There is a Brazilian saying that goes "Paulista trabalha e Carioca na praia." (The Paulistas works while the Cariocas, or natives of Rio, spend their time at the beach). Vital Stats: Population: 170 million. Ecomonic Rank: 10th largest economy in the world. World Cups Won: 5. Beaches: Longest stretch of tropical beaches in the world.
The "Brazilian vibe" is reaching the main stream in the US and Europe through music, sexy top models, worldwide appreciation of "the bunda", Havaianas sandals, popularized drinks like the caipirinha, sports like capoeira and of course adulation for Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and pretty much anyone else in a Brazil football uni.
One misnomer about Brazil is that since it is exotic, people are wild. Don’t be mistaken, We do know how to party and have a good time, but it is our “jeito†that makes us cool. Though very active, the local attitude is about doing things in rhythm rather than in quantity of activities. Doing so facilitates the process of absorbing the country's upbeat mood.
My city, Sao Paulo is the third largest city in the world with a population of over 20 million. If you are one in a million, there are at least 20 more people like you. The energy here is raw. The feel is that you must be either producing or consuming. As a knowledge based city, ‘here’ you can find whatever you want if you know where to find it. Tuesdays can be wilder than Saturdays and it is at night that the fun begins.
Because its population is composed of immigrants from many parts of the world, Sao Paulo’s gastronomical offering is extremely diverse and authentic. You will find any kind of food you want: Italian, Portuguese, regional Brazilian, international gourmet, churrasquerias, Arabic, Spanish, Japanese and much, much more. At lunch, you will mostly find businessmen in suits or sophisticated ladies taking a break from the arduous task of shopping. This always makes for a colorful crowd wherever you go.
Sao Paulo also has some great places to shop. Among them Haddock Lobo street, home of many local and international boutiques like VR, Richards, and Forum. Another great drag for is Oscar Freire street. We call it the Paulista “Rodeo Drive.†Here you will find stores like Louis Vuiton, Mont Blanc, Dior, Bulgari, Versace. Higienopolis Mall is a great work of architecture, and Iguatemi Mall is a favorite of the shopping elite with stores like Tiffany and Versace. Another alternative to the main shopping malls are small "galerias" like "Galeria Ouro Fino" located on Rua Augusta, where you will find several stores with new Brazilian fashion designers. A massive boutique where only woman are allowed in, Daslu, is a shopping paradise. The staff are the daughters of the Paulista elite who work there to learn the latest in fashion and mores of high society.
After a hard day at work, most of us Brazilians stop at the gym before embarking on the "balada". Nightlife begins with dinner and after that steak, perhaps sushi is a great alternative to ease the waistline. SP is home to the largest colony of Japanese outside Japan hence the sushi is world class. Some of my favorites are Japengo, Kosushi, Jun Sakamoto, Shimo, and Nagayama. After-hours you have a dizzying array of options. Among them are going for Brazilian music at Lanterna, Passatempo or Piove. If you are in the mood to dance with a young and fun crowd, check out Heaven or Disco.
