Made in Brazil

A Semana: Romulo Arantes, Gays On TV, And São Paulo Gay Pride

Actor Romulo Arantes Neto made headlines this weekend for stating that "transvestites are not happy people" when asked about the scandal involving soccer star Ronaldo on an interview to Folha de São Paulo. Knowing Romulo, I am fairly certain that the sad statement was taken out of context, and that he did not mean it as it was printed, especially considering he just posed for the cover of gay magazine Junior. Btw, I have just heard that he will play a mutant on the campy soap Caminhos do Coração.

Two weeks after he was caught with three trannies in a motel room, Ronaldo found out his now ex-girlfriend is pregnant with his child. That is what I call bad timing.

A very pregnant Camila Alves spent mother's day with bf Matthew McConaughey in LA.

Shia LaBeouf does drag and takes his pants off on SNL.

Globo networks announced that it will again veto the gay kiss screenwriter Aguinaldo Silva wrote for the last episode of soap Duas Caras. To justify the veto, Globo claimed that a televised gay kiss does not fit the quality standards of the network.

Watch the commitment ceremony featured last night on Brothers & Sisters, which is a perfect example of what Brazilian TV should be doing.

Patrick Dempsey scores the cover of the latest Men's Vogue.

Nightclub Megga Fun, which had recently opened in São Paulo, was shut down over the weekend. I wonder if DJ Hex Hector, who was scheduled to spin at the club, will now be playing at a different venue for Pride.

The Week's owner Andre Almada will be releasing a guide about proper nightlife etiquette.

The São Paulo Gay Pride Association is working with the military police to guarantee that there will be a large improvement on security this year for the parade on Avenida Paulista. Still I would highly suggest keeping all your belongings neatly tucked inside your underwear if you are going to be attending. About 3.5 million are expected again.

The Week Gets A Rainproof Makeover

São Paulo's gay mecca The Week is still the leading gay club in the city for one main reason: it is constantly changing for the better. Last week the club announced that it will be investing in a new high-tech roof to cover the outdoors pool area, just so that no one will have to worry about parties being canceled because of rain.

This coming Saturday DJs/producers Milk and Sugar will be spinning at the club to get the boys ready for all the Gay Pride festivities which kick off on Wednesday, May 21.

For The Week's complete Gay Pride schedule, click here. Tickets for the big bash on May 24 with Offer Nissim and Peter Rauhofer are already R$100, so I highly suggest you purchase yours asap at Ingresso Rapido.

New Club Review: Megga Fun

Saturday was a busy night for me in São Paulo. I wanted to check out the recently opened Megga Fun, but I also needed to attend the launch party for the third issue of DOM magazine, which was nearby at The Week. I made a quick pit stop to say hi to my friends at The Week on the early side (and early side in Brazil means 1 am), and headed over to Megga Fun at about 2 am.

Since Megga Fun belongs to the same owners of Bubu Lounge, the crowd is pretty much what you would expect at Bubu on Fridays: fun, unpretentious, and ready for some action (meaning horny). There are the usual tattooed muscle boys, but the vast majority of the dancefloor is occupied by a younger crowd of non-shirtless guys.

The club itself is a spacious warehouse with exposed brick walls, incredibly high ceilings, and three separate areas: the main dancefloor, the lounge at the entrance with a different DJ, and a small outdoors patio with a cafe (in case you need breakfast before heading home after a night out). The main dancefloor features a bar parked right on the middle with plenty of bartenders to make sure that you can easily get a drink. The VIP lounges with white couches surround the dancefloor, and there are waiters around so that you don't have to leave to get to the bar when you need a drink. Service was top notch this past Saturday, but I would agree with what some of my friends said: bartenders could have been a little hotter, shirtless, and more engaging. After all, Megga Fun is sort of the new equivalent of New York's Splash to the boys in São Paulo.

I had my new Flip cam with me, and made a couple of videos of the go-go boys in action to share with you guys.

As much as I think The Week is undoubtedly the best club option in the city on Saturday nights, I am happy that clubs like Megga Fun are opening up so that the boys can actually make a choice as to where they want to go. I had a good time there, and would definitely suggest you check it out as well.

