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I was shocked to recently find out that my grandma smoked cigarettes while she was pregnant with my mom. I couldn’t believe it. “You really used to smoke when you were pregnant?? Didn’t anyone know how bad an idea that was? But that was only like 60 years ago! Wow.”

It reminded me of the fact we must also be doing something today that we’ll one day look back on and be like, “what the hell were we thinking?” And sadly, I actually feel like we’re probably doing way more than one. I’ve had this exact conversation with friends several times, and ultimately the conversation always ends with us shaking our head in resignation. “O well. It’s definitely true, but what’re we really gonna do about it?”

There’s no real way to know exactly what these things are, but I’ve got some (perhaps obvious) guesses:

• Something about cell phone signals being close to the brain
• Our postures are all fucked up from computers and laptops, as the hotly debated “people staring at computers project“
• All these prescriptions
• Our eyes staring at screens too often
• Energy consumption

I can already imagine the conversation with my grandchild. “Grandpa Jesse, did you really used to put a computer on your lap and use your fingers to type?? Didn’t anyone know how bad that was for your wrists, eyes, and spine? But that was only 60 years ago! Wow.”

So, what are we doing today that will one day make us say, “wow what the hell were we thinking?” Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

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Google, as we once knew it, is over. The Google+ project is just about 1 month old, and at an estimated 20 million users already, it could be here to stay. To me, at a high-level, Google+ indicates a potentially massive tectonic shift in Google’s overall strategy that will directly affect pretty much all facets of the company. Google’s search technology has always (loosely) been about an algorithm interpreting your search and spitting back the results it thinks are most relevant to you. This old search and find process was only the beginning of search technology, and Google is making a bold bet that the real future of this technology looks a whole lot more social than this.

Google has long acknowledged the need to evolve into the social networking space, but has been 0/2 on attempts thus far with both its Google Buzz and Google Wave products. But as great companies and people often do, Google is learning from its mistakes, and is storming back into the social media arena with a vengeance. And this time, they ain’t fuckin’ around.

Google+ is pretty nifty

With an estimated 20 million users just weeks after a private beta launch, Google+ is almost certainly the fastest social network of all time to reach this figure. Right now, Google+ just early-adopters (read: tech geeks), but I think it’ll be a household name before long. If you’ve used Google+ already, then you know it’s pretty slick–so slick, in fact, that it really almost looks like an Apple product. And if you haven’t used Google+ yet, then trust me–it’s pretty slick. But the purpose of this blog post is not to run over the tech specs of Google+–you can familiarize yourself here if need be. Rather, these are just some ramblings on some things I find noteworthy about Google+ and some thoughts about the future.

The ‘folding in’ of Google’s software products

A major piece of this whole Google+ frenzy is the fact that Google is going to fold all of its current software products under the same Google+ roof. That is, services like Blogger, Google News, Adwords, Analytics, Picasa, Youtube, and Google Docs, etc. are all going to be accessed from within Google+, as opposed to existing as standalone products. By bringing all of it’s services under one roof, Google is making the following statement: “The web is too spread out. It’s time to consolidate and simplify everything.” I have to say I agree with this. Hopefully the days of having contacts, web apps, and news sources spread out across a million different places will soon be behind us. The “next era” of consumer web is all about consolidation. The ways I receive and share information on the Internet will all be wrapped together under fewer and fewer roofs.

The sharing strategy behind Google+

The million dollar question these days seems to be: is there room for Google+ in the already crowded social media space? That is, with the likes of Facbeook, Twitter, and Email so heavily ingrained into our daily routines, is there even room for Google+ as yet another content sharing and discovery source in our daily lives? I recently read this brilliant article by Jonathan Allan of SearchEngineWatch.com which goes into great detail on this subject from a network theorist perspective.

One particularly interesting conclusion from the article was that Google+ very well could exploit a currently gaping hole in online communication: the one-to-few level of communication. The article goes on to explain how email has essentially mastered the art of 1-to-1 communication, Facebook & Twitter have mastered the art of one-to-many communication (aka broadcasting or ‘over-sharing’), but nobody has mastered the art of one-to-few communication. Facebook hasn’t been able to succeed at this mainly because of its confusing sharing and privacy settings. (Does anyone actually use Facebook lists anyway?). But Google+ is all about this idea of leading the user to make a conscious decision about who particular information is shared with instead of just making it as easy as possible to broadcast to as many people as possible.

The profile psychology behind Google+

Christian Oestlien is Google’s product manager behind this whole Google+ shindig, so I was excited to find and follow him on Google+. I was reading his wall one day and stumbled upon a very interesting quote. See below.

Facebook is about who you are, and Google+ is about who you want to be.

I have no idea who ‘OH’ is in this post, but I do know that Christian makes a bold and curious statement here, and I’m a bit surprised that it wasn’t picked up and written about because it’s such a bold distinction he makes here and it really sheds some light on the long-term vision behind Google+. It also makes a bold statement about the whole psychological approach Google is taking when it comes to its users’ Google+ profiles. To me, this is Google saying they want to be the “most authentic” version of you on the web that exists. They want to put your creativity and personality on exposé as well as your professional status and whereabouts. (And they’ll achieve this by bundling all of the Google software products under the Google+ roof so your profile can boast more robust versions of your photos, writings, music, links, etc. than Facebook can).

Finals thoughts

There’s no doubt that Google+ has passed the initial ‘cool test.’ Twenty million users in like a month is absolutely nucking futs, even if they are geeky early adopters, is enough to classify this as a smashingly successful product launch. Google+ already officially occupies a permanent tab on my browser. And considering that until now, I only granted “permanent tab status” to email and calendar, this is an impressive feat in the world of Jesse Davis.

The big question is obviously whether or not they’ll continue to penetrate quickly into the next round of users–the casual user. I dunno, I don’t really see this happening in the traditional way. That is, I don’t think Google+ will just grow via the network effect like Facebook did. Instead, I predict Google+ will grow via the backdoor route–by forcing current Google product users to join Google+ if they wanna keep using the products. Case in point: my dad uses Facebook, Gmail, and Picasa. He has no intentions of signing up Google+ because from his perspective there’s no need–one social network is enough. He would, however, join Google+ if all of a sudden Google said “you are gonna have to create a Google+ account in order to keep using Picasa and Gmail.”

Last thought: Google is going to know everything about me. And ya know what? I’m fine with that. I’ve got nothing really to hide and to me, the value of their services outweighs the potential loss of personal identity. But what do you think?

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Over the past 3 months or so, I’ve witnessed an unprecedented amount of change going on in both my life and my friends’ lives. Tv-room talk is frequently centered around changing careers, changing locations, changing eating habits, and changing desired qualities in girls. But regardless of the specific topic, change in some form or another is frequently at the heart  of the conversation.

