Hit the ground running. Arlindo Cruz, my brazilian family and Samba Pagode

went out last night with Renato and his mom to see renato's samba pagode group Bambas de Berço play but first went to arlindo's cruz' house to hang out before the gig...amazing! Arlindo said he'd take me to imperio serrano with him....he'd asked me my favorite school and I said mocidade so he gave me a hard time, of course, because he's staunchly imperio serrano. His wife, though, loved it because she was a porta bandeira for mocidade for years back in the day. I told him I liked imperio as my second favorite because my last name is serrano (it is the truth! I wasn't just trying to get on his good side). I was hanging out at his house because his son arlindinho, is one of the singers and banjo player for Bambas de Berço. they're great, made up of famous guys sons; it's really opened doors for them, but they have the talent to back it up. Arlindo got up on stage and sang with them last night....heavenly! other convidados: Tony Garrido, and then Andrezinho of mocidade, ex-grupo Molejo also Mestre Andre's son. what a blast....we left around 3am. I was so proud of my irmãozinho Renato! I'd only had 4 hours of sleep since tuesday night, so slept like a log last night!