Phototherapy at Bagels and Beans
6-12-2013
It’s winter again. Fatigue, decreased energy and concentration problems are signs of a winter depression. On average about 600,000 people in the Netherlands suffer from winter depression. To give more relief, Bagels and Beans offers fifteen minutes of ‘sun’. Bagels & Beans has decided to introduce the phototherapy glasses again in collaboration with phototherapy specialist Goodlite. Guests can use the glasses for fifteen minutes and it will give them a better mood and more energy.
McDonald’s Italy introduces its new local burger
6-12-2013
McDonald’s Italy has introduced its new local burger ‘Gran Piemontese’. The burger comes from the Piedmont region and is made of 100% meat of the famous Italian Piedmonts cow breed. The ‘Gran Piemontese’ will be available in nearly 500 locations of McDonalds in Italy. Earlier we spotted the app ‘TrackMyMacca‘ in Australia, where the guest can see where the ingredients originate from and what happens before they are served.
Healthy pizza with seaweed
6-12-2013
Company ‘Eat Healthy’ has introduced a healthy variation of the pizza. This frozen pizza is now available in England and Wales. This pizza is low in fat and sodium with a lot of vitamin and mineral rich ingredients. The pizza has toppings like mozzarella, cheddar cheese, cherry tomatoes, red pepper and garlic powder. To make the pizza healthier the company added a secret ingredient: seaweed. The seaweed is the healthy alternative to salt. According to the company you don’t taste the seaweed because the flavors of the other toppings will dominate. An average frozen pizza contains 300 calories and 13 grams of fat, the pizza of ‘Eat Healthy’ contains 172 calories and 5.3 grams of fat.
Christmas gestures Artbazaar
5-12-2013
Culinary creations made by Monique van der Meijden of ArtBazaar. In her atelier she creates rocks and trays out of oysters and scallops shells. Restaurant “de Compagnon” in Amsterdam displays her largest rock. Need more inspiration for Christmas? Download our booklet ‘Christmas gestures‘ with more easily usable Christmas gestures.
Cookbook restaurant Bord’Eau available via an app
5-12-2013
Years ago Ferran Adrià was one of the first chefs who released a cookbook with background stories about cooking at elBulli with pictures of the dishes. The recipes were included on a CD. These types of cookbooks we have seen more often in recent years. Nowadays we see more and more chefs releasing an app with dishes and background stories instead of a cookbook. Recently Richard van Oostbrugge, chef cook of the two Michelin starred restaurant Bord’Eau launched an app. Through the app you can see 14 digitally recorded preparations of his favorite creations. Besides the ingredients and the preparation, the lay-out of the plates is filmed from above which gives an inspiring look into the kitchen of the restaurant. The app is available for iPads with an iOS6 or higher.
Paulaner Brauhaus and Restaurant opened in NYC
5-12-2013
Paulaner International has opened its first micro brewery ‘Paulaner Brauhaus & Restaurant’ in New York City. This is the first Paulaner Brauwhaus that opened in America, perhaps more will follow in the future. At the ‘Paulaner Brauhaus & Restaurant’ six of their special beers are brewed according to the original German ‘Beer Putiry Law’ established in 1516. On tap they will have the beers München Lager and München Dars, Hefeweizen (wheat beer) and two seasonal beers. The Brauhaus & Restaurant have got some bites like the famous German pretzels, sauerkrauts and different types of sausages.
Top 10 Spa hotels
5-12-2013
‘A luxury travel blog’ compiled a top 10 Spa hotels all over the world at exotic locations. We visited the wonderful Spa hotel ‘Pankor Laut Resort‘. The ‘Pankor Laut Resort’ is a privately owned island located three miles off the West Coast of Malaysia in natural surroundings. The combination of luxury, the beautiful nature and the ancient wilderness create an environment where peace and magically memorable moments come together. Watch other beautiful examples of the top 10 Spa hotels at ‘A luxury travel blog.’
Cave hotel restaurant Grota Palazzese
4-12-2013
The Grotta Palazzese in Polignano a Mare in the Italian region of Puglia is a unique cave hotel with a restaurant. The hotel has 25 rooms and is partly carved out of the limestone rocks. From some rooms you have a brilliant view of the Adriatic sea and the restaurant has a half open cave ceiling. The restaurant opens from May to October.
The Yeatman wine themed hotel
4-12-2013
The Yeatman is a luxe hotel in the heart of the wine cellar district of Porto with view on the city and the Douro river. The 5-star hotel is specialized in wine and gastronomy. All rooms have a Portugese ‘wine partner’ that hosts the room decorations, from pictures of the vineyard to branded artifacts. The wine partners hold weekly wine dinners at the hotel with meals that are cooked by Michelin star chef Ricardo Costa*.
