New Amsterdam Surf Association

Amsterdam

I chose Kaasland because it’s my summer hotspot to go have breakfast or lunch, like the best cheese and the best sandwiches. And it’s in the Haarlemmerdijk which is one of the nicest streets in Amsterdam. 

We’re at the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, that’s where the store is and that’s next to the dam so there’s not many places more central. During corona everything was kinda hard, especially during the winter months. I think it should be that community hangout spot for us, the surf team and everybody but I think now it’s just started to become that, because we can do the drinks and the afterparties and collection release parties here.

You have a lot of types of people jumping from the piers and everyone just brings their own towel and a lot of food and drinks. It’s a really fun place to just chill and get a tan. In summer it gets really busy so sometimes you really have to come early to get a good spot but it’s worth it. You can stay there for the whole day and usually at night, people will play music and maybe light little barbecues.

It’s a spot that’s a little bit further away from the city centre, so for us, it’s a bit more local. It’s very DIY in a way and it has this mix of fine dining but not with a dress code and not with those prices and afterwards around 9pm they usually take out all the chairs and tables and it just turns up really, really quick.
 
It’s just a place where they don’t want to have too many rules and they just want to be very open-minded about everything and if stuff goes crazy, the owners will be the guys that go crazier. It’s very easy-going, it’s not about who you are, it’s about music and having fun with a lot of people. 

New Amsterdam Surf Association’s Guide To Summer in Amsterdam

Juls

Accra

This became my favourite spot over the Christmas holidays in Accra. I probably went there at least 2-3 times a week during my stay. It's got a really nice vibe. The pork chops are great, and the setting is perfect. The night could go either way; chilled evening with the gang or a proper turn-up. Friday nights are the best!

You can't go to Accra and not go to Bloom bar! It's impossible. Bloom Bar is one of the most popping spots in Accra. The place is always packed, so you always have to book a spot in advance. Service is impeccable and both the food and drink is top-notch. Perfect party vibe with amazing DJs. Special shout to the DJs: iPhone DJ, Bruce and DJ Baylor.

This restaurant was another favourite spot for me over the Christmas holidays. I had an amazing experience. Everyone should try their sirloin steak and butter chunk fries with their special Brasa sauce!

Another favourite spot of mine but chale you must be ready to spend! Mandem - if you want to impress that special lady, this is the place! A premier rooftop venue that overlooks the city. Great entertainment and very chilled. The cocktails are great as well. Try the frozen pineapple mojito.

Front Back is a member-only spot but the vibes are super dope. They may let you in every once in a while. The music is proper! They have some very cool curated events like “Amapiano and Brunch” and a few other events. Sunday is the best evening to go!

Great spot for beach lovers with a view. Very luxurious with a chilled vibe. Again, Sunday's are the best at Sandbox.

Kozo has a very dope restaurant and bar that combines stylish ambience, Asian tropical decor, and Pan Asian cuisine to present a new yet exciting dining and social experience. Great music and excellent food.

Purple Pub is the best local bar in Accra. Their drinks are not for the faint-hearted though. Try the five fingers drink and meet your maker!

The Woods is one of my most favourite spots in Accra. I've had a few parties there myself! The best days are Wednesdays, where they have live events and showcases the new talent in the city!

It's relatively new but has a fantastic setting and some great drinks. I would recommend going on a Thursday!

Exploring Accra's Nightlife with Juls

RONI

Paris

This is the second address in Paris after Lolo Cave à manger, down my house. Beautiful set up, amaaaazing food and quality natural wine. I’m in love with that place, I feel everything is perfect I just love it! Lolo will make you cosy. 

Fancy a cool outdoor place outside of Paris with good food and natural wine? Head to Kiosque Contours in Clichy. Former Machine du Moulin Rouge artistic director Marc Resplandy brought that cool place to life, with chef residencies, and good music!

If you fancy good food, natural wine and a nice listening session, head to Bambino. They have a beautiful and really good sound-system and fantastic music library.

For the natural wine lovers like me, this is a great wine shop located between 2 of the best restaurants in Paris Le Dauphin & La Chateaubriand.

This is a treat you have to give yourself. The chef Daniel Morgan is absolutely incredible. If you’re looking for incrediiiiiibly good food you won’t regret it. It’s a menu but really worth it and great natural wine. Book in advance it’s always full!

