Wednesday 16 May 2012

Life at the Elbow

Imagine going to work every morning with a smile on your face, imagine looking forward to seeing your colleagues and as weird as it may seem or sound- the bosses! What, where is this utopia of which you write- this ladies and gentlemen is the Elbow River Casino and this ain't no sponging either - life really is this good!
How can it be ? Well, the main man on campus regardless of retirement will continue to be the icon- Sam Switzer - sit with him for just 5 minutes and you will be amazed at how sharp he still is- he doesn't miss a trick and it is great to just visit and see how much he enjoys 'popping' in to see all his friends and the employees that have brought him so much joy over the years.

How many of you out there get a chance to 'podcast' with the boss and give him heck without worrying what your gonna get when he is done with you ;) have a listen to one of our podcasts online at www.elbowrivercasino.com/podcast.

Kevin Booth (general manager) with over xx years of casino and management experience typifies everything that we have been trying to achieve with the culture that we have worked so hard to grow. Fun!

I would encourage anybody out there who is presently looking for a new challenge in a fun, fast paced environment- pop in - fill out an application form and come see why nobody wants to leave and why we are Calgary's #1 entertainment destination.

Come see how awesome it is to actually want to come to work!!

Wednesday 28 March 2012

Calgary Flames Fans

Wow, being from the UK and supporting a team (soccer) that always win, i'm having a little trouble workibg out why you stay so loyal. The team is hard to comprehend- they are not good but somehow are still in the playoff hunt- they don't seem to care as much as the fans- why is this?
I listen intentally to the Fan960 - you are not happy- you are angry about the lack of ambition but yet fill the saddledome over and over- why is this?
Tonight sees the arrival of the villified Darryl Sutter and his Los Angeles Kings - this game being the be all and end all of the playoffs- why is this?
Shouldn't they already be in the playoffs with a goalie like Kipper? I dread to think what will happen if the flames lose (my money is on L.A) - hit me back with why you think that mediocre is acceptable in this great hockey loving city- im gonna podcast about this tomorrow! Let's go Kings :)

Wednesday 22 February 2012

Podcasting... Who'd have thought!

Well, are we thing the casino into the 21st century, it shows how times are changing- just a short space of time ago (within the last 5 years) something like this was so alien to the industry, whoever would have thought of using a medium such as interviewing or just plainly a bit of fun to show a brighter side to the casino- gone are the days I the mafia inspired dark day videos of old school las Vegas to the new and improved updated, friendly entertainment centric experience that we are proud to offer- with the help from our friends at Yuk Yuks we have had a bit of fun with interviewing our good friend Lori Gibbs- I invite you to head over to the ERC website and enjoy some of our previously recorder podcasts.
Drop me a line and let me know your thoughts!

Sunday 8 January 2012

Podcasting -really?

And look how we have evolved, one minute I was writing pro line picks that nobody won with to the next becoming the 'Larry King' of Calgary - what a change a couple of weeks can bring- why would you podcast I hear you say... Well in our continuing efforts to bring you something new (also something that our competitors would find difficult to replicate) we identified this genre as being something that nobody in the calgary casino industry had yet explored- we are very fortunate in that we house the comedy club Yuk Yuks so for me, I always have some kind of fodder to feed off!
We have had a lot of fun (we being, yours truly, executive producer- Dexter Deus and associate producer -Jeff Maystruck) and will be continuing for a little while yet!
Visit our website at www.elbowrivercasino.com and click on the podcast link on the home page- here's hoping that you stop on by and spend a little time listening to us trying to have a bit of fun!
Happy New Year folks!

Wednesday 30 November 2011

How Foodies are Changing Restaurant Culture

In communities around the world Food culture is making a massive change. Gone are the days of the bourgeoisie, and coming into the forefront is the more accepting all inclusive culture of the "Foodie". But why is there such a dramatic change from the past to now.

The basis of this change is the push in the Food service industry towards education and inclusion. We are coming to a time where Food Service outlets need customers to understand the difference between varying differences in food quality. That there is a difference between food that is "organic, free range, first press,.. ect. And the reason that customers need to know the terminology and ultimately the difference is because these products typically cost more and without proper marketing there would be no future for these products.

With the changes in customer perception of what is considered high end food the industry is shifting from an emphasis of quantity to an emphasis of quality. Documentaries like "Supersize Me", and "The Future of Food” are excellent examples of how the public had been brainwashed, and also how standards of what is considered food has deteriorated over time.

Finally we are seeing a push back from restaurants and customers alike. The focus on food has meant an increased importance of regional local products and farms that are ethical and responsible. The focus on grass roots products and communication between distributor and supplier have filtered down to the restaurateur customer level. Now high end restaurants are more bistro style environments, where chefs are not afraid to run out of products if it means that the product that they put out is fresh and of the highest quality.

While the foodie culture continues to experiment with new ways of delivering food to customers it is the attention to the quality of products that we need to continue cultivating to ensure that we do not slip back into the McCulture that has dominated the industry for the past 50 years.

The evolution of media has helped in some ways to advance and educate the general public. We now have entire channels on television that are dedicated to the Food industry which has helped to market certain products and various styles of cooking. Unfortunately it is very rare that anyone broaches the truly tough topics, and if they do they are met with heavy opposition. Chefs like Jamie Oliver are tackling food issues at a grade school level with his "food revolution". By educating children about proper nutritional choices he is unconsciously helping to ensure the succession of the foodie culture.

While the foodie culture is still in its growth faze it is important for people to get involved and shape the future of what it is to be a foodie. While there is a portion of this culture that is based on fun things like travel, wine and beer tastings, almost everything to do with being a foodie is based on sharing and experiencing knowledge as much as it is food.

@Jordantknox

Sunday 20 November 2011

Pro Line - not really an option for the "Real Pro"

So, here I am watching another pro line ticket go down the drain! A near certainty I presumed, simple, 3 home teams at heavily favored odds to get me an easy $150.

Let's have a closer look at this, my picks were:-

New York Giants 1.7
Tottenham 1.4
New England Patriots 1.05

3 victories = 2.5 = $250 for my $100

Then I went to my English bookie William Hill to see what they were offering-

New York Giants 1.9
Tottenham 1.53
New England Patriots 1.07

3 victories = 2.99 = $299 for my $100

Wow, a difference of $49 I hear you say!

But hold on a minute, with my pro line wager my "football teams" need to win by at least 4 points to avoid the game being settled as a Tie (I lose) how much is that little 'stipulation' worth to a "pro punter" - by the way my English 'bookie' William Hill are kinda happy with me just picking the winner, no 4 point stipulation here! If my team wins by 1 point, I win!!

Tonight as I watch the New York Giants fail miserably, was the night I placed my LAST "pro line" wager.

I am sure the same benefits would be afforded to me at, (to name but a few) Sports Interaction- Bodog- Bet365.

Is it worth the convenience of being able to wager at a 7-11 or gas store when we are so plainly being hosed when it comes to the odds and rules involved?

Your thoughts people?



Tuesday 15 November 2011

How do we decide what to put in a blog ?

Like all good stews the ingredients are vitally important I make blog enjoyable and .... You asleep yet! What a load of tosh. I write about what I know and to be honest that isn't much ... So here we go today's blog is on the plight of the white farmers in Zimbabwe.
This is test as we don't think anybody reads this blog and if you respond that you do, I will enter your name into a draw for a gift certificate for the casino ... Easy right!! In order to be entered simply put your name at the bottom of this blog and answer the simple skill testing question:-

What is the capital city of Zimbabwe.

Then we shall announce a winner next week!! Hooray!!