HACIENDA HEIGHTS, Calif. (AP) — The only familiar signs at the McDonald's in this large Asian community are the golden arches, the drive-through and the menu.
Gone are the plastic furniture, Ronald McDonald and the red and yellow palette that has defined the world's largest hamburger chain. Leather seats, earth tones, bamboo plants and water trickling down glass panels have taken their place.
The makeover elements are meant to help diners achieve happiness and fortune — whether they realize it or not.
That's because the restaurant was redesigned using the principles of feng shui, the ancient Chinese practice of arranging objects and numbers to promote health, harmony and prosperity.
The concept is an unlikely fit with fast food. But the restaurant's owners say the designs are aimed at creating a soothing setting that will encourage diners to linger over their burgers and fries, and come back again.
The makeover is part of the attempt by McDonald's Corp. in recent years to remodel hundreds of its restaurants to attract more patrons with unique decor and amenities that might entice them stay awhile.
It also fits into McDonald's larger corporate practice of catering to local tastes, such as a fondue-style burger in France or a pita-wrapped "McArabia" sandwich in the Middle East.
"We can't look too cookie cutter," Mark Brownstein, one of three owners of the restaurant, said about the new decor.
The basic principles of feng shui include placing strategic representations of five natural elements — earth, water, fire, metal and wood — around the room to increase the flow of chi, or energy.
Feng shui (fung shway) has been employed in the designs of high-rises, banks, even zoo exhibits, and has been popularized by countless coffee table books and TV shows such as HGTV's "Fun Shui." It's also used in the designs of the Panda Express Chinese food chain.
The McDonald's in this Los Angeles suburb boasts wood ceiling, silver-coated chairs, plus red accents throughout the dining area to symbolize fire and "good luck, laughter and prosperity," said Brenda Clifford, who designed the dining area.
The textured walls patterned after ocean waves symbolize "life and relaxation — the balanced things that you want in your life," she said.
Customers are responding positively, whether or not they recognize the feng shui elements.
"When we first walked in we were amazed, we were happy we skipped the drive-through and went inside," Andrew Chen said while lounging in a white leather booth with a friend.
Chen, 20, said he didn't notice the feng shui elements. He just thought it was a modern interior.
Two workers at the nearby post office said they've been taking more lunch breaks at the remodeled McDonald's, which opened in late December.
"We're here two, three times a week," Waldo Alfaro said as he munched on a Filet-O-Fish and a salad. "It's relaxing, you don't feel any pressure here."
Nevermind that this is the same McDonald's that's been vilified by critics over its artery-clogging Big Macs and fries.
The buzz about the feng shui McDonald's is starting to attract curious onlookers.
"It's successful as a design. It's got a very clean, open, airy appearance," said Elaine Bjorklund, a professor emerita of cultural geography at the University of Western Ontario in Canada, who was in town visiting a friend.
"I'm not a McDonald's habituee," she added as she snapped pictures of the dining area. "It would be interesting to see if this trend will spread."
Brownstein said he and his partners chose the feng shui makeover because the restaurant is located near a renowned Buddhist temple, which is considered good luck. The designs were meant to appeal to the area's growing Asian population, but were also done in a way that would help all customers tap their inner Zen.
With the help of a feng shui master, the designers added details that only feng shui practitioners could appreciate. They include positioning the doors in a way that would block out bad spirits while keeping good ones inside, Clifford said.
The eight rows of red tiles near the food counter are another symbol of fortune, because the number eight is considered auspicious, she said. Meanwhile, the metal sculptures of a crane and Koi fish adorning one wall represent fertility and prosperity, she said.
Clifford said she made the nearly fatal mistake of putting 44 seats in the dining area, until she learned that feng shui followers consider the number four a symbol of bad luck. So she added an extra seat to make it 45.
"Few people would notice it, but if you're in the know, you'll say 'Oh my God, that's terrible,'" she said.
She went as far as staggering the grout lines in the tiles rather than keeping them straight.
"You want to have obstacles in life, it makes you grow," she explained.
While the menu remains the same, there is a McCafe offering lattes and gourmet coffee drinks.
When McDonald's restaurants in Europe upgraded their decor several years ago by adding hardwood floors, armchairs, TVs and other enhancements, sales went up, Brownstein said.
He said business has picked up at his restaurant too.
Other franchise owners are taking notice. Clifford said her company has been hired to feng shui two more McDonald's in Southern California.
