24.4.11
23.4.11
Russell House Tavern
Lighting my cranberry and mandarin scented candle this afternoon while settling down with my Rosetta Stone Italian language learning software, I noticed the logo on my matchbox. Whomever thought that promo matchboxes didn't work clearly wasn't thinking of scented candle lighting.
During the all American East coast road trip, we ate at a great restaurant called the Russell House Tavern. Its a great bar/restaurant where all the local Harvard students hang out and eat oysters on the half shell, fois gras, charcuterie, bone marrow, and crab cakes... seems like the regular University hangout eh? Of course their mommy and daddy must be supplying the platinum Visas for it right?
As we sat down we were presented with a huge menu covering a vast range of delicious courses, a little too overwhelming for me. So as in all our restaurant adventures we decided to let the server pick out a dinner for us of their specialties.
He did a fabulous job! Some of the most fantastic cocktails! Make sure to try the Battle of Trafalgar and the Last Word!
Bringing out course after course of small, sharable items that delighted the taste buds. Of course there were oysters, bone marrow, Anchovy toast, lobster salad, and a crispy poached egg! The food adrenaline was pumping through our veins as the tables on either side of us envied the outrageous selection of goodies in front of us. Our eyes widened and mouths widened even further. The music humming, the waiters bringing out plate after plate of succulence. After we had exasperated the food laid out in front our waiter inquired whether or not we were full, which of course on our food high we were most definitely not! And so the dinner went into the seventh game of the playoffs, third period.
This is when it started getting fatty. Charcuterie flew out of the kitchen and extra crostini to follow. We lapped up the chicken liver Pate, duck ham, and Birkshire Rillette like ravenous dogs. The flavours melting on our tongues and the crostini adding a much appreciated crunch.
Now as much as we love charcuterie, I now believe it is possible to have too much. No longer did we feel like pouncing outside and exploring the rest of Harvard Square, it was more like... cab, shoes off, sleep. Of course we had to end with something light and sweet, a dessert hidden from the menu.
Over the 2 hours we spent diving into the Cambridge food world we had a glorious time and our waiter declared us his BEST TABLE EVER.
Good work Russell House Tavern!
http://www.russellhousecambridge.com/
During the all American East coast road trip, we ate at a great restaurant called the Russell House Tavern. Its a great bar/restaurant where all the local Harvard students hang out and eat oysters on the half shell, fois gras, charcuterie, bone marrow, and crab cakes... seems like the regular University hangout eh? Of course their mommy and daddy must be supplying the platinum Visas for it right?
As we sat down we were presented with a huge menu covering a vast range of delicious courses, a little too overwhelming for me. So as in all our restaurant adventures we decided to let the server pick out a dinner for us of their specialties.
He did a fabulous job! Some of the most fantastic cocktails! Make sure to try the Battle of Trafalgar and the Last Word!
Bringing out course after course of small, sharable items that delighted the taste buds. Of course there were oysters, bone marrow, Anchovy toast, lobster salad, and a crispy poached egg! The food adrenaline was pumping through our veins as the tables on either side of us envied the outrageous selection of goodies in front of us. Our eyes widened and mouths widened even further. The music humming, the waiters bringing out plate after plate of succulence. After we had exasperated the food laid out in front our waiter inquired whether or not we were full, which of course on our food high we were most definitely not! And so the dinner went into the seventh game of the playoffs, third period.
This is when it started getting fatty. Charcuterie flew out of the kitchen and extra crostini to follow. We lapped up the chicken liver Pate, duck ham, and Birkshire Rillette like ravenous dogs. The flavours melting on our tongues and the crostini adding a much appreciated crunch.
Now as much as we love charcuterie, I now believe it is possible to have too much. No longer did we feel like pouncing outside and exploring the rest of Harvard Square, it was more like... cab, shoes off, sleep. Of course we had to end with something light and sweet, a dessert hidden from the menu.
Over the 2 hours we spent diving into the Cambridge food world we had a glorious time and our waiter declared us his BEST TABLE EVER.
