Members Foyer - Rio Societies

International Club of Rio de Janeiro
May 2011
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Get
Your
Tickets!
The Lapa Steps
Rio de Janeiro:
A French Obsession
General Meeting April 2011
General Meeting
Friday, 29 April
Paissandu Club
Avenida Afrânio de Melo Franco 330, Leblon
Starting at 10.30 am
A trip back in history
Art Meets Nature
in Brumadinho
3.000-Acre Art Park and Museum
Guest Speakers:
Members Foyer
Pia Granjon-Lecerf & Lauriane Whittaker
"Clinical Psychology and Life Coaching: What Are These Two
Professions About?"
New members , birthdays & more
Taste of Rio 2011
Friday, May 20, 8 pm - midnight
www.incrio.org.br
May 2011 The ECHO
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This Month
3
Welcome
10
A warm welcome by InC President, Mary
Pinner, who gives an update of all the
current InC activities and Board current
affairs.
Taste of Rio 2011
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7
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Don't miss out on the event of the year.
Buy your tickets now for Taste of Rio 2011
to be held in Leblon Friday night May 20,
for your chance to sample more than 20 of
Rio's favorite restaurants.
Photo Gallery
Visit to the “workshop" of the War &
Peace painting by 20 th century Brazilian
Painter Portinari on 7th of April and happy
faces onboard a Brazilian navy ship.
Members Foyer
We welcome new members and
congratulate our May birthdays including
details of a Cultural Coffee and Rio Tour
organized by Beatrice Labonne and much
more.
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Reviewing & Rating
Two more restaurants have been tried and
tested by our members. Let us know about
the restaurants you visit and participate in
reviewing and rating.
Art Meets Nature in Brumadinho
One more place to visit: Inhotim, near Belo
Horizonte, induces a wondrous, trance-like
state, and given its 500+ works by more than
100 different artists, requires at least a day
to be seen in full.
Calendar
Date, time and location details of scheduled
InC events in calendar format. Pia GranjonLecerf and Lauriane Whittaker are the
speakers at the April GM.
Those who make it happen
Names and contact details of the Executive
Board members and all InC Coordinators.
TASTE OF RIO 2011
Friday, 20 May from 8.00 pm in Alto Leblon
Buy Your Tickets Now!
Online www.incrio.org.br
or at any InC event scheduled before 20 May
for all the latest information on the growing list of
participating restaurants and other catering providers and to
warm up to our increasing list of wonderful raffle prizes
to be won on the evening:
www.tasteofrio.blogspot.com
Welcome
May 2011 The ECHO
3
in The ECHO
Hi Everyone,
The excitement is growing now that Taste of Rio is almost upon us! May 20 is the date, at Clube
Federal in Alto Leblon, from 8 p.m. until midnight. We have wonderful restaurants with cuisines
from around the world; we have top of the line cachaça, plus wine and soft drinks; we have a
breathtaking venue and fabulous raffle prizes . . . now all we need is you!
Tickets are on sale now! Just visit the InC website, or come to any of our meetings, or send an email
to tasteofrio@inccrio.org.br – all these are easy ways to make your reservation and assure your
place for this not-to-be-missed event! (Remember, tickets will not be available at the door.) You
can find much more information about the event at www.tasteofrio.blogspot.com.
Support your club by inviting your friends and neighbors, your colleagues from work, your
teacher, your acquaintances from the gym – the more the merrier, and every ticket sold
means more funds for our charities!
We still need volunteers to help us with some of the last-minute tasks. As we have said before, we
don’t need a lot of your time – but a couple of hours on the days leading up to the event would be a
tremendous help. Again, just send an email to tasteofrio@incrio.org.br and you can be sure we’ll get
back in touch with your promptly!
The first of our planned Speaker Series will be held on Thursday, September 28, and it already
promises to be a big success. This first session will address banking, credit cards, international
monetary transactions and other financial and banking issues that we all face in our day to day lives
in Brazil. We are very appreciative of the knowledgeable representatives from HSBC who have
offered to provide us with numerous tips and useful information. I for one certainly still have a lot
of questions, even after having lived here for several years now! And many thanks to Anna Whyte
and Brenda Edwards for organizing this timely and informative event. Keep your eyes open for the
next in the series --- it is scheduled for June and more information will be available very soon.
line
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The E sletter
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Also keep your eyes open for more great cultural tours and events. Beatrice Labonne, has scheduled
two more events for May, a cultural coffee on the subject “Libya as we saw it: from an expat
compound and the window of a tour bus” scheduled for May 5, and a second tour on May 17 titled
“Life and customs in Rio during the 19th century and the influence of the Royal Court ” which will
visit some of the oldest neighborhoods of Rio and will end with a tour of the famous Granado store
in Centro, Rua Primeiro de Marco, followed by an optional lunch. This tour will be conducted by
renowned and incredibly knowledgeable Rio historian Milton Teixeira (with translations by InC
members). For more details, see the notices here in the Echo, in the InConnection, or on our
website.
