A place to chill

Just a five minute walk from my studio and a stone throw away from the heart of Dong Men, the realm of chaotic shopping for Shenzhen's hipsters and trend setters (read people under 25), there is a most unusual cafe.  This small space was the brainchild of Jia Jia, a young Chinese woman who was tired of working for a big corporation and decided to do something she could enjoy.  Jia Jia loves coffee, music and art.  She combined all three to make the best little cafe in South China, if not all of it.

Sure, there's coffee, teas, and various blended drinks (the citrus mint chiller was my idea), but what sets the place apart from Starbucks, Illy, and the like is that Jia Jia turned her space into a gallery where the art changes every week or two.  Thankfully, she supports local photographers as well as painters and sketch artists. Not satisfied with visual arts, she also manages to get local and international singers, musicians and bands to play sets in her tiny cafe a couple times a week.

Tonight was the opening of an exhibition by renown skate photographer Zhang Liang.  For some unknown reason, maybe it was the light, five photographers showed up for the opening, so there were plenty of photos being taken, all with Canon equipment thank you very much.  Here's a few for you to view.

Come for the coffee, stay for the art and music

Jia Jia, cafe owner

Zhang Liang, featured photographer

Jesse Warren, photographer

Leo Chan, photographer

Zhang provides some pointers

Some of Zhang's work

Dude with a hat

Jesse and Thrasher (right) another photographer