Hoopla!

The first time I visited Hoopla I forgot to look up and I didn't see this sign. It's a trace, a vestige, of the old store on North Lake Avenue in Altadena. That store was Webster's Fine Stationers. Before that it was simply the Stationery part of Webster's, an Altadena institution, where you could buy padded envelopes, browse greeting cards, pick up some liquor and fill your prescriptions all in one trip. If memory serves, you could buy underwear and mail a package, too.

I just found out that it's pronounced Al-tadena, (as in the first name "Al"). All this time I've been pronouncing it All-tadena (as in "all this time").

At Hoopla you can be on a first-name basis with the owners, Altadena residents Scott and Lori Webster, who have made their store into THE place to purchase local crafts, foods, and books. (Scott Webster, who has lived in Altadena all his life, confirms the Al over All thing).

Today I was focused on the pottery. 

But you could focus on the foods. Or the handmade soaps. Or the toys. You can't believe how much eclectic stuff they cram into this small "emporium of good things." If you want to buy a gift, it's here. So is the card.

All this by way of telling you I was forced, forced, to go to Hoopla today to restock Camelot & Vine because they were sold out. How I suffer. They carry Act As If, too, as well as books by many other local authors.

While you're there book shopping, be sure to peek into every corner to find the weird, the wonderful, and the fine stationery, too. And don't forget to look up.

Bookmarks: The Chocolate Princess in the Land of Plenty

When Yolanda Allen walks into a room, you already know she's coming because her smile gets there first. I met her at Webster's Fine Stationers in Altadena, where I was visiting with Lori and Scott Webster about selling my book in their store.

(Lori & Scott are die-hard supporters of local artists of all kinds. Both of my thumbs go up to them, plus all my fingers, toes, and elbows.)

Yolanda and her sister Valerie Jackson worked long and hard to create The Chocolate Princess in the Land of Plenty, a "classically-styled, contemporary fairytale for readers of all ages." This beautiful book catches your eye on the shelf. Illustrator Sylvia L. Walker has created a work of art on every page.

You can get a signed copy for your little princess tomorrow, February 10th, at The Rose Bowl Flea Market where the authors will have a table from 9am to 3pm. If you miss that, show up at Webster's Fine Stationers on Saturday, February 16, 2013 between 1pm and 3pm for a book signing with Valerie, Yolanda, and illustrator Sylvia L. Walker.

If you don't have a little princess of your own, chocolate or other, you still might Like the Facebook page.

The Altadena/Pasadena Black History parade is the 16th, starting at 10am. You have time to see the Parade and go to the book signing!

Small Business

Ben Wideman of Pasadena--that's THE Ben Wideman, y'all--is the winner of Friday's PDP/PPM book giveaway! Ben was one of several people to guess correctly that the President of the 2004 Tournament of Roses was Michael K. Riffey. John and I recently enjoyed meeting Mr. Riffey on a plane. It takes a nice guy and a dedicated one, too, to put in all those volunteer hours to make the Tournament of Roses the special event that it is. In fact, it takes a lot of nice people to make it happen.

Ben wins a copy of Helen of Pasadena, the new comedy romance novel by Lian Dolan. Lian visits Minnesota, Portland and Seattle next week, so if you're in the neighborhood stop and say hello! And check back here Friday when I have more books to give away, thanks to Prospect Park Media.

Since yesterday was Small Business Saturday I put all the contest entry names in a (clean) poo bag (fits in my pocket better than a hat) and headed up to Altadena. I had small business to do at Altadena Hardware and Webster's Fine Stationers.

At Altadena Hardware they're rearranging the shelves and I still found everything I needed.

At Webster's I bought birthday gifts, Christmas gifts and stuff for myself. In the photo, Scott Webster shows off free trade scarves. (If you're thinking of getting me something, I like them all.) Before I left the store I asked Lori Webster to help me take care of one last small bit of business: she drew the winning name from the poo bag and the rest is history.

Webster's Fine Networking

Anton Anderson emcees as Lori Webster looks on. Fluorescents be damned, I like the shot anyway.

Like a lot of people, I've been looking to spruce up my online social networking skills for the sake of my business. I'm okay at blogging, but I've got a few things to learn about Facebook and my LinkedIn page is neglected. (I'm so pathetic at Twitter I'm not at liberty to discuss it here.)

Lately I've been speaking to groups about blogging. The first thing I tell them is that blogging is networking. The second thing I tell them is that networking is giving. Networking used to conjure up depressing pictures of dreary social functions where you'd pass out your business card in hopes of getting work. It felt like begging and I was lousy at it. But that's an old idea. Now, networking is about service--finding out what your network needs and filling that need, knowing the returns will come. Giver is a much more powerful position than Beggar.

Last Friday night, Webster's Fine Stationers in Altadena showed us how it's done. WFS, owned by Scott and Lori Webster, hosted a well-attended Social Media Meet and Greet event, free and open to the public. The audience comprised upwards of 50 local entrepreneurs of all stripes and levels of networking knowledge. Everyone was eager to learn and share.

Anton Anderson of Productivity Consulting emceed and Hilary Cable of Business.com Answers led the evening with an informative talk about using Facebook for your business. (She cleared up some Facebook mysteries, which until Friday I would have told you was impossible to do.) I spoke briefly about blogging, and Deb Halberstadt of HalfCity Productions guided us through the uses of LinkedIn.

Then we got to eat! courtesy of Amy's Patio Cafe. And there was wine tasting! provided by Anne Louise Bannon and Michael Holland of OddBallGrape.com. And there was much offline networking, quite social, provided by a lively and interesting crowd.

It would be nice if you clicked all the links, though I know you won't. Still, it gives you a visual idea of how many people and businesses contributed to the evening.

I'd like to see Webster's Fine Stationers do this type of event again, perhaps with even more community input. At a time when so many of us need to stay on top of these changing networking platforms, WFS provided a forum, a gathering place, a community service. Lori, Scott and their great staff filled the needs of their network, and I know the returns will come rushing back to them.