The Photographers Photographer

I’ve mentioned here before the difficulty I encounter to blog and how I envy those of you who have the time & organization to blog more than once a week, and even daily!

One problem I have with blogging is just deciding on the subject! It’s not for a lack of topics.  Actually the amount of material can so overwhelm me to the point of paralyzing me from blogging until another day, or week. I call it Bloggers Block.

Luckily I didn’t have to postpone today’s post to another day. It took only 2-3 minutes to find & decide upon…Cafe Pasadena’s Believe It or Not!  Besides, it’s been waiting over 2 years for its turn, so it’s about time.

 

So, what’s with this blog post?

 

 

Pictured above I’m at the new Euro Pane Bakery & Cafe, between the Paseo Colorado & Citihall, back in 2010 about a month prior to its opening. (Has it been over 2 years already??)

There are numerous things, to say the least, which need to be done prior to opening a restaurant, or any business.  The activities on that particular day were part of menu planning. While the menu would be basically like the original Euro Pane, the new would have a few new wrinkles added.

On this same day I photographed the professional photographer above.  He was there with his wife. They are professional photographers & filmmakers specializing in travel. When they arrived they got most of our attention temporarily off the restaurant/food and onto their travel work and their Canon camera! 

I was pleasantly surprised to hear a couple of my women friends discussing photography with this photographer. Although not pros, they definitely sounded like serious amateur photogs compared to me!  I still use only a point & shoot and ask questions later camera as my only weapon. I’m not ready to advance to the next Xpen$ive camera yet.

 

Food & Photography: When opposites attract. 

 

Food is the main purpose for my carrying a camera. What is your chief reason to have a camera??

 

 

Gotta Point & Shoot. Stay Thirsty My Friends

The Literary Life

 

Do you like to Read?

And if you do, do you actually do Read?

 

 

 

 

Do you have a favorite Ipadstore, or, bookstore, In or Out of Pasadena?

What makes it your kinda place to be?

 

 

 

 

 

Gotta Check Out a Few Things. Stay Thirsty My Friends

Customer Disservice 2

It’s about time for another serving of disservice to your loyal canine, patient customer! Actually it’s way past time. I’m sorry. These could be done on a daily basis.

Customer Disservice:  I can’t define it exactly, but I know it when I see it. And so have you! It leaves you with that bitter aftertaste of, “I don’t really want to come back here again if I can avoid it!”

In the first installment of this endless series, I talked about my Jersey Mike’s Sub experience back in November.  The main disservice I encountered there was they charged me for both sub sandwiches despite having given them their Buy 1 Get 1 Free coupon!

Now a similar story at a joint I’ve regularly spent my hard earned dough on: one of our local El Pollo Loco’s.

El Pollo Loco (EPL) has a “$1 OFF on your next purchase of $5 or More” offer on the back of their receipts – If, you “tell us about us” in a survey.  Once completed you get a number code to take to EPL to receive your discount.

 

 

I usually don’t take the survey.  They’re  only offering you a buck afterall for valuable customer feedback. But when I do, I take it to EPL and expect to get my $1 savings. 

So off I went recently to the local EPL to check out their new Avocado Bacon Tostada.

Two customers are ahead of me, one behind.  With one girl in front to take us all. But it’s the in between lunch & supper slow period.  Still, the order taking is going kinda slow.

Finally, my turn. “Avocado Bacon Tostada, to go”  Give her my $1 discount.  A few seconds die off. “It won’t take the coupon”, she says.  What?   I tell the gal, “I followed directions. Took their survey. And got the code number from the EPL survey.”   No response.  I ask the gal, “so what can we do about it?!”   She “doesn’t know.”  I have a second $1 discount with another code, “I’ll be back in a second.”

 

Avocado Bacon Tostada

 

I’m back in flash only to be back of a line of about 5-6 now.  As I wait my turn, (again!), I’m thinking if they refuse to accept this discount as well, it will be two in one day, and the third in a month!  What kinda of a secret game is EPL playing over a buck??  Oh, I know, they may try to blame their customer for the problem as most companies first try to do.

It’s my turn (again) to order. By now it’s been about 15 minutes since my arrival at this place.  Repeat my order of 10 minutes earlier & give another $1 discount coupon to the cashier. By now I’m kinda expecting my bad luck to kick-in and have this discount rejected for no good reason too.  I guess my bad luck ran out – EPL is gonna let me save a buck!

But I’m not done with the story.  I’ve only ordered. Twice, in 15 minutes.

Next is an extended wait to receive my order –  a Tostada Salad. Just one item. I remind you this wasn’t a particularly busy period. Even the person in line behind me got his salad ahead of me – about 3-4 minutes before!  I mentioned that to the manager & all she could say was, “It’s coming!”

While in this waiting room my thoughts cook on, “should I ask say more to the manager?”  I didn’t have to say a word.  My non-verbal communication must’ve done the talking cuz I was given a free chicken burrito. 

Five to ten minutes was the food wait.  Added up to at least 20 minutes (felt longer) between the time I first got in line (with 2 customers ahead of me) and receiving my order of one item!  Most of this delay was due to EPL rejecting a $1 discount validated by a code they gave to me.  The second such screw-up in a month.

 

Was it worth the wait for only a dollar??  On hindsight, in my situation of course not!   So now we can add the customer is disserved where a business refuses to honor their discount for no good reason to when a business forgets to give you a discount. 

Any of you been disserved in a similar manner?

 

Gotta Eat. Stay Thirsty My Friends

“FIRE!” (Hey! Quiet in the Theatre!)

 

Lately been reading the local papers about theatres.  Which recalls in this PC world of conversation one thing we still can’t, or aren’t, supposed to say is, “FIRE!”, in a crowded theatre. At least last I checked we weren’t.

I’m not much of a movie goer in comparison to being a theatre goer.  Truly, truly, I say this to you!  However, it might be a good idea to not only know where the exits are, but maybe also know where the fire extinguisher is as well!  Lemme go check…

 

 

 

 

Depending upon the theatre you may find yourself turning & marching in a narrow staircase.  But be glad if there’s no theater crowd with you.

 

 

 

Huh, I guess this look like the place.  The Blower Room is where the fire extinguisher is kept!

 

 

 

 

And here is the answer to, God Forbid!,  “Fire in the theatre!”  Tucked away in a corner in clear sight.  It wood bee nice to have one of these “El Capitan Theatre” model fire extinguishers.  If it’s good enuf for a big old theatre then it’s should be good enuf for my hole in the wall.

The film “Citizen Kane” received its world premiere at this theatre.  It is considered by some to be the greatest film of all times!  I believe the decision to use the El Capitan had something to do with director Orson Welles having some type of beef with Bill Hearst and/or his Hearst newspapers.  Sorry I’m drawing a blank here but my entertainment history pales in comparison to everyone else, even though I know people who actually make a living from this sort of thing.

 

 

 

Oh, but where’s the, “Blower”, of the “Blower Room”?  Well, that’s for a future installment one of these months or years. For now lettuce just say the blower and the extinguisher make a complimentary couple.

 

I can now say the most interesting dog in the world does not panic or worry if he hears, “Fire”, in a crowded theatre.

 

 

Gotta Get Outta Here! Stay Thirsty My Friends