Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vagablond/ysSN/~3/hO5kujMUJDc/
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Place of Peace: Amanpuri
Guests, when tired with their busy life, can step into the ?place of peace? embodied with the essence of Thai culture where nature never compromises to pamper guests with its love and purity. The resort is named after the meaning of a Sanskrit word, ?Amanpuri? and the name is justified by the prevailing serenity and [...]
Welcome to the Future
I won’t have a chance to get everyone an update on wider life for a few more days at the least (things are busy both professionally and personally, well definitely personally) but I was sad to see that social media darling Gary V has chosen to close Cork’d. Cork’d To Close It’s Doors It’s an [...]
Windows 8 wallpaper available to download, Jupiter and Twin UI spotted
As you can see, it's got a similar feel to the good ol' Windows 7 default background, but features a more subdued smattering of cerulean hues. Those of you who want to use the Windows 8 wallpaper on your current desktop can download it from our file dump.
A few other details have been revealed, too. According to ZDNet's source, the Windows 8 Jupiter libraries and Twin UI are starting to take shape -- though all that's been located thus far are "[various files] scattered throughout the OS" and the aptly-named twinui.dll.
Windows 8 wallpaper available to download, Jupiter and Twin UI spotted originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/download-windows-8-wallpaper/
Four Luscious Red Wines to Buy Now at Trader Joe's
It's happened to me twice in the past couple months. I open a $20-$30 bottle of wine and it's either flawed -or- just not to my liking for one reason or another. After the first glass I set the bottle aside and crack open a $5-$10 bottle of wine from Trader Joe's and I enjoy it so much more than the original bottle. Good, clean and delicious. Luscious. Affordable. Sometimes they absolutely hit the spot and I wonder why I waste energy tracking down highly rated and almost always more expensive wines.
Don't get me wrong - I do find wines worth the effort. The 2008 Paul Hobbs Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, the 2008 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir, and the 2007 Felsina Fontalloro are a few recent examples.
But we all need affordable daily drinkers in the rotation, right? And Trader Joe's can step in brilliantly in this department - especially at the ultra-challenging sub-$10 price point.
Still, you have to be careful at Trader Joe's. Sure, the bad wines won't cost you much - but who wants to buy really bad wine and toss it out? Even if it's only $3.99? Recent dumper-outers include the L'Authentique (l'awful!) and Blue Fin Petite Sirah (a sobering offering).
There are indeed gems to be found, but it always helps to have a sherpa guiding the way. I enjoy comparing notes with Jason over at Jason's Wine Blog and tracking down buzzworthy wines he's discovered. Many of these were tips I received from his blog.
All of these were purchased at the Trader Joe's in Framingham, MA in the last few months.
2009 Sebastopol Hills Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir$9.99
My bottle lists the ABV at 13.8%.
It's only 20-30% opaque which bodes well for it behaving like a Pinot Noir. On the nose I get ample fruit, herbal tea, and a tangy (signature?) California Pinot Noir note.
On the palate it's classic domestic Pinot Noir with strawberry flavors, silky smooth texture, and hardly any tannic bite. Doesn't get overly fruity but it's satisfyingly flavorful.
Bottom line: This is legit Pinot Noir for $9.99. The only thing lacking is acidity and perhaps some minerality. But it scores points for what it *doesn't* have: I didn't detect any off-putting aromas or flavors.
Well done and a value at $9.99.
87/100 WWP: Very Good
2009 Chariot Gypsy$4.99
First Bottle:
My first taste of the Gypsy and I can see what the buzz is about.
Light-medium bodied with a fruity nose immediately upon opening. Fresh and lively. While it's certainly slighty sweet on the palate I think the baked cranberry notes reign it in nicely. A little spice. No finish really but as a $5 party wine I think it plays well.
Pretty darn good wine for $4.99.
Second Bottle:
Satisfying once again. Notes consistent with prior bottle.
Especially after opening a corked bottle and seeking a clean, tasty bottle of wine - this one hit the spot.
85-86/100 WWP: Very Good
$6.99
Light and juicy, with slightly sweet streaks of mocha. Very approachable and friendly. Probably works better as a cocktail or right after dinner than paired with food. Nice value.
85/100 WWP: Very Good
2007 Lost Sonnet Meritage$9.99
This one caught me a little off guard because it's unlike the Chariot Gypsy and unlike the Cocobon. It's a far more serious wine and needs time to open up. I don't think I've ever seen a Vinturi make such a noticeable difference in a wine and it's better the second day than the first.
That said, I can't enthusiastically get behind it 100% due to some quirky off aromas that were present both upon opening and after some time. Give it a try but don't back up the truck.
