Journal
Best of the Month - Vol. 9
As we delve deeper into this year's warm autumn colours, we're back with a roundup of our favourite stories, images and music from the past month. Enjoy! Best of the Web Lego celebrated the women of NASA last month with new minifiguress, featuring Nancy Grace Roman, Margaret Hamilton, Sally Ride, and Mae Jemison. Donate Your Tab uses your computer's CPU via browser tabs to mine cryptocurrency. This is then all donated to charity! You can simply flick the switch and run this in the background to help out various causes. Find out more here. Tens team member Richard Branson has built an 80-foot steel octopus to sink one of the remaining boats involved in the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbour — The Kodiak Queen. The historical navy ship, which was sunk off the coast of Virgin Gorda, is now an underwater art installation and marine life habitat. The Yashica Y35 is a new ‘digiFilm’ camera that shoots digital photos with the help of pretend rolls of film. Styled after Yashica’s original Electro 35, which had the world’s first electronic-controlled shutter, the Y35 features a 1/3.2-inch CMOS sensor that shoots 14-megapixel photos and a 35mm f/2.8 glass lens. The camera is designed to “recapture the joy and meaning of analogue-photography” while “eliminating the time and expense required for film development.” London-based photographer Rich McCor, or paperboyo travels across the globe giving creative updates to buildings, bridges, and signs through the use of simple paper cutouts. By placing a black design in the foreground of his image, London’s Tower Bridge is instantly transformed into a looping roller coaster. See more on his Instagram. Tens Soundtrack Here are some of our office favourites, both new and old. Who else should we be checking out? Visit our profile on Spotify to check out our previous months' soundtracks. Who to Follow Here are some of our favourite accounts to follow on Instagram. If you know anybody that we should be following, let us know! This month we've got @arnaudmontagard, @laurentkronental, @mr_bingstagram, @robertgoetzfried & @mariano_pascual. Best of #FilterYourWorld At Tens we put our community first, no matter what it is that we're up to. Here's where we share some of our favourite customer photos with Tens from the last month. We love seeing your tags with Tens, so be sure to tag us + #FilterYourWorld for your chance to be featured! Photos submitted (in order) by @sibylle87, @ktlphotog, @sir_hare, @michelezandanel & @anto.agos. ~ What things have you discovered this month? Are we missing anything? Message us on Facebook with suggestions!
Kegelbahns - The Aesthetics of 9-Pin Bowling
“I like to show places in ways people don’t usually see them, Kegeln was a big deal when I was a child. These days, the bowling alleys are becoming rare and traditional ones are about to die.” Robert Goetzfried is an professional photographer and graphic designer currently based in Munich. For his project “Bowling Alleys”, Robert has traveled all over Germany to capture the country’s vibrant bowling alleys or 'Kegelbahns'. The sport was huge in '80s Germany, and the halls served as extremely popular hangouts. Most of these alleys are found underneath restaurants, beer taverns and town halls, so groups would gather to laugh, drink and bowl (think Big Lebowski). Goetzfried commented on the juxtaposition of wild weekends against the clean lines of the walls meeting the lanes. Very #AccidentalWesAnderson. Mesmerised by the shapes of the Kegelbahns, Robert has captured everything from single-alley spots under Italian restaurants, to Europe's largest American bowling center at 52 lanes. View the gallery below, and check out more of Robert's work via Instagram.
