Category Archives: Brazil News

Top Latin American Restaurants 2014

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AwardsVirgilio Martinez’s Central, in Lima, Peru, has taken the top spot amongst Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2014 with last year’s winner Astrid y Gaston moving into second place. Central, which earned the title of The S.Pellegrino Best Restaurant in Latin America, climbed three places from last year. Central, under the leadership of chef-owner Martinez, was also named The S.Pellegrino Best Restaurant in Peru.

Gaston Acurio, who recently opened La Mar in Miami and relocated his 20 year old flagship restaurant Astrid y Gaston to San Isidro, Lima was number two on the list. The 2013 winner was also ranked No.18 in this year’s S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards.

D.O.M. and Maní, both in São Paulo Brazil, were ranked in third and fourth place respectively. Chilean restaurant Boragó was placed fifth. Boragó and D.O.M. were presented with The S.Pellegrino Best Restaurant in Chile and The S.Pellegrino Best Restaurant in Brazil awards respectively.

Other Best Restaurant Awards by country were given to: Pujol in Mexico (No.6 in the list); Tegui in Argentina (No.9); Parador La Huella in Uruguay (No.17); Alto in Venezuela (No.18); Gustu in Bolivia (No.32); and Criterion in Colombia (No.39).

From Rio, Roberta Sudbrack was ranked 13th and Olympe was 35th.

As well as the top restaurant awards, individual awards were also presented during the event. The One To Watch Award went to Ambrosía from Chile; the Veuve Clicquot Latin America’s Best Female Chef Award was presented to Elena Reygadas from Rosetta, Mexico; the Highest Climber Award, went to El Baqueano in Argentina; the Highest New Entry Award, sponsored went to Tarquino also in Argentina; The Diners Club Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Alex Atala from D.O.M., Brazil; and the Chefs’ Choice Award went to Peru’s Gastón Acurio. The 2014 awards introduced a new category: Latin America’s Best Pastry Chef, which was presented to Buenos Aires-based chef Osvaldo Gross.

Here’s are Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants according to the awards:

1. Central Lima, Peru
2. Astrid y Gastón Lima, Peru
3. D.O.M. São Paulo, Brazil
4. Maní São Paulo, Brazil
5. Boragó Santiago, Chile
6. Pujol Mexico City, Mexico
7. Maido Lima, Peru
8. Biko Mexico City, Mexico
9. Tegui Buenos Aires, Argentina
10. Quintonil Mexico City, Mexico
11. Malabar Lima, Peru
12. Mocoto São Paulo, Brazil
13. Roberta Sudbrack Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
14. Aramburu Buenos Aires, Argentina
15. La Mar Lima, Peru
16. Tarquino Buenos Aires, Argentina
17. Parador La Huella José Ignacio, Uruguay
18. El Baqueano Buenos Aires, Argentina
19. Pangea Monterrey, Mexico
20. Fiesta Lima, Peru
21. Chila Buenos Aires, Argentina
22. La Cabrera Buenos Aires, Argentina
23. Tomo 1 Buenos Aires, Argentina
24. Sud 777 Mexico City, Mexico
25. Manzanilla Ensenada, Mexico
26. MeroToro Mexico City, Mexico
27. Rafael Lima, Peru
28. Alto Caracas, Venezuela
29. Oviedo Buenos Aires, Argentina
30. Osaka Santiago, Chile
31. La Picanteria Lima, Peru
32. Gustu La Paz, Bolivia
33. Rosetta Mexico City, Mexico
34. Remanso Do Bosque Belém, Brazil
35. Olympe Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
36. Epice São Paulo, Brazil
37. Ambrosía Santiago, Chile
38. Attimo São Paulo, Brazil
39. Criterión Bogotá, Colombia
40. Francis Mallman 1884 Mendoza, Argentina
41. Amaranta Toluca, Mexico
42. Corazón de Tierra Ensenada, Mexico
43. Harry Sasson Bogotá, Colombia
44. Fasano São Paulo, Brazil
45. La Bourgogne Punta del Este, Uruguay
46. El Cielo Bogotá, Colombia
47. Sucre Buenos Aires, Argentina
48. Elena Buenos Aires, Argentina
49. Leo Cocina y Cava Bogotá, Colombia
50. Pura Tierra Buenos Aires, Argentina

More airlines move into Terminal 3 at São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport

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Screen Shot 2014-08-20 at 12.04.41Opened in May 2014, the new Terminal 3 at São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport continues to expand. During August 2014 four more airlines moved to the new terminal. These included Air France, British Airways, KLM, and Iberia. They join Air Canada, Alitalia, China Airlines, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Qatar, Singapore Airlines, Swiss Airlines, TAP, Turkish and United, that have already moved their operations to the new terminal. The main Brazilian carrier, TAM, will move later in the year by which time 80% of the airport’s international flights will be using the terminal.

While many carriers fly direct to Rio de Janeiro, many others choose to offer connecting international flights to-and-from Rio over São Paulo.

A number of new shops and restaurants have also opened including landside in the new terminal including the first Brazilian branch of Red Lobster which is located in the hallway that links Terminal 3 and 2. Other food options include Garrets, Carl’s Jr., Jimmy’s Buffet Margaritaville Ráscal, Viena Snacks, Desfruti, Olive Garden, Piola Piola and Casa Bauduco.

