United States

San Francisco 

Theres been a few really dope independent galleries that have popped in the last few years including Schlomer Haus, and House Seiko and MRKT Gallery. MRKT is curated and owned by Nora Suliman who has a curatorial taste that expands your awareness of the contemporary art world. She gives platform to artists that may get overlooked by the institution.  I’d check their calendar for their Friday night art openings. 

MRKT Gallery

Dying Breed is a locally-born art supply and clothing brand that honors the essence and community that gives San Francisco the moniker of the “SFC (Sucka Free City). 

Dying Breed

Stashed is my favourite mens clothing stores. The selection of curated streetwear has a wide range of designers and brands that can fit a lot of vibes. 

STASHED

The best home goods/bookstore/gift shop in the city if you ask me. I also love being on Clement Street for any reason so its one of the best moves to stop by Park Life buy an amazing book or something for the crib and then take a stroll for some of the best Asian food in the city all up and down Clement St. 

Park Life

Nothing stresses me when I travel than stressing about a bad cut. Mike’s is the best barbershop in the city. My barber is Paul, but everyone is super solid. 

Mike's Barber Shop

This is one of the most “is this a dream” views in all of San Francisco. Baker Beach has a great beach, a mellow tide, and has an incredible view of the Golden Gate Bridge. 

Baker Beach

I think Golden Gate Park is my favourite place in the world. Me and my lady spend mad time in the park and just disappear in all of its nooks. It’s got multiple Museums, a James Turrel space, gardens, buffalos, ponds, and meadows. I would start at the Conservatory of Flowers and enjoy a nice long walk to the De Young Museum, dip into the James Turrel garden, and just take every left and right turn and get lost. Keep going West until you hit the Pacific Ocean, and if you can make it a weekend activity the Great Highway is closed on the weekends now, so you can enjoy a surreal walk on the highway next to the Pacific Ocean. If you need a coffee when you’re out there, drop a pin at Blackbird Bookstore where you can get a cup of coffee and book too. 

Golden Gate Park

You can’t come to San Francisco without visiting North Beach and Chinatown. I would start at Washington Square Park and just walk around in and out of Chinatown and onto Columbus Ave. Trek up to Coit Tower or do something a bit more touristy but still cool like the Cable Car Museum. 

Washington Sq Park

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Mohammad's Top 8 Things to Do in San Fransisco 

Zamir

Nigeria

Lagos

Iconic Building. Home of Fela. No negative vibes, no judgement, great Palm wine, somewhere I like to go to find inspiration sometimes.

Fela Afrika Shrine

Great place to have cocktails, create a vibe with close friends, connect with other creatives.

16/16 Gallery

I only go here with people I consider family. Amazing pizza, pasta and wine.

La Taverna

Best pick up suya spot in Lagos. You can’t come to Lagos without buying suya from here.

University of Suya

Only nightclub you ever see Zamir in Lagos.

Kabaal Lounge and Restaurant

Great place to learn about Nigerian Art & Culture.

Art Twenty One

For the munchiesss. Nothing better than spicy bbq wings right before or in the middle of a studio session.

Wings and Sides

Lagos with Zamir

Ayra Starr

Benin

Cotonou

Ci Gusta is a fun ice cream place and my favourite after-beach spot. Cotonou gets really hot, so catching a vibe with friends and eating ice-cream is like a dream sometimes.

Ci Gusta

The hotel has a huge pool and was a favourite hangout spot for students after lunch at Mimi’s. On certain days we would bring in our own food and have picnics by the pool or in the garden. It’s a quiet, serene hidden gem.

Hotel Casa Cornelia

One of my favourite things about living in Cotonou was being so close to the water. Cite Beach was a student favourite and almost everyone celebrated birthdays and other special occasions on the beach.

La Cite Beach

This Jamaican and French fusion restaurant has the Caribbean vibes in Cotonou. They always come through with the best Afrobeats and Dancehall music. The food is amazing as well.

Jammin Grill and Bar

My favourite thing about the hotel is the HUGE pool. There's also a beautiful restaurant with a rooftop view. It has the best pizza in Cotonou.

