Friday, April 30, 2010

Who are the people in your neighborhood? (part 1 of many to come)


I don't know if any of you have read Jane Jacobs, "The Death and Life of Great American Cities", but if not... you should. "On cities specifically, Jacobs was an early and prescient voice warning that what was being billed as urban renewal--big housing projects, highway building, creation of business districts, etc.--was actually destroying neighborhoods and creating more problems than it was solving."
I know that doesn't sound like the most uplifting of reads, but specifically I was interested in the concepts that made neighborhoods, such as our Mission District thrive. One of her main points of Jacobs was how the role of knowing your neighbor added safety and comfort to your life. Even if you don't know them by name, your barista, your neighbor, or the homeless guy know you. They notice you on your walk to work, on the BART, or while shopping for groceries.

Fayes has always been a very neighborhood-centric business. You can come for coffee, movies, or conversation. We seem to be the gathering spot for many of the neighborhood contributors. I decided why not use the blog to further the neighborhood connections by spotlighting some of the amazing projects of our customers and neighbors.

So here is one that happens almost directly in our own backyard, Little City Gardens .
We can see the garden from our back window and have even given them our old coffee grounds for compost.
I came across this article about them on Sfgate. Please help them to continue with their amazing efforts... Only 3 days left!!!!

Friday, April 23, 2010

Spring Open Studios

It's going to be a sunny days in the Mission this weekend, why not break out that summer dress and go on an art stroll. Spring open studios are taking place all across the neighborhood. You can find all the information here. And make sure you come to 2111 Mission (@ 17th, above Thrift Town) at the Blue Studios where I am in Suite 405 (Project 3).
If you check out the MAU website you can get coupons for deals at local shops... like FAYES.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

FREAKS AND GEEKS: RAY RAY


Its been way, way to long since we reminisced about high school... so I sat down with Rachel and asked her a few questions.

What year and what high school did you graduate from?

Carmel High School, 2002

When you were in high school what type of boys did you pass notes to? did you ever ask anyone to check a box... yes or no?

I was always way too shy to pass notes to the boys I liked but I definitely passed notes to my friend's about the boys that I was crushing on. My first high school crush is now married.

Were there any good stories from your senior prom? Who did you go with?

I had a good time at my prom. I went with Sean Kristl. We got to borrow Sean's mom's old mustang to drive to the dance...classic high school.

You seem to really be into american history... Do you think the series "John Adams" is an accurate depiction of that time period?

First off, Laura Linny looks WAY too good in this movie. Abigail Adams was not that cute!:) Yes, I think it is a pretty accurate depiction of the18th Century because it shows the grit and crime that the everyday person had to deal with. It was not easy to live back then and there are some really graphic scenes. I love the episode when John Adams makes it all the way to France goes straight to the French Court for a classic French feast. The scene is incredibly grotesque because it depicts how French fashion really must have looked. Back then, people used lead in their make-up and high fashion was to paint your face white. Although this era was known as the Age of Enlightenment, most fashionable men and woman poisoned themselves with red and white lead make-up and powder. The make-up they used did horrendous things to their health and appearance. It eroded the enamal on their teeth and caused their skin to turn black all while in full acknowledgement that a heavy use of lead could cause death. Pain equals beauty ya'll! There is a lot of laughter in this scene and the Court's black teeth and seering red faces really gave me the shivers. I love make-up and I love historical clothing so this scene really did the trick for me.

During the Oscars this year they paid tribute to John Hughes. What character from the "Breakfast Club" do you most relate to and why? Which of his (JH) movies are your favorite?

"Sixteen Candles" is my favorite JH movie. I love when Jake Ryan's bitchy girlfriend gets her hair caught in the door and her friends have to cut it off. I also love the organ player at the church who rattles when she walks. I guess if I had to pick a character that I most relate to from the Breakfast Club I would have to go with Molly Ringwald. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't a bitch who made people feel left out but I was pretty girly and had lots of friends. I was a typical kid who had tons of good times with my friends ultimately making my high school expereice a positive one. Also, I saw Molly Ringwald cross the street in Carmel a few years ago so that makes me want to pick her even more.

Outside of Fayes what are your hobbies?

Funny enough I actually see a lot of movies. I also joined a few book clubs which is a good thing cause it got me back into reading again. I like to bake and try to master new recipes every week.

If you could make up a special Fayes coffee drink what would it be?

Hmmmm, probably the "chocolate milk mixup". I like to mix the iced coffee with milk and mix in our chocolate powder. It looks gross and chunky but it is SO delicious. I gots to give credit when credit is due. This drink is partly Frankie's. That guy gave me the idea to use the chocolate powder with cold milk. His is just the chocolate milk with no coffee but mine has the caffeine kick. I dig it.

You LOVE dogs...any new contenders for the Faye's cutest dog contest this year? Who is your favorite Fayes pooch?

