|
The staff at Write Away Plus is able to write on any topic. While the primary focus is on food and travel, we also specialize in medical writing, advertorials and press releases. This is just a small sampling of published articles, releases and newsletters. We are happy to provide additional samples upon request. Please click on the samples below.
Food and Travel ~
Keyword Articles ~
Press Releases and Advertorials ~
|
FOOD AND TRAVEL
|
|
Tennessee Getaway: Blackberry Farm Offers World Class Luxury in a Low-key Setting
|
|
|
A short drive from Asheville, and situated on a pastoral 4,200-acre estate in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, sits Blackberry Farm which has earned its reputation as one of the most highly-acclaimed, small luxury hotels in the country.
Guests are welcomed to while away the hours and days in luxurious comfort and spectacular surroundings. They can design their own personal experiences through an array of activities such as guided fly-fishing trips, a visit to the Farmhouse spa, a personal tour of the farm, horseback riding adventures, Harley motorcycle trips, bicycling and shooting activities to world-class culinary classes and wine events.
"We will not stop," Sam Beall, proprietor, said, "until we are known as the top food and wine destination in the country." Read full article... (pdf format)
To Top
|
|
|
| |
|
Wolfgang's Restaurant and Wine Bistro — a Hidden Gem in the Mountains
|
Published in WNC Magazine -
Summer, 2007
by Bryan Sullivan |
|
Nestled in the highest-incorporated town east of the Rocky Mountains, and in an area known as the "Land of the Waterfalls," is a chef-owned restaurant that is well worth the visit. Highlands, NC is home to several, fine-dining restaurants and Wolfgang’s Restaurant and Wine Bistro tops the list.
Situated in an original Highlands home, dating back to the 1890s, the décor is warm and imaginative inspired by the mountain landscape; there are cozy fireplaces, and several intimate dining corners to choose from. In the warmer weather, outdoor dining is available.
A surprising amount of people were gathered in the wine bistro for an off-season, Saturday night. Tables were beautifully set with gold-colored plate chargers. The Wine Director explained their comprehensive wine list; staff is well trained and sent to California every year to study and learn more.
There are approximately 800 choices, and a commendable selection of wines offered by the glass, including a playful and sparkling Shiraz. For the past four years, Wolfgang's has been the recipient of Wine Spectator's "Best of Award of Excellence." Read full article... (pdf format)
To Top
|
|
|
| |
| The Checkout Challenge |
Published in Produce Merchandising Magazine
by Bryan Sullivan |
|
Retailers are using new technology at checkout to increase accuracy issues between organic and conventional produce. With organics items on the rise at more grocery stores the ability for you to accurately ring in these items has become a major challenge. The solutions to this type of problem are numerous and varied in their complexity. Large amounts of revenue are being lost, but some new technologies are solving the problem.
New Technology: GS1 DataBar
The newest technology in solving this issue is the GS1 DataBar (formerly known as Reduced Space Symbology or RSS). Gary Fleming, Vice President of Industry Technology and Standards at the Produce Marketing Association in Newark, DE , explains that GS1 DataBar is a barcode that can be read by most scanners at a grocery retail store and is small enough to fit onto a PLU sticker that is found on most loose produce items (i.e., apples, pears, etc.). Read full article... (pdf format)
To Top
|
| |
|
|
Tough Economic Times Tests Restaurateurs
With the housing market at an all time low and the bears controlling Wall Street, times are tough and some economists say, may get even tougher. These harsh economic times are extremely hard on consumers -- people have less and less discretionary income, in other words less money to spend on things they may not necessarily need. Gas and grocery money is eating into their bottom line and people are eating out less. So, when they do eat out, they are seeking a very satisfying experience.
Changing with the Times
So, what are restaurateurs doing to meet these challenging times and new demands? Some veteran restaurateurs are betting on change in a big way. It’s no longer enough to run specials and offer discounted items -- a fresh look may be the answer.
For example, in Naples, FL -- home to some of the nation’s wealthiest individuals -- two restaurants are betting on the remodel card.
Peter Sereno, owner of Maxwell’s on the Bay in Venetian Village, is changing his 20-year old concept. For the past 20 years, Maxwell’s has been a Naples favorite. However, it’s beautiful waterfront location with stunning views was no longer enough to keep the affluent crowd appearing at its doors. So, Peter and his younger brother Chris Sereno decided to remodel and rename their landmark restaurant.
“We’re letting the younger crowd run this one for us,” Peter says. “We are revamping the whole concept. Read full article... (pdf format)
To Top
|
|
Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse Sizzles in the Southeast
Owned and operated by Trimaran Capital Partners, a private asset management group based in New York, Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse operates five locations in Georgia. Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse currently has 30 restaurants in the United States. Primarily in the Northeast, Trimaran Capital is seeking to expand its presence in the Southeast. Trimaran Capital Partners also owns and operates Charlie Brown’s and the Office Bar and Grill.
