May 21-26, 2008 Mayfair Festival of the Arts

May 21 was set up night. We were supposed to arrive before 5pm, pick up a packet with our booth location and then set up. There was no one there with a packet when we arrived. We waited about 5 minutes and then I drove back home to get my information I had received just to be sure I hadn’t messes up on the times. When we got back to the park there was still no one around. C called the main number , we were given our space number, and were told our packet would be brought to us within the hour. I can tell you I never saw a packet that night, and I was worried that this was not going to be a good sign of things to come.

May 22 The show started at 4 pm and the information I had said that cars would not be allowed in the park after 9 am. So I packed my rollie cart ready to haul some extra stuff in the long way. When I arrived the place was full of cars. So I pulled in, finally got my packet, and dropped off stuff to my booth and then went to park. I didn’t know that Thursday was the free night so I was worried about C being able to come in to help me when he got home from work (since I just got my packet and passes today and wouldn’t see him before the show start.) So we can chalk this up to miscommunication for the festival #3… boy I hope the rest goes better than this…..

May 23 Again the show started at 4 pm. The night was chilly and breezy but sales were brisk as well.
May 24 Still a little chilly but no rain. The crowds were really out this year and I think the smaller number of crafters really helped those of us who were there make some money. Less options means less competition for the few dollars that people have to spend these days. I have been noticing the past few years that I am doing better at shows with fewer crafters. I think that is because there is only a finite amount of disposable income right now and whereas before I needed to really just compete with other soap makers for the dollar, now all crafters are competitors for this small pool of dollars people plan on spending when the come to an event. I also noticed fewer credit cards being used, which is great for me, less fees, but it keeps people from going over their budget as much because they are more aware of their purchases when using cash.

May 25 the weather was still holding out and getting nicer. The sales were strong and I just enjoyed the whole day. Still not that many credit card sales and although I think average sales were lower, the higher attendance and more people buying really evened it out for me in the enc. It seemed to me when looking at peoples bags and talking to them there were spreading out their money more- smaller purchases at a few stands rather than one or two larger purchases.

May 26- a beautiful day. I should have worn shorts. Sales were OK, not as good as the last three, but certainly nothing to sneeze at. Plus with the holiday I don’t think there were as many people there than on the past three days and the show ended two hours earlier as well and really started winding down around 6 pm when some of the vendors with larger set ups started to tear down a little early.

All in all my sales were just about double than last years and I think that although the show is changing from fine arts to crafts, it is getting better attended overall. Some old time vendors can complain about the quality of the artists going down, but I have to say that I think what is there now is OK. Certainly it has room for improvement, but that will come with time and maybe last year was this shows rock bottom and it is on the upswing. I certainly enjoyed it more than I have in many years and have the sales to follow that thinking. I’ll be back next year now, no hesitation, no looking for an alternate show. It isn’t a “best” show for me, but a few more years like this and it will be.

May 18-24 2008

Sunday was the Arbutus Arts Festival, a rainy day with a long drive home

Monday-Wednesday- I kept up with my schedule of soap making and made lots of soap. I am getting to the almost done point and am watching the fragrance names be scratched off the list one by one. Just a few more weeks, then a three week break while everything cures and I get some final inventory counts and then back to making soap in July. Those three weeks will be filled with making bath salts, much asked for lip balms, and getting bath fizzys labeled. Wednesday night we set up for Mayfair.

Thursday and Friday mornings I made more soap (two more scratched off the list) and then went to the show.

Saturday I actually got one batch done before I left and then worked the show all afternoon.

A week filled with crock pot meals and long, long days. Monday K came to work and we got some filing done. I have this huge pile of a few years worth of stuff that needs to be put where it belongs. We finished my dad’s stuff. Now just mine needs to be finished. Wednesday before the show I went and saw H and picked up some pieces to photograph. There is a guy who is interested in putting the works in his gallery so they need to be inventoried before leaving the workshop.

Teppan Hibbachi Steakhouse- my heroes!

I live in Emmaus, PA. The closest restaurant that offers sushi is just down the road a few minutes. A1 Japanese Steak House on Lehigh Street in Allentown. I go there a lot, I would say on average twice a month and in the summer, even once a week. It has never been the BEST sushi around, just close, and affordable with pretty good service.

Until now….

K and I went the other day for a bento box for lunch. I ordered a Sushi and Sashimi Combination plate. It came with a California Roll. So I asked the waitress if I could substitute a tuna roll. She said no. I explained that I am allergic (I use allergy- it is easier to understand than intolerant) to an ingredient in the fake crab (krab) and that I can’t eat it. Could she please check for me, or send over a manager. I then went on to explain that I would be happy to pay more for the tuna roll.

So she left, walked to the back of the sushi bar, spoke with the sushi chef, pointed at us, and then came back and said “no”. What??? I explained it is an allergy issue… (krab has gluten in it because it contains wheat and it makes me ill), I offered to pay more, and we were one of only two tables in the entire restaurant.. and the answer is “no”?????

So I told her to cancel our orders and that we would be going someplace that could accommodate my dietary needs. The roll of her eyes was enough to push me over the edge to never go back again.

So we took the longer drive to Teppan Hibbachi Steakhouse off of Cedar Crest Blvd. I ordered the same thing and asked for a tuna roll instead and no krab in the dish. No problems! At the end of the meal the waiter actually noticed I did not use soy sauce. I explained I can’t eat wheat (which is in the soy sauce) and that it is in the krab too. I was told to come back anytime and they can accommodate me- no Krab! And I didn’t even have to offer to pay more. So now even though the drive is longer, and the prices a little higher (but the food is much better) this is my official new sushi place for life. See how easy it is to win a customer, and one who will blog about how wonderful you are too!