FOODIES :)

food·ie

   [foo-dee]

noun Slang.

A person keenly interested in food, especially in eating or cooking.

Narrowing down my thoughts...

Brainstorming what types of food venues there are...

Brainstorming what I want the atmosphere to be like...

Creative Cake!

Epic Meal Time Videos

There are many more videos but I chose to upload these, because they represent the types of cuisine that I am looking into right now; Italian, BBQ, Asian

Masta Pasta

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHPB7v_dp2k&feature=channel_video_title

Candy BBQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F1_04GLrPs

Fast Food Sushi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXjxHQQxcLw

Epic Meal Time

Obsessed with food? Does it sound delicious or disgusting?!? :-/

Epic Meal Time is a YouTube cooking show known for creating extremely high-calorie meals, generally out of meat products (with particular emphasis on bacon) and including alcohol (especially Jack Daniel's). It debuted in October 2010, and since then has started to release an episode every Tuesday. It is hosted by Harley Morenstein and a group of his friends. They are now represented by The Gersh Agencye and Brillstein-Grey Entertainment, and have signed with Internet television network Revision 3. Epic Meal Time won the 2011 Shorty Award in the Food Category.

The series began in Montreal, Quebec, the group's place of origin, but as of recently, episodes have been filmed in California, where guest stars Tony Hawk and Smosh made appearances.

The world's weirdest dining experiences

Ridiculously Unique Dining Experiences You Should Try Before You Die...

Take the opportunity to try out these ridiculously unique dining experiences at some of the world’s most bizarre themed restaurants, at least once in your life time.

1. Toilet

   

   Toilet-themed restaurants are nothing new in China. Customers sit on “toilet seat chairs” and meals are served in ceramic toilet miniatures and bowls. Instead of serviette or napkins, customers wipe their hands and mouths using toilet paper. The restaurant is also decorated with various shaped urinals and toilet seats on the wall. Sounds fun!

2. Hospital

   

   Aurum is a newly opened hospital-themed restaurant in Clark Quay, Singapore. As you enter the Aurum, the restaurant’s reception resembles a morgue. The lightings remind you of the ones in the operating theater. Customers sit on golden wheelchairs and the meals are served on the operating tables. The cutleries used for the meal include syringes.

   

   Just next to Aurum, there is a bar called Clinic which lives up to its name. Customers are served by waitresses in nurse outfits and may enjoy alcoholic beverages sipped from mock drip packets.

3. Pet-Friendly

   

   In 2005, Dorothy Moore opened The Dining Dog Café in Edmonds, WA, USA, a pet-friendly restaurant for dogs and their owners. It is one of the few restaurants in the US which accommodates pets as well as their pet-loving owners. The menu includes Doggie Cocktails, Appetizers and Dessert Tray.

4. Condom

   

   The Cabbage and Condom is a popular condom-themed restaurant in Thailand that promotes safe sex and family planning. The menu consists of mostly condom-themed dishes, for example “condom salad” and the after meal mint which is normally distributed after each meal is replaced with a packet of condoms. Many types of condoms with various colors and textures from all over the world are displayed on the wall of the restaurant and the collections make very interesting decorations.

5. Bed

   

   Duvet, a restaurant in New York city features 30 customized, designer dining beds as the “seats” with tables, catered for extra comfort. Customers are also offered to wear customized bedroom slippers when they enter the restaurant. Duvet serves fusion American cuisine and a vast range of alcoholic beverages, suitable for private parties.

6. Rude Service

   

   If you like to experience rude service, (maybe once a while), you can go to Dick’s Last Resort in Chicago, USA. This is the place where you can not only enjoy a wide range of choices on the menu, but also have lots of fun from watching the waiters who will inflict rude jokes and humor upon the customers (including you).

7. Prison

   

   The Jail is a prison-themed restaurant in Taiwan. The layout is just like any other prison with sliding iron bars and metallic aluminum floors with waitresses dressed as sexy wardens. Customers will be given the option to be handcuffed and taken to their own prison cell with a dining table and comfortable seats. This is where patrons can enjoy good food and soothing music.

8. Anger Release

   

   If you are under stress and need an alternative punch bag, you can visit Rising Sun Anger Release Bar in Nanjing, China. This is a place where customers can release their anger caused by stress and problems in daily life. They are allowed to throw and smash the plates and glasses and even hit the waiters who have been given special training for the job.

