Photo taken by Sweet Perversion

Have you heard? There is a great new magazine in Fullerton called “Votre Fullerton.” It’s a monthly magazine with pages full of interesting, insider information about Fullerton’s restaurants, shops, events, and anything else that has to do with our city. In the first issue, I have an article about some Fullerton-based artisans selling their awesome wares on Etsy. And I have another article in the September issue about the best free wifi spots in Fullerton.

Want to subscribe? You can do so right here. Or you can pick up a copy at Max Bloom’s Cafe Noir, Amerige Tobacco, Z-kids, lolo a boutique, Elizabeth Designs, or Bookmachine (inside the Hibbleton gallery).

Yes, I said mayors. As in the plural of “mayor.” And no, I’m not talking about the two members of city council currently serving as “Mayor of Fullerton.” I am referring to people who have earned the title of “Mayor” in the smart phone app/game called foursquare.

foursquare is pretty fun, but it’s hard to describe why. The concept sounds kind of dumb, and quite frankly, like something a creepy stalker invented, but I promise that it’s fun. Basically, you load the app onto your phone (available for the iPhone, Blackberry or Android platforms at the moment) and then “check in” when you arrive somewhere. According to foursquare, it’s a “cross between a friend-finder, a social city-guide and a game that rewards you for doing interesting things.”

When you check in the people who you are friends with through foursquare see where you when they open up foursquare on their phone. You can also sync foursquare with your Twitter and Facebook accounts so your friends will be alerted about your daily travels, if you’d like. When you’ve checked into a place more than anyone else, you are crowned “The Mayor” of that place.

That’s where the fun part starts. Some places offer special benefits for the person who is the mayor of their establishment. Other places are even more generous and offer a discount or freebie simply for checking in to foursquare from their business.

In addition to being crowned mayor (which can be snatched away if someone else surpasses you in visits to that place) you can also earn badges for all sorts of things. It’s a fun surprise to unlock them, because most badges are for things you didn’t realize you were doing, like going to karaoke bars too much. Oh, and you can also leave tips at places where you’ve checked in, like “try Rutabagorz’s the mac and cheese, it’s really good.”

If you’d like to friend me on foursquare, my user name is fmiFullerton.

Here are some other people you might want to friend, they’re mayors of various Fullerton establishments…

• Router Guy – Wendell is the mayor of a whole bunch of places, including Big’s Sports Bar & Grill, Bourbon Street, Kansai Sushi, Mulberry St Ristorante, and Pint House.
• Brianna D. – Brianna is the mayor of a lot of places (18 and counting) but the only one in Fullerton proper is Rutabagorz.
• Nicholas N. – His photo might be a little silly, but this guy has basically got Fullerton covered, he’s the mayor of 25 places, 11 of which are in Fullerton. Everywhere from Target to 2J’s Cocktail Lounge.
• Colleen G. – She’s the mayor of Cal State Fullerton. That sees like a big win to me.
• Zeke F. – You just knew someone with a name like “Zeke” would be the mayor of SlideBar, right? Zeke also has Zling’s Bistro, Heros, and Boston Market.

I went down to Bourbon Street’s Mardi Gras celebration yesterday, and I didn’t see any flashers, though bead necklaces were everywhere, including hanging from tree branches. Though in all fairness, I was there around 6pm, and the “adult” activites weren’t supposed to start until 10. I did snap a few photos though…

Yesterday I decided to walk to the Post Office and then to the library instead of driving, and I have to say, it was a very pleasant experience. It’s hard to resist cliches when you talk about walking somewhere as opposed to driving there. You really do have a chance to notice your surroundings more. It really is less stressful than driving in traffic only to find that there is no where to park. You really do have time to think.

