Though the end of 2008 brought sobering news about the economy (involving the tightening of my money belt) and scary times for residents inhabiting the freelance world, I did get one very long-awaited and appreciated holiday greeting—an invitation to spend a glorious week in Rio de Janeiro. As the city is rich in natural splendor, dazzling Carnival culture, history and cocktail scene (with Cachçaca emerging as the fashionable spirit to build a cocktail on), I would at long last have the opportunity to write about these topics for my diverse cadre of newspapers and magazines in the States.

In the months leading up to this opportunity, friends and colleagues who previously got their samba on in Rio just couldn’t say enough about carioca style, from fine jewelry at H. Stern’s headquarters to the Hippie Market’s sensational silver and leather finds to a Copacabana hideaway offering world-famous Havaiana flip flops in every color of the rainbow. Beyond that, everybody I discussed the trip with told me about what I must buy when down there—delicious dressy leather shoes in fashion forward shapes, a bikini and flirty skirts and dresses in splashy prints. New Zealand-based designer Turet Knüfermann also seemed excited about what treasures awaited me, especially as she clearly had the inside track on carioca (local) chic via her Brazilian boyfriend.

“Which mall is closer to your hotel,” Turet asked as I informed her my figure may be too curvy for the samba aesthetic sported so beautifully by the twenty-something cariocas. “Iguatemi or Fashion Mall? If it is Iguatemi, go to the top floor and check out Gloria Coelho and Reinaldo Lourenco, cut for real women. They work for me, and will fit you, too. I know what you mean about those Brazilian bods, and how amazingly quickly you can adapt to local fashion. It gets hard to not be tempted to start wearing Lycra. If you are by Fashion Mall, don’t miss Clube Chocolate. You´ll be blown away. It was my biggest inspiration to open my own store. In the backstreets parallel to Ipanema Beach, you’ll find the funkiest stores with new designers and the more alternative chic.”