Sitting in a castle dating back to 18th century or up above, looking down unto a volcanic lake. The best restaurants in the world are known not only for what they make, but what make them. Whether it be a view or an experience or perhaps just the menu, whatever it is that sets these restaurants apart can’t be found anywhere else. Here we take an extended look at some of the top restaurants in the world.
Exotic Getaways Oia: Santorini, Greece
Also known as “Apano Meria” or “Anomeria”, Oia is a traditional settlement in the north of Santorini. This beautiful village sits approximately 150 meters above sea level. Ravaged by an earthquake in 1956, Oia has gone under an extensive restoration process that has brought the city back its former glory.
Is It WORTH It?
Worth Avenue has been a forever staple for Palm Beach.
In 2013 it was voted one of the top three "Most Iconic" streets in America.
The upscale shopping strip is home to many iconic stores, as well as the Living Wall pictured below.
"The installation cost $250,000 and includes 10,920 tropical plants from 11 different species and the irrigation system to support them. The plants are a mellifluous sounding group - Mondo Grass, Xanadu Philodendron, Asiatic Jasmine, Silver Sawtooth Palmetto, Altermanthera 'Yellow', Muehlenbeckia Axillaris, Philodendron 'Burle Marx', Dusty Miller, Zebrina pendula, Coontie and Zoysia Grass." (visitflorida.com)
Source: www.visitflorida.com
ALL THE NEW RESTAURANTS DOWNTOWN WEST PALM BEACH
Eleven businesses in Downtown West Palm Beach have opened in the fiscal year of 2016 with seven others in production. This may seem like a lot, but it is actually right on schedule with Downtown West Palm Beach previous years.
The new businesses in Downtown West Palm Beach are:
· Amazing Feet
· Phenix Salon
· Got Ink
· Picnic Fashionista
· Fetch Palm Beach
· Johan’s Joe Cafe and Coffee Shop
· HotelPlanner.com
· Fitness Hub
· Dorian’s Red Hand
· Jardin
· Banko Cantina Nationally
So Many Things To Do In Downtown West Palm Beach
From concerts to galleries to plays, Downtown West Palm Beach has it all.
Explore Contemporary Art on Mimosa Saturdays at Habitat Galleries, see a musical number at the Kravis Center, or Satchmo at The Waldorf at the Palm Beach Dramaworks. There is always something to do in Downtown West Palm Beach.
There are many free concerts with artists like Parmalee, Bobby McClendon and the Samantha Russel Band at the Meyer Amphitheater. While you’re enjoying music, you could also enjoy life-seize Pong, Jenga twister and more, great for both adults and kids.
Rising Florida Chefs
Chef David Valencia
David.a.valencia@hotmail.com or 561-594-5837
Chef David Valencia is credited with bringing the high-end fusion of Latin, French and Asian cuisine to the forefront of American palates. Born in Colombia, and a veteran of Alain Ducasse’s global empire, Valencia participated in the opening a series of New York City restaurants; Alain Ducasse's Adour* at St. Regis Hotel, Gabriel Kreuther's The Modern**, The Plaza’s Oak Room, EMM Group's Catch with Top Chef winner Hung Huynh, Pier 9 and other locations; Fuse in Texas, Daniel Stern’s R2L in Philadelphia, Catch in Miami and Meat Market in Palm Beach. He is now at Caviar Russe* in Miami at the Four Seasons Hotel. Chef Valencia is also working as a Consultant & Private Chef in Palm Beach County. Contact him for your chance to have Michelin quality meals for your next party or revamp your restaurant.
Chef Diego Oka
Diego Oka is a Japanese/Peruvian chef who has spent most of his career working along side chef Gaston Acurio. After working with his idol for about 4 months, he continued his career as the head chef at an Acurio restaurant in Peru at 21. Oka opened many restuaruants including Acurio and La Mar Cebicheria in San Fransisco, now he is opening La Mar at Mandarin Oriental.
Chef Niven Patel
Michael's Genuine Food & Drink's Niven Patel is leaving to open Islamorada's Cheeca Lodge and a vegetable-centric, Indian-leaning restaurant to open in Miami sometime in the future. The 32 year old spent some time in Brasserie, creating his own touches with seafood and produce from his own farm. The split is known to be cordial.
