From now on, the use of escalator for bicycles is allowed on the Sao Paulo metro stations

Starting on next Saturday, February 4th, passengers boarding with bicycles will be allowed to leave the platform using escalators.

This change was generated through a mobilization of four entities, the production and dissemination of a video on the internet and the publication of an open letter to the President of the Metro.

By the rules of the Metro and CPTM, published on 2007, the entry of bicycles was only allowed if the user could carry it through the common stairs to access the platforms.

According to the Metro, during the week, the bicycles are only allowed after 8h30 pm, which brings average 53 passengers per day. On Saturday, it's allowed after 2 pm. On Sundays, the entrance is allowed during all day and the number of users reaches around 573. That is, 10 times higher.

This change will be valid on the Metro Lines, including Line 4-Yellow and CPTM trains.

Sao Paulo Carnival 2012: Samba School rehearsals - time schedule 2012. Check it out!

If you are planning to be in Sao Paulo during the Carnival 2012, check out the Technical rehearsals of the Special Group

January
January 27th (Friday) at 10 pm: Mancha Verde 
January 28th (Saturday) at 8 pm: Mocidade Alegre
January 28th (Saturday) at 9 pm: X9 Paulistana
January 28th (Saturday) at 10 pm: Vila Maria
January 28th (Saturday) at 11 pm: Gaviões da Fiel
January 29th (Sunday) at 7 pm: Tom Maior
January 29th (Sunday) at 8 pm: Acadêmicos do Tucuruvi
January 29th (Sunday) at 9 pm: Império de Casa Verde
January 30th (Monday) at 8 pm: Rosas de Ouro

February
February 3rd (Friday) at 9 pm: Império de Casa Verde
February 4th (Saturday) at 6 pm: Águia de Ouro
February 4th (Saturday) at 8 pm: Pérola Negra
February 4th (Saturday) at 11 pm: Camisa Verde e Branco
February 5th (Sunday) at 7 pm: Acadêmicos do Tucuruvi
February 5th (Sunday) at 10 pm: Gaviões da Fiel
February 6th (Monday) at 10 pm: Dragões da Real
February 9th (Thursday) at 10 pm: Águia de Ouro
February 10th (Friday) at 11 pm: Vai-Vai
February 11th (Saturday) at 7 pm: Rosas de Ouro
February 11th (Saturday) at 8 pm: Mocidade Alegre
February 11th (Saturday) at 9 pm: X-9 Paulistana
February 11th (Saturday) at 10 pm: Vila Maria
February 12th (Sunday) at 7 pm: Tom Maior
February 12th (Sunday) at 8 pm: Mancha Verde
February 12th (Sunday) at 9 pm: Império de Casa Verde

Carnival
February 17th (Friday) at 11 pm: Carnival Parade
February 18th (Saturday) at 10h30 pm: Carnival Parade

February 24th (Friday) at 10h30 pm: Champions Parade (Desfile das Campeãs)

Schedule subject to change without notice due to weather or logistical issues. Check the official website.

Service
What: Samba Schools rehearsals
Where: Sambódromo: Avenida Olavo Fontoura, 1209
Price: the access to the bleachers during the rehearsals are free of charge
Phone: +55 (11) 2226-0400

Related link: Samba School rehearsals are open to the public. Check out the addresses and prices

The 4-Yellow Line already offers signal coverage for mobile devices

Signal for mobile devices on the 4-Yellow Line

The Metro 4-Yellow Line started having mobile coverage since January 19th. This is the most modern Metro Line of São Paulo. The service is still partial: only for the companies Oi, Tim and Vivo and only on the stretch of 7.2 kilometers between stations Faria Lima and Luz.

The Claro and Nextel signal will be offered in the coming days. The 1.8 kilometers stretch between the stations Pinheiros and Butantã will only be covered in March. The other subway lines offer mobile coverage.

Today is the 458th city anniversary. Check out what is happening right now!

