a visit to the new Lagoa

[Tomcal]

On 11/4/2019 at 5:22 PM, Riobard said:

...#124 appears to be a dance conservatory, at least in part, with children coming and going.

It looks like a single family residence and we were there from about 2:30 to 4:00 pm on a monday and saw no activity of any kind going on. another positive feature is the taller apt bldgs to the side and back of the property have no window to look down and the house next door is single story as well as the 3td floor balcony overlooking the front now has the black metal over it as well as sound proofing insulation so that should take care of most objections from neighbors.

[Riobard]

Not to be contrarian, but it’s a dance studio in #124 there (there are several in the area including a pole-dance school!), before that was a bar and prior to that a restaurant in no particular order ... and will likely be something else when I arrive later in the winter. LOL

#130 housed an advertising/PR firm, with fairly big name clients, but moved a few blocks away.

As suggested, none of these details should pose a problem. (I will post a snippet I found from Rolling Stone on the general theme)

Edited November 7, 2019 by Riobard

[Riobard]

[sydneyboy1]

The last few posts are a little confusing. Could contributors please make clear whether they are talking about the new Lagoa or In-house.

[Riobard]

The Rolling Stone article is neither, just a humorous commentary on local community members’ awareness of the shenanigans that exist in their midst. 

The one Google review ‘pasted’ is someone asserting a police shakedown going in to InHouse Spa. 

Edited November 7, 2019 by Riobard

[Riobard]

InHouse Spa is further south, nearer current Lagoa location, at the Metro’s Ana Rosa station (blue line), one stop north of Santa Cruz station folks use for current Lagoa. 

[Tomcal]

this is a photo of the In-house spa building/entrance

[Riobard]

There are two separate businesses, in “partnership”, listed above: hair removal and spa with massage.

Clever; brothels are illegal, and the house taking a cut is pushing the envelope compared to the other places where clients pay a bar and facilities entrance cover and may hook up with ‘independents’. I THINK but not 100% sure. 

Staying a step ahead of [albeit unlikely] police confrontation, to my way of thinking, means flashing the depilation service info. They don’t need to know my level of collusion. 

Easy breezy beautiful cover story. 

Edited November 8, 2019 by Riobard

[Tomcal]

I think you are getting too far afield here! the place has been operating for 7 years no problems and is listed as a spa with massages. there is no signage on the outside of the building.  prostitution is legal in brazil but no one but the prostitute can make money off it, so the spa’s cut(or sauna’s) they can say is for room rental/entrance fee which is what the saunas we are all familiar with do.  the point of my post was to tell everyone about the spa and the guys working there not a in-depth review of how they operate/make their money etc! Just what we customers can expect when we go there!(every business in Brasil pay off the police, i know the saunas pay roughly $400.R/wk 

[Riobard]

As I posted, one customer reported a shakedown by police. That is eye-opening and it had not occurred to me because I would not expect this where I have been so far. I cannot verify the veracity of what he said, but I think it is prudent to be on the safe side and aware of what can happen, that is, share and pool information about such events in order to hedge expectations of 100% smooth sailing.

I only shared what I hope other members would share if they were privy to information I had missed out on. 

The reality of a culture of payoffs simply reinforces the idea of caution and, for me in this case, having a strategic cover story if running up against men in blue when entering a massage parlour, considering the history of extortion running through the force.

It is not atypical on this message board to put forward reminders to be on guard. It is essentially similar to the theme of discussing relative degrees of safety for navigating various neighbourhoods. If there isn’t room to cover all of the bases that usually come up, what good is the forum? For sure, we are going to have differences about how to operate the central philosophy and intent of the board. 

That nothing bad happening so far is predictive of same simply does not hold water. I believe there have been scary hold-up stories shared here, for example, that blemish the illusory logic of invincibility but do not compromise the loads of fun to be extracted from our adventures. 

[SolaceSoul]

These photos of the inside of the new Espaço Lagoa were taken yesterday (Friday) afternoon by a friend of a friend.  As someone who has experience rehabbing some old properties for market, this to me looks like it might not be ready In time for the late November opening.

It also looks less like a relaxing sauna and more like a generic remote office space like WeWork or Industrious. 
 

[Tomcal]

The photos are pretty accurate of what i saw last Monday although i think he might have been looking for the worst shots! When i saw it it had been cleaned up for the day! The first photo is of the showers in the main room straight ahead and to the right is the downstairs bar.  The second photo is golf the curved stairway going up the 3 floors. the third photo i think is some of the suites in the background, the 4th is the curved ramp from the lower entrance and is a ramp for disabled. and i have no idea what the last photo is! the suites are 90% done not sure why he would take 2 of the 5 photos of stairways/ramps and none of the suites which are all completely new? Also the stairs are wrapped in construction paper underneath that they looked like a nice quality wood!  Remember there were no walls/rooms in this building! just 4 floors of open warehouse space! It is not the style layout i would necessarily would have selected BUT i am just happy there is a new sauna to take the place of Lagoa! I have been around many construction sites in my life and was involved in building several 20,000 + sq ft building and they all looked similiar to this at the same stage!

