Motel 6 Problems

Many times have had problems with the keycards that they give you. Several times I have gone to my room there (on the 2nd or 3rd day, etc.) and found the card would not open the door.

Here's what happened in Lake Tahoe this past June.

We were staying at the one on Highway 50. After we parked the van I walked over to the room. Pulled out my 'key card' and attempted to open the door. Oh gosh. Wouldn't open and the rain was coming down quite hard. My wife stayed outside the room while I walked over to the office IN THE #(#$ RAIN, getting wet along the way. I asked them if they changed the code, like a lot of Motel 6's have done in the past. The said no...and told me that I must have put the card near my keys or credit cards. Usual response by these people. I actually had my card inside my top coat pocket away from everything. So, they reprogrammed it and I returned to the room and opened the door. This must have been around the 7th or 8th time I had to get my card re-programmed. Some of these motels automatically de-program the cards at noon time and I am sure that is what happened. And they have been 'trained' to tell the customers that it is their fault because the customer placed the card near a set of electronic keys or next to credit cards.

And then, it happened the following day also and I had my card located in the top pocket of my WINTER coat once again. We arrived back at the motel around 6:00 and I had to walk back over to the office and got the same rhetoric from them.

You can read more about the event we did in Lake Tahoe where we had rain, snow, wind, cold tempteratures. You think that's in November? No, uh uh. That was over Memorial Day weekend this year. Last weekend of May. Anything goes in Lake Tahoe. One of our ugliest weekends ever.

This has happened to me in Fresno, Tucson, Yuma and a couple other places. This happens espectially if you are staying more than two nights. I specifically have to tell them not to deprogram my card and have been making it a point to keep the card in a separate pocked, not near anything. But it's still happened and they try to tell me that it is my fault.

I wish that some of the other motels had rates close to Motel 6 because I would go there. However, being a vendor, we all have to stay at the least expensive motels. Some, believe it or not, do sleep in their vans at the events, which is something I have tried a couple times and it just doesn't work out. If I were doing the event by myself, than I could probably do it, but I have to give my wife (and I) a half-way decent place (warm and out of the weather) to stay at night.

So people, when you spend a night at Motel 6, keep those darn key cards away from anything (especially car keys, credit cards, etc) because when you go back to your room and find that they have re-programmed your card and can't get in, you have a good argument on your behalf and their B.S. just does not walk.

Top of the Line Marketplace

A number of people had told me that the Top of the Line show in Visalia at the Convention Center was supposed to be a good show. This event was held from Nov 7-9. From what I have heard, sales were somewhat slow and they had at least 30 fewer booths. Of course, I wasn't there so you are not hearing this from the horse's mouth.

I had considered doing the event, but over head was pretty high. Booth fees, gas and motel and with this economy, we all are down in sales as people are holding onto their money and do not want to part with it. You have to turn these people upside down and shake the hell out of them to get that money out of their pockets. When vendors sign up for events, they really have to analize where the money is going to come from and what they consider their net profit is after adding in those three expenses AND cost of merchandise sold.

This has probably been a pretty good event over the years, but just like every other show, it looked like more of the same. I decided to 'go cheap' and stay just outside the Bay Area so we would have added expenses.

A lame statement or an unhappy child?

Today, Michelle Obama made a comment: "I am only as happy as my saddest child."

So, are her children sad? Which one is the saddest and how sad is she? Who the heck put those words in her mouth? Or did she come up with that one all by herself

Free bracelets

We are having a special holiday offer for the remainder of the year. Purchase any two necklaces and you will get a matching bracelet to one of them for free. Hurry. Visit our website: www.dandlcreations.com

We sell shell and semi-precious necklaces, cowrie chokers, wrap skirts, shoulder bags and a lot more. Come on down.

Visit our EBay auctions and get another good deal on Boop Shirts and necklaces.

Antioch Holiday Craft Fair Nov 7-9

The sun is shining and we have great weather...temps up around 70 degrees. So, start your Christmas shopping at the Antioch Holiday Craft Fair which is being held this weekend. There are many booths selling a good variety of items. We (DandL CREATIONS) shall be in space A-28 (indoors) and we will be selling hand made shell and semi-precious necklaces, shoulder (sling) bags, backpacks, tote bags and a lot more. You can even start your Christmas shopping on our website http://www.dandlcreations.com/ where we sell custom-sized shell (puka, etc.) necklaces, cowrie shell chokers, wrap around skirts and a lot more. Thank you.

Click here to read my review on this event. Updates daily.
So, come on down. This event is being held at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds and the address is: 1210 W. 10th St in Antioch. Here's a map for you:


View Larger Map

Auburn Mountain Mandarin Festival Nov 22-23

Auburn Mountain Mandarin Festival Sat/Sun Nov 22-23.

Nov. 22nd Saturday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Nov. 23rd Sunday: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Admission $5 age 16 and over
Seniors (60 and over) $3 Parking $5 no animals admitted (service dogs only
http://www.mandarinfestival.com/

The annual Mountain Mandarin Festival celebrates the new crop of delicious, locally grown Mandarin oranges, a Mandarin Recipe cooking contest, professional chef demonstrations, food, crafts and activities featuring the Mandarin orange, free children’s area, live music and entertainment. Proceeds benefit the scholarship fund of the Newcastle Area Business Association.

When I am up here, I get reminded of the years I lived in New England...lots of trees and leaves all over the place and a bit cool at times. This is a nice show for people to attend and is located on the fairgrounds. Three buildings full of Arts & Crafts, but they are located on slopes and you have to climb the stairs, etc. to get to them. I guess you can get any type of weather here as Auburn is located in the lower parts of the Sierras.

