1. Who are you?

2. What do you like about what you do?
I like the creative diversification and the possibility to meet interesting people with different backgrounds that both go along with the work on my culinary projects. Facing new challenges every day. Combining my professional skills as a designer with my love for food and all things related. In this context I love working for people respectively with people who have a preference for dining, cuisine and – of course – food in general. Satisfying the needs of my clients by creating something very unique and very emotional, but also keeping the rational and economic aspects of cuisine in sight.

3. What don’t you like about what you do?
There´s nothing what I don´t like, because what I do is what I am. The only thing negative to mention here is the all day officialism or bureaucracy that sometimes constrains creative processes and work.

4. Please tell us about your company ajiDesign!
The term aji is borrowed from the Japanese language and can be translated as taste, flavour or aroma. In this context ajiDesign is an agency/company for food and culinary design that acts service oriented and addresses to hoteliers, gastronomes, chefs, food-companies respectively the food industry and everyone who is engaged in dining, cuisine and the culture of enjoying it.
The core competence of ajiDesign is the creation of innovative concepts, processes and products that are a profit making and economic efficient connection of culinary terms and design. Therefore ajiDesign acts close to the client and his product. The creative work is aimed at generating factors of uniqueness and success. By this, ajiDesign helps the client to tap his economic potential completely. ajiDesign offers design, consulting, strategy design and development in the fields of culinary concepts, processes and product-design.

5. Are you working with blogs and if yes, what is your favourite blog?
I´m working with blogs from time to time, it´s a source of inspiration. My favourite right now is www.playingwithfireandwater.com, a great blog from Linda. She is a freelance chef in the US.
Great dishes, great ideas, great blog!

6. Tell us about food and culinaric design and its advantages for the industry!
Food and/or culinary design is a very wide field with endless opportunities for working creative. Both, food and design, are very emotional aspects of life and when brought together the result is more than just the sum of it´s single parts. ajiDesign divides his fields of activity into three main groups and each of them refers to another aspect respectively point of view on the combination of food and design. Those fields are

• Culinary concepts

In this field ajiDesign helps the client to present his gastronomic concept or company as a consistent package in order to communicate all qualities of the company in an aesthetic and also distinctive way. This includes the clients´ whole corporate design but also means working on new concepts for the interiors of a restaurant, a hotel or even a food-company. Besides that, ajiDesign tends to extend the existing business concept of the clients company by exploring new and economic worthwhile business areas. Based on the analysis of the structural, economical and regional conditions ajiDesign develops innovative ways to acuminate the profile of the client´s culinary brand.

• Culinary process

ajiDesign works on techniques and ideas to improve the enjoyment of eating. In this field ajiDesign concentrates on the way we perceive culinary pleasure and how this knowledge can be used to initiate an additional benefit for the luncher. Therefore the creative dialogue with a chef is necessary, because ajiDesign wants to improve his or her style of cooking by adding new aspects to it. Those aspects include scientific knowledge and different forms of creativity that are transferred into practical forms of appliance. The result of such a culinary process can be a new recipe, an uncommon combination of different flavours or even a new technical concept for the preparation of food.

• Product-design

ajidesign offers the client the design of his own unique table- and flatware and the development of new tools to present and serve food and dishes. The aim is here, to initiate new emotions and qualities of taste. Dining shall be seen as an event and a culinary story which is told by the chef. In this context ajidesign plays the role of a mediator, who creates the proper tools for presenting and serving the main actors of the story: the dishes.

Besides all the benefits for the client and/or the industry mentioned, there are some outstanding ones.

1. Innovative food/culinary concepts acuminate a brands profile and it´s market position
2. Stand alone features for a culinary brand, restaurant or hotel
3. ajiDesign helps the client to optimize their product and – by doing so – to increase their customers loyalty.
4. The work on culinary processes helps to create new and interesting dishes and to optimize existing dishes and recipes. It´s also possible to replace allergens by other ingredients without altering the overall impression of the dish´s taste. By choosing the right ingredients Chefs can prepare their meals without any use of artificial flavours or flavour enhancers and as a surplus can reduce their costs.
5. Having a designer´s point of view on food, the food market and the gastronomy leads to uncommon, innovative, forward-going products and concepts, that even may help to increase the level of cuisine in general – and how we percept it.

