Copenhagen’s The Black Diamond

Sofie Hannibal and Nan Na Hvass

My little heart just about stopped when I stumbled across the intensely colorful work of Copenhagen illustration duo, Sofie Hannibal and Nan Na Hvass. I’m already a predisposed sucker for busy, vibrant work but Hannibal and Hvass’ illustrations just send me into an overexcited tizzy. There are just so many fantastic shapes and layers to soak up! I’ve yet to come across a piece on their website (and there’s a whole lot there) that doesn’t make me want to get up and dance around the room in circles. Read more

Danish Building Bridge

The Danes are renowned for their considered and subtle design. However, in these times of change, they must feel they need something with this selection of a bridge building as the winner of a recent architectural competition in Denmark. The American architect Steven Holl designed this building with a pedestrian bridge that links two sides of the harbour in the distinctly low-rise Copenhagen. Read more

Meyers Deli

I love Copenhagen’s Meyers Deli. I don’t know if it’s the giant plates of organic food or the super cool and warm environment. Read more

Finders Keepers Independent Design and Art Markets

Crochet, lamps and crockery. The Finders Keepers Independent Design and Art Markets sounds like a party for the geriatrics, but, in reality, it’s a place where all the cool cats of Sydney (and everywhere else) are this weekend. This little indie mish-mash of fresh young things is one of Sydney’s biggest design markets. Perspex lamps bespoke by lanky geeks sit on one stand, while corrugated cardboard bowls grace the stall of the next. Read more

Single Origin cafe

As a non-coffee drinker, I’m not going to rant about the coffee. I’ve heard, though, that the coffee is damn good. But I am going to talk about something else: food. Oh. My. God. Sydney’s Single Origin cafe have this awesome meatloaf sandwich and a raft of sourdoughs and prosciutto and roast lamb and chevre and chunky steak pies and yogurt with compote and four-cheese toasties and baked beans and … oh! Don’t forget Karlie’s special homemade lemonade! Karlie is always in the house so you know that it doesn’t come from a can and arrives at your table with that sour tang that reminds you of the annual Royal Easter Show. Everything they serve is created ethically and organically. Add the constant grinding aroma of coffee beans wafting through the air and, well, is there any other place to be? [photo by Daniel Boud]

Sydney’s Deus Ex Machina

A young female once said, ‘if I were into hot bikie guys, I would always hang out at Deus’. Translation: Guys on bikes like to hang out at Deus Ex Machina because they love the quality custom bike and all the quality trimmings. And, seriously, even the most Toyota Corolla driving of women will be entranced by the beauty of the custom work done by this place. Men and women alike fill the humid, tin-roofed showroom, running their fingers from the rough leather seat thing to the glossy front cover thing to the shiny metal handlebar things. Of course, if you really don’t care, or don’t know how to appreciate a thing of beauty, then, surely, you will love the Deus café. Truffle oil drizzled field mushrooms appear on the breakfast menu. If that doesn’t make you bow at the Altar of Deus, then you can go to hell.