Ben Zweig

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[bzweig]

It’s been ages since I opened a video editor on my computer. Churned out this little trinket, which brings Social Edge’s printed holiday card to life. The MOSAIC is built from hundreds of photos captured throughout the year.

More video experiments on Vimeo.

[bzweig]

Excited to share my interview with Jive Software! Check it out if you're curious about how I work remotely for Social Edge Consulting. I talk about my home office setup, favorite apps, home automation, and lots more!

How I Work: An Interview with Ben Zweig from Social Edge

[bzweig]

My India Packing List

In preparation for my trip to South India next week, I've been geeking out over my packing list. I hope this will be helpful to someone, cause I sure would have loved if someone sent me this list a few weeks ago. Couldn't fit everything in the photo, but here are the highlights:

Osprey Farpoint 55

I'm packing everything into one Osprey Farpoint 55, which has a 40 liter main compartment and a 15 liter detachable day pack, which means I can leave the bulk behind and walk around during the day with the very front of the bag. I've attached a custom luggage tag from Shutterfly that I bought on sale. 

Eagle Creek Compression Cubes (neon yellow and white) / eBags Packing Cubes (not pictured)

Packing cubes are like flexible shelfs from the travel gods. Stuff all your shirts in one, pants in another, undergarments in a third, and suddenly your luggage is divided into chunks rather than random pieces. The Eagle Creek ones have an outer zipper that compresses everything to save even more room. 

13,000mAh USB Charger

India ain't exactly a giant power strip, so this should come in handy on long adventure days, overnight trains and during the infamous power shut downs. There's enough juice in here to recharge my iPhone 5S six times. I've also got a smaller, lipstick-sized charger for times when I'm not carrying a daypack.

2 x ExOfficio Give-N-Go Underwear

I am bringing two pairs of underwear to India, all in the name of saved space. These are super breathable, wicking, odor-resistant anti-bacterial and quick drying. I can wash them at night and wear them in the morning.

Eagle Creek Money Belt

As nerdy as it sounds, I'm wearing my wallet and phone on my waist so I can enjoy the country without constant vigilance. 

Cabeau Evolution Pillow and Flight 001 Eye Mask

OMG. This is the only travel pillow that matters. Soft shell, memory foam, slim back, buckling front, reversible, compressible, iPod pocket... Sure, it's not as compact as light as inflatable travel pillows, but carrying it around in its compression bag is well worth the comfort on trains and planes. The blue eye mask is lightweight and doesn't press against your eyelids like most masks.

Vapur Water Bottle

I'm a big fan of my tank-like Sigg water bottle, but this flexible one is lightweight, rolls away for storage and clips to anything. 

PackTowl Viscose Towels

See those blue towels in the lower left corner, above the packaged pills? The larger, rougher one absorbs an impressive 10X its weight, and the softer, smaller one absorbs 4X. Perfect for a rainy day, shower or to wipe away sweat on a humid day.

Packable Rain Shell

Above the towels is a rubber-banded rain shell that folds into a tiny pouch. Speaks for itself.

Refillable Toothpaste, Dr. Bronner's and Other Toiletries

I'm still finalizing my toiletries, but you can bet I'm taking my Toothpaste 2 Go refillable travel toothpaste, Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap and a full-size toothbrush. (Mini toothbrushes are a compromise. I do not negotiate with my teeth.)

Merrell Moab Waterproof Shoes

Okay, they're not so pretty, but they're waterproof and versatile: city, trekking, rainforest, whatever. It's hard fitting tiny feet.

Wool and Synthetic Socks

I only recently learned that cotton is a poor material for socks. Merino wool and some synthetic blends, on the other hand, keep feet cushioned and dry, even in 88-degree South India. They also don't stink as quickly as cotton and can (somehow) insulate and keep cool.

Uniqlo AIRism T-Shirts

I love these shirts. They're impressively lightweight and comfortable. They saved me in humid and hot Southeast Asia last year, and they're going to save me again in India.