That is another cool natural wine address located. Ask for Alex, he’ll take care of you!

I’ll start my journey in Paris with music. That’s really important in a trip, it gives the tone of the city I feel. Dizonord is a cool record store that has a lot of rare records. They have an address in Paris and Marseille too.

I kind of was born there as a DJ, so this is a very important place in Paris where all the French underground scene of France gathers. It’s also a community and a family place :) 


That’s another one I often like to dig, I know Blaise who's been running the shop for a year and he also has good stories about the records to share. They are specialized into electronic music and more specifically Detroit influenced, but also get the cool new releases.


When it comes to clubbing I often go there, they have a very accurate and interesting programming and I did my first gig in a big club there actually :)

We all love to do some shopping, especially in Paris. I love to dress up and style myself but with Climate change I try more and more to buy sustainable clothing and Snow Bunny is the place for cool vintage. Victoria the owner is the queen of fashion and knows her thing. Every creative mind of Paris kind of dress up there. There’s always an unexpected piece you’ll fall in love with.


That’s a bit of my HQ, they opened a year ago and it feels like an Oasis of calm in the craziness of Paris. I do my sport, sauna, brainstorms and meetings over there. Perfect place to treat yourself.

12 Spots in Paris You Need to Visit, Chosen By RONI

Medellin

A lot of our skate competitions in Medellín happen in La Loma. This famous hill spot is very steep, and when you descolgar (go down) you hit a crazy speed. I like skating in this spot because it’s exciting and you get a lot of adrenaline. Because it's so high, after you skate it someone has to bring you back up in the motorbikes, where you hold onto the back and they drive you; or you have to walk back up which takes ages.

I grew up in this barrio so it will always be special for me and somewhere where I can skate. This barrio has a lot of tourists now, and is less dangerous than it used to be but you still have to be smart and be good with the people. There is a lot of things happening on the street here. I like skating here in my barrio, because you can find a lot of secret spots. You can skate down the paths and go fast, or find little back roads, ledges, alleys, playgrounds and more to land tricks. When I’m in the Comuna I like showing the other kids in the barrio how to skate.

Estadio was the first skatepark in Medellín, it’s right next to the Nacional stadium. It is an important spot for me because it’s where I first started spending a lot of time skateboarding, met a lot of people who have been important to me. There would always be people here skating all the time, so you can always arrive and there’ll be parceros to skate with or people to spend time with. Next to the stadium there is Estadio Skate Shop where Danny and his friends sell brands from Colombia, Mexico; we don't get many brands from outside of Latin America.

La 4 is probably the biggest skatepark in Medellín, it reminds me of Southbank in London because it has a roof. The roof means everyone can hang here when it rains. La 4 has the reputation as the party skatepark, and maybe dangerous at times; there are always people partying with big speakers playing techno or reggaeton, eating, drinking and the rest. You can go there at any time and there will be people partying there, and here all the different crews gather like the skaters, BMX, rollers and the moto crews all hang around and come together. In La 4 there is always a high energy, you have to be a very aggressive skater here to stand out, to get your turn, you have to push further and go faster, because there are so many people trying to use the space. The police come here a lot and cause problems. The other week, they took my moto into the transito and gave me a fine for not having the right papers. There are also a lot of fights here  because the people are charged a lot.

This is a more low-key skatepark and it’s higher up in the city. It has a view where you can see all the red buildings of Medellín, all the barrios and the mountains in the background. Here is a good parche because everyone is chill, and when it’s sunny you can see a lot of things in beautiful Medellín.

Centro also has some good spots to skate. You can see places like Parque de la Deseos – which was nicknamed Parque de la Resistencia during the months of protest a few years ago. Many people camped out there, living there in tents as part of the primera línea, as a protest, and there was all sorts of craziness going on here.

Where to Skate in Medellín, According to Cris Skate Future

Rose Bonica

Cape Town

Our local vinyl store, run by a group of really amazing people. They describe it as a “community record store for colourful music”. Check out their online store and The Other Radio that brings you shows hosted by a whole selection of South African artists and DJs.

There's no way you can visit Cape Town without driving along Chapmans Peak and getting a photo at the Lookout Point. For people who live here, Chappies is still one of the go to spots on a Sunday drive. I mean how can it not be with a view like this.

