The red carpet is not actually red; it’s more like a burgundy.

Get ready for the Oscars’ politically tinged acceptance speeches — and likely more than 45 minutes of advertising.

Before I get to all of the tidbits around the Academy and the Dolby Theatre, I’ll bore you with my winners prognostication. Before you roll your eyes, remember that I started covering the Academy Awards six years ago and my picks have been accurate to the point I want to fly to London back them up with a little bit of cash. For the record, I’ve gone  on in the major categories with 37 out of 44 correct selections. Here’s the Media Guy choices for the telecast on Sunday:

Best Picture
La La Land

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Emma Stone, La La Land

Just to remind everyone…Spielberg and I have two Oscars combined!

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Mahershala Ali, Moonlight

Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Viola Davis, Fences

Directing
Damien Chazelle, La La Land

Animated Feature Film
Zootopia

Foreign Language Film
The Salesman, Iran

Writing (Original Screenplay)
Manchester by the Sea, Kenneth Lonergan

THE COMMERCIALS

Last year’s Oscars drew over 34 million total viewers, Because of that number, a thirty-second commercial on the Oscars telecast will cost you a cool $2 million. This is the most expensive TV buy after the Super Bowl.

Last year’s Oscars featured 80 commercials which generated $115 million in ad revenue which is about equal to the Grammys and Golden Globes combined.

GOVERNOR’S BALL MENU

The 1,500 guests to the Governor’s Ball expect some of Wolfgang Puck’s traditional specialties, but each year they are treated to new dishes to sample, including this year’s treats: gold-dusted popcorn, sweet pea falafel, taro root tacos with shrimp and mango, spice gougeres with black truffle dust, lobster corn dogs and parsnip agnolotti.  no small undertaking…

…It takes a lot of fish and cheese to feed that many guests: 3,500 miso tuile cones, 15 pounds of truffles, 350 pounds of Atlantic tuna, 7,500 shrimp, 2,375 pretzels, 4,250 pieces of handmade gnoccetti and 150 pounds of arugula. And don’t forget the Oscar-shaped smoked salmon matzos.

Dessert stations will offer lava cakes, red velvet waffles, and a chocolate buffet with treats including caramel cappucino Oscar lollipops and bonbons in movie theater flavors like Sour Patch Kids.

THE OSCARS SWAG BAG

A pelvic floor exercise tracker, a sweat absorber and a CPR kit might not seem the most exciting of gifts for anyone, let alone a Hollywood star. But these, along with a Hawaiian holiday, a California ranch experience and personal training sessions are just some of the gifts in the unofficial Oscars swag bag courtesy of Los Angeles-based Distinctive Assets.

A five-night holiday to Kōloa Landing, a luxurious resort on Hawaii’s Kauai island is included, costing around $1,150 a night, along with a week at Golden Door, an exclusive California spa where a “Classic Women’s Week” costs around $8,850.

If the nominee prefers a European adventure, then a three-night stay in a suite at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo on Lake Como is also on offer, which retails at around $1,400 a night, before taxes. Also in the swag bag are three nights in the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria in Sorrento, where a suite costs upwards of $700 a night.

Quirkier gifts include a hydrating mist “for improved vocal cord management and skin regeneration,” a SweetCheeks cellulite massage mat, and a t-shirt from Happiest Tee, to “celebrate your happy place.”

NOMINEES QUESTIONNAIRES

This year, the Academy released some of the questionnaires submitted by the nominees providing a fascinating look at the the stars. Here’s a couple of note…Nicole Kidman and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

The post Oscars Week 2017: My Picks appeared first on Media Guy Struggles.

Madrid called me around the holidays (actually Spanish Television called to do a table read in the never-ending journal to get the Media Guy Struggles pilot made into something real – in any language) and I was all in.

As is the case back home near Hollywood, I didn’t sleep much. Because of that I got up close and personal with Spanish coffees looking to keep that edge and get my show made.

If I had to guess I would say that America became obsessed with Starbucks (west coast) Dunkin’ Donuts (east coast) coffee not for the taste, but for the simplicity – it was much easier to simply order “a cup of coffee.” Not to mention the to-go factor. As a culture, we’ve developed a global stereotype (particularly acknowledged by Europeans and Middle Easterners) that our coffee is watered down, dull and hardly enjoyed, sipped or swigged in huge cups at the speed of a 7-Eleven Big Gulp®. It wasn’t until the introduction of Starbucks that we thought we got a little more class, that our coffee consumption skyrocketed to include fancy-pants sizes and milk variations with shiny flamboyant Italian nicknames.

