Casa Gulliver Update

[gulliver]

Sitting here in a very quiet apartment on a Saturday night, waiting for one of the construction workers to come over for a visit gives me some time for an update on Casa Gulliver. It has been a slow process with many delays but finally the old house is torn down, the subsol (basement) is somewhat excavated, scaffolding is up, and Monday morning brings a meeting with the architect and Heitor for the final sign off on the blueprints. Construction to start sometime in July and since it is basically a steel structure with a stone facade - the word is that all four floors will be up by about Labor Day. I guess steel structures go up very fast.

Apparantly there is some chance that the place may be complete by Christmas although I would not want to bet on that. The most important thing is that the crew is inspired, works hard, and the design has been the most fun project I have ever been involved with.

Its basically a South American colonial villa built around a Spanish courtyard with six guest suites, my penthouse and pool on top, and two service rooms. A lot of furnishings have been acquired already and a large warehouse about an hour away is going to be teaming with reupholsterers and furniture refinishers as well as a factory to convert all the stone reclaimed during demo into building materials. Two truckloads a day of brick, tiles, stone and acquisitions have been going west for weeks now. It is quite an operation. One of my best friends bought a huge dining room table that seats 18 as a housewarming gift and they are recaning the chairs outside on the next street corner. I think that the dining room of the new house will be the scene of many parties like we had this past week. Robbguy and I did a dynamite meal and about 35 differnet guys were there throughout the evening.

Still have not figured out how this will all come together and yet I am sure it just will. After having Tomcal, FloridaRobb, Robbguy, and Luckyelpaso all living in this temporary apartment and having had so much fun with shared great times, I think I am going to like having a big house. The way I figure it, there are probably about 30 or so Rio visitors I know well and if only half of them and their friends use this house as Rio lodgings, it will be a busy place most of the time. When I am not here, Carlo Romanus will be the agent who rents the whole thing out or parts of it as one or 2 bedroom suites. Leo will be living in as the maintenance person with at least one other man so there will be 24 hour security as well as a full time housekeeper and whatever daily help is necessary for a full house. It is kind of a "just make yourself at home" arrangement

and not quite so organized as a Key West or Provincetown guest house where you would not fell real comfortable just walking into the kitchen and making yourself a sandwich.

The concept of having people share your house sure works well in this apartment and will probably translate into larger quarters.

 

This is kind of how I imagine it will work. There are enough Rio visitors who want to stay in a villa and have some sort of social life there in addition to going to saunas, Corujinhas, and the usual touring. Being within a block or so of familiar territory is key. Bedrooms will be as large as possible - all with fireplace, TV, safe, internet conncetion, refrigerator, sitting area with sofa and traditional in furnishings. There will be a breakfast served either poolside on the 4th floor or in the street level garden. If you get up late, there is a stocked pantry to fix your own (and your guest) If anyone wants to BBQ they can have lunch in. If someone wants to have a group for lunch they can just hire the housekeeper to provide what they want. Probably a few times a week, someone in the house who likes to cook will probably make a party and their will probably about a dozen or so who have dinner together about 9PM. There will be a bar. Also a jacuzzi on the roof and a garden. The idea is that there will be NO BOOKKEEPING and no bills and other than housekeeping no services except what people want to arrange with the house staff - whom I think would be willing to serve breakfast and snacks in the rooms. The room charge covers all food, drinks, internet, etc. Not sure how to work phone service yet and maybe someone on the board has a suggestion. For those guests who are a little reticent to venture out on their own or who would like to meet some of the locals but are not comfortable with their portugeuse skills or somewhat timid - I think Tomcal and Robbguy can vouch for Leo as the supreme arranger !! Needless to say, since I think security is an issue for many (or all) of us - there will be a 24 hour presence to make sure guests have no problems. Each room has an alarm and there is a room safe in all rooms.

Although I have a dental practice in Manhattan, I did graduate from hotel school at Michigan State (years ago) and this is a project I am wanting to try out yet on a informal and loose basis strictly to the core group of m4m posters I know and their friends by word of mouth. If it does not work, nothing lost as I like the house and it is a perfect space to live in and just entertain friends. I would not build it any smaller than it is. So this is just an experiment.

