Lafat Bordieu

Santiago 

This is where I used to come and sell on the street, right on that corner. If the police came you’d go to Bellas Artes. There weren’t as many police as there are now. 

An emblematic place. There are people selling art in spots like Galería La Curtiembre and Factoría Santa Rosa. I mostly move in the street or in festivals, but it's where artistic things are happening, for sure.

An independent place, run by people who are interested in books. It has a good selection of titles.  Books are difficult to make a business out of; whoever decides to work in this industry is a form of resistance to a certain digital era, it’s a way to reaffirm the physical and tangible. Anyone who starts a business with books is excellent to me.

Gabriela Mistral Cultural Centre, GAM hosts various cultural fairs and exhibitions. It is a bureaucratic institution, but even so, it offers a varied mixture of things. What I most like is that it's a public space—where people can do there own thing; dance, sell, whatever, go to the library. It's an open community space, which is the main difference between a cultural centre and a purely artistic one. 

There’s a street market with a lot of secondhand items; people selling vegetables next to people selling art and other things. Another incredible place.

There’s a mix between generations that go to this bar, and you always find interesting people, there’s good music playing and it's relatively affordable.

I like to draw here because it’s relaxing. There are old museums, families on day trips, drunks, people BBQing, me drawing, dogs in the lake. I feel that it’s very Chilean, it’s a collage. You take things from here and there and put them together like cutouts—that’s my style too, mixing things.

A space that holds activities, with a genuine interest in supporting local and interdisciplinary art: vinyl records, books, and souvenirs.

Skip the Gallery, Stick to The Street: Lafat Bordieu On Santiago's Independent Art Scene 

Uèle Lamore

Paris

My little secret here! This library always has crazy sales on beautiful artbooks. I when I mean crazy I mean a book that was 100 euros is now 10 euros. Thanks to this shop my apartment is full of fancy books that make me look really smart.

This venue is actually inside a peniche boat located in one of my favourite neighbourhoods in Paris. I discovered so many indie bands there, such as one of my favourite groups: Kikagaku Moyo. 

This place is both a venue and a bar. It has a really laid-back atmosphere and there is always some kind of exhibition going on at the same time. You can have drinks at the bar, eat something nice and then go see a show all at once. Great during daytime as well to relax!

I'm a big cocktail drinker, and one you talk of cocktail bars, one might imagine this sterile, quiet, super stuck-up spot. Well, first time I went to Blue Bird I thought I had entered a crazy town (in a good way), it has this 70's retro western feel to it. The atmosphere is really exciting and the bartenders are some of the funniest people I know. Go there past 9pm for some action!

Another bookstore located between the Marais and Republique neighbourhoods. They have a big selection of indie magazines, and rare books. Pro tip: you can negotiate the prices depending on what you are buying!

Paris is all about chilling and the Coulee Verte is made just for that. It is an abandoned system of train tracks that circle the city and have been rehabilitated as a walking spot. There are many entrances all over the town to access it, I recommend getting to the tracks by the Bastille entrance and walking all the way to Bercy.

If you ever want to buy an instrument, head to this historical street located in Pigalle where all the shops of vintage and new gear are. From synths to guitar pedals, there is a shop for everything.

A Guide to Parisian Culture with Uèle Lamore

Izzy Bossy

Jamaica

Winifred beach has to be my favourite beach its one of the last beaches which hasn’t been bought by foreigners a hub for the community to come and cool af, if you go you must go up to Cynthia’s and get some food just ask for her down on the beach!

Blue lagoon holds a special place in my heart one of my favourite place to swim its hot and cold under and has a magic in the air, if you go down make sure to get a raft trip ask for Beena with the bleached hair and go over to monkey island.

Obviously, I had to put some music-related tings. If you know me you know how much DANCEHALL IS MI EVERYTHING and the best way to keep up with the new music is to get a CD from Junior on William Street.

Boston is the home of jerk. You can’t come to Jamaica and not try it. There are a few amazing places, but you must go to its home, Boston. Go to Mickey's - the first place on the left (if you are facing it). I also always get a chicken sausage from Bumpy as well; you will see him, he is right across.

Corey makes the best fruit smoothies in Port Antonio. He also makes peanut punch with almond milk which is quite rare here, but it’s super yummy. He is based in the back of the fruit market just walk through the shop to the back left corner and you will see him.

