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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For this week’s edition of Audio Visual we’re spotlighting the work of Maurici Mayol. The acclaimed photographer spent a few months in Barcelona and created a beautiful time-lapse capturing the city’s architecture, people, transit systems and more. Shot completely with a Canon 400D and a variety of lenses, Mayol’s work inspires you to visit Spain’s beloved city. We have the video and a few stills listed below.

Words: Taj Reid
Video: Maurici Mayol

LOYAMFOTO
TWITTER

JAPAN BY MIKE MATAS
PANAMA SPIRIT
FLIGHT OF THE FRENCHIES

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Sometimes you have to make a change. Nikolaus Gruenwald found himself in the legal profession while passionately taking photographs on the side. But over time, his talents overtook the comfort and convenience of a predictable career. So he jumped ship and dove head first into photography. The outcome was spectacular. Among many stunning photographs, we came across one particular set that made us want to visit every dense, futuristic city we could think of. Check out, Fragments of Urban Living. It’s a beautiful series capturing the quiet beauty of mega-cities. We posted a few examples below, but visit Nikolaus’ site to see his full body of work.

Words: Taj Reid
Photos: Nikolaus Gruenwald

NIKOLAUS GRUENWALD
BEHANCE

INVISIBLE BRIDGE
CLOUD CITY
BERLIN’S RAPPORT

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Renting apartments used to be a quiet secret for seasoned travelers. Not anymore, short-stay rentals are en vogue these days thanks to sites like Airbnb. Recently, we came across this beautiful apartment by fashion designer, Azzedine Alaïa. Located in a quiet part of Paris, Alaïa was guided by high-design and a desire to provide visitors with a feeling of home. The three converted apartments are small but feature authentic post-modern furniture with an eye on comfort. Definitely a place we’d like to check out. We have a few photos listed below.

Words: Taj Reid
Photos: Persona Production

Apartment Hotel 5 Rue de Moussy, Marais, Paris, France

DAILY ICON
YATZER
PERSONA PRODUCTION

SOL LEWITT IN THE LES
MAISON MOSCHINO
CAPE TOWN CITYSCAPES

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Nationwide high-speed rail would change everything in America. It’d create jobs, link cities, bridge cultures and revolutionize our freight industry. But that’s idealistic pie in the sky right? Well, check out the work being done in China. Last week, China’s Harmony Bullet-Train broke 302 MPH which is comparable to low flying speeds of a Bombardier Learjet! It cuts typical travel time in half. For example, Harmony’s record run was projected to take 5 hours to go from Beijing to Shanghai. This trek usually takes 10 hours. That’s exiciting news for the travel industry. Plus China has plans to expand its high-speed rail network to approximately 10,000 miles by 2012. Imagine if we had that network here in the states. Below we have a video of the news report.

Words: Taj Reid

GOOD MAGAZINE
GEEK
SMART PLANET

NEW MUSEUM SLIDE
SUB CITY PARIS
FLIGHT SIMULATION

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A dramatic shift is taking place. Today, Atlantic Cities reported that China, the most populated country in the world, has officially become urbanized. For the first time in their history, more people live in a city than they do countryside – 51.27 percent to be exact, which amounts to more than 690 million people. It’s a notable shift. Rapid urban growth is commanding more and more attention from global leaders as its impact spans infrastructural and cultural demands. This made us think about Eric Perriard and his photography.

Over the last few years, Eric has been investigating urban growth in Seoul, Korea and telling its story in a unique way. As he describes it, “I was excited to artistically examine one of the defining steps in the evolution of our civilization. Within the context of an accelerating urban setting, I developed a photographic essay about people living in a cosmopolitan environment. While wandering in Seoul City, I was looking to catch the instant when an isolated character encounters a moment of self-realization. Has living in cities truly become part of human nature, or are we still adapting ourselves in order to survive? By keeping a certain distance from the subject, I could preserve the tension between the city and its inhabitant in order to start thinking about the human condition in a megalopolis.” Check out his work below – it’s fantastic.

Words: Taj Reid
Photography: Eric Perriard

ERIC PERRIARD
ATLANTIC CITIES
BEAUTIFUL DECAY

THE REDBALL PROJECT
DELTA AT ALICE GALLERY
AI WEIWEI ABSENT

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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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Mike Matas is a user interface designer and cofounder of Push Pop Press – the digital publishing company that worked with Al Gore to create the first full-length interactive book Our Choice. You might have seen his work profiled on sites like Cool Hunting. And late last year, he and his girlfriend traveled through Japan visiting Kyoto, Nara, Hakone and finally Tokyo. Along the way they snapped more than 4,000 photos and created an amazing stop motion video of the trip. Each moment is beautifully relayed in this entertaining and inspiring video. View below…

Words: Taj Reid
Photos: Mike Matas

MIKE MATAS
PUSH POP PRESS
ON VIMEO

PANAMA SPIRIT
FLIGHT OF THE FRENCHIES
TOKYO SLO MODE

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Kurt Perschke’s RedBall Project is an ingenious example of city engagement. It’s simple, beautiful and blunt. It’s a large ball placed in a major-city amidst the din of everyday living. Sometimes it lands in obvious locations, other times it leaves you wondering, “How did it get there?” Either way, the inviting ball gets the job done. It taps your imagination.