Definitely one of my most nostalgic spots, having gone to Llandudno Primary. The sunsets from here are insane! If I’m honest, it's also one of the only beaches I'd go to if I liked to go to the beach.

If you want the best fish and chips in Cape Town. If you disagree, you can always feed the fish to the seagulls.

One of the few clubs that we have in Cape Town. Champagne and NTSC are my favourite nights. Some of their other nights are great too, if you're looking for a bit more of a Berlin techno vibe.

I recently went to the Aquarium to film a live stream and it's definitely my new favourite spot in Cape Town. The best part is that most of the sea life are rescues getting rehabilitated to get put back into the ocean.

The perfect little village to escape to when the city becomes too much. The beach is beyond and there's a beautiful Lake at the end of the beach to float around in when the waves get too much.

Party in an Aquarium? Welcome to Cape Town

Kinez Riza and Nindy Noto

Bali

The stone foundations of this temple are megalithic, or around 2000 years old, and is one of Bali’s most sacred temples under the Agung Volcano. It is exceptionally large with stone paved alleys leading you towards the interior complex.

Tenganan Pegeringsinan Village is one of Bali’s earliest villages known for their ‘evil warding’ geringsing textiles and Perang Pandan, an annual ceremony held at the end of June that showcases fighters striking each other with Pandan leaves.

Melukat in Sebatu is a spring temple cleanse in the Sebatu valley, discovered as a sacred site 8 years ago and potent in energy. Required to go with a mangku or guide to enter the premises and conduct the ceremony.

Qi Temple Acupuncture, Bamboo Cupping, Moxibustion and Tui Na is my go to for a regular fix to ease physical or mental tension in Canggu.

Their Codage facials are especially compatible with my skincare needs, alongside their stretch shiatsu massage and signature massage. The Olaplex hair treatment and eyelash extensions are essential too.

John Hardy Seminyak serves a fantastic lunch inspired by flavours across the archipelago paired with jamu drinks in the Seminyak flagship store of jeweller John Hardy, known for Bali heritage jewellery techniques such as the chain link weave in silver, gold and precious metals.

Pura Ayun in Bongkasa - a quiet temple in the village of Bongkasa across the valley from Sayan Road, flanked by ancient banyan trees so old and colossal it is visible along the tree line as you look across the valley

A beautiful stay in the mountains in an organic coffee plantation with different styled rooms if you’re seeking colder nights by the fire and incredible organic food, owned by Ibu Kentri Norberg who is a mother to all. There are several natural river pools on the property accessible in a 15 minute trek when the days get hot.

Agustian Supriatna is a multi-instrumentalist who leads sound healing sessions using various instruments such as bamboo flutes, sitar, steel hand pan, bells and singing bowls. Catch him perform at venues in Ubud to help you attain a more peaceful and aligned state of mind.

Tirta Usada is a holistic clinic led by Tjokorde Gde Kerthyasa. Trained as a homoeopath and a Buteko Breathwork practitioner, he is also a tea master. If you have a specific ailment, he’s full of great advice. You can also head to the clinic for general advice on how to incorporate natural health practices into your daily life.

Savitri Devi is a Kundilini yoga teacher, reiki master, as well as a holistic and wellness lifestyle coach. She is based in the wellness hub of the island, an area called Ubud, and teaches at three different places there.

Bali's Spiritual and Wellness Side with Nindy and Kinez

Psycho YP

Abuja

I’m a huge fan of wings and this is a place I know has great wings. Deffo one for this list

I don’t really go clubbing that much, but I know Moscow is the one people are at.

Got a close friend who DJs there most nights so it’s always a vibe. Outdoor but under like a little cabana type thing. Big vibes.

Abuja with Psycho YP

Varnrable

Addis Ababa

A place for organic homemade Ethiopian food and tella, a traditional brew. Tella is brewed in households, usually in the rural areas, and consumed on a daily basis. But tella's legitimate status has been fading away, losing its place to mass produced beer and imported liquor. In Selo everything is homemade, from the injera to the tella. Ingredients are collected from local communities, creating an authentic and sustainable culture around Selo. The energy is inclusive and warm, the food is fresh and tasty, and there is a variation of tellas to try out!

Shifta offers a wide range of delicious Caribbean, vegan and African food. The food I had there was super tasty! It's vibrant and filled with local creatives. A great place to eat, drink and hang out all night, having good conversations or just listening to the music. 

