Artful Cocktail

By Sandra Scott

After shopping in Sao Paulo’s Morumbi Mall, I met my husband in the Hilton’s Canvas Bar and Grill for lunch.

“I saw you getting out of the mall shuttle bus so I ordered you a cocktail. I know you must be exhausted trying to save me money with all the end of the season sales.”

The barman, Christiano Borges Concilio, presented my husband a Saloho Cocktail, artfully decorated with a lime fashioned into a flower. The spring-green Saloho is a refreshing mix of vodka, coconut water, orange juice, peppermint and sprite.

Christiano said, “And, for the lady, here is a Strawberry Art Cocktail.”

“Why the Strawberry Art for me?” I asked my husband. “Your Saloho looks luscious!”

“You’ll like Strawberry Art. It is a champagne cocktail: Veuve Clicquot with a little white rum, Cointreau, and strawberries. The perfect “art” cocktail for the art show we are going to see right after lunch.”

My first thought was of my feet, already tired from shopping. I couldn’t fathom more walking at an art museum. Moreover, I was a bit puzzled, art shows are not usually on top of my husband’s list of “to-dos.”

“Will there be time today? How about tomorrow?”

“Today is perfect. It’s not far!” He handed me the menu printed on a stretched canvas then pointed to the centerpiece on the table, an artist palette with a flower-like arrangement of brushes. Finally, it clicked: The Canvas Bar and Grill. Looking up I noticed the catwalk lined with artwork.

After lunch, with the art program in hand, we wandered along the catwalk enjoying the colorful and whimsical work of Claudio Sousa Pinto. The show, “Anatomia do Vazio” (The Anatomy of Emptiness), had a circus flair, with masked jesters in bright outfits disassembling in a confetti-like manner. It was only upon closer inspection that we realized that the figures were only costumes with no one inside.

Using a catwalk to display art is an innovative use of space. We complemented Joao Renato da Silva, manager of the Canvas Bar and Grill, on the art show. “We feature many artists. Our next show will be Makarra, a Brazilian artist popular in Miami. Our shows change frequently. Maybe you will be in Sao Paulo for the next opening.”

Staying at the Hilton Morumbi and having lunch with a Strawberry Art Cocktail at the Canvas Bar and Grill is a great way to enjoy the work of Brazilian artists. True to the notation on the canvas menu, “Food is Art and Art is Food.”

Sandra Scott is a frequent contributor to travel publications and to Copley News Service and has co-authored two books on local history. She lives in Mexico, NY.
Photos by Sandra Scott and John Scott.

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