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We featured his grandson on a Music Friday last summer after catching his act in New Orleans on Frenchman Street. Today, it's his kick ass grandfather.
I'm not sure when I discovered R.L. Burnside...but it was sadly too late to experience him live. But, two of my faves emerged on shuffle today as I was rockin out a proposal...so, the karma kaptains have spoken.
Problem is...I can't decide which to showcase. So, you get both: "Let My Baby Ride" and "It's Bad, You Know."
Have a great weekend!
OK...but where am I supposed to, err, you know?
When the Black Wolf Waterpark Resort opened in Wisconsin Dells, it was one of the first indoor waterpark resorts in America. It was the epitome of a game changer.
No good idea goes uncopied. And, the proliferation of indoor waterparks was swift and national.
In time, the Black Wolf shifted its brand to Great Wolf and, ultimately, built 11 indoor waterpark resorts across the country and became the largest chain of indoor waterparks in America.
Yesterday, Great Wolf sold their 10 waterparks to an investment manager for $158 million.
That's less than $16 million per resort.
Sigh.
I get that the fear of bad times makes a company make really stoopid short-term decisions. Hell, I have.
But, this is one that makes absolutely no sense. A hotel recently "rented" its pool to an adult "Learn to Swim" class from 9 to 11 am for a week. The participants consumed virtually all of the chairs around the pool with their bags o' stuff. And, then proceeded to enter said pool and flail around, splashing those few hotel guests that had managed to secure seats before the locusts (I mean "class") arrived.
Beyond the fact that adults that can't swim are way more annoying than children that can...an observation: A hotel pool is an expected amenity in Florida. Those from colder climes will want to avail themselves of said amenity the morning before their departure on an afternoon flight to maximize their exposure to that large sun-like object that causes skin to darken.
I don't care how much the "Learn-to-Swim" class paid the hotel for the use of the pool...it's not enough to offset the fact that those of us that wanted to sit by the pool before our afternoon flight will never be back.
Just a thought.
Who knew that the TSA actually cared about all the St. Patrick's Day food and presents we'll all be transporting this weekend?
Seen last week in the security check-in line at DAY (click image to enlarge).
For me, The Cure was an acquired taste. Firmly New Wave but subtly dark, Robert Smith's band created some haunting work in the '80s. Today, I wonder if it wasn't their videos (and, yes...maybe their hair) that kept them from being recognized as the powerhouse they really were.
One of my faves (despite the video) was "Just Like Heaven." Lyrically airy and musically driven, it was one of their finest.
But any follower of our Music Fridays know I love it when someone significantly changes up a classic.
Enter Katie Melua, a British phenom that is just starting to get noticed in America. And her version is simply sublime.
Enjoy them both as you set off upon another weekend of fun, mirth and music, my friends.
At this week's Wisconsin Governor's Conference on Tourism, our friend Peter Greenberg graced the stage as one of the keynote presenters...and seriously challenged the crowd when he said it was time to kill brochures.
To a tourismn crowd? Really? That would be, errr, blasphemy.
But, I can't say that he's wrong. And if you think about it...neither can you.
His point is that brochures can't help but reinforce that destinations are lying...with too-perfectly staged photos and lots of "ests" (biggest, best, largest, quaintest, etc.). And that means we can't be believed.
However much I agree with Peter, there is one place where these brochures still work. And, that would be the racks in hotels. You know...when you check into your hotel at 2 and have some time to kill and no idea where the hell you are?
But, is that a big enough market to warrent the expense?
That's your call.
I recently had a simply sensational dinner with friends during an industry conference. This after being absolutely underwhelmed with the service at virtually every other touch point during my stay.
There's really no point to out the destination...it could happen anywhere. But, I'm not doing it to protect the destination. I'm doing it to protect our waiter...because he did something so unusual, I fear that his manager would vigorously disapprove. And, yet...it capped off a perfect night.
Our waiter vividly described many of the featured entrees, going as far as to advise against one steak if anyone was planning on having it prepared any more done than medium rare, as that particular cut can't take a higher heat without getting tough. However, he said, if we liked our meat red, we'd love that item. He was fun, attentive and completely focused on our experience. And, then, it happened.
He had been paying enough attention to know that we were attending a conference and, as we prepared to leave, he brought over a hand-written list of other restaurants and nightspots that he thought we'd like during our stay.
Really? Did this guy have a "Miracle on 34th Street" fixation growing up?
That considerate move not only capped a fabulous night but helped redeem the destination's lackluster service from the previous 24 hours. And, completely sealed the deal that I'll be back, next time I'm in that town.
I want so badly to believe that the management of this restaurant has trained and enabled their people to create this kind of experience. But, my fear that this guy is flying solo (and could possibly earn the rath of his manager) means I can't tell you the name of the restaurant.
Unless I know you.
I know it may be semantics to some...but it's a huge difference when a City "contributes" money versus "invests" it.
And we saw it again last week in a news story in Columbus Business First: "The Columbus City Council approved the city’s $6.44 million contribution to the convention and visitor’s bureau’s 2012 budget at a meeting Monday night. Last year, the city contributed $5.4 million to Experience Columbus."
If that's the way the Council viewed it, who am I to complain? But I'm guessing that is far from why the Council appropriated over $6 million dollars to its DMO. Without being there for the vote, I'm quite sure they expect a Return-on-Investment for these dollars.
The challenge we all face is that today's cash-strapped media is employing less sophisticated reporters (like the one that thought the Wisconsin State flag was a union banner). Which means that we all have a responsibility to educate the people who the populace expects to educate them.
Otherwise, our news media will continue to tell stories that are hardly accurate.
Is it that they don't believe the impressive research that comes out of the Cornell School of Hotel Administration? While I've never managed a hotel, I think I'd be paying very close attention to anybody that was telling me to quit discounting my stuff.
As in leaving money on the table when it would actually be more advantageous to, as Jimmy Fallen says, "take it." Especially if the advice was coming from a school as prestigious as Cornell.
First there was the study that confirmed that deep discounting to build occupancy actually had a negative impact on the bottom line. Now comes a new study that reveals that hotels using flash sale sites like Groupon may be selling rooms that would otherwise go unsold...but at a cost twice that of the Online Travel Agencies like Priceline.com.
Even more concerning is that, if the strategy is to generate trial with a hope of return business, it's not working. Only one in ten consumers ultimately changes their traditional brand loyalty.
The Cornell research continues to be compelling. Focusing on being a cool hotel beats being the low-price leader.
As a consumer, I hope that hotels continue to ignore the Cornell intel. I like the deals I'm getting.
But, as an industry partner, I encourage them to resist the urge to slash prices in this insane race to the bottom.
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