Table talk
Minding your mantras in Bristol
A Bristol hotel has come up with a novel way of encouraging its guests to relax. Rather than putting a copy of the Gideon Bible in each of its 22 bedrooms, the Parkside Hotel is now supplying every guest with a copy of The Teachings of Buddha.
The move comes after general manager John Birdwas asked to read a sample copy by the Society for the Promotion of Buddhism in the UK.
"I liked what I read and thought it would be just the thing for stressed executives," said Mr Bird. "There are some very interesting items that apply to modern life and it is sometimes nice to think about things in a different light."
Mr Bird claims the move is proving so popular that some of the regulars in his bar have been demanding copies to read as well. "I gave them three copies and they were soon swapping truisms with each other and chanting mantras into the night," said Mr Bird.
"Mind you, they usually do that anyway," he mused.
Where the surfing all started
I Am used to hearing the occasional exaggerated claim from our industry, but the current boasting that's going on about being the first hotel to offer its guests the chance to surf the Internet is beginning to annoy me.
This month, both the Grosvenor House hotel and the Royal Garden Hotel in London have written to me claiming to be the first to offer the service. And way back in July, the Chesterfield Hotel, also in London, launched an Internet service, claiming that it was first to get its guests surfing.
To settle things once and for all, I hereby decree the official first Internet access was at my aunt Mabel's B&B in Hunstanton, where her spotty son, Gary, has been surfing the Net for over a year and has let anyone staying there have a go for free.
Where all the best funerals are held
For those companies that missed the tender notice in last week's Caterer, perhaps you might be interested in this novel business opportunity.
The City of London Cemetery in east London is looking for a firm to open a coffee shop, along with a function room for funeral receptions. According to the advertisement, this would be the first facility of its kind in the UK.
With half a million visitors a year to the cemetery - presumably all dying for a cup of tea - the winning contractor looks set to make a killing.
Kangaroos get the spicy touch
Those of us old enough to remember TV's Skippy (the bush kangaroo) may not find it palatable, but a restaurant in Bristol has put the marsupial in pride of place on its menu.
Customers at the Megna Indian restaurant can choose kangaroo korma from a wide selection of unusual dishes. Owner Aziz Chowdhury also offers ostrich jalfreze and venison bhuna on his menu.
But kangaroo has turned out to be the real favourite, says Mr Chowdhury, with about seven out of every 10 diners jumping at the chance to try it.
Hurley tops the dinner-date menu
Actress Liz Hurley has been named by UK restaurateurs as their number-one choice for a dream dinner date.
Ms Hurley beat off stiff competition from Brooke Shields and Michelle Pfeiffer to top the poll carried out by credit card firm Visa. The restaurateurs, one presumes, chose Liz for her well-honed conversational skills.
More worryingly for the UK restaurant trade, the majority of respondents said they would go abroad for their dream meal, with France and Italy the favoured destinations. But if forced to stay in the UK, London's Aubergine restaurant was their top choice.