I wondered, is there such a thing as a quarter life crisis? Apparently, it may actually be a real thing after all.

It makes sense that there would be such a thing as a quarter-life crisis. And it makes double sense that my generation would be experiencing the symptoms of it right now. We were released into an abismal workforce environment in summer ’09, leading drones of fresh graduates to unanticipated graduate/law school, or taking jobs they weren’t crazy about. Fast forward 2 years. Two years is just about the exact amount of time it takes someone to start really reevaluating some shit. Do I really wanna keep this sales job? Do I really wanna live in this hectic city? Shouldn’t I be out dating more seriously by now?

So is there such a thing as a quarter life crisis? I think so. But it isn’t necessarily a “crisis.” I mean, you can certainly apply the tag “crisis” to it if you’d like, but you could also just be a time when people are really figuring their shit out.

A couple of months ago, I decided I wanted to move locations and start taking on new opportunities professionally. I was extremely shaky for the couple of days after making that decision. I mean, what was I gonna do now? What if I don’t have enough money? Where do I wanna live? Will I make friends there? And on that note, why don’t I still talk to my old friends as much anymore? The world can look like a pretty unhelpful place with this attitude.

Around that time, I was in San Francisco visiting my friends Amit and Nicolas. I told Nicolas one day about all this change going on in my life and the big decisions that loomed ahead–just talking about it made me anxious. And as I finished explaining all this to Nicolas, his eyes lit up and a grin came to his face as he said–and I’ll never forget this–”wow, that’s exciting!”

And with that line, my universe was flipped on it’s head. Ya know what? It sure fuckin is exciting to be 24 years old, single, looking for a different job, and able to pack my whole life into a Honda Accord.

This is my car. His name is Roger. All my belongings fit in him. This makes me sublimely happy.

I remember at one point feeling like everyone else but me had their shit together. Then I realized that in reality, no one at my age truly has their shit together. Some 24 year olds happen to make a ton of money, but are working their bodies and minds to exhaustion doing something their not passionate about, while others love what they do but are constantly complaining they don’t have enough money. Go figure! Some 24 year olds love the city they’re living in but feel they have no friends, while others love being surrounded by their friends but hate the city they’re in. Go figure.  Some 24 year olds are happily married (or basically wifed up by a girlfriend) but miss spending as much time with their other friends, and others are happy bachelors but growing less interested in the party scene and becoming continually impatient for the right person to come along. Go figure.

I don’t think anyone at my age hasn’t had serious doubts about whether certain aspects of their lives are in line with their priorities. But that’s legit, and it’s healthy, and personally it feels like an important time to really pay attention my gut feeling on things. Important to note that this is a markedly different mindset from saying “I wanna go out and make as many mistakes as possible because I’m an invincible 24 year old who can bounce back from anything.” No, it’s not that. I’m saying I’m tryna pay close attention to how my personal boundaries and interests are changing, and then genuinely and carefully act on them.

As many smart people have noted in the past, change is constant. My body is literally not the same as when I started writing this post. In fact, my body is not the same as it was a millisecond ago. And the  same holds true at a macro level: One day I decide I want to stop eating meat because I feel better without it, and the next day I’m eating steak. One day I decide I should be more educated on current world politics, so I start reading the Economist. The next day I decide politics suck (which they do), and take up photography with my newfound free time. One day I decide basketball is the best workout for me, the next day I trade basketball in for yoga. Bottom line is, I change my preferences all the time–sometimes even multiple times a day. It’s healthy. It’s part of being 24 years old. It’s part of being alive. It’s literally my life unfolding before my eyes and onto a computer screen–and it’s a lot of fun to watch.

Is it time to pull a Jerry Maguire in your life?

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Did you know that there are only three (3) ingredients in Fritos? Yeah, for real. I figured this news would be much welcomed after yesterday, when I hopefully disgusted you with this visual depiction of the ingredients in Sweet Chili Doritos. Hopefully this will reignite your faith in America’s snack food industry. I don’t get how Fritos pulled this off. They are delicious and all-natural, while Doritos is an addictive chemical bath for your insides.

Ingredients in Fritos Original Corn Chips

Corn

Corn Oil

Salt

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Matt Glazier

Roma 2008

Restaurant Guide

Lunch

A great thing about Italy is that lunch can be anything you want it to be. It can be a full five course sit down meal or it can be a quick panini. Either way, there are many places I love for a good lunch. I never got into the habit of having heavy lunches and often had a panini, a salad, or a pizza. One thing to keep in mind is that you can walk into any Italian deli and buy fresh bread, cheese, and meat for an incredible sandwich.  Not all places will make sandwiches to order but you can buy the ingredients separately and eat in one of Rome’s many piazzas. I had a break from 1:30-4:30 every day and usually I would wander Rome, finding a new place for lunch. I encourage you to do the same, wander the city, get lost, because that is the way you will not only get to know Rome but you will find some hidden gems.

Forno

Campo de Fiori 22

I cannot say it enough, forno is the best place in the entire city. If you go one place I recommend make sure it is here. When anyone asks me what the best pizza in Rome is, I do not hesitate: Forno. This is the first and last place I will take a visitor to Rome because you can go back every single day and have that same wow sensation. It is one of those moments where you take a bite, absorb the flavors, close your eyes, look to your friend and say wow, this is fantastic. I could go to Forno every day of my life and be completely satisfied and I mean that. While Forno does offer a wide selection of toppings the best choices are the traditional margherita or the pizza with cherry tomatoes. Also, the pizza bianca is simple but delicious, coated delicately with fresh olive oil and oregano. Fresh pizza’s come regularly so I recommend waiting it out until you can get a slice directly out of the oven. The only draw back of Forno is that there are no places to sit, however I enjoy grabbing a slice at Forno and walking to near by Piazza Navona. Cheap, fast and delicious, there is no better place in Rome for pizza by the slice. Something to keep in mind, Forno closes at two, reopens at five and closes at seven. I don’t recommend going after five because they don’t make fresh pizzas as often

Volpetti

Via Marmorata

There is no better place in all of Rome for Italian meats and cheeses. Located in Testaccio, Volpetti is a traditional Italian deli with meats hanging from the ceiling and the aroma of fresh cheese lingering. The servers at Volpetti are exceptionally kind and welcoming. You can get a few types of meat and cheese and eat them at the near by park or at request they will make you a panini to take away. While it may be overwhelming to pick between the ample selections of meat and cheese, I offer two suggestions. First off, get the pesto. This is by far, the best pesto I have had in Rome. Second, if you are in question of what type of cheese or meat to get, just ask, the men behind the counter will recommend their preference. If in need, my go to sandwich at Volpetti is speca, salami, pecorino, pesto and olive oil, however the prosciutto crudo with fresh mozzarella and olive oil is amazing as well. A note about the olive oil, it is not out of a bottle, the men at Volpetti take a scoop of fresh olives and drain the oil onto the fresh bread. Unreal. Volpetti closes at 2 during the day so make sure you head there in the early afternoon. It is a little out of the way but I guarantee it is worth it.