6. Any comments you want to share with us?
Respect food, but don´t mind playing with it. It might develop into a great meal!
AND: visite my website www.aji-design.de

Please try to describe yourself in just 5 words!
Brilliant, genius, strong, awesome and above all, modest. ☺

Tell us a bit about the initiative ‘TEDX’, when it all started and what it means in general!
TED (Technology Entertainment and Design) was founded in 1984 and is a global set of conferences, formed to disseminate “ideas worth spreading”. TED’s early emphasis was largely technology and design, but nowadays they address an increasingly wide range of topics within the research and practice of science and culture.

Created in the spirit of “ideas worth spreading” TED grants licenses to third parties to hold free TEDx (x= independently organized event) in cities around the world.
This program is designed to give communities, organizations and individuals the opportunity to stimulate dialogue through TED-like experiences at the local level. That´s exactly what we are trying to achieve with TEDx Vienna.

How is TEDX positioned in Austria?
TEDx started in Austria with Tedx Pannonia on Sep. 11^th, 2010 and up until now there were 6 conferences held in Austria, twice at Vienna, Salzburg and Pannonia in each case.

Why should people attend TEDX events eg sessions?
We follow the TED format as much as possible and the TED conference is unique. The speakers sit with the attendees, many of whom are also involved in wonderful and uplifting work. There are no keynote speakers; all speakers are equal. There are no panel discussions or Q&A. Instead, there are frequent breaks where people can speak to whomever they choose; and because the entire room is filled with people passionate about Ideas Worth Spreading, many new ideas and idea cross-pollination occurs. The sheer beauty of a day like this is that everyone gathered is there to ensure that the ideas move on to have greater impact in our world.

Does the positioning of TEDX also include web 2.0 activities and if yes, which ones?
One of the main ideas of Web 2.0 is sharing: our Facebook Page, Twitter Channel, tumblr and blog are the key elements of spreading ideas and get inspired by others, it is a communication of many to many.

TEDX also has a blog, can you tell us why?
Ideas are popping up and need a platform to spread: the TEDxVienna Blog is the platform for ‘ideas worth spreading’.

Have you ever come across a blog that you thought was interesting and if yes, which one and why?
I m reading numerous blogs, like socialmediaclub, techcrunch or videogum, but I especially enjoy reading our own blog at tedxvienna for obvious reasons.

Any comments you would like to share with us?
I simply would like to invite people to take a look at our site. We have got a lot of interesting stuff to offer!

1. Please try to describe yourself in just 5 words!
Determined, enthusiastic, happy, friendly, slightly chaotic and reflective.

2. Tell us about ‘Viennarama’ and when it all started!
Viennarama started as a university project as part of my studies and I have always dreamed of having my own media outlet. So I thought why wait?
That’s why I created Viennarama which is devoted to the cultural scene in Vienna. We are also continually expanding our readership.

3. Why was ‘Viennarama’ brought to life?
It came to life because I adore Vienna and its culture. Vienna is the perfect fusion of tradition and modernity. I wanted to pay homage to the local culture with all its concerts, exhibitions and exceptional artists and musicians. As there was no comparable online portal, I decided to start my own.

4. What is so special about ‘Viennarama’?
We are a young team of voluntary students inspired by Viennese cultural scene and want to share this with others. So you can say, it’s from young people to young people.

5. How does ‘Viennarama’ reach its readers and how does it increase its readers?
We reach most of our readers through Facebook, where we post all new articles and events daily. We are also quite high up in Google Ranking, and word-of-mouth is one of our strengths.

6. What is your personal goal for ‘Viennarama’ for Vienna?
It would be great if we could get into print as well, but that is a long-term goal. Being able to finally pay our hardworking editors is also amongst them.

7. Have you ever come across a blog or website that you thought was interesting and if yes, which one and why?
As I said before until now I have not found a blog that’s comparable to Viennarama and this is why I started this blog.

8. Any comments you would like to share with us?
The main thrust is the love of Vienna. Vienna offers so many opportunities, and it is no surprise that it is in the top spot of the Mercer 2010 Quality of Living Survey.

