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Wenlock & Essex
Time Out rating:
Venue details
Wenlock & Essex 18-26 Essex Rd
- Venue phone:
020 7704 0871
- Venue website:
- Opening hours:
10.30am-midnight Mon-Thur; Fri, 10.30am -2am Sat; 10.30am-midnight Sun
- Transport:
Tube: Angel
Wenlock & Essex
- 18-26 Essex Rd
- www.wenlockandessex.com
- 51.536573,-0.101072
- 18-26 Essex Rd
Wenlock & Essex
What's on at Wenlock & Essex
- Wed Dec 18
- Wenlock & Essex 18-26 Essex Rd, N1 8LN
- £11.50
McNeil & Pamphilon Go 8 Bit!
Stand-up, Sketch shows, Geek comedy
- Critics' choice
Bantering sketch duo McNeil & Pamphilon mix together their two loves – comedy and video games – for a live night of funny, pixely fun, which was a big hit at the Edinburgh Fringe. They describe it as being 'like "GamesMaster" off the telly, but in a pub',...
- Thu Jan 23 2014
- Wenlock & Essex 18-26 Essex Rd, England, N1 8LN
- £5, £2 early bird
McNeil & Pamphilon Go 8 Bit!
Stand-up, Sketch shows, Geek comedy
- Critics' choice
Bantering sketch duo McNeil & Pamphilon mix together their two loves – comedy and video games – for a live night of funny, pixely fun, which was a big hit at the Edinburgh Fringe. They describe it as being 'like "GamesMaster" off the telly, but in a pub',...
- Tue Feb 18 2014
- Wenlock & Essex 18-26 Essex Rd, England, N1 8LN
- £5, £2 early bird
Reviews & ratings
Went there last night. The door staff were lovely, but it went downhill from then! The atmosphere wasn't bad but the bar staff were slow and often seemed out of their depth (two of us were asked if we wanted our meals rare, medium or well done- we were having pork and fish!) The menu looked amazing but food is overpriced and portions small. You definitely need at least two courses. "Slow cooked pork belly, seared scallop, roasted celeriac and squash, sautéed peas and mushrooms, port jus" for £15 sounded tempting but while the pork portion was decent there was approximately a tablespoon each of the other components. No exaggeration, the veg were cut into small dice. It tasted good, granted, but the pork was excessively chewy and sadly had no crackling. It was also served on a slate. A SLATE. A dish consisting of peas and gravy on a plate with no lip? Suffice to say my skirt is in the washing machine now. The kitchen obviously has decent chefs, so this place needs to stop trying to be cool and just produce good food at a more sensible price.
GW Sat Nov 24 2012Rated as: 2/5 -
Went there last night for a bday and was infuriated by how useless the bar staff are. Soooo slow and couldn't work the bar to save themselves - where do they find these morons. This place could make so much more money and provide a better experience if they hired some decent, functioning, human beings :)
Dave Sun Oct 21 2012Rated as: 1/5 -
I really like it here. The food is great and the atmosphere is always buzzing. It isn't the cheapest bar in the world but you pay for quality.
Emma Fri Feb 24 2012Rated as: 4/5 -
Delicious food, great atmosphere, lovely staff. Sunday roasts are amazing! Would highly recommend.
M Foster Sun Dec 19 2010 -
Fantastic food, I had an amazing steak - perfectly cook with home made chips. The atmosphere was lively but not rowdy and the booths were very cosy. Great place - and very reasonably priced for large portions. I will definitely be back!
gemma hagen Sun Dec 5 2010 -
I had a the perfect lunch for a cold Autumn day. Homemade Venison and vegetable pie (with mash) really warmed me up, as did the very sweet staff and the glass of red wine I had! My partner had a delicious winter version of fish cakes and despite the very generous portions we managed to squeeze in some of their amazing cheesecake.
A highly recommended place, loads of room to get a table yet with really cozy atmosphere. We're looking forward to going in the evening too, I've heard they do great cocktails!
E Pugh Fri Nov 19 2010 -
We went to The Wenlock and Essex last Sunday as we had heard good things about the Roasts. When we arrived the atmosphere in the bar was warm, happy and inviting. The food didn't disappoint. I had the beef which was served with all the trimmings in a generous portion with yummy gravy. The beef was well cooked and tender and the vegetables were delicious.My husband chose the chicken and devoured it all with no complaints (which is unusual), as well as the huge Yorkshire Pudding which I couldn't quite manage.
The Wenlock and Essex is an excellent place in which to get snug on a cold Winter afternoon with good food and good wine and soul sounds.Wendy Brierley Fri Nov 19 2010 -
To celebrate a friends birthday, a group of us booked in at the Wenlock and Essex for a proper Sunday lunch.
On arrival the restaurant was pleasantly atmospheric and its soft lighting and furnishings were warming both aesthetically and in comfort, this was much appreciated as outside had a real nip in the November air.
We were greeted by a well presented trendy young gent who showed us to a large rustic table which seated our party adequately.
The table was nicely laid out and there were plenty of menus to go around.
We proceeded to sustain the warm vibes by ordering a bottle of rich and plummy cab sav and a round of beers.
The Camden Bitter and IPA got all of our votes, however it would be nice to see a few more cask "real ales" such as Woodfordes Wherry etc as an option.
We ordered "Mid- pint" from the traditional but varied menu and as a welcome surprise our food arrived before we got the second round in.
The dishes all appeared together and everyone in the party had a smug grin once the waiter had put our plates before us.
I had chosen the Roast beef with Horseradish and veg. It was nicely presented and a very sizable portion with the key feature on my plate being at least five slices of very tender and succulent beef. It was a quality joint of beef with no chewy or stringy bits to be left over. The accompanying carrots, peas and broccoli were very crisp and fresh and the Yorkshire pud was almost as big as the local Emirates stadium.
The nice rich Gravy was served in a tiny jug (which really should have been bigger as it was very pleasant) but this was no problem as the waiter was quick to bring more to the table, on request.
The horseradish was as good as I've had and some crackling which was shared around by those who had gone for the roast pork option was truly sumptuous.
We paid the bill, (avg.£15 a head) and then kicked back in loungey chairs to take in soul classics that were playing subtly as background music.
A lovely afternoon and meal had by all.Kevin Groom Tue Nov 16 2010 -
Went to the Wenlock & Essex last weekend and had a great time. Starting with some food, my better half had the fish and chips which was done to perfection and i had the risotto which tasted amazing. after this we danced ourselves clean in the back bar to a great soundtrack and some pretty cool cocktails. will definitley be back soon.
alistair edwards Fri Nov 12 2010 -
Love this place. Great atmosphere, friendly and helpful bar staff and wonderful food, would really recommend the fish cakes.
Lucy Harper Fri Nov 12 2010
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Cow Tracks to Two TracksPosted Wednesday, April 11, 2012, at 3:13 PM
Over the past 50 years or so, I've wandered much of south western and central Idaho taking in the outdoors that my father urged me to enjoy and use. I put over 7,500 miles on my little yellow Honda Trail 90 before I finally sold it for money to pay for school. I put thousands of miles on federal and state motor pool vehicles searching for small springs to develop for water for grazing cattle or trying to find sources of good quality rock to use for transporting Idahoans to and from work and play. That's not to mention the thousands of miles I put on personal vehicles bumping over desolate two tracks in nearly every county south of the 45th parallel or just heading out for weekend fishing trips.