I agree with SoulaceSoul that there is a lot to get done by the opening date, but enough will be done i think that there will only be minor inconveniences for clients!

i asked Rudolfo what they would take with them from the old place and he indicated very little! outside of bar equipment l!  they are getting brand new lockers, chairs, stools, beds, sinks and toilets(there are a lot of toilets in the new place!)

[sydneyboy1]

Tomcal

I’m glad you highlighted the fact that there is a lot of toilets in the new place. The toilet facilities (or lack thereof) was one of the more regrettable features of the old place. 

[Riobard]

Eeesh, what a lot of work given the original canvas ... ambitious set of balls on the guy. It would be nice if the brick chimney(?) is retained for some decorative warmth.

[buttercawan]

I hope they have at least 1 private shower cubicle. 

[Tomcal]

as stated in the original post there are 11 suites, all have private showers and toilets!

[buttercawan]

I meant private shower outside of the suites. Current Lagoa has 2 by the gym/pool. Fragata as one (semi private).

[davet]

Pardon me if this is a thread-hijack but as a number people were talking about the InHouse massage place, I had a few questions:

1.Do they have a place and occasion to casually meet the guys, ogle the equipment, chit-chat, etc? Pictures do only so much for me, as chemistry, personality, voice, and mannerism can override any (usually enhanced) photo for me.

2. I see that it's by appointment only, but how does one schedule an appointment to make sure desirable staff will be there? How many guys are on hand usually and what are the good times to visit?

3. Do they actually give a decent or even passable massage? Call me crazy but a good massage enhances the sex for me and is inherently so sensual that I can't imagine getting a purely therapeutic massage without the sex therapy.

4. How have I not known about these before? (probably because the price is higher and I have a high preference for the sauna model where you can meet and check out the boys first.)

[brockmiller]

1. Some if not most of the guys have ads on garotocomlocal, garotos, garotolandia or vivalocal. My first time at in-house since i could not really make up my mind as to who I wanted I was put in a room and all the guys available at the time came and introduced themselves to me. I did not request to ogle their equipment. I don’t know if that can be arranged but there is no harm in asking Dj (the owner) 

2. On subsequent trips there, I have specified whom I have wanted as my masseur and if they are available or not. If you go to the website each model has the times that they work on there. So if there is someone that you desire just book for that time. Or if it is one of the guys with an ad you just message and let them come to your place or arrange outside the spa.

3. Some of them give good massages but frankly most don’t. The massages are just okay. But if the massage is that important to you then the other spas have some pretty good masseurs 

4. Thanks to @lopesv2 for telling me about it.  Enjoy my time there at in-house, Xtudio lotus, Goldtherapy etc. 

I hope this helps a little bit 

[davet]

Thanks. This helps a lot. During the posted hours, the guys are there on premises? I thought it meant the times they could be available if you arranged for them first. Again, I want to check them out without being committed first or bothering them to come without my commitment. The set up sounds a little like the house with boys I went to ages ago in Buenos Aires. It was a so-so experience, but I'm sure the customer service would be better under Brazilian talent and management. 

[sydneyboy1]

I read on one of these threads that the official opening of the new Lagoa was 22 November? Is this correct? If so I hope we will have reviews from São Paulo residents and visitors.

[sydneyboy1]

I found the Facebook page for the new Lagoa which answered my own question about the opening date, 22 November it is. Now for the reviews!

 

[Riobard]

For Metrophiles, there is some implication from Lagoa media that, going forward, closure may extend to midnight from the current 22:00

Note that Saturday is the only night the Metro closes later. Specific station times for Yellow are not available (different companies are involved across the network) but the general rule of thumb is midnight, and 01:00 Sat (ie first Sunday hour) ... embark deadline (if a few minutes after stroke of midnight) at Paulista and Hig-Mack is likely posted in those stations. Expect crowds?

The Metro site also suggests that your subsequent transfer points may be closed, when reached, if your initial embark time on the first line you use does not occur prior to a certain deadline at the late operational timepoint.

 

Edited November 21, 2019 by Riobard

[Tomcal]

When i am in SP, if it is after 10:00pm i take Uber. the cost is immaterial when you are talking about safety and several people i know like have been robbed in São Paulo in the evening walking to/from the metro! just my 2 cents! Uber is so inexpensive it is not worth the risk to me to save a few $

[Riobard]

À chacun, of course. I was comfortable from Santa Cruz to the accommodations I frequent, situated across from the nighttime destination station.

An Über estimate from beloved E.L. reboot is a mere R$10. About the same hopping to/from Fragata. 

Few get the ‘tomcal entourage’ vehicle-fleet-to-capacity money’s worth. lol

The timeframes may be more of a complication for local lads passed over for dinner’n’bed’n’breakfast and travelling farther afield.