This American-style steakhouse is decorated to resemble a hunting lodge straight out of the Canadian Rockies. The theme is a casual dining experience. According to historical data, millions of years ago, a glacier created a chiseled mountain range that was named the Bugaboo Glacier Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada. This Canadian Rockies range came to be known as the “Bugaboos.” Read full article... (pdf format)
To Top
|
|
Nashville Chef Focuses on Mediterranean Fusion
Always an innovator in the Nashville fine-dining scene, ZOLA’s chef/owner Debra Paquette, takes diners on a magical culinary journey around the Mediterranean. Spanish, Italian and French cuisine are the main influences on the menu, but they also serve Moroccan and Greek food.
“I love southern cuisine, but have enjoyed bringing new tastes to the palettes of ‘Nashvillians,” Debra says.
Debra, a Fort Lauderdale, FL native, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, in 1978. She also holds a B.S. in Hospitality Management from Florida International University and was the first woman in the state of Tennessee to qualify as a Certified Executive Chef. Read full article... (pdf format)
To Top
|
|
KEYWORD ARTICLES
|
|
Asheville, North Carolina Real Estate Remains Strong
The amount of information disseminated in today’s electronic press on the economy and, in particular the housing market, makes it difficult to obtain unbiased information to forecast your decision making.
Entering any real estate market is a great challenge. And, picking an area to purchase a new home that offers all you are seeking in comfort, beauty, activities, and of course value and stability, is the greatest challenge.
While most of the country’s real estate markets have been affected by the economic downturn, a recent poll ranked Asheville, North Carolina as the second best real estate market to enter into. This recent poll was conducted by The Lucky 7 Investor Forecast and is produced by HousingPredictor.com. Read full article... (pdf format)
To Top
|
|
North Carolina: A Leader in Solar Energy
Energy has become one of the most important topics of our times because so much of our daily lives rely on it. The cost of energy is changing the way Americans think and act. According to Texas oil man, T. Boone Pickens, in this year alone, Americans will spend $700 billion on oil.
So, if you are planning to purchase or build a new NC mountain home, it may be a good idea to consider alternative energy sources such as solar – an area where North Carolina is leading the way into the future.
The Green Idea House: Prime NC Mountain Real Estate
Solar has many uses in healthy-built homes of today. In fact, the NC Healthy Built Homes Program provides a certificate for homes that meet “green home guidelines” built by residential builders who practice sustainable, high performance building strategies. These green practices make the home a comfortable, healthy and affordable place to live while reducing energy and water usage, promoting renewable energy use, and helping to protect the land where the home is built. Read full article... (pdf format)
To Top
|
|
MEDICAL
|
'Tis the Season: Recruit and Retain Seasonal Nurses
|
|
|
They call them "snowbirds"— seasonal visitors who seek warmer weather from October through April. As a result, the states that these people migrate to experience a strained capacity on local-area hospitals. Nurse Recruitment and Retention decided to analyze how facilities in three popular "snowbird" states cope with this problem. Read full article... (pdf format)
To Top
|
| |
|
|
PRESS RELEASES AND ADVERTORIALS
|
|
Major Retail Grocer Links Up With Haywood County, NC Farmers
|
|
(Waynesville, NC – August 12, 2008) – Whole Foods Market, the world’s leading natural and organic foods supermarket, is selling Haywood County farm products at its North Carolina stores in Winston-Salem and the Research Triangle area. Farm products to be featured include: tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers.
The partnership has developed quickly, from a suggestion and a phone number from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture to a meeting and farm tour in the Bethel area of Haywood County to detailed discussions at a recent Whole Foods Market summit in Raleigh.
“At each Whole Foods Market store, we emphasize buying high quality products from local and regional farms, and that’s what makes the Buy Haywood program such a good fit for us,” said Brent Demarest, Regional Produce Purchasing Team Leader for Whole Foods Market. “We see great potential here to grow together.”
The Buy Haywood marketing efforts are really beginning to pay off.
“This is very exciting news for our participating farmers,” said Bryan Sullivan, Marketing Specialist for the Buy Haywood program. “We’re thrilled to link up with such a strong leader in the retail marketplace. And, this would not be possible without the generosity of the grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation.”
“This is very exciting news for our participating farmers,” said Bryan Sullivan, Marketing Specialist for the Buy Haywood program. “We’re thrilled to link up with such a strong leader in the retail marketplace. And, this would not be possible without the generosity of the grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation.”
Founded in 1980, Whole Foods Market now has more than 270 stores in 37 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Their market focus includes an emphasis on providing customers with the highest quality natural and organic products available.
The Buy Haywood Project supports farmers in Haywood County in Western North Carolina by promoting high-quality farm products to community-minded consumers. The project is managed by the Haywood County Economic Development Commission, and it receives support from the Golden LEAF Foundation.
For more information, visit: Buy Haywood at: http://www.buyhaywood.com/; and
Whole Foods Market at: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/.
