Opinions are like...(pt. 1)

I've had some very constructive, as well as very negative feedback about Vegetarian Restaurant Week, all of which has been very helpful, and not, as negative feedback without proposed solutions are a waste of time and serve no one.

My ego wants to give me a big pat on the back for pulling this off in under two months, with little money (roughly $300), and little experience in planning events, let alone events of this nature. So I did.

One person, who will remain anonymous, felt that the event wasn't publicized properly, that I had more sponsors and giveaways than people who attended the kick-off reception, that the kick-off reception wasn't organized properly, that veggie and Animal Rights org speakers should have been in attendance and featured, and other comments that were more of an 'if it were me, I would have...' rather than seeing the situation for what it really was.

Another person remarked that the deals weren't 'special enough', and couldn't see the value of a “vegetarian” restaurant week.

I didn't offer too much to these two in the way of defense, because my Aries nature doesn't really allow for it. But I think the restaurants, the sponsors, and you readers deserve to know why and what I am doing this for.

Without releasing myself from too much accountability for what I did or didn’t do, I will admit that I almost didn’t think I was going to have a restaurant week, because very few restaurants signed up in the beginning. On the day of the kick-off, my driver was 2 hours late, the volunteers were an hour late, requests came through at the last minute which meant I had to leave the restaurant (returning after the event started), and some of my much needed help fell through.

As with anything you want to go well, anything that can and will go wrong usually does.

The plus side of it all is that local press picked up the event, which is what I wanted/needed. I managed to get unsolicited help from a company who became a media sponsor and had a great band approach me to perform, and they did.

People who had never tried vegan food showed up to the kick-off reception and even I met an interesting fellow who makes abstract sculptures that are edible, and completely vegan (I thought you were going to call me???).

Maybe I didn’t notify enough people to come out; maybe the threat of rain that evening kept everyone in. Perhaps few people liked the restaurant I chose for the reception. Perhaps I should have checked to see if there were other things happening that evening that may have conflicted with my event. And maybe, just maybe, no one came because I didn’t have the name recognition to warrant attention for this kind of event.

I may never know all the reasons.

So, with my lessons learned, next year will be formatted a little differently. I hope that next year, the restaurants won’t have to pay to participate; that people will have thought this idea to be so great that they’ll approach me with ideas on making it bigger and better.

And maybe, just maybe, I’ll have a reserve on hand so that I can pay someone to help me pull this together. (raffle, anyone?)

But we’ll see.

I’m looking forward to you telling me with your wallets and your feedback if Brooklyn deserves a 2nd Annual Vegetarian Restaurant Week.

And I really, really, want (need) to unload these giveaways. But since the "giving away" comes with a catch I promised the sponsors I'd stick to, you'll have to comply.

And I know you want to.

NYMag.com blurb

Can I be mad at them for posting a photo of a MANHATTAN restaurant when this is clearly a BROOKLYN (and Harlem) event?

Yes, I think I can be mad at them.

But, publicity is still publicity! As well free, which is good too.

http://nymag.com/daily/food/2007/10/brooklyn_and_harlem_vegans_get.html

SuperVegan.com Insults Brooklyn Goes Veg!

Are (super)vegans masquerading as cheap, spoiled, whiners or is there a legitimacy to their point of view?

You tell me-by attending the Kick-Off Reception and Restaurant Week.

Your attendance and feedback will be essential to whether or not there'll be a 2nd Annual Vegetarian Restaurant Week.

You can now buy raffle tickets online!

I've received a few requests for people interested in the Vita-Mix raffle about whether they could buy tickets online.

I wasn't sure if I should do this, but, after the 3rd person asked, I decided to give it a try.

Here's how it will work:

1. Go to the website and click the 'Pay Now' button for the raffle you want to buy tickets for and complete the payment information.

2. Send me an email or call me at 347 241 5058 with your name and phone number so that I can confirm your transaction.

3. I will complete a raffle ticket for you that will be entered into the drawing and email you with the ticket numbers.

Since you do not have to be present to win, this may work out for some of you.

However, you MUST be able to come and pick up your winnings, or pay for shipping.

There is no ticket limit.

Restaurant Roll Call

The following restaurants await your arrival:

24 Scoops

4 Course Vegan

Elaa Juice Bar

Imhotep's

Jill's Cafe

Red Bamboo

The V-Spot Cafe

and for those of you not able to come out, visit VeggieBrothers.com.

For addresses, visit the website.


See you soon!

15 New Reasons to Go Veg!

For Immediate Release

Brooklyn Goes Veg! Announces Raffle to Raise Funds and Promote Healthy Living

Brooklyn, NY October 1, 2007 – Brooklyn Goes Veg!, Brooklyn’s 1st Annual Vegetarian Restaurant Week announced today 3 contests to encourage healthy eating, raise money for operating costs, and support community organizations committed to promoting healthy lifestyles.

