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Sensual sound of Brazilian ‘new music’ wows Café
Pandau’s guests
Elena Edwards
Last Friday evening, Café Pandau was crowded out with foot-tapping,
hand-clapping, dancing and laughing guests, all thrilled with the
deliciously warm, strong, decidedly sensual sound and lazy, lovely Latin
rhythms of famous Brazilian singer/songwriter and guitarist Sylvia Patricia.
The guys in the audience couldn’t help but notice that this amazingly
talented young woman is also drop-dead gorgeous!
 Sylvia
Patricia enchants the audience with some sensual Latin rhythms.
Originating from the state of Bahia, the multi-talented Sylvia (her major
was singing, but she also studied composing, conducting, classical guitar,
piano and even classical Indian music) comes from a family with both a
musical and a literary tradition. On her father’s side, the family is famous
for its musical talents. Her unique, and very personal, style mixes Bossa
Nova and true Brazilian rhythms with Blues, Jazz, Rock and R&B, as well as
Latin sounds. Her music and lyrics tell of love and life’s ups and downs in
the giant cities which never stop growing. All are presented from an upbeat,
female point of view.
Her career in ‘Brazilian New Music’ spans 15 years to date, during which
time her talent has been recognised by other great Brazilian singers such as
Caetano Veloso, who duetted with her on her second CD. Several years ago she
was invited to perform in Spain. As a result of the huge success of that
first tour, she now returns annually, to the delight of her new fans.
The stylish setting of Café Pandau’s terrace, with its subtle lighting,
seemed perfect for the performance, with tables and chairs set outside, and
the small stage arranged just inside the covered area. Perfect until the
distant thunder suddenly became a full-bodied roar and the rain poured down
in torrents, necessitating a frantic rearrangement of the performance area
and a rush inside by the guests. Even so, the flashes of sheet lightning and
the swaying of the palms in the strong wind provided a dramatic background
for Sylvia’s first songs – unintentional, but very effective. As the
performance continued, the audience were more and more taken up with the
beauty of Sylvia’s deep, strong voice, her expertise on the electric guitar
and the poignancy of the lyrics. So, she sang, and sang, and sang…and we
listened, we danced, we swayed, enthralled and, quite simply, loving every
minute.
A wonderful evening, and possibly the most successful to date of Café
Pandau’s monthly events, each of which results in a donation to Soroptimist
International Chiang Mai’s Single Mothers Project. Everyone who enjoyed
Sylvia’s performance must be hoping that this, her first visit to Chiang
Mai, will not be her last.
La Vie en Rose
A welcome addition to the gay social scene
(Left-right) Nop, Paul,
Stephanie, Helga, Colin and Dong have fun at the grand opening of ‘La Vie en
Rose.’
Andy Archer
Last week saw the grand opening of a new gay bar on Huey Kaew Road,
La Vie en Rose. Situated opposite Hillside 4 Condo building, and next door
to ‘Nimman Kitchen by Krit,’ the new watering hole is also owned by Krit and
Noi, and is a great business idea in these difficult times, as food can be
ordered from the restaurant and delivered to the bar! Over 200 people
attended the opening, enjoying the free wine, beer and canapés laid on by
the owners, and the music provided by Payap University’s saxophone quartet
the ‘Four Brothers.’ Numbers by Scott Joplin and Chick Correa proved very
popular! One guest told the Chiang Mai Mail ‘The opening was a huge
success. However, more important than the numbers attending was the friendly
atmosphere, with the Chiang Mai gay community together as one big family.
After the recent unpleasantness, we all had the feeling that in some way we
belong together.’
La Vie en Rose plans to regularly organise small events which will fit the
main purpose of this bar: To provide a meeting place for the gay community
in Chiang Mai, both residents and tourists, Thai and farang.
For further information, please visit http://la-vie-en-rose.110mb.com.
US Consul confirms November visit of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter
US Consul General Michael
Morrow (2nd left)
at the Expat Club with the committee members.
Elena Edwards
At the recent fortnightly meeting of the Chiang Mai Expats Club, the
speaker was the US Consul Michael Morrow, who gave an interesting, amusing
and informative talk about his personal view of events in Thailand since his
previous talk to the group. He also mentioned the forthcoming visit of the
new US Secretary of State, better known as Hilary Clinton, ex-first lady of
the USA, and confirmed the visit in November of ex-president Jimmy Carter
and his wife Rosalynn, who will be here to join with Habitat for Humanity’s
Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project’s Mekong Build initiative. During the
couple’s five-day visit, 82 homes will be built from the ground upwards on a
site at Moo Baan Nong Kan Kru for the benefit of families at present in
seriously sub-standard housing.