Fendika Cultural Center is the perfect place to take in traditional music, and at the same time enjoy traditional food and drinks in a chilled environment. There are performances every week and the place is filled with soul and good energy. Everything is traditional and relevant. I went there to soak up some local jazz one night and that was a beautiful trip.

This is a club concept, making electronic parties at different locations and with differenct DJs. They are reimagining rave culture in the modern day Addis Ababa. These parties are some of the highlights in the club scene and are happening once a month. 

A traditional restaurant in Addis Ababa where you can experience cultural performances while you eat local food. From around 7.30pm there are musicians, dancers and singers performing traditional acts from different tribes around Ethiopia, while wearing outfits from the different regions. All your senses are being stimulated while being in a beautifully decorated room with traditional design and art. 

The perfect way to get out of the city, and it is only a short car ride away from the centrum. There is a great view over the city and you're able to take a walk in nature. The park itself is how we know most parks to be, but if you wander more up, in the mountain, there are small villages; more raw and beautiful nature. 

An institute of Ethio jazz in its historical location, owned by the legendary Mulatu Astatke. This place features some of the best jazz musicians live in raw sessions. 

Explore Addis Ababa's Cultural Scene with Nova Varnrable

I love walking with the dogs in Beatrixpark. It's a park where all small dogs meet, it's the place where I am able to put my mind at ease.

Buffet van Odette is my favourite place for breakfast – it's super low key but they have the best food. I always do my business meetings here so it's kind of the place that reminds me that I'm doing quite well.

The Frozen Fountain is my favourite store for furniture, as they represent so much Dutch design talent!

Skins is my favourite skincare store – I'm there weekly, I'm obsessed with skincare.

La Fiorita is my favourite restaurant/ I go there for celebrations with my husband. It's the best [for] pure food and organic wines!

I love a boat tour over the Amstel. which is the most beautiful part of Amsterdam.

6 Spots You Need to Visit in Amsterdam with Designer Elza Wandler

Camidoh

I enjoy this beach mostly at night, because it reveals the real "architectural" aesthetics and its marvellously decorated beachfront with thatch roofs, summer huts, beautiful bonfire and scented oil lamps.

At this beach, I get to have a practical contact with two exceptional climate zones in close proximity and also see the offshore oil rigs at work. This eco-lodge beach is always a favourite destination anytime I am in the western part of Ghana.

Officially known as the La Pleasure Beach, anytime I visit Labadi beach, it is because of the scenic stretch of sand. Due to its spacious shoreline lined with sparse coconut trees, I am offered that lovely opportunity to have a great walk with cool breeze, enjoy horseback rides, delicious street food, and live band music without travelling out of town.

I love Bojo Beach to the core. You have to travel far out the capital city to relax by the sea, it offers great intimate and pleasant experiences and you can also canoe!

Ghana's Best Beaches with Camidoh

August Wahh

Manila

Curator is a speciality coffee shop with a hidden bar at the back. I'm a coffee addict and won't function properly without it. They have their blend of beans called Dark Matter and Purple Haze. I personally love Purple Haze because of its kush-like notes. Best to have it as espresso.

I'm not vegetarian anymore but when I was it was difficult to find places to eat at. Wabi-Sabi was and is still a go to spot for me. It's a vegetarian/ vegan pho and ramen spot. I love dense broths so tantanmen is my go to order. The pot-stickers are pretty nice as well and everything goes well with the Thai Milk Tea.

This place is a trip. Here you will find thrift shops, second hand books and electronics for cheap. They've also got a couple of crystal shops, music shops, art shops, a shooting and archery range, a bowling alley and a bunch of other weird finds.

Poblacion is the red light district of Makati. However, it's turned into a creative haven for restaurants and bars to flourish making it the highlight of Makati's night life. If you're up for a pub crawl or just to find spots to eat and see art, these are the spots to go to: Casa Bambu for refreshing drinks and Costarican for Asian food. 

A roof top bar with a skate ramp and bamboo interiors all over, Limbo is a gallery / bar that curates electronic music very well, The Workshop Annex House is an old Filipino House turned into a bar with tropical cocktails, Spirit Library is a two story bar with shelves and shelves of varied curated spirits, Boogie is a bar that curates hip hop to funk music. 

