Kinfolk: Kinfolk is proof that one need not display the homemaking swagger of, say, Martha Stewart in order to be the kind of entertainer from whom friends covet an invitation. The quarterly pub, available in both digital and print formats, revels in the elegance of simple, intimate gatherings rather than fussy banquets only achievable by a catering company. Kinfolk is more than just a piece of reading material, however. It’s also a community of artists dedicated to promoting casual, yet still creative, assemblies of friends over a thoughtful meal. The Kinfolk dinner series is bringing artisan feasts to different cities, including Brooklyn, Austin and San Francisco, every month.

White Zinfandel: White Zinfandel is run by downtown NYC art and design luminaries, but carries none of the pretension oft associated with the city’s gallery scene. As cheeky as its name (taken from the unfairly stigmatized wine) suggests, the magazine devotes each issue to an eccentric topic unlikely to be found in a typical culinary rag. The first issue was a paean to Food, the performance art-slash-restaurant opened by Carol Goodden and artist Gordon Matta-Clark in SoHo during the early 1970s. The second issue, last month’s “TV Dinners,” was an ode to the retro convenience meal, minus the tinfoil trays. On deck for March is an exploration of the concept of food fights.

On Plate, Still Hungry: Details on forthcoming online magazine On Plate, Still Hungry remain scant—we do know that it will cover food, drink and travel from the perspective of various creative types outside of the culinary arts—but founder Kat Popiel has been busy seeding the brand in the real world in the months leading up to the launch. Her Something I Ate event series, a collaboration with Skimkim Foods’ Sam Kim, invites artists to create works documenting their diets over the course of seven days. Each work is anchored by a key ingredient or theme, which Kim then uses to design an eclectic, yet toothsome, menu of dishes served at the exhibition.

Place Pulse: A sort-of Fashism for urban planners, this “hot-or-not”-style site seeks to uncover and analyze the spatial and architectural characteristics of a city that immediately affect visitors’ impressions of it. Developed at the MIT Media Lab by the Macro Connections Group, its function is simple: snapshots of two distinct city scenes are displayed, and a user clicks to cast his or her vote on which place looks safer, more unique, or more upper-class. The mass crowdsourced survey has received more than 560,000 votes, and the resulting data has been aggregated and organized to provide a visual starting point for city planning and urban renewal projects.

Insert Here: Encouraging urbanites to imagine new green spaces in unexpected places, artist Eve Mosher installed arrows throughout NYC on which residents could scribble ideas for improving a chosen location. Mosher worked in collaboration with the global climate change resolution organization 350 to create the giant arrows and plaster them to building facades, fences, and telephone poles. Green-themed organizations made a point to fill in the blanks to promote their causes of choice; green spaces, rooftop and vegetable gardens, and bike lanes all made a showing. The project also featured an outdoor projection wall that showcased creative solutions suggested by pensive pedestrians via text messages.

BMW Guggenheim Lab: In what may be the first-ever pop-up global think tank, this traveling laboratory will visit nine cities over six years in an effort to ignite conversations about improving contemporary urban life. Led by experts in architecture, design, technology, and sustainability, the Lab hosts public forums to encourage ordinary residents to collaborate on solutions to local problems. The Lab will operate in three two-year cycles, each with its own theme and portable structure. Cycle one, called Confronting Comfort, is an exploration of the meaning of comfort and safety in city spaces. Having just closed up its first structure in NYC, the Lab is now migrating to Berlin.

Downtown from Behind: The streets of lower Manhattan are teeming with beautiful people whose preferred way to get around the city isn’t in a cab, but rather on a bike. Downtown from Behind founder Bridget Fleming, an Australian-born photographer, stealthily snaps New York City’s cycling fashionistas, designers, artists, and musicians by shooting them from behind. These “non-portrait portraits,” as Fleming calls them, cleverly turn the concept of urban transit on its head by capturing these freewheeling creatives in seemingly quiet commuter moments. Moreover, DFB offers a wide-angle view of the most picturesque downtown neighborhoods, conveniently catalogued by street. A DFB book is scheduled for release from Abrams Books this March.

