The Doors and Textures of Portugal

Nothing like an old door or a wall full of peeling paint to make me stop and take a photo. I love weathered surfaces, places where you can see the presence of the hand or the elements over time. Here is what caught my eye while traveling through Portugal:

Ali Amaro Lookbook #4: Remixed and Layered

Alexandra Amaro Lifestyle Photoshoot #2

Photoshoots are EXHAUSTING but so incredibly worth the effort. I am lucky to have friends who are striking beauties and willing to model my jewelry.

Here is a little (unedited) preview of the shoot I finished just hours ago with Lauren Lauren, a fellow metalsmith and jeweler-in-training at CCA.

I am very, very pleased with the results!

Jewelry: Alexandra Amaro
Photography: Alexandra Amaro
Model: Lauren Lauren
Styling: Alexandra Amaro
Hair and Makeup: Lauren Lauren
on location in Point Richmond, CA

www.alexandraamaro.com

Alexandra Amaro Lifestyle Photoshoot

Jewelry: Alexandra Amaro
Styling: Alexandra Amaro
Photography: Alexandra Amaro
Models: Bárbara Albuquerque and Inês Carijó
Hair and Makeup: Bárbara Albuquerque and Inês Carijó
shot on location in Point Richmond

The Master Packing List for Traveling Light

Last year Rico and I traveled to Brazil for nearly 3 weeks with only a small carry-on suitcase each. This year, we have traveled with a bit more stuff (a lot more, really, in my case). My big, not-at-all-surprising revelation has been that I would have been just as happy with half the clothes and knick-knacks. I could have easily gone carry-on only for this trip as well, and have really learned what is essential and what is not.

In the spirit of creating the perfect minimalist packing list for our next trip (and for you to use, too) I offer the following guide. This list is geared for a destination that has a moderate climate that is somewhat unpredictable (e.g. San Francisco Bay Area in the summer, Rio de Janeiro in the winter), so the clothing choices are layering-friendly. Also, there isn't anything for really cold weather, although in my experience you could easily throw in a heavy jacket and boots and tailor things as necessary for chilly climates. This list should get you through 1-3 weeks of travel, with the occasional need for washing underwear/socks/exercise wear. Here are my suggestions:

- 1 pair black trousers

- 1 pair dark jeans

- 1 pair cargo or khaki pants

- 1 casual skirt
- 1 pair shorts
- 1 pair leggings

- 1 pair lounge pants

- 1 lightweight jacket

- 1 zip-up hoodie sweatshirt
- 1 cashmere sweater
- 3 long-sleeved tops
- 5 short-sleeved tops (some fancy, some casual)
- 5 tank tops (some fancy, some casual)
- 3 dresses (1 beachy, 1 casual, 1 fancy)

- 3 sets workout clothes (+ sports bras, socks)

- 3 pairs regular socks
- 1 bikini
- 8 pairs underwear/3 bras
- 1 belt

- 1 pashmina scarf

- 1 lightweight scarf

- 1 kanga/capulana/pareo

- 1 baseball cap or sun hat

- 1 pair mary jane-style high heels
- 1 pair ballet flats
- 1 pair leather sandals
- 1 pair havaianas flip flops

- 1 pair running shoes or canvas sneakers

- complete set of travel-sized toiletries

- sunscreen
- makeup
- jewelry
- reading material
- cell phone
- camera + charger
- wallet + passport
- a laptop or ipad
- glasses and sunglasses
- empty water bottle

- breath mints or gum

I've found that I have a few "warrior pieces" that are super versatile and can easily be dressed up, dressed down or layered. These include a lightweight navy blue jacket from Pilè ou Face that can go effortlessly with a fancy dress or a pair of jeans; a pair of dark stretch jeans in a slim bootcut from Adriano Goldschmeid; a sailor-inspired striped top that goes with everything; a long-sleeved black lace top from Victoria's Secret catalog; and a black shift dress that is appropriate for an afternoon with friends or an elegant evening dinner. I also swear by my high-heeled mary janes from Clark's Indigo. They are super comfortable and instantly dress up any outfit.

