Sao Paulo

After a 6 hour first-class bus ride from Rio, we arrived in Sao Paulo. This was my first bus ride where I could fully recline, got a lil bag of snacks (didnt like the sausage flavor crackers), a pillow and a blanket- I guess thats what its like in airplane first class. We took a cab to our hotel, which turned out to be nice, but lacking in the decorating department (not a single thing on any wall). Turns out we´re pretty close to one of the main streets - Av Paulista- and within walking distance to some restaurants and bars. We headed out for some dinner and then went to a little pub for a beer. We tried a local beer and didnt like it, so tried another one- Baden Baden Red, which was really good but we had to wait an hour for it to warm up a bit because Brazilians like their beer really, really cold. We started talking to the guy at the next table, who turned out to have grown up in Irvine, moved to New York where he married a Brazilian and they moved to Sao Paulo, where they started a family. We got a lot of insight on the city and the culture talking to him for a few hours. He told us more about the rivalry between cariocas (from Rio) and paulistas (from Sao Paulo), about the weird power structure at work and in family life, many Brazilians dependence on maids, the upcoming economy, and the difficulties of learning portuguese. It was a great intro for us to this huge city.

This morning we wandered around Av Paulista as everyone was hustling and bustling about, and then walked to Parque Ibirapuera. It was nice, and we saw a lot of birds and fish in the lake. Next we headed to Hotel Unique (shaped like a boat?) for a drink on the rooftop bar- I read the view was amazing, and it was. It really showed how absolutely huge Sao Paulo is. It was basically a 360 view of high rises and huge buildings- downtown Manhattan all the way around, it was really crazy. I had a caipirinha- a traditional brazilian drink made with caçhaca- sorta like a smoky margarita... then we headed to a churrascaria for dinner- lotsa meat at Fogo de Chao.

Parque Ibirapuera

Hotel Unique
Caphrina at Hotel Unique

Fogo de Chao
Mercado Municipal

lotsa buildings


Filling up the elevator in Sao Paulo
Farto at the bus station

Rio de Janeiro

The day of our arrival- I was waaaaay out of it at Ipanema but it was beautiful

Up on Corcovado- Christ the Redeemer Statue

Capairinhas at Rio Scenarium

dancing with our fellow Lighthouse hostelers - Alicia and Jennifer (Chris H. from England squinched into the pic above)

Rio Scenarium
Art Museum- Chris and Chris
Arches of Lapa
Brazilian fast food- hamburger and yakitori

bowl o' acai - Chris H. thought he was getting a smoothie type thingsquinty Ipanema!!!!Eschuderia de Lapa
The tram up to Sugar Loaf MountainThe view from Sugar Loaf- Copacabana in the background

monkey! little monkey.


Our first churrascaria- soooo much meat...and dont forget your capuccino
Football
Flumengo vs. Fluminense (2 local teams)- the fans are crazy!

Everyone throws up shredded newspaper when they announce the team
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL

Star Chart

9/28/08- So, I thought when I was moving away from New York that I wouldnt really see any celebs any more. Amanda Peet was on my flight home and today I saw Andrew Keegan in Venice Beach. Hes from Party of Five and 7th Heaven.

7/29/08- Went to this adidas soccer game thing and MK Olsen was there too!! Also, I swear I saw the girl from Napolean Dynamite on the bus in Brooklyn, but it seems like a weird place to see someone, so who knows... sawe Jim Gaffigan again at my gym, and as we are moving out of New York in a week, this might be the last update for a while :(
Update 4/11/08
** Chris did a job at SNL studios and he saw Elvis Costello and Elton John and shook Bill Clintons hand!
** Last week when my mom was here, Lucy and I saw ANTMs Jaslene walking down Fifth Avenue. We also saw Peter Dinklage (from Elf, The Station Agent, and Death at a Funeral)
** At Blue Ribbon Sushi for Jeffs Bday we all saw Paul Bettany (again) and Jennifer Connelly (I will always think of Labrynth)
** In December right before we went home, Chris and I saw Parker Posey walking down the street in the East Village.







Update 12/11/07
** We both saw Judah Friedlander walking down 2nd Avenue, right around the corner from our house.
** When my mom was here last week, she, Lucy, our cousin Paige and I saw Paul Bettany at a restaurant in Brooklyn.
** Chris saw Molly Shannon jogging, but failed to tell Chris Burns and I before she passed us, so I guess I saw the back of her. The good thing that came out of this is our new code system. If I ever say - "Remember that episode of the A Team?" That means someone famous is nearby so look around!
** Chris and I had breakfast at this wierd vegan place by our house and spotted Woody Harrelson there with a big group, presumably family.

6/16/07
Chris saw Bono in the park yesterday, so I realized that it was now time to make the ever expanding list of our celebrity spottings, especially now that we live in the East Village.

Katie
** Just saw Julia Stiles again down in front of the bar next to our apartment
** I ran into Maggie Gyllenhall in the bathroom of a restaurant by my house. We were hoping to see her brother, but didnt.
** The guy from Americas Next Top Model, Nole Marin
** Julia Stiles, 6/07, AGAIN, walking across the street
** Leonardo DiCaprio, 6/07, filming a movie Revolutionary Road, the scene was very exciting, consisting of him walking down the street, putting out his cigarette, and walking in a door. It was cool though because the whole street was decked out in 50s stuff- cars, people, etc.
** The girl from Joan of Arcadia, 5/07 standing outside a restaurant
** David Cross, 3/07 saw him with Em in a coffee shop by my house. He was talking loud.
** Keifer Sutherland, 5/06 sitting in W hotel bar, he approached my mother and we all chatted and he shook loodys hand for a long time
** Judy Blume, 5/06 the speaker at Lucys Radio City Music Hall Graduation then we talked to her and took a pic after
** Mikhail Baryshnakov, or the Russian from Sex and the City, 5/06 recieved an honorary degree at loopoos Washington Square Graduation
** Kristen Johnston, or Sally from 3rd Rock, 3/06 down by the water in DUMBO
** Joe Pesci, 6/05? at the Santa Anita racetrack when Em, Chris and Andrea went
** Julia Stiles, 11/02? the first time, also walking down the street in the East Village, when Lucy "kept her cool"
** Edward Norton, 10/99? at LAX, I didnt even really know who he was back then
** President Bill Clinton, my highschool marching band played for him at some event

Chris
** Bono, 6/07 yesterday in golden Gate Park. He was really nice and talking to everyone and taking pics but Chris didnt have his camera
** Leo, see above
** Justin from QAF
** Joe Pesci, almost bumped into him in the bathroom
** Gladys Knight
** Tom Curran

The Frying Pan- my new favorite NY bar

Other notable New York Bars:

1. McSwirleys!!!!! Other favorite- me, Em and Lus old haunt, I love the beer (all they have is light and dark, darks better), the wooden old timey feel to the place, and my archnemesis, Timmy.
2. M&R Bar- now closed :( but it was fun while it lasted
3. Pacific Standard- a lil piece of home in Brooklyn