Blogging

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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The Bloganista Mini-Conference

 
 
See Jane Write believes you, your life and your blog should be fabulous. And so we present to you our first mini-conference — The Bloganista Mini-Con, a partial day conference for fashion, fitness, and lifestyle bloggers.  The mini-conference will be held 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 19 at the Homewood Public Library, 1721 Oxmoor Road.
 
Don’t worry if you’re not a style blogger; this conference has something for everyone. Topics we’ll cover include: 
  • Using your blog to land freelance writing gigs and speaking engagements
  • How your blog can land you a new job
  • Working with brands
  • Niche blogging 
  • Time management tips 
  • How to dress like a fashion blogger (even if you’re not one)
  • Turning your blog into a business
  • Spreading the word about your blog 
 
Our Speakers/Panelists: 
 
Alexis Barton of Same Chic Different Day
Heather Brown of My Life Well Loved
Erica Bunker of Erica Bunker DIY Style
Megan LaRussa Chenoweth of Southern Femme
Vanessa Culpepper of Budding Fashionista
Bertha Hidalgo of Chic In Academia 
Williesha Morris of My Freelance Life 
Tanya Sylvan of All In Stride
Carla Jean Whitley of Birmingham magazine
 
Tentative Conference Schedule
 
Morning Mingle     10 – 11 a.m.
Enjoy a continental breakfast and network with other local bloggers. 

Welcome by Javacia Harris Bowser, Founder of See Jane Write 11 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. 
 
Morning Keynote by Alexis Barton of Same Chic Different Day     11:15 a.m. – noon  
 
LUNCH ON YOUR OWN     NOON – 1:30 P.M. 
 
How to Be a Bloganista     1:30 – 2:15 p.m.
Local bloggers will share tips on time management, blog promotion, developing blog post ideas, working with brands, how to dress like a fashion blogger, and much more. Panelists: Heather Brown of My Life Well Loved, Erica Bunker of Erica Bunker DIY Style, Vanessa Culpepper of Budding Fashionista, and Bertha Hidalgo of Chic In Academia
 
Beyond the Blog     2:15 – 3 p.m.
Editors of local publications and local bloggers will share tips on how you can use your blog to land freelance writing gigs and even a full-time job. Panelists: Alexis Barton of Same Chic Different Day, Williesha Morris of My Freelance Life, Tanya Sylvan of All In Stride, and Carla Jean Whitley of Birmingham magazine
 
Break     3 – 3:30 p.m. 
 
Afternoon Keynote
by Megan LaRussa Chenoweth of Southern Femme     3:30 – 4:15 p.m.
 
Farewell     4:15 – 4:30 p.m.