I Suppli

Via Francesco de Ripa

This place is one of a kind. It serves a Roman specialty which cannot be missed called il suppli. A suppli combines three of my favorite ingredients into what was said to me by a visiting friend as “pure deliciousness”. A suppli is a fried ball of risotto, mozzarella and pomodoro which I like to call a mozzarella stick on steroids, because it is just that much better. Not only are suppli delicious, but they are cheap (1 euro at most places). They are the perfect snack to grab after class or in between meals. Now most pizza shops have suppli for the customer however not always freshly made and piping hot. And trust me, the best suppli has to be fresh and hot. I Suppli as the name suggests is known for their suppli. Located in Trastevere, this hole in the wall (literally) has a great grab and go selection consisting of fresh pasta, pizzas and of course suppli. The suppli are always fresh and one of my favorites so far in Rome. I honestly say that I cannot pass this place without stopping in and having a suppli. It is always crowded with locals, which is always a good sign and the men behind the counter are very welcoming. Go there in between meals or as a bite in between classes, but beware, suppli are filling and at I suppli they are huge.

Miscellanea

Sometimes in Italy, you need a break from the pizzas, pastas  and panini and simply crave a fresh salad. There is no other place in Rome to get neither a better nor more affordable salad, which are made to order with any combination of ingredients for only six euro a piece.  My personal favorite was turkey fresh tomato, mozzarella, walnuts, egg , olive oil and red wine vinegar. It is nice at times to have something light and fresh. Run by friendly owner Mikki, Mics (as most college students call it) is a delicious and healthy lunch alternative and located just minutes away from the Pantheon. The salads are extremely fresh and actually very tasty. While Mics is packed with local Italians, the staff is extremely friendly to students like me as well. This is also a solid bar at night that shows both Italian and American sports. (where I watched the super bowl) It is very difficult to find, but if you are in the entrance of the Pantheon, take a right out of Piazza Della Rotunda and take your next left down an alley; Mics will be on your left.

Frantoni’s

Corner of Via Francesco de Ripa and Vialle de Trastevere.

Frantoni’s is an unbelievable place for lunch. They have made to order paninis with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, Italian meats and various oils and vinegar. In addition to the paninis, you also have the option to get a place of meat, cheese and vegetables. Often times I would get a plate with mozzarella, prosciutto, broccoli rabe, zucchini and tomatoes. There is also a bar of fresh antipasti. I ended up going here like once a week for lunch because it was convenient and very good.

Obika Mozzarella Bar

This is somewhat of a trendy lunch spot but serves some of the best mozzarella I had in Rome. Every thing you order, whether it is plain vegetables or classic Italian meats comes with a variation of fresh Mozzarella. I thought the food was great but somewhat pricey for a lunch in Rome.

Aristocampo

This is a panini place located literally twenty steps from John Cabott. I am sure you will go here a lot and I don’t doubt that it is good. The ingredients aren’t the freshest, but its fast and you can make whatever sandwich you want. My go to was chicken cutlet, mozzarella, peppers (they have amazing peppers) and salsa rosa (which is like a russian). Although this in convenient and good, there are better places in Rome and I urge you not to settle for it everyday.

Da Francesco

Piazza del Fico

+39 06 6864009

Some of the best restaurants are those where you don’t even get a choice of what food you order. I love the kind of places where the staff brings the special of the house or special of the day to your table without even consulting a menu; because more often than not, it is extremely fresh and tasty. This is one of my general rules of eating in Italy, eat the specialty of the house. The words de la cassa scream out to me from the menu; and this applies not only to food but the wine as well. I went to Da Francesco for lunch, ordered a glass of house wine and looked over the menu. Before I had a chance to make a decision one of the waiters came over to me and asked me the following; “Antipasti?” I am not an enormous antipasti fan, especially when I am trying to have a lite lunch so I respectively declined. He answered back, “Bolognaise?” I thought to myself sure, why not. I had seen bolognaise as the specialty of the day and decided to trust the waiter. I was not disappointed as this was one of the best bolognaise dishes I have had yet in Rome. Overall, Da Francesco serves excellent homemade pasta is absolutely somewhere I would return.  At night, it turns into a pizzeria, however I never got the chance to go back.

Enotecca Cul de Sac

Piazza Pasquino, 73

+39 06 68801094

This is one of my favorite places to go for lunch. Located on a side street right outside of Piazza Navona, Cul de Sac has an enormous selection of wine, meats and cheese. It has that small, rustic feel a trattoria in Trastevere would have, which is nice in the central part of the city that you don’t usually get in most places. They have an English menu however I enjoy getting the Italian menu and trying to navigate my way through the array of options. With such a wide variety of meats and cheeses, you can order your choice of two cheeses and two meats for starters. The waiter will often times recommend a cheese and a meat if you are caught stumbling through the long list. The brie was fantastic along with the prosciutto and salami. For primi, the pasta selections are rather limited however both the lasagna and amatriciana are delicious. Additionally, the house bean soup was delicious especially considering I usually do not order soup while abroad. The portions are the perfect size for a light lunch and the food all around quite good.

Hostaria Isidoro

Via S. Giovanni in Laterano, 59/a
+39 06 7008266

There are not many students who live in the area of Rome by the Colosseum, however if you are looking for a good lunch following a tour of the Colosseum and want to avoid the ample tourist traps in the area, this restaurant is a good choice. They have a wide selection of delicious pasta and pizza. I would recommend the chef’s or house pasta sampler which changes daily. We had delicious bolognese and gnocchi.

Dinner

Like I said with lunch, the best thing to do in Rome is wander around the city and find your own places. You never know what you will find or what hidden gym you will discover. Often times the most authentic restaurants are those that are whole in wall, local places. While these restaurants are places I recommend, find your own places because Rome is full of amazing restaurants. You don’t understand how lucky you are to in such a great city because the food is affordable and delicious.  Also, a lot of the places I went to for dinner on a consistent basis were those in my neighborhood, so look out for the them.

Vecchia Locanda (favorite restaurant in Rome)

Vicolo Sanibaldi 2

+39 0668802831

Every traveler has in mind their ideal dining experience. We all want to stumble upon a random alley and find that mom and pop hole in the wall that you envision. Locanda Vecchia from the outside screams out romance and authenticity. During the day, it is invisible to the naked eye, the only sign of a restaurant is the name scripted on the top of the door leading into the restaurant. However, return at night to find the vine awning illuminated by two humble flames. You walk into the restaurant to see only a few tables, however the host will lead you down a set of stairs into the basement/wine cellar. Although dark, the room is lit by candle light and surrounded by ample bottles of wine. It is without a doubt a perfect place for a date in the city, which was the setting I first experienced. The pasta is homemade and in exceptionally unique shapes with a variety of texture. The carbonara is fantastic however ask for the special of the day. I had at one meal a spaghetti with pancetta, brie and truffle, which was exceptional. For a secondi, the traditional saltimbocca romana is one of the best in Rome as well as the sea bass. If you are partial to anchovy, the steak in an anchovy garlic glaze is a different taste than most cuts of beef you will get in a restaurant and was extremely tasty. One of my favorite restaurants in Rome, this is the kind of place you go either with your parents, or for a special occasion.

