Pickie Pie's Pro-Bono Projects

At Pickie Pie, we believe we've been blessed with talent and good fortune.  That's why we also believe in giving back to our community where possible and to causes we hold near and dear by taking on several pro-bono projects a year.  Right now, we're helping the New Milestones Foundation get press and promotion
 for their Bridge the Gap event to be held on November 7, 2011 at the Bob Bullock Museum. The event features Carrie Fisher, of Star Wars fame, as guest speaker.

Taking advantage of the Star Wars tie, New Milestones has teamed up with Blo Blow Dry Bar and Evie Evan for an online Princess Leia look-a-like contest.  For a $20 dollar donation, anyone can get a Princess Leia updo, their makeup done and their photo submitted for the contest.  All proceeds go to New Milestones.  The winner gets dinner with Carrie Fisher.  Anyone in the Universe can enter by clicking here and sending your digital photo to austinprincessleia@gmail.com.

We've secured two television segments, one on KVUE Midday and one on KEYE's We Are Austin 4pm program.  We'll have models, both human and canine as anyone can enter the contest, Star Wars props, a spokesperson and a surprise or two.  Let's just say some of the other Star Wars characters might show up.

Fleming's Mention in San Antonio Tidbits

ETC	Social Diary: July 12-18

July 12, 2011

Pour your summertime blues away.

Skinny Sexy Sailor at Flemings
It’s a cocktail, not the man of your dreams. Get out of the heat and belly up to the Fleming’s bar for a Skinny Sexy Sailor cocktail. Sip in style – they’re only 99 calories. More

Tidbits Party at Charming Charlie
Tuesday, July 19, 6-9p.m.
Grab your girlfriends and join Tidbits for a party at Charming Charlie at The Rim. Nosh on cupcakes by Kate’s Frosting while you browse jewels and accessories. The first 50 Tidbits readers to RSVP will snag swag bags valued at $50 each. Get on the list! Respond to jeanette.vela@charmingcharlie.com.

Fun Summer Jeans at Grove Hill
Taste the rainbow (of colors) with brightly colored denim from Citizens of Humanity at Grove Hill. These pants are so sweet, bet you can’t pick just one. More.

Send your hip events to submissions-sanantonio@gotidbits.com for editorial consideration in Social Diary.

Culture Map Launch Party at Max's Wine Dive

Houston's Ashley Wehrly and Pickie Pie's Rachel Elsberry
Culture Map Austin Launch Party
June 30, 2011 @ Max's Wine Dive

Social Media Mentions

• • Pickie Pie recently hosted four food writers and bloggers at a wine dinner prepared by Chef Erick Nixon of the Downtown Austin Fleming's.  We put together the right group of writers for a splendid evening.  The wine dinner was a great way to show off to writers what chefs at restaurants like Fleming's can do off menu.
    
    In addition, Pickie Pie works hard to cultivate our relationships with writers, who are also big users of social media with large followings.  We love this post by Jette' Momant which was replied to by the other writers who attended.  Effectively using social media keeps the buzz going beyond the event and touches the consumer on a casual level.
    
• 
  

  
  

  Jetté Momant

  Splendid Washington State 90 Point dinner on Friday eve at Fleming's with Rachel Elsberry, Addie Broyles, Nicole Carbon , Heather Newby, & Jessica Dupuy. And of course, my fave dish was dessert: Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog Cheese w/ Balsamic Macerated Blackberries, Chive Latke & Brown Butter Honey
  served with FEATHER, Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley, 2006 (91 pts. Wine Spectator)

  
  

  Wall Photos

  
  

  Sunday at 4:30pm ·  ·  · Share · Remove Tag

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    Pete Gasper, Sallie Wood and 2 others like this.
  • • 
      

      Rachel Elsberry All beautifully prepared by Chef Erick Nixon of Downtown Austin Flemings.
      

