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Your Guide to Design and Pop Culture in Tokyo

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?

Knee High Media + SNOW Magazine Cafe

Papersky

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.

SNOW Magazine Cafe Flyer

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.

SNOW Magazine Cafe

SNOW Magazine Cafe

I’ve been a bit quiet on the SNOW Magazine Cafe front, but yes, it’s still happening next month at Cafe Pause (August 1-30), and I’m very happy to reveal the poster for the event. It was designed by my GOOD Inc. compadre, Luis Mendo, and I absolutely love the illustration he came up with. The poster will appear at the entrance to to cafe, and a slightly different version will be used for the flyer (and big thank to Hiyoko Imai for the help with that).

I also have a very exciting new development regarding the event — and SNOW Magazine in general — that is going to be very cool. I’ll announce more soon, but for now let’s just say that it truly embraces the medium that is being celebrated at the exhibition.

Gym Class Magazine

Gym Class Magazine

I. Love. Gym Class Magazine. It’s a great indie magazine produced by one Steven Gregor that has been evolving in format since launch, with the latest issue (#6) now in full-color (the two previous issues were done through the Newspaper Club). And you really should pick up “The Magazine Fanboy Issue,” especially if like me, you really are a magazine fanboy (or fangirl). Here’s more on the issue, as well as a video flip-through, and you can buy it here. I’ll have a few issues at next month’s SNOW Magazine Cafe, and I’m also very happy to say that I’m contributing something to the next issue, but probably best not to say what that is just yet.

Also, Steven is on the lookout for some stockists in Tokyo, so if you have some tips and suggestions, let me know and I’ll pass it along.

PauseTalk Vol. 42

Well, what a great PauseTalk we had this past Monday (Vol. 42), with a terrific group of 36 participants joining up for some good talk, laughs, and maybe even a bit of inspiration (OK, yes, I will make public my complete and utter admiration — and jealousy — of what Craig Mod has been doing of late).

The next PauseTalk (Vol. 43) will happen on the first Monday of next month, as usual, which falls on August 2, and it also doubles as a reception party for the SNOW Magazine Cafe, and will hopefully include lots of magazine-related talk.

As I did last month, I put out an attendance sheet to fill out, and so here is a partial list of attendees (just email me if you want to be added).

PauseTalk Tonight

PauseTalk Vol. 41

It is indeed PauseTalk Vol. 42 tonight (July 5), happening as always at Cafe Pause in Ikebukuro from 20:00 (with the space reserved from 19:30). Already looks like we’re going to be a good group, and I know a few ex-PingMagers will be there, so I’m feeling like a post-mortem might be in order.

Above, one of the many photos taken at last month’s edition (Vol. 41), courtesy of Michael Holmes passing around his camera — you can see a gallery here.

PauseTalk Vol. 42 and PechaKucha Night Vol. 74

Sure, it’s hot, humid, and yes, rather wet, but I promise a comfortable air conditioned space — in the guises of Cafe Pause — for this coming Monday’s (July 5) PauseTalk Vol. 41. Start time will be 20:00 as usual, with the place reserved from 19:30. I’ve already heard from a few who plan on coming, so sounds like we’re in for a good evening. Here’s also a link to the Facebook event page.

And hey, let me also mention that this month’s PechaKucha Night (Vol. 74) happens tomorrow night (Wednesday, June 30) at SuperDeluxe, from 20:20. I’ll be sitting up front next to Mark and Astrid as usual. A couple of PauseTalkers will be presenting, including Verena Dauerer (the ex-mistress of PingMag) and Vivienne U.H. Doan (Beautified Taboo).

PauseTalk Vol. 41

Again, thanks to everyone who made it out to this week’s PauseTalk Vol. 41 — we were a smaller group this time, around 17 or so I think, but I believe a good time was had by all. As I mentioned before, I’ve decided to bring back the attendance sheet, and so the attendees listed below are the ones who gave me their info to be listed here. Also, I know there was a camera being passed around, so we should get lots of photos sometime soon — probably best to check the Facebook group, as I imagine they’ll show up there first.

And just to clear things up, the gaming industry-themed PauseTalk happening this summer will not be held as a regular edition (or on the first Monday), but instead will be its own thing. More details to follow as we settle on a date. The next regular edition (Vol. 42) happens July 5.

PauseTalk Tonight

Just a reminder that PauseTalk Vol. 41 is tonight at Cafe Pause, from 20:00. See you there!

PauseTalk Next Week

Oh, hey, it’s time to start thinking about PauseTalk again! Yes, Vol. 41 is just around the corner, happening this coming Monday (June 7) at Cafe Pause with the regular start time of 20:00 (the space is reserved from 19:30, so feel free to come early). We all had a blast at last month’s Vol. 40, and again, thank you all for showing up and celebrating that “anniversary” with me. Also, I’ve had a few requests for a return of the attendee lists, so at this month’s event I’ll prepare a sign-up sheet for those who want to be listed on the PauseTalk website and here.