Do you have any "warrior pieces" to recommend?

Rio Trends: Workout Jumpsuits and Knee Socks

This lovely trend is hot right now in Rio. Patterned fitness jumpsuits with knee-high socks pulled over the legs. I've also seen many ladies with these socks over regular gym pants. Their fashion sense may be questionable, but at least their bodies look good!

Baggage

I am agonizing over what clothes to take to Brazil. Usually I am such an efficient packer. Last year we traveled carry-on only for a 2 week trip and I was fine. But this year, my packing skills and objectivity have gone out the window.

It's almost like if I bring the perfect mix of dresses and lounge wear, going-out clothes and beach attire, boots and sandals, I will somehow be prepared for whatever emotional craziness comes my way. If I just have the right outfit, everything will be okay...or so it seems with all the obsessing over details I've been doing in the last two days trying to pack this damn suitcase.

So what am I bringing? Lots of black. More dresses than I'll likely manage to wear. High heels. Tall boots. Workout clothes and running shoes. A fuschia raw silk scarf that I've never used here at home. Gloves. Sunglasses. Havaianas.

I hope it's the right mix.

On My Mind

- I'm annoyed because I have a pretty bad blister on my left ankle. I got it thanks to what I'd hoped would be a comfortable, cute pair of sneakers. Instead, they tore up my feet in less than 10 minutes. I wonder if an 8 would be any better (I wavered between buying 7.5 or 8 in the shop). I love the mustard color so much I would be willing to break them in, but I want to do the least amount of suffering possible.

- I worked out with my personal trainer and then went for a run with my friend E. this afternoon. Recently I made the leap from doing intervals of running/walking to just straight jogging with no breaks. It is quite exciting. We go running around Lake Merritt which is 3.1 miles, and usually can do one loop around without stopping. Not today, however. My blister got in the way and crippled me about 3/4 of the way through. I was really frustrated, but some run is better than no run.

- My week in Mendocino was life-changing. It's the first time I've felt truly validated as an artist, and I had a really good time teaching as well. I was the studio assistant for a chasing and repoussé workshop taught by a total master. He's one of these people who seems to deliberately avoid an online presence, so I won't call him out here. He's amazing, though. I felt like I was taking a workshop from Morgan Freeman in his role as God.

- The Mendocino trip was good because I feel it centered me, helped me put things into perspective. I will need to draw on this for the next four weeks.

- Rico and I are going to Brazil on Thursday. It will be a great trip for many reasons, but it will also be an emotionally and physically exhausting one. We are selling Casa Rosa, and need to clear out all the furniture and see what we want to ship back here. We need to find a place for the woman who looks out for the house to live, and a way to get her a monthly stipend since she doesn't qualify for social security yet and has health issues that prevent her from continuing to work. We need to say goodbye to the house, which will be heart-wrenching for me, but in the big scheme of things what I recognize is the best way forward. I anticipate coming back from Brazil feeling very, very, very drained. I hope that's not the case, but if I learned anything in Mozambique it's to start with low expectations and go from there.

- I wish I were a bit tanner and a bit thinner prior to going down to Rio.

- I also wish I had more time to be in studio, as I'm just dying to work but don't really have time to finish anything (or really even get started) before we fly South.

- Hazy, the neighbor's cat who adopted our house for a brief period some months ago, came back for a visit. I was in the garden picking strawberries when he appeared by my side, seemingly out of nowhere. We were so happy to see each other. I really love this cat, even though he's not ours. When we first met him, we thought he was a stray and even took him to the vet to have his microchip scanned. That's how we found out Hazy belonged to our neighbors. About a month ago they moved to Hawaii and didn't take the cat. He's now being taken care of by another neighbor, but I think he's meant to be ours and that's why he keeps coming back and being so loving. He's such a beautiful boy, a soft gray tabby who is endlessly friendly and playful. He reminds me of Parceiro.

I Want This Dress

I am seriously coveting this dress. It's the Two to Tango by Nanette Lepore. The cut, color and pattern are just about perfect in my book. Sigh...

