André Saraiva

It can be hard to pin down Andre Saraiva. Not just because he’s a street artist who is comfortable walking the red carpet during opening night of Cannes. And also not because he’s a street artist who is perfectly comfortable drawing on top of a building at night, while also happily collaborating in the bright of day, creating a series of posters and illustrations for the cheery salad-makers at Sweetgreen.

Those salads might come in handy when recovering from Saraiva’s other longstanding endeavor, as a globe trotting nightlife impresario, who has opened venues in Paris, New York, Miami, Los Angeles and Shanghai. In fact, that’s the reason it’s hardest to pin down the artist known for his distinctive “Mr. A” character: because you have to find him first, a game of glamorous “where’s waldo” that can lead almost anywhere. So we asked him for a few hints, specifically his favorite cities to explore at night.

PARIS

I grew up in Paris and know it by heart. Even if I’m away for months, I come back and the places and people are always the same. As I cross the city at night, I’m always amazed by the beautiful lights.

NEW YORK

In New York, it’s the opposite. Every time I leave and come back, one of my favorite places has disappeared, but there’s always some thing new to replace it. Much of the artist community is still there and it’s exciting to meet up and discover what they’re doing.

TOKYO

I love to get lost in Tokyo and end up in the most amazing small restaurants and bars where I meet the most surprising people. Like a little bar with three seats that specializes in rocksteady music. Or another bar where everything is devoted to Chris Marker and is even named after one of his movies, La Jetée.

LISBON

I’ve always kept Lisbon as a hidden little gem that I wouldn’t speak about. Each neighborhood has its authentic style and is still alive with their original inhabitants. And not everything is full of rules — you can still smoke inside some places, buy drugs without worrying about being arrested, and even park your car in the wrong spot.