Juggling a New Schedule

I was parking the shuttle at work when my phone rang.

"Guess who's doing the OB market this week?" Kate asked.

"Wait, what?"

"We are!  I talked to Liz at the OBMA & she said Dave had an extra spot & we can fill in!" Kate said.

"Hell yeah!  So much for being on the 'waiting list.'" I said.  "Well, looks like I'm going grocery shopping on Tuesday."

"Yep, & I got Friday off for Belmont Park.  Four markets this week, I gotta post about it on Facebook," she said.  

What great news!  Within the space of one week we doubled our market set ups.  Brian had asked if we wanted to do his new market in Mission Beach on Friday morning in front of the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster at Belmont Park.  Of course!  And, I wouldn't have to work at the hotel that day either- you betcha!

"That's fine if you need to knock off a little bit early on Wednesday to set up.  I'm so excited for you & Kate- getting into the OB market.  That's huge!" Anna, my boss at the Best Western said.  

"Oh great, thanks so much for letting me be flexible with my schedule," I said.

"And if you need to grab some ice you know where it is, 3rd & 5th floors," she said.

I thanked her & went to work on a new grocery list.  It was gonna be a busy week but I was excited about the opportunity.  Here's what my schedule looked like in June 2013:

MON: Work (at Best Western) 7-3        

TUES: Work 7-3 / Grocery Shop 4-6 / Market Prep 6-?        

WED: Work 7-2:30 / OB Market 4-8        

THU: Work 7-3 / Kickball (Intramural League in OB) 6-?

FRI: Mission Beach Market 10-2         

SAT: Golden Hill Market 9:30-1:30            

SUN: Point Loma Market 9:30-2:30

The Early Bird Gets to the Finish

It was Rock N' Roll Marathon Day in San Diego & while I was not participating in the race itself, I still had a long day of paid responsibilities that would require plenty of endurance.

The Best Western offered guests who ran the race a complimentary ride to the starting line.  Participants seemed to like this perk enough to stay five miles away in Point Loma rather than around Balboa Park where the race began.  

Zack & I were be in charge of getting them there before the 6am starting gun.  This was our second year working together on the project.  The only mishap in year one:  a contestant who failed to reached the finish line was angry that we did not pick them up on the return shuttle because we could not find them.  

Finishing is the most important thing in a race & in this one you even got a medal.

I woke up at 3:30am, showered, & drove to work (I normally rode my bike, but I needed the truck & the Mad Munch equipment for the market).  Zack & I met in the office with coffee & pastries from the breakfast room to go over the "Dropoff List."

"I got the 4:30s, you got the 4:45s & we'll keep alternating until everyone's there," he explained.  "Make sure you do a roll call when they get in the van.  Somebody usually sleeps in every year, but don't wait more than five minutes, cuz then it'll throw off the whole schedule."

"Got it.  Real easy," I said.  "What are the walkie-talkies for?"

"For us to play around on.  No, in case we miss somebody- like last year- we can get em.  What time you have to take off for your market?" he asked.

"I'm outta here at eight."

We welcomed folks in running attire onto the shuttle.  Some a little grumpy, others very quiet, & a few more stoked like they came out of a sales briefing.  People were friendly enough, but only a few tips came our way.  Apparently, they were more focused on running 26.2 miles (or the 13.1 half marathon variety) than remembering to tuck a few extra bills in their spandex.

It went by without a hitch.  Zack & I shuttled probably 50-60 runners up the steep hill of Laurel Street straight into the park.  We had extra time on the way back to the hotel between runs to sit & talk on the walkie-talkies.

"Damn, I just remembered.  I forgot to get ice," I said.

"Just go to the 3rd floor & fill up, man," Zack said.  "There's plenty."

After I clocked out, I grabbed the dish bucket from the truck & filled up about 10 gallons worth, making two trips up from the parking garage.  When I met Kate over on Canon Street to set up, she was impressed the iced coolers.  

"I can't wait to pop an ice cold DC!" she said.

Together we set up in our usual spot & I told her all about my morning.  After lighting the grill, the next step is to set up all of the Cheezer toppings, like a cold table for easy access.  That's when I noticed that day wouldn't be as easy.  

"Ah!  We're out of Pepper Jack & really low on Ham," I said.  "Damn, I never went to the store yesterday after Golden Hill."

"Wait- isn't there a Ralphs over here?  I can drive over in my car & grab some stuff," she said.  "What else do we need?"

"Here, I'll make a list."

She left & grabbed some Pepper Jack, more Ham & a few other items.  And, when Alex & his dog, Franklin came by that day to order a Donnie Special, he was none the wiser.

"Great sandwich, guys," he said before he left.  "And there's nothing quite like an ice cold Coke can on a sunny afternoon."

Quotes like that made packing up the truck & going home feel like you were on top of the world.           

Market Checklist

 I still laugh when I see the "Market Checklist" printout that I made back in 2013.  We've even included it on the wall of framed pictures at our shop to remind us of our humble beginnings.  

Back then, Kate was working forty hours a week at wholesale plant nursery in accounting & I was driving the airport shuttle & checking guests in & out of the Best Western full-time.  So, when Friday nights rolled around, we had to switch gears & make sure we had everything in the truck, ready to go on Saturday morning.  Here was what that initial document looked like:

I don't remember what we forgot to bring to one of the early Golden Hill markets, but that was what prompted me to create the list.  Organization is very important & this list helped put me at ease, knowing that nothing would get left behind.

As we started doing other markets on other days, the checklist got updated to this version:

We developed a system where we threw all of the dirty dishes in the waste water bucket & emptied the leftover food from the big cooler into the refrigerator after the market.  Everything else pretty much lived in my truck.  Eventually, the list became scratch paper to write down customers orders & then scrapped altogether to save some paper & ink at the hotel.

I think my favorite item on the list is "Sunglasses: 2."  Pretty important for any farmers market if you ask me.

"Do You Guys Do OB?"

When anyone would ask Kate or I about Mad Munch or farmers markets the same question always came out: "Do you guys do OB?"

"No, but we're in Point Loma & Golden Hill," I would respond.

"Oh.  What day are those & where at exactly?"  

Both of those two morning markets put together would still be smaller than OB in number of tents, visitors, & most likely sales.  We both new that was the one to get into.  It was the first farmers market either of us had ever visited in California & it was the best opportunity for us to get our friends to try out Mad Munch.

So, one Wednesday after work, I met Kate up there with some of our menus & business cards.  We walked over to the OBMA information tent.  They were the ones who put on the market every week & had the power to accept new vendors.

We spoke to Claudia & Denny whom I'd met at the Sundowner & they referred us to Dave.

