Just a reminder that tonight (Monday, October 4) is PauseTalk Vol. 45 at Cafe Pause, from 20:00. Hope to see lots of you there!

Here we are, last day of September, and that means that the next PauseTalk (Vol. 45) is just around the corner. Come join us this coming Monday (October 4) at Cafe Pause, at the usual start time of 20:00 (with the cafe reserved from 19:30). Here’s the Facebook event page, if you like such things.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, last month’s edition had a lower turnout, but we ended up getting some great photos courtesy of Michael Holmes — see the Facebook gallery here. The close-up wide angle shots are pretty fun (below, me looking like a freak).

If you’ll allow me to go analog for a moment, I need to say how much I love the way they displayed all of the participating zines at the launch party (or “reading room”) for the terrific-looking Fanzines book. It’s incredibly simple, using clips, and my first thought was that I should have done something similar during last month’s SNOW Magazine Cafe. The one problem this poses is that I did want everything in the show to be readable by everyone, but it’s something I need to keep in mind for a future exhibition, especially if I can get extra copies (one to hang, one on table/shelf for people to grab and read).

I’d like to thank everyone who made it out to the cafe last night for PauseTalk Vol. 44. Although still a smaller group than in past months (we were probably 20 or so) it was a nice mix — as is often magically the case — including lots of new faces, and a few old ones that hadn’t checked in for a while. Topics covered included web aesthetics (Japan vs. the West), filming in Japan, getting the “old guard” to sign those checks to get projects moving forward, and the Foreign Correspondents Club (to join or not to join).

As I only realized not long before heading out that my printer was out of ink, I didn’t get to bring attendance sheets, and so no list this month. The next one (Vol. 45) will take place October 4.

Just your friendly neighborly reminder that this month’s PauseTalk (Vol. 44) happens tonight (September 6) at Cafe Pause, with the usual start time of 20:00 (and the cafe reserved from 19:30). As previously mentioned, I’ll bring out the magazines from last month’s SNOW Magazine Cafe, for anyone who didn’t get at chance to check out the event.

Yes, it’s already time for a new edition of PauseTalk (Vol. 44), set to happen this coming Monday (September 6) at Cafe Pause, with the regular start time of 20:00 — as always, the cafe is reserved for the event from 19:30, so feel free to come early. Although the SNOW Magazine Cafe event ended this past Monday, I’ll bring out the participating magazines again for anyone who didn’t have a chance to browse through them.

Also, there was some sort of error when I created the Facebook event page, and so this is the correct one (if you receive a message about cancellation, that’s for the extra page it created).

Yesterday I launched a special blog for the SNOW Magazine Cafe. For those of you who are unable to attend the event here in Tokyo, that’s where you’ll find more details about the show — I’ll be posting stuff throughout the month, including photos and the like. Today I revealed the list of participating titles (in the main part of the show), 33 in all. Note that you can subscribe to a feed as well.

Here’s a little peek at Monday’s PauseTalk Vol. 43, courtesy of Martin Holtkamp. As I said before, we didn’t have a huge attendance (lower than recent editions), but it was still a fun evening. I unfortunately didn’t prepare an attendance sheet this time, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to list names. The next PauseTalk (Vol. 44) should happen September 6.

Well, that, and more importantly, we’re having our little gathering to officially kick off the SNOW Magazine Cafe. As I wrote before, there will be a PauseTalk session, but I’ll keep it relatively short, so please come on by even if you’re not into that sort of gathering. So tonight (Monday, August 2), from 19:00 (until 23:00) at Cafe Pause in Ikebukuro, with cheap drinks available. Hope to see many of you there!

And we’re off: The SNOW Magazine Cafe is now go at Cafe Pause, and runs until August 30. I just posted something on SNOW Magazine that details everything you can expect to find there. Sure, there’s all the magazine stuff (33 titles as part of the main exhibition, and then a large selection of zines, as well as special displays for Knee High Media and OK Fred), but I’m also pretty happy with what we (me and the staff at the cafe) came up with for the special menu. You will find the SNOW LASSI (Peach Lassi, 600 yen), the SNOW COCKTAIL (Malibu Rum and Milk, 700 yen), and the SNOW PUDDING (Annin Tofu and Tapioca, 500 yen).

The important thing to note is that the opening party is Monday night (August 2), from 19:00. There will be a short PauseTalk session at 20:00, but the event is definitely open to everyone, and so please join us even if you would normally not attend PauseTalk. Entry is free, and we’ll have a 500 yen drink menu, with all the event menu items available at that price as well.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.