Hotel du Lac

One of my favourite memories is riding to class with the smell of freshly brewed beer from La Beninoise Brewery around me.

La Beninoise Brewery

Cotonou with Ayra Starr

Lorenzo BITW

Italy

Rome

One of the biggest food markets of the city and a place where you can get lost really easily. I love to go shopping there when I have time to spend and find some particular food or something very typical that you won’t find in supermarkets.

Mercato Trionfale

Il Mangiadischi is a small record store situated in the area of San Lorenzo, Fidel Kato the owner is an hip hop and rap connoisseur and he will make you feel at home when you enter into the store.

Il Mangiadischi Record Store

The place is tiny and you can’t even sit inside, they will call it now street food but it’s something we always had in Rome. Supplì is the best thing to try there, a fried rice balls with ragù inside.

Supplì Roma

I love the fact that the owners of this spot are quite rude and they have the characteristics of the typical Roman guys. The bar is situated in popular area of Testaccio and the best thing to try there is Zabaione.

Giolitti a Testaccio

This is where locals in my area, Prati, go to have a drink or to chill but it’s not the usual Prati spot because it’s cheap and people are friendly. If you go there try Spritz mezzo e mezzo.

Baretto di 40°

This beautiful building was built by Borromini and it has a unique architecture, inside there is also an incredible library. The place is not always open so it’s a matter of luck of walking by and find the doors opened.

Sant’ivo alla Sapienza Church

This place is kind of magic and it has his own charm. Hanging everywhere there are communist posters and they serve only wine or prosecco. They have a really good selection of wine and you can also bring your own food and eat there.

Vinaietto

Explore Rome's Best Local Spots with Lorenzo BITW

Lillian Hardy

Portland

Go in the morning, get breakfast (ask for the house made hot sauce) and get the cookie to-go. It’s award winning! Take that cookie on a walk up Mt. Tabor! Say hi to the trees.

Sauvie Island: Collin’s Nude Beach

I spend hours here nerding out on stationary, organizational tools and pens. They have the best selections of paper, manga and tiny sticker books.

Kinokunyia

This place is out near my studio, so we hit it the most. Be prepared, it gets very rowdy! The dancers are amazingly strong, completely nude and lovely to talk to. Don’t forget, tip every song-- $2 bills only! Throw down more and the show is yours.

Casa Diablo Vegan Strip Club

A local event space, gallery and grocery store that supports Palestinian artists and activists.

CSPP: Center for Study & Preservation of Palestine

Fresh oysters on Sunday and mind blowing cocktails.

Someday PDX

This is my studio. We throw events, art shows, pop-ups and have a range of fun toys to play with. Come by for tea, stay for a while.

Heavy Set

Order the baked fish and a white Manhattan.

Navarre

Live out your organic dad dreams here. Bring cash and a tote. Get the steamy corn :-)

Peoples Co-op Wednesday Market

Get out of town and into a hike: Coyote Wall or Dog Mountain. Chase some waterfalls on the old highway then get lunch at White Salmon Bakery. Stop by a winery if you’ve got the time! Hiyu is great.

Columbia River Gorge

A Guide to Portland by Lillian Hardy

France

Paris

My favourite Vietnamese coffee spot in Paris. If you want to experience authentic Vietnamese coffee in Paris, Viahe Caphe is the place to be. Mai and her team are passionate about sharing their love for Vietnamese coffee culture. I highly recommend trying the egg coffee, a creamy treat that will transport you straight to Hanoi.

Viahe Caphe

For all the Amélie Poulain fans out there, this charming tea room is a must-visit. What I love most are their delicious homemade tarts. My favourite? The lemon meringue tart, which is simply to die for!

Le Loir dans La Théière

If you're into contemporary art, like me, then Lafayette Anticipations is a must-see. It’s not just an art gallery, but also features a café, a bookstore and a concert space. It’s the perfect spot to spend a creative afternoon in Paris.

Lafayette Anticipations

Matcha lovers, this one's for you! Shodai Matcha is my go-to place in Paris for their cozy atmosphere and delicious Japanese desserts like chiffon cakes. It's the perfect spot for a quiet, relaxing break.