"You gotta talk to Dave, he runs the market.  Look for a guy in a tank top with a crew cut.  He's always walking around," Denny said.

The market was about to start at 4 so we took a lap until we saw who had to be him, helping someone back in their van behind the row of tents.  We flagged him down & introduced ourselves.

"What do you guys sell?" he asked without really looking at us. 

"Grilled cheese," I responded.  I was nervous & not sure what else to say.  Kate handed him a business card & menu.  He glanced at both really quick.

"Well, market's full right now but we can put you guys on the waiting list," he said & handed back our marketing handouts.  "Maybe you guys can fill in one week.  Go talk to Claudia & Denny at the info booth over there."

We walked back to the OBMA booth.  Claudia took our business card & scribbled down something on a notepad.  "Thanks, babe.  We'll let ya know if anything pops up." 

The Sunday Market Over the Hill

When our prepaid, 4 weeks of booth rent was up at Golden Hill, Brian offered us an opportunity to setup at his Sunday Point Loma market.

"It's from 9:30-2:30 over on Canon Street next to the post office," he explained.  "We get a bunch of foot traffic over there.  People walking through after church, a lot of fisherman & from the boating community."

"What is the booth fee for that one?" I asked.

"The same as here, but you guys don't have to prepay.  Now that I know you're reliable, you can just pay at the end of the market."

Kate & I figured we might as well add another market & we were both off on Sundays.  

"Sounds good to us.  We'll be there next week," I told him.

So we showed up about an hour ahead of time the following Sunday & Brian gave us a spot on the block in front of an old sit-down Italian restaurant.  Kate had posted on Facebook during the week advertising how close Mad Munch would be for our friends in OB: "Come get your Munch on Sunday in Point Loma only 2 miles away!"

Kate's friend from high school, Alex, had just moved to OB from Virginia & became a regular customer at that market.  He'd stop by with his new puppy, Franklin who proved difficult to restrain in the open air arena of many smells.  Alex was fond of The Donnie Special with it's griddled maple syrup on Egg Bread with Ham, Egg & Cheese.  He was there nearly every Sunday to get one.

The market was decent for business, not quite as busy as Golden Hill & an extra hour longer.  The crowd seemed to be more into flowers, produce & jewelry than hot cheesy sandwiches, but we toughed it out for at least 4 or 5 weeks before we moved on to explore places to pop-up on Sundays.      

Grocery Lists Make Life So Much Easier

One of the most important spreadsheets I've created for Mad Munch is our Grocery List.  Rather than writing out a list every week, I just cross off items & fill in the document.  This way you can keep track of your inventory levels & use those numbers to calculate how much supplies you need for the next week.

This was one of the first drafts of the Grocery List that I made & printed out from the front desk at Best Western:

I modeled it somewhat off of Seaport Meat Company's Inventory Price List.  I like the table format since the lines help keep things organized.  Leaving blank spaces is a plus, because I almost always end up writing in special items for the Cheezer of the Month or to try out for future experiments.

Every few months, I'll update the sheet to update prices & delete or add new ingredients.  I'll usually printout anywhere from 10-20 copies & when I use them all up it's time to update again.  This was what the first printout looked like (check out the low prices):

Kate's 1st Market

"Won't the back close all the way?" Kate asked.  We were about to leave for Mad Munch's second market at Golden Hill.

"It's fine," I said.  "There's no way that board will slide out, it's wedged in there & the chain's real tight."

Kate felt the padlock & looked it over.  "I don't know.  I'm just going to drive my car & follow you," she said.  "Did you get ice?"

"Oh, crap," I said.  "We'll just hit Chris' Liquor on the way out."

Kate followed my truck in her 2007 Ford Escape.  We grabbed two bags of ice at the iconic liquor store before leaving OB.  And with Kate's help, the Mad Munch tent had a much more welcoming look this time around.

The day before I had picked up some red aprons, an extra propane tank, & Kate made a sign out of paper plates.  I picked up a black cash box & a brand new large cooler to store all of the cheese & toppings from Walmart.  I brought along an old Coleman camp stove to heat up tomato soup faster.  And though we didn't have them yet, I ordered 250 personalized business cards on Vistaprint.com.

Our booth looked a lot more inviting than the previous week but without any pictures it was hard to tell what we sold.

"You guys should hand out some samples," Brian, the market manager, said.  "It's a good way to drum up some business."

And he was right.  Casual passersby got a taste & they started reaching for their wallets.  Sales topped the first market & I spent less time in my lawn chair.

You gotta give a little to get some.

        

Coming Up with a Logo

I like to draw, so I started sketching out various logos for Mad Munch.  I finally landed on this one, featuring a guy (I called him Donnie) with a chef's hat, Hawaiian shirt & a handle bar mustache shaped like an "M."

Once I got the image of Donnie the way I liked it, I printed out black & white copies & had Kate & some friends color them in different shades.  I did a few of them myself before we finally arrived at red & yellow.  Apparently, these & good restaurant colors (think of McDonalds, Carl's Jr. & Hardees, etc) & make people want to take action.  

After that I made a few tweeks to see which I liked best:

In the end I went with the "Thumbs" shown above in the top left.  

Later, in the summer of 2013,  our friend, Jeremee, would do some side graphic design work for us to make the image a digital file.  We paid her $40 & hooked her up with some free Cheezers.  

The image was featured on our menus & Kate even added it to the front breast of our first Mad Munch T-shirts that she ordered from Vista Print in 2014.  

Here's how the final product turned out:

A Sit-Down at Olive Garden

I picked up Kate at the airport the day after Mad Munch's first farmers market appearance.  She had been in Nashville for three nights for her college friend, Ashley's bachelorette party.  We had a lot of catching up to do & she had a gift card to Olive Garden so we went out for lunch.

"How was Nashville?" I asked.  "It's awesome, right?"

"Yeah, your list of places to go was definitely helpful.  Ashley loved a few of those spots on West End," Kate said as we looked over the menu.  "Some of the places we couldn't find though."

"Well, it's been a while.  I'm sure a lot has changed since 2008," I said as they brought out some of their famous breadsticks & our salads.  We each placed our order for entrees.

"So how did the market go?" she asked.  I gave her the lowdown- told her about Tammi stopping by & how Fran noticed we didn't have a sign.

"Oh, damn.  I'm sure it was fine.  Did you forget anything else?"

"Well, at one point we ran out of butter.  No big deal, though.  Kris watched the tent while I ran over to get more," I explained.  "There's a liquor store right there & they had it."

"How was it working with Kris?"

