All posts filed under: Trends

Frank’s Smoke House Amsterdam

Last time we were on trend safari in Amsterdam, we visited this wonderful, small, local producer of high quality smoked fish and meats. The place is called Frank’s Smoke House and owner Frank was happy to talk about his passion. The principle of hand crafted quality food is simple: a beautiful piece of meat of fish plus salt, wood, fire and patience. In this ‘rokerij’ they smoke about everything, from Wild Alaska salmon, grain fed pork, mackerel, trout, organic chickens and turkeys, wild boar, to cheeses and much more. Traditional, sustainable and delicious. They use honest and naturel ingredients, produced without hormones, antibiotics or other kinds of manipulation. The wild Alaskan King Chinook salmon is the most famous product. The fish are hook and line caught in the Golf of Alaska and are carefully selected before imported. The Alaska fishing industry is the most sustainable in the world and is even protected by the local laws there. Frank’s Smoke House also smokes Sockeye and Label Rouge Scottish salmon, grain fed pork, halibut, mackerel, trout, free range chickens, wild …

The fabulous Fosbury & Sons workplaces

We all know the feeling. A last minute meeting in another town and no place to go. Yes, there are the horrible hotel lobby’s near the highway with expensive parkings, uninspired ‘design’ and bad coffee, or you join the local hipsters in a crowded & noisy coffee bar. Or take the new co-working spots: Nice, sometimes, but closed at 6 pm, no parking and not open for the typical nomad who rarely stays at one place fix. When traveling you do find great places to meet, brainstorm & work. Together with others, in a contemporary setting, with good coffee, healthy food and free wifi. Sometimes you pay for your workstation/meeting room like at Citizen M Hotels (London), and sometimes you work for free plus a drink (like in the lobby of the hip & happening Ace Hotel (Shoreditch London). Why was it so hard to find something inspirational in my region? Till I got a phone call from my friend Maarten Van Gool, a colleague from my advertising past. He had big news: he started together with partner Stijn Geeraerts and  project developer Serge Handcart of …