A Semana: Megga Fun, Kanye West, Madonna, And Isabeli

Nightclub Megga Fun opened in São Paulo last Saturday, offering another alternative to the traditional Babylon party at The Week. Reviews from the blogosphere were pretty diverse, so I am going to check it out by myself next time I am in the city and let you guys know how I feel about it (with photos and videos as usual).

Talking about The Week, Erick Morillo will be spinning at the club in São Paulo this Friday. Tony Moran commands the party on Saturday.

Made In Brazil was picked as one of Typepad Featured Blogs last week, which I thought was pretty cool.

The boys from Ohlala went tanning for a cause with Work Out star Jackie Warren. I can't believe I will miss the premiere of the show now that am in Brazil.

Kanye West unveiled yet another amazing video, this time for Homecoming. I am wondering if the video for Flashing Lights ever got any play because of its content.

Madonna's Hard Candy blitz is gearing up with rumors of a possible live performance at Roseland in New York on April 28 or 29. Make sure to check out exclusive screen caps from the video for 4 Minutes, to listen to the Junkie XL mix of the single, and to preview Madonna's Elle cover. The video premieres this week.

CSS' lead singer Lovefoxxx stars in the new campaign for Luella Bartley's collection for surfwear label O'Neil.

Model Isabeli Fontana's big return to the runways this season is paying off. I hear she is booked for the new ad campaigns for Valentino, Cavalli, and Belstaff.

Talking about castings, this was the talk of the town last week. And it is true.

A Semana: Gisele, CFDA, Madonna, Bears, And A New Mega Club

Gisele's bum is up for sale, sort of. Christie's New York will be auctioning a collection of photography from collector Gert Elfering next month, and portrait of Gisele by Irving Penn is expected to go for over $30,000.

A pregnant Alessandra Ambrósio was in Rio this past weekend shooting the new campaign for UK retailer Next, and RG Vogue has pictures.

The 2008 CFDA Fashion Awards nominees were announced, and Brazilian Francisco Costa got a nod for Womenswear Designer Of The Year for his work at Calvin Klein. He is up against Proenza Schouler and Marc Jacobs. The ceremony will take place June 2.

Tom Ford, who was nominated for a CFDA for Menswear Designer Of The Year, is going to father a child in 2008.

Uniqlo invited four international designers to create capsule collections. Brazilian Juliana Jabour was one of them, so expect lots of striped jersey dresses hitting the stores this month.

Madonna was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Justin Timberlake last night: "The world is full of Madonna wannabes. I might have even dated a couple. But there truly is only one Madonna."

Seal will be touring Brazil from March 26 to April 3, with shows scheduled in São Paulo, Rio, Curitiba, and Porto Alegre.

The recent boom in the Brazilian gay bear market will result in the opening of a new bar in São Paulo right around Gay Pride in May. There are already three bear parties happening in the country: Bearland, Woof, and Ursound.

Another massive gay club is set to open in São Paulo later this month, on March 29. Created by the owners of Bubu Lounge, Megga Fun will open on Saturdays only, meaning it will be an alternative to the muscle boys who do not want to go to The Week. The club will hold 3,000 people.

Openly gay Big Brother Brazil contestant Marcelo is up for elimination tonight against my crush Rafinha. I am voting for Marcelo to go as Rafinha is the only reason to watch the show. Besides that, Marcelo is just too freaking annoying.

A Semana: SPFW, Janet, MacBook Air, And The Submercer Reopening

Isabela Capeto is skipping the shows this season, but presented her new fall 2008 collection yesterday at her studio in São Paulo. My take? Just a little too Chanel.

São Paulo Fashion Week starts today, and it is all about exclusive bookings: Brazil's Next Top Model presenter Fernanda Motta is cast for the Cori show this afternoon, and Bruna Tenório is doing Alexandre Herchcovitch right after.

Ana Beatriz Barros and Marcele Bittar will be joining Raquel Zimmermann tomorrow at the Animale show.

Zoomp has the most exclusive and most international cast of the season, with Carol Trentini, Irina Lazareanu, Coco Rocha, and Isabeli Fontana.

Could this really be the cover of Janet's Discipline?

Check out Timbaland's new video for Scream.

