Highball: Smoking with Fidel in Sao Paulo

Highball reports from her South American quest to find a polo player, cabana boy or kept man:

"Although I failed in my quest to find a sexy Latin lover in Sao Paulo, I did discover some fantastic spots in this city that rocks at night. You must head to Figueira Rubaiyat for dinner which boasts an enormous fig in the restaurant’s center (for which it is of course famous). Most of the restaurant is outdoors and you are seated around the sprawling century old fig tree. If you can bear the odd scent and falling leaves, request the table at the tree’s base. The food and service are incredible (we had 4 waiters ensuring our wine classes were always full) but dining inside tree branches is the main selling point.

Afterward, head to Fidels, a small, dark, chill live music venue that hosts impressive bands and few tourists. The music is primarily Brazilian with some American soul occasionally tossed in. And of course, don’t go to Fidel’s without lighting up a Cuban cigar from their extensive cigar “club”.

+Figueira Rubaiyat, Rua Haddock Lobo, 1738 Jardin Paulista, Sao Paulo, +55 11 306 3888. +Fidel, Rua Girassol 398 Villa Madalena, Sao Paulo, +55 11 212 4225.