I wish I had my post from last year, but alas, my home server died this year and I’ve been unable to recover the contents.  So, for now, you’ll have to make due with future predictions without a look at my track record from last year.

1. Food Carts/Pop-Up Restaurants (again)

   I’m pretty sure this was on my list from last year, but it really got going in 2009, and is set to continue its rise in 2010.  More and more mobile & makeshift restaurateurs + food vendors are starting to setup more stable shops and perfect the business model for running the spontaneous services.There’s even talk of a TV show based on NYC street food vendors (by Courtney Cox & David Arquette).  If it hasn’t broken through to mainstream yet, 2010 might be the year US food carts & pop-up restaurants are on everyones’ lips.

2. Liquor from South of the Border – Mezcal & Pisco

   Many drink industry pundits in SF are calling 2010 the year of Mezcal (the “child” of Tequila production).  However, I’d like to extend it to include the introduction of Pisco into the US consciousness.  Why?  Well, our love of all things Latino growing this year and ready to take off in 2010.These liquors go great with the spicy, earthy and flavorful food of Mexico & South America.  Mezcal being a smoky brown liquor that adds a complexity to many contemporary cocktail, and Pisco, a smooth, pungent brandy from Chile & Peru (traditionally) has many uses from punches to sours.

   With famous chefs like Jose Garces developing a modern take on Latino cuisine (such as at his restaurant Chifa in Philadelphia) and the meteoric rise of Rick Bayless (thanks to his win on Top Chef Masters), there will be lots of good food for these liquors to match with in major metropolitan areas.  In addition, the trend-setting bartenders of NYC & SF are embracing Mezcal & Pisco for more interesting cocktail concoctions.

3. Realization that eating “local” doesn’t mean you get the best product, just possibly a little cheaper and maybe slightly better for the environment.  But Locavore dining continues to rise, as does trying to “mimic” the qualities of overseas produced goods.

   Michael Pollan and others raised the nation’s consciousness about eating healthier & more local ingredients.  However, these positions will be proven to be pragmatic given our environmental & economic situation, and not necessary the best choice for our discerning palates.I was recently talking to a friend in the “industry” and they argued that some local products were actually very inferior to those brought in from overseas.  Thinking about this, it made me realize I wouldn’t trade a Sonoma Pinot for a French Burgundy.  While wine benefits from the terroir, the conditions for growing produce, raising meat & preparing them for delivery to markets are different from producer to producer and region to region.I am by no means against things that are environmentally & economically more sustainable.  In fact, I appreciate good quality local ingredients.  However, I think the consciousness will swing by to “high quality” products, regardless of where they come from, with a focus on trying to produce local versions that get “close enough” to the imported or trucked-in counterparts.

It will be a big year for the food & alcohol industries as they undergo changes to deal with the economic situation of the world.  So, I can’t wait to see what they can put on our plate and in our glasses!

So, I figured I’d thrown my hat into the ring for some predictions …

1. Smartphones.  Yes, that’s right, more of them Shocking, I know.  But Apple has now set the bar for the market and all will be gunning for them.  From Google, to Motorola, to even Nokia, the company suffering the most due to the rise of the iPhone and Android operating system.Usage will continue to rise, mainly because its the one computer everyone has with them all-day, every day.  Networks will continue to get better, as well the web browsing and media watching/listening on these devices.  Oh, and lets not forget, we text  A LOT!  Smartphones make all these behaviors more simple and easy throughout the day, plus, they connect us easily to the social networking & messaging services we’ve found we cannot live without, like Facebook & Twitter.

   There will be some surprises this year, however, such as market decline of once-heralded powerhouses like Microsoft & Qualcomm, which will both turn to Android to offset the loss of their market share for high-end devices.  In addition, expect Palm to be courted heavily by a major hardware, software or phone firm.  This may be the year Palm actually gets acquired by one of several possible suitors – Nokia: to get a US smartphone presence, Microsoft: to revitalize their ailing mobile platform strategy or Sony: to finally get back into the mobile phone market in a serious way (sorry Ericsson!).

2. Location-aware software (formerly called Location-Based Solutions/Services) goes big Before the end of the year, both Four Square and Gowalla made huge headlines, and started the gold-rush in the location-aware software space.  This is only the tip of the iceberg as more and more software and network-based services are looking at how to integrate location in a meaningful way into their applications.Why do I call this Location-aware software and not LBS?  Well, first, the point of many of these software applications will not be purely about locating the user, but about how location can be used to enhance the specific application.  LBS put location too much at the forefront, and LAS will focus on making the capabilities of the app more compelling.
3. The end of the desktop? (for all but developers, designers and people in the video industry) This one is a little bit of a stretch, but follow me here.  There’s several trends you cannot refute: the rise of the smartphone, sales of laptops outpacing desktops, netbooks becoming a hot category of products & (soon) the introduction of some high-powered tablet computers from people like Apple.Give those trends, its not a far leap to think that the desktop, as we know it, will be a thing of the past for most consumers.  They’re bulky, they sit in one place, and they are not so far ahead of their mobile counterparts that they cannot be replaced for the right feature set & price.

   If I was to be even more bold, and I will be, I would guess that Apple cedes its desktop business to a clone manufacturer or licensed IHV (going back on previous injunctions against clones) so they can focus on the future of mobile computing and get away from the low margin desktop/high cost desktop business.  It unlikely Apple will leave their traditional publishing, designer & video business customers out-in-the-cold, so I can see this transition taking time.

