The BestBuy Sincerity (or lack thereof) Factor

This is the first ever dual evaluation for the same business!
That's right I found a better deal at BB than at Amazon. I was both surprised and elated... I was about to save a significant amount of money, but I ran into a snag...

This is a copy paste of the conversation I had online with  (the online division of BestBuy) Buy.com:

Jonathan Ellis:  Trying to check out and set up an account, but the page will not accept any password.

Jennifer:  Ok, I will be happy to assist you with your account

Jonathan Ellis:  thanks

Jennifer:  Are you getting an error message?

Jonathan Ellis:  Password must be 6 to 30 characters and contain at least one number. Cannot contain spaces. Please try again to create a new password.

Jonathan Ellis:  the passwords I have tried to use have all contained the correct specs

Jennifer:  Ok, how many times have you tried this?

Jonathan Ellis:  3 or 4

Jennifer:  Ok, are you sure you have 6 or more characters and at least one number?

Jennifer:  No spaces.

Jonathan Ellis:  yep

Jonathan Ellis:  correct

Jennifer:  This is for your Best Buy account correct?

Jonathan Ellis:  Yes to create a bb account

Jonathan Ellis:  I also just now got a rewards membership that seemed to go without a hitch

Jennifer:  Ok, that is great!

Jennifer:  What I would recommend doing is calling 1-888-237-8289 and asking for order support. They will definitely be able to resolve this issue for you.

Jonathan Ellis:  thanks

Jennifer:  You're welcome. Thank you so much for choosing Best Buy. We look forward to chatting with you in the future. If you need further assistance please contact us via chat or by phone at 1-888-237-8289. Have a great day!

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It seems simple, friendly and kind, right?? Right. I called the number and spoke with yet another Jennifer who was not able to resolve the problem in any other manner but to take my order by phone. That was when something very strange happened. The total that they came up with was nearly $30.00 more than what I was being charged online. Online I was about to pay $5.66 in tax and by phone $38.40! In light of the fact that I was being forced into the purchase with a higher price I requested that they fix it. Jennifer could make that happen so I asked to speak with a supervisor which is when Scott came on the line with lots of fast talk and no service in mind. it was a problem on the website and no problem of his. He literally said, "there is nothing that I am willing to do to have your business. I will not discount anything. The tax is the tax. if you don't like it there's nothing I can do about that. And you should know that when you shop online if if the site doesn't work right you have agreed per the user agreement that BB will not be held responsible."

"You said a mouthful," I replied, "please cancel my order."

I was back to square one. In the meanwhile the original online Jennifer without my request had gone the extra mile and sent me a link whereby I could create a brand new password, and it worked! I made my purchase (tax $5.66).

Scott can bite me. He needs to discover that the customer being right has real meaning (or it should) to a "Customer Service Supervisor."

Evaluation Online: Jennifer was Extraordinarily sincere!

Evaluation Phone: Other Jennifer was caught in the middle while Scott -  well, You need to ask? Really?

Word Books, Brooklyn

Luis Alberto Urrea signs Queen of America at
Word Books, Brooklyn. Photo courtesy of
WordBrooklyn.com

On a mild December night, I took my husband for a surprise visit to an independent bookstore in Brooklyn to give him his Christmas present: not just a hard-cover version of the recently released Queen of America by Luis Alberto Urrea, a book we'd been anticipating as the sequel to our favorite, The Hummingbird's Daughter, but a signed copy and a chance to meet the author.

Jon was delighted when he realized what his present was. We've been a fan of Urrea's for a long time and were both just thrilled to meet him. But we were also delighted with the venue in which this reading and signing were taking place - not a Barnes & Noble, not a Borders, or other Starbucks-ridden big-box behemoth, but a cozy, well-stocked bookstore in Brooklyn with a lovely children's section and a knowledgeable and friendly staff.

We were led into the basement where Urrea and his wife were setting up a slide show, we were offered refreshments and encouraged to enter a raffle for 18 signed books of all different titles offered by the bookstore. Then Mr. Urrea showed pictures of his real-life main characters upon which his historical-fictional novel is based. He answered questions, and finally did a memorized reading, more of an acting out, of a scene from Queen of America. The man should be on Broadway. Then my husband got in line to have his newly purchased copy signed and I had a great chat with a staff member about the book A Fearful Symmetry by another favorite author, Audrey Niffenegger.

And guess what...I won the raffle! However, that is not why I chose Word Books for this blog. They fit all the Sincerity criteria and then some (even providing lots of community outreach, according to their website). My husband came away feeling like he'd gotten the best Christmas present ever, and I walked off with a charmed impression of the shop. We don't have anymore independent bookstores where I live, Astoria, Queens, so Word Books is now my bookstore of choice. Merry Christmas to us!

Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!
126 Franklin Street Brooklyn, NY 11222 | 718-383-0096
www.wordbrooklyn.com

Merry Christmas - Nice

Yesterday my son Josh was sick with a terrible sinus headache which unfortunately expanded into throwing up all last night.  Obviously, we had to postpone a planned trip by plane.  Everything got crazy quickly if ya' know what I mean? He's starting school in January and finds himself between insurances (naturally), so we needed a reasonably priced doctor who would take care of him without an overwhelming pile of paperwork, governed by an even more overwhelming number of rules and regulations. I called the Community Healthcare Network in Long Island City. At first, all those things I feared would occur - did. However once I explained the dilemma and the situation, a woman named Crystal came the rescue. Basically, she bent the rules just a very small amount and made things happen fast. What a great experience. As I write this Josh is being seen by the doctor. What a relief to know that he is in capable and caring hands. This is what true sincerity is all about.  Merry Christmas to all, etc...-)

Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!





Long Island City Health Center
36-11 21st Street
Long Island City, NY 11106
http://www.chnnyc.org/locations/lic/

Merry Christmas - Naughty

209 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019, is the address of the Radio Shack where I purchased a simple wire to connect my IPod to the speaker system in my car. It worked exactly twice and then gave out. I took it back and the clerk sneered , "do you have your receipt?" I had to admit that I did not, but that I figured since it was their product they would easily be able to recognize that they had indeed sold it to me, and that is was new. I was Informed by the manager, who stepped into the conversation (who would not provide her name) - that for all she knew I had bought it months ago. "True," I said, "I've only returned to this store to con Radio Shack out of the $2.79 I paid for this thing. This isn't a hugely expensive (overpriced) computer. It's just a faulty wire!" As you might imagine - she was not amused. 

As my 19 year old son asked in utter amazement when I told him of this incident, "didn't you already know never to shop at radio shack?" Okay, I guess I didn't know, but now I do. Really in my mind, even if the wire was a year old they should have replaced it.  Sincerity is not to be found there.

Evaluation: You need to ask? Really?



They're everywhere...

Kid's Center, Tucson - the Anti-Big-Box

Every time I come to Tucson, which is at least once or twice a year, I discover a new treasure. Sometimes, I re-discover a place I've known about since I was a teenager growing up here. A place I've loved, not since I was young, but since my son was a toddler, is called Kid's Center. This is a magical little toy store where we used to go to get parts for his Brio train set. Now, I guess, you can get them at Target, maybe even Walmart, but they used to be found only at higher-end toy shops because they were high-quality wooden trains and tracks from Sweden; these days, the company seems to have gone mega-corporate.

Anyway, I hesitate to mention those two evil big-box stores, Walmart and Target, because they don't belong anywhere near a sincerity blog. Especially when this particular blog post is about is about one of the most charming, sincere, mom and pop stores I know of in Tucson. I stopped by there today, six days before Christmas, to look for things that were on my niece and nephew's Christmas lists. I remember the year I did go to Target in Queens, NY to find things on their lists, and came out nearly sobbing with frustration and disgust. I've never set foot in one again. What a different experience today! I called ahead to find out if they had Sea-Monkeys and Art Kits, which of course they did, and not only was each item well under twenty bucks, but the art kit was %20 off today only. The lady in the store guided me to the higher quality kits, still only $16, and then I had fun picking out adorable and unique stocking stuffers that you wouldn't find anywhere else.

At Kid's Center they gift wrap for free, their toys are mostly educational or at least well-made, and the ladies who work there know exactly what they have and for which age kids, and are super-friendly. They also have a great selection of children's books. As I breezed by Walmart on my way home from successfully accomplishing my Christmas shopping for the kids, I stuck my tongue out at it and all the suckers slogging their way through that made-in-China, small town-killing nightmare. Do yourselves a favor people, find those sincere, local gems in your own towns and give them a chance again.

Kid's Center
1725 N. Swan Rd.
Tucson, AZ 85712
520-322-KIDS

www.e-KidsCenter.com

Shirley Mae's Diner

Shirley Mae's...doesn't that name just conjure up images of fried chicken, ribs, collard greens and macaroni and cheese? It did for me and Jon, especially when we saw the words Soul Food under the name as we drove past the restaurant on 21st Street in Astoria. I stopped by during the week and picked up a menu, then called in our order last Saturday night. When we went in to pick it up, the friendly, dred-locked guy named Anthony, the only one on duty besides the cook, told us the place had just been open a couple of months and was doing pretty well. At that hour, around 6:00, there was only one table of little old ladies in the joint, but it seemed more a take-out than sit down place anyway 'cause it is quite funky. Apparently, it had been an Indian restaurant before, and had been decorated in a cave-like theme, with slightly erotic Aztec/Mexican art on the walls. We weren't sure why. But Anthony told us that his grandmother, who owned the place, liked it and so left it as is.

