Miscellaneous

🏠 Rena Spa at The Midland Hotel in Manchester won four Excellence Awards at the Haute Grandeur Global Excellence Awards in 2024, including Best Relaxation Lounge globally, Best Day Spa in Europe, and Best City Hotel Spa and Best City Spa in the United Kingdom. The awards recognize exceptional guest experiences and excellence based on firsthand guest evaluations. Features of Rena Spa include a heated relaxation pool, four relaxation areas, and an array of luxury spa treatments.

🍕 Ibérica Restaurants, with locations in London and Leeds, launched a delicatessen range on 31 July, available online and in selected Sainsbury’s. The offering includes 100% Ibérico jamón and chorizo, plus artisan cheese and cured meat packs. CEO Marcos Fernandez Pardo highlights the move as a bid to share authentic Spanish cuisine, following 15 years of redefining the sector led by Michelin-starred chef Nacho Manzano. The move reflects a larger trend of restaurants expanding into retail, like The Real Greek and Pizza Express.

🍣 Following its acquisition by Zensho in summer 2023, the multi-channel and international Japanese food business, formerly known as Snowfox Group, rebrands as Wonderfield Group. The consolidation merges brands like YO!, Panku, Taiko, Bento, Snowfox, Snowfruit, Zenshi, AFC Franchise Corp, Sushi Circle, SushiTake, and Sushi Izu under one name. The company employs over 5,500 people, operates across 16 countries, and supplies more than 7,000 stores and 9,000 kiosks. CEO Richard Hodgson emphasizes the rebranding as a step towards uniting the company's diverse brands and team.

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🍓 Pitaya, or dragon fruit, native to Southern Mexico and Latin America, with a bright pink exterior, comes in white or pinkish red flesh varieties containing edible black seeds. It is touted for health benefits, including aiding chronic diseases and promoting gut health, due to being high in magnesium, iron, and fiber. As per Datassential, pitaya's presence on U.S. menus has risen by 111% in four years, now appearing on 2.3% of menus, particularly in chain restaurants and fast casual dining spots.

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🔔 Audemars Piguet collaborates with designer Brigette Romanek for AP House Los Angeles, a 6,500-square-foot penthouse featuring a bar, dining area, watchmaking studio, and terrace with views of downtown LA. Inspired by Le Brassus, the space melds wood, velvet, brass, and glass in beige and green, offering a globally inspired yet locally rooted ambiance. Romanek highlights the watchmaking studio's green velvet and dark woods for its moodiness and texture.

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