Maria, Lady of the Wax Print

"Maria, Lady of the Wax Print", acrylic on canvas board, 11x14 inches

After several weeks of painting patterns for my 2D visual dynamics class, we received an assignment to incorporate a portrait of someone who would be the "hero" of our selected pattern. This painting is of a Mozambican artisan and fashion designer named Maria, who I came to be friends with through the fairs at Café com Letras. The portrait is based on a photo of her that I took one day on the veranda of our flat in Maputo.

This was my first ever attempt at painting a person. I wanted Maria to look as if she were being surrounded by this swirling lotus-blossom pattern that I found on a piece of wax print fabric. This painting took about 5 hours to complete, and I am super pleased with the result.

I think it's safe to say I've been bitten by the painting bug. All I can think about these days (other than jewelry) is how much I want to keep painting!

Speaking of Jeans and Curves...

This morning in Rio's leading newspaper, O Globo, there was an article about how Levi's is launching a new line of jeans called Curve ID that (gasp!) take into account the fact that women have multiple body types and waist-to-hip ratios. Here is a press release in Portuguese that talks about how these new jeans are designed to "highlight feminine curves". There are three levels: Slight Curve, Demi Curve and Bold Curve. There is also a fourth level that will be launched separately, Extreme Curve, that's geared toward those with a super ample booty. I notice, however, that they all seem to be skinny jeans...sigh.

Levi's in South Africa was way ahead of the global curve on this one (ha, ha). Back in July 2008, I purchased a pair of EVA Fit Levi's in Johannesburg and was pleasantly surprised that they actually fit, without gaping in the waistband, tightness in the thighs, or absurdly long legs. The EVA Fit is a South African-designed style that, after great success in-country, was introduced in the US and quickly became a best-selling model. I've never seen the EVA in stores in the US, however, and suspect they may have been re-branded with a different name.

One little factoid from O Globo that stuck with me: women try on an average of 10 pairs of jeans before finding one that fits and looks flattering. Awful, no?

Carry-on Only Update

We're nearly to the end of our trip to Brazil and I wanted to post an update about how it's been traveling for 2+ weeks with only the contents of a carry-on suitcase. In a nutshell, it's been great. No hassles going through customs, no gigantic bags to haul around, and appropriate clothes for every occasion and type of weather we've encountered thus far. That said, there are some little adjustments I'd make if I could go back in time and pack this little suitcase again, namely:

Things I wish I'd brought along:

• lightweight baseball cap (I miss having a hat when I go running);
• pair of lounge pants (I brought leggings, which are fine and comfortable, but somewhat limiting in that they have to go *under* other layers, not over);
• another set of workout clothes (I brought 2 sets, but I've actually been really good on this trip and exercised at least 7 times. It's been okay just washing the workout clothes I have, but an additional set would have been great);
• thin pair of socks/knee-highs that can be worn with ballet flats (it's been COLD);
• a hoodie, or some other long-sleeved top that can be worn while working out (I've used my regular long-sleeved top, which has been okay, but I miss my hoodie);
• a travel umbrella (we've borrowed one from family for this trip, but it would be necessary in any other context);
• fabric beach bag;
• capulana/kanga/pareo or whatever you like to call a beach wrap. Ideally one that could double as a scarf.

Things I wish I'd left at home:

• dressy tank top (I brought 2, which was one too many);
• quite so much makeup...I would have been fine with just the colors I wore for the wedding;
• set of gold costume jewelry (haven't worn it...was intended to make my outfits "dressier", but we ended up not going out at night at all this trip);

In all, a pretty good job. Assuming that I don't have to bring a floor-length formal gown and fancy high heels on our next international trip, I should be able to adjust the contents of my suitcase according to the above lists and still be within the 17.5 lb weight limit. And if it's a domestic trip, I have no worries since airlines don't seem to care how heavy your bag is as long as it is the appropriate dimensions.

One of the Many Things in My Suitcase

Neon red, fully beaded, hard to sit in, and spectacularly glamorous. There's nothing like the formal gowns that are par for the course when attending a Brazilian wedding. Some of you may recognize this particular dress - it's what my mom wore to our wedding two years ago in such grand style.