Shodai Matcha

Looking for an authentic French meal? Bouillon République is the place to go. I love the traditional brasserie vibe, and the desserts are absolutely divine. Just be prepared for a little wait—it’s worth it!

Bouillon République

As a huge fan of pop culture, I can spend hours at Album Comics and Momie Mangas. Whether you're into comics or manga, these stores are a treasure trove. I always find something new for my collection.

Album Comics & Momie Mangas

My go-to tattoo studio. If you're thinking about getting a tattoo, I highly recommend Landscape Tattoo. The team is super friendly and attentive, and if you're lucky, you might meet Pépin, their adorable little mascot.

Landscape Tattoo

For anyone looking for authentic Indian spices and products, Velan is the place to go. It’s my favorite spot for everything from incense to Ayurvedic essentials. A must-visit if you’re into Indian cuisine.

Velan

I’m obsessed with cream puffs, and Boulangerie Mamiche makes the best ones in the city. If you have a sweet tooth, this bakery is a must-visit. Trust me, you'll be hooked after the first bite!

Boulangerie Mamiche

As a longtime bubble tea fan, Xing Fu Tang is hands down one of the best spots in Paris. Their secret? They make their own brown sugar tapioca pearls in a copper pot, and it truly makes all the difference. Highly recommend!

Xing Fu Tang

Discover Paris Like Kokoprisci: 10 Hidden Gems You Can’t Miss

Azekel

Ghana

Accra

The Aburi Crafts Centre is a village with many shops to check out. Lots of local woodwork and artisans crafting there while you shop. We shot the video Dupė with Kwesi Arthur here. It’s a must to check out when in Aburi. Very warm, welcoming families there with amazing work, [who] don’t aggressively try to sell you stuff.

Aburi Arts Centre

A serene beach where the people and vibe are great. If you’re really trying to relax, it’s a perfect spot to go to. I shot the cover of my song Palm Wine Dreamz here. Filled with long, sandy beaches with coconut trees, and fishermen with their boats and nets, [this] is a perfect place to relax in and be away from the busy city.

Ada Beach

A dope, spacious non-profit gallery in Ghana with a lot of progressive contemporary African art shown there, located at East Legon. Nubuke hosts programmes ranging from art exhibitions, poetry and drama, to music and film shows.

Nubuke Foundation

One of the leading streetwear culture brands in Ghana. Dope clothes and vibe with rapid growth. Throughout December to early Jan. it’s filled with different events with music, arts, street culture and collaborations. Kwesi Arthur put me on to them.

Free the Youth

A legendary Ghana highlife, Afrobeat label. Essiebons is home to Ebo Taylor, C. K. Mann and many more. I used this studio during my time living in Ghana. A great vibe, tucked away in East Legon. It’s away from the business of Accra so it’s great to create in silence, and [there’s] great local food close by.

Essiebons Studio

Snazzy bar restaurant in Ghana, up in the sky and the tallest building in West Africa! Food is expensive, but the vibe and experience is up there.

Sky Bar 25

It’s a very cool bar, club and members club with amazing music, food and art from Africa and its diaspora. Dope music and fly people. They throw some of the most fire parties with all the who’s who partying under one roof.

Front/Back

A spiritual and historic place in Ghana, [there’s] a lot of energy here. With sites of where slavery happened, it’s a very emotional place. The Cape Coast Castle used to hold enslaved Africans prior to them being transported to the Americas or the Caribbean. The sun, sea, weather, life and culture there is unmatched.

Cape Coast

Accra: 8 Places to Visit in December with Azekel

Kevin David

Brazil

São Paulo

Bar da Bete is the best place to warm up before heading to your favorite party.


Bar da Bete

If you are in the centre, you must go for a beer with a group of 20 friends.

Copanzinho

If you are an LGBTQIAP+ person you have an obligation to live in the zig. a gay nightclub in the basement with pop music, darkroom and gay cruising.

Zig 

Imagine a funk party in Brazil? now imagine an LGBTQIA+ funk party in brazil, where the G, the T and the L dominate everything. That's it, just living to see.


