Sandra Bullock Lends Helping Hand
Crowds lined up outside the doors for the grand opening of Gesine's Confectionary on Tuesday not for the macaroons that the new bakery wants to become known for, but for the counter help handing out complimentary versions of the treats: actress Sandra Bullock.
Both turned out to be big draws because the pastries sold nearly as fast as Bullock's sister, shop owner Gisene Prado, could churn them out of the kitchen in the back of the renovated shop in a largely residential area on the northern fringe of the state capital.
"These are my sister's macaroons," said Bullock, wearing a white apron as she knelt next to two young children, handing out the brightly wrapped confections. "These are what she's famous for."
Both Bullock and Prado are famous for many other reasons. They both have thriving, successful careers in the film industry, operating the production company Fortis Films, which produced such movies as "Miss Congeniality" and Miss Congeniality 2" starring Bullock.
They won the Crystal Award from Women In Film in June for the work of their production company.
But Prado decided she wanted to try a new career and with her husband bought a closed neighborhood market in January, converting it into a gourmet pastry shop and bakery.
Her older sister has been in town the past few days helping get the shop ready and then threw herself into waiting on customers. Both sisters insisted they weren't capitalizing on Bullock's fame and they refused to allow photographers or television crews into the shop.
"She's just trying to help," Prado said. "That was her decision to come. We didn't want publicity."
Still, with the publicity that Bullock was in town and helping her sister, first-day sales were guaranteed. By midmorning, the display cases were nearly empty of the scones, muffins and coffee cakes they once held.
As Bullock and Prado's husband Ray worked the front counter, Prado labored in the kitchen turning out more cookies and croissants and an occasional macaroon that turned up. "OK, we have three chocolate chip cookies. Big score!" Bullock said at one point. A moment later: "Oh, my God, we should raffle this. You were asking about macaroons," she said, turning to a woman standing in line after finding another of the morsels. "There you go."
Bullock declined to talk about her role in the shop, insisting the early success was about her sister and brother-in-law and not about her own fame. "Their quality speaks for itself," she said.
Bullock said she wouldn't depend on the shop for a job, but she would work occasionally. "Only when I need the money," she said.