How to Write Good Restaurant Reviews

 food-blogging
Image by David Schiersner via Flickr/Creative Commons

It’s a good thing I’ve been exercising every day for the past seven months.

Birmingham Restaurant Week is coming up August 15-24 and I’ve been asked by the event organizers to visit and write about some of the participating restaurants. This is great news for my taste buds, but not-so-good news for my waistline. But I suppose I will have to make this sacrifice for my blog, right?

Birmingham Restaurant Week is a ten-day event that features some of Birmingham’s best locally-owned and operated restaurants, offering prix fixe menus and drink specials. Last night the Birmingham Art Museum played host to the Birmingham Restaurant Week Preview Party. I had a fabulous night with friends at this sold out event sampling dishes from The J. Clyde, Silvertron Cafe, Maki Fresh, Rusty’s Bar-B-Q, Dixie Fish Co., Davenport’s Pizza, Oscar’s at the Museum, and other participating restaurants.

 at-the-brw2014-preview-party
We’re smiling because we’d just had the bread pudding from Silvertron Cafe.

Birmingham Restaurant Week is a great chance to try new restaurants or visit old favorites and blog about your experiences. But when you’re penning your posts you want to have something more interesting and insightful to say than, “This dish was yummy!”

So I turned to food writer Jason Horn for help. Horn is a senior editor at Liquor.com and is the co-founder of FoodBlogSouth, the food blogging conference held annually in Birmingham. He’s also worked for CHOW.com, Cottage Living, Cooking Light, and VisitSouth.com, and his food writing has appeared in B-Metro, Birmingham magazine, and on MagicCityPost.com.

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6 Game Changers For Your Blog, Brand or Business

At See Jane Write’s Bloganista Mini-Conference our closing keynote speaker Megan LaRussa Chenoweth of Southern Femme talked about things that were game changers for her blog and her business – things like better promoting her newsletter, getting a new logo, and moving into an office space.

For those of you who attended, my hope is that the Bloganista Mini-Conference was a game changer for you. I hope you left with the information and the inspiration you needed to take your blog, business, or writing career to the next level.

If you want to review some of the highlights from the conference, check out my recap post.

Here are six additional game changers for your blog, brand, or business.

1. Join See Jane Write. Over the next several months, most See Jane Write events will be for members only. If you don’t want to be left out, became an official member of See Jane Write today. Basic membership is only $25 per year. Click here for details.

2. Learn the game of golf. You may be thinking, “What on earth does golf have to do with my life as an entrepreneur?” Plenty. We all know that men make business deals out on the green. It’s time you join the boys club by picking up some clubs and learning to golf. Shella Sylla of SisterGolf is offering a $50 discount off her upcoming Introduction to Business Golf for Ladies Class.  

Click here to register. The promo code is SJW14.

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Every Bloganista Needs a Game Changer

On July 19, See Jane Write hosted its first mini-conference.  Seventy five people showed up for our  Bloganista Mini-Con. I count it as a major success and not simply because of a packed house.

I believe the Bloganista Mini-Con was a success because so many people left the event feeling inspired.

I was so inspired by #bloganista that I am, as of RIGHT NOW, starting my new blog on @Squarespace! #sjwbhm @seejanewritebhm More to come!
— Mandy Shunnarah (@fixedbaroque) July 20, 2014

Tweets like the one above made my day. And days after the conference I ran into other attendees who told me they left the conference so motivated that they’ve been on Cloud 9 ever since.
And I left the conference feeling just as inspired as they did.

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Hear Jane Speak on Biz Talk Radio

In the WAGG studio with Roy Williams recording my segment for Biz Talk 

Be sure to tune in to WAGG Heaven 610 AM today from 3 to 3:30 p.m. I’ll be on Roy Williams’ radio show Biz Talk discussing blogging, See Jane Write and the upcoming Bloganista Mini-Conference.

You can also stream the show at http://www.610wagg.com.

If you haven’t registered for the conference yet, don’t delay. We have less than 20 tickets remaining.

You can get your tickets today at thebloganistaconference.eventbrite.com.

Check out Meet the Bloganistas to learn more about our speakers and read about our sponsors to learn what door prizes you could win at the event.

Jane About Town: To Kill a Mockingbird at the Alabama Theatre

Gregory Peck (center) as Atticus Finch

To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorite books of all time. Set in Depression-era Alabama, Harper Lee’s novel follows the story of Atticus Finch as he defends a black man against a false rape charge and strives to shield his children, Scout and Jem, from prejudice and hate. 
As an English teacher I have the privilege and pleasure of leading a group of 8th graders through a reading of this book each school year. And after we finish the novel we watch the 1962 film adaptation of the book, which in my opinion, is a classic in its own right. 

This Sunday, July 13, from 2 to 5 p.m.,  I’ll have the chance to see To Kill a Mockingbird on the big screen at the Alabama Theatre as part of its 2014 Summer Film Series. 
Beginning at 1 p.m., author Beverly Crider will be in the Alabama Theatre lobby signing copies of her new book, Legends & Lore of Birmingham and Central Alabama.
Doors will open one hour before showtime. Tickets are $8 and will be available at the door or in advance through Ticketmaster.