The initiative aims to bring more attention to the problem of poverty
housing, not only in Thailand, but also in the Greater Mekong sub-region,
with the hope that it will serve as a catalyst in influencing more
individuals and donors to take action by building more homes for the less
fortunate.
The American consul took part in an extensive question and answer session,
with wide-ranging subjects from visa requirements through pollution to the
number of Peace Corps volunteers at present in Thailand.
A donation of 5,000 baht from the Expats Club to the Chiang Mai Toy Ride
charity was made, after a report that the January Toy Ride had attracted
more than 200 riders, and raised 240,000 baht. The second ride this year
will take place in November. A date will be announced later.
‘Friendship’ Tree Planting at Ban Papai
Elena Edwards
Chiang Mai Friends Group would like to invite everyone to join them
in their planned ‘Friendship Tree Planting’ trip to Ban Papai
self-sufficiency village, to take place on Wednesday, April 1.
This planting session will involve placing around 300 fruit trees in the 279
villagers’ gardens. Everyone in the village has promised to look after the
trees, and will prepare fertiliser and support sticks for the saplings in
advance. Each tree will be registered, and will be checked out on the
Friends’ regular Sunday visits for the afternoon English class.
Everyone must surely be aware of the positive effects on the environment of
planting trees, particularly as, to date, over 70% of Thailand’s natural
forests have disappeared during the last half century. ‘Trees are the lungs
of the planet’ is not just a convenient catch-phrase, it’s the truth, and
‘the more, the merrier!’
Cost will be 100 baht per person, which will include transportation from one
of the pick-up points (see below), documents and lunch. If you intend to use
your own transport, we would still appreciate your 100 baht in support. If
you can’t come and would still like to donate and have a tree planted in
your name, please let us know.
The meeting points are as follows:
8 a.m. at the Amari Rincome’s car park on Nimmanhaeminda Road and at
Boutique Travel Service’s office on Sridonchai Road. Approximately 8.15 a.m.
at Rimping supermarket, Mee Chok Plaza, and 8 30 a.m. at Horizon Village on
Highway 118, the Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai Road.
Full directions to Ban Papai village: Follow Highway 118 to the Doi Saket
turn-off (Rd. 1007) with the temple at the top of the hill seen on your
right. Turn right at the traffic lights, with the temple directly in front
of you. Pass Doi Saket District Office, then take the first left and follow
the blue sign with white lettering stating ‘Papai, Home Stay.’ The village
is 9 kilometres from the sign. To confirm your participation, please contact
Khun Tick at Chiang Mai Friends Group on 053 206 121 or 089 433 4926. You
may also email on [email protected] gmail.com, but please do let us know by
3 p.m. on March 31.
Local Thai consumers
prefer wine to whisky
Enjoying the Wine Tasting at
Wine Connections were Jonathan, Oriol,
Wilathinee with Kike, Annie and Sine from Mi Casa Restaurant.
George Powell
An early evening event was held recently at Wine Connections to
promote wines from the Spanish vineyard Vallformosa. Oriol Domenech, guest
of honour and representative of the family winery, explained to guests that
Vallformosa is literally translated as ‘beautiful ballet.’ Oriol’s family
has owned the winery for 5 generations, and was more than happy to pass on
his wealth of knowledge about the vineyard and wine production in Spain to
the assembled guests. Although this was not his first visit to Thailand, it
was his first to Chiang Mai, he was surprised at the level of appreciation
of wine he had found amongst younger Thai consumers. Wine, he remarked, is
becoming more fashionable and more of a social drink in the city, rather
than just a means of getting drunk!
Three white and three red wines were on offer. One of the most popular was
the Vallformosa Sauvignon Blanc, 100% Sauvignon Blanc, dry, crisp and fruity
and perfect as an aperitif. Another favourite was the Primum Vitae Rioja,
100% Tempranillo, with its fresh bouquet, light and fruity with a notable
presence of strawberry and raspberry plus contributions of rose and
geranium. Canapés were served to accompany the wines, and the neighbouring
food shops stayed open in case more substantial alternatives were needed! To
complement the wine, musical entertainment was provided by ‘Triple,’ whose
regular venue is the Riverside Restaurant.
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