Rapha’s Survey: Well-known as the pinnacle of cycling fashion, Rapha makes clothes for commuters and racers alike. Now, the brand’s street style blog, Survey, tracks fashion trends among the cyclists of Tokyo, London, New York City, Los Angeles, and Melbourne. Produced with the help of Gage+DeSoto, a Red Hook, Brooklyn-based design firm, the blog’s five photographers offer a global, and consistently democratic, view of cycling fashion. Of course, though Survey’s intent is to document riding style, the blog’s creators can’t help but give the bikes equal billing. Most of the accidental models keep it T-shirt-and-shorts casual, but many of their rides are bespoke.

Bike Fancy: Time Out Chicago photo editor Martha Williams began commuting by bicycle about eight years ago. Noticing a trend among her fellow cyclists, Williams started taking pictures of stylish women who ride bikes year-round, especially those who brave the harsh Chicago winters. Her resulting blog, Bike Fancy, chronicles “people looking good on bikes.” Spotlighting oft-under-recognized women cyclists, Bike Fancy hopes to elevate the female presence in the bike scene. The blog aspires to convert potential riders with both cute outfits and thoughtful interviews about the role of biking in the cyclists’ lives and how they can help improve Chicago’s biking infrastructure.

19 Charles Street: This NYC-based delivery service is designed for local gourmands who love to cook but are too busy to shop for groceries. Ingredients from vendors such as Murray’s Cheese, Raffetto’s and Ronnybrook Farm Dairy are delivered weekly, after which subscribers use them to craft simple (under one hour) recipes developed specifically for them. One of their more popular items this season is their house brand iced coffee concentrate. Sold in liter bottles for just $15, the elixir is cold-brewed New Orleans-style with chicory. After being diluted with water, milk or cream, each bottle yields approximately 10 cups of coffee. Now, from where can we order some beignets to go with it?

Chameleon Cold Brew: Chameleon co-founders Chris Campbell and Steve Williams met at a neighborhood 4^th of July fête in Austin, where the company is based. The low key nature of their serendipitous meeting remains core to the brand, as the duo has remained steadfastly committed to its Texas roots even as their product goes national. The key to the Chameleon formula is its 24-hour cold-brewing period, which ensures a less acidic flavor than most coffees. Though it can be consumed straight up in a shot for an extreme jolt or mixed into a traditional iced coffee, some of the brand’s favorite blends—including one that involves Nutella—sound unusually ambrosial.

Kickstand: Last spring, at least one food vendor on wheels suggested that food bikes may be the new food trucks. Though handlebar-outfitted eateries have yet to gain mass appeal, bike-based coffee cart Kickstand’s new cold-brew concentrate may be redefining its business model. The Brooklyn-based outfit brews weekly using single-origin beans sourced from Café Grumpy’s Greenpoint location. Packaged into 16-ounce $11 bottles, the concentrate is available for delivery on Sundays and Mondays to six different Brooklyn neighborhoods as well as lower Manhattan. Of course, with Grady’s, another Brooklyn-based purveyor of artisanal cold-brew concentrate, having just launched last month, a java turf war soon may be afoot.

Berlin Currywurst: This husband-and-wife-owned enterprise opened in LA in February to such a strong showing that a second location is rumored to be in the works—and a competitor has already emerged. The snack-stand-inspired space boasts a minimalist design and a simple mix-and-match menu: customers choose one of eight sausage varieties, and can opt to flavor their curry sauce with additional spices, including chipotle, garlic, and ginger-orange. Brave curry-lovers also have the option to amp up the heat, choosing levels of intensity that range from 1 (Berlin Calling) to 4 (Break the Wall). Levels 3 and 4 are deemed dangerously spicy, so eat at your own risk.

Currywurst Bros.: This much-anticipated Bleecker Street storefront opened its doors in May to instant crowds and fast acclaim. Though not the first currywurst shop to open in NYC—Wechsler’s launched in 2009 and brought forth a similar flurry of Germanic enthusiasm—fans of Currywurst Bros. are particularly excited about the shop’s selection of curry powders. The powders, which are sprinkled on top of the bratwurst and curry sauce, vary in heat from “exotic & fresh” to “fiery but not danger” to “extremely hot…endure the fire.” As at LA’s Berlin Currywurst, personalization is a draw for diners who wish to customize their preferred ‘wurst with just the right amount of spice.