Concerts
What: Paralamas do Sucesso
Where: Parque da Juventude - Avenida Zaki Narchi, 1309
When: January 25th at 6 pm
Price: For free
Phone: +55 (11) 2251-2706

What: Jazz Concerts
Where: Biblioteca Mario de Andrade - Rua da Consolação, 94
When: January 25th at 4h30 pm
Price: For free (get your ticket from 3 pm)
Phone: +55 (11) 3256-5270

What: Exaltasamba
Where: Pavilhão de Exposições do Anhembi - Avenida Olavo Fontoura, 1209
When: January 25th. The gate open at midday and the concerts starts at 4 pm
Price: From R$ 50 to R$ 100
Phone: +55 (11) 4003-5559

What: Pitty
Where: SESC Pinheiros - Rua Paes Leme, 195

When: January 25th at 6 pm

Price: R$ 32 and R$ 16 student

What: Ney Mato Grosso
Where: Praça da República
When: January 25th at 8 pm
Price: For free

What: Sinfonia Paulistana
Where: Centro Cultural Fiesp - Avenida Paulista, 1313
When: January 25th at 8h30 pm
Price: For free (get your ticket at Teatro do Sesi-SP from midday)
Phone: +55 (11) 3146-7405

What: Forrópoeira

Where: Centro de Tradições Nordestinas (CTN) - Rua Jacofér, 615

When: January 25th at 10 pm

Price: For free

Phone: +55 (11) 3488-9447


Exhibitions
What: São Paulo 458 - A Bela Metrópole

Where: Museu Afro Brasil - Parque do Ibirapuera

When: January 25th at 1 pm

Price: For free

What: Conexão Cultural - Exposições,
Música e Gastronomia (Art exhibition)

Where: Museu da Imagem e do Som (MIS) - Avenida Europa, 158

When: January 25th, from 1 pm till 10 pm

Price: For free


Party
What: Festa na Rua (Party on the Street)

Where: Piratininga Bar - Rua Wizard, 149

When: January 25th, from 4 pm till 9 pm

Price: For free

Phone: +55 (11) 3032-9775

Ashton Kutcher is surfing in Sao Paulo

Ashton Kutcher: Surfing the streets of Sao Paulo

Sao Paulo is well known in portuguese, as "Terra da Garoa" (Land of Drizzle) but sometimes (mainly during the summer) it is also "Land of Thunderstorm". Some people enjoy this opportunity for surfing on the streets.

The last person who did such a thing was Ashton Kutcher, that came to the SPFW (Sao Paulo Fashion Week) and had the chance to surf on the streets of Sao Paulo. He published this picture via his own twitter. Hopefully he won't get leptospirosis...

Restaurant and Bistrô Le French Bazar is a great option for a romantic dinner

Le French Bazar

If you are in Sao Paulo, seeking a charming option to bring your partner to dinner, the advice is the restaurant and bistrô Le French Bazar. It is a place with sidewalk tables and a bar open on the street.

The restaurant is very cozy. The decoration is composed of random details that are everywhere.

The kitchen features classic dishes and attractive prices. The tip is the Entrecôte with chips, salad and mayonnaise dijon for R$ 36. Click here to see the MENU on your mobile device. It worth a visit!

Service
What: Le French Bazar Restaurant
Where: Rua Fradique Coutinho, 179
When: Monday, from 8 pm till 11h30 pm; Tuesday to Thursday, from midday till 3 pm and from 8 pm till midnight; Friday from midday till 3 pm and from 8 pm till 1 am; Saturday from 1 pm till 4 pm and from 8 pm till 1 am; Sunday from 1 pm till 5 pm.
Price: from R$ 30 to R$ 40
Phone: +55 (11) 3063-1809
Website: www.lefrenchbazar.com.br/site/

The exhibition "World Photo São Paulo 2012" starts on January 21st

The city of Sao Paulo will host the next edition of the World Photo, global event will be available from January 21 at the Museum of Image and Sound Sao Paulo (MIS).

The exhibition, which runs until February 12th, is free and features the winners of the workshop "Student City Project", also features the winners of the "Professional Competition" and "Open Competition" awards organized by "World Photography Organisation" .

"Winners Exhibition" incorporates the "Sony World Photography Awards." The event is a partnership between Sony Brazil with the State Government of São Paulo, the Department of Culture and the Museu da Imagem e Som.