You can also play video games in the first level. Run Rabbit Run for amazing cocktails, Yalla Yalla for Lebanese food, Cosmic for Vegan and Vegetarian Filipino cuisine, Khao Khai Thai Chicken House which is known for the Thai chicken, and Pineapple lab which is a creative space where local artists put up shows and events to showcase Filipino art makers and collaborators

Pinto Art Museum is in Antipolo which is an hour to two hour drive from Manila. It's a very scenic art gallery located on the hills of Antipolo. A beautiful place to go to when Manila gets too hectic. I love coming here to decompress and stroll or simply just have coffee or brunch. If you go on a Sunday, sometimes you'll catch artists doing live performance art

Intramuros is just a lovely place full of Historical architecture. It's the capital’s oldest district and home to some of its most impressive historic monuments. It's called the walled city as Intramuros was where Manila’s most influential and wealthy citizens of the Spanish colonial period had lived. I love going here and chill on the gardens to watch the sunset with my friends. We sneak in a couple of wine bottles and just hang out and have picnics. You can also rent a bamboo bicycle to stroll around the city

A restaurant located along Pasong Tamo Extension by Chef Jordy Navarra. A restaurant that pays homage to Filipino flavours and eatery traditions. Tip, reserve a slot a week before eating.

Cubao Expo are near each other. Cubao expo is this spot in Quezon City where you can find antiques and dig for vinyls. A bunch of vintage shops and restaurants in a compound where parties were always thrown back during the day. They still have these parties from time to time and they still pack the street.

August Wahh's Top Spots in Manila

Farhot

Hamburg

Guess there’s always a rich and a rotten side in the area around any train station. Well, at least in Germany. This one’s defo not the posh side – sex shops, backyard mosques, junkies, pawnbrokers, and you won’t spot too many blonde folks around here. But you can find lots of great Middle Eastern food joints like Akdeniz Tantuni.

Doner Kebab might be the most popular Turkish food in Germany but to me, Tantuni, which is also a type of kebab, is defo in a yumminess league above. If you love kebab, try this!

Feels and tastes like home. This restaurant is named after the Hindu Kush mountain range that stretches through Afghanistan, so if my mom doesn’t have time to cook up something delish on a Sunday, this is where I get great Afghan cuisine.

I just love Vietnamese street food! Lately many places that offer pho and such have been popping up around town but to me this is definitely the best place to enjoy Vietnamese cuisine in Hamburg. Normally, you’d find me at their branch close to the main train station.

Good movies are a blessing and one of my main sources of inspiration. I’ve watched countless great movies at this art-house cinema right in the heart of the university district. Hope they’ll be able to open up soon because I miss that big screen feeling.

Want to get away from the city and just enjoy some peace in nature? Then just grab a bike and cycle along the Dove Elbe, which is the rough, untouched lower part of the Elbe River. Ok, I really think I’m getting old.

Hamburg has always been big on trade and is home to the world’s biggest warehouse district. Here, you can see how goods are delivered and maybe get a discount on oriental rugs if you buy them directly from wholesalers like my dad. The classic architecture of the warehouses is a great contrast to the ultramodern Hafencity buildings.

Greasy! That’s what this little Korean food joint is. Doesn’t really look inviting at all but the food is damn delicious. If you love deep fried food chicken as much as I do, then this is the place to go. Oh yeah, and make sure to check out our KABUL FIRE “DEEP FRIED” PLAYLIST for some extra crispy beats!

If you’ve been feasting on too much greasy food during your stay in HH city and feel the need to burn off some calories, I recommend hitting the Gorilla Gym. From boxing to Yoga. For grown-ups and kids.

Explore Hamburg with Farhot

Ethiopian Records 

Order the ye tsom firfir (fasting firfir). It is the best thing and come with friends, you won't be able to finish it on your own.

Their green juice is my personal favourite and the place is filled with artwork, most of it made by ZELALEM MERGA and Tesfahun Kebru.

Come early if you want to get those precious seats inside so you can experience the live music up close.

Anytime you want somewhere that has fresh air, greener around Mexico/ Mekenissa Zoma Musuem is the place, take a book and take time for yourself. Also take your time to explore the entire space.

Found next to Washa Mikael Rock Hewn Church. A walk up the hill with a nice view. Go during the day.

Found in the neighbourhood of Goma Kuteba and in front of the Ministry of Health. Take your time exploring the space.

Inside or out, the national theatre is filled with history.

