Updated July 27

Read about Elements in the Sunday, July 27 Washington Post front page here! ...and on Springwise here!

- If you have a hard copy of the Washington Post article, please contact us! Linda wants to save one for the restaurant.
- Party being planned for the end of September! Details here.
- The search continues for a general manager. Details here.

Clarification! For those confused by the Washington Post article, Elements is a vegetarian restaurant that serves raw food as part of its menu (about 20% of the menu it seems, based on collective interest at this point), not a raw food restaurant. The mission, as stated below, is to be inclusive. Also, Sharon Greenspan is a valued member of the beta community (as is June Blanks, also mentioned in the article), but she is neither the business owner nor has invested capital in Elements. Linda Welch is the business owner and presently the sole investor, and Neil Takemoto is responsible for the beta community and who Linda has provided with equity in the restaurant.

Summer leaders...

Thank you to Brian Corrigan, Sharon Greenspan and Ashley Hansen (see her review of The Sprout in the review thread) for contributing significantly to Elements' community.  The point totals as of June 30, 2008 ('PF' stands for profit sharing):

Elements Progress Map - The Elements process explained, visually. As we complete each phase, the path (arrows) will turn green. The scale icon represents a stable, readjusting loop, while the snowball symbolizes a growing, reinforcing loop. As you can see, we are now at the phase where the beta community needs to design the Elements Program of menu items, events and programs, while Linda needs to secure a lease as rates fall.

 
What is Elements? (crafted by the beta community)

We are Elements. At the heart of the Elements experience is community: a “third place” between home and work for people of all ages, preferences and backgrounds to meet and nourish themselves, the people around them, and the planet. Our growing Elements family embraces authenticity, diversity, conscious living, and fun. This family has crowdsourced Elements from day one, and our continued participation will ensure it stays fresh and progressive. As Elements evolves, we are guided by a few simple ideas:

We encourage balance in life. All of life is interconnected, thus our actions can have a great impact. We balance our needs—health, enjoyment, vitality—with the needs of others and the Earth. As an independent local business, Elements endorses the triple bottom line: we measure success in not only economic, but environmental and social terms as well. We support balance in our community by serving organic vegetarian food grown our own garden in a building that exceeds environmental standards. We support balance globally by cutting our waste, composting, and recycling, and by neutralizing our carbon output with offsets and green energy.

We nurture growth in our community. As important to our lives as the four elements is an essential fifth: people. Look around you; friends, neighbors, and visitors meet here to share ideas, spark new friendships, and renew old ones. We nourish the local economy by partnering with local growers, vintners, brewers, artists, musicians, and community groups. We offer classes and lectures to foster exploration and discovery, and sponsor events to nurture sharing and collaboration.

We are dedicated to stimulating all five senses. Taste our fresh seasonal dishes. Smell our organic fair-trade coffee. Hear talented musicians perform every day. See the work of area artists. Feel the afternoon sun. Hug a friend. Be alive.

Read the Washington Business Journal article here.