Good work Russell House Tavern!
http://www.russellhousecambridge.com/
22.4.11
D.C. Spooks
Spooks are something that only happen in high profile cities. They could be strange people, animals or events that make you ponder whether they served a separate purpose. A more, high profile, undercover, secret intelligence mission purpose. Recently Jared and I traveled to Washington D.C., the capital of spooks. Here are a few of the ones we encountered...
1. Walking down the sidewalk in Georgetown, heading upwards in order to catch a glimpse of Embassy row on our cruise down. Suddenly a small deer careens past a young woman ahead of us! It gallops towards us on a rampage towards anything green, her rear hind leg dangling in a painful way. An older man almost gets knocked over as the deer screeches around a corner and wipes out on the pavement attempting to turn a little to fast...
2. After a lovely reception at the U.S. State Department and a wonderful reunion watching the Capitals win their playoff game, we head to the metro to find our way home. As we are waiting in the station a train labeled "special" rolls in and stops in a dark corner by the escalators. The interior of the train is completely blacked out and dark. The doors open. Two men dressed in full uniform with bulletproof vests and semi automatic machine guns step out and guard the doors. Another guard runs out of the train pushing a huge metal case. Two seconds later returns in the same manner with another metal case. The two armed guards return inside the train and it pulls away through the station. No one around us thinks much of it.
3. Walking around the Washington Monument and notice an unattended bag sitting beside a bench. A security guard is notified and asks the nearest tourists if the bag is theirs. They respond, "no". Security guard begins to dismantle the bag in a careful and collected way... an ominous breeze begins, blowing the surrounding flags in a mysterious fashion.
4. Attempting to finally get out of this strange city, only to get stuck in traffic. 20 minutes later we find vehicles stuck between the two sides of the interstate apparently having attempted to turn around. Police are giving them tickets. Included in this is a large white van (which definitely would NOT have made it across!). As we move towards the crash site we notice a huge black soot mark on the road, police cars everywhere, and two or three dozen young black students sitting on a railing on the side of the interstate. Two minutes down the road stopped at an off-ramp is a school bus, black and smoldering on the back of a giant, bus sized tow truck.
Next time you visit a large and important city, beware, because spooks are everywhere. You just have to keep your eyes open to find them. That or all the special agent movies shot in Washington have gotten the better of us?
1. Walking down the sidewalk in Georgetown, heading upwards in order to catch a glimpse of Embassy row on our cruise down. Suddenly a small deer careens past a young woman ahead of us! It gallops towards us on a rampage towards anything green, her rear hind leg dangling in a painful way. An older man almost gets knocked over as the deer screeches around a corner and wipes out on the pavement attempting to turn a little to fast...
2. After a lovely reception at the U.S. State Department and a wonderful reunion watching the Capitals win their playoff game, we head to the metro to find our way home. As we are waiting in the station a train labeled "special" rolls in and stops in a dark corner by the escalators. The interior of the train is completely blacked out and dark. The doors open. Two men dressed in full uniform with bulletproof vests and semi automatic machine guns step out and guard the doors. Another guard runs out of the train pushing a huge metal case. Two seconds later returns in the same manner with another metal case. The two armed guards return inside the train and it pulls away through the station. No one around us thinks much of it.
3. Walking around the Washington Monument and notice an unattended bag sitting beside a bench. A security guard is notified and asks the nearest tourists if the bag is theirs. They respond, "no". Security guard begins to dismantle the bag in a careful and collected way... an ominous breeze begins, blowing the surrounding flags in a mysterious fashion.
4. Attempting to finally get out of this strange city, only to get stuck in traffic. 20 minutes later we find vehicles stuck between the two sides of the interstate apparently having attempted to turn around. Police are giving them tickets. Included in this is a large white van (which definitely would NOT have made it across!). As we move towards the crash site we notice a huge black soot mark on the road, police cars everywhere, and two or three dozen young black students sitting on a railing on the side of the interstate. Two minutes down the road stopped at an off-ramp is a school bus, black and smoldering on the back of a giant, bus sized tow truck.
