Perceptions are key

I recently came across this co-op branding article on the Fast Company design blog. Incredibly interesting take on what it takes to get ahead and create that ever so elusive 'unique product' or to 'differentiate' the business. This isn't solely ideal for co-ops. I can see good design differentiating many restaurants, markets and local retailers in the future. Or at least those who can see the benefit.

This whole concept relates in part to my previous article. Good design attracts the eye and the dollar.

UPDATE: February 12th, 2011:
Link to the actual market itself in London and a video on TED.com about their founder...
http://www.thepeoplessupermarket.org/
http://www.ted.com/talks/arthur_potts_dawson_a_vision_for_sustainable_restaurants.html

a collective of sorts

I want to make a broad statement to the many producers of produce, meat and dairy who sell their products themselves. In other words, to the guys and gals who are up early on Saturday to sell at the local farmers market, have a storefront on their property and who rely on the local market to makes ends meet. There is no question, in my mind, that the products these folks sell are the best you can buy. Sustainable, local agriculture is by all means the best way to eat.

However, not all share this opinion of mine. Sure, you can find restaurants in most cities touting the 'all local' menu and hell, even the fast food market has realized this is the way to go (more on this movement, and the leader, Chipotle Mexican Grille, in another post), but what about the home cook with a family of 4 and a 9 to 5 job? How are THEY supposed to find the time to do their grocery shopping for local, sustainable ingredients in their community? You and I both know that the only places these people shop are the convenient grocery store within a 5km radius of them.

And do you blame them? I don't. There's no way a busy working family can find the time to get their weekly groceries from the individual storefronts of the local agricultural community (many of whom are on average, in Canada, a 30km drive, each way, from their homes). So HOW do these families eat local, for a reasonable price without schlepping out to the farm?

Easy. Do it the 'normal' way. These families are used to their fancy stores with flashy signage and professional looking promotions. The colourful packaging and clearly labeled produce make it easy for the at-home cook to easily gather their ingredients and get back to whatever is next on the endless list of to-do's. So, it's time for the local agricultural community to band together and share in this principle of convenience.

Producers need to come together and market their products in a way that is familiar to the average home cook. Will this be more costly? Yes, and no. Yes, the cost of packaging may increase, but when shared amongst those in the same predicament, these costs become negligible. Look at Rowe Farms, for example, who act as a cooperative for sustainable meats produced by farmers in the Wellington County, Ontario area. Sure their meat is more expensive than the supermarket meat, but it costs a heck of a lot more to raise sustainable meat, doesn't it...

I truly believe that the future of grocery is through the co-operative work of local, sustainable producers who can use their collective resources to market and sell their wares to the consumer of today. I see this more as a goal, than a dream.

Just don't do it.

Those of you interested in food and beverage, whether in the industry or not, are probably viewers of the food network. Some shows are certainly better than others (my all-time fave being 'Chuck's Day Off'), but undeniably, the food network has changed the way the world views food. For better or worse.

Giving chefs the chance to show the world what it's like behind the line has benefited them tremendously, even producing 'celebrity chefs' known around the world not only to foodies, but even to the commoner. However, it has also created a problem in that it seems anyone with half a brain thinks they could do what Ramsay does and run a kitchen. (Despite the aforementioned's best efforts to prove they can't on Kitchen Nightmares).

The proof, in my opinion, was most prolifically displayed this week on Food Network Canada's latest show, The Opener with David Adjey. Mr. Adjey, being a successful, talented and well respected chef in the industry, knows what it takes to open a restaurant. Unfortunately, the daddy's-boy, jock featured on the most recent episode does not have a clue.

To those who missed out on the hilarity, let me sum up the story... A university quarterback graduates business school and wants to open his own business. Jock meets lifelong maitre d' and decides to open a restaurant with his new partner. Dad gives Jock 1.5 million dollars and they begin the construction of an 'Authentic Irish Pub' in downtown Halifax neighbouring numerous other Irish pubs. Partners hire a kitchen manager with limited cooking experience to head their kitchen of ten cooks.