La Fabrica - 45 Years in the Making
La Fabrica (The Factory) is a 5,000 square feet cement factory located near Barcelona, Spain which serves as the unique backdrop to local architect Ricardo Bofill‘s studio and home. Bofill stumbled upon the cement factory in 1973. It was an enormous compound of silos and buildings that covered nearly two and a half miles of underground tunnels. He decided to purchase La Fabrica, and over the past 45 years his team have been renovating the structure. The dream was to create a living work space that would unite the Surrealist, Abstract, and Brutalist elements found in its original industrial form. Original construction to transform the sprawling series of buildings took a little over a year and a half. After the dust cleared from the jack hammers and dynamite, Catalan craftsmen worked to add gardens and purpose back into the abandoned compound. Today the factory holds a cathedral, model workshop, archive rooms, residence, and studio, a workspace for Bofill’s firm spread over four floors in the factory’s silos and connected by a spiral staircase. Despite nearly forty-five years in the making, the entire project is constantly evolving and is one that Bofill never sees as being fully completed. With continuous tweaks, Bofill has created a perfectly programmed existence, a ritualised lifestyle that goes against his previously nomadic early life as explained in the above video from Nowness. “I have the impression of living in a precinct, in a closed universe which protects me from the outside and everyday life. The Cement Factory is a place of work par excellence. Life goes on here in a continuous sequence, with very little difference between work and leisure.” You can view more details of the project on Bofill's website here.
Best of the Month - Vol. 8
We're back to help you hold on to that summer warmth by sharing what we've been sharing together at HQ. Here are our favourite things, accounts, tracks and community photos from the past month - enjoy! Best of the Web When it comes to travelling, there are so many things out there to make it easier and more enjoyable: products to buy, apps to download, services to use, travel hacks and tips to remember. The problem is finding these today is a chore, and discerning which ones are actually worth your time takes even longer. Wanderprep sifts through it all and distills it down for you, but in a way that respects your time and attention. This visualisation of a Joshua Tree residence is created from several shipping containers. Each container is orientated to maximise views across the landscape or to use the topography to provide privacy, depending on their individual use. Following the release of iOS11's ARKit for iPhones - IKEA released their 'Place' app which allows you to accurately visualise their furniture right there in your room using the phone's camera. It's not quite available outside of US & Canada yet but keep your eyes peeled. This guy flew his drone onto, inside, and UNDER a MOVING TRAIN! Some good news for once. Snow Leopards are now no longer listed as endangered 🙌🏼 80s.nyc is basically a Google Street View of New York City from the 80s. Over 800,000 images are included, giving voyeurs a window into the world of each neighborhood. By clicking on selected areas of the city, one can look into the past, and learn a few things about the city that never sleeps. Tens Soundtrack Here are some of our office favourites, both new and old. Who else should we be checking out? Visit our profile on Spotify to check out our previous months' soundtracks. Who to Follow Here are some of our favourite accounts to follow on Instagram. If you know anybody that we should be following, let us know! This month we've got @azumamakoto, @hearwhatyousee (an aural / visual project by Ta-Ku), @jamesxneilson (music illustrator), @abduzeedo & @kylopomsky. Best of You Here we would normally feature a selection of our favourite tagged photos with Tens from you, the community. This month has been just as incredible, if not even better as you caught the last of those summer rays. This month though, we wanted to share this great video that was sent into us from Nick Afchain. Watch 'America: A Moving Postcard' featuring DJ Big Al & his Tortoiseshell Classics. What things have you discovered this month? Are we missing anything? Message us on Facebook with suggestions!
