About Lyla
Born and raised in Beijing, Lyla is an independent content curator based in Shanghai. Working with content creation, community experience, editorial design and exhibition curation under Iroha, her studio brand, she is currently completing her Master of Design Futures at RMIT, Melbourne. A dog person who lives with Hey, a cat, Lyla is also a coffee enthusiast, occasional illustrator, barista and podcaster and a passionate community builder engaged with Shelf, her personal endeavor to promote independent publications through community shops in Shanghai. 
https://www.theirohastudio.com
Current city: Shanghai
Other cities: BeijingTokyoMelbourne
Born and raised in Beijing, Lyla is an independent content curator based in Shanghai. Working with content creation, community experience, editorial design and exhibition curation under Iroha, her studio brand, she is currently completing her Master of Design Futures at RMIT, Melbourne. A dog person who lives with Hey, a cat, Lyla is also a coffee enthusiast, occasional illustrator, barista and podcaster and a passionate community builder engaged with Shelf, her personal endeavor to promote independent publications through community shops in Shanghai. 
 
Posted by Lyla Lee
A decent coffee stop for urban cyclists and people feel connected to the community. The variety of house blend speciality coffee is as good as the the line-up of the fancy bikes at the doorstep:-)
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Posted by Lyla Lee
Simply the best meet-up cafe in the hood, celebrating a gentler life through good coffee and good reads. GentleMaker also features concierge service and retail merchants for personal leather goods 
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My little Tokyo in Shanghai which is my go-to for cool vinyl DJ events. Designed and operated by UDS, a leading design firm from Japan, the cafe has very community-friendly space for all range of customers, a seasonal menu (Japanese family style curry rice and fried chicken are highly recommended!! ) and curated merchants and events. 
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Posted by Lyla Lee
I connected with Sarah, one the two co-founders behind AENTOS at her pop-up dinner. I was under the assumption that it is another independent wellness brand focusing on beauty and fragrance products when I paid my first visit to their shop. And I instantly fell for the artistic vibes. The shop is located at a very Shanghainese alley, pretty close to one of the creative campus and retail complex that I frequent. From natural essence-based scented oils, candles to grass/wood aroma, they have a thoughtful range of original products alongside their selection by other designers/artist friends. The shop is so well curated in line with their statement: a lifestyle brand that believes in the power of slowing down and self-care. It is a little hidden gem for those who look for a gentle pause to browse or eclectic wellness gift for their loved ones in downtown area. 
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The one of a kind pocket park in the middle of old town Shanghai built for and loved by the local community. An inspiring Utopian urban living in reality, I used to commute a lot both for pleasure and field research of my service design assignment. It's currently used by the local government as a PCR test spot. Wish it could reopen soon to public! 
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Quietly located in the residential area, a walk to Avec Toi - a French bakery in the hood and Text & Image has been my favorite morning walk course. The bookstore features a tasteful selection of publications in literature, design, photography art and more. Both the size of the space and the collection is less overwhelming. Good enough to encounter an inspiration or new addition to my shelf. 
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First flagship store by Short Sentence, a Shanghai-based contemporary fashion and lifestyle brand homed in an eclectic architecture redesigned on an old building along the most crowded shopping street downtown. Coming back for shopping always feels like a vacation: the seasonal landscape from the garden, the white space interior design, the friendly staffs and the cozy styles with design details, the happy energy around the colors...it has become my most visited fashion shop this two years, for style update, for community events curated by me:-) and for chilling with girlfriends, good vibes only:-) 
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A perfect blend of Aussie cafe style and Shanghai neighborhood culture: great coffee, good crowd and plenty of sunshine if you're lucky:-) The caffeinated vibe there has the speciality ingredients that I missed about independent coffee shops in town. Ben, the owner curate pop-up gallery program in-store where I also had a chance to exhibit my latest personal paintings earlier this year. 
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An immediate neighborly cafe and bar which is also one of favorite meet-up points in town for authentic French crepe, Sunday brunch and delightful drinks in the evening. Community and family-friendly menu, service and the uniquely chilling vibes here from the coffee stand to the shared table inside are just so addictive! 
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Accidentally walking into this coffee shop the other day as the space making looks quite interesting from across the street. The line-up of the magazines caught my eye instantly - UNION, they are the first coffee shop I spotted in town who carries this independent fashion x photography magazine, one of my favorite publications. That triggered my interest to try their coffee - apparently, we love cafes where we meet like-minded people to share a taste not only about coffee:-) The minimal and thoughtful interior design makes it a very cozy place to chill with good coffee and good reads. 
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Posted by Lyla Lee
Probably first Tibetan cafe and shop in the city, we sheltered here from extremely dry and hot weather the other day. The curated interior collection is charming. The design carries inherent colors and patterns from Tibet with a modern twist. We enjoyed the special blend from their signature menu and a lovely conversation with Tibetan barista. Welcome to Shanghai! 
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Posted by Lyla Lee
Fourth location of RAC, the best brunch brand in Shanghai featuring classic all day breakfast and crepe menu, exclusive dishes, extensive selection of natural wines, and an interesting space making on the rooftop. Chilling vibes only:-) 
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Posted by Lyla Lee
New Chinese bistro inspired by cyber punk and re-imagined by a young pair of modern food culture enthusiasts at downtown, Shanghai. Great for casual dinner and natural wines with folks
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Posted by Lyla Lee
Great selection of art and photography books from independent publishers worldwide and local artists. They also curate small exhibitions and collaborate artists with art book making and publishing. 
