The Ibis Snuggling Bunnies
10-6-2013
The Ibis hotels introduced their most comforting hotel bed ever with this ad. More information at #ibisbunnies and if you like them at Facebook you can even see more exclusive behind-the-scenes YouTube videos.
Bar Saint Jean
7-6-2013
Johann opened the ‘Saint Jean’ bar in the center of Berlin in January. The bar is mainly focused on long drinks with the not so usual gin or vodka and a broad selection of whiskeys and tequilas. Saint Jean has a robust, neutral look without too many details. The bar is made of wooden planks this gives it a tough look. Great inspiration to make a bar out of waste wood or an old wooden floor.
Away on business by Accor
7-6-2013
Accor Hotels introduces an iPad-app for the business traveler. The app ‘Away on Business by Accor’ offers business travelers a planning tool and it gives tips. Travelers can book a hotel room at a Accor Hotel through the app, but it also offers suggestions for restaurants and attractions, manages travel costs and you can import and personalize a planning. The app includes practical tools, such as the weather forecast, a map of the public transport and a LinkedIn conncection search in the area.
Swim with pigs
7-6-2013
Everybody has heard of swimming with dolphins, turtles and other marine creatures. But the Bahamas is the only place where you can swim with pigs. In the Netherlands you see the pigs at the farm but at the Bahamas they swim around. What animal could we swim along in the Netherlands… with cows?
Pop-up bar Tobias Rehberger
7-6-2013
German artist Tobias Rehberger has made a copy pop-up bar of his favorite bar ‘Bar Oppenheimer Frankfurt’ in Hotel Americano New York . The pop-up bar has exactly the same proportions as the original bar in Frankfurt and contains the same furniture and details. The only difference is that each area of the pop-up bar is converted with black and white stripes and shades of red and orange. Tobias Rehberger is known for stripe patterns in his works. Earlier we saw the retro and striped pop-up bar in Venice at Cool Hunter.
Whoopie Pie
6-6-2013
The Whoopie Pie is not well known in the Netherlands. Whoopie Pie consists of two small cases in the form of a cookie with in between a filling. It looks like a macaron made out of cake. The ‘Whoopie’ shop in New Zealand sells freshly baked Whoopie Pies, Pops and Cakes. The Whoopie Pies are available in a lot of flavors, like rosewater, mint chocolate, walnut espresso and hazelnut. ‘Whoopie’ also makes special Whoopie Pies for events as birthdays, weddings or valentine. The shop also serves Whoopie shakes, sundaes, coffee and hot chocolate. If you like sweets, you should definitely visit the ‘Whoopie’ shop.
Summer in a wine glass
6-6-2013
The sun is finally shining and it is lovely weather to drink something at a terrace. Gallo Family Vineyard bonds the summer feeling with their new wine ‘Summer White’. ‘Summer White’ is a lighter, floral wine with notes of apple, juicy pear and citrus. Crushed ice and a lemon slice in the wine give extra refreshment. A fresh wine to serve at a barbecue or with a picnic.
Champagne with hot dogs
6-6-2013
Champagne and caviar is a known combination at many upper class bars. ‘Bubbledogs’ in London is a champagne bar that does not combine champagne with caviar. Instead of caviar they serve culinary hot dogs. They offer a wide range of pork, beef and vegetarian hot dogs, from simple to luxurious. According to the owner you don’t need excessively fancy food to bring out the best of drink. The Champagne bar offers 35 seats and has a robust yet elegant look. A nice hotspot in London!
Food Festival the Main Course
6-6-2013
‘The Food Line-up’ and ‘Ome Ad’ organize the ‘Main Course’ festival on 14, 15 and 16 June in Amsterdam. This three day festival includes food trucks, cooking islands, theater, acts, music and DJs. Visitors can cook together with ‘Ome Ad’ at the different cooking islands. And at the food trucks of ‘The Food Line-up’ visitors can have a peek inside the trends or cook with the caterer. There is a full program of food games, live music and during the ‘Cook off’ they will cook with food that would otherwise end up in the trash.