49 Hours in San Francisco
“Hey do you fancy going to SF next month? My dad has a trip flying out there and we can tag along…” “Yeah, sure how long for?” “Erm… its only 2 nights” “F**k it lets do it” Having a friend whose father is an airline captain has its definite perks. Arriving late in San Fran suitably tipsy from 11 hours of continuous champagne however was probably not the best way to start out our trip and set the tone for what turned out to be a manic couple of days. With such a short amount of time in city we felt that we had to make the most of the time available to us. An early jetlagged start down to grab tickets for the day trip to Alcatraz Island after approx. 3 hours sleep + the hangover from 8 (or was it 10?) beers from the night before meant that we were probably the loudest and jovial members of the queue. Making friends with some Swedish travellers we toured the prison island. It's remarkable the views these inmates had over the Bay Area and the audio tour proved to be super immersive. We’d been recommended that the best way to see the Golden Gate bridge was on tandem bike. It definitely proved to be the most comical and unpractical way to squeeze through the crowds of tourists on the way across. The sheer size and colour of the bridge is as impressive as it looks in photos and I hope I’ve been successful in trying to capture it in interesting ways. After a late lunch and some Irish Coffee, we met up with our friend Dan who we first partied with whilst travelling in Vietnam last year. He now works for Google and was happy to show us the city. Bouncing from bar to bar in China Town (with the distinctive memory of throwing up after a shot of strange whisky) we ended up partying in a club near Golden Gate Park 'til the early hours. Dan had work in the morning and offered us a bleary eyed tour of the Google SF offices. Hungover AF we met up early to see whether they were as awesome as they’re hyped to be. Turns out they are. The entire front of the building has stunning views of the Oakland Bridge and inside it is like no other office, with nap pods, cocktail bars and one room entirely filled with 3D printers. Wandering the city, the divide between the rich and poor is evident, with SF social benefits policy requiring no fixed address to claim, meaning that the homeless roam even the most affluent streets. It’s a strange comparison to draw with the super rich tech elite who work mostly in the area and endemic of the divide we see in the US today. With a quick tram ride and trip up to the top of the iconic 8 hair-pin turned Lombard Street complete, it was time to catch our flight back to London. Total time in SF – 49 hours. Thankfully the flight home was quiet and the captain was able to upgrade us both to First Class for the journey. Finally, time for some rest! Iain is a serving British Army helicopter pilot with a passion for photography. Check his work at @imagesbyiain.
Iceland: A Road Trip on the Tundra
"I really don't know how I feel after the experience. We circled the island with broken hearts and open minds. Young souls constantly waiting for the sunrise. That's who we are. That's how we do." Follow Barcelona-based photographer Enzo Iriarte on a goosebump-inducing summer's trip through the moody tundra of Iceland. The famous Ring Road encircles the entire country covering over 800 miles on Route 1. While you could technically drive the whole thing in less than 24 hours, Enzo & friends took 10 days, stopping where they could along the way. Food was expensive, but the memories were priceless. Swipe through the photos below and see more of Enzo's work here. Models: Katia Ramos & Zakari Kunakey
Best of the Month - Vol. 7
We don't want to alarm you, but September is here. We may need a moment to sit down and let that sink in, and what better thing to explore whilst doing so than Best of the Month? Here are our favourite things, accounts, tracks and community photos from the past month - enjoy! Best of the Web This is what one of those viral Facebook cooking videos would look like if it was directed by Wes Anderson. This photographer fabricated a purely DIY camera flash setup using just a Big Mac box, a flashlight and a drinks straw. The results (shot on iPhone) are STUNNING. Learn more about the project here. Sicilian artist Marco Mangione, known as Gue, has transformed Darsena Popup’s Ravenna skatepark into a dynamic, coluor composition. Darsena Popup, a sports complex at the edge of the river, is close to Ravenna’s historical center. In an effort to refurbish the urban area, the installation creates a clever synthesis between the artwork and its environment. Camera brand Lomography have just announced the world's first fully analogue instant camera for Instax square film. They're launching via Kickstarter - you can learn more & back the project here. Gudak Cam is an iPhone app that mimics the 'Kodak Moments' of disposable cameras. The rolls are limited to 24 shots which you can only run through every 12 hours. Once the roll is complete, you need to wait 3 days for the photos to process, adding 'accidental' and random scratches and light-leaks before you can view them. Download it here. Lonely Planet's 'Trips' app is a beautiful, simple and intuitive way to share travel experiences. Upload photos and videos to your timeline, then share your trip with your friends, family and fellow travellers. Tens Soundtrack Here are some of our office favourites, both new and old. Who else should we be checking out? Visit our profile on Spotify to check out our previous months' soundtracks. Who to Follow Here are some of our favourite accounts to follow on Instagram. If you know anybody that we should be following, let us know! This month we've got @chrislabrooy, @leriadyasmine, @ronanpark, @thiswildidea & @moviemountain. Best of #FilterYourWorld At Tens we put our community first, no matter what it is that we're up to. Here's where we share some of our favourite customer photos with Tens from the last month. We love seeing your tags with Tens, so be sure to tag us + #FilterYourWorld for your chance to be featured! Photos submitted (in order) by @niklasmulzer, @neongoldrecords, @urbantraveller, @wethefoodsnobs, @hannahrosemay_ & @calcowie.~What things have you discovered this month? Are we missing anything? Message us on Facebook with suggestions!
