A small shop packed with books, magazines and good coffee sounds like heaven to us. It’s the ideal formula. And it’s one that Slovakia’s Alexis Books and Coffee Bar have nailed perfectly. Creatively offering more than your typical big box retailer, Alexis matches substance with ingenuity. Enormous book shelves line the walls brimming with a range of titles. While their amphitheater style flooring and low level coffee tables provide visitors with a place to sit anywhere. The shop also doubles as a great location for talks, community panels and readings. We’d love to see more places like this pop up state side. Below we’ve posted a few photos of Alexis Books and Coffee Bar. Check them out.

Words: Taj Reid
Photography: Courtesy of Plural

Location: Bratislava, Slovakia

PLURAL
DESIGNBOOM
ARCHDEZART

TOKYO’S BEAR POND
KINFOLK BROOKLYN
VIENNESE FOOD STANDS

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We have a serious coffee addiction. We’ll travel anywhere, no matter how far, to experience delicious coffee and espresso. So when we heard about Tokyo’s Bear Pond Espresso we were elated. After 18 years of being a certified barista in New York, Katsu enlisted the help of his wife Chisa to open Bear Pond in 2009. Housed in a small unassuming building, Bear Pond is all about serving the best coffee and espresso possible. There’s a skillful artistry to growing coffee beans, roasting them and ultimately preparing the drink that is thoughtfully planned and perfectly executed by the owners. To ensure consistent taste, Bear Pond not only works closely with roaster Noriaki Yoshime, but the espresso is only made by Katsu – no one else – and is served only during the hours of 10am to 2pm. Bear Pond’s espresso has a distinctive taste with a hint of chocolate, spice and salt that is raved about by many. Not for the faint at heart, the taste is bold and hits you like a ton of bricks.

Words: Marsha Reid
Photography: Via Bear Pond and A Life Worth Eating

Bear Pond Espresso 2-36-12 Kitazawa Setagaya-ku, Tokyo

A LIFE WORTH EATING
T MAGAZINE
BEAR POND ESPRESSO

KINFOLK BROOKLYN
VIENNESE FOOD STANDS
PIED À TERRE

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Four friends scattered across the globe come together to form a creative agency focused on beautiful and inspiring design – Kinfolk Studios is born. Known mostly for their award winning bicycle company and excellent client-work with brands like Nike, they’ve entered the field with resounding success. Their latest venture is no different. Kinfolk Brooklyn is an event space and venue that takes on many roles for the city’s creative community. Part café, part bar and part gallery, Kinfolk Brooklyn is a fantastic spot to relax with friends, see art and enjoy a great cup of coffee. If you’re in the area, be sure to stop by. We have a few images posted below.

Words: Taj Reid
Photography: Courtesy of Prolly is not Probably

Location: Kinfolk Brooklyn 90 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY

KINFOLK STUDIOS
PROLLY IS NOT PROBABLY
KINFOLK ON FACEBOOK

VIENNESE FOOD STANDS
PIED À TERRE
SUZUKAKE HONTEN

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Photographer Stefan Fürtbauer captures the strange beauty and isolation of Viennese fast-food culture with his on-going series Eiterquellen. Each image has a mesmerizing UFO quality that pulls you in. As he describes it, “Isolated both in the sense of appearance as well as in resisting global operating fast-food chains, Viennese wurstel diners have become an essential part of urban culture not only by supplying snacks but also being the place of the distinctive Viennese working class.” We’ve posted a few images from the series below. Click Read More to view.

Words: Taj Reid
Photography: Stefan Fürtbauer

STEFAN FÜRTBAUER
BEHANCE
FLICKR

TOKYO SLO MODE
URBAN LAND PROJECT
SNAPSHOT JAPAN

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Restaurant design plays a pivotal role in the experience. You can’t underestimate it. Sometimes it’s as important as the food served. Rather then settling with the typical modern aesthetic, Pied à Terre goes a step beyond. The Central London restaurant merges the artistry of cooking with an unexpected and creative project entitled Artist in Restaurant. This clever initiative aims to give emerging artists a platform to showcase their talents in one of the most highly regarded London restaurants around. Through a collaborative relationship with Pied à Terre, artists use the dining area as inspiration to create one of a kind pieces of art that are then displayed in the restaurant.

Currently, ten sculptural installations by Elpida Hadzi-Vasileva are on display. Using raw and unusual materials from the restaurant’s kitchen like scallop skirts, quail carcasses, fish skins and bones, the exhibition is all about the balance of opposing forces – ‘the beautiful and the brutal, recomposing decomposition into beautiful forms’. Click Read More for additional information and to view photos from the exhibit.

