Dave Alpert: I Know Where You’re Going with That

As I have mentioned before, Espresso Royale Caffe in Boston–now separated from the original midwestern chain–is my favorite coffee destination.  In fact, I used to spend so much time at the cafe, I even once received mail there!  Since being acquired by Bagel Rising mogul Larry Margulies a few years back, and expertly managed into submission by GM Chris Dadey, the cafes have continuously improved in terms of service, atmosphere and product offerings. Their challenge, however, was to notch up the quality of their coffee.  While the expert baristas always did what they could with the coffee varieties and roasts available to them, the quality of the coffee itself was mediocre at best.  But July 2009 marked a decided move to offer the highest quality coffees available.  And who are the big winners?  We, the coffee drinking public!

The first big move occurred when Margulies bought the stores and started offering Bagel Rising bagels and signature sandwiches.  Next, they started offering both dairy and vegan pastry goodies from the Allston Cafe (which broke away from the Herrell’s chain in June) and now from Leo’s Bakery.

Then, there was the coffee, Jim’s Organic Coffee.  While Jim’s wasn’t horrible coffee, neither was it the stuff of world-class cafes.  I had suggested ERC to coffee aficionado friends in the past, all of whom gave the coffee poor marks.  Being coffee lovers themselves, I guess the ERC management agreed and severed ties with Jim’s this month (with some rumored drama which allegedly involved a physical altercation with Jim himself). 

I am happy to report that they chose their new coffee suppliers wisely.  Their espresso beans now come from Barismo of Arlington, MA and their coffees from Atomic Cafe Coffee Roasters of Beverly, MA.  So far, all the coffees and espresso drinks I have tried have been more complex, robust and consistently flavorful and not bitter.  Kudos to them (and woe is me, as I expect my caffeine intake will reach toxic levels in the coming months).

I highly recommend visiting one of their 3 convenient locations (286 Newbury St, 44 Gainsborough St near Northeastern or 736 Comm Ave near BU).

Contract writing jobs come in spurts.  Original music shows rarely pay.  So, over the past few years, I’ve had to adapt the way I live–i.e. living with roommates–and look for alternative ways to earn income like busking on the street.  Recently, I even tried applying for jobs that I haven’t worked in years.

For example, a few weeks ago, I took a look at jobs available at local Whole Foods markets.  I know a number of former employees–all of whom had great work experiences there and highly encouraged the move.  Having worked on a farm, owned an ice cream truck, worked in commercial kitchens at summer camps and as a short order cook for 4 years, I figured I was a shoe-in for the “prepared foods” retail position posted for the Brighton store.  I sent in a resume, filled out an application and even shared my philosophy on exemplary customer service.

Now, like I said, writing work comes in spurts and last week brought a flurry of interviews, proposals and work meetings.  Yesterday, I started working on two new projects and all but forgot my applicant status in Brighton.  That is, until I returned home and found this in my inbox:

 

Dear Dave:

 

Thank you for your interest in the Prepared Foods Retail position at Whole Foods Market in 15 Washington St Brighton, MA 02135 US. We have reviewed your submission and application, carefully considered your qualifications, and have decided to continue to pursue other applicants for this position who more closely match the needs of the position…

 

Thank you again for your interest in Whole Foods Market and best of luck in your career search.

 

Sincerely,

 

Whole Foods Market Recruiting Team (North Atlantic Region)

I’m not particularly disappointed about not being hired.  I don’t think that my resume clearly demonstrates a desire to cling to a prepared food counter job with dear life.  But I was completely horrified by the sentence, “We have…decided to continue to pursue other applicants for this position who more closely match the needs of the position.”  Pursue applicants for the position who more closely match the needs of the position?  Really? REALLY??!!!

While I may not be right for slinging couscous at the Whole Foods  deli counter, I’m pretty sure that I can sling some less awkward sentences.  So, if someone from the North Atlantic Region Recruiting Team sees this post, please be advised that I will be available for contract writing work on or before September 1st.

In addition to taking awesome pictures the whole night, rock photographer, Michael Spencer, reviewed our show for Rock-N-Roll Boston and The Deli Magazine.

 Read his review of our show here.

 Here are some pics of the show:

Mariana, Rob, Dave, Mark (L-R)

Dave

Rob and Mariana

Mark Purrington

Rob and Mariana

Rob Sistare

Dave and Mariana

In his review, Mike called us “sibling like”.  He has no idea.  He should try coming to a rehearsal!

All photos by Michael D. Spencer at ViscerevieW Photography.

Dear Mayor Menino,

I am writing today to ask for a pardon.  Actually, I am asking on behalf of my car.  You see, my car was unaware that 2-hour parking involved moving to another street after the allotted time and mistakenly relocated itself to a vacant space not only many spaces away but on the opposite side of the street.  Your diligent parking enforcement officer dealt out Boston parking justice with the swift and cruel hand that we residents have come to fear (and loathe).  I sent in a written appeal but your henchmen were unwilling to dismiss the ticket.

So, now I am putting this on your shoulders.  You see, the car I am driving has over 300,000 miles on it and is on its last legs.  Do you want it to live out the rest of its days with a bounty on its head?  It is currently unemployed and unable to pay the fine.  What do you say, Mayor?  Have a heart.  Let the vehicle die with some semblance of dignity!

 Thank you for your time.

