Sweet Dreams Form A Shade

Not a lot going on over here just planning for the future

I believe there’s a natural ebb and flow to times in life, and in the past few weeks, my desire to write has been ebbing. Ebbinnnggggg. More honestly, I’ve simply felt like I don’t have much to say, which is fine, there are plenty of thoughts and opinions out there. For me, post-summer has been chill, there really isn’t a lot going on in the day-to-day, and in the big picture, my grander ideas and aspirations are on… hiatus, until pieces of my life puzzle fall into place. Residing in a neutral state is better than a negative place, right? That waiting can be hard though, like being stuck in slow motion, Sisyphus pushing the boulder.

I started seeing a new hair stylist recently, who on the side is working to be a yoga teacher, which inspired me to take more steps toward said “grand ideas” in the meantime. I’ve signed up for a barista class with Nomad Coffee as part of my plan to open a café one day. That happens on the 31 October, and I’m very excited to get some very real, very practical education in coffee making. I make myself a strong pour over in a Chemex every morning but that’s about all I know, I’ve never touched an espresso machine in my life, lots to learn. I’m most looking forward to pulling espresso shots, I want to get really good at that, but I’m dreading lattes and latte art. It seems very silly to me, I want coffee that tastes good not coffee that’s pretty, but I understand the appeal.

I’ve also been spending time playing around with concepts around the branding. The name of the café is still up in the air though I felt like using my name might make the most sense? I want a name that feels timeless, I have no interest in pandering to trends, and it’s simple to pronounce and say regardless of the language you speak. The other name I’ve been considering is Le Filou, bringing back some of the branding I created for the last pop-up restaurant I did with my friend Nate. The inspiration for Le Filou was the tarot card of The Fool, which is described as representing “new beginnings, having faith in the future, being inexperienced, not knowing what to expect, having beginner's luck, improvisation and believing in the universe.” That’s how I’ve always felt about the idea of opening a café. There’s a lot of faking it till I make it but I’m a smart, resourceful person who can figure it out.

Right now, the branding concepts above are my favorite. Café Robert Aaron is set in New Icon Serif Condesed by Sam Parrett which is paired with Compadre from OH no Type Co. New Icon Serif I like because it feels classic but also I like how it’s pointy and sharp, it has a lot of character and edge to it. And to balance it out, I felt Compadre is nice because it comes in some super wide options and has a soft roundness to it. Together they just seem to work. I’m trying to be mindful of creating a brand that allows me to be flexible and adaptive to future changes, but the main logo can remain the same throughout time. As many of you understand, this is no easy challenge!

Earlier this year I was looking at a space for sale around the corner from me and created this mockup as a proof of concept using a photo I took of the exterior. I gave myself the challenge of creating an exterior that feels dynamic and interesting yet cost effective… I do not have a trust fund to go hog wild on a full remodel. I ended up with two options I enjoyed, each with very different vibes. I think the top one with the red exterior is my favorite, though the ultramarine blue is also good. The red feels more me, very passionate Leo vibes, and I like the contrasting colors of the curtains, which would be drawn at night to create a sense of mystery for the space. The blue feels refined and very modern, though I think overall I’m leaning toward a more natural feeling to the brand, as you see in the previous branding concepts. Tell me which your favorite is, I’d be curious to hear some opinions on which you personally like better.

Soooo yeah, that’s what I’ve been up to! I’m excited to share November’s OÍR mixtape with you all, it’s a weirdo mix of ambient electronic tracks that float and flow together. I feel like no one listens to these mixes but I have a lot of fun putting them together. I think I’ll try to create an iconic X-Mas mix of classics and new favorites, hopefully something a little different than what’s been done before.

Hope you have a nice week, email me or leave a comment if you have any thoughts or ideas on what I shared today 💙