Next time you visit a large and important city, beware, because spooks are everywhere. You just have to keep your eyes open to find them. That or all the special agent movies shot in Washington have gotten the better of us?
21.4.11
The Gentle Island
I believe I've officially become an Islander. I just moved into my new house and start my new job on Tuesday in Prince Edward Island, Canada!
The tourism association of PEI has sold this Island as the Gentle Island for quite some time now, and to me it always seemed like a silly way to bring people. There's nothing very excited, fast paced, or busy. No big flashy city to loose yourself in. The downtown of the capital, Charlottetown (pop. 40,000), is about as busy as my original hometown. There's one overpriced yoga studio, two sushi restaurants, and four grocery stores. I haven't counted the Tim Horton's yet.
The first thing you'll notice when you reach the Island is that the soil is red and the drivers are ridiculously courteous. These people will pretty much cause an accident to give away their right of way! If you look across the street, they will stop for you. If you are standing in the road attempting to turn left into your driveway they will stop all oncoming traffic in order to let you through. I suppose you could label this as "gentle"...
Another thing you will notice is that everyone nods and says hello when you are walking down the paths or sidewalks. I've encountered this in smaller towns of say 2,000 people, but it seems that this capital city of a Province has it down pat to make sure that you feel like your living in a tiny village.
I suppose when the airport has one runway and six flights per day going in and out of the Province you realize how much of a microsystem it really is....
The tourism association of PEI has sold this Island as the Gentle Island for quite some time now, and to me it always seemed like a silly way to bring people. There's nothing very excited, fast paced, or busy. No big flashy city to loose yourself in. The downtown of the capital, Charlottetown (pop. 40,000), is about as busy as my original hometown. There's one overpriced yoga studio, two sushi restaurants, and four grocery stores. I haven't counted the Tim Horton's yet.
The first thing you'll notice when you reach the Island is that the soil is red and the drivers are ridiculously courteous. These people will pretty much cause an accident to give away their right of way! If you look across the street, they will stop for you. If you are standing in the road attempting to turn left into your driveway they will stop all oncoming traffic in order to let you through. I suppose you could label this as "gentle"...
Another thing you will notice is that everyone nods and says hello when you are walking down the paths or sidewalks. I've encountered this in smaller towns of say 2,000 people, but it seems that this capital city of a Province has it down pat to make sure that you feel like your living in a tiny village.
I suppose when the airport has one runway and six flights per day going in and out of the Province you realize how much of a microsystem it really is....
11.2.11
Home Again, Home Again
Of the many things I learned in Italy, one of the most important would be how a few simple ingredients can magically become one of the most flavourful, authentic, and delicious dishes you ever thought were possible to be put on your tongue. You don't realize these things until you return home, back to aisles of frozen, boxed food and hundreds of ingredient lists on products that in Italy contain only one or two. But hey, its cheap right? And really, who knows how to make chicken or beef stock anyways? I can buy it in a can for $1.29! Well I refuse to support the idea that canned broth tastes just as good as the real thing, I tried it, in Italy. One night homemade broth with tortellini the next, store bought. The thing is, people don't usually try out both products around the same time, and really attempt to taste the difference. Which is actually a huge deal.
So today, while grocery shopping I took that can of chicken broth out of my mom's hand and instead we bought a Canadian grown chicken, a bag of carrots, a bag of onions, and used up all our old celery that has been attempting to hide the fact that they are getting old in our fridge. The first time my mom has ever made b
roth.
We also pulled out an old cut of beef from the freezer, not too sure what beefer this one is named, and decided to make a beef stock too! The entire house is filling with moisture from the rolling stocks and the smell is exhilarating!
So today, while grocery shopping I took that can of chicken broth out of my mom's hand and instead we bought a Canadian grown chicken, a bag of carrots, a bag of onions, and used up all our old celery that has been attempting to hide the fact that they are getting old in our fridge. The first time my mom has ever made b
roth.
We also pulled out an old cut of beef from the freezer, not too sure what beefer this one is named, and decided to make a beef stock too! The entire house is filling with moisture from the rolling stocks and the smell is exhilarating!
