Interview LisbonInsideOut: Anna Sarcletti, creator of the Salt & Wonder magazine
What is LisbonInsideOut?
LisbonInsideOut is a new interview series that I’ve created to learn why foreign people (who live or have lived in Lisbon) chose this city, and what they love about it.
This week I’m introducing you to Anna Sarcletti, an Austrian designer and creator of the inspiring magazine Salt & Wonder. After a visit to Brazil in 2013, Anna became fascinated by the Portuguese culture and decided to move temporarily to Lisbon to experience life near the ocean. Now back in Austria, she told me some of her favorite things about her time in Lisbon.
Who is Anna Sarcletti?
I never thought I would meet Anna in person, but thanks to the Salt & Wonder launching event at A Sociedade, I had the opportunity to greet her and shortly discuss my Lisbon Inside Out project. She was leaving in two days, so there wasn’t much time left for a coffee meeting. I wrote down her email and sent her the questions over the week.
I was curious to know what inspired her to create a magazine about Lisbon’s food startup culture and to learn why, above all places, she chose to start here.
The magazine is a beautiful compilation of pictures and stories of some of the most recent food/drink-related projects in the city. These include the Duke Brewpub, the Copenhagen Coffee Lab, Miss Can, and many others. Anna is the main figure behind Salt & Wonder, but there were many more creative minds involved in making it what it is. I dare say, it is one of my favorite independent magazines at the moment and I can’t wait to read the next editions 🙂
What made you move to Lisbon?
How long were you here?
Around six months, I regret that I didn’t extend my stay last summer.
What do you do/what is your profession?
I’ve been working as a graphic designer and photographer from a young age. At the moment, I am working full-time in an agency, but planning to start my own design studio.
What was your favorite place in the city and why?
That’s easy. My favorite spot was on the other side of the river in Cacilhas. I passed these two cute restaurants next to the river, and I always sat down on this small green spot and looked at Ponte 25 de Abril. It felt like a secret spot. The light was always magic.
If you could take something from Lisbon home, what would it be?
What inspired you to create the Salt & Wonder magazine?
I believe that this vibe I experienced in Rio de Janeiro was the inspiration for discovering the startup culture. This feeling that “not everything is perfect,” but people still have the drive to change. As an Anthropology student, I love how history and culture interact. Food shows a part of how everything is connected and makes the cultures individual.
Why did you choose Lisbon to start with and what do you plan to do next?
Any other interesting facts worth mentioning?
Sometimes in Vienna, I dress like a Portuguese and pretend that I am still there.
Where can you follow Anna’s adventures?
You can check Anna’s most recent work on her Behance account here. While you’re there, make sure to take a peek at the design of Salt & Wonder. To know more about the magazine, you can visit the official website or start following it on Facebook and Instagram.
Oh and if you want to get your hands on the actual magazine, you can buy it at the under the cover shop near Gulbenkian, I promise you it will be worth it!