Sueuga Kamau

Oakland

Sueuga Kamau's Guide to Oakland

Area Noir & Tope Ajayi

Ibadan

Ibadan's Best Creative Spots with Area Noir & Tope Ajayi

Moxie

London

The team room is stunning and I always visit it when ever i go and see an exhibition there. It’s covered with beautiful tiles from head to toe and has chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. If not to grab some tea and cake it’s definitely worth taking a look at.

Walking around the Tate is always fun. I especially love ending up in the book store and I love browsing what books they have on offer.

On a sunny day take a walk around Hampstead Heath. It’s huge and covers a few areas of North London, but the area I always love to chill out by is next to the dog pond. You can sit up on the hill and watch all the different types of breeds jumping in and out the pond.

If you like gelato, then I would highly recommend this spot.

A great record shop again in Soho, which specialises in dub, reggae and world music. You can find lots of beautiful Brazilian LPS in here and they also have a great book and dvd selection downstairs.

Renting a pedalo out for the afternoon at the Serpentine is always fun, especially so in Summertime.

If you would like to see some culture but are strapped for cash, The British Museum is great because the entry is free. They have permanent exhibits of Egyptian & Greek artefacts which are always fascinating to go and look at.

I often get asked where to go out clubbing in London and my answer is always Corsica Studios. It’s such a reliable club for the music and the sound is great in there too.

My new favourite restaurant to go to in London. It’s french bistro and they serve great natural wines. They switch up the menu every week so it’s always something different when you go.

London with Moxie

Pablo Nouvelle

Zurich

An Italian enclave at the very end of famous Langstrasse. Paninis in every variety. Everything in this store is a 100% Italian. The ingredients, the amazing antipasti and the songs playing from the radio. How can something so simple be so good.

Zürich might be one of the most decent but surely not the biggest place on earth. If you want to get an overview first put on your fast shoes and head up to Käferbärg, which offers a little escape into the woods and a beautiful view over the city, the lake and the incredible alps. Make sure you set out for the trip in the late afternoon to catch the golden evening sun.

Close to my studio, this little restaurant has become my go to place if I want to treat myself for lunch. Honest meals, affordable and made with love.

Escape the city and climb the little mountain overseeing Zurich. Best to bring your bike and enjoy one of the many single trails and downhill tracks down the 400 meters altitude.

A beautiful bath to dip in the lake with a little beach and a tower out in the water to climb and jump from.

Claudio the soul of Sacci Bar will take care of your needs and make sure you won’t leave town without having tasted the best Negroni or natural wines there is.

Fancy a fancy dinner? Go to Kle. You’ll eat exclusively creations you’ve never experienced before. All vegan.

A small concert venue with one of the best bookings of local and international acts.

Jump from the bridge into the cold waters of the Limmat and drift down to Obere Letten. Have a Margarita at the rooftop of Primitivo Bar whilst watching people and go to a concert in the evening at the near by Parkplatz.

Best see and to be seen place on a Sunday afternoon. Visit the lovely Cafe Bonheur or bring your own and sit around the fountain.

Best cinema in town with the latest independent films and the most charming bar to linger around.

Discover Zürich with Pablo Nouvelle

Raffael

Kerala

I'm probably going to get some hate for this but it is literally the best biryani I've eaten in India. And believe me when I say I've pretty much travelled the length and breadth of this country for biryani.

Kerala is littered with these beautifully rustic establishments that brew their own coconut wine called toddy. It's well worth a visit, not just for the toddy but the food and the experience of the whole thing. I would recommend trying the fish head curry, duck curry and beef roast when you do visit. My favourite is the VELLIYAZCHA KAAVU TODDY SHOP, near Attingal.

A tiny, beautiful and clean beach. Beware the currents can be a bit dodgy at times but it's mostly fine.

Kerala's first and India's premier surf and yoga holiday destination. Join the local crew of surf instructors and guides for a surf every morning or just relax at the beautiful and stylish hotel, perched on a cliff top overlooking some of the best beaches and sunsets Kerala has to offer. Also, a really laid back atmosphere and cafe serving healthy treats and a mix of Keralan and Western-style food.

Backwaters of Kerala. The iconic Keralan scenery that you've seen on every postcard. It's like Alleppey but less touristy so best to visit here if you want to experience the backwaters but get away from the hustle of the very touristy spots.

Beautiful pristine beach and one of my favourites to visit. Again, not as many tourists as you might find on other beaches in Kerala so worth a visit.

