Each day a different tea
Each day a different cup of tea with the tea calendar of Hälssen en Lyon. The calendar days are made of tea leaves that dissolve directly into a cup of hot water. Nice to serve to your guests!
Each day a different cup of tea with the tea calendar of Hälssen en Lyon. The calendar days are made of tea leaves that dissolve directly into a cup of hot water. Nice to serve to your guests!
June 2010, we spotted Food Hub, an online sales system for local products. Producers tell online what is salable of their harvest and restaurateurs / retailers know where fresh local products are for sale. An initiative that has also been launched by other parties. Food Hub is active in the West of the USA (started from Portland) and we recently spotted Foodem that started from Baltimore (Maryland) with their B2B platform for food suppliers (farms, specialty food producers and distributors) and food buyers (hotels, connects restaurants schools, hospitals, etc.). The latter have recently launched a new version of their platform. Foodem 2.0 has added price transparency, more efficient processes and increased possibilities for analytical reports. The websites are becoming more professional. In the article of 2010, we were already wondering who will start a similar website in the Netherlands and we actually still do! The film above by Food Hub gives a clear idea about the impact for buyers and sellers.
Create a special vibrant atmosphere in a hotel room with the ‘Forms of nature’ light. This light was developed by Hilden & Diaz and inspired by Ernst Haeckel’s (1834-1919). This creation is elegant and it look like it is made of tree branches. When the light is turned on, you will find yourself in the middle of a forest. The shadows are cast on the walls in the form of branches and trees. An interesting way to bring light into a hotel room.
Finding a cheap hotel is not always easy, but with the suitcase ‘Hotello’ you can easily set up your own hotel room or workplace anywhere. The suitcase on wheels does not immediately look like a bedroom, but when you unpack the suitcase you transform a empty building in a hotel room. This flexible room can be placed in just any empty space. The suitcase contains a bed, desk with chair and a storage. The ‘Hotello’ is developed by Roberto de Luca and Antonio Scarponi for the Swiss company Daskonzept. The big question is who is going to facilitate space to unpack this ‘suitcase’. More pictures at PSFK.
Imagine, you are on a holiday and you want to eat a local dish. You can eat a meal at a restaurant, but you can also have a dinner at someone’s home… The global community EatWith invites people to dine in homes across the world. Users can offer their ‘kitchen’ on the website of EatWith as an alternative for the restaurants in the area. Travelers can have a cozy dinner at someone’s home, share stories, have an unique experience and meet new people. It is a similar concept as AirBnB. The question is to what extent providers on this website must meet requirements such as hygiene and so on.
Eating your spoon as well after dinner… could a chef get a better compliment? We have seen chocolate, cookie and peppermint versions but the ‘edible spoon’ from Triangle Tree is organic and a responsible replacement of a disposable plastic spoon. The spoon is composed of organic ingredients such as corn flour, eggs, milk, sugar, salt, herbs and spices. This spoon comes in three flavors: Plain, Spicy and Sweet. The Edible Spoon can be used to eat a variety of foods. It’s tasty, it’s healthy, it’s convenient, and it promotes a cleaner tomorrow. The spoon could be served alongside appetizers and meals at restaurants or at events such as festivals. Or serve this previously spotted edible teaspoon with a cup of tea.
The Glad Tent is a tent and a compost bag in one. So when you are done partying at the festival, you can leave the garbage in the tent where you spent the night. A brilliant way to be more environmentally friendly this festival season.
Coffee that really fits your taste, is hard to find. BeanGenius offers a service where you can discover high quality coffee beans sourced from independent coffee roasters from across the USA. Consumers can indicate their preferences in a coffee taste profile and BeanGenius will recommend which coffee fits the best. They will ship them three different freshly roasted bags of specialty coffee from independent roasters across the country. Consumers can try a monthly bag of coffee and tell BeanGenius how they liked them. The more you use it, the smarter BeanGenius gets in catering to their tastes and preferences.
Pay attention to the initiative of “arty napkins” at the “Kapellerput” conference hotel. Every year they choose a piece of art that touched them and have it printed on their linen napkins. They give it out as corporate gifts. The ‘arty napkins’ symbolizes what their conference hotel is about; hospitality and inspiration. The original piece is bought and one napkin is framed, the restaurant uses a disposable version. A true royal gesture. The napkins so far are made by the artists Marijn Moree, Saskia Heuer, Janne Hopman and Jolinde van Poppel. Do you want to read more examples of small gestures, read our last edition of ‘Royal hospitable gestures‘.
A new all-inclusive restaurant recently opened in Amsterdam. Restaurant View gives the all you can eat concept a special twist. Guests can prepare their dishes at the table, where literally a world of flavors passes by. The guests stay seated, because the plates (yellow for chicken, blue for fish, red for meat and green for vegetables) pass the tables on a moving conveyor belt. At their own table they can prepare the dishes on a grill. For € 34,50 guests can eat and drink (beer & wine)unlimited for two hours.
A ‘small gesture in hospitality’ made local. Like the “Ratilanne Riverside Resort” in Chiang Mai, Thailand did, they dress up their water bottles in local costumes. A very charming little way of presenting the local culture, who’s next or which hotel in The Netherlands serves their bottles in Dutch traditional costumes? Do you want to read more examples of small gestures, read our last edition of ‘Royal hospitable gestures‘.
A new all-in restaurant recently opened in Amsterdam. Restaurant View gives the all you can eat concept a special twist. Guests can prepare their dishes at the table, where literally a world of flavors passes by. The guests stay seated, because the plates (yellow for chicken, blue for fish, red for meat and green for vegetables) pass the tables on a moving conveyor belt. At their own table they can prepare the dishes on a grill. For € 34,50 guests can eat and drink unlimited for two hours.
