Soon-to-be-Forgotten Technologies
It’s hard to believe how much technology has changed in the last 15-20 years since my children were born.
If they were born today, there are technologies and processes that they would never know. For example, they would probably never flip through a big heavy phone book, play a CD, go to a movie rental store, use a paper map, or load a roll of film into a camera. These are a few of the many things that are becoming extinct this decade, according to MoneyTalks News.
Buzz Worthy New Gadgets
The annual CES (Consumer Electronics Association) show always has some noteworthy innovations. This year over 20,000 new products were showcased. CNN listed their top 10 most “buzz worthy.” My favorite is #9, the new tool called iHealth. It lets you use your iPhone to track your blood pressure using a separately purchased blood pressure band. Since heart disease is so common and people are taking more precautions about their health, I can see this product being very successful.
Also interesting is the Smart fridge, #5. Maybe one day I’ll be using my refrigerator to send a tweet!
Syrah grapes thrive in Washington-produced wines
In many ways, the grapes used for wine are much like snowflakes – each one is unique. This is especially true when it comes to the syrah, a grape that has grown popular among many Seattle-based wineries.
According to the Seattle Times, this fruit has exploded in popularity in Washington. As recently as 10 years ago, less than two dozen wineries in the state used the syrah in their wines. Now, more than 300 local wineries use the grape and many produce multiple bottles with it.
One reason the syrah has become so popular is that it is an extremely expressive – chameleon-like, as the Times calls it – grape, taking on the characteristics of the location in which it was grown. This allows the various wineries located in Washington to each produce their own distinct flavor.
Seattle locals will be able to taste syrah-wines and several other varieties in July at FareStart’s “Guest Chef on the Waterfront.” Guests will be able to “savor tastes from over 50 of the Seattle area’s most talented chefs and purveyors of fine food,” at the event, according to the official site.
Fine wine spills into Yakima Valley
As a connoisseur of superior spirits, I have found the Seattle area houses some fantastic wineries. Now, it seems some neighboring cities are beginning to expand their pallets as well. According to a recent article from Crosscut, a new four-room lodging establishment called the Desert Wind Winery is slowly turning the Yakima Valley area into a wine-tourism destination.
Originally, Desert Wind offered guests a full, four-star dining experience. The popularity of its wine tasting events encouraged the establishment to stop offering conventional dinner services, though, and they now focus exclusively on private functions.
In addition to its wine tasting events, Desert Wind offers full lodging services. Each room is individually decorated with original art, a gas fireplace, flat screen television, plush furnishings and – Naveen Jain’s favorite – a complimentary bottle of wine. Desert Wind offers tours, spa services and cooking classes as well.
The winery is doing exceedingly well, owner Amber Fries told Crosscut. Weekends are booked until September, and during the week, Desert Wind is often at 100 percent capacity.
Desert Wind is holding its next event on Father’s Day. The winery will serve all-you-can-eat ribs, mixed salad, potatoes and strawberry shortcake in addition to glasses of red wine or beer.
The World of Naveen Jain
Hey there, Naveen Jain here. If you have been keeping track of my namespace, you may have noticed some new Naveen Jain websites. I’d like to go ahead and introduce the Naveen Jain family of websites, which cover topics of special interest to me. These sites will be regularly updated with posts, so definitely subscribe and stay tuned.
1. Naveen Jain NonProfit News: This site focuses on the charities and other nonprofits that Intelius supports. My wife Anu and I are proud to promote these worthy organizations that are working hard to make metro Seattle and the world at large a better place. (While I’m at it, allow me to plug my son Ankur’s nonprofit, The Karios Society).
2. Naveen Jain Space Explorers: You probably know by now I love space exploration, and I’m a big proponent of space commercialization. Come explore the stars with me on Naveen Jain Space Explorers for my views of NASA, cosmic discoveries, and how to make money from outer space ventures.
3. Naveen Jain Internet Security: The Internet is still a fairly young technology, so comparisons to the “Wild West” are pretty apt. There are viruses, phishing scams, malicious spyware, and other hazards out there. Get cyber street smart and avoid Internet pitfalls with a little advice from Naveen Jain Internet Security, featuring our star security consultant, Robert Siciliano.
4. Intelius is still going strong with its technology-based blog at Blog.Intelius.com. Keep up with the latest Intelius news, technology trends, and other computer-related issues.
Thanks for tuning in!
Seattle Art Museum brings Olympic Sculpture Park to life this summer
Seattle’s art-filled waterfront garden will be blossoming with more than plant life this season. The Seattle Art Museum is hosting a summer-long schedule of events in the garden as part of its “Get Out!” campaign.
According to the Seattle Times, the festivities promise to offer fun for families and art-lovers alike. Events include outdoor concerts, drop-in yoga classes, park tours, pet parades, dance lessons and more.
Plus, there will be Thursday afternoon farmers’ markets hosted in the garden from July through September, where visitors can find fresh produce to bring some of the great outdoors home to their kitchens. The Seattle Post IntelligencerSeattle Post Intelligencer reports that Seattle Art Museum officials got farmers involved who wanted to play with the concept of merging organic food and art.
Judy Kikhuff, a Seattle Farmers Market Association organizer, told the Post she and other farmers were quickly captivated by the idea. “I think our markets are just works of art anyway,” she said.
For those who want a less interactive and more leisurely outdoor experience, there will different art works on display throughout the summer courtesy of the Seattle Art Museum. The Times reports that the exhibits will begin with a stainless-steel installation piece entitled Horizontal No. III. Then, in June, West Coast artists will infuse the floral gardens with some new, ephemeral pieces.
Whether you’ll be in the city all summer or simply passing through at some point, you can stop by the Sculpture Park for any number of these events to get a sense of the art of living in Seattle.