Then around 2005 something called the Gibraltar happened in San Francisco to a once-little company named Blue Bottle Coffee – which if you know anything about being hip has helped spawn a catalyst within the Northern California coffee movement, as well as along the West Coast, over to New York and popping up in London (although they have a lot of influence from the Aussies, whom also make excellent coffee). But did that really happen? Was that really an invention? Or a renaming of the existing Spanish cortado? All finger pointing aside, coffee and espresso drinks are some of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, and the manner in which they are ordered and prepared differs according to countries, backgrounds or the baristas’ habits.

The Spanish people have developed quite a taste, or perhaps dependency on coffee since its arrival from Turkish immigrants in the 17th century. The general consensus is that the coffee here is good, although it may be argued that the coffee tastes better in Italy and Portugal, and certainly worse in France.

What do you need to know to order an espresso drink or coffee in Spain?

Spaniards aren’t known to eat a hefty breakfast, in fact for a true experience during your stay in the country, steer clear of restaurants or cafes offering an American or British breakfast. On a given day, the local eateries will be filled with common citizens, or even hotshot politicians (if they dare show their faces), munching a pastry, or toasts with tomato pulp with their café con leche, 1:1 ration of strong coffee or espresso with steamed milk, or what we might register as a caffé latte.

That said, coffee in Spain is consumed at all hours of the day, particular after larger meals or in the late afternoon at the merienda hour (5-7p roughly) served alongside a slice of olive oil or egg yolk cakes. Besides this fact — you’ll soon see for yourself during your time in Spain a culture of tomando un café (or tomar un café — to have a coffee) via patios, terraces, cafes, bars, gas stations, and restaurants offering all sorts of food stuff but also always coffee, and this practice is not only a time for caffeine, but an opportunity to catch up and meet with friends, family, colleagues, or intercambios (language exchanges).

Café Solo – a very strong and small serving of coffee; generally a single shot of espresso. I have no statistics to prove this theory, but I most commonly witness people ordering this version after lunch for a quick pick-me-up, therefore reducing the likelihood of falling into a food coma, or after dinner for the sobremesa chats and table lingering.

Café Solo Doble* – same as above but with a double shot of espresso and maybe a larger vessel (pending the bar/cafe)

(Café) Cortado – an espresso cut with steamed milk (from Spanish verb cortar), typically 1:1 – 2:1 espresso to milk ration, and served in a short and stout glass. It’s similar to the piccolo in Australia, the Gibraltar in US and to the Italian version of a caffé macchiato. Popularly ordered around the merienda hours to give a little jolt as well as the illusion of eating something sweet between meals (with the addition of sugar packets most likely).

Café con Leche – to reiterate from above, this is one of Spain’s most popular drinks, and often the favorite for its balanced flavors and comforting sensations, equal parts milk and coffee. Breakfast is a common timeframe for this size, as is the merienda a 5pm snack hour, but it’s really as classic as El Clasico (a futbol / soccer match). Sometimes this drink will be served table-side, with the waiters pouring the (very) hot milk into a short & skinny glass, or wide brimmed demitasse cup.

(Café) Americano – an espresso shot served in a larger glass and watered down. Usually ordered by out-of-towners looking to replace their usual coffee routine since you won’t find filtered coffee in many places in Spain; espresso machines are the norm, or instant coffee.

Café Manchado – a less common order, but a popular choice nonetheless for those that like their caffeinated beverages just “stained,” the literal term for staining a short (café con leche) glass of milk with a small amount of espresso. May also be referred to on some menus as a lágrima – from other Spanish speaking countries like Argentina.

Café con Hielo – during the hot summer months the Spaniards cool down with this espresso and ice cubes, served in a whiskey glass.

Café Suizo – a shot of espresso served with a dollop of whipped cream; identical to the Italian ‘espresso con panna’ although not very common on Spanish menus.  (I like La Granja Viader in Barcelona for this drink because of their homemade cream).

Café Bombon – a café solo (espresso) served with a hefty spoonful of condensed milk, thought to have originated in Valencia, Spain.

Carajillo – a café solo served with a touch of brandy, although whiskey or rum can be substituted.

Trifásico – a less common and often regionally ordered drink along the Costa Brava and Costa Blanca, the trifásico includes three ingredients: coffee, milk/cream/or condensed milk and a liquor (usually anything from whiskey, brandy to Baileys).