1. Please try to describe yourself in just 5 words
Interesting traveller; social media fan!

2. Tell us about the travel site www.wimdu.co.uk and when it all started…
Wimdu started back at the beginning of the summer. It has since grown into a global company with thousands of cheap apartments available in over 50 countries around the world. Wimdu.co.uk serves as an online marketplace for travellers to find affordable accommodation when abroad. It can also be used as a way to see a more “local” side to your travel destination. I’m passionate about travel myself (spent the last year and half on a round-the-world trip) and it’s exciting to see travel companies who are actively trying to promote travel & tourism.

3. What was the decision to develop this travel site?
While there are other travel accommodation websites, Wimdu’s focus has been to provide quality offers in major European travel markets. Wimdu is based in Berlin where each summer tourists flock to the city and end up renting cheap places to stay for a few weeks or a few months. Because of the constant fluctuation of people in and out of apartments here, it makes sense to be able to rent out free rooms to those that need them for short periods. Plus, it gives travellers a different perspective of the cities that they visit rather than stuffy, formulaic rooms.

4. What is so special about this site?
Wimdu’s website allows you to search for apartments worldwide. Every property has a calendar associated with it and you can search by various amenities, whether there’s breakfast available or even an indoor fireplace. All these advanced search features help you to find exactly what you’re looking for when you travel. And it can accommodate for just about every type of traveller—budget, luxury, families…

5. Have you ever come across a blog, website or magazine that you thought was interesting and if yes, which one and why?
Many! I’m a travel blogger myself in addition to working for Wimdu. I’ve written about my past year and a half of travels around the world at travelsofadam.com, though I’m now living in Berlin so it’s now turned into a website about why Berlin is probably the coolest city in the world (no offence, Vienna). I’m also a bit of a social media addict so I’ve come across hundreds of sites through Twitter simply because they’ve shown up in my feeds. Some of my favourite people to follow on Twitter are GOOD Magazine, Letters of Note and a million different travel blogs because they all share unique & interesting stories.

6. Which travel sites do you like?
There are A LOT of travel sites out there. Trippy looks like it might be an interesting one to pay attention to.

7. What inspired you to develop www.wimdu.co.uk?
While I didn’t personally develop the website, I am interested in the future of the travel industry. Renting holiday apartments is becoming increasingly popular around the world. But in Europe there was a need to provide enhanced searches for specific types of travellers, not to mention quality places to rent and Wimdu helps to serve that purpose. In fact, there are over 600 apartments in Berlin, alone!

8. What is your personal goal for this travel site in 2011?
Wimdu has a lot of exciting ideas for the future! As for travel accommodation, there are many different travel trends which will affect the industry. Over the summer, Wimdu hosted one lucky winner of our “dream job”—Pauline got to travel around Europe for two months staying in various Wimdu apartments. She shared her adventure and photos on the Wimdu travel blog which was fun to follow along. Wimdu UK also uses Twitter and Facebook to share interesting apartment offers through social media which will only become more active as the website grows. You’d be surprised how many tree houses are on offer through the Wimdu website!

9. Any comments you would like to share with us?
Be sure to check out the Wimdu.co.uk website for your next trip abroad! There are places to stay in almost every major city: Rio de Janeiro, New York, Milan, Hong Kong…you name it!

Curious how Wimdu works? Check out our video:

1. Who are you?
Definitely just about to dive into the depths of high-end gastronomy, I see myself as someone who enjoys to experience thoroughly and enthusiastically prepared food that is served by professional people who like their job and thrive to perform it best. At first this may seem a little demanding but I am convinced that, in gastronomy as well as in every other job, only people who love to do it achieve in delighting their customers – or in this case, their guests. I was lucky to accompany my parents to very good restaurants already when I was a child, so I have been gaining experience and thus the ability to compare taste-creating performances for quite a long time now. And I still love it.

2. what do you like about what you do?
Since I write on my blog in my spare time and there’s no business purpose underneath, I have to love everything about it – otherwise I would already have stopped. Eating is enjoying – and testing food for me means consciously enjoying and experiencing it even more by inhaling every taste-nuance.

3. What don’t you like about what you do?
As I told before – I only do what I like when it comes to writing my blog. Ironically, I am not always sure that the people who accompany me for lunch or dinner always like ME criticising (positively and negatively) every little aspect about the course we’re about to have. Actually, it was not only once that I heard my constant criticism being “slightly” annoying and distracting from the relaxing evening a visit in a restaurant should be. That’s also a reason why during courses I now keep my comments to myself and focus my urge to tell my opinion on the time afterwards when writing the articles.

