You know the drill. You find hit or miss picks for shopping and dining where you live. You don't know which are which until you've tried. So many more misses than hits. Then, suddenly, you find a great place, a place that hits every time? You like, then you love it. It's reliable and enjoyable every time. Until the last time, when you go there, only to find the place closed forever. Yet the mediocre misses continue to thrive, and you're back to the quest to find something better than just "so-so."
I'm a native to the Philadelphia area and have seen so many places, good places, GREAT places come and go. Here's a few I'm missing:
Olga's Kitchen. Locations formerly at Court of King of Prussia Mall and Oxford Valley Mall in Langhorne, PA. Olga's was a small restaurant, featuring unique pita dishes called "Olgas." The concept was original and the flavors were amazing. There was always a wait to get in, and people would queue up and do just that. Olga's pulled up their PA roots years ago, and shrunk their chain back to the Great Lakes region. Sure, I can visit them virtually on their website, www.olgas.com, but it just isn't the same.
Robbins, near Castor and Kensington Avenues in Philadelphia. I'm not certain, but I believe this was once part of the Robbins' Jewelers business. Robbins used to publish a catalog that featured not only jewelry, but other items, from lawn furniture to toys. You'd go to the store, fill out an order slip and your items would come out of the warehouse. The prices were fair and the service was good. The warehouse & catalog business ceased to exist about 30 years ago or so.
Peaches Records & Tapes, Welsh Road at the Roosevelt Boulevard, Philadelphia. Still to this day, when I drive past the intersection, I long to see Peaches. It was a huge record store where you could easily shop or just browse for hours. The outside of the store had oversized album cover displays that could be changed out with other designs. You could find anything at Peaches!
What are some of the places you miss?
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
So Long & Thanks For All The Fish
We live in New Jersey. Last month, we sold and shipped a book to a customer in Oregon. We sent it via US Postal Service - Media Mail with Delivery Confirmation. As we routinely do, we followed the status of this shipment via the USPS website. It had made it through the processing facilities locally here in NJ and within a few days to a handling center in Washington State. Then the tracking just died. The book never made it to the customer.
We didn't know this until 3 weeks after the package shipped. Only then was it returned to our Post Office box as undeliverable. HUH?!
It seems the good folks in either Washington State or Oregon managed to rip up the shipping label in such a way as vital information (the customer's city and state and the delivery confirmation bar code & number) were no longer attached to the label. The only information that remained complete was our return address at the P.O. Box.
Some questions come to mind:
How did the book make it all the way to Washington State in 4 days, but it took 2 1/2 weeks to get returned to a US Postal Service P.O. Box?
Is this a new ploy to milk duplicate postage out of customers, by destroying their shipping labels?
We understand how accidents can happen; we make them all the time ourselves...we're only human after all. So we figured we'd give the post office the benefit of the doubt and presume this was accidental, perhaps even caused by machinery.
We inquired at the local post office where our P.O. Box is housed about the possibility of postage reimbursement since the tracking data had shown the parcel's label was intact all the way across the United States before it was mutilated. We were directed to "the supervisor" who told us it was our fault.
"Our fault? OUR fault?! You're telling me this parcel that was in your system's tracking records
and showing as having passed through the facility at Federal Way, Washington 2 1/2 weeks ago AND that was mutilated somewhere out there and returned to us here -- is our fault?!" I made these comments in an exaggerated fashion, as to alarm & forewarn the onslaught of waiting customers in the queue for the next available window clerk. The fellow calmly said "Yes." He claimed the label wasn't in the correct spot and that must be our fault. The post office would not possibly reimburse us for this damage to the label.
?????
Folks, it's a flat box with a heavy book inside it. We've mailed dozens just like it without incident, but apparently, according to this high flyer, this situation was our fault.
It turns out he was correct, but not as you might think. It was our fault because we used the Postal Service out of being a slave to what we knew then.
We have since learned we've got a super-sweet deal with UPS Ground that runs rings around the rates the USPS can offer for their often-competitive Priority AND Parcel Post services. And the shipping times are comparable in most cases. And Insurance is included up to the first $100 on EVERY shipment. And complete tracking is available online, not just Delivery Confirmation data. And UPS provides a professional email to your customer so that they can easily track their package as well with one click of the mouse.
In the age of electronic communications (texting, emails, ecards, etc.) and online billing and payment, the Post Office is an establishment that has been surpassed by technology. They are financially suffering because of it, and their remedy thus far has been to increase postage & shipping rates annually. Now there is talk of cutting back on delivery of mail one day per week to make ends meet.
