If this isn’t your first time stumbling across The Urban Grocer, then you’ll know we’ve got it bad for wine labels. Anything from Oz-based Mash makes us swoon, not to mention the creative team of California’s Proof Wine Collective. But this week we’re going beyond labels to highlight some of the best bottles and drinkable concepts we’ve seen hit the liquid world.

For when you’re craving a bottle that defies even the toughest language barriers, look to Smirnoff’s Brazilian Caipiroska cocktails. These crafty bottles are wrapped in a perforated, peel-able label that mimics the fruit it’s flavored with (you can put your Portuguese guidebook down now…). Crack open a passion fruit, strip a lime, or cut into a strawberry and pop goes the bottle.

Wanting something as fruity, but less boozy? Japanese industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa seduces with his line of juice boxes that imitate the fruit’s nectar within from bananas and kiwis to strawberries and silken tofu – for soymilk, of course (eat your heart out, Gwyneth Paltrow).

And then, there is the UK where two national favorites – beer and Stilton – have come together as one. Aptly titled, The Blue Brew, this chestnut-colored beer marries the famously pungent, moldy blue-veined beauty with ale into one cheesy brew. Meanwhile, up in Scotland, the infamous Brew Dog shocked-and-awed the boozy world with beer bottled in – what else? – road kill. Yup, craft brew and taxidermy at its finest.

A little much? If you need to chill, then California-based Mary Jane’s Relaxing Soda has got you covered. As the name suggests, MJ’s is a bubbly, all-natural, mood-altering beverage intended to help focus a stressful life. Sweeeeet.

What are some of the coolest bottles you’ve seen?

Closed door restaurants have been on the rise in recent years and with their increasing popularity has come an increased legitimacy. More and more inspired, talented young cooks and professional chefs are opening up their homes to diners looking for a uniquely local eating experience. Brooklyn-based Elise Kornack epitomizes this trend. In this artfully filmed short, Elise shares her cooking history and the story of her own closed door space - Brooklyn Rooted.

Ah, Europe. Cities steeped in history, countryside’s ripe with rolling hills, vineyards, Cyprus trees, and olive groves. It’s the grand, Old World. But that certainly doesn’t mean that new and innovative products in art, music – and of course, food – aren’t bursting from the continent’s seams. From boutiques in Paris to studios in Germany, pastry shops in London to chocolatiers in Spain, Europe boasts a bounty of creative foodstuffs that inspire. Here are some of our favorites.

Edible forks and spoons. Like all good Parisians, Poilâne boulangerie and patisserie is passionate about bread. Among all their carbohydrate-filled dreams, Poilâne’s curry-flavored, edible cracker forks and spoons are a true standout, perfect for dipping into savory canapés. If it’s sweets you’re craving, make use of their shortbread fork for dunking into those tempting Parisian desserts.

Parmesan pencils. Speaking of edible utensils, these Parmesan pencils are just about one of the coolest food products this side of the pond. Truffles, pesto, and chili flavors constitute the “lead” in each of these Parmesan wonders, respectively, which can be easily shaved – via the handy sharpener – onto everything from pastas to risottos to salads.

Chocolate moustaches. From Spain’s famed Chocolate Factory come six different chocolate mustaches, in styles ranging from Hulk Hogan to Pancho Villa and in seven flavors like chocolate caramel or chocolate-covered strawberry. Perfect for awakening the Tom Selleck in your foodie friend.

Veggie cupcakes. Yes, we got the memo. Cupcakes are so yesterday. But that says nothing of cupcakes made entirely from vegetables. Out of London comes Petit Pois: tasty cakes made from pumpkin to zucchini to beetroot. So if you’re struggling to fulfill your 5-a-day quota, you may do well to look no further than these charming green-dotted beauties.

Curried chocolates. Le Carré des Chocolatiers hails – like so much of the world’s best chocolate – from Switzerland (yes, I said it). While that may lead you to overlook these chocolatiers as anything but innovative, consider their Summun Circus: caraway, black mustard, and fennel chocolate topped with crispy Pop Rocks. Or how about their Mediterraneao, which rocks herbs like thyme, lavender, oregano, and sage, among other heady aromas. Neutral, what?!

Wanna scoop up these inspired treats for yourself? Though you may have to travel, you can check out edible forks here, stock-up on Parmesan pencils here, get your (chocolate) Pancho Villa on here, gobble-up curried chocolates here, and shop for little pea cakes here. Et voilà!