So anyway, for 5.99 a piece, we got the chicken and ribs special, plus a side of mac and cheese. Each meal came with 2 pieces of chicken and two ribs with a side of fries, and Anthony gladly substituted sweet potato fries for french at our request. A soda came with each meal. So we took our orders home, just a five minute walk, and discovered that, though he'd said the meals came with a thigh and a drumstick, and though he mentioned he'd had to substitute a wing in one, actually, together we had only one drumstick and three wings. That was a little disappointing, but the wings were big and meaty, and the chicken fried perfectly - not greasy at all, not a huge amount of batter and not salty. It was the epitome of homemade - just like my East Texan gra-ma used to make it. The ribs were good, a little sweet for my taste, and the fries just fine. The mac and cheese, however, was sublime. This stuff was really authentic. We didn't try the collard greens 'cause Jon doesn't like them, but maybe next time.

You cannot beat the prices, and, though I may not be black, this part-southern girl knows good soul food when she eats it. At Shirley Mae's, it's pretty dang good.

Evaluation: Very sincere


Shirley Mae's Diner
28-08 Astoria Blvd.
Astoria, Queens, NY
718-626-1404

The Most Sincere Pumpkin Patch

Searching For Sincerity was inspired by the idea of Linus and his sincere pumpkin patch. Ever since our son was small, we've gone on "expotitions" (to quote Winnie the Pooh) each fall, to upstate New York, or Long Island, or some rural area in search of the most sincere pumpkin patch from which to choose our Halloween pumpkins. Forget the patches with the big, balloon pumpkins in front, the corn mazes, the haunted houses...we wanted the real experience, a farm with pumpkins that they grew, a place where we could choose the perfect specimens without the extraneous Halloween commercialism. Some years we had extraordinary success, other years our search ended at the handiest roadside stand available. We rarely went to the same patch...our purpose was to explore...to always be looking for the most sincere of the sincere. So obsessed were we, we began to judge everything in terms of sincerity: restaurants, shops, businesses of all kinds - hence this blog.

Finally, we have found THE most sincere pumpkin patch in the world. How do we know it's the most sincere? It's ours. I accidentally planted pumpkin seeds in our community garden plot, thinking they were butternut squash and they grew like mad. Sometime in July we realized they were pumpkins, not butternut, and we became excited at the prospect of raising our own Halloween pumpkins. Only once before did we manage to grow a pumpkin there, and that attempt ended in tragedy...see video: http://bit.ly/pmEluU

Jon with two pumpkins across the street from
Two Coves Community Garden

The only thing lacking today, this glorious September day that Jon and I went to our very own patch to pick FOUR beautiful pumpkins, was our son, who is now grown and no longer much interested in pumpkin patches. However, we gave one of them to our little one-year old neighbor Valentina, because we knew she'd like it, and the other three sit on our mantle awaiting carving, or eating, or whatever we're inspired to do with them. It's still a little early for Halloween, but they'll probably last 'til then. In the meantime, it looks like more pumpkins may still come out of our patch, and we now get to revel in our own supreme sincerity. Don't tell me that the fact that we deem ourselves sincere automatically makes us insincere. No, no. We've earned the distinction. Sincere we are indeed.
Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere! (of course)

Jon and Georgina's garden plot
Two Coves Community Garden
Astoria, NY

Napoli Pizza and Pasta

My friend and guest writer on this blog, Teresa Barile, is restaurant critic extraordinaire, her once a week contribution to the Queens Gazette Newspaper in New York. When Teresa recommends a restaurant, take her seriously. Many of the eateries we've touted on Searching for Sincerity came by her suggestion. For years she'd been telling us to try this ultra cheap, super traditional Italian place in Astoria simply called, Napoli Pizza and Pasta. I'd driven by it many times and seen the sign but didn't connect it to the one she was talking about. It looks like your average pizza-by-the-slice dive. But duck under the inner doorway to the tiny, unadorned dining room within, and prepare for the wonders that await you: a crisp and saucy Caesar salad, melt in your mouth garlic bread, and, my choice of entree the night we went, a totally authentic pasta carbonara that was...$6.50, I kid you not. It was such a huge portion, I combined it with Jon's perfect fettuccine alfredo and took it home for leftovers. They serve wine by the glass, but don't expect the swill you often find in cheap joints. I had a generous glass of Montepulciano that was excellent and inexpensive. There's nothing gourmet here, nothing pretentious, just friendly service, great food, huge portions and the perfect spot to meet your writer friends, as we did that night. Thanks, Matt and Julie Posner for the splendid meal and company!
(Matt and Jon exchanged signed books that night and we took home a copy of Matt Posner's beautifully inventive, Harry Potter alternative, The Ghost in the Crystal from his School of the Ages series. I started reading it and couldn't put it down. You can find it and other writing and music of Matt's here:
http://amzn.to/pYSQPN)
Evaluation: Very sincere
(718) 472-1146

