SOHO FARMHOUSE IS 100 ACRES OF BRITISH BLISS

You know about SoHo House, right? It was started as a private club in London, where there are multiple clubs, over a decade ago. There are now houses in New York, Miami, Chicago, LA, Toronto, Istanbul, Berlin and the latest is Soho Farmhouse. It is set on a 100-acre estate in the Oxfordshire countryside with 40 cabins in different sizes plus a four bedroom cottage and a seven bedroom Farmhouse. I’m an “Everyhouse” member and when the club sent out a huge illustrated map of the grounds (below) and it was LOVE at first sight. This is my kind of scene and looks like the perfect civilized getaway. It’s just two hours outside of London and whether you go with a group of friends or just your sweetie, there looks like so much to do. Canoeing, boating, swimming, horseback riding, tennis and the Brits fave pastime, drinking. Why am I telling you about an exclusive private club? Well, you are in luck, non-members are allowed to book too (but you have to make a request, and it’s not cheap.) But if you’ve got the dough, can you imagine a wedding here?! Or your big 4-0? I hear it’s been booked like crazy, so request WAY in advance and start saving, kids. For more info and enticing photos, you can go here.

UBER EATS IS CHANGING THE "TAKE-OUT" BUSINESS

Uber has revolutionized the car service industry, no doubt about it. (They are in a war with Mayor DeBlasio at the moment about his restrictions on them, so much so that they are advertising heavily and there is an area on the app called "DeBlasio" to email your protest!) Nevertheless, with UberEATS, Uber is again threatening to do the same with food delivery. Here’s how they sell it on their website;

“UberEATS delivers the best of New York City right when you want it. Our curated menu features dishes from the local spots you love. And the ones you’ve always wanted to try. It’s the same cashless payment as an Uber ride. So just tap the app, meet your driver outside, and enjoy.”

My place in New York has a street entrance, so it’s pretty easy, even in gross weather, to get a car to my door. Now with the touch of an app, my lazy ass could order lunch –that is IF I was inside their delivery zone, right now it’s between 14th & 59th street, which focuses on midtown offices. (Not sure how convenient it is in midtown to meet a car on the street if you are in a 32 story building, but I have a feeling a LOT of assistants will be finding out.) You can check out the menu here, if you are in the few select cities of Barcelona, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago & Toronto. As you can see from the pricing that it’s not really that expensive –unless they begin to adopt “surge pricing” for the lunch rush. 

But how does this work, it seems impossible. The trick is, rather than waiting for customers to place an order, waiting for the restaurant to make the food, and then battling traffic to deliver the order —a process that can easily take 45 minutes— Uber drivers pick up batches of orders from participating restaurants in temperature controlled bags. Then they drive around as they always do, waiting to make a delivery to the nearest willing customer.

Below are the real meals for New York City, today, Thursday and Friday. That ice cream looks delish. Wait!? –ICE CREAM delivery in midtown Manhattan on a Friday afternoon? Do all the drivers have ice chests in their trunks? If not, I’m picturing lots of crying assistants with melted treats…