City Guides: A Long Weekend in Barcelona
by Iain With its long dry summers and admirably laid back atmosphere - Barcelona has always been a favourite destination of the Tens team, whether it be with friends, family, partners or solo. As a city with limitless culture, history and cuisine - you could explore for months and still uncover something inspiring each day. Here is a quick guide to some of our favourite sights, activities, eats & drinks perfect for an escape to the heart of Catalonia. GETTING AROUND The city centre is roughly 20 minutes away in a taxi from El Prat Airport, and will cost around €25, which is reasonable if there are a few of you. Might be a bit expensive for solo travel, so you can just take the bus. They are very frequent and will get you to Plaça de Catalunya in around 30-40 minutes. If you’re limited for time, or not that keen on walking, buy what's called a T10. It's a 10 journey ticket you can use on all transport. Multiple people can also use it too, so you can put it through the machine and pass the ticket back to the next person. We would recommend just walking to most places in the city though, as you can pretty much get anywhere in less than 30 minutes, and you get to discover more of the city this way. If you are going to use transport a lot then you can maybe look at the 2-5 day tickets. The ticket machines can be changed to English and will tell you everything you need to know. TO DO You can tick off the more popular places first by starting off at Plaça de Catalunya and taking a stroll down La Rambla. This is very touristy, so I would avoid going to any bars or restaurants here. You will pass the grand Bocqueria Market though, and this is a great spot to pick up some cheap breakfast and local meats, seafood and cheese. Towards the bottom of La Rambla you can cut left into the Gothic Quarter which is a labyrinth of beautiful architecture, shops and bars. You can weave your way through here towards the famous Cathedral. Regarding the major sights I would recommend going inside the Sagrada Familia, Parc de la Ciutadella / Arc de Triomf. You can book your time slots for Sagrada Familia online to avoid queues - it could be the most impressive building you’ve ever seen. Parc Guell is another Gaudi sight, built high up overlooking the city. Great views and a nice way to spend an afternoon, would recommend bringing a packed lunch to have at the top as you’ll want to hang there for a while. Barcelona played host to the summer Olympics in 1992, and not only can you check out most of the grounds, you can also take a dip in the pool. It’s not glamorous by any means, but we love the brutalist concrete surroundings, and the pool itself is perfectly cool - a great place to relax and sunbathe for a few hours. Once you’re done you can either get the cable car, or walk up to the top of Montjuic and see the castle. Barcelona is famous for its beach right there at the edge of the city. We always started the day with a stroll through Barceloneta, past the super yachts and towards the sand. The beach gets VERY busy during the day, so either head here early for a Clara (cloudy lemon shandy) at one of the beach bars and watch the world go by for a moment. If you do want to spend a day at quieter beach it is best to take a train to go out of the city along the coast. The train is cheap and in around an hour you can be at Sant Pol de mar. You take the R1 train from Plaça de Catalunya in the direction of Mataro. Worth the trip for a nice, chilled beach day. Sitges is also a great day trip only 40mins away with some great beaches. Montserrat is also a nice trip outside of the city, well worth the trip if you have a day to spare. For some more, free, sightseeing it’s nice to walk from Plaça Catalunya up Passeig de Gracia. The Gaudi architecture there is amazing with a lot of nice terraces to stop and grab a bite to eat. TO EAT If you have time to kill during the first half of the day, check out these brunch spots: Tropico (just look at that Açai bowl), Milk, Federal, Alsur, Flax & Kale, or El Flako which is a 'trendy' novelty cereal bar. Later on, for something easy I would highly recommend trying the burgers from Bacoa and we'll let you off for eating a burger in Spain. For alternative quick bites there is an incredible hot dog joint called ‘The Dog Is Hot’ in Raval, or Rosa de Raval if you're in a taco kinda mood. For something a bit fancier try Tickets (the holy grail), or either