NYC Hotspot Find: Assembly New York
ASSEMBLY NEW YORK, LOWER EAST SIDE Located on the same block where all the LES cool kids hang out is Assembly New York, where I assume they all shop as well. Here you will find a mix of men’s & women’s high-end vintage clothing as well as contemporary, slightly obscure international luxury labels (including their … Continue reading
NYC Hotspot Find: Bohemian
BOHEMIAN NYC | NOHO Hidden behind Japan Premium Beef on Great Jones Street, lays a Japanese restaurant shrouded in secrecy – an almost impossible feat in a city run by publicity and where speakeasies and members clubs are a dime-a-dozen. Somehow though, Bohemian pulls off the member’s only restaurant concept in a way that weeds out … Continue reading
NYC Hotspot Find: McNally Jackson Store | Goods For The Study
MCNALLY JACKSON STORE | GOODS FOR THE STUDY, NOLITA Indie bookseller and downtown darling McNally Jackson Books recently opened a precious little boutique right around the corner that does a good job of proving they don’t just have great taste in books, but anything book-ish or even surrounding the book. The store is stocked with … Continue reading
NYC Hotspot Find: Charlie Bird
CHARLIE BIRD, SOHO Lingering lunches at Charlie Bird are my new favourite weekend pursuit. Modern Italian food isn’t always done with as much flair in this town, there’s always that fine line that’s crossed where the food is more American-Italian than it is Italian-Italian, but Charlie Bird gets it right. I’m even poised to say … Continue reading
February Spotify Playlist: Featuring Diggs Duke’s Avant-Garde Soul/Jazz Vibes
I was late finding it but as they say, better late than never. Diggs Duke’s debut album “Offering for Anxious” came out in December 2013 and its only just making it to my February Spotify playlist but who cares when you can tell it’s gonna be a classic? If you haven’t listened to Diggs Duke … Continue reading
February SoundCloud Playlist: 2 Obsessions, Andrew Ashong & Grandbrothers’ Ezra Was Right
2 tracks I’m obsessed with on this month’s SoundCloud playlist – the long awaited new Andrew Ashong track “Never Dreamed” and the epic “Ezra Was Right” by German duo Grandbrothers. Andrew Ashong’s smoky, soulful R&B sensibility references the oldies like Roy Ayers and Shuggie Otis while adding touches of modernity through his use of organic … Continue reading
NYC Hotspot Find: Tooker Alley
TOOKER ALLEY, PROSPECT HEIGHTS This understated, yet quietly quirky artisanal cocktail bar serves up undoubtedly stylish tipples, which they evidently take very seriously. Just take a peek at their multi-page old-timey style menu which offers readers insight into the history of what they’re drinking as well as the bar’s manifesto which is to be “consciously … Continue reading
London Hotspot Find: Ottolenghi
OTTOLENGHI, ISLINGTON Yotam Ottolenghi, best known the world over for his imaginative and beautifully photographed cookbooks (Plenty being my fave), is also known by lucky Londoners for his delightful little restaurants (Islington being my fave). You see, I used to live right on Upper Street where Ottolenghi’s Islington outpost is located and each day walking … Continue reading
Amsterdam Hotspot Find: Hotel Droog
HOTEL DROOG, AMSTERDAM CENTRUM Droog Design, the iconic Dutch design force best known for its unique brand of dry, ironic design has created an almost unimaginable design and hospitality emporium. Hotel Droog as they call it is in fact a hotel offering one hotel room, but what makes its so interesting is its reverse design … Continue reading
NYC Hotspot Find: Amarcord Vintage Fashion
AMARCORD VINTAGE FASHION, SOHO A shopping destination for designer vintage lovers who are in search of more than just the ubiquitous Chanel quilted handbag. Amarcord digs deep during their buying trips in Europe and in particular Italy (the owner’s motherland) and the result is a store with racks full of unique, wearable art from legendary … Continue reading
Amsterdam Hotspot Find: Frozen Fountain
FROZEN FOUNTAIN, AMSTERDAM CENTRUM Frozen Fountain is the place where design-lovers unite in Amsterdam. This must-see interiors store has made a name for itself in the city for offering design purists an inspiring and eclectic collection of furniture, fabrics, home wares and art from Dutch design heroes like Piet Hein Eek, Marcel Wanders and Studio … Continue reading
NYC Hotspot Find: Uncle Boons
UNCLE BOONS, NOLITA Let’s say you’re reminiscing about your last trip to Thailand, when you were nursing that ice-cold beer and grazing on Thai food with that unmistakable fresh, dynamic flavor. You want to recreate that, but you’re stuck in Lower Manhattan, that concrete jungle we all know lacks quality Thai, considering every other cuisine … Continue reading