Now, those of you with any sense of the industry are already shaking their heads, but it gets better. The KM can't cook to save her life, is a vegetarian (with a menu highlighting lamb) and is only paid 36 grand a year. The same as the dishwasher. Adjey, can't believe it. Shocker. But, the best part is at the beginning of the episode when the Jock says to the camera crew, in all seriousness, and I'm paraphrasing here: "I wanted to open a business. A restaurant will be easy."

Why oh why do so many people think that opening a food and beverage outlet is EASY?! Large corporations with years of experience are known to fail, so what gives the average joe, fresh out of business school, the idea that the culinary world should make for an easy pay cheque?!

It doesn't and it won't. If you think you can open a restaurant with NO experience, think again. But if you decide to forgo this wisdom, please do let us know. We'd rather save out appetite for elsewhere.

*Thanks to Food Network Canada for the image.

What it tasted like to me...

In the most recent weekend edition of the Globe & Mail's Food and Wine section, Chris Johns reviews the recently opened Oliver & Bonacini Café Grill at Yonge and Front in downtown Toronto. Now, I don't know Mr Johns, but of what I gathered from his review, and from my personal experience at this restaurant, he is culinarily inept.

Chris begins his review by complaining about the menus. Not the items on the menus (yet), but the actual menus themselves. Claiming them as too large and overly laminated, he does not see this fit for a bistro. Not sure what exactly he was expecting, but it seems like a pretty common type of menu to me...

It is then that he begins to complain about what IS on the menu. He could not find one dish for which he had something nice to say. Even the calf's liver, which he admits to liking, didn't end well, having mashed potatoes that tasted like they came from a box along side the main item.

Now, I have had the benefit of eating here. Three times. Once more than Mr Johns. The first time I had a small tasting menu prepared during the pre-opening of the restaurant, just days before the G20 essentially halted their progress. It was terrific with fresh, flavourful bistro fair in the form of a terrific tomato soup and grilled chicken sandwich. Even the 'juice of the day' was great. (Can't remember for the life of me what it was exactly, though...)

The second time I had the chance to eat there was for dinner with a close friend. Her and I have both experienced other O&B locations and were extremely pleased to have our expectations met. The service was terrific and the food spot on. I had the gnocchi which was cooked just perfectly with a terrific sauce. We also indulged in the mushroom bruschetta, which, simply put, is to die for. I don't know why Mr Johns feels inclined to complain about the selection of bruschetta. Maybe he should have tried it...

Finally, my third time at the restaurant was with my old roommates, one of whom is a leader of their wait staff. We had a terrific lunch, which, for two of us, contained the Lamb Burger. It was also, incredibly good. Chris Johns complains that it is chewy. I complain that there was not enough of it. It was incredibly tender, juicy and flavourful. The goats cheese only added to the flavour explosion in my mouth.

Anthony Walsh may not ever be calling the shots in an O&B Cafe Grill kitchen, but he still has his finger in there when it comes to a terrific menu design. If you are looking for a great place to eat downtown, this is it. Chris Johns does not seem to know what good food tastes like, or else he assumes that if it says O&B in the name, the food must be exactly the same as Canoe. Either way, he was wrong. This restaurant is terrific.

For reference, this is his review here. Try the restaurant yourself and let your mouth decide whats up.

Photo Credit: Oliver & Bonacini

A gentleman's sport

Cycling is a sport with a very storied and prestigious history. Cycling traditions are stitched into the fabric of the sport. One can easily argue the most sacred traditions of the sport, but surely the honor and respect one achieves from wearing the Maillot Jaune (yellow jersey) is one of the most hallowed.

So it came as quite a shock to the cycling community today when Alberto Contador, the reigning TdF winner and second overall of this year's tour, attacked the current leader, Andy Schleck, when he had a mechanical on the day's last climb. Schleck was pulling ahead of Contador when he mis-shifted and dropped his chain off the sprockets. Contador seized this opportunity to charge ahead while Schleck replaced his chain on the sprocket.

