Photo Credit: Tveskov on Flickr

It doesn’t matter if you’re a big corporation or an simple passer by, we all want to jump in the social media boat and be… let’s say, social! I am no exception. Even though I have been a blogger since 2004, and adopted every single social network before it went viral, it took me a long time to fall for Twitter. However, when it finally happened I became very addicted to broadcasting my thoughts and sharing my links real time. I have been on twitter for almost two years now and since the Winter Olympics, I became this super social person who engages in discussions online and don’t feel threatened by being real. Twitter gave me the courage to start a videolog, talk to people and perfect my English. But, what did it ask me in return?

Well… Whoever is on Twitter knows that being social requires a fair amount of time. Being the popular kid can be exhausting too. You need to see yourself as a brand and actually establish relationships, know people by their real names and connect them to what they are looking for. Don’t get me wrong, I love Twitter! Through microblogging I met people who allowed me to feel more at home in Vancouver, filling the intellectual empty space that immigration imposed on me. However, as a communicator, I know that I need to exercise other ways to express myself and that’s what bugs me about social media sometimes.

I am trying not to make of this blog post an official apology for one of the longest silent periods of this blog’s history. However, I must admit that Twitter is my quick fix and excuse to ignore this space. It gives me the personal interaction with the online community and the impression that I am constantly producing content. However, when I go over very ethereal and dated Twitter feed, I realize that I don’t actually have done much.

What about you? How do you juggle your social networks and keep up with blogging?

The Brazilian Film Festival of Vancouver has been visiting our city for the same number of years that I have been living here. As a Brazilian expat, I am always happy to welcome The Inffinito Group’s film festival and watch my beloved Vancouver get better acquainted with my culture.

In the last few years, the Brazilian Film Festival of Vancouver has allowed me to meet other amazing Brazilians who are also learning to call Vancouver their home, Canadians who speak perfect Portuguese, and people from all around the world who love Cinema . With a workforce of over 50 volunteers, the Brazilian Film Festival of Vancouver brings four full days of Brazilian cinema packaged in a very interesting selection of Brazilian short and long length films, and special events.

The 3rd Brazilian Film Festival of Vancouver will take place at Vancity Theatre from July 15th to 18th. Ten full-length films will be screened, including four documentaries, one comedy and five dramas. The festival has also scheduled  a FREE panel discussion on Saturday, July 17th called BRAZIL XXI – A Cinema Without Borders with film critic Wilson Cunha and one of the festival curators Bianca de Felippes.

[ONLINE CONTEST] Blue Eyes – Olhos Azuis

The Inffinito Group has kindly offered MadameHeringer.com a pair of tickets for the July 18th screening of José Joffily’s drama Blue Eyes.

To enter, leave a comment on this blog post or tweet:

I entered to win a pair of tickets for the Brazilian Film Festival of #Vancouver @madameheringer http://wp.me/pHmOV-BL

The winner will be announced on Friday, July 16th at 3:00 pm. Good Luck!

Monica Hamburg is the lucky winner! Thanks for the comments, everybody.

I bought the Star Wars in Concert tickets after watching The Making of Star Wars in Concert on TV.  I bet the force was with me at that moment; buying these tickets was the wisest decision that I’ve made so far in 2010!

I never thought of myself as a big Star Wars fan, but having my childhood heroes being re-introduced to me by C-3PO, I mean Anthony Daniels, was an amazing way to re-visit the adventures of Luke, Leah, Han and Yoda. I must confess that tonight, I was a little girl learning Star Wars’ story again for the first time.

I am way too biased to analyze the quality of the Concert itself. However, I will recommend the concert to any Star Wars fan. It doesn’t matter how old you are or in which decade you were introduced to the Star Wars saga. I saw so many kids tonight who were not even born when Star Wars III: The Revenge of the Sith was released having a great time and even humming Lord Vader’s theme song.