That’s all for now.  2010 looks to be an exciting year for tech, and I can’t want to see what actual transpires!

Here’s my recommendations for food places in Paris …

• Le Verre Vole, in the 10th – great French bistro for lunch…but make a reservation, even for lunch. Reasonable wine prices, amazing home-cooked food, and just a cute place to dine.

  http://maps.google.com/maps/place?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=le+verre+vole+paris&fb=1&gl=us&hq=le+verre+vole&hnear=paris&cid=11537081553782396809

• Chez Janou, in the 3rd (the “Marais”) – a fun French bistro for dinner.  excellent wine selection, rustic food, and an all-you-can eat bowl of chocolate mousse.  yes, all you can eat!

  http://www.chezjanou.com/

• Laduree, several locations – the most amazing macaroons in the world!  Get some to eat in Paris, then buy some the day you leave to bring home for friends.  Warning, though, they are EXPENSIVE.

  http://www.laduree.fr/

• L’as du Falafel, in the 3rd (the “Marais”) – one of my favorite falafel places in Paris for a quick, cheap meal on a day you’re in the Marais (the gay jewish district…note, not the gay AND jewish district, but the gay + jewish district).  Order the original falafel in a pita with a basket of fries on a cold day for lunch, and you will not leave hungry.

  http://maps.google.com/maps/place?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=L%27As+du+Falafel,+Paris&fb=1&gl=us&hq=L%27As+du+Falafel,&hnear=Paris&cid=13334543139358008511

• Le Fumoir (in the 1st, near the Louvre) – while it may be called the “smoking room”, thankfully, Parisians are no longer able to smoke indoors.  A really hip restaurant that would be great for a date night.

  http://www.time.com/time/travel/cityguide/article/0,31489,1937013_1936990_1936848,00.html

My “watering holes” …

• Les Deux Magots (in the 6th, St.-Germain de Pres) – one of the most classic french bars in the upscale party area of the city.  if its nice out, take a table on the rue and watch the foot traffic go by

  http://www.lesdeuxmagots.fr/

• Le Fumoir – also a great bar, and one of the few places you can get a “martini” in Paris (and a good one at that)
• Willi’s Wine Bar – a very low-key wine bar, but one of the best and most famous in Paris.  everyone knows it.  amazing wine selection and a good atmosphere.

  http://www.williswinebar.com/

• Hemingway Bar, in the Ritz Hotel – if you want a trip back in time, to when a gentleman drank a stiff cocktail, and paid an insane amount of money for them…then this place is for you.  Probably one of the best cocktail bars in the world…if not for the Hemingway memorabilia on the walls…but for the skillful work of the bartenders.  Be prepared to drop ~$100 here on 3-4 cocktails…easily….

  http://www.ritzparis.com/jump_to.asp?id_lang=2&id_target=1340

Favorite Museums, in order of my preference (highest to lowest) …

1. Musee D’orsay – amazing collection of impressionists and several Van Goghs, nice statues in the main hall, and always some interesting special exhibits
2. Picasso Museum – small, but worth the visit.  a huge collection of his works. If you’re doing a 1/2 day in the Marais (which I suggest you do), its also right there.
3. Louvre – you have to go here, but its always a mad-house with all the people.  my recommendation…get there super early.  there’s the most amazing bakery around the corner that opens at like 6:30/7am and you’ll see the line, so you’ll know which one.  grab a croissant and go wait in line for the museum to open.  study the museum map in line on your phone or bring a print-out with you so you know where the Mona Lisa is.  Then when you get in to the museum, run…yes…run…to the Mona Lisa.  You’ll get the most amazing feeling as you’re only one of a handful of people standing there first thing in the morning.  Otherwise, you’ll fight a horde of people to see it. Ugh.

NOTE: I’ve never done the Pompidu, but I’m a fan of modern art, so I’m sure I’d love it.

It used to be very old-school in the ‘hood.  You’d either drop a dime or two at the high-end restaurants at like Le Bec Fin or Bookbinders.  Or you’d go “local” with a cheesesteak at Gino’s or Pat’s (note: I’m a Pat’s man myself), a slice of pizza at The Philly Pizza Company or a trip to the Redding Terminal for some soul food favorites.

Well, Bookbinders is closed, Le Bec Fin has lost its glitter (and a star or two) & the Philly Pizza Company has been replaced by a Starbucks (of all things!). Dead Milkmen fans, please observe a moment of silence for our dear-beloved PPC.  Pour out a little hot tea on the sidewalk for our fallen brethren.

However, I’m happy to report that the “new” Philly food & cocktail scene is pretty darn exciting.  Here’s my list of the new & interesting places I have tried or will try while I’m here …

• Vetri – simply one of the best meals I’ve had outside of SF & NYC
• Monk’s – a shrine to beer, and a must-stop for any suds loving local or traveler
• Amada’s – Jose Garces flagship restaurant, and a beautiful testiment to all things Spanish
• The Continental (downtown or midtown) – Great place to grab a classic or modern cocktail and snack on a overloaded plate of thinly cut fries
• Village Whiskey – A new burger bar by Chef Garces, that my friend Bizy assures me has the best burger in town, but I’m going for the duck fat fries too
• Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. – Don’t let the name fool you, its a cocktail-lovers mecca, or so I’m told

Cheers!

With a picture of my new Brian Barneclo Skateboard deck & Gama-Go postcards/stickers …

Posted by Wordmobi