Camila Alves' Tips for Throwing a Brazilian-Themed 2016 Rio Olympics Party
Lifestyle expert Camila Alves grew up in Brazil.
— -- The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro will provide plenty of opportunities for friends and families to gather to watch athletes compete for the ultimate reward in their sport, an Olympic medal.
Camila Alves has an authentic take on creating an Olympic party that pays homage to the host nation of Brazil. The lifestyle expert, who is now married to actor Matthew McConaughey, was born in Brazil to a family of farmers.
The 34-year-old mother of three knows first-hand the unique flavors of her home country and will be in Rio during the Olympics to show a different side of Brazil.
“The idea is to show a side of Brazil that people from outside the country don’t get to see,” said Alves, who grew up about eight hours outside of Rio. “The local flavor, the things that we enjoy on a daily basis that represents our culture and what we stand for and what we’re proud of.”
Alves, founder of the lifestyle website Women of Today, shared her tips for how to bring a taste of authentic Brazil to your Olympics party.
FOOD
Alves said her favorite Brazilian snack is pão de queijo, a type of cheese bread.
For a party, she recommends using a pre-made brand like Forno de Minas, for which she is a paid spokesperson, so that the host has time to enjoy the party.
“It’s easy and you put it in the oven and no hassle,” she said. “The bottom line is you don’t want to be in the kitchen, you want to be with your guests watching the athletes.”
Alves recommends spicing up your party’s pão de queijo by cutting the bread in half and adding toppings like cream cheese or olives or ham.
Here are four more of Alves' favorite recipes to add to your Olympic menu:
DECOR
Alves said to get creative when it comes to decorating your home in an Olympics theme. She recommends wrapping hula hoops with string lights and hanging them around the yard to form the shape of the famous Olympic rings.
MUSIC
"The way we do music in Brazil is very different because we are so moved by music, we grow up with that," said Alves, who provided the below playlist for an Olympics party.
"This list shows you a good selection of different Brazilian styles, not necessarily to play in this order," she said. "Check out what speaks to you the most then you can create your own version based on that musician and similar ones in that genre."
"O Descobridor dos Sete Mares" -- Tim Maia
"Tempos Modernos" -- Lulu Santos
"Vem Meu Amor" -- Ivete Sangalo
"Resposta" -- Skank
"Deixa a Vida Me Levar" -- Zeca Pagodinho
"É Hoje o Dia" -- União da Ilha do Governador
"Samurai" -- Ed Motta / Djavan
"Carolina" -- Seu Jorge
"Tá Perdoado" -- Maria Rita
"Quero Ser Feliz Também" -- Natiruts
"Quero te Encontrar" -- Claudinho e Buchecha