Japanese coffee culture

I'm a coffee addict, I admit it. And fortunately for me, baristas in Japan do magic with coffee. In fact they obsess over it in ways we westerners didn't think possible, specifically the hand pour. I recently found 08COFFEE, a sweet little coffee spot that reminds me there's a lot to love about Japan. (Sometimes I forget.)

Not only is their art-filled space well designed, bright, and relaxing, but 08COFFEE also does artisan small batch roasting on-site. The young, gracious owners offer select high quality beans as well as top-notch espresso drinks (somehow served at precise drinking temperature) as well as delicate, not-too-sugary cakes. Good stuff.

I love the unpretentious attention to detail and how they used flat white paint, raw wood, and other natural materials like linen sheets with grommets as curtains to bring their funky little space together. This kind of effortless, tasteful design in Japan has proven less common than I'd hoped. But I'm gonna find it if it kills me.

Photos by me | iPhone + VSCO

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Feast of Merit

I saw this on tumblr and suddenly I feel like I need to go there, wherever this is. Like right now.

Okay good, at least Melbourne was already on my list. Turns out to be even better than it looks. From their website:

Nagaland is a region in far North-eastern India where the tradition of Feast of Merit was born. In Naga culture, when someone within the community acquires a position of wealth, they can choose to hold a festival – Feast of Merit. The whole community – including the poor and disadvantaged – is invited to join together to share the fruits of the person’s wealth. The feast lasts until all of their assets – everything of value – are shared amongst all of the community. This can often take many weeks. At the end of the festivities, the person is gifted with a golden cloak: the highest sign of recognition. This person returns to their life with no wealth or riches, but with the respect and gratitude of the whole village. We come into this world with nothing. Like the people of Nagaland, we believe merit lies with those that choose to give away what they accumulate.

Now I feel like I should go just to volunteer.

feast of merit | perrett ewert leaf architects | via remainsimple.tumblr.com

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