Herman ze German: A multicultural street food movement is booming in London, and the UK already has more than its share of Anglo-fusion cuisine. Still, the city isn’t above letting a good thing be. West London storefront Herman ze German serves up traditional currywurst for Germanophiles and drunk pub crawlers alike. Reviews across the web tout the 4-pound-50-pence special as “classic,” “authentic,” and “the best ‘wurst in town” (a sentiment that Herman echoes in its official slogan). All told, fans seem to like this German specialty shop as much as its owners must like Herman Rarebell, the former Scorpions drummer for whom the shop was presumably named.

Airport Park: Travelers flying out of Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport can now enjoy more than just Rijksmuseum’s annex. Opened last month, Airport Park employs “mixed reality technology” to transport visitors to their favorite natural spots, combining an 130-year-old tree and wooden picnic benches with projections of butterflies, images of world-famous parks, and a soundtrack of chirping birds and playing children. The terrace also features the Park Café, with fair trade coffee and organic hamburgers, and kiosks for last-minute souvenir shopping. As for the bikes stationed throughout the park, they’re actually sustainable chargers that, after a bit of pedaling, will power up cell phones.

Adam et Rope Biotop: Tokyo clothing brand Adam et Rope is known for its $100 T-shirts, but that could change with the recent transformation of its Shirokanedai store. The space clearly reflects its new name—Biotop, the scientific term for an area where things live—with a bona fide ecosystem for shoppers. There’s a treehouse in the courtyard, a rustic lodge-like café, and Botanical Fuga, a plant store-within-a-store. As an added bonus, one percent of all sales are donated to More Trees, a Japanese organization supporting global reforestation. It’s a fitting addition to a neighborhood that was once the spot for feudal-era estates and now boasts tranquil, green streets.

Rainbow City: The opening of the second phase of NYC’s High Line brings an art-and-commerce element to the urban oasis. With support from AOL, Miami design collective FriendsWithYou installed this constellation of blow-up sculptures occupying 16,000 square feet of the elevated park. In addition to the brightly colored art playground, Boxer hawks items like T-shirts and stickers in a diminutive pop-up shop. The exhibition runs through July 5, after which visitors can find ways to spend their money under the park, where Tom Colicchio is overseeing The Lot on Tap, a beer garden and a rotating collection of food trucks, including Red Hook Lobster Pound and Coolhaus.

The Melt: After Flip cam creator Jonathan Kaplan’s invention was axed by Cisco, he opted to change career paths, veering into the food industry by founding a nationwide chain of quick service grilled cheese sandwich restaurants. While the transition from tech executive to dining entrepreneur may seem like a dubious professional move, the business model for the soon-to-launch Melt franchise will rely heavily on new media. After ordering online or from their phones, patrons will be sent a QR barcode to be scanned upon arriving at The Melt. Back-end software and state-of-the art appliances from Electrolux ensure that a gooey, yet crisp, sandwich is ready within one minute of checking in.

Morris Grilled Cheese: It’s not the first mobile grilled cheese vendor to hit the streets of NYC in recent months, but there’s little doubt that Morris Grilled Cheese possesses the most impressive pedigree of the bunch. Owner Michael Jacober credits stints at Franny’s, Per Se, Annisa, and Insieme with sparking his interest in seasonally-driven cuisine. His menu sources the freshest ingredients from local farmer’s markets—ramps recently appeared at its New Amsterdam Market stall—as well as the city’s most celebrated bakeries (Grandaisy, Balthazar, Orwasher’s) and cheese-mongers (Saxelby, Murray’s). Though rumored reports of the truck’s debut are circulating, stay tuned to Twitter for official word.

The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen: Counting a three-time Grilled Cheese Invitational champion as a co-owner, San Francisco’s American Grilled Cheese Kitchen might have been burdened by abnormally high expectations. Fortunately, since opening its doors last year, it’s been fulfilling the reputation that precedes it. (Gaga even made time to dine there while on tour.) Open for breakfast as well as lunch, the Kitchen offers a number of savory morning variations sure to be more effective for hangovers than the typical egg-and-cheese. And for regulars who’ve exhausted the signature Mousetrap sandwich, there remain numerous secret menu variations to be devoured—but, just like at In-N-Out, one has to know the passwords.