To Top
|
|
|
Forty-Five Cattle Launches Website to Help Cattlemen Keep Quality Feed Prices Down
|
|
AMARILLO, Texas –- April 28, 2008 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) –- This past winter U.S. cattle producers experienced record high prices, on the spot market, for supplemental feed. But cattlemen can rest assured that a new website will alleviate concerns about contracts this fall.
Lately, news of unstable commodity prices, wheat supply shortage, and the high demand for corn have all played havoc on cattle feed prices. And, soaring fuel prices only serve to compound the issue.
“Commodities and bi-product feeds have a place in the overall nutrition program for cattle producers, but large operations, common to ranches from Texas west, cannot shift to feeding cattle in bunks and troughs like small operations in the east can,” Dan E. Gary, ranch consultant and president of Forty-Five Cattle in Amarillo, Texas, explains.
FeedsandFeeding.com is designed to help cattlemen decide on which feed, bi-product or commodity is most nutritional and cost effective. Producers can check spot prices and compare cost from month-to-month.
“Spot prices have declined from 60 days ago,” Gary says, “because demand is slowing down. In the fall, prices will begin to rise again.”
Alternatives need to be considered. While range cubes and high protein cake have been a standard, some producers have turned to corn gluten feed. While, a viable alternative, the small pellet is difficult for cattle to pick off the ground, and at higher feed levels, elevated sulfate levels are prone to cause polio symptoms.
“In some areas, this winter, good quality alfalfa hay was approximately one third the price of a 32-percent protein cake,” Gary says. “If this trend continues, alfalfa could be used on alternate days with traditional feeds.”
The site also addresses feeding cost. Many producers feed three times a week, generating a cost of $.12 per head, per day. Feeding twice a week reduces cost to $.08 per head, per day. And, waiting until late morning when cattle are going to water, reduces it to $.04 per head, per day.
Feed evaluation and feeding cost calculators also come in handy. For example, the feed evaluation calculator allows producers to compare six feeds at one time. A full Data Program (DTN), job locator, and classified section are also available.
For more information, visit: www.feedsandfeeding.com.
Media Contact:
Dan E. Gary
of Forty-Five Cattle
+1-806-467-1987
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
To Top
|
|
|
AgentFactor Announces Travel eFulfillment and Ticketing Services and Reduces Booking Process Cost
|
|
NEW YORK, N.Y. – February 19, 2007 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) – AgentFactor, a travel-veteran venture, announces the new offering of Travel eFulfillment and Ticketing Services to online and offline travel businesses. This turn-key service enables travel businesses to partially, or fully, outsource their backend operation and to focus more on sales and marketing initiatives.
In today's thin margin of travel distribution, it is becoming too costly to retain operational personnel to perform the manual tasks required to fulfill procurement for small to medium-sized corporate and leisure businesses.
"Manual-driven travel fulfillment and ticketing results in higher error rates, higher costs, and ultimately, in decreased customer satisfaction in the form of booking cancellations or debit memos," Jim Menge, CEO, AgentFactor, explained. "AgentFactor fills this gap by providing sophisticated quality control, file finishing, fraud prevention and auto-ticketing."
AgentFactor will use the clients' preferred booking engine (Pure Travel Fulfillment and Ticketing Solution) or AgentFactor's provisioned booking engine from a third-party partner (Total Travel Fulfillment and Ticketing Solution). Read full article... (pdf format)
To Top
|
|
|
| |
|
Hot New Children’s Party Planning Company Brings the Fun to You
|
Advertorial Published in Broward Metro Woman
By Liisa Sullivan |
|
Oogles n Googles™ is a hot new franchise that is helping children everywhere to celebrate happy birthdays. The company and its staff work to create extraordinary birthday party experiences for children and their families.
"The best part about Oogles n Googles" said one satisfied mom, "is that they do it all for you. They send out the invitations, help to plan the theme and it is all provided in the comfort of your own home."
The company offers 15 themed-parties to choose from. They include: Down on the Farm; Dinosaur Hunt; I Spy Detective; Pom Pom Princess; Superhero; Swashbuckling Pirates; Tea Time; Wizard School; and more.
"A team of trained, party-planning professionals will come to your home," Carol Cervantes, owner of the Oogles n Googles serving Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, said. "Our parties will razzle and dazzle your guests, and at the same time, provide your child with an unbelievably memorable birthday experience."
As a busy mom herself, Cervantes undertands that parents want the best for their children's birthdays, but do not always have the time or energy to plan, shop, cook, entertain, setup, and clean up. That's where Oogles n Googles comes in!
Parties are designed for kids ages three to 10 and include: two hours of non-stop fun; postcard-style invitations and thank-you notes; organized activities, games and songs; a themed-birthday cake; plates, cups, napkins and utensils; themed-party favors; souvenir photos for each child; a special gift for the guest of honor; and most of all — lots of zany fun and imagination! Read full article... (pdf format)
To Top
|
|
|
|
Business: 828-645+6447