Long time no post…

Toby and I just got back from a trip to Italy to celebrate one year of marriage. Rome and Venice were nice and all, but Florence really made an impression on me. Bikes and pedistrains own the streets with scooters coming in a close third. Cars, while certainly present, don’t dominate like they do here in New York.

Why do I bring all this up? While we were away, what you see in the video below happened in New York City. After that is a video of what it’s like biking in Florence. Compare/contrast.

My little haircut project at Subwaybarbers.com has been generating some attention over the last week or so. Just thought I’d share:

* Manhattan User’s Guide

* New York Observer

* Thrillist

* Guest of a Guest

* New York Times City Room

Thanks to Jeremiah Moss at Vanishing New York for being the first of the New York blogs to link out to the site months ago.

Just head back from my friends at Edy’s in response to my previous note. This is exactly how customer service should work. I love the details about the “peanut butter feeder” (how can I get one of those for my home) and the make good at the end is the right thing to do. I’m now a fan.

Dear Mr. Law,

Thank you for your email regarding your purchase of EDY’S Chocolate Peanut Butter Chunk. We are committed to producing the highest quality products and direct feedback from our customers is very important in maintaining our standards.

In our manufacturing process, added ingredients are mixed into the product using a special feeder. Unfortunately, we are occasionally the victims of human and/or mechanical error. In this case, it appears that the peanut butter feeder was not operating properly; therefore, none were mixed into the product. I am truly sorry that this incident occurred and marred your enjoyment of our product.

Please watch your mail for a current flavor list, savings coupons, and a gift certificate for one carton of any EDY’S with our sincere apologies. I appreciate you calling this matter to my attention and hope that your next EDY’S experience will restore your confidence in the quality of our product.

Sincerely,
Darla Richardson
Consumer Response Representative

Below is the text of a letter I just sent to the people at Edy’s Ice Cream. I have a lot of time on my hands. I’ll post any response I get back. Update: they wrote back.

Hello,

I recently purchased a one pint container of Edy’s Maxx Chocolate Peanut Butter Chunk Ice Cream and I’m sorry to say I was greatly disappointed.

Let me state for the record that I think both chocolate and peanut butter were sent directly from heaven and mixed by the hand of God. It’s a magical flavor combination that I have enjoyed for as long as I can remember. Because of this, I make an effort to sample every product on the market featuring these two ingredients.

I was excited to see your product in the freezer of my local grocery store this weekend for the first time. Chocolate ice cream? Check! Chocolate chunks? Yes! Peanut butter ribbon? Sign me up!

My excitement was at its peak after dinner when I was about to have a bowl of your ice cream. Once I opened the lid, I became concerned. I didn’t see the rivers of peanut butter like I saw in the picture on the container.

Thinking the peanut butter might be below the surface, I dug in with my ice cream scoop and filled my bowl with your product. Sadly, I still didn’t see any peanut butter.

I optimistically thought it was too dark in my kitchen, so I retired to the living room and began to eat. No peanut butter in the first bite. No peanut butter in the second bite. Only a hint of peanutty goodness in the third. My dessert consisted of standard chocolate ice cream and some chalky chocolate chunks.

This saddened me and drove me to draft this letter. I have been a fan of your products in the past, but now I worry that I’ll hesitate before reaching into the cooler. Your package tells people to “rip off the lid, grab a spoon and just dig in.” Perhaps you don’t want folks to take the time to notice its shortcomings.

Thank you,
Matt Law

Found on Katurday.com

It seems some guys named Grey and Kevin saw an ad for the Web site I work for and made a spoof of it.

Here’s the original:

Here’s the Grey and Kevin version:

Well done : )

The other day…

*Phone rings*

Me: Mattlaw…(that’s how I answer my phone at work)

Guy on phone: Hey, it’s NAME NAME from COMPANY COMPANY. Do you have a sec?

Me: Sure, I have plenty of secs.

Guy on phone: Well, um, that’s good to know. Anyway…

Me: No, no… s-e-c-s, as in the plural of a second.

(You may have to read the “Sure, I have plenty…” line out loud to understand why I’m posting this example of why I try to avoid the phone at all costs.)

Today I got my first haircut as part of my Subway Barbers project. What’s that? Well, I’m going to get my hair cut in every subway barbershop in New York City and document each one.

I’m still working on the definitive list of subway barbershops in New York City, but there are enough to keep me busy for at least a year.

Toby is helping out with the before and after pictures.

So first off, let me say thank you very much for getting me Guitar Hero, co-blogger. It was an awesome Christmas present that I truly wanted. I have had hours of fun galore. Yet it is ruining my life! Every song I listen to, I imagine if it would make a rockin’ guitar hero song. And when I hear the songs from the game, it is all I can do to not start doing an awesomely (lame) air guitar hero along. Now it is creeping into my work life too. After reading about the Devilish Debate to End Church of England, it took more restraint than you might think to only scream “6-6-6! The Number of the Beast!” (which I screech every time I play the Iron Maiden tune) and not put it up on the homepage. Also, I think it is giving me carpal tunnel syndrome. Where is the Hero to rescue me from this game?

On the upside, at least I enjoy the humor of its constant references on TV:

Related: Conan plays real guitar as staffers play Rock Band:

Google search results for term “change” on some of the presidential candidates Web sites.

Obama: 109,000

Hilary: 4,350

McCain: 608

Rudy: 806 (bonus: 9/11 = 1,860)