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First retail outlet of a bakery brand who has already been enjoying long time support from their community through bakery workshops and online delivery. Other then the premium ingredients and creative flavor making, the shop itself is quite neat in terms of the location down the historic alley and beautiful interior. Staffs are humble too. 
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A stylish combination of a local fashion brand's atelier, retail shop and coffee stand operated by a respected local coffee brand. The ground floor also hosts exhibition occasionally. Outdoor seating is quite comfy too. Another lovely place for daylight coffee in the hood. 
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The street view from the outdoor seat plus the fresh bakery make it a perfect spot for breakfasters to chill. I still recall the glorious sunshine last time there with my friend...such a good time!
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Posted by Lyla Lee
Surrounded by historic architectures and cultural institutes, it is a new retail concept aimed to be creative community hub for shopping and events. Personally, not a fan of the select shop but the coffee shop and the outdoor setting is a nice place to hang in the quieter end of the hood. 
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Posted by Lyla Lee
A recent favorite place for the authentic Tokyo-style ramen and side dishes featuring house-made noodles from Japan and original recipes. Taste superb! 
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What's better than a late night table like this to share with gals. Not only the dishes are exactly the comfort food like from mom's kitchen, the staffs also speak like your neighbors. So very homy and cozy. Will come back next time in Beijing:-) Highly recommend to those who look for real taste of Beijing house kitchen. 
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Posted by Lyla Lee
One of our favorite meet-up places in old town Beijing close to Ditan Park. Renovated on a garage by a design veteran, the place has its unique and soulful character. A thoughtful blend of old town style and contemporary design that produces a solid and edgy vibes, true to Beijing. Their seasonal coffee menu and house desserts never fails to amaze us. 
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A good surprise down the lane - used to hang out with childhood friends here a lot before the commercial development made the area touristy. So happy to spot this independent coffee during a brief stay in Beijing. Cozy space, and impressively diversified line-up of single origin coffee beans, quite neat! 
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ICI or 33 Coffee is what you will find yourself at this address. Backed by ICI, a cultural organization and a team of architects, it is a multi-functional space offering authentic speciality coffee drinks, pastries as well as event experiences, such as art exhibitions, talks and workshops. Located right in the middle of downtown Beijing, close to my childhood neighborhood, it has become one of my favorite meet-up points in town. I enjoy the cozy and welcoming atmosphere, a breathing space away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the minimal design details and their interesting space making of the exhibition design. 
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Posted by Lyla Lee
Staying with DDD, a renovated boutique hotel introduced me to the Nihonbashi area where there is full of beautiful contrast between historic and modern cultures. Really enjoy the convenience of the location. The room is electrically designed that is so warm and cozy. The in-house gallery and cafe are also worth checking! 
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Designed by Corbett Lyon, the residence house-turned private museum is quite an impressive establishment, where one could enjoy two types of contemporary art gallery walks: one is the public gallery and the other is a more eclectic visit to Lyon's house museum guided by Corbett or his wife Yueji the family members. The organ performance has been a preciously memoriable experience too! 
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More People in Tokyo 63

Masatoshi Amemiya aka MA is an artist, painter and graffiti-artist representing Tokyo. Born in Japan 1985 and has been painting and raising his middle finger ever since. He held his first solo exhibition "BORN IN JAPAN [F*** you, I won't do what you tell me]"24 Feb to 29 Feb 2012 in Tokyo. He likes Ai Wei Wei a little bit.
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Hiroshi Takizawa is a Tokyo based photographer who graduated from Mejiro University Faculty of Human Sciences Department of Psychological Counseling in 2006. Recently Hiroshi was awarded the Tokyo Frontline Photo Award 2012. "The reason why I take pictures is probably due to my desire to know about the root of everything. Of course, there is always more than one essence to things, and opinions differ depending on where you stand. However, there is only one truth. Perhaps, preparation and experience is required to accept this antinomy. It seems difficult to know the root of everything in this antinomy, but I will continue to compare the inside and outside in my works, based on the belief that everything is connected."
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Xiao Yue Shan is a poet, writer, editor, and translator. The collection, then telling be the antidote, won the Tupelo Press Berkshire Prize and is forthcoming in 2023. The chapbook, How Often I Have Chosen Love, won the Frontier Poetry Chapbook Prize and was published in 2019. She has received the New Millennium Award for Poetry and the Juxtaprose Poetry Prize, and has been shortlisted for the Aesthetica Creative Writing Award, the Artlyst Art to Poetry Award, and the Ambit Poetry Competition. Poems have appeared in The Poetry Review, Kenyon Review, Poetry Magazine, Asian American Writers’ Workshop, Poetry Northwest, and more. Prose works have appeared in Granta, 3:AM Magazine, Electric Literature, Cleveland Review of Books, The Shanghai Literary Review, and more. Poem-films have shown in festivals in London, Vienna, New York City, and Athens. Her work has been supported by the Canadian Council for the Arts, BC Arts Council, and Arts Council Tokyo. She runs the Beijing-based, bilingual literary journal Spittoon Literary Magazine, and edits Tokyo Poetry Journal and the Asymptote Journal blog. Her website is shellyshan.com
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British illustrator living in Japan
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Yosuke Yajima, has won a prize in 1_WALL, the photo competition in Japan. He later held several solo exhibitions and also participated in group exhibitions inland. As an office worker, he has been producing his works at a place where you can be close to changes in both structure of Japanese culture and common sense. His works can be seen in Tinyvices, the web site of the world-famous curator, Tim Barber, USA.
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