lunch-bags-blog

Food Truck Without Wheels

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 14:42:44 +0100

Monday is Opening Day for The Brown Bag, our expansion into the world of take-out service. It's taken much longer than expected to get everything in place to open this Walk-up Window and we're eager to get started.
As a catering shop with little street presence since we opened, we still had strangers walking in every few days or so, asking to buy a sandwich, which we were never equipped to do. Now we can provide a single-meal service we believe is lacking in this area.
As a matter of fact, we might be the only ones offering this type of food service in town. The City doesn't even have a licensing category for it. "A drive-thru window?" they kept asking when I called to inquire.
"No, a walk-up window on the street", I explained.
"Oh... a take-out restaurant!"
"No... no restaurant. No one comes inside", I continued explaining.
We've decided to describe ourselves as a permanently parked food truck without wheels. And food trucks are popular at the moment!

Lunch-Bags get a History Lesson

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 14:51:48 +0100

We discovered some very interesting history about our neighbourhood the other day. I was checking out a fabulous Community Facebook page called Vintage Hamilton, when I came across a shot of the 1953 Ferguson Ave. train derailment. I vaguely knew about it and have seen, as most Hamiltonians have, the mural on the side of the building at King and Ferguson, but I assumed it took place closer to King - where the replica Ferguson Station now stands. I also assumed it was a much earlier date, perhaps turn of the 20th century, not realizing trains were still steaming down the middle of downtown in the 50s!
Ellen and I were so surprised to stare at the photo and see that the train was off the tracks right in front of our building - and that our building and the one across the street are the only ones on the block that still stand.
I had to stand on a ladder to get a similar shot for comparison; obviously there was a building where the Goodwill parking lot is now as the 1953 shot appears to be taken from perhaps the 2nd or 3rd floor of that building.
With the opening of our Lunch take-out window coming up, we're now considering a new sandwich to be called, "The Train Wreck". We haven't decided what will be in it yet so feel free to suggest ingredients you think might be 'on track' for a sandwich with that name.

And if you're at all interested in the history of Hamilton, check out http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vintage-Hamilton/357013597650273

How Not to Buy a Bike

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 13:04:48 +0100

Two years ago I attended the Canadian Vintage Bicycle Show in Brantford Ontario. I made a promise that I would not by a bike at the show, but instead just look and talk to the collector’s. I already owned about seven cruisers, most single speed with coaster breaks, and to keep peace in the family I had to make that promise!
I managed to find a 1960 CCM frame, and through the course of the day I found wheels, fenders, a chain guard and period handle bars. Best part was that I had kept my promise, I didn’t come home with another bike and I think I only spent $70.
I decided that with the new business it would be fun to restore the bike and turn it into movable advertising for us. I started by sanding down the frame and fenders that had been painted prior to my lucky find. I degreased it and taped all of the chrome fittings on it. I then gave it several thin coats of Tremclad primer in spray can form. I found the colours I wanted to use in the Tremclad series and began building colour up with many thin coats. While that was going on I found a small piece of pine and traced out a sign shape using part of the frame. I sanded it and built up several coats of Tremclad clear on it. This was done to stop the lettering paint from bleeding. Next, using our business font, I enlarged the letters for the name and traced them on both sides using black acrylic paint. I painted in the face book and twitter symbols and once it dried, clear coated it while I was also doing the bike.
Its first real outing was the Art Crawl. I parked it where it would be seen and several people that I spoke with that night mentioned that they had seen it. My plan is to park it in front of office buildings and businesses so they might see it too. I’m going to go back to the Canadian Vintage Bicycle Show next year and NOT buy another bike!

Ellen Irving

http://www.canadianvintagebicycleshow.com/

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Tue, 01 May 2012 16:11:04 +0100

A couple months ago we planted seeds in our kitchen garden. We wanted to take advantage of great southern exposure and try our hand at growing some of the herbs and vegetables we use in our recipes. We were off to a very slow start and, admittedly, were discouraged for a while. But we've now harvested radishes, dill and blossoms have finally appeared on our cherry tomato plants.
Not quite self-sufficient but we're proud, just the same.

