Santa Chegada

I am in Rio, in the Casa Rosa with Rico, incredibly grateful that I had a safe and uneventful trip. The house looks beautiful, especially the Copacabana-style waves of Pedra Portuguesa we had done in the courtyard. There are still several things to be done before the refurbishing obra is considered complete, but we are very, very close (a great relief since the entire process was coordinated from Maputo).

My mom arrives tomorrow, and I am looking forward to antiques browsing (we need to find 2 large crystal chandeliers for the living room), fresh fruit and veggies that we can't find in Moz, a ride on the bondinho, and a walk around the neighborhood to photograph new street art and get in a bit of exercise.

Also, super cool, we just discovered that our wedding falls smack in the middle of Arte de Portas Abertas, a twice yearly, neighborhood-wide open studio weekend. This means Santa Teresa will be full of cariocas and tourists alike, strolling around having a peek inside artists' ateliers, browsing boutiques, eating at the many cute restaurants that have popped up over the years, and very likely looking on as an unexpected audience while I enter the church next to the Bar do Mineiro in my ivory gown.

Life is good in Santa Teresa. Every time I come back here, my love affair for this house and this special place comes flooding back. It's not in the cards for us to live here for the time being, but it is exciting to know it's an option for the future.