Know your caffeine preference upfront, otherwise they will assume you want regular or strong espressos and coffee. Typically decaffeinated, descafeinado, comes from an instant coffee packet,  so if you want decaffeinated and from the espresso machine you must request for example, café _________ + descafeinado de maquina.

AND if you didn’t have enough already: You also have the option to speak up about your exact coffee preferences; so with the cortado or the café con leche you could order ‘corto de café’ (literally short on coffee) or ‘largo de café’ (long on coffee).

*Double shots – If you’re looking for more caffeine that resembles a ristretto then you’ll need to request that your drink be made as a double shot; the standard is one. To do this, use the above terminology but add doble to the end, e.g. Café con leche doble, cortado doble, manchado doble.
**Also note in Spain, unlike in Italy (or other countries that I haven’t visited yet), if you would like a glass of water to go with your coffee, you must ask your server for it – un vaso de agua por favor.

Sugars / Sweeteners
Spaniards are quite generous with their sugar packets, the processed white variety, or common table sugar. Bars and cafés often put of a lot of effort into insuring that theirs are printed with their business name and address (reminds me of the omnipresent matches in the US during the 90s). Should you need more however, simply ask “me traes /or me das un poco de azúcar por favor?” (will you bring / give me sugar please?). If you’re a fiend for raw sugar, azúcar de caña,  is the courser, less processed version (sometimes) available.

Honey is very rare to accompany coffee in Spain, but still worth a shot if this is your preference, and you ask nicely. The word for honey is (la) miel.

Now the above mentioned list should allow you to order a coffee or espresso throughout any part of Spain with no problems. Be sure to visit my favorite neighborhood vendors and recommended coffee shops; Toma Café in Madrid, La Bicicleta, and Satan’s Coffee Corner in Barcelona (more Spanish coffee shop recommendations at bottom of page).

However, if you plan to “monkey see monkey do” and order a coffee like a local when in Málaga, then pay attention to the following:

Café Central tucked along a narrow side street in the old city of Málaga has claimed the invention of the following coffee ordering standard, a brain scramble, un cacao mental, for outsiders but none the less a fascinating Andalusian idiosyncrasy. The story goes that the camarero, D. José Prado Crespo, or Pepe for short, was fed up of dealing with crazy customers requests, “Pepe ponme un poquito más” “a little more coffee/milk” or “¡ya está! suficiente leche ya” “OK, that’s enough milk.” He developed a ten level café system to simplify his work life as well as the lives of his coworkers.

Ordering a coffee in Málaga, Spain requires a bit of practice. Or point and smile : )

Since its conception, the system has been adopted by the majority of the baristas and servers around Málaga. It goes like this: nube, sombra, corto, entrecorto, mitad, solo corto, semi-largo, largo, and the solo. The nube, or cloud, contains a splash of coffee, the mitad is equal parts 1:1 coffee and milk, and the solo is the same as in the rest of Spain, all black. However nowadays we give the servers even more work, non-fat milk, soy requests, or even the size of the glass is ultimately “your wish is my command.”

If the above is altogether too complicated, ordering “un cappuccino, por favor,” will be internationally understood. Just keep your standards in check, this won’t be Italy — which according to the INEI consists of: “traditional cappuccinos are made up of 25ml of espresso and 125ml of steam-whipped milk, starting with cold milk (3-5°C) and brought to a temperature of about 55°C and then poured over Italian certified espresso in a cup the size of 150-160ml. The milk must be fresh bovine with a minimum of 3.2% proteins and 3.5% fat, and steam-whipped in a specific way.” Precise isn’t it?

Maybe a café con leche in Spain is the way to go after all!

The post Ordering Espresso in Madrid appeared first on Media Guy Struggles.

The next great dining destination is just down the 101 Freeway, perfectly centered between downtown Los Angeles and Santa Barbara: Oxnard.

Okay, so where am I? 

I am stuck in my Cohiba-soaked loft overlooking the hustle of the City of Angels. Crumpled sheets of typewriter paper building in the trashcan. Another assignment staring me down; one that is notoriously close to deadline with only a few days to come up with the promotion of the century.

When the going gets tough, the tough get away. Earlier in the week a colleague raved on-and-on about the inspiration derived from the secluded white-sand beaches and Victorian style Oxnard, California. Surely my friend jested as she recommended this romantic, young and relaxing place to get the ideas flowing. And yet there I was flowing down the highway with the Pacific Ocean to my left anxious to check-in to my beachfront hotel and hear the water serenade me.

