Coffee Talks, Perfume Listens

A couple of side notes for coffee.

About: Espresso Machines
Speaking of the new ugly designs of espresso machines, in a NY Times article. (Yes, it is free to read, just sign up as a free member)
By the way, while writing this post, I believer blogger is serving all my blogging needs. There are some blogging sites that charges fees, but this blogger seem to work for my basic, premature blogging needs. Thanks Google, Go-ggle.
Back to the about::::....
"What went wrong? In a word, Starbucks. It’s already been blamed for everything from the death of neighborhood coffee shops to dodgy muffins, and it’s guilty of this, too. Starbucks served its first espresso in Seattle in 1984.

Its success convinced the coffee industry that if so many people could be persuaded to splurge on fancy caffeine outside the home, they’d probably be willing to invest in a fancy new machine to make espresso, etc., at home."

Also, the author doesn't like the pod coffee.
"...the X1. It’s too chichi to be as purist as its predecessor, but it’s the unfussiest model I could find, and it uses good old-fashioned ground coffee. For now, I’m safe from the pod people."

I somehow agree, as she says, "The paper in E.S.E. pods is biodegradable, but the tin boxes they come in aren’t, nor is most of a Nespresso capsule."

When you have time, listen to DJ Tarkan at Frisky Radio. His No Smoking dj sessions are da best. One thing I am curious, the beat gets more inviting through the end of the session. I wish they keep it the same all the time. But, that's why they call it progressive house. It is progressive.

This post will be progressive now...By the way, for an internet radio station, this subscription is a really good idea. Good job Frisky!

The world keeps growing interesting minds. Here is a great merchandising dream for kitchen lovers. Reading the NY Times article, found out about the Surfas, Chef's Paradise in Cali.

Snapfish is a low-cost photo print website. Their photocards are a great gift idea.

Cleaning out the open tabs. Solution: Read Thru, Quote True!

Every post could have an interesting image. Since it is around 8 Degrees C in Philly, let's find a cold image.

Reading thru the website of Chandler Burr, I found out about an article from Chicago Tribune.
"Don't be surprised if you notice the slight hint of habanero peppers and Indian black pepper in the air the next time you enter the Park Hyatt Chicago. It's supposed to be there.

As one of two signature scents that the luxury hotel will unveil within the next few weeks, the aromas are designed to enrich your experience, making your stay all the more memorable."

An interesting fact to know:
""You instantaneously know what something is with sight and hearing," Beauchamp says. "With smell, you don't say, `Oh, this is baby powder.' You say, `Oh, I like this.'""

If you work for a retail company, letting clients (customers) feel your unique store experience is essential. Not every store has that. Puma stores have it, Adidas stores have it with the pumping music, and their spacious environment. Hyatt has it, too. In the article,
""They didn't need to be experts in scent creation," says Burr, who also covers scents and perfumes for the New York Times. "The staff is trained in delivering the Park Hyatt experience. They embody it.""

I am writing in bold character for those quotes need to be craved in some part of my mind. Training a human being is the toughest, and I guess the most time + money consuming part. As you try to convince your clients to buy your service/goods. You also need to convince your employees about the uniqueness in your work environment. OK, not too much personal comments, let's digg the web further, and close those open tabs on Firefox browser and keep searching.

Last part of the article gives more interesting insight.
""""""
Burr also worked with NoMI executive chef Christophe David to build a fragrance for the restaurant that would complement, not clash with, the its entrees.

At first, the idea of a scent billowing through NoMI concerned the French chef. NoMI has an open kitchen, David says, and the chef did not want the scent to interfere with food preparation.

As alluring as the scents may be, the real test will be if guests stop by the gift shop, looking to commemorate their Park Hyatt stay with a black tea-infused candle. Segal believes they will.

"The end is the memory," Segal says. "It's what you take with you. It's to help us close the loop of your experience and make it memorable."
""""""

YES!!!!!
Whatever you do in life, close the loop of your experience and make it memorable for those you help. The end is memory they say. True! The end is not the money. Memory or money? Memory includes some monetary, but don't be so greedy to make it money rather than memory. Memories do not last, no inflation. Money runs out, there is inflation.

The end for this article.

Some quotes.... Jotting Down.... Don't Let 'em Go:::....

The Most Elite Club in the World (Business Week)
"Most philanthropists, even experienced ones, say that it's harder to give money away effectively than it is to make it," says Beth Cohen, director of the Global Philanthropists

A fascinating, unprecedented work of behind-the-scenes long-form journalism by the New York Times' scent critic (chandlerburr.com)
Hermès had agreed to give Burr complete internal access to watch Ellena and its marketers create, from beginning to end, their next scent, which they would be launching one year later on the $31 billion perfume market.

...Grasse, France's traditional capital of perfume.
Grasse Info
Grasse, the perfume capital of the world, is a gateway town to Beyond.
The French perfume industry began in Grasse in the 16th century.
Also, perfume beyond website;
"

Grasse had been a flourishing leather and tanning center since the 13th century. When perfumed gloves became fashionable, the town provided them, and when the leather business faded away, the perfume became king.