Rico was a groomsman (his cousin Rafa was the one getting married), and had the sweet deal of a rented suit. When we picked up his outfit, I was greeted by rack after rack of colorful women's attire. Next time we come down to Brazil for a wedding (yes, there's already another one on the horizon), I'm totally renting a gown. It's relatively cheap (R$130-480 depending on the style) and it means I don't have to shove a floor-length dress in my carry-on.

The wedding was really wonderful, except for the cold. The party was at this gorgeous colonial mansion up in Alto da Boa Vista (a neighborhood in the mountains above Rio) and mother nature really let us have it. Pouring rain, bone-chilling wind and temperatures around 50F/10C. You know what they say, though, over in Italy: "Sposa bagnata, sposa fortunata." A bride who is rained upon is a lucky bride. Hopefully that proves true for the young couple that were married last night.

Ruby and Chartreuse

I absolutely love color. The brighter and the more unique the combination, the better. I swoon for coral, fuschia with turquoise (even though it's a total 80's reference), amethyst with lemon...and on and on. I imagine that, if you've seen my jewelry, you know that I am a chromophile.

I especially enjoy working with colors that are a challenge - that is, they are difficult to combine with other tones, are generally considered as "ugly" (browns, oranges and yellow-greens frequently end up in this category), are hopelessly connected to a specific look (e.g. light pink being sweet and girly) and so forth. One of the reasons I'm so drawn to the Mozambique Island trade beads is that they come in a rainbow of colors, all thrown together somewhat wily-nily on fishing line by the boys who find the beads on the beach. I try to work with every single bead on those strands, every shape, every color. It pushes my creativity, makes me look at the beads with new eyes.

Here are a few new pieces from the Alexandra Amaro Mozambique Island collection that incorporate some of my very favorite colors: ruby and chartreuse.

These Cascata Earrings feature a mix of 300-year-old Mozambique Island trade beads and Indian Rubies, with a faceted pear-shaped ruby dangling from the bottom of the cluster. The tiny trade beads are in shade of pink from dusty rose to pomegranate. Pink trade beads are incredibly hard to find, and it literally took me hours to find them among the sea of reds in my collection. I love how delicate this design is, how these old beads worn by centuries under the Indian Ocean can be elegant and feminine.

I loved working with the pink trade beads so much that I decided to make a matching bracelet. This Venezia Bracelet features a mix of antique Mozambique Island beads, Indian Rubies and lovely red-violet Hydrabadi Garnets. I incorporated a mix of handmade Thai Hill Tribes silver beads to add texture and add to the asymmetrical interest. I could look at the shades of pink and purple in this bracelet for hours; no two beads are alike.

This is the Hebron Bracelet, featuring some of the most unique beads found at Mozambique Island. First, there's the history. These beads were originally made some 400 years ago in Hebron, a city in Palestine that has a long glass-making tradition. The artisans who made these beads used salt from the Dead Sea as the alkali in the glass fabrication process, which I find incredible. The beads were traded into Africa by Arabian and European merchants, where they were used as currency to obtain local goods including spices and gold.

Second, there's this brilliant yellow-green hue. It took me ages to find the right match for such a strong color, but it was worth the work. I think this turquoise is the perfect combination, giving the old beads a hint of spring. Handmade Thai Hill Tribes silver saucers and a stamped toggle clasp add to the bright, ethnic look.

Such a unique color begs for a matching set, so I made the Hebron Necklace. The texture in these 400-year-old beads is incredibly beautiful. While making this necklace I thought many times about the trajectory of these artifacts...who made them, who purchased them, how many people over the centuries have handled them before they came to me. I wonder who their next owner will be. Someone who loves color and history, I hope. And maybe a redhead or strawberry blonde? I think the chartreuse and turquoise would be just stunning on someone with that coloring.

On the way back I'll be 640 pages lighter

We made it to Brazil without incident and are currently enjoying a few days of the good mountain life in Monte Verde, Minas Gerais.

