I am a consumer. A consumer of great food and beverage, interesting information, random factoids, and general knowledge. I read and review a ridiculous amount of information on any given day, and not just because I am a social media coach (One Smart Cookie Marketing) who is online all the time (I’m working, really…). I just LOVE learning, hearing the latest, seeing what’s coming around the bend – information is life!

People often ask what my favorites sources and resources are, so I’ve decided to finally start writing them down to share, via this new “smart cookie jar.” You may be familiar with many of these great people/pages/outlets, but hopefully you find a few new gems to add to your repertoire. Here’s the latest and greatest for this week…

 

SMART WRITER

Three Important Life Skills Nobody Ever Taught You – Life is about solving problems, says Mark Manson NY Times best-selling self-help author, and his article will inspire you to make some changes for sure   It’s super good advice for these uncertain times, or hell, any time!

 

SMART TRAVEL

Cooped up and can’t travel to your favorite vacation destinations? Listen to local radio stations while driving virtually through cities around the world  Drive & Listen, a new app by student Erkam Şeker, allows anyone to take a virtual drive around one of the app’s 38 available cities, taking in the sights and sounds of the street as well as local radio stations. My particular favorites are Nice, France and Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland.

 

SMART EATER

From weiners to kebabs to poke! In Taste the Nation, award winning cookbook author, host and executive producer Padma Lakshmi, takes audiences on a journey across America, exploring the rich and diverse food culture of various immigrant groups, seeking out the people who have so heavily shaped what American food is today. (Requires Hulu subscription or free trial)

 

SMART QUESTIONS

One Word Questions  One of my favorite ways to learn about people are the short quizzes (what’s your favorite album? What one thing would you take to a deserted island?) that give you an insight into how they think and what makes them tick. This website offers a different spin, giving people just one word to riff on. The site promises Intriguing People. Short Questions. Great Answers. And it delivers…

 

Photo: Canlis Crab Shack

SMART RESTAURANT

Restaurant Reinvention – Seattle’s Canlis is a 60-year old fine dining icon that has given new meaning to reinvention. During the COVID-19 months, they have pivoted into creating a burger shack, opening a donut shop, hosting Bingo night, serving family style, offering home delivery, hosting a drive-in theater, and now sporting an outdoor crab shack. These brothers are super-smart and represent the smart innovation we all should be striving for.

 

SMART NEWSLETTER

Yellow Dog Consulting’s Pop Culture Roundup – My good friend Elizabeth Case is the go-to resource if you aren’t sending out a regular “e-newsletter” to your list/followers. She’s a witty, smart, irreverent resource who will make sure you get results! Also she does a super fun and smart monthly blog post highlighting her pop culture highlights from the past month…which also inspired me to start sharing my insights too.

 

SMART PRODUCTS

I’m a sucker for cool new products, and this list from Inc magazine hits the spot. I dare you not to rush off to buy a few of these stylish new takes on futons, gloves, water bottles, wallets, pajamas, and more!

 

So now, you tell me – what are you reading, watching, hearing, loving these days? Drop me an email or post a comment, and let me know what Smart Cookies you’ve found out there recently. Thanks for stopping by!