Matricianella

Via Del Leone 2-4

+39 06 683 2100

Matricianella is located in one of my favorite parts of Rome, Piazza San Lorenzo. The traditional cobblestone alleys leading from the Pantheon towards the Spanish Steps can be a challenge to navigate however, it is not always a bad thing to be lost. The array of alleys and small streets lend themselves to what can and should be a perfect setting for a Roman dinner. When in Rome, do as the Romans do and eat dinner at a restaurant which specializes in Roman cuisine. Matricianella, right off of Piazza San Lorenzo and Via Del Corso is a great place to feel at home in Roma. We arrived at 10pm to see the restaurant completely full both inside and out. Be it somewhat expensive for a student abroad, this is a great place to take your parents if you are looking for a traditional  meal. While there is no house wine and the wine list to some may look like a bible of sorts, the menu specializes in Roman cuisine. The buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes are undoubtedly fresh and tender however the fritto misto for an antipasti cannot be missed. A fried selection of various vegetables and cheeses, this dish is perfectly prepared and makes you wonder why a restaurant in the United States can’t perfect such a dish. The menu is full of traditional pastas like spaghetti carbonara and amatriciana, however the tonnerlioni with artichoke in a light sauce was the highlight of the meal. The secondi, consisting of traditional saltinboca romana, steak and lamb were all very tasty and well prepared. Overall, I would say, great food, great atmosphere and a great experience.

Trattoria de Cavalier Gino

Vicollo Rossini, 4

06 687 3434

This is one of my favorite places. Throughout Italy, many of stores and restaurants close in the middle of the afternoon and reopen in the early evening. At first close, workers and store owners alike tend to flock to their favorite local trattoria for a late lunch. Gino’s is no exception. The simple yet rustic trattoria is consistently packed with local Italians who flock to the rustic trattoria after they close up shop. While the menu is translated in English, I was surrounded by local Romans and could hear nothing but Italian, always a good sign in my opinion. In addition to the classic Roman menu, daily specials are listed outside in the quiet alley way. Gino himself is the owner and a nice old man who putters around and delivers the food to his faithful customers, which adds to already authentic atmosphere. Although I have only eaten there twice, the house spaghetti was delicate and delicious, cooked perfectly in a light butter sauce with peas, pancetta and mushroom, topped with a generous helping of parmesan. The veal saltinboca, a Roman specialty was the best I had in Rome. Gino’s is open for lunch and dinner.

La Scala Ristorante

Via Della Scala

There are not very many restaurants I return to on a constant basis, however if I have visitors who want a good dinner, I know with certainty that La Scala will come through. Although it is somewhat pricy for a dinner in Trastevere, it is a very good restaurant, although I find myself getting the same thing each visit. For starters, a good antipasti for the table is the foccacia primavera which consists of fresh foccacia topped with fresh buffalo mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, basil and olive oil. The dough is extremely light and flakey while the tomatoes and mozzarella are fresh. Add a touch of balsamic vinegar and you have yourself a great appetizer. For primi, the house ravioli is in one word, amazing. The plate comes with two homemade ravioli filled with ricotta in a sage, pancetta, mushroom, white wine butter sauce. The ravioli by itself is tender and delicate however combined with the delicious sauce; it is a truly fantastic dish. The other pasta dishes are also good, such as the carbonara and the gnocchi with truffle and smoked gouda, however they do not stand out like the ravioli. For secondi, the truffle steak is very good along with some of the best mashed potatoes I have had abroad. Additionally, the mixed grill plate is tasty and a good thing to split if you are looking for a lighter secondi. It is more of a modern looking restaurant compared to the surrounding local trattoria of Trastevere however; the ravioli is worth the visit.

Augusto

Piazza Di Renzi

A sure sign of a good restaurant is when there is a wait every night of the week. Augusto is consistently packed with local Romans who flock to the Trastevere trattoria for the delicious food, constantly changing menu and low prices. I finally ate at Augusto after three attempts, each time being turned away by the long wait. Initially I was disappointed by my meal at Augusto after sampling a variety of average pasta dishes, which were neither homemade nor creative. But at Augusto, the wide selection of meats, at extremely reasonable prices is the highlight. Ranging from rabbit and oxtail to traditional vitello Romano, each secondi is tender and delicious. I recommend both the lamb and the rabbit however; try whatever is special that day. At Augusto, the prices are extremely cheap for both delicious house wine and delicious secondi. Know ahead of time that the specialty is the selection of meat, not the pasta.

Casetta de’ Trastevere

Piazza Di Renzi

065800158

Every restaurant you go to in Rome has certain dishes that they prepare exceptionally well. The same is true with Casetta di Trastevere. Like all restaurants located in Trastevere the house wine and local specialties are all very good, however there is one dish that I recommend to any patron: the spaghetti with assorted seafood.  The various seafood comprised of mussels, clams and shrimp is tossed together with a delicate sauce of white wine, butter and parsley. The dish is finished in a tin foil seal which locks in the flavor and the aroma of the seafood into the pasta. The ingredients are simple, however the preparation along with fresh ingredients make this dish truly fantastic. In addition to the seafood pasta, the rigatoni carbonara is fantastic along with the house ravioli, but it is a shame to go to Casetta di Trastevere and not taste the seafood pasta.

Pietro

Via della Pianellari

I will admit, I was skeptical when I was recommended Pietro by a group of girls who had dined there recently. Before committing to Pietro, I of course had to check it out with my own eyes to see if the menu and the atmosphere were to my liking. Immediately I knew I was in for a great meal because Pietro refers to itself as a black truffle restaurant and for me, truffle is one of those key word ingredients which instantly make a dish more appealing on paper. In addition to just the food, the staff at Pietro is one of the more friendly I have experienced abroad, as they made you feel truly welcome and genuinely cared about the quality of your meal. At the suggestion of our server, I ordered the gorgonzola and pancetta gnocchi with black truffle. I was awestruck when the server brought the plate over and began to shave fresh black truffle on top of my already fantastic smelling dish. Each bite of the tender gnocchi complimented by the delicate shaved truffle melted in your mouth and was truly one of the more memorable dishes I have had. All of the pasta’s at Pietro are homemade however I recommend any of the gnocchi or ravioli on the menu. Keep in mind that this is an expensive restaurant (22 euro for the gnocchi), however one plate can satisfy two people, for they are heavy.  Great place for any food lover and parent.

