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September 7, 2007

The quintessential internet city? Tallinn, Estonia

Where?!!! That's probably a fairly common reaction. Located south of Finland and bordering west of Russia, this fast-growing city of 400,000 enjoy life on the fast lane as far as the internet goes, but it's key to success is being able to maintain life its enviable slow city, slow food culture.

Summarizing Tallinn's profile in Spiegel as part of its Coolest Cities story:

The internet is essentially free throughout what is known as the most-wired country in Eastern Europe, with the government committing to providing free internet access as a basic right. The city even has a name for their mission to wire the entire country, 'tiigrihüppe' (tiger leap). As a result, since gaining their independence in 1991, Tallinn is:

- reputed as the "Hong Kong of the Baltics";
- one of the seven most intelligent cities in the world";
- referred to as the "boom town of the new Europe";
- listed as one of the The 30 Fastest Cities to Work, Live and Play.
- serving as a gateway between eastern and western Europe.

90% of bank transactions are online, citizens vote for their government leaders online, all schools are online... meanwhile, citywide wi-fi plans are falling through in major U.S. cities. C'mon now.

It's no coincidence that such a modern knowledge economy network and dedication to its usage has indirectly resulted in Skype locating their research division in Tallinn; the town's programmers are in demand globally, and the city sponsoring an alternative hangout in a renovated factory for artists and 'grunge parties'.

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September 6, 2007

One of the only authentic trendy stores you'll find

First of all, authentic trendiness is practically an oxymoron, which is why you probably never heard the term. While authentic refers to being true to one self, trendy tends to follow what others think is hot. However, one store in Manhattan (surprise) actually intertwines the two quite effectively - at the 350 s.f. Grand Opening.

Since trendy stores by nature go out of fashion sooner or later, Grand Opening has taken it upon itself to take that trendiness in a truly authentic way - to literally reinvent itself as a completely different store every few months, something no one else has dared to take on to the same degree. Currently, from March 21 to September 10th, 2007 (that's right, next week Monday), it's known as Pong, featuring a single rentable ping pong table with a webcam so you can see if it's being used or not. Prior to that from December 12-March 21 it was Barn for Sale, which restored and relocated original timberframe barns and materials either as barns or new homes.

What's next? A mock-up drive-in for six people in a classic car featuring a classic movie.

No reason why this concept can't be used in a section of a larger store or restaurant. Started by a couple of entrepreneurs with experience in designing exhibits, one thing's for sure - the store will never go out of style.

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September 5, 2007

Celebrating the microbreweries

In continuing our previous story on the authentic value of microbreweries, thanks to the producers of the documentary, America Beer, here's a list of 38 of the U.S.'s top microbreweries that they visited in 40 days, followed by their abridged notes on what made each of them unique:

1. Brooklyn Brewery, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY - Black Chocolate Stout
2. McNeill's Brewery, Brattleboro, VT - In a former firehouse and police station
3. Long Trail Brewing Co., Bridgewater Corners, VT - Visitor center inspired by Hofbrau House, Munich, Germany
4. Magic Hat, Burlington, VT - Blind Faith, #9, Chaotic Chemistry
5. The Shipyard, Portland, ME - On Portland, Maine's waterfront
6. D.L. Geary Brewing Co., Portland, ME - English style ales
7. Allagash Brewing, Portland, ME - Belgian style ales
8. Boston Beer Works, across from Fenway Park- Blueberry Ale, Watermelon Ale
9. Harpoon, Boston - IPA
10. Empire Brewing Co., Syracuse, NY - Ideal beer crawl starting point.
11. Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY - Complex spiced Belgian ales
12. Victory Brewing Co., Downingtown, PA - Home of the famous 'Hop Devil'
13. Climax Brewing, Roselle Park, NJ - Only available in half gallon jugs
14. Cricket Hill, Fairfield, NJ - The newest brewery in the group
15. Dogfish Head Brewing, Rehobeth Beach, DE - One-time smallest brewery in America
16. D.G. Yuengling and Son, Pottsville, PA - Oldest brewery in America, remaining independent, not selling out, unlike Redhook...
17. Great Lakes - Cleveland, OH - Where Eliott Ness drunkenly fired his gun into the bar, rumor says
18. Bell's, Kalamazoo, Michigan - Bottle conditioned ales
19. Lakefront Brewery - Milwaukee, WI, new home to Bernie Brewer's Chalet and Beer Slide, a landmark of the old Milwaukee Brewers baseball stadium.
20. New Glarus, New Glarus, WI - Belgian Kriek style beer (each bottle uses 1.4 pounds of fresh cherries), raspberry, apple. Woman-owned, apparently the only one in the group.
21. Left Hand/Tabernash, Longmont, CO - Formed their own distribution company to help local craft brewers
22. Seabright Brewery, Santa Cruz, CA - Live music
23. Anchor Brewing, San Francisco - Bought in 1965 as it was going out of business.
24. Sierra Nevada, Chico, CA - The founder was a homebrewer since he was 13 or 14.
25. Anderson Valley, Boonville, CA - Made where the area is known for having its own language.
26. North Coast Brewing - Fort Bragg, CA - Red Seal Ale
27. Lost Coast, Eureka, CA - . The Downtown Brown, made in the middle of the Redwoods.
28. Rogue Ales, Newport OR (pictured) - The only brewery/bar/hotel on the tour.
29. Hair of the Dog, Portland, OR - Beers are named Ruth, Fred, Adam, and Rose.
30. Full Sail Brewing Co. Hood River, OR - Employee-owned celebrated with their own community-wide annual party.
31. Hale's Ales - Ballard, Seattle - Traditional English-style ales, plus a double-decker English bus transformed into a roving pub.
32. The Pike Pub and Brewery - Near Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA - Great pub scene, with brewery below.
33. Red Hook, Fremont, WA - One of the first craft breweries in the NW, still independent, but with Anheuser-Busch (aka the 'bad guys') distribution.
34. Pyramid, Seattle - Bavarian-inspired Pyramid Hefe Weizen
35. Berts Grant's, Yakima, WA - The 'first brewpub in America' (1982)
36. Snake River, Jackson, WY - Small brewery of the year, 2000 and 2001 by the Great American Beer Festival.
37. New Belgium, Fort Collins, CO - Celebrates beer and bicycling with their Tour De Fat. Home of 'Fat Tire', originally a home brew named by the owner after returning from mountain biking through Belgium.
38. Abita - Abita Springs, LA - On Bourbon Street, New Orleans, many bars offer 3 for 1 deals on Abita Amber
*39. Cape Ann Brewing Co., Gloucester, MA - Founded by one of the film's producers after being inspired by completing cross-country brewery tour.

See more detailed descriptions and websites of the breweries here.

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September 4, 2007

Beer - Going local

You can't really have a true third place for the creative class without serving beer, and it's not authentic unless it's brewed right on the spot. So here's to the full-flavored beers of the microbreweries that have thrived "in the face of the fizzy yellow stuff" that have dominated the mainstream and every national supermarket.

Things looked bleak by the end of the 1970s for local craft brewers, when corporate consolidation left the U.S. with less than 50 breweries. Even now, only three breweries: Budweiser, Miller and Coors - account for 79%, while craft and specialty brewers (ie local, indie brewers) share a sliver at 3.08%. However, there is tremendous upside for the little guys today as there are presently 1400 microbreweries in the U.S.

Many of these were founded by entrepreneurs who started brewing in their own home, one of whom when he was 14 (Sierra Nevada). The next entry will profile 38 of the top microbreweries in the U.S., provided by the producers of the documentary, America Beer, where you won't get a better inside look at the extraordinary people who founded their own breweries. By the end of the film, it'll be that much more difficult to order another Miller Lite from your local brewpub again.

Image source: bsii

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