This is by far my favourite date night spot. The owner, Vanessa, is one of my good friends and cooks the most delicious food. Get the lobster! Actually, get anything its all amazing !! Also located on Long Bay Beach - you HAVE to go!

Have you ever had a burger with plantain and callaloo? Well then, you must go to Woody's in Drapers. Their burgers are literally so unique tasting and delicious.

If you are going to Rio Grande make sure you head out early as its a full day of rafting. I always drive up and start from Berrydale. You can stop the raft and swim in the river. Also, half way up if you call in advance, you can stop for food at Belinda. She is not there all the time, so you must organise in advance, but I promise you you won’t regret it!

Sanko Bay is a tiny local beach. There isn’t sand, but you can swim and the view is so beautiful. We are currently trying to re-build the community centre situated on this beach to support and give the Drapers community a hub for the locals. We’re also giving free workshops and equipment for our future generation to be able to bloom.

Everyone always talks about Dunn River, but there are so many hidden gems. Reach Falls is much quieter and you can walk down the back of the waterfall where there are holes you can jump through (this will make more sense when you reach). It’s way more chilled and private; take some snacks, drinks & lots of mosquito repellent with you in your bag.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SOME VIBEZ YOU MUST GO TO MANNAS. You can also pre-order food for small and big groups. Hit up Jason. This is also a must-go!

Coconut shrimp curry to die for. Great for any celebration or just a lovely dinner. Make sore you ask the owner to tell you his story and why he set up soldier camp.

Explore Portland, Jamaica, with Izzy Bossy

XL Middleton

Los Angeles 

We're starting at the home base since this is my record store. Located in the heart of Chinatown. It's a tiny spot; tiny like the record stores in Shibuya but I'd like to think it's cozy. We carry everything but with a strong slant towards funk/soul/boogie, modern funk, & Japanese city pop. Google says we're permanently closed but, shows you what they know. We've kept the storefront closed since the pandemic started but we are gearing up to reopen later this year. In the meantime, we do Instagram vinyl drops every Tuesday & Wednesday so you can get a little slice of LA record store culture from anywhere in the world twice a week.

If you're visiting LA and want to dig as soon as you possibly can after stepping off the plane, you can go here, it's just a few blocks away from LAX. Nice selection in all genres and they've been around for quite a while. I love that the shop has that old school, record store dive kind of vibe where it doesn't feel like the wax has been 'overcurated' and compared against every pricing metric on Discogs & eBay. Also you'll be close to the iconic Randy's Donuts - The local secret is that it's not just a famous place to take IG selfies, their donuts are actually great.

This is one of those spots that diggers in LA will hesitate to tell people about because they wanna keep the jewels to themselves. Digs are top notch even in the bargain bins. The guy who runs the shop is another old school dude who doesn't rely on internet prices as a reference, which makes the game fun in a way that it often isn't anymore.

One of the newer shops in the city, and you'll definitely wanna keep up with them on the regular because you never know what they'll come up on next. One day they'll be rolling out a crazy jazz collection, the next it's all heavy Italo 12"s, after that a big stack of 90's R&B & hip hop LPs. If you go there on the right day you might see the homie Randy Ellis (CQQL Records/Hobo Camp) behind the counter.

When you come to LA, you can tell who is new to the city because they refer to parts of town like Echo Park & Silver Lake as the "east side." Nah, come to Sonido Del Valle and check out Boyle Heights, part of the actual east side. It's one of my favorite neighborhoods in town, love the old Victorian houses and the fact that the gentrification hasn't hit as hard here yet. This spot is run by the homie Rene, tell him I sent you when you go! Tons of great taco spots in the area too, take your pick. But after a dig at Sonido I might hit up Otomisan, old school Japanese restaurant right down the street from the days when Boyle Heights also had a big Japanese community.

Speaking of the east side, Record Jungle is located right on Whittier Boulevard just a few miles away from the famous cruising strip. This is a big store, not heavily curated but there's tons to choose from so you never know what you're gonna find. Recommend setting aside many hours to dig here.

Mainly a bookstore as you might've guessed by the name but their record section is no joke. The 7" section is fun to go through. Lotta table space and if you're lucky you can even score a chair to sit down while you go through their boxes. They're one of the better stores in town when it comes to having joints that you don't see in stores too often. You'll definitely also wanna check out the book tunnel, the old bank vault, and the other cool stuff they have to look at on their mezzanine.