"He was great.  He took peoples money & relayed over the orders & I made the Cheezers," I said.  "He heated up soups for me, too.  We had a good system.  I think he had a good time out there."

Our food arrived.  She had the Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo, I got the Meat Lasagna & the breadsticks kept coming out.  We each had a glass of wine as well, I went with red & she had a white.  

It was quiet for a while.  Always a tell-tale sign of a good meal being enjoyed.

"For next week, though I think we should do samples," I said.  "Brian mentioned that.  And I need to get a cash box.  Most of the other vendors had 'em & I think they sell 'em at Walmart.  I'll probably go Friday after work."    

"Did you order business cards yet?" Kate asked.  "I saw a 20% off promo code on TV for Vista Prints."

"Oh no, thanks for reminding me.  I'll do that this week also," I said.  "I gotta deposit some cash first."

It felt good saying that.  Depositing some Mad Munch earned cash for the first time.  

We clanked our glasses, finished our wine & lunch & left a 20% tip with some of that cash.    

April 27, 2013: Mad Munch's Debut in San Diego

With my truck all loaded, I picked up Kris & drove through light Saturday morning traffic over to Golden Hill in about twenty minutes.  There were a few tents set up & vans already unloading in the middle of B Street.  I quickly spotted Brian carrying a coffee & wearing his signature newsboy cap.

"Your spot is over here," he pointed to a large square marked in chalk.  "Just pull your truck in parallel & park behind your tent."

I got the truck situated, then Kris & I began to take out the tent, grill & big cooler, a ritual I would become very familiar with over the years to come.  On this sunny morning I'm sure I looked every part the newbie, with a starch white tent canopy & with Kris & I unloading & moving stuff around several times trying to figure it out.  

I even brought a couple of lawn chairs, & my Milwaukee brand work radio as if we were setting up for a kid's birthday party or a soccer game.

It was a good thing we showed up an hour before the "official" start of the market at eight.  I say "official" because some weeks customers show up before start time & other weeks nobody's around until close to nine.  

I have to say our setup looked pretty official to me & more importantly it wasn't windy & lighting the grill was not an issue.  I imagine Kate would have been happy with our work, though she was 2,000 miles away, probably brunching hard in Music City U.S.A. 

I don't remember what our first sale was, but selling $1 cans of soda out of my Grandpa Heinz's green metal Coleman was popular.  When someone ordered one of the five Cheezers on the menu, Kris would take their money & holler their order to me.  I would then butter the two slices of bread (Sourdough, Whole Wheat, or Thick Egg Bread) & assemble the sandwich on the griddle.  If they ordered Tomato Soup, Kris would heat it up in a small pot on the open range.  

We sure thought we had a slick operation going.  That was until our friend, Fran stopped by to say hello & grab a Cheezer.

"Where's your sign at?" she asked.

I laughed- we didn't have one!  "Good eye, Fran," I said.  "We were so caught up in everything else, I totally forgot about a sign."  I tried to give her a free drink, but she just laughed it off.  When I offered her a chair to eat her Cheezer, she took me up on it.

Customers would come in waves.  The best thing you can have at a market is a line, because everyone wants to stand in line for some reason.  I don't know why this is, but check it out the next time you're out & about.   

Kate's co-worker, Tammi, & her husband stopped by for lunch.  "Hey, your guy's booth looks great!  We can't wait to try some of this grilled cheese I keep hearing all about," she said.  They ordered a couple different Cheezers & tomato soup.  At that time, our tomato soup was nothing more than a can of Campbell's with a dash of milk & a shake or two of Italian seasoning.  

We've come a long way.

By the end of the market I saw other vendors starting to slowly break down their booths.  The lady who sold tamales must have sold out because at almost 12:30 on the dot, her tent was gone & her van was running.  

It would take Kris & I quite a while longer.  I counted the cash from my U.S. Bank bag at least five times in the cab of my truck.  Mad Munch didn't accept credit cards (I still had a flip phone at that time) but I wanted to make sure I paid the correct 10% booth fee to Brian's Farmers Markets.  

Though I had nothing else to compare it to, I think we did pretty well that day.  The Cheezers looked good & people seemed to enjoy them.  It felt good when I finally padlocked the back of my truck, each popped an A&W Root Beer & drove back to OB.  

We later met up with some friends at Kris' place, rode bikes to his girlfriend, Emily's office in Old Town & took the trolley to a Padres game at Petco Park.  It was the perfect ending to a beautiful & successful day in San Diego. 

Cover All of Your Bases

The last thing I had to do was get insurance for Mad Munch.  When I asked about it at Brian's Farmers Market Class he said, "Get coverage for up to one million dollars."

State Farm, which ironically is headquartered in central Illinois where I'm from, was the best choice for me.  I actually met an agent (Matt) at the Sundowner.  He gave me his card & when I called him the next day he set it up for me.  For only just under $50 a month, Mad Munch was insured. 

On the eve of my first farmers market at Golden Hill, I drove to CVS & bought poster board & markers to make a large menu.  I got all of my cheeses & toppings filled up in Tupperware containers that I acquired thanks to a gift card from Kate's co-worker, Tammi. 

I followed up with my friend, Kris who offered to help me on Mad Munch's debut, since Kate would still be out of town for a Bachelorette party.  He agreed & I washed my truck so that every part of my setup would shine on Day One.  

A big part of doing something bold & new is to make sure you do your homework.  Plan for as much as you can ahead of time & give yourself the best opportunity to succeed.     

Mad Munch's First Sundowner Appearance

Getting involved with your community is a great way to not only meet people but to also help spread the word about your business endeavor.  Kate's friend, Liz worked at the Ocean Beach Main Street Association & saw a great opportunity for us.

"You guys should join the O.B.M.A.  It's a great way to network, get more people to try Mad Munch & we have these mixers- we call 'em 'Sundowners,' every month with free food & drinks," Liz said.

Kate & I talked about it & signed up Mad Munch for $80 (annual membership dues).  We figured this would be a good investment in advertising our business through word of mouth.  And, over free food & drinks!

The first Sundowner I attended was at the Ocean Villa Inn next to Dog Beach.  Kate was in Nashville with her college friends for a bachelorette party & I didn't want to go solo so I asked my other roommate, Zack if he wanted to go.

"When is it?" he asked.

"It's Thursday from 5:30-7:30," I said.  "Basically we'll go there tell people about Mad Munch, eat some free food, have a few drinks & hand out a few menus."

It was an easy sell & we biked over to the motel that night armed with a bunch bright colored Mad Munch menus that I had just modified after the Mud Caves fiasco.  We were greeted at a desk out front by Claudia, who was known as the "Mayor of OB."