Outlet Converters

I hate the all-in-one converters because they usually take up more room, both in the luggage and on the wall. I opted instead for an India-specific converter.

Antimalarials, Anti-Diarrheal, Ciproflaxacin, Antibacterial Soap and Hydration Salts

South India does have malaria, so I'm doing a preventive cycle. South India also has the world's cleanest water and food preparation (...not) so I'm prepared for battle.

EMS Lightweight Fleece

For chilly nights and train rides.

Mini Laundry Bag

That black and white houndstooth case contains a lightweight laundry bag to hold soiled clothing until laundry can be done.

iPhone 5S and SIM Eject Tools

I thought about upgrading to an iPhone 6 before the trip, but decided that my internationally unlocked 5S would actually perform better, since it's smaller, harder to drop, and less of a loss if anything happens. I forgot my SIM eject tool when I went to Asia and had a hell of a time prying it open with a paper clip, so this time I'm coming prepared. 

Canon S100

This may come as a shock to some of you, but I'm not bringing my DSLR. Here's why: if I have to carry around an expensive 4-pound brick everywhere I go and watch it like a hawk, how am I ever going to let go and take in everything on the trip? Instead, I'm going to use my iPhone and this pocket camera, if anything. 

Kindle, iPod Classic and Klipsch Earbuds

My Kindle will get me through the train rides and air commute; I've got a few books that take place in India queued up to set the mood. I don't want to waste battery on this trip by listening to music on my iPhone, so I'm bringing my (heavy) 160 GB iPod Classic for music. Ever since I switched to Spotify, the library on my iPod is at least 4 years out-of-date, so my friend is breathing some life into it with a few curated playlists. Thanks Frank!

Grid-It Organizer (not pictured)

I love these organizers because you can see all of your gadgets and cords at once, neatly tucked behind grip straps. I'll be using it for cords, chargers, headphones and other small items.

[bzweig]

A Recap of #bzhunt

Last night I hosted a scavenger hunt to celebrate my birthday. I am incapable of asking people to simply meet me at a bar, so I had no choice but to engineer a night of adventure for my friends. In order to find me, they'd have to run around NYC solving clues and pregaming. Best night ever.

The challenge was how to design a hunt that wouldn't flop if clues were confiscated and could scale in the event that the Facebook event's RSVP list was inaccurate. (Which it was.) Two years ago, I threw a bar hop for my birthday using a mobile website that displayed my current location using the Foursquare API; this allowed people without Foursquare accounts to join the night at any point without needing to text me for the location.

Inspired by that, I built a small mobile experience on my website. Participants were asked to find "keys" at each location, and those keys unlocked new clues on the mobile site:

This worked beautifully. It allowed me to fine-tune the clues at any point, add interactivity, scale for any size group and most importantly, simplify the overall experience. I added a Tweet button to the first clue and 45 minutes into the night, added a hashtag to the top of each clue to encourage social sharing:

About to run around NYC on @mrzwiggy's 23rd #bzhunt. CANNOT CONTAIN MY EXCITEMENT.

— kale (@kylecalian) November 9, 2014

Ahhh @mrzwiggy's birthday is underway #bzhunt

— Olmos. (@itsjustolmos) November 9, 2014

The first clue:

This one is supposed to be easy. Any Googler can figure out that the Washington Square Arch in Washington Square Park commemorates the centennial of George Washington's inauguration as President. The key was written in chalk on the floor, but a few other messages were nearby and served as great red herrings.

Clue one. Check! #bzhunt

— Lauren Higgins (@laur3n_higgins) November 9, 2014

This key unlocked what was unanimously agreed to be the hardest clue of the night:

Don't expect to find "Cupid" at this French-owned Italian sweet shop, where the cream of the crop is served a fiore. Your key is a close call away.