With customer service like we experienced, it's not a wonder they are failing. They managed to drive us off to UPS with as many parcels as we can send at lower or even comparable rates.
While we'll still have to use them for our small First Class shipments, I suspect that will be short-term: only for as long as their rates for 13 ounces or less stay cheaper than UPS.
We didn't know this until 3 weeks after the package shipped. Only then was it returned to our Post Office box as undeliverable. HUH?!
It seems the good folks in either Washington State or Oregon managed to rip up the shipping label in such a way as vital information (the customer's city and state and the delivery confirmation bar code & number) were no longer attached to the label. The only information that remained complete was our return address at the P.O. Box.
Some questions come to mind:
How did the book make it all the way to Washington State in 4 days, but it took 2 1/2 weeks to get returned to a US Postal Service P.O. Box?
Is this a new ploy to milk duplicate postage out of customers, by destroying their shipping labels?
We understand how accidents can happen; we make them all the time ourselves...we're only human after all. So we figured we'd give the post office the benefit of the doubt and presume this was accidental, perhaps even caused by machinery.
We inquired at the local post office where our P.O. Box is housed about the possibility of postage reimbursement since the tracking data had shown the parcel's label was intact all the way across the United States before it was mutilated. We were directed to "the supervisor" who told us it was our fault.
"Our fault? OUR fault?! You're telling me this parcel that was in your system's tracking records
and showing as having passed through the facility at Federal Way, Washington 2 1/2 weeks ago AND that was mutilated somewhere out there and returned to us here -- is our fault?!" I made these comments in an exaggerated fashion, as to alarm & forewarn the onslaught of waiting customers in the queue for the next available window clerk. The fellow calmly said "Yes." He claimed the label wasn't in the correct spot and that must be our fault. The post office would not possibly reimburse us for this damage to the label.
?????
Folks, it's a flat box with a heavy book inside it. We've mailed dozens just like it without incident, but apparently, according to this high flyer, this situation was our fault.
It turns out he was correct, but not as you might think. It was our fault because we used the Postal Service out of being a slave to what we knew then.
We have since learned we've got a super-sweet deal with UPS Ground that runs rings around the rates the USPS can offer for their often-competitive Priority AND Parcel Post services. And the shipping times are comparable in most cases. And Insurance is included up to the first $100 on EVERY shipment. And complete tracking is available online, not just Delivery Confirmation data. And UPS provides a professional email to your customer so that they can easily track their package as well with one click of the mouse.
In the age of electronic communications (texting, emails, ecards, etc.) and online billing and payment, the Post Office is an establishment that has been surpassed by technology. They are financially suffering because of it, and their remedy thus far has been to increase postage & shipping rates annually. Now there is talk of cutting back on delivery of mail one day per week to make ends meet.
With customer service like we experienced, it's not a wonder they are failing. They managed to drive us off to UPS with as many parcels as we can send at lower or even comparable rates.
While we'll still have to use them for our small First Class shipments, I suspect that will be short-term: only for as long as their rates for 13 ounces or less stay cheaper than UPS.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
El Charro Mexican Restaurant Review
10/2009 - Drove by on Monday night and it looks like they're closed for good. This was a great place. We'll miss it!
11/2008
We recently discovered a wonderful family-owned Mexican restaurant in our area. "El Charro" is located on Route 130 in Edgewater Park, NJ. Here's a quick review.
El Charro is located on the southbound side of Route 130 in a small commercial strip called Park Plaza. You cannot see the restaurant easily from the highway, so look for the Park Plaza sign on the roadway. The strip is in the driveway just after the Contractor's Rebar Store and just across the highway from the Goodwill Store.
The interior is modest, with some Mexican-themed decor to add visual interest. The menu is vast, with many Tex-Mex dishes you've already heard of, as well as a number of house specials. There are menu selections for children and a nice authentic beverage selection too. This is a BYOB, so if you'd like libations with your meal, bring it!
We were acknowledged as soon as we walked in, and before we knew it we were at a table pouring over the many choices. Even though the place was busy, our orders were taken promptly and our meals were served quickly. Everything was correct and served at the right temperature. The platting was nice too.
The flavors of the foods were fresh and interesting. The amount of the sauces was just right: not too much and not too little.
From the tortilla chips & homemade salsa until the last bite of flan, we had a wonderful meal. This restaurant is now in our rotation of favorites!
