Water Avenue Coffee

Southeast Portland's micro roaster and bean-to-beer experimenter

Portland has developed quite a name for itself over the years as a hub for coffee innovation. Whether it boils down to exotic beans, an experienced roaster, the espresso machine or the whole package, each boutique that opens up has a fresh spin on coffee that goes beyond gimmicks and instead delves into absolute coffee nerdery. One of the more recent shops to open up …

Babylonstoren

South Africa's rural oasis offering a garden of earthly delights

Located about 40 miles outside Cape Town in the renowned wine region of Franschhoek, the lush 500-acre Babylonstoren feels more like a utopia than a farm. Originally cultivated by French Huguenot refugees in the late 1600s, today the former estate’s historic grounds house a staggeringly beautiful maze of gardens and vineyards populated by crisp, traditional Cape Dutch-style buildings. As the name suggests, the ethereal landscape …

Shelve

Snarkitecture's latest design holds up the goods at Grey Area's new NYC shop and showroom

Since launching last July, Grey Area has become a choice online destination for those seeking unique, artist-designed objects, from “Best Friends” skateboards to handmade headpieces. After opening pop-ups in Montauk last summer and then at the Bass Museum in Miami for the latest installment of Art Basel, co-founders Manish Vora and Kyle DeWoody decided to give their retail concept a permanent home with a showroom …