Agriculture Magazine August 2011

I was at a food writing seminar today, Power of Pen 3, when the Manila Bulletin booth was unpacking and preparing their table. Asking what Agriculture Magazine they had, they said August. Wow...sure? YES!

Happy to write about the Glinoga Organic Farm :)

Take Time To Learn

Often been asked how I am able to keep up with marketing and being able to run with times.....

Never ending reinvention of yourself. You are your own competitor, supporter, ally, critic. If you are blaming someone else for your slow turns, you may need to read self help books instead :)

I took the first offer of The Power of Pen. No, it didn't make me a better writer, but I think knowing what you don't know helps???

You might want to attend the next :)

Lori Was Right

Yes. Lori Baltazar, one of the speakers of Power of Pen, said that the participants will be so excited to blog about the 2day food writing w0rkshop.

I hated language, reading, history etc etc that required me to read read and compose literary work etc etc etc. My general average grade was ok, because my Math subjects pulled it up.

But then, my work now in marketing requires that I plan my brochures, multi advertisements, blog and trade shows. Even if you base your principles and pitches on being truthful...you still have to reinvent yourself..beyond MASARAP!

Come the banner at Lori Baltazar's dessertscomefirst.com for Power of Pen, a food writing workshop! Hmmmmm. I should. Not that I expected to learn what I abhored to do since childhood. Walking with nothing....surely I will pick up something.

There was nothing said that you didn't know, nor haven't learned in school. Though now, it takes a different perspective when you zero in on writing about a topic and you have a definite reason for doing so. It went past reading and writing for topics that interested you the least. Now it was about food :) You were given spices and food to wake up your senses for the smell, sound, feel etc.

What was most interesting for me? Food styling. Like playing kitchen! Now we know why the pictures are perfect looking....because the materials were not real food wehehehheh. You get to touch fake ice cream, acrylic ice cubes, jelly shaved ice, and tomatoes with transplants! During lunchtime, before you ate, you are supposed to plate and photograph your food. Food styling career.....well I was too hungry and reasoned out that my food plating styling is for "HOME COOKED FOOD" :)

Highlight for my 2days? Just like comfort food, what you have grown up with, are the ones best to have around.

I saw Annie Certeza-Palmares, my elementary classmate in Institucion Teresiana. We are 2nd generation friends as our fathers were also classmates in university. She is now PR Manager for Center for Culinary Arts.

Bunny Fabella was there, high school batch mate. I don't really remember interacting with her in Maryknoll, but facebook.com and food brought us meeting at Philfoodex last weekend.

There was this pretty lady with us on the table on day1. I heard her speak about her brother Ambeth. I butted in and asked what her lastname was. There was only one Ambeth in my mind. Yes! She was Aleth, the sister. She was the little girl who stole my yaya away from me. Maybe my mom sent my yaya away when I should start fending for myself...but in my eyes, Aleth was the reason why yaya Basilia left me and went down a few houses away from us. This was Philam Homes.

Day2, one of the speakers was photographer, Mark Floro. Another Philam Homes guy. Our dads played tennis together.

We sat in table day2, with Caren of theeatingroom.wordpress.com She won for her critique on the lunch served. Then when food styling winner was to be announced, I said she might make it. She did top 10! I believe she is the only one who won 2 citations....turns out she is also a Maryknoller...Miriam her time...just like Bunny and myself. Caren and I both loved our Algebra teacher, Miss Dimaculangan!

Back to topic, like after eating merienda:

They should do more of these types of seminars. General subjects that zero in for a focus. The pamphlets that went around revealed that there are specialized courses for people in the food industry. Mark Floro has workshops for photography and digital imaging. Restaurant Marketing is offered by Enderun Extension. Gone are the days when it just all about cooking.

The Power Of Pen

I am no writer. Wehehheh it should be obvious from my blog.

OMG, I disliked my language, reading, history classes from elementary days onwards. They say the teachers have a lot to do with how a student likes her subjects. I like the teachers...its the subjects I don't :( I buy from National Bookstore the pamphlets/synopsis of books we had to read. Am so lucky always, getting the answers during tests without really dissecting the matter.

Anyway, I think I will attend "The Power of Pen", a food writing workshop scheduled in March. Why am I attending then?

Basing from the blog statistics that we get, Solraya's Sunshine Chicken blog gets a lot of readers, both unique (first timers) and repeat readers. Surely, the attention the blog gets is not from my writing form, but thankfully from our content.

Because of that, I owe it to the readers to have a more entertaining blog....wehehheeh THAT IS, IF a 2day seminar will change it. Remember, I said I hated writing since grade school!

The blog, our weekend markets, our Organika....and most of all, myself, should benefit from hearing others.

Am sure I will have an interesting time. I always make sure to have that :)