Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Techishness

It looks like we missed the brunt of the winter storm that was forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday. None of the 40 mph winds, or snow, or freezing rain.

Or was it just delayed?

I noticed a car in a car wash yesterday. To me, this is like throwing your money into a muddy puddle.

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Giuseppe's has closed. I've added it to the list.

This is significant because this restaurant had been around almost as long as I have. The Source's comment was:

"However, like many downtown establishments Giuseppe’s struggled to find its niche in the new downtown scene where customers have rewarded novelty, innovation, and, well, newness—none of which Giuseppe had in any great quantity. With this week’s closure, Giuseppe’s joins, Ernesto’s and Bella Cucina on the list of locally owned Italian eateries that haven’t survived the recession shake-out."

Trying to parse this comment, it seems a little snippy, Kind of like the writer is saying, "gee, this place just wasn't cool enough for us twittish Bend eaters..."

As Jon pointed out over on Hack Bend, a couple of years ago, Giuseppe did indeed try for the "novelty, innovation, and well, newness" factor by renaming to Bistrow Pow.

It didn't take.

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So I proudly announced the Pegasus Books of Bend Facebook page on the retailer bulletin board, under the heading: "Finally, a proper website."

To which I was informed in not so gentle terms that, No, I do not have a proper website.

It's just Facebook, way to join the 21st Century, "I don't think I'd call it a proper website nor do I think it's something that would motivate someone to visit your shop."

Dis-spiriting. But after I got over it, I realized they were probably right, and I shouldn't expect people to cheer my baby tech steps.

I should have a "real" website, they say. And also a My/--/, and a Yelp page, and a.....

I'm feeling a tad bit of techishness....

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7 comments:

H. Bruce Miller said...

Re Giuseppe's: I don't think the Source writer was trying to be snooty, just saying it couldn't pull in enough customers with all the competition from newer, trendier restaurants -- not to mention Olive Garden, Carino's, Pastini and the like. The trendy places siphoned off the high-end customers and the chains siphoned off the lower-end customers.

Re the Web: Not every enterprise needs to have a Web presence, although website designers will tell you it does. I don't think a "real website" would do Pegasus much, if any, good, unless you decided to start selling on-line.

Anonymous said...

Meh, I read the same posts, and I wouldn't be as bothered. Bend, as like Roseburg is rural in comparison to where most of those folks are. Things be different.

Brett
Heroes Haven
Roseburg, OR

Duncan McGeary said...

Hey, Brett.

You found out I have open comments!

Yeah, I usually just brush it off.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I think you misinterpreted the Source writer on Giuseppe's. It's kind of the opposite of what you think, actually. I don't think he/she was being snooty, but in fact sort of being very slightly snarky/dismissive/annoyed about the prevailing snooty-ness of Bend's restaurant scene in recent years, and the fact that it killed an old-school place.

Also, you don't need a website. And for god's sake, don't get a MySpace. It was wasteland a year ago, and with the new redesign it's completely worthless.

Leitmotiv said...

I chalk it up to Italian being the most boring worldly food.

Anonymous said...

@Leitmotiv Also, the fact that Bend has no great Italian restaurants, which was true even when Ernesto's and Giuseppe's were open.

Pastini isn't bad, but when that's your town's best Italian place...

H. Bruce Miller said...

"I chalk it up to Italian being the most boring worldly food."

If you can say that you've never had good Italian food. There's a lot more to it than pasta and red sauce.

Of course if you've spent your life in Oregon and/or the Midwest (except Chicago) you wouldn't know that.

"Also, the fact that Bend has no great Italian restaurants, which was true even when Ernesto's and Giuseppe's were open."

Roger that. Giuseppe's was barely even a GOOD Italian restaurant -- on a good night.