Perhaps in some sports this would be seen as the right thing to do. However, in cycling, where there is debatably no other more gentlemanly culture amongst athletes in a single sport, this is frowned upon. I can remember years ago, back in Armstrong's heyday, when his arch-nemesis Jan Ullrich had a mechanical on a very tough mountain stage. Lance actually asked the rest of the peloton to slow and wait for this potential threat! Why? Because that is what you do in cycling. If it were you with the mechanical, wouldn't you want to be the one who is given a chance to catch up?

Contador proved to the cycling world that he has no class, no honour and certainly no sense of what it means to be the best. He may win this tour, but I will not congratulate him for this cheap win. Instead, I will cheer for Schleck and Ryder 'Weight of a Nation' Hesjedal. Two men who know what it means to ride with heart.

Photo credit: VeloNews

I'm Back...

It's been a while since I've posted on here, but so is the life of a busy student!

The format of this blog will change a little bit as I go forward, and it will become more of an update on anything that peaks my interest, as opposed to being so design/fashion focused. Although, as major parts of my life, design and fashion will stay be featured on here prominently.

So if you are reading this, thank you, and welcome back!

Remember to follow me on twitter... @dbeirnes

Inside a Hotel Designer's Head

The following video is from the design studio responsible for the stunning Ace Hotel in NYC. I have mentioned this hotel before, but if you have not had the same appreciation for what they are doing to the hotel industry as I have, watch this.

The hotel is a work of art from every vantage point and the video does an extremely good job of highlighting this fact.


Roman & Williams from The Scout on Vimeo.

Pining for a berry?

Hybrid fruits are pretty much common place in todays supermarkets. From the random breeds of apples to the veggies you can't pronounce, they make for a $100 million dollar business in the U.S.
Something relatively new, however, was brought to my attention by Slashfood, a blog based in the U.K. Check out the article that discusses the Pineberry... yeah, the crazy white berries in the photo!
Sadly, it seems they're only available across the pond. Hopefully soon we'll see these at Loblaws.

Image courtesy The Guardian.

Just in case...

So, I'm a mac whore. I love Apple and everything they make (well, maybe not this iPad thing, but we'll see...). Anyways, back to the point, I also like to protect my Apple products. There's no better company for this than incase designs.

I have their cases for my iPhone and a solid green canvas pouch for my MacBook, but check out this sweet Messenger series available this Spring. The grey and orange pack (see above) is pretty great, if you ask me.

They do some solid collabs with great designers and are always seeming to come up with a fresh new design for their solidly built products. They even collaborated with Apple to design a line of products available only in Apple Stores. This includes a solid Canada themed iPhone case sold at the Apple stores of Canada (probably to benefit off the Olympic buzz).

When Fashion and Food Collide

I love to eat and dress well. So when someone shares this passion, I like to take note. One of my fellow fashion and food lovers is the infamous (and incredibly beautiful) Padma Lakshi. The host of Food Network's Top Chef program is a self-professed foody and one of the main reasons I watch the show...

To the point, as those who watch the show will know, Padma finished the season off with a nice baby bump. Well, according to People magazine and Slashfood, she had a baby girl, named Krishna Thea this past Saturday.

That kid should eat pretty well...

Two for One

Without a doubt, two of my top passions (and the reason for this blog) are fashion and travel. So, when these two vices are brought together, I have to take note. Today, at ACE Hotel New York, Opening Ceremony is opening their latest retail location. Opening Ceremony is a retail space that hosts numerous designer's collections and collaborations.

ACE is a 4 hotel brand with extremely design conscious locations in Palm Springs, Seattle, Portland and New York City. Originally from Seattle, the boutique brand is known for their stylish interiors and fashion forward uniforms (including killer Converse boots on the bell staff... see above, right).

Opening Ceremony has locations in New York, Tokyo and Las Angeles and their collections feature designers from around the world. OC is also known for their unique collaborations with big brands, such as a Levi's cord collection also released today.