Our overall experience rating:
4 1/2 out of 5 serapes
El Charro Mexican Restaurant
4313 Route 130 South
Park Plaza Center, Unit A7B
Edgewater Park, New Jersey
609-880-1800
Hours:
Closed Tuesdays
Monday, Wednesday-Saturday: 11a - 10p
Sunday: 11:30a - 9p
BYOB
Kid-Friendly
Non-Smoking
Credit Cards Accepted
Casual Dining
11/2008
We recently discovered a wonderful family-owned Mexican restaurant in our area. "El Charro" is located on Route 130 in Edgewater Park, NJ. Here's a quick review.
El Charro is located on the southbound side of Route 130 in a small commercial strip called Park Plaza. You cannot see the restaurant easily from the highway, so look for the Park Plaza sign on the roadway. The strip is in the driveway just after the Contractor's Rebar Store and just across the highway from the Goodwill Store.
The interior is modest, with some Mexican-themed decor to add visual interest. The menu is vast, with many Tex-Mex dishes you've already heard of, as well as a number of house specials. There are menu selections for children and a nice authentic beverage selection too. This is a BYOB, so if you'd like libations with your meal, bring it!
We were acknowledged as soon as we walked in, and before we knew it we were at a table pouring over the many choices. Even though the place was busy, our orders were taken promptly and our meals were served quickly. Everything was correct and served at the right temperature. The platting was nice too.
The flavors of the foods were fresh and interesting. The amount of the sauces was just right: not too much and not too little.
From the tortilla chips & homemade salsa until the last bite of flan, we had a wonderful meal. This restaurant is now in our rotation of favorites!
Our overall experience rating:
4 1/2 out of 5 serapes
El Charro Mexican Restaurant
4313 Route 130 South
Park Plaza Center, Unit A7B
Edgewater Park, New Jersey
609-880-1800
Hours:
Closed Tuesdays
Monday, Wednesday-Saturday: 11a - 10p
Sunday: 11:30a - 9p
BYOB
Kid-Friendly
Non-Smoking
Credit Cards Accepted
Casual Dining
Virginia Diner - Online Order Review
Several years ago, we experienced the joy that is peanut brittle from the Virginia Diner. So, when we recently received a mail-order catalog from the Virginia Diner, it was a no-brainer: we were placing an order. This post is about that experience.
A few weeks back, I placed an order via the VaDiner.com website. I had my item numbers ready and had no difficulty using or navigating the website. When the order was complete, I printed the order page for my records. I had not, however, received a confirmation email.
Two days passed and I did not receive any e-mails about the status of my order, not even a generic acknowledgment. So, to make sure the folks at the VaDiner were in receipt of the online order, I telephoned to check the status. The phone was answered promptly but there was much ado that followed. I was placed on hold about 4 times while they attempted to locate my order. Eventually, my order was located, and I was informed that they would begin processing it. It should be noted that the customer service rep on the phone was helpful, but not terribly friendly.
To their credit, VaDiner processed the order immediately, and it arrived the next day even though I didn't request expedited shipping. The order was complete and accurate.
One of the things I ordered was a pound of milk chocolate covered peanuts. As per my order, this item was not in a gift tin, but rather, in an airtight cellophane bag that was clear. This item is referred to by VaDiner as a Refill, presumably so that you could refill a previously-purchased tin with their food items.
Although the expiration date on the package was 2 months away, but the contents were unappetizing upon casual visual inspection. Instead of luscious brown chocolate, the contents were at that stage when chocolate which has been sitting too long develops that white, dusty appearance. The chocolate was, of course, dry on the palate. It was a joyless experience.
The other items I ordered were in gift tins which appear to be air-tight. I have opened one of those, and the appearance and freshness were immediately apparent.
I have not contacted VaDiner about the chocolate covered peanuts because the bag was clear, and since the order was delivered the day after it was actually processed, it can only mean they knew how sorry the peanuts looked and sent them anyway. If the chocolates were inside a tin where inspecting eyes couldn't have seen their condition, I would have brought the matter to their attention. This was not the case.
It wasn't until I bought a small box of Zachary's chocolate-covered peanuts yesterday at the local discount department store that I realized how miserable those from VaDiner were. For a mere dollar, I got a box of milk-chocolate covered peanuts that were moist and fresh, with the peanuts enrobed is a beautiful chocolately-brown coating. Ah!
For $9.00 a pound PLUS shipping, do yourself a favor and forego the chocolate-covered peanuts from VaDiner. And double-check on your online order to make sure they've got it!
Our overall experience with VaDiner:
2 out of 5 peanuts
A few weeks back, I placed an order via the VaDiner.com website. I had my item numbers ready and had no difficulty using or navigating the website. When the order was complete, I printed the order page for my records. I had not, however, received a confirmation email.
