sich der Zeit voraus geben

12:26 Jul 8, 2007 

I understand, Susie, but we celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, not dining. It sounds very odd. If you want to include the idea of "gefeiert," I'd use Frank's suggestion of "enjoy" as in "guests can enjoy a meal at their very own private table."

12:22 Jul 8, 2007 

...applaud being able to....or something along those lines

12:17 Jul 8, 2007 

Typically past tense is correct, but in this case, the "history" is more panoramic in terms of making frequent stops to show you what was happening at that point. I'll think about "celebrate", I do want the "gefeiert in there somewhere and was trying to also work with "acclaim" somehow....

12:12 Jul 8, 2007 

"celebrate dining" doesn't sound right. I'd drop it and write "guests can dine at their very own private table". BTW, if this is a brief history of the hotel, shouldn't it all be in the past tense as Textklick and Francis suggested?

11:38 Jul 8, 2007 

Thank you, everybody, for participating. This was fun! And this is now the really, truely final cut...I think!
Seven meters between the floor and the magnificent ceiling of the dining hall create an atmosphere of spaciousness, offering a trend-setting experience for the times: instead of stiff old-world formalities at the table d'hote, guests celebrate dining at their very own private table.

This also takes care of the idea that they just seat themselves, which I'm sure they didn't at the time!
I wish I could give everyone one "Gummipunkt" for their input, because this was truly a group experience, but in the end, the points go to Francis for the "trend-setting".... Thanks Walter and Bernhard for explaining what was so new about it...

22:33 Jul 7, 2007 

Thanks, Chetan, a very good idea!

21:25 Jul 7, 2007 

"grosszügig" is used here in the sense of "weiträumig", I feel. I would suggest: "Seven meters (of expanse) between the floor and the magnificent ceiling of the dining hall create an atmosphere of spaciousness, with which..."

18:31 Jul 7, 2007 

Thanks, Bernard! Now you are all making the grading process very difficult! All so similar and I feel like I'm mixing a bit of everything in my final run, which now stands: Seven meters of space are between the floor and the magnificent ceiling of the dining hall and create an atmosphere of generosity, with which one can appear to be ahead of the times: instead of stiff old-world formalities at the table d'hote, one celebrates the fact that the path is set for the freedom to select one's own table....
I really don't like using "one" but believe to bring across the basic tone, this might work well here.

18:11 Jul 7, 2007 

add. info: individual tables were an innovation (ahead of the times) and eventually replaced the traditional table d’hôte, a long table where host and guests would be sitting together.

16:45 Jul 7, 2007 

Thanks, Walter! Thanks everyone!

16:42 Jul 7, 2007 

WW I - Exactly, no stiffness, no old-world formalities but international in style.

16:35 Jul 7, 2007 

Oh, I see, I think, so because this was something that in other places didn't change until after, what, WWII?, they considered themselves way more advanced...or something?

16:32 Jul 7, 2007 

In a pre-war posh hotel you had to wait to be seated at the table or have had to make prior arrangements. Now, here, ahead of one's time, you were free to choose where you wanted to sit and dine.

16:23 Jul 7, 2007 

Call me a dunce, if you will, but with all of your suggestions, I still don't really understand this sentence. It might have something to do with the fact that in the US you do have to wait to be seated at a restaurant. But....what are we looking at here? A generous atmosphere, in which the guest is ahead of his time because he can choose his own table?