São Paulo restaurants open Rio outposts

While São Paulo boasts a star-studded list of world-class restaurants, Rio has never been known as a dining destination, but rather as a city of laid-back sensuality and stunning natural beauty: beaches, rock cliffs, lush rainforest… That reputation is changing with the recent opening of outposts of some São Paulo’s top eateries.

First came Nakombi, in the Jardim Botânico neighborhood, which introduced São Paulo’s high-style sushi to the cariocas (as Rio natives are called), in a dazzling space with an open grill and a carp-laden pond. Sadly, it has since gone bust and closed.

Only steps away, Casa Bráz is a top-notch pizza place with beautiful retro décor (think antique tile floors and dark wood cabinetry holding old glass bottles). As at the São Paulo flagship, waiters in white jackets and bow-ties serve impeccable pizzas topped with specialty cheeses and marinated eggplant and zucchini, and its famous ice-cold draft beer. On weekends, the wait for a table can be longer than two hours.

But the most talked about arrival is the Fasano Al Mare, a seafood-heavy version of Fasano, which is São Paulo’s most chic restaurant. Occupying the ground floor of newly-opened Fasano hotel, in Ipanema, with a dramatic entrance with a seashell display (below), wind-blown curtains and lighted plaques designed by none other than Philippe Starck, the Al Mare has become Rio’s number one place to eat, see and be seen.



Chef Luca Gozzoni, brought in from Florence after twelve years at the Michelin three-star Enoteca Pinchiorri, cooks up a menu of carpaccios, assorted fish in light Italian-leaning preparations and the signature dish, the bollito di mare, brimming with all things aquatic in an aromatic broth.

Bráz: Rua Maria Angélica, 129, Rio, tel. 55-21-2535-0687, www.casabraz.com.br
Fasano Al Mare: Avenida Vieira Souto, 80, Rio, tel. 55-21-3202-4000, www.fasano.com.br

The fashion weeks of São Paulo and Rio

While January in Brazil is high summer, and prime time to lounge on the beach as most locals do, that’s also when fashionistas flock to Rio and São Paulo for two back-to-back Fashion Weeks.

Although Fashion Rio has been gathering strength and momentum in the past few seasons, The São Paulo Fashion Week wins both in size and importance (that’s where a young Gisele Bundchen first made headlines in 1997, and Kate Moss strutted the catwalk in a thong, in 1999). It’s no surprise Rio’s hottest designer, Isabela Capeto (whose hand-embroidered dresses with lace and sequin apliqués are sold at Colette in Paris (13 rue Saint-Honoré, tel. 33 1 5535-3390) and Brown’s of London (24-27 South Molton Street, tel. 44 0 20 7514-0016)) chooses to show at the São Paulo Fashion Week, although her flagship remains in Rio (Rua Dias Ferreira, 45, Leblon, tel. 55-21-2540-5232).

At the São Paulo event, closed to press and guests, the spotlight is always stolen by Alexandre Herchcovitch, the John Galliano of Brazil. He started his career dressing transvestites and today shows in New York each season at Bryant Park and sells his underground-gone-haute collections at 15 stores in Tokyo alone, and exclusive boutiques like L.A.’s Fred Segal (8100 Melrose Avenue, tel. (323) 655-3734). But you’ll only find the full collection – and sometimes even the man himself - at his São Paulo flagship (rua Haddock Lobo 1151, Jardins, tel. 55-11-3063-2888).

Rio's best beauty addresses: spa, gym, plastic surgeon, etc.

Immortalized in that timeless bossa nova tune, the girls from Ipanema – Rio’s toniest beach district – are indeed tall and tan and lovely. But don’t be fooled: the cariocas (as the city’s natives are known) that you see lounging on the hot sand work very hard for their bronzed and buff bodies. This is the world’s capital of plastic surgery, where discussing breast implants is as natural as sharing photos of a recent cruise. Pretty young things worship the almighty elyptical machine and tend to hair and nails at least once a week. Latin America’s largest TV conglomerate – Rede Globo – has headquarters here, and its stars are often spotted jogging on the beachfront. Here are some of the locals’ favorite grooming addresses:

Womens’ salon – Crystal Care
Hot young actresses like brunette beauty Malu Mader come here not just for their blow-dries and highlights, but to even out their tans in the jet-bronze booth or get manis in the well-tended greenhouse while sipping expressos.
Rua Barão de Jaguaripe, 289, Ipanema, tel. (21) 3813-0560.