Photo Credit: Myke Ames and his HTC Touch Pro2, because contrary to what Steve Jobs and his legions of Apple fanboys (and girls) will tell you until they are blue in the face, the camera on an iPhone 3GS is garbage (added by Mr. Ames).

An exclusive exhibit of Star Wars costumes, props, production artwork and behind the scenes videos extracted from George Lucas’ archives travels along with Star Wars in Concert, so allow yourself lots of time after the show. I guarantee that you’ll have a chance to shoot the best Star Wars themed pictures that you can have with Darth Vader and Yoda and also have lots of fun watching the stormtroopers posing with fans.

If your city is not in this world tour list, the Star Wars in Concert official website will give you the exact idea of what we are experiencing this month in Canada. Enjoy!

Epic, the largest sustainable consumer tradeshow and eco-marketplace in western Canada, kicks off tomorrow; however, this year I have an extra special reason to attend the Vancouver Sun’s sustainable living expo. My friend and entrepreneur Regina Landim Noppe  will unveil Green Sapphire Imports, an importer and distributor of eco-friendly Brazilian products in Canada. Green Sapphire Imports is the realization of Regina’s dream of sharing eco-friendly and sustainable Brazilian products with Canadians.

Even though she is very busy with the last Epic arrangements, Regina took the time to quickly answer my questions about Green Sapphire Imports. Regina’s passion is contagious and her dream of contributing to Brazil’s development is another reason to become one of her customers. Enjoy!

Veronica: Why did you decide to bring Brazilian clothing and accessories to Canada? Why do you think that your products are special?

Regina: As a Brazilian-Canadian, I’ve always wanted to bring some part of  my mother country to my new home so Canadians could also experience some of the beauty and passion that beats in every Brazilian heart. Having been living in Vancouver for 5 years, I’ve also been learning a lot about respecting the environment. It has been pleasantly surprising to see how much Canadians care and do their best to contribute to a better, more healthy world.

I am bringing two prominent Brazilian brands to Epic. Eden Organic Fashion and Patricia Moura Biojoias. Eden Organic is a clothing label inspired by elements of nature and made of 100% cotton coloured with natural and chemical free dyes. Patricia Moura is a Brazilian-born designer who has been internationally recognized for her outstanding talent. Her eco-jewels are made of raw materials from Amazon rain-forest, Pananal and Brazilian Cerrado. Do I need to say more?

V.: Why did you choose to represent these two brands is Canada?

R.: I decided to represent both Eden Organic and Patricia Moura Biojoias because of the contribution of their products in building more sustainable communities in Brazil.

By using the açaí berry in her design, Patricia Moura is also encouraging the cultivation of the açaí berry rather than the harvesting of the tree, helping to prevent further reduction of the rain forest. Patricia Moura eco-jewelry infuses the local economy with profits from açaí jewellery sales, giving a real reason for people to protect the forest .

On the other hand, Eden Organic not only produces eco-friendly clothing but is also social responsible. Eden Organic supports over 200 families living in the city of  Juquiratiba, in the State of São Paulo, and have planted over 1,000 trees in their Eden Garden.

V.: What is Sapphire Imports planning for Epic?

R.: We will have both Eden Organic and Patricia Moura eco-jewelry represented at Epic Fashion shows (Friday 2:30pm, 4:30pm, 6:30pm – Saturday 12:30pm, 2:30pm, 4:30pm, 6:30pm – Sunday 12:30pm, 2:30pm, 4:30pm). We will also have our products displayed at booth FH12.

Regina has kindly offered one admission to Epic and a Patricia Moura Biojoias açai berry necklace to my readers. Here’s how to enter to win:

Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry):  

I entered to win Green Sapphire Imports’ contest @MadameHeringer http://ow.ly/1qysMN

I’ll will draw the Epic admission winner tomorrow, May 28th at noon. The winner of the Patricia Moura Biojoias açai berry necklace will be announced on Wednesday, June 2nd at 3:00pm.

