MY OUT LOOK ON BRAZIL by M.J.

That is a nice video of Kelly. The others, well, they speak for themselves. Tourism was actually up 11 percent in 2010. They had 680 Thousands tourist to come to Rio De janerio in the month of December alone. Those are stats from the Federal Police and all of Brazil had over 86 percent occupancy on Rental units. In rio, over 90 percent of all the rental units and hotels were filled with Tourist. That is tremendous growth. However, you are correct. Sex tourism is down. That way, maybe, the quality speaks for itself. The ones that want to be spoon fed will miss help. However, if you think back, help was dead 6 months before it actually closed.. Especially after the last entry fee increase. I went in several times in there were not 75 people, including employees in the place. So, the writing was on the wall. All good things must come to an end. Inflation is eating up the Real buying power. The increase in wages, fees, food cost have only allowed the buying power to equal 1996 buying power, even with the brazilian population moving up to 50.2 Middle class and up. However, like any civilize nation, the less educated will suffer and the lack of skills, training in a labor intense society will keep them in menial jobs- which a lot are comfortable having these entry level positions, simply to support their family. Brazil is a very dynamic and exciting place. I think we judge brazil simply by the going and comings of Copacabana. However, I will honestly say, Several other states are more fluid and dynamic than Rio. We must move beyond the comforts of Zone Sul and realize the vastness of Brazil. Rio is very expense ( zona sul) and overpriced. I find the true Carioca attitude to be quite different from other Brazilians. I will say, if we evaluate the contacts we have made over the last 7 years. we will realize the true Cutie's were not from Rio. They were simply visiting from some other state. We need to go to the source and find them. especially now, since there is a drought in the Star quality program in Rio. yes, if they were horses, we will say they are long in the tooth. This garota do programmer game is a young woman game. If they are 30 + they are closer to Dinosaurs then stars. Think, If they are 30+ and have been working 7-12 years, that is over 2100 different men easily in that small time frame. That is over use and leads to an academy award performance or basically poor service for a substantial price. My rule of thumb, if some one wants an exorbitant price, they usually are not good performs. That is my small observation- not scientific.  I enjoy traveling around Brazil. I will suggest Vitoria and North Brazil for a change of pace. I am not sure about the availibility of programmers here but there are a lot of normal women that would love to meet you guys.We all enjoy the weather and those of us , who really try to assimilate in the culture, have a true appreciation and respect for the country. We love the madness and we love the tranquility.

M.J.

RIO CLUBS 2011

Rio Clubs in Summer 2011

By Bhamika Bhudia, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – As Carnival nears, there is plenty of Samba in the Cidade Maravilhosa, from amazing samba school rehearsals to street blocos. But while Rio may not be a city of nightclubs on a par with New York, London or even São Paulo, there are still plenty of options to keep the stylish on the dance floor late-night.

The Week International (LGBT nightclub), Rio, photo by Hentzer/Wikimedia Creative Commons License.

Club Six in Centro, near Lapa, is usually kicking on a Friday night with an open bar for five hours playing a variation of Hip Hop, Funk, RnB, Dance and live music. Women can get in for R$30 before 10:30PM and men for R$50, but with a flier that may be obtained from the website, further discounts are available depending on the time of entry.

The club has three floors, a pool table and boasts hi-fi visual effects. According to student Dina Varsani, “Club Six plays excellent music so if you’re bored of Samba and Funk music, you can listen to House and Dance as well. The open bar is definitely a plus point and the atmosphere is really lively if you want a good dance and a fantastic night.”

Famous amongst foreigners and Cariocas alike, Melt in Leblon is typically busy both during the week and on weekends, but Saturday night is perhaps the best with DJ Silvio Dib playing House, Funk and Hip Hop. Entrance for women is R$25, and men can get in for R$50. As with most clubs in Leblon, your attire should be a little nicer than for a night out in Lapa, as the club-goers here are dressed to impress.

Located near the Planetarium in Gavea, Club 00 is highly recommended for its outdoor deck and ambient venue. Resident DJ Saddam plays a set of Hip Hop every Friday night with guest DJs playing House music. The bar has a small dance floor and can be a nice getaway from the usual nightlife spots of Lapa, Ipanema and Leblon if you fancy a change. Saturday night kicks off with happy hour from 8:30PM with a quieter scenario, but after midnight, things gear into action with a range of Indie Rock, Pop, Club House and Electronic music.