For example, I noticed several businesses on Commonwealth that I hadn’t seen before. While I had noted that there is an Ace Hardware store on Commonwealth and Harbor, I didn’t “see” it. From what I could see through the front windows, it is an old time kind of hardware store. The sort of place that you can buy a KitchenAid stand mixer and also pick up a package of nails. I also had the opportunity to note that they have a huge collection of Smith and Hawken garden wares even they went out of business last summer. I also took note of a wine bar I want to check out and an Italian restaurant with a nice patio.

But more than just noticing shops and restaurants, you notice people. When you walk somewhere, you have the opportunity to really take the temperature of the community. You can actually see people’s faces. Imagine that. And people who are walking, seem way happier than people in cars. When you’re in a car, the people around you are the jerk who cut you off and the moron who keeps changing lanes. There is no such competition or ill will on the sidewalk. At least not in a place like Fullerton. Maybe in Manhattan walkers are more cut throat. But on my way to the library, I smiled at a toddler sitting on the bus bench and she waved back at me. I also listened in on snippets of conversations between people getting off a Metrolink train. They seemed engaged and relaxed. Not harried and drained like most car commuters.

Less philosophical and more in the realm of practicality, I learned that it isn’t really that much faster to drive than it is to walk short distances. I’m not saying that driving isn’t faster, but it doesn’t save as much time as you’d think. Because I was walking, I was able to cut through the train station instead of waiting through several lights to make a left onto Commonwealth. And as I mentioned earlier, there isn’t any congestion on the sidewalks and no need to spend time finding a parking spot. You’re also so mentally engaged–or at least I was–by the shop windows, gardens, and other walkers that time feels like it is passing more quickly.

Walking was such a nice experience, I think I am going to try and convince my husband that we shouldn’t turn on our car’s ignition a single time this weekend. I wonder if we could do it?

I’ve found some pretty funny reviews of Fullerton establishments on Yelp, which is a helpful website when you’re trying to figure out which places are worth a try and which are damn near close to toxic. But who in their right mind reviews a Del Taco or a Carl’s Jr.? I mean, you don’t have to be from Fullerton to know what to expect at large, national chains.

These reviews do make for some funny reading though…

McDonald’s

I’m not sure if this woman is confused about the hours of the McDonald’s on Malvern, or making things up, or what? It seems kind of hard to believe that the employees just close up shop early (wouldn’t their manager notice?):

This McDonald, although it is supposed to be 24 hours tends to close frequently because the one cashier can’t handle the crowd. There has been a time where I waited TOO long at the drive thru with two other cars behind me only to angrily drive around and realize there was NO ONE in the Mcdonalds. If you’re going to leave early at least have the decency to leave a darn sign.

At least Vince finds their food tasty. But then, who needs to read a review on Yelp to know what they should get at MickeyD’s?!

I like the Double-Quarter pounder, large fries, large coke.  I love thier nuggets, breakfast and breakfast sandwiches, especially the sausage mcmuffin with a hash brown,  sometimes i [sic] stick the hashbrown [sic] in the sandwich.

Carl’s Jr.

This guy gave the Carl’s on Euclid 5 stars because he likes the Big Carl commercials. Too bad he doesn’t know how to spell “Big Mac,” and doesn’t realize that the Big Carl has an ungodly amount of fat to go along with the whole “more meat and cheese” tag line.

Carls is Carls, you know what you are getting when you walk in the door. Sure may they throw a Green Burrito in the mix, yeah maybe; but again Carls is Carls. So you may ask why 5 stars? Well I am here to tell you; the blatant slap in the face Carls through at Mickie D’s with the Big Carl, is Frickin’ hilarious! I love the commercial so much I had to go get me a Big Carl. To my surprise, the Big Carl is a border line tasty sandwich! Is it better than the Big Mach [sic], I don’t know, nor do I care. I just hope McDonald’s throws down a Biatch slap on Carls now. Nothing like pure unadulterated food smack down! Ha the Big Carl!

Unfortunately for old man Karcher, those witty commercials couldn’t save the Carl’s on Chapman at Raymond. Two people deemed it to have the worst service of any Carl’s in the area and gleefully reported it’s closure.

