. . . that our potluck yesterday constituted a "perfect meal" for me.
Spending time with people I've grown to care deeply about, sharing delicious food we've prepared for each other and talking about the art you have created is about as good as it gets.
If not a perfect meal in a traditional sense, it was the perfect end to a wonderful quarter. Don't you think?
Friday, March 11, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Preparing the Final Portfolio
Due: Wednesday, March 16, 1 p.m. on your blog
Final revision of restaurant review
Part three, final (restaurant review) assignment (see description in the previous post)
Process Writing (see description below)
What is a portfolio?
Most simply, a portfolio is a way of containing your work for presentation and assessment. It represents you as a writer in this particular class—your current interests, your development as you reworked and revised your work, and your range as a budding food and travel writer. It’s like an artist’s portfolio or a portfolio a photographer might take to a job interview. But in your case, it contains pieces of writing instead of watercolors or photographs, and it’s online in the form of your blog.
What is process writing?
Process writing describes the process you went through when drafting and revising your pieces, and the thinking about yourself as a writer that you engaged in when preparing the portfolio. The jargon for this kind of writing is “metacognition”—thinking about thinking. That makes it sound heavy, but it’s actually relaxing and enjoyable, writing that celebrates the completion of your work for the course.
“What works best is simply to record what actually happened [as you reported, wrote and revised your work], with as much honesty and detail as possible—and with a spirit of calm, benign acceptance of yourself. That is, you aren’t trying to judge yourself or prove anything or reach big conclusions—just to find our what actually goes on when you write” (Elbow and Belanoff, A Community of Writers 12-13).
You don’t have to answer all these questions, but here are some points to think about as you do your process writing:
How did you discover a process for writing each piece?
When were you frustrated?
What were your breakthroughs?
What are the important changes you made throughout the quarter with each draft and workshop?
How did you decide what to write about and what was your writing and research process like?
When were readers’ comments useful?
When did you find your own way to solve a problem rather than following the suggestion of your readers? Why did this seem to work better?
When did you disagree with readers? Why?
What did writing for this course teach you about yourself?
Be as personal and colloquial as you wish—it’s essentially writing you’re doing for yourself, though the class and I will be reading it, too. Like part three of your final assignment, word count is up to you.
Important: I will not give you a final grade for the class unless you’ve included process writing—it’s not optional!
Note: if you feel uncomfortable publishing your process writing on the blog or you prefer that I be the sole reader of your piece, you may email it to me as a WORD file by 1 p.m. on March 16.
Final revision of restaurant review
Part three, final (restaurant review) assignment (see description in the previous post)
Process Writing (see description below)
What is a portfolio?
Most simply, a portfolio is a way of containing your work for presentation and assessment. It represents you as a writer in this particular class—your current interests, your development as you reworked and revised your work, and your range as a budding food and travel writer. It’s like an artist’s portfolio or a portfolio a photographer might take to a job interview. But in your case, it contains pieces of writing instead of watercolors or photographs, and it’s online in the form of your blog.
What is process writing?
Process writing describes the process you went through when drafting and revising your pieces, and the thinking about yourself as a writer that you engaged in when preparing the portfolio. The jargon for this kind of writing is “metacognition”—thinking about thinking. That makes it sound heavy, but it’s actually relaxing and enjoyable, writing that celebrates the completion of your work for the course.
“What works best is simply to record what actually happened [as you reported, wrote and revised your work], with as much honesty and detail as possible—and with a spirit of calm, benign acceptance of yourself. That is, you aren’t trying to judge yourself or prove anything or reach big conclusions—just to find our what actually goes on when you write” (Elbow and Belanoff, A Community of Writers 12-13).
You don’t have to answer all these questions, but here are some points to think about as you do your process writing:
How did you discover a process for writing each piece?
When were you frustrated?
What were your breakthroughs?
What are the important changes you made throughout the quarter with each draft and workshop?
How did you decide what to write about and what was your writing and research process like?
When were readers’ comments useful?
When did you find your own way to solve a problem rather than following the suggestion of your readers? Why did this seem to work better?
When did you disagree with readers? Why?
What did writing for this course teach you about yourself?
Be as personal and colloquial as you wish—it’s essentially writing you’re doing for yourself, though the class and I will be reading it, too. Like part three of your final assignment, word count is up to you.
Important: I will not give you a final grade for the class unless you’ve included process writing—it’s not optional!
Note: if you feel uncomfortable publishing your process writing on the blog or you prefer that I be the sole reader of your piece, you may email it to me as a WORD file by 1 p.m. on March 16.
Part three, final (restaurant review) assignment
Now that you've been to the restaurant, written about the experience and received feedback in workshop on your review, go back to your pre-restaurant-visit writing. Reconsider what your expectations and assumptions were. How were they met by the actual experience? What is the dissonance between your assumptions/expectations and what you actually found? How has this assignment affected and perhaps complicated your understanding of "authenticity"?
Bonus: what will you take from this assignment into future "tourist" experiences--culinary or otherwise, study abroad or otherwise?
Word count: your choice. Whatever number of words it requires to thoroughly assess and communicate your experience and answers to the above questions!
Bonus: what will you take from this assignment into future "tourist" experiences--culinary or otherwise, study abroad or otherwise?
Word count: your choice. Whatever number of words it requires to thoroughly assess and communicate your experience and answers to the above questions!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Final Workshop Lineup
Workshop Tuesday/Reviews Posted by Sunday at 5 p.m.
Alexis
Nora
Hannah
Gabriella
Stephanie
Max
Julia
Workshop Thursday/Reviews Posted by Tuesday at 5 p.m.