Fingerprints, and the spot mentioned below, are both in Long Beach -- which is technically a separate city but still within LA County. It's very much a part of the fabric here, even if it does have its own vibe. Every time I go to Long Beach I always hit both of these stores up. They're kind of polar opposites which makes it fun - Fingerprints has the whole bookstore/record store/coffee shop thing going.

Fingerprints and Bagatelle Records are within walking distance of one another which is rare in LA. Bagatelle is all dusty stacks and tight spaces from floor to ceiling. You'll love the contrast between the two.

We're winding this down in the corner of LA I'm from - Pasadena. Technically its own separate city too but it's a 20 minute drive from downtown LA. When I was growing up, Poo Bah was located in a little converted red house so you'd walk into what was basically the living room and start digging through the bins. They've since moved to a proper storefront a couple miles away. Still got all the hallmarks of a great record store dive - nice prices, deep bargain bins, side shelves with cassettes, VHS tapes, and CD's. In the recent years they've done a lot of events revolving around the beat/producer community. The late Ras G was involved with the store pretty heavily. Dam Funk filmed part of his "Hood Pass Intact" video here too.

Here's a little Pasadena bonus for you to check out while you're in the area. Mainly a bookstore but they have a few bins of records, I recommend checking them out because they seem to carry a lot of weird, off the wall stuff, of all types.

The Ultimate Guide to LA's Record Shops with XL Middleton

Niia

My favourite late-night chic cocktail spot. Sometimes I'll get up and sing a song if I'm drunk enough.

A secret, tiny restaurant that reminds me of NYC. Best breakfast ever

My go-to Italian spot. You sit outside and feel like you're in Italy.

Understated jazz club where you'll often catch insane musicians.

I highly encourage getting stoned and seeing this strange and amazing museum.

Arguably the most iconic music and movie store ever.

Explore LA With Niia

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

MMH Radio

Copenhagen

There’s no Caribbean food in Copenhagen, when I moved here I couldn’t find any good jerk seasoning but my boy does a thing called Yam CPH once a month like a pop up, which is definitely a spot to check out if you’re here at the right time. It’s in different places but you can follow them on Instagram. It's also like on the high end of Caribbean food – shout out to Kye!

Speakers Korner on blågårdsgade Nørrebro.

Owned by DJ bistand who has a monthly show on MMHRADIO. Bass music. Drum n bass, Jungle, Dub, Roots, Rave etc.

Nu jazz, Beats, soul. In a basement on stefansgade nørrebro. Small store where you can find prints and books as well. Nee and old stuff. Records from local danish artist who produce jazz and beats music.

Located different spots in central Copenahagen and Vesterbro. Second hand clothing fleamarket. At fleamarkets you can always try and discuss the price the seller gives you. Private sellers by stands and sell their clothing.

Fleamarket on Vesterbro Sønderboulevarden.

In the middle of Sønderboulevarden. In the summer there is a long Fleamarket stretching through the street. Clothes and things. On Sundays and sometimes Saturdays. On the same street you can go to Kihoskh and get a coffee or Itzi Bitzi for the best lunch pizza. Super nice street to hang out on when the sun is out.

It’s hiding in plain sight, in the centre opposite Tivoli in between 2 huge Irish pubs. It's basically just a black door, at night theres a bouncer but it's just straight up techno until 8am. They're doing this safe space, so there absolutely no discrimination allowed. If anything happens you can tell the bouncer. You also get this sticker on your phone so you’re not allowed to take any pictures. They want it to be a safe space where people can dress how ever they like and do whatever they like.

Every first Friday of the month MMH host a residence only night. All the resident DJs on our rota get a chance to go through and play. We pair them up all randomly and put people of different genres together. It's always a really good turn out. It's always fun. It’s a good place if you're not from here to meet people. Its here in the meat packing district.

They have really good nights and book good DJs! They’re pro LGBTQ, and one of the first bars to be really open and supportive, they always have the flag out. In the meat packing district as well! 

MMH Radio's Guide to Copenhagen

Byul Kim

Seoul

My favourite record bar is owned by my close friends. It has very nice speakers with great music, a cosy and sexy interior, and what makes it very special are the very welcoming staff and service.

Key venue for the Seoul club scene, Kockiri is a gay bar/club known for its inclusivity. Another draw of the bar is its beautiful terrace that faces a giant tree, providing a relaxing atmosphere to enjoy drinks and good company.  

One of the best wine joints, with a very relaxing and lively atmosphere, good bites and great selection of natural wine along with great service.

