Advice needed on two things

[thistlechaser]

Two totally different topics, advice needed on both.

1) I love Chinese spareribs. They were my favorite food as a kid, I ate them as often as my parents would let me. However it's been years since I've had them as an adult since it's just silly how expensive they are. I stumbled upon this recipe today, and wow that looks easy. I don't know if I could find St. Louis-style pork ribs, but I'm sure I could substitute some other pork rib. Could they be that easy and be like the kind you get in a restaurant?

2) This is a sad one. When the Loki comic book first came out (three months ago), I ventured into the comic book store to get a copy. The staff was really nice and helpful, and they now reserve a copy for me each month. However, I find I'm just not enjoying the comic anymore -- I don't like the storyline, the price is too high, and I don't like getting just a tiny bit of the story once a month. However, I really, really don't want to go tell them face to face to stop holding a copy for me. I looked for an email address, but there isn't one (heck, oddly there's no website at all for the store). Think it would be horribly rude of me to just not go get it? They have my phone number, so I suppose they'll call me and remind me they have it, but it's just that they're really nice and I'd like to support their store, but I just don't want the comic anymore. (And yeah, them being really nice should make it easy to tell them I don't want it anymore, but I hate to disappoint them, and I know they wouldn't get angry at me or anything, but I just don't want to do it in person.)

I suppose maybe I could find a phone number and call them to tell them not to. Maybe that might be a good compromise...

Comments

[ani-mama.livejournal.com]

1) The sauce recipe is basically sweet and sour sauce, so I think it should be fine. Be sure to use rice vinegar, because vinegars vary a lot in taste. If you want to make this REALLY easy, you could buy a bottle of store sweet and sour sauce and get similar results.

I was just wondering what to do with all those pork spare ribs in the freezer, good timing!

2) Call them up and leave a message if you want, but there is no need to make a special trip.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Let me know how yours come out, when you make them! It probably won't be until next weekend before I try.

A message is an even better idea! I can be sure to call outside of reasonable hours so I'll get their voice mail.

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

On #2, there might well be other comics you would like.
If you went in personally maybe you could switch which one you want to a different one?

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Hmm that's a good idea. I would like to keep supporting them. I could get a different one each month and see what I like.

[kelen.livejournal.com]

Not sure what titles you would like, but Atomic Robo is sheer fun, and Saga has an intriguing story so far.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I think I'll poke at some Avengers-ish titles first, since they're likely to be a good match. Thanks though! <3

[kelen.livejournal.com]

:)

[wow-hazmat.livejournal.com]

Check out the new Ms. Marvel; that looks pretty awesome. You could also ask the comic store people for advice -- if they're good sorts, they should be able to make some recommendations. :)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've heard good things about new Ms. Marvel. I'll take a look at it! :)

[peppygrowlithe.livejournal.com]

If you're not averse to telling a little white lie, you could just say "I'm moving, so don't hold one for me". You'd probably have to buy the latest issue just to make it seem believable, and of course, some people wouldn't feel right being untruthful even over something insignificant that you're just doing to avoid hurt feelings/disappointment.

If there are other comics you're into, you could alternatively be truthful, and say, "I don't want the Loki comic anymore, but I'll start buying _____ from you". That way, you'll continue to support their store while moving on to a new series. Of course, that requires having a series that grabs your interest...

[peppygrowlithe.livejournal.com]

Oh, somebody already mentioned my second idea! Serves me right for not looking at the comics first.

Did you read The Walking Dead graphic novels? They're better than the show IMO. Fables is also worth reading...

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I rarely look at the other comments before commenting myself, so that happens to me, too.

I read some of them, but it was on the computer which I just don't enjoy. (Ebooks I love, egraphic novels I don't.) TWD is a good option though!

On your original comic, he also mails comics out to people not in the area, so moving might not work as an excuse. (It's sort of amusing though, he was sold out of the first issue of Loki, so gave me one from someone's mail order of them, since he could replace it later before shipping it out.)

[gconnor.livejournal.com]

Just call the store and say you won't be buying that comic for a while. Really, they are not going to be disappointed in you... they just work there.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Probably true, yep.

[quistie.livejournal.com]

I think someone else have mentioned trade paperbacks before in another post, but that might be a good way to sidestep this. Just tell them that you read quite a bit and you don't really like getting only a bit of story once a month. (Both of which are true, I think.) Ask for some kind of recommendation on paperbacks you might enjoy. It would be even better if there is a writer/artist you like.

