RUA AUGUSTA - Walking Along

RUA AUGUSTA – Southward

Right next to the Consolação subway station, Avenida Paulista is crossed by Rua Augusta. Going all the way from the city center to the sophisticated (and snobbish) area of São Paulo called Jardins (“Gardens”), Rua Augusta has nothing in itself that could attract much attention; it is not wide nor beautiful. However, it offers several interesting options.

The southbound half of Augusta (signaled by the Banco do Brasil building on the corner) is also called “lado Jardins”. Amid several clothes and shoes shops, and the kilo restaurants, the highlights on this stretch of the street are:

·  On the block between Avenida Paulista and Alameda Santos lies a group of buildings and shopping arcade collectively known as Conjunto Nacional.  On the ground floor, among some clothes shops, drugstores, candy stores and the like, lies the most beloved bookstore in São Paulo: Livraria Cultura. It has branches in other shopping malls, but it was born here and it has expanded its empire. Cultura has now five separate shops in the area, including one for geeks (with videogames and other geek paraphernalia), one for art books and a deliciously cozy megastore, with a nice café inside. It also holds a theater (Teatro Eva Herz) and a movie theather (Cine Cultura).

Apparently a regular street

·   Going down for one more block you will find a McDonald’s, a Habibs (local fast food restaurant which offers a good cost/benefit relation – and probably the cheapest ice cream in town, a scone for R$ 2,50), a Subway (near #1954) and a Starbucks (at # 1967, on the corner with Alameda Jau).

·  Just opposite, at number 2014 lies a shop selling funny and alternative T-shirts.

·  Rua Augusta, 2075 is home to Cinesesc, a movie theather holding unusual film festivals, providing a space for alternative, independent or classical movies, as well as flicks in languages other than English. The venue also boasts one of the finest and cheapest cafés in this area. You can drop by just to have a cup of coffee and you will not regret it.

·  Two branches of Escola São Paulo, at 2074 and 2113. Bearing the slogan “Creative Economy”, the school offers free courses of design, photography, fashion, cinema and the like.

·  From this point on, Rua Augusta becomes a reference point for the sophisticated area called Jardins. Most of the perpendicular streets bring top-notch shops, restaurants and bars, especially Alameda Lorena and Oscar Freire, which is home to several luxury brands, Brazilian or international, which hold here snobbish shops and concept stores.

·  Galeria Ouro Fino, a shopping arcade at number 2690, is famous for the alternative shops, catering for those interested in alternative fashion, and those looking for cool and creative gifts.