Two days passed and I did not receive any e-mails about the status of my order, not even a generic acknowledgment. So, to make sure the folks at the VaDiner were in receipt of the online order, I telephoned to check the status. The phone was answered promptly but there was much ado that followed. I was placed on hold about 4 times while they attempted to locate my order. Eventually, my order was located, and I was informed that they would begin processing it. It should be noted that the customer service rep on the phone was helpful, but not terribly friendly.
To their credit, VaDiner processed the order immediately, and it arrived the next day even though I didn't request expedited shipping. The order was complete and accurate.
One of the things I ordered was a pound of milk chocolate covered peanuts. As per my order, this item was not in a gift tin, but rather, in an airtight cellophane bag that was clear. This item is referred to by VaDiner as a Refill, presumably so that you could refill a previously-purchased tin with their food items.
Although the expiration date on the package was 2 months away, but the contents were unappetizing upon casual visual inspection. Instead of luscious brown chocolate, the contents were at that stage when chocolate which has been sitting too long develops that white, dusty appearance. The chocolate was, of course, dry on the palate. It was a joyless experience.
The other items I ordered were in gift tins which appear to be air-tight. I have opened one of those, and the appearance and freshness were immediately apparent.
I have not contacted VaDiner about the chocolate covered peanuts because the bag was clear, and since the order was delivered the day after it was actually processed, it can only mean they knew how sorry the peanuts looked and sent them anyway. If the chocolates were inside a tin where inspecting eyes couldn't have seen their condition, I would have brought the matter to their attention. This was not the case.
It wasn't until I bought a small box of Zachary's chocolate-covered peanuts yesterday at the local discount department store that I realized how miserable those from VaDiner were. For a mere dollar, I got a box of milk-chocolate covered peanuts that were moist and fresh, with the peanuts enrobed is a beautiful chocolately-brown coating. Ah!
For $9.00 a pound PLUS shipping, do yourself a favor and forego the chocolate-covered peanuts from VaDiner. And double-check on your online order to make sure they've got it!
Our overall experience with VaDiner:
2 out of 5 peanuts
Monday, November 3, 2008
Stangl Pottery Dinnerware - A Quick Take
Hi, there! We have been retailing Stangl Pottery dinnerware for several years and thought it might be helpful to provide some quick facts about it.
1. The Stangl Pottery closed in 1978. Every piece that is available for purchase today (on the web, at a yard sale, in an antiques store, wherever!) came to exist sometime between about 1940 and 1978. The odds are incredibly high that any Stangl dinnerware you buy will be pre-owned (used). If the average person is offering a large amount of Stangl and claims it's all brand new, they are most likely wrong, deceptive, or possibly both.
2. Not all Stangl Pottery dinnerware has a manufacturer's mark, although most pieces do.
3. Marked pieces can often be dated to an era or possibly, to a specific year.
4. Each piece of Stangl Pottery dinnerware was crafted by at least one decorator. When considering building a set within a pattern, do keep this in mind. Since it was real people who made these items (not machines), there will be slight variations in shape, size, and decoration from piece to piece.
5. The designs on the dinnerware that appear to be hand-painted ARE hand-painted. Stangl did not use transfers that wear off with use and washing. The design colors of a pre-owned Stangl plate from 1940 usually look as brilliant as those on a plate made in 1975.
6. Many pieces were marked as Second Quality (also called Seconds) before they left the Stangl plant. This designation was made on items whose details were considered less-than-perfect but still of an acceptable grade of quality. They are just as valuable and usable as the First Quality pieces.
7. All Stangl Pottery items were made in New Jersey in the United States.
8. Some patterns were produced for many years, while others for short periods of time, possibly even as short as just a few months. This is why some patterns are more readily available than others.
9. Most pieces are dishwasher safe.
10. There are no reports of lead-based paints or glazes ever having been used by Stangl.
1. The Stangl Pottery closed in 1978. Every piece that is available for purchase today (on the web, at a yard sale, in an antiques store, wherever!) came to exist sometime between about 1940 and 1978. The odds are incredibly high that any Stangl dinnerware you buy will be pre-owned (used). If the average person is offering a large amount of Stangl and claims it's all brand new, they are most likely wrong, deceptive, or possibly both.
2. Not all Stangl Pottery dinnerware has a manufacturer's mark, although most pieces do.
3. Marked pieces can often be dated to an era or possibly, to a specific year.
4. Each piece of Stangl Pottery dinnerware was crafted by at least one decorator. When considering building a set within a pattern, do keep this in mind. Since it was real people who made these items (not machines), there will be slight variations in shape, size, and decoration from piece to piece.
