Not to Miss

Living in a big city (and apartment) is especially challenging when raising little ones. What to do on the weekend that everyone will enjoy? Run. Don't Walk to the exhibition Brinquedo Popular do Nordeste. It might be a bit tough for under two...as most tots will want to play with everything. But Georgia (almost 4) was enchanted and appreciative.

I'm told they are extending the exhibition. So don't miss it....

Amour, Amour, et Amour Fou

Three favorites for rent in the "love" genre--a bit more powerful than Pretty Women.
But I like it like that.

Typewriter Types and Nobel Prizes

1.Steinbeck 2. Beckett 3. Sartre 4. Hemingway 5. Faulkner 6. Camus

Brainy men rule.

Ilse Bing

Ilse Bing

1899-1998

Daring feat: Learned to ride the motorcyle at 70

To pay the bills: Dog Groomer

Remembered as: Queen of the Leica

Holiday Weekend

Today was a national holiday in Brazil honoring Nossa Senhora do Aparecida or Our Lady of Aparecida. It also happens to be National Children's Day. It is easy to understand a holiday celebrating the pudgy little tots who grow up to look and act a lot like we do (for good and for bad). But who is Our Lady of Aparecida--aside from a saint who enables us to have a three day weekend frolicking at the beach?

Legend has it (and I am keeping it simple here), that three fisherman hired to catch fish for a banquet honoring the governor went several days without any bounty. Reaching Porto Itaguaçu, they dipped their nets into the sea and pulled up a headless (and dark brown/black) statue of Our Lady of the Conception (Aparecida). On second toss, they reeled in the head. All subsequent dips resulted in a plethora of fish for the humble trio (and a successful fish fry, no doubt). For the next fifteen years, the statue remained in possession of one of the fishermen, Filipe Pedroso. Countless visitors and answered prayers resulted in a cult following and a chapel--which grew into a Basilica in Aparecida, São Paulo, Brazil. It is now the second largest Catholic place of worship in the world (the parking lot holds 4,000 buses and 6,000 cars) celebrating the Queen of Brazil aka the Virgin aka Nossa Senhora do Aparecida.

God Bless Our Lady, Our Children, and a lovely holiday weekend.

Better than Bob

omnivoracious

I'm starting my Christmas list early.

For Georgia:
The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau by Dan Yaccarino

For Mom and Dad:
The Jacques Costeau Odyssey. The Complete Series on DVD

So much cooler than Sponge Bob, no?

Green

I have a sunny disposition in general. But I like melancholy. And the ache that partners it.

Not to be missed for the mood: the photos of über, über talented 17 (yes, seventeen) year old Soviet Federation native, Careenin.
Soundtrack and prose to go along: Her live journal is a must.

Green is her color of choice. And I am aching with envy.

Films

Feeling intellectual and needing that harrowing "beauty-ache" feeling? Then a must-see is The Mirror by Andrei Tarkovsky.

Too much? Then QUICKLY after the above, check out, one of Georgia's favorites. Sorry if you are bobbing your head and humming the rest of the day. Uh huh, I am!