Next time your in New York, stay at the ACE and check out this unique shop!

D.

Billy Reid

Kicking off Fashion Week in NYC, GQ hosted an event Thursday evening at the Frank Gehry designed IAC building in Chelsea. The winner of their Best New Menswear Designer in America, Billy Reid, was the lucky recipient of $50,000 and a special collection for Levi's through Bloomingdale's.
GQ visited Billy Reid at his store in New York where they saw his Spring 2010 collection and heard of his inspiration. Check out the video of their visit and stay tuned for future installments from the remaining 5 finalists. Finally, check out Billy Reid's online site.

D.

under vacuum

If you're at all interested in modern cooking techniques or enjoy eating at the latest, most technologically forward restaurants, chance are you've heard of the cooking technique, Sous-vide. Basically, it's a french term meaning under pressure and refers to the technique of cooking food vacuum packed and submerged in hot water. For more detail, see the sous-vide wikipedia page, or check this out...

The SousVide Supreme is a newish product that brings this technique into the kitchen of the home cook. Although on the small side, limiting it's dinner party potential, the 'water oven' is the perfect new appliance for the modern cook.

Cooking with a water oven such as the SousVide Supreme allows the cook to precisely control the temperature and hence, precisely cook the ingredients to the desired doneness. A few degrees difference actually makes a difference here, so recipes are more key than ever.

Check out the appliance and maybe learn about the technique. I bet this will soon be common practice in our kitchens.

D.

the dress shoes of sneakers

GQ is and always has been the essential handbook for guys with a sense of style. Originally just a magazine, they've since built themselves into a multi-media powerhouse of mens fashion. From their online site at men.style.com to their recent video series entitled GQ Rules.

Check out the videos, learn a thing or two and start looking your best. Maybe you aren't game for going sockless, but why not try some subtle sneakers with your suit next time?

D.

Image courtesy Common Projects

in good company

J.Crew is one of my favourite 'distinctly American' apparel stores. Their selection is varied and in-depth. Their house brand clothing is of high quality and current with today's style trends. What really impresses me, though, is their partnerships with brands that have such a storied and infamous past. Brands like Levi's, Sperry Top-Sider, Ray-Ban and Mackintosh.
Their 'in good company' promotion is currently highlighting these partnerships and allowing you, the consumer, to get a top end product at your local J.Crew store or at JCrew.com.
Check out the solid denim peacoat from Mister Freedom or the boots shown above from Quoddy.

D.

Twin Six

Perhaps one of the most design conscious cycling apparel companies coming from the States these days is Twin Six. I could tell you all about their manifesto, but I'll leave it in their very own words.

First and foremost we are two designers who love to ride and believe that the time is overdue for better cycling jersey graphics. We are Twin Six, the graphic revolution in cycling apparel. It is our goal to be the alternative to everything else.

The gear we pull on is a statement of our style, identity and self. The industry’s slow uphill grind to better graphics has turned riders into unwilling billboards, moving color explosions and unfortunate cartoon characterizations. Twin Six has seen enough.

Twin Six jerseys carry graphics with a fashion DNA. Styles that spring from real graphic trends, not the predictable regurgitation of last year’s predictable regurgitation. Twin Six is two determined graphic designers doing what we do best, so we can finally ride with pride.

-Ryan Carlson and Brent Gale

 They release a new graphic tee on the 6th of every month. This months is a cool valentine's/lovers themed shirt. Oh, and they also have a solid sale on. It's over today, though...

D.

Underneath it all

A favourite underwear manufacturer of mine is doing a special valentine's promotion! Whether you think valentines is a corporate holiday or not, it's a great deal on some great undies!

PACT manufactures organic cotton underwear in the US and ships internationally. 10% of their sales go to environmental causes such as Forest Ethics and Oceana. With unique prints and exceptional design (by Yves Behar), you'll soon be stocking your underwear drawer with a cause!

Check out their valentine's sale for men and women. "Remember, change starts with your underwear".

D.