The clue is talking about Amorino Gelato on University Place. A few hints in there:

"Amorino" means cupid in Italian

"Cream" of the crop hints at gelato

"A fiore" means "served like a flower," which is how they shape their  gelato

Some had trouble finding Amorino:

Two groups wound up .6 mile away at Venieros:

But not so fast! Even those that wound up at Amorino were stumped finding the hidden key:

The last sentence of the clue is important here: Your key is a close call away. The key ("feline") was taped to a phone booth across the street, hence "call." Plenty of groups realized this but did not search the phone booth thoroughly. It took this team forever to finally find it:

Finally, on to clue #3!

This alliterative retailer might like the colors in Wiz Khalifa's 2-toned hit, but you won't see me buying anything here — it doesn't live up to its superlative. Your key awaits where Tom Dickson might hang out; it's blue, bold and you might want to rethink it.

The location was Best Buy. Some hints:

"Alliterative retailer" = Best Buy

"colors in Wiz Khalifa's 2-toned hit" = Black and Yellow are the Best Buy logo colors

"superlative" = the best buy

Like the clue before, you still need to do some work to find the key. In this case, you've got to figure out who Tom Dickson is. No, he's not a famous figure skater (red herring!). He's the founder of Blendtec and host of the viral series Will It Blend?. Which means you need to make a B-line to the blender section. 

It's blue, bold and you might want to rethink it.

Many teams were looking for a printed sign or handmade key, but the key was actually part of the Best Buy signage. Not only did this make things trickier, but it also allowed me to use the retail space for my clue without taping or hiding a risky sign that might draw attention and get removed. 

The answer was "way you drink," entered as "wayyoudrink." Get it?

Next clue:

Thirsty? Say "sawadeeka" when you walk in the door of one of my favorite restaurants, where the former model, Iron Chef competitor and Chef-Owner serves delicious comfort food.

Ask for [names omitted] at the bar and show this screen for a $5 cocktail. Don't forget to tip!

This was supposed to be simple but fun. "Sawadeekah" is a Thai greeting, and a quick search for former models who cook Thai and have been on Iron Chef will pull up my friends at Ngam Restaurant, one of my favorite spots in the city. They were generous enough to offer one of their amazing specialty cocktails for $5, and the key was given by the bartender upon finishing the drink. I heard some even got appetizers.

Cheers to @mrzwiggy and his amazing scavenger hunt birthday! #bzhunt @imanami13 @Logan_Cummings @TimMceniry pic.twitter.com/ATY5QOR3Jr

— Alexis Gay (@alexis__gay) November 9, 2014

Clue four, check! #bzhunt pic.twitter.com/KgOnJdzxVf

— Lauren Higgins (@laur3n_higgins) November 9, 2014

We got clue 3! Off to have a cocktail :) #bzhunt pic.twitter.com/FMObpfrzqq

— Doreen Naor (@NDoreen) November 9, 2014

This spicy drink didn't go down well for everyone. Received this gem in my inbox:

After completing the cocktail, they received a key for the last clue before the final bar:

The mayor is named Jim. Wild turkeys run amok. Homes are decked in black velvet. A weekly Canadian club meets at the senior center. Sounds like a great place to live.

Ask for [name omitted], show your phone and get anything. Don't forget to tip!

Don't mind the capitalization. Jim Beam, Wild Turkey, Black Velvet and Canadian Club are all whiskeys. The clue described a town: Whiskey Town. 

Once they chugged their picklebacks, the final key unlocked a map to the final bar and a button to text me:

Doreen and Brittany were crowned winners!

We won! :D ahh sweet victory #bzhunt

— Doreen Naor (@NDoreen) November 9, 2014

30 minutes later, "Team Hat" arrived in second place: And in 3rd place, "Team Fashionably Late."