This way, you don't have to worry about the store reserving stuff for you every month, and you can purchase stuff at your own pace.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Both of which are true, yep! Someone else had mentioned the trade paperbacks in another post, and I do think that that's a workable solution. `

[ashmedai.livejournal.com]

Mmm those ribs do look good!

Aw just call them or leave them a message - I've worked in a store once, and nobody takes that personally, it'll be fine.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Don't they? I'm dying for them!

And usually I'd think they wouldn't take it personally, but I know the owner works behind the counter as well, so I suspect it might make him sad to lose a regular customer.

[tersa.livejournal.com]

1. If you go to a place with actual butchers, you could put in a special request for St. Louis-style spare ribs.

FWIW, from someone who, at one point, got high level education about different cuts of meat, swapping in one cut for another does not always work. They're different cuts for a reason.

2. If it's the place I get my comics from, then simply not picking up your comics won't work. My place took my debit card information and if you don't pick the held comics up in a timely fashion, they'll just charge you for it.

I recommend what everyone else said: just call them and ask them not to hold the comics for you anymore and if they do have any in your hold file to put them back on the shelf. I've done that a couple times.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I googled around and didn't find butchers in this area (though I only searched for my exact town). It gave me results like Sprouts, Safeway, and BBQ places (but mmm, new options for lunch!), but nothing helpful. Do you know of one in your town or near it? The last time I went into a real butcher shop was when I was 10!

I suspect it's not the same comic shop. Mine is a little shop in my town, near McDonalds and a Bon Chon chicken wing place. I bet yours is that big one on ECR? Mine didn't take a card number, just my phone number. Thanks though, I am going to call them.

[tersa.livejournal.com]

It doesn't need to be a dedicated butcher shop. Two local stores off the top of my head that would almost certainly do it as long as they had the primal(*) in stock would be Andronico's and Whole Foods. They might also take special orders for it if the primal isn't on hand, so like if you knew you wanted it for next weekend, you could order it in advance, that kind of thing.

Larger megamarts like Safeway, Lucky, Nob Hill and Raley's might also do it if they have a butcher section in the store (off the top of my head, the Lucky and Nob Hill near me both do). But I don't know how much they'd be inclined to do custom orders, is the only thing. Worst you can do is ask and they say no. :D

'My' comic shop is off Rengstorff, next to the pet store I like to buy the cats' food from, but you may be thinking of their old location. :)

(*) - A primal is the larger part of the animal the cut of meat comes from.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Hey, that works out! I was looking for an excuse to go back to Whole Foods. :D I know Safeway does have a butcher section (or at least the one near me does), so I'll try next if Whole Foods fails.

Ah! I could be thinking of the old one, yeah. Last time I was there was when C lived in the area, so it's not surprising that it moved.

[adam-0oo.livejournal.com]

If you enjoyed the complex, multi layered, always decietful Loki, I could suggest the recently completed Young Avengers, lots of fun, though I didn't understand it.

If the store doesn't have a website, they probably have a Yelp page with their phone number.

They have a lot of Avengers titles out now, each with their own flavor, some more epic space, some more SUPER epic, but earth bound, secret missions, urban and so on.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Ooooh yeah! I heard good things about Young Avengers. I think that's the one I'll start with.

[adam-0oo.livejournal.com]

Yep, and I luuurrrrve the art.

[loup_noir]

I'd never heard of St. Louis-style pork ribs before, but luckily for me, Wikipedia explained it all.

"St. Louis style ribs (or St. Louis cut spare ribs) have had the sternum bone, cartilage, and rib tips (see below) removed. The shape is almost rectangular."

Ribs iz ribs. If you can't handle the cartilage, then ask the nice butcher (assuming you go to a market that still has butchers, and if you aren't, then maybe you might look for a new market. A good butcher will explain the different cuts, what is approximately the same, what won't work, etc....) if he can trim the tips.

And as for the comic book store, Thistle up and tell them that the story line isn't doing it for you. They probably hear it all the time, and it's much nicer for them and for you if no one is assuming anything. Besides, knowing comics and all, if Loki isn't making you happy, then there will be several other wonderful things that will.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I think you're right, to both parts. I'm worrying too much about the comic book store. I suspect the ribs will come out well, even if it's the wrong cut. I sure am craving them now!

[voidmagus.livejournal.com]

Never had chinese spare ribs. No good chinese food anywhere I've lived in the past, alas. Look damn good though

[tedwords.livejournal.com]

I agree, I think you should give them a call.


I suspect you already did :)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the reminder! I actually didn't yet, I better do it soon. :)