33-02 35th Ave
Astoria, NY 11106

Goode Company Seafood, Houston

This post is long overdue. It was in June of 2011 that I was in Houston with my family, and my sister took us to this place called Goode Company Seafood, a local chain that also has BBQ restaurants, and I think she said a taqueria. I was expecting sort of a Spaghetti Factory type of feel. Not so, my friends. Oh, not so. You could smell the mesquite smoke from the parking lot as you approached the genuine railroad car exterior. The interior was kind of a cross between a diner and a seafood shack in an upscale sort of way. It wasn't cheap, as good seafood never is, but it was reasonable. The waitress was the kind of motherly, down-home type of lady you just wanted to snuggle (but I wouldn't take that liberty for fear of being slapped upside the head). When asked about foods that contain gluten (because right at the top of the menu it said to ask about it and we had some gluten sensitive folks with us) she was concernedly honest like any good mama would be, and very specific about what to order and not to order. I had the grilled Coho baby salmon and, it, the seafood rice, the veggies and the tastes I had of everyone else's catfish, hushpuppies, shrimp, fried green tomatoes etc., were mind-blowing.
Goode wine, goode fresh food, goode service, goode atmosphere and our own built-in goode company. What an aptly named joint!
Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!
http://www.goodecompany.com/

San Pedro, California, Friend of Sincerity (FOS) Post

Downtown San Pedro - 7th Street Village

by Cara Bertoia

 

A few weeks ago my husband and I were visiting downtown San Pedro, which has a really neat collection of shops, antique stores and local restaurants. We made our trip on a Friday morning when there was a Farmer’s Market on Sixth Street selling fresh produce. We strolled past Williams’ Bookstore a family owned independent that that has survived 100 years in San Pedro. The future looked bleak when the mega bookstores located nearby, but they hung in there and now their future looks brighter since Borders will no longer be with us.

 

We were famished after our drive and we wanted the perfect lunch spot. We spotted ‘Porky’s’ a small local place and we crossed our fingers. It was perfect; we had some great fried chicken and catfish, which is really hard to find in the West. As a Southerner I know homemade, it has to be crunchy and moist.

 

We were on our way to the Whale and Ale Pub, a favorite of ours, from our cruise ship days. It is a gathering place for Brits abroad, so if you fancy a game of darts or a pint of cider, you will find it there. San Pedro was the port where our ship docked, whenever it stopped in Los Angeles and Long Beach is just a few miles down the road. We also bought a t-shirt at the International and Longshoremen’s Union store, I really like to support unions. 

 

Well the Pub is only a block from Sixth Street, and on the way we passed a store with the sign ‘Maritime Research Center’. Well since we both love to sail we decided to check it out. Well imagine our surprise when we found a store filled with cruise ship memorabilia. It truly is like walking in a cruise ship museum. I know all Cruise Line Fans would love this shop. There is a menu from the Queen Mary on the night Prince Charles wed Diana Spencer and a newspaper from the day the Lusitania sank. They have over a 1,000 pieces on display including art and ship models.

 

They also have nautical books, Scott F. Gray the owner has written books on the Queen Mary and the QEII. (And since it was such a good fit they are now selling copies of my novel Cruise Quarters – A Novel About Casinos And Cruise Ships. What better place to sell a novel about working on cruise ships?) The owners Katherine and Scott are also very friendly and love to chat with their customers. The address of the shop is: 301 West Seventh Street and the phone number is: 310-521-0175.

 

By the end of the day Downtown San Pedro reminded us of a time when every main street was a little like this one. But you can take a trip there and decide for yourself. San Pedro is about an hours drive south from Los Angeles.

Their facebook page is:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Downtown-San-Pedro-7th-Street-Village/135015866513407

 

Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!