And while I've shown some of the sights and natural wonders with many an immigrant who shared my astonishment at the bounties this little piece of real estate we call Idaho has to offer, I have kept other "secret spots" and happenings to myself and at best my immediate family. In those travels, I have witnessed some amazing things. It sort of started when my Dad passed away in 1965 and Mom and I couldn't really afford our second car, which was a 1956 Chrysler Windsor, 2 door with a huge hemi engine and the old push button automatic transmission. So we sold it and bought that little yellow Honda. For fifty or sixty cents worth of gas, that little Honda would carry me over 100 miles on the byways or the cow trails around Mountain Home. In the spring of 1966, I took off up what is now Highway 20 to simply explore. A ways past the old Tollgate Caf�, I dropped off the highway and took off on a two track. After running into a couple of washed out sections of that road up under Bennett Mountain, I was headed home when I spotted a well-worn cow trail that headed south up a ridge. A few minutes to change the rear sprocket, and I was off to see what was on the other side of the mountain. Much to my surprise, there was a huge valley or basin, full of waist high grass and large patches of even taller bitterbrush and sage. And my cow path turned into a well-defined two track, a veritable highway for the Honda. Zipping along at maybe 20, I rounded a small corner in the brush and suddenly was in the midst of hundreds of mule deer. I stopped in astonishment and wondered where they had all been last fall. But what really caught my attention was that they weren't overly concerned with me or the Honda. As soon as I turned the Honda off, things changed, so I started it up again and all was well. Why they settled back down, I'll never know for sure, but I suspect that somehow, they sensed I was only there to watch and enjoy. In 1971, a co-worker and I were dispatched to dig test holes to define the extent of a gravel deposit north of Jordan Valley, Oregon, just a few miles inside Idaho. The ridge top deposit left a lot to be desired for any type of shelter from the spring sun and constant wind gusts. For a couple of days, we ate our lunch in the shady cab of our work truck. On the third day, a local rancher drove up to ask what we were up to. After a quick explanation, we started talking about some of the petrified wood we'd dug up and how we liked to hunt arrowheads and things. He told us about a small grove of aspens a couple of miles away with a nice grassy area along a short creek running out of a spring and that he had found a few nice spear points there over the years. We were more than willing to enjoy it. The very next day, we headed out to find the place. After a quick lunch and a little unsuccessful arrowheading, we were about to head back to the gravel pit when we heard a rock roll off on the ridge just above the grove. We sat quietly as a herd of about a dozen wild horse mares and colts wandered into the grove to drink from the stream. While they were obviously aware of our presence, they went about drinking and somewhat nervously grabbed a few mouthfuls of the greenery along the stream. Over the next two weeks, we never saw the horses as close, but did see a number of other small groups from a distance. By the way, I'll admit that the first day we saw them, we were a little late getting back to the jobsite, so taxpayers lost a little value out of my paycheck that month. Spring is a great time of the year to get out and take your mind off of the politics and pressures of everyday life. While Idaho is much different than it was when I grew up, it is still full of history and awesome experiences for those who care to let it be what it is. I urge all who live here today to think about the riches around you and respect the traditions that mean so much to so many. Comments Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] Your so right Warren there is so much history in Idaho even in this area from Rocky Bar to Alanta, to Silver City and all points in between. Most people don't ever get out and see much of it which I don't much anymore. Been on the back side of Bennett mountain more than once on snowmobile or vehicle and people just wouldn't believe the back side of it looking from Mountain Home, that really some valley on the other side. -- Posted by Eagle_eye on Wed, Apr 11, 2012, at 8:03 PM
I used to take off walking as a kid to see all the nice junk spots. Hours of entertainment. I really miss being able to to do that. Nice Blog -- Posted by KH Gal on Thu, Apr 12, 2012, at 7:54 AM
Yes, Warren, Idaho is a GREAT place to explore and wonder what was happening way back when. So many people never get off the main hiways to see the secrets that are just out of site. "Just out of site" is a world of wonders and secrets! -- Posted by jessiemiller on Thu, Apr 12, 2012, at 9:04 AM
I've gotten a lot of enjoyment over the years sorting through old piles of iron and wood left behind by earlier residents of Elmore and Owyhee counties, not just watching the critters that still roam the open land. Before the Interstate was built, the crew I worked with rummaged through a lot of "out of sight" farm equipment boneyards between Glenns Ferry and Bliss. Not to mention the arrowheads we found in the sand dunes along te river east of King Hill. May have to expound on that one of these days. -- Posted by wh67 on Thu, Apr 12, 2012, at 11:21 AM
We used to spend a family day down by the river sifting for arrowheads. It was a lot of fun in the early spring. I found a very nice one once and it was the only one that I was fortunate enough to find. Loved the rock-hunting though. No grave digging for our family in case someone with PC attitudes chimes in. -- Posted by KH Gal on Thu, Apr 12, 2012, at 12:00 PM
Random Access Memories - Archives - Blog RSS feed - Comments RSS feed - Send email to Warren Hostetler - Login I was born September 17, 1949 in Caldwell, Idaho. Like Idaho's climate, I have a dry sense of humor. It may be a result of faulty genetics, but I come from sturdy stock. My great grandfather once served as a postmaster right on the line between Camas and Elmore Counties and is buried on what was once his land. According to research my only sibling has done, we generally agree that he started his westward trek in Indiana sometime after 1838 and died of pneumonia in 1911. If Google earth is correct, there are at least 2.5 million average steps between Ripley County, Indiana and his gravesite.
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Black Cat
Online Reservations
We dined at the Black Cat on our 32nd anniversary. It was recommended by a good friend, Kim Stewart who writes a food column and it lived up to her recommendation. Good farm to table restaurant and amazing staff.
My hubby and I wanted a special place to celebrate our anniversary and this was it! We were seated in a quiet place in the back that was quiet ,intimate and provided for a romantic experience. The room had candles and comfy seating as well. They brought us complimentary sips of sparkling rose sine from France as well as as savory samples of another item on their menu. The staff was very attentive and also accommodating for the gluten free diet I was on. We had a great drink with absinthe from a favorite local distillery plus the entrees were great. We also chose this place because they were organic and locally sourced with the menu creations reflecting a distinct Colorado cuisine. Try it out, you won't be disappointed! :)
Very flexible and helpful with food allergies. Creative and delicious food choices. I would definitely go back.
Excellent, as usual. Innovative tasting menu. Excellent wine pairings.
Every time I've been to Black Cat, I've been impressed. Their tasting menu is fantastic, especially with wine pairings. The kitchen works effortlessly around any dietary restrictions (I once explained that we wanted to eat "paleo"--without warning them--and they still pulled off an amazing meal!). The sommelier, Dev, is excellent. He focuses on rare wines that are atypical for the region and/or producer and/or varietal and pairs them with each course in surprising ways. The service and timing are impeccable, and they even worked with my party on Saturday to seat us earlier than our reservation. I simply love this place.
Okay, while the price is a little hard if you aren't on a high budget, it is entirely worth it. 100% worth it. The food was amazing. My Fiance and I shared the Chefs Tasting Menu, which consisted of 9 total dishes, each one simply terrific. The pork belly was so tender that it literally melted in your mouth. And the smoke trout was delicious (and I am not a fan of fish). Simply put; their chef knows what they are doing, and knows it well! For the service; They were friendly and very polite, and each dish was explained to us as it was served. They made sure to keep us comfortable and were on top of everything if our glasses were even reaching the empty mark. overall; Definitely worth every penny for that special occasion. Thumbs UP!
A well-intended, thoughtful restaurant with delicious food.
Great food, service, sommelier-selected wines. What more can I say?
Excellent, friendly, and super attentive waitress, complemented by a well run team of expediters. The tasting menus is always our favorite, as the chef just uses the farm fresh ingredients in the most delicious and inventive ways. We get a vegetarian version, and it is so amazing. Course after course of perfection. Well worth it.
If an evening of spectacular food, knowledgable and interesting wine-pairings, and professional but personable and unpretentious service is what you have in mind, then make it simple. Go to the Black Cat and order the tasting menu with wine pairings. If I could only afford one special occasion fine-dining experience a year, I'd spend it here, even if I had to add airfare to the budget to get to Boulder from Northern California.
Black Cat has an excellent farm to table menu. The food is expertly prepared and presented with care and creativity. Our service was a little slow, and the entrees were very good, but not truly outstanding.
I would highly recommend Black Cat as a place to eat for a nice sit down dinner. We went all out & let the chef design our menu. It was a 5 course meal. Each course was delicious & unique. The sommelier did an excellent job at describing each wine she paired with each course. If you plan to go this route in dining be sure to allow 2 to 3 hours of enjoyment! Bon appetite !
Thisis my first review, and Black Cat is worthy of it. The food was amazing, the atmosphere perfect for our 10th anniversary. I requestedthe little room off to the side and they didn't hesitate to accommodate that. Can't wait to go back.
By far this was the best dining experience I've had. The food was a carnival of flavors, some of which I've never experienced. The ambiance and staff were superb. What a gem.
We are always blown away by our experience at Black Cat. Intimate atmosphere and service, fun/refreshing food, unbelievable wine pairings, and an all around great staff. It's a one-of-a-kind Boulder treasure!
We enjoyed the Chef's Tasting menu with the wine pairings. Our waiter did a WONDERFUL job of explaining the dish and the wine which made them both even better. Each course was excellent and the staff was very on top of things. While this is in a college town, it does not attract a college audience. I would definitely go back.
Do the tasting menu with the wine pairings. Wonderful meal,
I had heard wonderful things about Black Cat, but this place really blew my expectations. We did the tasting menu which was comprised of "surprises" which was just perfect with a premium wine pairing. I guess by that description I shouldn't have been as surprised by the price (over $300 for a dinner for two with tip) but we were celebrating a special occasion and it was well worth the expense for the wonderful experience.
The waitstaff was very nice and professional and attentive. The food was good but it wasn't exceptional. Where the prices were at, I expected the food to be exceptional. The quality of ingredients is obvious but the cooking lacks a little finesse. There were three of us and we ordered the chicken, beef, and pork for the table to split. All three dishes lacked cohesive vegetables. The greens were a bit under cooked and under-seasoned. The best part of the meal was the dessert and coffee which was exceptional. Once again I unfortunately felt that the price was very high for the way the ingredients were cooked.
Tasting menu is the way to go at this restaurant. Food selections were great - fresh and creative, service was fine and the premium wine pairing was worth the extra few dollars.
Dined at Black Cat for ourAnniversary and had a great experience. Food was awesome and courses were paced such that it felt like a true. Dining experience. We had the Duo of Beef and the Duck entrees and both were amazing and highly recommended. The staff serving came by frequently to check in and make sure we had what we needed.
My wife and I shared a pleasant evening at the Black Cat celebrating our anniversary. We both decided on the chef's sampler meal, with my wife opting for vegetarian servings. The eight courses we received were all delicious and presented with helpful information and artistic arrangement. The waitstaff were all very pleasant and unobstrusive. The wine steward was knowledgeable and attentive to our wishes. All in all it was a pleasant way to spend an evening.
This is by far the most creative and thought provoking restaurant. We spent 2 1/2 hours savoring this farm to table restaurant's tasting plates. It is fun, inspirational and conversational. And to think the chef/owner works the day farming and the night cooking to accomplish this. So pure, so true, so yummy!
Our recommendation: order at least one of the chef's tastings w/ the premier wine pairings. For us, the service remains the best in Boulder: they're highly trained, extremely knowledgeable & never stuffy. The recipes keep getting more & complex as the years go by. I always rave about their love of vegetables & herbs & to add to that, this last time we had a Colorado tenderloin that was the best I've eating in a decade or more. Bravo & hope other diners experience the same. And the ambience couldn't be sweeter.
Been here several times and took a group of visitors from overseas. Went with the tasting menu, which gets better every time I try it. Best restaurant in Boulder, and not nearly as pricey as you'd expect.
The owner/chef was working that night and sent out special treats. The food was incredible and we are still talking about it.
Outstanding food and wine list - menu changes daily and is always full of great surprises. Well trained and polite staff, focused on making whole dining experience great. Highly recommended for special occasions.