By the way, I wouldn’t consider my activities as the most priceable hobby of the world. But that’s another story – and usually always worth it.

4. Please tell us about your blog ’culinariumaustriacum’ and your aims?
The idea for writing the blog has actually been in my mind for years already. My friends have always asked me for advice when they were looking for a good restaurant or a special location to go to. As you can imagine, it was a time issue not to realise a written piece on my experiences. I finally took the opportunity of a four-week-holiday to go for it. Why not sharing my opinions with everyone who’s interested – in a way that is, at the moment, unique in Austria?

5. Are you working with other blogs and if yes, what is your favourite blog?
Currently I am not since I am quite new to the blogosphere. I am sure that this will change very quickly in the near future since you can find a lot of good food-related blogs online.

6. Tell us about your most remarkable experiences in the food/restaurant industry in Austria!
The most remarkable experience unfortunately isn’t repeatable anymore but definitely was at the Sazianistub’n in Straden, Styria, Austria when Gerhard Fuchs was still chef in this restaurant. I am talking of a Sunday “lunch” that blossomed into a long but never long-lasting and even more relaxing afternoon of uncountable courses (they were 16, amuse-gueles included) – one more delicious and surprising then the previous one. Interestingly, there seem to be quite a lot of people who share this exact same best-restaurant-experience in Austria. So I guess, there really was something special about this chef-restaurant-combination. However, there is still so much to discover when it comes to haute cuisine in Austria, so this experience might not stay my most remarkable one forever – even if it ranks highest already for years now on my personal top-list.

7. Tell us about your favourite restaurants in Austria!
Talking about favourite restaurants is always tricky. The ones you frequently go to are not necessarily the very best ones, but probably offer best quality-price-ratio in a well-manageable distance at this specific time. Furthermore, how you are going to judge a restaurant always depends on your mood and what you desire to eat at the very moment. That’s also why I love to advise my friends on restaurants: I am convinced that there’s a big emotional factor involved that requires the advisor to look at and take into consideration which makes the task even more challenging.

8. are there any trends you see in the food industry which you want to share with us?
There definitely are trends in the restaurant industry that I personally like to divide into seasonal trends and general trends. As a general trend I would consider a kind of a back-to-the-roots mentality. After all the posh nouvelle cuisine styles like molecular cuisine, more and more restaurants try to go back to and differentiate themselves by what the (more and more local) ingredients really look and taste like, often touched by a creative breeze. Combinations on the plate seem to be not so arbitrary anymore but more based on the traditional understanding of cooking, still interpreted in a (sometimes more, sometimes less) innovative way. This philosophy also shows itself at other doors of gastronomy – the long queues in front of Vienna’s Eisgreissler and the growing demand for organic food in retail are only two witnesses of this development.

On this very contrast, also exotic influences and never-tasted-before ingredients are chased after, only another example of multicultural food that more and more shapes our restaurant environment as well as retail trade. I think that it is the very paradox combination of those two trends that mostly influences what we are being served on our plates.

As far as the seasonal trends are concerned, some ingredients can nearly be found on EVERY restaurant’s menu and also the plates they are served on themselves are sometimes influenced by a seasonal trend (only to mention slates). When I think back to this season, chorizo, wild asparagus, red seeds and Valrhona chocolate come to my mind. I could taste those ingredients in very different styles and combinations in very different restaurants, sometimes only as a topping, sometimes as a main ingredient. Also the very creative pre-starters that are served with bread are very typical for being very similar in every restaurant you go to during one season.

9. Any comments you want to share with us?
Of course my opinions are always subjective and based on what I experienced on a certain day at a certain time. My awareness of this fact on the one hand never lets me write an article based on only one taste experience. On the other hand, the quality-price-ratio of a restaurant must be really bad for not giving a second try (maybe not immediately, but after some time).

One of the worst things for me is when renowned restaurants rely on their famous names and don’t try to reinvent themselves. The ability to innovate seems to be one of the most convincing factors for me testing a restaurant – and that doesn’t mean that you have to serve never-seen creations that still don’t taste very new or even not very well. Breaking down this challenge to five words: Staying interesting but staying native.

