Tag Archives: Reviews

Future Of City Mobility: Revel Electric Mopeds Offer App-Based Utility And Affordability

From CityLab.com online article:

Revel Electric Mopeds NYC pricingCompared to the toylikerule-floutingsidewalk-cluttering kick-scooters, proper motor scooters also promise to be a more regulated—and officially legitimized—form of urban transportation. “It rides and parks in the street and flows through traffic, completely off sidewalks,” says Frank Reig, CEO of Revel. “You’re part of the traffic lane and have a license plate.”

Revel Electric Mopeds NYC rear viewTo get started, the company requires a scan of your license, accompanied by an in-app selfie, to go through a $19 background check approval. What you don’t need is a motorcycle license, or any prior experience piloting these kinds of vehicles. And that could prove to be a challenge for some.

The electric mopeds that Revel uses in D.C. are made by the Chinese company NIU; they sell about $3,000 to $5,000 if you want your own, and they are similar in price and capabilities to their gas-powered Vespa cousins. They have a range of about 60 miles and can go about 30 miles per hour—fast enough to keep up with traffic in the city.

To read more: https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2019/09/revel-electric-scooter-rental-review-moped-safety-tips-app/597367/?utm_campaign=citylab-daily-newsletter&utm_medium=email&silverid=%25%25RECIPIENT_ID%25%25&utm_source=newsletter

Top California Hotels: The Farmhouse Inn Is A Culinary Destination In Sonoma Wine Country

From a Jetsetter.com online review:

Farmhouse Inn, CA roomDespite the overwhelming presence of boutique inns along the Atlantic, they’re not a strictly East Coast commodity. Case in point: Sonoma’s  Farmhouse Inn.

The 25-room property, located just 30 minutes from Calistoga and Napa Valley, attracts visitors from near and far with guest rooms done up in homey, (you guessed it) farmstead-style decor (think: plaid throws and rustic tree limb end tables, all adhering to a neutral palette of white, beige, and brown), brightened up by bouquets of fresh seasonal flowers. Farmhouse Inn, CA signBeyond its aesthetically-pleasing interiors, the inn also knows a thing or two about food—starting with a nightly turndown service that includes homemade cookies and milk, and ending with the Farmhouse Restaurant, an onsite Michelin-starred, farm-to-table dining experience with killer dishes like peach salad, chanterelle tortellini, and wild Alaskan halibut.

To read more: https://www.jetsetter.com/magazine/the-coziest-inns-ever/?

Future Of Camper Vans: The “Hymer VisionVenture” Looks, Designed Like A “High-End Apartment”

From a Curbed.com online review:

Erwin Hymer Group debuted the VisionVenture concept interior stairsThis year at Düsseldorf, the Erwin Hymer Group debuted the VisionVenture concept. Built on a Mercedes chassis, the VisionVenture is a forward-thinking camper that looks more like a high-end apartment than a striped-down adventure rig.

To accomplish this, the camper’s interior uses warm bamboo, gray felt, and leather, mixing woods with other materials to add interest. The living area is located in the rear with two white sofas and a center dining table that folds down below the passenger-side bench. The stand-out feature of the living room is the panoramic rear window and large side windows. Fold out the rear door, drop a lower gate and the van boasts its own rear deck—complete with slide-out electric grill.

Erwin Hymer Group debuted the VisionVenture concept interior

It’s an impressive lounge area, and the kitchen goes even further with a flush cooktop, sink, refrigerator, and ample storage. The styling is fresh too, with modular, deck-like wall paneling that works to hang plants or cooking equipment as needed. Integrated next to the kitchen is a compact slate-colored staircase—reminiscent of tiny house design—that boasts storage, motion-activated lighting, and access to an inflatable pop-up sleeping area. The upstairs bed sleeps two and takes advantage of big views through the rear roll-up window.

https://www.hymer.com/de/de/modelle/technologie-innovation/vision-venture

To read more: https://www.curbed.com/2019/9/5/20851580/rv-camper-van-hymer-concept-visionventure