Received a gift certificate for my birthday for the Black Cat and its sister restaurant Bramble & Hare. Spent half at each restaurant; the Black Cat is more upscale (reservations required), nice ambiance, and the food was excellent - each dish was professionally prepared and contained a variety of well-blended flavors. Portions are perfect - the food doesn't overflow the plates and we left feeling satisfied. Menu is limited to what's available (which you can read about on their website, as it's "farm to table"), but still contained a nice variety of options. We even received an appetizer gratis. The wait staff is friendly and professional. Prices are on the higher end, especially for drinks. Would return for special occasions.
Though Black Cat has a limited menu it changes often and incorporates fresh/seasonal varieties. I look forward to returning and trying their Chef's menu.
The tasting menu with wine service was extremely well-done. The staff was very knowledgeable and the pairings were excellent.
We came after football game not realizing the sophisticated menu and wine list would be waiting. It was delicious and perfect for an evening of friends and amazing dining!!!
Took me a while to get there and now I can't imagine not going back! Awesome! My wife and I decided to go there to try out the food and wine as a precursor to our annual office Christmas dinner, thinking this might be the place. Well, we made the reservation that night for our party. Staff was attentive and this place gets packed! There is a room for small private parties and they will work with you on the menu and wine list. The food was divine. Fresh ingredients, farm to table, and each dish was well explained…we opted for the premium wine pairing. I was completely impressed. As a vegetarian it is not always easy to have choices and the Black Cat will special make things for just about any 'classification' i had ever heard of.
Pork from the farm with unusual vegetables was memorable. Deep, well structured wine list with excellent advice.
We come here on special occasions and it is consistently excellent. The food is superb and service is fantastic. The Farm to Table makes for fresh seasonal delicious food. We love it! It's romantic sitting together on the cozy couches that pull up to one side of each 4 top.
Great anniversary dinner location. This is our second visit in ten months. We will be back!
We celebrated our 50th birthday in style at Black Cat Bistro. The unique eight course meal paired perfectly with six quality wine made for a truly special dining experience. Our party of four sat in a private and cozy alcove booth allowing for us to speak in a conversation level voice. One warning to potential diners is the petite size portion of the dishes and the sampling size of six wine. However, I was full by the 6th dish but easily continued eating and drinking because the flavors were delicious. A second warning is the high price of the menu and wine pairings. Since it was a special occasion for us, we were okay to pay for the delicious food and wine and to experience fine dining (at $100 each person). I look forward to returning.
We had the perfect dinner for my husband's 50th birthday. The food was unique and very savory, the staff was great to talk to about the food, the making of the food and the farm to table concept. Our table was so relaxing, after two hours, my husband still did not want to leave. I would recommend to my friend's who want to celebrate a special occasion or just feel special!
The food was fabulous and the servers provided a lot of background information about what they were serving (both food and wine). The menu offers a 7 course tasting menu (items selected by the chefs) and a la carte choices. We were impressed that they were able to take dietary restrictions into account in creating the tasting menu. We were surprised that they wanted everyone at the table to order the tasting menu (i.e. they didn't want some ordering it and others ordering a la carte). The menu didn't indicate that (at least we didn't see that) and had made our selections only to find out that we couldn't have a mix. In the end, they did allow one diner to have the a la carte choices and the rest of us ordered the tasting menu.
This was an absolutely scrumptious meal. I was worried because we were bringing my 10 month old son with us and someone told me it wasn't a kid friendly spot, but everyone was so nice. My son slept for most of the meal and everyone was so sweet to us and him. I would definitely go back.
There is a seriousness in their approach to food and wine. And its not in the arrangement of inward facing booths and the dark decor motif. It is expected that patrons know their food... and wine... yet refreshingly, there is no pretension at Black Cat. Your lack of knowledge of the Loire Valley will not be punished, but patiently reversed, while the reward - creatively constructed, French inspired and of course locally sourced dishes paired perfectly (yes, LET your server pair your wine) - will be well worth the lesson. Reserve for a special occasion and throw caution to the wind. A long and indulgent evening at Black Cat will be among your most memorable dining experiences.
This was my second time at the Black Cat, and I'd like to say that this time it really caught my attention with a "petit plat dans les plats" attention to detail. Great Risotto and squash soup. Great amuse-gueules! I'll be back a third time.
We had a wonderful dinner on a Friday night. The tasting menu with wine pairing was outstanding. It was a wonderful mix of local ingredients. I would love to go back again.
Food was generally excellent as always. Locally sourced almost everything. Service was slow on the drinks and wine. My duck was great. Beef duo was uneven. Tenderloin was terrific. Ragu was rather pedestrian. I had the octopus pasta appetizer. It was very tasty and just the right size. Local works better for food than liquor.
The menu combined an array of farm-grown ingredients to create a culinary adventure. My wife an I both ordered an appetizer and entree and were delighted with the dishes. We expect to go back to try the Chef's Choice menu.
Splurged for my boyfriend's birthday, and we couldn't have been happier! We were treated like family, not anonymous $$$. The food was amazing: thoughtful, unique and delicious. Highly recommend the tasting menu if you have the time.
The food was delicious, healthy, fresh, and inventive. A stellar example of farm-to-table at its best. Service was excellent, very welcoming, attentive, and accommodating. A great wine list with many interesting small vintners and organic/biodynamic producers, presented by an engaging and knowledgable sommelier. I had the tasting menu with wine pairing, which was excellent and felt like good value for money.
great food, presentation, knowledgeable servers- would like to come back again soon and try other items on menu
We ordered the chief special along with the wine pairings and it was a perfect choice. Although it was expensive we were there to celebrate my wife's birthday so it was well worth it. The food and the expert explanation along with the thorough explanation of where the wine was from and what aromas to experience was phenominal.
We were there for a special occasion and loved it. The service was excellent. The food was outstanding. We chose the tasters menu and were so very happy with the chef's picks. We loved the fact that the food was farm-to- table. We definitely recommend this restaurant, and we will be taking all our out-of-town guests here.
Creative cooking from their farm to your table in this small, cozy, friendly restaurant. From appetizer to main course to desert--just delicious food expertly prepared and served. Turnip/radish soup? Yes, elegant and delicious. Duck with heirloom beets? Yes! Scallops with mustard greens? You bet! Bring on the deserts! Wine with dinner? Just ask the sommelier to help you navigate the impressive list. A great place for a special dinner. Get with The Cat!


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Expertise and Democracy
"If citizens ought to be empowered to participate in determining their society's basic structure," writes Richard Sclove, "and technologies are an important species of social structure, it follows that technological design and practice should be democratized."[62] There is a growing, international body of literature suggesting means by which science and technology can be brought further under popular control—studies of "science shops" that bring researchers into collaboration with citizens, "science courts" that invite laypeople to pass judgment on political controversies with scientific dimensions, and citizen boards to assess technological risks.[63] Yet there is also good cause to recognize the extraordinary difficulty of eradicating hierarchies founded on knowledge-possession—hierarchies that can cut across social movements just as easily as they can divide "laypeople" from "experts." This, too, is a dilemma that will confront future groups that seek to democratize biomedical knowledge-making or other domains of science and technology.
In the goals of democratizing science and building "lay expertise," at least three distinct difficulties are interwoven. First, the practices of science by their nature presuppose specialization: no one can know everything; everyone must therefore acknowledge that others speak with authority—at least some others, some of the time. To participate in science, then, means inevitably to cede authority over most of its domains at the same time that one constitutes expertise over a particular one. Even AIDS treatment activists tend to specialize among themselves and construct a division of expert labor: some study vaccine development, others follow immunology, still others "adopt" a particular
drug and track its development. In this way, activists become essential to one another, since all must trust that the others have done their homework and know what they're talking about. Understood in these terms, "democratization" of science is inevitably a partial and uneven process and one that, ironically, proceeds hand in hand with the consolidation of new relationships of trust and authority.
The second difficulty confronted by social movements that seek to democratize the practices of knowledge-making is that there may be tension between participation in the construction of scientific knowledge and the requirements of movement-building. While inarguably successful in important ways and according to various criteria, the shift "inward" and "backward" by key treatment activist groups has made it harder for them to frame issues for the media or a broader public, to recruit new members, and to maintain a broad-based and socially diverse movement. The ways of representing natural and social reality that activists develop in their role as "lay experts" may differ significantly from the representations that they elaborate in street demonstrations and other, more conventional, activist venues. And the tactics of "expertification" that have ensured the activists' credibility before the research establishment may be, at least to some degree, in conflict with the goal of ensuring movement leaders' credibility in the eyes of the communities that the movement seeks to represent.
Issues of professionalization and hierarchy—and risks of cooptation—are not, of course, unique to AIDS activism.[64] Other movements, such as the environmental movement, have struggled over "insider" and "outsider" strategies and the relative merits of professionalized activism when interacting with credentialed experts.[65] Few are the cases, however, of movements so fundamentally dependent on their adversaries as is the AIDS movement, and it is this binding of need and antagonism that has accentuated the complexities of the interaction and brought them into sharper relief. The experience of AIDS treatment activism suggests that confronting highly technical domains of science can have a wide range of effects upon the internal and external dynamics of a social movement. Even when activists deliberately erode the boundaries between "science" and "politics," they may find that the tactics and tools that facilitate their engagement with scientific elites are at variance with other movement goals and may distance them from some of their "lay" compatriots who perceive them then as "experts." Such developments can lead to profound
internal struggles to determine a movement's very identity, as well as how it communicates its messages and what it sets out to accomplish.