It's hard to find authentic Mexican food in Seoul—this spot brings a true Mexican taste.

Authentic Chinese lamb skewers with a great menu, run by Chinese owners. 

They serve authentic eastern Arabian food. Must try the falafels and mansaf.

One of South Korea's top designers, a nice space to shop their designs.

Funny people and unique experiences, a great stop to admire Ojas speakers with a great selection of music.

Sexy Interiors and Relaxed Wine Bars: Byul Kim's Guide to Seoul Nights

TAKSU

Bali

Miller’s Records, located in the famous spot of umalas, a small shop taking on a vegas style look from the outside has a very wide variety of vinyl records. Being relatively new, this shop has already been a strong community because it does not only offer to buy but also possible to sell personal vinyl collection. Inside you'll see racks in different styles organized by its genres and year, making it easy to find and eye pleasing as some cool looking vinyl stacked up on frames. For most of its vinyl that isn't originally produced, they have a tag showing it’s been purchased there, price range starting even from 60k for some vinyl up to 2,7mill for collector items.

Ganesha Ubud is a very small distinguished library selling old vintage story books, comics, to postcard in Ubud making. Here you'll find the craziest old books you could have not thought of about Indonesia or anything relevant to Indonesia and its history, as they only sell old, rare, out-of-print books.

There will always be 2 very kind shopkeepers who you can ask for help, and they can tell you stories behind the books which are always fascinating. They also allow you to read some of the books (ones which are not sealed) daily as if it's a library. Their prices are relatively cheap for an amazing book you are yet to discover. Some as cheap as 10.000 rupiah for a small book with all the old 80’s indonesia postcard stamps.

Lab Rana is another small, cool shop located in Tamora gallery in the heart of Berawa. Labrana is the go to place to buy your films needs and develop them. It offers a lot of types of film and film cameras, without worrying which one is the best fit for your cause of photography, you could simply share and talk with them about what you want and need and they'll guide you through your best option for purchase.

Going there you'll meet the senior shopkeeper who has a tight film camera community trying to keep the trend alive.

Tinta Photo Solutions really lives up to its name. A small shop not far from Miller Records and the Bumbak area, Umalas. They give a lot of options with high standard quality prints and frames for your art or photo pieces. They have personally done me well with their offer of leasing their frames for an exhibition I'm doing, giving me ease on up-front payments. Very good hospitality. They have a complete catalogue of solutions when shopping for prints and frames, making it much easier to pick the right frame and print that fits your home's interior design. With with affordable prices, Tinta has helped the community so much building the art scene in out in Bali.

Bali Beach Glamping located in Tabanan close to the famous Pigstone Beach which is well known for surfing, a new getaway for camping with a pinch of luxury just opened. If you go there you’ll meet the Asela the manager who will show you around all the tents which have amazing beach views.

A local entrepreneur who is the boss lady of 2 thrift stores located in Tabanan. She started selling thrift tees in the traditional thrift market of Tabanan, and she gained her knowledge through technology/internet/social media and used them well. She is now known across Bali, even throughout Indonesia. Both of her stores are located in the village of Kerambitan, Tabanan. In the traditional market, you could see her store in the first traditional building(more like a big shack) around 150m in the back. With her joyful voice you could spot and know that it’s Bu Dolir. Price range starting from Rp.30.000 up to some collectable items for 2mill rupiah. There are more thrift stores available to explore in the rest of ‘Pasar kodok’ thrift market in Tabanan.

Segelas Kopi Ubud located in the heart of the village of Mas, Ubud. A small coffee shop across Ari Canti hospital offers not only great coffee but also a comfortable silent space to work with a touch of art and balinese culture. I've personally spent my time gathering inspirations and ideas in this spot. Owned and run by a young teen (GUSTRA I.B) the age of 19 has successfully built a solid coffee shop concept supporting not only local workers that has been WFH, but also educating about the value of art to its customers. My favorite menu is the Nasi Goreng Babi Kecap with the piccolo beverage, with the price for both totalling only $4.

The best item on the menu is the Chasumen with an added ajitama (half boiled egg, japanese style). With free flowing mineral water, expenses on beverage are not needed.

Thrifting & Shopping Local with TAKSU

Gilles Peterson

Out of curiosity for me, I’ll always go to Cafe Oto. The music played there is really Avant Garde and improv, but I personally find that really interesting these days.