Words: Marsha Reid
Photography: Courtesy of Pied à Terre

Location: Pied à Terre 34 Charlotte Street, London W1T 2NH

PIED À TERRE
ELPIDA HADZI
WISH OF WITNESS

VIENNESE FOOD STANDS
SUZUKAKE HONTEN
LONDON’S JAGUAR SHOES

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A delicious pastry shop is the cornerstone of all great cities. Located in the market district of Fukuoka City in Japan, Suzukake Honten treats pastries and tea as sacred items. The process, the ingredients, the presentation all equal a great experience built on simplicity. This is evidenced by the shop’s interior design decisions. Clean lines and very little distraction help focus customers to what’s important, the pastry and tea. Click Read More to take a closer look at Suzukake Honten designed by Case Real.

Words: Taj Reid
Photography: Courtesy of Case-Real

Location: Suzukake Honten, Kami-Kawabata, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City, Japan

CASE-REAL
DEZEEN

LONDON’S JAGUAR SHOES
SAMPAN PHILADELPHIA
SIMPLY SANDWICH

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Coffee and art collide at London’s Dream Bags Jaguar Shoes – an eccentrically named bar, cafe and exhibition space. The shop is named after a 1980’s bag and shoe wholesaler that once occupied their building in Shoreditch when the area was more industrial and less hotspot. Instead of gutting the place, they decided to keep the original sign hanging above the shop so people passing would remember the area’s past.

Currently, Jaguar Shoes is hosting a brilliant art installation entitled La Selva by Francesco Rugi and Silvia Quintanilla. Using an RGB effect, they layered intricate scenes that can only be seen through Red, Green or Blue color filters. La Selva is on view until September 21, 2011. Below we’ve posted a few images from the installation.

Words: Taj Reid
Location: Jaguar Shoes 32-36 Kingsland Road, Shoreditch, London E2 8DA
Photography: Courtesy of DBJS

WE HEART
JAGUAR SHOES
DESIGNBOOM

SAMPAN PHILADELPHIA
SIMPLY SANDWICH
PURE FARE

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Philadelphia’s Sampan restaurant manifests a hypnotic appeal with its stunning architecture and tasty food. Offering Midtown Village something different, its menu serves modest sized plates of contemporary Asian cuisine. Shrimp dumplings, crab wonton, lobster gazpacho and roasted broccoli are just a few of the dishes that have our mouths watering. Dine al fresco or enjoy the interior’s comfortable and unpretentious environment. We highly recommend visiting Sampan next time your in Philadelphia.

Words: Marsha Reid
Location: Sampan – 124 South 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

SAMPAN
SAMPAN BAR

SIMPLY SANDWICH
PURE FARE
TOKYO’S WONDERLAND

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We’re always on the hunt for a great lunch spot. Simply Sandwich pulled at our heart strings not only for their delicious food but also for their understated and captivating design. It’s more than its name conveys. Offering a variety of salads, sandwiches, bagels and pastries, there’s enough variation preventing customers from getting easily bored with the menu. Meals are healthy and pre-made options are ready when you have limited time and need a quick bite.

The shop has an uncluttered and contemporary design that is inviting and airy while their packaging is clever and directional. Contrasting black, brown and white color scheme with illustrated hands to direct your attention to the food, how to hold your coffee cup and paper bag is simply ingenious. Give us a quick, delicious and healthy meal and you’ll make us a dedicated customer.

Words: Marsha Reid
Location: Simply Sandwich, 3 Phillip Street; Singapore 048693

SIMPLY SANDWICH
THE ARTIST AND HIS MODEL

PURE FARE
TOKYO’S WONDERLAND
RIGOLO CAFE

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The irony of operating a travel site is that sometimes you discover amazing things in your own town. A few weeks ago, I decided to take a different route to work. It wasn’t a big change. I walked two blocks off my usual path. But as I was walking I stumbled upon Pure Fare. It’s a new coffee shop boasting great service and a terrific assortment of healthy food.

Inside, Pure Fare is softly lit and filled with the enchanting smell of fresh sandwiches and coffee-beans. If that doesn’t consume your full attention, the shop’s details also further its welcoming environment. Whether it’s the interior craftsmanship or subtle integration of technology (i.e., there are ipads on the wall to help customers keep track of calories) it’s evident that Pure Fare put a lot of thought into the execution of their product. It’s perfect for a quick bite to eat or a strong cup of coffee. Personally, I recommend their Mocha Soy Latte and Grilled Chicken Sandwich finessed with a ginger edamame spread. Visit their site for the full menu and be on the look out for the Pure Fare Food Truck coming soon. Maybe it’ll park outside our office. Below we’ve included a few photos for a closer look.