在長島Greenvale擁有房地產公司的阿諾德(Robert H. Arnold)說，經過風水師的建議，他將室內裝飾的色調變成了吉利的紅色，並安裝了玻璃門以反射更多的光亮。在辦公桌前，阿諾德擺設了一面圓形的大鏡子以發揮他的創造力，並在牆壁上增加圓形的要素，幫助能量更好的流動。阿諾德表示，風水是關於兩極能量的邏輯，不是什麽負面的事情。
擔任醫職的斯坦博格(Kenneth Steinberg)在Mineola開設一間急診所(First Med Urgent Care)，他希望病人能夠在較為平靜的心情下問診，專門請來風水師調和辦公室的氣氛，同時還希望提升診所的環保要素。
Los Angeles Zoo has hired the services of a Feng Shui expert to help three golden monkeys loaned by China feel at home in their future surroundings.
Simona Mainini, who is also a qualified architect, believes the move may be a first in animal enclosure design.
"It's very experimental. We don't have any books on feng shui for monkeys," Ms Mainini told AP news agency.
Feng Shui, an ancient Chinese practice, focuses on arranging objects and spaces to promote health and happiness.
'Extra step'
"We just have to assume that Darwin is correct and that there is a connection and what is good for humans is good for monkeys," Ms Mainini - who is reportedly being paid $4,500 (£2,300) - said.
She said she had already made some changes to a planned enclosure to maximise "good energy".
One of the added features would be a water feature to "soften, with moisture, the harsh energy", she said.
The zoo plans to spend just over $7m (£3.6m) to build the enclosure that is expected to open later this year.
It says the enclosure will have the feel of a Chinese village.
"We thought it would be more authentic if we went that extra step and made sure it was done with good Feng Shui," said principal architect Charles Mays.
The three golden monkeys - a male and two females - are expected to stay at the zoo for 10 years.
Golden monkeys, which weigh up to 17kg (37lb), have light-blue faces, long hair and make a cat-like meow.
The natural habitat of the endangered species is forest areas of China's Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi and Hubei provinces.
Zoo Pays Feng Shui Expert to Aid Monkeys Los Angeles Zoo Pays Feng Shui Expert to Ensure Monkeys Can Have a Strong Life Force The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Zoo paid $4,500 to an expert in the ancient Chinese art of feng shui to ensure three endangered golden monkeys on loan from China can have a strong life force.
Consulting the feng shui expert was part of the cost for a $7.4 million enclosure for the golden monkeys debuting at the zoo later his year. Feng shui focuses on balance in design to promote health and happiness.
Feng shui is in demand among high-end architects and interior designers, but Beverly Hills-based feng shui expert Simona Mainini said the Los Angeles Zoo's effort may be a first in animal enclosure design.
"It's very experimental," Mainini said. "We don't have any books on feng shui for monkeys. We just have to assume that Darwin is correct and that there is a connection and what is good for humans is good for monkeys."
The exhibit for the male and two female golden monkeys is nearing completion and they are expected to arrive by the end of the year, once China approves the export permit.
Exhibit designers from the Seattle-based Portico Group said the enclosure was designed to re-create the feel of a rural Chinese village.
"The viewing building has a Chinese character," said principal architect Charles Mays, who hire Mainini. "We thought it would be more authentic if we went that extra step and made sure it was done with good feng shui."
Mainini said she tweaked the plans to maximize the good qi (pronounced chee). For example, she recommended moving a door on the observation tower or adding a fountain or water feature to "soften, with moisture, the harsh energy" in that area of the tower.
The city will pay the Chinese government $100,000 a year for the period of the 10-year loan of the simians.
"The idea is to get people beyond just looking at the animals so they experience how the animals and people live," zoo General Manager John Lewis said. "So when people see that a species is endangered, maybe they'll feel motivated to do something to save them."
Golden monkeys, which weigh about 30 pounds, have blue faces, long hair and make a catlike meow.
下面引用由rainbow在 2005/10/23 04:33pm 發表的內容： While many of Mr. Stark's clients are only too happy to talk about their feng shui experience, some are still reluctant to do so. In fact, Mr. Stark performed feng shui on one of the most recognizable commercial properties in Manhattan, the Conde Nast Building, in Times Square, but the company has declined to discuss it.
Alex Stark claimed that he was the Feng Shui consultant for Conde Nast Building in Times Square, Manhattan.
I passed by the Conde Nast building (4 Times Square) in Manhattan during the Christmas holiday. The Conde Nast lobby is located on the south side - an unusually quiet location - away from the crowd and noise. Next to Conde Nast is the Construction-in-progress high-tech environmentally friendly future site of Bank of America tower.
The north side of 4 Times Square is Nasdaq. Conde Nast is located on the opposite side. It felt like "A Tale of Two Cities". The Nasdaq site (north side) is noisy and crowded. The south side (Conde Nast) is like a different world.
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