9. Body Platter

   

   Hadaka Sushi, a sushi restaurant in Los Angeles, USA, introduces the sensual concept of “Nyotaimori” which basically means a female body as the food platter. Usually the woman chosen for the task is a beautiful model who will then lay down as still as possible on a serving table. Most parts of her body will be covered with banana leaves where clusters of sushi will be placed on them.

Popular Types of Restaurants

Glossary of Restaurants Bakery: a restaurant selling breads and pastries, including such items as muffins, cupcakes, cookies and baguettes. Bar & Grill: a restaurant that serves alcoholic beverages and grilled foods. Barbecue Restaurant: an establishment offering a wide range of barbecued entrees, including pork ribs and briskets. Bistro: an informal eatery serving moderately priced food and drinks, sometimes called a café. Buffet: a self-service restaurant where patrons can pick and choose from an assortment of foods displayed on a special serving table or stall. Some buffets are all-you-can-eat for one flat fee. Café: a term for a casual restaurant, sometimes interchangeable with the word bistro. A café typically serves both hot plates like pastas and pizzas and cold dishes like sandwiches and salads. In some countries, cafes have limited menus and are very similar, if not identical, to coffee houses. Cafeteria: similar to a buffet, a cafeteria has limited table service. Patrons are given trays so they can place whatever food items they find appealing as they travel along an extended counter or display case. Some cafeterias charge a flat fee. However, many cafeterias have different rates for different items. Most cafeterias are found in office buildings and schools. Chuck wagon: formerly referring to a wagon stocked with food and cookware associated with lumber camps and ranches. Today, the term chuck wagon is often used to identify a restaurant known for serving large portions of traditional Western cuisines, from hearty serving of eggs, sausage and grits to a heaping platter of battered shrimp and steaks. Coffee House: an establishment serving a variety of specialty coffee. Many modern coffee houses also sell food, but menus are often limited. Concession Stand: a stall from which patrons can purchase light snacks like chips and ice cream, as well as fully prepared meals like corndogs and hamburgers. Concessions stands are typically found at short-lived or seasonal events like sports games and fairs. Conveyor Belt Sushi: a type of fast food sushi restaurant in which the sushi chef continually places small plates of sushi and other Japanese food items on a conveyor belt. Patrons, seated along the conveyor belt, can grab the plates that appeal to them. Once a patron is finished with his or her meal, the sushi chef uses the stack of empty plates to calculate the cost of the meal. Delicatessen restaurant: an establishment that sell ready made foods like roast beef sandwiches and potato salad. Diner: a restaurant characterized by a narrow structure, originating in the U.S. northeast. The term diner is also used in reference to a type of restaurant that offers a retro décor, casual ambience and a menu filled with traditional American foods like tuna melts and hamburgers. Dinner Theater: a dining experience that combines a staged performance with a meal. The show's cast members often encourage the audience to participate while they dine. Drive-In: in the U.S., patrons visiting this type of restaurant can order their meals and dine while seated inside their vehicles. Many modern drive-in restaurants are modeled after the popular 1950s versions. Some even have roller skating waitresses. Drive-Thru: a fast food restaurant where customers can simply pull up to a window to make and receive their orders without leaving their vehicles. Food Court: A section of a shopping mall, university student center or airport that hosts a collection of food vendors. Food courts typically have self service seating areas with first come, first serve availability. Oyster Bar: a restaurant-bar featuring fresh oysters prepared in numerous ways. Pizza Delivery: An establishment that offers a home delivery service and specializes in pizzas. Pub: an establishment where alcoholic beverages are purchased and consumed. Some pubs are chiefly British, Irish or Australian. Traditional pubs use ingredients purchased from neighborhood markets. Popular pub grub includes shepherd's pie, bangers and mash and fish and chips. Raw Bar: A restaurant serving raw shellfish like oysters and clams. Some raw bars also serve cooked seafood, including such menu items as clam chowders and steamed shellfish. Revolving Restaurant: a restaurant — usually located at the top of a tall building — that slowly rotates, thus offering its patrons a 360 degree, panoramic view. Ristorante: a formal Italian restaurant. Roadhouse: a small accommodation, bar or restaurant located along a road or highway on the outskirts of town. Smoke-Free Restaurant: an eatery that does not have a smoking section. Snack Bar: a food vendor selling light snacks and meals, such as potato chips, bagels and hot dogs. Inexpensive nonalcoholic beverages such as sodas and juices are also sold at snack bars. Soup Kitchen: an eatery, often located in low-income neighborhoods, serving low-priced or free foods for those burdened with financial limitations. Steakhouse: a restaurant serving many types of meat but specializing in beef steaks. Takeout: an establishment that allows patrons to pre-order food for pick up. Tearoom: a restaurant serving light courses and pastries to accompany a wide selection of teas. Popular food items include scones, cucumber sandwiches and crumpets. Teppanyaki: a Japanese restaurant where patrons sit around a counter, which is attached to a large grill. The chef assigned to the grill entertains the patrons while cooking several types of stir-fries. Theme Restaurant: a restaurant with a consistent but out-of-the-ordinary décor. A well known example of a theme restaurant is the Medieval Times, which is designed to resemble a castle from the Middle Ages. Trattoria: an informal restaurant offering Italian cuisine served family style. Truck Stop: a restaurant usually attached to or located near a fueling station. Truck stops are geared toward truckers. They offer a variety of truck services and sell cooked meals, snacks and beverages, as well as souvenirs.