Baile do Helipa LGBTQIAP+

If you are looking for a more cozy place, where you can spend the afternoon with friends and still listen to some music, then lote sp is the place.

LOTE

As a fan and lover of Hip-Hop culture, I find everything here, ribbed tank tops, jewellery, sneakers, t-shirt prints - the rock gallery is a good option for those who want to spend their evening lookinging and don't have time to adventure so much, as there are several floors with wonderful curatorship. 

Galeria do Rock

I cut my hair for 15 years in the same place with your rodriguez. If you're looking for a ruler cut, this is the place.

Primo Black Power

My favorite food in São Paulo is here: a dish made of pot roast and carrot cake dessert is what I eat the most.


Muquifo

This is where I find all my fashion and culture magazines.

Banca República

The Creative Underbelly of Sao Paulo with Kevin David

Last Pick Athletic Club

United Kingdom

London

Shoreditch to Barbican and back. Quite a scenic route, but can get busy at times. Barbican can also cater to bodyweight workouts such as dips and elevated push-ups.

Barbican Run

Granary Square to Primrose Hill and back. Our favourite route, you get to jog across the canal then go up into Camden High Street. Once you get to Primrose Hill, it's great for hill sprints and elevation gain. Once you reach the top of the hill, you'll be greeted with a lovely skyline view of London.

Granary Square

2.0
Granary Square to Angel and back. This route follows mostly backroads so it's a quiet run with loads of elevation, strengthening the runner's muscles.

Shoreditch to Waterloo to Tower Bridge and back. Another scenic run with amazing views of London's skyline from both bridges.

Tower Bridge Run

Old Street to London Bridge to Blackfriars Bridge. Nice flat route as you run along the Embankment and loop back around towards Old Street/Shoreditch.

Millennium Bridge Run

Shoreditch to Olympic Park and back. This is the longest and most challenging route, mostly flat surface. You run past Victoria Park, where you can stop and do some bodyweight exercises alongside. Once you make your way back from the Olympic Park, it's one straight road from Bow to get back to your starting point.

Olympic Park Run

Pall Mall to Waterloo and back. If people are trying to see London landmarks as they run, this is probably the best route. Along this route, you get to pass Waterloo Bridge, Big Ben, Embankment, and the Florence Nightingale Museum.

Waterloo Run

London's Best Running Routes with Last Pick Athletic Club

Julia Lebosse

First up is the Basingstoke Aquadrome. It's a place with three pools—a 25-metre pool, a shallow 20-metre teaching pool, and a lagoon pool with a variety of fun slides—as well as a gym for all you gym rats. The Leisure Centre is situated within the Basingstoke Leisure Park, which provides a wide range of activities and everything you could possibly need within walking distance, including indoor diving and skiing, bowling, ice skating, and a Premier Inn. There are also a few food options, including Costa, McDonald's, and KFC.
A place of several firsts for me, including the home of the first club I joined, competition, medal, Swimathon, and (slight flex) the pool in which I went sub-minute in the 100 Freestyle.
This pool is very special to me, because from the age of nine to seventeen, I spent more hours here than I did at home! A place of several firsts for me, including the home of the first club I joined, competition, medal, Swimathon, and (slight flex) the pool in which I went sub-minute in the 100 Freestyle. It was essentially my second home for almost a decade, and it still holds a special place in my heart to this day.
So, while this town may not be the life of the party, if you're looking for a leisurely swim suitable for all abilities or want to simulate the action of falling from the sky, plan a cheeky trip to Basingstoke.

Basingstoke Aquadrome

If you haven't heard of this pool, you've most likely been living under a rock because it's one of the best in the country. Built specifically for the Summer Olympics in 2012, it is now a space for both peak athletic performance and casual stronger swimmers. The centre is located in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, London, and was expertly designed by architect Zaha Hadid to serve as the Olympic Park's "main stage."
When I think of this pool, many words come to mind, but I always come back to "wow." It's one of those places that you simply must see in person to fully appreciate the magnificent architecture, both inside and out. The huge venue includes two 50-metre swimming pools as well as a deep 25-metre pool with a moveable floor for synchro and diving.
I used to compete there when I was younger, and I remember it being absolutely freezing! It's kept at a fairly low 27 degrees as it's an Olympic standard pool. This is truly a blessing because there is nothing more refreshing than diving into cold water and instantly feeling awake. It's almost euphoric.