And, as always: please feel free to get in touch with anyone on the InC Executive Board if you have
any ideas, suggestions, thoughts or even criticism. The Board works hard to make the club valuable
to its members, and your input only increases its value!
Warmest regards and mil beijos,
Mary Pinner
May 2011 The ECHO
Taste of Rio 2011
Members and non-members welcome so bring your
friends and enjoy the evening...no other event puts over
20 of Rio's favorite restaurants under one roof so you can
sample the flavors of Rio, enjoy wine and caipirinhas, at
no additional charge!
Make your reservation and assure your place for this not-to-be-missed event.
You can buy your tickets in various ways:

Buy online via InC website: www.incrio.org.br or

Come to any of InC’s meetings prior to Taste of Rio or

Send email to tasteofrio@incrio.org.br
TICKETS
ARE ON
SALE NOW!
Tickets will not be available at the door!
Check www.tasteofrio.blogspot.com
for the latest on participating restaurants and raffle prizes.
If you have a
moment to spare,
come join a team
at the beautiful Clube Federal in the
days leading up to the event.
You can help with:
Wetting Your
Appetite
Just a selection of gastronomic
& drinks providers who have
confirmed their participation:
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Decorations
Packing goodie bags
And lots of other details that go
into making a fabulous event.
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Contact Louise Green at:
a.louisegreen@gmail.com
or
Brenda Edwards at:
tilleoshanghai@yahoo.com
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Las Enchiladas
Benkei
Cais do Oriente
Casa da Feijoda
Chico & Alaíde
Espirito Santa
Estilo Gourmet
Fazenda Geneve
Francis Chocolates
Gringo Café
Insolito (Buzios)
Intihuas
La Frabique
Rota 66
Sabor Colombiano
Telhado Azul
Zona Zen
Cachaça Leblon
Coca-Cola
Segafredo Café
Hannover Wines
Raffle Prize News
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Lufthansa: 2 tickets Rio de Janeiro - Frankfurt
Amsterdam Sauer: jewelry
Windsor Hotels:
Weekend Atlantica Hotel
Sunday Brunch Barra Hotel
Breakfast Excelsior Hotel
Gabriel Bertazzoli: painting
Dila Vidal: painting
Cachoiera Inn - Buzios:
Weekend for two
Françoise Sztajn: guided tour in
Rio for two
Peg Peter: private photo
session
Luiz Salvador Ceramica: vase
Kilaqua Joias: jewelry
Coca-Cola: collector’s item
…….. And many more
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May 2011 The ECHO
5
Rio de Janeiro: a French Obsession
If the French had not settled in the Bay of Rio in the 16th century, the city would never
have been founded. This is not to say that the Portuguese were unaware of Baía da
Guanabara (Guanabara Bay), as the area is known. They had cruised along the shore,
but the bay had not interested them. The vast territory which was to become Brazil
had been officially claimed by Portugal in 1500 when its fleet, under the command of
Pedro Álvares Cabral, landed in Porto Seguro 1100 km north of today’s Rio. Actually,
a couple of months earlier a Spaniard named Pinzón, a companion of Cristobal
Columbus, had landed further north. But, a Spanish-Portuguese treaty had
already earmarked the territory for Portugal.
Coast of Brazil circa 1519
The Portuguese claim didn’t prevent Dutch, Spanish and French navigators to
maraud along the coast in search of Pau-Brasil, Brazilian wood valued at the time
for its red dye. Then in 1550, a French aristocrat named Nicolas Durand de
Villegagnon entered the Guanabara Bay with two ships and six hundred soldiers
and colonialists. He built the small Coligny fort on a tiny island which now bears
his name. Villegagnon’s purpose was not to plunder natural resources but to
settle. He founded the France Antarctique colony.
