giftlocal-blog - Tumblr blog

[giftlocal-blog]

Whether you’re an LA native or just vacationing on the west coast, The District by Hannah An is a must-try restaurant. Hannah’s dedication to cooking comes after years of learning in her grandmother’s kitchen. At The District, you will experience traditional Vietnamese dishes with a flavorful, new-age twist. 

Pictured above is the Shaken Beef. This savory-sweet stir-fry, known as bo luc lac or “dice” in Vietnamese, gets its English name from the constant shaking of the pan performed by the cook while browning the meat. 

Other signature dishes that may suit your fancy include Wok lobster with hand-made noodles, and the turmeric-crusted Chilean bass with dill rice vermicelli noodle. If you have never tried fresh, hand-made noodles, this dish will rock your world! 

If you know an LA foodie who would love to experience an evening at The District by Hannah An, you can gift them one of these signature dishes directly from their online gifting menu, powered buy ItsOnMe.

Links:

Hannah’s Full Gifting Menu

Gift the Shaken Beef

Hannah Ann’s Website & Hours

[giftlocal-blog]

Great Last Minute Gifts For Dad

Send any of these tasty gifts to the Dad in your life instantly.

Gift Dad this Chili Crab from District One or choose from hundreds of other tasty gifts in Las Vegas - https://www.itson.me/shop/las-vegas

Gift Dad this Fried Clam and Lobster Slider or choose from hundreds of other tasty gifts in NYC - https://www.itson.me/shop/new-york

Gift Dad this Pimento Burger from ABV in San Francisco or choose from hundreds of other tasty gifts in San Francisco - https://www.itson.me/shop/san-francisco

Gift Dad one of dozens of modern Indian Tapas at Sambar in Los Angeles or choose from hundreds of other tasty gifts in LA - https://www.itson.me/shop/los-angeles

Choose from hundreds of amazing golf courses around the country and gift Dad and his buddies a round on you - https://www.itson.me/shop/now-gifting-golf

From incredible cocktails to just a couple good shots of Whiskey

Click here www.itson.me/shop and send dad a thoughtful gift.

Remember when you #Gift #Local you are not only gifting something amazing but supporting that local community and the entrepreneurs that make our cities and neighborhoods so unique

[giftlocal-blog]

Negronis at Bodega 1900 before dinner at "Tickets" with Jolene Mannina. This should be one for the books.

[giftlocal-blog]

If you are in Barcelona make sure you have a drink with Bart El Nacional.

[giftlocal-blog]

Waiting for the gates to open at El Nacional and for my second meal of the day. 12pm Barcelona.

[giftlocal-blog]

undefined

The name of the restaurant is 2254. This. Is the number of miles the owners drive from Sicily to Barcelona on their Vespa before opening this restaurant. These are the smoked sardines which were one of my favorite dishes of the meal with Andy Choy and Jolene Mannina.

[giftlocal-blog]

undefined

Amazing smoked sardines at 2254 in Barcelona with Andy Choy and Jolene Mannina. Amazing story about his restaurant name. 2254 is the number of miles they drive from Sicily to Barcelona on their Vespa and why they named the restaurant 2254.

[giftlocal-blog]

Grabbed a quick lunch with Jolene Mannina before going into the Picasso museum today at a little spot in the alleys of El Born Barcelona. 

 These are the suckling pig tacos at Bar Del Pla, definitely a locals spot and super tasty.

[giftlocal-blog]

Love #sashimi, head over to @othermamalv and you are in for a treat. Not to mention $1 super fresh #oysters #giftlocal (at Other Mama LV)

[giftlocal-blog]

How Technology and You Can Support Community

We make choices everyday that not only effect our personal lives but the community we live in as well. From what car you drive to what businesses you shop at and support these decisions all effect the community we live in.

It's On Me mission statement: Give people an easier way to stay connected, appreciate and love each other while supporting local brick and mortar businesses and community.

So what is It's On Me?

It's On Me is a mobile gifting platform that allows anyone to gift another at a local brick and mortar business in real time from the web or from the It's On Me app.

How can It's On Me support the community?

By creating a real-time market place comprised of local businesses available to everyone.

What is a real life example of this in action?

3,000+ homes that were sold this month in Las Vegas and thousands of Home Loans which add up to 1000's of closing gifts. 

Imagine if every closing gift was to a local restaurant, spa, salon, craft store.

Imagine if our local professionals spent the money they are already spending but directed it towards the businesses in the communities they live in and sell into.

Just 1000 gifts at $100 each equals $100,000 of business in our communities.

Now imagine if everyone else in the world who wanted to say congrats to that new home owner could also "Gift Local" supporting our businesses and communities from thousands of miles away.

Are you a realtor?

Does the Toblerone, summer sausage and bottle of wine in the gift basket support the community you live in?

Gift your client and new home owner into a local restaurant or business in their new neighborhood.

We all have the opportunity to build relationships, and be part of a solution that creates more meaningful experiences while supporting our community. 

Text "Its On Me" to 31996 for an invite to the app and for your first gift on us. Feel free to use it or to re-gift it to someone else and share the love. As the holidays get closer remember you have a choice of how to say "Thanks", "Congrats" and "Happy Holidays" and you have the choice to #GiftLocal and support your community.

Sample local Las Vegas Gifting Locations: DW Bistro, Herbs and Rye, The Juice Standard, Ferraros Restaurant and Lounge, Commonwealth, Honey Salt, Yonaka Modern Japanese, Grass Roots, Vanguard Lounge, Frankies Tiki Room, Forte European Tapas, O Face Doughnuts, Hussong's Cantina, Bin 702, Park on Fremont, Insert Coins, District One Kitchen and Bar, Atomic Liquor, Artifice, Mundo, Velveteen Rabbit, Banger Brewing, Bronze Cafe, Carson Kitchen, Double Down Saloon, Eat, Ghostbar, N9NE Steakhouse, Grinders Pizza Lounge, House Of Blues, Le Thai, Made L.V., Lolas Louisiana Kitchen, Mingo Kitchen and Lounge, Nacho Daddy, MTO Cafe, Naked City Pizza, RCP, Rock'N'oodles, The Goodwich, The Dillinger, The Mob Museum, Tommy Rockers, The View Wine Bar and Kitchen, Wild, and more.

#GiftLocal, #GiftTasty and Gift an experience, it feels good.

[giftlocal-blog]

Mobile Gifting and the death of the plastic and eGift card.

Question to think about: As an operator of a brick and mortar business have you thought about the every day life and purchasing patterns of your customers?

For example, if you own a bar or restaurant or even a salon is selling plastic gift cards from your B&M location a good business model? Even eGift vouchers sold from your website are antiquated if you think about the real-time mobile world we live in today.

Never before in the history of mankind have we been so hyperaware of celebratory events. 100's of millions of times a day people are updating there social networks with what we are calling lead generation.

Facebook is sending out 50 million birthday alerts a day! People are tweeting "It's my birthday" or "He put a ring on it" and friends of theirs thousands of miles a way would gift them something if they could.

Mobile Gifting ties together Real-Time Lead Generation, Local Search and Mobile Payments to allow anyone in the world to say "Congrats" or "Thank you" in real time. This means driving global revenue to support local B&M business at full retail price (A very big deal).

When is the last time you saw a Social Media update about an engagement or a college buddies bday where if possible you might have bought him a beer and said "Happy birthday buddy, this round is on me". Shouldn't business owners be thinking about a larger sales funnel allowing for a greater number of people the ability to spend money at their business and with gifting this means driving them a new customer into their location with a gift card.

Mobile Gifting also introduces a new kind of gift, The Micro Gift. Micro Gifting is an incredibly under penetrated market until now. Up to now someone would go to a business a week in advance pick up a $25 to $100 gift card and send it to a client or friend as a gift or a thank you. I propose that consumer is disappearing at an alarming rate and consumers are moving to a real-time purchasing mind set.

Need a cab, Uber! Need a Hotel room right now, Hotel Tonight! Need food delivered, Seamless! Owe someone $50 for your half of lunch, Venmo! Need a reservation right now, Open Table! So why can't I send a gift right now saying "thanks" or "Congrats" to a friend, co-worker or loved one?

It's On Me now allows you to simply browse local merchants where your friend is and gift them something there. Are you in London and you just found out your sales rep closed a big deal or your cousin just got engaged? See where they are, find the perfect gift like a bottle of champagne at a local restaurant or a shot at a local dive bar and let them know you care.

Just like American Express supports small businesses with "Shop Small" and "Small Business Saturday" It's On Me supports local brick and mortar businesses at full retail price every day of the year. 

Want to check it out? Let me buy you a gift right now. Text "Banger Brewing" to 31996 and let me buy you a beer. Or you can just go to www.itson.me and check it out for yourself.

[giftlocal-blog]

Thanks for all the birthday wishes but please stop sending me gifts

The best gift you can give me this year is to gift someone else.

Have a friend you haven't talked to in a while? Maybe a college buddy just got a new job or had a baby boy. Did a neighbor or co-worker help you at last week?

Then log into It's On Me and tell them "Thanks" or "Congrats" with something tasty right from your phone. That would be the best gift you can give me this year and yourself when you see how much they appreciate it.

Here are a few things you could gift if you feel like it

Some Killer Sliders from N9NE Steakhouse

Some killer Thai food at Le Thai

Authentic Flaming cocktails at Frankies Tiki Room

Almost any dish on the DW Bistro menu

Anything from the Meatballs and Chorizo to every single cocktail at Herbs and Rye

From bottles of Champagne and Caviar Flatbread at Forte Tapas to insanely delectable tacos at Ice cold beer at Desnudo Tacos let someone know how awesome they are with a little gift and see what happens.

My gift to you is the ability to gift anyone, anywhere, anytime and for any reason. If you text "DTzen" to 31996 I will also buy you a beer that you can redeem or re-gift to someone else. 

Thanks again for all the birthday wishes and thanks for sharing the idea of Mobile Gifting.

[giftlocal-blog]

What do you put on your #shrimp and #oysters? #raku #lasvegas #CES2014 #caviar (at Raku)

[giftlocal-blog]

So many tasty #robata grill skewers @ #rakulasvegas but the #sushi is oh so good. (at Raku)

[giftlocal-blog]

Whole fish with #Raku famous Agadashi Tofu. I could eat this for days. (at Raku)

[giftlocal-blog]

Amazing dinner last night at #Raku #lasvegas. This clay pot rice dish with Salmon and Roe was a real surprise and amazing. (at Raku)

[giftlocal-blog]

2014 starts off with Tapas in NYC

My first meal of 2014 was a Cheeseburger and Club Sandwich from room service 8:30 am at he NoMad hotel in NYC January 1. My second meal was incredible Lamb Chops made at home later that day from Park East Kosher (The Butcher with the best Lamb in Manhattan)

This blog post is about my first meal out in 2014 which was last night. I had the pleasure along with my business partner Jon Gutwillig to dine at Toro in Chelsea on 15th and 11th Ave (85 10th).

Here are some of the standout dishes, it would be embarrassing to share them all with you unless there were 6 of us at dinner.

Corazon: Smoked Beef Heart with Romesco on toast.

This was a perfectly balanced dish with a perfectly balanced heat.

This Ballotine was a gift sent to the table from Chef and it was incredible. Came with bread to spread it on but I never used. The mixture of smoked pumpkin seeds and pickled mustard seeds really played with Ballotine itself.

LENGUA CON LENTEJAS Y SALSA VERDE Smoked Tongue With Lentils And Salsa Verde (One of my favorite dishes)

#Bocadillo De Tetilla:

pressed sandwich of SeaUrchin, Miso Butter and pickled mustard seeds.

NAVAJAS A LA PLANCHA (Were amazing) Seared Razor Clams With Lemon, Garlic And Piquillo Peppers

Ventrecsa: Spanish #Tuna #Belly, tomato tapenade and celery leaves on toast. 

Good friends paired with a couple bowls of tripe and Bone marrow with radiated and Beef Cheek Marmalade.

Morcilla Y Callos: Tripe and Marfaix beans with #BloodSausage 

Asado De Huesos: Roasted #BoneMarrow with radish citrus salad and #BeefCheek marmalade. 

Escalavida Catalana: #Smoked Eggplant, onions, peppers and tomatoes with sherry vinegar and olive oil. 

PATO CON MEMBRILLO Smoked Duck Drumettes With Quince Glaze

Panza de Cerdo: #Crispy #PorkBelly with apples, squash, rutabagas and berbere. 

Higado Frito: #Fried chicken liver stuffed sage leaves. 

Mollejas: Crispy veal sweetbreads with‏ blood orange, fermented black beans, peanuts and celery root

Hamburguesas: grass fed mini burgers with smoked tomato, aioli and pickled red onion (These couldn't have been any better in any way)

Pulpo: Pictures are not the best only because the lighting and ambience while perfect is not ideal for picture taking. The Octopus was awesome.