London Aquatics Centre

Guildford Spectrum

Last but not least, the spot where my competitive swimming career ended on a bittersweet note. The pool here is 50m long, though it is occasionally split in two, and the building also includes diving platforms, a gym, and squash courts. This pool is situated within the Army training grounds in Farnborough, so it's not surprising to see soldiers in training walking around the area.
This pool is also home to the Rushmoor Royals Swimming Club, which I briefly joined and thoroughly enjoyed for nearly a year. It was the closest 50m to where I lived, so I swam there frequently throughout my time in competitive swimming. One end is extremely deep, designed for diving and synchronised swimming, while the other end is surprisingly shallow and warm at times, which is definitely welcome during the colder months of the year.
There was a road circling the venue, and our coach used to have us run around it as a warm-up for morning training (which I very much despised haha).

Aldershot Garrison Sports Centre

Another location where many memories were made, far too many to count, was the Mountbatten Leisure Centre's 50m pool. Situated in Hilsea, the centre includes a swimming and teaching pool, as well as a squash court, dance studios, an all-weather pitch, a number of tennis and netball courts, as well as a cafe. This pool, like the London Aquatics Centre, has beautiful architecture, with a dramatic wave-like roof that sweeps down to cover the pool, an absolute treat to look at when swimming backstroke. Many Hampshire competitions were held here a few years ago, including County Championships, Easter Weekend Competitions, and Area Leagues. It's simply because it's a wonderful pool, and a fast one at that (if you know, you know).

Not to forget the windows on the far side of the pool which look out onto Alexandra Park. During competitions, this park was a place me and my teammates would often flee to for our lunch breaks. On the other side of the building, you can stroll down the Hilsea Shore Path, which overlooks Tipner Lake, which is part of the historic Portsmouth Harbour. The path has been reconstructed with a new seawall, information signs, a variety of plantings, and plenty of seating, perfect for getting some fresh air post-swim.

Mountbatten Leisure Centre 

Take the Plunge into Julia Lebosse’s Favourite Pools

New York City 

Chicago

Botanique in Brussels is housed in a former botanical garden with a reputation for supporting and promoting emerging talent. From exhibitions to theatre performances and music festivals, Botanique is an experience you can’t find anywhere else.

Le Botanique

Since 1997, the intimate atmosphere of Notting Hill Arts Club has been a heart for London’s music scene, with nights thriving with up and coming talent from across the globe and huge acts giving their first live performances here.

Notting Hill Arts Club

The Sunflower Lounge brings New York to Birmingham with its half punk and half 60s psychedelic interior. A home for unsigned up and coming bands since 2002, it’s the perfect venue to gain firsthand experience of the music scene within the city.

The Sunflower Lounge

The Ruby Sessions take place every Tuesday in Doyle’s Pub in Dublin. The event stands out within the city as a beacon for new music appreciation, offering an intimate and acoustic environment where emerging artists can showcase their talent. The Ruby Sessions is a great visit as they donate proceeds from the event every week to a selected charity.

Ruby Sessions in Doyle's Pub

In the heart of Bowery, Manhattan, The Bowery Electric is iconic for its music scene. Hosting multiple performance spaces (a main stage and a more intimate setting), the venue hosts an array of artists – from both local and international acts. Also, as a nightlife hub, it’s a great place to have an authentic New York experience.

The Bowery Electric

Cherry Bar is known for its authentic rock ’n’ roll vibe with an unfiltered music experience. Its legacy within Melbourne is well deserved, hosting a diverse range of genres and acts. It's a consistent must-visit venue when in the city.

Cherry Bar

As one of the oldest dance halls in Europe, Sala Apolo is a gem in the heart of Barcelona, with culture stemming back to the beginning of the 20th century. Sala is unparalleled when it comes to its history.