My current neighbourhood, Kazanchis, where Fendika is situated. Sundays are the best days to work around anywhere in Addis.

I like barber shops, even though I haven't cut my hair in more than 10 years and I only go there for a trim or for my beard, because like anywhere else in the world, the barber shop conversations are lively. I used to go at least twice a month to another called Finfine Hotel Barber’s with my dad, I have very fond memories of that place.

Addis Ababa with Ethiopian Records 

Wuh Oh

Glasgow

First up is Tchai Ovna! This is a wee stone cabin where they serve yummy vegetarian food and about a hundred types of tea. This spot has such a cosy atmosphere, with its own little garden and even spots to sit on the floor if you fancy. It’s a lovely way to start your morning, alone with a book or with a few buddies.

Next let’s hit the park. On our few days of summer in Glasgow, it feels as if the whole city congregates in this park (primarily on the one big hill at the centre!) and the warm sense of community is always comforting. BBQs, tunes, booze and always at least one group practicing their tightrope walking between a couple of trees... It’s all there.

Now that we’ve lounged on the grass for a bit, we can move on to this magical place. It has hundreds of hand crafted characters and structures built from scrap wood and metal. A few times a day it all springs to life, performing wonderful, mechanised choreography to spooky music and a synchronised light show. It’s so very endearing, elegantly playing out little tales of the human experience within the eternal cycle of life and death.

We’ve got a bit of time left before dinner so let’s check out Mono. This independent venue is a homely creative hub with a cosy feeling of community and music in the air. As well as having a bar serving quality beer and tasty vegan food, there’s an incredible little record shop inside called Monorail Music that I could lose hours in. You never know what music, poetry or other performance is going to pop up on their little stage.


It’s dinner time and therefore time for the best pizza I’ve ever had! Constantly bustling with an excellent atmosphere, this place has a super simple menu of insanely good pizzas fired for what feels like seconds in their stone oven. The pizza is soupy at the centre and charred perfectly at the crust. I’m completely addicted.

I am a complete sucker for the novelty and outright gimmickry of crazy golf. This place has these in spades! Fore Play is the perfect way to start pre-drinks properly, drinking a few beers as you merrily whack your way around 18 holes. This course has you putting into a giant helper skelter traffic cone, blasting your ball round a loop de loop and many more tasks that grow increasingly and hilariously more impossible as the drinks start to take their toll.

Now it’s time to go ‘out out’! While the Barras is every returning Glasgow musician’s dream live show, Subby is the DJs’ dream set! This dark underground venue is an institution and is second to none for its energy in the wee hours. In another fun flooring feature, there are sub woofers built beneath the dance floor so that you can feel the bass from your feet to your face!

It’s 4am and we’re not going home without a bite! This little food van close to where I stay in the West End is an institution of its own. Maggie’s is an absolute lifesaver for post-club scran and the crown jewel of their menu is the infamous Scooby Snack. This beast is aptly titled as it features basically every element of the Scottish fried breakfast (bacon, egg, tatty scone, black pudding, square sausage) plus cheese and a beef patty, arranged precariously in a towering stack within the burger bun. No better food to munch on as you stumble happily home after the loveliest of days and the biggest of nights!

Wuh Oh’s Day to Night in Glasgow

Sam Riddle

Detroit

Detroit is the birthplace of Techno and still hosts one of the most prestigious electronic music festivals in the world, contextually giving the city a rich history with record stores and DJ culture. Paramita is an unique record store that is also a wine bar and a steward in the Detroit beat scene.



Detroit is a potential gold-mine for the cannabis industry and will see an influx of jobs and industry in the city once marijuana is fully recreational. One disproportionate measure of the cannabis industry is that only 4.3% of the business is controlled by black owned companies. Furthermore, despite roughly equal usage rates, blacks in America are 3.73 times more likely than whites to be arrested for marijuana. Viola is a black-owned business and my favourite medicinal dispensary in the city, owned by former NBA star Al Harrington.

Cliff Bells is a Detroit institution and my favourite brunch in the city. Pre-Covid you could drop in here on a weekend morning or afternoon to hear live jazz with a scene that feels like a time machine or out of a Fred Astaire movie, as the NY Times described it.

With iconic shoe collaborations (see: New Balance) and a pivotal place in the street wear scene, especially in the Midwest - Burn Rubber shaped culture through its employees and friends that include Big Sean, Jay John Henry, Cliff Skighwalker and more hometown heroes.

