LifeStyle Center City and The Days of Wine and Roses...

First and foremost, allow me to explain the "Center City" in our name. We see "Center City" as a way of life rather than simply a piece of geography. If you happen to reside in the suburbs of the aforementioned "Center City", our concept was also designed with you in mind.

Our audience is passionate about our restaurants; our sports teams; our theaters and museums; our statues and our fountains; our beautiful city and our incredible neighborhoods; etc., etc. If you love Philadelphia, you will love our publication, and what's not to love? Our mission is to celebrate the good things that contribute to living the good life. And guess what, there are plenty of reasons to celebrate.

We are certainly aware that nothing is perfect, and not all is about the days of wine and roses. Our premiere issue includes a piece on the SS United States that has been unceremoniously parked in Philadelphia since 1996. A lot of babies have been born in the past fifteen years, and yet this historic ship still sits on Delaware Avenue. It is a positive piece (although the results are yet to be determined). It has become a Philadelphia story, and a tragedy. Needless to say, there is more to come.

We are here for the long run, and there is much to be done. All we hope to do is to be a part of it.

A Major-League Win For Philadelphia, Michael and Zahav ...

More importantly, it's a great moment for a very talented Philadelphia chef, and it becomes part of the process of convincing the world that Philadelphia is a much better culinary destination than most people realize. In my opinion, the James Beard Association is the most prestigious culinary organization in the country, and receiving an award such as the "Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic Region" is a very big deal and one that will place Michael in a class where he most certainly belongs.

You look around our area, and all of a sudden you see more and more amazing talent in
our kitchens. Michael Solomonov is part of this picture and I might add, part of our prestigious 22 Spots. If you come upon a top ten list of U.S. restaurant cities, something is very wrong if Philadelphia is missing.

Zahav Restaurant
237 Saint James Place (Across from the Sheraton Society Hill)
215–625–8800

www.zahavrestaurant.com
Cuisine: Modern Israeli

www.22spots.com (Philadelphia)

My Apology to the Industry...

I have never owned a restaurant, and I will freely admit that I have always struggled with math. I made some assumptions that have proven to be incorrect, and I must apologize to the very industry that I pretend to help. I won't bore you with the details, but my mistake was assuming that giving away some 75% (Groupon and the multitude of copycat programs) would basically be a disaster for the owners that choose to participate. I now discover that these owners are smarter than I will ever be and the results are all that matters.

I obviously made many mathematical errors because I was thinking the wrong way. I was actually convinced that if your total costs were more that the 75% that you are giving away, somehow there would be a problem. And without compromising their quality, the restaurants (all by themselves) figured a way to make this work.

I forgot about all the new people who discovered your restaurant and had such an amazing experience that they returned time and again (even without the coupons). I forgot that all these Groupon folks told all their friends about your restaurant and it becomes a tremendous marketing benefit. One of my biggest mistakes was thinking your waitstaff would not be happy with this crowd. Now I discover that they tip on a dramatic basis and everybody wins.

I almost suggest that some of these owners should be involved in our Government. I now believe they are more than capable of solving most, if not all, of our nation's economic problems.

While I continue to feel like an idiot, there is one thing that bothers me. I can't understand why the restaurants that have great food and great chefs haven't embraced
these much needed programs. I now fear for their survival, and I urge the really good restaurants to get involved with the popular discount craze as soon as humanly possible. I am aware that all the costs are rising, and that 75% seems prohibitive -
but if it wasn't working, why would all these restaurants be doing it?

We all make mistakes... I am sorry.

The Beatles

PRIME PHILADELPHIA & 22 Spots

Our audience is upscale by definition, and the definition is as follows:

We mail our presentation to a pre-selected audience on a monthly basis in the form of an email newsletter. Our monthly mailing is 12 to 15,000 local names including the key law firms of the Delaware Valley. Our strategy is not to wait to be discovered - we give you a substantial audience immediately with twelve mailings per year plus constant visibility through the Social Media.

We have successfully published the Restaurant Report for the past fifteen years,and over this period of time,we have developed key contacts in the upscale restaurant community that gives us a major edge on reporting the news and presenting a
colorful and always interesting slant on our favorite subjects - Food, Dining Out,
Travel and Entertainment.

Our marketing program gives you valuable exposure 24/7 on both sites (Prime Philadelphia and 22 Spots). It also gives you exclusivity in terms of your business category.

We thank you in advance for your consideration, and we urge you to visit our sites:

www.primephiladelphia.com
www.22spots.com
www.restaurantreport.com

Robert Bickell, Editor & Publisher
bickellb@comcast.net
cell: 267-235-3721

Taste of the Nation

Event Details

100% of ticket sales supports Share Our Strength's efforts to end childhood hunger.

Monday, June 20, 2011
V.I.P. Admission: 5:30 P.M. - 9:30 P.M.
General Admission: 6:30 P.M. - 9:30 P.M.

VIP Admission
Advance Tickets: $135
At-the-door Ticket: $145

VIP Admission attendees will be admitted to the event an hour early, affording exclusive access to Philadelphia’s top chefs, the opportunity to preview a fabulous array of auction items and other special surprises.

General Admission - Advance Tickets: $85 - At-the-door Ticket: $95

General Admission attendees will sample the best cuisine Philadelphia has to offer along with a fabulous selection of cocktails, wine and beer. Join our chefs and mixologists in our fight to end childhood hunger.

Loews Philadelphia Hotel - Millennium Ballroom
1200 Market Street, Philadelphia
(215) 627-1200