NATURE INSPIRED COCKTAILS Biomimicry? I discovered this incredible organization years ago & continue to be constantly astounded by their research & amazing projects. Biomimicry is a practice that learns from & mimics the strategies found in nature to solve human design challenges. It is about valuing nature for what we can learn, not what we can extract, harvest, or domesticate. In the process, we learn about ourselves, our purpose, & our connection to each other & our home on earth. Biomimicry believes that the widespread adoption of nature-inspired solutions will catalyze a new era in design & business that benefits both people & the planet. Confused? A few examples: (1) Eiji Nakatsu, Shinkansen 500 train’s chief engineer & an avid bird-watcher, asked himself, “Is there something in Nature that travels quickly & smoothly between two very different mediums?” Modeling the front-end of the train after the beak of kingfishers, which dive from the air into bodies of water with very little splash to catch fish, resulted not only in a quieter train, but 15% less electricity use even while the train travels 10% faster. (2) Researchers at Kansai University in Japan saw amazing potential in the structure of the mosquito’s mouth. They used sophisticated engineering techniques that carve out structures on the nanometer scale & blending materials science & biology invented a needle that penetrates like a mosquito,& uses pressure to stabilize and painlessly glide into skin. Tests proved it worked flawlessly. (3) Dolphins are able to recognize the calls of specific individuals (“signature whistles”) up to 25 kilometers away, demonstrating their ability to communicate & process sound information accurately despite the challenging medium of water using high frequencies in each transmission. Emulating dolphins’ unique frequency-modulating acoustics, the company EvoLogics has developed a high-performance underwater modem for data transmission, which is currently employed in the tsunami early warning system throughout the Indian Ocean. Let’s make the act of asking nature’s advice a normal part of everyday inventing. Nature-inspired cocktails:
Barking Spider Brandy, Cointreau, rum, sour mix, fresh squeezed orange juice; Bees Knees Douglas Fir, honey, fresh squeezed lemon juice; The Crow Brandy, fresh squeezed lemon juice, grenadine; Grasshopper Brandy, Crème de menthe, white crème de cacao, light cream; Monkey Gland Brandy, gin, fresh orange juice, absinthe, grenadine, simple syrup; Cognac flight – 1/2 price
Saturday 5/1 – Live-streaming the Kentucky Derby all evening. Analysts pick Essential Quality, Hot Rod Charlie & Super Stock but watch out for those youngsters, Mandoloun, & Dynamic One! Nothing better than holding a brandy in one hand & your bet ticket in the other. Front row tickets around 6-6:30 for the 7:00 PM show, but come watch it all. Also, best hat wins a free cocktail!