As Kurt describes it, “Through the RedBall Project I utilize my opportunity as an artist to be a catalyst for new encounters within the everyday. Through the magnetic, playful, and charismatic nature of the RedBall the work is able to access the imagination embedded in all of us. On the surface, the experience seems to be about the ball itself as an object, but the true power of the project is what it can create for those who experience it.” The RedBall Project visited Toronto, Chicago, Tapei, Sydney and many other cities. Maybe it’ll visit yours next. We have a few photos of the project below.

Words: Taj Reid
Photos: Courtesy of the RedBall Project

THE REDBALL PROJECT
IGNANT

DELTA AT ALICE GALLERY
AI WEIWEI ABSENT
MWM IN MOSCOW

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Forget walking over water. How about walking through it? A little ingeniuty provides a fresh take on bridges. The Invisible Bridge by RO & AD of the Netherlands and Belgium is a sunken walkway that sits at water level providing access to Forte de Roovere, a 17th Century Dutch fortress. Not only is the bridge an optical illusion, it also benefits its natural surroundings by staying out of the way. The visual impact is nearly zero until you approach it. But when you do see it, it’s absolutely beautiful. The bridge is constructed with processed timber to prevent decay and the way it cuts through the landscape is awe-inspiring. We have a few images posted below for your enjoyment.

Words: Taj Reid
Photos: Courtesy of RO & AD

DEZEEN
RO & AD
INHABITAT

BERLIN’S CLOUD CITY
SUZUKAKE HONTEN
BERLIN’S RAPPORT

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One of our favorite artists is currently on show in Brussels. Boris Tellegen aka DELTA presents Abundance at the Alice Gallery. It’s a collection of visually stunning work displaying his signature paintings and sculptures. As he describes it, “My work is in collage, sculpture, drawings, videos and installations. It investigates the tension between planning and happenstance; the semblance of order undone by schematic chaos. Mankind is driven by an unshakeable faith in progress, where modern technology and constant growth leads us to a better world. My work explores a different outcome, where the automated forces unleash developed structures and minds of their own.” We have a few images from the installation posted below.

Words: Taj Reid
Photography: Courtesy of Alice Gallery

Location: Alice Gallery, 4 Rue du Pays de Liège, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Dates: On show from now until December 23, 2011

DELTA
ALICE GALLERY
FRESHNGOOD

SOL LEWITT
BERLIN’S CLOUD CITY
AI WEIWEI ABSENT

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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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New York’s Lower East Side has seen its fair share of transformation. Despite these changes it still maintains a certain grit and creative energy. During the late 70’s Sol LeWitt captured the neighborhood’s raw beauty and expression through photography. Torn posters, splattered paint and scrawled graffiti were his muse. He saw things differently. Where people saw vandalism, he saw a narrative – a social documentary of sorts. As he once explained, “When one sees a wall, it is the impact of the whole that is understood at once – emotionally more than intellectually. It is only by reading the wall that the viewer understands it fully.” To honor his work the Morgan Hotel Group created a massive installation of his photographs at the Mondrian Soho Hotel located in the Lower East Side. It’s a fantastic installation. We highly recommend checking it out.

Words: Taj Reid
Photography: Courtesy of The Morgan Hotel Group

Location: Mondrian SoHo Hotel 150 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10013

WE HEART
NY TIMES
AJANAKU

MAISON MOSCHINO
KINSEY AT THE STANDARD
HOTEL MISSONI

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Cloud City is an imaginative exhibit on display at the Hamburger Bahnof Museum in Berlin. It’s fantastical and interactive. Upon entering, visitors roam through bubble-like structures and suspended gardens to discover the artist’s real intent. Tomás Saraceno wants to challenge architecture’s status quo. He was inspired by soap bubbles and spider webs to create this exciting exhibit which introduces new shapes and support techniques within the realm of architecture. It’s on display until January 15, 2012 and we highly recommend checking it out. Click Read More for additional information and photos.

Words: Taj Reid
Photography: Jens Ziehe & Tomás Saraceno

Location: Hamburger Bahnhof, Invalidenstraße 50-51 – 10557 Berlin Germany

HAMBURGER BAHNOF
CONTEMPORIST
TOMAS SARACENO

BERLIN’S RAPPORT
NEW YORK MAINTAIN
LONDON 2012

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Maison Moschino is imaginative and quirky. A converted railway station from the mid-1800’s, the Italian hotel is ideal for those with an affinity for children’s tales and a kid-at-heart spirit. Far from the understated accommodations that seem to always grab our eye, Maison Moschino incorporates a fairytale theme throughout the individually styled 65-room dwelling.

Rooms run the gamut of being over the top eccentric, while others have a more subdued aesthetic. If you’re in the mood to experience a fairytale, then stay in the Little Red Riding Hood room where you’ll be greeted by an oversized flowered growling wolf in the bed. For those wanting something more soothing to ease you into a restful sleep, the Clouds room is all white and decorated with hanging clouds and a giant sheep by your bed. Maison Moschino has a little something for the imaginative side in all of us. Click Read More for additional information.

Words: Marsha Reid
Photography: Courtesy of Maison Moschino

Location: Maison Moschino, Viale Monte Grappa, 12b 20124 Milan, Italy

MAISON MOSCHINO
HOTEL PHILOSOPHY

KINSEY AT THE STANDARD
HOTEL MISSONI
HOTEL LIFE

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