The third problem is that knowledge hierarchies are rarely "accidental" in their origins: They tend both to build upon and reinforce social cleavages based on other markers of difference—class, formal education, race, gender, sexuality, and nationality. When the power of expert knowledge within a social movement overlaps with other systems of hierarchy, the results can be problematic for the movement, even if the new experts work entirely in good faith for the benefit of all. The interweaving of expertise with diverse forms of power is evident to those who become positioned on the margins. It is apparent, in another way, to "border people"—as Garance Franke-Ruta (a white woman) refers to the position of herself and Moisés Agosto (a Puerto Rican gay man) inside TAG, an organization that is predominantly composed of white gay men.[66] As an "outsider" who believed in the importance of treatment activism for communities of color, Agosto found he had to fight his way into a position of access and influence—to break into the tight circles that the first generation of treatment activists had constructed between themselves, government health officials, academic researchers, and pharmaceutical companies. Wearing two hats, Agosto took a staff position with the National Minority AIDS Council but remained active with TAG, becoming a member of its board. However, once he found himself appointed to the National Task Force on AIDS Drug Development, Agosto confronted an ironic challenge from the grassroots: "People have come to me and said, 'Well, we lost you. You're on the inside now with the Task Force.'"[67]
Agosto rightly observes that his options have not been foreclosed: "I can [still] go and scream in the streets if I feel I have to." But he cannot entirely escape the metamorphosis of identity that follows from engagements with power and knowledge. The fact that various dimensions of social hierarchy, such as those constructed in relation to racial difference, crisscross and intertwine with the politics of expertise only complicates the story and imbues it with added poignancy. These considerations suggest the true dimensions of the problem: it is unlikely that knowledge-making practices can be substantially democratized, except when efforts to do so are carried out in conjunction with other social struggles that challenge other, entrenched systems of domination.[68]
This broadening of perspectives would set heady goals for a movement more immediately concerned with the concrete business of saving
lives. But even the most "professionalized," "expert" activists pursuing "insider" strategies have seen precisely these deeper purposes as the motivation for their efforts. "If AIDS activists ever leave any legacy other than their own bodies," wrote Gregg Gonsalves and Mark Harrington in 1992, "it will be, among other things, a movement for national health care and the democratization of research."[69] Certainly the genuine progress that has been made in the struggle to democratize biomedicine is not negated by the failure to realize it in full, any more than the medical advances in the fight to keep people with AIDS alive are belied by the failure to eradicate the epidemic. In the meantime, the struggle continues on multiple fronts, and AIDS activists' strategies for engaging with medical science continue to provoke controversy and provide inspiration.


text:
The Seasons Bistro
Online Reservations
Hostess was off to a slow start, leaving us standing a few minutes, then acting like she was unsure of our reservation but the server was wonderful. We will ask for her next time. Food was delicious except my husband isn't a fan of the under cooked crunchy mixed vegetables. His Capri Tuna was divine and my lobster bisque, salad and fish taco were great.
Sam and Noel continue to provide great food and a warm atmosphere. As always, we were welcomed and enjoyed a great meal and fantastic desert.
The scallop appetizer was very good as well as the lobster bisque. Main entrees were good. Filet was ok. Sicilian chicken was very good. But the highlight of the entire meal and the reason we would go back again was the dessert...OUTSTANDING!
The food is always delicious at Season's Bistro! Love the atmosphere and staff. Mine and my husband's favorite little date spot!
go there all the time to listen to Jason Fowler. Great band!
The place where my wife and I sat was so nice! We were celebrating our 3rd year of 'dating', and could not have selected a better restaurant. The food was good and the service was grand!
We celebrated our wedding anniversary in style at this wonderful restaurant. The food was excellent, served piping hot, and a real taste treat. Loved the strawberry martini which was featured that day. After selecting a nice merlot, our server informed us they were out of that wine. The owner came right over, made an alternate selection and offered the same price as the wine we selected! The wine was excellent and the owner was super accommodating. We were impressed with all of it and will be back! As we have lived in McDonough for over 25 years, we are happy to see such a wonderful restaurant right here in McDonough! Thank you!
This was our second time at Seasons Bistro. Our server, Amber, remembered us and she is very friendly and pleasant. Sam, the owner, is also friendly & welcoming. We very much enjoyed the live jazz band. The food is awesome. The must haves are the steak bruschetta, the Sicilian Chicken, and Raspberry Lime Cheesecake & the Creme Brûlée . OMG! We took my mother and she really enjoyed herself and is planning when she can go back too.
Many of the tables were too close to one another, so you could hear your neighbors conversation, however grotesque it was. Food was delicious but cool as if it had been sitting out for a while.
Went for our anniversary. Great atmosphere. Quiet and romantic, but not overly stuffy. Food was not quite up to par for a true foodie, but it was very, very, good. I would highly recommend.
Music way to loud, could not hear across table. Very Annoying!!
The entire experience at Seasons Bistro was wonderful. The food and service was excellent, the ambiance pleasant and comfortable, and the live music was great and at an enjoyable listening level.
There is a new owner and new chef at Seasons Bistro and it has transformed the place! We ate there a few years ago and were not impressed. It wasn't necessarily bad, it just wasn't memorable. We had heard there was new ownership, so we decided to give it a try. It was great! Food was awesome! Prices are better, renovation of the space is really nice, great atmosphere! We always ended up across the street at another restaurant, but now we will more likely stop, consider and choose. HIghly recommend you give them a try.
We went to the restaurant on a Monday on our anniversary. We sat at a table in the back that was very romantic. Server was very nice and very accommodating. It was Martini night and we each had a very good martini. We each ordered the Lobster Bisque which was good with a hint of spice. My wife ordered the Sicilian Chicken and I the Surf and Turf, which was one of the specials that included a tenderloin and seasoned shrimp. The Sicilian Chicken was good. The tenderloin was a bit overdone but the shrimp was very good. We had death by chocolate cake for desert which was very good but very rich. Over all experience was very good. This is one of the best restaurants in Henry County, but still does not compare to some fine dining in Atlanta.
Nice local place with focus on good food. But the chocolate cake is so amazing. And get the Zin to drink with it. A memorable food experience. Very nice local decor; easy to park on the street. Chef and staff very welcoming. I was in from out of town and was so good I brought some of my co-workers back with me the next night!
What an atmosphere!! Season's is a wonderful place for anyone looking for a good night out. Live music keeps the energy going and secluded dining in the back makes for a romantic meal even when the place is rockin'!! The food is excellent, especially the risotto and steak lovers will be in heaven with the hand cut 24 oz. rib eye!! I will definitely make Season's a part of my normal dining rotation.
This is the first Time we've been to TSB since the new owners took over. The revised menu was fabulous! We really enjoyed the food, but the live music was so loud you couldn't hear the person next to you speak. We had to scream at each other through the meal and with a party of 6 we really had to project.
We just moved to ATL from SF and are enjoying all the new dining options open to us. BUT McDonough?! Who knew. We were in the area, I found Seasons on OT and thought "well, OK". WOW! Live music, GREAT FOOD Service was perfect. BEAUTIFUL old building on the square. -DO walk around after dinner-
If you want ambience, entertainment, and delicious food, Seasons Bistro is the place for you. The staff cater to your needs and are very pleasant yet not overly intrusive. The entertainment provided wonderful background music allowing dinner conversation to continue without elevating our voices. The food, oh...the food! Absolutely mouth-watering with surprising little twists and delectable seasonings. Please put this restaurant on you A list!!
9 minutes from water to tea service. Lousy flat flavorless dinner rolls Had to ask for salt & pepper Would return but the service has to be notched up to be considered "Fine Dining". Server was personable & great- Ithink it was restaurant SOP. Would like to consider once a month rather than once a year.
Never disappoints. One of my fave resteraunts. Great customer service. Wish they still had Valet because we had to park a way off and walk.
Very enjoyable surroundings . Very nice food presentation. Friendly servers. I did let the restaurant know of the Birthday Girl and asked for NO "Happy Birthday " Group song. But I was disappointed when we were not offered a free birthday dessert. Is that too assuming.
Had a great dinner. Invited friends who had not been before and they enjoyed as well. Was another fine dining experience. Great food and service.
This was our first visit here. Loved the decor service and food. Our server was very attentive and professional. The food was excellent. Loved the steak/crostini appetizer. Will be back!
I love the ambiance of Seasons Bistro. This was my 4th visit. We took my mom for her birthday. This is her new favorite place now. The vibe is great. The service is great and the food is great. The Bistro Steak appetizer and the cheesecake banana pudding are must haves! Pick any entree they are all great! We will be back.
Decided to change birthday plans at the last minute and was so glad that I did. Made our reservation online, read menu, and got directions in a matter of minutes. When we arrived the restaurant was practically empty and I was concerned that they might want to rush us through dinner. I was pleasantly surprised! The hostess welcomed us immediately. Billy was our server and was most gracious. The food was the biggest surprise, as it was excellent! I had read some reviews and they were mixed, but am I glad we tried it anyway. I went for a filet, but ordered the butternut squash risotta with shrimp. It was to die for! My husband had the pork chop and it melted in your mouth.He would have preferred to choose his sides . More wine choices, please!
So we were the first people there at openeing. We had to wait on some friends to show. Staff very nice and friendly at not hovering asked for direction to location. They even tried to help with that. Wish we could have stayed for the band. Keep up the excellent work. Love atmosphere and decor
Not only was the food delicious and amazing, the decor was beautiful and the staff was warm, engaging and very friendly!! I arrived a few minutes before the restaurant actually opened for my business dinner reservation of 5PM but the staff welcomed me in and spent time chatting with me about the restaurant's history and the 'history' of the actual building. Very fun chat !!! Toya was our main server and was fabulous. Actually, my entire party truly enjoyed all of the staff! Again.....the food was divine! I have already HIGHLY recommend this restaurant to friends, family and colleagues!
I found this restaurant on the internet and was not sure what to expect with this being a special night for my wife and I. I was pleasantly surprised and pleased with décor. The service and food were excellent. I will go back again and will recommend this restaurant to everyone.