9.12.10
Clam Chowder
Why is it that once you leave home you start to want to make everything you ate there. Except here people eat my
food after I make it.Today I decided to make clam chowder for cena (dinner, or supper for my family). I may have included a little bit of whole goats milk, used purple onions instead of white ones, had no actual cooking times in my recipe, used a coffee mug for a measuring cup... oh and fresh clams (this adds a lot of extra work).
However, it still tasted amazing.
Branding
While living in the country where you were born, sometimes the brands you choose and the reasons you choose them become subconscious. You pick what you've always seen at home, or what your friends have, or what commercials you've seen. When you stroll into a grocery store for some snacks you pretty much recognize all the brands you see on the shelf - because you've been there many times before.
What happens when you move to a new country, with new brands, and new powerplayers for the products you buy everyday.
Example # 1 - Shampoo
Before I left I stocked up on shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. My favourite kind - Herbal Essences. The stuff that leaves my hair silky smooth all the time. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't left in the dust once I arrived to my new home in Tuscany. Although they do have the brand here, (comon its P & G) its not everywhere you can buy shampoo. When you think about the reasons why we stick to one brand, or the reason why I felt I needed to bring three months worth to Italy, it makes those marketing classes seem a lot more valuable. When I had one suitcase to bring, I chose to fill it with products I knew and trusted, rather than pack something else and buy what was *available* in my new country.
Example #2 - Cookies
I had the great opportunity to go to Roma with Jared and his parents in November. We stopped on the Autostrada for some gas, snacks, and a caffè. While we stared at the wall of cookies and wafers the a couple of main brands stand out.
Kinder i
s everywhere here, with so many products that I haven't seen before. However, my past experiences with Kinder have always been Suprises, and they tend to be fun, but somewhat unhealthy options. The other main brand here is Mulino Bianco, a company that has been around here since 1971. Its products are simply branded and represent healthy breakfast, caffè, and anytime snacks. This brand is present in many houses here in Italy and I chose the Cuor di Mela for the trip.Eample #3 - Facial Wash
Italians consumer more olive oil in a week than I think I did in a year at home. I am also working in a commercial kitchen on occasion that cooks with a lot of splashy oil. Long story short, I didn't have my Clean & Clear with me (The one thing I should have brought). So, one day in Firenze, we stopped into a specialty store (I think every store in Italy, maybe Europe is specialty. Cheese, meat, pharmacies, they are all separate stores and most locally owned.) to buy some facial wash. I searched the entire store for my tried and true product - to no avail. I was shown vario
us other European products that I'm sure would have done the job. But guess which product I went home with. An eight or nine Euro squeeze bottle of Garnier. And I love it. Even though every bottle in that store was written in only Italian, I relied on past experiences, brand identity, and a colourful container to make my choice. Exactly as the textbooks said I would.These examples made me ponder about the stimulii that entice people to buy one brand over another. Numerous business articles have been written about this subject, and my specialization happens to be in finance, not marketing. However, I think as I stay longer here I'm beginning to realize what topics interest me more than others. Below is an excerpt of a Harvard Business Review Article on Brand Identity.
*In the June 2009 issue of McKinsey Quarterly, my colleague David Court and three coauthors introduced a more nuanced view of how consumers engage with brands: the “consumer decision journey” (CDJ). They developed their model from a study of the purchase decisions of nearly 20,000 consumers across five industries—automobiles, skin care, insurance, consumer electronics, and mobile telecom—and three continents. Their research revealed that far from systematically narrowing their choices, today’s consumers take a much more iterative and less reductive journey of four stages: consider, evaluate, buy, and enjoy, advocate, bond.*
When we get into our daily habits at home this process is often quick, subconscious, and without too much thought - especially for low cost items that are not complicated. But throw yourself into a new culture of brands and traditions and you regret shaking your head saying *but this is all common sense!* It might be common sense, but it still takes strategic thinking for the company to put all the marketing steps together in syncrony.
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