Spirito de Vino

Via dei Genovesi 31 A/B

+39 (0)6 5896689

The staff at Spirito de Vino does their best to try and create a distinct Italian dining experience. Located in Trastevere, the homey atmosphere complements the family owned staff, consisting of mother, father and son. The mother is in the kitchen where she makes fresh pasta and fresh marinades, while the son and father head the dinning room where the son is the wine connoisseur and will recommend a bottle of wine from their enormous wine list. The primi at Spirito De Vino are excellent consisting of both homemade zuppe and homemade pastas, however the secondi are the specialty of this restaurant. The variety of meats are extremely tender and left to marinade days before service. What distinguishes this restaurant for me is the unique menu, as all of the dishes tend to combine different flavors and ingredients you don’t really get in traditional Roman cuisine. The restaurant does two seatings so make a reservation.

Alfredo e Ada

Via Bianchi Nuovi

At Alfredo e Ada, you feel like part of the family. Started over 60 years ago by Alfredo and Ada, Ada still cooks away in her rustic kitchen while her son Sergio has replaced her late husband Alfredo in the dining room. The food is simple and the table settings are basic, but at this local Roman trattoria, you come for the atmosphere. Sergio will greet you with a smile and take your drink order while Ada in the kitchen cooks up whatever primi and secondi she feels is good that day such as farfalle amatricianna and sautéed veal. There is no menu for the customer, as you sit back, relax and let your temporary grandmother serve you quality, comfort Roman food.  At the end of your meal, Ada will walk right up to your table, pinch your cheeks like your grandmother would, and tell you stories of her and her Alfredo. For twenty euro a person, you can get a primi, a secondi, wine, water, and most importantly, a classic Italian family dining experience.

A Maccheroni

Via de Coppelle

During my first visit in Rome a few years ago, I started a journey to find the best caprese salad in all of Italy. Although that grand vision quickly diminished, the caprese at Maccheroni surely would have made the list, maybe even at the top. While Maccheroni is a little pricier than your typical neighborhood trattoria, it does serve some very good dishes. In addition to traditional Roman specialties, Maccheroni has items on the menu with a unique twist such as butternut squash ravioli in a zucchini flower cream sauce. Combine the can’t miss caprese and any of the tasty primi, you can have an extremely satisfying and affordable meal. It is a good option for lunch as well.

Trattoria Antonio Bassetti

Via del Governo Vecchio 18

Set amongst the variety of restaurants behind Piazza Navona along Via Governo Vecchio, Antonio Bassetti is another favor among local Romans. I could tell just instantly that the patrons were regulars, often knowing the servers by their first name. The aroma from the kitchen seeps through to the array of tables and the ambiance is exactly what Roman dining is about: close tables, loud customers and friendly service. It does, what so many other trattorias do: serve fresh, well made basic Roman cuisine. With that said, Antonio Bassetti has very good traditional Roman food including a very good rigatoni carbonara for a primi and sautéed rabbit for a secondi. The prices are extremely reasonable Both the pasta and the meat were well cooked and the carbonara sauce was indeed tasty, however at the end of the meal I was left wanting something more. Antonio Bassetti serves simple, delicious, basic Roman cuisine, which I can appreciate however there are better restaurants out there. The restaurant is a lot like Gino’s, serving good, quality, simple, Roman cuisine. Good place for lunch as well.

Trattoria Da Lucia

Vicolo Mattonato 2

Tucked away in a back alley of Trastevere, Da Lucia takes you out of the tourist scene and into the countryside trattoria. The atmosphere is fantastic and the wine extremely delicious however not much more. Da Lucia is written up in multiple guide books, which surprised me because both meals I had at this Trastevere restaurant were lacking. Aside from the spaghetti alla gricia (the house specialty), the primi were basic and relatively unflavorful. Dishes like tortellini with ragu and fettucini bolognaise were dry and poorly executed. Secondi such as sautéed veal were dry and overcooked. In my opinion, this is a restaurant that is only good because it is listed in a guidebook. I would say Da Lucia is a good place to go at some point, but for a better Roman meal, venture elsewhere.

Tutti Frutti

As my first study abroad meal in Rome, I was expecting big things. I was hoping to experience those wow moments I tasted years ago and urged to taste again. Tutti Frutti came highly recommended as an excellent restaurant in Testaccio. While the house wine was indeed excellent, my meal at Tutti Frutti was average. The linguini I had was covered in a bitter, tart sauce and the veal was bland and over cooked. Although the rigatoni with broccoli rabe and pesto was tasty, my meal was average at best. Maybe I ordered the wrong dish which is definitely a possibility, however there are just too many good restaurants in Rome to go back. Sorry Tutti Frutti. A few of my friends went back and said they had a fantastic dinner so maybe it is worth another go.

Osteria Da Mario

Piazza Delle Coppelle, 51

+39 06 688 6349

It is virtually impossible to find a bad meal in Rome. There are either good meals or there are great meals. Osteria Da Mario is a very good meal but did not strike me as a great restaurant. The restaurant had great antipasti, the meats were all very tasty and the grilled vegetables were excellent. House wine was cheap and delicious. Had a decent bruscetta, but you could tell the tomatoes weren’t as good as they should be. The rigatoni carbonara was cooked perfectly. Other primi were very good however the secondi were nothing to write home about such as pollo, lamb and veal saltimbocca. Overall it is a good place, except not a place I will likely return.

T-Bone Station

Fuck the Hard Rock Café, it is over priced and not that good. This is the place to go if you are homesick and want a solid burger. It is right next to JC so I am sure you will find it rather easily. They have good burgers and lots of TV’s to watch games.

Pizzerias

One thing to keep in mind is that all of these pizza places are only open for dinner. That is the Italian way, you eat a heavy lunch and a light pizza for dinner. The crust is so thin in Rome that you never feel overly full like you do in the States. Aside from Naples, Rome has the best pizza in Italy so take advantage of it. Not only is the pizza flat out unreal, but it is not too expensive. Most places you can get a pizza and some wine for 10 euro.

Dar Poeta (my favorite)

Vicolo del Bologna 45/46

+39 6 588 0516

There is a lot of hype mentioned about Dar Poeta so expectations were high. I was surprised at first to see that the menu consisted solely of antipasti and pizza, which for me was a comfort to know the restaurant specialized in pizza. The pizza dar poeta was fantastic, cooked with fresh zucchini and sausage with the perfect amount of garlic and olive oil. The crust is cooked perfectly in a wood oven and served piping hot. The traditional Margherita was also delicious. Do not miss, I repeat do not miss the desert calzone at Dar Poeta, filled with nutella and fresh ricotta. The calzone is served directly out of the oven and the combination of the nutella, fresh ricotta and amazing dough is what every warm desert should taste like, borderline perfection.