My favourite spot to surf in Kerala. A beautiful fishing village with a fast hollow left hand wave. You can join for surf lessons or grab a board and go surfing yourself all while the fishermen and boats carry on with their days around you. Beware though, the surf can be a tad crowded here, but the locals are always friendly and welcoming.

I'm a bit of a beach bum as you can probably tell, but sometimes I like to leave the beach to get into the western ghats. You'll think you're in a different country. Vagamon is one of my favourite hill stations in the western ghats, considered to have one of the most ecologically dense environments in the world. The drive up there is stunning as are the views and there are some adventure activities like paragliding, hiking that you can get involved in, or you could just kickback and watch the birds for hours.

Heritage sites, cafes, art galleries and the biennale. Some may go as far as to say it's the art capital of India. (KASHI ART CAFE, DAVID HALL GALLERY, PEPPER HOUSE).

Kerala with Raffael from Soul & Surf

Sama

Palestine

Jericho is one of the oldest cities in the world, it is around 11,000 years old, (lol, that number apparently exists), and it is the lowest point on earth, 258m below sea level. There, you will find Deir al Krntl, The Monastery of Temptation, which dates back to the Seleucid Empire, and where Jesus fasted for 40 days after getting baptized in the Jordan River. It is a beautiful monastery, built on the edge of a mountain cliff, overlooking the whole area, including Jericho, the Dead Sea, and a bit of Jordan. To get there, you can hike or take an aerial tramway.

The Gaza strip is a restricted area for everyone. Since 2008, Israel decided that people in Gaza all deserve life in prison. So they put the whole city under siege, and closed off all entry and exit points. But, if you do manage to get a permit to visit, go. The people there are the friendliest and most creative people you will meet. You can sit on the beach of the Mediterranean sea, which you can see from all over Palestine, but can never reach, you can eat really good food - there are too many things to see in Gaza... we can write a full article just about that.

Through the checkpoints and hassle, which can take between an hour to seven, depending on the day and the soldiers mood, you can get to Jenin. In Arraba, you can go to the Abdelhadi Palaces (Our palaces - just to brag). These Palaces have been within the family for more than 100 years, 2 of them have been renovated into a Turkish Bath and a public library. You can also start a walk from ARRABA TO BURQIN, where you pass through a spring, a roman wall, and Burqin Church, which is the 3rd oldest church in the world.

Also known as ‘Little Damascus’, a place where visiting the old market (souq) is a must. Some of the few things its popular for are nablus knafeh; my dad has been eating knafe, a really sweet dessert, every day since he was born. He used to take me to eat knafe almost every day as well when I was a kid, which is the reason why I don’t eat it anymore. He still finds that weird. It’s nablus soap and Turkish baths. I personally travel with that soap and always have some in whichever house and in whatever country I live in. You’ll also find the Samaritan Museum. Samaritan’s believe that mount Gerizim in Nablus is the holy place for the Israelis. The Samaritans have always been neutral, they don’t like politics and don’t get into it. They speak Arabic and Hebrew and they live on both sides with both people.

On the way to Ramallah you will run into Taybeh village and the Taybeh brewery. The first female-run microbrewery in the Middle East. If you are there in the Oktoberfest, you will be very happy that day. Fresh beer from the cellars and a beautiful spot on top of the mountain. After Taybeh comes Birzeit, a beautiful old village. There you can find “Malek il falafel” the best Falafel in the area. Brilliant homemade Palestinian dishes in an old traditional house. In Birzeit, you can also find the Palestinian Museum. Getting into Ramallah, there is Snowbar Garden; it is this beautiful garden built into the mountain with a great view. Great drinks and a pool for the summer times. Other good bars are Garage Cafe, La Grotta Bar and Radio Bar.

Heading out of Ramallah, through a lot of checkpoints, with a lot of views of illegal settlements, through mountains, through a lot of hassle and humiliation, you’ll get to the birthplace of Jesus, which is definitely a site to see in the nativity church. There is a shorter way to get there through Jerusalem, which is safer as well and doesn’t make you dizzy and sick, but it wouldn’t be called an occupation if we were able to drive on it. So if you are Palestinian you cant take that road. The old city of Beit Sahour is incredible as well. If you want something to eat and you like chicken, Qabar goes back forever; the menu is only chicken (these guys seriously don’t have any pics that’s how old school they are). You can also find the hotel that Banksy opened, with a straight-up view of the 8m high segregation wall and checkpoint. The walled-off hotel is a must-visit spot with a lot of Banksy art. Banksy visits Palestine a lot, especially Bethlehem, during your trip you will find a lot of his graffiti on the walls of the city. If you get tired of the wall blocking your view, you can go to Hosh il Yasmine; a very nice chill spot and has a lot of music events and a great view of the mountains around you. On your way to Hebron you can pass by Battir village, god’s paradise on earth.