Note from Searching for Sincerity creator Georgina: Please take a look at Cara's wonderful book, Cruise Quarters, a Novel about Cruise Ships and Casinos. It's a lot of fun!:

http://www.amazon.com/Cruise-Quarters-Novel-About-Casinos/dp/1461010470/ref=tmm_pap_title_0

Portland, Oregon

As seen on the TV series: Portlandia

I am falling in love with Portland. When visiting family there recently, I was so intrigued by the place, I felt wildly compelled to rate the entire city as "sincere," but then asked myself, is that possible? Well, let's examine the evidence. First of all, it's beautiful: Mt. Hood shines down upon the city from the East, pine forests abound, and lush, green streets wind along the hillsides. Second, a very vibrant scene dominates its downtown districts. From what I understand, and a very limited understanding it is, Portland is divided into four sections, SW, SE, NW and NE, with the Willamette River dividing it by East and West. The portions of the city I visited, the very hip downtown on the SW side of the river, with great little restaurants and vintage shops surrounded by neighborhoods of cozy, old houses, particularly in the Hawthorne District, made me just want to pack up and move there. (The financial center is comprised of high-rises and quite notable architecture but perhaps a somewhat colder street life.)

Mt. Hood over Portland

One day during our visit, we spent several hours downtown at the Saturday Market, and what a scene that was! I mean, the rows and rows of local vendors and their crafts was all very nice, but it was the peripheral hangers-on that really gave it character. Hippies, young and old, swarmed the area, strumming guitars, crazily gyrating to real or imagined music, urging petitions to legalize pot, and, at times, overwhelming the delicious smells of the food vendors with their obvious aversion to deodorant. Could I live with all that crunchiness? Suffice it to say there are a lot of very "natural" people in Portland; it is, after all, environmentally the greenest city in the U.S. Which brings me to my third point: Portlanders are friendly - almost to a fault.

SE Portland's Saturday Market: the largest continually operating
outdoor arts and crafts market in the U.S.

Finally, Portland is the land of my grandparents, aunt, uncle, brother's family, and many cousins. It's a land of roses, lilacs, cedar, myrtlewood and rain. Certainly no city of its size can be considered entirely sincere, but I cannot help but deem my new love:
Pretty (darn) sincere


(If any Portlanders are reading this, and would like to add to or correct any of my information, please comment!)

Palatiano's Family Restaurant, Benson, Arizona

We were on a mission. The whole family went out to the Wilcox Dry Lake in Arizona to scatter some of my dad's ashes. Why there? Why that middle of nowhere, big, dry mud flat that stretches mile after bleak mile? Because he loved it, loved to photograph it, loved the "reticulated" mud as he called it. We climbed up to the train track that runs through the vast expanse, and after a train rumbled by, we took a moment, offered him to the earth and sky in English and Cherokee (thank you, Susan!), and threw his remains to the whistling wind.

On our way back to Tucson, hunger decreed that we stop for lunch. My mom suggested a place in this little cow-town called Benson, though she could neither remember the name of it nor its exact location - just that it was "Italian sounding." No problem - there's only one main street in Benson. We were about two blocks along that thoroughfare, when we saw a sign for Palatianos Family Restaurant, Italian, Greek and American Food. That had to be it.

You never know what you're going to find in an "international" diner in the wilds of southeastern Arizona. But what we did find was a modest little place that accommodated all fourteen of us without question. Our  smiling, good-humored young waitress patiently took our orders, adhering to all requirements of food allergies and separate checks, and in less than ten minutes served us our chicken fried steak, green chile cheeseburgers, etc., in huge portions. Everything was exceptional, and what we found lacking, like mustard or an extra pickle, the waitress retrieved in a blink.

We didn't try the Greek or Italian specialties, 'cause when you're in a place that isn't exactly known for its ethnic food, it may be best to steer clear. But based on the bite I had of my niece's plain linguini with meatballs, you probably wouldn't be sorry if you did. And just as you'd expect in the middle of nowhere, the prices were cheap!

New York City diners, you've got nothing on Palatianos! (except maybe location). I'm sure dad would be tickled to echo that sentiment.

Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!
520-586-3523
601 West 4th Street
Benson, AZ
www.palatianosrestaurant.com/

The Sandwich King of Astoria

Over the door the awning proudly informs us that this is Sal, Kris, and Charlie's Deli. More importantly it declares that this place is the the fabled Sandwich King of Astoria - which is what Georgina and I have been referring to since arriving in Astoria some 12 years ago.


On the way to board a plane that no longer bothers (now that I think about it thankfully so) to even pretend to serve food ? - Let's stop at the Sandwich King. Road trip? Sandwich King. Spontaneous picnic? Sandwich King. Etc..


Why is this place the stuff of legend? How do they have the nerve to self-declare that they are the Kings of the sandwich? The truth is in the fresh baked choice of rolls, the delicious deli meats, the available peppers, tomatoes, lettuce with a nice slathering of mayo. It is in the way the guys greet you and work together behind the counter in a dance of flying knives, happy banter and a concentration on making the best sandwiches one can possibly imagine. 


Hail to thee Sandwich King. Long may you reign! Huzzah!


Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!

