Barcelona creative agency Ingrid Picanyol Studio has brought to life a new look and feel for Dalston Coffee, a small roaster located in the El Raval area of Barcelona. Borja Roselló began roasting coffee there back in 2015, was inspired by the area of Dalston in London, and in particular, the charming red brick buildings.
That’s where Picanyol and her studio come in, translating the packaging into a small buildings with different colored awnings for each style of bean, creating a small neighborhood of sorts. The result is so charming and inviting, and they look so cute sitting on the shelves together. I’m going to visit this week to pick up a building for myself.
I started following Midnight Marauder on Twitter years ago after seeing his work randomly pop up on the timeline. He’s quite enigmatic, no idea his name or what he looks like, only that he lives in Los Angeles, and that he’s a prolific designer. You would probably know him from the poster for The Worst Person in the World, or perhaps the creative he’s done for Netflix and Amazon and dozens of indie films. Other highlights include this stunning poster for Midsommar and the record for The VVitch (A24 does it right).
Recently, he created the poster for the new Rachel Lambert film, which stars Daisy Ridley, Sometimes I Think About Dying. I love how all the elements of this came together, the romantic script lettering playing in contrast to the title of the film, and the on point choice of colors for the credits at bottom. It’s a perfect balance of objects.
Run by childhood-friend duo Iré Hassan-Odukale and chef Jeremy Chan, Ikoyi has been named as one of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants due to an inventive menu that is inspired by the spices of Sub-Saharan West Africa. Keeping their momentum going is a cookbook published by Phaidon, Ikoyi: A Journey Through Bold Heat with Recipes, which tells the story and journey of Chan and Ikoyi, with 80 recipes that Chan has carefully developed.
Sidenote, David Thulstrup designed the interiors of Ikoyi and they are stunning. You have to check out the space, filled with warm tones, copper walls, and decorative metal mesh that lines the ceilings.
We’re in the throws of summer here in Barcelona, with temperatures nearing 30º and a potent humidity. The warm, balmy weather makes me think of the paintings of Adrian Kay Wong, who’s ability to capture the warmth of sunlight is breathtaking. The tones of color he selects immediately make me think of warm, languishing sunsets, and his ability to capture the contrast in tones is quite a feat. There’s a quiet magic to his pieces, and when you take the time to look a little closer, you’ll notice small details you may have missed at first glance, like a martini or stick of incense.
It’s been over 16 years since I started Kitsune Noir (the predecessor to The Fox Is Black) and the beginnings of my foray into writing. In those 16 years, it’s been astonishing to see how the digital landscape has changed, evolved, and recently, begun to collapse in on itself. Similarly, though less disastrously, it’s interesting to think back about how much I’ve personally changed in that time. How my taste and interests have grown in new directions while some have wained and withered.
At the core of what I do has always been curiosity. And with age, my curiosities and interests have changed. I’ve always viewed my work with The Fox Is Black as a journal, chronicling the things I see that delight me, along with the places I’m going, the things I’m doing, and world that I’m seeing. Taking you along for the journey is part of that journey. The fascinating people I’ve met over the last 16 years has been wondrous.
Now, with The Fox Is Black’s current iteration, I’ve opted for simplicity. The design of the site is meant to evoke the warmth of the Mediterranean. A timeless feeling, a bit skeuomorphic, with each post meant to feel like you’re reading a letter from an old friend. There are a few smart features like the light box effect when you click an image, or the easy access buttons for music recommendations. It’s a focus on writing and imagery, plain and simple.
For now, I’m really happy with this foundation. In the next few months I’ll add more formats to the site such as interviews, hopefully some wallpapers, and maybe a silly podcast? Time will tell. Thanks for all your support over the years, I hope you enjoy this new era of The Fox Is Black.
What’s intriguing about their project though is that archways were made using 3,000 unique tiles that were 3D printed and then arranged in a pattern that was determined by an algorithm. So the algorithm “generated a leaf pattern that grows from one side to the other side that guides people over the staircase between two different public spaces.” It’s a rather remarkable way of marrying the past with the future.
While roaming around Cadaqués I kept noticing some amazing type and lettering around the city that I wanted to share. There’s such a charm and beauty to the handmade quality of each. I really appreciate how many of the things I found were created out of creative spontaneity or necessity. A massive slab of rock with words written in chalk or branches painted black to spell out the name of a restaurant. It’s inspired me to pick up a brush and start working with ink again.
In the world of creative endeavors there’s something so special about creating a pop-up space. Building something from nothing, and making a place where people can share a physical experience. The folks at Flamingo Estate partnered with digital retailed Mytheresa to build The Inconvenience Store, a month long shop in East Hampton that showcases the goods and inventories of each.
