S@nta Catarina

S@nta Catarina is a state in southern Brazil with one of the highest standards of living in the country. Its capital is Florianópolis, which mostly lies on the Santa Catarina Island. Neighboring states are R*i*o Grande do Sul to the south and P*a*r*a*n*á to the north. It is bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and to the west it borders the province of Misiones, A*r*g*e*n*t*i*n*a. Most of its inhabitants are descendants of Portuguese, German and Italian immigrants.
The beaches along the coast of 561 kilometers (348 miles) are a great attraction for tourists visiting the smallest State of the South Region. Florianópolis, the capital, is on an island and is one of the Brazilian cities that receive the most foreign tourists. To the south, Garopaba is the preferred destination of surfers looking for good waves. In the mountain region, São Joaquin is the attraction during winter because of its low temperatures. Blumenau, in the interior of Santa Catarina, is the stage for one of the biggest events of the country: the O*k*t*o*b*e*r*f*e*s*t, a traditional beer party originated from G*ermany, which happens in October. The heritage of the Italian, German and Portuguese immigrants can be seen in the architecture and the customs of the state. J*oinville is S@nta Catarina's largest city.

Last weekend, about 49 cities of S@nta Catarina were devastated with flooding. In one particular case that the TV showed, it only last the husband, he lost 3 children along with his wife.
The numbers of this tragedy so far:
More than 100 people are dead;
About 20 people still missing;
More than 70000 people are homeless.
Around 1.5 million people were affected (direct or indirectly);
Today, we spend the day collecting clothes, food and spring water to send them. One of my neighbors works for a company who rented a jet to send the donations to them.
I am asking your prayers to these people who were affected. They have enough strength to start over their lives and to trust God that there is hope in the end.

Fabiola

Forbid or not forbid

I am writing about such a touchy subject as I watch my husband struggle to quit smoking for the xxx times.
I grew up on an almost smoke free house, except for the Gentleman down in that picture who was a HEAVY smoker – 2 to 3 packs a day - for most of his life. Until the day he got tired of smoking and just quit, as a blink of an eye.
When I started my teen years, let me just say I had kind of low profile teen years, except for a few episodes. But in one of those episodes, I started to rang out with a though crowd (actually my best friend did, and I just came along). My parents and grandparent saw the signs of some rebellion on me and they took a really risky action, but it was worth it.
One Sunday afternoon, my grandpa asked for a walk (which was not a common thing for him to do) and as we walked around my parents neighborhood, he said to me that if one day I want to smoke a cigarette I might ask him and I shouldn’t smoke with my friends, because I could get one right there with him.
I kept that “secret” with me for months. I never tried a cigarette with my friends. Once I was feeling a little rebel and I asked for one cigarette and he gave and I tasted it and I never put a cigarette in my mouth again. Little I know, this give her a cigarette talk was my parents arrangement with my grandpa and they kept their strategy with my sister and my brother. And guess what: None of us smoke!!! My conclusion: it was right there too east to get and it wasn´t forbid.
As per my husband….. the story was COMPLETELY different. My MIL along with my FIL they just forbid my husband, my SIL and my BIL to smoke. Their reason: “Because I said so”. My husband smoked his first cigarette at the early age of 14 and then it kept it going…. When we first met, he was in one of the smoke breaks and this break last for a while. When we first moved back to Brazil, he was anxious, he was nervous about coming back, live in B@hia and all of the sudden he was on the smoking track again. Just one or two cigars a week…. And that was that until……we went to our vacation in Europe last year. Man, the Europe@ns smoke way too much and as they say once a smoker always a smoker. And then he went back to his old patterns of smoking, still in the cigar or tiny cigars style, but still he is a smoker.
He has been having ups and downs but he can´t quit this bad habit out of his life for good.

Fabiola

Happy Thanksgiving

Even though we don´t have Thanksgiving in Brazil. I’d like to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving.
I remember when I was a child/teen, my mom used to make a special dinner for us on Thanksgiving Day. In the Catholic Church, we all celebrate this wonderful day. Even if we don’t have a special holiday for this celebration
I am thankfull for my sweet husband, my lovely family, my real friends and for the wonderful people that I met on the blogland and for all the blessing s that I have received this year.
Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours.