Jake
Jaime
Alaina
Katie
Elaine
Kelsey
Emily
Note: Thursday's class will meet in Dewing 114 where we will celebrate the last class with a potluck! Bring delicious things to share!
Alexis
Nora
Hannah
Gabriella
Stephanie
Max
Julia
Workshop Thursday/Reviews Posted by Tuesday at 5 p.m.
Jake
Jaime
Alaina
Katie
Elaine
Kelsey
Emily
Note: Thursday's class will meet in Dewing 114 where we will celebrate the last class with a potluck! Bring delicious things to share!
Final Major Assignment
Your final assignment has three parts.
1. The expectation and anticipation: 500 words
Choose a restaurant to review. Choose a restaurant that serves food that represents a “vivid entryway into another culture” for you (Long 1), and that may be a kind of travel or border crossing for you personally. Write a blog post of 500 words or more evaluating your expectations of the experience. What personal experiences or baggage from the past influence what you think will happen in terms of the dining experience? What are your worries or concerns, hopes and desires for the meal? Reference any pertinent readings (including CYOA, classmates’ blog posts and Food, Inc.) and conversations (in class or online via blogs) in this informal, conversational essay. Post to your blog BEFORE you go to the restaurant. The audience for this piece is, indeed, this class.
2. The review: 1000 words
Using Sam Sifton’s restaurant reviews as a model, write a well-reasoned and –argued, structurally sound, utterly readable if not downright entertaining review of the restaurant you chose.
In terms of PROCESS, do background research on the restaurant and the cuisine, take notes (and maybe photos) during the meal, think long and hard about what you have to say about the experience (both the food and the place/ambiance), find a place (aka “The Butt”) on the pan-to-rave continuum where you stand, start to develop the thesis, the main points you’ll argue to support “The Butt.”
With regard to ORGANIZING/WRITING, make sure your piece has clear elements: thesis, point of view, an effective lead, evidence to support your claims, a conclusion that leaves a lasting impression, etc.). Also, provide perspective/context/background/research and analysis. Build your case and do it as artfully and appropriately for your intended audience as you can.
Choose an intended publication and state it before the lead of your piece.
3. The evaluation
This part will be due exam week, with your portfolio, and I will give you the assignment after workshop. Don’t worry about it. It will be pleasant and informal and written for the class on your blog, much as the first part of the assignment.
1. The expectation and anticipation: 500 words
Choose a restaurant to review. Choose a restaurant that serves food that represents a “vivid entryway into another culture” for you (Long 1), and that may be a kind of travel or border crossing for you personally. Write a blog post of 500 words or more evaluating your expectations of the experience. What personal experiences or baggage from the past influence what you think will happen in terms of the dining experience? What are your worries or concerns, hopes and desires for the meal? Reference any pertinent readings (including CYOA, classmates’ blog posts and Food, Inc.) and conversations (in class or online via blogs) in this informal, conversational essay. Post to your blog BEFORE you go to the restaurant. The audience for this piece is, indeed, this class.
2. The review: 1000 words
Using Sam Sifton’s restaurant reviews as a model, write a well-reasoned and –argued, structurally sound, utterly readable if not downright entertaining review of the restaurant you chose.
In terms of PROCESS, do background research on the restaurant and the cuisine, take notes (and maybe photos) during the meal, think long and hard about what you have to say about the experience (both the food and the place/ambiance), find a place (aka “The Butt”) on the pan-to-rave continuum where you stand, start to develop the thesis, the main points you’ll argue to support “The Butt.”
With regard to ORGANIZING/WRITING, make sure your piece has clear elements: thesis, point of view, an effective lead, evidence to support your claims, a conclusion that leaves a lasting impression, etc.). Also, provide perspective/context/background/research and analysis. Build your case and do it as artfully and appropriately for your intended audience as you can.
Choose an intended publication and state it before the lead of your piece.
3. The evaluation
This part will be due exam week, with your portfolio, and I will give you the assignment after workshop. Don’t worry about it. It will be pleasant and informal and written for the class on your blog, much as the first part of the assignment.
A few more reviews to check out for Thursday's class
Make sure to read as writers, discovering and understanding structure and technique in each piece. We'll discuss them Thursday.
Because the Fat Lady has to Eat
Osteria Morini
Il Matto
Kenmare, which gets zero stars
Because the Fat Lady has to Eat
Osteria Morini
Il Matto
Kenmare, which gets zero stars
Friday, February 25, 2011
Reading for 9th week Tuesday
As promised, here are links to the reading due Tuesday. It's all from the New York Times, much of it from Sam Sifton, the Times' chief restaurant critic. I think you'll have a good time with it.
United Tastes comes to the Midwest
Mark Bittman v. McDonald's Oatmeal
Sam Sifton reviews Ai Fiori
Sifton reviews Bar Basque
Hey Mr. Critic
Another Hey Mr. Critic
Sifton does Brooklyn
Sifton says Jamaican is the thing
Sifton blogs about the John Dory Oyster Bar
Sifton on how to eat for a living and stay healthy doing it
Sifton's My Life in Food
Round One Q&A
Round Two
Round Three
Round Four
and just for fun, To Catch a Critic
United Tastes comes to the Midwest
Mark Bittman v. McDonald's Oatmeal
Sam Sifton reviews Ai Fiori
Sifton reviews Bar Basque
Hey Mr. Critic
Another Hey Mr. Critic
Sifton does Brooklyn
Sifton says Jamaican is the thing
Sifton blogs about the John Dory Oyster Bar
Sifton on how to eat for a living and stay healthy doing it
Sifton's My Life in Food
Round One Q&A
Round Two
Round Three
Round Four
and just for fun, To Catch a Critic
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