Miscellaneous

🦬 In June, Selune, an oyster bar, opened in Brooklyn, featuring Utah Beach oysters. Oyster mentions on menus rose by 11.9% last year. Chef Aaron Juvera, Texas' first certified oyster master, highlights oysters' environmental benefits, filtering up to 50 gallons of water daily. Texas oysters take 18-36 months to mature. Boston restaurants offer $1 oysters as a happy hour alternative. In 2023, the Oyster Master Guild launched a certification program, expanding oyster expertise.

📈 LinkedIn offers a seamless registration and login experience with options for personalized security verification. The platform supports multiple social join options and integration features like Google GSI and Time Stone, enhancing user accessibility. Log in via https://www.linkedin.com to access personalized professional networking tools. For business page creation, LinkedIn provides guidance through a dedicated help section. Already a member? Sign in to stay connected with your network.

🍴 Chef Yannick Alléno, with 17 Michelin stars, introduces Battuta at Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, Mayfair, from July 1 to September 30, 2025. Inspired by explorer Ibn Battuta, the menu features Middle Eastern, Asian, and North African flavors. Highlights include grilled meats, seafood, samosas, and kadaifi dessert. Open noon to midnight daily, the pop-up is a culinary journey celebrating sustainability and cultural fusion. Bookings via OpenTable.

🍷 DropWorks, a British rum distillery, launched in 2023, debuted its Clear Drop Rum in Mildreds and mallow restaurants across seven London locations. In 2025, they introduced a Coconut Daiquiri cocktail at mallow, featuring Clear Drop Rum, falernum, coconut, pandan, and citrus. Founder Lewis Hayes, with 20 years in the industry, praised the partnership. Based in Sherwood Forest, DropWorks is expanding across the UK, including Manchester and Liverpool, and aims to enhance the British rum industry.

📍 Millions of Google Maps restaurant reviews were analyzed using an AI model that rates reviewers' profile pictures on a scale of 1 to 10. The data was visualized on a map indicating the attractiveness of each restaurant's clientele, with red representing higher attractiveness and blue representing lower. This flawed and biased model underscores our tendency to judge locations by the perceived attractiveness of their patrons, reflecting societal vanity through simplified numerical evaluations.

🌎 In McCall, Idaho, a man bought a cabin 45 years ago for $10,500 during a foreclosure crisis, negotiating with three creditors. Today, the property's value is nearly $1,000,000. Similar tales are recounted from Crested Butte and Telluride, Colorado, where real estate once sold for little is now worth millions. The story highlights seizing subtle opportunities and the transformative potential of visionary individuals in undervalued places.

🎲 Chuck E. Cheese, approaching 50 years, launches Chuck’s Arcade for adults, blending nostalgia and innovation. Locations in St. Petersburg, Trumbull, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Victor, Buford, El Paso, Nashua, Salem, and Kansas City. Features: iconic games like Ms. Pac-Man and Mortal Kombat, plus new experiences. Kansas City’s location includes a pizzeria and unique artwork. Each arcade is unique, with animatronic characters and retro-themed merchandise. Expansion showcases a legacy of fun for lifelong fans and new generations alike.

💸 In 2023, 60%+ of retail sales are digitally influenced, projected to reach 70% by 2027. L'Oréal achieved over 100 million AR try-on sessions across 31 brands in 72 countries, leading in beauty influencer marketing with a 29% market share and seeing 20-80% higher conversion rates. Digital tactics include geo-targeted ads with a 23% in-store sales lift and proper attribution improving marketing ROI by 15-25% within a year. Brands creating discovery ecosystems see a 35% higher conversion rate.