Sharing the latest trends our members have discovered! We held “Poached Egg”!

Hello! I’m Okamoto, in charge of sharing updates from “Poached Egg”!

“Poached Egg” is a casual morning meeting where volunteer members from different departments and age groups get together to introduce and share anything—from news and trends they’ve been following lately, to buzzworthy PR and promotions, to things they are personally interested in.

For breakfast that day, we picked up panini from the popular “Dagayasandou” shop, “BiRd&rUbY (Bird & Ruby)”—which we also introduced in a recent blog post (for details, see here)!

It is also great that they are open early (opens at 8:00!).

They have five or six kinds of panini lined up, with fillings that vary by day.

With warm panini in hand, this session of Poached Egg got underway!
For the record, I had the most popular No. 1 item, “Prosciutto Rucola.”

Now, let us introduce what we brought together this time.

The fourth kind of chocolate!? “Ruby Chocolate” is born!

https://www.bloomberg.co.jp/news/articles/2017-09-07/OVUIU36KLVRS01
Image source: Barry Callebaut AG

Swiss manufacturer Barry Callebaut has succeeded in developing a new naturally colored chocolate.
This chocolate, called ruby chocolate, has a pinkish hue and is said to have a sweet-and-tart, berry-like flavor. This is the first time naturally reddish chocolate has been produced, and development reportedly took about 10 years.
A new flavor has not been developed since white chocolate was first produced—an incredible 80 years ago!!
Around Valentine’s Day, we may see stores filled with products made with ruby chocolate!!

Yakiniku film “Meat Is Grilling”

http://buzzap.jp/news/20171017-niku-ga-yakeru/

A first-of-its-kind yakiniku film has arrived!
Titled “Meat Is Grilling,” it is an extremely avant-garde film in which you can savor, on screen, the sight of delicious-looking cuts of meat grilling one after another, accompanied by famous quotes from great figures.
At present, details such as the release date and theaters have not yet been decided, but even the only one-minute teaser video that has been released is enough to make your mouth water as the meat sizzles and grills, dripping with fat (lol)!
What would it be like to experience it on a huge cinema screen with full sound (lol)?
At the very least, I would like them to allow us to bring in a bowl of white rice.

Hello from around the world: A 21-year-old who keeps posting double-chin selfies

http://www.huffingtonpost.jp/2017/10/16/chinstagram_a_23245460/
Image source: “@chinventures” Instagram

The term “Instagrammable” has become widely used, and people have become obsessed with taking “photos that get lots of likes.” Companies, too, are focusing on developing products designed to look good on Instagram. Amid this, one woman has been making headlines for continually posting double-chin selfies: Michelle Liu, who lives in Boston, USA.
She travels around the world, and at all kinds of famous spots she takes and posts double-chin photos. Her “Chin (jaw)stagram” is loved by around 60,000 followers. Looking through her account makes you feel like you are traveling all over the place. But somehow, you end up looking at cheerful Michelle more than the scenery… (lol)

Smart footwear “Orphe”

http://panora.tokyo/42783/
Image source: Smart Footwear Orphe website

“Orphe,” shoes that analyze foot movement in real time and light up, has arrived!!
By linking with a smartphone app, you can instantly edit light and sound to match your movements, making it a hot topic as a new expressive tool for dancers and performers. In Japan, it has already collaborated with well-known artists such as AKB48, Suiyobi no Campanella, and Kansai Yamamoto, and is drawing attention as a pioneer in smart footwear.
We are excited to see how stage production will change with the arrival of “Orphe”! With the concept of “turning everyday life into expression,” it may not be long before it becomes widely adopted—not only by performers!

Doorbell camera “Nest Hello” that lets you respond to visitors from anywhere using your smartphone

http://gigazine.net/news/20171007-nest-hello/

Next, we will introduce another product that can be used in conjunction with a smartphone app. “Hello” is a smart doorbell camera that enables you to handle your front door from your smartphone wherever you are.
If you install “Hello” as your door intercom, you will receive a notification on your smartphone when a visitor arrives. You can check what is happening at the entrance (and see the visitor) on your phone screen, and use the microphone function to respond from anywhere in the room.
All you need is your smartphone, so it is convenient that you can respond even when you are away from home. Also, even if the bell is not pressed, it detects human movement with a sensor and notifies you, helping you notice suspicious activity and improve security. In addition, it reportedly supports IR imaging, allowing it to display video even at night!
At present, the release date for “Hello” is said to be in 2018, and details such as timing and price have not been announced, but it is a very convenient item and quite intriguing.
The day may come when “one Hello per household” is the norm.

This year’s Halloween favorite: “creepy-cute” sweets!

https://mainichi.jp/articles/20171021/k00/00m/020/043000c
Image source: Hilton Tokyo Odaiba press release

Today, October 31, is Halloween itself. Some of you may have joined Halloween events or enjoyed dressing up last weekend!
In 2017, grotesque yet cute “creepy-cute sweets” appear to be drawing attention.
At Hilton Tokyo Odaiba, a limited-time Halloween dessert buffet offering about 35 kinds of sweets is being held. With “creepy-cute” as its theme, the buffet features sweets that resemble eyeballs and brains (!) and a color palette based on black and white with purple and orange—packed with treats that are hard to imagine from typical hotel sweets. Of course, it is not just about the look: the flavors also reflect the pastry chefs’ dedication, and it seems to be a huge hit every day, especially among women in their 20s and 30s.
For adults who cannot dress up but still want to enjoy a bit of the Halloween mood, why not check out these creepy-cute sweets?

That concludes this session of “Poached Egg.” How did you like it?
Please look forward to the next one!