Meet Teacake - Part Two

This week I talk to Teacake co-founder, Graham Sykes, on his favourite things to do in his hometown of London. 

Best Place to watch live music..
Too many to choose - after four years I can say I haven't actually been to the same place twice. Favourites include Koko, Brixton Academy, Scala, Ronnie Scotts Jazz Bar, Madam Jojos… Also caught some great gigs at the Rough Trade East shop and there is fantastic live reggae, jazz and swing at The Effra in Brixton at the weekends.

Best place to eat a burger...
There is a big BBQ movement in London at the minute with people combining typically American dishes with micro-breweries. Meat Liquor in Soho is one of my favourites -  with Dukes Brew and Q in Haggerston being another! 

Best place for an after work beer...
The path of least resistance wins hands down. The North Pole in Islington is a fantastic real ale pub very close to work. The Mayflower at Rotherhithe has some great views from its terrace over looking the Thames. My local, local is The New Cross Inn in New Cross!

Best place to spend a lazy Sunday morning...
Breakfast at the London Particular and then a walk down Deptford High Street and into Greenwich before climbing the hill to the Royal Observatory and overlooking the city.

Best place to buy second hand books...
There are lots of book stalls and lots of flea markets but my favourite spot has always Cecil Court (WC2N) just by Leicester Square tube station. In the midst of the chaos of tourism and the bright lights of theatre town this little street has remained the same. You can find old theatre posters, programmes, cartography, books, prints and manuals across a vast range of subjects.

Best place to be inspired...
No singular place, London should be treated as one big inspiring place. There is always something going on and always something to take notice of. As Oscar WIld once said "A man who is tired of London, is tired of life". From the street to the tube to the park to the museums – all have their moments and all provide inspiration in some form. 

Best place to spend a night out with friends...
This would be no place in particular but always with Mike from Mike and Ollie (@mikeandollie) although the location is never fixed and can be different every time a good old fashioned get together with plenty of fantastic food, wine and rum is always a treat. We have had evenings together in train carriages, kitchens, gardens and court-yards…. so good in fact he is doing our wedding!

Best place to get a coffee...
HER (Haggerston Espresson Room). Its en-route, very strong and friendly! 

Best place to go for a bike ride...
Everywhere - big fan of city riding so just heading out with no particular ambition is the best option here. You can get anywhere in London in about 30 minutes by bike so we usually set off and see where we end up. Holland Park, Marble Arch, Hyde Park, Hampstead Heath and the Thames path are all good. I have also had a couple of jaunts to Epping Forest which is always nice.

Best place to get a fry up...
Regrettably this is the poncier end of the spectrum but The Breakfast Club's Full Monty is by far the best brunch offering I have found. They now have a few spots. I am usually found in either the Islington or Hoxton branch! 

Follow Graham on Twitter - @wwywork 

- Jennifer

What's your type?

We explored Manchester looking for interesting letters and typography and here's some of what we found.  To see more photographs follow us on Instagram.

Teacake Tours - Part Three

Last Friday, when exploring Lisbon with the guys from Toormix - we stumbled across the Design and Fashion Museum, MUDE and what an exceptional find it was...

A leader in 20th century design with several critics describing its collections as the best in Europe - MUDE includes work from over 230 designers representing trends from around the world. Works from design icons such as Eames, Starck, Panton and Tom Dixon decorate the breathtaking surroundings which are contained within the ruins of an old bank.

A must for any design lover visiting Lisbon.

Instagram

We're huge fans of Instagram at Teacake.  Whenever we visit a new city (or even just on the walk to the studio) our phones are always to hand.  With recent reports that users of the social media app have reached over 30 million (and growing more each day) we thought we would share our favourite posts from our account.  From Amsterdam to Edinburgh and Tuscany to sunny Salford, we look back at our photo diary over the last year.



Visit our Instagram here.

ESAD - Communicar X 2013 - Caldas Da Raihna Portugal

We would like to say a big thank you to the team at ESAD for inviting us to talk at this years Comunicar Design festival.

We presented a lively lecture this morning about having fun and being inspired. Taking everyone on a Teacake journey from the start to the present, we highlighted the little bits of magic form the last seven years that have made Teacake what it is today. There were moments of mischief, typo-treats and Monty Python to boot - we hope all enjoyed the session as much as we did...

Now for a type as image workshop back at the university before getting down to exploring the area!

Teacake Tours - Part Two

Last Friday afternoon, we took a break from the studio to visit Manchester's MOSI.  Typography on the planes within the Air and Space Museum and monograms on the trains in the Power Hall particularly caught our attention within the five huge galleries.

Take a look at what we were inspired by... we could have stayed there all day.

Hello Sunshine...

Yellow has the power to lift the soul like few other colours. Reminiscent of sunlight, warmth, our website and business stationary - it is the quickest way to add instant optimism to an otherwise dull day.

RobTeacake has handpicked a few of his favourite yellow items ready for Summer (if it ever comes!).