Pizzeria Da Buffetto

Via Governo Vecchio

This is known as one of the best places in Rome and is in every single guide book you will ever read. As such, the place is always packed. I can say without a doubt this is the thinnest crust I have ever had. I think Buffeto has awesome pizza, but not worth the long wait that usually accompanies the restaurants.  What I did once or twice was go to Abbey Theatre, a sports bar which shows all the soccer games as well as playoff American sports and head to Buffetto right before close around 1045.

Pizzeria San Collisto

Piazza San Collisto

Via Francesco De Ripa

I love Pizzeria San Collisto because like Buffetto, the crust is so amazingly thin. Additionally, the pizza’s are enormous, almost the size of your wingspan. The wine is cheap and so are the pizzas which what makes it such a popular spot. You can get a classic margarita pizza and liter of wine for about 10 euro.

Pizzeria Ai Marmi

Vialle de Trastevere

Many of the pizza places that are famous in Rome are because of international guidebooks. Places like Buffetto are good but they are always filled with tourists. If you want the most authentic pizza eating experience in Rome, go to Ai Marmi. You are shoved next to other patrons and often are touching elbows. The place is always packed but on a nice night, it is great to sit outside and eat one of the best pizzas in Rome. You will not hear a word of English and the pizza will be one of the best you will have

Pizzeria Ivo

Via Francesco de Ripa.

Everyone always raved about Ivo when I was in Rome, but honestly I was not a huge fan. The pizza does not compare to the ones I mentioned above, however it is a larger place, and good for a large group. They have a huge menu filled with pasta, pizza, and fried appetizers but honestly, not a place I would go if I had all of Rome at my disposal.

Da Vittorio

Via di San Cosimato 14/a

+39 06-5800353

Da Vittorio is a great find because unlike many of the other Roman pizzerias like Dar Poeta or Pizzeria Ivo, it is open for both lunch and dinner. It specializes in a variety of homemade pizzas which are made to order from scratch.  Like many of the pizzerias in Trastevere, the house wine is delicious, cheap and overall a perfect way to pass the time while the chefs at Da Vittorio go to work on their homemade dough. In addition to the delicious fork and knife pizza’s the fresh prawn and tomato cream risotto is one of the best seafood dishes I have had in Rome. Da Vittorio is a perfect place to fulfill all your culinary needs with great homemade pizza, fresh pastas and delicious house wines. The risotto is a must have along with any of the bianco pizzas, I recommend the mushroom, sausage, garlic and olive oil.

Gelatto and Other Deserts.

You really can’t go wrong with any gelato, its all good in my opinion. But there are two places, which happen to be next to each other, that re my two favorites.

Della Parma

This place is great because it has probably over 100 flavors of gelato. There are some crazy flavors and combinations but it is really good and for a while my favorite gelato. For example they have this flavor called mars which is like caramel and butterscotch and chocolate mixed which is awesome. But for the best, get the fresh strawberry mixed with banana split, that was my go to. I don’t kid you that the first time you go in there, you might be so overwhelmed with the amount of flavors that you will walk out, I did.

Giolitti:

This was my favorite gelato place and is more traditional in terms of flavor selection. Honestly it had the best flavor of gelato I have ever had.  I am a huge black raspberry ice cream fan so I like any flavor gelato that resembles that. Get the frutti di bosco and it will rock your world. It is similar to black raspberry but honestly, unbelievable.

To get to della parma, go straight from the pantheon past the mcdonalds and it will be on your left. To get to Giolitti, go past della parma staying straight and take a right at the black duke pub which will be on your left.

Tazza D’Oro

Piazza Della Rotunda

This is one of the best places I went in all of Rome. It has a unique specialty called a granite, which is a combination of ice coffee, coffee coolata, coffee slush. In a cup, the bottom layer is filled with homemade whipped cream that is amazing. In the middle is the iced coffee slush and then topped again with whipped cream. It is amazing, just trust me, and is great on a hot day. It is located in Piazza Della Rotunda by the Pantheon.

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Little things can go a long way in making your startup company appear bigger than it is. Carelessness about these seemingly small details can leave big blemishes on your credibility, directly limiting your ability to grow. And ability to grow is undoubtedly one of the single most important strengths that any startup can prove to investors, allies, and competition alike.

The days building up to any startup’s launch are overlooked insofar as research and case studies are concerned. These are the days when the company’s entire foundation is laid; partnerships are formed, suppliers are contracted, distribution channels get established, competition is approached, investors are engaged, networks are constantly contacted, and internal operations and responsibilities are ironed out.

This foundation period, this first several months, is when you have to start looking big, not later. Looking like an established company will help you:

• get noticed
• get responses from contacts
• get good deals from service providers
• get your name out and about around town
• get credibility from investors (both current and future, alike)

and

• not get taken advantage of

10 (simple) ways to look bigger than you are:

(starting with the most basic)