Kitchen Table
5-6-2013
Restaurant Kitchen Table offers its guests a very special dining experience. With 19 seats at the stainless steel bar that surrounds the open kitchen, guests can watch the cooks cooking and talk with them about what they are preparing. The cooks, managed by James Knappett, can directly serve the dishes to the guests. The kitchen serves a daily changing menu updated with the best produce available.
Magnum Pleasure Store Amsterdam
5-6-2013
The Magnum Pleasure Store opened in Amsterdam last week. The pop-up store will only be open this summer. Visitors can create their own, custom made, Magnum ice-cream. Customizing starts with a base of vanilla ice cream dipped in white/milk/dark chocolate. Then, toppings can be added such as hazelnuts, meringue pieces, coconut, nougat or brownie pieces. Visitors experience a moment of joy and peace in the store. Before, the Magnum Pleasure Store was already available in London, Paris and Milan.
Bombay Sapphire East
5-6-2013
Bombay Sapphire gin has recently introduced a new gin; the Bombay Sapphire East. This gin contains 12 different herbs. The recipe of the Bombay Sapphire East is based on the original Bombay Sapphire recipe with the same ingredients like the juniper berries, lemon peel, almonds, coriander and liquorice. For this edition oriental herbs are added: lemongrass and black peppercorns. The result is a light citrus gin in the nose and a complex spicy aftertaste.
Scrabble Wi-Fi
5-6-2013
In Paris you can get free Wi-Fi by playing Scrabble on your phone. Paris has got quite a lot of places where Wi-Fi is not available, so Ogilvy Paris introduced the game Scrabble Wi-Fi. Scrabble placed three Wi-Fi hotspots in the city where correct spelling and creative use of language was rewarded. Create any word using up to seven letters for the password and the score will be converted into free Wi-Fi minutes. So the higher your score, the longer the connection.
Safetray
5-6-2013
Sometimes it happens that the waitress in a restaurant drops the tray accidentally and knocks over all drinks. With the ‘Safetray’ this will not happen again quickly. There is a ‘All-important clip’ placed under the ‘Safetray’ where you can easily support your finger, so the tray will be much more stable. A useful gadget for restaurants!
Ice cream parlor Rocambolesc
4-6-2013
Jordi Roca, one of the three brothers behind top restaurant El Celler de Can Roca *** is the owner of the ice cream parlor ‘Rocambolesc’ in the center of Girona. In the ice cream parlor they prepare freshly made ice cream with the recipe and ingredients of top restaurant El Celler de Can Roca. The ice creams are available in six different flavors, in cones or tubs, combined with up to 34 funny toppings. They offer desserts with ice creams in a special take-away kit so you can prepare it at home. They create new products throughout the year. Such as hot ice cream filled buns or ice-cream muffins. The design of the ice cream parlor is inspired by the magical world of Willy Wonka. The ice cream parlor has a funny and playful look and everything is worked out to the smallest detail. Definitely worth to visit Racombolesc when you are in Girona!
Barburrito
4-6-2013
Morgan and Paul are on a mission to make the ultimate burrito and created Barburrito. The first Barburrito was founded in 2005 in Manchester city. Currently Barburrtio has multiple locations. Inspired by the street stalls of Mexico, fresh, honest and simple Mexican dishes are prepared. Guests can compose their own burrito, burrito bowl, taco’s or nachos with a meat of veggie filling, salsa and toppings. All dishes are available for take-away. Barburrtio has been nominated for the Restaurant and Bar Design Award 2013.
Forbidden fruit
4-6-2013
Fruit and chocolate is a familiar and popular combination, and it comprises a (bit) healthier sweet-treat too. The ‘Forbidden Fruit NYC’ shop offers a varied assortment of fruit dipped in white/ milk/ dark chocolate sprinkled with toppings such as walnuts, coconut and sprinkles. The range of fruit consists of bananas, strawberries, oranges dipped in chocolate. But also apple slices, raspberries, blackberries and pineapples are available as well. Each month there is a chocolate-of-the-month available, like spicy Mexican chocolate, cinnamon chocolate or peppermint chocolate. The fruit dipped in chocolate looks tasty, cheerful and will be especially popular among women.