Villegagnon was a colorful character even by 16th century standards. His CV is
impressive; he started his military career as a Knight of Malta and fought the
Turkish fleet in the Mediterranean Sea. Villegagnon was also a scientist, explorer,
entrepreneur and adventurer, the last two occupations probably being the same
thing. He was born a Catholic but had been drawn to the Reformation of Jean
Calvin. His religious beliefs are still a matter of argument as they might have
changed with his luck.
France Antarctique, 1555
First mass celebrated at Fort Coligny;
Villegagnon is shown at right.
The purpose of France Antarctique colony was to have a place to settle Swiss
Protestants and French Huguenots along with some Catholics. During this period,
France and other parts of Europe were at the stage of bloody sectarian violence
between the dominant Catholic population and those who had recently embraced
the Reformation. It was pure Utopian to believe that the two religious
communities could live in peace on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. As old
habits die hard, soon after landing the colonialists started bickering, to the
puzzlement of the local Tamoios Indians. Villegagnon left the island to seek
reinforcements but never came back.
The Portuguese army defeated the ragtag survivors in 1567. The French dreamland
had lasted nearly ten years. Euphoric with his victory, Estácio de Sá, the young
Portuguese commander, subsequently founded the city of São Sebastião do Rio de
Janeiro, Rio for short. It was not a total loss for the French. To drop their territorial
(Continued on page 6)
May 2011 The ECHO
Rio de Janeiro: a French Obsession
(Continued from page 5)
claim they received 30 000 gold ecus from the king of Portugal. The episode is
purposely remembered when the cariocas, the citizens of Rio want to nag the
Portuguese: a French Rio would have been so much more glamorous!
Pirates and French, English and Dutch privateers continued to roam the coast of
Brazil. Again the French had a knack to pick good spots. They traded with the
Indians in the bays of Buzios and Cabo Frio not far from Rio. During the 20 th
century, these two fishing villages became sophisticated resorts visited by the rich
and famous, including French icon Brigitte Bardot. In 1612, once again the French
landed in Brazil, this time in the far north. They named their new colony
Equinoctial France and built the fort of Saint Louis named after the King of France.
The settlement was short lived; it was rapidly conquered by the Portuguese in
1615 and renamed São Luis. For a short time, the city was also occupied by the
Dutch.
Brazilian coastal cities didn’t see much threatening French action until that fateful
month of August 1710, when a Caribbean-born privateer named Jean Francois
DuClerc tried to invade Rio. Gold had recently been discovered in the heartland of
Brazil, in a region which became the state of Minas Gerais. Gold attracted the
interest of DuClerc who wanted to endear himself with the Sun King. The king’s
coffers were empty. DuClerc convinced the king to give him six ships and thousand
and two hundred soldiers and sailors in order to invade Rio de Janeiro and steal its
gold for France. Unfortunately, this straightforward plan went awfully awry.
The Portuguese were tipped of DuClerc’s arrival and the entry of the port of Rio
was heavily defended, compelling the French to land in the swampy Barra da
Tijuca 20kms west of the city. They had to trek back under the heavy fire of the
Portuguese defense. Four hundred soldiers were killed and the survivors were
taken prisoners, DuClerc included. The later was taken to a Jesuit monastery on
top of Castelo Hill (leveled during the early 20th century urban development). His
new home was not to his liking. After arguing that he had no vocation to become a
monk, he was moved to the house of a Portuguese officer in downtown Rio. In
September, DuClerc was murdered by hooded men in mysterious circumstances.
The debonair navy officer had probably been assassinated on the order of a
jealous husband. Who knows, taking the oath of chastity might have spared
DuClerc’s life.
Not only was France still broke, but its self-image was severely bruised.
Immediate retaliations seemed necessary.
(Continued on page 12)
6
May 2011 The ECHO
Photo Gallery
PORTINARI EXHIBIT
Guided tour of the restoration "workshop" of the War &
Peace painting by 20 th century Brazilian Painter Portinari
on 7th of April. The 14 m high painting was displayed until
recently in the UN HQs in NYC. The building is currently
closed for retrofitting. The Project Director showed the
restoration techniques and the tour was followed by an
art workshop;
www.guerraepaz.org.br.
In the Navy!
Family Boat trip in the Guanabara Bay (Rio, Niteroi, etc) on
board a Brazilian navy ship on 19th of March.
Photos PORTINARI Exhibit by Gay Lynn Fox
7
May 2011 The ECHO
Members Foyer
Speakers Series
When: 28 April, 7pm-9pm
Where: Brasileirinho
restaurant at the Hotel
Debret , Avenida Atlântica, 3564
Copacabana  2522-0132
Things to know when living in Brazil!
