Saskiawb.

Cuba's not known for its shopping-- something about "socialismo o muerte" and "abajo con el capitalismo"...

But, it's starting to change, a little bit. Thus, in the middle of touristy-as-hell old Havana (think of really good make-up on a 90 year old woman) is this little perfume shop that sells about 10 options of perfume, and bottles your favorite for you on the spot. I chose Sandalwood, but Rose is also lovely.

They give you bottle options, the middle size costing you 12 Pesos Convertibles- equivalent to US$12 (worth noting: Their currency of choice is subject to change, pending the whims of the government).

Well, not sure that they do, but they should. I feel like if I were an Italian TV star hiding out from a scandal behind big Gucci glasses, I would come here and do my crying in sumptuous privacy.

It's sort of the perfect hotel to moon around in, beaux-art-ey, slightly haunted (isn't all of Rome?), and has a lovely little garden patio for smoking and espresso-drinking. Plus, you can walk to the Piazza del Popolo in 52 seconds flat (if you're not wearing high heels).

On the flip side, it's pricey, and so is best visited when *he's* paying.

A pretty simple place, but a pretty simple place goes a long way these days. No frills diner fare, with a nice counter that seats old timers and hipsters alike, and some booths that felt like they should be sticky but were actually well tended. We went there for the most touristy thing possible: A cheesesteak. It was basic, but good. In fact, the whole place is basic but good. Sort of comforting, and a good place to go alone.

This was the only place i found to eat late-night in the whole dang neighborhood. But - good lord - their fancy middle-east-inspired tapas, though expensive, were super good. AND the decor was a weird fusion of 50's futurism and cheesy nightclub, which was really cool.

Pretty perfect when you're staggering through mid-town after a Chinatown alcohol bender. Probably the thickest hot chocolate (Euro-style) that I've ever had, and they even had a perfect replica of a woman's leg, out of solid chocolate (cost $90! WTF!).

Yup. Danish tapas. If that doesn't make sense to you, then you clearly need to make peace with the 21st century, where fusion is de rigueur. This spot is airy, relaxed, and has really good coffee. It's not especially Spanish feeling, but we'll forgive them cause they have backgammon sets! Go with a buddy and play for hours while you eat light bits of food and mellow out on a rainy afternoon. Artsy vibe, lots of smart looking hipsters having deep conversations over their games, and the staff is lovely & gives you cookies with your latte.

To me, Lucky 13 sort of embodies all that is dark and trashy in SF, people slamming beers and eating stale popcorn, a slight smell of urine, a photo booth for recordable make-out sessions, a narrow balcony for almost falling off of. Pretty cool, despite the rockabilly cheese of their name.

Right next to the Recoleta Cemetary, the Centro Cultural Recoleta hosts large art shows in its spacious galleries, as well as performances & artist talks. It is an impressive building (a former homeless shelter, no less) and has some great exhibitions of both Argentinian and international artists. It's government-run, so there's a limit to how fresh and 'contemporary' some of the exhibitions are, but it DID host the onedotzero festival in 2006, so it's clearly making strides.

Built literally RIGHT on the US/Mexican border, and designed to resemble the prow of a boat, La Casa Del Tunel used to sit on top of a tunnel that shuttled people and drugs into a parking lot on the US side. It was recently remodeled by cross-border arts group COFAC to house a gallery and eco-cafe which features rooftop views of Tijuana and the United States. It's home to an international bohemian artists' scene, and is also hosting artist-led projects designed to turn this once-dangerous neighborhood into Tijuana's most vibrant arts community. Their shows tend to focus on cross-cultural artists working with themes that relate to sustainability, the border, and cultural identity.

El Callejón de Hamel (Hamel Alley) houses a mural project that was started by Salvador González in 1990. Originally conceived as a painting on a friends' house, over 100 metres of wall are now covered with paintings drawing on Afro-Cuban spirituality. Every Sunday, bands play, and the alley is dotted with shrines to Yoruban gods.

Havana's former country club, the buildings were turned into an art school by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. Designed by two italians and a Cuban, the architecture was thought to be too sensual and the project was halted mid-construction, though the facilities were still in use by the school. In 2001, the architects were asked to finish the project. An amazing place to take a wander and meet some young artists.

Old fashioned, decrepit colonialism at its best: Sit on the patio facing the square, drink your rum, fire up your cigarette and watch Cuban life go by, in all its glory. Be prepared to be watched back. Attracts a young international crowd, and the food is passably good. The ambiance, however, is mellow and easygoing: Perfecto.

The patio of the Hotel Inglaterra is pretty much the best spot for people-watching, Cuba-style. Located at the top of the beautiful Paseo del Prado, on a large square filled with domino players and viejitos out for an evening stroll. You're surrounded by young tourists, natch, but it retains its authenticity through sheer neglect: Beautiful stained glass windows complete with cracks, surly semi-commmitted waiters, the occasional street tout, and an international and young crowd. A perfect stop-off if luxuriating in colonialism is your thing, and they have a semi-functional internet bar (as of this writing only open to foreigners).

Lunches at Samrat restaurant are something serious. The local businessmen gather in one of two rooms, the downstairs (e.g. chaos) room, or the upstairs (e.g. air-conditioned) room. Highly reccomend the pepper paneer as an appetizer, or pepper mushroom. And then, if you can hack it, the South Indian Thali plate comes at about Rs 300 and is, like, a LOT of food. Waiters hang around to pile more rice and naan on your plate, which you then dip into one of the seven sauces. Just awesome.

If you're Western, as with most places, do not drink the water with ice. They say that it's fine, but trust me, it's not.