For Immediate Release: March 26, 2009

Carmichael Gallery of Contemporary Art Presents
Total São Paulo: A Guide to the Unexpected
Brazilian Event-Filled LA Book Signing Party
Meet Author Phuong-Cac Nguyen
Saturday, May 9, 2009

LOS ANGELES, CA — Carmichael Gallery of Contemporary Art is pleased to present the Los Angeles book signing party for Total São Paulo: A Guide to the Unexpected on Saturday, May 9, 2009 from 3 to 7 p.m. The gallery, known for its well-respected Brazilian street art exhibits, welcomes author Phuong-Cac Nguyen, as she returns to her native Los Angeles for the celebration. Total São Paulo, the first offering from new book publisher Unhinged Jaw Press, is scheduled for release on April 29, 2009. Join the author for complimentary caipirinhas provided by Leblon Cachaça, music and other surprises while enjoying the art of talented Brazilian artist Thais Beltrame, whose solo exhibition opens in the gallery on May 7. Carmichael Gallery is located at 1257 N. La Brea Ave., West Hollywood, CA 90038. For more information on the gallery please call 323-969-0600 or visit www.carmichaelgallery.com. To learn more about Total São Paulo: A Guide to the Unexpected please visit www.totalSPguide.com.

From hidden bars serving up $2.50 caipirinhas and tiny boutiques, to the best clubs and vintage markets, Total São Paulo: A Guide to the Unexpected is a must-have travel resource for discerning creative types traveling to one of the world’s most up-and-coming cities. Written by Phuong-Cac Nguyen, an American journalist who has been reporting and breathing São Paulo’s pop culture/lifestyle beat for years, this beautifully designed 176-page paperback guidebook packs in places off the beaten track in 10 essential neighborhoods. Sprinkled among the candid, gorgeously shot photographs are also 11 easy-to-read, illustrated maps and 17 interviews with São Paulo VIPs who give the inside scoop on the metropolis’ best spots. A supplemental online São Paulo city guide will be launched shortly at www.totalSPguide.com with profiles on hotspots and provocative features.

Authoritative and in the know, Total São Paulo: A Guide to the Unexpected leads travelers through a rigorously edited list of São Paulo’s locally adored restaurants, art spaces, boutiques, street fairs, bars, clubs and other can’t-miss sights, like the city’s Red Light District and its version of Little Tokyo.

Total São Paulo: A Guide to the Unexpected has a streetwise and clean magazine-style design (think Tokion, Wallpaper, Nylon, Mass Appeal) and is written in a smart, edgy tone that makes it a speedy reference unlike any other travel guidebook about Brazil or South America on the shelf today. Its small, handbook-like size (6.1” x 5.3”) is convenient for on-the-go reading and has a sewn spine for extra durability. Thanks to a team that includes talented, locally based photographers and illustrators, travelers will get a truly first-hand experience of São Paulo through their eyes.

THE SPECS:
– Title: Total São Paulo: A Guide to the Unexpected
– Publisher: Unhinged Jaw Press
– Release date: April 29, 2009
– Cover: Paperback
– 176 full-color pages divided into the top bars, restaurants, shops, and sights in 10 must-see neighborhoods
– 11 easy-to-read colored maps
– 17 interviews with São Paulo VIPs who give the inside scoop on the city’s best spots
– Full-page features on the highlighted locations & experiences in each neighborhood
– Locally created by a team who lives in the city
– Size: 6.1” x 5.3”
– Available online at www.unhingedjawpress.com and independent bookstores worldwide; check site for locations
– Price: $26.99

Phuong-Cac Nguyen writes about São Paulo for renowned trend-hunter blog websites CoolHunting.com and JoshSpear.com. She started her journalism career at the Los Angeles Times and served as one of the editors at URB magazine before expanding her writing work to include marketing projects for Nokia and surf/skate retailer Pacific Sunwear, as well as projects for a respected trend-forecasting agency in São Paulo. She has been published in the Los Angeles Times, the LA Weekly, mcsweeneys.net, Anthem Magazine, and others. Nguyen has appeared on major Brazilian television network O Globo promoting her upcoming book and discussing her favorite hidden São Paulo haunts.

Carmichael Gallery of Contemporary Art exhibits emerging international contemporary artists with a focus on narrative and figurative painting, mixed media and sculpture. The gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., and by appointment.

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For more information, photos or to arrange interviews please contact Green Galactic’s Lynn Hasty at 213-840-1201 or lynn@greengalactic.com.