"What's your name & your business name?" she asked.

"I'm Zach & this is Zack & our business is Mad Munch Grilled Cheezer Co," I said.  

She wrote our names in Sharpie on name tag stickers & handed them to us.  Both names were spelled ZACK but I didn't say anything.  

"Alright, babe here ya go," she said.  "Do you have a business card for the drawing?"

"Shoot, I don't.  What's the drawing?"

"Well, they draw a card outta the bowl & the lucky name gets a prize, usually a gift card."

"Nice, I need to print some business cards," I said.

We wandered inside the lobby where several pizza boxes lay open with giant slices.  It was Surf Rider Pizza, one of my favorite spots only a few blocks away.  There was also a two kegs of beer iced down in tubs & bottles of wine lining a small card table.  We each grabbed a beer, got in line for pizza & filled a plate like every else.

I talked to Liz, our old boss Gavin.  We mingled around introducing ourselves (which is a lot easier wearing name tags) & handed out most of the menus I brought along.

"Where are you guys located?" That was the first question when someone took a flyer.

"Well, we don't have a brick & mortar location yet.  We're actually doing our first farmers market this Saturday in Golden Hill," I told them.

"Oh.  Are you guys in the OB market?" Question #2.

"No, not yet.  But we're working on it." was my response.

That was how the night went.  Introductions were made, hands were shook, & a raffle was won.  It almost felt like a house party in college, except when it was over people were pleading with Zack & I to take pizza & drinks with us.  So, we did.

I remember thinking afterward, "Boy, Kate is gonna love these."          

A Cheezer Dinner Near the Mud Caves

Kate & I met some friends out at the Mud Caves in Anza Borrego State Park the first weekend in April 2013.  We drove about two hours in my truck to camp two nights & serve Mad Munch for the first time to some close friends.

Our old friend, Gina organized the whole thing & at her camp-outs she always made people draw for a meal to prepare during the weekend (Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast, Saturday lunch, etc.).  Kate & I ended up with Saturday dinner.  We decided ahead of time to let our friends chose from this menu that I created the week before:

I handed out the menus the night before around the campfire & let the thirteen of us (including Kate & I) have time to place their order for dinner the next evening.

The next day we took the 4WD vehicles out barreling over the sandy washes to the Mud Caves.  Though they weren't muddy at all, we explored them for hours with headlamps.  It was cool down there on a warm & dusty afternoon & the alcohol beverages went down a little too easy.  

Afterwards we went over to Agua Caliente County Park & had a few more while soaking in the giant natural spring hot tub covered by a greenhouse looking structure.  It was a welcome calm before the storm.

Back at camp, Kate & I fired up the grill (for only the third time), heated up the canned Hormel Chili & tomato soup.  Kate buttered up the bread & I started on the Cheezer orders.  

Things started off okay until the wind kicked up & the my three burners on the grill kept blowing out.  After re-lighting them several times, I turned it up on high to keep it lit.  The two of us struggled to block the wind with paper plates, aluminum foil, & finally trying to hang up a tarp.  

It was absolute chaos- I burned a couple of sandwiches, threw an empty can or two & our trash kept blowing around like a tumble weed.  The orders took twice as long as we'd imagined, but we did knock out the dozen or so Cheezers & sides of soups.  Everyone eventually got what they ordered.   

"These sandwiches are so damn good," somebody said.

"I never had a grilled cheese like this before, this is next level," another person commented. 

"Where'd you guys come up with these wild combinations- chili, corn chips & sour cream- I love it!"

 

I'm not sure if everyone was being nice with our struggle being on full display, but everyone they certainly got dinner & a show while the sun was going down in the desert that night.       

All You Need is a Business License

I originally thought I would use Seaport Meat Company for my food supplier, simply because I saw their box trucks driving around Ocean Beach.  It was my first lead & when I found an inventory list from their website it seemed like they had just about everything I needed.  

Note: I actually used this table/chart later on to create my Grocery List on Microsoft Excel.

When I called Seaport to get a delivery quote, the rep asked me how big of a credit line I needed & other questions I didn't have answers for.

"Where's your business located," one of their sales reps asked.

"Well, I'm doing farmers markets, but I do most of my work from home."

"Sorry, we don't deliver to residential addresses.  You should try Restaurant Depot," he said.  "It's like Costco where you shop for yourself.  All you need is a business license."  I thanked him & hung up the phone.

I had been to a Restaurant Depot before.  I did a walk through during one of farmers market scout trips in spring 2012.  

So, I dug out my San Diego County Business Tax Certificate, which I had yet to use for anything since I purchased it for $52 two months prior, & drove down to their Cesar Chavez Parkway location under the Coronado Bay Bridge.  

A lady at the reception desk checked my paperwork & ID, I signed my name a few times & was printed out my very own plastic Restaurant Depot card.    

It was that easy & I've been going there pretty much once a week for the last eleven & a half years.  

Between there, Smart & Final, & the occasional non-warehouse chain grocery stores (Stumps, Ralphs, Vons, Grocery Outlet), I find everything I need for Mad Munch.  And, Amazon.com too, of course. 

Reserve Your Spot Ahead of Time

I was able to convince my boss, Anna at the Best Western to have weekends off consistently.  That was the only time   There were many more selling opportunities & Kate & I could really jump into the farmers market world.  

Anna loved our flare for selling grilled cheese & was very supportive.  And, after a whole year of working Saturdays & most Sundays, I was thrilled to not have to be at the hotel those days.  

With that road block removed, I followed up with Brian of Brian's Farmers Markets about setting up at his Saturday morning Golden Hill market.  Alchemy, the grilled cheese vendor was no longer there, so the timing was right for Mad Munch to break onto the scene.

"You guys are in.  It's $35 per week, but everybody starting out has to commit to four weeks," he explained over the phone.  "I'll give you a discount though.  Just send me a check for $120 & you guys are all set for the first four Saturdays."

"Perfect.  I'll send you the check, but, I'm still working on getting all of my supplies together so I won't be able to start until the 27th.  Can I start my four weeks then?"  I asked.  

Kate & I actually had already made plans for the next three weekends a few months back.  We were going on a camping trip to Anza Borrego, April 6th, to Knott's Berry Farm for my birthday April 13th & then to Coachella the following weekend.  

I really did still have to figure out where to buy my supplies & get containers to put them in, but this would buy me more time during the week to figure that out.

"Sure, that's fine.  Once I get the check, your spot is reserved," Brian said.  "I'll pencil in Mad Munch for April 27th- May 18th at Golden Hill.  The market runs from 8am-12:30, so you need to be there by 7am to set up."  