Steve Jobs unveiled the the world's thinnest laptop, the new ultra-slim MacBook Air, yesterday at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco. The price tag? $1,799. Apple also launched web movie rentals.

Page Six has not announced it yet, but after being shut down for five years the Submercer is reopening tomorrow night. Due to fire regulations, the maximum number of people allowed in the bar will be 73, and that is including staff. SoHo resident celebs such as Kelly Ripa, Bon Jovi, Marc Jacobs, and Ellie Tahari, are going to be receiving a VIP card, and Andre Balazs' birthday is going to kick off the grand opening in a week. Just don't ask me how I got this information, but the Submercer used to be one of my favorite places in New York.

A Semana: Robbery at Masp, Gisele, And A New HIV Drug

How embarrassing is it that two major works of art were stolen from São Paulo's Musem of Art yesterday at 5 am? How embarrassing is it that the surveillance cameras at the museum were not equipped with infrared system? And how embarrassing is it that the alarm system was not working? It is a shame that one of the most important museums in the country can be robbed of two paintings worth $55 million in about three minutes, and that the paintings were not even insured. Considering Cândido Portinari's "O Lavrador de Café" and Picasso's "Portrait of Suzanne Bloch" were in separate wings of the museum, the police suspects that the two paintings were specific targets, and that the robbery was planned by a collector, in a Thomas Crown Affair sort of way. The Federal Police and the Interpol are working on the case.

In case you haven't heard it already, Gisele signed with Dolce & Gabbana to design a clothing line.

Model Isabeli Fontana unveiled her new clothing line for kids yesterday in São Paulo.

Get a sneak peak of the making of Louis Vuitton's spring ad campaign at Style.com.

Matthew McConaughey's gf Camila Alves is cashing in on her newly acquired celeb status. The model is now one of the partners of Club Lotus, which reopened last night in São Paulo.

After being closed for exactly a month, nightclub Bubu Lounge will reopen tonight in São Paulo. I love the place, and can't wait to go back there.

Brazil is developing a new single pill containing three drugs already used in the treatment of patients who are HIV+. The combined fixed dose is in its final stages of testing, and should be available by late 2008. It will not only make it easier for patients to stick to the treatment, but it will also significantly lower its cost to the government.

When In Rio, Do Like The Cariocas

The Week Rio debuted its second dancefloor and pool area properly entitled Doca (or Dock) this past weekend, just in time for New Year's Eve. I still cannot believe I have not been to the club yet, but I am sure I will make it there in the next two months.

I am hoping to see lots of pictures of boys actually in the pool now that it is summer in Brazil. More at The Week Rio.

Tackiest Event Of The Season: White Party II

Not even the clouds over São Paulo and the constant threat of a thunderstorm were capable of slowing down the gayest event of the month, designer Rogério Figueiredo's birthday bash at The Week. I did not attend the event last year, but my expectation level was set on high thanks to all the press releases I received on my mailbox for the past two months.

I am not one to bash a party when it is open bar and there are hot go-go boys, but I do confess I was expecting more of the event after all the online buzz. For starters, the invite could have used a little extra attention. If you are going to write it in English for no other reason than the fact you think it sounds cool, you should do a little homework so that you don't spell Birthday Spetacular wrong (it should have read Spectacular). As for the picture of the designer surrounded by flamingos and tigers, I thought it was really camp and perfect for the party. Rogério gets points for having the balls to do it.

The organization of the event was obviously the strongest point, but that is probably because it was supervised by the team at The Week. The idea of serving caipirinhas at the bars was cute and summery, but not effective considering the amount of time it takes to prepare them. I know I can't complain about drinks when they are free, but something else other than vodka, beer, or water would have been nice. I heard about a food court, and I know there was one, but I did not manage to find it (and all I saw related to food were boys sucking on popsicles).

Unfortunately, the weather did not help much with the all white theme. If it had been sunny and the skies had been blue, I think the party would have worked better. Somehow it felt like a New Year's Eve celebration in the middle of fall or something. On a positive note (or not depending on what turns you on), at least it did not rain, and it was fun to see what everyone had on.

As for the music, I would have liked it a little less hard and somber considering it was a day party. A lot of the people I saw who were high as a kite seemed to be enjoying it though, so please ignore my opinion. The twenty-minute samba break which totally raised the tackiness level to a 10 was actually one of the highlights for me when it came to dancing.