The route we flew was fantastic, a new flight LAN started offering in July. It's billed as a direct flight from San Francisco to São Paulo, but there is actually a refueling stop in Lima. You get out of the plane in Peru, go through security, have enough time to pee and buy some water, then get back on board. In all, it's 9 hours on the first leg, then 4 on the second. Definitely recommended for people flying down to Brazil from California.

On the plane, I read "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" from cover to cover. I don't think I've ever read so much, for so many uninterrupted hours, in my entire life. Doing the math, I was averaging about 50-60 pages per hour. The book was fantastic, and I can't wait to read the next one in the series. Hopefully I'll find someone in Rio who wants to read the book, and I'll buy a replacement copy for my mom once we're back in the US. That baby takes up a lot of precious space!

Rico and I have been enjoying our time in Monte Verde immensely. This is where we really have the opportunity to have a vacation while in Brazil. We're up in the mountains, in the middle of nowhere, with no obligations or people to see for several days. Our time will be spent eating delicious food (Rico's dad is a professional chef, among other things), drinking vintage wines, running along trails and hilly dirt roads, getting massages at the spa at Rico's dad's hotel, and sleeping. Lots of sleep.

Then, once we're feeling duly rejuvenated, we'll head to Rio to deal with all the pending issues that come from owning a home in one place and living in another continent entirely. We haven't been back to Rio since March 2009, and the to-do list regarding the Casa Rosa is, unfortunately, a long one.

We're also looking forward to attending Rico's cousin's wedding, to which I will be wearing a very loud, very neon-red, very va-va-voom formal dress. That is if my arse hasn't doubled in size from a miscalculation of the gourmet food: running ratio during our week in Monte Verde. :)

Speaking of clothes, so far the carry-on suitcase capsule wardrobe has treated me quite well. I'm trying to photograph my outfits so you can see what kind of a toll efficient packing has on fashion. Hopefully the trade-off is minimal!

Tonight at dinner (mandioquinha soup, cassoulet, pear confit), I sold my Fiesta trade bead bracelet off my wrist to one of Rico's dad's friends. A very unexpected sale, but one that left me super happy. It's always such a thrill to tell someone about the Mozambique Island trade beads I'm so fascinated by and have them "get it". It's moments like this I must remind myself of when the accounting and website updates and creative droughts get to me.

Success! (plus some tips for carry-on only international travel)

I totally, 100% nailed the challenge. I've got enough clothes and shoes for 3 weeks in Brazil packed into the above carry-on, and I'm still under my weight limit (currently at 16.3 pounds). My hope is that the dress I'm going to wear to Rico's cousin's wedding will fit perfectly in the bit of space left in the suitcase, and that it won't send me over the 17.5 pound limit. As my friend Sayama put it, it's a capsule wardrobe extraordinaire!

A commenter on my previous post asked a simple question, but one I definitely want to address here: Why bother going through the hassle and potential inconvenience of only taking carry-on luggage on an international trip, when we can easily check a bag for free?

Part of the answer has to do with practicality. We will be traveling quite a bit while in Brazil, jumping between various destinations and staying with multiple relatives within each city. The idea of lugging a big ol' suitcase around is quite frankly unappealing. Furthermore, there is the advantage that you don't have to wait around at the airport for your luggage to come out before you can clear customs. You also avoid the all-to-common stress of losing your luggage for a couple of days. If everything you need fits into a small bag, you're good to go in any situation!

The other part of the answer is more subtle and has to do with the part of my personality that is constantly waging a war on clutter. At home, I strive to purchase only what is needed and to keep only what is actively being used or displayed. Why should my approach be any different when I'm on the road? Yes, it's nice to have options, but if I can make do with 4 shirts instead of 15, I should do it. After all, even though I'm a pro at packing a suitcase, there is always stuff in there that I don't end up using. Dead weight that is hauled around, space that is taken unnecessarily. By doing carry-on only, I'm forced to carefully analyze what I really need and what I will use. It's a challenge, but every single time I've traveled with a minimalist philosophy I've been very, very happy.