HSBC will be covering a range of topics about banking,
settling up accounts in various countries and transferring
funds between accounts, easily and quickly. No cost, no
registration necessary - just come, enjoy the talk, and have a
bite to eat if you wish. First caipirinha as well as a traditional
Brazilian snack FREE, offered courtesy of our venue host.
Cultural Coffee Morning
When: Thursday May 5, 10 AM
Where: Ana Paramo Lobeto’s home
"Libya as we saw it: from an expat compound and
the window of a tour bus."
Ana Paramo Lobeto & Beatrice Labonne will share their
Libyan experience. Ana will open her home in Ipanema
for the talk. Refreshments will be served, cookies welcome.
Sign up with beatrice.labonne@gmail.com
The Hotel Debret is located on the corner of Avenida
Atlantica and Rua Almirante Gonçalves.
Everyone welcome (InC & Non-InC Members).
Tour
Life and customs in
Rio during the 19th
century and the influence of
the Royal Court.
Tuesday, 17 May at 10.00 am
Downton Rio
Under the guidance of Milton
Teixeira, the renowned historian and tour guide, we shall
follow the steps of the Royal family during the 19th century. The tour will allow us to discover landmarks as well
as more secret places where Brazilian history was
made. The tour will end with a visit of the famous
Granado store which was Emperor Pedro II's chemist.
R$ 10 charitable contribution.
Optional lunch will take place at Besi, restaurant & store
for home and kitchen decor and accessories.
www.besi.com.br & www.granado.com.br
Information and sign-up with Beatrice Labonne at
beatrice.labonne@gmail.com
Birthdays May
Michelle Marie Hørmann Nielsen
1
Robin Hugh Evans
6
Angela Bardelli
11
Megan Almeida
15
Martina de Lange
18
Deborah Pamela Lamb
19
Katharina Germershausen
23
Margarita Mari
23
Glorisabel Garrido Thompson-Flôres
24
Lorraine Martins
26
Ivonne Marinho De Lima
27
Joey Merindo
28
Sally Teixeira
28
8
May 2011 The ECHO
9
Members Foyer
Speaker MAY General Meeting
Sonia Mattos
A VERY WARM WELCOME
to our New Members
Sonia Mattos is Brazilian and
the Director of the Preservale
Institute. Preservale is a nonprofit organization which was founded in the 90s to
stimulate and promote the historic and cultural potential
of the historical coffee region, or "Vale do Cafe," of the
State of Rio de Janeiro.
Racquel Costa lives in Ipanema
 afonso.costa@sbcglobal.net
The Paraiba Valley was the centre of the Brazilian coffee
boom in the 19th century. The region, which is close to
the city of Rio de Janeiro, is increasingly attracting tourism
and many former coffee farms have been restored to their
original "grandeur" to welcome tourists.
Sonia is the owner of one of the most beautiful of these
coffee farms, Fazenda Vista Alegre near the town of
Valenca.
Sonia will address sustainable tourism and its potential to
strengthen the economy of the historical coffee region.
Maria Heloiza Ozorio Rosa is Brazilian and lives in
Flamengo with her husband Luciano. She is a teacher and
enjoys literature, oil painting, music, theatre, travelling
and history. Maria has lived in countries such as Italy,
Egypt, Libya, Belgium, Holland, Mozambique, Argentina
and Hungary.
 ho.rosa@uol.com.br
Harris Victoria is British and lives with her husband
Jonathan in Barra da Tijuca; she was a doctor but is now a
full-time mom.
 vitoriaharris@doctors.org.uk
Tatiana Piersanti is Brazilian-French and is living in Leblon
with her husband Serge and 2 children. She is a full-time
mom who enjoys scrapbooking, the cinema, travelling and
reading. They have lived in countries such as Egypt,
France, Angola, China, UK and now Brazil.
 t_piersanti@yahoo.fr
Jane Alice Strachey is British and is living in Barra da Tijuca
with her husband Damien and 2 children. She was a
communications manager and is now a mom who is
looking to volunteer her time with charities.
 Jane.strachey@gemalto.com
Francoise Sztajn is French and is living in Lagoa with her
husband Andre and 2 kids. She is an official guide with
Embratur – Brazilian Ministry of Tourism and her husband
is a TV & video producer.
 francoise@sztajn.com.br
LIVE IN OR NEAR
BARRA?