My Filet was perfect. My husbands Tuna was wonderful. The band was really nice and not too loud.We really enjoyed the our evening.
Pricey for "Joe"family but do go for that special occasion. Make one up if necessary! Comfortable setting, attentive staff and menu selections for all tastes. The chef even came out to greet us. We had heard the service was slow but not true. This is not a fast food restaurant!
My wife and I have dined at Bistro several times since moving to the area from the west coast 4 years ago. The food and service and atmosphere was excellent. Each dish (there were 4 of us) was masterfully prepared and was full of flavor. I must also say that the desserts received rave reviews! Much thanks to the owner, Sam, for his thoughtful engagement to each member of my small party. I will be back soon!
Exceeded my expectations. Food and service were A+ Thank You.
I was very impressed with the ambiance and the food. Our server was excellent! We were dining for a bday party in a large group of 16, but they accommodated us very nicely in a side "private" room. My only complaint was that we were never told we would have a limited menu. We chose this venue after looking at their diverse menu online...we only wish we had been told when booking the reservation.
We have lived in the area for over 10 years and just discovered this restaraunt a few months ago. It is a little pricy but wonderful atmosphere and the food is amazing. Must try the butternut squash shrimp risotto. Great live entertainment on weekends too!
The owner actually cared how we liked the food. Great waitstaff. A new accidental find.Special food and special service.Will return again.


text:
Results 1 to 10 of 66
Thread: Wisconsin People
Wisconsin People
Anyone here from WI?
1994 GMC Sierra 1500
4" Rancho Suspension Lift, 2" Body Lift
33" Tires
True Duals with Cherry Bombs, Brush Guard, Cowl Hood
Sold 2008 Silverado Crew Cab 4x4 Z71
09-28-2008, 06:06 PM #2Superior Here
2009 Chevy Sliverado Std cab 5.3, 4 speed Auto 2wd, Trifecta Tuned
1926 Model T Bucket powered by Chevy LS 5.3 TH350 and S-10 rear axle Build period Sept 7, 2010 to April 2011
2006 Chevy HHR 1LT 2.4 Auto, Sunburst II Orange Metallic, Trifecta Tuned, Vinyl Flames
#1 Rated...Nobody, But NOObody has more HHR Deer kills than The Deer Slayer.
10-08-2008, 10:14 PM #3born and raised....unfortunatley now i live in iowa....i wanna come back home though....its the promised land let me tell you
- Join Date
- Jun 2008
- Location
- Milwaukee, Wi
- Posts
- 7
2005 Trailblazer LS 4x4. 4.2L 3.42 rear diff.
12-28-2008, 06:16 PM #5Another Chevy Truck owner from Wisconsin.
Hello to all, I am in SouthWest Wisconsin.
I just bought a 1997 Chevy Tahoe 2dr with the Z71 Off Road pkg and the rear "Barn Doors".
I have been looking for a 2dr Tahoe for a couple years and found this one only 30 miles from home.
It has a lot of miles on it but was very well cared for. I got it from the original owners.
Now I will start detailing it and designing how I will mount all my Amateur Radios and antennas on it.
Thats about all for now. Will write more later.
When we get a nice sunny day and I have the salt and ice cleaned up Ill have to take a picture of it and post it on here.
Everyone have a safe ride and God Bless, John, KB9RYI
01-01-2009, 01:07 PM #6I will be back home to WI in 16 days and then back to Cheyenne for awhile until 28 Feb, then Im out of the military for good, and living back in WI. CANT WAIT!
- Join Date
- Jan 2009
- Location
- Sun Prairie, WI
- Posts
- 15
Live from Sun Prairie
north east of Madison in Dane County.
My eldest son is currently stationed in San Diego, CA (Camp Pendelton). Sgt of Marines
His enlistment is up in Feb, he coming home for good in march. He says 2 tours of IQ and 3 years oversea's are enuf. I know he can't wait either !!!!!!!! nor can I
01-11-2009, 09:17 AM #8Heartland
Eau Claire Here!!! Born and raised
01-13-2009, 09:22 PM #9It always seems no matter where ya go ya always want to go back.
- Join Date
- Mar 2009
- Location
- New Berlin, WI
- Posts
- 6
New Berlin withmy new 09 Colllie Crew Z71
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text: Results 1–10 of 45 for "Chart/Table/Figure"X related to "A champion of change" Refine Your Search Refine Your Search TopicEducation (18)Workplace issues (16)Emotional health (2)Money (2)Children (1) 2 more... [+] HIV & AIDS (1)Race (1)Hide detailsDocument TypeChart/Table/FigureXYear2010 (3) Results 1–10 of 45 Previous 1 2 3 ... Next Relevance Title A-Z Title Z-A Newest First Oldest First Sort by: 1.APA Membership StatisticsThis page features historic membership information from 1892 to present.Chart/Table/Figure 2.Changes in Employment Settings for PhD Psychologists: 1973, 1983, 1993, 1997Between 1973 and 1997, there was a decline in the proportion of psychologists in academic settings and the increase in business/industry.Chart/Table/Figure 3.Programs Applying for Initial AccreditationA list that indicates receipt of self-studies and required payment, signaling voluntary application for initial accreditation by psychology doctoral, predoctoral internship and postdoctoral residency programs noted. Chart/Table/Figure 4.Summary of the Assessment CyberGuide for Learning Goals & Outcomes in the Undergraduate Psychology MajorThis guide helps psychology departments and their faculty craft the most appropriate and effective assessment plans and is a companion resource for implementing the APA Guidelines for the Undergraduate Major in Psychology. Understanding assessment, designing viable assessment plans, sustaining an assessment culture, applying assessment strategies in psychology, and more is included.Chart/Table/Figure 5.Applying Assessment Strategies in PsychologyWhat are the best ways to assess if students are learning values, research methods and critical thinking skills?Chart/Table/Figure 6.Recognized Specialties and ProficienciesPublic descriptions of recognized specialties or proficiencies in professional psychology such as clinical neuropsychology, clinical health, psychoanalytic, school, clinical, clinical child, counseling, industrial-organizational, behavioral and cognitive, forensic, family, professional geropsychology, police, biofeedback: applied psychophysiology, psychopharmacology, sport psychology, and others.Chart/Table/Figure 7.Occupational Characteristics of Psychology Degree RecipientsThe majority of doctoral recipients were employed in psychology, most master's degree recipients were in closely related science and engineering fields and bachelor's recipients were somewhat related or unrelated science and engineering fields.Chart/Table/Figure 8.National Institutes of Health, FY 2005Describes the proposed increases and decreases for each of the National Institutes of Health.Chart/Table/Figure 9.Selected Characteristics of Psychology PhDs: 1997Just under 90 percent of psychology PhDs were employed in 1997Chart/Table/Figure 10.Selected Characteristics of 1994 Psychology Baccalaureate RecipientsBy 1995, the majority of 1994 psychology baccalaureate recipients were employed, with many working outside psychology.Chart/Table/Figure Previous 1 2 3 ... Next Relevance Title A-Z Title Z-A Newest First Oldest First Sort by: ADVERTISEMENT Results 1–10 of 45 for "Chart/Table/Figure"X related to "A champion of change"


text:
The quiet Ubuntu Netbook revolution
Revolutions don't always roil and boil toward a noisy, violent fracas. Sometimes they don't even ripple the surface.
Such is the Ubuntu Netbook revolution, which makes waves in the Linux community--and really nowhere else. Not publicly, at least.
I was fortunate to spend two hours on Tuesday night with Chris Kenyon, head of Canonical's Ubuntu business for original-equipment manufacturing, or OEM. Kenyon, in addition to being a fellow Arsenal fanatic, is also Ubuntu's point man for its quiet, but nonetheless dramatic, Netbook revolution.
Kenyon, who appeared a placid, affable chap when we first met outside Arsenal stadium … Read more


text:
Updated 9/13/13
Three years ago, as she entered senior year, Fiona Brown of Stockbridge, Mass., was "nervous, but not too nervous" about applying for college. She had taken mostly honors and a couple of AP classes and excelled in the humanities and social sciences. But she had struggled some in math and science, posting a cumulative 3.2 GPA and a math SAT score of 570, along with a 720 in verbal and a 650 in writing.
"I definitely wasn't a slacking student," says Brown. On the other hand, she says, she wasn't "the A-plus student," either.
But she'd served as junior class vice president, was involved in music and theater and community service through her church and school organizations, and had completed an independent study project on the psychology of religion, all of which she trusted would complement her not-too-shabby grades. Indeed, Brown impressed the admissions staff at the College of Wooster in Ohio, where she recently finished sophomore year with a 3.8 overall, including an A in statistics.
[Learn how to apply to college for free.]
For the many high school students who haven't earned straight A's, the message from counselors and admissions officials is this: Don't despair! As top-of-the-pack classmates collect rejection letters from highly selective schools, it might be easy for those with mostly B's to think that their only option is a noncompetitive college – or none at all.
But given that the average acceptance rate at four-year colleges and universities is about 64 percent, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling, mid-range students will find no shortage of good options that welcome solid students who've demonstrated their motivation to learn. U.S. News ranks more than 300 of them.
[See the U.S. News Best Colleges rankings.]
"I think really, to be quite honest, most colleges and universities are delighted to work with that student who has a good work ethic and has taken difficult classes and has earned that B average," says W. Kent Barnds, vice president of enrollment at Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill., where the average high school GPA of the most recent incoming class was 3.17. "Many of those students don't remain B students when they choose the right college."
The goal is "not just to be admitted, but to be admitted someplace where you can successfully do the work," says Martha O'Connell, executive director of Colleges That Change Lives, a nonprofit group that educates students and counselors about focusing on fit rather than prestige.
