Sunday, May 23, 2010

Drinking up show reconnaissance...

Observations from Sunday’s show floor:

Beverages are big. Lots of cool machines, some using touch-screen technology, to let restaurateurs and/or customers customize their own drinks. You want to dial up the espresso and down the milk in your latte? No problem. Tried delicious fruit drinks, sodas, flavored ices and smoothies. Come to think of it, food was harder to come by.

Best one-liner: Charlie Rose after showing a clip of Julia Child. “She does Julia Child almost as well as Meryl Streep.”

And attendees are growing weary. Several folks were sitting with their shoes off at day’s end, looking like they might not move, bags full of bounty at their sides. Clearly what they need is to get back to the booths and find more caffeine.       -- Robin Lee Allen --