Archive for category Interview
Interview – Così Restaurants
Welcome to the second conversation in the Beyond the Car Seat interview series. The Mommy and I often enjoy eating out, but with LTD getting increasingly both more mobile and vocal our options are limited. However, the one place we have found that meets all our needs is Cosi. Not only do they have a kid friendly set up, they also offer a free rewards program that includes 10 entrees and the 11th is free. I spoke with Bob Speirs, vice-president of operations, Così Restaurants about Cosi and why it rules.
What would you say is Cosi’s kid friendly philosophy and how did the company arrive at it?
At Così, we’re always working to create an atmosphere unique to the neighborhoods where our restaurants are located and that serves the guests the visit us. For many of our restaurants, this means ensuring that a mom and dad who want to have a great salad or a worldly sandwich also have options for their children that provide choice and taste.
How has the response been to the family atmosphere?
Our guests have overwhelmingly supported the environment that, for many, goes beyond standard options for families with children.
What is the most popular kids item on the menu?
Our guests have many favorites. While there isn’t a clear standout in the kids menu, pizza is always going to be a favorite with the kids and our recent introduction of Così Thin Crust Flatbread Pizza has been warmly received.
Of course, popular with parents are our other options that they can feel good about giving to their kids like fresh fruit, baby carrots and non-fat milk.
Is there anything coming up in the future involving the kids menu or activities?
Like the rest of our menu, we’re always looking for improvements based on the feedback of our guests and our own desire to continually improve the Così experience. We recently held The Così Little Chefs contest that gave our guests and their children an opportunity to submit a new menu item to us. We’re working now to see how the winning entry may work its way to our menu.
What happens when adults, like my wife, want to order off the kids menu?
We’re certainly flattered to think that our kids menu is good enough to satisfy adult tastes.
PS: Am I the only one who orders my son the fruit cup?
The fruit cup is actually a very popular choice, so much so that we’re looking into seasonal fruit options for the summer like seedless watermelon.
Interview – Greg Stones
Welcome to the first conversation in the Beyond the Car Seat interview series. The Mommy and I first peeped Greg Stones’ work at the SoNo Arts Celebration in South Norwalk, CT.
“Zombies Hate Technology”
Could you briefly describe your background and how you came to join the art world? I graduated from Bates College in 1996 with a BA in Studio Art. While at Bates, I worked primarily in oil, as Bates offered no watercolor classes. I was also the cartoonist for the school paper, and hoped to become a professional cartoonist in the mold of Bill Watterson or Gary Larson, but those hopes were dashed when I sent my comic strip to numerous newspaper syndicates who all agreed that though the writing was strong, the artwork was not. When it came time to create a body of work for my senior thesis show, I decided to paint nineteen miniature photo-realistic watercolors. Much to my surprise, seven of those paintings sold at the opening, which made me realize that I might be able to make a living selling my artwork. In the fall of 1996, I participated in my very first art festival. The booth fee was $200, and I sold exactly $200 worth of paintings. Despite the less than promising start, I kept at it, and now participate in 40 art festivals a year all over the eastern United States, and am a regular artist at the Blue Heron Gallery in Wellfleet, MA.
Could you briefly describe your style/influences and the process or materials? I describe my style as brightly morbid. I use pleasing, soothing colors and scenes, and then add odd twists featuring penguins, zombies, nudes, and other pop-culture characters that bring their own interesting baggage to each painting. I work with opaque watercolor, because it has the flexibility of being either delicate or strong, depending on the needs of a given visual situation. Though I cannot site any direct influences, I definitely enjoyed Gary Larson’s “The Far Side” in high school, and in college I admired Edward Hopper. These days, I try to limit my exposure to other artwork, because I don’t want to be influenced.
Your titles are funny and I think equally important to your pieces. Which comes first? Sometimes the title comes first, and sometimes it comes second. It depends on the scene.
What do you think of your work going up in kids’ rooms? Based on how much kids enjoy my work, I think it’s great when parents expose them to my paintings. Obviously not everything that I paint is completely kid-friendly, but kids should be exposed to as much art and as many different kinds of art as possible.
“Penguins Hate Zombies”
“15 Penguins, 1 Poop”
“Sheep Escaping Bigfoot”