Hebron market (souq) with its maze of alleys is definitely worth exploring. The shops and stalls sell everything from locally made pottery, glass, rugs, and embroidered items to fresh and dried fruits. The old city has plenty of archaeological sites worth visiting. In Hebron, they make everything… they literally can make anything. The old city also gives a real sense of what it feels like to be under occupation, as the old city is occupied by extremist settlers and protected by over 1500 soldiers making it a really intense environment. As you can see in the pictures, you can always notice netting on the top of everything. That is because the settlers tried to drive people out by throwing their trash on top of the people of Hebron. So instead of leaving, people put nets all over to catch the trash. It is very intense living there, this is why we always say when a Hebron person puts his mind to something, nothing will stop them. There is nothing like a Khalili head. They even recently approved a new illegal settlement to be built where the market is, so now there is an order to bulldoze the market.

Palestine with Sama

Lila

Montevideo

At the southernmost city in the Americas, in Montevideo bay, very close to the busy city center, there's this Breakwater structure in which I love to spend time, unplugging myself from everything while watching and sampling sounds from the docks, birds and fishermen around.

I won't lie, I am a huge fan of South American cemeteries, visiting them in each city I play gigs at. In Montevideo, there's one I'm particularly fond of, Cementerio del Buceo. The dichotomy between massive architecture next to decaying graves with plastic flowers, cats always running around. Most of my favourite local musicians and poets from past centuries are buried there.

In the backyard of a fantastic art museum, there's the Japanese garden of Montevideo. A beautiful spot filled with bamboo trees, cherry blossoms and orchids, blended with Uruguayan national trees such as Ceibo. Love to go there with a good book and stare at the koi fishes for hours.

The flea market culture is quite remarkable in Uruguay. Every Sunday, you will find Tirstan Narvaja market right in the city center. I visit it every weekend ever since I can remember, walking kilometres in search of thrift clothes, vinyls, music gear and the most random things you can imagine.

Undoubtfully every Uruguayan has a fond memory of this spot. Right next to the amusement park and the beach, there is a lovely tiny lake with small boats that you can rent, surrounded by native trees, musicians playing around, tiny little islands with rabbits, and a castle (that is actually a library) in the middle.

Located in the oldest neighborhood in town, Cafe Brasilero is a very inspiring artistic bar founded in 1877, with typical art nouveau decorations and incredible food. It's been said that many famous writers from around the globe have started their books there.

Montevideo is known for venues shutting down in the blink of an eye, so most parties are itinerant. But luckily there's Tundra Bar, a place where you can go see the most experimental underground acts around, perhaps a rave here and there, and in the evening you can eat amazing vegan food.

Montevideo with Lila

Anastasia Kristensen

Copenhagen

Great summer spot, which has finally opened this summer. The outdoor area is super cute, there’s space to seat, have a delicious bite and drink and then go in front and have a dance to some of the most excellent DJ's from around the world. I closed the opening day and it was so much fun.

Have discovered this second-hand market recently and it’s a gem. Located in the heart of the vibrant Nørrebro area the market. The vision of organisers to put an end of the awful consumerism mindset of buying mindlessly and never recycling. Everyone can book a stand and the place offers fantastic vegan friendly food trucks too. Many of the sellers are participating exclusively for charity purposes, which makes the experience of shopping way more meaningful.

If you are looking for a rare and more luxurious end of second hand, Lidkøb Østerbro is the one. Danes are stylish people and have accumulated loads of beautiful items throughout the decades. Here’s the place to shop them. A bit pricey but I’ve never left this place without finding something extremely pretty there.

A very popular go to spot for drinks, and particularly natural wine. Absolute must when in Copenhagen.

My fav spot to wind down and chill. This side of the lakes isn’t overly used but it has the most calming and peaceful effect.

If you look for more advanced and sophisticated Ruby is the place to visit. Centrally placed and has an amazing dark wooden interior inside. definitely ask for "One In, One Out" when there. The menu changes frequently.