UPDATE – May 28th: Caroline (@SexyinVancity) won the Epic Expo ticket. Caroline, Regina will contact you shortly to arrange the pick up!

UPDATE – June 1st: Anna is the winner of Green Sapphire Imports’ açaí berry necklace. Anna, Regina will contact you shorthly.

Thanks everybody for your nice comments and tweets!

Apparently, every time that I get overwhelmed by inspiring stories, I have a hard time translating them into a concise blog post. That’s one of the most ironic situations that a trained journalist can face. However, instead of ignoring Northern Voice 2010 and pretending that it didn’t happen in my life, I am showing up for duty and re-establishing this blog’s purpose.

Northern Voice 2010 was my first blogging conference and I still can’t understand why it took me so long to get out there and start meeting people like me. Well, according to Kimli Welsh’s presentation, I learned that I am not the only blogger who gets intimidated by the idea of leaving the safeness of a URL. Luckily, lots of familiar avatars stopped by to say “hi” to me, giving a friendly face to their strong online presences.

For me, this year’s conference was all about finding my voice online. I have been blogging for over 5 years now, but even after several metamorphoses MadameHeringer.com still feels like it only makes sense to me (Yes… I am completely ignoring thousands of monthly unique visitors and behaving like a drama queen!). However, Monica Hamburg and Dave Olsen’s workshop was the best validation that I could wish for. Blogging takes time and effort to find your niche and voice, but also it’s about having fun and experimenting with new mediums. Lesson learned!

Stefani Cameron’s How to Screw Up Your Personal Blog session was the most resourceful and sincere story that I heard at Northern Voice 2010. In a nutshell, stick to who you are and respect your boundaries. Readers are smart people and they know when you’re faking!

Northern Voice 2010 was a 2-day long event about blogging, Twitter and online marketing. From creating podcasts to copyright laws, it covered it all. I got a lot out of the sessions and plan to bring some multimedia experiments to this space in the following months. Stay tuned, my Northern Voice experience has just started!

Madame Heringer baby and Dona Alzira – December, 1982.

My mom is the most powerful woman that I know. You might argue that Oprah, Hillary Clinton or even Dilma Rousseff should be considered as strong contestants, but none of these women have had the impact that my mom had on my life!

Dona Alzira, today a 63-year-old woman, went through a lot in her life. She was raised on a coffee farm in a small town called Laranja da Terra in Brazil, but always dreamed of moving to the city and becoming a nurse. When she turned 21-years-old, she finally convinced my Granny to agree with her plans of moving to Rio de Janeiro. Since her uncle needed a reliable nanny to take care of his children, she volunteered to move in with his family to take care of his three kids during the day and go to nursing school at night.

After she graduated, she landed a job at one of the biggest hospitals in Rio and has been there ever since. It has been 35 years since my Mom entered Hospital da Lagoa’s doors for the first time! My childhood is filled with good memories of my mom as a nurse in action. I remember going to work with her and being always greeted by her patients and coworkers. I’ve never met anyone with more passion about their profession than my Mom. Even now, she says that she will only leave the hospital when she dies, and I believe her!

My Mom is a huge inspiration to me both as a professional and as a woman. She has always supported me in every single adventure. From drama classes to immigrating to Canada, she has always been there for me. I know, it is the type of thing that moms do for their children, but deep inside I know that sometimes it’s hard for her to cope with the distance and longing that motherhood has imposed on her.

Happy Mother’s Day, Dona Alzira!

I have one $60.00 gift certificate for lunch at Provence Marinaside, valid Monday- Friday from 11:30am to 3:00pm, that was generously offered by Chef Jean-Francis Quaglia to MadameHeringer.com. To enter this contest, leave a comment describing how your Mom’s teachings had an impact in your life. The best story will be chosen on May 21st at 3:00pm.

