January 15, 2005

Brazil Nuts

DailyCandy Goes to Bahia

Querido diário, olá do Brasil! Bahia, to be precise. Where one comes for the beaches, the beauties, and the shake-your-bum-bum splendor of it all.

Day 1: Cheap-o Check-In
The chic Sofitel Salvador was a little out of the way and out of the budget. The better choice was one of Alain Zamrini’s “apart-hotels” in Porto da Barra. Fab, furnished, daily maid service, pool — and only $150 per week in the low season.

Day 2: Beach Bumming
Salvador is home to Bahia’s best beaches. Porto da Barra is a fave for its clear water and activities (but watch the volleyballs). Take a short bus ride up the coast for more beauty and fewer crowds. Surfers hang at Praia do Flamengo. For maximum chill, hit Praia da Paciência. Tastiest beach food: acarajê, a Bahian specialty made of beans, tomatoes, cilantro, and dried shrimp. Rio Vermelho, only a few minutes from the beach, has Salvador?s two best acarajê stands. Day trip to Praia do Forte for the beach, the castle, sea turtles, and shops.

Day 3: Talk Porty to Me
Your Spanish 101 won’t do mucho to help you get by in Portuguese. Diálogo has excellent short-term immersion classes. Bonus: cooking, dance, and music lessons twice a week.

Day 4: Thong for a Song
Enough with the self-improvement. Bahia is shopping heaven. Havaianas: $3. Rosa Cha bikinis: $30. Hit the hidden boutiques on Rua Marques de Caravelas for bright, feminine, totally original getups. Even the Barra mall is great. (Really.) It has the hottest designers (and movies too!).

Day 5: Little Italy
Nothing wrong with starting the day the Italian way. The cappuccino at Café do Porto in Porto da Barra (Av. Princesa Isabel) is to die for. So too is Mauro, the owner. His favorite local Italian? La Lupa (Rua das Laranjeiras 17), his buddy’s place in Pelourinho.

Day 6: So Crafty
Pelourinho, all colorful shabby-chic buildings and cobblestone streets, is a charmer. No wonder all the artists hang here. Like Menelaw Sete, whose paintings blend Picasso style with Basquiat eccentricity (Rua João de Deus 3). Hit Sorriso da Dadá (Rua Frei Vicente 5) for typical Bahian food. The famous percussion band Olodum warms up next door for their weekly gig, a local favorite.

Day 7: Work It Out
Everyone is so gorgeous it’s easy to feel the contact high. Tasty, healthy vegetarian is not an oxymoron at Ramma (Rua Lord Cochrane 76). Spend an afternoon getting boxing lessons from world champ trainer Eddie Mattos at Boxe Elite. Insane workout. Insane bargain. Feel so local.

Day 8: The End
Hate today. How soon till next vacay?