Oiistar is serving up some of the best noodles in Chicago, thanks to one very fancy piece of machinery: a Yamato noodle-making machine that clocks in about $65,000. The unique flavors that make the noodles really pop, though, are the invention of owner Sunny Yim. Indian-spiced ramen, classic tonkotsu ramen, and flavorful vegetarian options dot the menu. If you’re still buying ramen for 4 for a dollar, it’s time to upgrade your culinary choices.
Source: Chicago Magazine
Every Monday night in Detroit, things get a little slow. Slow Roll Detroit, the city-wide bike ride that’s become Michigan’s largest weekly bike get-together, takes a new route every week. The ride explores Detroit’s unique landscape: neighborhoods, community gardens, architectural sites and historic locations. Detroit Bike City shared this snapshot of Monday’s ride, where the summer weather brought out a near-record number of riders. Roll on!
Source: Detroit Bike City
Apolis kicked off their Nomad Market on June 27 inside the new Shinola store, Willys Detroit. The Nomad Market celebrates craftspeople and artisans from around the world with films, photographs and handmade goods. The opening reception treated guests to food, drinks, and a Meet the Designer conversation with Apolis co-founder Shea Parton and Hackwith Design House’s, Lisa Hackwith. The market will spend the next month in Detroit, and then hit the road again—stay tuned for the next location.
Source: Apolis Global
Even the ingredients are beautiful at Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits in Chicago. They shared this snapshot of purple dragon beans and squash blossoms before their chefs worked their magic. The dragon beans wound up in the Farmer’s Biscuits and the squash blossoms were stuffed for the Gazpacho Biscuit. They say they draw on Midwestern cooking traditions, but their final products are all their own!
Source: Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits
When Kalamazoo College brought Studio Gang Architects on board to design the new Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, Studio Gang turned to the woods. Using white cedar logs harvested in northern Michigan, they followed in the footsteps of the area’s early homesteaders. The final result is a stunning wooden mosaic.
Source: Architectural Record
The exponential growth of the Minneapolis craft brew scene continues. Sisyphus Brewery will open its doors in the Loring Park neighborhood this week. The brewery promises not only a 100-seat taproom, but a theater for live music and comedy shows too. They shared a quick photo from their soft opening, where shuffleboard reigned supreme.
Source: Sisyphus Brewing
Old, new, painted, neon—in cities, you’re surrounded by signs. Signs become a part of a city’s skyline; they tell the history of neighborhoods. Curbed Chicago recently cataloged the city’s iconic signs, including the timeless Central Camera Company sign which has been flashing neon underneath the El tracks for decades. The store itself is over 100 years old but still going strong, thanks in large part to the neighboring art schools. What’s your favorite neighborhood sign?
Source: Curbed
The craftsmen at Danish Teak Classics have spent the last month in Denmark, scouring the countryside for furniture finds. They shared this snapshot of their shipping container filled to the brim. Now we just have to be patient while the container makes its way back across the ocean to Minneapolis… Sail fast!
Source: Danish Teak Classics
Don’t have a pool? Make one. The Fortune Teller Bar in St. Louis turned a rolling dumpster into a crisp, clean swimming pool. Their neighbors at Scarlett Garnet Jewelry snapped this shot of the pool in action. Never thought we’d want to spend our summer lounging by the dumpster, but this might change our minds.
Source: Scarlett Garnet
You’ve never seen the Walker Art Center quite like this. MN Fashion staged a fashion show at the museum, featuring local talent on both sides of the camera. Rhea Pappas snapped the stunning photo series, which features models interacting with the building’s unique architecture.
Source: MN Fashion
Two kayak pictures in two days—summer weather has us craving water time. This may be the most beautiful kayak we’ve ever seen, crafted by furniture designer Vincent Edwards in Bloomington, Indiana. Edwards draws on boat and aircraft design to influence his furniture aesthetic.
Source: Vincent Edwards Design
Food writer Matt Kirouac snapped this hot shot of barbecue carrots from Chicago favorite The Publican. Carrots aren’t the first thing we think of grilling, but that’s where the culinary masterminds step in: these look too good to pass up. How do they taste? “Stunning in all the ways,” writes Kirouac.