of the two Sensi restaurants in El Born. These are the places you’ll have to book in advance, so prepare accordingly. Inside the old Biblioteca, within a courtyard you'll find this al fresco restaurant called El Jardi - ideal for date night. For more of a traditional tapas vibe, check out Quimet & Quimet (they brew their own beer), or Can Paixano (for proper Cava) - both standing tapas bars and very Catalan. For cheaper tapas, spend an evening on Carrer Blai in Poble Sec. There are lots of small tapas bar where you just help yourself to what's on the counter, then they charge you for the number of cocktail sticks / plates you have at the end of the night (Yo! Sushi style). For an incredible bargain, try La Malandrina - it’s a great South American restaurant that do MASSIVE steaks and creamy potatoes for roughly €10. On top of that they’ve got a lovely house red wine at only 6€ a bottle. For sweet things, be sure to grab ice cream from VIOKO (in Barceloneta & El Born), or eyescream and friends. TO DRINK We enjoyed every single bar we visited. Barcelona is great for just wandering around and jumping into various small bars for cañas (small beers) - as long as you stay away from La Rambla, most places are well priced. Nevermind is a cool alternative bar with a skate bowl inside. Paradiso is also well worth a visit. On the outside it looks like a standard pastrami bar, where you can sit and order small plates of meat and kimchi. However, if you open the refrigerator door on the left, you’re taken into a dark, clandestine cocktail bar with a stunning interior and wild cocktails. Another great cocktail bar is L'Acensor. A 1920s-style elevator leads you into a very old school Catalan bar. It is a bit more expensive but definitely worth it for the atmosphere. We came across a pretty special spot on top of the Barcelo 360 Raval hotel. If you walk into the lobby straight to the elevators, you can take the last one up to their roof terrace for a drink. It offers 360 views of the city and is the perfect spot to watch the sun set behind the hills. It’s not cheap, but the views are breath-taking. Words & photos by Iain. If you'd like some more tips, or want to learn more about the suggestions made, send us a DM on Instagram!
Swimming In NYC's Rivers
Swimming in the city’s rivers is one thing that New Yorkers are skeptical about. When asked if they would do it, most of them jumped to say no way. Why? Because — and I quote the video below — of the bodies, it’s filled with sh*t, and sewage overflow. What they don’t know is that in the early 1900’s nearly two million locals would use the floating baths and that today, +POOL — a group of four friends — together with Heineken are close to bringing it back. They already have the way to clean the water, they’re just missing a new set of laws that permits bathing again. Conceived in 2010, +POOL started as a simple idea: instead of trying to clean the entire river, what if you started by just cleaning a small part of it? This also brought up a second question with a goal: what if you could change how New Yorkers see their rivers, just by giving them a chance to swim in them? And this is how +POOL — a floating plus-shaped pool in the inner harbour of the NYC waterfront, designed to filter the very river that it floats in through its walls — began. +POOL was the first capital project to launch through Kickstarter, raising over $40,000 in seven days. With the funds, they tested the first layer of filtration at Brooklyn Bridge Park in summer 2011. The research was used to approach city officials for the first time with the idea, which was incredibly well received. In 2013, a second Kickstarter campaign was launched, raising more than $300,000 and funding a scaled version of +POOL’s filtration system in the Hudson River that was tested for 6 months in summer 2014. Many were involved in this process, and together they proved that the +POOL technology is possible and that it can filter the water from the river without using chemicals. Today, 7 years on, +POOL continue its efforts to bring this dream to reality, and now they have found a big partner: Heineken. As part of the company’s cities project, they have said that they will donate $100,000 to the project if +POOL can get 100,000 signatures from New Yorkers who say they will swim in the pool once the pool is finished. Learn more, and sign the petition on their website at +POOL. Words & images courtesy of +POOL.