  

If It Don't Fit, Don't Force It

There was a very short-lived Mad Munch moment in Carbondale.  It was toward the end of the spring semester in 2005.  DP, Chase & I were living at a house behind the Dairy Queen, just off The Strip.  

We'd been throwing big themed parties with live music throughout the school year in our basement when one night we decided to give Mad Munch another shot.

The house had a small side yard with a perfect "order" window attached to our living room.  So, one day while working on campus at the PBS TV station I printed up a few menus similar to the ones we used at Lincoln College- American cheese, Ham & Cheese, Turkey & Cheese, etc.  

Our friend Corey, who lived down the block had been throwing a weekly F.A.C. (Friday After Class) get together so that was our target market.

But, it only lasted one Friday night.  DP & I had a few too many over at F.A.C. before we got the electric griddle fired up & some arguments ensued.  

The Mad Munch magic that we'd had at Lincoln just wasn't there.  The whole operation felt forced & lacked character.  We made a few bucks but it wasn't worth the hassle.  Compared to the basement parties we'd thrown, selling grilled cheese out the window was only a drop in the bucket.           

The Most Important Paperwork

By the end of March 2013, I had all of the Mad Munch supplies loaded up into the back of my truck.  Thanks to my dad who gave me his topper/camper shell from his old Chevy S-10, I was able to store everything in there.  I bought a chain & padlock at OB Hardware to keep it locked up behind our apartment's alley parking spot.  

On one of my days off from the Best Western, I drove back to the Health Department & wrote them a check for $497 to secure my TFF (Temporary Food Facility) permit for one year.  That enabled me to set up my tent pretty much anywhere in San Diego county & serve food.  

The same day, I drove over to Mira Mesa & Shared Kitchen Rentals.  They had the best monthly rates when I shopped around online & would fulfill my need for a Commissary Kitchen.  There I signed an agreement letter & a check for April's rent ($150).         

Now, I was ready to serve my Cheezers in the eyes of the law, but I still needed to reserve a space for my grill & tent at some weekly farmers markets to start making some money.   

Part II, Juggling the Work/Home/Life Test

The night before the Food Manager's Exam, I still had about thirty pages to go over in my study guide, but it was hard to concentrate with loud music blasting in the living room of my apartment.

"I can't believe this.  Why is he here?  You told him about Toby...about your test tomorrow," Kate said.  She was already in bed while at sat at the desk in our room.

"I guess Zack told him to come over anyway," I said & re-read the same sentence for the third time on the study guide.

"I'm gonna give 'em until ten o'clock...then he's outta here," she said.  "This is ridiculous."

It sucks because Kate & I had had such a wonderful day.  A month prior, I scored two free tickets to Legoland from a guest at the hotel & had to use them before they expired.  So, we each took the day off, drove up to Carlsbad, saw the sights, rode the rides & topped it off with a great dinner at a sit-down Mexican restaurant.    

A few days before, Kate had to put down her ten year old dog, Toby.  It was really hard for the both of us.  If you've ever had to make that choice, you know that it's one of the toughest ones you'll ever make.  

So, I thought going to a theme park would help take her mind off of things for a while.  And, it did raise our spirits- until we got home & found my visiting friend from college, Tony, in a fury of sheet pans & weed brownies with our roommate Zack.  

I had already hung out with Tony a couple times while he'd been in town from Chicago, so I felt that I wasn't obligated to do so on that particular night.

"I have my food managers exam in the morning, I gotta study," I told him.

"Oh, big deal.  Forty-one degrees this, wash your hands that.  Why don't you have a beer & try some of these brownies?" Tony said.

"Not tonight, man.  It's been a long day.  Just try to keep it down, will ya?" I asked & retreated to my bedroom to read.  There was no reasoning with Zack at this point.  I would bring it up later at work or at home, when I saw him again.

Kate kept to her word & kicked them all out at 10 pm & our quiet hours resumed.  

I got up on time the next day & passed the Food Manager's Exam with a 78% (3 points higher than necessary to pass).    

How to Become a Food Manager, Part I

I read over the packet from the Health Department & found out that my Food Handler's Card would not cover me for grilling cheezers at San Diego area farmers markets under a tent (or as they liked to called it: a temporary food facility).  I needed to become a Food Manager.   

There was a list of approved agencies that offered both the necessary exam & training to get there.  When I looked at each of their websites, they all looked the same except for the pricing & the locations.  It turned out that the cheapest was San Diego Food & Beverage.  They had several times & dates to take the test & it was in Mission Valley, about a ten minute drive away.

They recommended booking it at least three weeks out so I 'd have plenty of time to study.  I took their advice & booked my exam for a month later, online for $90.  The test included a free study guide that you borrow & return on the day of the test.  I picked it up one day when I was in the area & eventually made copies of it at work one morning at the front desk.  It took me back to my college days, making copies of textbooks on WSIU-TV's dime.

The study guide was about a hundred pages & chock full of tables, charts & some cartoon images.  The material was all about keeping things clean, sanitized, & free of vermin.  A lot of temperatures to remember & techniques to achieve & maintain those temperatures.  

Pretty boring stuff.  So, naturally I procrastinated & waited until a few days before exam day to get cracking.  

Unfortunately, a couple of big outside life factors made the exam much harder for me than it needed to be.            

Why Lunch is Better than Dinner

During free time at the Best Western I could be found on the computer at the front desk pricing out equipment.  After work, I was driving to Home Depot to pickup fold-up sawhorses & a sheet of plywood for a table, an extension cord & a big red water cooler for my hot water station.  

February 5, 2013, I ordered a 10ft x 10ft Undercover brand pop-up tent on ecanopy.com for $269.95.  It was my biggest investment yet & I made damn sure it had a Flame Retardant canopy & four walls.  (I still have the tent frame today, in storage at the shop.  We use it now about once a year for catering events.)

On this Valentine's Day, (one year after taking Kate out to dinner on our first date & discovering how broke I was), I purchased a Camp Chef 3-Burner grill for Mad Munch on outdoorcooking.com.  It shipped from Utah & for $219.73 it came with a hand-forged steel, cook-ready griddle that covered 2 burners (the open burner I would use to heat up tomato soup).  

After grabbing a propane tank at 7/11 & hitting up Stump's Market for some grill test supplies, I was ready to try out my new toys.  

One sunny afternoon, I set up the tent & the grill in the side yard outside of my apartment on Cape May Ave.  I invited Kate over & I grilled us up a lunch of OBC grilled cheeses & Miller Lites.  

After this date with Kate, I still had some cash stashed away & could now visualize what Mad munch was going to look like in the very near future.                  