85/100 WWP: Very Good
Further Reading:
- This $5.99 Italian red has satisfied across a number of bottles
- I'd put this one in a similar bucket as the Lost Sonnet - very good but try before you buy too much
American Sommelier Association ? 6 Day Training in Napa Valley
I received this information from the American Sommelier Association and thought I would pass this on to our readers. In these economic times there are many out of work or in transition wanting to shift careers. Perhaps this intensive course may pave the way for a future career in the wine business. It appears that there are some scholarship funds that can reduce the cost of the training course by 50%.
Continue reading
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A Wine for Tonight: 2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling
Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won?t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week?s selection, the 2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling from the Columbia Valley in Washington [...]
A Wine for Tonight: 2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/qrdfXktWAPQ/
GNOME 3 released, ushers in an interesting amalgam of iOS and OS X
The best way to check out GNOME 3's new features -- and it has lots of new features -- is to run a live version of openSUSE or Fedora, or simply head over to the GNOME 3 website and watch the (rather pretty) introductory videos. If you want a synopsis, though, here it is: GNOME 3 looks a lot like Mac OS X, with a healthy dollop of iOSesqueness for good measure, but yet it still somehow retains an underlying feel of Linux.
The overall aesthetic is very simple, very elegant, and despite being slightly out of fashion, there are plenty of rounded corners, too. The main addition, workflow-wise, is the addition of an app-launcher-cum-alt-tab screen, where you can launch apps, or flip through your open windows. For a complete list of the new features and changes, check the GNOME 3 release notes.
Despite GNOME 3 being officially launched, there aren't actually any releases for existing, stable Linux distros -- it's the live CD/USB images, or Ubuntu users will have to wait for the launch of 11.04 for a GNOME 3 PPA, but it will break Unity in the process. Fedora users will have to wait for for the May 24 release of Fedora 15. Of course, if you're feeling crazy, you can always build GNOME 3 from source.
GNOME 3 released, ushers in an interesting amalgam of iOS and OS X originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 06:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Mystery Shopper Visits Grapes The Wine Company
I never know what to expect when visiting a retailer like this. After a couple years on their email list I kind of formulated an image in my head that the store would somehow align with the tone of the emails owner Daniel Posner sends out. I've never met him in person -- he was out of town the weekend I visited -- but I think I first became familiar with Daniel for being banned from the eRobertParker forums (something about questioning their authority on Australian wines was it?).
His emails offer high end wines at deep discount, usually after opening thoughts about a regional sports event. Emphasis is achieved through the use of bold, italics, and red letters. Some of the best deals are bluntly labeled CLOSEOUTS!! or DUMP!. Love him or hate him, you've got to give him credit for being direct.
I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of on-the-shelf offerings at Grapes. What I found was a thoughtful selection of wines chosen from the important categories you'd likely want to stock a cellar with. Domestic Cabernet and Pinot Noir, Italy, and France were each well represented, displayed in single-facings with reserve inventory behind each bottle.
There were a good number of wines I associate with mailing lists (like the 2009 Bedrock Heirloom Dolinsek Ranch for example) that I've never seen on retailer shelves in Massachusetts. And a smart assortment of imports as well.
I picked up a couple Pinot Noirs - the 2009 Chasseur Sonoma County for $32.99 and a 2008 Joseph Swan Cuvee Trois for $34.99. Not the most amazing pricing in the world but I can't find these wines in Massachusetts and if I had built up a mixed half or full case I could have had 10% or 15% off.
While I was shopping I was asked a couple times whether I needed help finding anything. I declined - not because I don't think the help would have been valuable but because I don't need any more reasons to buy wine. To me a store like this succeeds by keeping its customers out of trouble. There's no "fat" to the assortment. Every wine they stock has been vetted and it's hard to go wrong - an impressive accomplishment with about 2,000 unique wines for sale.
I had a look inside their temperature controlled area where they have some truly serious, bank account breaking wines. The picture of Daniel on their website has him standing in this room and I somehow thought the place would be smaller based on that picture. As if this were the entire store or something. This was just a small portion of the store however - I understand they have upstairs and basement areas used for climate controlled storage.
About 20% of the store is dedicated to daily drinkers and deals. I spotted what appeared to be a few remnants from recent email offers. The store was tidy with hardly any indication of the direct shipment business they conduct. If I happened upon the store by chance I don't think I would have had any clue they do a lot of direct shipment business.
Recommendations
Even if they can't ship to your state I recommend jumping on their daily newsletter. They're entertaining and offer good insight into why direct retailer shipment is something wine enthusiasts everywhere should be behind. Daniel has done as much as any retailer I've seen to support the direct shipment of wine and for that he should be commended. If you're passing through the New York area I think you'd enjoy stopping in for a visit. Check out their inventory online to get a feel for their assortment.
Further Reading:
Check 'em out:
Grapes The Wine Company
731 North Broadway
White Plains, NY 10603
Question of the Day: Have you been to Grapes The Wine Company? If so, what did you think? Either way, what's another wine store that's worthy of a little wine retail tourism?
