La Rouge Bistrô - Vegan Food can be Fancy (and Delicious!)

I'll be the first to admit that the idea of Strict Vegetarianism (a.k.a. Veganism) is a foreign one to me. I'm used to this Gaucho culture that surround us in Porto Alegre, with the Barbecue in the weekends included. However, the world of vegetarian food has been interesting me for the last few years, since I decided to give it a try.

This time I went with my girlfriend to a relatively new place, called the La Rouge Bistrô. It's funny to see how a Cow is in the logo, but it does make sense: they love the animals, so much that they won't harm them. The place is run by Gunter Filho and his wife Roberta Kleber, both of them used to hunt japanese boats in the Sea Shepherd and that is impressive by itself.

The menu is simple, but it offers some interesting options. I choose the Kebabs as an opening to our meal.

I'm not into the Satay Sauce (made with peanuts) but other than that it was a really good dish, I was surprised to discover that the "potato" in the end was actually a pineapple, the taste and the juice of it caught me with my hands down.

After that my girlfriend got the Tagliatelle with "meatballs" and I got the mixed-grains Risotto. The pasta and tomato sauce was very fresh and went very well with the pasta, but it was the "meatballs" that stole the show. Probably the best part of the meal, they are made with all kinds of nuts and grains, are crunchy in the outside but soft inside, you can ask for them in a separate dish, for a snack, and I couldn't recommend it more.

My dish, the Risotto, did hit the spot as well, with a lot of flavor going on, thanks to the spinach cream all over it.

If you are searching for something different to eat, or are a Vegan looking for somewhere to go in this city of "Churrascarias", this is a great option. They have a website and a FanPage where you can discover more about the menu and what they can offer to you.

Latin America in Porto Alegre

I like Porto Alegre most for its pure identity. Almost everything in the city exists for the locals and because the locals feel a connection to it. Therefore it’s hard to find anything here that is not Rio Grande do Sul.

However, lately I started taking salsa classes. While you can find several teachers who can teach you to dance a rhythm that is not Brazilian, there are very few places to actually go and practice.

So, I am taking it upon myself to introduce the two places that I found that play Latin American music, such as salsa, merengue, bachata…

Pub Insano (only on Sundays) in Cidade Baixa

Sunday nights at Insano have become legendary for the salsa schools and their students. Although you will find “normal people” (also known as “beginners”) dancing there, it is usually packed with semi-professionals and genuine dance gods and goddesses that will make you want to give up on your dancing efforts in 5 minutes. They have a band and the music is truly good!

Bar Sierra Maestra in Cidade Baixa

Sierra Maestra is a Cuban bar that has salsa playing every day of the week. On Fridays and Saturdays they bring in a band, on other days the music comes from a CD player. The owners are a Cuban-Brazilian couple who have the most fascinating life stories to tell. When you go there, make sure you ask them about how they ended up in Porto Alegre, and bar owners. This is my favorite place to go out at night in Porto Alegre. Despite it being completely charming, well-priced and in a convenient location, the place is almost always empty. Which is a good opportunity to chat with the owners!

Does anyone know of another place?

Read about other bars in Porto Alegre, by Barry Flynn.

First impressions count

Before setting foot in the Happy Harbour I hadn’t fully pictured how the city should appear. Given the German/Italian immigration patterns I imagined a little Latin colonial, maybe a historic quarter with brightly painted houses, cute cafes, wine bars, cobblestoned streets and historic churches. Perhaps packed with sleepy bars by the river that come alive at weekends, and food vendors concocting aromatic fare on every corner. There are remnants of that Latin colonial place I had visualised in my head, but it’s altogether a different place.

 Porto Alegre is an industrial city for work rather than play, capital rather than culture. A city full of beautiful women but no supermodel itself. Along with the 60’s and 70’s structures and pedestrian unfriendly wide roads, the city applauds modernisation. So generic gated high rises are replacing its once historic buildings, which are vanishing.

 Architecture may not be Porto Alegre’s forte, however it does have one redeeming feature; a tree for every season. Porto Alegre is unquestionably a Dendrophiliacs paradise. It’s is hardcore tree porn for nature-lovers around the globe. Palm trees, fruit trees, colourful floral trees, pine trees, overhanging trees blanket an otherwise urban concrete jungle. They make the city feel green. The scent of Guavas is tantalising in summer, a riot of orange star like flowers decorate the city in autumn, and plump mandarins can be picked off the trees in winter.