[source: catraca livre]

Service
What: World Photo São Paulo 2012Where: MIS - Museu da Imagem e Som - Avenida Europa, 158, Jardim Europa
When: January 21st to February 12th. Saturday and Sunday, from 11 am till 9 pm; Tuesday to Friday, from midday till 9 pm.
Price: For free
Phone: +55 (11) 2117-4777
Website: http://www.mis-sp.org.br

Paulista Avenue completes 120 years and receive an exhibition of 20 panels. It worth a visit!

On January 25, Sao Paulo celebrates 458 years. Also this year, Avenida Paulista, one of the greatest symbols of the city, complete 120 years. To celebrate these two events, the artist and architect Carla Caffé created a series of 20 posters that make up a panoramic view of the Avenida Paulista in Sao Paulo. The posters will be displayed in an exhibition held at the Cultural Center Funarte.

The exhibition "A(e)rea Paulista" has a panel 1.40 meters height and 11 meters long consisting of 20 posters, which show an overview of the avenue from the Vale do Anhangabaú until the Paraiso neighborhood, highlighting key monuments and Paulista buildings.

Studying topographic maps of the city, the artist decided to paint watercolors that show the contour of the region and streets that connect the landscape. The route passes through the neighborhoods Paraiso, Liberdade, Bela Vista, Higienópolis, Consolação and downtown.

Service
What: A(e)rea Paulista
Where: Centro Cultural Funarte
When: January 21st to February 24th. Monday to Sunday, from 2 pm till 10 pm.
Phone: +55 (11) 3662-5177
Website: www.funarte.gov.br/

Hugo Curti contrasts life and death, placing animals inside a house

The Gallery Mônica Filgueiras & Eduardo Machado receives the exhibition "Além do Silêncio" (Beyond the Silence) by Hugo Curti. There are 13 images of animals located inside a house, such as a fox on top of a bookcase, a bird next to a garbage bag and a broom. The proposal is to introduce an allusion to the silence after the death in contrast to the life.

Service
What: Hugo Curti - Além do Silêncio
Where: Galeria Mônica Filgueiras & Eduardo Machado - Rua Bela Cintra, 1533
When: Monday to Friday, from 10 am till 7 pm; Saturday, from 10h30 am till 4 pm. Ends on January 28th.
Price: For free
Phone: +55 (11) 3082-5292

Exhibition of Joaquín Torres García at Pinacoteca - Sao Paulo

One of the major Uruguayan artists wins retrospective exhibition with 150 works made ​​between 1913 and 1943.

There are paintings, watercolors, drawings, frescoes, collages and wooden toys, called "juguetes transformables" which the artist created during 20's when he lived in New York.

Service
What: Joaquín Torres García Exhibition
Where: Pinacoteca do Estado - Praça da Luz, 2
When: Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am till 6 pm. Ends on February 26th.
Price: R$ 6. For free on Saturday.
Phone: +55 (11) 3324-1000
Website: www.pinacoteca.org.br/

Exhibition of Fayga Ostrower illustrations

The Lasar Segall Museum organized an exhibition about unknown works of the Polish artist Fayga Ostrower (1920-2001): book illustrations. The curator is Eucanaã Ferraz.

She, who moved to Brazil when young, worked as a painter, designer, illustrator, art theorist and teacher. Throughout her career, she received many prizes, including awards in the Venice Biennale (1958) and São Paulo (1957).

Service
What: Fayga Ostrower
Where: Museu Lasar Segall - Rua Berta, 111
When: Wednesday to Monday, from 11 am till 7 pm. Ends on March 3rd.
Price: For free
Phone: +55 (11) 5574-7322
Website: www.museusegall.org.br/

Kassab has just approved R$ 12 million to ensure the Indy 2012 in Sao Paulo

Dario Franchitti, 2010 Champion

According to the newspaper Estadão, the Mayor Gilberto Kassab (PSD) has just approved R$ 12 million for the realization of the Formula Indy 2012 in Sao Paulo. The additive to the contract with the Bandeirantes TV was published today in the Diário Oficial da Cidade. The government expects the event brings about R$ 100 million to the economy of the city, especially on the restaurants and the 41,000 jobs in the hotel network.

If confirmed by the organization of the Indy, the race will happen for the third consecutive year in Sao Paulo. In the last two years, however, the rains damaged the race, since the Anhembi track - located beside the Marginal Tietê -, has several flooding points.