Taylor’s Port sponsors the Master Suite 008, one of the most luxurious suites in the hotel. The bed in this suite is placed in a gigantic 28.000 liter wine barrel. According to the legend, the barrel is over a hundred years old. Check here the photos of this phenomenal hotel.
Nightswap exchange nights
3-12-2013
Through the Nightswap website people can lend out their house or room and get a night in someone else’s house in return without any financial transaction taken place. It’s possible to collect nights and spend them all in once, home swap at the same moment or to buy extra nights. The website offers insurances as well and is an alternative for peer-to-peer websites like Couchsurfing.org and Airbnb.com with a slightly different business model.
Game cafe in New York
3-12-2013
A crowdfunding game café initiative in Manhattan was funded by 188 people this October. For $8.700,- the game café ‘The Uncommons’ was created in the Big Apple. In the café-toy shop- coffee house guests can play a wide range of board games for $5,- a day. The shop sells a range of (warm) alcohol free drinks, pastries and sandwiches. A six months membership ($150,-) will provide you with privileges like a 10% discount for all in-store items, possibility to reserve a table and includes the rental fee.
Deposit on company outfits
3-12-2013
It’s hardly avoidable to prevent company outfits in the hospitality industry from being stained, burned or teared. Although it isn’t representative to keep wearing them, it’s a waste to throw them away. Next to that, the clothing sizes of personnel often differ and clothing that’s to wide of tight isn’t representative either. Horecahemden.nl thinks it has the solution for company clothing with a deposit for the shirts. For used items the entrepreneur gets € 10,- off, even if the blouses are stained or teared.
Christmas gestures
2-12-2013
Recently the Dutch paper ‘NRC Handelsblad’ published an article about what makes people happy. The writer, psychologist Sonja Lyumbomirsky gives as point number 1 that money can make happy sometimes, but focus on buying experiences (vacations, food and courses) rather than things. Things will get old quicker and are easier to compare to things of others or newer versions that come out later, this leads to more disappointments. This gives precisely the importance of hospitality, a good experience in a restaurant, bar or hotel contributes to the happiness of guests. As restaurant owner, you and your team contribute to creating a memory, especially with the holidays! The season makes it simples to create lasting experiences because your guests will already be in a merry mood and this can only be strengthened by dishes, decorations and hospitable gestures. This booklet will contain more photos than you are used to, but the images speak for themselves. Beautiful, simple examples of easily usable Christmas gestures. Download ‘Christmas gestures’ here.
Hotel offers Bike Butler service
2-12-2013
The Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel in Vancouver offers their members of the Fairmont Presindent’s Bluc an exclusive Bike Butler service. With this service, hotel guests can explore the environment in an ecofriendly way. The hotel rents out 20 bikes, for free, and the bike concierge Marc Henley prepares the bikes and fixes accessories such as helmets, locks, water bottles and maps. Marc Henley has 20 years experience of cycling in Canada and can provide the best cycling routes and tips.
Christmas tree illuminated by sprouts
2-12-2013
Sprouts aren’t exactly beloved vegetables amongst children. The London Southbank Center shows the hidden powers of sprouts, making the vegetables became a lot more attractive. The battery system of five power cells with each 200 sprouts creates a chemical reaction by using the natural electrolytes from the sprouts to power lights in a Christmas tree. The initiators expect that the 1000 sprouts will lighten the tree for a month, after which they are replaced to keep the tree illuminated throughout the holiday season. Other types of fruits and vegetables can also be used in the battery system. The vegetable-powered battery was created by scientists from The Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair.
The Bakery Cafe in Groningen
2-12-2013
Bakery Borgesius will open its new concept ‘the Bakery Cafe’ in Groningen the Netherlands on Sunday, December 7th. At ‘the Bakery Cafe’ visitors can consume bread that they have cut themselves at the bread table. When they order sandwich filling they can take unlimited use of the bread. The bread is fresh and mostly organic. Consumers can also drink a cup of coffee, tea, beer and more drinks. The interior of the cafe is made from natural materials and has a natural and quiet appearance.
Found Food Restaurant
29-11-2013
Four students of the University of Amsterdam are organizing a dinner at restaurant Baut Amsterdam on Wednesday December 4 to raise money for student scholarships in South Africa. Organizers Ismael Fofana, Tania Wells, Sarah Aly and Saro Campisano have convinced restaurant Baut chef Michel van der Eerde, Baaf Vonk (Varkensroosteren.nl) and a mystery chef to cook. Visitors can donate € 25,- via the website to reserve a seat at a communal table at Restaurant Baut. 100% of the money raised will go to student scholarships in South Africa. The collaboration sprouted during the Socionext classes, a course that’s part of university curricula in South Africa and Copenhagen as well.
