I'm a firm believer in making one's own luck. 

In the days before the Rio Olympics began, I made my way from Copacabana, where I was staying, to Ipanema, where I was not!

I was in search of the bar where a young woman walked by and inspired the 1964 worldwide hit song, "The Girl from Ipanema." Bossa Nova was played frequently in my home while growing up, and this was a pilgrimage I felt privileged to make.

Little did I realize how this would turn out.

Not only did I find the bar, but I met Heloisa Pinto, the woman who inspired the song! Even a New York Times writer put a 'like' on my story on Twitter.

Here's the story: The Girl from Ipanema.