For many students, the best fit might be a small college where they can develop a close relationship with a faculty mentor; for others, it might mean an emphasis on internships or co-op education.
Applicants who have struggled with the SAT or ACT might consider one of the hundreds of colleges – including Bowdoin College in Maine, Franklin and Marshall College in Pennsylvania and Wake Forest University in North Carolina – that are test-optional or use scores only for advising or placement purposes.
Matching your academic profile to a college's means getting to know who you are as a learner – where and why you've struggled, and what you've done to compensate. "Not all GPAs are created equal," says Rich Toledo, director of admission at the University of the Pacific in California. "We want to uncover and sort of lift the hood on what's behind it."


text:
Jasper County native new Iowa Pork Queen
Breanna Branderhorst of Prairie City accomplishes lifelong goal by winning pork queen
First she conquered Jasper County, then the State of Iowa. Next up, the world.
The state of Iowa has a new Pork Queen and she is Breanna Branderhorst of Prairie City. The current freshman at Iowa State University is thrilled by her appointment by the Iowa Pork Producers Association and plans on making her community proud with her newfound royal status.
"I wanted it for awhile," Branderhorst said. "My sister was a princes two years ago. And after watching her compete I knew I wanted to do it."
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text:
VIZIO 55" Class Razor LED™
Smart TV with Theater 3D®
- Theater 3D™ - Crystal clear flicker-free 3D
- VIZIO Internet Apps® with built-in WiFi
- Brilliant Edge Lit Razor LED™
- Enhanced Bluetooth® remote with keyboard
- Includes 4 pairs of Theater 3D™ glasses
- 240Hz effective refresh rate for smoother, fast-action scenes
- 10 million to 1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
- 1080p Full HD
- Theater 3D™ - Crystal clear flicker-free 3D
- VIZIO Internet Apps® with built-in WiFi
- Brilliant Edge Lit Razor LED™
- Enhanced Bluetooth® remote with keyboard
- Includes 4 pairs of Theater 3D™ glasses
- 240Hz effective refresh rate for smoother, fast-action scenes
- 10 million to 1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
- 1080p Full HD
This product is no longer available on VIZIO.com
Product Overview
Bring that intense 3D movie experience home with VIZIO's Theater 3D 55" Class Edge Lit Razor LED™ LCD HDTV with VIZIO Internet Apps, winner of PCMag.com™ Editors' Choice 2012. Theater 3D™ is advanced, flicker-free 3D that's better and brighter than conventional 3D. Including four pairs of lightweight, battery-free glasses you can wear at home or at the movies, this HDTV puts next-generation 3D well within reach.
Featuring Edge Lit Razor LED™ backlighting, 240Hz effective refresh rate, 10,000,000 to 1 DCR and 1080p Full HD, this superb HDTV displays both 3D and HD content with amazing clarity, color and contrast. And VIZIO makes no compromises when it comes to sound with SRS StudioSound HD™.
Also includes VIZIO Internet Apps® and built-in 802.11n WiFi, giving you the convenience of on-demand movies, TV shows, social networking, music, photos, and more—all at the push of a button on the premium Bluetooth® QWERTY remote.
Theater 3D™ Powered by FPR |
VIZIO Internet Apps® (V.I.A.) |
Edge Lit Razor LED™ |
240Hz Effective Refresh Rate |
Dynamic Contrast Ratio |
Customized Bluetooth® Remote |
Theater 3D™ Glasses |
SRS StudioSound HD™ |
Ambient Lighting |
* Works in most movie theaters
†High-speed/Broadband Internet service and access equipment are required and not provided by VIZIO. Additional fees and/or subscriptions required for certain content and services. Applications pictured or described in accompanying documentation may not be available, or may not provide the same functionality, content or services in all areas or as described herein. Applications are subject to future updates and/or modifications without notice.
You may experience discomfort while watching 3D content. You may feel symptoms of eye strain, vision fatigue, color or depth distortion, motion sickness, nausea, dizziness, disorientation, or other discomforts. If you experience any of these symptoms, stop watching television and take a break for at least thirty minutes before resuming. If the symptoms are severe or continue even after you have stopped watching television, consult a doctor.
Even if you do not experience any of these symptoms, take regular breaks from watching 3D content.
Take care to monitor children's watching of 3D content. Children (including teenagers) may be more at risk of experiencing discomfort while watching 3D content and less likely to report symptoms. Monitor children's television viewing and watch for signs of discomfort.
Some viewers may be susceptible to epileptic seizures or strokes when viewing 3D images, even if those conditions have not been previously diagnosed. If you or anyone in your family has a history of seizures or strokes, or if you have any other reason to think you or someone under your supervision may be susceptible to epileptic seizures or strokes, consult a doctor before watching 3D content.
Tech Specs
Video | |
Screen Size: | 55" Class |
Diagonal Viewable: | 54.6" |
Backlight Type: | Edge Lit Razor LED™ |
3D: | Yes |
Resolution: | 1080p |
Colors: | 1.06 billion (10-bit) |
Dynamic Contrast Ratio: | 10,000,000:1 |
Refresh Rate: | 240Hz |
Response Time: | 5.5 ms |
Viewable Angle (H/V): | 178°/178° |
OSD Language: | English, Spanish, French |
Audio | |
SRS StudioSound™: | Yes |
SRS TruSurround HD™: | Yes |
SRS TruVolume™: | Yes |
Speakers/Power Output: | 2 x 10w |
Connections - Inputs | |
HDMI: | 4 (side) |
Component: | 1 (bottom) |
Composite: | 1 (shared with component input) |
PC: | 1 VGA (bottom); DVI via HDMI |
RF Antenna: | 1 (bottom) |
Ethernet: | 1 (bottom) |
USB Ports: | 2 (side) |
Connections - Outputs | |
Digital Audio Out (SPDIF) | 1 (side) |
Analog Audio Out | 1 (3.5mm) (side) |
Multimedia Support | |
Music: | Yes |
Photo: | Yes |
Video: | Yes |
Additional Features | |
VIA (VIZIO Internet Apps): | Yes |
3D File Formats Supported: | Yes |
Smart Dimming: | Yes |
Smooth Motion: | Yes |
Ambient Light Sensor: | Yes |
WiFi: | 802.11n |
Bluetooth: | Yes |
HDMI CEC: | Yes |
HDMI ARC: | Yes |
PIP (Picture in Picture): | No |
Mercury Free: | Yes |
Remote Control: | Bluetooth® universal remote with keyboard |
3D Glasses: | 4 pairs of Theater 3D™ glasses |
Certifications: | UL, CUL, FCC Class B, BQB, HDMI V1.4a incl. CEC/ ARC, App certificates, Dolby Digital |
Compliance: | ENERGY STAR® 5.3, ATSC Spec A/65, EIA/CEA-766-A, California Energy Commission Auto Shut Down |
Weight | |
Gross: | 68.3lbs |
Net With Stand: | 59.5lbs |
Without Stand: | 52.0lbs |
Dimensions | |
With Stand: | 49.7"W x 32.1"H x 11.2"D |
Without Stand: | 49.7"W x 30.5"H x 1.5"D |
Packaging Dimensions: | 54.1"W x 35.3"H x 7.8"D |
Wall Mount Specifications | |
Hole Pattern: | 400mm x 400mm |
Screw Size: | M6 |
Screw Length: | 20mm |
Screw Pitch: | 1.0 |
Power Ratings | |
Power Consumption: | 108W |
Standby Power Consumption: | <1W |
Energy Compliance: | ENERGY STAR® 5.3 |
VIZIO Warranty | One Year Parts & Labor; Free Lifetime Technical Support |
VIZIO, Inc. has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information provided herein. All product specifications, functionality, features, configurations, performance, design and other product information described herein are subject to change without notice. VIZIO, Inc. disclaims liability for typographical, technical, or descriptive errors
Customer Reviews
- Great TV for the price but..... Review by JD
Well, this television is really nice and blows everything else in its price class out the water. Good black levels, excellent color and the WiFi is spot on. The TV is lacking a dedicated web browser but, the SMART apps make up for that. I stream Netflix, Hulu, Vudu and Youtube without any issues. Another good thing about this TV is the ease of setup and customization. Even those with basic understanding of electronics can manage this set. 3D is the best I've seen with no ghosting or cross-talk as well.
Now for the bad news. This TV does not handle 1080/24fps well and during some movies and HD broadcasts I do notice some significant screen jumping. Its not bad enough to warrant not buying the set but, its there and noticable. Another issue is how long it takes the TV to load after turning it on; it takes a pretty descent time so if your trying to hurry-up and catch something you might miss it.
Bottom line, this TV is really nice and the price makes it hard to pass especially in this economy. Yes, there are better television out there but, they also cost a lot more money. This is my first Vizio and I will admit I was a little hesitant in buying due to the companys reliability but, I jumped. Hopefully it lasts me at least a few years.
(Posted on 12/20/12)
- AWESOME! Review by Mike
The 3D is better than what you see in the Cinema's. Color is knock-down spectacular. Sound is equally good with the 40-inch sound bar. I personally don't use the Internet connection much, but it does open up an entirely new world, and the picture quality is just as good as the regular TV.
This is my first Vizio and I am more impressed enough to take the time to write a review about it. It has been a very nice surprise!
This tv delivers the goods.(Posted on 10/16/12)
- Excellent TV Review by Mike L.
This is my first 3D TV and my 4th Vizio - all bought at Costco. Picture excellent, 3D excellent. Debating between this model and the M3D550SR. Both were display models at my local Costco and this one was going for $800. What a steal. Out the door with Samsung BR player, 5 year warranty and the TV with all taxes just over $1000.
(Posted on 8/20/12)
- Excellent Review by Kings
This is by far the best money I have spent in a long time. This TV goes above and beyond my expectations. I have been using VIZIO TV's for 5 years now and all I have to say is I AM VERY SATISFIED WITH THIS COMPANY.