Class Dismissed

While cleaning out my truck one day I came across a business card for Brian's Farmers Markets.  I had likely gotten the card when I visited either the UTC or the Golden Hill Market about nine months prior.  

Printed on the card was a website & it was there I discovered that Brian offered a "Farmer's Market 101" class.  It was ironic, because lately I had been busy looking for equipment but wasn't quite sure exactly what bare bones items I really needed to get up & running.  Money was tight & I had none to waste on bells & whistles.

I took a chance & paid the $15 to attend the two hour class at San Diego City College.  I figured I had spent more than $15 on my lunch break at Best Western, so why not give it a shot?

Armed with a notebook & pen, I rode my bike downtown to City College near the old Balboa Stadium.  Kate arranged to pick me up afterwards so I wouldn't have to bike home in the dark, so I was able to concentrate on the lecture at hand.

The classroom was nearly full of people my age up to probably in their late fifties.  Brian jumped right into a Power Point Presentation.  There were also handouts from the Health Department, some Insurance & Farmer's Market brochures.  

I couldn't find my notes from that night in January 2013, but here were a few key points I remember:

• You gotta do 4-5 markets/week for it to be worthwhile/profitable
• Always keep at least 3 days of inventory on hand
• Don't skimp on Graphic Design when it comes to designing your logo/banner
• Business Cards are cheap to print & are very important handouts at markets
• Social Media is key so your customers know where to find you
• Buy a good hot water jug & cold cooler that'll keep temperature well 
• Make sure to buy a "Fire Retardant" canopy for your tent & get a special Fire Extinguisher 
• Use butane gas for cooking (I later learned than propane was the way to go, not butane.  I'm not sure if I misheard or what)      

He allowed time at the end for one on one questions & I asked him about joining his markets.

"What do you sell?" he asked.

"Grilled Cheese," I said.

"Oh, well we currently have a grilled cheese vendor at Golden Hill, but take one of these applications & we can put you on a waiting list."

It was a good class, I learned a lot.  And, now I had some homework to do.  That next Saturday morning I went to Golden Hill to scope it out for myself.  

My notes:

     Alchemy Grilled Cheese- $5 (The "SD" 3 cheese) w/ Tomato Bisque Soup $8  

Deadbeats vs. Penny Pinchers

My folks came out from Illinois to visit for Christmas 2012.  I was able to get them a good deal on a room at the Best Western.  

Zack & I had been living in our new place for a few months & I was stacking up some cash from all of the cruise ship drop-offs at work.

"Here's the kind of grill I was looking at," I showed my dad on my laptop.  "Something that's easy to setup & breakdown.  With a flat top griddle."

"That looks nice.  I bet you can cook a lot of sandwiches on there," he said.

"And, I almost got enough saved up to buy one.  I'm gonna order it in the new year.  I still have to get a tent & pay for some permits, insurance & other legal stuff first," I told him.  "But it's coming along."

"See, I knew you'd figure it out on your own," he said.  "If I just gave you the money you'd have spent it already- end up like that deadbeat you used to live with."

I laughed.  It was true!  Money was made to be spent & it's a whole lot easier to blow it when it's not yours.  By pinching my pennies, I knew how hard it was to earn & I would make sure no cent was wasted on achieving my goal.   

3 Steps Toward a Better Life

Ever since I switched jobs, life seemed to be moving a lot faster.  It was a good thing in many ways, but unfortunately Mad Munch got swept under the rug.  

In December 2011, I had gotten my Food Handler's Car, set up a Facebook page, & Jon, a friend of mine had even paid for a website domain name (the one you're on now).  Right around that time I also opened a business checking account at US Bank, but wasn't able to keep more than the minimum balance in there.

I thought about Mad Munch every time I stashed a $20 bill from driving the shuttle, & that extra income was nice but I was still a long way from the $1840 I needed to get out there & start selling Cheezers.  By the end of summer I had saved up close to $1000 but I used that towards the deposit on my new place.

That brought me back to when I originally moved out to San Diego:  

Step 1: Find a place to live.

Step 2: Find a job to pay for it.

Step 3: Find a women to love.

Two & a half years later, I was moving into my third apartment, was at my second job & Kate was my number one.  These were all improvements that were inspired & accomplished because of my pursuit of bringing Mad Munch back to life in California.          

Rental Assistance

I looked around on Craigslist for a new room/share, something comparable to the $600 I was paying at the apartment on West Pt. Loma Blvd.  After checking out a few spots around OB it was apparent that I would need to up the ante.  Fortunately for me, my friend & co-worker, Zack was also in desperate need to move out from a disastrous roommate situation.

Despite the fact that I'd never lived with someone that I worked a full-time job with, I was so hell-bent on moving out that I was willing to give it a shot.  There were more options for the two of us looking for a two-bedroom, one bath & it could give us the fresh start we both needed.

Every day I scoured the internet looking for places, until I found a spacious 900 sq. foot bottom floor apartment in a four-plex.  It was on Cape May Ave, across from Sunset Cliffs Blvd (where I always wanted to be) & only two blocks from the ocean.  

I called the number every day for five days until I got a call back & secured the application.  I used up all of my $1000 Mad Munch nest egg on the application fee & the rest on the security deposit after we got approved.  Lucky for us, Kate & my folks let me borrow the rest.

"It's too good of a place & location for $1300," I pleaded with my mom.  She knew over the phone how important it was for me to get out of my old roommate situation.  

After the check cleared, the countdown began.  September 1st couldn't have come soon enough.  Moving out was the easy part, since I was the guy with a truck.     

Craigslist Roommates Beware

I was sitting in the living room at my apartment on West Pt. Loma Blvd. one afternoon when my roommate came in.

"What's up?" he asked for over my shoulder.  I had some dollars laid out on the coffee table.  

"Just counting today's haul.  Another cruise," I said.  

The total came to $89.   All I did was load luggage into the van, drive down Harbor Drive (one of the most scenic routes in San Diego) to the Cruise Ship Terminal downtown, park & unload the guest's luggage & wish them a great cruise.  I could see why Zack enjoyed cruise days.

"That's killer, man," my roommate said.  I could see hid eyes were wide at the sight of the cash.  I quickly scooped it from the table & secured it into my wallet.  "Now that you're making some extra scratch, you can start kicking it some extra from rent & utilities."

"Ha, yeah right," I said, stood up & walked into the kitchen to fix a sandwich.  

Was this dude joking or what?  I hadn't seen him work more than one odd job doing landscaping in the two years I'd lived there.

"Well, the utilities have gone up in the last couple months & your new income could help out with that," he persisted, stroking that little patch of hair below his lip.  I stopped making my sandwich & turned to him.