During the race performed in 2011, which should have happened on Sunday was postponed to the following day due the rain. The race was held on a Monday and had a major impact on traffic. In 2010, the first outing in Brazil also caused disorder in traffic in the region of Anhembi.

What else?
Kassab also approved today the three events that occur on the Avenida Paulista: the New Year's Eve Festival, the São Silvestre Race and the Gay Pride Parade.

Related links:
Sao Paulo Indy 300: May 1st at Anhembi. Check it out!
F-Indy: Anhembi Circuit has the longest stretch of all Indy Championships

Turismetro is a cheap and a very interesting way of visiting the city. Check it out!

If you're here in São Paulo and want to experience a different kind of tourism, the insidesaopaulo advice is the Turismetrô. It is a project created by the SP Turis in partnership with the Metro.

There are five different routes created to go through numerous touristic and historical sights of São Paulo. The tours offer trilingual guides (English, Spanish and Portuguese) that tell stories about the city and present artistic interventions performed by actors playing different characters who tell curious facts along the way.

Service

• Every tour begin at Sé Metro Station;
• The tour does not happen on rainy days.
• Only 25 people can participate in every route.
• Each route takes about 3 hours .
• The itinerary can be changed at any moment.
  

Schedule
Saturday
Turismo na Sé, 9am
Turismo na Luz, 14h

Sunday
Turismo na Paulista, 9h
Turismo na Liberdade, 14h
Turismo no Teatro Municipal, 14h

Price
The tour is free, but you must pay for the ticket of the Metro. Check how many tickets are required for each trip:

• Turismo na Sé: 1
• Turismo na Paulista: 2
• Turismo na Luz: 1
• Turismo no Teatro Municipal: 1
• Turismo na Liberdade: 1

How to participate?
On weekends, get at least 20 minutes before the scheduled departure, to the counter of the Turismetrô at the Sé Station. Then choose one of the routes and get the necessary number of single tickets.

The counter of the Turismetrô is located at Sé Station. It opens on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 am till 6 pm or by phone:
+55 (11) 2958-3714 - Monday to Friday from 8 am till 5 pm.
+55 (11) 7716-5141 - Monday to Friday from 9 am till 6 pm, Saturday and Sunday from 8 am till 5 pm.


Check out every single route offered by the Turismetrô

Route: Turismo na Sé
When: Every Saturday at 9am.
Itinerary: Starts at Sé Metro station. Destination Sao Bento Station

• Igreja de São Bento*
• Largo de São Bento
• Praça Antônio Prado
• Rua 15 de Novembro
• Rua do Comércio
• Largo do Café
• Praça do Patriarca
• Igreja Santo Antônio
• Rua da Quitanda
• Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil*
• Pateo do Collegio*
• Capela do Beato Padre Anchieta
• Casa Nº 1
• Beco do Pinto
• Solar da Marquesa*
• Centro Cultural da Caixa Econômica
• Praça da Sé
• Marco Zero Catedral da Sé*

Tickets required: 1
(*) The group is allowed to visit inside.


Route: Liberdade
When: Every Sunday at 14h.
Itinerary: Starts at Sé Metro station. Destination São Joaquim Station

• Casarão de Ramos de Azevedo
• Templo Sukyo Mahikari
• Comunidade Budista Soto Zenshu
• Templo Maçônico
• Museu Histórico da Imigração Japonesa no Brasil
• Rua Galvão Bueno
• Rua Tomás Gonzaga
• Rua Américo de Campos
• Portal Torii
• Praça da Liberdade
• Igreja Santa Cruz dos Enforcados
• Rua dos Aflitos
• Capela Nossa Sra. Dos Aflitos

Tickets required: 1


Route: Turismo na Paulista
When: Every Sunday at 9am.
Itinerary: Starts at Sé Metro Station. Destination Brigadeiro Station

• Casa das Rosas*
• Grupo Escolar Rodrigues Alves
• Hospital Santa Catarina
• Instituto Pasteur
• Brigadeiro Station. Destination Trianon-Masp Station
• Parque Trianon*
• Feirinhas Masp* (optional, discount to get in)
• Trianon-Masp Station. Destination Sé Station

Tickets required: 2
(*) The group is allowed to visit inside.


