Some New York City Restaurants Ban Food Photography By Customer

 

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — If you’re one of the thousands of people who snap pictures of your food and instantly share them on social media, you might be surprised to learn that some restaurants are now banning photos of their food.

As CBS 2’s Emily Smith reported Monday, you see it all the time – not art or fancy photography, just cell phone pictures of our meals.

“I think, inherently, New Yorkers want to brag about the fantastic restaurants that are here in New York,” a woman said.

And it is something that has gone from awkward to mainstream, via Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. What is sometimes known as “food porn” has taken on a life of its own, and some restaurants have decided to ban it.

“It can shatter the experience when you’re asking your fiancé to marry you, and a flash is going off at a table next door,” said David Bouley, owner of Bouley Restaurant.

At Bouley, located on Duane Street in TriBeCa, a new protocol is in place. Guests may only take photos in the kitchen, and by next week, Bouley will be providing a photo to customers with the check.

“This whole system here will be set up very soon, so we can shoot their food and have it delivered to them before they leave; before they pay their check,” Bouley said.

At Brooklyn Fare on Schermerhorn Street in Downtown Brooklyn, the owner confirmed no cell phone pictures are allowed whatsoever, citing distraction as the reason.

Pop culture expert Adam Hanft said the problem could be a lot of things.

“Somebody doesn’t like a restaurant, somebody has a grudge against the restaurant, they can manipulate the food,” he said.

So what’s behind the “food photography” craze?

“It’s another example of us wanting to document every little piece of our lives,” Hanft said. “We’re strapping on things to measure how many steps we take, and now we take pictures of our food.”

Steven Hall, a spokesman for dozens of other restaurants in New York City, said food photography is a phenomenon that more and more chefs cannot accept because of presentation.

“There’s no way you’re going to take a beautiful shot of food in a dimly-lit restaurant,” Hall said.

But restaurants that ban taking pictures of food also know they’re banning free advertising.

Food photo policies vary from restaurant to restaurant. They can include anything from an outright ban on cameras to just a ban on a flash.

Tuk-tuks offer new take on Paris

The humble tuk-tuk, a fixture in Asian cities from Bangkok to Bangalore, is rapidly becoming a common sight in the touristy parts of Paris -- and the bane of traffic police.

 

The three-wheeled auto rickshaws, as well as human-powered pedicabs, first appeared in the French capital in 2011, and their numbers have since risen to around 50, lining up at key landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, or the Place de la Concorde.

The growth in numbers has been fueled in part by the recent downturn in the French economy and the need to find work.

The price for a tuk-tuk -- imported from Thailand -- can be as much as 9,000 euros ($12,000), but buyers hope to make good their investment.

While tuk-tuks may be a cheap alternative to taxis in Asia, in central Paris,  tourists are happy to pay an average of 20 euros ($25) per ride, easily more than regular cabs can charge.

"Unemployment is everywhere," one driver says. "We have found something that the tourists like."

The downside, he said, is that "the police hassle you" -- checking a laundry list of items including registration, medical clearance, insurance, brake lights and turn signals, as well as maintenance.

Sofiene, who says he always dreamed of being his own boss, earns between 90 and 110 euros a day -- from which he might have to subtract between 35 and 135 euros if he is unlucky enough to be fined.

"Why shouldn't I take advantage of the Golden Triangle like others do?" asked the former hotel maitre d', referring to an especially upscale section of the Champs Elysees.

For the police, the latest addition to the city's already congested traffic is just another headache.

"These tuk-tuks are breaking the law because they haven't been booked" by telephone or online, one policeman tells AFP.

Under French law, only registered taxis are allowed to pick up passengers on the street.

But the head of Paris' traffic police, Major Bernard Baulard, admits the law is "not easy to enforce" because two- and three-wheelers are not specifically covered.

Anyone with a regular driver's licence can buy and drive a tuk-tuk, he notes.

Pedicabs have also flourished, numbering up to 200. They charge between five and 15 euros a ride.

"The monuments go by nice and slowly," says Ibrahim, from India. "It's great to visit Paris without getting tired," his girlfriend Nazneen chimes in before the pair get off at the Louvre.

source: http://www.expatica.com/fr/news/french-news/Tuktuks-offer-new-take-on-Paris_272754.html

 

Woman to have 'dolphin-assisted' birth

A pregnant woman and her husband have traveled to Hawaii where they plan on having a “dolphin-assisted birth,” a water delivery among dolphins, according to Medical Daily.

Heather Barrington, 27, and her husband Adam, 29, of South Carolina, are preparing for the July arrival of their first child through a series of prenatal and postnatal swims with a pod of dolphins at The Sirius Institute in Pohoa, Hawaii.

The Sirius Institute describes itself as a "a research consortium with the purpose of 'dolphinizing' the planet." They recently set up the Dolphin Attended, Water, Natural and Gentle Birth Center (DAWN), due to what they claim is an increasing demand on their web site for people looking to give birth near dolphins. The Sirius Institute claims that giving birth with dolphins is part of an ancient native Hawaiian practice.

While dolphin-assisted births are rare, dolphin assisted therapy (DAT) has been used for more than 25 years in patients with mental and physical disabilities and autism, according to Medical Daily. During DAT, patients swim and play with dolphins living in captivity while completing tasks meant to improve skills like hand-eye coordination. However, scientists claim there is little scientific evidence indicating that DAT is therapeutically effective.

Water births – without the presence of dolphins –have proven benefits, including more efficient contractions, improved blood circulation for the mother, less pain and more oxygen for the baby, according to the American Pregnancy Association (APA). However, the APA noted that few studies have been done examining the risks associated with water births.    

In the event that a “dolphin-assisted” birth cannot occur, the couple has made plans to deliver with a midwife. Experts point out that dolphins are predators and can become aggressive, though dolphin-related injuries among people are relatively rare, Medical Daily reported.

“Having that connection with the pod of dolphins anytime – even if the birth doesn’t happen in the water – still brings peace, comfort and strength to the mother and baby during labor,” Heather told the South Charlotte News.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/28/woman-to-have-dolphin-assisted-birth/#ixzz2ddVWrBoz