 Tis the season to get ready for carnaval in Brazil. Whether you go to join a bloco in Rio or to dance in the streets of Olinda (seen here), we wish you safe journeys! You can read about carnaval before you pack your bags!
 Whenever you travel to Brazil, please remember to get your gifts at museum stores and craft shops that help artisans around the country: Museu do Índio and Museu do Folclore are great alternatives.
 You can also find great buys at public markets, such as the ones in Belo Horizonte, Recife, etc. These lovely one-inch-tall dolls came from the São José market in Recife.
 View capim dourado objects in a gorgeous catalog published by Central do Cerrado. Plus, you get to see the plant itself and the women who weave the to-die-for collection!! It's much easier to shop for the objects and jewelry now...no need to go well the way to Jalapão: in Rio you'll find them at the Feira Hippie, Gen Osório Square, Ipanema. There you have it!
 Brazilian desserts are some of most delicious and gorgeous sweets in the world...Take a look at these brigadeiros de colher made by Nanda Carino in Rio de Janeiro and, please, please, visit her blog Doce Mistura to see more of her amazing creations. Wouldn't you just love to have her cater your next function or birthday party? More on our Brigadeiros Page...
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You know when you're itching to go somewhere and wish all the goodies and inside scoop were packed into one site? Well, if you read Portuguese, before you pick out your bikini and comfy shoes, pay a visit to Férias Brasil.
 From Assouline, almost like being there: Carmen Miranda graces the cover and, as I flip through the gorgeous pages...I run into my hero, Santos Dumont, followed by - guess what? - my beloved jabuticabas. Could I not fall in love? Caetano and Marisa Monte, Baroque architecture and Lina Bo Bardi, baianas, grafitti by Os Gêmeos, maracatu, and a close-up of a brigadeiro...Gee, is this a companion book to our website or what? Anyway, we recommend that you take the grand tour of "Brazilian Style" and gift it to your best friends, too!
 Well, if the New York Times didn't wake up and notice the spectacular Lençóis Maranhenses in our old favorite state of Maranhão...
The most amazing place I've ever climbed up and down: Serra da Capivara in the state of Piauí. Magnificent cave paintings and other vestiges of prehistoric Brazil. Worth every drop of sweat! (And you will perspire an awful lot...) You can even shop, but not til you drop, remember!, at the wonderful Cerâmica
Serra da Capivara. Check out the photographs in our book!
 Best kept secret: this tiny colonial gem near the mouth of the São Francisco....
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 Remember the gorgeous sounds of Rodrigo Lessa's "Das Ilhas Mestiças," dedicated to the Cabo Verde Islands? In "Cidade Mestiça" he pays an equally beautiful homage to the musical heritage of his native Rio de Janeiro, in company with the musicians in Pagode Jazz Sardinha's Club, plus samba luminaries such as Arlindo Cruz and percussionist Marcos Esguleba.
 Monica Salmaso has been our favorite Brazilian singer for ages and this is one of her best: "Alma Lírica Brasileira," released by Biscoito Fino in Rio. Hard to listen to right now...too much saudade in my heart!
 A talented pianist from Sampa, Eliane Elias has ignited countless audiences around the world with her spirited, passionate playing. This is her latest, "Light My Fire." Honestly, Eliane, you don't need that, do you?
 Marcos Sacramento and Soraya Ravenle are the star performers in this spectacular revival of Brazil's classic sambas and carnaval marchas. Need we say more? Except that you should rush and get your copy of "É com esse que eu vou," of course!
 It sounds so familiar and yet so foreign (unless you speak Korean, that is)...it's around the world with a guitar and a song and that unmistakable soft beat. Thanks to Putumayo for this delicate, fun hybrid. (I'm a huge fan of their Salsa Around the World, too...)
Much more music...
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