The Gringx's Guide to the Galaxy

A 'where to', 'how to' and 'why the F' for São Paulo, Brasil (and neighboring galaxies)

[gringxsguide-blog]

How big is Sao Paulo really?

How big is this place actually…

Well now, how long is a piece of string? Sao Paulo city as defined by Google Maps is shaped roughly like a very sick cartoon puppy – I mean it has ears and a snout and an emaciated body…sort of. It even has weird T-rex chicken claws if you take the lakes into account, no? This shape seems to occur frequently:

If this is indeed the size of the city then it’s quite easy to calculate: Simply divide into a long rectangle for the body and ears of the sitting puppy and a square for the snout. This approximation gets you (60X20) + (20x20) which is 1200 +400 which is 1600 km squared which is 620 square miles or 160000 hectares or 395368 acres. This is roughly the size of islands like Oahu, or Lesbos or Zanzibar or Skye or cities like London, Sydney or Baltimore for whatever relevance that may have to you, dear reader. This same number comes up again and again even if you use other methods of measuring the pinkish grey mass of urban sprawl on Google Earth.

But for all intense porpoises like you and I, this place is probably more like 100 square km (size of two sheep farms in Australia or 10 cattle farms in Montana or the island of Antigua) Almost all the attractions and markets and funky residential areas and chic nightlife occurs within a 10km x 10km area around the centre. Hopefully someone here can make a diagram for you…no, no takers… I will draw one on this piece of toilet paper.

Now in our as yet limited experience of this city it is important to note this… from the airport you will travel into the city via this highway known as the Marginal which runs along a very smelly foul canal and kinda sorta marks the “margin” of the city centre. One travels along here for ages as the canal bends south even though its only a few kms (traffic) and here’s the thing…you want to live, hang out in and explore everything on the left of the canal (the South or East bank). There are numerous places to see elsewhere but this will keep you occupied for a long while. Merry wandering!

[gringxsguide-blog]

I haven't had my hair cut in what feels like an eternity I trust no one to cut my hair. And yet I've had it cut in Malawi, South Africa, across the US, Costa Rica, Italy and most traumatically the day before my undergrad graduation where I asked for 2 inches off and got 8 as a gift! After lengthy stalking on instagram I found Casa Jupiter (Jupiter House) and stylist a "visagista" Débora Gotlib. Not knowing much about her approach, and feeling ready for a new look I messaged them and scheduled an appointment. A little steep at R$350, I would not recommend for a simple trim. But if you are in the midst of change or wanting change - she is your gal! The process can take up to an hour and starts with coffee and a chat in a cozy basement studio in a beautiful part of the Vila Madalena neighborhood. If you don't like pillow talk, her pets will put you at ease while you tell her a bit about yourself. Visagism includes reading the shape and lines of the face, but also stems from Anthroposophy. She read me like a book, very quickly telling my about myself (a control freak) who wants to tame, untamable curls! We talked about what longer hair meant - introspection, evocative of virginal archetypes and shorter hair - less introspection, more strength and power. Everything she did was discussed, length and shape. But the process she lead me on of understanding one's relationship with one's hair was beyond empowering. I told her I have pipedreams of going pixie short with bangs - she told me to let the process happen. Come back when the current cut has worked its magic on me. Its been 24 hours and I am feeling the magic, I feel like a kween. Thank you Debora and Casa Jupiter. Debora studied ayurveda, lived in India and Spain among other places. To book or inquire: [phone] Photos all taken from the Casa Jupiter Instagram page @casajupiter

[gringxsguide-blog]

Yesterday we moved to Perdizes for a 3 week adventure in a new neighborhood. We were starved. Cell phones dead. Didn't have charging adapters. Weren't finished packing. So naturally, we left the apartment in search of sustenance. We found Bar Geribá a cozy and easy spot on Ave. Sumare. In typical SP style it had tables along the sidewalk and Brahma Chopp on draft. We had the picanha appetizer, which was massive and fried mandioca (cassava/yucca) both traditional brasilian bar foods. Who even remembers to take pictures of food when it arrives? This is half way through the damage. Sides were a nice vinaigrette, farofa (a saw dust type consistency, mandioca flour add-on to every brasilian meal) and fresh bread. Last night there was a Palmeiras game, a traditionally Italian Sao Paulo soccer team. Their stadium is a couple kms from Bar Geriba, we got to watch all the fans stream down the avenue in their green gear on their way to Alianz Parque, the team's stadium.

[gringxsguide-blog]

Firstly, Music…

The average speed between anywhere and anywhere in this city is about 10km an hour; whether you are going by bus or metro or Uber or whatever the fuck you have – unicycle, elephant – the traffic and the general chaos so omnipresent in semi tropical, corrupt countries makes getting from A to B a slow process. Take an estimate from google maps and add 20 minutes, at least. SO to get into the groove of the city and make the journeys more interesting, plug in your headphones, put your head to the window (don’t worry, common sense will keep your phone safe) and listen to some beats from the streets, odes from the roads, songs from the errr…thongs? Here is a track to start you off that we think will help create the atmosphere conducive to immersion:

RAEL DA RIMA - Vejo Depois (literally: I will see later/afterwards) Chilled and yet slightly melancholic track to match the certain unavoidable edge of decay apparent in this city’s streets. Definitely has a bit of the nostalgic Brazilian soul (we shall speak of “Saudade” later) in the chords and lyrics – the chorus goes:

Quando eu me vi só nesse lugar Eu pensei que preciso sair Pra me libertar, seja com quem for A minha vida é cantar, nunca no mesmo lugar O resto eu vejo depois

Which loosely translated means:

When I saw myself alone in this place I thought I need to leave To set myself free, be it with who it may My life is to sing, never in the same place Be it alone or as two The rest I will see later/after

Kind of apt for many citizens I s’pose…keepin’ it real…