Comments on: Tales - the reckoning, part 2 http://drinkboston.com/2008/07/25/tales-the-reckoning-part-2/ Bars, bartenders and imbibing in Beantown. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:16:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: k. montuori http://drinkboston.com/2008/07/25/tales-the-reckoning-part-2/#comment-21157 k. montuori Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:21:38 +0000 http://drinkboston.com/2008/07/25/tales-the-reckoning-part-2/#comment-21157 Too negative? On the contrary, I think you and others have been most forgiving over what was an organizational nightmare. Changing session days without notifying people who already had tickets? (Indeed, changing session days at all after a schedule is published.) A conference room 14 floors up with two elevators? Standing room only? If it were a $100-all-you-can-see deal that might be OK; paying $45/session to have rooms filled up with (free) press-pass holders is pretty much intolerable and, honestly, insulting to people who paid to attend. (Those are first hand observations. The stories I heard about how the apprentice program was being run would make anyone blush.) The Tales folks clearly need to hire a conference organizer to put it all together and run the show. They also need a venue that's appropriate for the crowds the conference draws. This is not a big event by any means, managing it correctly would not be difficult for a professional. It's nice that Ann's really dedicated to cocktails, but there's a wide gap between "enthusiastic" and "competent." Barring some big change, next year "attending Tales" will be as it's been in the past: head to NOLA and hang out with everybody but ignore the actual conference. It's just as much fun. k. Too negative? On the contrary, I think you and others have been most forgiving over what was an organizational nightmare. Changing session days without notifying people who already had tickets? (Indeed, changing session days at all after a schedule is published.) A conference room 14 floors up with two elevators? Standing room only? If it were a $100-all-you-can-see deal that might be OK; paying $45/session to have rooms filled up with (free) press-pass holders is pretty much intolerable and, honestly, insulting to people who paid to attend.

(Those are first hand observations. The stories I heard about how the apprentice program was being run would make anyone blush.)

The Tales folks clearly need to hire a conference organizer to put it all together and run the show. They also need a venue that’s appropriate for the crowds the conference draws. This is not a big event by any means, managing it correctly would not be difficult for a professional. It’s nice that Ann’s really dedicated to cocktails, but there’s a wide gap between “enthusiastic” and “competent.”

Barring some big change, next year “attending Tales” will be as it’s been in the past: head to NOLA and hang out with everybody but ignore the actual conference. It’s just as much fun. k.

]]> By: laura http://drinkboston.com/2008/07/25/tales-the-reckoning-part-2/#comment-21063 laura Sat, 26 Jul 2008 00:15:46 +0000 http://drinkboston.com/2008/07/25/tales-the-reckoning-part-2/#comment-21063 i like your honesty drinkboston it needed to be said. i love tales of the cocktail if i lived out of state i would come back just for this event and i want it to live up to the hype that it gets worldwide. i feel like new orleans bar scene is lacking compared to big name cities as evident in the spirit awards no new orleans bar or bartender was up for anything i hope that will change soon. i appreciate ann and paul for being the brainchild of tales. i like your honesty drinkboston it needed to be said. i love tales of the cocktail if i lived out of state i would come back just for this event and i want it to live up to the hype that it gets worldwide. i feel like new orleans bar scene is lacking compared to big name cities as evident in the spirit awards no new orleans bar or bartender was up for anything i hope that will change soon. i appreciate ann and paul for being the brainchild of tales.

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