5. The designs on the dinnerware that appear to be hand-painted ARE hand-painted. Stangl did not use transfers that wear off with use and washing. The design colors of a pre-owned Stangl plate from 1940 usually look as brilliant as those on a plate made in 1975.
6. Many pieces were marked as Second Quality (also called Seconds) before they left the Stangl plant. This designation was made on items whose details were considered less-than-perfect but still of an acceptable grade of quality. They are just as valuable and usable as the First Quality pieces.
7. All Stangl Pottery items were made in New Jersey in the United States.
8. Some patterns were produced for many years, while others for short periods of time, possibly even as short as just a few months. This is why some patterns are more readily available than others.
9. Most pieces are dishwasher safe.
10. There are no reports of lead-based paints or glazes ever having been used by Stangl.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Our Bonanzle Booth
Sadly, we fell out of love with our old paramour eBay. At first, we were quite fond of each other, in a relationship that gave each of us a good feeling whenever we spent time together. But alas, we grew apart. Our interests changed. Ours was to grow our online collectibles business, and eBay's was to lead us down a dimly-lit alley, beat us over the head with a blunt object, pick our pockets, and leave us to rot. Luckily, we figured this out before the boom was lowered. And that was when we went trolling for a new venue from which to offer wares.
In late summer, we launched our own internet shop, where you can find a selection of flat-shaped goodies like sheet music, stereoview cards, photographs, railroad patches, print ads, postcards and view-master reels with flat rate shipping of just $2.99 for the whole order.
In September, the big news came when we selected the Bonanzle website to host our collectibles booth. Bonanzle is a quite the up-and-comer, and will certainly give eBay a run for it's money once the word spreads like wildfire over the blogs & websites. All Bonanzle users get a free booth from which to sell their items. Items are incredibly simple to setup for sale, and the process takes about 5 minutes or so per item. Each item gets four free photos included. There are no listing fees, and final value fees are a fraction of what eBay charges.
And...Bonanzle has a superb interactive chat feature so that buyers can ask questions in real time. And sellers have the power to negotiate on-the-spot by chatting with their buyers. It's a win/win situation!
Bonanzle has a tagline: Everything but the ordinary. And it's true--the cool, unusual items you used to find on eBay will surely be the foundation of this upstart. While it's contents are not as freakish or sinister as the attractions described in Emerson, Lake & Palmer's "Karn Evil," so many lines from that classic rock hit ring true:
"Step inside! Hello! We've the most amazing show!
You'll enjoy it all--we know!
Step inside! Step Inside"
"Come inside, the show's about to start
Guaranteed to blow your head apart
Rest assured, you'll get your money's worth
Greatest show in heaven, hell or earth.
You've got to see the snow--it's a dynamo."
So when you get a chance, come to Bonanzle. It's "spectacular, spectacular!" And be sure to visit us on our site or our Bonanzle booth.
In late summer, we launched our own internet shop, where you can find a selection of flat-shaped goodies like sheet music, stereoview cards, photographs, railroad patches, print ads, postcards and view-master reels with flat rate shipping of just $2.99 for the whole order.
In September, the big news came when we selected the Bonanzle website to host our collectibles booth. Bonanzle is a quite the up-and-comer, and will certainly give eBay a run for it's money once the word spreads like wildfire over the blogs & websites. All Bonanzle users get a free booth from which to sell their items. Items are incredibly simple to setup for sale, and the process takes about 5 minutes or so per item. Each item gets four free photos included. There are no listing fees, and final value fees are a fraction of what eBay charges.
And...Bonanzle has a superb interactive chat feature so that buyers can ask questions in real time. And sellers have the power to negotiate on-the-spot by chatting with their buyers. It's a win/win situation!
Bonanzle has a tagline: Everything but the ordinary. And it's true--the cool, unusual items you used to find on eBay will surely be the foundation of this upstart. While it's contents are not as freakish or sinister as the attractions described in Emerson, Lake & Palmer's "Karn Evil," so many lines from that classic rock hit ring true:
"Step inside! Hello! We've the most amazing show!
You'll enjoy it all--we know!
Step inside! Step Inside"
"Come inside, the show's about to start
Guaranteed to blow your head apart
Rest assured, you'll get your money's worth
Greatest show in heaven, hell or earth.
You've got to see the snow--it's a dynamo."
So when you get a chance, come to Bonanzle. It's "spectacular, spectacular!" And be sure to visit us on our site or our Bonanzle booth.
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