If you're okay with the West End's sort of touristy, theatre-going audience, Ronnie Scott’s is pretty good. They get decent people in and you can sit down and watch world class music. And to be fair, at a place like Ronnie Scott’s, the stories are incredible. I’m so glad it is still around and they care about it. I know it's probably not the most fashionable or edgy answer and not everyone can afford to go - but it’s a bit of a date spot, somewhere for special occasions.

I think Atlantis is really good because they’re not online. I love John who works there and I've been spending a lot of time at the shop recently. You will genuinely find a gem there because someone hasn’t googled it and found online. You can actually find some really great stuff, so I'd say my favourite record shop as of late has definitely been Atlantis.

Brawn was the first restaurant in London that I felt had a community feel. In places abroad like Germany, Austria, France, or Japan, I've always found that there was a real close association between the winemakers and DJs - a real kind of community.
In London, I felt like there isn’t always that kind of community... Until I met Ed Wilson, Chef and owner of Brawn. We get on like a house on fire. He's amazing. His restaurants are amazing and the food is too. He's humble and is an incredibly rare Chef that's so knowledgeable about wine.

I really rate the guys at Noble Rot. It’s run by really brilliant people who have an incredible magazine which has become a monthly mag, almost like a cult thing. It’s about wine and they’ve sort of changed the whole landscape of wine understanding. Both their restaurants are really good and quite old-fashioned and so I big them up.

I like what the crew behind Primeur have done. I even had my birthday party here.

I've got to give Fink's a bit of credit. I'm a shorts guy so will come here for an espresso or piccolo.

West Reservoir is a good little walk. It’s an amazing spot. Feels like suddenly you're in the country - you’ve got the reservoirs, the swimmers, the church in the background. Coming back from Arsenal, if you’re going to a game and then go all the way back there at night time, it’s amazing.

Gilles Peterson's Favourite Spots in London

Nabihah Iqbal

If the weather permits, walk up to the top and sit there and look out on the city. It’s quite central but at the same time it’s really chilled. I grew up next to Primrose Hill so for me it’s an integral part of my childhood, and my London experience. It’s just a nice way of looking at the whole city.

If you’re into genres from different parts of the world this is your spot. It has a lot of jazz and they’ve got a big second hand jazz section and books.

It’s just a little shack, but it’s been there my whole life and the same woman still works there that did when I was about 10 years old. I used to go there in my karate suit and she’d know what time it was. The queue can be a madness, but it shows you people are dedicated to the cause - they stand there even in the winter. It’s the best crepe I’ve eaten and definitely better than anything in France (French people agree too). So go there!

Always a staple. Good value for money Japanese food. They’ve got a few branches around central.

Nabihah Iqbal's London Guide

Phony Ppl

New York City 

They serve Trinidadian food and whatever you get you cannot go wrong. With your rotis you can get tamarind sauce, chicken, pumpkin and pepper sauce if you like spice. If the line is long do not be discouraged, it's worth the wait. Get doubles and aloo pie too.

If you're feeling doughnuts, these are great.

In the Bushwick area our homeboy owns this store for clothing. He recently did a Paris Fashion Week too.

Everybody knows about Central Park, but this even better. You can play soccer here and at the back of the park there's a drummers circle with hoola hoopers that you can get involved with.

These guys close at around 2 in the afternoon because they distribute their product all around town. They make different fresh fruit combinations like mango and cranberry muffins and then the next day it'll be like pineapple. They sell out all the time.

If there are any musicians who wanna know where to go - come here. They have the kind of selection on sale that is specifically for working musicians and people wanting to buy stuff.

A lot of our guys get a lot of work done in here. If you're trying to get inked up they're super trustworthy, super nice people and very talented.

Phony Ppl's Travel Guide to Brooklyn

PANELIA

New Delhi

One of the best record stores in Huaz Khas with a wide range of classic Bollywood, independent and contemporary music. It also offers a curated selection of vintage gadgets, audio cassettes, record players, books, posters, and graphic novels.

This is a record store that’s owned by a friend, who is one of the finest selectors in the country. It offers the rarest finds from around the globe.

My personal favourite to perform at, Auro is an iconic venue, known for its programming. It’s hosted acts like Four Tet, Ben Ufo, Halena Hauff, DVS1 amongst many, many other global talents.

An intimate performance venue known for its selective programming as well as multi-disciplinary performances and well-curated shows. It's my personal favourite when it comes to discovering new artists in the city.

