Dunkin' Donuts, 3PM 2/17/2011

Observations about how it looks:

• Tile floors tan colored
• Orange table tops
• Counter tops are granite black
• Pepsi cooler contains Aquafina water, mt dew, diet pepsi, pepsi, apple juice, oj, choc milk, milk, green T, purp&red gat, pink lemonade
• Donut case filled with several new types of donuts...ex) reverse boston kreme, cocoa glazed, cocoa kreme puff, heart shaped
• Ad for buy 3 get 3 free on front counter (donuts)
• Ad for 'Dunkin Perks' rewards
• Menu board has numbered combos... ex) 1- 2 donuts+med coffee, 2-muffin+med coffee 3-bagel+med coffee, 4 saus egg chz croisant+med coffee, etc.
• Coffee flavors posted top left had corner
• Big ad for wake-up wraps in front of pepsi cooler
• Bathroom has no paper towels; hand dryer, very neat
• Door with 'employees only' on right
• Counter right in front when you walk in
• Outside parking lot complicated to get in and out

Observations of customers:

• Older man brings bike into the doorway and leaves it there...continues to get a small hot black and puts 2 s/l in then sits near the door facing out the window..wearing a greay hat and plaid grey sweater.
• A young group of girls come in..sm fv iced xx, donuts, bagel w/ cc...sit at big round table in corner...talk to one another
• 2 young boys come in to talk to the girls at big table
• Worker with brown hair tells them if they're not buying anything they have to leave
• Boys buy boston kreme/glz donuts and continue to talk to girls
• The workers are around my age and all girls, I hear them chat in the back room
• The girls at the round table continue to talk to the boys
• 15 mins up

Slide, Roll, Slam

While reading the essay, Slide, Roll, Slam, by Nicole Williams I noticed that she had very detailed descriptions about everything. She mentioned everything from the names of people who worked there to what they were dressed in. Using descriptive language, she makes us feel as if we are there with her in this bowling alley. She watches the many men play their games, and then focuses in on a particular game. She informs us what is going on and tells us the ages of the men. Also, she tells us the name of a bowling team. I thought it was well written because when I read it, I felt as if I was actually at the bowling alley. The emotion she uses, also, helps put the reader at the scene. Those are always the books I like to read...very detailed and emotional.

Marylou's News

          I chose Marylou's News (the coffee shop located throughout MA) as my research site. All throughout middle school I would walk there with my friends and sit and observe the people driving by. From doing that, I already know a lot about my site. I know that the black and white tiled floors are starting to crack and the white isn't so white anymore; I know that the countertops are pink and so are the walls; I know that they sell a variety of coffee flavors, as well as frozen drinks with names like twix, funky fanabla, oreo cookie monster, mocha frosty lou, minty lou, etc; I know that they sell muffins, danishes, carrot cake, banana bread, coffee rolls, bagels, etc; I know that they sell cooler drinks such as gatorade, vitamin water, milk, water, etc; I know that kids from ages 12-16 sit in the windows and drink their beverage with their friends; and I know that there are usually girls from ages 18-30 that work their.
          There is not much I need to find out about my site, as I visit it quite frequently because it is located in my town. I stop on the way to and from school and there are only a few changes from when I used to hang out there. For instance, there are now 2 benches that they put outside when it isn't snowing out. Also, there is a bathroom key now and there never was one before. There are different posters advertising new drinks, and there are 2 new tables that they put in the store. Other than those few details not much has changed. It still smells and looks basically the same. If I go after 3pm I usually will see a group of middle school age girls hanging out, just like my friends and I used to. It brings back memories.

Iowa 80 vs. Ireasearcher

Friday Night at Iowa 80, written by Rick Zollo, and Iresearcher, written by Nicole Williams are two pieces that we have read in English 102 so far. They were both fairly short essays in which the writer did fieldwork research about a particular location. In Nicole Williams' Iresearcher, she describes her knowledge of the bowling alley. She informs us of the knowledge she already has of the bowling alley, and includes memories that she has there. In Rick Zollo's Friday Night at Iowa 80, he describes his findings when visiting the truck stop. Though the two essays share the same topic, they are written differently, as Iresearcher is written in the sense that she would like to find out more about the site, while Friday Night at Iowa 80 is fully researched and demonstrates his findings in going there.