1. Set up a formal entity. Most likely, you’ll be an LLC, but regardless of particular corporate structure, be sure to have one. If you are not set up, you are unlikely to get taken seriously by any number of service providers, potential clients, suppliers, partners, etc.
2. Get unique business cards made. Not having a business card is certainly one way to look unprofessional and unprepared in no time flat. Regardless of the fact that everything is digital now, and that it would make more sense to plug someone into your cell phone than hand them a paper business card, the world is resisting to change. Business cards are still the number one most trusted, fail-proof way to get into someone else’s rolodex (or gmail contacts). I emphasize getting unique business cards because most are boring and identical, thus business cards can surprisingly be a great way to raise someone’s eyebrows. Below is my business card, which I like simply because it stands out. Anything that stands out is good. Make your card dark black. Give it a camouflage background. Make it a circle instead of a square. Make it a fold out origami swan. You get the picture:
3. Be on Google. Everybody uses Google. If someone’s gonna find you, you better show up somewhere on a Google search for something about you. It’s easier than you may think: follow these instructions on Google. The longer you spend researching these instructions and acting on them, the better your results will be. But do yourself the favor and don’t miss this uber-critical step. If you cannot figure out your way around Google Webmaster tools, that’s okay! At least you tried. Now go and find a consultant in town who can help you out. Any SEO consulting firm will be able to help you out–it’s worth the money.
4. Get a domain name and build a website. And when people find you on Google, they’ll wanna click on the link to your website! Depending on your company, the website is of less or more importance. It goes without saying that it’s more important for a web marketing firm to have an elegant website than a local pizza shoppe. That said, any company has a lot to gain by having at least a clean and simple site. For the vast majority of startups out there, the site need not be anything more complicated than a place to inform potential customers and investors about your offerings and offer up a bit of your company’s personality in the ‘about us’ section. The cost building such a site will obviously vary greatly between companies, but should not necessarily exceed $5,000 in 99% of cases. If you pay more than that for a very simple, yet clean and easy to navigate website, you’re overpaying. A savvy Google-searcher will find a plethora of site development options, both in America as well as overseas.
5. Have a ‘full website.’ That is, don’t skimp on the details. There needs to be ‘about us’ pages, investor’s information, news & press, a blog, a ‘contact us’ form, and potentially a TOS and Privacy Policy (in the case of website startups that take, store, or distribute any user information or sites with credit card processing functionality). You cannot be blatantly liable to law suits by not having one of these last two, if you’re particular startup requires these.
6. Have good email addresses. At some point, a Gmail address isn’t going to cut it. Have your website developer set up a basic email system (I recommend using Google Apps–it’s free and carries the familiar and intuitive Google User Interface with it). Give yourselves email address at your domain name, and be similar across the board in terms of email names, for instance: Psmith@yoursite.com and Ljohnson@yoursite.com, NOT pamsmith121@yoursite.com and Lennyjohnson4life@yoursite.com.
7. Have an infrastructure (and show it off with your website’s ‘contact us’ page). Have a customer service department, a marketing department, a strategic partnership department, an investors services department, etc. even if it’s just the co-founders themselves pretending to represent an entire department. Correspondingly, your ‘contact us’ page should lead viewers to further informational email addresses such as info@yoursite.com, partners@yoursite.com, marketing@yoursite.com. Now, obviously you shouldn’t go overboard–most startups don’t have an in-house HR department, insurance branch, holdings corporation, etc. But still, the basics should be covered.
8. Write gooder (emails and copywrite). Writing clean, concise, response-worthy emails is an alarmingly underappreciated skill for any entrepreneur to hold. It can mean literally all the difference between getting responses from the people you need responses from, and never hearing back from anyone. You could write a 50-page blog post about how to write more efficient emails, and I’m not even all that efficient myself, so I won’t try to explain how to do this here. All I will say is this: re-read your emails before sending them, this should be more than enough to step up your email game big time. Most of the time, something blatantly wrong will stand out, and at least you won’t send stupid shit anymore. Sending blatantly stupid, arrogant, or incoherent messages is the fastest way to get people to click the ‘ delete button.’ Likewise, having good professional copy for site content, marketing materials, and advertisements is critical. Nothing makes a company look more vulnerable than a simple typo. Shows lack of focus. So focus!
9. Have professional-looking marketing materials (electronic and paper). Being able to say, “let me send along some of our marketing materials” is an incredibly powerful ability, believe it or not. People say to themselves, “o, they’ve got marketing materials? They’re legit. They must have people working on lots of different stuff around there if they’ve had the time to craft marketing materials.” And don’t just have them to have them, have them to show them off. Make them look good. Hire a consultant for a couple hundred bucks if you need to, but just make sure they are laid out nicely and can attract someone’s eye. And don’t forget about mass emails, too! RatePoint is a GREAT GREAT resource for this. Check them out and just try it for 30 days for free. The price is right, too, at just $10/month. You’ll get hooked.
10. Appear legally well-represented. This is as simple as putting ‘TM’ marks above your logos, copyright disclaimers at the bottom of Powerpoint presentations, or having Terms of Service/Privacy Statements on your website. Any lawyer can give you a run down of these specific basics, but they are really easy to do yourself–which saves money, of course! See the ‘TM’ above our logo on my business card above. This is what I’m talking about. That easy!

That’s about it for now. I hope this helps someone out there and good luck!

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Looking for a good Blog Topic?

I’d like to think that I’m not the only blogger out there with a laundry list of posts that got started but never finished. All blog posts begin in the exact same way: with an inspirational thought. But in some cases, that inspiration quickly subsides, placing the post into the dark, endless abyss known as the ‘drafts folder.’ It is a hopeless purgatory where neglected thoughts meander aimlessly for the rest of eternity.

But one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, so my hope is to create a place where these unfinished blog posts can go, with the hopes of being picked up and finished by an inspired fellow blogger. Let me give you an example of how this could work. Let’s say I start writing a blog about the Health Care Debate and how it affects Gen Y’ers. Ten minutes into it, I realize that I don’t know even close to enough about the debate to elaborate my thoughts into a post worthy of reading…but someone in one of my social networks might. And when they see this post idea, they run with it, publish it, and get the words out that I sadly never could.

So I’m opening up the floor to everyone out there reading this right now. Submit your ideas by posting a comment to Blog Inspirationville.

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While in college, ‘Student’ will suffice quite nicely as a job title. And since graduating last May from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I have been going with ‘Entrepreneur’ whenever and wherever I was asked. But last week this changed when my friend and business partner Nate Lustig, and I decided it was about time to get business cards for our startup software company, Entrustet. The title, ‘Entrepreneur’ clearly had to go, but what would replace it? After a bit of back-and-forth between ourselves and our advisors, I quickly found out that when it comes to a job title, a name is way more than a name. Ultimately, the choice is entirely up to you, but here is a case study on our company to help illustrate some of the questions and answers we faced along the way.

I don’t wanna sound whatever, but I’m sort of a big deal

The first question we posed to our advisors was how to choose names that didn’t make us sound inflated, but still carried some weight with it. To me, there’s just something about a 22-year old calling him/herself CEO that strikes me as a bit audacious, but there’s also something about co-founder that sounds a bit juvenile. Our advisors told us to err on the side of professionalism, and choose titles like CEO or COO instead of co-founder.

Ultimately, we took their advice on this one. Instead of fearing that I’ll sound inflated by a title like this, I now make it a personal challenge to live up to it. When I hand someone my card as CEO of Entrustet, I am immediately on a mission to prove to them that my day-to-day responsibilities are fully worthy of the title. Regardless of it being a two-person company, regardless of being in the fundraising-not-revenue-generating stage, regardless of having a 10′ x 10′ office space, I work my ass off with a passion for my company in the same exact way any CEO in America does. There may be a bit (or a lot) less pressure on my shoulders, and I may work fewer hours a week, and I may make a lot less money ($0 per year, as of now, actually), but all the more reason to deserve the title, because I’m doing this out of pure passion and nothing else.

What’s it do you do, exactly?

Our advisors asked us to describe each of our roles within the company, because whatever job title you choose ends up being the way you brand yourself to the rest of the professional world. Our company was originally an idea I had and worked on for a few months before partnering with Nate. I still hold this original company vision in my head that we have not steered very far away from over the past year. CEO then just sorta made sense for me to use. Nate, on the other hand, knows software and website development much better than I do (although he’s not a programmer, we have a company making the actual software). He also has far more experience in the web-industry than I do. Since we are a software company, our most basic operation is developing software. Thus, he’s an obvious fit for COO.