I held a dinner reservation to the Tierra Sur At Herzog Wine Cellars, a highly-rated Zagat restaurant with the kosher wines and meals. When I pulled up to the complex centered in a converted industrial park that you might think was a small distribution center, I was not expecting the finest meal I had ever eaten.

Now let’s get this straight: I am no stranger to fine foods. I have dined at the finest restaurants on the planet—Noma in Copenhagen, Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy and Eleven Madison Park in New York City—all ranked in the top 10 by Time Magazine. But nothing compares once you’ve tasted the chorizo lamb sausage on piadina flat bread with black olives, watercress, cherry tomato salad and zahtar dressing from Tierra Sur.

And that was just the start.

We settled on the rib eye and the salmon.

The debate raged while we sipped our wine and awaited our entrées. I mean we could have ordered the Duo of Duck—a confit duck leg and seared duck breast with fennel-green garlic fritter, sautéed swiss chard and smoked tomato-bean ragout and red wine reduction from their wood burning grill after all. I mean why do we always go with the safe choice? Little did we know until dinner was served!

The salmon was a cauliflower potato tortilla Española, champagne leeks, mille erbe and real saffron that was fresher than any Kodiak bear could catch and paw deliver to you in the wild. And the rib eye? Well the rib eye? You mean the rib eye with a mustard demi, fried Yukon gold potatoes, sous vide abalone mushrooms, kale and roasted pearl onions? The rib eye was the best piece of meat I have ever tasted and maybe, will ever taste. I am forever ruined to the 100,000 places all over the world that offers rib eye on their menu.

The Herzog Wine Cellars Limited Edition Prince Vineyard Petit Sirah was a lovely paring that I won’t soon forget.

For dessert, the Gateu d’Ariel, a flourless chocolate cake, was the easy choice, as was the Herzog Late Harvest Lodi Zinfandel that accompanied it. Back to the venue itself…

A couple hundred words ago, I alluded to the setting from the outside. No one would ever suspect the grandeur inside the Inside the wine cellars has a self-guided tour which gives you an insight on winemaking process with an artistic and historic feel. It’s almost hypnotizing as you take in the aura of the countless barrels of wine waiting to be tapped, bottled and served with fine, mouth-watering bites of every kosher meal you could envision. It felt as if I was in the holy land, tasting organic and earthly treasures, salivating for more.

The meal itself was more than a dinner. It was a magic. While my intention was not really to impress my partner, but it easily did the trick as I received an “A+” for selecting a city that holds the highest culinary class in a fifty mile stretch.

Oxnard might be a small, farm city for some, but its delicious organic agricultural appeal will make this a shy, sexy destination with the finest culinary experience you will ever have.

Tierra Sur At Herzog Wine Cellars
3201 Camino Del Sol
Oxnard, California 93030
805/983-1560

Where to Stay:
Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach – Hotel & Resort
2101 Mandalay Beach Road
Oxnard, CA 93035
805/984-2500

TOP TIP: Ask for a beachfront room (see below). If it is not offered, wait for a weekend where it is available. The secluded white-sand beach is sure to please.

This is the first in a series of dining getaways across the Golden State.

The post Summer Dining Series: Heavenly Kosher appeared first on Media Guy Struggles.

Start with Kek Lok Si Buddhist Temple and never look back.

As a matter of fact, eating is the single topic on everyone’s tongue from the minute you hit the beautiful tropical island. Despite its British roots—under British rule since its sultan gave it up in 1786 in exchange for protection against his Siamese enemies—Penang produces a bevy of culinary delights. Locals have been crafting char koay teow (stir-fried rice noodles), nasi kandar (biryani rice with naughtily spicy curries) and congee (milky rice porridge) since then, blending in Western flavors for unique delicacies now native to only Malaysia. To find out what the buzz is about, stroll into Chinatown in Georgetown, the capital of Penang state, f or a taste and a tour of the eclectic blends of spice and rice. But satisfying your taste buds isn’t the only thing on this island’s menu.

Interwoven between the cafés and coffee shops are amazing combinations of cultures, Buddhist temples and shopping that make for a fascinating side trip. Here nearly everything you can imagine is available for sale in what amounts to a negotiator’s dream: traditional lanterns, vintage British cigarette lighters, joss-sticks, Malay jewelry and local artisan crafts. And, no, you won’t find any of the opium that was once traded with India and China when this was a burgeoning port town in previous centuries. But you will find some soothing Malay teas and a friendly smile at every stop.

