A Dream of a Hotel

I've traveled a lot and have stayed in some extravagant hotels. But never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined the existence of such a massive, awe-inspiring creative exhibition as that of Hotel Puerta America Madrid.

You first have to wrap your head around the idea that each of the 13 floors were designed by a separate, world renowned architect or designer. In planning, each floor had a near limitless budget (total cost of hotel construction: $90 million) and the freedom to personally interpret what a hotel should look and feel like.

It's refreshing to see that their website does such beautiful justice to the monumental effort in erecting this masterpiece. When you stop by the site, soak up the rich photography, read designer bios, check out videos and explore each floor by devouring every thumbnail and clever caption.

Thanks to the fine folks at getTRIO for the link!

Improv'ing at the UCBT

Having a blast in my Improv 101 class at UCBT, taught by Zach Woods. I've been seeing shows at the Upright Citizens Brigade for 5+ years and without fail have always been enthralled by the performance. My clever and thoughtful wife bought me classes at the UCB as my 2-year anniversary gift. Just what we need in our relationship after 2 years — someone with formal training to 'turn up' the drama (?)

I feel the pressure being the only one in the class without formal acting training or aspirations to pursue a professional acting career. But a few classmates have assured me that they appreciate my deadpan delivery and the fact that I don't "over-act".

My classmate's comment may come as a surprise to my wife, seeing that on numerous occasions she's accused me of "over-acting" at home. But with my new training, I'm almost certain more drama at home will ensue.

FreshDirect: Dinner at our Doorstep

I can't say enough good things about FreshDirect! Prepared dinners are exquisitely arranged, produce is remarkably fresh and they offer a healthy selection of organic foods. All of this wholesome goodness brought right to our door by a friendly delivery guy!

My one major gripe is their website — more than just a moot point, since it's the way you place an order. FreshDirect's product categorization leaves a bit to be desired as well as the navigation being quite clumsy and non-intuitive. Photos and descriptions are decent, however there must be more enticing ways to feature product.

Competitive prices with our local supermarket and a generous choice of delivery times have made this a service we can't live without. After a consultation with our usability team, there just may be hope for their site.