My favorite pooch was Charlie, Sophie's dog. He was pretty rad. Now that he's moved I would have to say that my new favorite is probably a toss up between Oliver and Barren. I'm not usually keen on small dogs as much as I am with larger sized pups but Oliver is the sweetest dog in the world. Barren is definitely cute and he knows it. These guys are both going to have to enter the contest....even though Oliver was the winner last year. He may just win again!

Lastly any favorite Fayes stories?

I can't think of anything off the top of my head but I will say that Fayes creates a very interesting and cool microcosm of a community. There are so many good stories that I hear every day and it makes this job really fun and funny. I did however recently play a role in a missed connection. It was all about how some guy was in Fayes and felt he had a connection with some girl, wearing a green sweater, but didn't want to make a move because "counter girl"(that would be me) was right there listening. HA! I killed that guy's game. SORRY!


If you want to keep up with Ray's cooking adventures and dog outings , check her blog here.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

2004: Yeah, I watched some movies...



So in 2004, I decided it would be a good idea to watch 'a movie a day'.. it was a Leap Year, so I figured that would make things even more challenging.
I think the idea came out of people/customers telling me on a regular basis , "Ahh... you never watch movies...". Maybe they were right. For owning a video store, maybe I hadn't seen 'enough' movies...
Customer:"Hey, did you like Schindler's List?"
Me: "Uh, duh-no.. didn't see it."
Customer: "You know what its about, right?"
Me: "Yeah, Jews... bad things... "
So 2004... a movie a day (average, that is 366 by December 31st)
Rules:
I had to see 10% of the films at the theatre.
10% of the films , could be ones I had seen before.
For the 'viewing to count', I had to at least watch 3/4 of the the movie.
I kept a 'diary' for that year, with date and movie title. I never got around to writing reviews for all of them nor doing anything with the list until now.
Below is an alphabetical list of all 366 movies I watched during 2004.
Next post I will tell you my top and bottom 20, with a short review.

(sorry about the long list, I couldn't find a better way to format it to make it look slick... I watch(ed) movies, I don't blog). - Matthew