Every second Friday of the month
from 10:00 - 12:00
All welcome!
Barra coffee morning at Saraiva Bookshop in
New York City Centre, Barra Shopping.
SHARE
with your friends!
Always wanted to share that wonderful photo you took
in the Rio area; the address and details of your favourite
restaurant; the interesting article you wrote, the recipe
you made and your friends are raving about or any other
topic that you may find interesting to share with your InC
Friends?
It is time you spring into action and send these to
communication@incrio.org.br
For more info contact Clare at:
 Clare99wright@gmail.com or  8275.0078
We will be very happy to give these our full attention and
publish in The ECHO newsletter and the InC website.
May 2011 The ECHO
10
InC Charity Committee
Projeto Uerê
Scholarships to private schools for children from
the community Baixa do Sapateiro / Slum Complexo da Maré
Francisco is thirteen years old and has two siblings. His family conditions are stable
with both biological parents. They have a monthly income of 2 minimum salaries.
Francisco entered the scholarship program in 2009 and his grades are good. During
2010 he only had major difficulties with geography as happens so often with children from the
slum. They lack the general information and do not have the chance to travel.
He is a nice and polite teenager and so far did not show any behavioral problems. In 2011 he
attends the 7th year of the private school „Nossa Senhora Bonsucesso“. He has a sponsor who
covers half of his scholarship. He needs a further sponsor (or a group of sponsors)
covering R$ 180 per month.
For additional information, please contact Mrs. Yvonne Bezerra de Mello:
 (21) 9998.5530
 projeto_uere@infolink.com.br
www.projetouere.org.br
Reviewing & Rating
RESTAURANTS
Food
Décor
Service
Cost
RESTAURANTE PRIMEIRA PÁ
9
3
7
$$
Rua Gonçcalves Crespo, 450 , Tijuca  2293.2653
Located inside the Associação Cultural Chinesa do Rio de Janeiro, and reputedly the only authentic Chinese
restaurant in Rio, Premeira Pá serves extremely fresh and perfectly prepared Chinese dishes in a very casual,
family-oriented atmosphere. The Peking duck is some of the best I've ever had (note that this would add another
$ to the price). And they have Tsingtao beer for R$6!
Review by Mary Pinner
BIRA DE GUARATIBA
Estrada da Vendinha, 68 A, Barra de Guaratiba
 2240.2573
9
9
8
$$
We had the most amazing moceca at Bira de Guaratiba Restaurant. Founded in 1992 by fisherman Bira, the
restaurant follows the regional tradition of seafood based dishes. The dishes prepared in clay pots arrive to the
table still bubbling. The portions serve two people and come with white rice and palm flavoured manioc flour.
Delicacies such as seafood stew; in addition to shrimp with cassava and coconut milk or the delicious sea bass fillet
with shrimp rice, delight the seafood lovers.
Review by Marinda Gerber
May 2011 The ECHO
11
Art Meets Nature in Brumadinho
If Willy Wonka were a collector of contemporary art
rather than a candy man, his factory might look
something like Inhotim,
a 3,000-acre art park and museum in Brumadinho,
a small town near Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Inhotim is the brainchild of Bernardo Paz, a 60-year-old Brazilian pig-iron magnate, whose initially moderate interest in
contemporary art eventually became an all-consuming passion. Employing the help of a curatorial team that included
American Allan Schwartzman, German Jochen Volz, and Brazilian Rodrigo Moura, Paz bought work from Doug Aitken,
Chris Burden, Matthew Barney, Pipilotti Rist, Doris Salcedo, Cildo Miereles, among many others. By 2005 he had
amassed a collection so vast he felt compelled to create a public museum for it.
Jorge Macchi’s Piscina | Photo: Pedro Motta
It’s a museum with a difference. Much the same way Wonka’s trees
sprout lollipops and mushrooms spurt whipped cream, so do
Inhotim’s footpaths, lakes, and VW Bugs burst with color. The
botanical gardens that surround the galleries, pavilions, and sites
were designed under the guidance of legendary Brazilian landscape
architect Roberto Burle-Marx. The granite stone that looks like a
perfect perch from which to contemplate the ornamental, black swan
-inhabited lake is in fact one of many outdoor sculptures by Brazilian
artist Helio Oiticica. The functioning swimming pool — a refreshing
respite from the sweltering heat — is actually an art piece.
