Blame It on Rio.

Here are some of my favorite spots in Rio de Janeiro. 

With the World Cup in 2014 and the Summer Olympics in 2016, this old standby is new again with culture, cuisine and nightlife.

TOP: The boys from Ipanema play "futevolei," a combination of volleyball and soccer. ABOVE: Not everyone is in speedos and thongs on the famous Ipanema sidewalk by Roberto Burle Marx.

 

EAT

Ipanema

Gero

Northern Italian restaurant. Esthetes will appreciate the design.

Forneria San Sebastião

Simple pasta dishes and brick oven pizzas

ABOVE: The delicious cheeseburger in pizza dough at Forneria San Sebastião.

Center

Amarelinho

near Cinelandia
Classic brazilian dishes and outdoor terrace.

TOP: Amarelinho is yellow inside and out. ABOVE: Feijoada, classic black bean and pork stew, for one at Amarelinho.

 

Confitaria Colombo

A grande Austrian-style café

ABOVE: Breakfast, lunch or snack-time, it's always a good time for the grande Confitaria Colombo.

Gávea

00 (zero-zero)

Dinner and dancing in a fun indoors outdoors club

GOING OUT

Lapa

Circo Voador
Outdoor venue for cool samba/funk  acts.

...Lapa anywhere for that matter.

TOP: Artists like Seu Jorge got their start at Circo Voador,  Rio's answer to CBGB. ABOVE: Lapa's main street has a handful fun, live samba venues like Sacrilegio.

CULTURE

Center

Livraria Travessa

Housed in a colonial era buliding, it's not just great for picking up Paulo Coelho's latest book, they also sell music, DVDs and local magazines.

All Play, No Work, in São Paulo

Visiting São Paulo using the Jardim neighborhood as a base.

Many people recommend venturing outside the Jardim district when visiting São Paulo.  For the uninitiated, however, this neighborhood is the safest and most convenient, especially if you find yourself in "Sampa" (as locals call São Paulo) for business.  Here's what to do do in, near and beyond Jardim.

In Jardim

EAT

Dalva e Dito is the more casual restaurant by Alex Attala who also owns DOM, which was voted one of the top 50 restaurants in the world.

http://www.dalvaedito.com.br/

Oscar Café is a great café/lunch/aperitif place on Oscar Freire.

http://www.oscarcafe.com.br/

YUM:   Chicken stew and couscous, comfort food at Oscar Café.

Na Cozinha is a cute bistro that reinterprets traditional Brazilian dishes like moqueca and feijoada with a modern twist.

http://www.nacozinharestaurante.com.br/

Estaçao SP Design café is a great place for lunch Mon.-Sat. where they serve home made cooking and charge by the kilo.

http://www.restaurantejardins.com.br/

Padaria Benjamin Abrão is a bakery/café that’s one of the best in Sampa in a town famous for its bakeries.  The outside looks like a jewelry store, but their jewels are their fresh croissants, ham and cheese pockets, pão de queijo, and desserts. 

http://www.gourmetviajante.com.br/restaurantes/cafedamanha/Padaria+Benjamin+Abrah%C3%A3o+Jardim+Paulista,119

CHEAT: Padaria Benjamin Abrahão is a den of (carb) sin.

ATTRACTIONS

There’s a cute, but old-looking park nearby called Trianon.  I say it’s old because the trees are overgrown and actually dusty looking.  But, it’s a nice place to walk and appreciate some greenery away from the bustle of Avenida Paulista.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g303631-d532237-w2-Parque_Trianon-Sao_Paulo_State_of_Sao_Paulo.html#18473606

Nearby, it the architecturally significant MASP, one of Brazil's major art museums and a big attraction in São Paulo:

http://masp.art.br/masp2010/

Outside Jardins

EAT

Forneria San Paulo is the sister restaurant in SP to my favorite restaurant in Rio.  Great Northern Italian food, superb wood-burning oven pizzas and a burger in cooked pizza dough.

http://www.forneria.com.br/san-paolo-galeria.php

 

ATTRACTIONS

Iberapuera Park is the city’s answer to Central Park.  It has long running trails, pretty lakes, the Modern Art museum, the Afro-Brazilian museum and a concert hall. 

http://www.mam.org.br/ 

Check out the renovations to the Luz train station district.  A former meeting point for crack addicts (called crackolandia), the Projeto Nova Luz is turning the station and its surrounding area into a mixed-used district like the renovation at Grand Central. Very Rockwell.

http://www.novaluzsp.com.br/mural.asp

NIGHTLIFE

For a casual gathering with friends when you just want to people watch and have a nosh, the botecos or pubs serving beers at the intersection on Rua Aspicuelta and Rua Mourato Coelho in Vila Madalena are the best bet. This pedestrian-friendly area is safe to bar hop at night.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/05/04/travel/04surfacing.html

 

The Rooftop at the Unique Hotel has a great view of São Paulo’s long skyline and a great international scene. 

http://www.hotelunique.com.br/index.php

WOW: The unbeatable view from the rooftop bar at the Unique Hotel.

Baixa Augusta is great for live music and going out in a group.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/04/05/travel/05surfacing.html

Beach Weddings

PLACES TO HAVE A BEACH WEDDING IN PANAMA

Let's face it, beach weddings are a big photo shoot not unlike SI's swimsuit issue followed by a wrap-up party: The bride is the model, the wedding gown is the featured clothing item, the beach sunset is the backdrop. The hotel provides craft services, and the groom and guests are nothing but extras. Here are different Panama hotels that provide both bride and dress the best context.

RAD

Wedding Dress: White Body Glove Wetsuit

Nitro City

http://nitrocitypanama.com/


This is a very cool new hotel with an X-treme sports theme.  Even though the decor includes graffiti artists and motocross bikes, the actual hotel is a collection of elegantly appointed two-story beachfront villas. Every room has an outdoor terrace with a jacuzzi (some fitting 6 people), separate shower and bathtub and L'Occitane amenities. The kitchen serves local and international dishes, grilled meats and brick oven pizzas. Play a techno version of the wedding march, and wakeboard down the aisle!

SWELL

 Wedding Dress: Sleeveless Rosa Clará

Hotel Bristol Buenaventura

http://www.thebristol.com/buenaventura/

The only true 5-star beach hotel in the country, this colonial modern hotel is where Panama's elite and their friends congregate. The service is almost flawless, and the menu is designed by Chef Cuquita Arias who's a favorite of Panamanian high society. The place, however, is completely relaxed and casual.  Hotel guests have access to a large pool, a lagoon to enjoy drinks on a small boat (à la "Jungle Cruise"), free bikes to roam around the huge complex, yoga on the beach, horseback riding and a clubhouse where one rubs elbows with captains of industry and government heads who own mansions in the same community. Rooms are very comfortable with Frette linens and Molton Brown amenities.

BOHO

Wedding Dress: Vintage Slip

Villa Marina

http://www.villamarinapanama.com/espanol/default.asp

A bit farther away from the city is Villa Marina, located on Playa Venao near the town of Pedasi.  This small inn has simple yet clean rooms and is a converted beach-front estate. This is the place I'd recommend if you're looking for a more intimate gathering for wedding, without a lot of other people on the property.  They serve very simple traditional dishes, usually built around the catch of the day.  The grounds are well kept and beautifully landscaped to enhance the ocean-front setting.  Surfers flock to the town of Pedasi for the good waves and lowkey vibe.  It is said that both Mel Gibson and Owen Wilson are big fans of the area.