Taco Bell

Vince–the same Vince who loves McDonald’s Double-Quarter Pounder, fries, nuggets, and Sausage McMuffin–also left this hilariously detailed review of the Double Decker Taco he had at the Taco Bell on Orangethorpe. The dude loves his fast food!

The doubledecker had the amazing crunch from the crunchy taco inside creating a decadent resistant emulating plate techtonics.  The lettuce despite being cradled inside a larger than life tortilla had an amazing freshness I could only describe as, “Lechuga.”  The cheese brings everything together much like a Dijon sauce over entree & side & salad.  Finally, If I had to pick one processed beef, it would be this one, the grainy course feeling of well grounded beef hits every side of my refined palet. [sic]

The outer taco had a soft, voluptous flour tortilla which embraced the whole of the ingredients.  Gently touching the taste buds on the skyline of my mouth and laying beautifully on my tongue.  The beans provide the tortilla with extra flavor and blend the flavors of the tortilla with the cruncy taco inside.  With every bite, you get the crunchy on the inside, softened by the pleasant flour tortilla and beans.

By far the best part of his comment was the review of his Pepsi, though:

The fountain pepsi had the right ingredients blended in, just enough fizz for me without becoming fizz.  The ice was perfect, did not melt to quickly, so the soda did not become flat until I had finished it.

Del Taco

This Del Taco seems to have gotten good reviews purely because it is close to Cal State Fullerton. Every reviewer mentioned their alma mater in one way or the other:

• Kiki managed to remember direct quotes from the cashier, even though she admits to being drunk. Hope she didn’t drive there.
• Cindy, a CSUF grad student, appreciates that you can get 3 chicken soft tacos for $2.09.
• David also liked the soft tacos during college, and added that this particular DT is older than he is (27).
• Martin moved away after school and ponders why taco bell is so much more popular, and bemoans the lack of Del Tacos in Nor Cal.

p.s. I gave up putting all the [sic] notifications after the bad grammar and spelling. Just assume that all the crazy writing is from the same crazy people who review fast food places, and not a mistake I made while quoting them.

Everyone is into “local” these days. Surely you’ve heard of the locavore movement that encourages people to buy food produced nearby their home? Buying locally grown produce and cheese, meat, bread, etc is a great way to reduce all of the pollution created by transporting food long distances. It’s also a wonderful way to help out small family farms that are right in your neck of the woods.

Buying locally created artwork and crafts has some of the same benefits. It’s a great way to support American craftspeople and artisans in this down economy. It’s also a good way to find high quality goods (no shoddy assembly line junk shipped to you courtesy of the People’s Republic here!) that are unique and have personality.

Here are 10 Fullerton-based artists who create great t-shirts, jewelry, pocketbooks, toys, and more…

The Head Shop

The Head Shop has a wonderful talent with silk screening. Everything is done by hand, from drawing the designs to creating the screens to printing them on shirts, bags and aprons. Fullerton peeps will especially love the “Going Downtown Fullerton” series, though I think my fav is the Day of the Dead Head shirt.

Tinkerella

Considering that Fullerton is just a few miles up Harbor Blvd. from the Happiest Place on Earth, it’s not surprising that it has inspired the creative work of Tinkerella. She makes the cutest–and I mean CUTEST–costumes and outfits for kids that are all Disney inspired.

Quiet Doing

If irony and retro were to have children, Quite Doing‘s great iPod cases, wallets, shirts, and pocket books are what they’d look like. I mean, who wouldn’t love an iPod case that has a record player on the outside? I also love her Qwerty Pocketbook.

Katrina’s Jewel

The beautiful jewelry in the Katrina’s Jewel shop is about as handmade as it comes. All of the metal fabrication and finishing, all the fused glass cabochons, all the kiln-firing and annealing is done by hand. She creates beautiful and unique rings, necklaces, and earrings. I especially love this turquoise pendant.

