Tag Archives: Reviews

New Restaurant Chains: Crack Shack Offers Top “Southern California Fried Chicken & Egg Fare”

From a UpRoxx.com online article:

 The Crack Shack … offer(s) genuinely tasty chicken sandwiches with meat sourced from farms outside of the industrial farming world. They… cost roughly ten times as much as a McChicken and more than double the Popeye’s Chicken Sandwich.

UpRoxx.com online Illustration 2019

“Solid, good cooking and comfort are always on-trend,” says Chef Richard Blais. We reached out to the Top Chef all-star and co-owner of The Crack Shack to talk chicken sandwiches because, well, that’s all people seem to be talking about lately. We figured, if anyone would understand how a sandwich basically turned into a cult obsession at the tail end of summer ’19, he might.

“Chicken is incredibly universal and always a crowd-pleaser,” Blais adds. “As is fried food, so… I think it’s just math.”

The cushy bread, the tangy mayo, the crunch of a salty pickle, and, of course, a beautifully seasoned and deep-fried piece of chicken (hopefully brined thigh meat) is about as complex-yet-simple as a sandwich can be. Add a little heat and it’s bliss in a bun.

https://uproxx.com/life/history-of-the-fried-chicken-sandwich/

Top Events: Open House Chicago 2019 Features Over 350 Sites Oct. 13-14

From the OpenHouseChicago.org website:

Open House Chicago 2019 sitesThe Chicago Architecture Center’s Open House Chicago (OHC) is the city’s annual architecture festival. For one weekend in October you can explore Chicago’s most iconic and unique architectural treasures. From mansions to sacred spaces, theaters to private clubs, hotels to secret rooms—OHC gives visitors a behind-the-scenes look at many of the city’s great spaces that are rarely, if ever, open to the public.

OHC is a citywide event that includes more than 350 sites located in more than 38 neighborhoods. Sites reflect the cultural diversity and history of Chicago, as well as the unique character of each community. Locations include private clubs, residential spaces, offices, hotels, theaters, design/architecture studios, schools and places of worship as well as manufacturing, cultural and government facilities. This diverse selection of sites allows visitors to plan an itinerary according to their own specific interests. Browse the sites that have participated in OHC since 2015.

To read more: https://openhousechicago.org/

Medical Innovations: BioLife4D Creates First 3D “Bioprinted” Human Heart From Cardiac Tissue

From an InterestingEngineering.com online article:

BioLife4D Logo“We are extremely proud of what we have accomplished, from the ability to 3D bioprint human cardiac tissue last summer to a mini heart with full structure now. These milestones are a testament to the hard work of our team and the proprietary process we have developed that enables this type of scientific achievement,” said Birla in a press release.  “We believe we are at the forefront of whole heart bioengineering, a field that has matured quickly over the last year, and well-positioned to continue our rapid scientific advancement.”

BIOLIFE4D, the biotech company based out of Chicago, announced it has successfully demonstrated the ability to 3D bioprint a mini human heart, a big step in someday printing out a full-sized human heart that can be used for a transplant.

To read more: https://interestingengineering.com/a-company-creates-the-first-3d-printed-mini-heart?_source=newsletter&_campaign=EVmJjW5YyX1pq&_uid=46dBBxnxd7&_h=0c209d493fa27bb2c39469a873cbbd733289c833&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=mailing&utm_campaign=Newsletter-10-09-2019

Top New Camper Trailers: The Opus OP 15′ Hybrid Caravan Is “Go Anywhere”

From a Curbed.com online review:

Opus OP 15′ Hybrid Caravan interiorThe trailer is set up for families thanks to a king-size bed on one side and twin bunk beds on the other. A full bathroom boasts a shower, sink, and chemical toilet, and bamboo shelving allows for plenty of storage space. A leatherette dining area provides a place to sit inside, and on-demand hot water, a heater, and built-in air conditioning come standard.

https://www.opuscamper.us/op15/

Opus has created their first full-size, hard-sided camper. Called the Opus OP 15, the new trailer blends off-road capabilities with amenities for a family. It’s also expandable, designed with a pop-up top for extra headroom in a way that’s similar to Safari Condo’s Alto R Series trailer. This means that while you’re towing the Opus OP 15, you have a low-roof, compact, 15-foot trailer. But once you get to camp you have plenty of room inside.

