Danny Meyer - Restaurant Emperor

No one embodies enthusiasm and passion for restauranting (I made that up) more than Danny Meyer. Head of the Union Square Hospitality Group and owns/operates some of the best and most high-profile dining experiences in New York City and abroad. Among the growing list is: Eleven Madison Park, Gramery Tavern, Shake Shack, Maialino, Untitled, Blue Smoke, etc.

He is famous for being approachable while maintaining the highest standards and truly believes that gracious hospitality is at the core of what makes him successful. He prides himself of franchising the "HQ" (hospitality quotient) that runs consistently through his dining establishments and has pefected it over the years.

Recently, the NYTimes Magazine did a great profile discussing his family history (his father was a hotelier) and his future (expansions to Dubai, etc.). Check it out HERE.

More info on Danny HERE.

Does Language Impact Experience?

The New York Times Magazine this week published a great article on language, revisiting the issue of whether your mother tongue affects your thoughts, impacts how you approach the world or informs your experiences.

The article was adapted from Guy Deutscher's upcoming book "Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages." It was pretty interesting and mentioned some of the points and examples brought up in the Economist article (on language difficult) I posted HERE.

Bottom line is that language does have some impact on how you orient the world and what sort of information is required or processed at a given point in any experience or conversation. Yet the conclusion remains that people are also fully capable of adapting, learning new things and reasoning outside their native language.

Check out the article HERE.

The Past, Present and Future of Hermès

The name Hermès conjures images of premium quality leather goods, clothing and home furnishings. It's iconic H and orange-colored boxes are instantly recognizable the world over and the brand is renowned for its heritage, elegance and workmanship.

My experience with the brand is primarily related to the well-made silk ties, scarves, and leather handbags (think Kelly and Birkin) which have featured prominently over the years on various family members of mine. In light of my recent post about the WHY-Yachts Hermès/Wally collaboration I did some digging on the brand and wanted to share some interesting links and articles.

First is a New York Times Magazine profile of Pierre-Alexis Dumas, current creative director at Hermès who is on a path to reorient the brand for the 21st century with ambitious plans to go beyond the basics. Originally founded to produce custom horse saddles, Hermès has carved out a niche for ultra-luxury goods over the years. Dumas' future plans include extension into previously unconquered territories such as aviation, yachting, furniture, custom menswear, etc. The feature online is actually pretty cool and functions like a magazine where you can scroll images across your screen.

Check out the NYTimes Magazine piece HERE.
Vanity Fair did a great profile in 2007 on Hermès found HERE.
WSJ featured an interview with Dumas on "what's next" for the brand HERE.
AOL's luxury content vertical Luxist, has Hermès coverage found HERE.