Sweet Water is across the street from my favourite concert venue in Detroit, St. Andrews Hall. It was a ritual to visit Sweet Water before and after concerts to grab a meal. I haven’t eaten meat regularly in almost three years, but I still dream about their Buffalo Wings.

A library-esq used book store that boasts over an over 1-million book inventory across their two locations in Detroit and nearby suburb Ferndale. My father used to take me here as a kid and I would try my hardest to get lost in the maze-like-store so I could read until my heart was content.

Detroit has gotten a lot of attention for ‘ruin porn’; the trend of photographing delapitated buildings as if that was what represents the city. The Heidelberg Project flips that trend on it’s head a bit; as a city block-long outdoor community art exhibit that transforms discarded items into exhibits, sculptures and statements.

Coney Islands are kinda to Detroit as Waffle House is to Atlanta. There are so many great ones across all of Michigan including Lou’s in Detroit, Abe’s in Ypsilanti, and Sparty’s in East Lansing (where I went to college at Michigan State.) For this guide and looking at Downtown Detroit - the debate is American Coney Island vs Lafayette Coney Island, which sit next door from one-another. If you ask me its Lafayette all day.

Detroit with Artist Manager, Sam Riddle

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

Heartbroken

Brussels

It’s a very old and typical Brussels daily flea market. You can find good bargains and nice antiques as well as a lot of weird stuff. I used to go there since I’m a kid with my Dad and we would just look for some nice furniture for the house, and after that we would have a sandwich and a soup at la Clef d’Or, a cafe that’s right on the square and is still running today. Those are my dearest childhood memories.

It’s my favourite ice cream spot, I think, in the world. During the first lockdown everything was closed, and you could only have takeaways and I would walk from my home 35 minutes all the way to Bargello and every day I would go and buy one ice cream and that was like my highlight of the day. It’s a true Italian style ice cream parlour, they have these flavours that I love and that you don’t find so often, dark chocolate sorbet and tuscan cream with pistachio and almonds.

It’s a little park located in the heart of Saint Gilles, that typically represents the diversity of Brussels as a lot of different crowds mix there. There is a basketball court and a field where people play pétanque while sipping a beer, the kids play in the grass and the skaters use the upper level’s flat ground with their friends watching them sitting on the stairs. During the first lockdown, it spontaneously became a big hang out place as the bars were closed down, to the point that the police came to confiscate the skating equipment due to neighbourhood complaints.

They make these awesome jerk chicken plates and also fish but also, they make these cocktails which are a bit too strong but are really good, it’s worth the money. They have a DJ, he plays reggae and dancehall and he’s always very hyped about being there, it’s a very nice vibe.

Decoratelier started as a scenography workshop that his owner, Jozef Wouters, opened to other collectives and people from the neighbourhood, and it quickly became a strong community and an inclusive lab for all kinds of ideas and projects. The space is easy to adapt as they use modular scaffoldings to create a different setting for every event, so they have had theatre performances, screenings, club nights as well as karaoke and a gym club.

Heartbroken’s Guide to Summer in Brussels

Maya Kerthyasa

One of the best Balinese meals I’ve had recently was at Dapur Bali Mula in Les on the island’s north coast. Basically, it’s a kitchen run by chef Jero Mangku Dalem Suci Gede Yudiawan, who also happens to be a pemangku, or priest, in the area. He cooks everything over wood-fire in a hand-built clay stove, using only traditional, local ingredients and techniques.



This could be mackerel, caught that morning, massaged with yellow spices and turmeric leaves and cooked in a tube of young bamboo, or smoked chicken with raw sambal and Javanese long pepper leaves for greens. You might end proceedings with daluman leaf jelly in a glass of coconut cream and lontar-palm sugar syrup, or work your way through Yudiawan’s impressive collection of house-made arak – palm wine (also made from the nectar of the lontar tree) flavoured with everything from moringa leaves to fresh mango and fermented in 8th century Chinese clay pots. Either way, you’ll leave inspired.

Mek Juwel is another absolute go-to in my books. It’s a warung, which is best described as a small local eatery that’s usually family-run and specialises in a specific regional dish. Mek Juwel serves nasi or rice, with ayam or chicken, braised in a secret formula of spices and aromatics until it’s fork tender and simultaneously bright and earthy on the palate. It’s displayed behind a glass counter alongside a spread of equally-as-delicious condiments – torch ginger flower sambal and stir-fried noodles, among them. Head there in the morning when the birds are still warm.