Sweet Perversion Designs

I really love the stationary sets from the Sweet Perversion shop. Need to say thank you with a sense of humor? They’ve got you covered. Congratulate a friend on her pregnancy? Let’s hope the pregnancy hormones have calmed down. But even if you’re not that bold (crazy?), they have plenty of nice paper products (moving and baby announcements, Valentines Day cards, etc) and charming pocket mirrors that are sure to offend no one.

White Wax Flower

It’s hard not to smile when you read that the artist behind White Wax Flower describes her style as “somewhere between French Chic, Farmhouse, and Nautical.” Her sweet line drawings of party dresses, automobiles, and sail boats all have their various parts labeled in French. I can think of a number of different rooms (baby’s room, sun room, breakfast nook…) that would be improved by her charming prints.

DigADig

If you are a mommy to a stylish little girl, then DigADig is definitely a shop you will want to bookmark. Her ribbon barrettes are very cute, but the vintage Vera napkins turned into little shirt dresses are even cuter.

Form Fire Glassworks

Form Fire Glassworks makes beautiful, modern beads out of unique, and sometimes exotic art glass. I love that the listings tell you exactly about every part of the materials and how the beads were made. That’s one of the great things about something handmade, you have the opportunity to learn that the glass used is from Italy, or that a particular set of beads was created while the bead was created by making a “hand pulled twistie.”

Christine Bee Luxury Knits

All this rain and cold weather we’ve been having has given me ample opportunity to bust out my scarves and gloves, but they don’t hold a candle to the beautiful works of art knitted up by Christine Bee. Check out their fingerless gloves made out of merino wool with a lace pattern. This vintage-inspired mohair scarf looks pretty cozy too.

Asher Jasper

Let’s say you’re best friend’s kid is having her third birthday party next month, and you really want to give him something unique and natural and fun. And let’s say you really want to buy something handmade and local. Asher Jasper to the rescue! What little boy wouldn’t love a plush monster that he can stuff in his pocket and whip out whenever a cootie-carrying girl passes by?

When I moved to Fullerton, I started Googling to see where all the stores that I regularly shop at are located. I’ve been a regular shopper at Trader Joe’s since I moved to the San Fernando Valley to go to college. I continued shopping there when I moved to Long Beach, and I expected to find a local Trader Joe’s in Fullerton. After all, a city with 126,000 people, a major university, a solid middle class and several upper-middle class neighborhoods would seem like Trader Joe’s heaven, right?

Wrong. There is not a single Trader Joe’s in Fullerton. The closest one, as far as I can tell, is in Brea (2500 East Imperial Highway). It seems to be a pretty good store. It get’s good reviews online, “Any Trader Joe’s is great, but the one in Brea, I have to say is very good. There is something about this store that makes you feel comfortable. Even when it is crowded, it does not feel uncomfortable or cramped. The staff is always very helpful and very nice.” There are also Trader Joe’s in Cerritos, Yorba Linda, and Tustin. But not Fullerton.

Why is that?

Trader Joe’s was started with the idea of attracting well-educated people, looking for something different and a little bit exotic, but with keen eye for bargains. Do Brea and Yorba Linda have more exotic tastes than Fullerton? Or is it our education level that has kept Trader Joe’s away? A certain Fullertonian addicted to Peppermint Joe Joes need to know!

I never planned on living behind the Orange Curtain, but here I am in sunny rainy Fullerton! Never say never!

I spent the first 18 years of my life in Cypress, except for a brief jaunt over to Cerritos when I was a toddler. When I left for LA during college, I promised I would never be back. But here I am. I’ve found that there is a whole lot more to Orange County than the pockets of suburban hell I knew as a kid.

Here on fmiFullerton, I plan on sharing my observations, discoveries, and…well pretty much everything else that comes to mind, so long as it has something to do with my new city, Fullerton.

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