From space-themed restaurants to shops selling snacks astronauts eat during missions — there are plenty of stellar food experiences on Florida’s Space Coast.
Several towns bordering launch pads in Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and the Kennedy Space Centre have themed restaurants and stores.
These include the city of Cape Canaveral, Merritt Island, Titusville and Cocoa Beach — all popular spots for tourists who are visiting to view rockets lift-off.
Many businesses in these areas have been naming their brands after space objects since the early days of the US space programme in the 1950s and 1960s.
Dehydrated food is sent to space because water is heavy. Removing it helps with reducing weight on a spacecraft and gives the food longer shelf life.
It was a clever way to attract more customers into their establishments.
Tourists flocked to the Space Coast to witness America’s attempt to launch its first astronaut into space and then send humans to the Moon as part of the Apollo programme.
The space race between the US and the former Soviet Union fuelled the country’s efforts to become a space power.
Today, many businesses, especially restaurants, are still catering to tourists who are after an out-of-this-world experience.
Space, globally, is gaining momentum again as the sector enters a new era with private companies leading the way this time.
The National visited some of these space-themed establishments.
The Space Bar
Located in Titusville and only 15 minutes away from the Kennedy Space Centre, this food joint has a stellar atmosphere.
Guests are greeted by an enormous model astronaut and then board a “rocket elevator” with a narrator and sound effects that gives the illusion of lift-off.
Once on the rooftop level, a massive mural of the Moon that lights up during the night welcomes guests into the restaurant.
Star-themed cushions and a menu filled with space-inspired drinks add to the cosmic experience.
However, the best part are the unobstructed views of the some of the launch pads and Nasa’s massive Vehicle Assembly Building, where rockets are stored and prepared for a launch.
Guests can view a rocket launch while dining.
On the menu, there are sandwiches, poke bowls, snacks and desserts.
Orbit Cafe
A popular place for children, this food establishment is located in the Kennedy Space Centre Visitor Complex.
Guests can self-order from rocket-shaped kiosks, with breakfast and lunch on offer.
Enormous rocket models that tell the history of the US space programme surround the restaurant.
One-day entry tickets for the Kennedy Space Centre Visitor Complex are $75 per adult and $65 per child.
Moon Rock Cafe
Also located in the visitor complex, the Moon Rock Cafe is astronomically different to the Hard Rock Cafe global restaurant chain.
Instead of live bands blasting music, you can hear rocket engines roar loudly as they launch only a few miles away.
It is an indoor restaurant with outdoor seating. Guests can also take their trays to the massive seating area spread across the location for launch viewing.
On the menu, there are “Space Dots” ice cream, pizza, chicken tenders, fries, juices, chocolate milk, chips and chocolates — making it an ideal spot for kids and kids-at-heart.
Astronaut food
Gift shops on the Space Coast sell snacks astronauts can eat in space.
The National tried the freeze-dried ice cream sandwich in two different flavours — classic vanilla and strawberry.
You have to take a strong bite to crack into the hard chocolate biscuit and the “ice cream”.
Al though the flavour is there, the snack crumbles into pieces easily.
Dehydrated food is sent to space because water is heavy. Removing it helps with reducing weight on a spacecraft and gives the food longer shelf life.
Space Shirts
Many shops spread across Florida sell space-themed souvenirs.
Space Shirts is one that is located while on the way to the Kennedy Space Centre.
A huge model of a Nasa’s Space Launch System rocket welcomes visitors into the shop.
Across from the shop, a new restaurant called The Galaxy Bar and Grill is opening soon.
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The major Hashd factions linked to Iran:
Badr Organisation: Seen as the most militarily capable faction in the Hashd. Iraqi Shiite exiles opposed to Saddam Hussein set up the group in Tehran in the early 1980s as the Badr Corps under the supervision of the Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The militia exalts Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei but intermittently cooperated with the US military.
Saraya Al Salam (Peace Brigade): Comprised of former members of the officially defunct Mahdi Army, a militia that was commanded by Iraqi cleric Moqtada Al Sadr and fought US and Iraqi government and other forces between 2004 and 2008. As part of a political overhaul aimed as casting Mr Al Sadr as a more nationalist and less sectarian figure, the cleric formed Saraya Al Salam in 2014. The group’s relations with Iran has been volatile.
Kataeb Hezbollah: The group, which is fighting on behalf of the Bashar Al Assad government in Syria, traces its origins to attacks on US forces in Iraq in 2004 and adopts a tough stance against Washington, calling the United States “the enemy of humanity”.
Asaeb Ahl Al Haq: An offshoot of the Mahdi Army active in Syria. Asaeb Ahl Al Haq’s leader Qais al Khazali was a student of Mr Al Moqtada’s late father Mohammed Sadeq Al Sadr, a prominent Shiite cleric who was killed during Saddam Hussein’s rule.
Harakat Hezbollah Al Nujaba: Formed in 2013 to fight alongside Mr Al Assad’s loyalists in Syria before joining the Hashd. The group is seen as among the most ideological and sectarian-driven Hashd militias in Syria and is the major recruiter of foreign fighters to Syria.
Saraya Al Khorasani: The ICRG formed Saraya Al Khorasani in the mid-1990s and the group is seen as the most ideologically attached to Iran among Tehran’s satellites in Iraq.
(Source: The Wilson Centre, the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation)
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Moment of the day Pakistan’s effort in the field had hints of shambles about it. The wheels were officially off when Wahab Riaz lost his run up and aborted the delivery four times in a row. He re-measured his run, jogged in for two practice goes. Then, when he was finally ready to go, he bailed out again. It was a total cringefest.
Stat of the day – 139.5 Yasir Shah has bowled 139.5 overs in three innings so far in this Test series. Judged by his returns, the workload has not withered him. He has 14 wickets so far, and became history’s first spinner to take five-wickets in an innings in five consecutive Tests. Not bad for someone whose fitness was in question before the series.
The verdict Stranger things have happened, but it is going to take something extraordinary for Pakistan to keep their undefeated record in Test series in the UAE in tact from this position. At least Shan Masood and Sami Aslam have made a positive start to the salvage effort.
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Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