33-12 23rd Ave, Astoria, NY 11102

(718) 278-9240

Sorriso Italian Pork Store - Astoria

It was Good Friday. We'd spent the afternoon at St. Mark's-in-the-Bowery in Manhattan, rockin' out to the Good Friday Blues program in which Josh had performed. We'd planned an evening with Italian friends: Teresa, an Italian/American, and Elena, the real thing, who was going to cook for us at our house, after which we were all going to dye Easter eggs. But it was 4:00 and we were already famished. To complement Elena's meal, we decided to pick up some antipasti, and took Teresa's recommendation of checking out Sorriso, a neighborhood Salumeria, or "pork store," as they call themselves. We were unprepared for the extravaganza of homemade Italian delicacies that awaited us: fresh mozzarella - still warm - house made sopressata - spicy and sweet - fried ravioli and artichoke hearts, olives, prosciutto balls and Italian sparkling water. These were only the items we took home. We could have bought an entire "home cooked" meal of pastas, meats, salads and sweets, but we'd already spent a pretty penny. We weren't hungry any more though, as the proprietor had stuffed us full of samples. It was just the home-grown experience you'd expect from small town USA or Italy, but with every delicacy you'd expect to find in NYC...Queens that is. Manhattan may have it all, but I doubt it has anything to compare with Sorriso's combination of freshness, gourmet quality and friendliness.

Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere! 
4416 30th Ave
Astoria, NY 11103
(718) 728-4392 

Parkland Theatre Entertainment Centre - Cincinnati Ohio

Okay, I'm doing something today that is indeed a small bit outside of the nature of this blog... I am gong to give an evaluation to a place I have never been, based only on photos, and a conversation I had with the very interesting man who owns and operates the Parkland Theater, Ed Miller. What I immediately found to be extraordinary was what Ed has done with the old building you see in the photos. (I just snagged them from his website). As is clearly visable, his was a labor of love: he took control in 1997 of the stately old landmark building, "built as a vaudeville house in 1881 and converted to a silent movie house in the 1920's," turning it into something that surely is a  matter of great pride within the community. That decision alone, to preserve and renovate the old gal, would be plenty enough for me to give him a well deserved vote of sincerity, but going above and beyond that high level, in charging his patrons a scant $3.00 admission price for all shows, well, you must already have a pretty good idea that I am giving this place a pretty darned great evaluation.
Oh, and one day you know we're goin' to the movies at the Parkland!  - And, I can't wait!
Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!

http://parklandtheater.com

513.600.7900 

6550 Parkland Ave

Cincinnati Oh 45233

Rooz Cafe, Oakland, CA - Friend of Sincerity (FOS) Post

The following evaluation of sincerity was sent to us by Beth Barany and is posted here exactly as written. 

There are many cafes within walking distance from my house. My favorite one is Rooz Cafe on Piedmont Ave in Oakland. I like the art on the walls, the funky music they play, and their willingness to let me order off the menu. And that they know my name!

 
Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere

1918 Park Blvd, Oakland, California 

(510) 267-0110

   

 Links to Beth Barany's Book: Henrietta the Dragon Slayer (Five Kingdoms)

Amazon US  | Amazon UK | Nook | Smashwords

Thank you Beth

Lerua's Fine Mexican Foods

There's a place in Tucson where my mom's been buying tamales for Christmas Eve dinner for as long as I can remember. As in many Southwestern towns, it is the custom to eat tamales on that night, and we supplement them with lots of other, good homemade Mexican delights because normally women who spend years in Tucson, Mexican or not, know how to cook some damn good Mexican food. It's not texmex, or Mexico City style (though I adore the latter), it's not Vera Cruzano or any kinda gourmet anything. It's Sonoran, border-style Mexican, lowly and basic and can be fantastic depending on where you get it. Anyway, the name of the place we go for tamales is Lerua's, but I've always heard it pronounced "Laroos."

You just cannot beat the tamales, especially the green corn - we live for them every year. The beef tamales are killer too. So it was with great anticipation that that I went with my mom a couple of weeks ago when I was in town to have lunch there. I'd only ever been in to pick up tamales, and never noticed what a warm, welcoming dining room it has. It's super-casual, almost fast food, but there's also table service that's quick and extremely friendly. I ordered a carne seca chimichanga, (dried, seasoned beef wrapped in a flour tortilla and deep fried) one of my favorite dishes at El Minuto Cafe in Tucson (http://searching4sincerity.blogspot.com/2010/07/el-minuto-cafe.html). At Lerua's it was not good. It was doughy, and soggy, and all black-peppery, which is not what I would call a traditional Mexican flavor. My mom ordered a carne seca tostada, (the same meat, plus cheese, lettuce, tomato etc. on a flat, fried, corn tortilla) and though she said it was good, I could see it was soggy as well. Imagine my disappointment. Perhaps their other dishes are good; I know their tamales are, but in spite of their obvious sincerity in every other regard, I'm not likely to go back for anything else.

