Tall Tales

Growing up in Indiana, I have seen enough tacky whitetail deer art to fill a lifetime. But the design system for Gander Mountain's new restaurant 'Tall Tales' is different. This design encompasses the majesty of 'big game' by combining it with tasteful typography and beautiful illustrations. Plus the name itself is like an inside joke and I love any design with wit and humor, especially if it is well done and not in-your-face obvious. Being subtle is underrated these days and the fact that this is not reminiscent of a Cabela's catalog is definitely a good thing.

nada

Last week I had the pleasure of dining alfresco at a trendy Mexican restaurant on the corner of 6th and Walnut in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Everything about the place is pretty fantastic - the food, the decor, the plant life, the lighting. I would highly recommend it for any meal, although it looks like a great place for cocktails. I can't wait to go back!

www.eatdrinknada.com

Hara Donuts

Hara Donuts combines several of my favorite things: donuts, cute little restaurants and great design - both graphic and interior. It would be in my nature to go to Japan and eat donuts. Although disappointing to some, a quest around the world - not for fantastic sushi but for fried pastries seems justifiable.

Hara Donuts

Tavern

I am always looking for beautiful restaurants and this one is particularly extraordinary. The soft, muted palette, the hardwood floors, indoor greenery... it is slightly eclectic and cohesive in an understated and fantastic way.

Tavern

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Black Sheep Pizza is located in the Warehouse District of downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. I love quaint restaurants and this is one of the more charming ones that I have been to recently. The restaurant itself is simple with great artwork and taste - the same as the menu which is simple and delicious - all the pizza is cooked in a coal fired oven. I loved their logo, which invoked a darling little black sheep or perhaps... a cloud of coal dust ???

www.blacksheeppizza.com

Sweet Creams

I really have no idea why I am drawn to sweets and desserts - I don't necessarily eat them but I love the pastel palettes. I have always loved candy illustrations and Ice Cream shops and this is another unique concept out of California for a gourmet ice cream store called Ici Ice Cream.

Kitchen

One Summer night last year, as I was strolling down the streets of Boulder, a quaint and luminescent restaurant caught my eye. I had to stop and turn around to admire the architecture and interior design - all of which were so simple and so chic and went so well with the building and the surroundings. The most impressive part is that is that is all appears so natural and effortless.
www.thekitchencafe.com/

The designer ice cream cone ... of course

Sketch Ice Cream is a brilliantly designed Ice Cream store in California; their logo, their interior, their packaging is all so appropriately and tastefully executed by a Design Boutique called Passing Notes (the rest of their portfolio work is impressive as well). It is definitely a source of inspiration!

Sketch Ice Cream

James

This just looks like a simple and sophisticated restaurant venue located in New York City. I am drawn to these spaces that are semi casual but have a sense of eloquence. I would never describe them as unpretentious because I find that when people describe things as unpretentious - they are typically wrong. Anywhere that serves food in stylish ways is meant to draw in the pretentious...it comes naturally and to deny that would be stupid.

It didn't hurt that the name is James...for personal reasons :)

http://jamesrestaurantny.com/