Surprises around every corner

After the kids went to bed tonight, I decided to go to the corner drug store and walk around the neighborhood. I was hoping to find some good deals on Easter candy, but no dice. Kids get these big hollow chocolate eggs filled with cheap plastic toys and all wrapped up in cellophane for Easter. Walk into any drug store or grocery store, and there are huge displays, almost cave like, of these chocolate cellophane eggs hanging from the ceiling and any surface area.

But I digress...after leaving the drugstore, I decided to wander around. I passed two bars that are usually dead during the day, but there were all sorts of people, sitting at tables on the sidewalks, drinking beer and eating bar food (of which Belo Horizonte is famous for). I'm dying to try coxinha, churrasco, pão de queijo, and the breads! Then I walked down a street very close to our house, and voila: ballet school! One of the things that Matt and I talk about is how stores, restaurants and the likes seem to be in the most unlikely places. We'll be walking down a street that seems entirely residential, and all of the sudden there is a clothing store. Or cooking school. Or ______ (you fill in the blank).

Other random details: the kitty is named George. It's perfect. Call him Curious George, "George of the Jungle" and not to mention the Seinfeld reference. The kids love him--Beatrice smothers him, but he puts up with it. I'm making Mark Bittman's bread and trying to figure out what to make for Easter (do I go Brazilian? Do I go traditional American? What to do, what to do...) Sebastian tried figs (figos) and persimmon (caqui) and like both, but especially the figs. Today we bought passion fruit (maracujá). I'll let you know how it is!