Stores include the bookshop Saraiva, FNAC, and airside, along GRU Avenue, can be found Amsterdam Sauer, Kate Spade, Lacoste, Track & Field, Coach, Burberry, Emporio Armani and Victoria’s Secret.

Screen Shot 2014-08-20 at 12.04.58Star Alliance has also opened its new Lounge. About 1,350 square meters in size, the lounge can accommodate up to 295 guests and is open daily from 12.00 noon to 03.00. Access is for passengers traveling on Star Alliance member airlines from Guarulhos in First or Business Class or holding Star Alliance Gold Status. The lounge is located on the mezzanine level, overlooking the atrium and the airport apron beyond, and can easily be reached by escalators or elevators.

In line with the new Star Alliance lounge concept, local touches and flavours have been combined with global branding elements. This has allowed for the creation of a very Brazilian look and feel, reflecting a strong artesian heritage. The use of wood, rope, natural fibers and typical ceramic finishing bring coziness to a sophisticated interior and provides a relaxing and welcoming atmosphere to customers.

The lounge was developed and is operated by In Flight Solutions Brasil on behalf of the Star Alliance. For those wishing to work, free Wi-Fi access is provided throughout the lounge, with convenient power and USB outlets available. A dedicated business center and free Wi-Fi printing is also provided.

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Ronnie Biggs publishes his novel written in Rio de Janeiro

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Keep On Running 2014One of Rio’s most famous and infamous foreign residents was the Great Train Robber, Ronnie Biggs. Biggs landed in Rio de Janeiro on 11 March 1970 and departed on 6 May 2001. He was “discovered” and arrested in Rio on 1 February 1974, and subsequently kidnapped on 16 March 1981.

Biggs tells the full story of his time in Brazil and Rio de Janeiro in his autobiography Odd Man Out: The Last Straw. He wrote his autobiography while living in Santa Teresa in Rio de Janeiro and then updated it when he was released from prison in the UK on 6 August 2009.

During his time in Rio de Janeiro, Biggs also wrote his one and only novel, Keep on Running, a book which was originally published in 1995, and has now been published on Kindle for the first time.

Keep on Running is a novel that draws on the true events surrounding the Great Train Robbery. It gives a dramatic account of what may have happened to the three men at the track who were never caught or charged. It covers their lives before, during and in the years immediately after the robbery in August 1963. It also features the shadowy character known to people on both sides of the law as the Ulsterman, and provides a dramatic solution to the puzzle as to whether or not there was a shipment of jewels on board the train and, if there was, why the owner never came forward.

The book is Biggs’ only novel, although he was very active in writing both poetry and lyrics, most famously for the Sex Pistols and Die Toten Hosen. He had also been involved in writing the screenplay for the film Prisoner of Rio.

The Kindle version of Keep on Running: A Story from the Great Train Robbery  is available globally direct from your local Amazon or Kindle store.

Australia
Brazil
Canada
France
Germany
India
Italy
Japan
Mexico
Spain
United Kingdom
USA

Biggs covers 2

Rio de Janeiro unveils the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic look

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rio2016_cenario_marcasWith now less than two years until the start of the Rio Olympics on 5 August 2016, the Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games has launched and unveiled the new “look” for the Games.

The look will become familiar over the coming years and at the games itself as it will be used to decorate and enhance the sports facilities and the city, in addition to appearing on tickets, uniforms, credentials, licensed products, stores and more.

People that know Rio well will recognise many of the city’s famous landmarks that have been woven into the colourful design.

The new image, the organisers say, was inspired by Brazil, Brazilians and Rio de Janeiro:  “The look is multicoloured and vibrant as the harmonic diversity of our people. The look is organic and engaging like an embrace, inspired by our lush nature and human warmth. It brings fluid and energetic features, like our art, our identity.”

The games has also unveiled the logos to be used by the cities hosting the Olympic football tournament. As well as Rio they include the World Cup host cities and stadiums of Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Salvador and São Paulo.

rio2016_cid_futebol_01_3Rio2016_1501Rio2016_1500Rio2016_1499

Streets

Brazilian mobile operators offer special packages for visitors

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Screen Shot 2014-07-31 at 12.35.41Thanks to the number of visitors who came to Brazil for the World Cup, a number of the local mobile operators now offer very straight forward packages for international visitors.

The big mobile operators in Brazil offering special packages for visitors are:

Rio and Brazil has a good telephone network and it is possible to direct dial to just about anywhere in Brazil or internationally.The country code for Brazil is +55 and Rio is +21.

The country has one of the world’s largest mobile phone networks (225 million subscribers and counting) and non-Brazilian mobile phones will work if they are tri or quad-band and that includes iPhones and BlackBerrys.

They think it is all over… It isn’t yet for football in Brazil

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ball in netIf you are sorry you missed out on the 2014 World Cup and watching international football in Brazil, you still have another chance in the shape of the Olympic football tournament that takes place 3 to 19 August 2016.

16 men’s teams and 12 women’s teams will play in the tournament with Brazil qualifying for both as host. Brazil will be hoping to finally win Olympic football gold, the only major football title missing from the country’s CV.

During the Rio Olympic Games the matches will be played at the Maracanã Stadium, but there will also be games to see in four other World Cup stadiums in Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Salvador (below) and São Paulo.

Salvador