Best,
Dave Alpert

PS: Can you tell me where in the city’s traffic rules and regulations it says you have to move the vehicle to another block?  I can’t seem to find it.

I know that many of you will point out that this is a known fact and that I’m not going out on a limb.  But, I do have to say: baristas are friggin’ annoying.  And some of my close friends and rehearsal space mates are in the biz.

You see, in a restaurant, the food is the show.  In a bar, alcohol and interesting conversation make up the show.  And in a cafe, caffeine, free WiFi and hanging out with friends contitute the show.  Unfortunately, baristas are under the impression that they are the show and that their job entails overpowering cafes with their annoying inside jokes, outbursts, and philosophies on life, love and biking.  It’s like the cafe is their Greek theater and they must compensate for the lack of microphones by projecting even personal conversations as if they were monologues sung loudly by the chorus. 

I get it: you’re all musicians, artist and actors, and you long for attention and being at center stage.  Me, too.  But, I just paid over $2 for a cup of coffee.  Can you just shut up so I can hear myself think?!

Join Rob, Mariana, Mark  and me for what is going to be a really fun show tonight at TT’s.  We are playing with the Everyday Visuals and Kevin Hearn and Thin Buckle (Kevin Hearn of Barenaked Ladies).  We go on first and play one short set, so come out early and see all 3 great bands!

DAVE ALPERT
Tuesday, July 14, 9pm
TT the Bear’s
10 Brookline St, Cambridge, MA (Central Sq)
18+.  Doors at 8:30pm. Tickets are $10

See you at the showwwww….

Enough said….

About a month ago, one of my roommates, the mighty Lou Ulrich, played a show at The Foundation Room, a members-only club attached to the House of Blues on Lansdowne St in Boston.  His band was able to bring a number of guests to the club, so the party could really be hopping–and so the members would have more beautiful people to look at.  So, of course, Vanessa, Josh Buckley and I made the scene.

Here are Josh and Vanessa, sitting in a room strangely pimped out in Hindu art:

On one end of the room was a huge golden statue of Nataraja (”Lord of the Dance”), a dipiction of the Hindu god, Shiva, balancing on the back of what I thought was a baby, but turns out to be a demon dwarf symbolizing ignorance.  Either way, it was a pretty creepy looking statue.  Here’s a similar one from the Wikipedia page:

I think if I ever become rich (or even just not dirt poor), I am gonna get me a membership and show up wearing a smoking jacket or one like this:

Ah, now that would be the life…

Look out, Copley Society of Art.  Brace yourself, Vose Galleries!  There is a new posse slinging art on Newbury St in Boston!  And they are straight out of Harford, BOI!!!

I was walking down Newbury St earlier today and witnessed a new group of guys selling street art.  Not the guy that sells the cheap prints at Dartmouth St or the hipster guy that sells $10 prints on the slab, near JP Licks. These guys are slinging florescent colored street art / meets graffiti art / meets stolen street signs out of a newish Audi with Connecticut plates. 

Another guy with a basketball tank top and the sideways baseball cap is sitting atop the Audi and obscured by the tree.  The scene was so AWESOME!  Nothing makes street art seem more appealing than when it is sold out of the trunk of a 75 thousand dollar car.

I just want to know what happened after they closed up shop.  What do you think?

Did they…
    A) Race back to West Hartford to return the Audi and change their clothes before mom and dad came back from vacation
    B) Realize they went too high profile and race back to Connecticut to disassemble the meth lab in their basement, or
    C) get slain in a fight-to-the-finish, kung fu match with the big shirtless artist guy that draws in front of Sonsie?

Choose your own adventure and let your imagination run wild!

In the past 3 years, I’ve written numerous posts about parking in Boston.  In this one, I reminisced about the sweatshirt my mom once gave me that had a huge orange ticket across it with the line: “Boston: a great place to visit… but I wouldn’t want to park there.”  Having lived within the city limits for 10 years, I have to say that our fair city does, in fact, live up to its sweatshirt slogans. 

Yesterday, I parked on Hereford St at a 2-hour meter–not a new multi-space meter, mind you, but the old-fashioned “feed the meter” meter.

I filled the meter to the brim and headed down the street to my destination.  With ten minutes to spare, I returned to my car to move it to a different space.  Because it was later in the afternoon, there were plenty of spaces, both on the same street and adjacent streets.  I moved it to a space further down the street.  After such a collosal effort, I was shocked to find that an hour and a half later, I received a ticket for “over the meter limit” anyway.

I quickly found a BTD employee and asked why I received a ticket.  I was told that it is not enough to move to a different meter; you are actually prohibited from parking on THAT BLOCK!  All I could think of what that scene in Animal House in which Dean Wormer says, “There is a little-known codicil in the Faber constitution….”  I know that “ignorance to the law is no excuse” but I can’t even find where it says that.  I did look through some relevant parts of Boston Traffic Rules and Regulations, but I still can’t find where it says, “move to another block.”

In addition, the modern day meter attendant is armed with technology that allows them to note that my car is on a particular street.  Can’t they also note at which meter I’m parked?

So, here we go again.  Another ticket appeal. More frustration. Another stamp. More wasted time on everyone’s part.  The way things are going, I wouldn’t be surprised if I had to pay the ticket.  I’ll keep you posted.  Wish me luck!