      Sunday at 8:19pm ·  ·  1 person
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      Nicole Carbon Chef Erick never ceases to amaze me. And the company was ever fabulous with our hostess Rachel Elsberry and the lovely Addie Broyles, Jetté Momant, Jessica Norman Dupuy and Heather Newby.
      

      Monday at 6:53am ·  ·  1 person
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      Rachel Elsberry I am so hungry right now. This dish...with the cheese and the latke...would make a nice little breakfast. Nom, nom, nom.
      

      Monday at 10:17am · 
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      Addie Broyles Don't forget the fried egg!
      

      Monday at 1:25pm ·  ·  2 people

About Rachel Elsberry of Pickie Pie Productions, LLC

Rachel Elsberry, Founder
Photo by Chad Harlan of La Pistola

Rachel Elsberry started journalism classes when she was 14 years old at Angleton High School in her hometown of Angleton, Texas. She owes her love for information to her parents who were avid news watchers and history buffs and to Linda Winder, her high school journalism teacher. Rachel has been involved in television and radio since she was 18 years old. Her most-recent experience in television was at WJBK, the Fox station in Detroit, Michigan from the late 1990s to 2001 and an 8.5 year stint as the Executive Producer of Special Projects at News 8 Austin, the Time Warner 24-hour cable news channel in Austin, Texas, from 2001 to 2009. She covered numerous large stories and events over the years including a week in Louisiana immediately following Hurricane Katrina, the Austin City Limits Music Festival and the victory of her Texas Longhorns in their pursuit of the National Title at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Rachel also produced and reported weekly lifestyle features from food to fashion and home décor, all areas of personal interest as well, including weekly cooking segments with Chef Jeff Blank of Hudson’s on the Bend, whom she credits with turning her into a foodie.

In the summer of 2008, Rachel was among one of 12 American journalists awarded a RIAS Fellowship (which stands for Radio in the American Sector) allowing her to spend two weeks immersed in learning about German media, the European Union, NATO and the critical relationship between the United States and Europe when it comes to world affairs. She is honored to be in the small fraternity of RIAS Fellows. Rachel has also received numerous awards for her work from the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters. She also has two Edward R. Murrow Awards and several Emmy nominations hanging on the wall.

During her career as a media insider, Rachel watched many public relations professionals and business owners struggle with getting their message beyond the newsroom gatekeepers. She left the news business to start her own business helping people effectively use media to promote their causes, events, products, services and businesses using the knowledge she gained as an insider. Thus, Pickie Pie Productions was formed to be a friend and asset to small and medium-sized businesses and entrepreneurs.  No one can get you past the media gatekeepers like someone who once tended the gate.

The name Pickie Pie comes from a nickname given to Rachel as a baby by her maternal grandmother, Irenne Hoffmann Rennie. As the only grandchild in the family with brown eyes and as a picky baby, her grandmother started calling Rachel “My Brown-eyed Pickie Pie.” She referred to Rachel by that name in written correspondence and in person all the way up until she passed away in the summer of 2005. In return, Rachel called her grandmother “Nanny Pickie Pie” or just “Pickie.” The two had a special bond that still tugs at Rachel’s heart today. Pickie Pie Productions is a tribute not just to Rachel’s grandmother, but to all grandmothers who always see the potential and promise in their grandchildren just as Rachel sees the potential, promise and possibility in her clients.

In addition to her PR work, Rachel continues to work as a freelance journalist for media outlets such as Inside Edition. She also spends a great deal of time in Houston’s Medical Center where she writes and produces several cutting-edge medical stories per month that air on television stations across the country via a company called Medstar Television.

Making the Pitch, Getting Results

Representing a business that does not have a brick-and-mortar store front or restaurant can be a tricky endeavor as there is no where to entertain media or bring patrons to show off goods and services.  Such is the case with our client Dagar's Catering.  While they have a huge, impressive facility and kitchen in North Austin that's been operating for decades, they don't have a place to bring media to try out the food or hold events as easily as a restaurant would.  So, we have to look at different ways to get them press and attention.

