What's in a Name?

Since going live on Facebook, we have received several inquiries regarding location and opening hours. It seems that a large portion of our followers is under the impression that GOOD TACO is a Mexican restaurant. While the name was indeed inspired by the souvenir markets of Mexico, the term is actually the brainchild of Cindy Tuddenham, and refers to a failsafe and semi-scientific method to label aesthetic choices as either good or poor. The line between good and bad taco can be quite difficult to identify and in anticipation of confusion we have included photo examples below for reference purposes. Please contact us if you require further clarification and/or guidance. And for goodness' sake, please stop placing orders for tacos con carne!

Luck of the Draw

It's been a busy week here at GOOD TACO. The response to our Olympic Sweepstakes was overwhelming, as we were inundated with entries from around the globe. Nearly 8% of our fan base took part! The seven entries included 2 family members, 2 lifelong friends and 3 co-workers. Thanks to all who participated.

In retrospect, we realize that our skill testing question may have been a little too challenging, and perhaps we should have excluded family members from the event. Nevertheless, we gave a fair draw to all (see photos) and would like to congratulate. . .

SHANNON

The mittens will be posted promptly, and should arrive in time for the closing ceremony. Go Canada Go!

Olympic Sweepstakes

GOOD TACO is very proud to announce its inaugural Sweepstakes event! With the Winter Olympics hot on our heels, and as a special thank you to our dedicated followers, we will award one lucky fan with a must-have memento of the Vancouver 2010 Games - the official Olympic mitts! Manufactured in China, these 100% acrylic shell and polyester-lined red mittens will keep you warm and in the Olympic spirit.

To enter, simply answer the following skill testing question:

Where will the 2010 Winter Olympic Games take place?

(Please provide country and city)

Send your answers to good.taco.email@googlemail.com by Friday, February 12th. All correct entries will be submitted into a draw, and the winner will be announced on GOOD TACO's blog, and featured prominently on GOOD TACO's Facebook fan page.

Good Luck to All!

Reflections and Projections

Please excuse our absence. We have been on an international, grassroots PR tour for GOOD TACO and were unable to blog during this time of flux. You will be happy to know that we have returned with exciting updates and two new followers, pushing our fan base to a solid eleven (11)!

We were able to meet several of our fans in person and would like to share some of their fine feedback:

• Robin Kops of New York commented "It's very well written"

• Karma Ramsey from the Salt Lake Chapter mentioned "GOOD TACO makes me happy!" (paraphrased)

• Coree Foreman of Winnipeg, Canada was made aware of the blog and exclaimed "Oh, there it is!"

We continue to welcome your comments.

Coming in 2010

• An exclusive, behind-the-scenes exposé featuring the makers of GOOD TACO.

• Introducing location blogging. Look for us at The Acropolis, The Eagle's Nest, and other European hotspots.

• Social networking capabilities.

Note on Friendship

Having friends is great! Good friends are an extension of your family and enrich your existence. On rare occasions, however, friendship can be a pain in the butt and require a measure of work to maintain. In these times, rather than talking things out, rehashing arguments, and using hurtful language, we suggest making use of a wonderful tradition referred to as the Jewish New Year (or Rosh Hashana). While neither Elena nor Jessy are of Jewish faith, they have spent plenty of vacation time retracing Elena’s partly Jewish roots. On one such excursion they learned about Rosh Hashana and the tradition of making amends before the New Year breaks. Jessy and Elena were quick to adopt the practice, but instead of limiting themselves to the period just before the holiday, they will declare a Jewish New Year whenever beneficial to the friendship. Phrased as a question (Jewish New Year?), atonement takes mere seconds to approve, and speeds along the healing process. Why not give it a try?

Footnote on Cum

Some of our followers have enquired about the frequent usage of the word "cum" in our blog. The Macintosh Dashboard Dictionary (product placement) defines it as follows:

cum

1 [kuhm, koom]

preposition [usu. in combination with]

combined with; also used as (used to describe things with a dual nature or function) : a study-cum-bedroom.

We understand that it also has other meanings, but would like to clarify that our usage of the word is entirely wholesome and inspired by our friend Stephen, a British national, and a fine fellow.

The Office

While in the midst of production on Good Dog Dog Biscuits, we realized the importance of a good working space, a space conducive to creative thinking, problem solving and coffee consumption. On one of our bi-annual brainstorming walks, we noticed that our neighborhood video store had undergone a magical transformation; it had become Goldhahn & Sampson a specialty food store-cum-cafe-cum-bookstore-cum-cooking school. In a nutshell, an ingenious combination of the things we love and covet. We soon began to conduct all business meetings in the shop and elected it to be our official Office. As far offices go, it offers all the standard amenities and then some, including mood lighting, a comfy couch, wireless internet, a bathroom, an array of coffee and snacks, ambient music, nice wallpaper, light shopping, and a wide selection of reference material (cookbooks). Unbeknown to them, Mr. Goldhahn and Mr. Sampson have been more than supportive of our projects, allowing us to linger for hours, using the Internet, perusing the sale bin, and sampling their products. While business for Goldhahn & Sampson is booming, we continue to struggle, but on their couch and with their coffee, we carry on the good fight.