A coffeebar that repels wireless signals
22-7-2014
The owners of the Faraday Café in Vancouver hope to restore non-digital, social interaction between people by creating a place without any digital connection. They went a step further than just not offering WiFi; social artist Julien Thomas and Hughes Condon Marler Architects (HCMA) have designed the first coffee shop that repels wireless signals. In the Faraday Café, you get disconnected the moment you step into the coffee bar. The café derives its name from the Faraday Cage, the material shield that has been used to block all signals. The Faraday Café offers artisanal coffees and will be the home of several events such as ‘drinks and discussions’ and meditation sessions.
French label ‘home-made’
21-7-2014
The French government introduced a new law forcing ‘fait maison’ (home-made) where restaurants have to indicate whether they are only using home-made food. This means that they can use the mark of ‘fait maison’ when they are only using food which has not been processed or prepared before. The restaurants can be recognized by the logo of a frying pan with a little roof on top. The French government is using ‘fait maison’ to improve the state of their traditional restaurant scene.
Small hospitality gestures June
21-7-2014
Perfect service throughout the whole staff is the most hospitable gesture you can make to your guest. No grand gestures but simply a team like a well-oiled machine.
In this edition of “small hospitable gestures” we focus on gestures in hotels, where we separate gestures to the business guest and leisure guest. Download the full version here.
Free tap water at ID&T events
18-7-2014
Event organization ID&T offers free tap water to visitors of several of its festivals. The goal is to provide all ID&T events with free water on a short term. The festival ‘Welcome to the future’, 26 July, already has special water bars were visitors can fill up their water bags and cups. The video shows that ID&T wants free water for everyone, especially on their festivals.
Voldaan Amsterdam
18-7-2014
As an interior designer Matthijs Tukker worked for several hospitality entrepreneurs until November 2012. This was the point where he took the first steps to create a restaurant of his own. Through crowdfunding he was able to collect the necessary investment and ten months after the start, the restaurant opened. “Soup with balls” is the motto of the restaurant that is neatly called ‘Voldaan’ (translated: Satisfied). The products are mostly organic and vegetarian, special attention is paid to people with gluten and / or lactose intolerance and there are no refined sugars in the food.
The interior has a raw and warm look & feel. The open kitchen is the check-out counter at the same time and there are jars for sale with homemade dips, toppings, chutneys and compotes. The restaurant invites to stop over for a healthy bite and quickly and satisfied continue on the road again. See the location here.
The Beacon Food Forest
17-7-2014
We have mentioned the food oasis before, for the first time, a public food forest was created at seven overgrown acres ground in Beacon Hill, in the neighborhood of Seattle. A food forest is a vegetation of edible plants, fruiting shrubs and vines, planted as a self-sufficient forest. We think it is a nice initiative to involve the neighborhood by growing such a special natural food forest in Beacon Hill.
Hilton Rotterdam produces own honey
16-7-2014
Hilton hotel Rotterdam produces its own honey. We have seen it before at the Waldorf Astoria in NYC and Fortnums & Masons in Londen, but Hilton Rotterdam is the first hotel in Rotterdam and is the first Hilton in the Netherlands that keeps beehives on their roof. The hotel cooperates with the city’s beekeeper Balten Schalkwijk. As expected, their own honey will be placed on the breakfast buffet as from August on and it can be purchased in jars as well. Maybe we can do a suggestion? They could also place a honeycomb on the buffet!
Interactive wristbands
15-7-2014
Last year’s ‘South by Southwest festival’ introduced a wristband that measured audience interaction. By measuring motion, volume and temperature through sensors, the individual interaction was ranked and rewarded. At the ‘Lollapalooza’ festival, wristbands, that can be linked to credit or debit card information are offered to festivalgoers. These wrist bands allow people to pay for food and drinks without paying by cash or card.
The ‘vegetarische slager’ goes XL
15-7-2014
Since this month, three products from the meat substitute brand ‘de vegetarische slager’ are sold in the XL stores from the Dutch retail chain Albert Heijn. The products are sold in all 36 stores in The Netherlands and can be found next to other meat substitute products.
Boutique cocktail bar Admiraliteit Bar & Kitchen
15-7-2014
Admiraliteit Bar & Kitchen is a boutique cocktail bar, with a small kitchen, placed in Rotterdam (The Netherlands). Special in the Admiraliteit is the bar with over 200 exclusive drinks which are used to create original cocktails. Such as Rum from the Amazon, Japanese single malt, platinum tequila and American Moonshine. There is also a small menu based on the shared dining concept whereby small dishes, such as mini Wagyu burgers and foie gras French toast, can be shared.