KEYE's Hunter Ellis and Kathryn Dagar-Albarado
preparing for  We Are Austin Live

Food Safety Kit

When Kathryn Dagar-Albarado of Dagar's Catering and DNA Events recently wrote a post on the DNA Events blog about food safety in summer and the idea of putting together a food safety kit, Pickie Pie, from our years as a media insider, recognized an opportunity. We took her post, made a few adjustments to make it media friendly, pitched it to local press on a Monday morning and waited for them to bite.

Hunter Ellis and Kathryn Dagar-Albarado 

As a result, KEYE-TV called us Tuesday morning bright and early and asked to book our client on their 4:00 p.m. live program called We Are Austin Live. We hopped to it and got our client in gear and ready for broadcast and set up.

Setting Up for We Are Austin Live

Much of the segments on We Are Austin Live are pay-for-play, meaning many businesses pay to be featured in a significant portion of the program.  However, some content is editorially based. Landing an editorially-based segment that was not paid for is a big get for our client, who ended up with not one, but two live segments during the broadcast.

Kit on TV

Viewers of a broadcast and/or readers of a publication inherently see editorially-based content as having more value than a paid advertisement as anyone with money can purchase an ad.  To get featured in editorial content, a business has to have news value and merit in the eyes of a journalist.  At Pickie Pie, we see the world with a journalist's eye and help our clients frame their message with the right kind of media in mind.

Here are links to the segments we garnered for Dagar's Catering on KEYE:
Segment One:
http://weareaustin.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=151866
Segment Two:
http://weareaustin.com/libraries/nxd/media/?data=media_player&v=240767
  

Meet-the-Chef Summer Wine Tasting at Fleming's Domain

Veuve Cliquot Rose' cold and ready for guests

Pickie Pie and Fleming's hosted a summer wine and appetizer tasting reception to honor and introduce Chef Boyer Derise of the Domain Austin Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar location.

Chef Boyer Derise talking with guests

The guest list included Fleming's Magnums, who are regular high spenders at the restaurant, media and VIPs invited by Pickie Pie. It's important to get chefs and restaurant operating partners connected with people on occasion as they are often so busy in the kitchen or running their restaurant.

Jette' Momant and CW Star Mandy Dugan

The key with this event for Pickie Pie was to put together the right mix of people with complementary backgrounds and interests to not only provide a great networking opportunity but to insure everyone had a great time.

Terri Broussard and Lemuel Williams chatting with friends

Here are a few nice "thank you" shout outs on Facebook from some of the guests invited by Pickie Pie.

Jetté Momant

So wonderful seeing Rachel Elsberry, Candice Keith & Storm Field, Jennifer Whitcomb & Nowlin, Zachary Alexander, Terri Broussard Williams & her hubby, The CW Austin Star and Nicole Carbon at Fleming's last night. What a great event, Rachel. It was wonderful meeting the chef.

Cheryl Conley Bemis

Thanks Rachel Elsberry for inviting us to the Flemings wine tasting and Meet the Chef event. I am in love with the Brunello di Montalcino 2004 Col D'Orcia was one of the best reds I have ever tasted. Food was FAB!

Photos from ATX Man Magazine Launch Party

The first issue of ATX Man

ATX Man Magazine held their launch party for the inaugural issue of the magazine at the Land Rover Dealership, Wednesday, June 1, 2011.  The event was a total see-and-be-scene event of Austin A-listers and a crowd of 300+.

KXAN's John Bumgardner, Michelle Valles, KEYE's Jason Wheeler,
Jenny Hoff and Pickie Pie's Rachel Elsberry

Fitness Trainer and ATX Man Writer Ryan Nail (friend of Pickie Pie)

Our client Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar served up beef tenderloin sandwiches to help celebrate the magazine's launch.

