Your Daily Dose

This is a new feature on my website, Starving Vendors and each day I add my comments about shows, vendors, things, thangs, etc. Today's entry:

September 5. Seems a bit cooler today, but it's going to be hot in Pittsburg this afternoon for setup.I have added a number of 'defunct' events on the Do you Remember page of this website. Makes interesting reading and sentimental value.I came across an old show publication, Calendar of Events and began looking through it. I also had a number of older publications from the mid 90's... The Show Locator, Hands on Guide and The Crafts Fair Guide. Quite interesting looking through them as I was able to see a lot of shows we did and didn't do back then.

Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich

I'm always looking for the great Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich. During my early years, living in Hamilton, New Jersey from 1963-1970 I must have eaten a zillion of these. Back then I probably didn't appreciate just how good these things are. I remember eating them with birch beer, sometimes draught and that was a great combination.A number of years ago, while at the World Famous Farmer's Market, located at 3rd and Fairfax in Los Angeles, I found a sandwich stand which made a pretty good Philly Cheese Steak. Up until a few year ago, I considered this to be the best I had ever had.

While visiting relatives in Pennsylvania a few years back, I had the pleasure of eating a really great sandwich. It was huge....lots of steak (probably rib-eye) with plenty of cheese packed into a roll and absolutely smothered and overflowing with delicious peppers and onions. It was really great and I can not find anything here on the West Coast that compares with it. I've tried places like the Cheese Steak Shop and they are somewhat okay, but can not compare. I've had many steak sandwiches at fairs and festivals we have done, but nowhere near. The best Philly I have had at a festival are the ones at the Coos County Fair in Myrtle Point, OR. I usually have a couple during our yearly summer stay there. They are good, but just do not compare.

Please check out my website to find out how to make these delicious sandwiches or where you can buy one. http://www.starvingvendors.com/philly_cheese_steak_sandwich.html

Orinda Holiday Bazaar (Nov 1-2)

Just did a Google search on the "Orinda Holiday Bazaar" and I found a couple interesting links to this event, held during the first weekend in November. Check it out. One is my review about the show from last year.

And another link leading to Craig's List "Vendors wanted for 33rd Annual Orinda Holiday Bazaar (Orinda Community Center)'. Actually, I find that rather humorous and if you read my review you'll see why it is so hard to get vendors for this event. I do not want to pick on the promoters of this event... they try so hard and do a wonderful job. However, the problem is the people. The one's that go to the event and the one's that DON'T GO TO THE EVENT.

They really didn't turn out for the Orinda Holiday Bazaar .... and you can read my review to see what I think happened to them... and the ones that do come, DO NOT BUY. I think that this event has seen better days. A great idea but it just isn't going to work out. Vendors have an extremely hard time setting up because no matter where your booth is..inside or outside, you are going to have to carry your things up stairs and for the amount of money that we made last year, there is just no freaking way I will do that. I am sure that this event brings in money for various local organizations and if they don't get the funding they need, they can point their fingers at the local community, who do not come to the Orinda Holiday Bazaar and ran away many vendors by not buying their merchandise.

I have several friends (vendors) who definitely will never go back there and I know that there were vendors who 'zeroed out'...meaning they made $0.00. There were 'spurts' of people coming to the event, but they bought very little and took up space (and air) as they came there just to socialize. However, I will agree that some of the success of an event, does depend upon people meeting one another, etc. and having a good time. But people, if you don't buy from the vendors, you local non-profit agenices, etc., are going to suffer because vendors will not come back.

There are a number of community things happening here and there are a number of crafters who purchase a smaller space indoors and sell what they have made and that is probably fine. However, 'professional' vendors (ones who require a canopy and sell many things at a different show every weekend) can not expect to do well here. Nice library next door and it seems like half the people have a book in their hand or are on their way to drop their kids off for soccer practice. You just have to read my review on this!!!! To the community of Orinda... you people have nice houses, good jobs but you are too damm cheap and stingy and just do not deserve to have such an event as the Orinda Holiday Bazaar.

So, they are looking for vendors and if you sign up for it, it's just like making a contribution to a charity. You won't make any money. Only thing I can blame on the promoters is their selection of music. Frank Sinatra music being piped all over the place is not energetic, buying-type music. Puts people (and vendors) to sleep. If I want to listen to Frank Sinatra, then I'll turn to Channel 11 and watch America's Got Talent, ya know? There's a nice older fellow who can really sing and sounds pretty much like him.

Do You Remember?

I have a special page on my Starving Vendors website which tells about a number of festivals which are no longer in existence.
NEW AGE RENAISSANCE FAIR, San Jose, CA

I thought that this event was pretty neat as it was held at Parkside Hall in downtown San Jose.during the month of November and it always seemed to be raining. I think that we did this event from 1994-1997, which was the final year. Didn't like hauling my things inside, but no choice. Attendance was somewhat okay. Long hours and the crowds dwindled down during the latter part of the afternoon. I really enjoyed much of the entertainment, especially the digieridoo's.

Here's a link to a story about the New Age Renaissance Fair you should find interesting. "People said the New Age Renaissance Fair was a magical place, much more enjoyable than the "marketplace" atmosphere of many other similar Fairs. It was a place for the New Age community to gather and refresh the spirit. It was successful for 15 years"

Edwin Meece ran it back then and now he has the Holistic Arts Fair and is held in many locations. Here's a link, if you are interested. We did a number of the events at San Jose City College and Rickey's Hyatt House (Palo Alto?) back in the late 90's, but people were more interested in psychics, etc.