There is more after the jump, and exclusive pictures at a new photo album.

Weekend Forecast: Party, Party, Party!

This weekend is probably the busiest party weekend in the country until New Year's Eve, thanks partially to designer Rogério Figueiredo's birthday bash at The Week on Sunday a.k.a. White Party II.

If you are in São Paulo tonight, Russel Small from the Freemasons is going to be performing at The Week, compensating for the duo's last minute cancellation back in October. There is also hot DJ Pete Tha Zouk at club Pacha, and the always fun BafonBafu party at Glória, headlined by Sergio Amaral and Ju Andrade.

If you are in Rio, then do not miss the first carioca edition of AleLux at Barman Club in Copacabana, closing the MixBrasil Film Festival. Designer Ale Herchcovitch spins avec partner-in-crime Johnny Luxo.

Israeli DJ Ronen Mizrahi will command the turntables at Flexx in São Paulo on Saturday night, while Venezuelan Luís Erre will take over The Week. The first ever Eden Women Party also takes place, and is expected to draw 3,000 girls to Aldeia Turiassú.

For the past month, it seems that the main issue on the Brazilian blogosphere is the party put together by Rogério Figueiredo at The Week to celebrate his birthday and the launch of his menswear line. I would have called it a private party considering it is guest-lits only, but 3,500 guests is not exactly my idea of privacy. If the weather forecast is correct (and thunderstorms are really on the way), his much anticipated White Party may turn into a huge wet t-shirt contest. Regardless of the weather, I will be attending so do expect a full coverage here on Monday. If you are also going, remember that you must donate a toy at the entrance.

A Semana: Glamour, Angels, Tropa de Elite, Gay Bloggers, And Gay Bikers

Brazil got its first online luxury boutique with the launch of Glamour.com.br. The design of the site is cheap looking and lacks luster, but the selection of merchandise includes a R$6,980 Lanvin bag, as well as R$1,850 Dior sunglasses.

Isabeli Fontana is definitely on the rise again: she was the star of the Rosa Chá fashion show in São Paulo last night, celebrating the pre-opening of Buddha Bar at Daslu.

Brazilian model Andre Ziehe takes over the 29th slot at Models.com list of top male models. The only Brazilian ranking higher than him right now is Evandro Soldati, at number 3.

Missed the Victoria's Secret fashion show on TV last night? Watch it or download it here.

Globo networks is negotiating the rights to develop a TV series based on the controversial movie Tropa de Elite. Production will not start before the movie's international debut, set for the Berlin Film Festival.

Towleroad has news about Gus Van Sant's movie Milk, the upcoming biopic of the slain San Francisco Supervisor and gay rights icon Harvey Milk.

Supposedly gay soccer player Richarlyson called it quits with grilfriend Letícia Carlos because of her decision to pose for the January issue of Playboy. According to the girlfriend, the player did not want the future mother of his children to expose herself for everyone to see. Why bother when she is not even pregnant, and they had been dating for only three months?

Blogger Marcos Costa will soon debut his own gossip column about São Paulo's gay nightlife on the site Cena Carioca. He is not afraid to say what is on his mind, so do expect some controversy (and lots of angry queens).

São Paulo's newest club, Ultra Diesel, opened last Friday to the worst possible reviews from the Brazilian gay blogosphere. According to almost every gay site in the country, the club smelled of fresh paint, and there was water leaking from the ceiling. Critics were so harsh that owner Marcelo Piccine released a formal apology. In an era of top notch service started by gay mecca The Week, you just don't open a club in São Paulo before making sure everything is flawless.

Nothing planned for December 11? Get on your bicycle and join the Gay Bikers SP group for a night of biking around São Paulo. It is a good way to meet new people and also get in shape for summer. For more information about it, email Andre Hidalgo.

A Semana: Isabeli's Comeback, The Best Swimmer Of 2007, Condom Machines, And Movies

A year after giving birth to her second child, Isabeli Fontana is making a big comeback this season: she booked the Victoria's Secret show, stars in the current lingerie campaign for H&M, booked the next issue of Numero shot by Greg Kadel, and will appear in a 20-page spread in the next Vogue Paris shot by Peter Lindbergh.