Team Fashionably Late was THIS close to quitting at the second stop (literally about to walk away) But we somehow finished! 💪 #bzhunt

— Linley (@linleychan) November 9, 2014

Meanwhile, tons of teams were still stuck on various clues. When midnight rolled around, I released a quick fastpass. If inverted, the key from location 2 unlocked a new clue which skipped over locations 3 and 4:

The yellow link opened a new phone call to Spice restaurant on 13th and University, not far from location 2. Once there, hopefully you didn't miss the double meaning of "fiery." Across the street was a fire department connection:

This then lead directly to Whiskey Town and then the final bar. Amara and Michelle were particularly happy about this, having struggled for hours with the fist 3 clues:

They were frustrated enough to steal key 2 from the phone booth. Here's David holding the key:

A great night of dancing, drinks and friends followed. It was everything I could have asked for, so thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who joined (and those who didn't make it all the way, too). Much love.

[bzweig]

Next up on the LOAF Cooking Challenge: olive oil.

Tapioca maltodextrin turned turned this extra virgin olive oil into sandy granules, perfect for sprinkling over this broiled sole. 

[previously: peanut butter]

[bzweig]

The first ever LOAF Cooking Challenge has begun!

The mission: use up an entire tub of tapioca maltodextrin, a magical starch that transforms fats into powders. (More on the chemistry another time.) 

To celebrate the tub's arrival, I turned creamy peanut butter into soft, flour-like powder. When the powder hits your tongue, it turns back into creamy peanut butter like magic. You gotta taste it to believe it.

For dessert, I sprinkled some onto vanilla Cashewtopia with a little sea salt on top. Unreal.

More powdered experiments to come.

[bzweig]

I'm taking suggestions for my first ever cooking challenge on LOAF! Scallion ice cream? $7 dinner for two? West African PB&J? Tuna fish cocktail?? I need your suggestions! Mostly because mine suck.

Ways to submit:

As a Facebook comment, if you're reading this there

If you're reading on Tumblr, use the "ask" feature

[bzweig]

Thai turkey burger with Thai basil, homemade peanut sauce and sliced mango. Amazingly moist and flavorful. Proof that southeast Asia makes everything better.

My turkey burger weapon? Roasted almond meal.

Captured with #vscocam for iOS

[bzweig]

It's Passover, yo! Why is my charoset different from all others? Here's what I put in it:

apples

pecans and almonds

Manischewitz grape wine, aka Jew Juice

coconut white vinegar, dried coconut flakes

dried turkish figs, dried blueberries, golden raisins

chopped mint

cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg

splash of orange juice

lemon juice and zest

sea salt

Not pictured: the remaining 9 pounds

[bzweig]

Roasted cauliflower, pecan-almond brittle, sunflower seeds, parsley, cinnamon, nutmeg, cider vinaigrette 

Inspired by the roasted cauliflower and hazelnut salad in Jerusalem

[bzweig]

Peanut butter, banana and nut protein bars, fresh off the cutting board

[bzweig]

Next from Jerusalem, with liberties: roasted chicken with Jerusalem artichokes (aka sunchokes), lemon, pink peppercorn, purple potatoes, shallots and thyme 

[bzweig]

Spinach salad with mango, quinoa feta, cucumber and herbs; lemon vinaigrette 

[bzweig]

Lemon-dill slow roasted whole chicken with black barley and brown rice

Recipe via "I NEED TO USE UP THIS CHICKEN"

[bzweig]

Up until this point I've been a fan of two solid hummus recipes: the one from Cooks Illustrated (2008) and a modified version of what I once dog-eared in an Israeli cookbook for tourists. Or I mess around.

But now I can never turn back. The basic hummus recipe from Jerusalem is so creamy, so smooth, so effortlessly pure. No canned chickpeas either — just dried beans soaked overnight, cooked with a little baking soda to help them break down before processing. 

Drizzled with Costco's incredible Toscano 2013 EVOO, served with pita and some za'atar dip.

[bzweig]

Next up from Jerusalem: chicken with caramelized onions, barberries and cardamom basmati rice

Those barberries were a rip-off. If anybody finds them cheap HIT ME UP.

[bzweig]

Making my way through Ottolenghi and Tamimi's incredible cookbook Jerusalem, starting with this baby spinach salad with dates and almonds