My most favorite pizza is actually a vegan pizza; Pow vegan pizza is something I'm always up for eating. I always order either Moscow or Nairobi :))

Anastasia Kristensen's Perfect Summer Spots in Copenhagen

SooJin

Seoul

Usually open from sun up to sun down, it's best to visit during the weekday considering what a shit show it is on the weekends. You have to rummage to find gems and beware of counterfeit goods.

Chill cafe/bar tucked away in Eulji-ro that is run simultaneously by the owner of vinyl shop Clique Records. Great high balls, wine, cheese and music.

Hotel in the heart of Hongdae that boasts it's connection with the subculture. Grilled cheese at Tartine is one of the best and you can grab a drink at Side Note Club on their terrace.

A cafe/bar situated on the top floor of the showroom and shop of brand AJOBYAJO - at first it’s intimidating but just walk up the stairs to the 4th floor. Offers a zen-like vibe with Buddhist statues and an aquarium with white carp as their bar table. Their tea/coffee usually comes with traditional dried persimmons.

Located in the Hannam-dong neighborhood of Itaewon, Warped is a streetwear based clothing store where local creatives go to just chill.

A two-room techno club in Itaewon with possibly one of the best sound systems.

Entrance fee to the garden is separate from the Palace.

Small and cozy record bar that was opened by Jinmoo, one of the founders for OG DJ crew 360 Sounds. You can easily hear hip hop, jazz, soul and funk sounds by 360 Sounds members and other local DJs.

Not only a bar but an artistic space that has been used for live performances, film screenings and exhibitions. Sindosi offers books, cassettes and artwork for sale as well as a church going experience on their roof as they have pews for seating.

SooJin Park's Best Spots in Seoul

Collard

Gorgeous Italian spot, candle lit and romantic as romantic can be. Forest green decor and seating for either an intimate date or group date. It’s usually pretty full in there so I’d advise you to book in advance -- but it’s worth it. Recommended dish: Lobster Linguini with a side of Quail Eggs.

Perfect day time date spot in Belsize Park North London, a breakfast menu with a Persian influence. Lovely service, get to see a few actors and actresses that live around the area which is cool but just don’t be weird, practise your nonchalant “too cool for school, yeah whatever famous person”- nod in the mirror. Close proximity to Primrose Hill park also which is a staple date location. Recommended dish: Baked Eggs.

The finest of fine dining, beautiful restaurant, decor levels on a thousand. Would recommend for relationship daters. Probably a bit over-blown for a first date experience unless the person you’re trying to court has a great pallet for French cuisine and loves a glamorous atmosphere. Recommended dish: Black-legged Chicken to share & Escargot for the side.

My girlfriend coined this spot “The Thinking spot” she took me there all the time and said it’s where she does all her best thinking. Pull up in the car and chat for hours in front of the bird decorated lake or take a stroll down the lake side. It really is a beautiful and calming spot inside such a popular Royal Park. I recommend going at night to avoid having to weave around large crowds.

This is the low key pre-drinks date spot you hit for if you’re about to go out for drinks (my Londoners know what I’m on about) -- the drinks before the drinks. Lounge-y and quiet, Polo Bar is perfect for conversation and shaking off nerves before you go out for the “after drinks” at a restaurant or club once were allowed back in them.

Why not look at some art if you’re both into it? This particular gallery is situated in central london so it’s surrounded by an array of food spots and makes the whole dating experience a lot more eventful. Doing something is cool. Always incredible exhibits on show here also, from artists like Reginald Sylvester and Coco Capitán.

For the film enthusiasts the Curzon Bloomsbury is the perfect cinema for a movie date. It’s a smaller and more boutique feel as opposed to the usual cinema experience elsewhere. There’s a boatload of great restaurants and cafes in the Bloomsbury area to eat at before or after the film if it’s all going well, and if it’s not then it’s only 5 mins from tube station.

London's Finest Date Spots with Collard

Little Dragon

Gothenburg 

It’s an Indonesian little spot and it’s special because it’s a little family business and they basically have three different things on the menu. They make their own Sambal Oelek. There's tempeh, tofu and rice - it’s really good!  - Yukimi

They sell good coffee and good coffee gear. That’s the only thing I buy apart from food. It’s nice shopping. - Fredrik


You can take the bus here, it's a public nature reservoir by the ocean and you can walk out and be alone if that’s what you need or it's where the party is. There’s also rocks you can jump off and feel the energy of the ocean. Some places are a bit hard to get to so you may have to climb a bit, but it’s a nice little half island so you won’t get lost. It’s good to explore and get a feel of the west coast. It’s like the milder version of Norwegian influence. - Erik 


The Best Places in Gothenburg to Explore Local Culture with Little Dragon

Octa

Berlin

This restaurant is run by my good friend Tim Ligtenberg and they make a fantastic Neapolitan. It's also my go-to spot on Friday evenings, as Tim always has a DJ or two spinning in their outdoor space in Mitte's Hackescher Hof, where I can be sure I'll run into at least a few friends before heading to the next event.