All that’s missing is the South Beach “talent.”

Remember to bring an umbrella, usually supplied by your hotel, as two-inch downpours can happen at a clap of thunder.

SLEEP: Flamingo Hotel by the Beach
Enjoy alfresco delights and a sweet Malay martini while dining in the oceanfront beach bar of this simplistic, yet oddly elegant hotel, just steps from the heart of Georgetown. www.penang.flamingo.com.my

Malaysian river prawns vs. Louisiana craw fish: you make the call!

TASTE: Fresh River Prawns
Sneak away to the Khaleel Restaurant on Jalan Penang Street, the preeminent 24/7 Mamak (Tamil Muslim) eatery near the corner of touristy Lebuh Chulia. Don’t miss the fresh river prawns to satisfy your yearning for this delicacy and all other things crustacean.

EXPLORE: Trishaws
Georgetown’s garish rickshaws or “trishaws,” as they are commonly known, are the best way to see the town as drivers pedal their passengers around in outlandishly garish vehicles. If you tip an extra dollar, they might change the bad karaoke, playing full blast on their hi-fi stereo systems.

RELAX: Spicy Garden
Most people don’t understand the importance of spices. At one time, the spice trade made merchants across the globe untold fortunes. They preserved meat and were the key ingredients in perfume making and embalming the dead. They were more valuable than gold. All told, they established immense empires, tipping the balance of world power at the dawn of the seventeenth century.

Closest thing to the Garden of Eden you’ll ever find.

Tucked away behind Teluk Bahang, the fishing village on the north western tip of Penang, in an eight-acre valley, lies the Tropical Spice Garden. This sumptuous example of nature conservation is all that remains of the resources that fueled Penang’s once booming trade. After one visit there, you get the picture perfect introduction to the plethora of spices—over 500 local and introduced varieties—that made Southeast Asia rich and famous.

This bewitching jewel of a garden, established on an abandoned rubber plantation, opened in 2003 and, we’re told, never fails to amaze. The minute you stride up to the conservatory, your senses are treated to savory treats as a gust of flavors wafts over you.

The walking guided tour—one of the finest this side of a docent visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art—meticulously takes you across three garden experiences:

• The Spice Trail with its 100 herbs and spices.
• The Ornamental Trail, highlighting never seen (by me, at least) palms, flora, gingers and ferns.
• The Jungle Trail, replete with wild orchids and other jungle species stretched across an elevated pathway.

This isn’t your typical hands-off walk around a national park. The English-speaking guide goes into great detail about the trees and plants, often plucking a leaf and rubbing a seed pod on your wrist to allow you to smell the sweet aromas. He will even direct you to a lily pond, where you can dip your feet for a brief respite to the often oppressive Malaysian humidity. There, the guppies nibble your toes as part of your organic pedi-spa treatment.

The highlight is when you reach the on-site Tree Monkey Restaurant, serving Asian fare prepared with many of the garden’s own spices. The views overlooking the South China Sea and daunting rain forest is enchanting. As are the restaurant’s sticky rice, tom yum seafood soup and onion omelets.

Daily Admission with tour is approximately $8 USD. There are cooking classes too, but call ahead to make sure they are staffed for the day.

A trip to the Tropical Spice Garden is almost worth the 25 hours of flying from Los Angeles through Japan to Kuala Lumpur, plus a quick flight to Penang.

Trishaws of Penang (above and below)

…the beer is pretty good too…

…and there is plenty of monkey business too!

The post Penang: The Virgin Paradise appeared first on Media Guy Struggles.

CampbellGray Hotels is a mad scientist when it comes to hypothesizing potential hotel destinations and while their latest seems the craziest of them all, it isn’t.

The Le Gray Beirut was referred by a colleague on my trek through Lebanon in 2011 replete with all of the hyperbole you might expect from a seasoned travel writer that was amply “wowed.” My colleague (we’ll call him “Marcel” for lack of a better pseudonym) threw out an insane series of reasons why you tack on a week to your Istanbul trip and include the Le Gray on your itinerary. Regular readers of my work will know that Beirut doesn’t live up to the Hezbollah wrapped terrorist destination that the racist media keeps throwing in our faces. In fact, for one of the purest blends of archaeology and nightlife, I highly recommend a serious trip to the Paris of the Middle East.*

As Marcel ranted on about how the architecture of Australian Kevin Dash guarantees all of the rooms are drenched in the lush Mediterranean sun and Mary Fox Linton’s interior design wraps you in a soothing feel of Camelot – the Kennedy’s, not King Arthur’s (whew much nicer!) – I couldn’t help but imagine collapsing there after a day trip to the South to see how the UN Peace Keepers are bungling it all up at the Israeli border.