You can even start your Christmas shopping on our website http://www.dandlcreations.com/ where we sell custom-sized shell (puka, etc.) necklaces, cowrie shell chokers, wrap around skirts and a lot more. Thank you.

As a vendor, there are a number of people that had poor sales and I have always had a bad location here. You need to be out on the main walkway and there are vendors that do pretty good, depending upon what you are selling. We don't do this show anymore and you can read why on our website.


View Larger Map

The Truth Shall Set you free!!!!!

BIGOTRY RULES, I GUESS.

The Illinois senator won 43 percent of white voters, 4 percentage points below Carter’s performance in 1976 and equal to what Bill Clinton won in the three-man race of 1996. Republican John McCain won 55 percent of the white vote.

Fully 96 percent of black voters supported Obama and constituted 13 percent of the electorate, a 2-percentage-point rise in their national turnout. As in past years, black women turned out at a higher rate than black men.

A stunning 54 percent of young white voters supported Obama, compared with 44 percent who went for McCain, the senator from Arizona. In the past three decades, no DeA stunning 54 percent of young white voters supported Obama, compared with 44 percent who went for McCain, the senator from Arizona. In the past three decades, no Democratic presidential nominee has won more than 45 percent of young whites.mocratic presidential nominee has won more than 45 percent of young whites.

check it out: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15297.html

Food for Thought - Republicans, economy sabotaged!!!

Dwell on this one for awhile. Do ever think that the Demofats have been screwing up the economy and creating all kinds of problems for the people of the United States and the Republicans? So basically, they made the Republicans (i.e. George Bush) look worse than they really are in order to get a Democraft in the White House who keeps claiming that changes are coming?

Think about it. Dwell on it. Come to terms with yourself. There is truth in that someplace.

San Francisco Crystal Fair

SAN FRANCISCO'S CHRISTMAS CRYSTAL FAIR

Location: Fort Mason Center, 99 Marina Blvd. @ Buchannan Street, San Francisco
Dates: November 29-30, 2008
Hours: Saturday 10am - 6pm, Sunday 10am - 4pm
Admission: $6.00 (children under 12 free accompanied by adult)

If you like minerals, crystals, geodes, semi-precious jewelry, etc., then you might find a trip to this event enjoyable. We were vendors at this event many times but people came there mostly for the 'rocks' and I would tend to believe much of our merchandise wasn't suitable for this type of event. Many of the dealers do quite well there. You can see some really beautiful amethyst cathedrals there. At one time, we were selling them also, but we were not equipped to be lugging them around in our van and they were quite heavy. You have to be very careful when handling them.

Here's a link to the website: http://home.earthlink.net/~sfxtl/ You can find out about future events or if you wish to be a vendor there, you can take care of that.

It was enjoyable doing the show and the other vendors were very nice. There was a Safeway across the street where we picked up food occasionally. Nothing to eat over at Fort Mason. We did this event before in November and February and it always seemed to rain on at least one of the days. Our biggest problem was the traffic head down Van Ness over to the Bay Bridge. That was a mess. In some areas, you would have to wait for 3 light changes before you could snake your way through the intersection. Probably be quicker to head over to the Golden Gate bridge, go to San Rafael and take the Richmond bridge and 580 over to 880.

Off topic: If you ever attend this event, drop over to Mike, who is set up there to give massages and he is pretty decent. Whenever we did this event, both my wife and I always stopped by his space for one. Prices are reasonable.

COSTCO GAS

After holding steady at $2.43 for the past week, the COSTCO in San Leandro lowered its prices to $2.35. Throw in our 2 percent rebates and that comes to $2.30. Keep going baby, keep going. I recall that last year, prices decreased until one week prior to the election and then a couple weeks later, they began going up.

It would be nice to get this down under $2.00, but is that asking too much?

I keep wondering how come their gas prices are $.30-$.50 lower than everybody else? Are the other people trying to make larger profits and does Costco use the gas prices as a 'leader' to get people to shop there? Well, if the average shopped purchases 12 gallons of gas and if Costco should have had their prices 25 cents more (in-line with other gas companies, who have been ripping us off big time) than they are theoretically giving each 'shopper' $3.00 and if their lower gas prices bring more people to spend money in the store, then that is one hell of a 'leader' for them.

In and Out Burger opens in San Leandro

Nov 4. San Leandro, CA. Stopped by the new In and Out Burger over on Lleweling Dr. (Just off Hesperian/880) and there were around 20 cars in line. At least this one is 4 miles closer than the one out in Union Landing in Union City.

I saw a lot of construction going on next door at the old Target Store, so I asked the guy who was taking orders outside what was happening. Told me that it's going to be a new Wal-Mart. 'Wow' I replied. Just what we need, another Wal-Mart. 4 miles closer than the one in Union City. Whoopie do. Hardly ever go there anyways.

So then just before I gave my order, I told him "Well, you'll never have to worry about losing your job over here." He said "Oh Yah." This In and Out Burger is already getting quite a bit of business and is at a prime intersection. With Wal-Mart coming....wow. Actually, They should call this one "In and Down and around Burger" because it's going to be difficult getting back onto Hesperian.

The burgers here are well worth the price and are pretty good. We have two other great burger places in Hayward. Val's is top of the line and is located at 2115 Kelly St Hayward, CA 94541. (510) 889-8257. Here's a link to their menu.

And of course, another good place is Sams Quarter Pound Burgers on Hesperian and is actually located in San Lorenzo. 18401 Hesperian Blvd(between Bockman Rd & Hacienda Ave)San Lorenzo, CA 94580(510) 278-6339. Drive-thru and burgers freshly made. Good milkshakes.