The design and color platte of the shop was reason enough alone to share this. Those delectable shades of green, the classic wood detailing with the checker board floor. If this was a real store in my neighborhood you’d absolutely find me shopping here.
Traveling around and getting to know Spain has been a priority for Kyle and I. Slowly but surely, we’ve begun to visit the different towns along the Costa Brava, north and south of our home in Barcelona. Recently, we had a short stay in Cadaqués, which is a couple hours north, easily accessible by high-speed train followed by a curvy, mountainous cab ride. Cadaqués is well-known for being the home of surrealist painter Dalí and his wife Gala (more on that in an upcoming post) though the gorgeous, rocky beaches, white painted buildings, and painterly sunsets are the biggest draws for us.
It’s a very small town filled with friendly locals, most of which know each other, as we as MANY tourists visiting from France. Getting around town is easy, you get to know the streets rather quickly, though the hills can be a workout no matter what your level of physical activity 🥵 With all the tourism, it was a challenge to find places that were unique, offering food, drinks, or shopping that delighted us. That said, if you’re looking to make a journey, here are the places I would recommend you add to your to-do list.
Pepa
One of the best surprises was Pepa, a small clothing store that was big on carrying exciting brands. Think Loewe and Jacquemus, as well as sunglasses, swimsuits and bags that would complete any vacation look. I visited the store twice and had to fight every urge not to buy something.
Raviyu
We spotted Raviyu and (it’s charming terrace) as we drove into Cadaqués. Thankfully, it wasn’t only good looks. The wood fired pizzas were delicious, with crusts that were bubbled and lightly charred, and topped with fresh meats and veggies. To top it off, the service was friendly and the atmosphere was lively.
Salvador Dalí’s House
I mean, it would be really silly to go Cadaqués and not stop by the home of Dalí, who’s home was as odd an eclectic as you might imagine. I’ll share a bit more later in an upcoming post, suffice to say, it’s well worth your time. Be sure to snag tickets in advance, the house is small, and so are the groups you take to tour the space.
Bar Llevant
Directly across from Dali’s house is a small café called Bar Llevant, where we ended up stopping by a couple of times for food or a drink. The fare is simple, you can never go wrong with sandwiches and cava, and what really sold the place for me was the incredible warmth of the owners. Pro tip, grab your food and sit on the terrace upstairs. It’s delightful, and you can have a pause from the tourists.
Brown Sugar
There wasn’t a lot of time to visit many bars during our stay, though in my searching, Brown Sugar seemed the most exciting of the bunch. As you walk in the bar is lined with dozens of piña, perfect for making fresh piña coladas, which were delicious. The bar is tucked away in a leafy corner of the city that feels spiritually miles away from the city, and the feeling I got from the staff was “friendly hippies,” which I found charming.
Batalla
As we explored the city we happened by Batalla, which caught my eye thanks to the use of a bold, condensed, sans typeface for their logo. The restaurant has a beautiful spot on the harbor, and a delicious menu that felt like something you would find in Paris. Lots of interesting takes on Catalan cuisine, probably my favorite meal of the trip.
Joia
Every night, basically everyone in town came out to Joia for their gelato fix. EVERYONE. The place was packed every night we were there, and with good reason. Their menu has 34 different flavors, both dairy and non-dairy options, and it’s all handmade in Cadaqués.
NARITA
Sadly, we didn’t have a chance to make it to Narita though it’s hit on our list for next time. Japanese meets Mediterranean in this new-ish spot in the center of Cadaqués. The real draw for me is their selection of natural and orange wines, which based on what I saw on their Insta, is top notch.
I’ve been seeing this trend lately which goes against the serious, mixologist puritanism we’ve endured for quite a time now. What I keep seeing is, “let’s drink silly cocktails this summer,” which I’m totally on board for. There’s enough crazy shit going on the world, let’s stop fussing over our drinks and enjoy ourselves. We’re talking piña coladas, mojitos, sex on the beaches!
This piece by Ed Cumming titled Five Cocktails to Help Beat the Heat is a perfect example (ok, some of these are kinda mixologist-y 🙄) featuring drinks from bartenders around the world. The one I’m excited to try is the Ice Cream for Astronauts, which is made here in Barcelona at Two Schmucks:
“This drink started off as a gin basil smash meets a gin and tonic, but as summer arrived in Barcelona and it got hotter, we found ourselves needing to add ice cream to everything. The coconut complements the vegetal flavor of the basil, and it works great with tonic as a highball. The result is a fresh, ice-cold fizzy drink for summer.