ABSOLUT BLANK – a global creative movement, in which ABSOLUT appears as a catalyst for contemporary leading-edge creativity.

As I write this post from a very cold, very gray Switzerland, I am desperately longing for the warm summer sun. When the clouds roll in and the temperatures drop, who doesn’t want to ditch the gloves, hat, and coat to head south? So this week it’s all about making like snowbirds and escaping to a place in the sun from Brazil to Fiji, Malibu to Mexico.

Skye Bar, São Paulo: With 360-degree views of the stunning São Paulo skyline, wasabi martinis, and innovative dishes like fillet of sole steamed in Champagne, who wouldn’t want to be chilling on top of the ultra modern Skye Bar right about now? Take a dip in the pool or dance until dawn and you’ll forget your winter doldrums faster than you can say saúde!

Beachy Cream, Malibu: Surfers. Ice cream. Malibu. What spells sun more than that? Beachy Cream. This mobile cart cruises the beaches of Malibu serving up surfer-inspired ice cream sandwiches in flavors like Key Lime Cowabunga and Ginger Wipe Out. Surfs up, dude!

Viti Levu, Fiji: What an experience it would be to peruse a local market with a home cook and sit beside her as she prepares kokoda – a sort of Fijian ceviche. Palm trees swaying, coconuts breaking, the hot sun flooding in. It’s certainly not as hip as rooftop martinis but there is copious beauty in its simplicity.

Outstanding in the Field, Oahu, Hawaii: I’m having quite the love affair with this plop-a-table-in-an-amazing-space-and-serve-amazing-food roving pop-up. But the opportunity to dine at said table in the middle of an organic farm in Wai’anae, Oahu, with mountains and palm trees forming the backdrop is an experience ripe for the sun gods.

Condesa, DF, Mexico City: You’ll feel miles away from the frigid air sipping on private label tequila and mezcal at this hip boutique hotel in the heart of Mexico City’s stylish, tree-lined neighborhood of the same name. Sprawl out on white chaise lounges on the rooftop when the violet Jacarandas are in bloom for a truly Mexican, sun-filled affair. ¡Qué lindo!

Join the conversation on Facebook & Twitter to let us know what summer spot you’re craving!

Some New Year’s Resolutions are all about what not to eat. Not ours. We’re about what to eat in the year ahead and here we’ve laid out some of our top must-visit restaurant recommendations for you in 2012.

Let’s be clear: this list is by no means extensive. In addition to the below, there are heaps of amazing spots in South Africa worth exploring. Over the course of any year, London, Sydney, and Melbourne deliver countless extraordinarily creative, pushing-the-envelope spots. And in 2012, the Great White North and the amazing food Canada has to offer is a must (maybe that will wait until the summer though….).

But for now, here’s a list to get you started.

For the boundary-pushers:

Bo Innovation, Hong Kong for “the demon chef’s” modern take on old school cuisine in a Michelin-starred spot.

Uchiko, Austin where contemporary Japanese food in a Texas farmhouse is too bewildering – and rewarding – to miss.

Gaggan, Bangkok for the best and only Indian-cuisine-meets-molecular-gastronomy experience in the world.

For jaw-dropping interiors:

Clancy’s Fish Bar, Perth where a kaleidoscopic interior and stunning views of the sparkling Indian Ocean are served alongside boutique brews and the best pimped-up pub fare in town.

Alice in Magic World, Tokyo for a trippy Alice in Wonderland experience that only the Japanese could conceive.

Estancia Vik, Jose Ignacio, Uruguay because words cannot explain the experience of digging in to traditional barbecue in an unreal graffiti-covered space, nestled on acres of unforgettable Uruguayan countryside.

When posh is out and underground is in:

Vatos Tacos, Berlin for the best Mexican food truck tacos this side of the Eiffel Tower.

Umami, Los Angeles where their burgers are as inexplicably delicious as umami itself.

See? We told you, not extensive. Montreal-based Au Pied de Cochon’s Cabane à Sucre is absent, not to mention any of the standby classics like Sydney’s Tetsuya or Northern California’s French Laundry. And the list goes on! So tell us, what do you think is missing, or what are your must-visit spots in 2012?

Just over two years ago, The Urban Grocer went live. Since then, the team has grown and bold achievements have been reached as we’ve worked to cultivate a new space for young urban foodies and for all things trending in the world of food and food pop-culture, globally.

