by Mark Smith on
July 9th, 2009 |
About 4 years ago I had an awesome culinary experience. It was the most educational & enlightening adventure that I have undertaken. A 7 night 8 day cooking class in Oaxaca Mexico. Talk about increasing my respect for the cuisine that I cook on a daily basis. Watching masters do what me & my staff humbly try to duplicate on a daily basis, was mind boggling. I said as I was flying back to the states, one day I'm going to take a group of friends from the restaurant to Mexico with me so that they may get a chance to experience Mexican culinary intensity at it's source.
Well, the time has come. La Villa Bonita & Chef Ana Garcia have agreed to host & cook with me. We have put together a 8 day 7 night package from Nov 5 to Nov 13 at their specially designed hotel & cooking school in the beautiful mountain village of Tepoztlan, Morelos, Mexico. We will be working with masa, moles & local ingredients for an adventure unlike any that you will experience. The special price is $1450/ person for double occupancy & this includes breakfast & lunch daily with an option for dinner available if you're hungry after cooking all day. We can also decide on side trips & tours of the area as we get together the group. Please contact me at chefmark@thetortillapress.com to sign up or for questions.
x, 
2x and one other person are discussing. 
Sean McGann is discussing. 
Ted Mann 3:00 pm on August 3, 2009 Permalink |
Wow, can’t believe I missed that. Was this the first time the anti-abortion group has been at the Market?
Betsy Cook 9:27 pm on August 10, 2009 Permalink |
I am the director of the Market. ANYONE wishing to speak with me about this is welcome to call me at 856-559-0234. And YES, we have had Planned Parenthood at the Market.
People, please don’t respond without addressing this question: Are attempts to allow community groups to participate causing so many problems that the Market should just cut off access for everybody? Can I pull the plug on Friends of the Library, Breast Cancer awareness, Junior Women’s Club…etc. etc. Because they are groups that were wishing to get the public more involved with their causes, too.
Now people are adding comments expecting “thequeenofhearts1″ (Carroll Lewis) to speculate an answer? Carroll, if you were so moved to write a blog about this, check your sources before hitting “post.”
x 1:02 pm on September 18, 2009 Permalink |
Wow. Absolutely ridiculous response by Ms. Cook.
2x 11:06 pm on September 20, 2009 Permalink |
In total agreement with “x.” Ms. Cook, your answer is absolutely ridiculous. I hardly think it appropriate to equate a bunch of wild-eyed crazies wielding buckets of dead fetuses to “Friends of the Library.” Perhaps I should elaborate. One is contentious, rabble rousing, fear mongering and divisive. The other is positive, inclusive, and builds community. See the difference? Perhaps you were not aware that the Farmer’s Market plays a central role in building community. You seem content to include organizations that would tear it down. This is not about questioning your personal judgement or tastes, though an argument could easily be made about those, and not a particularly favorable one, in light of the above. This is about being actively disruptive and destructive to our community under the guise of It’s Everybody’s Sandbox. Wake up to community norms! Then dust off your resume, because with an attitude like yours, you will be best served with employment elsewhere.
Betsy Cook 6:59 am on September 21, 2009 Permalink |
The fact is that no one knew what they planned to do, and they were stopped shortly after people figured out what they were doing. Readers can not tell from this blog that it did not continue.
Anyone is still welcome to contact me about this for a true discussion. (No one has, to date.)
x 3:57 pm on September 21, 2009 Permalink |
In response to Ms. Cook,
“The fact is that no one knew what they planned to do, and they were stopped shortly after people figured out what they were doing. Readers can not tell from this blog that it did not continue.”
Why did you not point this out in your first response instead of defending the decision to include the group, equating such inclusion to that of such organizations as “Friends of the Library, Breast Cancer awareness, Junior Women’s Club,” and taking an accusatory tone with the writer of the above article?
It is not the responsibly of “thequeenofhearts1″ to know just how long plastic fetuses were on display or if other organizations have been accepted in the past. Were there any untruths in the article? If you feel there is pertinent information to be added you are free to add it yourself. I for one would be interested in knowing the name of the religious organization and what they claimed they would be doing at the market, if not inciting hate.
Thank you.