The first and most important question to ask yourself is what professional role do you fill on any given day at work? If you’re a real multi-tasker (as many young entrepreneurs are), then focus on your core competencies. In other cases, this will not be so difficult. For example, if you are the programmer in a 3-person startup, then you know your core competency, and you should go with something like Chief Technology Officer or Lead Programmer.

Here are some general guidelines for the 3 most common startup titles:

Chief Executive Office

• You come up with the “to-do” lists, instead of just following them.
• You are “big-picture” instead of detail-oriented.
• Maybe the company was originally your very own idea.
• Maybe you’ve been working on it the longest.

Chief Operating Officer

• You understand and/or work on the company’s core operation(s) more than anyone else
• The company’s growth is dependent on the quality of whatever it is you specialize in
• You have the most experience running the day-to-days of a company

CTO

• You are the one programming your company’s software/website
• You understand the IT infrastructure better than the rest
• You have the most IT experience of all

But wait, there’s more

These are obviously not all the names you can choose from. However, let me say that I would refrain from titles such as President, Vice-President, Director, etc. The reason being that if you do one day incorporate, these job titles can actually take on formal, legal definitions. Don’t confuse people with this. You can also get creative if you’d like, depending on your startup’s culture. I’ve seen CIO (Chief Innovation Officer) before. You get the gist.

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Scott Amron has made a living out of selling his wacky-inventions-turned-working-prototypes to companies such as OXO and Polder Home Tools, but Scott’s approach to his latest invention caught my eye in this Wired Magazine article. The invention, known as the Split-Ring Key-Blank is an almost head-poundingly obvious hybrid of a standard front door key and a key chain ring. But important to note is the fact that Scott’s approach to the invention is also a hybrid: half  inventor/half entrepreneur.

Scott Amron is a professional inventor. He invents things in his head (where else would you invent something) and then spends the next several weeks trying to turn it into a working prototype, then patent it, and finally, sell it to the highest bidder–payday! But this time ’round, Scott decided to just draw up a sketch and put it on his website to feel out the market’s reaction–and what a reaction he got.

Within the first month, Scott had 25,000 preorders. At $3.50 a piece, that’s a whopping $87,500 in pre-sales…only problem was, he hadn’t actually made one yet. A few quick calls later, Scott had a manufacturer in place and you too can now order yous right on his site.

But there’s something missing…

I did my homework on this one, and found some curious things about Scott’s approach to the keyring invention. First, you’ll notice on the link above, that he is taking inquiries for investment on the patent. A) shouldn’t he have enough money by now to fund a patent (roughly $25,000 to prepare)? And B) why would he choose to release such vivid details of the invention to the public before getting such a patent?

To be honest, I have no idea why he’s going about it the way he is. Even if he for some reason didn’t have the $25,000 personally, he certainly could get a bank loan, considering the simple prototype did $87,500 in presales in the first 30 days! And I also have no idea why he went so public with it before protecting himself intellectually.

An idea is just an idea…unless…

As the saying goes, “In America, if your idea is one-in-a-million, then there are 300 other people out there with the same idea.” Thus, most seasoned entrepreneurs will tell you that they’d gladly present any idea they come up with to as many people as possible, regardless of whether they’ve got IP protection yet or not. The theory behind this, of course, is that an idea is just that–an idea. And ideas aren’t worth anything because the real value isn’t in the idea itself, but rather in bringing that idea to market, which is (usually) no small feat.

But this idea is not just another idea. This idea has more things going for it:

• Proven market demand. Again, not to beat a dead horse here, but a simple picture of this thing on Scott’s website pre-sold 25,000 UNITS IN A MONTH. This proves market demand. Proving market demand is critical because what good does a great invention do if people don’t want to buy it?
• The price is right. $3.50 per unit at retail probably means that a buyer could get these from Scott for around $2.50-2.75 when bought in wholesale quantities (e.g. a local key shop. And even lower still, if the buyer was interested in getting a lot a lot of them, in the case of a major key manufacturer such as Schlage. This low price point means that the product could draw both individual small-order buyers, as well as the big guys.
• Sold! The nature of the key-making industry is conducive to buyouts of small startups such as Scott’s. Here’s why: How many keys have you ever had in your life? Probably in the 10′s or 20′s, at least. Keys come and go; you switch apartments, offices, have your locks changed, etc. frequently throughout your life. This means return buyers, which increases future revenue projections and thus increases Scott’s valuation. Thus, Scott’s idea is prime for a buyout.
• Novelty. This product is just plain obvious. It’s got a “duh! appeal” to it. That catches attention. That sells units. Scott did almost no advertising for this thing, but had hundreds of thousands of site visits in addition to the number of pre-orders.

Given all this–and many more reasons I’m sure you could think of–I don’t know why Scott’s positioning the product in the way that he is. But it is how it is, which means I’ve either got to get involved in Scott’s investment offer, or I need to get $25,000 and an IP lawyer on the phone immediately.

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Inspired by the 5-lb. bucket of (over)ripe tomatoes for $2 I stumbled upon last week at the best farmer’s market in the country, this recipe should be a staple in every college and young professional kitchen. It costs practically nothing to make (regardless of the deal I found at the market), can be used in endless ways, and freezes incredibly well. Try one of the variations suggested beneath the recipe, or come up with one of your own, just be sure to tell me about it if you do!

Ingredients:

5 lbs. ripe or overripe tomatoes
rinsed,
dried,
halved lengthwise.

1 12 oz. can tomato paste
opened, with a can-opener

2 tbs. garlic
minced,
jarred,
measured

1 cup red wine
poured, into a cup

32 oz. can chicken broth
poured, into a cup

Salt, pepper, and olive oil

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400°
2. Slice tomatoes in half lengthwise, and arrange in single layer in oven pans. Place onions evenly over the tomatoes, drizzle with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Toss to coat, and roast until soft and fragrant, about 1 1/2 hours.

   

   tomatoes & onions, pre-roast

3. Meanwhile, place large pot over medium heat, and add a couple tbs. olive oil, the garlic, and the tomato paste. Cook, stirring frequently, until slightly darkened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
4. Add red wine and simmer until liquid is mostly gone, about 3-5 minutes. Turn off heat, and let sit until tomatoes and onions are done.
5. Add roasted tomatoes and onions to pot, along with the herbs and about half the chicken broth. Simmer until liquid is absorbed, then add remaining chicken broth.
6. Simmer another 20 minutes and remove from heat. Put in blender or food processor (or just mash with whatever utensil you prefer). Pour back into pot and simmer until desired consistency is reached.
7. Enjoy! And freeze any you don’t see using in the next week or so.

Variations:

• Sautee some andouille sausage or chorizo and add it when adding the roasted veggies
• Try marsala wine for a sweeter touch
• Add mushrooms and corn to the tomatoes and onions for roasting. Then add fresh peas during final, post-blender simmering.
• Add some ricotta cheese and vodka for an interesting vodka sauce variation