On Wednesday night I had the opportunity to attend the launch party for volume six of The Scout Guide Charlottesville. The Scout Guide turns traditional advertising upside down and features a collection of local businesses in creative and beautiful ways. Rather than lists of addresses and phone numbers, The Scout Guide introduces people to a city through photographs that showcase the “passion, originality and character of the region’s small businesses, local artisans, and entrepreneurs, as well as the community at large.”
While those included pay for their spot in the guide, The Scout Guide is distributed for free. It’s part magazine part guide book to a city.
While it was founded in Cville in 2010, the annual publication is now printed in more than 50 cities across the country – check here to see if your city has one! There’s also a great website and blog with all kinds of beautiful posts on tips, style and more.
I joined my friends Sarah and Jessie for drinks and appetizers to celebrate the release. Jessie is the owner of Whimsies Kids and a friend from the gym!
The food spreads were delectable –
Mini ham biscuits
Tomato, basil, mozzarella skewers
The most delicious apple, manchego, arugula and prosciutto wraps
Cheeeeeese!
Pork bites that were of unknown ingredients but delicious and beef jerky that was surprisingly tasty from The Organic Butcher!
And for dessert – almond cake and lemon olive oil cake with whipped cream and fresh berries –
Sadly I didn’t taste those because I decided to sink my teeth into one of these!! A-mazing!
It was a lovely evening and I’m glad I could help spread the word on The Scout Guide!
This post isn’t sponsored – just wanted to share as a thank you to TSG for inviting me and love on Cville!
Maggie says
Oh, I saw a pile of these at the law school the other day!! I almost picked one up, but I figured the 50 pounds of textbooks I needed to read was probably enough for the moment. I’ll definitely have to take a look at it once exams are over 🙂
Also the quarterly box post still comes up when I go directly to kathets.com!
Emily @ Life on Food says
What a cool idea for your city and any city you visit. I think this would make shopping much more of an activity when visiting a new city than it currently is when I vacation.
Jackie says
Those cupcakes look divine!
Katie @ Peace Love & Oats says
What a beautiful guide, I wonder if they do those for bigger cities like Chicago? Seems perfect for a city like Charlottesville with all that southern charm!
Anne says
The guides are in over 50 cities, including Chicago 🙂
Livi says
All that food looks so delicious! Those cupcakes are beautiful!
Kavi says
Interesting to see Almond Cake on the dessert table – I just posted a recipe for that! I made it for the very first time last weekend as a “healthy” dessert, but it was delicious, and got rave reviews 🙂 Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free too!
Looks like a great event. I’m curious to see what other cities have Scout Guides.
Leah @ goodnight cheese says
Looks like a nice event! Just curious, is it that they invited you without any expectation of you writing about it, or were you expected to write about the event on the blog?
KathEats says
No expectations, no compensation. Just a fun invite, and I’m sure coverage is appreciated.
Leah @ goodnight cheese says
In that case, it’s especially nice of you to give them free publicity when you didn’t even attend the event for free! I want that tower of cupcakes.
KathEats says
There wasn’t a cost with the event, FYI
Leah @ goodnight cheese says
Oh, thanks for clarifying! I guess it makes more sense that the event was free in order for the company to be able to get some publicity in general.
Jeannine @ Small & Chic Home says
The Scout folks are lovely! They invited a good number of bloggers, but they don’t really need the publicity. Many people eagerly grab the books when they come out. Yesterday, I was having lunch with Jen Fariello, the photographer behind most of the images in this edition, and while I flipped through one of her copies, a woman stopped at our table and asked where she could get one. She seemed so happy when we handed one over!
Anyway, lovely pictures, Kath!
KathEats says
It’s pretty popular in Cville, but I think the newer cities’ editors might appreciate spreading the word : ) Jen’s photos are gorgeous.
Mom says
Magnificent! Love the purple cupcakes!
Heidi says
Those guides look gorgeous! I’ve never seen one in person, but I am officially hooked! I wish my city had this! I would LOVE to work on it.
Jeannine @ Small & Chic Home says
There IS a Chicago edition! 🙂
Heidi says
Thanks, but I don’t live in Chicago!
Jeannine @ Small & Chic Home says
Sorry…that was meant to be a reply to another comment. 🙂
Chelsea @ TableForOne says
Your town is just so charming. I love seeing all of the fun events that go on! What a neat idea for a tour guide.
Sara says
YUM! That’s some of the best-looking food I’ve seen in a long time.
[email protected] says
Yummy!!! Love the ham tomato and basil skewers!! Cupcakes…blueberry and lemon?
KathEats says
Vanilla and vanilla I think!
Gwen says
The food looks wonderful. Do you know who catered the event?
KathEats says
Bee Hive Events had a hand in it, and I know The Organic Butcher provided some of the meats, but I’m not sure on the rest.
Michelle @ A Healthy Mrs says
All of that food looks delicious! Sounds like a fun night 🙂
Jasmine says
Oh my gosh, I LOVE this. I clicked through, but they don’t have one in Portland. As a business, I would LOVE to participate in something like this. As a person, I’d love to read one and see what they came up with for my city!
So cool! Scout Guide Peeps — You need one for Portland, OR!
Natasha says
Neat! My city (New Orleans) has one and I have never seen it!
Emily says
We have TSG in Charlotte.
Those are some of the most DELICIOUS looking appetizers I’ve seen in a long time!
[email protected] says
The blue icing totally got me!
Lindsay says
Brilliant idea, and the photographs are so beautiful and personal. I am now off to see if Honolulu has one…as if visiting Hawaii was not fun enough;)
Lisa @bitesforbabies says
Why oh why do we not have events like this where I live?! Well, sometimes we do but it doesn’t seem the same…what with the lovely weather down there and the festive ambiance (which ALWAYS seems to be going on there too! lol!)
Polly @ Tasty Food Project says
Wow, everything looks so amazing! Looks like you had a fun time! I wish I could get invited to these types of events!
Ari Gold says
Where can I pick up a copy of the newest Scout Guide in Charlottesville? Can’t wait to see it!
KathEats says
I’m not exactly sure where, but it’s at restaurants and shops. We have it at the bakery, I think