If there’s one thing I miss about living in Los Angeles it’s the caliber of amazing restaurants that continue to flourish there. A great example is Dunsmoor, the creation of chef Brian Dunsmoor, an Eagle Rock restaurant and wine bar that opened in late June 2022. But the space was really shaped by the creative genius of Lovers Unite, aka Karen Spector and Alan Koch. Lovers Unite describe their practice as an architecture and design studio creating one-of-a-kind homes and hospitality spaces. The work they’ve done for Dunsmoor is a balancing act between preserving and augmenting the gorgeous 1929 Spanish Revival building, really letting the space shine. I mean, look at those windows! It’s a place where you want to sit languidly in the sun on a lazy Sunday with friends.
A+ is the studio of Graham Bradley, who describes the practice as “a design and technology studio that creates type.” And as it turns out, they’re one of my favorite studios, I just didn’t realize it. So there’s this restaurant called Bell’s located in Los Alamos, a small town in the middle-ish of California’s, roughly 2.5 hours north of Los Angeles. Owned by Daisy and Greg Ryan, Bell’s holds. special place in my heart because the food, service, and experience of eating there, are all incredibly thoughtful. A small but important aspect of said experience, is the branding, which is where A+ comes in.
The look and feel of Bell’s branding is French by way of California (which is also how I would describe the food). A+ created a bespoke typeface, charmingly named Henri, as well as a number of custom logos, a flexible menu system that can accommodate new items, as well as some cutie illustrations that bring the brand some extra personality. It all feels haphazard in the best way, like an eclectic assortment of items you’d find at a French brocante.
A+ also ended up working on Daisy and Greg’s other restaurant Bar Le Côte, a seafood tavern in Los Olivos that they opened along with co-owner and executive chef Brad Matthews. It’s like the eclectic, kinda zany cousin of Bell’s, and the vibe of the interiors and the branding help to communicate that.
The type work here astounds me, especially as A+ was able to create a dynamic typeface that can also be reorganized into a “wordmark built from geometric, Art Deco letterforms, stacked together like a set of blocks.” I hadn’t seen this animation until I found A+ and it’s so remarkable to see all the letters come together so nicely like that.
Rainer Schneider, a contemporary restaurant reinventing German cuisine, recently received a fresh looking brand identity from the folks at Hyperfocus. They decided on an analogue aesthetic for the photos, sprinkled in some fun copywriting, and embraced a lo-fi design approach, emphasizing the values of sharing and new culinary adventures. The visual identity they created is raw, sincere, and straightforward, evoking a sense of familiarity and timelessness. I’m such a fan of type-driven branding and this hits the mark for me. A bold type pairing, pared back color palette, it never goes wrong.
The thing about Barcelona is there’s always something new popping up. It’s that energy that makes it feel like Los Angeles to me, only on a smaller scale that’s much easier to explore. Take for example this new visual identity from Hey Studio (probably the best design studio in the city) for Casa Montjüic, a multi-hyphenate space for creatives containing three different areas: a multi-purpose theater capable of hosting cinema screenings, plays, and intimate concerts; a music venue; and a restaurant featuring a seasonal menu and exquisite wines.
Hey Studio took inspiration from the ever-changing billboards of 19th century cinemas and music venues to match the energy of the unconventional culture. The result is a branding experience that’s bursting with life, both in the physical and digital worlds, with a vibrant color palette which brings the visual language into the 21st century.
Love a flexible identity system that can do a lot of things with ease. And this color palette is super fun, making the space feel so contemporary. Huerco S. is playing a set on Sunday and Kyle and I just bought tickets, stoked to check out the space and go drink some natty wine 🥂
Newly opened in June, Hotel Corazón is already at the top of my list of places to stay in Mallorca. Located 45 minutes north of Palma, the luxury hotel sits between the sea and the mountains, giving gorgeous views at every corner. And then there are the rooms, with the thick plaster walls, arched ceilings, and well-appointed furniture that makes each feel like it’s own unique retreat.
They also offer a farm-to-table dining experience with fresh produce grown on-site and sourced from local growers and suppliers. The hotel has 50 garden beds filled with vegetables, fruits, and herbs grown using local, regenerative farming techniques, and meals are served on the outdoor terrace with mountain views. The head chef, Grace Berrow, creates simple, Mediterranean-inspired dishes that highlight the natural beauty and flavor of the ingredients. I mean, what more can you ask for?
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.
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.
