Who's Hungry? Basmati Indian Street Tacos Can Help You With That...

I have amazing friends. I don't know how I became so fortunate to be associated with so many incredible people I call friends. So, what do several of my friends do during a worldwide pandemic?

They start a food truck.

A few years ago, I was cast in a local production of You Can't Take It With You. I got to share the stage with two actors with whom I'd done shows before, and another with whom I had not. The performance talent in Amanda, Jared, and Jennie is staggering. Add Amanda's amazing photography skills, Jared's technical--including sound design and furniture/food truck construction--skills, and Jennie's directing and costuming skills, and you've got three performers that can carry any show. Now, they've turned their attention of the culinary arts.

This afternoon my wife and I watched the three of them working away in an incredibly hot, custom-built/painted food truck serving up delicious Indian tacos.

And it was GOOD!!

This week is the truck's maiden voyage. Why they decided to attempt such a leap of faith at a time like this is beyond me. But, upon further thought, it makes sense. Tell any of these amazing people they can't (or should't...) do something, it makes them work even harder. The show that had all of us together ran into so many problems--If you're familiar with community theater, you know what I'm talking about--the show almost didn't go on. But it did, and it was incredible.

I snapped a few pictures of the truck, then took the food home. I wanted to take a picture of the tacos before I started eating, but I was so hungry, I dug right in. So, the photo of food is not a true representation of the full meal I had.

If you'd like to follow Basmati on Facebook, click the link: HERE. If you'd like to try the food for yourself, I posted earlier where Basmati was going to be from 5pm - 8pm on Saturday, 7/18/20, but that's not going to happen. They had to cancel.    :(

However, you can always check on their Facebook page for future events.

Yes, the food at Basmati Indian Street Tacos is fantastic...

Almost as much as those running it.

A Tale Of Two Lemonade Stands...

Saturday afternoon, I had an errand to run. And so, I got in Donk, the Subaru and went for a drive. I took the upper road and avoided I-15. You see life when you take the backroads, people walking dogs, joggers, yard sales, 

And lemonade stands.

Two, to be precise.

You don't see lemonade stands very much anymore. Maybe they're there, and I just miss them. I don't know, but on my drive south, I saw the first stand by a church. Two boys, a card table, cups, various drinks, and a sign. I waved and kept driving.

At the very next church (and, where I live churches from the same denomination can literally be across the street from each other...) another lemonade stand sprang up, this time, two girls about the same age as the boys. They also had a card table, drinks, cups, and a sign. I did notice their sign listed the price of their product--twenty-five cents. Once again, I waved and kept driving.

After completing my errand, I returned home the same way, but this time, I spotted some loose sitting idle in my car. I decided I was thirsty.

The girls's stand was the second I saw driving in, so on the return trip, it was the girls's stand that I reached first. I pulled over and fished out a quarter. "Do you want ice," one of the girl's asked.

"Of course," I said.

We completed the transaction. I pulled ahead a little and downed my drink. Good stuff! I drove the couple of blocks until the next stand, pulled the car over and lowered the passenger-side window.

"Hello," I said from the driver's seat.

"What kind do you want?"

Wow--choices. The girls did not offer choices, just lemonade.

"What you got?" I asked.

"Lemonade, watermelon, and fruit punch."

I'm more impressed.

"I'll take watermelon." I was feeling a bit zesty.

"How much?" I asked as I fished out another two-bits.

"Seventy-five cents," the boy said as he handed me my drink. I grabbed a few more quarters and handed them over. Good drink, no ice--I wasn't even given the option.

So, there you go. Capitalism at work--what the market will bear. I drove from the second stand wiser...

And out a buck.

Our First Sidewalk Sale...

So much has changed this spring. Normally, after some early morning yard work, I might drive down to our local thrift store to possibly drop off some things and go inside to pick up some things. Another past time I enjoy on a beautiful spring weekend morning is checking out a local yard sale.

Not many of those taking place now.

And that's a shame.

There was, however, one local entrepreneur out in front of his house with product available. We held our first Saturday Sidewalk Sale. 

This is our youngest's business. He did the work to get the plants started. We're hoping he uses this experience to learn about costs and risks and organization, and saving. It's interesting--a few days ago I blogged about my first job was planting starts in flats in a nursery. 

My son had a couple of sales. We're hoping to take the lessons we learned from last weekend to see how to reach more people for the next sidewalk sale. That's what's amazing about having a business, even a small one. The things you learn about others, about yourself, is amazing.

I don't know if my son expected to sell out everything. I know he would love the $$$ if he did. But $$$ comes with work, adjustments, improvisation, and maybe a bit of humility. So, next time we'll pull out the table, set up the goods and see what happens....

At our Second Sidewalk Sale.

If You're Looking For Starts...Check Out Taylor Academy Plants

A few months ago our homeschool thought it might be cool for your youngest (and last student...) to looking into starting a business, something a teenager could do. We came across a project some other homeschoolers were doing--planting vegetable starts then selling them when they were ready.

Perfect!

Our son gets to learn about living things, what it takes to start a business, and seeing the product go from beginning to end, start to finish. We're to the point where the first plants are available to purchase so we created Taylor Academy Plants.

We even created a Facebook page, and you can access it by clicking: HERE.

Currently, we have just a few plants available, Cilantro, Artichoke, and Green Cabbage. By the end of April, we should have Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kale, Red Cabbage, Tomato, Lettuce, Basil, Eggplant, Watermelon, Cucumber, Pumpkin among others.

We had no idea what kind of a world we'd be in when we decided to do this. We had no way of knowing that people will be looking at the possibility of a home garden in a new light.

As you can see, the majority of the plants are not available yet, but if you go to the Facebook page and "Like" it, we'll keep you up to date on which plants are available. You can also contact us through the site to ask questions.

Check out Taylor Academy Plants! Come on--it'll grow on you.

(okay, that was bad...)