h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I can't remember where I've written what, so I'll quickly recap what has happened in the past few weeks

After chasing all over town, I found a place. Well, didn't so much find it as I stopped ignoring it. You see, the shop is a bit small. Ok, it's very small. And it hasn't been upgraded in awhile. It has electricity, but no gas. It has a good roof, but needs a lot of plumbing. It has a bathroom, but no water heater. It is zoned correctly for a food business. The landlord is agreeable to letting me do a lot of remodeling.

Now, you might wonder, what landlord wouldn't want a tenant improving a commercial spot? Well, as it turns out, rather a lot of landlords won't approve any chances.

So far I've checked with the city utilities (I do need a grease trap), the fire department (I don't need a fire suppression system) and the building department (the building has community commercial zoning). I have an appointment with a kitchen designer next week.

In the meantime, I've been working on an online version of my chocolate shop and other preparatory work. One wall of our bedroom is covered with drawings of the shop with equipment.


HN

Dear Happy Nerd,

That sounds soo exciting. !! I had no idea one had to think of so many different things if one wanted to start making and selling home made chocolates. No wonder they taste so good. !!

I am really excited for you and hop0e that you manage to get all the various requirements settled speedily.

go well, amd Bonne chance


~Christiane
AR80

Saturday 17th July 2010 5.45 BST

And so the deep dream transforms before your eyes, not merely teetering on the edge of existence, but it acquires a sense of weight and a substance that nudges it ever more surely into the light of day, and brings with it an overwhelming anticipation of the fully furnished reality. You can almost catch the layered aroma of various chocolate confections hanging in wisps as you walk through the shop. The sound of utensils in bowls and the low hum of mixing appliances vies with the conversation of delighted customers and the clatter of change as the register performs its accounting. The seating arrangements are intimately comfortable and have a solidity and sureness about them. The wall decor is pleasing to the eye, and every picture, shadowbox, wall hanging, and the contoured whorls of the paint draw your attention ever-so-insistently to the main display cases. But the ultimate reward--the coup de grâce--is the first taste of the dark, velvety morsel you call your "Signature" blend; an extravagant combination of finest cacao infused with sweetness and a hint of flavor that will keep the clientele guessing. And coming back for more.

B4iinsistonhavingyousendpictures&copiesofthedrawings&samplesofyourtreatsjustsoicanbelieveevenmorefullyinthefinishedproduct

wow!
* in anticipation of orgies*

Dibs on the mate (insert ` as appropriate) ones!

Thanks, Everyone, for your replies, , and DQ's term " orgy".

B4, That's some nice copy. Care to write inserts for chocolate boxes or perhaps descriptions on a certain chocolate shop's website?

Mr. Nerd and I met with the kitchen designer at the shop. As a result, I need to check with the City Planning Department about requirements for:

1. an ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) restroom,
2. the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning), and
3. the width of the back door.

The City Planning Dept's Building Official was out until tomorrow, but I left him a detailed email, because the phone message wouldn't have run long enough.

This is all very exciting!

Dear Happy Nerd and Hubby STOP Heard you're opening a chocolate shop DONTSTOP Understand you're seeking copy editor / PR manager STOPATMYSPACE More than happy to oblige a fellow Salonista / HooTooer NEVERSTOP Must sign off now as I'm at w@rk and they might just STOPME

B4iforgetallmydrivingetiquette&barrelthroughaSTOPSIGN

Oo, advertising copy from h2g2ers! What a great idea! B4, Dmitri, Ben, Ag...

So, Happy Nerd, would you please post up the website address of your personal chocolate shop? I'd love to take a look at its content, layout, links, and opportunities to order on-line. I'll more than gladly critique whatever you've developed so far, with an eye toward the final product.

B4theanticipationcausesmetohoponmyHondaNighthawk&takearoadtriptoseeit4myself

B4, I really appreciate your kind offer, and the address is www.cocoablossom.com, but right now all you'll see is a 404 error. The domain name register has a lock on it. They once again reassured me they'll remove the lock in 24 hours!


After that it might not look like much either, because I haven't done anything much with the new host.

My blog is in slightly better shape, cocoablossom.blogspot.com.

If you'd like some good hints on webpage design, I know a friend who does this for a side-line. She's just finished her college training on the subject, and has had several commercial projects in her portfolio. Perhaps I could put you and her in contact with one another to hammer out the "look and feel" of the webpage. By the way, I ~love~ to do copy editing, and I'm a fairly descriptive writer. Not yet published, yet hope to have my own personal "Great American Novel" in print in the next couple of years.

B4yourealizeiamoffering2lendahandinyourwonderfulendeavor

B4, I'm delighted and grateful to take you up on your offer of assistance. And it looks like the lock has finally been removed, so I'm going to start getting something up there for you to critique.

In an odd twist of Fate, we won't be getting that shop. We'll be getting the slightly nicer, slightly bigger one two doors down. Go, Fate!

Let's hear it for Happy Accidents! [which, by the way, is a surprisingly good film, if you haven't seen it] Send photos of the new digs. Or a description, anyway. [my description still stands, no matter where you settle in]

On a slightly more somber note: my friend let me know her "going rate" for web design might be cost prohibitive for you. Several hundred dollars for the main site, then scaled considerably lower for each additional page / service / database needed. She recommended using a hosting service more local to your business. That way, you can go face-to-face with the people responsible for maintaining your on-line content, with the ability to address updates / concerns on-the-spot.

Despite the little hitch, press on toward completion of the chocolate shop! My editorial services are still available at any time, at no cost to you. (Unless you think using me as a "taste tester" is also appropriate.)

B4the1stpackageofguineapigmorselsarrives@mydoorstepwithasurveyformattached

Hi dear Happy nerd.

Are you happy or sad about the shop being not only bigger but in ano ther location?

How about serving hot chocolate drinks during the winter? I love my hot chocolate. I have one very often when I go to bed. !! but then I love chocolate.!!
You could also serve iced chocolate in summer. !! That should bet them in, and give everyone a lift....!

with affeftion

Christiane
AR80

Thursday 4th August, 2010 BSt

Hi Christiane,

Well, it's a teeny tiny bit bigger, and it is only two doors down. The advantage is that it has a working heating/air cooling system and a much nicer front door.

I love hot chocolate too. Also iced chocolate.

B4, I'm not sure if commercial links are now getting yikesed automatically, but the web site is www dot cocoablossom dot com.

And here's the live link, just to test if it gets yikesed:

http://www.cocoablossom.com

And now we have a signed lease.