Route: Turismo na Luz
When: Every Saturday at 14h
Itinerary: Starts at Sé Metro Station. Destination Luz Station

• Estação da Luz*
• Parque da Luz*
• Café Pinacoteca
• Pinacoteca do Estado
• Museu de Arte Sacra* – Museu do Presépio
• Tiradentes Station. Destination Sé Station

Tickets required: 1
(*) The group is allowed to visit inside.



Route: Teatro Municipal
When: Every Sunday at 14h
Itinerary: Starts at Sé Metro Station. Destination Anhangabaú Station

• Ladeira da Memória
• Shopping Light
• Teatro Municipal*
• Monumento a Carlos Gomes e Fonte dos Desejos
• Viaduto do Chá
• Praça do Patriarca
• Faculdade de Direito Largo do São Francisco
• Church São Francisco de Assis*
• Church Ordem 3ª de São Francisco
• Escola de Comércio Álvares Penteado
• Church São Gonçalo
• Fórum João Mendes e Tribunal de Justiça
• Sé Station

Tickets required: 1
(*) The group is allowed to visit inside.

Exhibition shows the influence of foreign architects in São Paulo

The exhibition Exilio e Modernidade - O Espaço e o Estrangeiro na Cidade de São Paulo (The space and the foreigner in the city of Sao Paulo) brings designs, photographs, maps, videos and articles that show the influence of foreign architects in São Paulo. Anat Falb is responsible for the event.

Service
What: Exilio e Modernidade 
Where: Rua Oscar Freire, 2500
When: Tuesday to Saturday, from midday till 7 pm. Sunday, from 11 am till 7 pm. Ends on February 2nd.
Price: For free
Phone: +55 (11) 3065-4333
Website: www.culturajudaica.org.br/

Sao Paulo Carnival 2012: check out the list of Samba Schools ready to parade

[photo: andre lessa/ae]

Império da Casa Verde - São Paulo Carnival 2011

On 2012, the 14 Samba School of the Special Group will parade on February 17 and 18. Bellow is the entry list on Sambódromo:

[photo: daniel teixeira]

Águia de Ouro

Friday (February 17)
1st Camisa Verde e Branco
2nd Império de Casa Verde
3rd X-9 Paulistana
4th Vai-Vai
5th Rosas de Ouro
6th Acadêmicos do Tucuruvi
7th Mancha Verde

Saturday (February 18)
1st Dragões da Real
2nd Pérola Negra
3rd Mocidade Alegre
4th Águia de Ouro
5th Unidos de Vila Maria
6th Gaviões da Fiel
7th Tom Maior

Service
What: Sao Paulo Carnival 2012
Where: Sambódromo
When: February 17 and 18. Ticket sales are available from Monday to Saturday, 11am till 5 pm. 

[photo: daniel teixeira]

X-9 Paulistana - São Paulo Carnival 2011

Sao Paulo Carnival 2012: the ticket sales start on January 15, but it's possible to buy VIP ones.

[photo: jose patrício/ae]

Viviane Araujo representing
Mancha Verde Samba School

Tickets of the São Paulo Carnival (February 17 and 18) will be available for sale in the second half of this month. For now, just boxes and VIP stands can be purchased.

Tickets are sold from Monday to Saturday, 11am till 5 pm, on the point of sale. Addresses are available at www.ingressofacil.com.br, which also sells tickets over the Internet.

There are 29 camarotes for 25 people each and 18 camarotes for 10 people availables. The ticket sales for both sector began last July 21. The start was anticipated at the request of the League of Samba Schools. The tickets sales for the whole sectors will start on January 15th.

It's also possible to buy tickets for the Desfile das Campeãs (Winner Parade), when the Champion of the Sao Paulo Carnival will parade on February 24. It is available for R$ 75 on the "Arquibancada setor B".

Service
What: Sao Paulo Carnival 2012
Where: Sambódromo of São Paulo
When: February 17 and 18. Ticket sales are available from Monday to Saturday, 11am till 5 pm.
Price: Camarotes VIP, sectors A, E, F and J R$ R$ 800 per person/day. Sectors D, G and H R$ 1 thousand per person/day; sector C R$ 1,200 per person/day. Arquibancada VIP R$ 250 per day. For the Winner Parade,
R$ 75. The ticket sales for the whole sectors of the Paulista Carnival starts on Januray 15

Related link: Sao Paulo Carnival 2012: check out the list of Samba Schools ready to parade

Anticorpos - exhibition of Fernando and Humberto Campana is available till January 15

Considered icons of the International Design, the Campana brothers, which are Brazilians, have received a retrospective organized by the German Vitra Design Museum.

