Sunday, April 29
Jane picked me up after work yesterday at 5. She was eager to show me a place, as was I.
The place she found has a lovely brick plaza or patio, protected from the street noise by a tall stand of oleander. It is at the entrance to a large park. The breeze was lovely.
The shop space was actually the 'basement' at ground level of an apartment building. It was enclosed with a fancy wire mesh; no walls on two sides. It was probably 120 sq meters, maybe more, with a stairwell in the middle leading up. It would take tremendous remodeling to shape it into our bakery and cafe. There were no water pipes, no drains.
The loveliest attribute is also its greatest disadvantage. It would be difficult for foreigners to find it. The avenue T's at this point. There are no shops on the corners. No landmarks.
She had not yet inquired about price.
Then we went to the place I described in yesterday's post. She thought it too small. I started chanting my mantra: 'Start small'. For the Chinese mentality, it is less desirable to go to a place that holds 100 people and find ten, then to go to a place that holds eight people and find ten. They follow the trends. And maybe that's not just Chinese? Well, at least until we have established our reputation, that is a truism.
She saw the tables extending outside from the front door. I noticed that parking lines had been drawn only one car deep, and that was 20 yards away from where our outdoor patio would end, and adjoining the place where the green verge begins.
We both eyed the adjacent property. It was 100 sq meters, with lots of glass and a kind of bay window. She wrote down the phone number, and will try to contact the owner to make enquiries.
I learned that Jane's husband is a policeman, and that she 'owns' what sounds like either a landscaping company or a landscape architecture firm. Couldn't tell by her description, with our limited language skills. When we talk, we slip back and forth between Chinese and English, and often come to an end of words before ideas.
I brought her to my apartment to show her the spreadsheet I had drawn up. She also saw the business plan, but could not read it. We made a list of things we have to do, prioritizing them. First, find a supplier for flour!! I gave her Mike's phone number, while explaining the situation as I understand it. Maybe he'll talk to her, maybe he won't.
She, of course, asked if I live alone. And do I like living alone. This is the common question in the minds of all Chinese, who hate living alone. She thought it would be a good idea for me to move in with her parents, who also live in a posh apartment complex overlooking the lake at Xin Tian Di park, which stands between it and the Web office shopping center.
I actually considered it. But then, if I quit Web and work full time in the business, and if we decide on my Xin Cheng location, it makes better sense for me to find another apartment in the complex where I live.
We then had dinner together, in a nice cafeteria style specialty shop serving different kinds of baozi, Chinese steamed and stuffed buns. She ordered me radish buns, which were scrumptious. It has been ages since I've had baozi, ever since I stopped eating meat again. It's too difficult for me to order. But she taught me how, and I can once again enjoy this typical Chinese food, during my lunch break at Web.
So far, so good.
Jane picked me up after work yesterday at 5. She was eager to show me a place, as was I.
The place she found has a lovely brick plaza or patio, protected from the street noise by a tall stand of oleander. It is at the entrance to a large park. The breeze was lovely.
The shop space was actually the 'basement' at ground level of an apartment building. It was enclosed with a fancy wire mesh; no walls on two sides. It was probably 120 sq meters, maybe more, with a stairwell in the middle leading up. It would take tremendous remodeling to shape it into our bakery and cafe. There were no water pipes, no drains.
The loveliest attribute is also its greatest disadvantage. It would be difficult for foreigners to find it. The avenue T's at this point. There are no shops on the corners. No landmarks.
She had not yet inquired about price.
Then we went to the place I described in yesterday's post. She thought it too small. I started chanting my mantra: 'Start small'. For the Chinese mentality, it is less desirable to go to a place that holds 100 people and find ten, then to go to a place that holds eight people and find ten. They follow the trends. And maybe that's not just Chinese? Well, at least until we have established our reputation, that is a truism.
She saw the tables extending outside from the front door. I noticed that parking lines had been drawn only one car deep, and that was 20 yards away from where our outdoor patio would end, and adjoining the place where the green verge begins.
We both eyed the adjacent property. It was 100 sq meters, with lots of glass and a kind of bay window. She wrote down the phone number, and will try to contact the owner to make enquiries.
I learned that Jane's husband is a policeman, and that she 'owns' what sounds like either a landscaping company or a landscape architecture firm. Couldn't tell by her description, with our limited language skills. When we talk, we slip back and forth between Chinese and English, and often come to an end of words before ideas.
I brought her to my apartment to show her the spreadsheet I had drawn up. She also saw the business plan, but could not read it. We made a list of things we have to do, prioritizing them. First, find a supplier for flour!! I gave her Mike's phone number, while explaining the situation as I understand it. Maybe he'll talk to her, maybe he won't.
She, of course, asked if I live alone. And do I like living alone. This is the common question in the minds of all Chinese, who hate living alone. She thought it would be a good idea for me to move in with her parents, who also live in a posh apartment complex overlooking the lake at Xin Tian Di park, which stands between it and the Web office shopping center.
I actually considered it. But then, if I quit Web and work full time in the business, and if we decide on my Xin Cheng location, it makes better sense for me to find another apartment in the complex where I live.
We then had dinner together, in a nice cafeteria style specialty shop serving different kinds of baozi, Chinese steamed and stuffed buns. She ordered me radish buns, which were scrumptious. It has been ages since I've had baozi, ever since I stopped eating meat again. It's too difficult for me to order. But she taught me how, and I can once again enjoy this typical Chinese food, during my lunch break at Web.
So far, so good.
No comments:
Post a Comment