Sources: miami.eater.com, miaminewtimes.com
Cannes Yachting Festival 16
Major ship yards and custom yacht makers look to showcase at Europe's leading in-water show. The Cannes Yachting Festival 2016 kicks off September 6th in the French Riviera. Nearly 600 boats will be displayed at The Vieux Port and The Port Pierre Canto. Both French Riviera ports will offer visitors the opportunity to enjoy the Bay of Cannes while observing the latest and best of the yachting community.
$4 Billion sale
Largest sale in sports history
In 2014 former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer became the new owner of the Los Angeles Clippers. Ballmer would pay a record $2 Billion for the NBA Franchise, most ever for any sport. In 2000 UFC was purchased for $2 million, and in 2016 is now sold for a record $4 Billion dollars. News of the record breaking sale was announced by William Morris Endeavor & International Management Group. The new owners make up a partnership of WME (William Morris Endeavor), IMG (International Management Group), MSD Capital, and KKR global investment firm.The Abu Dhabi government’s Flash Entertainment (Zuffa LLC) still owns 10 percent of UFC.
In the last decade UFC has become a global force in the sports world. Last year alone UFC generated an estimated $600 million in revenue while attracting a growing audience of millennials. Millennials make up the most coveted demographic advertisers and TV networks. UFC fights are shown in more than 156 countries and its events are the top sellers on pay-per-view TV.
Public Relations?
Build Relationships
Identify your target audience. Where do they go? Develop a relationship with them. In the same breath of relationships, value your customers feedback, positive or negative.
What is going on in the media?
Some may not have a problem with this one, but if you are like me, time is something very hard to find, and I have to make it a point to check out social media, exploring new events, offers and trending topics. You could find bloggers, reporters etc who write about specific industries. Who are they? Write them an email, invite them to one of your events, nurture these relationships.
Clickworthy Content
Write about something interesting. Period.
Stand out
As a business, it needs to stand out. Look at your logo. Your website. Does it stand out? Connect to your target audience, not only as a business, but as a person. Follow other companies, maybe not your competitors, but you get the idea.
What is working? What is not working?
Some techniques work for some businesses and some do not, always evaluate what is working and what is not working. If you are not going to hire a PR team, at least have a plan. Adjust what is working and what is not working and move on.
The Olympic Size Rio PR Disaster
There has been nothing but horrible reportings from Rio.
mosquito-borne Zika virus
unpaid policemen at the airport greeting visitors with a sign “Welcome to Hell”
overcrowded hospitals not taking patients
body parts in the water
drug dealers in favelas selling drugs with Olympic rings on the packaging
new bike paths falling apart and killing cyclists
incomplete subway lines
a fire forcing the Australian Olympic team robbed while evacuating
At some point, yes these all were true, but have been ridiculously repeated and exaggerated.
One writer traveled to Rio off of his own penny:
"E. M. Swift Cognoscenti contributor
E.M. Swift wrote for Sports Illustrated between 1978 and 2010, covering a wide range of sports but specializing in the Olympics. He is now a freelance writer."
Swift has nothing but good things to say about what is going on in Rio.
Swift writes, "It’s a shame. In four days I literally haven’t seen a mosquito, despite tempting fate with a three hour hike through a mountain jungle and dinner at an outdoor cafe."
He hasn't seen a mosquito, people are nice, he feels safe and the beaches are stunning. It is a shame. He writes how the tickets are very affordable, however some of the pricier tickets are still up for grabs, probably due to the bad media coverage/lack of PR, meaning the corporate big dogs are staying away, but the locals are supporting it.
I used to want to be one of the newscasters, to report the good that is going on in the world, however, even when something positive happens, the media tends to put on a negative twist. They are also told what to say, so for me to be a newscaster, I would need my own station.
Have you every counted on what the media is reporting? Make a tally on the positive and negative for one hour. I will give you a high five if you can get the positive column up to 5.
I understand negative things happen, every second of the day, but why does it need to be dwelled on and repeated 39,443,645,432 times.
What happened to focusing on the positive, and more positive things shall come?
I hope to one day have a station that reports the truth and the positive things going on in the world, sometimes you may just have to look a little harder, or see for yourself, as Swift has done with the Olympics in Rio. High five Swift.
See his full article here: http://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2016/08/02/rio-olympics-bad-press-2016-e-m-swift