1. Please try to describe yourself in 10 words!
Courageous, stubborn, creative, bored, innovative, witty, angry, skeptical, un-impressed, punchy

2. Why did you decide to develop and produce your own vodka?
We had the chance to try it out. It´s fun and magic to produce your own spirit even though it can be very challenging especially in the beginning.

3. What is so special about ‘Wodka Wanessa’ and why should people drink it?
We always say it´s made with love, by hand, not by computers. If you drink wanessa you drink love. You don´t only taste the difference, you feel the difference.

4. Describe to us the best vodka cocktail made of ‘Wodka Wanessa’

Because Wanessa as a lot of creamy, grainy aroma that derives from spelt, it is not suitable for every cocktail and certainly too precious to mix it with energy drinks. Martini cocktails work well with Wanessa, or Moscow Mule. Since mixologists like to work with Wanessa, we are curious of up-coming signature cocktails.

5. What is your favourite vodka and why?
Wodka Wanessa! Because I know what´s in it! It is smooth, soft on the palate and does good.

6. What is your goal with ‘Wodka Wanessa’ What do you want to achieve?
That people like and drink Wanessa feels great and is all we can wish for.

7. Do you know any typical ‘vodka bars’ and if yes, which ones and could you describe these?
I have been to a few. Best thing about vodka bars is the excitement of the barkeepers to use different vodkas for different drinks. Barkeepers are aware of the many differences between different vodkas. I am sure people will acknowledge these differences more and more

8. Any comments you would like to share with us?
No, thank you for inviting me for this interview!

1. Please try to describe yourself in 10 words
Enthusiastically living, breathing and building on the social Web.

2. Tell us about ‘Stadtkinder’ and why it is so special!
We like to call Stadtkinder a “social nightlife-guide for Vienna”. The site was born out of an experiment at Die Socialisten, the social software agency I co-founded and work at. As part of our business we constantly try out the programming interfaces of services like Facebook, Twitter etc. and try to think of new ways to utilize them. We have been toying around with check-in data from location-based services like Foursquare & Gowalla for a while, when we realized that we’ve been implicitly building a database of nightlife- & gastronomy venues which we could mash against event data which we’ve fetched from Facebook. We’ve than examined existing event- & nightlife services for Vienna and soon realized that none of them have integration with social services at all. From there it was obvious to build exactly that – a nightlife guide with strong ties to Facebook, Foursquare and Twitter. Stadtkinder can show you which events are popular today among your Facebook-friends.

3. When did ‘Stadtkinder’ start and when did it become successful?
It’s still early days for us – we only launched publicly early in 2011. Back than, we started a more editorial approach to the nightlife-guide and building the event-database ourselves. Right now, we are happy to watch our traffic grow constantly.

4. Describe to us the most extraordinary specials and/or events ever promoted on ‘Stadtkinder’!
Of course we love to promote events that draw an extraordinary amount of attention on Facebook and other social platforms. In 2011, the 28^th Donauinselfest had the most confirmed guests according to Facebook so far: 17.303.
Another highlight was this Crazy Special @ Flex in January with 1.771 guests.

5. ‘Stadtkinder’ does seem to write about all possible events & highlights, does ‘Stadtkinder’ however has a special focus and if yes, on what?
Our approach is to deliver our nightlife-guide for Vienna as complete as possible – personal preferences cast aside. This means we cover everything from student-parties, pub-nights, and concerts to all the club nights no matter what.

6. ‘Stadtkinder’ also has its own blog, how does that work and how is content generated here?
The blog is where our editorial team can highlight events they personally find interesting. We have a blog-post once a week, highlighting the best events of the upcoming weekend.

7. Have you ever come across a blog that you thought was interesting and if yes, which one and why?
In my primary space – tech/web – there are simply too many good blogs to mention. A more offbeat blog and highly recommend is Ironic Sans.

8. What is your personal goal for ‘Stadtkinder’ for Vienna?
Being the number one destination for everything nightlife in Vienna!
Meanwhile, grow traffic & users, maybe do a design re-launch later this year.

9. Any comments you would like to share with us?
Thanks for having me – make sure to visit our page for The Ring Hotel on Stadtkinder!