To read more: https://www.curbed.com/2019/9/9/20857187/rv-camper-travel-trailer-off-road-opus-op-15

Future Mobility: Hyundai Rolls Out Foldable Personal Electric Scooter Which Charges And Stores In Their Cars

From a Dezeen.com online article:

Hyundai Personal Electric Scooter view…this prototype is powered by a 10.5 amp hour (AH) lithium battery, which can reach speeds of just over 12 miles per hour and power the vehicle for around 12 miles on a single charge.

Hyundai has plans to integrate a regenerative braking system in the future, which would convert waste kinetic energy from the scooter’s brakes into electricity used to power it. The company claims this could increase its range by up to seven per cent.

Hyundai has created a prototype scooter that folds down to the size of a backpack and can be charged in a car using the energy created while driving. The scooter has been designed for use with future Hyundai or Kia models, which would come with designated storage and charging compartments.

To read more: https://www.dezeen.com/2019/09/09/hyundai-scooter-design-foldable-electric-vehicle/

Future Of Tourism: Athenea Eco-Friendly Luxury Floating Suites Will Be Available Soon

From a Curbed.com online article:

ANTHENEA IS THE FIRST FLOATING ECO-LUX HOTEL SUITE interiorThe domed capsule is the brainchild of naval architect Jean-Michel Ducancelle, who was inspired by the floating saucer in the 1977 Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. Under development for the last 15 years, this 21st-century version is outfitted with five south-facing solar panels that soak up the sun and power the electric motors and mechanical systems.

 

Half-boat, half-futuristic pod, the Anthenea is a bold take on sea-bound tourism. While we’ve already seen everything from an underwater Maldives hotel to an elevating floating home, the 538-square-foot Anthenea is being billed as “the world’s first eco-luxe floating hotel suite” (that can also be used as a spa, restaurant, night club, or really whatever the buyer can dream of).

http://www.anthenea.fr/en/homepage/

To read more: https://www.curbed.com/2019/9/5/20850121/solar-powered-floating-hotel-suite-anthenea

Destination Restaurants: The Halyard (& Jack’s Shack) At Sound View Hotel In Greenport, NY

From a Bon Appétit magazine online review:

The Halyard RestaurantImmediately upon checking into one of the Sound View’s cedar-paneled rooms, all clean white sheets and sailcloth pillows and views straight out onto the beach (ALL of the rooms at the Sound View look straight out onto the beach), I felt my blood pressure slow. For lunch, we jammed lobster rolls the size of our faces into our faces by the pool. Come late afternoon, we sat on our sandswept porch drinking canned rosé and watched the sky turn gold.

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The Halyard

Jack's Shack at the Sound View in Greenport NYFor dinner at The Halyard (Sound View’s hotel-restaurant-that-decidedly-doesn’t-suck), we grabbed a corner table on the open-air deck and ate peak-season heirloom tomato gazpacho and crisply seared scallops caught just a few miles away. Afterwards, loose on Greenport IPAs, we moseyed over to the piano bar for karaoke night and performed Alanis Morissette duets for a group of drunken Scottish people (all of whom are now our best friends) late into the night. It was a perfect weekend, the kind that made summer feel as endless as it did in the good old days, back before Google calendars existed.

https://soundviewgreenport.com/

To read more: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/sound-view-hotel-north-fork

World’s Top Exhibitions: “The Deep Listener” By Danish Artist Jakob Kudsk Steensen, Serpentine Galleries, London (2019)

deeplistener1Designed as an augmented reality and spatial audio work downloadable as an app for mobile devices, it is both a site specific public artwork and a digital archive of these species, using tools and platforms from a range of fields including video games, computer generated images and film. Inspired by ecological science-fiction and scientific research, Kudsk Steensen creates a form of ‘slow media’ that uses the technological to foster attention rather than distraction. 

...a journey to both see and hear five of London’s species: London plane trees, bats, parakeets, azure blue damselflies and reedbeds.

Kudsk Steensen has collaborated with the field recordist and sound designer Matt McCorkle to represent five species as sound. The audio and visuals within the project are drawn directly from organic source material gathered from a period of embedded research within Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. These organic materials are then transformed through digital processes to be re-embedded within the same context.

Download brochure: https://www.serpentinegalleries.org/files/press-releases/the_deep_listener_tdl_a5_digital_v2_final.pdf

Website: https://www.serpentinegalleries.org/exhibitions-events/serpentine-augmented-architecture

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/?