Evaluation: Pretty sincere

(520) 624-0322
2005 E Broadway Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85719
www.leruas.com

The Legend of Tian at the Riverbank

Thursday night Georgina and I went out seeking a legendary dance location. No, it's not that it's a legend in the community only spoken of in hushed voices... not that kind of legend, but rather the sort of swing-dance-community legend where word was passed around that a big band was playing in a somewhat obscure place (to us) that was expensive and flashy, but would not make you buy anything but a soda to try out the small dance floor.

We headed to the west side of Harlem with the voice of the GPS telling us in sullen tones that we needed to go over the Triboro bridge (Calling it the RFK Bridge sounds wrong to me) when we wanted to go over the Queensborough Bridge (Calling it the Ed Koch bridge is ridiculous, and I will never do it). Still we kept going, though our hopes were muted by endless shops, apartments, and chain stores that can be found anywhere in the city. Finally arriving at the corner of 145 and Riverside (all the address we had) was a bit of a disappointment. Nothing there that looks like a restaurant, and 145 dead-ends into Riverside State Park! We only chanced to see a driveway leading into the park. There was guard shack containing a guard. We stopped at the shack and asked in tremulous voices if there was a restaurant hidden somewhere down there. Lo and behold - he said, yes!

Tian at the Riverbank has free valet parking. In the darkness of the evening the restaurant's rounded face is elegantly lit, and, for those of us who are not made of money, just the least bit intimidating. The light emanating from the interior was tinged blue with electricity, and entering felt as if we just might be treading on ground reserved for the elite. That feeling ended as the doors swung wide and swing music washed over us. One of the hosts came and greeted us, asking if we wanted dinner. When we declined, without even a pause she directed us to a table near the dance floor. We found a few friends already there, some eating, others making use of the beautifully polished wooden floor. I ordered a glass of wine and Georgina ordered seltzer with lime. Making a quick calculation based on my surroundings, I figured we'd spend twenty bucks plus tip for the waiter and another few dollars for the valet. Seemed generally fair enough, considering. But the music! The music being delivered to our ears by the Harlem Renaissance Orchestra was fantastic, smooth and perfect for dancing. The people in the place, and I mean all of them. were welcoming, talkative and friendly. We had an amazing time, and we will be going back soon. The final bill was $8.00 - I left a generous tip for both the waiter and the valet and still came out way ahead. We checked the menu and the prices are actually very reasonable - the earlier talk of it being expensive notwithstanding - an urban myth it seems.

Now the legend is of the other kind, spoken of in revered (though not hushed) tones. We're telling our friends as I'm telling you - This place is, in my...

Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere! - and I recommend it highly

http://www.tianattheriverbank.com/

Tian at the Riverbank 

679 Riverside Drive 

New York, NY 10031 

Phone:

The Queens Public Library - Astoria Branch

I go into the Astoria Branch of the Queens Public Library the other day looking for books on Italian history. It's just after school has let out and the place is packed with rowdy kids (the days of "shhh! this is a library!" is long gone). I look around for the research librarian to see him sitting at a table surrounded by children, patiently and kindly helping them with their homework. He's tall, thin and very pale - the perfect librarian. He looks too busy to interrupt. I ask someone else to help me but she directs me to him. I timidly let him know I don't want to interrupt and he says with a sweeping gesture, "This is my everyday existence. You are special today." I'm fairly certain they don't have what I want but he runs around looking anyway and we finally decide I should find a title online and see if they can order it. I take two books just to make him happy, check them out with the very surly librarian who's been there for 100 years and keeps the place from being too ridiculously sincere, and walk home musing about how I have that library to thank for helping me write my past two novels and will help me write my third. Little poor Astoria branch library, only open 1-5 Monday through Friday, has my sincere thanks.

Evaluation: Very sincere

Queens Public Library - Astoria Branch
Astoria Blvd. and 14th Street

 

Publishing a book through CreateSpace

So, what I'd really like to do is go on and on about my own weight control book If I Can Lose It..., (but that's material for another blog) and it would really be insincere of me, wouldn't it? Okay, okay  if you insist here's a link to buy a print copy directly from the source https://www.createspace.com/3499086.   