Grasse was ideal because of the sunshine and micro-climate that facilitated the growth of the most delicate flowers.

By the 17th century, perfumers and apothecaries began settling here, and in 1729, the perfumers published their official statutes.

The industrial side of the perfume business is located in the countryside and villages surrounding Grasse. The perfume industry now relies more on the chemical process than on flowers, and there are hundreds or thousands of products in our daily lives, other than soap and perfume, that require a "scent".

Some of the ancient factories, now abandoned, can be seen along the southern edges of the old town, recognizable by the high, brick smokestacks for their distilleries. "


...Parker's fragrance was being made in New York City by one of the largest commercial producers of perfume in the world, Coty, Inc., a $3 billion corporation headquartered in a midtown skyscraper.


CosmeticDesign.com

One such forum is the US website www.perfumecritic.com, of which Burr has been a contributor in the past. The site reviews all major scent launches on the US market, as well as providing valuable insights and tips into fragrance development.

According to market information provider Euromonitor L'Oreal had a 12.9 per cent share of the $20 billion global fine fragrances market, while P&G comes in second with a 12.2 per cent share.

The third biggest player is luxury goods group LVMH with an 11.2 per share of the market, while Coty has a 3.9 per cent share.

Being Measured for a Bit of Sweden (NY TIMES, T Magazine, Thanks NY Times, finally it is free to read online)

Dr. Kenneth Mroczek, an orthopedic surgeon and director of the division of ankle and foot surgery at the New York University Hospital for Joint Diseases, confirmed that flip-flops were bad for feet. “I’ve had a lot of people with flip-flop problems,” he said. “They give your feet no lateral support at all. I had trouble with flip-flops myself when I went on a walking tour of Italy.”

Chandler Burr's article on February 22, about Coco Chanel

Mr. Lorenzo said, “A lot of traditional players — like us — are worried” by mass market perfumers, “who churn things out all the time with no content and no beauty but commercial appeal for a short-term win.”

“For the high-end players who believe in luxury and scarcity and real design and a perfumery about creative fragrances that will surprise people, this could work well,” he said. “There’s an element of rarity and high end in their proposition."

Kate Greene, the vice president for marketing fine fragrances in North America at Givaudan, said that 800 new fragrances are expected to make their appearance in 2007. Yet Chanel’s collection, she said, is “great for that part of the industry in search of innovation.”

- "I think it is so true for some mass marketed fragrances" says cafealaturca.

For new fragrances, visit this amazing website;

Now Smell This (a blog about perfume)

While reading the comments about the new perfume, DKNY Night Delicious
"On November 16, 2007 Elizabeth said:

There was an advertisement for this fragrance on the back of my MetroCard (for any non-New Yorkers, that's the card you use to pay subway/bus fare) a few months ago. I have never seen such a thing before!

I haven't tried Delicious Night, but that was weird - though hardly surprising in our plaster-every-remaining-space-with-ads society."

A Slickdeals.net forum post says,
"I saw on the local news that since the Magic won last night, Dunkin Donuts is giving one free donut. Not sure if this is got for last night's game or every time they win. Please include which store works or doesn't work."

Cafealaturca laughs~!!! :LOL, wish the same for Philadelphia Sixers.

Idea Found - 5 Seconds and Write:::::...

Reading an every-week-day-morning-must-read-blog Daniel Altman's (from IHT) Managing Globalization blog, came across a nice quote to be jot down here to long-live forever..

"The market for oil is one of the poorest-informed markets in the world. Sure, there are plenty of analysts, traders and spies trying to find out just how much is being produced and used in every corner of the world. But scarcity, the main force that drives all markets, is uncertain in the near future and ultimately unknown. It’s why people worry about conflicts in the Middle East, demand from China and India, sabotage in Nigeria and politics in Russia and Venezuela. And putting aside the vicissitudes of short-run supply and demand, may I remind everyone that we lack a geological map of the entirety of this planet’s insides?"

If you want to connect online, don't miss earthlink's $6.95 deal for the first 6 month. No commitment is necessary. On peak hours, the wireless speed is slow, but acceptable (no streaming videos, or music though)
Unfortunately, Verizon and Comcast internet services are still too expensive. If you don't bundle up, then $45 (inc. tax) is too high. There should be a more affordable way.

By the way, verizon FIOS is very expensive to install on those streets you see the thick black cable hanging out next too the other air cable, but they are committed to make money, so they ask for your commitment when you sign up for their services.

Today's post is a dramatic one. It has been a long time, and not much love has been given to this blog for a long time. Retail work environment is very demanding. It is both fun, and sometimes could be tiring as well. If any one of you work in retail, would you mind sharing your experience with us.

Counting down for the Black Friday. Illusion, perception, drama..
Here is one creative video clip. My equation for this video is desire and illusion mismatch!