What a great way to start off 2026 by working to one of our favorite places…Rio!

Marianne and I were lucky enough to get out to walk the beach before the forecasted rain. It was a comfortable temp of 77 degrees.

The sea was a treacherous, churning mass of whitecaps, making the shoreline deserted!

Being a Sunday, Ipanema Beach was vibrant and lively, with the beachfront avenue closed to cars, transforming into a pedestrian paradise for walking, skating and biking! With pep in our steps, we decided to venture to Copacabana Beach, which was a little over 3 miles away from our hotel.

We soaked up the scenery before we found the perfect spot to soak up some beers.

Nothing better than having a beer right on the beach!

The calm before the storm was short lived! We were caught in a downpour!

Thank goodness we never leave home without our umbrellas! Marianne and I were ready to find a Brazilian steakhouse to consume a mouth watering steak.

We enjoyed our dining experience at Braseiro. Our meat was juicy, flavorful, and cooked to perfection.

It was a memorable day at Copacabana Beach. We were ready to uber back to our hotel.

From Ipanema and Copacabana Beach sands to mountain views, we ended our perfect day with a Brazilian kiss of lime and spirit.

Good Morning Rio! A glorious view from my patio! Marianne and I were going to do some shopping before getting ready for work.

Pure Brazilian magic!

A short detour off Ipanema Beach and we found Flip Flop heaven. Havaianas are iconic, colorful Brazilian flip flops known for being comfortable, durable, and stylish.

The Havaianas flagship store has 3 levels filled with a vast selection of colorful flip-flops.

Retail therapy works wonders!

All good things must come to an end! We needed to walk back to the hotel to rest and get ready to work back to New York.

Before settling back into our rooms, we decided to sit by the hotel pool to relax and take in the beautiful view. To Marianne’s good fortune, the hotel chefs were doing a ceviche making class by the pool. Marianne thoroughly enjoyed the ceviche, distinguished by its use of fresh, local ingredients, such as freshly caught fish, as well as its unique touches of flavor from chiles, fresh herbs and citrus juices.

I am so blessed starting off 2026 working with my buddy, Marianne. This year is about saying “yes” to adventures, exploring new horizons, and making more great memories!