Dreaming of Rio Nights (And Days)

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I’ve been back from Rio for over a week now and I’m still living on the five days of jam-packed energy whipped up at Claro Rio Summer. Put aside the shows for a second and focus on the parties that were served up: everything from an intimate sunset concert by Caetano Veloso to aperitifs at the art-filled home of Andrea Dellal and an all-out blowout at the duplex digs of Nizan Guanaes and Donata Meirelles (the week’s benefactors) to Bibel Gilberto popping up for an impromtu performance at Adriana Degreas’ show. The mother of all parties however was the samba-rumbling event at The Oteros (yet another mogul’s) perch at the foothills of the Corcovado. That glittering crowd included the priceless photo of Valentino being egged on by Natalia Vodianova and Carlos de Sousa to hit the samba throbbing dancefloor. For my part, I danced to the club-worthy house beats till the wee hours as though it was a night at Soundfactory. This party carried on till 8am, I was told. Speaking of Soundfactory, I had a decidedly gay club night out at The Week. I love The Week's sprawling indoor/outdoor space in Sao Paolo, stellar DJs and the hotness that are the boys who runaround shirtless all night. Rio holds it down on the boy front as well; I stayed till 7am, unheard of in these rickety years.