Provence Marinaside is a award-winning restaurant located at 1177 Marinaside Crescent, Vancouver, BC. Chef Jean-Francis along with his wife and chef Alessandra, are the authors of New World Provence: Modern French Cooking for Friends and Family and the artists who have cooked the best meals that Mr. Ames and I have ever eaten in Vancouver.

Update: Maria is our lucky winner! Maria, please check your inbox for pick up details.

Charlotte, Angela and Daniela, thank you very much for sharing your stories with me!

Illustration by Edel Rodriguez

I can’t believe it took me so long to go to the opera for the first time. And what a debut! Vancouver turned out dressed to the nines for the opening night of Vancouver Opera’s production of Marriage of Figaro at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. I went for the music and the opportunity to wear very high heels at the beginning of the week, but came home a true opera fan. Gosh, why did it take me so long?

Since I am a former TV producer and actress (I know… shame on me for taking so long to meet Mozart’s opera!), it’s always a challenge for me to truly appreciate any show. I am always looking for the behind the scenes gaffes, for the actor who forgets his line, for the lighting that missed the main character. Vancouver Opera’s Marriage of Figaro passed the test! Every single actor was fantastic and Jonathan Darlington’s orchestra nailed it from beginning to end.

Julie Boulianne’s Cherubino was the most delightful performance of Marriage of Figaro. I felt like a little girl when I noticed that it was a lady in a male role, but it took me less than 5 minutes of watching Boulianne to forget this detail. Chris Alexander’s stage direction is impeccable, his transitions are so smooth and involving that it really transported me into Marriage of Figaro’s world.

Tomorrow (Tuesday, May 4th) is Marriage of Figaro’s last night at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Yes… it’s sung in Italian, but you’re allowed to read the subtitles! If you need a second opinion before buying the tickets, Tris Hussey, Gus Fosarolli, Peter Andersen, Kelsey Dundon, and Vancouver Opera’s blog will provide  you with all good reasons to make this investment!

The last time I watched a performance by Grupo Corpo, I was living in Brazil and the soundtrack of the show was composed by João Bosco. I fell in love with Grupo Corpo while watching their performances of Bengelê and Santagustin at Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro. Since 2002, I have been chasing them around the world and if it wasn’t for my good friend Lili Viera de Carvalho, I would have missed their performances in Vancouver.

Corpo means body in Portuguese. Grupo Corpo is the realization of Paulo Pederneiras’ ambitious dream of mixing contemporary dance with genuine Brazilian music. Grupo Corpo has given life to over 30 different shows and toured through several countries. Grupo Corpo is eye-catching for its powerful and defiant way of introducing a human body to movements and concepts that are beyond imagination. Its Latin American take on contemporary dance ads an extra sparkle for its audience, and watching one of their performances always leaves you having trouble believing what you’ve seen.

PARABELO

Photo Credit: José Luiz Pederneiras

Parabelo was the first act of the Vancouver show. Meant to be a re-creation of the Brazilian Sertão, it is described by its creator Rodrigo Pederneiras as the most “regional” concept that Grupo Corpo has brought to life. Parabelo is as intriguing as its title.

The impressive soundtrack created by Tom Zé, one of the most polemical Brazilian musicians, and José Miguel Wisnik brings to the stage the exact feeling associated with the hard reality experienced in the Northeast of Brazil. However, the beauty of Grupo Corpo’s choreography and audacity of mixing xaxado, forró and frevo with modern dance makes Parabelo an unforgettable experience.

BREU

Photo Credit: José Luiz Pederneiras

The rock and roll approach that Lenine gave to Breu’s soundtrack is conveyed by Grupo Corpo as a fight between darkness and sound. Lenine’s wild guitars also set the tones of violence and brutality that fill the stage.  Apparently, choreographer Rodrigo Pederneiras asked Lenine to have fun while composing BREU’s soundtrack. Lenine certainly followed his instructions by adding uncomfortable and rebellious sounds to Grupo Corpo’s darkest show.