Forget about naked models and designers, the next issue of Visionaire will be devoted to your senses. The new Visionaire Sound will come with five 12-inch vinyls and 2 CDs in a limited edition of 4,000 copies, at a price tag of $250.

The latest issue of Flaunt magazine celebrates 25 years of Calvin Klein underwear with a spread featuring some of the hottest male models around, such as Garret Neff and Brazilian Romulo Pires.

Thiago Pereira is voted best swimmer of the year by the readers of Swimming World , beating Michael Phelps.

Unique and affordable destination: Fernando de Noronha gets reviewed by The Today Show.

Vegas in São Paulo is going to be the first club in the city to feature a condom machine available on premises. In a pioneer project in the country in the fight against AIDS and STDs, club goers will no longer have to worry about having condoms or lube on them in case they get lucky. The machines will be installed in several gay and straight clubs throughout the city.

The controversial Brazilian movie Tropa de Elite may not have been selected to represent the country at next year's Academy Awards, but its Oscar hopes are not over yet: with an American debut set for next year, director José Padilha is intent on having his picture run for the main Oscar categories in 2009, as an example of what happened with City Of God.

Who knew there was a movie adaptation of Cleopatra in Brazil? It took home the award for best film at Brasília's Film Festival this week, but the audience apparently did not agree with the choice. Director Julio Bressane was booed during his acceptance speech. I can only imagine how bad it sucks.

I absolutely love this screentest Natalie Portman just did for the New York Times.

A Semana: Gisele, Santoro, Alicia Keys, Sex On The Beach, And New HIV Data

La Bündchen has once again been confirmed to walk the runway for Colcci on January 8 at Fashion Rio. It will be her seventh consecutive season on the campaign for the brand.

Designer Marc Jacobs keeps on flaunting his naked body in yet another shot from Visionaire 52.

Rodrigo Santoro is in early talks with Buena Onda Americas to play the lead role in the upcoming production of Old Mountain, an epic about the childhood friendship and adult-life confrontation of a rich landowner's son and the son of his humble black foreman, set in Minas Gerais.

Alicia Keys' new album As I Am debuted on the first slot of the Billboard charts this week, with sales of 742,000 copies. That's the best sales week for a female artist since Norah Jones' Feels Like Home in 2004. Alicia Keys' single No One took over the first slot on the Hot 100 chart this week as well.

Work that: check out Mary J. Blige in the new commercial for iPod and iTunes.

Brazilian celebs never learn: actors Karina Bacchi and Jean Fercondini were caught in steamy pictures at the beach yesterday.

Nightclub Bubu Lounge has been closed temporarily by the city of São Paulo. The club usually packs about 2,000 people on Friday nights. I personally love it there so I hope it reopens soon.

DJ duo Chus & Ceballos will be playing at Flexx in São Paulo tomorrow night.

In a study released this week, statistics show that the number of heterosexual men infected with the HIV virus in Brazil has risen in the last ten years. In 1996, 25.6% of all men infected with HIV were heterosexal, while 29.4% were homosexual. Those numbers have now changed to 42.6% and 27.6%, respectively, proving that the HIV and Aids epidemic has been kept under control amongst the gay community in the country. However, the same study notes that there has been an increase on the number of gay men infected with HIV between the ages of 13 and 24.

A Semana: Calvin Klein In Rio, Bahia On The NYT, And The American Music Awards

Designer Calvin Klein landed in Rio this past Saturday for another sunny season in the city. He gets back to his workouts in Ipanema today.

Mr. Marc Jacobs was looking good at the 2007 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Gala dinner, escorted by bf Jason Preston.

Brazilian actor Lázaro Ramos is in New York for the International Emmy Awards, which take place tonight at the Hilton. He is up for best actor for his role on the soap Cobras e Lagartos.

The New York Times T: Travel magazine takes on Bahia, spending eight days in the northeastern coast of Brazil and featuring tips on beaches, nightlife, and shopping.

A new gay club is set to open in São Paulo on November 30: Ultra Diesel. Marcelo Piccine, responsible for the project, talked to A Capa about his latest venture. Mr. Piccine has parties such as R:evolution and The Original Brazilian Pool Party under his belt, and promises an all-white club with a high tech led system, as well as a modelesque selection of bartenders.