Envelope: New York City is no stranger to apartments-cum-performance spaces—along the JMZ subway line alone you have Death By Audio, Silent Barn, Dead Herring, Market Hotel and the recently opened Pyramids, among others—but Envelope is its most upscale. Think shabby chic instead of just plain shabby, locavore fare from purveyors like Brooklyn Brewery and Catania Bakery, and set ticket prices rather than a pay-as-you-wish sliding scale. It’s a far cry from its Bushwick brethren, which might have something to do with the fact that it doubles as home to musicians Chris Garneau and Caralee McElroy. Before you set out for one of Envelope’s monthly shows, however, you’ll need to secure a ticket online—the address is only given out to those who’ve clicked “buy.”

Glenn Danzig’s House: Given its name, it’s not a stretch to assume that you’ll be hearing the Misfits between sets at this former police precinct-turned-apartment-turned-music venue. But is actually the home of music blogger/all-ages show promoter Ben Todd, and its living room has become Ground Zero for the burgeoning Nashville indie rock scene, with frequent appearances by bands like Heavy Cream, Pujol, Useless Eaters and Natural Child, many of whom live close by. But just because there’s a note on the refrigerator asking people not to raid it doesn’t mean that Glenn Danzig’s House can maintain its low profile. A recent show saw members of The Dead Weather mingling with the moshing audience.

Bruise Cruise: Might cruise wear soon be defined by vintage tees rather than white dinner jackets? This February, 400 hipsters will board a ship for a four-day vacation that marries the tropics with lo-fi indie rock. Departing from Miami, the all-inclusive Bruise Cruise to the Bahamas will feature nightly shows and dance parties. Landlubbers who aren’t able to board will be able to purchase commemorative 7” vinyl releases and attend the bon voyage concert. Of course, they’ll wish they had a cabin onboard once they get wind of the lineup, since many of the bands are hot DIY venue regulars, including Vivian Girls, Surfer Blood, Turbo Fruits and Ty Segall. So, everyone should feel right at home even while out on the high seas.

Bookmarc: Bleecker Street residents are less than thrilled with the “Marcification” of their once quaint neighborhood, but that hasn’t stopped Marc Jacobs from building a retail empire in Manhattan’s West Village. Residing in the Biography Book Shop’s former home, the Bookmarc bookstore is the latest addition to Jacobs’ realm. Whereas wandering tourists (after waiting in line at the nearby Magnolia Bakery) may be disappointed to learn that The Power is not in stock, coffee table book collectors likely will enjoy poring over the expansive selection of large format art and photography tomes. The shop is also the launch pad for a new MJ line of school supplies, including branded Sharpies, pencil tins, colored pencil sets, erasers, and notebooks. We wouldn’t be surprised to see Bookmarc shops taking root on college campuses within the next few years.

OHWOW Book Club: Though reading rooms have historically attracted the AARP set, this downtown den, ironically located a few blocks away from its Christian Science equivalent, is introducing the concept to consumers more accustomed to the international party scene of Art Basel Miami. The retail space of street wear impresario Aaron Bondaroff’s (aNYthing) OHWOW publishing company, the OHWOW Book Club discreetly lives in the basement level of a historic Greenwich Village brownstone. But the location is the only subtle detail of the shop, which carries a tightly edited collection of art and design books and zines. The space, designed by interior architect Rafael de Cárdenas, is a stark ode to the radical Memphis design movement of the early ’80s, complete with graphic black-and-white tiled floors and metallic geometric shapes on the sea foam green walls.

Eataly x Rizzoli Book Boutique: Inspired by a similar mega-market in Turin, Italy, Mario Batali’s recently opened Eataly is a paean to Italian cuisine – the real thing, not the all-you-can-eat breadsticks masquerading as such in mall parking lots. We’re already rapidly on our way to becoming regulars. (It’s around the corner from our NYC office.) While the emporium’s artisanal pasta, pizza, cheese, and bread are obvious draws come lunch hour, the marketplace offers more than its delectable slow food movement-inspired dishes. Indeed, Eataly’s in-house Rizzoli-operated book boutique, stocked exclusively with books about food, wine and travel, is as vital a stop as the risotto counter. There shoppers can pick up cookbooks that will guide and inspire their home kitchen exploits, perhaps after bringing home a vegetable butcher-prepped batch of artichokes.