"I pay you $600 for rent every month- in cash- like you always ask for & the latest I ever paid was on the second.  So, you're good."

"Yeah, but you pay the utilities," he countered.  "Your rent portion is five hundred, but with utilities it's six."

"What?"  I looked him in the eye & raised my voice.  He may have had twelve years on me but I wasn't gonna let this asshat haggle over money.  "I've been paying the utilities for that last two years?"

"Yeah, your not on the lease so, I can charge whatever I want," he said.  "And, now I need more." 

I thought about this for a few minutes, assembled my sandwich, sat back down & took a few bites.  This space cadet had some nerve.  If he needed the extra money why didn't he set down the bong & go get a fucking job?  He was so used to not working & living off his family that he actually thought I would bail him out?  

"You need more, huh?" I asked.  "Well, so do I.  I can't live here anymore.  I put in my thirty days.  I'm moving out in September."  I picked up my plate tossed it in the sink & ate the rest of my sandwich in my room with the door closed.  I flipped open my laptop & started looking for a new place.  

Probationary Period Served

I showed up about an hour late to work at the Best Western after my truck ran out of gas.  The funny part was that it felt like nothing was out of the ordinary.  Like the breakfast room could run itself without me.

The next day, after finishing up the dishes, vacuuming the carpet & putting everything back the way it was, Anna called me into her office.  I figured she was mad that I was late to work & didn't call, but honestly I didn't really care anymore.  After refilling coffee & cleaning up splattered waffle batter for over three months, I was at my wits end when I stepped into her office.

"Hey Zach, I don't know if you've heard but, Teddy's friend is gonna take over in the breakfast room.  And, we've decided to move you back up to the front desk," she said.  

"So, you mean I'm done re-filling muffins & mixing waffle batter?" I asked.  

"Yep.  And, I got more good news," she said trying to hold back excitement.  "One of our drivers just put in his notice today.  Now, you can start driving the shuttle.  I want you to go with Zack on some runs so he can show you the ropes."

I just about jumped out of my seat to thank her & shake her hand.  Things were finally starting to turn out my new job & cruise ship (big tip) season was right around the corner.  That $1840 I needed to start Mad Munch would be in my pocket real soon!       

The Journey to Get Back

The day after the baseball game I woke up early (the breakfast room hours still ingrained in me) at Chase's apartment & walked a few blocks down to the beach.  I needed some fresh air & walked along the water for quite a while, thinking.

I need to stop putting off Mad Munch & start a savings account to get it going, I thought.  If I save all of my tips (like $20 per week) & like $50 from each paycheck every other week, I can make it happen: buy the tent, a grill, get the commissary kitchen, pay for all of the permits.  That's what I was dissecting in my mind when my phone rang.  It wasn't Chase, but another college friend who lived in southern California.

"Zach!  What are you doing, man?" Bennett yelled out.

"I'm taking a long walk on the beach.  In Long Beach," I said.

"Nice!  Hey when you heading back to SD?" he asked.

"Later today, actually.  Why?"

"Right on.  You should stop by my place on your way back.  I'm out in San Marcos now.  I got a badass pad, you gotta see this place."

"Alright, what the hell," I said.

I put the last $5 cash I had into my gas tank & took the PCH out of Long Beach.  Traffic was light & I made it out to Bennett's in less than two hours.  His condo shined bright on the hillside when I pulled up in my '92 GMC Sonoma.

He gave me the tour of the place & we spend some time catching up.  He was in the Marines & had just returned from deployment, so he was excited to be back in California.  

"You're still living with that dude?  Wow, man you gotta get outta there," Bennett said.  He had a fresh perspective about himself & I felt like I was still stuck in 2011.

"Yeah, but I don't really hang out there much anymore," I said.

"You should get your own place, man.  There's plenty of good rentals down there in OB," he said.  It was just me, him & his girlfriend's bulldog, Tucker.  We were sitting in lounge chairs out back on his veranda. 

"You should just crash here tonight, man.  Bree's in Hawaii for work & you can sleep in the spare room," he said & handed me another beer.  "I bet you could use a night away from there, anyway."

"Yeah, I guess I could just go straight from here to work," I said.

"Work?  Damn, you work on Sunday's now?" Bennett said.

I told him about quitting at the Inn to work at Best Western & how now I was running the breakfast room.  

"Whoa, so you're the breakfast room guy?  How's that going for ya?" he asked.

"It's alright.  It pays better than the Inn & I get tips," I said.  

I just left it at that & steered the subject back to his life & reminiscing about the good times in Carbondale.  We watched the sunset from his terrace, grilled out some burgers & had some laughs over the show Workaholics, before we called it a night.

Hours later, I woke up to my phone's alarm in the dark & fired up my truck for the 45 minute drive to Point Loma.  When I merged onto the 15 south, Sandy (my truck) started to sputter.  I thought I had enough gas to make it home, but as I coasted off the freeway at the next exit I knew better.  Luckily, I was able to coast my way to a stop next to a pump at an Arco station.  Only problem was I didn't have any money or credit cards to charge my way into work.        

I called Bennett.  He answered on the fourth or fifth ring & thank God he didn't tell me to piss off.  Instead he drove the ten or so miles to the gas station & gave me a $20 bill to get back.

"Thanks, buddy I owe you big time & I'll pay you back," I said & gave him a hug.

"Hey, no worries.  And don't worry about the twenty bucks,"  Bennett said.  "Just don't work Sundays anymore.  You're better than that, Zach."     

The Journey to Get There

One of my old friends from Lincoln College was back from teaching English classes in Japan & was living in Long Beach.  Chase kept urging me to come up from San Diego to hangout.  I hadn't seen him in over 5 years & when the White Sox came to LA, I grabbed two tickets online & drove up to his place one Friday after work.  

I had Saturday off & I was ready to get as far away from the breakfast room as possible. 

Chase lived in Belmont Shores in a small one bedroom apartment right behind Second Street.  We caught a ride to the Metro station & hopped a train through Compton & Watts to downtown LA.  It was my first time taking transit in LA & Chase helped kill the time by showing me pictures on his phone of his adventures in Asia.

"That is amazing, wow!" I said.  "What's it like over there?"

"It's a whole different world, man.  You really got to see it for yourself," he said scrolling through endless photos.  "I was there for two years & I didn't even make a dent in all there is to do & see."

At the end of the line we walked a few blocks downtown to pickup a bus to Dodger Stadium.  Or at least I thought it went to Dodger Stadium.  Chase had only been there once before & he caught a ride.

