Sunday, April 28, 2013

Birthday Blessings

"It is lovely, when I forget all birthdays, including my own, to find that somebody remembers me."
Ellen Glasgow


Birthdays are a funny thing - some you want, some you don't, but it all comes down to the same thing, which is the passing of time.  In this passing of time, hopefully you're enjoying the ride and have loved ones or good friends who accompany you long the path. 

In the last few years, both Scott and I have been really bad friends.  We've been so busy, always at the store or traveling to and from, to get together with people at night or on the weekends.  We used to be good at sending out written greetings, too.  In fact, I used to relish finding just the right card for whomever had the birthday!  However, with time being such an issue anymore, we find that just the act of remembering to grab a card seems to be impossible.  It's lucky we have the internet, or my friends probably wouldn't hear from us at all!

There are people very dear to us that consistently write us handwritten greetings (you know who you are), and Scott and I would like to publicly thank you.  You've hung in there and sent us written greetings through the U.S. Mail without any reciprocation and we appreciate you deeply.  To the many people who posted birthday greetings via Facebook, thank you as well.  All of you are amazing people and we're glad to know you!

We'll be having some great events coming up at the store, starting this Saturday, when the authors and illustrator of the children's book The Chocolate Princess In The Land Of Plenty"  will be here for a book signing.  Be sure to mark your calendars for Saturday, May 4, at 1:00 pm, and come meet the local creators of this wonderful, inspirational book!




 On Friday, the 10th of May, it's not only Fancy Food Truck Friday, but we'll be hosting Handsome Elliot Gold, who is not only the guru of teleconferencing, he is also the author of the book "Rememories".  The book is a compilation of interviews with music industry luminaries, such as Bruce "Cousin Brucie" Morrow and Grace Slick, and has been called "a yin and yang of music and memories".  He'll be reliving these memories and reliving rock and roll's heyday from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm - don't miss it!

That's it for now, friends, and as always, we thank you and hope you have a great week ahead!  We'll go cut some birthday cake now - see you next week!

Lori and Scott
   

Monday, April 22, 2013

Community Benefits

Last week, as usual, we ended our blog post with the sentence "we'll talk again next week".  Normally, that means Sundays, when we write up an article and publish it in the evening.  We've been publishing on Sunday nights for quite a long while now.

But last night was different.  The entire week was different - in fact, it hadn't been that different since September 11, 2001.  As Scott and I talked about possible blog fodder, we also discussed not publishing a blog post, out of respect for the terrible occurrences that took place during the week.  We ended up deciding to wait until today, after the moment of silence dedicated to the victims of the bomb attack at the Boston Marathon.

We decided that instead of rehashing the horrors of last week, or on products our store carries, we'd instead talk of things that we're doing that help our community, raise awareness, and just make us feel good.

Last Sunday, we attended the pre-Gala event for Union Station Homeless Services, at the Blacker House in Pasadena.  We've been donating to Union Station directly, and through a local group called Put The Fork In Hunger, for many years now.  Most people would nod and say that's a good thing, but never understand exactly why we do this.  Most philanthropic giving by local businesses is tied to an experience with someone or something that has touched the owners' lives somehow, and that is true with us.  Our store manager, Leilana De Los Santos, has been through Union Station's program, and we were so impressed by her experience that we wanted to contribute.  Even though what we can do is just a grain of sand against the massive need, we are honored to be a part of the giving.  Here is Pasadena Now's coverage of the event, along with pictures - it was a lovely day spent with wonderful people.  We were again blown away by Leilana's story, as she told it to the attendees during her keynote speech.  It was a pleasure to applaud the generous support of Union Station by Pasadena's Mayor and his wife, William and Claire Bogaard, and Robert Floe.  Underpinning it all was the hospitality of the Blacker House's owners, the Knells, who have lovingly restored the beautiful Craftsman designed by Greene & Greene, and their warm welcome to all involved.

Leilana De Los Santos With Scott And Lori Webster


Later that evening, we also attended a fund-raiser for John Muir High School's Muir Ranch, a program that we believe in and support.  Keynote speaker for the event was South Los Angeles guerrilla gardener and TED speaker Ron Finley.  Food, as Mr. Finley says, is the problem in cities like Los Angeles.  Food is also the solution.  Click the link for Mr. Finley and watch his TED talk, and I believe you'll understand why we support his ideas and why we support Muir Ranch.

Muir Ranch Dinner - photo by Diana Heffernan-Schrader
 Both Scott and I love working in and with our community, and we wish we had more time to do it.  We celebrate those that work tirelessly for the benefit of others, and we know that good works will always overshadow atrocities committed. On that note, we are running a fund-raising campaign for West, Texas.  Called "Round Up For West, Texas", we'll be asking you to drop change from your purchase into our collection box.  Feel free to drop in and donate directly, as well.

We'll talk again next Sunday, friends, until then, have a great week!

Lori and Scott


Sunday, April 14, 2013

Meet The New Crew Members And Open Mic Poetry Jam

I always feel a sense of relief at coming back from a vacation, don't you?  The moment you unlock your front door and step over the threshold is fraught with that feeling of home, of place, and of familiarity.  That's what it's like coming back here after taking two weeks off, and I like it!  I always miss not being able to write weekly, but sometimes it's nice to get a break in to refuel and recharge.

Recharging is exactly what we're doing at the store, as well.  We've got two new crew members, Dalton and Marc - having two sets of manly-type hands is certainly welcome when rustling those heavy boxes in shipping!  Both young men are already proving popular with our customers, because both of them are taking WFS' commitment to excellent customer service to heart, and are quickly learning the ropes.  Their enthusiasm for being part of the store's mission is gratifying, too - we hope that you'll come in to meet them soon! 

WFS will be hosting our monthly Eccentric Poetry Jam next Saturday, starting at 5:30 pm., in honor of National Poetry Month.  This is an open-mic event, so if you feel an irrepressible urge to recite some poetry, this is the event for you!  We'll have the ever-popular Aldonia Bailey, musically-inclined Amin El,  several other noteworthy poets, and, as always, some tasty appetizers to top things off.  Here's the event notice...

Until next Sunday, friends - have a great week!

Lori and Scott