3D Simulator

The assignment asked that I make a 3D representation of my concept that gives a sensorial simulation of the experience of my space. My ‘Simulator’ will be a performative representation of my interior environment and demonstrate a sense of the personality of my space.

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CASA
Where you're always welcome…

I would like to transform the space of the substation into a culinary institution - a place where you can drop in any day, any time and take a cooking class. I imagine my space will look homey and feel warm with the smell of delicious Italian aromas. Therefore I chose to make a candle, as it is symbolic of warmth and coziness. While making the candle, I dyed the wax red, white and green, to represent the Italian colors, but when I tried layering them they blended into one color instead. Although I haven't been to Italy, I have visited Little Italy in NY, which is located on Mulberry Street, which is why I chose the scent to be Mulberry. As this was my first ever attempt at making a candle, I faced a few challenges and did not know exactly what I was doing, which is a common feeling when a beginner is learning how to cook - there is always a risk factor, that what we are making may not turn out to be perfect, so in this sense as well, I believe my candle is a direct representation of my space.

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The follwoing are some images which symbolise the ‘personality/mood’ that I imagine my space to have:

Striped Candles (what I was going for)

Busy & Loud

Long bench tables, Chefs
Cozy & Homey

Busy & Loud

Italians: The European Version of Arabs

As an Arab, I find there are many similarities, in general, between both the Arab and the Italian cultures. Which is also what attracts me to the idea of bringing back the Italian spirit to Ancoats.

Arabs Italians are known to love life; they are very laid back in their general attitude, but at the same time they have an extremely social culture. It's been my experience that they love to talk and joke, and laugh very loudly, usually over a big meal. Generous and hospitable, they have a sort of "the more the merrier" outlook at gatherings. The relaxed nature of these cultures also includes a side that many efficient and detail-oriented people may find frustrating: Punctuality isn't very important (anything that's worth a darn will stick around for a little while), and attractive women WILL be cat-called and vocally admired by certain daring men. Some would take offense at this, but, really it's best to let it go. In fact, the worst thing a girl could do would be to respond, especially with a smile (that's an invitation). But the people of these cultures don't just know how to have a good time. They're very proud of their country's history, and family (which they are very loyal to), and have a sense of honor about both.

Of course this is only a combination of my personal experience and generalizations/stereotypes that are associated with these cultures.

Manhattan's Little Italy

Today the section of Mulberry Street between Broome and Canal Streets in NYC is all that is left of the old Italian neighborhood, known as Little Italy. While many of the Italians that once lived here are long gone, the area still attracts tourists, eager to grab a piece of authentic Italian food and culture. The street is lined with about two dozen Italian restaurants, which are popular with tourists.

This is a photo of Mulberry Street in Little Italy in the 1900s. Little Italy then was known for its large population of Italians. Now much of it has been engulfed by Chinatown as a large number of immigrants from China moved to Little Italy.

Little Italy toDAY

Little Italy ToNIGHT

The Truth About Italian Stereotypes

An interesting, insightful and educational article I found about Italian culture...

Being Italian

An insight into Italian stereotypes

Spaghetti, mafia, musical accent, gestures, romantic, loud, fashion, chaos - these are all words often used to describe Italians. How much truth is there in the stereotype?

