VINTAGE SHOPPING.

Artist and designer Ebony Bizys captured our attention with her post about Shimokitazawa a suburb in Japan and must-visit destination for lovers of vintage shopping, cozy cafes and general cuteness. She describes it as “packed with teeny tiny six-seater bars, adorable cafes, loads of cheap and cheerful restaurants, vintage and retro clothing stores, live music venues, secondhand record stores, homewares and vintage stores…Come here if you fancy an afternoon wondering around people spotting, stay until sundown, have a G+T at Mois cafe, and try some delicious okonomiyaki.”

In addition to Mois, a relaxing cafe set in an old two story home, Bizys highlights several shops and thrift stores in the suburb. One is Sou, a crafty clothing and homewares store that makes a custom calendar just for customers. Commune is another shop, with a tiny gallery, that sells zines, art and other handmade items. Click Read More for additional information and photos.

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GOOD IDEAS.

In Madrid, urban development is booming, and the construction of shopping centers, libraries, parks and parking has brought an influx of workers and visitors in need of snacks. Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos recently responded with the Barcelo Temporary Market, a structure designed to move from place to place along with shifting hubs of development.

According to The Architectural Review: “During the construction work of neighboring buildings and facilities the market is intended to act as an urban facility which can be removed and recycled once it is no longer needed… Once construction work of the market’s surrounding development has reached completion [it] can be taken down and relocated to an alternative location in Madrid.” Click Read More for additional information and photos.

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GOOD IDEAS.

If you find yourself in New York between now and February 28th you have to stop by Grand Opening. For the next month, they’re transforming the storefront into a Trade School – a place for learning, sharing, and trading knowledge and objects. By day, a shop. By night, a school. The idea was conceived by OurGoods to encourage artists and designers to trade with one another, getting everyone the things they need and want without the restrictions of currency. Classes range from exhibition production to swing dance to meteorite construction, and more. Check it out!

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PLACES: London’s East End has always been an exciting area because of its little alleyways and hidden secrets. It’s latest addition, the tiniest and most haunted bookshop in the city, is a definite London must-see; that is, if you can find it.

Located right in the middle of the Black Rat Press Gallery, behind the garden of the chill-out Cargo bar, Black Dog Books is a cram, dimly-lit little room with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves peppered with dead butterflies. At the entrance, an animated robot smokes a cigarette and kicks empty liquor bottles around, and occasional ghastly whispers move between the shelves and books. Quite a hair-raising experience on a quiet afternoon at Rivington Street. Click Read More for additional information and photos. Written by Su Hui Tan

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PLACES: If you’re a chocoholic mark this one for the books. The boundless imaginations of Masamichi Katayama and Godiva teamed up to create a flagship store straight from a cocoa lover’s dream. Located in the Harajuku district of Tokyo, Godiva’s new homebase simulates dripping chocolate with larger than life visuals and textures. It’s decadent to say the least, but then again, whenever we hear people talk about chocolate that’s usually the feeling they’re going for. Click Read More for additional information and photos.

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Wallpaper* Magazine hips us to a new gallery store in New York City. Recently opened by Andy Avini, the Gagosian features regular installations and exhibits while also providing a place to purchase their respective prints and publications.

As Wallpaper* notes: “In a time when the art world is less and less about exclusivity and increasingly concerned with mass-market appeal, Andy Warhol’s infamous maxim, ‘good business is the best art’, has never seemed more apt – and New York’s Gagosian Gallery is one institution that has recently bowed to the cause.” Be sure to check it out next time you’re visiting NYC. Click Read More for additional information and photos.

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Bookworms get ready. We came across a fantastic chain of book stores located in Sao Paulo. Designed by Isay Weinfeld, Livraria Da Vila is stocked with an enormous amount of titles, great design and a variety of comfortable reading spaces. The dramatic stairs, the secret-lab style entrance doors and wide open spaces nabbed our attention right away. Click Read More for additional information and photos.

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