the image that Floripa as a boring place is out of date. Last years this area has economically very much improved and it reflects on the social and cultural life. There are two movies-centres with only independent movies, I counted at least 4 huge malls with good movies, several theaters, last few years a lot of music-festivals have started.
OK, you may not find a n'hood like San Telmo, with singular cafés or the Feria de San Telmo on Sundays but you'll find other interesting stuff. You won't neither find a rock-scene like BsArs but for me the rock argentino is worthless.
It feels safe, not expensive, clean. Yesterday I asked several people here "where are the poor?". Today I'll with a teacher at the Morro, the poorest area but in no sense it's so social dispair as other Brazilian cities like SP or Rio. Here's a huge middle class, like in BsArs.