Tomato wine
4-6-2013
Who says you need grapes to make a fine wine? Wine maker Pascal Miche uses tomatoes to produce the special Omerto tomato wine. Omerto is the very first aperitif tomato wine in the world. Four generations ago the family recipe for the tomato wine was invented in Belgium, but the wine is now produced in Baie St-Paul, Canada. The wine is made from a special blend of heirloom tomatoes. The entire process, from field to bottle lasts about nine months.
Twitter concierge
4-6-2013
The Manhatten hotel in Rotterdam adapts to the Twitter hype in the Netherlands. The hotel is the first hotel in the Netherlands who has a twittering concierge. The concierge Lesley Klavert keeps the guests informed by Twitter about tourist attractions, restaurants, nightlife and events in Rotterdam. Guests can also ask questions via the Twitter account @conciergeRTM. Through the Twitter by the concierge, the hotel can keep the guests informed even before they come to Rotterdam.
High Wine
3-6-2013
Restaurant Moerstede in Bergen op Zoom organizes a High Wine with culinary tapas on June 19. Led by a wine connoisseur, they will make a wine journey through different countries served with matching culinary tapas. A nice initiative that reminded us of the idea of a High Wine or High Bubbles from our booklet ‘Royal Hospitable Gestures‘. Based on the fact that in the Netherlands affordable High Tea is doing very well at restaurants and at various catering locations at garden centers. The success of these High Tea, Wine and Bubbles? You should just be able to walk in and order, so no reservations. It should be affordable and with lots of appetizers. It gives your guests the opportunity to pamper themselves (a bit luxury at an affordable way).
Swim-up bars
3-6-2013
Tripadvisor gives an overview of ten swim-up bars all over the world. The photos are of the Punta Islita Hotel in Costa Rica. The hotel is located on the beach and is built against a mountain. The hotel has a swim-up bar in the infinity pool. Order a drink at the swim-up bar and enjoy the view out of the infinity pool. Watch the website Tripadvisor for more swim-up bars.
Launch DJ Mag
31-5-2013
This Monday DJ Mag Netherlands launched its first episode at Club Air in Amsterdam. Thomas Cech and Jeroen Kiepe published the Dutch version of the infamous international magazine for the dance scene. Anthony Donner and Sarah Strijker are the editor of the magazine that has an interactive Layar app for extra video content and background information. The website is interactive, copiled according to user profiles. DJ Mag Netherlands will provide young DJ-talent a multichannel platform and will organize events as well.
Share your coke with a friend
31-5-2013
Coca Cola has launched a lot of different campaigns to share happiness. Like the vending machine you need to hug to get a coke, the vending machine where you need a friend to grab a can or a bottle with a name on it. But there was one thing you couldn’t share, the can itself. Therefore Coca Cola has introduced the ‘sharing can’. You can split this can into two separate cans and share it with your friend.
Kiwigerine, Bananaberry and Pinegrape
31-5-2013
Brazil is home to many exotic fruits, but even the locals at a food market where surprised when they tasted a (red) banana with the taste of a strawberry. To promote the new Philips blender, ad agency Ogilvy Brazil has developed new fruit: the Kiwigerine, Bananaberry and Pinegrape. They worked together with molecular gastronomist Clecia Ribeiro to develop three types of fruits with deviant flavors. A banana with a strawberry flavor, a kiwi flavored with tangerines and a pineapple with grape flavor. The exotic look and surprising taste aroused great curiosity among the locals.
Hands free Whopper
31-5-2013
The Burger King in Puerto Rico has developed a gadget for the Whopper to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The ‘Hands free Whopper’ offers the possibility to eat a Whopper without using your hands and having to stop what you are doing. 50 loyal customers of Burger King Puerto Rico got this gadget. But whether this gadget is really useful…?