Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show—or rather, the Bad Bunny concert surrounded by a couple hours of football—was a feat. Not only was the show almost entirely in Spanish (remember when Benito was first announced as the performer, and said that Americans had four months to learn Spanish? He meant it!). But throughout the 12 minutes of groundbreaking live TV, he managed to nod to cultural references big and small that showcased the cultural prowess of Puerto Rico and greater Latin America. As in, yes, he had Ricky Martin and Daddy Yankee and Karol G up there perreando in his casita. But he also had Toñita, the owner of a tiny Brooklyn bar, on stage serving him a shot (presumably of rum?) in a miniature recreation of her Caribbean Social Club; when Gaga appeared for the sole portion of the performance in English, she wore that blue dress by Luar, the label from American-Dominican designer Raul Lopez. It’s a testament to the creative excellence of Latinos, both throughout Latin America and the greater diaspora. And it was crying-in-Spanish amazing.
We clocked the references that might mean something to fellow travelers: The places you can visit, the tacos you can eat, the nail tech you can actually book with, and the cultural references that tell a greater story of Puerto Rico, to get you ready for the trip you’re definitely booking after that performance, right?
(Read more about how the rise of Latin American music is driving travelers to the region here.)
The Coco Frio stand
During “Tití Me Preguntó”, Bad Bunny quickly stops at a Coco Frio cart—a quintessential fresh coconut water street stand common across Puerto Rico, from which actual chilled coconuts are sold. The Coco Frio stands are usually at street corners close to the beach or in front of colorful shops on beaches like Luquillo, in Old San Juan, and along roadsides like Route 3.
(Find our full guide to the best beaches in Puerto Rico here.)
The domino game
Whether you’re in Brooklyn, Miami, San Juan, or Rincón, a domino table anchored by “viejitos,” or “little old men”, is what turns a street into a hangout spot; a bar into a place you can stay a while. Some people call the game the Danza de los Viejitos (the “dance of the old men”). As it intensifies, the phrase “la mesa se calienta” (the table heats up), and the energy and competitiveness picls up, even among friends. While you’ll find this scene in many places, it leaves us craving a trip to Miami’s famous Domino Park.
The fabulous nail tech
Also during the performance of “Titi Me Preguntó”, Bad Bunny passes celebrity nail tech and LA nail stylist Johana Castillo of @masterweenay—spotlighting the Latina-led beauty industry. On the island (and in many Puerto Rican communities elsewhere), your go-to salon is another neighborhood gathering spot, the place to chismear (gossip).
The piraguas stand
Bad Bunny stops at a wooden piragua stand, common on the island for serving shaved ice topped with tropical-fruit-flavored syrup. (If you looked closely at the glass syrup bottles on the cart, they were labeled with flags from places like Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Colombia.) You’ll find piragua at the beach and in town plazas across Puerto Rico. In Old San Juan, go to the Castillo San Felipe del Morro; on beaches like Isla Verde, spot them specifically between San Juan Water Club and El San Juan Sonesta.
The Villas Tacos LA
It’s not only Puerto Rico getting the spotlight: All Latino excellence, the entire barrio, is on display. The taco stand in the show is an homage to an actual taqueria in Los Angeles’s Highland Park, named Villas Tacos, with owner Victor himself actually at the grill as Benito walks past.
The boxers
A quick glimpse of two boxers, one wearing Puerto Rican-flagged shorts, is a nod to the boxing culture of Puerto Rico—a sport deeply rooted in the island’s culture (as in Cuba, it’s not uncommon for travelers to seek out a match or even take a boxing class while visiting). This is a deeper cut: In his song “NUEVAYoL,” Bad Bunny samples the voice of Puerto Rican boxing legend Felix Tito Trinidad, who says, “The best in the world, Puerto Rico.”
The pink casita
There’s no chance you missed the pink house that Bad Bunny and his squad was performing on top of: Also a staple of his recent tour, the set, styled as a traditional Puerto Rican home, hosted loads of celebrity guests—acting as a sort of “party de marquesina”, known as a casual, intimate house party held in a borinquen’s home or garage. A drive through any long-standing Puerto Rican neighborhood will show you similar-looking, colorful and cozy homes.
