All For a Good Cause

Okay, we're famous!

Well, maybe we're not famous, but we are mentioned in a news article for a local homeless shelter. Friendship Shelter in Laguna Beach recently did some work, remodeling, among other things, their bathrooms. AB&R Plumbing did the plumbing! You can read the article under "It takes a village to build a bathroom". They liked our work so much that they have asked us to quote the bathroom on the floor above!

This was a pretty good job and it shows off the versatility of AB&R Plumbing. Most "service plumbers" aren't set up to do this kind of work. AB&R has an advantage; we have our parent company. New Technology Plumbing is a new construction commercial plumbing company. They have done many large commercial buildings, including the 8-building Broadcom complex for The Irvine Company. Check out their website to see what kind of work "the Hawgs" can do.

This means that, between AB&R and New Tech, we can handle anything from a clogged drain to new construction of your eight-story office building - and anything in between.

Now, off the subject of plumbing...

Have you watched Dancing With the Stars? My wife and I love this show and we Tivo and watch it faithfully. Between this and So You Think You Can Dance, we get a good "dance fix" from our TV for most of the year. If you have read any of my earlier blogs, you know that we are ballroom dancers, so it is a lot of fun to watch really good dancers dance.

Cloris Leachman has to go!

I loved a lot of the acting she did, but as a dancer she is a train wreck! Enough is enough! Some of the other dancers are really doing well but the fact that people keep voting her back every week is unfair. I think she should have gone in the first week, even if she did dance better than Kim Kardashian this week.

Let's hear your thoughts!

Chocolate Marquise

This was one of the best selling product at Bake To Order no matter in what season. It's made by dark chocolate that would definately satisfy those chocoholics. The recipe extracted from BBC-Food website conducted by my idol chef, Lesley Waters.


The texture is quite like mousse, soft yet rich cocoa flavour. You would rather let it melt slowly in your mouth for few minutes and swallow it slowly before you have the next spoon. The recipe is quite simple to make as it could be made in advance. Store it in the fridge then serve it right after a meal for the guests with no hastily. I used 70% dark chocolate and reduced 1/3 sugar from the original recipe. It's best serve with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh berries.

Feeling The Pinch?

When was the last time you went out to dinner?
Did you notice how empty the stores are lately?
How about those giant "For Lease" signs everywhere?
Where did everyone go?
Is everyone holding on to what little money we have?
How did you spend your stimulous check? If you are like me, it went into my gas tank!

I guess I will be the first to say it out loud ....... "It's a recession!" And in my opinion it is going to get a lot worse. BUT ...... there is hope for those of you that are smart with your finances.

1. If you like to eat out - great.. go for it. Just limit what you purchase or even share a meal. My wife and I have been doing this for almost 15 years!
2. Need some new clothes? Hit Target ..... or even Sears .... that's right Sears. LL Cool J has a smokin' new line out at Sears - Buy his clothes and you too can be hip!

In times like these, if you panic YOU WILL LOSE! Be smart and spend wisely. If all Americans stop consumer spending, then you will see a depression and not a recession .... sad but true. Consumer spending in the USA is the "life blood" of our economy.

At AB&R Plumbing we have really felt the pinch. Our entire crew is still busy BUT .... all of our clients -commercial plumbing and residential plumbing - in cities like;

• Mission Viejo
• Lake Forest
• Newport Beach
• Laguna Beach

are all watching how much they are spending on improvements or repairs. "If it ain't broke ... don't fix it" we are hearing.

This has forced our management team to really buckle down and reinvent ourselves. What do I mean by this? Look at Madonna for instance, it is easy to become #1 in something but it is harder to stay #1 for any length of time. For the last 20+ years, Madonna has reinvented herself year after year staying in the spotlight without fading ..... a little misguided - perhaps .. but I think you get my point!

I am not saying you should "Reinvent the wheel", but you may need to seriously alter some of your daily spending or rituals to make it through this recession without damaging your image, credit, relationships or employment.

Any comments out there?