I usually don't go off on things like this, but I just couldn't resist with this one - The Harvest on the Harbor.
My biggest complaint with this bunch of bullshit is that it's for profit. The Portland Convention and Visitors Bureau makes money yet they go out of their way trying to get people to donate products and services. They make it seem like you're really making a difference if you volunteer, like they really need you. Fuck them.
Donations and Volunteering are fine if it's for a CHARITY event. They try to convince people that "It's really great exposure that your business will greatly benefit from." This is completely untrue, and the kinds of people that you actually DO get are just plain awful.
This "Taste of Maine" is sponsored by Hannaford Supermarkets, Samuel Adams, and Constellation Brands (peddlers of some of the most soulless garbage wine out there, such as Blackstone, Ravenswood, and Clos du Bois), among others..
Apparently such prestigious food publications as People Magazine have called HOTH "One of the best ideas for a fair this fall."
All they want to do is book Hotel Rooms.....
Save your money. Go out to restaurants and give it directly to the business owners, so you can make sure it reaches the people who deserve it.
----------long pause with lots of deep breaths-------------------------
Sorry to any of my friends who are involved, this is just how I feel. I'm also irritated that I have to carry a bunch of these crap wines at the store because supposedly people will be "just dying to get their hands on them after they taste them at the event." I sense a special Harvest on the Harbor SALE BIN in my future...
ThankfuckingGod someone else is thinking this! I thought I was alone in thinking this event is complete and utter bunk. I mean, they're charging you $35 to shop with local vendors that you can find at Rosemont, Portland Market House, Lois's, Whole Foods and various places around Portland.
ReplyDeleteReally?
Sounds like a certain midcoast food festival last month. $$$ for the privilege of shopping in a market of Maine vendors set up for the occasion. If I hadn't gotten free tickets for teaching a cooking class, I probably wouldn't have gone, as all the featured products are available at independent food stores up and down the coast. The featured wines were all Maine, though, better than the swill they're serving at HOTH.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts, I'm glad I decided to skip this one!
Thanks Joe for saving me the trouble of haveing to write this very same post.
ReplyDeleteSave me a bottle of Blackstone. Merlot, please.
HOTH is rife with irony and dogma, but to be fair, PCVB use their skills - however outdated - to pull off a reasonably attractive showcase for local and out-of-town consumers who are jacked up on our recent noteriety.
ReplyDeleteSelling hotel rooms is a good thing. Hopefully, the savvier visitors will know better and seek out the true talent that got Portland in the press in the first place, not just the dues-paying CVB members who populate HOTH with conventional dishes and products.
It reminds me of the music biz back when the industry was foisting garbage on radio stations when the real music was in the dirty clubs down reeking side streets.
Oh yeah, it's great for tourists! I'll only be attending (one) free demo at Le Roux on Friday afternoon. I've heard great things about these peppers that El Rayo serves and I want some! But the whole event is a rip off and makes me mad. Especially the $35 'Gourmet Dining on a Budget' session. WTF!?
ReplyDeleteI know this post is old, but I'm intrigued. I'm looking for a fall getaway and live in Bermuda. I found the Harvest on the Harbor and planned to go this October to try something new. Based on your comments, I shouldn't bother. Guess I'll just stay in Boston, then? Or is there something worth going to in Portland?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteI think that Portland has a lot to offer in the way of food, and it's just a really nice place to be in the fall, and I also feel the same way about Boston. As the trip gets closer, feel free to contact me on this blog and I will be happy to provide you with a food itinerary for while you're here. Fuck Harvest on the Harbor.
Joe
Too funny. Will do. We aren't looking for unusual. We're just looking for realllly good. Options are very limited here so just looking to enjoy flavors again.
ReplyDelete