friends we have in NY are the closest family we have around, those that we can call to tell something you want to share, when you need help or when you want to laugh and cry. And I could do something about the food as well.

So she sent me the menu and recipes, I went for some groceries and bought some different ingredients I initially had no idea how to cook. I chose to make the apple cake, a kugel (baked grated potatoes), some chicken and the barley and beans soup, along with some not traditional edamames and peas. I learned that Jewish food is very simple and easy to make, just demands a lot of time.

Apple Cake

Barbi brought the challah (bread) and wine, did the prayers and explained the importance of each dish. We all ate a lot and, as I said before, modesty is not my best when it comes to my food, because usually I like what I cook!


We had a great time and it was, once again, very nice to learn more about a different culture. Hope next year we can celebrate it again, but I do hope to have a book that has pictures with each recipe...

Where were you tonight, Murphy?

It was an amazing New Year's Eve at [Cipriani] and I'll tell you why. I have to be honest and say that I did expect something to go wrong. Not everything, but I had a list in my mind about the possibilities - wouldn't be myself if I didn't, right? - so worst case scenario I'd be ready for any kind of trouble. So let's go one by one and I'll tell you what really happened.

1) someone would get drunk during pre-party. No one did, it was awesome at our friend's house, lots of great food and great people and we managed to leave on time.
2) no subway nor cab. There was the perfect subway from the perfect station to our final destination. As it is New Year's Eve, some stations and lines were closed but our route had just enough trains.
3) huge line and super cold in front of the club. Can't say it was warm, but we got there just 10 minutes before doors were opened and didn't wait so long.
4) not enough drinks or food, or bad quality. Food was great considering a catering for 2000 people, plenty of snacks to satisfy everyone. Drinks were very easy to get, good quality (vodka Stolichnaya, Absolut and Grey Goose) and enough for everyone.
5) no bathrooms. Ladies line was huge, but there was an outside bathroom with no line (if you were willing to freeze). All bathrooms were kept clean and there was dental floss, gum and hair spray.
6) someone would get wasted. A couple of drunks of course, but everyone was pretty fine, able to keep their own balance and enjoy their night.
7) bad music. And it was great! From the 80's to pop, dance, r&b in such a good balance it seemed the DJ could read my mind!
8) hard time getting back home. And it was super easy, there were plenty of taxis for everyone for only $8 bucks!

Ok, ok, couldn't be such a perfect night! I lost my favorite MAC lipstick and one earring, someone almost gave Fê the wrong coat but nothing serious! What a great New Year's Eve! I'll publish some pictures later. Or earlier, considering it's past 4am.

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Update: I found my lipstick! And that's our group picture (some people missing...).

Why, Murphy, Why?!

Justo no dia em que eu tenho um vestido curto e um sapato lindíssimo pra usar, temos um mega dia frio do inverno. Dá pra acreditar? Imagino qual a temperatura mínima em São Paulo pra hoje! Bom, em vez de ficar imaginando, eu fui checar: 29 a 18º C. Gente, leva um casaquinho, vai estar uma brisa fresquinha!

Até ano que vem com fotos da noite de hoje!

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On the day I HAVE to wear a nice short red dress and my favorite hills we have snow around the street and low temperatures (14 - 35º F). I was wondering how warm it is in Brasil and it's 64 - 84º F in São Paulo. Hunf!

Well, see you next year with some pictures from tonight!

First White Christmas

Outro dia eu estava assistindo a um dos episódios da minha atual série favorita chamada How I Met Your Mother. É um grupo de 5 amigos morando em NY, uma versão Friends anos 2000 e há uma personagem canadense. Ela vai a um bar que aparentemente é canadense, e para ter certeza de que é, fora alguns abôuts e ôuts e hockey nas tvs, ela esbarra de propósito em um homem, ele se desculpa e a convida para uma rodada de cerveja. O amigo americano dela fica indignado,"como assim, você esbarrou nele, ele pediu desculpas e ainda te pagou a cerveja?". Sim, assim é o Canada, um lugar tão frio e com pouca gente, mas as poucas que estão por lá são tão calorosas. E o teste? Eu apliquei num mercado e deu certo, só não ganhei cerveja.

Christmas Night

Mas voltando, além de ser um cantinho do mundo especial, lá também tem pessoas especiais. E foi com elas que fomos passar o nosso Natal. Foram dias e dias de comemoração e muita comida gostosa, com peixes e camarão no dia 24, presentes na manhã do 25, peru, cranberry sauce, gravy, cordeiro e até fonte de chocolate.

CN Tower View

Toronto City Hall

Claro que também fizemos o básico turístico subindo na CN Tower, andamos no chão de vidro, passeamos pelo Eaton Centre em um dia maluco de liquidações depois do Natal e caminhamos pelos subterrâneos. Também passeamos por Hamilton, comemos muito donut do Tim Hortons e vimos as luzes de Niagara Falls.

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I was once watching How I met Your Mother and the Canadian that lives in NY explained how you could be sure someone was Canadian. She bumped into a tall guy, he apologized and offered her a drink. Well, I didn't get the drink but I tested this theory in a grocery store and it really works! And this is one of the reasons why I love Canada so much. It might be cold weather, but people are warm and friendly.

Py @ Kensington Ave, Hamilton

Mohawk College, 8 years later

We spent our first white Christmas with a great friend of mine and her family in Hamilton. We also couldn't miss all the touristic places, we went up on CN Tower, walked on the glass floor, scavenged a NYE dress in Eaton Centre's Boxing Day and saw the beautiful colors of Niagara Falls. Great places, better company.

Niagara Falls

Merry Christmas

If the snowstorm forecast for Wednesday in Toronto is a gentle one, we should be back only for New Year's Eve! Stuck in the airport for Christmas dinner... Iac, better not even think about it, because if I do I'll pack some turkey, farofa and panettone.

Our Christmas Tree(s)

fuzzy mobile picture

Atendendo aos pedidos, segue o primeiro post natalino. A árvore é a mesma do ano passado, os mesmos enfeites, a mesma estrela roxa da ponta, que acabei de perceber ter cortado na foto, e as mesmas bolinhas de origami e o Homer perdido em algum lugar. Eu não comprei nenhum enfeitinho a mais, pois não cabia mais nada nela, que encolheu de tamanho proporcionalmente a nossa casa - ela parecia bem maior no [ano passado], não? O que mudou um pouco foi o resto da casa, principalmente com a existência da nossa janelona e de um ar condionado grudado a ela, onde foram colocados pequenos alces, uma estrela de estrelas e uma cordinha de guizos.


Ah, repararam na caixinha amarela inconfundível embaixo da árvore? Ok, ok, acho que só quem morou fora ou longe entende a alegria gerada por uma caixa amarela dos Correios ao ser entregue pelo porteiro. Essa daí veio das meninas do Band, para nosso amiga-secreta. A espertinha colocou o nome de todas as participantes! O sorteio será feito em breve, contando com o apoio de um bar com wi-fi e o Skype.

E já que estamos no tema natalino, hoje eu tirei uma foto da árvore de natal do nosso prédio (sim, temos quadros da Marlin Monroe como decoração da parede do hall). Achei bem legal, nosso prédio arrecada presentes para doar para crianças no Natal, e de ontem pra hoje apareceram esses bichinhos novinhos. Fiquei com pena, pois não vi nenhum brinquedo de menino ali. Com a minha nula experiência no ramo, peço a ajuda de leitores do blog: o que posso colocar para um menininho ali na árvore?