Buonasera from Taipei!
Welcome back to the latest installment of what’s hot in brands and products.
I’m writing this between endless bites of xiaochi at a night market and after just having left a tiny Japanese-style bar, surrounded by the beautiful, neon chaos of Taipei.
I’ve been thinking about a piece by Andrew Samtoy where he deconstructs the ultimate travel cliché: the desire to "live like a local." He argues that when travelers say they want to avoid "tourist traps," they aren't actually looking for the reality of local life.
As he puts it:
“The thing is, nobody ever actually wants to ‘live like a local’ when they are traveling. Instead, they want to live like a romanticized, idealized version of a local… The wording and intent are always the same: the sender wants to avoid ‘touristy’ things and, instead, experience the destination as a long-term resident would.”
He’s right. We don't want the local's commute or their utility bills. We want Resident Simulation: the feeling of belonging without the administrative friction. We want the "hidden" park, the perfect light, and the quiet confidence that someone with excellent taste did the scouting for us.
That’s why I loved this tiny internet treasure: Places to Read. It’s a directory of parks and reading nooks recommended by locals (and travellers), curated by designer Mitul Shah.
I used it to find Central Culture Park (中央藝文公園). It is exactly that "romanticized local" moment: you sit down, the city noise turns into a hum, and Taipei does the talking.
Anyway—from parks to objects. Today’s five are "bench-friendly": useful, mood-improving, and physically beautiful.
If you’re new around here: Every week, I share 5 of the coolest products from Europe I’ve discovered in the past 7 days.
I scout, you explore. Let’s get to it!
With love 🌞
Jakob
P.S.: Missed the last edition? The NODI flip screen-less communicator for kids was the most-clicked product.
© Manopoulos
Suede Roll-Up Backgammon [🇬🇷]
Backgammon is part of my unofficial soundtrack of a Mediterranean summer—the rhythmic clack-clack of stones on wood echoing on the beach or in a seaside café. Manopoulos has been crafting these sets in Greece since 1970, evolving from a small family workshop. This suede roll-up version is the ultimate traveler’s flex: it’s tactile, sophisticated, and develops a patina that tells the story of every park bench it’s ever sat on.
© Octaevo
Apollo A5 Notebook [🇪🇸]
Since we’re leaning into the Resident Simulation — finding that perfect park bench and letting the city hum in the background—you’ll eventually need a place to capture the thoughts that follow. This linen-bound notebook from Octaevo features a screen-printed Apollo, the Greek god of the sun and poetry. It feels substantial in the hand and looks even better on a café table in Barcelona (or Taipei).
© Honest Toil
Unfiltered Extra Virgin Olive Oil [🇬🇧 | 🇬🇷]
The antidote to "cute branding with mid contents." Sourced from small family farms in Kyparissia by Honest Toil—unfiltered, unblended, and essentially "olive juice with standards."
© Sebastian Marbacher
Salt + Pepper Set [🇨🇭]
So minimal it almost disappears into the tabletop—which is precisely the point. This set by Sebastian Marbacher for Monocle is the kind of object that looks good on any table.
© Ursula Futura
Eye Vase [🇦🇹]
A vase that stares back. This piece from Ursula Futura is slightly surreal, slightly pop, and still elegant—like it belongs in a very calm home that happens to have one eccentric shelf. Hand-blown in Austria and impossible to ignore.
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