Tomorrow is opening day for the long-awaited Dalva e Dito (site under construction), the new restaurant by chefs Alex Atala (of D.O.M., pronounced "Dom") and Alain Poletto, first magnitude stars in Brazil cuisine. It's taken almost two years to complete the project. The chefs will be aided by a staff of 70 in a three-storey building in the upscale Jardins district, equipped with a vacuum chamber and high-tech hygienic stations where used dishes will never come near the food.

And what food! Dalva e Dito, a name and a nickname with an origin in the morning star and St. Benedictus respectively (and which are delightfully Brazilian) will serve the bountiful, traditional dishes of a Brazilian family gathering, with artful twists. There will be platters for the whole table (and Monte Sião pottery as serveware). Chefs will be on hand to carve the chicken and pass the farofa.

Food writer Alessandra Blanco was invited to the coveted test dinner last Saturday. She has posted photos on her blog, Comidinhas.

I called the restaurant yesterday and confirmed the opening date, but there has been some shifting in that respect. Call ahead (also to make reservations).

Dalva e Dito Address & Contact Information
Address: Rua Padre João Manoel 1115 - Jardins
São Paulo - SP
Phone: 55-11-3062-6282
Hours (subject to confirmation): Lunch daily 12p-3p; dinner Mon-Sat 7p-12a, Sun 7p-11p.

I'm starting a category on Brazil Travel about English-speaking doctors and dentists. Today, I'm publishing tips about two resources in Rio: Clínica Galdino Campos, a well-known multilingual clinic in Copacabana – which has opened a new surgical department for travelers – and Multi Oral, a dental clinic which is prepared to assist patients with disabilities and special needs.

Even though the site for Dr. Robert's dental clinic is not yet updated for languages other than Portuguese, the staff is prepared for multilingual assistance (in English, Spanish and German). One of the clinic's specialties is pediatric dentistry.

Can you recommend a multilingual doctor or dentist in Rio (or in other Brazil cities)? Let us know in the Brazil Travel forum.

Tomorrow, people all over the world are going to draw, sketch, paint and journal in the street during the 21st SketchCrawl. Brazil is in the loop, with events in several cities. You can find the locations where this artistic marathon will take place in the SketchCrawl forums.

One of the most fun places to enjoy it will be Filial (Bar Genésio), in Vila Madalena, a São Paulo district where art and creativity are part of daily life. In his blog Sketcheria, Brazilian illustrator Montalvo Machado says that the get-together will start at noon and go to other places from there.

Today Liesa, Rio de Janeiro's Independent Samba School League, is selling tickets to the "special bleachers" (arquibancadas especiais), or the best bleacher area, and individual seats (cadeiras, or "chairs") for the Special Group Parade.

Buying directly from Liesa is one of the ways to save money on Rio Carnival tickets. But the operation requires that the buyer have a CPF, the Brazilian Revenue Service number, and it can be carried out by phone in Brazil only.

Liesa sells tickets to the parade in batches. By now, you can see the direct purchase prices for mezzanine boxes (camarotes), runway boxes (frisas), special bleachers and individual seats on the Liesa website. Go to the Liesa homepage and click on Ingressos on the menu to the left. Then, click on the yellow tab at the top for each kind of seat.