To celebrate his 50th birthday, designer Marc Jacobs and his boyfriend, Harry Louis, have been spending some quality time on the beach in Brazil. The couple took in a little more sun and sand on Wednesday, walking along the shore hand in hand. Just yesterday, Louis tweeted that the vacation was "just the perfect getaway." Get a look at their intimate vacation here in the gallery.
Unless a trip to Rio is in your future, good luck tracking down Phebo soaps and candles. Founded in the 1930s, Phebo is one of Brazil's most venerable perfumery brands — and as well-known as the line is in South America, it's extremely hard to find in the States. That's all about to change, as Macy's begins to stock a variety of Phebo bath and body products this month. Three hundred stores will have soap gift sets in fragrances ranging from rose to neroli; flagship stores in San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and Miami will have an extended range that includes beautifully packaged candles and bath salts. If you're interested in getting your hands on the brightly wrapped goods, move quickly. With only a three-month run planned for Macy's, Phebo will be gone faster than you can say tchau.
Have you ever possessed a cookbook that's occupied a lot of time in your mind, but not so much in your kitchen? I spent hours reading the recipes in The Brazilian Kitchen by Leticia Moreinos Schwartz, but it was nearly a year before I finally got around to making them.
It took some patience researching ingredients such as dendê oil and locating the most reliable and affordable places to buy them online. But ultimately, my efforts paid off, because there's nothing more rewarding than getting acquainted with unfamiliar cuisines.
This traditional stew is a staple in Brazil's Bahia, a northeastern coastal state that's heavily influenced by African and European cultures. Moqueca is typically made with seafood, but this milder version has plantains and chicken that's been slow-simmered until it's fall-off-the-bone tender. Don't be afraid of Bahia's most comforting dish; continue reading for the recipe.
Gisele walked the runway in Sao Paulo yesterday to launch her forthcoming lingerie collection, Gisele Bundchen Intimates, for Brazilian company Hope. And when we say walked the runway, we really mean owned the runway. It looks like Gisele learned a thing or two from walking the Victoria's Secret runway shows from her days as a VS angel, as the lingerie was glammed up with feathers, hats, and bows. Gisele herself was looking particularly lean and long, but — sigh — we expect nothing less from one of the greatest supermodels of all time. The collection is set to launch in select stores on May 25, but there's no word on whether it will be available in the US. Click on our slideshow to see more angles on Gisele.
In an age when grocery shelves are stocked with everything from toasted sesame oil to coconut oil, here's a relative unknown that you may have never heard of: dendê oil.
This oil, which has a distinctive orangey-red color and a thick, somewhat opaque consistency, is a recurring ingredient in the cuisines of Southeast Asia, West Africa, and Bahia, a northeastern region in Brazil. There, the very rich, nutty flavor of dendê oil, or azeite de dendê, as Brazilians call it, is used to flavor fritters, sauces, and stews.
The ingredient is derived from the fleshy fruit pulp of the dendê palm tree and shouldn't be confused with palm kernel oil, which is extracted from the fruit's pit. Although it's high in saturated fat, dendê is prized for its antioxidants and fatty acids, and maintains a long shelf life. Have you ever cooked with red palm oil?
I'm excited to present a post from one of my favorite sites, ShelterPop!
If you lived on the other side of the world, would you decorate your home differently? In our column, "Designing In," we investigate home trends in far-flung locales, from Paris to Istanbul. Last time we talked to a London-based designer, and this time we're headed to South America to talk about Brazilian design.
There is no doubt that when I say Brazil or Brazilian design, you probably picture an almost-nude bronzed goddess on a beach or all-white furniture situated in a breezy outdoor room surrounded by Brazilian cherry or teak.
Brazil has made its mark in our collective psyche as being a rhythmic, sexy yet natural and relaxing place. I wanted to talk to someone who actually lives and works in Brazil with average Brazilian homeowners to find out if my idea of Brazil is anything like the reality.
Anderson G. Sampê — an architect, urbanist and interior designer — is based out of Pocos de Caldas, a city in the southeast of Brazil, about 21/2 hours from São Paulo. Since 1997 Anderson has worked in the design field starting as an intern at an architecture firm. In 1999, he went out on his own. Having spent some time working in New York City, Anderson now focuses primarily on architecture and interior design for homeowners in residential properties with some commercial space work.
Defining Brazilian Style
Is it really all white and wood? What is it really like to live in Brazil?
Sampê says that Brazilian style can be summarized in a few simple words: "natural, eclectic, comfortable and cool sophisticated."
"Brazil is a very rich country in variety of woods and stones," Sampê notes. Well, that explains all those wood and stone-filled pictures in my head. In the 1980s, mahogany and cherry wood were very popular and then in the 1990s, there was a shift to light woods — blond and even ivory. However as of late, Brazilians have been leaning more toward the darker woods and those with simple, natural finishes. The days of lacquer and gloss are over.
Nature is a crucial element to true Brazilian style. Beyond wood, Brazil has a vast selection of natural Brazilian marbles and granites, so the locals have a great selection of locally-sourced natural materials. Often times, these materials in Brazil are much more inexpensive than man-made materials like Silestone or Corian, which are cheaper and more commonplace here in the US. Deep, black granite is very popular. Another material sometimes used is Brazilian quartzite, a sandstone that is abundant in Brazil. Coconut tiles are frequently used in bathrooms.
Sex workers and activists clutched red umbrellas as they walked down a runway in Brazil today. They were advocating the rights and safety of sex workers at a charity fashion show, but it's not the first time we've seen the red umbrella. Why? It's not because it's Winter in South America!
The red umbrella is a symbol for sex workers' rights around the world. It was first used in 2001 at a Venice, Italy, art show and later carried by sex workers walking the city's streets during the 49th Venice Biennale of Art. It not only identified them, but it also drew attention to the abuses they face.
Red was chosen for its beauty and its strength, and the umbrella is meant to symbolize protection. In 2005 the International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe adopted the red umbrella as its symbol for the rights of sex workers. Since then it has been seen increasingly around the world during events and on days like Dec. 19, the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers.
The text of this ecard reads: "Hi! I do not know if this the best way to tell, but I discovered that I have a STD." The card, created and sponsored by the Brazilian government, serves as a convenient (yet cowardly) way to notify a partner that you have an STD and is just one example of the Brazilian government's candid approach to sex and health.
Just like the US government, Brazil wants to combat obesity and related health problems like high blood pressure. But while Michelle Obama says "Let's move!," Brazil's health minister offers more specific instructions. "Adults need to do exercise: walk, dance and have safe sex," he explains.
To be fair, US health officials have also made attempts to get hip with the times. The CDC has its own brand of STD ecards, but they sound more like passive aggressive reminders to get tested. One reads: "Just because a sore may be painless and disappear, doesn't mean the disease is gone. Get tested for Syphilis today." Can you imagine sending that to a friend?!
Wearing clothes designed by sex workers, a model walked the stage this past weekend at a fashion show in the red light district of Vila Mimosa, Brazil. The fashion show, designed to give female prostitutes shots at careers outside the sex industry, featured dozens of new looks on both professional models and prostitutes.
.xxlarge/i/Photos-Impoverished-Houses-Show-Women-Heroes.jpg "Photos on Impoverished Houses Show Women Are Heroes")