CNBC: Facebook to launch music service on September 22
The headline's about all we know at the moment, but CNBC is now confidently reporting that Facebook is set to launch a music service of some sort on September 22nd, which conveniently lines up with the company's F8 developer conference. Could that service also include a dash of Spotify? Maybe some Vibes? We'll be there to find out.[Thanks, Adam]
CNBC: Facebook to launch music service on September 22 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 13:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/edBAJJ-2a9o/
Stickers Turn Magic Trackpad into Magic Numpad
I love to use a number pad to enter lots of data, but I hate having a giant keyboard which forces my Magic Trackpad too far off to the right. So I put up with the regular number row and curse every time I need to type numbers longer than one digit.
Now, though, I can [...]
Now, though, I can [...]
Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/08/stickers-turn-magic-trackpad-into-magic-numpad/
Flickr adds to sharing options, now easier to share photos across the Web
- Share from Photo page: There's a new sharing option on each and every photo page. When logged off, the button shows only Facebook and Twitter options. But once you log on, you get Tumblr and Blogger too, and can configure other sharing venues as well.
- Share non-public content on Facebook: This doesn't sound like a great idea, but you now can share private photos on Facebook if you're so inclined (and if you trust your privacy settings).
Flickr adds to sharing options, now easier to share photos across the Web originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Inside the Bread: Whole Foods to Open New Location in Wellesley
After touring the new location as finishing touches were being applied this week I have a feeling Whole Foods loyalists will be pleased with the new location. And the store will likely attract shoppers who previously shopped primarily at conventional grocery stores. More on this in a moment, but first a little background about Whole Foods.
Bread & Circus
To understand Whole Foods' presence in the region we need to understand the history of the Bread & Circus chain they acquired in 1992. Whole Foods has grown through a combination of acquisition and organic growth - no pun intended - and Bread & Circus was one of their earliest purchases. Although the brand was retired long ago, stores in the region still pay homage to their Bread & Circus heritage. One of the first things I spotted in the new store was this stencil above the produce area:
The first Bread & Circus opened in Brookline in 1975. The Wellesley location opened in 1980 and over the years a total of six Bread & Circus stores operated in the region. They were somewhat similar to green line T stations in that they were situated in little pockets in neighborhoods as friendly little markets.
CEO: John Mackey
To understand Whole Foods you have to understand John Mackey. To understand Mackey you need to read two articles:
From around 2000 to 2005 I was a Whole Foods shareholder. I liked to invest in companies I was impressed with and each time I visited a Whole Foods location I saw long checkout lines and outstanding overall execution. Kind of like Chipotle these days.
Yahoo! Finance message boards were big at that time and I remember being impressed with the postings of one the forum's consistent contributors, "rahodeb". Rahodeb would bust out compound annual growth rate statistics (CAGR) and familiarity with Whole Foods expansion plans with incredible clarity and accuracy. Here's an example of a typical posting - someone should really compile these into a book. When someone would question whether Wal-Mart's expansion into organics would threaten Whole Foods, Rahodeb would fire back that it was instead Wal-Mart that should be concerned about Whole Foods. Rahodeb would spar just enough with "liberfar" and "hog152" to make you think they were a regular message board nut job meanwhile planting seeds of doubt if you should be so foolish as to short Whole Foods stock.
It turned out Rahodeb was none other than Whole Foods CEO John Mackey. Rahodeb was an anagram for his wife Deborah. Looking back I'm glad Mackey's identity was revealed. I'd developed an inferiority complex over my inability to delve into the details of a company the way Rahodeb did and it actually made me feel better when I learned it was the CEO posting anonymously.
Still a Good Investment?
The chart above shows the performance of Whole Foods Market stock (WFM) over the past 20 years. Their largest acquisition - of Wild Oats in 2007 - came right before a precipitous dip 2009. But the stock has bounced back remarkably well.
Is it a good time to buy Whole Foods stock? I think it depends on their ability to continue growing - both in terms of same store sales and in terms of new locations. When viewed through this lens it becomes clear why they'd move to this new, larger location. How could they possibly eek any more dollars out of the old location? The place was bursting at the seams and had to be constantly restocked.
Competition
When Wellesley-based Roche Bros moved to its snazzy new location across Linden Street, it demonstrated that a modern supermarket could indeed be shoehorned into landlocked Wellesley. I doubt Roche Bros had much direct impact on Whole Foods, but the disparity in spaciousness between the two stores become glaringly obvious. One would have to think Whole Foods real estate management had this in mind when the opportunity to move into the site formerly inhabited by Star Market presented itself.