Here's the complete list of what's in the suitcase:

- 1 pair black trousers

- 1 denim skirt

- 1 pair khaki shorts

- 2 pairs leggings

- 1 cashmere sweater

- 2 long-sleeved tops

- 5 t-shirts

- 5 tank tops

- 4 summer dresses

- 2 sets workout clothes

- 2 sports bras

- 2 pairs socks

- 1 bikini

- 7 pairs underwear/2 bras

- 1 brown belt

- 1 pair fancy black sandals

- 1 pair brown leather sandals

- 1 pair brown leather ballet flats

- 1 pair havaianas

Not in the suitcase (i.e. my travel outfit):

- 1 pair jeans

- 1 tank top

- 1 long-sleeved top

- 1 lightweight sweater-wrap

- 1 pashmina scarf

- socks/underwear

- 1 pair running shoes

Going in at the last minute:

- 1 floor-length formal dress

Items for my (big) purse:

- complete set of travel-sized toiletries

- makeup

- jewelry

- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

- cell phone

- camera

- wallet + passport

- a laptop (!)

- glasses and sunglasses

- empty water bottle

The key to making it work? Choosing main color schemes (mine are blues + brown accessories for casual looks, and black + black accessories for fancy looks), ensuring you can mix and match your pieces to get lots of possible outfits, choosing several smart accessories that can change the look of your clothes, avoiding bulky shoes, and taking the lightest-weight clothes possible.

My selection of clothes and accessories will get me through a formal wedding, a trip to the mountains where it will be cold and we'll do some hiking, a trip to the beach where it will be hot and we'll do some sailing, and plenty of walking + dining + going out with friends in Rio and São Paulo. Hopefully I've chosen well, and won't be forced to buy clothes or shoes while in Brazil (although that's always a great excuse!).

Making Those 17.5 Pounds Count

Friends, I am up for a big challenge. Rico and I are going to Brazil for three weeks, and we've decided to travel with only carry-on luggage. That means one bag each, with a weight limit of 17.5 pounds (plus a giant, heavy purse for me!).

See the lovely suitcase above? That's it. I wanted to take a photo with my Havaianas for scale, but Pria hopped on and decided to do a bit of modeling for y'all. So now you can put the carry-on in perspective with my size 8 flip-flops as well as our 18-pound cat. The full scope of this challenge hits home when I realize that the total weight of my clothes and shoes (plus the 5.3 pounds of the suitcase) must be less than big boy Pria.

We're going to a wedding while in Rio, to which I will be wearing a full-length neon red beaded gown. Part of me suspects it will take up half my alloted suitcase space and at least as much of my weight limit. We'll also be going to the mountains, which means I'll need to bring some cold-weather clothing as well.

So far my packing list includes:

- 1 pair jeans

- 1 pair black/gray trousers

- 1 wool sweater

- 2 light cardigans

- knit black pencil skirt

- 2 pairs leggings

- 3 casual dresses

- 3 tank tops

- 3 t-shirts

- 2 long-sleeved shirts

- 1 bikini

- 1 set lounge clothes

- 2 sets of workout clothes

- running shoes (which I may be doomed to wearing on the plane since I doubt they'll fit in the suitcase...nothing says gringo like running shoes while traveling!)

- formal dress

- sparkly black sandals

- ballet flats

- lint roller

- pashmina scarf

We'll see how it goes! Packing starts tonight, after a few requisite loads of laundry. :)

Mortifying, But Too Good Not to Share

For most of my teenage years, and well into my twenties, I kept a journal. Here is a particularly priceless excerpt from one of them, written when I was 14 years old:

November 11, 1995

TO DO:

• Go to Smith's and buy more hair dye
• Wear my walkman 24/7
• Become an enigma
• Have different looks daily, i.e. hair, clothes
• Start wearing cool makeup and jewelry
• Get a life on weekends
• Get Aiden!
• Throw an exclusive, kick-ass party

Verbatim, I swear.

Capulanas in Fashion - Victoria's Secret

Image from www.victoriassecret.com

First Beyonce, now Victoria's Secret. Perhaps this is the sign that the capulana is going mainstream this side of the Atlantic.