Chef Erick Nixon and Chef Boyer Derise of Fleming's serving it up at ATX Man launch

Tenderloin sliders

Members of the Fleming's team

AW's Katie Lesnick, Jenny Lin and Pickie Pie's Rachel Elsberry

FOOGS Goes Green with YNN-Segment to Air Saturday, June 4th

FOOGS Founder Ty Mellon and his daughter installing our raised bed
March 2010

FOOGS, which stands for "For Our Own Goods," is an online gardening community based in Austin, Texas, which promotes and supports regular folks who want to grown their own food products.  Since becoming a client in 2010, they've got us growing at Pickie Pie, too.  In fact, the raised bed often used in media promotion in our backyard, was built by FOOGs.  It took a white-collared promoter and turned her into a green-thumbed gardener.

FOOGS Garden, May 2010

Tomatoes from our FOOGS garden

Green topics are very hot in the media right now.  Growing your own fruits and vegetables is inherently green.  Pickie Pie has secured several spots since 2010 with YNN's Go Green segment.  Most recently, we secured a green garden pest control segment on YNN, scheduled to air Saturday, June 4, 2011.

In addition to securing media, we contribute content to FOOGS.  Click here to read our first post as we became gardeners.

YNN's Rich Segal interviews Rachel Butler of Foogs.org
Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Simple household products which can be combined to
control garden pests as recommended by Foogs.org

YNN Photographer Drew Moses, YNN's Rich Segal,
 Rachel Butler and Bill Norton, both of Foogs.org

A White Night

The White Party unofficially kicks off the summer party season in Austin, Texas, to a sold out crowd of more than 700 guys and gals dressed to impress in their best summer whites.

David Clark and Tracy Tenpenny

This is the second year the event was held under the stars and on the lawn at the Long Center on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend.

Jenny Woys, Rachel Elsberry of Pickie Pie, Tracy Tenpenny and Jillian Newman

Terri Broussard, Lemuel Williams, Chef Boyer Derise of Fleming's and Dorian Fogo

Pickie Pie not only provide pro-bono public relations services for this event (because it's one of our favorite parties and we love the cause) which benefits Lifeworks, but two fantastic clients also participated as food sponsors: Dagar's Catering and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar.

Season-Your-Own Potato Chips from Dagar's Catering

Dagar's Catering served BBQ sliders 

BBQ sliders from Dagar's

Fleming's Salad Listed in Austin Tidbits

ETC	Social Diary: May 31-June 6 (The Foodie Edition)

May 31, 2011

We are living in a foodie world, and you are a foodie girl.
Summer Season Special From Farmhouse Delivery
Swimsuit season has arrived. Time for fresh veggies and juicy fruits to lighten up your life. VisitFarmhouseDelivery.com and enter promo code TIDBITS at checkout to receive $10 off first weekly or bi-weekly delivery + free set-up fee(a $59 value for $29). Promo code valid for only 48 hours! Note: You will be signing up for a membership and can cancel at any time.
Fresh Greens
Look to Fleming’s brand new Lobster or Steakhouse Cobb Salad to keep you looking svelte for summer. Arriving de-constructed and tossed tableside, it’s the perfect lunch with a 100-calorie Farmer’s Daughter cocktail. More.
Sparks from the Culinary Edge
Wednesday, June 1 – Saturday, June 4
A chance to have an incredible dinner at the likes of the Hotel Saint Cecilia and Boggy Creek Farm? Indulge, fellow foodies—award winning chefs are heating things up at these hot spots this week and you can be a guest at the table. More.
Send your hip events to submissions-austin@gotidbits.com for editorial consideration in Social Diary. (Photo: Jody Horton)

Beloved locavores Elizabeth Winslow and James Holmes are teaming up to celebrate the debut of the June issue of Food & Wine magazine, where the two are featured in a farm-fresh happy hour entertaining piece. Hit the mag launch party at Olivia on South Lamar THIS Thursday, June 2, from 5 – 7 p.m. PLUS, check out our Cocktails With interview with female chef extraordinaire (and co-owner of Farmhouse Delivery) Elizabeth Winslow here.