Inhotim induces a wondrous, trance-like state, and given its 500+ works by more than 100 different artists, requires at
least a day to be seen in full. One of the highlights is Chris Burden’s Beam Drop. Set on a hilltop looking out on distant
mountains, it resembles a gargantuan game of Pik-Up Stiks. Burden scavenged 71 steel beams from scrap yards
throughout Brazil, hoisted them up on a massive crane, and dropped them into a trough of wet cement. The resulting
structure — a collaboration between Burden and gravity — is both gritty and graceful, urban and pastoral.
Another supersized work is Matthew Barney’s De Lama Lâmina. Set inside a pair of mirrored geodesic domes, a hulking,
mud-caked tractor clutches a massive, lily-white resin tree in its metal jaws. Is the piece about man’s filthy hands forever
meddling with nature? Possibly. whatever the case, the mirrors do have the effect of embedding the viewer in the scene,
thus suggesting complicity.
But the most Wonka-ish piece of all is Doug Aitken’s Sound Pavilion. Enclosed in a round, modernist pavilion, a borehole
is dug more than 600-feet into the earth. At the bottom, highly-sensitive microphones amplify whatever sounds to the
surface. Sometimes it’s a faint murmur, others a bellicose grumble. The planet’s bowels, we come to realize, are not
terribly unlike our own.
Matthew Barney’s De Lama Lâmina | Photo: Pedro Motta
Doug Aitken’s Sound Pavilion | Photo: Pedro Motta
May 2011 The ECHO
12
Rio de Janeiro: a French Obsession
(Continued from page 6)
Now enters the resolute René Duguay-Trouin. He was a native of the port of SaintMalo in Normandy where his family owned a shipping business. This walled city is
fabled for having been the breeding ground of generations of French pirates and
privateers. Museums to their glory draw visitors, and a statue to Duguay-Trouin
graces one of the city’s squares. As a seasoned privateer, Duguay-Trouin was an
expert in the art of ransacking, and he had many naval victories under his belt.
René Duguay-Trouin
On 21 September 1711, commanding a twelve ship strong fleet, he appeared in
front of Rio. His fleet had entered the Bay of Guanabara with divine help, hidden
by a thick fog. In an eleven day battle, his two thousand and six hundred men
defeated a stronger Portuguese garrison. After capturing the hapless governor
and his men, and freeing the prisoners, the sack of Rio started in earnest. It lasted
for two months. The terrified population abandoned its houses and fled to the
forest. On November 13, Duguay-Trouin was ready to leave with an impressive
but diverse bounty; it included tons of sugar, two hundred heads of cattle, piles of
money, bags of gold, church artifacts, and £4 million worth of African slaves. The
slaves were promptly sold in Cayenne, the ramshackle capital of French Guyana.
The ships were so heavily loaded with loot that a couple of them sank during
the journey back to Saint-Malo.
Rio was left reeling, but France had restored its reputation as a nation of
dare devil corsairs. The king rewarded Duguay-Trouin with title and land.
He was to continue his brilliant navy career but his extravagant and lavish
lifestyle left him so destitute that on his death bed he begged the new king a
pension for his widow. Duguay-Trouin’s success marked the end of French
aggression towards Rio de Janeiro.
Duguay-Trouin and the Sun King
The next French foray took place in 1816. Not only was it peaceful but it
was welcomed. In 1807, Napoleon had invaded Portugal forcing the
Portuguese royal family to flee to Brazil. In 1808, Rio became the capital of
the kingdom of Portugal and Brazil. It was still a backwater in great need of
cultural shine. In order to correct this situation, the king invited a group of
French artists to Rio. Having worked for the defeated Emperor, they were
unemployed and therefore keen to accept any work opportunity, even in Brazil. A
former court painter, Jean-Batiste Debret, was the most famous among the group.
He became a painter of everyday life in Brazil and that of Rio in particular.
(Continued on page 13)
May 2011 The ECHO
13
Rio de Janeiro: a French Obsession
(Continued from page 12)
His sketches of street scenes, as well as his official commissions of court
life, are unparalleled documents of the period. The French mission
created the first national art school. During the same period, many
foreigners, adventurers and naturalists were invited to visit and
document Brazil. Consequently France began to be regarded as a
paragon of fine art and class.
This love story with French artists lasted longer than the Brazilian
Empire. The young Brazilian republic called on French architects,
landscape designers and sculptors to beautify and modernize its capital.
Rio’s much photographed icon, the Christ on top of the Corcovado
Mountain. was partly sculpted by Paul Landowsky, a Polish born French
artist (1921). The statue was built in France and brought back in sections
to Rio.
