Liana Robberecht’s Food Obsessions

You’ll catch more flies with Minus 8 Vinegar than with honey. Every chef I know has one commonality…  a love for salt, oil and vinegars; I like to call them the magic potions in our pantries.  The simplicity of these items can make your dish seem completely complex and mystical or a master-disaster, if you’re not careful.  One heavy hand in the salt can ruin hours of hard work and...

Jackie McAtee – International Marketing Perspective

Who are you? Every day I work with brands. How to strengthen them, reinvent them, even design new brands from concept to final production. But what is a brand? In the commercial world a brand, I believe, is the heart and soul of an organization. It has very little to do with logos and everything to do with a deep company logic, behaviour and culture. But what about your personal brand? Who are...

Egon von Foidl's International Hotel Perspective

Good afternoon all: Had a busy February, but also a good time enjoying the weather and season in Miami. February was a good month for OCC and ADR in Miami, most hotels showed increases in revenue and a slight increase in REFPAR, some major events such as the Florida Boat Show and art festivals helped bring US as well as foreign guests to town. Restaurants in South Beach are filled daily and lot...

Patricia Koyich's Calgary

The dark days are getting shorter and as I walked to my car I noticed the neighborhood rabbit darting across the lawn and the patches of brown fur trying to take over from its predominately snow white body….I think to myself that although I have lived in Calgary my whole life, I can’t remember feeling such a need for summer, sunshine, and the vibrant green that freshens the city and our...

Liana Robberecht's Food Obsessions

“There’s Something About Bacon” There is a saying at work, “if you listen very closely, over all the hustle and bustle in the kitchen, you will hear, ‘please…please let it be bacon’”. All of the staff members, who work both in and out of the kitchens here at the Club, have a love and fascination for pork and pork products.  In Third place is everything that involves pork...

Wine Girl, Erin Rosar’s view of Bad Service

  Are we perpetuating bad service by expecting it and not drawing attention to it? The last couple of years have been tough ones in all industries, and I don’t think anyone will argue that point but, I am curious about if we have become so used to not expecting service to be at 100% because times are tough and companies are cutting back that we are perpetuating the experience of bad service...

Jackie McAtee – International Marketing Perspective

Worth the risk?  I was reading an article in the local newspaper, all too common in the northern winter, about the risks of backcountry skiing and avalanches. Often the general perception of individuals who explore the backcountry on skis, snowshoes, snowmobiles or snowboards is that they are daredevils. However a study by the University of Calgary (2005) noted that “sensation seeking was not...

Harley Carbery’s – Living the Life in Fabulous Las Vegas

Hello again from almost warm Las Vegas!  I have written about many amazing things I love about living in Las Vegas. The past week has reminded me of another.  This city, like many is a melting pot of people from around the world. This includes those of us that live here and of course the millions of visitors we get every year.  This past week was Chinese new year, the year of the rabbit!...

Patricia Koyich's Calgary

February…. The month in which the ground hog determines how much more of this weather we endure before spring officially arrives and of course the day in which we are all reminded of romance the 14th, Valentine’s Day.   Well for those of you who have seen the movie, Ground Hog Day, you may smile in reflection of the relevance, as we go on about our everyday and find ourselves on autopilot...

Egon von Foidl’s – International Hotel Perspective

Good morning to you all:  The month is coming to an end and it is good to move on. As you all know January is always a slow month with so many people being on vacation. It was very slow for me as well, took it easy and just enjoyed the good weather here in Miami. Planning now for February trips to Costa Rica, Chile, Bahamas and possibly Columbia.  It was interesting that after posting the last...