Fragrance – Água de Banho
Natura is Brazil’s most glam cosmetics brand in spite of – or perhaps because – of the fact its products are not sold in stores. Clients can either shop at their one and only store, in Paris, or call a rep and schedule a house call. As its name implies, Natura sources most of its ingredients from the exuberant flora of Brazil. Its latest hit fragrance is Água de Banho (Bath Water), a light and refreshing blend suited to the heat of the tropics.
www.natura.net



Dermatology clinic – Juvenesse
Dermatologists Andréa Serra and Paulina Kede go far beyond mere consultations at their new clinic Juvenesse. Bold name clients like foxy TV anchor Fátima Bernardes choose from a long list of treatments, ranging from post-op lymphatic drainage and botox injections to chemical peels and the high-tech melanesse, meant to erase those dreaded sun spots.
Av. das Américas, 4200, Bloco 8, Barra da Tijuca, tel: (21) 3385-4496



Plastic surgery clinic – Vitée
Surgeon-to-the-soap-stars Dr. Ricardo Cavalcanti owns this clinic, specialized in nips and tucks. There the newest craze for those afraid to go under the knife is the so-called carboxitherapy, whereby carbon dioxide is injected under the skin to dissolve cellulite.
Avenida Fernando Mattos, 225, Barra da Tijuca, tel. (21) 2492-1107

Gym – A! Body Tech
No other gym in town boasts a higher quotient of drop-dead gorgeous young things flaunting tight abs. Two of the owners, sometimes spotted working the weights, are Ronaldo – Brazil’s greatest soccer player and tabloid fixture – and sexy actor Rodrigo Santoro, who played Nicole Kidman’s lover in a Chanel No. 5 ad and had his first U.S. movie role in Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.
Rua Visconde de Pirajá, 365b, Ipanema, tel.(21) 2523-3898

Florianópolis, Santa Catarina: best beaches and hotspots

The beaches of Florianópolis – an island-city an hour’s flight South of São Paulo – are famous for the high quotient of gorgeous blonde, olive-skinned beauties of German or Italian descent. Add to the eye candy the big waves (the city hosts the Brazilian leg of the world surfing championship), lush forests, clean and safe streets and great seafood, and you’ll understand why many São Paulo jetsetters have chosen to summer or live here.

Gisele Bündchen flies in often, and has been spotted at the boutique and café Guga Kuerten, opened by the eponymous tennis champ, three-time French Open winner. By day, pretty young things like
model-turned-TV hostess Maryeva Oliveira suntan at Brava beach, moving on to neighbouring Jurerê Internacional for the après-beach or dinner at the loungey Pimenta e Limão, owned by top local chef Zeca d’Acampora.

Another celeb fave on Jurerê is El Divino Beach, where bronzed bodies cozy up on beachside couches, caipirinhas in hand. By night it turns into a club, but most other action moves downtown.

High-end shops and eateries, such as the popular Um Lugar, specializing in shellfish, cluster around the Lagoa da Conceição. Favourite hangout of the thirty-something set, Confraria das Artes unites restaurant, lounge and shops under the same roof – with dancing on weekends.

Literary types like novelist Mário Prata prefer the laid-back feel and the freshly-fried shrimp and fish at Box 32, the perennially-packed bar at the 1898-built public market.

Chosen by Brazillians year-in, year-out, as the country’s favourite city for its safety, abudant green and gorgeous beaches (42 in all), Florianópolis is linked to the mainland by a single suspension bridge. Downtown, tropical forest encroaches on skyscrapers, and high-end shops and eateries cluster around the Lagoa. Favourite hangout of the style-conscious set, Confraria das Artes unites restaurant, lounge and shops under the same roof – with dancing on weekends.