Fabiola

Grandparents

I was listening the news this morning while I was getting ready for work. I watched a piece that brought tears to my eyes.
It makes me realize how blessed I was to have my grandparents around during my life.
A University in England did a research that showed that kids who have their grandparents around are happier than the ones who not have.
My grandparents (my father side) lived about 400 miles away from us. They lived in the country side of S@nta Catarina state. It was so much fun to go and visit them. We were raised really closed to the farm life (or at least twice a year). It was fun to wake up before the sun rise and go milk the cows with my grandma and my aunt. It was even funnier to see my uncle and my grandpa or Nonno (as he only spoke in Italian with us) making homemade sausage. My grandpa passed away in 1990. And the BEST OF ALL, to be “the chosen one” by my grandma or Nonna (as she only spoke in Italian with us) to learn how to bake a bread and how to make cheese. My grandma passed away in 2000.
I am sad I do not have any pictures to show because they are all at my moms. It is a shame my father didn´t push the Italian speak at our house, since he is fluent in Italian.
My grandparents (my mom’s side) always lived close by my parents house (my grandpa still does). They were THE BEST. Since they were always close by, they were always our babysitters when my parents had to go out. They were the ones we turned as teens when we fought with our parents. They were ALWAYS ready to listen to our complaints about parents and life in general and to give the best advices ever.
My grandma was a great cook. She didn´t have any recipes for that matter. The measurements were made only with her eyes. She was the sweetest and she had such a strong mind. I was really close to her. I still can’t believe that she is gone and is now living with Heavenly Father. Every time I walk into their house, I can still hear her voice and I can smell the fresh coffee with warm bread and butter. I miss calling her almost every day; I miss writing her letters and send her pictures. I miss her warm smile every time we knocked on her door. What I miss the most is her wises advices. She was NEVER wrong.
My grandpa is still alive. He has the grandpa style, even with his clothes (wool sweaters and cap). He is ALWAYS complaining that is so cold, even though it is 28 °C outside. He is always saying that he won’t make another winter. He has this loud and welcome laugh that just brings peace to my heart. I miss not being able to drink our beloved coffee together (I inherited my love for coffee from him), to go out and eat “butiá” and “jabuticabas” (typical Brazilian fruits mostly from the South of the country) right from the tree. I still call him at least once a week, but unfortunately he isn´t the best phone talker on the planet. I am happy when I can spend 2 minutes talking with him on the phone.
Truth to be told, I cannot imagine my life without such strong people to help build my character and just be there for me. They were wonderful role models. I love them so much and I am truly grateful that I had them.

Those are my grandparents from my mom´s side. This picture was taken a few months before my grandma passed away.

I LOVE THEM!!!!

Fabiola

Christmas Mood

I am not in a Christmas mood yet. I don´t know it just not feel like Christmas for me.
I don´t know what happened. On our first years of marriage by Nov 30th I already had my Christmas tree up and my entire house decorated. On the past 4 years or so, I cannot feel the Christmas spirit around me. It is sad, but it is true.
I NEED to get in the mood, especially because this is the first year I will be hosting P@ulo´s family at Christmas Eve. I guess I volunteered to do the Christmas dinner to try to change my Christmas mood. After all I was a Christmas lover.
To get inspired I saw so many beautiful blogs with so many beautiful decorations. I saw one and I didn´t save the link (LOL). It was one of the most beautiful real home decorations that I’ve ever seen.
So on my “To do” list for Christmas I have a bunch of items that I listed on my side bar.

I will keep you posted on the progress.

Have a great night.

Fabiola

** Post update: I found the blog that I mentioned before. It is called Bless our nest.

I am so predictable

Yesterday night I was “shopping” for a new blog lay-out. I got tired of my almost 4 months old lay-out.
I looked and looked and looked. I tried a few different kinds. I even published my blog with a beautiful green one, but even though I taught it was beautiful it was not me. So I ended up with a color scheme really close of my old one.
I can’t help, this is just like me.

Fabiola

Sunday Dessert

I wasn’t really inspired to cook after the Goulash extravaganza. Since I will be going to RJ tomorrow again, I decided I just want to stay home and enjoy my house and my husband.
I decided a simple meal would do it.

• Grilled Steaks;


• French Fries and


• Green Salad

But I could not be simple desert wise, so I decided in a simple yet WONDERFUL Strawberry recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups of chopped strawberries (organic with you can);


• 8 tbps of sugar;


• 1 tbps of Balsamic Vinegar;


• 1 ½ cups of meringue (dry featherweight type );


• ½ cup of “Crème de Leite” or Whipped Cream as you like.

Preparation:

2 hours ahead of the serving time, chop the strawberries and mix the balsamic vinegar and half of the sugar. Cover it and put in the refrigerator.
By the time you are serving it, (I used Glass wines), put one layer of the strawberries, one layer of the crushed meringues and to top it all, I put some “Crème de Leite” beaten with the other half of the sugar. The original recipe call it for Whipped Cream (but I don´t like the taste).
It was a “to die for “kind of recipe, but it only took me 20 minutes to do it.

Have a nice week,

Fabiola

Curitiba and Goulash

I have been born and raised in Curitiba.

Curitiba is the capital city of the Brazilian state of Paraná. The city has the largest population and also the largest economy in Southern Brazil. The population of Curitiba numbers approximately 1.8 million people (7th largest nationwide). Curitiba can be considered a melting pot. As most of Southern Brazil's population, Curitiba is mostly inhabited by Brazilians of European descent. (My family is a mix of German and Italian descent).
The main line of immigrants were Portuguese, Germans, Italians, Polish (Curitiba has the second largest Polish Diaspora in the world, second only to Chicago), Ukrainian, Jewish and Japanese.
With all these mix of cultures, it is quite expected that we were “bombed” with dishes from all over these places.
One of my favorite dishes was the Goulash, on those terrible winter nights. (I will devote one entire post for the Curitiba climate.)
A few months back, I saw one episode of J@mie Oliver’s show, and he was doing a Goulash recipe. Since we are having fall temperatures down here (even tough Summer is just around the corner) and I was on a break on Friday, I decided to give it a go. I follow the recipe almost truly. The one thing that I don´t find in Brazil is Sour Cream. So I substitute with “Creme de Leite”. It is a mix of canned milk with double cream and it worked perfectly. It can be served with a bowl of white rice.
I can summarize in only one word “DIVINE”. Take a look on the dish right about to be served. Unfortunately the picture does not make justice to the smell and the taste.

Fabiola

Good Morning

It is 6:22 am and for me today it is a Holiday. P@ulo has to work, so he already left to the gym and then to work.
Yesterday was the holiday for the “Consciencia Negra”. I am not sure how to translate this expression in English. But the holiday is supposed to remind the day when Zumbi was killed. He was the main leader against slavery. He fought against it and it was murder during his personal war.
So, that is the main reason why this is a long (and really waited) holiday. This is a local holiday, there are only a few cities which incorporate it to their calendar. I am just glad São P@ulo did.
Yesterday, we spent the day unpacking boxes. Because they finally finished the furniture assemble. The entertainment center/bar is just huge. There are a lot of spaces, shelves and drawers. The office is look extremely professional even though it is just a home office. (I know I am in debt with pictures, but…. It is way too messy).

Have a great Friday.

Fabiola

Pictures and my niece´s birthday.

As I told you, we came to Curitiba (my hometown) to my niece´s second birthday.
In Brazil, kids birthday are a big deal. My sister broke the tradition and she didn´t have a big party on my niece´s 1st birthday. But she did a great job on her second birthday. Take a pick of a few pictures.

The table:

My sister getting her hand painted:

My parents, my niece and her other grandma:

Paulo and I:

Happy birthday time:

All my family that went to the party:

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to me!!!

I am turning 34 today..... No big celebrations on site, since I am going to my hometown on Saturday. So I will celebrate with my family along with my niece´s birthday on Saturday!!



I will be back with a lot of pictures.



Fabiola

The Great Adventure, Right in Your Backyard

Amber, from Crazy Bloggin Canuck, wrote this wonderful post about the greatest adventure in our lives. It touched me profoundly.
Since I was a little girl, I never thought of marriages, babies. I always thought about careers and traveling the world.
I couldn´t find a better mate than Paulo. He always thought about careers and traveling the world. So we were a match made in heaven.
We even considered to immigrate to some 1st world country (we considered US, Canada and Germany), but then better career opportunities showed up and we ended up staying in Brazil.
But after almost 8 years of marriage and 5 moves, I do feel that it is time for a change. Sometimes, I feel that I am betraying my youth decisions, but I this what adulthood is all about, right?
But, back to the first paragraph, when I read Amber´s post, it got me thinking. What are Paulo and I doing to enjoy our lives in our “backyard”, without any big adventures ahead of us? There isn´t any new assignments overseas, there is not big vacation plans, there is no we do must change states and go back to São Paulo, no buying new houses (since ours is brand new).
It is time for us to start living our lives in São Paulo and to start to enjoy all what a megalopolis has to offer.
After all that is the city we chose for us.
I love the comment from one of the Amber´s readers, Tiif, and I quote: “Bloom where you’re planted”.

Love,

Fabiola