Categories
Games Meta

Grasshopper Podcast Appearance

I mentioned last week that I’d be a guest this week on game developer Grasshopper Manufacture‘s podcast (Flower, Sun, & Podcast), and the episode (5) is now up and you can download it here (it should be on iTunes too). Check it out if you want to hear me ramble (and ramble) about mostly game-related topics.

Pictured, the Grasshopper conference room — complete with ping-pong table — where we recorded the episode. Big thanks to Grasshopper producer Esteban Salazar for inviting me on the show.

Categories
Events Magazines Meta

PauseTalk and SNOW Magazine Cafe

Now’s the time when I usually post a reminder that the next PauseTalk is coming up, and that’s in fact what I’m doing now, but it’s also to point out that next week’s Vol. 43 (Monday, August 2, at Cafe Pause) is a bit of a special one, as it will also act as the launch party for the SNOW Magazine Cafe. I’ll do things a bit differently by keeping the official PT session a bit short, since I want to spend more time celebrating and chatting with everyone about the topic at hand (that would be magazines). The official session will still start at 20:00, but the reception kicks off at 19:00.

Really hope to see lots of you there, and I promise comfortably cool air conditioning — how’s that for a selling point?

Categories
Books Design

Using Kickstarter to Startup

I’m pretty sure I hate Craig Mod, and the reason is because he keeps writing awesome essays and is doing plenty of things — like starting a “publishing think tank” called PRE/POST — that make me jealous. You really do need to go read his latest journal entry, “Kickstartup,” which tells the story of how he used Kickstarter to successfully fund the new edition of Art Space Tokyo, sharing everything he learned from the process. And even though it’s long, don’t Instapaper it, because you’ll miss out on the beautiful layout.

Pictured, Art Space Tokyo covers drying, after they’ve been hand-printed.

Categories
Meta Music

Radio OK Fred + Another Africa

Episode 23 of Radio OK Fred is now up, and as you can probably tell by the photo, I unfortunately couldn’t make the recording because of scheduling issues. But it’s a terrific show, featuring special guest — and our good friend — Missla Libsekal, founder of Another Africa. All selections on the show are by her. The link to the episode is below along with the setlist, and you can subscribe to a feed as well.

Radio OK Fred 23 (46MB)

1. The Very Best (feat. Ezra Koenig) – “Warm Heart of Africa”
2. Malcolm Mclaren – “Double Dutch”
3. Miriam Makeba – “Pata Pata”
4. Madou & Mariam – “Sabali”
5. South African Gazelle – “Chic Afrique”
6. DJ Mujava – “Mugwanti”
7. MC Afrikan Boy – “Lagos Town”
8. Pasto Mbhobho – “Ayobaness”
9. Dirty Parraffin – “Aha – Mind Over Matter”
10. Schlachthofbronx (feat. MC Spoek Mathambo) – “Too High”
11. Spoek Mathambo – “Mshini Wam”

Categories
Meta

Let Me Out

At least that’s what my dog was thinking. I was out just for a bit this morning to run a few errands in the neighborhood, only to get back and find the door in the shape you see above, and a missing dog. He not only broke through the door, but then managed to climb the walls around the garden, which are about a meter and a half high (the gate was still locked). Luckily he didn’t get too far, and someone grabbed him and then called the police. As soon as I got home I headed to the closest koban (police box), and they said they already had him and that they were going to bring him, which they did, in a van.

So yeah, this means I won’t be able to go to PechaKucha Night tonight (Vol. 75), but you should.

Update: Well, wife says she’ll try and get home from work early enough so I can still head out to PKN, so hopefully see many of you there.

Categories
Design Fashion Meta

Let’s Hear It for Graniph Love

That Graniph thing I teased last week? Details are now posted on SNOW Magazine, so go have a look. In short, every month I’ll be selecting my five favorite Graniph tees (produced during the previous month) to giveaway on the site, and at the same time we’re enlisting everyone to recommend artists who should work with Graniph, with the idea to produce a tee.

Pictured, one of the tees I’ve selected for this month’s contest, “Vale Tudo.”

Categories
Events Magazines Meta

Knee High Media + SNOW Magazine Cafe

So far I’ve only tweeted it, but let me mention here also that I’m very happy to announce that we will be celebrating the 15th anniversary of Knee High Media (Tokion, Papersky, Mammoth) during next month’s SNOW Magazine Cafe. The show will include a display featuring a selection of 15 magazines produced during those 15 years (one for each year). The display will actually make its debut at next week’s Tokyo Art Book Fair (July 30 to August 1), which takes place at both 3331 Arts Chiyoda in Akihabara and Vacant in Harajuku.

Categories
Fashion Meta

Graniph + SNOW Magazine

Feels like I’m due for a bit of teasing, so how about this: Be sure to check out SNOW Magazine on Monday for a bit of news in regards to something that involves everyone’s favorite design tee brand, Graniph. I won’t say too much, just that you will have a chance to get something, and maybe even help get a tee made. Even better, it’s going to be a regular thing.

Categories
Design Events Magazines Meta

SNOW Magazine Cafe Flyer

The SNOW Magazine Cafe flyer is now out in the wild. Again, big thanks to Hiyoko Imai for the wonderful design, based on Luis‘ original poster design.

Categories
Games Meta

Guesting on the Grasshopper Podcast

I’m still not quite sure why, but for some reason I’ve been invited to guest on next week’s episode of Tokyo-based game developer Grasshopper Manufacture‘s podcast. So expect me to talk to about, yes, games, although I’m sure some design-related talk will happen as well — Grasshopper’s games are quite known for their stylish uniqueness in terms of graphic look. Another link I have with the studio is that I interviewed its founder, Suda 51, for Arcade Mania (for the retro chapter). I believe it will be up next Friday, and I’ll post a link to it when it does.