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. Click Read More for additional information and photos.

» Read More

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. Click Read More to view the video.

» Read More

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. Click Read More to view.

» Read More

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. Click Read More to view.

» Read More

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. Click Read More to view a video of the news report.

» Read More

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.” Click Read More to view his work – it’s fantastic.

» Read More

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. Click Read More for additional information and photos.

» Read More