2001: A Space Odyssey
21 Grams
3 O'clock High
3 Women
Abandon
Across The Tracks
Afraid of the Dark
Aileen: Life & Death Of a Serial Killer
Alexander
Alien 3
Along Came Polly
American Dream
The American Friend
American Mullet
American Splendor
Anchorman
The Andromeda Strain
Apocalypse, Now
The Apple
Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
The Assignation of Richard Nixon
The Assignment
The Astronaut's Wife
Audition
Auto Focus
Back To School
Bad Boys
Bad Boys 2
Bad Company
Bad Education
The Bad New Bears (1976)
Barbershop
Barbershop 2
Barry Lyndon
The Battle of Algiers
The Beach
Beat Street
The Believer
Beverly Hills Ninja
The Bicycle Thief
Big Bad Mama
The Big Red One
Biloxi Blues
Blade
Blade 2
Blind Shaft
Blow-up
Bob Roberts
Bone Collector
The Bridge on the River Kwai
The Brown Bunny
Bubba Ho-Tep
Buffalo Soldiers
Bus 174
Butterfly Effect
Cabin Boy
Caddyshack
Capricorn One
Carnival Of Souls
Charade
Charlotte Gray
Chasing Amy
Child Star
The China Syndrome
Chopper
Chris Rock: Never Scared
A Christmas Story
The Chronicles of Riddick
Circles: Eddie Izzard
Citizen Kane
City of God
The City of Lost Children
Clean
The Clearing
Club Dread
Code 46
Coffee + Cigarettes
Cold Mountain
Collateral
The Comfort of Strangers
Control Room
The Cooler
The Corporation
Crash (1996)
The Crazies (1973)
The Crossing Guard
Cruising
Das Boot
Dawn of the Dead
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Day After Tomorrow
The Day of the Jackal(1973)
Dazed and Confused
Deadline
Death Trap
Decoy
Delicatessen
Dementia 13
Demon Seed
Dickie Roberts
Dirty Pretty Things
Dodgeball
Dog Soldiers
Dogtown & Z-Boys
Dogville
Donnie Darko
Dopamine
Down By Law
Dreams (Kurasowa)
Dressed To Kill
Duel
Duplex
E.T.
Elephant
Elf
The Empire Strikes Back
Enemy of the State
Envy
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Europa Europa
Evil Dead
Existenz
The Exorcist
Eye of the Needle
Fahrenheit 9/11
Fail Safe
Fear of a Black Hat
The Fog of War
For a Few Dollars More
The Forgotten
Garage Days
Garden State
The Getaway (1972)
Ghostbusters
Ghosts of Mars
Glory
The Godfather
Godsend
Godzilla
Goodbye, Lenin
Gorky Park
The Grey Zone
Gung Ho
Half Baked
Hangman Also Die
Happy Gilmore
Hearts & Minds
Hell House
Helter Skelter
Hidalgo
High and Low
The Hitcher
Hollywood Shuffle
Home Movie
The Honeymoon Killers
Horror Express
The Hospital
Hot Pursuit (1987)
House of Sand & Fog
Human Nature
The Human Stain
Hurly Burly
I Heart Huckabees
I, Robot
Ichi The Killer
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
I'm Gonna Git you Sucka
In America
In Like Flint
In The Line of Fire
Intermission
Intolerable Cruelty
Jack The Ripper
Jaws
Joy Ride
Junk
Ju-On: The Grudge
Kill Bill Vol. 1
Kill Bill Vol. 2
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
Klute
The Ladies Man
The Last Castle
The Last Picture Show
The Last Samurai
The Last Seduction
Lawrence of Arabia
The Letter
Levity
The Life of David Gale
Limb Salesman
Little Dieter Needs to Fly
Little Murders
Live Girls Unite
The Locket
Lost in Translation
Love The Hard Way
Lurking in Suburbia
M
The Magnificent Seven
Man on a Train
Man on Fire
Man Without a Past
Manchurian Candidate
Manchurian Candidate (2000)
Manic
Martin Lawrence: You So Crazy
Master and Commander
Matchstick Men
Matrix Reloaded
Matrix Revolutions
Mayor of Sunset Strip
Mean Girls
Meatballs
Melvin Goes To Dinner
Memento
Men in Black
Mercury Rising
The Messenger (1999)
The Missing
Mission To Mars
Mississippi Burning
Monster
Monster in a Box
Monument Ave.
The Mothman Prophecies
Mr. 3000
Mule Skinners Blues
My Life Without Me
Mystery Science Theatre 3000
Nashville
Near Dark
The Neverending Story
Night and Fog
Night Moves
Notre Musique
Nurse Betty
Obsession (1976)
Ocean's Eleven (2001)
The Odessa File
Omega Man
Once Upon a Time In Mexico
Once Upon a Time in The West
One Crazy Summer
One From the Heart
The Organization
The Original Kings of Comedy
The Osterman Weekend
Out of Time
Paths of Glory
Pet Cemetery
Pickup on South Street
Picnic at Hanging Rock
Pieces of April
Pitch Black
Planet of the Apes (2001)
Play Misty For Me
Point Break
Primary
The Prophecy
Punch Drunk Love
Queens of Comedy
The Quiet American
Radio Bikini
Ray
The Razor's Edge (1984)
Rear Window
Red Planet
Reform School Girls
Resident Evil
Resident Evil 2
Return of the Jedi
Return of the Living Dead
Richard Pryor: Live & Smokin
Roger & Me
The Royal Tenenbaums
The Ruling Class
Runaway Jury
Runaway Train
Scarface
Scary Movie 3
Sea Biscuit
Seconds
The Secret Lives of Dentists
Secret Window
Session 9
Shadows
Shakes the Clown
Shanghai Gesture
Shaun of the Dead
Sherman's March
Shock Corridor
A Shock to the System
Silent Run
Silver Streak
The Singing Detective
Sixteen Candles
Slap Shot
Sleeper
Smilia's Sense of Snow
Songs From The Second Floor
Soul Man
Soul Plane
Spartan
The Specials
Spider
Star Wars: Empire of Dreams
Starship Troopers
Stasky & Hutch
The Statement
The Station Agent
The Stepford Wives (2004)
The Stepford Wives (1974)
Still of the Night
The Sting
Stop Making Sense
Strangers on a Train
Stray Dog
Stuart Saves His Family
Sugarland Express
Suicide Club
Summer School
Super Size Me
Supernova
Suspect Zero
Suture
Sweet Hereafter
Swimming Pool
Taking Lives
Tank Girl
Team America
The Terminal
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse
Thief
Thieves Like Us
The Thing
Three Amigos
Together (2000)
Touching The Void
Trekkies 2
Trials of Henry Kissinger
True Colors
Tupac: Resurrection
U.H.F.
Unbreakable
The Underneath
Underworld (2003)
The United States of Leland
Van Helsing
Veronica Guerin
Vibes
Videodrome
Village of the Damned
The Village
Wadd
Weird Science
Wet Hot American Summer
When We Were Soldiers
The Wicker Man (1973)
The Wild Life
Witness
Wonderland
X-Men
X-Men 2
Young Frankenstein
Your Friends and Neighbors

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Angry Chuck

Regular customer, Chuck Smith (not his real last name), wrote an angry email to Fayes about our dangerously low concern over the free tomato for purchase of Iced coffee advertisement.  However, an interesting twist to the classic disgruntled customer tale, Chuck misspelled "promotional" as promotioal.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Rainy Days @ Fayes

Gray skies are gonna clear up...but until then come in and warm up with some coco and rent some movies to snuggle up to someone with. The pick 12 this week is dedicated to these "gray days" . See you soon!