MONDO STEVE @stephenduke-blog - Tumblr Blog

Grand Hotel Exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery is really something to see. It makes you think about Hotels and their place in society. Design is a big aspect. However, never ever take your personal security for granted simply because a place disarms you and creates a sense of bliss or "...at home". You aren't. Lock your doors and always check with the front desk if you get a call from someone saying they are from the hotel and need access to your room.

nevver

William Wegman’s first animated gif

thesochill

Weather comparison.

christiesauctions

nevver

Volupté, Francis Picabia

Ok to bring your own Wine to a Restaurant in BC, why not a Craft Beer?

I wrote this response to a Province Newspaper Article: http://blogs.theprovince.com/2013/01/17/liquor-law-year-in-review-bring-your-own-bias-against-beer/

If everybody brought their own beer to the pub, how would it make money? What is corkage but a way to recover the overhead and service variable costs? If a pub had to charge corkage to stay in business, the cost to the patron would be close to what they already pay. A pub might save a little for not having to inventory the stock, but all the other costs are still there. To diners, the BYOB concept is attractive because it means spending less money. However, it takes a lot of cash off the table for restaurants that on Average in Canada only earn a net profit of 3-4% on average revenues of less than $1m. Take away the existing revenue from marked up wines and you take away a lot of "contribution margin" to cash flow. Making rent will become even harder for many. This article does not touch on the business side of the equation. The rationale that diners will have more money to spend in more restaurants is false. They'd be spending that money sure, but it is low contribution margin spending just like a discount. It isn't sustainable. If you are a restaurant above the norm and earn a 10% profit, how much can you discount revenues and not go out of business? yup 10%, easy math. There is a large body of academic research that demonstrates empirically, discounting does not increase demand. It just spreads it around really thinly. Never mind the affect on Servers that depend on their gratuities. There's enough whining about how diners tip on discounted, couponed meals. The issue is that many only calculate their generous 15% tips on the final total after the 2 for 1, DineOutVancouver, or groupon discount - despite the fact all the service and running about wasn't discounted, it was all the same as if not discounted. You won't find any fans for BYOB there. Sorry to be so negative. I just think the article needed some balance with another point of view.

linxspiration

nevver

“Life is nothing if you’re not obsessed.” ― John Waters

#Christopher Walkens #Restaurant #meme

nevver

Sam Sung

nelc

abrasive

The cast of The Princess Bride, reunited after 25 years.

3 Good Reasons Chefs & Restaurants Need MASHPOTATO

A Chef or Restauranteur makes a commitment to his/her career. As we all know, restaurants come and go, but the people don't - at least not at the same burn rate. So, how can they build a sustainable career trajectory and enjoy the rewards of this commitment?

Social Media is now pervasive. Many in the industry are active in social networks. Building a following is now a key component of their careers. But, how could they cut through the noise and make every moment count?

Target local foodies: I know this sounds obvious, but Twitter attracts people from wherever - and a lot of spammers anyway. One needs a local voice that resonates in their own community.

Be "Searchable": I don't mean on Google [necessarily], I mean within the context of "Cool Restaurants/Chefs in [City name here]". Visitors to your city want to know where to go and what to eat that represents the "best of" experience in your City. If that's you, how will they find you?

Earn Qualified Ranking: It's one thing to get written up by a local blogger, but what if your peers endorsed your Restaurant, your Halibut dish, or your Chef's reputation for giving back? Foodies want to know more about you and why they should care about your business. No better judge than your peers.

Social food sites like Yelp get you on the map, but they are full of noise. Foodies don't get the full picture when they have to read all of it. They want a qualified, insider perspective.

MASHPOTATO is your chance to have a voice, build a following, and take that wherever you go.

Be Awesomer. Sign up here for to be one of the first to check out MASHPOTATO http://mashpotato.launchrock.com/

#chef #restaurant #social media #mashpotato

thesochill

The sad reality of technological advancement

thedailywhat

Dear Ann Coulter of the Day: After Ann Coulter referred to President Obama as a retard in a tweet during Monday night’s presidential debate, Special Olympics athlete and global messenger John Franklin Stephens penned her this open letter:

Dear Ann Coulter, Come on Ms. Coulter, you aren’t dumb and you aren’t shallow. So why are you continually using a word like the R-word as an insult? I’m a 30 year old man with Down syndrome who has struggled with the public’s perception that an intellectual disability means that I am dumb and shallow. I am not either of those things, but I do process information more slowly than the rest of you. In fact it has taken me all day to figure out how to respond to your use of the R-word last night. I thought first of asking whether you meant to describe the President as someone who was bullied as a child by people like you, but rose above it to find a way to succeed in life as many of my fellow Special Olympians have. Then I wondered if you meant to describe him as someone who has to struggle to be thoughtful about everything he says, as everyone else races from one snarkey sound bite to the next. Finally, I wondered if you meant to degrade him as someone who is likely to receive bad health care, live in low grade housing with very little income and still manages to see life as a wonderful gift. Because, Ms. Coulter, that is who we are – and much, much more. After I saw your tweet, I realized you just wanted to belittle the President by linking him to people like me. You assumed that people would understand and accept that being linked to someone like me is an insult and you assumed you could get away with it and still appear on TV. I have to wonder if you considered other hateful words but recoiled from the backlash. Well, Ms. Coulter, you, and society, need to learn that being compared to people like me should be considered a badge of honor. No one overcomes more than we do and still loves life so much. Come join us someday at Special Olympics. See if you can walk away with your heart unchanged. A friend you haven’t made yet, John Franklin Stephens Global Messenger Special Olympics Virginia

[specialolympicsblog]