Spring Ready, Summer Planning, Future Inspo
A few notes on planning for this summer as well as the cultural items that have really stuck with me as of late
It’s warm and the sun is shining and I’m sitting by the door to the terrace as I write this. The dogs are sleeping outside in the sun, and my mom flew in from California this morning, a grueling 24 hours of travel, so after a bit for rest, we have plans to eat lunch by the sea this afternoon. We’re headed to Can Fisher, a charming, mid-century inspired restaurant that serves delicious arroces with shrimps and mussels. I’m already excited to order a Campari spritz. It feels like it’s been a long winter, though, I think I probably feel this way every year. I start to miss the heat of the sun, like an old friend who’s been away too long.
In a couple of weeks, Kyle and the boys and I are headed to Paris for 10 days, an early birthday present for Kyle. We’re staying in the 2nd so we can be central to many things with plans to visit friends from LA and friends in town. I’m looking forward to seeing the James Turrell exhibit, visiting the new Monocle cafe, and maybe pop over to L’Orangerie to stare at Monet’s water lilies for a while. Kyle and I are looking to make more friends in Paris, and more broadly in Europe this summer, so if you’re in Paris, let’s meet up! I would love to visit some creative studios or chat art and design over coffees or cocktails, plus Kyle and I are doing a get together on 27 April.
Beyond that, we have plans to visit London in June, and then Copenhagen and Stockholm in August, with some small trips around Costa Brava and maybe a stop in Menorca for a long weekend. Trying to make the most of the summer! I’ve just been busy with design and creative direction projects these last few months so I’m excited to soak in some much needed inspiration. And in the spirit of sharing, here are some ridiculous stickers I’m making my friend Tan for her restaurant Mikan, one of the very best here in Barcelona. A Scandi death metal one is the in the works, so stay tuned.
I hope spring is springing or your fall is mild and romantic! I’m including a smattering of cultural items that felt meaningful for different reasons, hopefully they resonate with you as well. Have a great week 💙
01 — Sexy offices (for small businesses) are making a comeback, moving away from the capitalist hellscape of cubicles and open plan environments.
worked with Aunt Studio to create an office that feels like “Noguchi-inspired artist retreat in upstate New York” with dark walnut panels, moody lighting and glass bricks everywhere. I hate glass bricks, ask , though the way these are used they feel much more like walls diffusing light, akin to the Renzo Piano designed Hermès building in Ginza, where it feels lantern-like, not a disgusting bathroom from the 80s. The space feels warm and inviting, almost like a refuge rather than a place to do business, and I love the elements of privacy that have been built. A huge inspiration for me for my future coffee shop!02 — Noma, the Copenhagen restaurant that does, well, whatever it wants to at this point, has started to sell coffee now, and the brand identity is super cute. Simply called Noma Kaffe, the packaging is minimal featuring a crimson colored pattern that resembles beans lying on a table, and a charming hand-drawn logo. Cool Hunting has all the details on the project, as well as a guess where Noma may be heading next.
03 — The “subtle traces left behind after a gathering” and “the wine stains on a table or the marks on a napkin” were FAENA Studio’s source of inspiration for Gota, an organic wine made in La Alcarria, Spain. The identity is drippy and vibrant, classical in it’s general foundation but brought to life through drippy drawings and animated graphics that give the brand an edginess and personality.
04 — As a follow-up to nearly a decade at IKEA’s R&D lab SPACE 10, the ex-co-founder Kaave Pour is hard at work on his next project, reimagining the European railways. Dubbed Starline, Pour is working with a who’s who of collaborators to develop a unifying concept that brings together Europe’s disparate transportation systems (this even includes you UK!) to create the TEN-T, the Trans-European Transport Network. With Trump continuing his blitzkrieg of tariffs and his love affair with Putin, it’s clear Europe needs bold ideas like these to build a more cohesive union.
05 — Often these days I feel so unmoved by new brand identity projects, a lot of same same-ness, but every now and then though I come across a gem like 12, a matcha cafe in New York with creative by Base Design. They have of course leaned into the color green, but it’s the contrast and vitality that they’ve been able to capture that really makes the brand pop. Plus they worked across every touch point, from interiors to packaging to brand identity across mediums, all to create a project that feels so incredibly well-considered. I’m honestly jealous that they had so much time and trust to work on every aspect, it’s a literal dream project.
06 — Trains are the hot topic this week as I also wanted to highlight the work that Japanese firm Nendo has done to revamp France's TGV train interiors. I will be taking the TGV from Barcelona soon and I can only hope that I’m greeted by the powder blue or dusty rose seats and lemon yellow lights that bring such a friendly and welcoming mood to a traditionally uncreative environment.
07 — I can’t remember when I first came across Ash Hotels, who describe themselves as “Cinematic Boutique Luxury Hotels,” but the description isn’t a lie. They see themselves as a hospitality brand, with the idea they can really work in any medium that tickles their brains, and they’re trying to change things up in the world of hotels by creating spaces with actual character and charm. Ash co-founder Ari Heckman recently spoke with
about his journey, and how they see their concept working now and the future. A very inspiring read, and I took many notes for the future coffee shop…08 — And finally, Bode opened a new store in Paris, and of course, it’s gorgina. Designed, of course, by Green River Project (which is ran by Emily Bode’s husband Aaro Aujla and his partner Benjamin Bloomstein) the space is kitted out with dark woods, hand-painted marble walls, and all kinds of knick knacks that you would find in the shed of a grandpa. I sincerely wish I could live in this store!
See you in Paris!