Yet I digress.

Much to my pleasure, his rant about the floor-to-ceiling, glass-topped atrium led me to the arms of this hotel and I must say that his hyperbole failed to fully capture the contemporary elegance of the hotel.

Arriving

This past trip was a VIP experience to say the least. Not only was part of the brain trust bringing writers from all over the United States to write about the country, but I was also part of a charitable delegation set to install hearing aids to over a thousand people. So, when I arrived to Beirut’s Hariri International Airport with six colleagues, and was whisked out a side door past customs and security to a special reception, I said “Nothing can top this!”

Funky and sexy – a treat for the senses

Well, I have to say that the arrival experience at the Le Gray came pretty close. Located in the heart of the Solidere, the trendiest section of upscale shopping and architecture in Beirut, the Le Gray greets you like few others. As you walk past the sidewalk Gordon’s Café and through tight security, the well-appointed front office staff welcomes you with a sit-down reception that includes a cool compress, fruit nectar beverage and a visual tour of the hotel as you select your room. Check-in is efficient and drama free, while the funky artistry delights the eyes on your quick ride up the silky glass elevators.

Rooms

My room was more like a suite that wrapped around a corner of the hotel with multiple balconies and an excellent view of the magnificent new Rafic Hariri Mosque near the Hariri Memorial (yes, more than a few things are named for the late Lebanese Prime Minister). Luxury abounds with rainfall showers and separate toilets (with granite tiles), daily fruit baskets, REN bathroom products, full Espresso machines and beds that invite dreams of loveliness. I could live here (and plan to ask the management to grant this humble wish).

Dining

Their brochures wax poetic about and the aforementioned Indigo on the Roof, Cherry on the Rooftop, Gordon’s Café:

The Cigar Lounge is open from 11a to 1a

“Food is fresh, in season and full of the passion that makes our cuisine more than just high quality gastronomy…”

I dined at the Indigo, partied at the Cherry and took pictures at Gordon’s and the pretty words from the collaterals don’t do them justice because they are actually better.

What caught my attention is the Cigar Lounge. There’s nothing better than being able to smoke a Cohiba or a Torpedo with a fine connoisseur Cognac at eleven a.m. I spent the better part of an afternoon overlooking the city while pumping out campaign copy for entertainment client (coming to your televisions shortly). The time was a gift to be treasured and it is difficult to imagine that I could find a more serene setting anywhere outside of a yacht in Bodrum.

Dessert at the Indigo

Summing It Up

Unquestionably one of the best hotels in the entire Middle East in the class of Giza’s Mena House, Syria’s Art House and the Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Bosphorus. Trust me, you want to stay in one of these four properties worthy of its impeccable pedigree that any celebrity, dignitary, super model or aristocrat would be proud to reside at for a few nights.

The amazing infinity pool overlooks the city.

The atrium as you exit the glass elevators.

The lobby is sleek and contemporary.

The rooms: picture perfect with luxury appointments.

The post Experience the Le Gray, Beirut appeared first on Media Guy Struggles.

Blueberry Muffin Then: 1.5 ounces, 210 calories Now: 5 ounces, 500 calories

• 57% believe an unattractive (but qualified) job candidate will have a harder time getting hired;
• 68% believe that, once hired, looks will continue to affect the way managers rate job performance.
• 63% said being physically attractive is beneficial to men who are looking for work,
• 72% said it was an advantage for women.
• On a priority scale, education came in third. Experience was second, and yep (!), attractiveness was first.

Spaghetti and Meatballs Then: 1 cup of spaghetti and sauce with 3 meatballs, 500 calories Now: 2 cups of pasta and sauce with 3 meatballs, 1,025 calories

Bagels Then: 3-inch diameter, 140 calories Now: 6-inch diameter, 350 calories

Fast Food Cheeseburgers Then: 333 calories Now: 590 Calories

French Fries Then: 2.4 ounces, 210 calories Now: 6.9 ounces, 610 calories

Soda Then: 6.5 ounces, 85 calories Now: 20 ounces, 250 calories

The post Huge Food – What’s a Media Guy to Do? appeared first on Media Guy Struggles.