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VOTE McCain/Sarah Palin

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Your Daily Dose

I have a new feature on my website and it's called 'The Daily Dose' were I will be placing my daily comments, etc., about shows, vendors, weather, promoters, what not and all kinds of stuff. Come on over and check it out, okay? I might put some of my entries on this blog also.

Sep 2, 2008. First entry for 'your daily dose.' That could sound like a dose of medicine? Something to make you laugh...cry? I was thinking about calling this 'Daily Ramblings' or a generic 'The Diary' but this title sounds best. Probably be entries every day or probably not. Come on people, let's get 'your daily dose.' Just hope that our dose won't be a couple tablets of Prozac or something.

I can't believe that we are already into September and I've been waiting all year for the shows to pick up and I concede. Wait til next year (I'm a Boston Red Sox fan...I know what 'wait til next year means'.... all the way from 1957 until 2004, we all said that, sometimes in jest...mostly seriously, though) . I think a lot of us have to stay away from the events with high fees and need to cut out a lot of traveling.

Never thought that I would resort to local Flea Markets, where people expect you to sell your stuff at bottom dollar. But what it all boils down to is the Net Profit and I feel that if I can come even close to what I would make in an event (minus travel, motel, booth fees, BS fees, time spent on the road, etc.) then they are worth doing. Already this summer, I've seen a lot of empty space at shows and that will continue through next year.

It's kind of funny that there are some pretty bad events early in the year and they get a 'packed house' (vendors) for them. We all get 'Spring Fever' and think that it's a brand new year and everybody is excited to get on with the shows after (or even during) the rains. Some really bad shows in Feb-Mar-April.... Ripon, Manteca, etc. There are some shows that really can capitalize on that. As the year draws on though, reality sets in. SameOlS.

Labor Day Weekend Events

Hi people. There were a number of events this past weekend and I was wondering how everybody/anybody did? Lake Tahoe? Newman? Art and Soul? Casa de Fruta? others? Go ahead and give me your comments on these. We had quite a number of people at Casa de Fruta on Sunday and Monday also. However, I don't think that a lot of vendors did too well. Poor sales....especially on Monday.

This next weekend we (DandL CREATIONS) will be doing the Pittsburg Seafood Festival for the first time. We haven't been able to do this in the past because of conflicts in our schedule. Nice to stay pretty much local..... trying to reduce gas and motel expenses. Just wish some of these promoters could keep their booth fees down. I know that in a lot of shows, vendors are waiting until the last moment possible to sign up and/or make their payments. That includes me also.

It was good ol' Cup of Noodles Monday.

Do you remember these events in San Jose?

I am doing a write-up of a number of events which have bit the dust over the years on one of my websites. The first two shows I have written about are:

The Fairglen Art Festival was held in a neighborhood in San Jose (34+years?)

SOFA Street Fair (South of A St) in San Jose

http://www.starvingvendors.com/do_you_remember.html

Please visit my website for more info on these events. Maybe you can provide me with some input. Coming up: The New Age Renaissance Fair (1990's version)

Art and Soul Festival - Oakland, CA

The Art and Soul Festival will be held this weekend in Oakland. From what I have been told this is a very good festival. We have never been a vendor there, as the fees are a little steep for my blood.

The headline acts for this year's Comcast Art and Soul festival have been announced!

Enjoy music by the Indigo Girls, Stephanie Mills, The Matches, Bobby Hutcherson, Rose Royce, Walter Hawkins and more during the 8th Annual Comcast Art and Soul Festival. Visit our News page to learn more. Complete lineup details have been posted including performance times.
Six concert stages will be packed with an eclectic all-star lineup of 60 national recording artists and hot Bay Area bands to please every musical taste. Tickets are $10.00

Here's a link to the website: http://www.artandsouloakland.com/index.htm

More Scams - check this one out

Here's a copy of the latest email scam I received. Please visit my website STARVING VENDORS Internet Email Scams. to read some of the scams I've come across.

Subject: Re: Selling your products through our group of stores this holiday season
Date: 8/28/2008 11:58:56 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time
From: David@WiseRep.com
Reply To: (my email address)
CC:
BCC:
Sent on:
Do you wholesale your products? The stores we work with are aggressively looking for products to sell in their stores this holiday season. If you want to make a push, now's the time.
We work with buyers from the largest stores in the U.S. plus thousands of specialty stores, mail-order catalog companies and Internet shopping sites. We need a larger variety of products they can choose from, hence my email to you.

If you want to sell your products to more stores visit us at http://www.WiseRep.com
Sincerely, David Thibos Director of Merchandising WiseRep.com
I then clicked on their website, filling out bogus info along the way.

I came to a page that then said:

CLICK ON THE BOX. Yes. Sign me up. I want my products seen by the nations top retailers. I understand there is a one time set-up fee of $185. This allows me to post unlimited products on the site. I understand there is also a $30 monthly fee. Of course, I can cancel at any time.

COSTCO gas stations

Thankfully, the price of gasoline is falling, but not quick enough for me. Prices below $4.00 per gallon are popping up now and hopefully we can get closer to $3.00.

Prices at the COSTO gas stations normally runs lower than most of the other name stations. You do need a membership card and a credit card to purchase. Here's a listing of the COSTCO gas stations in California.

http://www.costcoconnection.com/connection/gas_stations/?pg=2

This website also lists the gas stations in other states.

Emal Scams

I have created a page on my website STARVING VENDORS that tells about numerous phony 'employment opportunities' and other phishing techniques being circulated. Bet you get a lot of those 'rebate processor' emails, don't you. And all those PayPal emails? Find out the real story about these.