A good night can be had in one of Rio's many clubs, photo by Seth Mazow/Flickr Creative Commons license.

Nuth has two locations in the city, one in Lagoa and the other in further out Barra da Tijuca. The Barra da Tijuca branch fills up on Saturdays so arrive early in order to avoid a long wait in the queue.

Apparently the wait is well worth it, “It’s a great place, I’ll definitely go back there next time I’m in Rio. There are gorgeous people there, the music is good and the venue is really nice,” says traveler Nicole da Silva. DJ Bernard de Casteja and DJ Renato Alexander play a mix of Pop, Hip Hop and Funk and entrance on the higher end of the scale, is R$40 for women and R$90 for men.

Of course there are many more clubs worth mentioning, including Boox, Baronetti, Casa da Matriz, Fosfobox, Dama de Ferro, and The Week. For a daily listing of Rio’s best clubs, shows and bars, make sure to bookmark The Rio Times Nightlife Guide.

If you are in Rio for one week, one year or one lifetime, it is nice to trade your Havaianas for some chic clothes and indulge in some great House or Hip Hop music. This of course goes double for those that haven’t learned how to dance to samba yet.

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Posted by Bhamika Bhudia on Jan 25th, 2011 and filed under 

Replace Club HELP

MIS Set to Replace Club Help in Copacabana

By Katya Gubarev, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – After more than 25 years, Help Discotheque, a notorious symbol of prostitution in Rio, closed its doors after the Prefeitura (local government) initiated the process in 2008. The prime location along Copacabana Beach will transform into a new landmark, the Museum of Image and Sound (MIS), and planned to be completed in the end of 2012.

The planned Museum of Image and Sound (MIS), image provided by Secretaria de Cultura.

Budgeted at R$70 million, the project is a partnership of state government with the Roberto Marinho Foundation. The demolition is expected to be finished in March 2011, clearing the area of 7,000 square meters on Avenida Atlantica.

The design is by the American architect Elizabeth Diller, whose concept is a reproduction of the famous Copacabana sidewalk with its alternating black and white waves in a vertical version of a LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) standard building.

The first Museum of Image and Sound of Rio de Janeiro (RJ-MIS) was inaugurated on September 3, 1965, as part of the fourth centenary celebration of the city. Currently, the MIS has two headquarters: one in Lapa, where it houses the collection of text and audio, including the collection of the National Radio, and the other at Praça XV, where there are iconography, video and many newspaper exhibits.

The new headquarters in Copacabana will have permanent showrooms, temporary spaces for research, classrooms for teaching activities, a theater with 300 seats, a shop, a cafeteria, a panoramic restaurant, a bar with a terrace, a piano bar, and an observatory on the seventh floor.

Hugo Sukman, the curator of the future museum, says that it will be divided into different levels. The first two levels will be ESPÍRITO CARIOCA (Carioca Spirit), dedicated to city’s festivals and the Carnival and MÚSICA (Music), illustrating the history of samba, choro and bossa nova and their performers.

Museum of Image and Sound (MIS), image provided by Secretaria de Cultura.

The floor FELIZES TRÓPICOS (Happy Tropics) will display the Carioca way of life such as the production of soap operas and film, and museum of Carmen Miranda, now located in Flamengo. The final levels will be É SUL, É SAL, É SOL (Is South, Is Salt, Is Sun) dealing with the city’s link with nature, and NOITES CARIOCAS (Carioca Nights), showing the nightlife flavors, from samba to funk parties.

“In this new headquarters we will re-conceptualize the MIS, which will become a new tourist attraction. The collection, that is one of the most important in the state to show the history of Rio, will be preserved for the public, both tourists and locals, who will know more about the city’s culture, music, carnival,” confirms Adriana Rattes, Secretary of State for Culture. “This will be a symbol of Rio de Janeiro.”

While the closing of Help was certainly controversial, local residents seem generally pleased with the plan. “I am glad that they’re building a museum here,” shares Marcia Silva, a resident of Copacabana, “because right now there are only clubs and restaurants in the area.”

As Copacabana prepares for it’s role in the 2016 Olympic Games, which will be centered around Maracanã stadium, and also take place in Deodoro and Barra de Tijuca, certainly many more renovation projects are expected in the next five years.