Over the past few decades, meat has become the star of the Balinese diet – but this hasn’t always been so. As recently as 35 years ago, our cuisine was mostly made-up of native plants. We’d cook whatever nature provided – whether that’s fern tips, mango leaves, young papaya, banana-tree trunks or young bamboo shoots. Proteins from larger animals (pigs, ducks) were reserved for ceremonies or special occasions, and smaller animals (dragonflies, frogs, small eels known as belut) would be foraged in the rice fields and eaten on more of a daily basis.

Batukaru Coffee Retreat is up in the foothills of the island’s western mountains and a great place to explore home-style Balinese vegetarian food. Its proprietor, Kentri Norberg, prepares her menus based on the food she ate growing up: just-picked, minimally fussed-with, naturally medicinal. She only uses house-made coconut oil and palm sugar from the farm next door; her rice is sourced from heirloom fields below the property; her coffee is grown biodynamically on the adjoining plantation. Comfort eating in its most nourishing form.

The north-east coast on the other side of the island, is brimming with artisanal producers such as sea-salt makers, home arak distilleries and coconut groves that turn out everything from palm sugar to coconut milk and oil. Many of the best cooks source their ingredients directly from these small producers out east. When I head up there, I like to stop at Warung Lesehan Merta Sari for fish sate. They use tuna, which they mince, spice and grill over coconut charcoals, served with white rice, a bowl of glassy seafood soup and stir-fried kangkung or water spinach. You dine lesehan-style, cross-legged on elevated seating platforms in a sprawling, buzzing dining hall.

I’ve stopped eating pork for spiritual reasons, but have heard great things about the suckling pig at Babi Guling Pan Ana. The pork skin is the real draw here. It’s super-golden, crisp and glossy. Another big plus, is that this warung is located in Denpasar, which is a great place to explore all the different riffs on Indonesian cuisine. It’s often overlooked by travellers, but I strongly recommend it to anyone who loves food.

Fu Shou Noodle Club Ubud is full of culinary treasures and one of its most intriguing casual diners. The offerings are kept simple. There’s a few varieties of steaming bakmie noodle soups with free-range chicken, mushrooms or pork, classic Hainan chicken rice and pangsit dumplings deep-fried or boiled in chicken broth. It’s all made from scratch, in-house and with a noticeable dose of care.

Room4Dessert, on the opposite end of town, is my favourite special-occasion restaurant. You’ve probably heard of it if you’re a Chef’s Table binge-watcher or a proud owner of chef-owner Will Goldfarb’s dreamy cookbook (Room for Dessert, Phaidon, 2018). What I love about Goldfarb’s cooking and ethos is that he’s such a champion for real Balinese produce. He digs deep to source rare native foods from small-scale farmers, and works with them thoughtfully, allowing the produce to shine. There’s a blockbuster tasting menu 21-courses strong, and a new a la carte menu that’s super-accessible if you’d rather drop in for a tray of house-baked breads and condiments with a glass of natural wine.

The Best Local Spots to Eat in Bali with Maya Kerthyasa

Darkovibes

Twist night club is my go to location when it’s comes to night life in Accra. Growing up, I heard so many stories about the club which intrigued me to visit the club some day. It has an indoor studio where I record sometimes as well.

A beach house with a serene environment suitable for any kind of mood.


Go there order the ginger shot and Kokroko, your night will be made. They have some of the nicest calamari too.


I love Epos just because it runs 24 hours a day & any time of the day I can get food from them.

A beautiful rooftop view with live band performances.


Anytime I can’t go to Belleza Beach club due to the distance you’ll find me at Labadi beach riding a horse.


This club runs till morning. It’s definitely a vibe anytime me and my friends go there.


Explore Accra with Darkovibes 

Diana Gordon

New York City 

My favorite African restaurant — I love the Maffe Yappe.

Great vegan spot. I love the ginger latte and the gnocchi.

For childlike wonder even an adult can enjoy.

Diana Gordon's Guide to New York City

Bru-C

Nottingham 

Has to be first, purely due to the history. Robin Hood, the history of many kings, hella corruption and hella rebellion, bun the government and all that.


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