Adding to the Streetscape

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 17:38:13 +0100

Our Little Free Library got some much-deserved attention this week. In addition to The Spec article below, a photographer from the photo collage tabloid, 'Snap', was by to shoot it as well. We may be the first in town but word's getting out. I doubt will be the only ones with a Little Library box for long.
I have to say, I was a bit surprised at the writer's angle. She seemed particularly perplexed that we would trust to display anything 'free' or attractive outdoors in our neighbourhood. For anyone who doesn't know the block our shop is on (Ferguson Ave. N. between Rebecca and Wilson), it's lovely. The sidewalks are wide, the street is cobblestone, the trees have glittering lights and the light standards are replicas of gaslights from the nineteenth century. Only two surface parking lots within 2 blocks where active businesses once stood, damage the landscape. Our neighbours are some of the best possible, Dr. Davey public school, The United Way, Immigrant Women's Centre, Goodwill Industries and Theatre Aquarius, not to mention Hamilton Police Central Station. Once again, I ponder how and why some Hamiltonians fail to see the positives in their own backyard and continue to perpetuate the 'Downtown is Bad' myth. We love it here!

Lunch-Bags Library

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 12:38:32 +0100

Last week we learned about the grass roots project Little Free Library sweeping the U.S. and now other countries and knew we had to join in. Ellen, as the designated builder of our partnership, set out to construct one right away. It was built, painted and hung outside our shop within a few days.
We're thrilled with the response. Passersby now stop, some shyly, and sort through the reading choices. We've already re-stocked our original book selections, as most were chosen within the first two days. We've already had one generous donation of a dozen or more children's books and are waiting to see which loaned books come back and what other titles arrive.

International Women's Day

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:02:06 +0100

Yesterday Ellen and I spent the day in the company of some of Hamilton's brightest entrepreneurs and professionals - they happened to be women and slightly more than coincidentally, it was International Women's Day. This day has been marked for over a hundred years but this is the first year that the Small Business Enterprise Centre (City of Hamilton) arranged an entrepreneurs conference and luncheon - just for women.
I have to assume that many of the challenges of small business owners are alike - whether they are female or male, but a recurring topic of discussion among speakers and participants at the Success in the City event yesterday, was the particular demands of family that women entrepreneurs seem to find commonly daunting. I wondered if the same topic would have been given as much of a spotlight had the speakers been male or the audience been more gender mixed.
We Lunch-Bags have more independent or grown children now and our spouses are very understanding and supportive. We don't have many of the stresses of younger business women we met... but we once did... and we understand.

Artful Catering

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:35:07 +0100

Lunch-Bags.ca left the office again - with boxes of sandwiches in hand - to attend the exhibit opening of Artist-slash-Lunch-Bag, Ellen Irving and Martin Peckham at Hamilton's February Art Crawl.

On Being Good Neighbours

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:48:34 +0100

We have a pair of beat-up, paint-splattered, green resin patio chairs here at the shop. We acquired them last year when a tenant in one of our rental properties left them behind. They were already well worn and unsightly but we put them to use here on Ferguson, where we had nothing but empty space. The chairs were used as wobbly step stools during the kitchen renovation and desk seating before we had office furniture. When we wanted to take a break we would drag them out onto the sidewalk to sit in the sun and drag them back in every evening before we went home.
A few months ago we started simply leaving them outside, half-expecting them to disappear. But, suprisingly they were still here every morning when we arrived. Now we see passersby occasionally stop and rest. To our delight, they've become useful street furniture.
Recently, we received a lovely email from a stranger who took the time to let us know how much he appreciated them being there.
"I just want to say a quick "Thank you" for having the two chairs outside your shop." he said, "I am an old geezer and I like to take long walks downtown late at night. A few nights ago I was on one of those rambles and I found myself at a point where I was REALLY looking for a decent place to sit and recharge. I stopped, turned and lo and behold, there were TWO chairs waiting for me just as I needed them the most. It was great. I sat quietly for some time simply enjoying the night and the mild breezes. Once the batteries had come up to usable again I went on my way refreshed. Thanks again for your considerate gesture, much appreciated.
P.S. If I ever hear that anyone needs some catering I will send them your way."
Something so incredibly simple and unintentional has helped make us a part of the neighbourhood. We're glad to be here downtown and we're glad to be good neighbours.

Breakfast Box

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:09:33 +0100

We're currently working on a Breakfast Box combination. Recipe testing and menu planning are now taking place.
One item we're considering is something we're calling Egg Bites. We think they'd make a popular addition to a box of snacks intended for breakfast meetings. We've tested these on family, friends, and even the lawyer's office across the street.
6 eggs, 1/2 onion, 4 TBSP crumbled bacon and 1/3C grated cheddar - baked in mini muffin pans to make the cutest tiny quiches. Try them for a portable snack. We're thinking they might be included on a future canoe trip.
If you have any suggestions or favourites, let us know. Send us a note or post on our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lunch-Bagsca/153905631351267