Working at the intersection of user experience, visual communication, creative leadership and systems thinking, Hiroki Asai blends his design talent and love for travel as Airbnb’s Chief Experience Officer. Evan and Josh recently visited San Francisco and participated in the full ecosystem of what the company is offering before sitting down with Asai to talk about skateboarding, modernism, local cuisine and travel adventures. They got a special look at how important and impactful end-to-end design is at Airbnb.

This episode is available in video at coolhunting.com/design-tangents

This Old Ledge: Skate History and Architecture in SF

https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/5915329

Hyperlocal, foraged fare by Clair

https://www.airbnb.com/services/6068057

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As a young chef Nobu began working in Peru and quickly embraced a lack of traditional Japanese ingredients as an opportunity to innovate using local flavors. This fusion of cuisine and culture birthed what later became known as “Nobu style.” Today there are more than 80 Nobu restaurants and hotels around the world. Some might call this an empire—to Nobu, it’s a family. Josh and Evan caught up with Chef Nobu recently in Maui during the opening weekend of Nobu Maui at the Grand Wailea Hotel. Together they talked about his travel routines, grounding philosophies, respect for place and generosity of heart.

Nobu Restaurants

Nobu Hotels

Nobu: A Memoir

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Wyna Liu is a puzzle editor who is responsible for creating the New York Times games’ “Connections” and also creates crossword puzzles there, for The New Yorker, and AV Club. When she’s not making her challenging, sharable and meme-worthy games she creates jewelry inspired by crystalline structures, often incorporating magnets pushed to the edge of their tension. Evan and Josh sat down with Wyna recently and learned about her love of puzzles and explore how they play into the wearable jewelry and sculptures she creates.

https://www.wynaliu.com

https://www.nytimes.com/games/connections

https://itp.nyu.edu/itp/

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