South American Cholo: Lowrider Culture in São Paulo

Why are Brazilians adopting the lowrider subculture of East Los Angeles? A short documentary, South American Cholo, provides an engaging answer.

The Winning Design for Brazil’s New Antarctic Station

Estúdio 41, an architectural firm from Curitiba, has won a design competition to rebuild Brazil’s Antarctic Station for polar scientific research.

Dia do Trabalho: International Workers’ Day in Brazil

May 1st is Dia do Trabalho (Labor Day) in Brazil. In the 1940s, under President Vargas, the holiday became linked to new labor protections and benefits.

Dia de Tiradentes: a Martyr for National Independence

Dia de Tiradentes is a national holiday honoring a hero of Brazil’s struggle for independence. But who was the real man, and how is he remembered today?

Dia do Índio: A Day of Honor and Indigenous Pride

Dia do Índio celebrates the indigenous people of Brazil and their many contributions to the nation’s culture. It’s a day for reflection and activism.

Curitiba: Sustainable Design in a Modern City

A little-known state capital in southern Brazil, Curitiba, is the international model for building a modern city with green and sustainable design.

Tapioca Couscous: a Simple, Sweet Dessert

Reflecting the diverse heritage of Brazil, tapioca couscous is an African slave recipe that mixes ingredients used by the indigenous people and Europeans.

The Timothy Ferriss 1-Hour Method: Learn a Language Fast

Best-selling author Timothy Ferriss has a unique system to learn any language in 1 hour. I apply his method to explain the basics of Brazilian Portuguese.

Darkened Cities: Thierry Cohen Reveals the Stars over Rio

Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro from Darkened Cities by Thierry Cohen

Darkened Cities is a photo series which composites major cities, like Rio de Janeiro, with the stars above that, in reality, are veiled by light pollution.

Human Pantone: Angélica Dass Catalogs Every Skin Color

Brazilian artist Angélica Dass has an art project called Humanae, which documents every human skin tone using the PANTONE® Guide as a reference.

Instituto Inhotim: Modern Art in a Natural Paradise

Nestled in the hills of a tropical forest just an hour southwest of Belo Horizonte, Instituto Inhotim is part modern art museum and part botanical garden.

Tupi Novo Mundo: the New EP by Afrobeat Band Iconili

Iconili, an afrobeat band from Brazil, call their rhythmic music ‘tropical psychedelia’. Listen here to “Tupi Novo Mundo” — free to download.