KNHR's Top Drawer

PROJECT SOCIAL, FEATURING ERIK QUALMAN:EXCLUSIVELY AT AMERICASMART

The social media wave sweeping retailers, designers and manufacturers into new streams of connectivity and engagement reaches maximum force this January with Project Social, an AmericasMart-exclusive program. 

Project Social—covering all aspects of social media in a series of seminars—is the latest educational opportunity offered during the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings and Atlanta International Area Rug Markets. The majority of courses fall under the renowned AmericasMart University (AMU), a business learning program for retailers attending Market. 

Headlining the host of events is a keynote address by Erik Qualman, author of Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business. Qualman will take key points from his new book to define social media and teach how to best use it for business success. Attendees will also receive a complimentary book following the presentation. Saturday, January 9, 11 a.m.-Noon in Building 1, Floor 10, Room 1004. 

Additional social media opportunities include: 

• WITHit Seminar: Social Media Success: Low Cost and No Cost Marketing Tools Today Presented by Melissa Galt Galt, a relationship marketing specialist and social media strategist, will provide insight on how to go from being “best kept secrets” to “well-known now” with cost effective marketing mentoring. Friday, January 8 9-10 a.m.

Building (1) Floor 14, Seminar Room 14-D-9

Project Social/Add One

• The Accidental Blogger Presented by interior designer Brad Ford Learn how one designer’s quest for inspiration quickly detoured into the fascinating world of social media marketing and its buzz-worthy, brand-building and attention-grabbing capabilities. Ford is the creator of the popular design blog DesignTherapy.com.

Friday, January 8 10-11 a.m.

Building (1) Floor 14, Seminar Room 14-D-9

• Two days of complimentary One-On-One 101s, Hosted by Aspen Marketing
• Experienced social media experts from Aspen Marketing set aside time to teach individuals how to leverage social media for their specific businesses. 

AMU—the industry's premier educational program, offering buyers a comprehensive schedule of business classes taught by business professionals—will also spotlight social media in:

• Bringing Your Business Online 
• Building Your Brand – Beginner Level Speaker: Nick Goebel Goebel explains the concepts of online business (the real estate analogy), why businesses should get started today and how to choose a Web designer who is a good fit for the company. Saturday, January 9 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Building (1), Floor 10, Room 1002

• Getting the Most Out of Your Website 
• Building Your Brand – Intermediate Speaker: Nick Goebel Find out how to define goals for company websites; brand companies, gather data, increase sales, communicate with current customers, and gain new customers. Building (1), Floor 10, Room 1002 Saturday, January 9 1-2 p.m.

Building (1), Floor 10, Room 1002  

Project Social/Add Two

• Make Your Website Work Harder for You 
• Building Your Brand – Advanced Speaker: Nick Goebel Learn how to manage web presence by creating content to help the company be discovered and learn the importance of regular updates and connecting with social networking sites. Find the best ways to convert traffic and pageviews into customers and learn how to properly manage an e-commerce website to maximize sales. Saturday, January 9 2-3 p.m.

Building (1), Floor 10, Room 1002  

About AmericasMart

AmericasMart is leading Project Social by example with its most recent efforts to engage customers online. Exhibitors, retailers and other industry professionals can find more information about and communicate with AmericasMart on the blog (blog.americasmart.com), Facebook (AmericasMartAtl), Twitter (@AmericasMartAtl) and at the website.

For more information, visit AmericasMart.

KNHR Has A New Editor!

Kitchenware News & Housewares Review welcomes Joanne Friedrick as its new editor. Joanne replaces Karen Martin, who is leaving to pursue other interests. She can be reached at joanne_f@oser.com and at 207-780-8656. As you’ll note from the telephone number, Joanne is also based in Portland, Maine. She is a former editor of Gourmet News and has wide-ranging experience as a free-lance writer.

Please join me in welcoming her to Kitchenware News.

Kelly Lewis continues as KNHR’s new associate editor. Kelly joined the magazine staff last month, and her first contribution will appear on the front cover of the January issue. You can reach her at Kelly_l@oser.com and at 520-721-1300.

Publisher Karen Taylor, based in Los Angeles, can still be reached at Karen_t@oser.com and at 323-512-5113.

 

Gourmet Housewares Show Moves To New York In 2011

GLM, LLC, owner of the Gourmet Housewares Show, has announced that the show is moving to New York in January, 2011. No Gourmet Housewares Show will be held in 2010. In January, 2011, the Gourmet Housewares Show will be co-located within the New York International Gift Fair. GLM is hoping that some of the 150 new exhibitors it expects at NYIGF as a result of the move will also exhibit in the fall NYIGF show.

Cookbook Inspires Tool Collection

I just read that Shelia Lukins, one of the authors of The Silver Palate died this week. The Silver Palate was one of the first cookbooks that I purchased as an adult, and one that I still return to after all these years.

Through these recipes, I was exposed to a new world of cooking that didn’t come out of a box. My mother loved to cook, but she was a young mother taking care of a large family in a time when the notable improvements in the world of cooking were about convenience. And in the 60’s and 70’s that meant the food came out of a box, to be re-hydrated on the stove. Or at least in my house that’s what it meant.

This cookbook taught me that food doesn’t naturally occur in boxes. The authors provided a simple formula for entertaining which had at its core, great food, simply prepared. Practically every friend in my age group owns a well used copy of the cookbook.

As I worked my way through the cookbook, I began my acquisition of basic kitchen tools. The appreciation of quality kitchen tools began with The Silver Palate and continues today. Like many people, I often find myself searching for new tools whenever I’m trying a new recipe.

 In honor of Ms. Lukins, I’m going to introduce you to the newest tool that’s come across my desk – CDN’s new Digital Candy Thermometer. According to the press release that I just received, “the Digital Candy Thermometer comes preprogrammed with the seven basic candy stages: Thread, Soft Ball, Firm Ball, Hard Ball, Soft Crack, Hard Crack and Caramel. This eliminates the need to research or remember the temperature parameters for each stage of the candy-making process.” The thermometer also sounds an alert as you get close to the proper temperature as well as when you go above that same temperature.

Now that’s a real improvement, if you ask me. I find it difficult to read candy thermometers when they are in the proper position, so a digital readout, plus an alarm sounds perfect.