Now that, that's out of my system what I'll  focus on here is my experience with CreateSpace as a publishing destination. I have to say that, in general, dealing with any large corporation is often annoying at best, and let's be clear, CreateSpace is a part of Amazon, but I have to say, no matter what the problem, they were amazingly quick to help me solve it. They have a button on the help page that you click to have them call you, and they do it immediately. You end up speaking with a real human being who speaks English clearly, and who actually cares about the job they're doing. Want an example? After making minor corrections, I'd received a second proof of my book that had about two thirds of the pages missing! I spoke with them about it, they apologized, and sent out a replacement overnight at their cost. The replacement copy however came out in the same condition as the first. I called in a bit of a panic because by then I had ordered a batch of copies, feeling sure that all my changes had been implemented - since I could see them in place even in the corrupted copy. The representative I spoke with did this: calmed me down by simply being a caring person, assured me that the glitch was indeed in their system and that it could be corrected, checked to see if my shipment had actually left the warehouse (it had not but was on the shipping schedule for that day), and then let me know that, as soon as our call was finished, she would get up from her desk - walk over to the warehouse and inspect that shipment before it went out. Needless to say, I felt better. About twenty minutes later, she called me back to let me know that after inspecting the materials, she could see that all of the books contained therein were also messed up. She put a stop on the shipment, and got the tech people involved. They figured out what the problem was, and had the entire order reprinted. The representative then arranged to have the entire order shipped to me UPS Overnight at their additional expense. Can I say I was impressed? Are you kidding!


By the way since I delivered all the necessary files to them fully formatted it cost me nothing but my labor to create my book. There was no minimum order, no fees, no hidden costs. OMG!


Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!

https://www.createspace.com/

Astoria Performing Arts Center

Pictured left: Janine Ayn Romano and D. William Hughes in APAC's 2009 Production of Ragtime. Photo: Jen Maufrais Kelly

Sincerity isn't necessarily measured in talent, skills or ability. Especially in the case of art, all the sincerity in the world will not result in a masterfully rendered product. Equally, I've known some pretty, darn insincere artists: hateful, stuck up, pretentious, condescending, addicted or just plain sociopathic, whose work is inspired. Therefore, it is when I encounter artists who are not only good at what they do, but are nice people whom you want to spend time with and who give back in the face or their success, no matter how modest it may be, I feel that their sincerity should be particularly noted.

Astoria Performing Arts Center, led by Taryn Sacramone and Tom Wojtunik, exemplifies what I'm talking about. There's no use in me reliving the drop-dead incredible shows they manage to produce in a humble church auditorium in Queens: I'll link my reviews for that. It's just that they do these groundbreaking pieces at the highest level of quality conceivable, they treat their actors and crew really well, by all accounts, they give back to the community in the form of youth and senior programs, and the two of them, as well as everyone else I've ever met connected with the organization, are just really, really nice.

I'm just a humble blogger, and reviewer for a local rag with probably a pretty modest readership. So, if it matters at all, let me shout it from the highest building in Astoria: APAC is...
Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere

www.apacny.org

http://www.qgazette.com/news/2010-11-03/Features/Milk_Milk_Lemonade_Begins_APACs_10th_Season.html 

http://www.qgazette.com/news/2009-11-18/Features/The Pillowman_Is_World_Class_Theater_From_APAC.html
http://www.qgazette.com/news/2009-02-11/features/022.html

The City of New York - Money Woes Equal Unethical Behavior.

Georgina would tell me that everyone knows that the city is not sincere and would suggest that I chose some other place to write about... but Georgina isn't here at the moment, and I just got a notice from the city that has really gotten me angry. A while back, when there was nothing like snow on the ground taking up parking spaces, I received a ticket in Brooklyn for parking in a bus zone. The photo on the right is one that I sent along with my not-guilty plea. That's my white Honda in the distance. It was so ridiculous that I figured the cop had somehow lost his mind for a few minutes and had gotten it totally wrong. I took photos. My friend took photos. I sent in my obviously not-guilty plea.

Admittedly, I included the following: As is clearly shown in these three photos my car was not parked in the bus zone. I was parked legally in every way. If more photos are needed to prove my point they are available. With all due respect I consider this to be a waste of taxpayer money, a waste of paper, a waste of stamps and postal service gasoline, and a waste of time. The officer who issued this ticket might benefit from additional training.

Well, the judge found against me. I appealed that decision and received a form letting me know this" "upon review of the entire record we find no error of fact or law. The judge's decision is upheld." What can I do about it now? Nothing! Other than write about it here which does serve to make me feel somehow better. I mean, I get it - the judge didn't like it that I said what was on my mind. Still, judges are paid to uphold the law not make it up as they go along. If you're interested, this link Parking Ticket Blackmail contains all of my communication with them, and their automaton responses. Am I still pissed off you ask? Sure, I am, but you've made me feel so much better.

Be careful out there. The city of New York is raising money and they don't much care about how they go about it. To those in charge we represent dollar signs.

Evaluation: You need to ask? Really?