So Many Tarts
This weekend we participated in the annual Roots and Blues festival at Stephens Park. We’ve been on a two year hiatus - one because the festival was cancelled in 2020 because of COVID and last year, we were certain our second store would be opening during the same time as the festival. So, it was good to be back. Let’s discuss:
In 2019, we took just around 1,000 tarts to the festival. This year, we took just around 2,300 tarts and sold every single one.
2,300 tarts is SO MANY TARTS. Planning for a baking schedule, actually baking the tarts, waiting for them to cool, and then bagging them fo individual resale takes just as long as you would guess.
Well, not every single tart sold - because it was so warm in the afternoons, several tarts got squishy in their bags and we gifted them to festival goers who didn’t care at all about squishy. Free always trumps squishy we’ve learned.
You might wonder how it went to have two stores operating at full capacity over the weekend, plus a full booth operating with 2,300 tarts and I’ll tell you: we are just as tired today as you would guess.
Though, honestly, our hard work was in every single day last week as we prepared. As for the festival, we did have fun in the booth. The vendors who make everything on site may have an easier week leading up to the weekend, but all their work comes in cooking to order for three straight days.
I would rather bake 2,300 tarts than stand over a griddle and cook noodles all day like our neighbors to the left of our booth. I do not like to be hot or have my skin compromised by the grease on a grill. True story.
The most difficult part of our weekend was the slight incline we stood at in our booth. I haven’t seen any final numbers yet, but I may need any profits to finance a full spinal transplant because my back has hurt for days.
Oh, and avoiding the porta potty was basically impossible. As you might guess, the things I saw in the two that I visited were basically the stuff of horror films. I just really don’t understand what motivates someone to work in the porta potty industry. Someone should make a documentary on that niche market asap. I would watch it.
We did take some time on Saturday night to watch some Chaka Khan. I really just wanted to see her sing I’m Every Woman, which she originally recorded in 1978 but I know it from when Oprah made it her intro song on her talk show in the 1990s. We didn’t last that long though because she needed an intermission for a quick rest, which I can’t judge because I wanted to leave because my back hurt.
But there was some speculation that one of her back up singers was Blac Chyna, infamous for suing the Kardashians for defamation. Suing the Kardashians is a bold move, right? But then someone else told me that Chaka’s back up singer was Chyna Blac, no relation. So I have no idea. Either way, I think Chaka Khan - who is the same age as Jeanne - is just over it. I think if we asked Jeanne to perform a set list starting at 7:30, she would just never show up. And she sure wouldn’t wear high heels and bring backup singers, Kardashian related or not. Most likely because she isn’t sure who the Kardashians actually are.
