Spotlight-Now That’s What I Call Service!

“I guess there are never enough books” -John Steinbeck

A visit to a local bookstore, Gallery Bookshop in Mendocino, CA was well worth the trip. I had no idea when I walked through the door of this neighborhood shop, that my day and life would be the better for it. In the quest to find two books, that I could not remember the titles to, the bookstore keepers made great attempts to find them. Terry Young searched through book listings in a reference magazine and partial word search in the computer while Mary Muto scoured the shelves after I gave slight descriptions. Unfortunately, like a detective on a cold case, we had to call it quits.

The best part about Terry and Mary is that while helping me they still maintained the crowd of people who floated in and out of their store. All this with genuine smiles and laughter. And Zoe, thank you for greeting me in a prompt and welcoming manner. So here’s a big high-five to Gallery Bookshop for showing me that customer service is not a word but a sign of genuine action. Oh, the name of those books? Paris He Said by Christine Sneed and My Paris Dream by Kate Betts. (www.gallerybookshop.com)

Spotlight-When ‘Thanks’ Is Not Enough

“God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say ‘thank you?’-William Arthur Ward

Treasure!

Sometimes we have to take a second out of our busy lives to focus on someone other than ourselves. For a moment we need to show or tell that special someone who we appreciate, what they do for us.

It’s a simple act that only takes two words and less than one minute to say. It’s a show of gratitude and appreciation toward that person for making our lives better in so many ways because of their talent, research or ability to take whatever we need to the next level.

So I’m taking this time to thank the staff at Acclaim Graphics, 908 N. Garvin Street, Evansville, IN 47711 for their great service. From the first day I met them, almost four years ago, they have demonstrated nothing but the utmost respect and concern for my needs. It all started with a business card idea that I presented to them. For an hour and half, they allowed me to camp out in their conference room as I poured over many graphic art books until I found what would be the logo for my new business venture, Writer On the Roadway. I also learned that to make a good impression you need the right tools and so we worked on lettering, card stock and layout of this one small item.

Fast forward to the present. We have built a sense of trust and dare I say, friendship? Joe Birkhead, President, Kelly Birkhead, Vice President and Jeff Wheeler, graphic designer, have partnered and created the next level of my business as an author. The Fat Girls Club logo has become a reality with bookmarks, T-shirts, ink pens, collapsible water bottles, screen wipes and my favorite, the hand gels. It’s fun to see the response from people when I give away these items. It makes my being a writer more credible as they hold something related to the books in their hands.

So today’s Spotlight story is my way to tell the world about the incredible group at Acclaim Graphics and what a joy it is to have them in my life.

A new package of goodies!

An unexpected treat.

The best group around

Pay dirt

Spotlight-Show a Little Tenderness

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.”- Dalai Lama

Softness and beauty

I’m starting a feature called Spotlight. This will be a Friday posting that will touch on a subject, book or conversation piece that gave me reason to pause for a moment. I will make every effort to keep this as a running item. If there’s a posting delay, blame it on my restless travel spirit.

This week a Fox4 Problem Solver story tugged at my heart. It spoke of a single mother, Shamonte Johnson, who got a raw deal from Rick’s Auto Outlet. (see my Facebook and Twitter re-tweets) The 2005 Pacifica that she purchased had 170,000 miles and some hidden problems. Rick Scott said he would repair the car for an extra fee.

The story ends on a happy note due to Victory Chrysler Dodge in K.C.K. They decided to fix the leaking water pump and other problems but found that the engine was also in bad condition. Eric Gentry, the dealership owner, decided that the mother of three young children needed to be safe and traded out the funky used car with a reliable and safe one. Not only did he do this without haggling Ms. Johnson for more money, he and his staff surprised the family with food and toys.

Normally, I half listen to the news while drafting my books but this story made me stop and take notice. Maybe it was the fact that this young woman, raised in foster care, was trying to make a difference for her family. She had finally learned to read and is now trying for her GED so that she can become a nursing assistant.

Maybe it was the wrong that Rick’s Automotive committed.

Maybe, just maybe it was the fact that Eric Gentry showed a stranger that someone cared what happened to her. He also showed the world the heart of a real man.

Did You Say Go West? (6) From the Heart

If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share”-W. Clement Stone

Glass ornaments

     The day started in gloom. A blanket of grey, dull, overcast that beckons one to stay in and sleep the day away. I avoided the hand that tried to pull me back into the mood of the morning and chose to meet someone who would brighten even the dullest day.