1. Who are you?
I’m Michael Bonadies, President and CEO of 21c Museum Hotel. For most of my career I was a partner in New York City’s Myriad Restaurant Group (Nobu, Tribeca Grill, et al) and while that was an amazing experience, becoming involved with 21c is the best career move I’ve made. I can’t begin to describe how exciting and rewarding it is to be part of a groundbreaking new hospitality concept that demonstrates every day that art drives commerce as well as enriches our lives.

2. What do you like about what you do?
I love that each and every day I get to make people happy, putting a smile on their faces — the very reason why I got into the hospitality business in the first place. But I must confess that I also gain great satisfaction from the fact that:

1. My three sons think 21c is really cool.
2. I have the terrific and supportive partners.
3. Our guests, once they visit, become fiercely loyal fans who want to share 21c with all their friends and business associates.

3. What don’t you like about what you do?
Absolutely nothing, I’m having too much fun.

4. Please tell us about hotel and your aims with it!
21c Museum Hotel is located in Louisville, Kentucky, the home of the Kentucky Derby, Muhammad Ali and bourbon whiskey. 21c Museum Hotel was founded in 2006 by Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson, philanthropists and art patrons who had a vision for using art to help spark the revitalization of Louisville’s downtown. As a result, art is not simply decoration at 21c—it is the heart and soul of the experience. Contemporary art—by living artists—is around every corner at 21c—in the elevators, courtyards, hallways, public restrooms, roofs, floors and in our Proof on Main restaurant and bar. At 21c, art is an unexpected encounter, a new idea and often a starting point for a lively conversation…and when the art is combined with our unique marriage of warm, accessible luxury and authentic Southern hospitality, it creates a winning combination and a compelling reason to visit Louisville.

As a brand, we have announced plans for future 21c’s in Austin, Texas and Cincinnati, Ohio. We are currently looking at other urban locations where we can make a difference by demonstrating through the experience of 21c that art drives commerce and brings vitality and energy back to the urban cores, helping to make them once again places where people want to live, work, and play.

5. Are you working with blogs, and if yes, what is your favorite blog?
Chef Michael Paley of our restaurant Proof on Main has a blog (blog-proof.tumblr.com) that documents, primarily through photos, his exploration of Italian inspired cuisine using local and regional ingredients as well as the breath and wealth of product he receives from local farms and artisanal producers. Summer is a great time to check out his blog and see all the beautiful heirloom vegetables that the farmers deliver to him.

Here are a three of my favorite blogs:
The New York Times Style Magazine – www.nytimes.com/pages/t-magazine/
Bourbon Blog - www.bourbonblog.com
Unhappy Hipsters – www.unhappyhipsters.com

6. What are your top 3 hotel experiences and why?

Tower 23 in San Diego, California
Tower 23 is a small, hip hotel right on the beach in the heart of Pacific Beach, a funky surfing community. The hotel offers great views over the Pacific Ocean, comfortable rooms and a very cool, modern design. The sunsets were unforgettable.

Hermitage Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee
This grand hotel opened in 1910 and has been lovingly restored to its original grandeur—it’s a trip back in time with outstanding service and heartfelt hospitality. I will always remember the sight, on waking early one morning, of all the just polished cowboy boots lining the hallway as they sat outside the rooms of their recording star owners.

Delano Hotel, Miami Beach
The hedonism of South Beach married to the professional service of a stunning hotel. How can a New Yorker fleeing the snows of January not fall in love with this hotel.

7. What are your top 3 hotel food/restaurant experiences and why?
L’Express, Montreal, Canada—the best steak tartare I’ve ever had at Montreal’s most charming bistro.
Aroma Kitchen and Wine Bar, East Village, NYC—this tiny, husband-and-wife-run restaurant not only has the best Italian wine list in the city but also some of the warmest service as well.
Black’s Barbeque, Lockhart, Texas—the finest barbequed brisket and ribs in Texas!

8. What are your top 3 things for guests to do at 21c?
Explore the art—it’s everywhere—and pet a red penguin.
Try a bourbon whiskey that you’ve never tasted before.
Visit the men’s room, no matter what sex you are.

9. What are your top 3 things for visitors to do in Louisville?
Catch a race at Churchill Downs preferably the Kentucky Derby.
Visit the Muhammad Ali Center, a museum dedicated to the life and career of the world’s most famous boxer.
The Urban Bourbon Trail is definitely worth checking out. Grab a passport and start at Proof on Main before setting out to discover the other bars and restaurants in Louisville that each offer over 50 bourbons.

