Case de Benin art gallery

The wild and colorful images of Brazil’s Carnival celebrations stir up fond memories of my travels to the heart of Brazil’s rich culture, Salvador, Bahia.  Salvador’s carnival is arguably the most authentic of the non-stop street parties but the city also offers a real glimpse of  Brazil’s history and culture that you won’t get anywhere else in the country. Salvador was Brazil’s original capitol and it boasts so many historical places, monuments and people that you can literally visit one every 5 minutes. There’s also truckloads of tourists traps so here’s my list of  slightly less touristy activities:

1. Eating Moqueca at Iemanja Restaurant

I slurped this rich, coconut, fish stew down almost daily when I was in Salvador.  The sea goddess Iemanja is Salvador’s most popular deity and the restaurant plays proper homage with an interior covered in turquoise blue walls and sea shells.  The waitress wear long white gowns with blue accents and serene smiles. Bahian cuisine is the soul of Brazil and this is one of the best places to experience it.

2.Viewing The Eight Orixa Sculptures On  Lake Torroro

This dramatic spectacle is not to missed.  Rising out of a small lake, eight life-sized, fiber glass statues demonstrate Salvador’s spiritual heritage. The Candomble religion plays an important part in everyday Brazilian life and this stunning park sculpture shows just one of the ways.  The main deities are displayed with their symbolic effects, such as Xango with his ax and Oxum with her mirror.  They loom in brilliant color, almost blending in with the splashing waves, trees and fishing boats.

3.Strolling Through Salvador Museums

I’m an art freak. No trip is complete to me without a visit to at least one gallery or museum.  Salvador actually has scads of them clustered in Pelourinho and beyond.  I loved the City Museum, which displays contemporary Brazilian art  and Case de Benin,  which showcases artifacts from Benin, West Africa. The culture of Benin influences a large portion of Bahian culture through art and spiritual customs.

4. Visiting the Zumbi Palmares Statue

Zumbi  was a famous freedom fighter who represents African pride to many Brazilians. An imposing bronze monument was erected to honor his historical significance in Pelourinho Square in 2008.  He led rebellions at the end of the 17th century and 300 years after his death, Brazilians pay tribute with a national day of remembrance  on November 20.

The Dr. AJ Chandler Park in Downtown Chandler, directly across from the San Marcos Resort.

I’ve been living in Chandler Arizona for about sixteen years. Most of the time when my husband and I are looking for a romantic weekend, we venture outside of our home town. However, there are some great lodging, dining, and entertainment options within just a few miles of our house that, when combined with an overnight stay, make for a romantic weekend without traveling all that far.

The Crowne Plaza San Marcos Resort is located in historic downtown Chandler. The hotel was built in 1912, is on the National Register of Historic places, and recently underwent a $4 million dollar renovation. The resort itself features an 18-hole golf course, tennis, and swimming. AJ’s Cafe features award-winning dining and the resort’s famous buffet – folks come from miles around for the Prime Rib buffet on Saturday nights. Or you can stroll along the sidewalks of the downtown area and partake of several options from casual to fine dining, then window shop among the stores and galleries. Downtown Chandler is enjoying a boom in economic development, and the San Marcos is an anchor for the town square. Events regularly held in the downtown area include classic car shows, farmers markets, movie nights, art shows, and food festivals.

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C-House Restaurant

Sauveur Magazine may have recently named Chicago as America’s  new culinary star but anybody who’s ever visited the Windy City knows that’s it’s always been all about the food.  Yes, we do phenomenal pizza, steaks, brats and any other fatty, heavy , Midwestern cliche dish you can imagine.  But Chicago also boasts a dizzying array of world class cuisine from Italian to Thai, it’s all covered.  As a casual foodie, I always look forward to  the annual Chicago Restaurant Week to sample some of the eateries that I haven’t had the chance to try. This year’s event runs February 18-27 and my reservations are already in place. Read More »

Millennium Park and Lake Michigan

My husband is taking a business trip to Chicago for a couple of weeks in May, and I’m going to fly over and meet him for a long weekend. We’re staying at the Wyndham Glenview Suites, which is about 10 miles from Chicago O’Hare and a half-hour from Downtown Chicago. We’re going to take the opportunity to thoroughly explore the downtown area, which we’ve only been able to drive through during past trips.

I am completely unashamed to admit that I intend to play tourist to the hilt.

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