While in Brazil – I have had the privilege to attend two exhibitions of fashion. One was a wedding show (Noivas um Festa's Bridal Show) where my friend Tacia Magna Viana Pires was showcasing her talents in creating hand written invitation. The other was CASACOR Goias 2011(www.casacor.com.br) an exhibition on interior design. In this blog I will be talking about the first and I hope you enjoy my perspective. If you do and don’t want to miss the second, make sure you subscribe to my blog so you receive notices when I post. OK enough with the self promotion on to the evening.
Luiz arrives home and we quickly get ready for a cocktail reception a friend of his (Tacia Magna) has invited us to. I am not sure what the “event” is, but I am always game for dressing up and attending these kinds of functions. After a small bite to eat (there is always food at cocktail receptions so should keep it small, but you just never know what that food will be…right?), we drive to Ambientar (a local venue in Goiania) and park a short distance away. We stroll through the neighborhood with a few other people, all heading to the exhibition. When we get closer I realize it is a wedding expo and since I am in that industry back in Atlanta, I am excited to see what the city has to offer. The show Noivas Em Festa
Twitter,
Facebook Main Page is celebrating it’s 6th edition and tonight is highlighting over 50 professionals in the high end bridal market. With Valet out front and a welcoming red carpet, it is very similar to productions I network at in Atlanta.
We walk up to the front door and meet Tacia who has our ticket. She leads us into the venue and down the stairs to her stylish table.
(Tacia Caligrafa - Official Photo from the night) It is nicely arranged with the hand written invitations displayed. Each invitation was created with simply magnificent and graceful calligraphy. Even though it is written in Portuguese, I am intrigued by the flowing lines of the ink. They are so so precise, I almost cannot believe they are hand written. After a short visit with Tacia we begin to browse the different vignettes set up throughout the space.
The showcase is a representation from all the usual suspects like decoration, photography, buffet, ceremonial garments, shoes, cakes and pastries, invitations, furniture rentals, travel agencies, beauty salons, special car rentals, just to name a few.
( See Exhibitors) Of course the vignettes highlighting the decorators draw my attention. These creative table displays could easily be found at the NACE Table Trends back in the states.
(NACE Atlanta / Table Trends)
We make our way through the vendors to the courtyard checking out the many cake displays and possible hotel stays along the way. To my surprise many of the vendors did not want me to photograph their displays. This amazed me as they had put so much work into their creation and it was obvious I am not their competition (speaking only English and being from the U.S.). Even if I did intend to use their ideas, for me imitation is the best compliment I can get.
(and you just never know where you photo will end up and get more attention) But it was their choice and I honored it only taking photos where the vendor said pode (pronounced "pod-jee" it is "you can" in Portuguese). We made our way to the courtyard after about thirty minutes and the luxurious courtyard is filled with people, displays, food stations, bars, and a runway. I quickly notice a display up the little hill and to the right so I lead us in that direction.
This vignette is by far the winner of best design in my book (even though it is not a competition) It was the table designed by Valeria Junqueira
(Website). To simply describe it as clear, clean and green. The design had nothing simple about it. With a variety of delicate white flowers suspended above the clear head table adorn with tall vases of white orchids and the same delicate white flowers overhead. Plenty of fresh greenery added for the perfect accent to the clear see through elements. Around the head table were positioned the guest tables. Decorated with a fresh garden look adorned with tulips, yellow roses, greenery, and push pin mums in the center. They were lush and overflowing with the details of life. I spent quite a bit of time just looking and admiring the vignette. Ever second discovering a new detail in the design.
Let's head back inside the building (not literally - just in my blog) to a table display which I have to acknowledge and give it honorable mention in my book (again, not a competition) I had noticed it as we walked through earlier and would describe it as dark and delicious. With its
black disco chandeliers above the elegant gold plated table and chairs. The details of the chairs competing for your eyes attention with only the black tableware and red accents of roses and napkins. How can you go wrong when you give people these colors to feast their eyes on. It was definitely an eye catcher. Unfortunately I could not find who’s table design it was.
But since this is not a decoration show, I had better spend some time on the rest, so lets head back. In the courtyard Luiz bumps into some friends who we hang out with the rest of the evening. It is always good to friends from our pasts. There is a large crowd of people gathered around the food stations and bars. (sound familiar?) we head towards the sushi bar to grab some nid bits to eat. The sushi tastes wonderful and I can see why everyone has gathered around. You also can’t get far before you are done eating it and need more.
A short while later the music starts. Singer White Sang Nila takes the runway along with her band. As they begin to play my first impression has nothing to do with what I hear but of how the singer is dressed. Isn't this an upscale cocktail party? If it is as I have witnessed then she has not dressed to the occasion. Her white unflattering dress with a gray scull on the front barely covered her bum. It's shortness is only amplified by the tall boots she is wearing. I don’t want to be a hater, but with the mismatched scarf adorning her neck, it looked like she ran through someones closet grabbing what ever she would find to wear. As she was singing I could not get past the outfit she was wearing. Maybe this is her style but I would expect to find someone a little more upscale at an event like this.
We hang out a little longer as Luiz caught up with his friends and I continued my people watching and creating stories in my head about who these people are in the wedding industry. I again wish my Portuguese was further along because you just never know the contacts I could have made. But it is what it is and the night is over and we head home to the comforts of our home. Another wonderful evening full of friends and beautiful things to see. The post for CASA COR Goias will be done shortly - check back and in the meantime check out my other posts.
Interior Design - Goias Style - COSA COR
(Read "A day in the Country")
(Click here for More Photos from the night)
small parking lot for the park. It sure is nice they have turned this asphault into more green space. Soon I am imagining a bride and groom exchanging their vows here or maybe it is a family gathered together with their basket of goods to have a lovely afternoon picnic. It is a perfect location for either of these occastions. As I walk down the sidewalk past the shelter towards Magnolia Hall - a small event 
facility where that same imaginary couple may be having their reception after their wedding nuptials. I continue to fantasize a little about the couple and how their day is just perfect with sun beating down, a few light fluffy clouds in the sky and a light breeze to keep their guests cool. I walk past Magnolia Hall and am distracted by the realization thatt the park expansion they were working on during my last visit is now open. I decide to check what they have created instead of heading the the Botanical Garden which was my first thought. 
One park is for larger dogs and one for smaller dogs, for those who have never visited a dog park in the United States; they are large open areas which are fenced in. Dog owners bring their pooches here and let them run free with the other dogs. These dog parks can be seen from the bridge (the one at the entrance of the park I had strolled across earlier) and from time to time I stop and watch the dogs playing down below. I find it relaxing and although I do not own a dog I can appreciate the carefree play of a dog and easy life it lives. 
The grass has turned brown already as the summer heat has hit Atlanta early. On the overlooks there are benches for people to sit and I must say the have done a nice job of expanding the park. I continue a little further and soon hear the laughter and screams of children playing ahead. Walking onto a large grass oval I cannot see the source of the 
obviously still under construction with its bright orange fencing keeping visiters inside the lines. There is a lot of space to be converted and a couple of free standing bridges that are yet to be connected to paths. The expansion is going to be a great enhancement of the park once finished. Soon I arrive at the road behind some shops bordered by Piedmont Road on the other side. My journey through Piedmont Park’s expansion is complete for today. I look forward to visiting again and see more improvements in the near future. 