PURE FARE
119 S. 21st Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Words: Taj Reid
Photography: Anthony Smyrski

TOKYO’S WONDERLAND
RIGOLO CAFE
HIROSHI x STARBUCKS

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Tokyo is a city of detail. Nothing is missed. Precision is definitely a priority and fans of the classic story by Lewis Carroll will appreciate the artful application of a new restaurant located in the Ginza district. Alice in Wonderland, by Fantastic Design Works, is a beautiful eatery for folks looking for a little whimsy and good food. No detail is overlooked. From waiters and waitresses in elaborate costumes to the eclectic interior design, young and old will enjoy the experience. Click Read More for a closer look.

Alice in Wonderland
Taiyo Bldg, 5F,
8-8-5 Ginza, Chou-ku, Tokyo 104-0061

HOME DSGN
FANTASTIC DESIGN WORKS
DIAMOND DINING

RIGOLO CAFE
HIROSHI x STARBUCKS
TOKYO VENDING MACHINES

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San Francisco’s Rigolo Café combines everything we love about the bay – fresh food, open space and an eye toward local. Plus, their owner Douglas Mathieux is determined to give each guest an authentic experience in French food and dining. Perfect for Sunday brunch with your family or a quick evening stop before you head out for the night. As they describe it, “Rigolo is a petit cafe amusant, or whimsical little cafe, catering to a hungry, discerning clientele who come in to relax and have fun while enjoying fresh delicious food at an affordable price.” Stop by next time you’re in San Francisco.

Rigolo Café
3465 California Street
San Francisco, California
Hours: Mon – Sat 7:30 am – 9pm & Sun 7:30 am – 4pm

Photo Credit: Ethan Kaplan via Arch Daily

RIGOLO CAFÉ
ARCH DAILY
POP SUGAR

HIROSHI x STARBUCKS
TOKYO’S VENDING MACHINE
ELEKTRA BAKERY

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Philly Tech Week is a week-long celebration of technology and innovation in Philadelphia. The annual week of events is intended to grow the impact of this innovative region through programming focused on technology, collaboration and improving Philadelphia. The inaugural week takes place April 25th to April 30th and will feature events from partners like The Franklin Institute, Independents Hall and First Round Capital. Each Philly Tech Week event is independently organized. Get involved today.

Hiroshi Fujiwara adds his distinctive cool to Starbucks by renovating one of their most popular cafes in Harajuku, Tokyo. His talent for minimal design ushers in a modern aesthetic by tastefully combining industrial elements with more natural ones. The timing is perfect too. Just a few weeks ago, Starbucks dropped the name from its acclaimed logo and opted for a minimal icon-only reincarnation. Below we have a few photos from the interior of the Harajuku Cafe. Next time you’re in Tokyo check it out. Click Read More for additional information to view the photos.

SLAMXHYPE
HIROSHI FUJIWARA
FASHIONSNAP

TOKYO’S VENDING MACHINES
ELEKTRA BAKERY
ECRU CAFE & BAR

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Philly Tech Week is a week-long celebration of technology and innovation in Philadelphia. The annual week of events is intended to grow the impact of this innovative region through programming focused on technology, collaboration and improving Philadelphia. The inaugural week takes place April 25th to April 30th and will feature events from partners like The Franklin Institute, Independents Hall and First Round Capital. Each Philly Tech Week event is independently organized. Get involved today.

We live in the future. Look at the picture above. It’s a vending machine that can predict what kind of soda you’d like. When we visited Tokyo we were floored by the vending culture. We tried to explain it to people but it’s something you have to see for yourself. Designboom has a terrific post covering Tokyo’s latest incarnation of the soda machine. Scattered throughout subways, and designed by Fumie Shibata from Design Studio S, the Acure Digital Vending Machine features a 47-inch touchscreen display and camera. By using sensory data to determine a few basic attributes of its customer it quickly offers up suggestions. We have a few photos posted below, but check out the full report on DB for more information.

DESIGNBOOM
HYPEBEAST
NOTCOT

ELEKTRA BAKERY
ECRU CAFE & BAR
NAN ZHOU NOODLES

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Keep it simple and stack bread. Elektra knows this and plays the part well. The family owned bakery recently renovated their quaint shop in Edessa, Greece. Using great materials and lighting they’ve transformed the bakery to highlight their strongest asset, bread. Who could resist walking by their shop and stopping in for a warm loaf. Whether you’re going to work or coming home, Elektra is perfect for a quick retreat to carb heaven. Be sure to check them out next time you’re in town. Click Read More for additional information and photos.

Location 22 Dimokratias Edessa 582 00 Greece

STUDIOPROTOTYPE ARCHITECTS
YATZER
PRIVATE

ECRU CAFE & BAR
NAN ZHOU NOODLES
CURRY UP

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