Box 32: Mercado Público Municipal, Centro Histórico, Tel: (48) 3224-5588
Confraria das Artes: rua João Pacheco Costa, 31, Lagoa, tel. (48) 3232-2298
Guga Kuerten: Rua Bocaiúva, 2198, Centro, tel. (48) 3333-0900
El Divino Beach: Avenida dos Pampos, Jurerê Internacional, tel. (48) 3282-1816
Pimenta e Limão: rua Bocaiúva, 2304, Hotel Blue Tree Towers, tel. (48) 3251-5548
Um lugar: Rua Jornalista Jaime de Arruda Ramos, 1850, next to the Lagoinha hotel, Ponta das Canas, tel. (48) 3284-1226

Practical information:
During summer (December through March), temperatures reach 40ºC / 104 F, and that’s when it rains the most. That's also when hotel rates go way up - especially between Christmas and New Year's, the busiest time of year. It's best to visit in spring or fall instead.

The International Airport is at the Southern tip of Santa Catarina Island, about 13km from downtown.

Florianópolis boasts more than 80km of hiking trails, althought they’re not well marked, so it’s always best to hire a private guide.

For more information, you can visit the English website of the local tourism board.

Photos and map: courtesy of Prefeitura de Florianópolis

The top Brazilian swimwear brands: Rosa Chá, Lenny, Cia. Marítima

Forget the barely-there string bikini stereotype: Brazilians now like show little skin and plenty of covered-up ensembles at the beach. The new look, which pairs high-waisted bottoms with tops dressy enough to pass for evening wear, is bound to migrate from Ipanema to the Hamptons and beyond, since leading Brazilian swimwear designers – Rosa Chá and Lenny among them – now show their collections not only in São Paulo’s fashion week but also at the Bryant Park tents in New York.

The new Brazilian bikinis come with tops either flowy and voluminous, gathered halter-style at the neck (like the Lenny bikini, at left), or feature long, criss-crossing wide straps tied at the back or on one side. Other times they’re form-fitting and adorned with sculpture-like pieces of metal or acryllic. Winning one-pieces are all-white (like the heavily-draped Lenny number Nicole Kidman sported in a Vanity Fair spread) or done in bright solids, with dramatic detailing like heavy draping, bands of sequins on the hips, wood pieces sewn onto the bodice or a scattering of assymetrical cutouts (some look more like wearable art than something you’d want to take a dip in.






Cover-ups, too, are anything but casual. Think shimmering slip worn with a wide belt, or trapeze-shaped one-shoulder dress with patches of bold color. Or flowing cover-up skirt, as shown at right, from Rosa Chá's summer 09 collection. It’s beachwear that goes from pool to evening cocktails to moonlit dinner: why not?










Cia. Maritima

Track&Field Shopping Iguatemi
Av. Brigadeiro Faria Lima , 2232 Piso 1
São Paulo
Tel: (11)3816-3663

Track&Field Oscar Freire
R. Oscar Freire, 959/961
Jardins
São Paulo
Tel: (11)3062-4457

Rosa Chá
boutiques in Rio:
Rosa Chá Fashion Mall
Estrada da Gávea, 899, loja 221F
tel. (21) 2422-3744

Rosa Chá Barra
Barra Shopping
Av. das Américas, 4666
tel. (21) 3089-1052

boutiques in São Paulo

Rosa Chá Iguatemi
Shopping Iguatemi
Av. Faria Lima, 2232
tel. (11) 3032-3078

Rosa Chá Morumbi
Shopping Morumbi
tel. (11) 5182-5125

Lenny

Lenny boutiques in Rio:

Lenny boutiques in São Paulo:

Beach Couture, in São Paulo: haute Brazilian beachwear

Beach Couture, the brainchild of girl-about-town Vanda Jacintho and longtime friend Carol Andraus, makes exquisite swimwear (and matching silk chemises and sarongs) for an exclusive clientele of jetsetters who prefer timeless classics in nude tones or black with the odd metallic detailing to the teeny-weeny colorful bikinis that Brazil’s known for. Their clients, among them socialites Fabiola Beracasa and Jennifer Shorto, “aren’t teenage girls trying to look sexy, so they like our 70s-inspired low-rise, ample bottoms”, says Jacintho. The latest collection features soft-hued bird and flower prints reminiscent of antique porcelain and cut-to-flatter suits with structured bodices. Select pieces are carried in London’s Heidi Klein stores and New York’s Blue Bag boutique, but you’ll find the best selection at Beach Couture’s São Paulo shop (Alameda Ministro Rocha Azevedo, 1052, tel (55-11) 3081-4752).

Here's a video of their Summer '09 collection: