Design and style

It took me a while to really appreciate the design of Parasole's Uptown Cafeteria and Support Group. At first glance, it's a pretty lucid and simple gimmick—oh, right, cafeteria theme. Trays on the walls, lunch lady photos over the urinals, cute. But I keep returning to Cafeteria, and though the unpretentious and nicely priced happy hour food menu is one reason for that, the bright, appealing, smart design doesn't hurt. With a distinctive blue-and-orange palette, NYC-based Moschella + Roberts created a space that feels both comfy and classy. If you can stomach the two-figure cocktail prices—and if the jumpy Parasole doesn't shut Cafeteria down before the thaw—the Skybar is an excellent alternative to the crowded spray-tan meat market on the roof of Stella's.

As the Walker Art Center's Andrew Blauvelt pointed out when conducting a media tour of the Walker's recently-closed exhibit Graphic Design: Now in Production, 20 years ago most people didn't even know what a font was—now, font names become trending topics on Twitter. You may have dismissed Gary Hustwit's acclaimed 2007 Helvetica if you're not a font geek yourself; if so, you made a mistake. The film is one of the best documentaries I've ever seen, an articulate exploration of why design matters in everyday life. It's now available in multiple home video formats, including Netflix streaming; let your serifs down and enjoy it sometime soon.

Body modification and ink artists, entertainers, spectators, and those looking for tattoo inspiration converged at the Hyatt in Minneapolis over the January 13-15 weekend for the Minneapolis Tattoo Arts Convention. Many showed off elaborate body ink work during contests, testament both to the skill of the artists and the visions of the wearers. Local tattoo artists along with others from around the country inked eager clients in a very social workshop environment. In addition, workshops were held for artists to share their knowledge as well as for those curious to the trade to learn more about history, technique and maintenance of these permanent body adornments.

On the radar

1. By all accounts, Disney made a smart move when it enlisted director Julie Taymor to translate The Lion King to the stage. The stage musical has played to raves around the world; on Wednesday it opens at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis.