Join Sponge Cake, a Hongkonger living with her talkative cat in the heart of Berlin. You’ll hear the adventures of a Cantonese speaker in a foreign land, navigating constant culture shocks and the challenges of growing up in a grassroots environment. No sugar-coating here – just real talk, hilarious rants, unpopular opinions and some seriously dangerous stories that might affect her social credit. But it’s not all serious business. Her hypersensitivity has led her to discover some life hacks ...
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The podcast that does what it says in the title! In each episode Mark Sanford shows you how to make cakes, with tips, advice and recipes to make fabulous cakes. Visit the blog at http://www.howtomakecakes.co.uk for the recipes, photos and videos on how to make cakes
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An insightful and at times irreverant look at what is happening in the world of hospitality. Hosted by Raj Randhawa and Richard Majewski, between them they have over 40 years of experience of working in the hospitality industry. Raj is CEO of AVQuest, a UK-based technology company specialising in delivering highly integrated payment and analytics solutions to hotels and serviced apartment operators. AVQuest also provide a wide-range of other technologies to the industry. The AVQuest solution ...
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Recently, there's been a heated debate surrounding the gender of two female boxers participating in the Paris Olympics. This has sparked discussions about traditional gender definitions and highlighted that even cisgender individuals aren't free from gender discrimination. While I've learned a lot about human biology and sports event eligibility, I…
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Japan Ichiban - Rediscovering My Asianness
50:55
50:55
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After five years away from Asia, I finally returned and traveled to Tokyo, stirring up a whirlwind of emotions. Tokyo felt more like Hong Kong than Berlin and yet, not my home at all. Check out my rough travel diary with a bit of personal reflections and a lot of cultural rediscoveries, especially if you are a weeb. To my friends: tune in to this e…
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First Time Out of My Bedroom (LIVE SHOW)
1:03:37
1:03:37
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On April 27th, I gathered with a group of Berliners in Moabit, Berlin to gossip about everything (especially our families). We covered topics from broader social issues to the most intimate anecdotes of our lives. While many feel pressured to be cool and unique in Berlin, some of us found happiness in the ordinary. Most topics started with specific…
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After going through a divorce, I genuinely wish the best for people when they get married—it's no easy journey. Some people had more ups and downs than cryptocurrency. Sorry for always bringing up financial stuff; I'm from Hong Kong and grew up with ticker symbols as my lullaby. Are there any other malevolent kids out there who secretly wished thei…
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Hooray! Lunar New Year is finally basically over, so now I am gonna rant about this festival. Honestly, I might just be a lazy shit, so I am always slow with podcast updates. Getting lazy-shamed by comedians is a new experience for me as a cliche workaholic Asian. Have you ever given advice to your friends and regretted it, sometimes even losing fr…
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There are two things I find difficult as a socially awkward introvert - small talk in a work meeting and small talk before sex. Dating apps might have closed the door for some extroverts, but it has definitely saved my ass. People tend to create a stereotypical image of the person they are dating. I was sometimes seen as the emotionless dating mach…
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My favorite topic - how “being poor” is different from “being poor”, speaking from my experience as the "middle class" kid in the working class world. Poor people also need some authentic and diverse representation beyond the fundraising campaigns. No competition here, just remembering what my mom used to say about growing her own food and sharing …
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Berlin is getting cleaner, but it's losing a bit of that famous poor and charm. Same story back in Hong Kong. I'm feeling nostalgic for the bustling wet markets where Asian moms scored all their essentials and gossiped, the best networking location for them. Ever wondered why people hold eggs up to the light? Oh, and don't get me started on those a…
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Visiting the gynecologist is the worst experience, so bad that it feels like my soul would escape from my body. Do you know that many comedians are actually trying to save money on therapy by doing stand-up? As part of the workaholic folks, I have some advice that I often fail to follow myself, but seriously, let's stop being stupid! Of course, I d…
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My biggest joy is checking what's in the junk email every week. Besides the notifications about someone matching with me on Tinder, there's some other juicy stuff that keeps me awake all the time. It's hard to believe that English has become my primary survival tool, despite my initial promise to avoid it at all costs. You will hear the most inappr…