The most recent and significant French undertaking is the Cidade da
Musica (City of Music) a cultural complex situated in an urban sprawl
known as Barra da Tijuca, west of Rio. The concrete eyesore is the
creation of the famed architect Christian de Portzamparc. It was erected
to host classical music concerts. The highly controversial building follows
the tradition set by other French-inspired cultural projects such as the
Rio opera house (built in 1909 and a copy of the Paris opera), namely
that they are indecently over budgeted and shamefully behind schedule.
Initially expected to be inaugurated in 2004, the Cidade da Musica, renamed
Cidade da arte will now be inaugurated in 2012. The first French building of Rio,
the Coligny fort of Villegagnon was built on an island. Coincidentally, the Cidade
da Arte was also erected on an island, but on an uninviting island set in the middle
of two major thoroughfares. Has the French cultural elite lost its panache?
Beatrice Labonne, Rio de Janeiro, April 7, 2011
www.wikibea-carioca.blogspot.com
Villegagnon Island, Guanabara Bay
Cidade da Musica
May 2011 The ECHO
14
InC Calendar
MAY 2011
InC Activities & Events
Su M Tu W Th Fr Sa Su M Tu W Th Fr Sa Su M Tu W Th Fr Sa Su M Tu W Th F
Sa Su M Tu
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
3
5
12
17
20
27
NEW MEMBERS GATHERING
All new members will receive a personal invitation to attend. These meetings are specifically geared towards
newcomers to provide them with useful information about the InC and its activities as well as about life in
Rio in an informal, casual setting.
CULTURAL COFFEE
Ana Paramo Lobeto & Beatrice Labonne will share their Libyan experience; see page 12 for all the details.
CAFEZINHO This will be the last event at which you can purchase your tickets for Taste of Rio!
Meyra Bittencourt will host this month’s Cafezinho at her home in Santa Teresa.
For RSVP and route directions please contact Meyra at:
 2507.5559 / 8194.3643 or email Meyra at
 meyrabity@yahoo.com.br
TOUR Life and Customs in Rio during the 19th century and the influence of the Royal Court, see page
12 for all the details. Information and sign-up with Beatrice Labonne at beatrice.labonne@gmail.com
TASTE OF RIO 2011
www.tasteofrio.blogspot.com
Clube Federal, Alto Leblon
Buy your tickets online or at any InC event scheduled before 20 May 2011
GENERAL MEETING
Our monthly meeting starts at 10.30 am at the Paissandu Club, Green Room, Avenida Afrânio de Melo
Franco 330, Leblon, 10.30 am.
The speaker for this month’s GM is Sonia Mattos.
Guest Speakers APRIL 2011 GM
Pia Granjon-Lecerf & Lauriane Whittaker
Lauriane is a French trained Clinical Psychologist who has recently moved to Rio. In France, she primarily worked in
psychiatric units for children and teenagers, maternity wards, etc.. She has lived in Armenia for two years working
for the NGO "Pain without Border". In Rio, expatriation and cross-cultural issues are Lauriane's main professional
interests. Pia who is also French, started her career as a social worker for the French health service. Her experience
encompasses adult psychiatry and children at risk. She also worked for the French service concerned with asylum
seekers and political refugees. In North-east France, she was responsible for the national program of the French
government which aims at providing immediate assistance to migrants. Since 2008, she has specialized in life coaching,
addressing the specific needs of expatriated women. See www.piacoach.com.
May 2011 The ECHO
15
The Lapa Steps
Many tourists visit Rio de Janeiro to tick two things
off their list - Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf
mountain. You can’t blame them for doing so but
there’s much more to the city than that.
The Lapa Steps, for example, are one of Rio’s lesserknown landmarks. The tiled stairway has graced the
pages of everything from National Geographic to Playboy, and Bono, Edward Norton and Snoop Dogg are
just a few of the celebs that have been snapped there.
The colourful stairway in the equally colourful district
of Lapa is the brainchild of just one man - a Chilean
painter called Selaron. He fell in love with Brazil back
in 1983 and a few years later, began working on the
steps as a tribute to his adopted country.
Originally, the 215 steps were covered in blue, green
and yellow tiles – the colours of the Brazilian flag – but
nowadays, Selaron keeps himself busy by constantly
changing them to include contributions from more
than 60 countries around the world.