Pinterest connects businesses to an interactive map
29-11-2013
Pinterest has launched the new tool ‘Place Pins’ which makes the social media platform more interesting for small businesses. With Place Pins, users can add addresses and maps when they Pin an image. These are displayed on an interactive map. Make a Pinterest board with your favorite hotels and restaurants, for instance Paris and you can share this interactive map of Paris with other users. By clicking on ‘more information’ you will be directed to the Foursquare page or the hotel / restaurant website.
Nhow recruits staff in an accessible way
29-11-2013
Nhow Rotterdam hotel will open its doors on January 10, 2014. This is the third nhow hotel in the world after Milan and Berlin. The hotel has 278 rooms, conference- and meeting facilities, a skyline bar, food lounge and a rooftop terrace. To recruit staff for the hotel, nhow has organized a Pioneer Fest on November 18. The hotel sent three local scouts on the road to search for candidates and to invite them for the Pioneer Fest. While enjoying a drink and a snack, the hotel met the candidates. An accessible way to get to know the potential staff outside of a professional environment.
Christmas dinner of unwanted animals
29-11-2013
‘MOES eet- en drinklokaal’ and the ‘Keuken van het ongewenst dier’ (kitchen of the unwanted animal’ organize an special Christmas dinner of unwanted animals on Sunday, December 22. The six-course dinner is dedicated to animals that are unwanted. For example the Japanese oyster, racehorse meat, crayfish, goose and swan will be served. Hunters will provide an explanation of the dishes and explain why these animals are undesirable. The six-course dinner costs € 65,= per person.
Instagram marshmallows
28-11-2013
Now it is possible to print your favorite Instagram photos on marshmallows. Very simple, you choose nine of your favorite Instagram photos and Boomf delivers the pictures on 4cmx4cm vanilla marshmallows. The site advises to use relative simple pictures with a good contrast. At this moment, the marshmallows are only available in the United Kingdom for £ 12, but there are plans to introduce the marshmallows internationally next year. A nice gift for the holidays: a marshmallow with your favorite photo into a hot chocolate during the cold winter days.
Inhalable tea
28-11-2013
Camellia’s Tea House in London offers tea lovers a new special way to consume their favorite drink. During the ‘Experimental Food Society Spectacular 2013’, the teabar introduced the ‘Breathable Tea Room’ where visitors could inhale the tea through a straw. The tea is evaporated and served as a smoky gas that could be inhaled through a straw. Because the tea is evaporated, it contains no calories, you avoid a burnt tongue and the antioxidants in the tea are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Earlier we spotted the Vaportini which alcoholic beverages are vaporized and can be inhaled using a straw.
Recyclable wrapping paper
28-11-2013
During Christmas a lot of wrapping paper is used and thrown away, certainly not environmentally friendly. Therefore you need to use the ‘Eden’s Paper’. This wrapping paper does not only looks cheerful, but you can grown carrots, broccoli, red peppers, onions and tomatoes with it. The seeds are hidden in layers of biodegradable paper. So when the presents are unwrapped, plant the wrapping paper, give it some water and a few week later you will have vegetable plants. ‘Eden’s Paper’ is a crowdfunding project, the paper has been developed but they are still looking for funds to start the production.
Five-star hotel educates local youth
27-11-2013
The Ritz-Carlton is the first five-star hotel at Aruba. Next to the 320 rooms and 450 local jobs the hotel brings education to the island as well. Together with maritime biologist Dr. Richard Murphy from the Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society, the hotel developed an innovative environmental curriculum for primary school students. The education modules will be available on the Green Aruba website to learn about the island’s unique environmental assets and how to protect them. The youth is introduced to the ‘Ritz-Calton Succeed Through Service Program’ to enhance their leadership qualities. Though these and other collaborations Prime Minister Mike Eman and Bill Marriott agreed to a long-standing commitment to enriching education on the island and a Green Aruba.
Google Streetview from airports
27-11-2013
Traveling often brings along a fair amount of stress. Google relieves this a bit with the introduction of Google Streetview inside airports and other travel hubs. KLM already used Streetview technology to explore destinations and it is possible to feature 360 degrees photographs from restaurant interiors. In the near future it’s possible to ‘test-walk’ through your trip in Streetview.