By Nicoletta Di Bartolomeo

This article is being written by one Italian, me. If you ask 10 more Italians to try and explain who they are, you will get 10 different answers; but then again we do like a good argument over some even better food! I will try and give you some insight into the Italian soul and clarify some common misunderstandings that foreigners have about us.

So what's true in the stereotype?

Stereotypes always tend to have some truth mixed in with a few generalizations and a bit of exaggeration. Let's see what's true in the Italian stereotype.

• Spaghetti and pasta in general are sacred. You cannot take pasta away from an Italian meal otherwise it won't be complete. A typical Italian meal usually includes:
  

1. Starter (primo): pasta
2. Main course (secondo): fish or meat with salad
3. Fruit or dessert (dolce)
4. Coffee

Here we start running into the first problems, there are some big regional differences in Italy, so you might find risotto replacing pasta in some places!

• A good meal should always be shared with someone else. It is a way to share conversation and jokes, forget about work for a couple of hours and enjoy life. Be assured, an Italian will always find the time to eat properly.

• The Mafia is real: we are not proud of it but it does exists, especially in the South and the island of Sicily. Obviously, not every Italian is a Mafioso and most will feel offended and insulted if you use the term, even when if you mean it as a joke.

• Yes, the way we speak is completely original. The most important element of communication are the gestures: the way we move our hands, hold our heads, move our shoulders, our facial expressions, as well as the way we use our eyes and mouths to make ourselves understood. We simply cannot talk without our hands. If they are busy doing something else, we start moving shoulders or other parts of the body for emphasis. Italians speak very loudly in public whether on the bus, in the street or on the phone. Don't worry, we are not all deaf. A lot of foreigners think we are fighting when we talk that way but it's just the way we are.
  

• We like to travel a lot, but do not speak many foreign languages - maybe because we trust body language more than words.

• Yes we do enjoy romance (just like everyone else - more or less) and maybe the stereotype of the Italian romantic lover is not completely dead. An Italian guy will never let a girl go home unescorted. Also, the macho ideal is still alive and well in Italian culture.

• We are also fashion victims: you can recognize Italians by the way they dress from the head to feet (strictly black Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses; Calvin Klein boxers; Levi's jeans; Gucci handbags; tanned skin all year long; perfect make up). We will dress stylishly for every possible occasion. You won't ever see an Italian wearing sporting short pants combined with long socks: it's simply against our fashion rules (let alone our sense of style)!

• We are chaotic. Nothing in Italy is well organized or easy-to-use. You have to fight to get the smallest scrap of information. Don't be surprised to see Italians fighting to get into the buses or jumping the queue to be served first at the coffee bar. Italy’s slow-moving and stressful bureaucracy has made us more pushy and resourceful.

So, what's wrong with the stereotype?

Italians tend to feel that they are unfairly stereotyped and get offended by how they are perceived by foreigners. The stereotype is actually true but being Italian takes a lot more than that - we are not really pasta and pizza chomping mafiosi.

• We are a generous, sunny and communicative people. We like to smile; we love to talk - preferably over a one or two hour meal followed by a good cup of coffee. This doesn't imply that we don’t take work seriously or that we work less than in other countries. A typical working day in Italy lasts for about 8 hours, from 8/9 a.m. to 5/6 p.m., sometimes until 7 p.m., depending on how many breaks have been taken during
  
  the day. We feel that work is not everything in life, that's why we spend so much time on coffee or cigarette breaks.

• Concerning work, what distinguishes Italians the most from other nationalities is that they tend to take on their first jobs later in life – usually after graduation from university (typically at 23 to 25 years old).

• Italians stay at their parents' home until they have saved up enough money to pay for a flat. This can take a while, which is why many Italians leave their homes when they’re already 30 years old. This, by the way, has earned Italians a reputation of being mummy’s boys – yet another stereotype caused by misunderstanding between cultures.

• Family is the most important thing in our lives and male as well as female roles are based on it. Men should be strong and protective, whereas women should be gentle and feminine. Nevertheless, this does by no means imply that women should stay home taking care of household and children while men are supposed to be the main breadwinners. Lots of Italian women have jobs and are independent as well!

• The country of Italy is made up by many different regions and provinces - each one with its own distinctive dialect, culture and history. Inter-regional relations can be quite tense during election times or even just during local football matches. But we are all totally committed to our national football team (the Squadra Azzurra). When the World Cup is being played, we forget about the differences between the North and the South, Milan and Rome.

We are a strange and wonderful country that is well worth a visit - you may like it or not, but you will definitely be surprised!