X-Factor winner (and my new obsession) Leona Lewis broke the record for fastest selling debut album in the UK with Spirit. She also holds the title for best selling single of the year in the UK, with total sales of 490,000 of Bleeding Love.

If you missed the American Music Awards (I did), check out performances by Celine Dion, Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, and Sugarland and Beyoncé in a country rendition of her hit Irreplaceable. For a list of winners, click here.

Mi Buenos Aires Querido, Part III

My Sunday in Buenos Aires was off to a rough start after getting home at 7 am from Glam. To recover from the sleep deprivation and excess of vodka redbull still running through my veins, we decided to have brunch in Palermo.

We walked a few blocks to Mott (El Salvador 4685), and got a table facing the street to watch the crowd. The food is simple, affordable, and pretty good. The place is exactly what Argentinian style means to me: understated, casual, and yet sophisticated. The high ceilings, dark wood furniture, and bottles of liquor lined from floor to ceiling at the bar create a relaxed and cool atmosphere.

After hanging out at Mott for over two hours, we took another stroll around Palermo Soho, checked out a couple of stores, hit the street fairs, and stopped by Freddo for helados (my favorite flavors in case you are wondering are banana and crema tramontana). More on dinner and nightlife after the jump.

Mi Buenos Aires Querido, Part II

Continuing my little review of this past weekend in Buenos Aires, we woke up after 11 on Saturday to another sunny day. Since we had lunch reservations at Cabaña Las Lilas in Puerto Madero, we headed that way for a stroll before lunch (basically an attempt to recover from a hangover).

Lunch at Las Lilas is a gastronomic orgasm. As soon as you sit down, cheese breads, flat breads, and antipasti are served (and they keep on getting replaced at the table every five minutes or so). The meat is superb there, and there are several options of salads and side dishes to go with it. My top picks are the asado de tiras and the ojo de bife. After eating non-stop for about two hours, don't forget to order coffee or tea. Even if you are not in the mood for coffee, the sweets that come with it are worth it. Make sure to call in advance and ask for a table outside by the veranda, with a view of the water (and of Calatrava's Puente de la Mujer).

We left the restaurant and stopped by Galerias Pacifico to do some shopping, digest, and give one of my friends a much needed haircut. If you are going to stop by a mall in Buenos Aires though, I would recommend Alto Palermo or the more upscale Patio Bullrich instead of Pacifico.

Next stop was Recoleta for a walk around the neighborhood and a helado break at Freddo. Recoleta has a lot of old world charm, with cute restaurants and designer boutiques.

From Recoleta we went straight home for a power nap before dinner, and hitting the bars. More after the jump.

Mi Buenos Aires Querido, Part I

Thanks to a national holiday last Friday, I got to spend the weekend in Buenos Aires with friends. I had not been there in ages, and had a really great time (partially thanks to four days of amazing weather and the current exchange rate).

Since I received several emails with travel tips last week, I figured I would compile a list of places I visited this weekend, and share them with some of you who may be heading to Buenos Aires anytime soon or at the end of the year.

We landed on Friday morning, and after a 45-minute taxi ride, and settling nicely in Palermo, we decided to explore the area a little and have lunch at Olsen (Gorriti 5870). The very cool 60's mod decor at the restaurant, which is set apart from the street by a huge indoor patio with fountains and all, is unfortunately unmatched by the quality of the food. The Scandinavian-inspired cuisine ended up being the most disappointing meal we had over the weekend, so I would recommend sticking to the place for drinks at night exclusively. There is a huge selection of vodkas, as well as a nice selection of cute waiters and a fireplace. It is a good thing we stopped at Freddo for some banana icecream afterwards.

After lunch, we took advantage of the sunny skies by going shopping around Palermo. The neighborhood is filled with shops such as Adidas, Diesel, and Puma, but also features a nice mix of local designers.

Felix (Gurruchaga 1670) was by far the best men's store, with some great t-shirts, jeans, and shirts at some very reasonable prices. The canvas beach bags at the store are some of the best I have seen in a long time, a must-buy if you are happen to go there. I would have actually bought a lot more than just a short-sleeve shirt if the clothes were just a little larger. Even at my mere 5'10", a lot of larges and X-larges still did not fit me (and I could not get my legs through any of the shorts on display).