Delightfully Tacky, Yet Unrefined

PauseTalk Vol. 40PauseTalk Vol. 40

It’s been a while since we’ve had photos to share from a PauseTalk, so big thanks to Martin Holtkamp for sending me these from last night’s edition (Vol. 40).

PauseTalk Vol. 40

HUGE thanks to everyone who made it out to PauseTalk Vol. 40 tonight to help me celebrate the event’s 4th anniversary. The conversation maybe wasn’t so smooth — due to the turnout of 30 or so — but it was great to see so many people there, and the overall vibe was definitely good. Lots of people were there for the first time, and they mentioned really looking forward to the next edition. And big thanks to Design Festa’s Stephen Lebovits for treating everyone with tickets to this weekend’s bash at Tokyo Big Sight. Even my dog showed up to help celebrate, and seemed to be quite the hit with those who went outside to hang out with him for a bit.

Since it’s become so difficult to keep track of everyone who comes, I think it’s time to stop with the attendee lists, especially since they are always so incomplete. Also, I mentioned it in passing towards the end, but I’m going to have a special game-themed edition sometime this summer (not a regular edition) with the idea of bringing together people working in the industry. More details to be revealed when we eventually choose a date. The next regular edition of PauseTalk (Vol. 41) happens June 7.

Update: Here are a couple of photos from last night’s event, as well as one of my dog posing with attendees.

PauseTalk Tonight

And so following a post that announces “PauseTalk Next Week,” we get a post that asserts “PauseTalk Tonight.” Start time is the usual 20:00, although we have the cafe from 19:30. Come join us for Vol. 40, which also marks PT’s 4th anniversary!

PauseTalk Next Week

Enjoying the Golden Week holiday? Don’t forget that this month’s edition of PauseTalk is coming up on Monday (May 10) at Cafe Pause, with the usual start time of 20:00. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, this will be Vol. 40, and it also marks PauseTalk’s 4th anniversary, so even though we’re not having an official party or anything, I intend to celebrate with a drink or two (or three). Do come on down to help mark the occasion — and the cafe is reserved from 19:30, so feel free to come early.

SNOW Magazine

Where's all the regular art/design-related content you used to see here? Check out SNOW Magazine, a Tokyo-based online magazine featuring news and guest columns -- see the full list of contributors -- covering the cultural landscape of Tokyo/Japan.

PauseTalk

PauseTalk is a regular series of events that take place at Cafe Pause on the first Monday of every month, with a start time of 20:00. The idea is to create a forum where Tokyo-based creatives can get together and discuss their own projects, as well as cultural currents of the city. The next edition is August 2.

PLAY is a series of events with Jean Snow spinning some of his favorite virtual discs in a casual setting at Cafe Pause. See the setlist for previous editions here, and subscribe to a feed of the mixes.
Game

Being a survey of recommended titles for your gaming pleasure. New games are added 2-3 times weekly, and all selections are by your host, Jean Snow, a Tokyo-based writer and gamer.

Jean Snow is a contributor to Arcade Mania, your guide to the arcade gaming scene in Japan (Amazon US/Amazon Japan). He also provided assistance on Tokyolife: Art and Design, a guide to Tokyo's cultural output of the past few years, covering the works of over 80 influential creatives.
He will be contributing to the upcoming fifth editions of The Rough Guide to Tokyo and The Rough Guide to Japan, due for release in 2011.

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Jean Snow lives and breathes design, pop culture, and gaming in Tokyo -- sustained by an unhealthy addiction to magazines and frequent visits to his favorites cafes. He has reported on these obsessions for the following online/offline publications: Time, Inside (Australian Design Review), Gizmodo, Gridskipper, Kotaku, Tokyo Q, Superfuture, OK Fred, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, I.D. (International Design), Metropolis, Azure, MoCo Loco, Kateigaho International Edition, Wired's Game|Life, PingMag, CNNGo, and The Japan Times. He's also the founder and editor-in-chief of SNOW Magazine.

You can subscribe to an RSS feed of this site, and also follow him on Twitter and Facebook.

Pecha Kucha Night

He's a member of the Pecha Kucha team, working on various projects, including updating Pecha Kucha Daily, a blog that highlights the creativity coming out of PKN events worldwide.

PauseTalk

He serves as editor-at-large at Néojaponisme, a web journal covering social and cultural aspects of Japan. Read the manifesto, by founder and chief editor W. David Marx.

He also writes a monthly column covering Japanese product design for The Japan Times, called "On Design." It appears on the last Thursday of every month, in both the print edition and online.

Colophon

The "Jean Snow" logo is made up of the Blackout open source typeface. The "M31" logo is by Ian Lynam, and is part of a series of 31 unique designs. The site's design is based on the Grid Focus WordPress theme by Derek Punsalan.

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