Best Travel Shows: British Series “Travel Man” Is Helpful And Hilarious

From a New Yorker online article:

Travel Man PhotoOn “Travel Man,” Ayoade is fun to look at (snappy suits, thick-framed glasses, expression of amused diffidence) and fun to listen to. (Of a monastery turned hotel in Naples, he says, “As well as modish guff, like a rooftop pool and a spa, it retains attractive old shiz, like staircases dug into the hillside.”) His persona is warmly amused, broadly skeptical, and gently astringent—i.e., British. He’s not a joiner. His intros conclude with him saying, in that episode’s particular city and with that episode’s particular guest, “We’re here, but should we have come?” 

 

Travel Man: 48 Hours in . . .” is a British series in which the comedian, writer, actor, and director Richard Ayoade spends forty-eight hours in a city, accompanied by various friends—“some of the most available and affordable names in light ent,” as he puts it—and tells us about what to do there. “Mini-breaks are a swirling nebula of nonsense!” he says at the top of “Copenhagen,” during a brisk montage of him in Venice, Copenhagen, Vienna, and Moscow. “How can anyone go somewhere new and be expected to enjoy themselves without a decade to decompress?” Exactly, I thought. This is the show for me.

To read more: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/on-television/travel-man-richard-ayoades-travel-show-for-people-who-hate-travel

Trends In Food: 5th Annual “Blended Burger Project” Celebrates Five Winning Chefs On Oct. 23

From a JamesBeard.org release:

James Beard Foundation Blended Burger ProjectThis year, the Foundation is pleased to once again partner with the Mushroom Council to host the Blended Burger Project*, which encourages chefs to create a healthier, more sustainable, and tastier burger that can be enjoyed by consumers across the country, while also educating diners about the many benefits of The Blend and the future of food. 

Through our Impact Programs, the James Beard Foundation has become more involved in the conversations around health and sustainability in our food system. The Foundation is proud of its work on the Blended Burger Project™ along with our other programs including the James Beard Foundation Food Summit, the annual Leadership Awards, and the Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change.

The five fabulous winners of the 2019 contest are:

  • Meredith Manee, Ritz-Carlton’s Burger Shack, Kapalua, Kapalua, HI
  • Justin Medina, Playalinda Brewing Company – Brix Project, Titusville, FL
  • Robert Repp, Hops at 84 East, Holland, MI
  • Eric Rivera, Vintage Year, Montgomery, AL
  • Jacqueline Sampson, Pompano Grill, Cocoa Beach, FL

Blended Burger GraphicTo read more: https://www.jamesbeard.org/blendedburgerproject

 

Top Art Exhibitions: “Homer At The Beach: A Marine Painter’s Journey” At The Cape Ann Museum

From a Wall Street Journal article:

Winslow Homer’s Sunset Fires (1880) PHOTO THE WESTMORELAND MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ARTThat’s how I felt while visiting “Homer at the Beach: A Marine Painter’s Journey, 1869-1880,” an intimate exhibition at the Cape Ann Museum. The show is handsome, historically rich and perfectly positioned here at this harbor venue, which devotes galleries to regional maritime and fishing artifacts, local decorative arts, Gloucester sea captain Elias Davis ’s house and the works of the renowned illustrator and marine painter Fitz Henry Lane (1804-1865), a Gloucester native with whom Boston-born Winslow Homer (1836-1910) had much in common.

An illustrator and painter, Homer is chiefly celebrated for his mature paintings of life on or near the sea. “Homer on the Beach” was never intended to be a gathering of Homer’s greatest maritime works. Therefore, it does not contain those revered later masterpieces such as “The Life Line” (1884), “The Herring Net” (1885) and “The Gale” (1883-93), but it lays their foundations and illumines the first leg of his voyage. Curated by William R. Cross, a museum consultant and chairman of the Advisory Board of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture, the show focuses on Homer’s artistic formation as a marine painter.