A small, quiet wine bar in Neukölln – the perfect stop for a chilled glass of orange wine on my way home from the office. They also offer a limited selection of authentic Italian goods, such as my very favorite Nocellara olives and bread sticks.

This local nut and dried goods store has a couple of locations around Berlin, but I like to frequent their shop on Karl Marx Straße for familiarity. In addition to their wide selection of traditional Lokum (aka "Turkish Delight") they also offer a huge selection of roasted nuts and dried fruits – I recommend their candied hibiscus, or the sesame roasted almonds – my go-to snacks since the first time I entered their store.

Probably the best way to describe Hopscotch is as an oasis. In addition to a sprawling selection of non-western English-language literature, emphasizing diaspora narratives and marginalized experiences, Hopscotch hosts workshops and events for a general audience.

To be frank, I haven't had a chance to visit the SAVVY Contemporary space, but that is only because of lockdowns hindering the accessibility of cultural institutions. SAVVY's focus, as an arts center, classroom, and communal space, is on interrogating notions of the "West" and "non-West" to attempt to deconstruct some of the firmly held social constructions surrounding such notions. SAVVY founder Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung was recently appointed as the new director of the Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin to take effect in 2023, which is a huge deal – especially in Germany, where visible examples of Black cultural architects are very limited.

Berlin is home to a huge selection of swimming lakes and ponds. Sadly I have a deep connection to the Ocean, but since Germany is largely landlocked, lakes will have to do. Bernsteinsee is one of my favorite places to go swimming, but at around an hour's drive outside the city, it is a rare visit for me. The vibe there is just very clean, very quiet, and SANDY – which is not the case for all of the lakes in Greater Berlin.

Octa's Favourite Spots in Berlin

Koreatown Running Club 

Los Angeles 

6th st in Koreatown gets so busy with the nightlife and endless restaurants. I love running down 6th and seeing all the chaos that comes with everyone having a good night out on the town.

For a mellow neighbourhood run, I enjoy running through Hancock Park which neighbours Koreatown. I love looking at the architecture of the houses there.

Stop by for some cold brew at the local coffee shop, Document coffee.

My favourite route is definitely running down Wilshire Blvd heading west. It’s a straight shot that leads to Santa Monica. I enjoy all the stop lights for the quick breaks to catch your breath during your long run :) 


We meet here a lot during marathon training. Starting from the most northern spot of the parking lot, we run south through Santa Monica, Venice and Playa del Rey and back up with the Pacific Ocean right by our side. It’s about 16 miles but there’s ways to extend it to 22. No lights and we end up with a good time at the beach.

Downtown Los Angeles is always fun to run through. We don’t go there often. Maybe to a restaurant or bar but we’re in and out. You often don’t get to wander and look around so it’s always refreshing run our route runs through it.

In the mornings when we do our big group runs, we’ll sometimes run down Vermont leaving Koreatown and pass a whole block of street vendors that take up the whole sidewalk. There’s probably like 20 tents packed with people. It’s the only place that can match our energy that early in the morning. We always run alongside them and exchange good mornings and buenos dias back and forth.

Easy loops around the reservoir ending with some coffee and food in Silverlake is always a good time. It’s also a good ten miler from Koreatown with a loop around the reservoir.

Nike has always been a great partner with us early on. 3107 Pico is home to the original Nike store. Eventually, it became a printing/copy shop but with some work, it fell back into the hands of Nike. A place with a lot of history. Always good to run out of here and make some more.

Koreatown Run Club's Guide to LA

Cero Ismael 

Almere 

The only record shop Almere has at the moment. The owner has saved more than 25.000 records since his youth and now he’s selling LP’s, singles, CD’s, books and more.

Lunch and brunch room that is Hip-Hop and America inspired.

Beautiful sightseeing next to KAF. I have so many good summer memories with this spot.

A theatre, performance and exhibition centre in the city. A cultural hub. I had one of my first shows there.

Amazing Egyptian restaurant. Me and my friends used to come there a lot on the weekend.

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