I dont think that it is suitable for everyone and their are cheaper alternatives (like the Atlantico) right next door but will be great for people who want a homier atmosphere and maybe more of "social life" while they are visiting Rio. It is not meant to compete with a hotel or a temporary apartment and the

Atlantico is definitely cheaper for those who need to economize. Having this apartment sure is a lot more enjoyable than my year and a half living on and off in the cobetura of the Atlantico.

Odds and ends - think that Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Carnival, will be kind of house party events with a bit more organization than the rest of the year. For a group of 5 renting it - it would be economically compatible with a mid range hotel. Have an idea that for those who are thru with the saunas by 9PM might like to eat dinner in and watch a movie up in the roof garden afterwards with their local friends or maybe play cards and scrabble in the atrium off the garden. I know it sounds kind of dorky, but in actuality most of the m4m guys I know are mean scrabble players and kind of like hanging out like this.

Anyone who has any ideas, comments, suggestions - please pass your feedback on. I know this is kind of a sketchy update but am not that far enough along yet to be more detailed.

 

Gulliver (mike)

[+ Axiom2001]

Gulliver, your update of your almost new acquisition was indeed interesting reading! And I applaud you for venturing out and engaging in such a massive and exciting undertaking. Fortunately for me, since no one else had responded, I am quite honored to do this and extend my best to you!

[jackhammer91406]

Gulliver,

Wish I could dazzle you by thinking of something to add, but you have dazzled me with your very well thought out concept. Knowing some of the people involved, the area, and your gift for hosting and making people feel comfortable, my imagination has wandered into such a fantasy tropical paradise environment, that I'm afraid I can think of nothing to make it better except actually being there.

 

Please make Tomcal leave the workmen alone so that they can hurry up and finish the project. heheh

[sf traveler]

Well I'm just sitting here in San Francisco, watching a DVD of Black Orpheus, with the Rio scenery and Carneval in the background, fantasizing about how much fun we're all going to have in your house when it's finally done. I won't be down there until late Oct, but it did occur to me that one thing we are going to have to do is organize some sort of registry so that people like me who want to buy some sort of housewarming present can spend what they feel comfortable with and buy what you select, and you don't get four or five toasters. Also, we should divide up the potential gifts into things that we can buy there and things that will have to be bought here and carted there. If we are a bit organized, I think we can provide all the linens, towels, dishes etc this way. Like you, Gulliver, I think I enjoy the company of my Gringo friends as much as fooling around with the garotos! And this is going to make your house a social focal point for a long time. I hope you got my email with my recommendations about Budapest--which I adore almost as much as Rio. SF Traveler

[sf traveler]

Well ever since it occurred to me that what to get Gulliver for a housewarming present would be the hot topic of gay Rio, I've been amusing myself thinking of a large assortment of perfect gifts. So far, the favorite image is of Tomcal hand embrodering Gulliver's initials into 500 gross of trick towels. This place is definitely going to require an industrial laundry! SF Traveler

[Indiana Swede]

It would be great to see some pics as the work goes on.

With the house almost across the street from Jake's lovely place, it should be a powerfully fine neighborhood!

I'll have to save my reals so I can stay there a bit on the next trip south. Hopefully Gulliver will be there to meet, too. (and the infamous TOMCAL)

[+ Axiom2001]

It's been almost a year since anyone inquired about Gulliver's future abode in the "land of the cariocas"! Gulliver, what is the current status? You and I discussed briefly while at that favorite haunt of some while we were in Rio in October of 2004!

[luczen]

It is very strange; I was thinking a week ago about the dentist who was going to build a house for guests and I did not hear about him for a year; I was thinking about buying an aparment in Rio but this is more a phantasm than reality ,I think now this is a better alternative; I will surely be delighted to be one of your customers and I hope that your house will be finished soon ;

[trilingual]

Gulliver's house is under construction. There were several hangups (this being bureaumaniacal Brazil) in the course of getting all required construction permits, but it's underway. Stay tuned. . .

[BgMstr4u]

I'll be in Rio Aug. 15-18 and 23-26 (Buzios in between), and staying at the Atlantico. Any chance of meeting?