Star Market's departure was mostly unlamented (the situation with Tian Fu kicked up far more controversy) and by displacing another store there is one less grocery store in town. But I've always felt like Whole Foods main national competitor is Trader Joe's. With locations in Needham and Framingham Trader Joe's would make a lot of people happy by opening in the space Whole Foods will vacate. I've heard rumblings it may be just as likely to become a Panera Bread.
Perhaps the real competitor hasn't arrived yet. Rochester New York-based Wegman's regularly appears near the top of Fortune's Best Places to Work list and is planning to open in Northborough, MA in October with rumors of additional stores in Westwood and Burlington over the next couple years.
I've always felt Whole Foods was uniquely positioned. Yes they have a lot of organic and natural foods but they sell food that's flat out delicious while maintaining standards I haven't seen other grocery stores come near matching. They've always said "It's about Whole Foods, not Holy Foods" (link).
Some might say it's more like "Whole Paycheck" but in my experience if you like the product assortment at Whole Foods their prices are as good or better than other stores.
New Wellesley Store Photo Tour
The main store entrance places you squarely in front of the produce section. It was 5 days before store opening so perishable items hadn't been stocked yet:
Just behind the produce is the seafood section - soon to be stocked with fresh catches from Pigeon Cove.
Behind Seafood is the Butcher Shop. I learned that the unique signage you see in Whole Foods locations are custom made for each location.
The location mixes rough-sawn signage with polished concrete floors. Very cool.
Dry aged steaks make their first appearance at a Whole Foods in Wellesley.
The cheese section is large as a percentage of the square footage of the store. It offers a combination of pre-packaged and hand-cut gourmet cheeses in an alcove similar to one at their Dedham location.
Baked breads are available as well as fresh-made pizzas available by the slice or whole pie to take out.
Coffee - just one part of one tiny aisle in the old location - finally gets respectable treatment:
A special feature near the adjacent little league fields is a take-out counter offering refreshments, gelato and coffee. Taking advantage of the store's adjacent to the ballfield location. Nice.
Here's what the take-out counter will look like from the outside:
Next to the take-out counter is a community room where cooking demonstrations will take place:
Whole Foods are starting to become more like restaurants than grocery stores. The prepared foods section is massive as a percentage of the store. I'm particularly looking forward to the burritos made to order...and the free Wi-Fi.
The salad bar/hot foods section looks to be as large as those found in larger Whole Foods locations.
Will The Old Location be Missed?
I have a feeling we'll look back on the old location much like we do the Bread & Circus brand: With nostalgia. But overall we'll be pleased with the changes. It was sometimes nice to be able to buzz through the tiny store and pick up things in a hurry. But when the store was crowded it was nearly impossible to navigate. Parking was challenging. Feast your eyes on all this beautiful free parking:
Although the new location isn't huge (26,000 square feet compared to around 60,000 at their Dedham location) the aisles are relatively wide. Kiddie carts are set to be available - another Wellesley Whole Foods first:
A small kids play area is near the registers and, I presume, where some tables are soon going to be for shoppers to eat prepared foods.
Conclusion
The opening of the Wellesley Whole Foods Market has been highly anticipated. I think people are really going to like it. If you haven't shopped at Whole Foods in the past I'd encourage you to give it a try. As I toured the store I got the sense I'll enjoy shopping here with my family for years to come. It's a nice space they've created and I'm looking forward to seeing the store with its shelves fully stocked and staffed.
The store is offering a sneak preview this Friday, August 19th, 2011 from 8 am to 6 pm. Click here for more information.
They're also holding a "bread breaking" ceremony at 7:30 am right before their 8:00 am grand opening on Monday August 22nd, 2011. The first 500 shoppers get a reusable Whole Foods shopping bag. More info on their website.
Wellesley doesn't allow wine to be sold at retail. Even if the town did allow it, the state currently allows a maximum three liquor licenses per retailer. Check here for a list of grocery stores in MA that do sell wine.
Check 'em Out:
Whole Foods Market Wellesley
442 Washington Street
Wellesley, MA
Hours: 7 am - 10 pm daily (except holidays)
@wfmwellesley
On Facebook
Further Reading from Casa Dwyer:
A Fresh Look at Wellesley's Whole Foods Market
Help Bob make money in Sticks, a fun physics game
Then, on his way back home from another grueling day at the office, he passes a huge sign which says "Sticks." This is where the game starts.
Each level has a number of coins hovering in mid-air, and your goal is to place sticks that lead those coins to Bob -- but you only have a limited amount of wood to play with. As soon as you're done placing your sticks strategically, hit the big Play button and let nature, or rather gravity, run its course. The coins will drop down, and if you place your sticks correctly, they will roll all the way to Bob.
The soundtrack is soothing and playful, and didn't get on my nerves even after playing for quite a while. All in all, a very cute game, especially for a day at the office.
Help Bob make money in Sticks, a fun physics game originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/18/help-bob-make-money-in-sticks-a-fun-physics-game/
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