Beginning October 1st, raffle tickets will be available at select locations in Brooklyn. Local and national companies in support of Vegetarian Restaurant Week have generously donated items for the raffle. Local sponsorship includes The V-Spot Café, Pumpkin’s Organic Market, 4-Course Vegan, Lantern Press, Hol-Life Industries, LLC, The Vegan Guide to NYC author Rynn Berry, and Licensed Massage Therapist Lauren Fasullo. ReusableBags.com, Vita-Mix Corporation, and Throwin Down! Vegetarian Style author Martha Theus round out the national sponsors.

The most anticipated raffle, the highly coveted Vita-Mix, is a fixture in juice bars and the homes of “veg foodies” citywide. Tickets for the Vita-Mix raffle are $10. In support of this event, the Vita-Mix Corporation has generously donated a Vita-Mix 5000 machine. The Vita-Mix machine makes juicing, blending, frozen treats, and cooking hot soups from scratch easier than ever before – and more nutritious. The retail value of the Vita-Mix is $399.

The remaining items will be split between a $1 ticket raffle and a Restaurant Run, where contestants will have to visit participating restaurants to enter for a chance to win. Both the Vita-Mix and $1 Raffle drawing will be held on October 18th at 7.45pm. The Restaurant Run will take place throughout the entire month of October, with winners announced during the first week of November.

“I wanted to create an opportunity that reflects the independent spirit of Brooklyn,” says Brooklyn Goes Veg! creator Melissa D. Haile. “Hosting this raffle as a fundraising tool to cover costs allows for some flexibility in how I wanted to present this event, including which organizations I wanted to share the proceeds with. The organizations set to receive a portion of the raffle monies are The Brooklyn Queens Land Trust and Kalabash Food Co-op, two growing non-profit groups committed to urban and community gardening and better food choices.

For a complete list of raffle prizes, where to buy raffles tickets, and more, please visit the website at Brooklyn Goes Veg! For up-to-date information about Brooklyn Goes Veg!, please visit the blog at BrooklynGoesVeg,blogspot.com.

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Information and Media Inquiries:
Melissa D. Haile
e-mail
website: http://www.BrooklynGoesVeg.com
phone: 347 241 5058

Need a little help going Veg?

Stay tuned for chance to get a hold of some sweet veg-friendly goods...

New Restaurants Added!

The V-Spot Cafe in Park Slope, Veggie Brothers, an online restaurant, and 4 Course Vegan in Williamsburg are official!

Stay tuned for more restaurants!

Press Release: This October, Brooklyn Goes Veg!

Brooklyn’s First Annual Vegetarian Week, Brooklyn Goes Veg! Launches October 21-27, 2007 during National Vegetarian Awareness Month.

Brooklyn, NY Thursday, September 6, 2007 – Melissa D. Haile, Brooklyn-based Wellness Practitioner announces Brooklyn’s First Vegetarian Restaurant Week in celebration of National Vegetarian Awareness Month.

Vegetarian Restaurant Week will take place October 21-27, 2007 at participating restaurants throughout the borough. Diners can take advantage of a 3-course lunch and dinner prix-fixe. Brooklyn’s Vegetarian Restaurant Week is part of a national effort to increase awareness of vegetarianism, including resources for support, community building, and dining out.

Melissa D. Haile, who specializes in plant-based nutrition guidance for the vegetarian, near-vegetarian, and “flexitarian” – a part-time vegetarian, teamed with Atlanta-based Black Vegetarian Society of Georgia founder Traci Thomas to promote local vegetarian outreach efforts. This partnership quickly grew to 4 more cities, all of whom will be hosting Vegetarian Restaurant Week simultaneously.

Despite a growing number of vegetarian, vegan, and raw food restaurant options citywide, newcomers and seasoned vegetarians alike complain about not having enough choices when it comes to dining out. While vegetarian-friendly dishes do exist at mainstream venues, having a dedicated establishment provides confirmation of one’s dietary choices. Vegetarian Restaurant Week hopes to encourage everyone to “go vegetarian”, if only for one meal. “We want to increase patronage of Brooklyn’s vegetarian restaurants, regardless of the diner’s primary eating preference,” says Melissa D. Haile. “We’re not trying to convert anyone. Instead, we’d like to offer an additional dining option to vegetarians and omnivores alike”.

As one in five diners are requesting a vegetarian menu, allowing vegetarian restaurants a chance to showcase their culinary creations could inspire other restaurants to offer more plant-based fare.

Vegetarian Restaurant Week kicks off Thursday, October 18th with an Opening Reception at the V-Spot Café, located at 156 Fifth Avenue in Park Slope. Owned by Danny Carabano, The V-Spot Café, a 100% vegan restaurant, recently celebrated their first anniversary. The reception, which is open to all, will feature light fare from the V-Spot kitchen, giveaways, and more.

Vegetarian Restaurant Week hopes to show diners that vegetarian meals are more than just a mishmash of side dishes, but well-crafted whole food meals guaranteed to satisfy everyone’s palate, from comfort food to fine dining.

For Media and Sponsorship Inquires Contact: Melissa D. Haile
ProducerBrooklyn Goes Veg!

Phone: 347 241 5058
Email: melissa@vegetarianrestaurantweek.com
Web: http://www.BrooklynGoesVeg.com