(Posted on 7/24/12)
- Worth Every Penny Review by TMEL60
Originally was going to buy the 65in but would not fit on the wall do to fireplace. Talk about an upset. So opted for the 55in and couldn't be any happier. Picture quality is good. Watched Cars 2 and Captain America with family and we were blown away with the 3D! Purchased at Sam's Club for $1,198.00 with 4yr warrenty. Luckiy they actually had the TV in stock at the store.
(Posted on 7/22/12)
- Hands down, the best TV at this price point! Review by Bizwiz
Let me start off by giving you some background. I have owned 3 Sony HDTV's since 2006. The first was a rear projection LCD model that I purchased for about $3800 in mid-2006 and had a design defect with something called the "optic block" that ended up as the subject of a class action lawsuit. Sony extended the warranty for a year because of it. Some people got new flat panel TV's for free or extreme discounts. Mine was repaired once and by the time it broken again, which was inevitable, It was out of warranty and Sony wouldn't help me. I have bought Sony all my life and thought that sometime you just get a lemon, so I gave them another chance and in mid-2009 bought a KDL-52V5100 for about $2000. I had nothing but problems right out of the box. The TV's auto dimming feature would make the screen so dim that it went very dark in movies and video games and you couldn't see anything in dark scenes, EVEN WITH SMART DIMMING TURNED OFF! Sony sent me a firmware update, which didn't fix it. Then they sent me a new TV, same problem. It was obviously a software/hardware design issue. They sent me a KDL-52W5100 as a replacement, which was a slight upgrade. I was fairly happy with that TV other than the 8-bit panel which did cause noticeable banding at times. Then, in May of 2012 roughly 3 year old it started exhibiting a picture problem where the whole left side of the screen would turn green and horizontal line covering the rest of the screen appeared along with a terrible high pitched squealing noise. Sony, of course, refused to help me as this TV only had a 1 year warranty. I found out from a local shop that it needed a new LCD panel for about $1600, which of course meant that my 3 year old TV was now a big door stop. The Sony name used to mean quality, but after spending almost $6000 in roughly 4 years and then having now working TV is ridiculous. I decided I was done with Sony. It's really too bad. I've been buying Sony my whole life.
Before this I didn't really consider Vizio because it's always been a pretty low end brand. I did some research and found the M3D550KD, which had the same features as the $2400 Sony KDL-55HX850 (except for Gorilla Glass). In fact it scored better than the Sony by far in native contrast ratio and black level. A review from PC Magazine gave it 4 out of 5 stars and the editor's choice award. See review on pcmag.com.
**After connecting to my WI-FI and turning the TV off for about 10 minutes, when I turned back on it had updated itself to the latest firmware.
First thing I did was calibrate the TV using Digital Video Essentials HD - DVE HD Basics Blu-ray. The settings I came up with are below.
User Menu Settings:
* Picture Modes
o Picture Mode : Custom
o Color Temperature : Normal
o Aspect Ratio : Normal/Wide
* Picture Settings
o Backlight : 55
o Contrast : 50
o Brightness : 42
o Color : 55
o Tint : -1
o Sharpness : 8
* Advanced Video
o Smooth Effect : Off
o Real Cinema Mode : Smooth
o Noise Reduction : Off
o Color Enhancement : Off
o Adaptive Lumina : Off
o Film Mode : Auto
o Smart Dimming : Off
o Ambient Sensor : Off
**XBOX360 Users Note: One thing that kind of freaked me out when I first hooked up my XBOX was that if you set resolution to 1080p most of the advanced picture settings disappear from the menu. Not just greyed out/unavailable, the menu actually changes. If you set the TV to the input your XBOX is connected to, bring up the TV settings menu, then power on the XBOX you can actually watch the picture settings menu change! The picture mode (Custom, Standard, Movie, Etc.) in gone, the advanced picture menu is gone and the only options available are Contrast, Brightness, Backlight, Game mode and Ambient Light Sensor. I called Vizio and after finally getting hold of a engineer rather than tech support he verified that it was by design. Apparently the XBOX can communicate with the TV and takes over all these settings. It knows what the TV can and can't do and takes full advantage of the TV's capabilities. If I set the resolution to 1080i it didn't do this. I was a little worried about this at first, but after setting to 1080i and using my tweaked settings I could not make it look nearly as good as the XBOX controlled settings when set to 1080p. The picture was amazing! The PS3 does not exhibit the same behavior when set to 1080p although still looks amazing with my custom settings.
* Verifiable 10-bit panel, so no banding (most companies are not disclosing anymore).
* Very complete set of advanced customizable picture settings.
* Audio was surprisingly better than I expected and better than other LED backlit super thin TV's I've looked at.
* Excellent color and black level.
* Bluetooth Remote with built-in QWERTY keyboard.
* 3D is excellent, it really pops and the TV comes with 4 pairs of glasses (So far, testing with 3D Blu-ray and XBOX 3D games the TV auto detects if you turn 3D on and I haven't had to set the mode manually in the TV menu).
* LG panel (So basically it's generic LG)
* Inexpensive 3D glasses because of passive 3D. ($4 for a pack of 2 on Amazon)
* Lots of built-in web apps. (haven't had any crashing as others have reported)
* Better than expected Standard Definition picture quality.
* Customizable EQ audio settings are a plus. (Not quite as customizable as my old Sony but still very good)
* Screen is more on the glossy side than the matte side so it's semi reflective which makes room placement more important (more so than my old Sony) but not full glossy like most of the Samsung's I looked at.
* No 2D to 3D conversion because of passive 3D.
* Noticeable blooming on really dark scenes (common in all edge-lit LED/LCD's).
* Noticeable "electronic" smell for about the first 3 or 4 days. It's gone now (common in new electronics also).
* As with all Vizio's I've seen, the menu and Apps are a bit slow and clunky (especially compared to the Sony, but it's literally half the price of the equivalent Sony!)
* No manual firmware updates check that I can see and none to download on Vizio's website (although it automatically updated itself almost immediately after I connected it to my WI-FI)
* No DLNA or web browser, which most brands include in a TV of this caliber (possible firmware update in the future?)
* Uses more power than most LED/LCD TV's this size (108 Watts).
Bottom Line:
The best "bang for your buck" TV out there! At this price, you will not be disappointed! This is my first Vizio and I love it. 3D is great, lots of features, and great built-in internet apps.(Posted on 7/17/12)
- Great 3D, Great HD Picture, NO 2D to 3D Review by Tom_Orlando
I just purchased this television from Costco after watching for it's release. I've had it for a week now and love the television with some apprehension. I purchased this television because of its features vs. price and overall I am very happy with the television.
PROS: 3D is Stunning! Shutterless glasses are the way to go. HD Picture is Extremely Clear (Also stunning), Remote has Bluetooth, but TV also has IR so responds to Universal Remote Commands - I didn't even have to reprogram my Universal Remote , YouTube App has been added!!
CONS: No 2D to 3D (biggest disappointment as all other 3d vendors do this), Applications seem glitchey but I'm still learning, Needs an Internet Browser, "Movie" Preset should also turn off Smooth Picture because it makes all movies look like cheap TV soap operas (common to all HDTVs). Can't stream content from a PC, and USB ports do not support USB Hard Drive Media, only Zip Drive Media. I'm having trouble with fat fingers using the pull out QWERTY keyboard but again may get used to it.
3D was a big feature for me; I don't understand folks that review a 3D television but say they really didn't buy it for the 3D. I did. The 3D is in one word STUNNING! I have been floored by the 3D capabilities where some programming literally fills the room overflowing the physical size of the screen. The 3D is very clear and smooth. We see some "ghosting" when in some 3D content, but for us it is because our TV not placed at "Eye level" as it is on a shelf above our fireplace so too high. If I see 3D ghosting and stand up, the 3D picture is perfect. 3D even looks good from the side of the set. One of the first 3D content that I watched was a Brighthouse Networks Free 41 minute 3D feature called "African Adventures." The opening shows an animated Earth that zooms out and then using 3D effects to project the earth into the center of the room right into your face, similar to 3D effects you may have seen at a theme park. Another part that blew me away was a scene with baby elephants and their ears protruded over the edge of the television literally making the 55 inch screen appear so much larger. 3D Games are also cool. 3D content is limited, but as VUDU has just added 3d, I believe other streaming providers will begin adding 3D content. There are already many YouTube videos with excellent 3D content (streamed in "Side-By- Side" mode). My son had several 3D movies that he downloaded (also in Side-By-Side mode) and streams to our tv using "Apple TV." Interesting, because Apple claims that ATV cannot stream 3d. It CAN and they should start streaming more side by side 3D content! And of course using the shutterless 3D glasses is a plus all the way around including that we had six pairs of glasses from the local cinema that work perfectly with this set. On the negative side, Vizio is one of the only (that I found) vendors that does not have 2D to 3D conversion built into their set. With 3D content limited this would be a feature that I would have wanted to play with. I may purchase an external device that does this on the HDMI interface… still less than the price differential between this set and the ones that have this feature included.
For a 3D Blueray player I'm using an old "fat" Playstation 3 and it is working well after having trouble trying figuring out how to get it to recognize 3D (you just have to "reset" the display settings and let it "Auto" discover the HDMI connection… for me it did not work because I had an HDMI splitter that splits the HDMI signal to the TV and HDMI Audio Receiver. I had to bypass this splitter to get it to activate 3d… later reinserted it and all is working fine). I've read that the 3D BlueRay player will introduce variability into how good the 3D effects work and some claim the old fat PS3 is not as good as the newer slim one. I've only watched two 3D Blueray movies but they looked great.