NYC Hotspot Find: Mast Brothers Chocolate
MAST BROTHERS CHOCOLATE, WILLIAMSBURG A must visit spot as you wander the streets of Williamsburg is Mast Brothers Chocolate, an artisanal chocolate factory and store best known for its chocolates that surely inspired Brooklyn’s now ubiquitous craft movement. We can thank founders Michael and Rick Mast for their devoted chocolate making process where only the … Continue reading
NYC Hotspot Find: Baby’s All Right
BABY’S ALL RIGHT, WILLIAMSBURG If you’ve been following me on the Instagram, you’ll know that I’m often hanging out at the gigs, DJ sets and live music events of my favourite musicians and artists. So I guess you could say I know a thing or two about what makes a live music venue stand out … Continue reading
NYC Hotspot Find: Casey Rubber Stamps
CASEY RUBBER STAMPS, EAST VILLAGE It’s easy to miss this unassuming New York Institution as you walk past it on 11th Street. If it’s happened before, don’t let it happen again because inside this imaginative, whimsy specialty store you will suddenly realise what you’ve needed all this time – high-quality unique rubber stamps and ink … Continue reading
NYC Hotspot Find: Dover Street Market New York
DOVER STREET MARKET NEW YORK, KIPS BAY Cult shopping mecca and high concept mega-boutique Dover Street Market hailing from London and Tokyo has finally opened a New York City Branch in Kips Bay. Rei Kawakubo, the designer behind Comme Des Garcons has curated the seven-storey wonderland for lovers of avant-garde, boundary pushing fashion into what … Continue reading
NYC Hotspot Find: Taïm Falafel & Smoothie Bar
TAÏM FALAFEL & SMOOTHIE BAR, WEST VILLAGE In the beautiful tree-lined West Village lies Taïm (pronounced ta-eem) a quaint little falafel and smoothie bar serving up unadulterated Israeli falafel in the form of sandwiches and platters. Taïm, meaning “tasty” in Hebrew, has no difficulty living up its own name by offering crunchy on the outside, … Continue reading
Boston Hotspot Find: Brattle Book Shop
BRATTLE BOOK SHOP, BOSTON A must see hotspot for the Instagram photo-op alone. Brattle Book Shop is a downtown Boston institution (since 1825!) selling an impressive collection antique, rare and exceptional published works. If you’re a passionate book lover and are trying to find a book that’s out of print, Brattle has it or can … Continue reading
Adelaide Hotspot Find: Clever Little Tailor
CLEVER LITTLE TAILOR, ADELAIDE Downtown Adelaide is in the midst of reforming its nightlife scene and Clever Little Tailor is the boutique drinking den that appears to be leading the way. Walking along the once deserted, now up and coming Peel Street, you’ll notice the city’s laneway culture developing rapidly in the same way we … Continue reading
NYC Hotspot Find: Spa Castle
SPA CASTLE, COLLEGE POINT – QUEENS There is such a thing as a relaxing adventure at Spa Castle, a Korean day spa concept in College Point, Queens. The words relaxing and adventure probably aren’t used together so often but you’ll know what I mean when you set foot in this 60,000-square-foot multiplex of pools, saunas, … Continue reading
Sydney Hotspot Find: Vietnamese Food at the Kirribilli Markets
VIETNAMESE STAND AT KIRRIBILLI MARKETS, KIRRIBILLI This little piggy went to the Kirribilli Markets A favorite weekend past time of mine is hitting the markets. The fresh air, fresh food and knick-knacks seems to slow down the pace. One of my favorite markets is the Kirribilli Art and Design market, because of the art, design, … Continue reading
NYC Hotspot Find: Extra Fancy
EXTRA FANCY, WILLIAMSBURG If I really think about the establishments popping up around Williamsburg one theme comes to mind – not so fancy and extra fancy. It’s a veritable hodgepodge of highbrow, lowbrow, cheap, expensive, dive-y and upscale and Extra Fancy is a bar/restaurant nodding its head to this wonderful characteristic of Williamsburg. Don’t let … Continue reading
NYC Hotspot Find: Dimes
DIMES NYC, LOWER EAST SIDE Newcomers to the downtown restaurant scene like Dimes (and Skal around the corner) make the once desolate intersection of Chinatown and the Lower East Side the area for cool new restaurant watching. The arrival of Dimes makes me a happy bruncher, luncher, and all day breakfaster. I’m happy because of … Continue reading
Boston Hotspot Find: Ames Boston Hotel
AMES BOSTON HOTEL, BOSTON Boston isn’t known for its fashion forwardness or for being the most cutting edge design and style oriented town. So if you’re a trendy New Yorker or a bit of a design buff visiting Boston to experience its old world charm, you might prefer to stay amongst the visually appealing modern creature … Continue reading
melting butter 