Source: @mattsland
Is this the Wright home for you? The Winslow House was Frank Lloyd Wright’s first solo commission, designed when he was just 26. It’s a rare early work of Wright’s, pre-Prairie style, and distinct from his later Usonian designs. Built in 1893, the home sits on the National Register of Historic Places and is now on the market for a hefty $2.4 million.
Source: Pamela Tilton
At Black Dog Gelato, absolutely. The independent gelato company will serve its flavors up on your choice of fresh doughnut for a delicious twist on the ice cream sandwich. Owner Jessica Oloroso left her job as a pastry chef to pursue her passion for ice cream, so she knows a little something about sweet treats.
Source: Time Out Chicago
Zahner Headquarters in Kansas City gives a glimpse behind the scenes of modern architecture: its new facade features an exposed support structure. The same style structure was used for Frank Gehry’s Experience Music Project in Seattle, but was covered up in the finished product. At Zahner, you can see the structure in action. The unique fins give the illusion of movement, and the team at Zahner has dubbed it the “Cloud Wall.”
Source: Zahner
With the Milwaukee Kayak Company, you can tour Brew City by water. Follow the Milwaukee Urban Water Trail for 25 miles of scenic shoreline and city views. The company rents canoes and paddle boards too, if that’s more your style. Whatever your water transportation of choice, you can paddle on up to restaurants and bars with accessible docks.
Source: Milwaukee Kayak
This funky array might look more like elaborate hair curlers than solar panels, but in the 1970s it was the latest in solar design. Created for the Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, IL, these “solar concentrators” were designed to generate electricity for heating and cooling systems at the lab. Solar technology and green building techniques have come a long way since then, but it’s hard to deny how groovy this looks.
Source: Slate
Minneapolis artist Christy Johnson is on a mission to capture every state’s icons in miniature. Her prints are only just over 3 inches square, but they capture all the big hits: Wisconsin’s Babe the Blue Ox sculpture, Minnesota’s Guthrie Theater, Missouri’s Gateway Arch, Iowa’s Des Moines Art Center and more. The miniatures make it easy to own a little slice of home.
Source: redshoes26
Death in the Afternoon, the most buzzed-about lunch spot in St. Louis, recently brought in some new decor: wooden chandeliers from Rustic Grain. The artisans at Rustic Grain salvage wood from turn-of-the-century Midwest barns and turn the boards into handcrafted furniture and home goods. Their finished works proudly show off the knots, dents, and nail holes from the boards’ past lives.
Source: Death in the Afternoon
The cocktail masters of Eat Street Social stepped out from behind the bar, but they just couldn’t leave their shakers. The eatery shared this candid shot of their bartenders mixing things up in the backyard. We want to know what they’re making…and whether we can have one.
Source: Eat Street Social
Dorothy Thorpe’s signature sterling-band glass design has racked up plenty of screen time on Mad Men with all of Don’s cocktails. Mid-century design enthusiasts go mad for the iconic barware. Hugh, a men’s accessories and home goods shop in Detroit, recently posted a picture of their Thorpe-inspired stock. Cheers!
Source: Hugh
The owners of this home embraced modern design with plenty of cement and natural finishes. The sleek design is complemented by playful décor, including this floor-to-ceiling sign. Hello to you too!
Source: My Visual Listings
Downtown Detroit took yesterday afternoon off—the World Cup was on! With a giant jumbotron set up in Campus Martius Park, hundreds gathered to watch the US team face off against Germany. We love a city that stops for a soccer match.
Source: Downtown Detroit Partnership
Woodsport’s breaking our heart. The Twin Cities woodcraft studio posted this picture of a brand new credenza, but it was already sold and bound for Brooklyn. Woodsport’s work is in high demand these days, with impeccable pieces handcrafted from American hardwoods.
Source: Woodsport
More art comes to Millenium Park! The Cloud Gate sculpture (or as more people know it: “The Bean”) is getting a new neighbor: the 39-foot sculpture “Look Into My Dreams, Awilda.” The new sculpture by Jaume Plensa is now on display, but this picture captures the construction process in action.
Source: Chicago Sun-Times