3D Gaming
I love playing "Major League Baseball –The Show" on the PS3, and this game just happens to support 3d (Since MLB11 the Show), and playing in 3D really enhances the game. I was skeptical that 3D would be anything more than a frivolous effect, but it really enhances the game experience where 3D helps you see and judge the pitches as the batter. We also already had Call of Duty Black Ops which also supports 3D and that game has some stunning 3D effects in it too.
Watching Movies
The first thing you notice when you watch a movie on the TV (from ANY source), is that there is something wrong. It looks funny, and you WILL notice it. Note before you read on, know that you can adjust the picture so that it looks "normal," but out of the box, including in Viso's "Movie" preset (which does nothing to address this), you will find ALL movies look funny on your new TV. You MAY like it, but many find it troubling. What is "it?" It is that your TV is VERY high definition and has a super fast refresh rate of 240 Hz. So how is that a problem…. Isn't that why we bought an HDTV in the first place? Yes but you will notice movies look funny, more like cheaply made television video camera shot soap operas rather than movies made on film. We put on the Star Wars Blue Ray and it was very funny looking. Back to the Future too. I mean ROFL funny. The actors looked like they were on a live tv show very bright and very clear, but not at all like a movie film. I actually thought I saw a black square box around one of the starfighter ships in Star Wars, probably a mating effect that I was not supposed to be able to see. There is way to turn off the 240 hz fast refresh (Picture Advanced Options) and when off, movies will look like we are used to on our TVs. I wish Vizio would save this option in their picture presets so that "Movie" preset actually did something rather than just change some brightness and contrast settings. How about it Viso?
I have not played a lot with these applications, primarily because we have Apple TV attached and are used to watching NetFlix and You Tube Videos on that, but I did play a bit with the Visio applications and not too impressed yet. I'm thrilled that they added YouTube, I know that is new for Viso and did not notice it the first time through the loaded apps (you can download many more than what is preloaded), but went back through them and found the YouTube app and started playing with it. The first couple of videos that I selected appeared to get stuck in the streaming function without ever finishing so it would start and stop over and over. I think Visio needs to tweak this app and should force it to buffer 10 seconds of video before trying to play it… this is what the Apple TV appears to do and YouTube works much better. You can also control the YouTube (or other app) stream from the transport controls on the top of the Visio remote so you can manually pause the stream while it buffers and then play it smoothly. It also appeared that Vizio's YouTube app limited the number of videos returned on each search. VIZIO has to add a Web Browser to this television.
I also wish VIZIO would add an application to allow streaming from a PC To the TV (the other shtterless 3D tv vendor has this). Without this I was hoping to move my content to a portable hard drive attached to the tv via the USB ports but Vizio does not support hard drives, only zip drives. I think Vizio needs to improve media support with either or both of these functions (PC Streaming and USB Hard Drive media support).
3D Content
3D Content is limited, but look for 3D Side by Side or Top Bottom and you WILL find content on YouTube and other sources. Brighthouse has nearly a dozen free 3D features that work great (streamed in Top – Bottom mode). Brighthouse also has many 3D pay per view movies. VUDU has started to offer 3D movies and I'm sure others will follow suit. It's not hard to stream 3D movies, the picture just has to be sent in side but side or top and bottom format. My son downloaded some 3D movies (side by side) and streamed them from his laptop to our tv using Apple TV. Apple claims that Apple TV does not support 3D but it does.
So in summary I love my Vizio 3D HDTV. For the price and performance it cannot be beat. There are some areas that should be improved, but it is a great HDTV and a great 3D television. I would definitely recommend this television to friends and family and those that have watched 3D on this television will want one.
(Posted on 5/27/12)
- Great 3D!!! Review by Gunther
I just purchased this at Costco May 24th. Setting up was fast. Got a Panasonic 3D Blue way player at the same time. (VIZIO 3D BrueRAYnot at Costco) Played Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D. WOW! Fantastic effects, image, color!
First impression of TV is extremely Satisfied.
I will put in another review after I have used the TV for a few months.(Posted on 5/25/12)
- Amazing Review by GottaHaveIt
Bought mine at costco today, comes in a red and white box. the costo website did not show it but they had it in store for 1200. the KD model that i got is better than the SR model in that it has double the contrast ratio.
This TV fixes all the problems with the previous versions of vizio 3d. This Tv uses the same glasses as the RealD theaters, so you can get extras for free when you go see a 3d movie. There is NO blue ghosting issues on this model. Just Make sure you are using a newer HDMI Cable 1.4. You can get High Quality Monster brand for less than $40 if you shop around. dont pay 120 for an HDMI cable. The 3d is spectacular, the colors are perfect. i changed the picture mode to vivid for a better picture. the tv speakers sound just ok, but i watch movies thru my 7.1 surround stereo anyway so its not an issue. The internet streams movies without a glitch, this is dependent on your internet speed, i would not recommend an internet service with less than 15MB for flawless streaming.(Posted on 5/21/12)
- Excellent unit, worth the investment! Review by KawasakiNinjaDude714
Just got this TV yesterday and its AWESOME! The colors are awesome! The black levels are awesome! And most of all the 3D is out of this world! I enjoy the Netflix app, glad it comes up with a click of a button. What needs improvement is in the sound department, not a big deal though I'm going to correct this with Vizio's sound bar, VHT215. Overall this is an excellent unit, It's worth the investment. Go Vizio!
(Posted on 5/16/12)


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Below is 11point.com's list of "the most hypocritical, ignorant, and, based on the content of the books, ironic" bans:
- Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury: The sci-fi classic is about a future government that bans and burns books. 'Nuff said?
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain: The anti-slavery classic is still banned in places for its use of the word "nigger."
- The Satanic Verses, Salman Rushdie: A book satirizing "narrow-minded" aspects of Islam inspired Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini to put out a hit on the author.
- Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl: Banned in Alabama for being "a real downer."
- The Harry Potter series, JK Rowling: Religious watchdog groups outlawed a series that teaches "love, understanding, and tolerance."
For the complete list, click here.


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Three Lessons that Hotels Should Learn from the AirlinesBy Jean Francois Mourier Many hoteliers and revenue managers dont know that revenue management in hotels actually developed from the successes of airlines yield management practices. I know what youre thinking: my hotel doesnt fly, so I cant use the same processes that an airline does. It just doesnt make good business sense. Actually, it does. Hotels have many of the same issues and challenges that the airlines do: perishable inventory, customers booking in advance, lower cost competition and wide swings with regard to balancing supply and demand.[i] Hotels use the same websites and reservations channels to sell their rooms, as airlines do to sell their seats. Hotels have to manage rates and occupancy, just like airlines do. Even the factors that are examined in a successful yield/revenue management practice are the same: 1 Number of seats/rooms available? 2 How much time is left to sell the seat/room? 3 What are your competitors charging for the same seat/room? So, if airline yield management and hotel revenue management came from the same source (the airlines) and are based upon many of the same business challenges and pricing factors, then why are the two industries so different today? To be honest, I dont know why the hotel industry hasnt adopted the sophisticated algorithm-based revenue management technology that the airlines have. But Im willing to give you the benefit of the doubt in that you probably didnt know about how successful the airlines have been using yield management. So Im here today to tell you the three lessons that your property can learn from the pricing experts at the airlines. Lesson #1: Consumers already understand and expect fluctuating prices from airlines, so why arent the hotels doing it too?This one is pretty self-explanatory. Lets move on to Lesson #2: Algorithms, algorithms, algorithmsAs I mentioned earlier, hotels and airlines use the same factors to determine rates. The major difference between airlines yield management and hotels revenue management processes are that the majority of hotels analyze all of the data collected manually, whereas airlines use sophisticated algorithm-based systems to analyze, interpret and price their seats. Wait, did you think that American Airlines uses a channel manager? Nope, theyre more high-tech than that. And your property should be too. Especially since airlines are competing in a much smaller market (there are perhaps 20-40 airlines flying to any given destination) than hotels, where there could be 500 different properties in a single destination. Thats even more reason for hotels to get on board with automation and rate fluctuations, all handled by the capable bytes of a sophisticated algorithm-based revenue management system. Surprisingly, there is only one company that offers a full-automated, algorithm-based revenue management system. Can you guess who that is (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)? Lesson #3: Price your rooms based upon what the market will bear.A very common pricing strategy for hotels is to offer a set price while the property is at 0-50% occupancy, but once occupancy goes above that point, rates are increased. In most cases, this results in a high volume of bookings from 0-50% occupancy, and then a huge drop-off of sales once the rate is increased. Obviously, this often leads to hotels with lots of empty rooms (and lots of empty space in their wallets as well). Airlines do it better. Rather than changing rates at random intervals based on their capacity, they consistently update their rates (automatically, of course) to ensure that they are offering the best possible price that will still secure bookings. Airlines prices are based on what the market will bear all the time, from 0-100% capacity. A hotel at 20% occupancy isnt a rare occurrence (especially during the off-season) but when was the last time that you saw an airplane that was only 20% full? So take a lesson (or three!) from the airlines in order to increase both your occupancy and RevPAR ASAP. Your revenues will be soaring sky-high in no time (pun intended!). [i] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenue_management#History About REVPAR GURU REVPAR GURU provides hotels around the world with an alternative revenue management software system, designed to deliver maximum bookings and profits. As REVPAR GURU's custom-designed Yield Dynamic Price Engine is the only real-time revenue management system available on the market, it meets the rapidly changing needs of hotels in a very demanding business environment. REVPAR GURU's system offers dynamic rate optimization, real-time pricing, integrated internet and extranet yield channel management and GDS sales distribution, to increase a hotel's RevPAR intelligently and effectively, while maintaining rate integrity and automated rate parity. Since 2004, REVPAR GURU's software system has been used by hotels worldwide to increase occupancy and RevPAR. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, additional information can be found at www.revparguru.com or by calling +1.786.478.3500. Related articles
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