This website has been an exciting platform for experimentation. But there is more to The Urban Grocer. There exists a plethora of ideas, visions, and creativity; of a new food media company that will digitize and revolutionize the way we talk and think about food discoveries and culinary culture around the world.

Now it’s time to achieve our full vision and to launch the next generation of The Urban Grocer as a multimedia platform where cutting-edge trends meets food discovery; where mobile apps and city guides and community spaces abound. We have done amazing things on this site. We cannot wait to do more on the next one.

While we’re renovating, this site will take a slight sabbatical for the next 2-3 months. Each week we’ll be publishing a themed-article that links back to some of our favorite posts in years past. Stay involved in our growing community through Facebook and Twitter, which will remain active as usual. Become a follower, be our friend. We’ll also be asking you, our dear reader, for some feedback on what YOU want to see on The Urban Grocer as we create a bigger, badder brand.

The re-launching of The Urban Grocer promises to be an exciting time full of new revelations and grand ideas. We are thrilled to have you be a part of it and we’re grateful to have had your support, which has propelled us to this place today. Stay tuned for more. This was only the amuse bouche.

Happy New Year! And hello 2012, nice to meet you!

I know what you’re thinking – how is it possibly 2012?! How is 2011 already last year? We couldn’t agree more. It seems like just yesterday we were posting about all the trends that were to be forthcoming in food in 2011. We had some hits – bacon, farm-to-table, artisanal ice pops – and some misses too (no one really became obsessed with breakfast sandwiches, did they?). What will 2012 bring? Word on the street is all about hyper-local cuisine (think Noma), more (and more) butchery classes, and pop-ups that go global. Oh red velvet and cupcakes, how 2010 you seem….

But the New Year isn’t just about predicting trends or an excuse to drink copious amounts of champagne (guilty!). It’s also about – wait for it – New Year’s Resolutions!! Whether it’s eating healthier or just making it more exciting (say, adding more bacon + chocolate to your diet….), resolutions love the first week of January – and the first week of January only it seems….

For us at The Urban Grocer, the start of the year is special for another reason: around the new year two years ago, I launched this website with huge excitement and unidentified expectations. What has followed has literally changed the course of my life and as we begin 2012, the now blossoming team is set to launch a whole new host of fabulous changes and renovations. Come back next week for more on that….

For now, we’re still getting back into the swing of work and waking up on time, as I’m sure you are too. While we’re stretching, we want to know: Where did you celebrate the holidays and do you have any food-related resolutions?

Red and white striped candy canes. Holiday cookies. A roast, or maybe a Christmas barbeque. Champagne. Oysters, caviar. Whatever holiday eats grace your table from now through to the new year, one thing is unequivocal—this a time for cooking and baking, sharing and giving, and reflecting back on another year together with friends and family.

And the same is true for us at The Urban Grocer. Now is when we power down blackberry’s and iphones, laptops and tablets, and sit back to reflect on the year past and the year ahead. For us, 2011 was an incredible time full of amazing achievements. We brought on Michael and Darshan, 2 brilliant co-founders in addition to an incredibly talented Managing Editor, Paige. We aired a television show on the Cooking Channel, launched The Urban Grocer Supper Club events, and covered some pretty spectacular foodstuffs along the way. And 2012 promises to be even more fantastic as we look to rollout a new, jaw-dropping The Urban Grocer and formalize heaps of other exciting developments.

For now though, it’s time to say thanks for all of your support, following, and love. We are so looking forward to the year ahead and we cannot wait to share with you all that’s forthcoming. But ‘tis the season to close the laptop and head into the kitchen…See you next year.

We’ll be back online as of 2 January 2012. Happy Holidays!

Wine and food. A classic combination. Music and food? Well, while you may love to rev up your favorite beats while in your kitchen, it’s not often that we pair music and food and drinks thoughtfully, harmoniously – pun intended. But then came Drinkify and Turntable Kitchen, two websites that have both taken this marriage to a whole new, creative and wildly imaginative level.

So, we at The Urban Grocer went to both sites and did a little research. In the awesome infographic above (thanks to our co-founders at The House London), we did a non-scientific test to see which genres of music pair with what drinks most of the time. And then for good measure, we added in some food at the end because, well, that’s how we roll.

Thanks to Drinkify.org and Turntable Kitchen for the musical pairings and recipes. All data is theirs. All design is theirs. And all inspiration is yours.