Beautiful flowers that adorn the trees in POA

However the jewel in the cities crown blossoms in spring. The Jacaranda (a vibrant purple bell flower tree with twisted branches) give the city a carnival like feel during the months of October and November. Internationally recognised Rua Gonçalo de Carvalho is probably the most famous street to spot these in bloom. Without a doubt, the Jacarandas are the cities number one treasure and should be cherished.

Rua Gonçalo de Carvalho

Given its stunning climate, it’s surprising that more doesn't happen outdoors. Revitalisation of the waterfront, plus more outdoor cafes and establishments would enhance the quality of life. And a festival with lots of street vendors and events on Rua Gonçalo de Carvalho, for instance would surely be nice way to pay homage to the cities undeniable natural beauty. If that ever happens is anyone’s guess. In the meantime, charming mountain towns and the wine region are only a drive away.

Dia do Cosplay em Porto Alegre

Em 21 de julho foi realizado o Dia do Cosplay em Porto Alegre. O encontro de cosplayers de Porto Alegre integrou um projeto em escala nacional para divulgar o Cosplay no Brasil. Além do Rio Grande do Sul, outros dezoito estados brasileiros organizaram seus encontros de cosplayers.

Cosplay: arte ou diversão? Se for avaliado o estudo de um personagem (incluindo desde a análise da sua personalidade até o planejamento, investimento e execução do traje), onde cada detalhe se refletirá na interpretação do mesmo, então não restam dúvidas de que Cosplay é uma arte.

A diversão, por outro lado, também é um elemento central em qualquer evento onde hajam cosplayers. Não importa se as interpretações são alegres ou enigmáticas. É uma tribo que transmite uma energia muito intensa.

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Confere aqui mais imagens sobre o Dia do Cosplay na Redenção, em Porto Alegre.

Cosplay na Redenção

O Parque da Redenção é um espaço de convivência de várias tribos. No último dia 21 uma destas tribos mostrou a sua força: os cosplayers.

O Dia do Cosplay foi um evento organizado pelos grupos de cosplayers Guild RS, Konoha RS, além de Lucas Barcelos e Johnny Joestar (segundo a fan page da MCM Brasil no Facebook). A concentração ocorreu no Monumento ao Expedicionário, no início da tarde. A seguir, o grupo se movimentou em direção ao Largo Professor Francisco de Paula B. da Rocha.

Cosplayer é o praticante do Cosplay. O Cosplay, por sua vez, é a arte de representar um personagem a caráter. Confere a seguir imagens de alguns dos cosplayers.

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O encontro na Redenção despertou a atenção e o interesse do público que frequenta o parque. Muitas pessoas pararam para fotografar os cosplayers que pacientemente atenderam a todos.

A tarde já se encaminhava para o seu final, mas o Parque Farroupilha continuava recebendo novos cosplayers.

E então, qual foi o teu cosplayer preferido?

¿Cuál es la diferencia?

Cuando llegué a Porto Alegre otros extranjeros me dijeron que esta parte de Brasil era diferente de lo que imaginaba. No se equivocaron. ¿A qué Brasil llegué? No me parece, como muchos dicen, una parte de Suramérica mas europea excepto en que la mayoría de la población es blanca. En cierta forma, es como otras ciudades de Suramérica: una periferia, un centro, problemas sociales y en la parte positiva, ciudad en crecimiento y gente amable y alegre. ¿Que és entonces lo diferente?

Primero, lo obvio, nada de tambores en las calles, mujeres en hilo dental bailando, ni samba o  bossa nova, excepto en contados restaurantes. Segundo, bailar rock y pop en fiestas. En mi país, Colombia, esta música se escucha sentado, mientras bebes cerveza con tus amigos. ¿Bailarla? Jamás. En el resto de Suramérica podría decirse que se baila música mas “tropical”, nunca rock o pop.

También tienen la tradición gaúcha: toman una bebida muy caliente, el chimarrão, en pleno verano, tienen danzas con largos vestidos en mujeres y pantalones bombachos en hombres y los churrascos, una manera única de asar la carne.

Al estar en el sur del continente, Porto Alegre tiene estaciones, pero para nosotros, extranjeros, es difícil imaginar inmediatamente un Brasil frío, del mismo modo que pocos imaginan que Bogotá, la capital de mi país, es fría todo el año aunque esté cerca del Ecuador.

Aún así, Porto Alegre conserva la amabilidad brasilera. En esta ciudad permanece el calor humano de su gente, te abren las puertas de su casa, hay conversaciones en la calle con desconocidos, apoyo al pedir indicaciones en la calle e invitaciones a fiestas. Cuando te saludan por primera vez, te abrazan, cuando se despiden por primera vez te dicen “beijo”, y probablemente marquen un encuentro para verse una segunda vez contigo.