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Being away from Hong Kong has kinda left me out of the loop when it comes to what's expected socially. But I'll never forget the battles I faced with my body while growing up. These days, I can wear whatever I want without a second thought, but back then, even buying new clothes was a nightmare. And then there's my parents' upbringing, which just a…
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Noises, Mystery, and Glimpses of the Past
33:57
33:57
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I am sure it’s not just me, silence expectations often surprise newcomers in Germany. Is loud chewing a punishable offense? Also, let’s stop shying away from the mystery behind the suspicious content recommended to us on social media. A little sentimental after this - time to revisit an old acquaintance who still lingers in my thoughts. Of course, …
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Berlin vs Hong Kong: An Unsolicited Showdown
36:26
36:26
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Getting down to the surface after my years of internship in Berlin, here's the topic of my presentation – German efficiency (Entschuldigung, where?). You're gonna hear my review on everyday experience, vibes, and all that jazz. Heads up, I’ve got a bunch of complaints, so join me or beat me!By Sponge Cake
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Setting the expectation! You are gonna hear what I wanna do with this podcast, and what you can expect in the following episodes. No big promises, just a laid-back journey with surprises in store.By spongecake049
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Using Analytics in the Hospitality Industry, Or How do You Stop Stating The Obvious?
1:05:53
1:05:53
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Special guest Michael McCartan, Chief Growth Officer at Atomize, in conversation with our very own Raj Randhawa. Topics discussed include Analytics and the art of seeing beyond the obvious. How hotels and serviced apartment operators leave money on the table!!. How the world of analytics and automated payments can reduce cancellations in a world wi…
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Sea snakes and the challenge they are posing for marketing hotels
1:12:46
1:12:46
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After what seems like an age, Raj and Richard catch-up, football, tennis, the Olympics, builders and first steps out of the pandemic, and that’s just the catch-up . Further topics discussed are Vaccines passports - the duo talk about vaccine passports, masks, the inability of governments to think ahead and business expectations with regard to staff…
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Should Victoria sponge cake really define the hospitality industry?
1:03:33
1:03:33
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As usual, Raj and Richard start with their favourite topic, football. Some say it’s the greatest game in the world, they would say ‘how can it not be’. Further topics discussed are With England coming out of lockdown (‘Again..’), the duo talk about Coronavirus and its implications in opening up to a New Normal. Analysing customer data to increase s…
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The G7 - Climate Change Implications on Hospitality - Vaccine Projects - Ice Cream
1:18:37
1:18:37
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Today’s topics include :- The G7 Summit. They came, they saw, did they conquer? Climate Change and its impact on hospitality. Is the industry taking this seriously? Vaccine Passports – a good or bad idea? The ‘New’ Normal – not another ‘New’ Normal. Can’t we just get back to Normal? Higher Unemployment In London Than The Rest Of The UK – What’s goi…
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Coming Out Of Lockdown - Insurance - Direct Bookings - Walk-ins
1:01:35
1:01:35
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Coming out of lockdown, how do the hosts think it will change perceptions as the hosptiality industry recovers from the pandemic, shouldn't we be thinking about making it easier for consumers and businesses. An insightful and at times irreverent look at what is happening in the world of hospitality. Hosted by Raj Randhawa and Richard Majewski, betw…
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Good Growing Weather - Football - Hospitality - Making Life Easier For Owners and Staff
55:25
55:25
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Approaching the end of the season, how do the hosts think it will end, and as the hosptiality industry recovers from the pandemic, shouldn't we be thinking about making life easier for owners and staff. An insightful and at times irreverent look at what is happening in the world of hospitality. Hosted by Raj Randhawa and Richard Majewski, between t…
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The most popular recipe so far on the blog! The English classic sponge cake that everyone lovesBy Mark Sanford
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Red velvet cakes are an american tradition with cream cheese frosting. Very popular!By Mark Sanford
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01: Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting
10:00
10:00
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Video on how to make a tasty moist carrot cake with cream cheese frostingBy Mark Sanford
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