Achille Castiglioni Black and Yellow Watch
BUY

Perks & Mini Pam Dip Dip Bermuda Hat
BUY

YCM Canary Yellow T-Shirt
BUY

Orlebar Brown / Bulldog Shorts
BUY

Stone Island Garment-Dyed Glass Field Jacket
BUY

Nanamica Tote Bag
BUY

And just incase this sunshine does not last…

Whangee Cane Crook Folded Umbrella
BUY

Meet Teacake - Part One

Want to find out a little more about what Teacake co-founder and Director, Rob Wamsley likes to do when he's not in the studio? I spoke to him about his favourite places in Manchester...

Born in the Ribble Valley, Rob moved to Manchester in 2005 where he attended the Manchester School of Art. Eight years later he is still living in the city which he is proud to call home.



Best place to eat a burger…
It's sightly out of town but the Lowry Theatre in Salford Quays does a really good burger. I was there last week to see the Mary McCartney exhibition which was also brilliant.

Best place to be inspired…
In the summer I like to finish work a bit earlier and cycle to St John's Gardens which is hidden away just off Deansgate. I could sit there for hours with my a magazine, a notepad and a couple of cans of Red Stripe.



Best place to watch live music…
The Deaf Institute has always been a favourite venue of mine. I have also heard good things about Gorilla which is just around the corner from the studio but I haven't managed to catch anyone there yet.

Best place to buy second hand books…
Paramount Book Exchange near Shudehill bus station is a great little book shop full of hidden gems.



Best place for an after work beer…
Sandbar on Grosvenor Street. I have been going in there ever since I moved to Manchester. The pub is actually carved out of a Georgian terrace house with the stairs used as shelves behind the bar. It's got a really nice mix of academics and locals (no suits!) and serves local ale and really good chips.

Best place to spend a lazy Sunday morning…
I like to get up early and cycle to Castlefield Artisan Market . It's got a really good mix of stalls and it is on every Sunday over summer even when it's raining.



Best place for a night out with friends…
Start the night off in Gaslamp for a couple of beers then head to El Rincon for some tapas and then up the Northern Quarter to Terrace.

Best place to go for a bike ride…
I do most of my cycling in the Ribble Valley at the weekend but a nice ride is to Chorlton. In the summer I stop off at San Juan for some tapas and a beer.



Best place to get a fry up…
Cafe North in the Northern Quarter does a really good fry up. Perfect when you're hungover with a strawberry milkshake.

Best place to get a coffee…
Takk in the Northern Quarter. It does really good coffee and the atmosphere is really chilled. It's a great place to work from too when I want to get out of the Studio.



- Jennifer

What's on your butty this lunch time?

To celebrate British Sandwich Week we created a typographic sandwich full of facts together with our good pal, Nick Chaffe.

Teacake on Tumblr

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Teacake Tours - Part One

Based in Manchester, we're very lucky to have the glorious beaches of Lytham, bustling city of Liverpool, picturesque views of the Lake District and rolling countryside of the Ribble Valley only an hour away. Here are our top places to visit when in the North this month...



The Quarter, Liverpool
www.thequarteruk.com

Tucked away just off Hope Street, I stumbled upon The Quarter on a recent visit to Liverpool. Everything on their Italian style menu is fresh, locally sourced and reasonably priced. Sitting next to the restaurant is the Deli which sells fresh bread, local produce and cakes. I would recommend the pizza (which is better than most I have had in Italy) with the mixed salad washed down with a cold beer.



Seniors, Lytham
www.seniorsfishandchips.co.uk

Located on the main high street in Lytham, Seniors is easily one of the best fish and chip shops around. Whether you enjoy them on a walk at the seafront or within their restaurant you'll certainly want to return next time you're in the area. I recommend their signature dish, the John Dory and a can of Dandelion and Burdock.



Hudsons Ice Cream, Chatburn
2 Downham Road, Chatburn, Clitheroe, BB7 4AU

A must for any ice cream lover. This family run business make their ice cream on site using locally sourced ingredients in seasonal flavours. They also sell local produce including their famous homemade cooked ham. Teacake have been busy working with the family this year creating a new brand identity (above) with a website currently in design. Ice cream and graphic design… a match made in heaven.



Tweedies Bar, Grasmere
http://www.dalelodgehotel.co.uk/tweedies-bar

CAMRA award winning pub located in the Dalelodge Hotel in the heart of Grasmere. Serving a large selection of real local ales, it is the ideal place to unwind after a long day of exploring. I recommend the Beer Bat where you can handpick guest ales in three, one third glasses all for the price of one pint. Perfect if there is a group of you and you want to sample the whole selection!



Duke of York Inn, Grindleton
http://www.dukeofyorkgrindleton.com

One of my favourite places to eat in the North West - ideal for a special occasion or just a quick bite to eat at the bar. All food is produced using high quality, seasonal ingredients from the local area (the majority of herbs are even grown in the chefs garden!). So, if like me, you're fed up with overpriced, bland Sunday roasts in the city it is certainly worth the drive over where two courses are only £16.50 (and three only £19.00).

- Jennifer