A fun venue with an intimate dance floor and amazing lineups, it's always a party at the summer house and DJs love to play here a lot,

Find The World's Rarest Records: PANELIA's Guide To New Delhi's Electronic Scene

AAAA

Mexico City 

Where I get my coffee everyday, the staff is the best and coffee too. This is located in Centro (downtown).

An independent synth shop. The owner is a good guy, and this is one of the few spots where you can find specialised electronic music instruments and modular synths in the city, located in Colonia Condesa.

In Centro downtown. It's also the mecca of Japanese mangas in the city. A lot of kids go to play and exchange, it's pretty fun and not the usual tourist activity.

An itinerant rave. They use warehouses and abandoned buildings to create a utopic, inclusive rave-slash-party experiences. Affordable for the locals and with the best international and local talent.

Located in Colonia Juárez. An independent fashion store with a futuristic, minimal and cyberpunk approach.

5 Independent Spots You Should Support in Mexico City

San Francisco 

Head to Estela’s for the best veggie and meat sandwiches, and juices. Get one to go, before you take the bus/train out to Golden Gate Park to enjoy the rare beauty of San Francisco and the ocean. 

Beautiful ocean beach with windmills, flowers, and animals. Tip: There’s a safeway and cafe a block away—grab food items to enjoy while you chill on the beach.

This is an ace local in Lower Haight with cuts of all sorts and even some clothes. It’s a good spot to find out what the vibe is and what’s going on in the night.  Groove Merchants is another spot in the area that stocks rarities. 

Not only the nicest synth and electronic music gear store around, but also a very good selection of tapes, magazines, books. It’s located in an old-school Mexican part of town that packs a solid amount of shops, local treasures, and of course, beautiful Latin food. It’s a good spot to spend the afternoon, with plenty of cool places to chill and drink. 

My favourite restaurant in SF for dinner. Tip - Chrysanthemum and duck salad is amazing, as are all grilled Izakaya smoked items. 

This is a piano bar on the edge of Mission and Castro. Here you’ll find old cats in tuxedos serving up stiff Martinis. It’s a killer way to start or end any night.

A local electronic home base, I play (and drink) here a lot.  

Hosts both local and international talent and often open late on big nights, till about 3 or 4 am.

Find lots of local punk, garage, vintage nights in Outer Mission. It’s a very chill and less gentrified part of the city.

Best Metal and punk shows around, plus a big patio in the backyard with food on any night. It’s in Oakland, but too vital to the local scene to miss on this list. 



From Synth Shopping to Stiff Martinis: Kush’s Guide To San Fransisco 

Zaran Vachha

Singapore 

This is a spot you go to at 3/4AM. It's a place you would have never imagined in Singapore. Nickname is 'four floors of whores," however, it's not as seedy as it sounds. Bands play your dad's favourite songs all night long and you bump into all sorts of people from families, travellers or visiting DJs. It's weird and wonderful all mixed into one.

Noodle shop by day - Japanese restaurant by night.

Get laksa, char kway teow, oyster omelette, chicken wings and black carrot cake.

This is weird and wonderful at the same time. Singapore Centre is split into 3 areas: Little India, Arab Ttreet and China Town. Each area has its on level of uniqueness to it.

Mustafa's is a shopping complex that is open 24 hrs and has everything that you need. I mean everything. Socks are placed next to lamps. Steaks next to watches. It's just an amazing experience. Go have a look for 15 mins and then eat the food that's around.

Saturday/Sunday only. BBQ, good music, food and margaritas.

My favourite tourist spot in Singapore. Having been open for over a decade, the park is half family tomb, half shop of horrors. The infamous Ten Courts of Hell features small-scale tableaux that show human sinners being punished in gory and graphic detail.

If you're a music lover this is your spot. It's by appointment only so ring ahead. You'll find old Cantonese disco tracks you never knew you couldn't live without.

Go here and stay for a while. The bartender will be playing music you've never heard before whilst you get nicely warm with high quality saka.

The best club in Singapore bringing the best music and entertainment. Benji B, Yasmin, Talib Kweli, Nubya Garcia, Chromeo, Breakbot have all played there. Make sure you look online to see whats going on. Buy tickets in advance, the queues are a bitch.

Zaran Vachha's Singapore Spots

Ferro and Reiss of VBX

Amsterdam

A very cool new event space founded by good friends. It feels somewhere between a club and warehouse and is showing amazing potential so far. What really sets Lofi apart from the pack is their cultural programming. Check out the experimental live performances at Basisklanken when you get the chance. We guarantee you won’t regret it.