To read more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/homer-at-the-beach-a-marine-painters-journey-1869-1880-review-flotsam-jetsam-handsome-11567249200

Top Mobile Houses: Land Ark RV’s “Draper” Is Optimally Functional, Sophisticated Travel

From LandArkRV.com website:

Land Ark RV Draper InteriorOptimized for an individual or a couple, this mid-century modern design delivers a functional layout in a sophisticated package. The mud room entry features a 7 ft.+ width wardrobe, a separate W/D utility closet and a nook with a bench and cubbies. Connecting this space to the rest of the interior is a gallery with recessed lighting and clerestory windows. From the gallery, ascend up the custom designed oak ladder into the sleeping loft enclosed with large windows. A compact, yet surprisingly luxurious bathroom features a vanity, wall-hung toilet and a full size, walk-in shower with recessed lighting and a window. Flooded with natural light, the main living area opens up to a large galley kitchen and a convertible U-sofa that transforms into a queen bed for the occasional guest. Living extends outside through the sliding patio door onto a large hardwood deck that can be raised and closed for transport.

Website: https://landarkrv.com/models/draper/

Technology Innovations: Inmergo Headphones By Rocco Giovannoni – “Like You’re Inside The Song”

From a Dezeen.com online article:

Immergo Headphones Rocco Giovannoni websiteGiovannoni describes it as “immersive omnidirectional” sound with richer bass. “It feels like you’re inside the song,” says one wide-eyed subject in Inmergo’s user testing video.

Water rather than air carries sound in designer Rocco Giovannoni’s Inmergo headphones, which promise rich audio even for people who are hard of hearing.

A 2019 graduate of the Royal College of Art’s MA in Design Products, Giovannonidesigned the soft silicone headphones to improve upon current bone-conduction audio technology.

To read more: https://www.dezeen.com/2019/09/01/inmergo-headphones-rocco-giovannoni-design/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Dezeen&utm_content=Daily%20Dezeen+CID_ea960a6d9fc2f1bafc2e4790608c91f1&utm_source=Dezeen%20Mail&utm_term=Water-filled%20Inmergo%20headphones%20by%20Rocco%20Giovannoni%20allow%20immersive%20listening

Top Restaurants: Winvian Farm In Connecticut Is “Seed-To-Table Dining”

From the Winvian Farm brochure:

Each dining area is dramatic in contrast and each is designed to harmonize with thecuisine created to suit that space—breakfast on the sunny Terrace, tasting menus in the Private Dining Room, light snacks in the casual Solarium to name a few. The Seth Bird House and The Smith Ell are freely accessible to all of Winvian’s guests, whether to play some games, sit by the fire with a hot toddy or chat with like minded souls.

Winvian Farm Restaurant Connecticut exterior

Far from the madding crowd, in the Litchfield Hills, lies a quiet getaway. Set on 113 acres and bordering extensive woods and lakes, Winvian was created to recharge and indulge. A place like this is difficult to describe for it lacks nothing. Winvian aspires to host you with no airs but graces, no extravagance or opulence, only warmth and treats. The  cuisine, the wines, the spa and the team are as unexpected as the experiences that
one ultimately enjoys.

Website: https://www.winvian.com/

Top Wine Bars: Absinthe Brasserie & Bar In San Francisco Is “Glamorous, Buzzy And Special”

From an SFBayTimes.com online article:

Absinthe Brasserie San FranciscoWhat makes this brasserie so popular? “A culture of hospitality comes from the top down,” explains Absinthe General Manager Brian Gavin. “Bill (our owner) is very gracious and the tone he sets makes everyone feel welcome.”

An homage to all things French, Absinthe is still one of my favorite places to eat in the city. Why? It’s a buzzy destination that feels glamorous and special, evoking a one-of-a-kind feeling of Belle Epoque-era Paris. It’s not just where I dine before the opera, symphony, ballet or SFJAZZ, but it is also where I always take out-of-towners, business associates, clients and staffers.

http://absinthe.com/

Absinthe Brasserie San Francisco Red Burgundies

To read more: http://sfbaytimes.com/little-slice-paris-hayes-valley-absinthe-brasserie-bar/