RUA AUGUSTA – Downtown
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 half of Augusta that leads to the city center (signaled by the Banco Safra building on the corner) is called “Baixo Augusta” on its first blocks. This is probably the area where you will meet all the interesting, alternative and exotic types of São Paulo. A clearly gay-friendly area (the parallel Rua Frei Caneca and the shopping mall of the same name are commonly referred to as ‘Gay Caneca’), it is also full of intellectual types, tattooed girls, not to mention prostitutes and transvestites that can be seen at night. If you have no money to spend on a club but want to have a night out, this is the place to go. Going down from Avenida Paulista, the first blocks are full of laid back bars in which people sit on plastic tables on almost every corner; going further down, you reach the area called Baixo Augusta, full of clubs. But actually most of the party takes place on the street… on Saturday night cars can barely move. At 4am the street has probably more people circulating than at 4pm…
These are some of the highlights:
· At number 1611 is the side entrance to Shopping Center 3, a small mall which offers several fast food options, but more interestingly, an arts and crafts market on its corridors every Sunday. But these are not traditional/boring crafts, but quite modern and creative stuff.
· A Mexican fast food called Tollocos is located at # 1524
· A cool movie complex, Espaço Itau de Cinema, at Rua Augusta, 1475 is famous not only for the modern audience, but also for opening its doors for not-so-commercial flicks, such as European or arts movies.
· After the film, why not go for a slice of pizza? The first place to sell pizza by the slice in São Paulo is nearby, at 1463; it is called “O Pedaço da Pizza”.
· Cross the street and walk down some steps for a different option: an Indian fast food. Nice, varied and cheap food – approved by my Indian friend. Madhu, Rua Augusta, 1420.
· At #1372 is a cool store housing several ‘boxes’ (literally) where designers may sell their objects, among which are glasses, costume jewellery, and clothes.
· If you are into music and movies, and looking for something old or sold out, this might be a place to spend one or two hours… all kinds of Brazilian and imported CDs and DVDs on sale.
· The modern, healthy-looking and attractive fast food at 1360 reminds me of “Pret a Manger”, where I used to eat in London… here it is called “Pic Nic”.
This should be enough to have you walking down some blocks further, and you will come across hair salons, bars, clubs, as well as one of the major comedy clubs in São Paulo… If you enjoy people watching, you will have tons of fun.