Being behind the controls at Shelter always feels like taking a warm bath. This club has been essential to our artistic development over the years. This is a world-class venue, with a great sound system.

Like Shelter this venue played a big role in our artistic development over the years. These red containers have their own magical charm. You just can’t beat the feeling of sunlight coming through Bret’s windows, as the after hours are just getting started.

One of our favourite new after hours locations of the city. A former piracy radio broadcast location, now outfitted with a Function One sound system. Intimate wooden dance floor and balcony. In summer you can even catch some rays on the deck.

Our local go-to place to satisfy our gear addiction and engage into nerd talk about said gear with owner Tim. We try to avoid going there too much because of financial reasons, but it’s hard to resist to urge. The fact that it’s around the corner of our studio doesn’t help at all...

Seawolf records is Alfredo Romagnoli. He is a very knowledgeable guy and often attends our parties. This gives him a good idea of our taste, so his recommendations are usually on point. Whilst Seawolf used to be an 'appointment only, storage-locker digging', Alfredo is currently setting up his own record store. Doors open in April!

Located in a small alleyway on a stones throw distance from Amsterdam Central Station, this record store is a long term staple in the cities musical landscape. Open seven days a week and a great selection, featuring both second hand, as well as new gems. They even have a bin marked “VBX Sound” ;) Owners Dewey & Richard have an encyclopaedic knowledge about music and are always willing to lend a helping hand.

Best ramen place in town. One guy, he cooks... he cooks good, no alcohol, very Japanese. You can find us there, for sure, once a week.

Even though Ferro doesn’t like cheese, we still want to mention this place. They took a very Dutch product cheese and managed to turn eating it into a completely different experience. Definitely stop by this place for an authentic, but modernised Amsterdam experience.

A hidden gem in the Southern part of the city. Living room setting, vegetarian food that has the potential to convert even the most hardcore carnivores, amazing selection of wines and superb service. Be sure to make your reservations well in advance, because this place is always fully booked.

A really nice smart shop in the Red Light District. They know all about the stuff they sell. The place feels zen & grounded and even has a cactus garden.

Located on the Amsterdam canals, this spa is the perfect place to recover after a long weekend of partying.

Amsterdam with Ferro & Reiss of VBX

LADIPOE

Lagos

A quirky afrocentric boutique hotel with a small gallery and a serious vinyl collection of vintage Nigerian music. They host an open mic night every Thursday and this is where I first began to hone my skill as a performer. The food is great too.

This was once a prison during colonial times, but it’s now a centre that celebrates art and culture. It’s home to quite a few festivals and live events, but Afropolitan Vibes is the one that offered me and many others a platform to perform to a big crowd of regulars.

It’s hard to describe hFACTOR. It’s this really cool space in the heart of Lagos Island. They often collaborate with different people to throw some amazing parties and you get to meet the most unique characters. It’s a completely different vibe each time.

It’s the tea for me. However, it is first and foremost a library of vinyl records, CDs, DVDs and books. The proprietors are also a great source of knowledge about Lagos, and Nigeria in general. Also, as mentioned earlier, the tea is excellent. I performed there once, as a member of a group called the Collectiv3.

So many of us have been excluded from places because of our fashion sense, musical leanings and unique way we present ourselves to the world, but at Island Block Party (and its progenitor - mainland block party), everyone is welcome. My favourite thing about it is the exchange of culture between dissimilar yet like-minds. It’s what makes this monthly party a must to attend. It’s also a great place for upcoming and established acts to perform.

LADIPOE's Guide to Arts and Culture In Lagos

Errol

Bricky's finest. Wally's knowledge of Caribbean music is encyclopaedic. Make sure you roll to Eat of Eden afterwards to replenish.

Mostly secondhand bits from across the musical spectrum. Warning: no listening booths; YouTube is your friend.

A well-known one, but for good reason. A real mixed bag of records — new and old.

Another Soho spot (special mention to Jean-Claude's If Music too). Solid selection, very reasonably priced and knowledgable staff. Gwan.

If you're out west, take a peek in here for the goodness. If you're in central/north, check out their smaller store in Kings Cross

London Record Digging with Errol from Touching Bass

Venna

The most legendary jazz club in London Town, I’ve been lucky to perform in & watched various musicians play. You’ll always learn something new there.

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