The quirky artist calls the stairway his "great madness"
and claims he will never stop working on it until the
day he dies. He can often be spotted beavering away
outside his home, halfway up the steps, and is always
happy to stop and say hello to passers-by.
If you would like to be part of the ever-evolving piece
of art, just donate a tile or two. Trying to spot your
contribution on the stairway certainly makes your visit
more exciting.
Selarón on the Steps of Lapa
Kiannaa Leighland in Rio
Inspirational
Informative
Healing
Talks & Workshops on:
In May
2011




Raindrop Therapy
Healing with Essential Oils
Dream Analysis
Chakra Balancing
Personal Treatments and Special Discounts available!
For full details contact Sally Teixeira:
: soles2souls@hotmail.com
: 8218.0883
Advertisement
The Rio Times is an English language publication dedicated
to the English speaking foreign community in Rio de
Janeiro and Brazil. Since March 2009 a weekly edition is
published online every Wednesday at
www.riotimeonline.com
The publisher released its third issue of The Rio Times
printed edition mid-April, currently a monthly news
publication. The 5,000 copies were delivered to four and
five star hotels in Copacabana and Ipanema, as well as
major hostels and other locations where expats and
travelers are known to frequent.
The editor welcomes contributions from the community
such as news tips, articles or any other feedback that
maybe of interest to The Rio Times readers. Contact
information is published on the Rio Times Online website.
May 2011 The ECHO
16
Those Who Make It Happen
Executive Board
2011
Coordinators
2011
 President
 Cafezinhos
Mary Pinner
 president@incrio.org.br
 2484.0440 / 8272.7772
Katrin Fraenkl
 cafezinho@incrio.org.br
 First Vice President
Glorisabel Thompson-Flores
 garridoglory@yahoo.com
 3204.0567 / 9625.6682
 Second Vice President
Beatrice Labonne
 beatrice.labonne@gmail.com
 2103.2752 / 8206.6454
 Treasurer
Giovanna Cevenini
 treasurer@incrio.org.br
 8181.8587
 Honorary Auditor
Ward Ryan
 wardryan@oi.com.br
 9812.0046
 Recording Secretary
Kathleen Morris
 kathamorris@yahoo.com
 3624.2054 / 7239.0158
 Membership Secretary
Christa Pickering
 membership@incrio.org.br
 3203.0836 / 8195.3817
 Member at Large
Anna Whyte
 whyteanna@gmail.com
 2422.7286 / 8158.2035
 Charity Committee
Brenda Edwards
 cc@incrio.org.br
 8112.5584
 Communication Team
communication@incrio.org.br
Web: Astrid Kieftenbeld
 7685.0737
The Echo: Gerda van Diemen
 9736.3530
InConnection: Marinda Gerber
 3586.3125 / 7284.3196
 Cultural Tours
Beatrice Labonne (2nd VP)
 beatrice.labonne@gmail.com
 8206.6454
 General Meetings
Gisela Wajnberg

standard@standardimoveis.com.br
 2294.0931
 Hospitality
Renate Donnepp
 rena_donnepp@hotmail.com
 8354.9589
 New Members
Temporarily Vacant
If you are interested in this position,
please contact
president@incrio.org.br
Activity
Coordinators
2011
 Bridge
Coca Caputo
 coca.caputo@globo.com
 2491.7830 / 9601.7413
 Children’s Activities
Ewa Gozdzik-Lawlor
 je_lawlor@yahoo.co.uk
 2529.8303
 Concert Information
Margarita Mari
 2256.8419
 English Non-Native Speakers
Francesca Ley
 francescaley@gmx.net
 3283.2801 / 8316.4484
 Fun Cooking Club
Lucia Helena Assad
 lhassad@uol.com.br
 9982.9596 / 2434.8167
 Portuguese Conversation
Viviane Richardson
 vivianerichardson@gmail.com
 2249.2900 / 9966.9494
 Quilting
Jacira Migueis Aun
 jaciraun@yahoo.com.br
 3283.2801 / 8316.4484
 Tennis
Maria Evans
 mariazinha_evans@hotmail.com
 2267.6422 / 9519.1436
 Travel Tips
Sigrid Pernidji
 sigridpernidji@globo.com
 2425.6745 / 9786.4732
 Baby/Toddler Playgroups
Zona Sul
Ewa Gozdzik-Lawlor
 je_lawlor@yahoo.co.uk
 2529.8303 / 8229.8888
Barra
Sarah Vaughan
 sarahjean2604@yahoo.com
 3387.2181