The city bus was gradually making it's way up a hill when at an abrupt stop in a residential area a bunch of folks in Dodger blue were getting off.

"Is this the stop for Dodger Stadium?" I asked the driver.  We were running late & probably would miss an inning or two at this point.

"Yep, You just walk up that pathway there.  Follow the blue & white jerseys," the middle-aged Asian man said.

We climbed the rest of the hill & came into view of the ballpark on the other side of a massive parking lot.  When we got up to the front gate & showed the tickets I printed out ahead of time, the attendant directed us to flight of stairs.  "You guys are all the way up," he said.

We eventually found our seats in the very top row but at least we were behind home plate & the game was only in the bottom of the 2nd.  We unleashed our smuggled plastic bottles of booze & had a toast.

"Well, you did it my friend.  You got me here without getting caught in traffic," I said & we bumped bottles.

"You know it's all about the journey my friend.  If it were easy, then everybody'd do it," Chase said.  We each took a big swig.  "Now what's this I hear about you starting Mad Munch back up again?"

I laughed.  "Yeah, I'm working on it.  I gotta save up around two grand to get it going."

"Two grand- ha!  That's the easy part my friend," he assured me.  "There's always gonna be money around.  Figuring out how you're gonna make it happen & the journey to get there- that's the hardest part." 

Hot Breakfast & A Nap

Teddy, the usual "Breakfast Room Attendant" went to Hawaii for a week over Easter break & I was put in charge while he was gone.  He showed me how to do everything before he left & it wasn't a very demanding job, but after clocking in at 6AM ten days in a row, I needed a hot breakfast & a nap.

That Sunday during that stretch, I went with Kate to a friend's Easter egg hunt & found myself on the wrong end of a bottle of whiskey.  Sure, fatigue played a role but poor judgement won out.  In the end, I left the get-together under my own power & wandered my way back to my apartment.

My alarm buzzed as usual at 5:25AM & I reluctantly put myself under a hot shower & pedaled my way over the hill to the hotel in Point Loma.  With a splitting headache, I managed to get through a stampede of out-of-towners hot on the trail for morning nourishment without any major slip-ups.  

When the corral died down I was able to pour myself into a little known restroom next to the exercise room, hit the lights & lock the door behind me.  I'm not sure how long I was in there, but when I emerged back into the light of the hallway, I ran into Zack, who as fortune would have it was also at the Easter party the day before.

"There you are!" he said & brought his voice down to an almost whisper, "When, I got here at eight I saw your bike locked up outside & I was like, 'There's no friggin' way!'"

"The struggle is real," I said & he laughed.  I tried to smile.

"Were you in the gym bathroom?  I was looking all over for ya."

"Yeah.  I needed a minute or two to recoup."

"Hahaha- it's all good.  Anna just said you've been great in the breakfast room," he said in a low tone & reached into his pocket.  "But, hold onto this if you wanna get outta there."

He handed me my driver's license.  I didn't even realize it was missing.  "I found it on the ground outside the party.  You might need that if you wanna drive the shuttle."

"Wow, thanks, man.  I owe ya one."  I grabbed it & put it in my wallet.  

"Well, I better get back.  I'm taking this old couple to the airport.  They gave me a twenty yesterday to drop 'em off at Old Town.  Easy money!"

"Nice.  I gotta go do the dishes in the hundred-degree laundry room.  See ya later!" 

Switching Gears into the Breakfast Room

My time at the Inn at Sunset Cliffs came to a close & things ended on good terms.  It was a hard to believe I worked there for just over two years, but it was a good time to move on, as two of my other co-workers were doing the same.

At the Best Western, I started off manning the front desk on third shift & running the night audit.  That really wasn't my jam, though ironically all I really did was printout big stacks of paper for the audit report.

My driving record came back & I was able to drive the Airport Shuttle van after Zack showed me the ropes.  The tips were a nice addition to the 75 cents per hour more I was making than prior at the Inn.

I continued my scout trips to check out Farmer's Markets around San Diego county & word got around that I wanted to start my own grilled cheese sandwich business.

"We got a spot open serving in the breakfast room," Anna, my manager said.  "That'll be perfect for you since you already have your Food Handler's Card."  

That was true, I had driven to Mission Valley back in December, passed the test & paid the $25.

So, I started getting up at the crack of dawn (5:30am) & biked to work to open up the breakfast room promptly at 6AM.  Five days a week, I was in there making coffee, mixing up waffle batter & refilling hard-boiled eggs, fruit & muffins.  By 9:30, I was wiping down tables, doing dishes adjacent to the laundry room & vacuuming up the leftover crumbs while watching the local news.  

Afterwards, I would take my 15 minute break, question whether or not I wanted to return to the food industry & then head up to the front desk be trained on "NiteVision," the system that we checked guests into & out of the hotel on.  

It was far from glamorous work, especially when cranky guests would talk down to you, but hey, I was home from work by 2:30 & enjoyed not sleeping through my afternoons.           

St. Paddy's Extravaganza

Rain was in the forecast, but I was not gonna let that slow me down.  I had already been to Ralphs to get $81 worth of Mad Munch supplies for the St. Paddy's Day Festival, so I was fully invested.

The day before, we spent most of the afternoon & evening constructing a series of tents to create a circus, "big top" type of atmosphere to combat against the upcoming storm.  There were about six of us (mostly members of the bands who agreed to play the event) who worked laboriously to tarp over the majority of the large balcony behind my apartment facing Dusty Rhodes Park.

Early the next morning, I drove my truck out to San Carlos to pick up one of the musicians & fill up the truck bed with a PA system, speakers, & plenty of DJ equipment.  When I returned home, the other two acts had already arrived & we were doing our best to set up amidst 20-30 mph winds.  

Meanwhile, my roommate spent his morning smoking reefer & telling me how bad the storm was gonna be.  "You guys are gonna get washed out.  There's a tidal wave coming," he said.  

"Yeah, sure," I thought.  But, I was in too deep now.  Too much was on the line, the bands were depending on us to put on their show.

Kate did well to spread the word & brought with her a crowd (not to mention, a six-foot inflatable Leprechaun).  It was a lot of girls who had been to the second Taste-Test Party & a few more.  Without them, I don't think the party would have been much of one.

The music went on without a hitch & while the rain & wind howled violently at times & people got soaked, it only added to the fun.  "This reminds me of Bonnaroo!" someone looking on said to me. 

Best of all, the concert-goers were hungry for a hot meal on such a cold day.  I even made a little bit of extra money & people still talk about that party.  It was certainly worth all of the extra effort that those who did help me put in.

It really does take a village, so don't try to do it all by yourself.