More from last Friday in Buenos Aires after the jump.

Online Club Experience

Brazil's gay mecca The Week just launched a completely revamped version of its website. To better present the club's first franchise which opened in Rio de Janeiro a couple of months ago, the site is now divided between São Paulo and Rio. Both feature more complete party listings, new picture galleries, and a blog (of course). I guess now the only thing missing is an online TV show. Make sure to check it out before heading to Brazil.

And since we are talking about The Week, DJ Tracy Young is on the schedule for a party on Wednesday, November 14, in São Paulo (because Thursday just so happens to be another national holiday in the country).

Go-go Madness At The Week

I am fascinated by go-go boys, so there is absolutely no way I would go to nightclub The Week on a Saturday night and not make a couple of videos to share with you.

I am actually considering being a guest go-go dancer for an evening at some point (when I quit eating carbs). More pictures after the jump.

A Semana: Gays On Soaps, International DJs, Hulu, And The 2014 World Cup

The gay character from the new soap Duas Caras will be pushed out of the closet this Friday. Bernardinho, played by actor Thiago Mendonca, will be set up by a hustler played by Lugui Palhares, with whom his parents will find him in bed in the morning. I am curious to see how much will be left for the imagination when the chapter airs.

A new gay magazine for women called Sobre Ellass is in the works, and scheduled for a November debut.

There is a new gay club set to open in São Paulo: Ultra Diesel plans to take over Friday nights in the city by late November.

By late next month, Mark Ronson will be landing in the country for the Motomix Festival. His performance is scheduled for the 29th at club Royal.

David Morales will be spinning at The Week Rio on Friday night, along with Brazilian DJs João Neto and Ana Paula.

Belo Horizonte's sexy nightclub Roxy gets the approval seal at The Coolhunter.

Angra dos Reis' swanky Hotel do Frade gets a nod from men.style.com.

Jonathan Rhys-Meyers scores the cover of Details, shot by Steven Klein a la Mapplethorpe.

Have you signed up for Hulu yet? I did.

Brazil was chosen host of the 2014 World Cup today. After the withdrawal of Colombia in April, the country was the only candidate to host the event. Brazil had been told by FIFA it wasn't guaranteed the tournament simply because there were no opponents, saying it had to provide a solid bid package. Little did they know that solid packages are usually not a problem in this country.

Pool Party Season Is Officially Open

I happen to love day parties, and The Week in São Paulo sure knows how to turn out the best of them. After days of torrential rains in the city, a bright sun in the sky on Sunday afternoon was enough to make sure the club was completely packed by 5 pm. Music was fun and uplifting, and I have to confess that I thought hostess Gra Ferreira did an even better job than resident Ana Paula on the DJ booth.

Because I had tickets to see Björk at Tim Festival, I left at about 7:30. The party went on until 1 am. More pictures after the jump.

A Semana: BRNTM, Project Runway, Roisin Murphy, And Tom Ford

The first season of Brazil's Next Top Model premiered last week on Sony. I missed the first episode and the launch party since am in New York, but will do my best to keep you posted on the show as soon as I am in Brazil.

I can't wait for the new season of Project Runway to begin. Check out the new cast online.

Preview Roisin Murphy's new album Overpowered online immediately. I have been playing it non-stop for a week now. Arjan sat down with her for an interview last week.

Porn star Francois Sagat gives a sexy rendition of Ms. Britney Spears' Gimme More while brushing his teeth.

Björk talks to Estado de São Paulo about the future of music, Brazil, and her tour to promote Volta. She plays in Brazil later this month.

After being closed for three months, nightclub Glória reopened in São Paulo last Friday.

The first edition of the Eight Party, Pacha's new gay party, took place in São Paulo yesterday.

Tom Ford gets naked in the shower with male models in the latest issue of Out magazine, photographed by none other than Terry Richardson.

Brad Pitt takes the cover of Italian GQ this month.

Genre magazine gets a much welcomed makeover and new website.

Models.com lists the top male modeling agencies in New York.