10. Other comments?
I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to explore the Ring Hotel blog as well as the hotel’s website. As a result, I’m considering a trip to Vienna and a stay at the hotel at the end of May and am seeking recommendations on what to do, what to see and where to eat at that time of year.

1. Who are you?
My name is Andreas Rainer and I work as a community manager for Yelp Vienna. After completing my studies in communications and German, I worked at various media stations in Vienna and also spent two years in the United States teaching at Bard College and the University of Connecticut.

2. What do you like about what you do?
Being a community manager brings new challenges every day: I write reviews, organize events, write the Viennese edition of the Weekly Yelp and meet interesting people in and outside the community. What I like most about the job is the opportunities and responsibility that comes with it – even though Yelp is an international company, each community is a true reflection of its city, meaning I can do things the Viennese way here.

3. What don’t you like about what you do?
Working for Yelp is the most intense job I have had so far. However, this is actually not really a bad thing because I like being challenged. My worst fear is having a 9-5 job in stuck in a cubicle – Yelp is anything but that!

4. Please tell us about ‘Yelp’ and your aims!
Yelp is a free website that connects people with great local businesses – anything from restaurants, cafes and hotels to dog groomers, taco stands or shoe cobblers. The beauty of Yelp is that all the reviews are written by real people like you and me – meaning wherever you go, you’ll always be able to get the inside scoop from locals in the know.

While Yelp is the most popular online review guide in the US, our aim is to make it the most useful online review guide worldwide – starting in Vienna!

5. Are you working with blogs and if yes, what is your favourite blog?
Actually, many people consider Yelp their own personal blog about the city they live in. They write about the experiences they have in everyday life in Vienna and the great places and businesses that make Vienna the best city in the world to live in.

6. Tell us about your current experiences with regards to social media and how a site like ‘Yelp’ corresponds to that!
I myself have been using social media platforms for years in both my private and professional life. I think social media is a great thing because it shifts the power of opinion building away from a few powerful media players to every person with an Internet connection. Yelp is a social media site as well, in which the community is the most important part. People get to know each other not only online by reading and complimenting each others reviews, but they also meet in “real life” at the Yelp Elite Events that I organize, go to concerts together or meet up to explore Vienna together.

7. Are there any social media trends you want to share with us?
Yelp is a great example for the rapid growth of social media: only recently the 21 millionth review was posted on Yelp and we have 63 million unique visitors come to the site every month. However, social media in general is still at the beginning of a long, exciting journey.

8. Any comments you want to share with us?
Thank you very much for the interview. Yelp works very closely together with Viennese business owners to have more of a voice and a personality on the site via our free suite of tools. On Yelp, business owners can claim their business page (free of charge) to announce special offers and to get in contact with the Yelp community. The interaction that is created between locals and business owners is a very positive process that anybody can be a part of.

1. Who are you?
Hardy Egger, CEO & Owner of LIFESTYLEHOTELS www.lifestylehotels.net.

2. What do you like about what you do?
I love developing our “baby” LIFESTYLEHOTELS each day!

3. What don’t you like about what you do?
Nothing – also “unloved” tasks have their own appeal if they support success.

4. Please tell us about ‘Lifestyle Hotels’ and your aims?
LIFESTYLEHOTELS is a positioning platform for individual, design oriented and stylish hotels worldwide. We communicate to some 50.000 Lifestyle aficionados through various channels. 1½ year ago we started with social networks, most important: facebook with some 9.000 fans.

5. Are you working with blogs and if yes, what is your favourite blog?
Not yet!

6. Tell us about your current and future projects!
We continuously extend our portfolio with new LIFESTYLEHOTELS. One of the next important steps is our new website.

7. Tell us about your favourite hotels!
I love all of our LIFESTYLEHOTELS because of their individuality and authenticity.
Each of them has a certain lifestyle and its own spirit that makes a stay very special.

8. Are there any trends you see in the hotel industry and which you want to share with us?
The decision for a specific hotel is made by 75% of all guests in the internet.
For this reason it is important to present pre-selected choices to the guests, like we do on www.lifestylehotels.net.

9. Any comments you want to share with us?
Broaden your horizon and discover the world. So travel, travel, travel!