The second act of the Vancouver show completely challenged gravity. Jumping from the floor while twisting and balancing bodies against each other were ordinary tasks for the cast of BREU. Compared to the first act, BREU was too rushed and I didn’t feel that it conveyed a full story to me in its 45-minutes. It was beautiful to watch, but I’d love to see more darkness and young anxiety through a structured story that could better relay the spirit of Pederneiras’ vision.

Grupo Corpo is now on its way to Europe and will be back on the stage on May 8^th and 9^th at Teatro Municipal de Valencia, in Valencia, Spain, and May 12^th at Gare du midi, in Biarritz, France. For more information, visit http://www.grupocorpo.com.br/site

The 8^th edition of the Vancouver Latin American Film Festival (VLAFF) is rapidly approaching and the final touches are being made on this year’s festival. Even though opening night is only happening on September 2^nd, VLAFF organizers are accepting design ideas for VLAFF’s 8^th edition poster only until this Friday, April 30^th .

The contest is open to all British Columbia-based artists. Submissions are limited to three entries per person. Design concepts will be judged according to their public appeal, content and marketability. The winning artist will receive a $500 prize and exposure on VLAFF’s website and newsletters.

Click here, for more information about the VLAFF 2010 poster contest.

Good Luck!

Yesterday, Mr. Ames picked up a wonderful bag of goodies from our UPS box. The sender? The Wellness Show and its sponsors.

I don’t know about you, but since January 1st I have been trying to stick with my new year’s resolution of becoming a healthier person.I must confess that it isn’t going as planned, but I am slowly catching up. Attending this year’s Wellness Show sounds like a convenient incentive and probably will equip me with more tools to fight my cravings and laziness.

The 18th edition of The Wellness show will happen from Friday, April 30th, through to Sunday, May 2nd at the Vancouver Convention Centre. General admission tickets are $12.50, seniors and students are $10, children 6-15 are $5, and children 5 and under are free.

You might be asking yourself why I am telling you all that, right? Well… in order to promote MadameHeringer.com’s first giveaway, I am getting myself into a lot of trouble!  I entered the Mom’s Muffin Category of the Healthy Baking Contest. I need to deliver 4 baked muffins inspired by my Mom’s recipes on the first day of The Wellness Show. Since Brazilian moms don’t bake muffins (at least my mom doesn’t) and heathy for me means a lot of chocolate, I don’t even know where I should begin.

If you’re as concerned about my decision as I am and want to help, or even if you only want a chance to win this amazing bag full of goodies, you should leave a comment with an suggestion for my muffin’s recipe or a baking tip for me. I’ll draw the winner on Monday, April 26th at 2pm.

The Wellness Show giveaway bag that you have a chance to win includes:

- 2 complimentary tickets for The Wellness Show

- 1 Light Activewear yoga tank top ($46 retail price)

- 5 Power Plates workouts and 5 infrared sauna sessions at Powervibe

- 1 Infofit personal training session

- 1 Western Sage Creamed Cool Mint Honey

- 1 Western Sage Creamed Cinnamon Honey

- 1 Western Sage Bee Magic Honey

- 1 Tuscan Farm Gardens Lavender Body Lotion

- 1 Prana Chia Oil bottle

- 1 GoldSeal Wild Salmon Oil Dietary Supplement

- 1 BCDHA kit

- 1 Kitchen Basics Chicken Cooking Stock

- 1 Allera’s Immune Extra Dietary Supplement

- 1 Nelli’s all-natural Laundry Soda package

and much more!

Which ingredients should I use? What can’t I forget to add to my recipe? Leave a comment for a chance to win.

Update: In a really old fashion style, I numbered 15 post-its and asked my friend and co-worker Ana Marie to pick a number.  Ironically, #13 is FMC’s lucky number and he/she is the first MadameHeringer.com’s online contest winner! Congrats! You have until tomorrow by noon to answer to my email.

Thanks everybody for sharing your baking knowledge with me!