Bill Evans is the proprietor of a family owned business called the Pacific Northwest Shop.  The red brick building on the corner at 2702 North Proctor, Tacoma, Washington, is charming. The logo on their business card states, “Gifts from our corner of America.” First you must understand, Bill supports local and small businesses from many areas as long as it comes from Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Idaho. 

 

Larry Jones

The unknown foundation of the shop started forty-five years ago, when Bill and Ann lived in Peru.

He saw the work by local  weavers as they  produced beautiful products and then sold them. The money would be used to aid the village to support itself. So in 1978 he established the Pacific Northwest Shop with the understanding that all work sold would come from small cottage industry and tribal groups.

 To give you an idea of how far Bill will go to bring back the best to his shop, we will start in Connell, WA. There you will find a woman who uses the milk from her pasture raised goats to  make soap. In Langley, another woman makes chocolate candles and soap that smell so divine that I had to remember not to eat them. Bill supports local and family owned wineries. One label competed with the California big boys, and now boasts itself as a proud contender.

      Plum Yum, organic in nature, is a fruit spread from Rock Island, WA. You can drive to Walla Walla for the best Bar-B-Que sauce in the state or you can stop by Bill’s store for a bottle. In Kittitas, a soup that was made for Black Angus cow hands, is now available for purchase. Labeled as the county’s “Best Kept Secret,” Tacoma Tacobet Tortilla Soup caused workers to wait in line for a dish of the hearty delight. Coffee, treats and sweets are also available.

     Even the artwork, whether handcrafted, sketched or painted, are part of this project. For example, a handcrafted, thin copper metal design of a salmon, fused between two pieces of glass, is part of a dishware collection by Larry Jones. Ceramics are by artists from Port Townsend and other small communities. Even the common and simple, like greeting cards or books geared towards hiking, cooking, plants, travel and children’s stories are related to the beloved Pacific Northwest.

I delight in Bills easy way as he excuses himself to answer a question or sign for a UPS delivery. “Regulars” that stop by give him hugs and chat briefly before they leave. His easy personality makes this shop one that allows good old fashion browsing.

I wander through the store and find myself instantly attracted to large bowls of medium size, glass globes with marbled designs. Others shaped like tear drops dangle and sparkle in front of the large window, catching slivers of light that dare to enter. Even the beautiful red and clear shaped glass umbrellas offer a unique alternative. These visual delights are produced by a company in Seattle that uses the ash from Mt. St. Helen’s.

 Pacific Northwest Shop is a gem that cannot be passed up. Family owned, professional and warm; it became the sunshine in an otherwise gloomy day. (www.pacificnorthwestshop.com)

The one that got away!

Small glass umbrellas

Local thoughts.

Local T-shirts

Glass eggs

Shop on the corner

Did you Say Go West? (chp. 3) Art and Play

Creativity abound

Of all the places I see, large and small, town or cites I never tire of the wonderful and creative ideas people present to the world.

“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures”-Henry Ward Beecher 

It could be an exceptional business or a quirky idea that someone conceived and proved that it could work. Tinkertopia is that business. Located at 1914 Pacific Ave. Tacoma, WA, this was an idea born out of creativity, Launched almost a year ago as a Space Work Tacoma project, designed to match creative endeavors and artists with a storefront business that has been vacant for a while.

Tinkertopia shares the same sidewalk as the University of Tacoma on Pacific Ave. who decided to take a chance to see if the idea would work. The team consists of Darcy, a teacher with an early childhood and Montessori background and her husband, RR Anderson, a political cartoonist. They decided to put their artistic talents to great use and began to pull their vision together.

Darcy

What do you do with sustainable raw material that everyone else sees as trash? You find a way to recycle it to works of art. It began with a year of salvaging from design and architect firms. People gave things away. For example, 1940 wood bowling ball pins, by the carload. Even artists contributed unused paints and canvas. All of this would be done without the guarantee that they would meet the committee’s approval.

Then one year later on July 17, 2013, they were granted their own piece of the rock. The Space Works project assisted the couple in planning, organizing, marketing and finances. They gave Darcy and RR the expertise and training that a business major would know but an artist would not. Soon the community; consisting of teachers and families with children, began to rally and support this new establishment.

Tinkertopia offers basic, simple skill workshops not only for children but adults also. You can hold parties for birthdays or grown-ups who want a little free time to release the stress of everyday life and return to the child within. Darcy says, “When you are allowed to play, creativity comes through.” (www.tinkertopia.com)

Never ending possibilities

Grab a bag and go!

Think and create

How’s my wrap?

It’s a treasure

The unusual

Bare naked bodies