The exhibition puts together pieces of furniture, lamps, objects, clothing and jewelry.

Service
What: Anticorpos - Fernando e Humberto Campana (1989-2009)
Where: Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil. Rua Álvares Penteado, 112
When: Tuesday to Sunday, from 9 am till 9 pm. Ends on January 15th
Price: For free
Phone: +55 (11) 3113-3651

Come to see Miles Davis on the SESC Pinheiros, Sao Paulo

Spread into themed environments, the exhibition portrays the life and work of the American musician Miles Davis. His music appears throughout the exhibition organized by the Cité de la Musique of Paris.

Service
What: Queremos Miles!
Where: SESC Pinheiros - Rua Paes Leme, 195
When: Tuesday to Friday, from 1 pm till 10 pm. Saturday and Sunday, from 10 am till 7 pm. Ends on January 29th.
Price: For free
Phone: +55 (11) 3095-9400
Website: www.sescsp.org.br/sesc/

Steve McCurry exhibition in Sao Paulo

The exhibition brings about 100 photographs, including images ranging between geopolitical conflicts, the traditional Indian rituals and beautiful natural Afghanistan landscapes. Including also the last photographs taken by McCurry with the old school Kodachrome film.

Service
What: Steve McCurry
Where: Instituto Tomie Ohtake - Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 201
When: Tuesday to Sunday, from 11 am till 8 pm.
Price: For free
Phone: +55 (11) 2245-1900
Website: www.institutotomieohtake.org.br/

Exhibition of Sigmar Polke at MASP

The daily routine was one of the biggest inspirations of Sigmar Polke, one of the most important contemporary German artists. The exhibition brings together about 250 graphic works of him.

Service
What: Realismo capitalista e outras histórias ilustradas
Where: MASP
When: Tuesday to Sunday, from 11 am till 6 pm. Thursday, from 11 am till 8 pm. Ends on January 29th.
Price: R$ 15. For free every Tuesday
Phone: +55 (11) 3251-5644
Website: masp.art.br/

URBE — Public Art Exhibition — will happen on the streets of Sampa from Jan. 25 to 29

From January 25th to 29th, the surroundings of Vale do Anhagabaú — a neighbourhood known for its historical sites and prime architecture —, receives the URBE - Mostra de Arte Pública (URBE ‐ Public Art Exhibition) which will interfere in São Paulo’s downtown daily life, recycling the landscape, encouraging artistic thinking and putting this specific part of the city upon reflection.

URBE is defined by the intervention upon what is already there, considered the city itself is a sublime mankind artwork. The site specific art interventions are developed by five young artists/collectives who will develop installations and projections that will ultimately change the public area, using open air spaces for new ideas. The therefore emerges with the proposal of investigating layers of time and their aesthetic, historical and social values as the same time as proposing a new path for the incipient segment of public art.

To enforce this objective, the program includes free workshops with the artists in January 2012. The five artworks (three installations, one video mapping work and one interactive projection) are the first sample of
the potential of this kind of project in the city. Artworks will be set up in areas such as the forefront of the Banco do Brasil, Cultural Centre, Vale do Anhangabaú, Viaduto do Chá, among others.

Three young experts have selected the young artists taking place in the project: GOMA (Brasil), DOMA (Argentina), Felipe Sztutman (Brasil), ZoomB (Brasil) and Urbanscreen (Germany). The curators have different views and experiences in the visual arts field, but they all have a fresh look over the new proposals and the new art languages, endorsing the project innovating character. They are: Alessandra Mader, Felipe Brait and Julia Clemente.

URBE — Mostra de Arte Pública — is an accomplishment of Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, sponsored by Banco do Brasil and originally created by Cinnamon Comunicação.

Service
What: URBE - Mostra de arte publica

Where: Center of Sao Paulo

When: January 25 to 29, 2012

Price: For free

Website: http://www.urbearte.com.br/index.asp