Mama Sopa has developed soap products to support the projects of the famous Dutch water foundation SIMAVI. For each product sold, SIMAVI gives a hygiene training to a mother in India, to improve the health of their families and provides mothers with the knowledge they need to prevent diseases. The Dutch design packages are very appealing and designed by Studio Conn-Fetti. These playful soap products are great to use in hotels! It would be great if a hotel puts these soap products in the rooms, to contribute to charity.
Tourism organization ‘Westtoer’ pays tribute to the culinary treasures of the North Sea with the new campaign ‘Sea of Taste’. Gastronomic evenings will be organized at three beach bars during the ‘Sea of Taste’. The fish dishes are composed by star chef Stéphane and prepared on a barbecue by a team of students of the Hotel school. With this promotion they want to create more interest for the North Sea fish. Check the website for the exact dates and locations.
Our colleague Guido Verschoor spotted chocolate shop ‘Pierre Ledent’. Pierre Ledent is a multi award winning Belgian Master Chocolatier. His praline and almond biscuit creations are available in multiple locations around the world. His store located in Brussels has a luxurious look. The range consist of many variants of pralines and almond biscuits. The shop and the salon have a very luxurious look. In the salon you can enjoy desserts, verrines, ice creams and drinks. The dishes served look amazing! The almond biscuits are available in special varieties, like mojito, balsamic vinegar, olive and violet. The website is a source of inspiration and when we go to Brussels, we will definitely visit this shop!
On the third floor of a large shopping mall in Phuket a modern and trendy nightclub is located, with a capacity of 700 people. The design with round shapes is inspired by the human ear and is developed by Bed Management Company.
The first World Cup gadget is out: the Dutchy Dress by Bavaria. During the World Cup Bavaria focuses on women. With a specially designed 8 pack of beer you will find an orange dress with a red / white / blue cord. The dress is revealed by football wife Sylvie van der Vaart.
Sauna, Turkish bath and shower in one for home use. It is a compact unit making it possible to apply in every home. With a touchscreen you can choose between the different programs.
London based Millies Cookies biscuits has opened a new store in Paris.
The Top Chef Tour 2010 will visit 21 cities in the US. At each stop there is the possibility to meet the top chef of the moment and to taste his famous food. Based on the television show Top Chef.
With this life-size Lego bricks you can always re-build your own furniture, Lego-style.
Crown Plaza Hotel in Copenhagen offers it’s guests a free meal ticket of € 26.00, when they will generate electricity for 15 minutes on a hometrainer. This way the hotel wants to limit it’s carbonfootprint.
Thanks to Blue Shoes Mobile all restaurants can now make their own iPhone application and benefit of modern technology.
Near the factory of Ben & Jerry’s on a small hill the flavor cemetery is located. Here are “tombstones” with all the flavors that once were avalable but are no longer sold. On the headstones you will find the taste and a little rhyme about the taste.
Mildly alcoholic (6.5%) and sparkling drink with natural flavors of nectarine for the trendy wine consumer. The drink is developed by Grégoire Chaix, wine producer and owner of “Bar du Port” in Saint Tropez. The bottle was designed by Christophe Pillet who has also designed the interior of the “Bar du Port”.
Tapas made from Flemisch local products served with original Belgian beer, the so called ‘hoppas’. With the introduction of this typical Flemisch product the inventors, catering consultancy Dolce Far Tutto, wholesaler ISPC and brewery Duvel Moortgat lead the way for the Taste Week in November.
These chocolates are inspired by a typical Scottish dish, haggis. They do not use the same ingredients, but they do use the same spices that give haggis its typical flavour like nutmeg, mace, black pepper and oatmeal.
An easy way to clean champagneglasses and narrow wine glasses.
Now you can visit the active volcano in Iceland and even eat a snack. The famous cook Fridgeir Eiriksson has turned the foot of the volcano into a restaurant. You will be flown in by a helicopter and get an exclusive menu prepared on the hot lava.
The label on the bottles of Medea Spirits features an LED display that can display six different texts. The label can also be turned off to conserve the battery. The label can be used 500 times before the battery runs out.
The newest hotel from Van der Valk offers the possibility to recharge electric cars. The family owned hotels are working on a sustainable mobility network of charging stations.
The wineguide “Wijnalmanak” developed an iPhone app for wine suggestions. Till mid September people can download it for free. This app provides wine suggestions by shaking (!). The content of the “wijnalmanak” is used for this wine shaker.
Dom Pérignon comes with a new packaging for her vintage 2000. The packaging is designed by Marc Newson and ensures that the champagne stays cool even in the hottest places.
A luxurious lounge set with an integrated wine cooler and cocktail table from the Italian brand Atmosphera.
Metal dealer Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo has developed a test kit to find out if pork is processed in you meal. By using nanoparticles of gold dissolved in water, even the most miniscule fragment of pork is detected within 10 minutes.
A mobile bubble can be used as pavilion during events. Between May and September you can find this bubble at 15 locations in London.
An idea to offer visitors of take away-concepts a seat in a market or a shopping mall: a row of backsides of scooters. These are seen at Camden Markets, London.
This summer Malibu liqueur launches a special limited edition bottle, ‘Malibu By U’. From May 2010, people can customize their own bottle. The distinctive white bottle in gift box comes with four markers in different colors.
The luxury conglomerate Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessey enters the hotel business. Two new hotels will be built in Oman and Egypt and will open in 2012.
In a sleek, trendy store retail is combined with catering. In the store pastries, sandwiches, pizzas, meal components, salads and various Italian breads are made. The fairly low prices, casual atmosphere, reponsible products and a modern Italian flair make this concept appealing for the London audience.